Monthly Archives: September 2011

Standing in the corner of life….

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Ffolkes,
As he watched, alone, he could see the families walking through the park, children playing on the swings, dogs romping in the grass. He felt set apart, an unknown player in a play that everyone else knew by heart. It had always been thus, this feeling of standing outside the normal events of Life, only joining the stream of humanity for moments at a time. He had no friends, only acquaintances who entered his world only to leave again, passing as the proverbial ships in the night. There were times, such as now, when his distance from the rest of his species was lessened, and he felt he might yet find someone who would understand him, and accept his differences as valuable, worthy of respect. At those times, as if by magic, his phone would ring, and a voice at the other end would give him his next assignment, placing him firmly outside the circle of society. He might have chosen another life, but circumstance is as powerful as fate, and his had been sealed early in life, before he developed enough of a conscience to reject the course upon which he set his sights. He did what he did for good reason; he had chosen his path with eyes wide open. Fate, and circumstance, had guided him to where he stood today, and wishing it different would never make it so.
Well, that was a struggle! I never know what will pop out of my head in the morning, and today was no different. It sounds like the beginning of a very deep, very heavy story, and at this point I’m not certain at all that I will continue with it. I have the distinct impression that the protagonist is involved in some pretty shady activities out there on the edge of society. So I may or may not explore this one further; probably not, as I think I need to involve my mind in something a bit more cheery. There is enough in my life now that pushes me toward negativity; I don’t need to put myself there. That’s okay though, something else will pop up tomorrow, and I’ll try to guide it toward a more positive outcome…..today’s Pearls are another eclectic lot, so open your minds and get ready…..

If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.

“Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
— H. L. Mencken (In my case, ‘at times’ translates to ‘daily’)

GIGO: Garbage in garbage out. (which explains my user name; gigoid, which I chose to remind myself of the proper mindset necessary when dealing with computers)

“A man once asked Diogenes what was the proper time for supper, and he made answer, “If you are a rich man, whenever you please; and if
you are a poor man, whenever you can.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Diogenes, vi

This is the way the world ends,
This is the way the world ends,
This is the way the world ends,
Not with a bang but with a whimper.
— T. S. Eliot, “The Hollow Men”

The truth you speak has no past and no future. It is, and that’s all it needs to be.

Did I say eclectic? There must be a word to describe what these are, but it fails to come to me, so eclectic will have to do. Y’all take care out there…..

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.
gigoid
Dozer

Kowabunga!

Ghostly music played well….

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Ffolkes,
For a good bit more than ten years I have composed these pearls each morning, and can say without a doubt that there is nothing easy about it. It is at once fulfilling and frustrating, and always leaves me feeling somewhat ambivalent, right along with the sense of satisfaction. As I’ve stated here and elsewhere, this process is for me, a defense against the buildup of mental plaque, and is as necessary as breathing. But there is also the struggle each day to come up with something fresh and original; I find myself all-too-often just sitting, staring at the screen, frantically searching my entire conscious mind for inspiration, without notable success. Today is one of those days, and as is obvious by now, I have resorted to an old trick by just talking about the process, trying to make some sense of the morning, filling in space with a close examination of the obvious. I won’t subject y’all to much more of this; I’ve managed to pump out a couple hundred words without really saying much. Fortunately for all of us, the pearls I’ve chosen for today are strong enough to make up for any lack in the prefacing remarks, as you will see for yourselves. I promise, tomorrow I will have something a bit more nutritious to offer….just enjoy your coffee, and all will be well…..

“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell the truth.” — Oscar Wilde

“One who is to enjoy the purity of both body and mind walks the path to enlightenment, breaking the net of selfish, impure thoughts and evil desires. He who is calm in mind acquires peacefulness and thus is able to cultivate his mind day and night with more diligence.” — Buddha (B.C. 568-488)

“In handling a stinging insect, move very slowly.” — Lazarus Long

I slept, and dreamed that life was Beauty;
I woke, and found that life was Duty.
Was thy dream then a shadowy lie?
Toil on, poor heart, unceasingly;
And thou shalt find thy dream to be
A truth and noonday light to thee.
— Ellen Sturgis Hooper (1816-1841)
— Life a Duty

” Noise proves nothing.  Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid.” — Mark Twain (1835-1910)

“Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the  experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.” — Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

There you go….another fine group, and well worth what you’re paying for them. In the interest of time-management, I will end this now, before any further damage can be done….y’all take care out there…..

