So Gollum, Dr. Jekyll, and Tyler Durden walk into a bar...

Robert Schumann signed several collections of his work according to the personalities he had adopted while composing. If he had been feeling festive, vivacious, and perhaps mischievous while writing, Florestan was the culprit. If he had been somber, moody, and calm, Eusebius was the man. Aside from a clear case of undiagnosed bipolar disorder - or so that Psych 110 class I took freshman year qualifies me to say - Schumann may have had something there.

In creating Verbal Infusion, Jonny and I discussed the direction we'd like to take it: Is it a humor site, a journal of sorts, a place for fiction, a place for essays, a collection of cat photos? We weighed our options and in the end decided that although a focus for a site can be handy, it isn't necessary. We have a few regular features planned, but for the most part, we'll let whim take us where she will. Sometimes we'll be Florestan, other times Eusebius.

At this point, it is important to note that Schumann designed, built, and used his own finger-stretching device to improve his reach for the piano. This same device permanently impaired Schumann's fingers so that he never played again. In conclusion, let us never forget that while the composer succeeded with Florestan and Eusebius, he also may have been an idiot.