Looks like some weather is moving into town; will have to 'press pause' on purposeful existence, as the libraries, coffeehouses and gyms will be closed for a bit. Shifting to Tolstoyan wanderer mode for a bit, then, until civilization returns to normal service. After Mass, stopped in at the grocery cafe for a bit of lunch, then walked north, up through the park, hoping that evensong at the Episcopal cathedral was still on (as the Anglican evening apparently begins at 4PM, perhaps something to do with sherry/gin rules), but no such luck. It was good to revisit the building, though -- one of my favorite places in the world. Went to the St. Ambrose chapel in the back, which was built by Italian artisans, and appears to have a tabernacle and vigil light, prayed the psalter for an hour or two, working my way through the hours of the day, according to the old (1911, I think) breviary.
I'm not being disingenuous about this distinction between purposeful and non-purposeful existence. Many people might think it a mistake to attempt a purposeful life when the focus arguably should be on simple survival, but as Kant says, existence is not a valid predicate. In that we are, we should be something. So when I crashed into the city from the Balkans a couple of months ago, I knew that very difficult times were in store, and that there was no way of avoiding that. But there were also things here that could be of use to me. So I've done what I could, both for the general situation, and for the specific projects that have been the fabric of my life and thought for the last couple of months.
One muddles on somehow. Eventually something comes of it.