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Just Dozer

Kowabunga!

Technicolor ferrets and red, red wine…

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Ffolkes,
The morning fog was lifting as she stepped outside, and the day promised to be bright and hot. Another perfect late summer day in northern paradise; day after gorgeous day had paraded by, seemingly oblivious to the oncoming autumn, lulling the world into a drowsy complacency. Moving briskly, the young woman walked up the street toward the old part of town, past lovely old Victorian homes pressed between newer apartment buildings, and on into the busier streets that led to her morning’s destination. As she passed others on the street, she looked away, toward the shop windows already sporting fall colors, avoiding any eye contact that might prompt a response, or slow her progress. Just ahead she could see the sign proclaiming “Eats!”, and the crowd of people outside, waiting and hoping for an opening inside. As she drew abreast of the door, she could see the people inside, talking, laughing, eating; she could see the staff rushing from table to table, pouring coffee, delivering food, frantically trying to keep abreast of the horde of orders and demands. She thought to herself, “they won’t have to do that much longer!”. With that thought, she drew the homemade bomb from her pocket, twisted the knob at the top, and calmly bent over to roll it across the floor toward the kitchen in the rear of the room. She turned away from the door and walked quickly away, twenty steps, then thirty, then BOOM! as the device exploded, sending large pieces of building and people flying into the street, along with most of the crowd in front. As she strolled away she thought to herself, “That will teach them to burn my bacon!”…….Justice had prevailed…..
Okay, so they can’t all be classic literature. You try to come up with something new every day, and see how easy it is….NOT! Days such as this one it all comes down to whatever pours out onto the screen; I don’t consciously direct the process, but just let it flow. Sometimes it works, and others, well….not so much. You can decide for yourself, I’m sure…..and I’m sure you will. In the meantime, I like this little group, especially the little poem from Emily; it’s a perfect example of why her level of excellence is difficult to reach. Simple words, strung together in a seemingly random fashion, and POW, the idea smacks you right upside the head. Good stuff…..

The good man is the teacher of the bad,
And the bad is the material from which the good may learn.
He who does not value the teacher,
Or greatly care for the material,
Is greatly deluded although he may be learned.
Such is the essential mystery.
— Lao-Tzu (fl. BC 600)

“What seems to be no test, no struggle, is the most deceiving test of all.” — Ezra Taft Benson

“And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.” — The Beatles, The last lyric of their last song

A word is dead
When it is said
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day.
— Emily Dickinson

“I cannot achieve complete humility — although complete humiliation is always within reach.” — Dan Goodman
(I resemble that remark!…)

Doing it the hard way is always easier. — Murphy’s Paradox

Easier, perhaps, in the long run; it is always so hard to know which way is the hardest. It’s why Murphy is so successful at what he does; reality seems to cater to him, and let’s him have his way all too often…..SIGH….. y’all take care out there…..

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Bumping along the path to glory….

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Ffolkes,
As a day of reckoning, today leaves a bit to be desired. More than just a bit actually. It seems that the universe could go along with the program here, but NOOOO, today’s got to be all big & bad, with overcast. If I’m going to go and humiliate myself before my creditors, the least I think I should be able to expect is a nice day, weather-wise. And though it will most likely clear up in a few hours, by then I’ll not be in a place where I can enjoy it. Sometimes I believe Murphy has taken a strong dislike to me; no other explanation fits all the evidence. Oh well, we plod onward, as there is no other choice….no viable choices, that is. There is always one or more pathways that will lead to a final solution, but we are not quite ready to throw in the towel. What’s a few more mental bruises to someone who lives in pain? Not much…..today’s group is again somewhat eclectic. Gonna have to go find me some new waters to dive in soon….these oyster beds are getting a bit thin…..enjoy!

