Ffolkes,
Starts with S, ends with T, says howdy in between….. sorry, no, I don’t know where that came from. I know what it says (C’mon, it’s easy…. s_ _t, in between is hi (howdy) = well, you know… ) But, I have no clue as to why it was on the screen when I sat down; I did have a nightcap last night, and I was pretty wiped out tired when I poured it. Maybe I got a burst of inspiration from the whiskey, and put that thought down just before falling into bed; I can see that happening.
But, in my morning state of consciousness, unaffected by the questionable creative urges that the Beast often brings, I haven’t a clue why my mind thought it was either cute enough, or clever enough, to start out the day with. I suppose it will just have to get filed in that folder of things in this universe to which I will never know the answers…..
Now that the initial nonsense is out of the way, REAL panic can set in; my mind is currently a vast, empty plain, without even the saving grace of shiny objects off in the far distance to draw the eye and attention away from the absolutely deafening silence and lack of…. well, anything, to either see, or to write about…..
I may have to resort to an old writer’s trick, of writing about not writing, or writing about the fact that there is nothing to write about….. which confuses me already, and I haven’t even gone there yet…. I’ll keep scouring my brain, something will come up, it always does…. I’ll just go diving, and it’ll be waiting for me when I get back…. that’s the ticket….. see ya in a while….
Practice good mirth control — use a conundrum.
Sorry, an early pearl here…. I’m not going to use it for a discussion, but I like it, a lot, so I’m putting it here, out of the way, where you and I can enjoy its sharp wit, excellent vocabulary, and finely turned phraseology without the distraction of my chatter…. well, we could have, had I not proceeded to chatter anyway…. oh well, onward….
Okay, I’m done…. let’s go Pearl, before it all gets away from me…. again….
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“I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is.” — Alan Watts
Alan Watts may be one of the least known major influences on modern thought in society today. I first encountered his writings in the late 1960’s when I left home for college at UC Berkeley. It would be hard in one of these short discussions to fully describe the effect of his work on my as yet inexperienced philosophical education. Now, though, many years later, having read the work of many different philosophers, and explored extensively the written tomes of the religions of the world, I can still say that his ideas, and his manner of expressing those ideas, remains high on my list of preferred systems of thought. It is also clear to me after all this time that the content of his work has the highest percentage of concepts that I agree with, unreservedly…..
The statement included above is one of those statements. This is deep, so deep t’is impossible to entirely plumb its depths, without first learning to “breathe water”. And yet, it is so simple, and so clear, that the most naive and simple man can easily absorb the lesson, and use it in life to his advantage. It is typical, in my mind, of the type of philosophical statement to which Alan was prone, and why he has been a major influence on society, though only a few people can tell you who he is. His knowledge is so penetrating, and his words so simple, and so apt, that one learns lessons while completely unaware of being taught. He knew the secrets of the ancient sages, and lived a life in harmony with the earth, as few in today’s world are capable of living…..
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“A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.” — Matz’s Maxim
Upon reflection, although this is a fine pearl, I’m not going to discuss it now. I’m already tired, so here is my conclusion on this: he’s got a good point. Now, let’s start this section over…..
“A life directed chiefly toward the fulfillment of personal desires sooner or later always leads to bitter disappointment.” — Albert Einstein
Now, there’s a pearl! Albert Einstein is generally regarded as one of mankind’s most brilliant members, but most people do not have the capability to see how or why this is so, other than knowing that he was responsible for E = MC². But if one takes the time to look past this bit of common knowledge, and look at some of the statements of philosophy and life he is reported to have uttered, it becomes clearer that the key to his genius lay in the simplicity of his thought processes, not in their complexity.
Albert looked at the world, and the universe at large, through eyes that refused to look away from the simple elegance of the underlying nature of reality, instead focusing on the small, basic thoughts, ideas, or physical properties that best described what is real and true. He also did not add superfluous judgments or unseen factors to what he perceived, instead again focusing on that part of the concept that is important, not those parts that are extraneous to the purpose of increasing understanding of the world around us. He thus was able to see further into the nature of reality than is common to the rest of us, who are prone to complicate our perceptions with our prejudices and or misconceptions.
The above statement is a perfect example of this quality; it looks directly at human nature, and shows us how our own attitudes and desires can potentially be the cause of our own difficulties in life, thus giving us the opportunity to turn our efforts in a direction that will ultimately be more beneficial. The statement clearly lays the responsibility for the tenor of our lives right in our own laps, where it belongs, but does so without condemnation or insult, merely dispassionate truth. He was truly one of humanity’s greatest treasures, and his words will, hopefully, continue to help guide people through life far into to the future…. provided there is one….. but that’s a different subject altogether…..
