Die Weltgeschichte ist auch die Summe dessen, was vermeidbar gewesen wäre.

Loping through this feeling of grime. What a happy way to start a conversation, no? No. But then again, are there really beginnings and endings: discrete locations where things should rightfully depart from? 

I passed through the night occupied by a stream of thoughts on where life has taken me. Maybe after this page has filled in some you will know what I mean. For now it is a refractive index with no substance. Call it desiderata. Desidera tata--------------------+1.  And with that you know where my allegiance lies. 

I 

    spent   
               
                   a
                          
                               while
                                              descending 
                                                                       a staircase,  and then rested on the last step for a spell.

Field notes in alchemy: Sulfuric and Nitric acids. Nitric acid and hydrochloric acid is used to produce aqua regia-- the King's Water. 

King Felix had journeyed on the back of his destrier for days and was in need of a break and a good soak. From far away he could see the depression of a lacuna and upon further inspection, saw that it was indeed filled with water. One problem: the edges were too high for him to safely guide himself down into. What to do? Nearby, a burnt and blackened cathedral stood obstinate to the otherwise picturesque desiderata countryside. He conspired a plan. The King stripped himself of regalia and labored to remove large stones from the cathedral's broken edifice. One by one, he moved stones to the basin and pushed them down into the water, gradually causing the water to rise. He bathed his kingly body in the waters and then sat down to reflect on what he had done. His last thought as the Sun began to recline into the arms of the horizon was: so that's what that old temple was for. 

And that is where we'll begin.