“I can handle reality in small doses, but as a lifestyle it’s much too confining.” — Lily Tomlin

“…Another writer again agreed with all my generalities, but said that as an inveterate skeptic I have closed my mind to the truth.  Most notably I have ignored the evidence for an Earth that is six thousand years old.  Well, I haven’t ignored it; I considered the purported evidence and *then* rejected it. There is a difference, and this is a difference, we might say, between prejudice and postjudice.  Prejudice is making a judgment before you have looked at the facts.  Postjudice is making a judgment afterwards.  Prejudice is terrible, in the sense that you commit injustices and you make serious mistakes.  Postjudice is not terrible.  You can’t be perfect of course; you may make mistakes also.  But it is permissible to make a judgment after you have examined the evidence.  In some circles it is even encouraged.” — Carl Sagan, The Burden of Skepticism, Skeptical Enquirer, Vol. 12, pg. 46

“Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.” — D.H. Lawrence

Below the thunders of the upper deep,
Far, far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep
The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee
About his shadowy sides…
— Tennyson “The Kraken”

Better stop short than fill to the brim. Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.  Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it.  Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow.  Retire when the work is done. This is the way of heaven.” — Tao Te Ching

“I’ll tell you what kind of guy I was.   If you ordered a boxcar full of sons-of-bitches and opened the door and only found me inside, you could
consider the order filled.” — Robert Mitchum

Now THAT’s a curmudgeon! One can only gape in awe, and hope that one day, I too will achieve such an exalted state of grouchiness. Getting plenty of reasons to be that way building up lately, so we can always hope….y’all take care out there…..

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Watching the pot boil….

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Ffolkes,
It is said, with good reason, that in order to be able to take care of someone else, you must first take care of yourself. That being the case, I certainly hope no one seriously needs my help, because I’m afraid I just don’t have anything to give. At least not in any financial sense. I have struggled a lot lately in that arena, and have been holding my own, for the most part. But circumstances, and Finagle’s prophet, the ever-slippery Murphy, have combined to make this month a whole new experience. It has also been said that in today’s world, we (the middle and lower financial classes) are but two paychecks away from living on the streets. I’m here to tell you, it may not take that long…..drastic measures are not just needed, they are critically essential. If I want to continue living indoors and eating on a regular basis, something has to give…..ah, well, griping about it isn’t going to help either, I suppose, so we’ll go on to bigger and better things. Something will come up, it always does; Murphy just likes to see me sweat…..today’s group took quite a bit of time and effort to gather; they were hiding deep, way back behind some rocks on the ocean floor, so it took several dives to drag them into the light of day…..enjoy!….

“A man begins cutting his wisdom teeth the first time he bites off more than he can chew.” — Herb Caen

“I see little divinity about them or you.  You talk to me of Christianity when you are in the act of hanging your enemies.  Was there ever such
blasphemous nonsense!” — George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), The Devil’s Disciple
(This one is a response to much of what I’ve been reading about Dickless Cheney’s new book of memoirs)

I care not, Fortune, what you me deny:
You cannot rob me of free Nature’s grace,
You cannot shut the windows of the sky
Through which Aurora shows her brightening face;
You cannot bar my constant feet to trace
The woods and lawns, by living stream, at eve:
Let health my nerves and finer fibres brace,
And I their toys to the great children leave:
Of fancy, reason, virtue, naught can me bereave.
— James Thomson (1700-1748)
— The Castle of Indolence, Canto ii, Stanza 3

If you are patient in a moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow. — Chinese Proverb

“Cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing.” — Samuel Johnson

“Times are bad.  Children no longer obey their parents, and everyone is writing a book.”– Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.)

I suppose that means I should probably get mine finished. Book, that is…..meantime, y’all take care out there…..

 

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

At risk of bent principles…

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Ffolkes,
Today’s subject line came to me when I was trying to find a way to describe what I have discovered these last few months, living on the edge of poverty. In some ways, it has been quite illuminating, once one can get past the bone-deep fear that seems to accompany this lifestyle.

