THE TRANSCENDENCE DIARIES: ancient egypt

Wednesday, July 30, 2003

Visited the casa Buonarotti today, the house that Michelangelo lived in when he came back from Rome and lived in Florence. They call it a palace because it takes up a whole block or two. Right next to the school. Unbelievable. What an honor to go there.

Studying ancient Egypt a little just to get my mind off of Italy for a moment. Two important things occurred to me. one, while watching the episodes concerning the Nile and the landscape of Egypt, I realized that I do not have too much of an interest in nature. things like natural wonders of the earth do not interest me very much. As compared to things that have to do with mankind. I am much more interested in humans than I am in the earth. Frankly I think the earth is worthless except for how it relates to us. sounds crazy I know. but I am just completely fascinated by and in awe and admiration of humanity itself. I am passionate about it. I find myself only caring about things that relate directly to us. The earth without man? Who really cares about it? I am glad that other people do, because we need them to think about protecting the earth and all that or we wouldn’t have an earth. But for me, it was just this major realization I had. I just don't care about nature too much. Only us. What is most important to me is studying mankind. I do not care about things that are outside of us.

And then later when they were talking about the pharos and how their tombs and temples would show their power, their wealth, and their eternal devotion to the gods. Something very strong occurred to me. How easy it was for them to say they were devoted to the gods. What an easy way out this is. To say this. Devoted to “God.” Really, what is a God except a symbol of our highest morals and values, yes? How easy it is to say I am devoted to this or that God. And people really do wave it around like this all important flag. And wear it on their sleeves. Because to them it stands for all the morals and values that they associate with that particular God. So yes one can see the importance of the symbol because of what values they associate with it. Christian or Jewish or Muslim or whatever. but to me as I get older I find myself caring less and less about the particular God I am “devoted to,” and more and more about the actual human morals and values that the god represents to me.

About the Transcendence Diaries

Not much is known about the Transcendence Diaries other than they first appeared online in July 2002 claiming to “come from the future” and are allegedly the work of multi-lingual globe-trotting singer songwriter recording artist & author Ed Hale. Affectionately known to friends and fans as the Ambassador, Hale is the voice behind the Brit-pop/rock supergroup Ed Hale and The Transcendence. Written under the nom de plume “Fishy” is one of many facets of the Diaries that render it a challenge to distinguish what here is true from what might be fictional. One wonders if more than a dash of creative writing isn't at play. It has also been proposed that the 4000-plus pages are actually a collaborative work by several different authors disguised under one pseudonym. Yet one cannot help but feel as if they know this mystery character intimately. The story itself spans more than a lifetime, from a nearly fatal birth to an untimely death and beyond (suggesting the work is indeed fiction). Ed Hale on the other hand is real and still very much alive. See www.edhale.com for more.