“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” — Albert Schweitzer
(I know, I know….. not the right Albert. But, it was deliberate, and I’m just doing what Murphy wants….. as is sometimes common, as soon as I finished the above section, the absolute perfect ending pearl popped up. I think Herr Schweitzer was thinking of Herr Einstein when he related this thought….. Albert Einstein was a happy guy; I have pictorial proof, which I have shared below…..so there…..)
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When all else fails, blame it on the guy next to you!
Fix the problem, not the blame.
Serendipity…. always a surprise when encountered, yet why should it be? Ah well, just one of those things we’ll never know, thank goodness… Any who…. these two diametrically opposed statements bring to light a particularly egregious, and, sadly, effective method of counter-strategy used extensively by those members of society whose primary goal is power over others. For each and every statement such as the latter, there are probably a hundred like the former, all perpetrated with the single intent of discrediting the value of the attitude expressed therein, for if people begin to handle life’s problematic issues by the second method, it makes it much more difficult to manipulate events to the advantage of the manipulators.
The ubiquitous presence of these lies among the body of common speech is astounding, if for no other reason that most folks never even realize that a) people, especially those in positions of authority, are lying to them consistently, or b) they are being easily manipulated by their willingness to accept these lies as truth. The sociopaths who take advantage of this are perfectly aware of this natural tendency among the human herd to accept what they hear from those in authority, and count on it heavily to assist them in maintaining the facade of their benevolence and good intentions.
Well, if no other way, perhaps it would help if a lot of folks came to realize that these assholes do express good intentions, and we all know where good intentions will lead us, don’t we?….. One may hope…..
“A thing worth having is a thing worth cheating for.” — W. C. Fields (1880-1946)
See what I mean? How despicable is this? (Very. It will be on the quiz.) Even the humorists fall into the traps set for them…… and humorists influence society very heavily, reflecting as the do the common mores and attitudes of those they are trying to get to laugh, i.e. all of society….. but, the manipulators are laughing the hardest….
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Data: “Felus catus.
Is your taxonomic nomenclature
An endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature?
Your visual, olfactory, and auditory senses
Control your hunting skills and natural defenses.
A bit of whimsy is always appropriate, especially before breakfast. I think my only reason for including this little ditty is to point out that poetry can take many guises, but is nonetheless recognizable in whatever clothing it assumes…. even android clothing, or fur….
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
A farewell, and then forever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I’ll wage thee.
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me,
Dark despair around benights me.
— Robert Burns, Ae Fond Kiss
And then, again, there is the clothing of old masters…..
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“I am rich beyond the dreams of avarice.” — Edward Moore (1712-1757) — The Gamester, Act ii, Sc. 2
In the movie Star Trek IV, The Voyage Home, during a scene in which Dr. McCoy and Mr. Scott are trying to convince a plastics engineer to produce the needed walls for their whale aquarium, Bones uses a small paraphrase of the above line, to inflame the imagination of the engineer by appealing to his innate sense of greed. It was a brilliant piece of movie making, and a brilliant line. (Pretty well acted too; the light that came into the engineer’s eyes when he thought of all that money was priceless, along with the perfectly faux innocent sly look on his face….) It’s one of my favorite scenes from the movie, a cult classic for true Trekkies, but I had never heard, or seen, the line before, and thus did not know who the author might be.
This morning, when I came across this while searching for the last pearl of the day, a huge smile, and feeling of completion, stole across my face and being, and I knew that all would be right with the world today…. well, maybe that’s a bit optimistic, but I sure feel better, knowing the name of the person responsible for such a beautiful phrase. I’m not sure in which philosophical direction it points, not having the context of the rest of the play to study (though I now may do so, at my leisure). But, if I choose to believe it comes from the concept of being rich because of how well loved and filled with joy is my life, and not from the concept of actually amassing monetary wealth, then it is absolutely a piece of literature for the ages….in the category of Truth and Beauty…..
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Well, that went better than I had expected, but I guess that is a natural outcome of having expectations; the percentage chances of being right diminish the more we entertain them ahead of the due process of reality. In short, it’s what I get for being a git….. Nonetheless, how this has turned out is fine with me, so I’m going to send it off to cyberspace with my blessings. Y’all take care out there….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.
gigoid
Kowabunga!
gigoid 
Interesting. I was curious about your reference to the Beast?
Ah, lass, t’is an Irish expression, a euphemism for whiskey, Irish rye classically, but bourbon in my specific case. Due to the very Catholic culture they have in much of Eire, I’m certain it refers to what the liquor brings out of us when we imbibe…. so, they refer to “a taste of the Beast in a jar”… a jar typically a good sized tumbler… glad you enjoyed today’s musings… take care….
Aw, thank you! And you as well!
