Ffolkes,
Composing these Pearls every day has become the central stanchion on which the rest of my day is built. No matter what time I now arise, sometime between 5 AM and 9 AM, the process defines the morning’s activities, with very little else happening until it is done. Only coffee, breaks from sitting, and restroom urges are part of the routine; no other activities are engaged in prior to publication of the morning’s effort. I’ve found this to be the best way to ensure that it happens each and every day, which has my goal for this blog since its inception on August 11 of 2011.
Unfortunately, this also means that I’m spending a lot of time sitting at the computer, and very little time out exercising my mind, or body, in the real world. Of course, as a retiree, my need to relate to the real world is diminished, to be sure; I have the choice as to whether or not I wish to go out and mingle, or stay home and polish my curmudgeon trophies. It’s nice having the choice for a change; for most of my life, the real world pretty much dictated my activities according to the needs of my family, or job, or something else other than my personal choice. I don’t think that is unusual, and that’s a bit sad, isn’t it?….
But, now that I can choose, I’ve chosen to “hermit up” a lot. This has a lot to do with the fact that living on the poverty line doesn’t allow much extra cash for entertainment purposes, and most activities that have to do with other folks involve at least a minimum of disposable income, in order to engage in going out to eat, or have a cocktail, or go to a ball game, etc. Very few things these days are free, and if they are, it takes some money to get to where they are… such as the beach. A lack of funds is a serious handicap to a player, for sure, not that I ever was one, but, hey, a guy can dream, right?
For now, though, until my income has settled at last into what I should have been making for the last two years, I am pursuing a life of “quiet desperation”, and generally doing so alone….. except for the wonderful friends I have found here on the internet, at WordPress. The interactions I am fortunate to have with the other authors here have been uniformly positive. People here show each other support, and compassion, and kindness, in such a free and easy manner that the Dalai Lama would be proud, indeed. It makes up a lot for the lack of face to face engagement that I lack in my life; the ffolkes I’ve met here are people I am proud to have as friends, and have helped me get through some pretty hard times lately, just by being there….
So, I write…. for me, for them, and for my kids, and grandkid (so far just one). I write to express the “stuff” inside me that has been storing up over the last 50 or so years, waiting for me to get done with the things I needed to do to take care of the family, until I could begin the journey toward becoming a writer, my lifelong dream. It’s kind of destiny-like, actually; books, and literature, have been the backbone of my life, and producing them seems like a logical outcome for my nature. So I am polishing my skills as a writer here on WordPress, ever hopeful that some editor will drop in one day, take a look at what I’ve written, and ask me to start writing for a larger audience, for pay…..
Having thus spent five hefty paragraphs discussing the very thing I’m doing, (good writing practice technique, don’t y’know?), I will cease this assault on your sensibilities, and go now in search of pearls with which to populate this page….. care to join me? Let’s Pearl….
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Practice Acts of Random Kindness and Senseless Beauty. — Hippie Philosophy, circa 1968
“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. — Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Taken together, these two statements offer a possible treatment for what ails the world today. Albert’s words, spoken not long after he had helped to create the hydrogen atomic bomb, are clearly true. We, as a species, continue to display the same vicious, insensitive, violent nature that enabled us to struggle our way to the top of the food chain; the difference now is that we have the power to completely destroy an entire planet, should we give vent to that nature in our conflicts with one another….
Thus, the first statement, made common during the Peaceful Revolution in the Sixties, can be seen as a possible antidote to that nature, and to the danger it implies for mankind. It has been said, and truthfully, that the next evolutionary change that our species needs to make to survive is a change of the mind, of spiritual strength. Mankind needs to put aside our species’ natural response to conflict, which is generally to meet such tests with violence. Now that our ability to destroy ourselves is complete, we cannot afford to allow that part of our nature dictate our actions; that would be suicidal, for sure.
“The best portion of a good man’s life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.” — William Wordsworth
Instead, each of us needs to learn to acknowledge in us the connection we have to each other, to celebrate that connection, instead of trying to sever it. The world, and people, respond to kindness, and to beauty; that, too, is part of our nature, and may be our salvation. as well. We all need to help each other to develop responses to stress that act from a basis of compassion, that try to promote beauty in the world.
Change within ourselves is the only real, lasting effect we can have on Reality, and with the help of each other, I believe it is possible to effect the changes to the human spirit that are so obviously necessary if we are to survive…. If we all practice Acts of Random Kindness, and Senseless Beauty, then we may live to see another millennium…. if not, we’ll be fortunate to see the end of this century…..