‘This lifestyle’…..hmmph. Even that is euphemistic, a more delicate way to say what is actually true, to wit: living without money. As a middle-class citizen of this country, one gets accustomed to, and takes for granted, things that the lower income folks almost never see or have. Like plenty of money to buy food, after paying the most essential bills. Or enough to go out for a meal, or a movie, or just a drive. It’s hard to take a Sunday drive to see the sights, when there is no car; or if there is a car, it must only be used for work, with gas at $4/gallon. It’s hard to take in a movie, when one can’t even afford to have cable tv, if there is a tv to be had. Clean clothing becomes a luxury, when one lives without a washer & drier, and not enough cash to spare the $10-15 for the laundromat.

These are only the most obvious differences; the less obvious are nonetheless just as harmful to the spirit, degrading confidence and adding weight to the burdens already carried. Life then, for those in reduced circumstances (another euphemism….just how does one reduce one’s circumstances?), becomes a constant battle for survival, instead of a platform for growth. I can’t say that learning these life lessons is comfortable, nor can I say that I am learning them with grace; more of a growl. I find my spirit to be in constant need of rejuvenation; it keeps getting harder to find something about which I can feel hopeful. Each day brings another angry creditor to the door (figuratively speaking of course; thank goodness they haven’t started actually pounding at the door….. yet…).

Being the kind of person that I am, I know I will survive. But the shape of the future is not as clear as it used to be, hampered as I am by the fog of fear, and the constant distraction of having to find ways to live and spend less. It has been said that to be an artist, one must suffer….if that is even remotely true, then whatever work I am putting out in between periods of dithering about income vs. outgo, must be truly genius. I wish I could believe it is so…..

“Become what you are.” — Buddha

“In the vacant places, we will build with new bricks.” — T.S. Eliot

And after all, what is a lie? ‘T is but
The truth in masquerade.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824)
— Don Juan, Canto xi, Stanza 37

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” — Will Rogers

“And it came to pass that in the hands of the ignorant, the words of the bible were used to beat plowshares into swords…” — Alan Watts

When you are down and out, all too often the thing that turns up is the noses of your former friends.

“He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless
efforts.”– Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.
gigoid
Dozer

Kowabunga!

Making final points count double….

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Ffolkes,
Been feeling my age quite a bit lately. This is not usual for me; most days I still look around me and see with younger eyes. Even though I know I’ve lost 24 inches (at least) off my vertical leap, and probably a couple of seconds off a hundred yard dash (provided I could make it all the way to 100 without collapsing in shock), I still assume my body will do what I ask it to do. That assumption is not always warranted, but it’s how I feel, and that has to count for something, right? Right…..anywho, today’s Pearls, of which there are only two, speak to the aging process. The first is one that has been circulating the net for several years, at least. But it is actually filled with good, solid sense, and bears repeating now and again. The second, and last, just provides a punctuation point to the first, bringing us right back around to reality once more. Enjoy!

EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN
1. Share everything.
2. Play fair.
3. Don’t hit people.
4. Put things back where you found them.
5. Clean up your own mess.
6. Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
7. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
8. Wash your hands before you eat.
9. Flush.
10. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
11. Live a balanced life–learn some and think some and draw and paint
and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
12. Take a nap every afternoon.
13. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands,
and stick together.
14. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup:
The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why,
but we are all like that.
15. Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the
Styrofoam cup–they all die. So do we.
16. And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned
–the biggest word of all–LOOK.
— Robert Fulghum

Dim with the mist of years,
gray flits the shade of power. — Lord Byron (1788-1824) — Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto ii, Stanza 2

Thus ends another daily blast of reason, or a reasonable facsimile….. y’all take care out there…..

Sometimes I sits and thinks,

and sometimes

I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Unbidden, patterns of silk bear witness….