That was wonderful… I love a conundrum you know. I thought your little play with the word s_ _ t was pretty clever – if you do remember what you were thinking I would love to know.. I am a little much of an emotional muddle after finishing my… good golly it was 4000 words…that;s why I split it in 3… how do you edit when you do a heart dump? I am emotionally raw and coming here and reading your pearls has calmed my racing mind…. Was Mr. Scott greedy? I used to watch Star Trek as a kid and it scared me..to think of that piece of metal hurtling through space… kinda cool – I think it was the depiction of space….and the Buttheads..I can;t remember what they were called for real but(t) 🙂 from behind, their heads looked like butts… Dammit Jim I’m a Dr not a …. I’m givin er all she;s got capn… Beam me up. Hell yea. Brightest blessing for your day.
Perhaps you can help ,me a little… looking for a patron(ess) of my cause…. goddess of light, protector of the vulnerable. – possiblr warrior .prefer the celtic or Irish of course… any thoughts? there is of course always Bridgit… Joan of Arc..inspiring but… well not here.- I have been working on an email with the story as promised.. I have to work for awhile and I will try to finish it this afternoon…. with the rest of my thoughts on St Joan Be well my friend. 🙂
Lizzie… I thought I put the comment below, which is intended for you, up here in this box, but I missed somehow…. please see below, in case the ‘bots didn’t point it out to you… it’s a lot….
I truly enjoy reading your blog, and not just because I know exactly which scene you’re talking about from the star trek movie. Thank you for the pearls!
You’re entirely welcome… 🙂 Always nice to hear that what I’m writing is being enjoyed, for sure. And I must add it’s nice not having to explain every reference from ST IV, TVH…. I use a lot of material from all of the various incarnations of the ST universe, even occasionally material never seen on TV, but only in post-production novels set there…. May you live long, and prosper! 🙂
You might appreciate this, from yesterday’s pearl, or the day before…
SMILEY… =-0 ~~~~ The Enterprise, firing all phasers!
😉
You got game.
Regards,
Thank you, my friend, always nice to hear…. best to you and your inspirational partner, as well….
Lizzie…..After reading and commenting on part 1 of your epiphany earlier, I’m holding off on reading the rest until I’ve also had a chance to digest some of it… very powerful, and I can understand why you are feeling a bit shaky/flaky after such an immense emotional purge. I’m glad what I wrote this morning gave you something you could use to come down a bit from that…. let’s take your ??’s one by one….
I still don’t remember what the little play on shit was about; just a random semi-drunken humorous thought… I’m just letting it go as not worth the effort of tracking it down…
Love the Buttheads image for Klingons…. No, Scotty wasn’t greedy. He was the one supplying the engineer who owned the manufacturing plant with the formula for transparent aluminum, which they needed to make their walls, but had not been invented yet, in the year they were stuck in on Earth of the twentieth century. So, they convinced the engineer to take the chemical formula as payment for making the walls they needed, knowing that, as the inventor of the transparent aluminum, the engineer would become “rich beyond your dreams of avarice.” See? Very clever of Bones….
Hmm…. Joan of Arc is certainly appropriate, seeing that she has long been known to suffer from either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, either of which have been known to produce the visions she saw in her mind. But, her iconic stature also holds some of the stigma you are trying to overcome, so… off the top of my head, the only figure that comes immediately to mind is a character I saw in a Nora Roberts novel, entitled “Tribute”. The character of whom I speak is a fictional character in a graphic novel created by the male protagonist, whose name is Ford Sawyer. Based on the physical characteristics of the female protagonist of the story, named Cilla McGowan, the female icon is named Brid, Celtic Warrior Goddess. Her weapon of choice is a long handled hammer, and she displays a tattoo of power on her bicep, the three strands of the Celtic symbol for maid, mother, and crone. She is, of course, blindingly beautiful, strong, and still evolving, embodying all that is best in the nature of a woman. You could do worse, but you’ll have to talk to Nora about any publishing rights…. you could always draw your own Celtic warrior goddess, or have a friend who draws well do it for you, with minor differences to avoid any hassles in that arena…. if nothing else, the book is a good read, and you’ll find the description of the character in one of the first couple chapters…
Now I’m whipped, too… but in a good way, and easily countered with a short nap, 114 waiting emails notwithstanding… SIGH. I’ll be by to look over parts 2 and 3, and, I’m sure, to comment, later on, my dear… and in spite of your self-assessment of your beauty, physical or otherwise, I’d have to say you ARE beautiful enough to cause men to become enchanted in your presence… even though we’ve never met face to face, I’d put serious money on the truth of that….