“And if the word integration means anything, this is what it means: that we, with love, shall force our brothers to see themselves as they are, to cease fleeing from reality and begin to change it.” — James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
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An American Fascist seeking power would not proclaim that he is a fascist. Fascism always camouflages its plans and purposes. … Any fascist attempt made to gain power in America would not use the exact Hitler pattern. It would work under the guise of “super-patriotism” and “super-Americanism”. Fascist leaders are neither stupid nor naive. They know that they must hand out a line that “sells”. Huey Long is said to have remarked that if Fascism came to America it would be on a program of “Americanism”. — U. S. Army (1945)
Interesting, no? To discover that the US Army was aware of this is not as surprising, or as disappointing, to me as the fact that no one listened. If one is to go by the description of fascism presented here, then it becomes clear that we have allowed this to happen, right here in the good ol’ USA…. I offer as proof of this assertion the latest batch of crap that has dribbled out of the Republican camp in the last couple of days. Mitt Romney spent some time to outline some of his ideas on foreign policy changes he would seek if he is elected.
I have yet to read the article for details of those policies, as I admit to a certain amount of trepidation, regarding just how crazy they may be. It was enough for me to see the headline of the article…. “Disturbing foreign policy changes outlined…” If the FIRST take by the media on these ideas prompts the word “Disturbing” in the title, then they MUST be pretty outrageous, and I am sure they will become the subject of an upcoming rant, once I’ve read them through….
For now, I will merely point out that Mitt’s entire program is based on the words used above in the educational treatise from the Army. From the beginning of his campaign, Romney has painted himself as a “PATRIOT”, wrapping himself in the flag, depending on that to deflect any criticisms aimed at his sincerity. He has voiced completely ILLEGAL ideas of things he would change, ideas that fed into the fears of whatever particular fringe group to which he was speaking, not even bothering to hide the fact that what he proposed was not only against the law, but was in direct contradiction to what he had told another group the day before. More than one instance of this was reported in the news; I didn’t make it up. For goodness’ sake, the man has seriously proposed a law to make it illegal for a woman to get pregnant without being married! Pure Muslim Sharia Law, from the mouth of a Christian bigot…
“Can you say “Pervert?” I thought you could.” – Smart Bee
As I’ve noted, I’m not altogether certain that the current administration is overly concerned with what is in my best interests. They, too, are politicians, and sought the jobs they are holding, which, in my mind, classifies them as insane right from the get-go. But, what I’ve observed during this Democratic administration has been much less destructive toward me and the general public than ANY of the policies that Mitt has voiced.
He has made it perfectly clear in his speeches and programs that, if one is not white, Christian, rich, and bigoted, then he isn’t interested in doing anything but oppressing you, and making himself and his cronies more wealthy, and more powerful. THAT is his underlying goal, not any patriotic wish to make things better for the average American. He couldn’t describe an average American if one was standing in front of him, spitting in his face….
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An Extempore
When they were come into Faery’s Court
They rang — no one at home — all gone to sport
And dance and kiss and love as faerys do
For Faries be as human lovers true —
Amid the woods they were so lone and wild
Where even the Robin feels himself exil’d
And where the very books as if affraid
Hurry along to some less magic shade.
‘No one at home’! the fretful princess cry’d
‘And all for nothing such a dre[a]ry ride
And all for nothing my new diamond cross
No one to see my persian feathers toss
No one to see my Ape, my Dwarf, my Fool
Or how I pace my Otaheitan mule.
Ape, Dwarf and Fool why stand you gaping there
Burst the door open, quick — or I declare
I’ll switch you soundly and in pieces tear.’
The Dwarf began to tremble and the Ape
Star’d at the Fool, the Fool was all agape
The Princess grasp’d her switch but just in time
The Dwarf with piteous face began to rhyme.
‘O mighty Princess did you ne’er hear tell
What your poor servants know but too too well
Know you the three great crimes in faery land
The first alas! poor Dwarf I understand
I made a whipstock of a faery’s wand
The next is snoring in their company
The next the last the direst of the three
Is making free when they are not at home.
I was a Prince — a baby prince — my doom
You see, I made a whipstock of a wand
My top has henceforth slept in faery land.
He was a Prince the Fool, a grown up Prince
But he has never been a King’s son since
He fell a snoring at a faery Ball
Your poor Ape was a Prince and he poor thing
But ape — so pray your highness stay awhile
‘Tis sooth indeed we know it to our sorrow —
Persist and you may be an ape tomorrow —
While the Dwarf spake the Princess all for spite
Peal’d the brown hazel twig to lilly white
Clench’d her small teeth, and held her lips apart
Try’d to look unconcerned with beating heart.
They saw her highness had made up her mind
And quaver’d like the reeds before the wind
And they had had it, but O happy chance
The Ape for very fear began to dance
And grin’d as all his uglyness did ache–
She staid her vixen fingers for his sake
He was so very ugly: then she took
Her pocket mirror and began to look
First at herself and [then] at him and then
She smil’d at her own beauteous face again.
Yet for all this — for all her pretty face
She took it in her head to see the place.
Women gain little from experience
Either in Lovers, husbands or expense.
The more their beauty the more fortune too
Beauty before the wide world never knew.
So each fair reasons — tho’ it oft miscarries.
She thought her pretty face would please the fa[e]ries.
‘My darling Ape I wont whip you today
Give me the Picklock sirrah and go play.’
They all three wept but counsel was as vain
As crying cup biddy to drops of rain.