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Ffolkes,
The Flight, continued:  As he pounded through the forest toward the river, with his terror lending him speed, he felt himself nearing a nexus, a time of decision. His pursuer had pushed and herded him for three days, deeper and deeper into the wild, and everything he was, and hoped to be, depended on what took place now, at this juncture of time. Finally, he caught a glimpse of water through the trees, and coming around a corner, found himself in a small clearing and beach formed by a turn of the river. And he was not alone. Somehow, through what arcane magic he knew not, his pursuer stood between him and his boat, arrogant and evil, and calmly fixed upon him that terrible gaze. Before he knew it, he had blurted out what was uppermost in his mind, “Mom! You’re the one who has been chasing me? Who’s taking care of the fish?”. Sadly, and with great gravity, she replied, “Your Aunt Millie’s got them at her house.” And with that, she vanished, leaving him alone, and very, very confused…..
There, it’s done. Now no one can complain that I never finish anything…..today’s Pearls had to be ripped out of their hidden lairs, and fought every step of the way. You wouldn’t know it to look at them, but they are worth a lot, if only for the effort it took to obtain them. Still, they retain their intrinsic value, as good advice. Good advice, you will remember, is worth everything you pay for it…..

“A little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.” — Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Madison, 1787

“There are moments when art attains almost to the dignity of manual labor.” — Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

“I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.” — Frederick Douglass

And that inverted Bowl they call the Sky,
Whereunder crawling coop’d we live and die,
Lift not your hands to It for help – for It
As impotently rolls as you or I.
— Omar Khayyam/Edward Fitzgerald, The Rubaiyat

Hold a true friend with both hands. — Nigerian Proverb

“If you find yourself in a hole the first thing to do is stop diggin.” — Unknown Old Cowboy

Boy, if that ain’t the truth! Probably wouldn’t hurt to get rid of the shovel as well……y’all take care out there…..

Sometimes I sits and thinks,

and sometimes,

I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Truffles bordered in mink….

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Ffolkes,
Racing through the forest in the pelting rain, he paused a moment to try to catch up to the frantic pounding of his heart. His breath heaved, in and out, in and out, in a staccato rhythm that only served to increase his terror. Behind him, on the path he had forged through the undergrowth, he could hear savage growls and crashing trees as the creature which followed him barreled forward. It sounded as if he had gained a small distance, so he put aside his fear long enough to gaze around him, seeking a more passable route. Off to the north he saw through the trees a faint regularity, possible sign of a trail. He began to run toward it, hoping the relative ease of the path would allow him to completely outdistance the horror that followed. It was a path! He redoubled his efforts, pounding full speed on the packed earth, heading east, toward the river he knew was there. The river marked the edge of the forest, and effectively kept the wild creatures in the forest from exploring its far side, for there was no place to ford, and no bridges conveniently placed. The river also held his canoe, and he knew if he could reach it in time, he had a good chance of surviving. Spurred on now by hope, he fought to push his aching legs to further speed.
That’s far enough today; we will leave our hero just there, nearly out of the fire, and carry on into the new day. Another fine group this morning, with one of my all-time favorites by Mark Twain, and a very strong supporting cast. Today, being the first day of the new month, promises to be pretty busy, so I will leave you now to enjoy these delectable bites of truth, and virtual wisdom….

“A man who carries a cat by the tail is getting experience that will always be helpful.  He isn’t likely to grow dim or doubtful.  Chances are, he isn’t likely to carry the cat that way again, either.  But if he wants to, I say let him!” — Mark Twain

“Population, when unchecked, increases in a geometrical ratio…. Subsistence only increases in an arithmetical ratio.” — Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834)
(In case you didn’t recognize it, this little phrase, backed up as it is by pure, unassailable mathematics, was the first warning received by Mankind in respect to overpopulation. It was published in the 1850’s, so it’s not like we haven’t had the time to absorb it; nonetheless, most folks not only never heard this statement, but still have no idea that much of the trouble in today’s world is due to the effects of having simply too many folks on the planet….)

“He who knows best knows how little he knows.” — Thomas Jefferson

1. Avoid fried foods, which angry up the blood.
2. If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts.
3. Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you move.
4. Go very light on the vices, such as carrying on in society. The social ramble ain’t restful.
5. Avoid running at all times.
6. Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.
— Satchel Paige

I give thee all,–I can no more,
Though poor the off’ring be;
My heart and lute are all the store
That I can bring to thee.
— Thomas Moore (1779-1852)
— My Heart and Lute

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.” — Plato

And on that note, I will bid thee adieu, and fare thee well….  y’all take care out there…..

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!