Take care, love… you’ll make a good Empress…. 🙂
Wow! So many thoughts going on in the mind of Ned. 🙂 Love the hi in the middle. I’ve never heard that but it gives the word a friendly sort of feel. I’ve always liked Alan Watts and the out-there-ness of his ideas. I stumbled across the idea of the present moment being all that exists not too long ago. It’s a very powerful idea. It certainly does make things simplier. If I can just remember that the past and future do not exist. Sometimes I’m feeling it, other times not. I found this post to be MFP Mighty Fine Pearling. 🙂
“Gosh”, he said, blushing to the tips of his ears. “What a sweet thing to say!” 🙂 Glad you’re enjoying my dross….
My favorite Albert Einsten quote is, :No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it.” That’s a gem, or maybe I should say a “pearl.”
Thanks, I’ll probably end up using it one day; it fits in perfectly with what I know of him, for sure…. and is indeed well within the parameters for a pearl…. 🙂
wandering through your musings always has me going in different directions to find something you said that i did not know..
perfect musing then, because as I learn, I retain !
Thank you once again….
now for the dictionary. there were words I had no clue what they were!
I had written LOTS of words but I don’t want to appear to blonde today, though that is my story and I’m stickin with it!
Have a Great gat!
Thanks again…
)0(
maryrose
maryrose… 🙂 I’m glad you enjoy my musings… and it’s always nice to hear that folks are challenged and stimulated by what I write…. feel free to ask about any words. In my world there are no dumb questions, even for blondes; besides there is always the chance that I used a word I made up on the spot for that subject matter….
Take care…. 🙂
“A thing worth having is a thing worth cheating for.”
I believe this is what them philanderers reckon > “A thing not worth having is a thing worth cheating on.”
Aye…. the bastards will cheat you both coming, and going, if we give them half a chance… best to just put them out of their misery when they first pop their heads up out from under the rocks where they typically hide…. assholes, all of them…I once heard it said, “if they will do it WITH you, they will do it TO you”, and it is absolute gospel… Sometimes I despair that there is no honor left in the world, at all….. but then I remember the few folks I know who do live with honor as a guide, like you, and me, and too few others; few we are, but at least there’s a few…..
Mirth control is something we definitely should all be more aware of.
FYI, your bit about the shadows a few days back is still rattling around in my head. Most likely from my own encounters with shadows that flit out of view when focused upon. For a moment I thought maybe it was something there that had left that four letter word on your computer this morning. Then again maybe not. I’m pretty sure a cat will help your situation though.
Aye, a cat will do nicely…. but, before I get a little furry warrior to protect me, I have some traveling I want to do, globally, and cats do NOT enjoy flying (I have experience in what cats like, and the millions upon millions of things they do not like…like changes of any kind in their environment. Travel by air fits right in that “don’t even think about it” category for them….I like my shoes just the way they are; no poop in them….which, I have noted, is their favorite way to express their disapproval for certain types of human stupidity aimed in their direction…)
But, you are right; cats ARE our best protection from whatever it is that we almost see as shadows. I’ve seen them hold a dimensional door shut with only their will power, just by staring at a point on the wall for an hour or two….and they will get very offended if you bother them while they are about it….
I just let them do their thing, and I’ve never had any problems, as long as there’s a cat in the house…that IS, after all, the deal we made with them, 100,000 generations ago around a campfire…. we provide shelter and love, they provide warrior services, and random affection (well, they ARE cats….they aren’t going to sign any deal they don’t think is to their advantage, now, are they?….)
As you can see, the subject of cats can flip my On/Off switch into ‘power on’ mode in a flash….I’ll be going now.. thanks… I’m glad you are enjoying the pearls…. 🙂
Mirth control, conundrums, cheating, shi– er, howdy! Now I must cop out mightily with a conclusion because I’ve just had a mental P-90x kick ass workout…I think a furry poem about truth and beauty is warranted, but I can’t hear my own thoughts because The Pbilosophers’ Drinking Song is playing so LOUDLY in my head. Screw writing…I will just string me some pearls…as usual, you rocked the English language this day. Thanks for the happy…
🙂 Thanks! I’m happy you got a kick out of today’s post….and….”as usual, you rocked the English language this day.” I can’t thank you enough for that line, it made my day…. love it. I never knew it before you said it, but that is exactly what I’m shooting for when I write…and I will keep at it. Thanks again…. take care, I’ll see you around the comments section… gotta go rock the house…
My dear friend I cannot click like on your post they are brilliant they are wake up calls they are important but I do not like them. I cannot answer them all either for the sake of my sanity but believe me I am here I am reading and learning and grateful for your knowledge intelligence , your whit and humour ..keep writing and banging away at the bad, mad and ugly no to mention politicians . Keep being a force for good and wisdom! 😀 XX
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