Call me Ishmael

"Call me Ishmael. Some years ago — never mind how long precisely — having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off—then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. "

Well, not quite like it, but I was always looking for an excuse to quote the beginning of Moby Dick, and I found it today. They found the ship who inspired Herman Melville to write his most famous novel. I first read his novel at the very young age of eleven, after watching the movie adaptation, which got me obsessed about whales and sea adventures (well, I was before, but it brought it to a peak). I then read it a few years later in cégep, then bought it in English and I haven't read it since. This recent bit of news reminded me that I should.