Yet lingeringly did the sad Ape forth draw
The Picklock from the Pocket in his Jaw.
The Princess took it and dismounting straight
Trip’d in blue silver’d slippers to the gate
And touch’d the wards, the Door full courteously
Opened — she enter’d with her servants three.
Again it clos’d and there was nothing seen
But the Mule grasing on the herbage green.
End of Canto xii.
Canto the xiii.
The Mule no sooner saw himself alone
Than he prick’d up his Ears — and said ‘well done!
At least unhappy Prince I may be free —
No more a Princess shall side saddle me
O King of Othaiete — tho’ a Mule
‘Aye every inch a King’ — tho’ ‘Fortune’s fool.’
Well done — for by what Mr. Dwarfy said
I would not give a sixpence for her head.’
Even as he spake he trotted in high glee
To the knotty side of an old Pollard tree
And rub’d his sides against the mossed bark
Till his Girths burst and left him naked stark
Except his Bridle — how get rid of that
Buckled and tied with many a twist and plait.
At last it struck him to pretend to sleep
And then the thievish Monkies down would creep
And filch the unpleasant trammels quite away.
No sooner thought of than adown he lay
Sham’d a good snore — the Monkey-men descended
And whom they thought to injure they befriended.
They hung his Bridle on a topmost bough
And of[f] he went run, trot, or anyhow–
John Keats
This is kind of long, but while reading it through this morning, I was struck by its dream-like quality. The act of reading it seemed to put me in a trance-like state, and the characters in the poem took on the faces in the news. It all made sense, too, at the time. Maybe it’s something in my coffee, or some old hippie mind tricks arising out of my sub-conscious memory…. or maybe I’m just strange.
No matter, the poem, long as it is, is the beauty break my head needed to finish the morning’s effort, so, deal with it…. 🙂 And enjoy the trip through Keats’ dream…. It’s kind of fun to put the faces of Romney, Barack, Newt, Rush, and all the others who inhabit the front pages, on the characters in the poem, at some elegant non-partisan ball. …. “And off I went run, or anyhow….”
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Somewhat late, but not a bad effort, all in all. As is often the case, whether it will do or not is a moot point; it’s done, and it’s now going to be published, before I have any second thoughts about it…. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you….
—
and sometimes
I just sits.
gigoid
I love this – “Instead, each of us needs to learn to acknowledge in us the connection we have to each other, to celebrate that connection, instead of trying to sever it. The world, and people, respond to kindness, and to beauty; that, too, is part of our nature, and may be our salvation. as well. We all need to help each other to develop responses to stress that act from a basis of compassion, that try to promote beauty in the world.” Thanks for writing for all of us my friend… 🙂
Reblogged this on gigoid and commented:
Ffolkes,
I’m still coping out in the BBR, in a good way, so far. Here is a Pearl from mid-2012, with some pretty standard material, which nonetheless remains pretty relevant. Things have changed for me since then; in the interests of efficiency, I’ll save any comments on the passage of time for another time. I hope you enjoy this trip into yesteryear…
gigoid, the dubious
A world of online
IS A Gift perHaps
greatest to those
who otherwise find
no outlet for the human
need to connect.. and surely
a most important pARt of
A Trinity
of Move..
Connect
and Create
wHere online
aT leAst fingers
can SinG.. DancE
iN ConnecTinG WiTh
OtHeRs and CreaTioN
AcTiviTy CaN and WiLL
suReLy riSE aS WeLL..:)
Practice Acts of Random Kindness and Senseless Beauty. — Hippie Philosophy, circa 1968
Gift IS A
Act
oF
GiVinG
ShArinG Free..
PreSenTLY..:)
“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology
has exceeded our humanity. — Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
And this is fine as
LoonngG as HUmaNiTy
rides…
A
Crest of
Technology..:)
“The best portion of a good man’s life is his little,
nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.”
— William Wordsworth
And surELy
@lEAst
iN soMe
cases
those
unamed
acts are
remembered
most..
iF
liGht
SinGs
An iMprint oF liFe @lEAst..
particularly.. iF no one else iS
curRenTly DanCinG..
oR
MooN
WalKinG..;)
And this reminds me..
i had a ‘Titanic moment’..
last night at the fair..
when i was doing
my ballet/martial
arts-like Dance..
in front of several
thouSand folks..
overaLL..
And suddenly..
not unlike that
arm wrestling
event in the
Movie the
Titanic
yes.. for
the first time
ever at age 56..
i put all 233 LBs uP
on the tippy ends of my
size 11 and a half Nike
Shox NZ Athletic shoes
and did ‘the tornado’
iN WinG
of
FeaT..
and just
to imagine
it was only
several days
ago.. i watched
‘that video’.. and wondered
if ‘that magic’ would ever come
to me.. seriously how many ‘jocks’ can do that..
serioUsly iT was/IS A Titanic moment.. and for ‘some
reason not a single good old boy from middle school
gave
me
a hard
time about
it.. it was rather
thrilling and i was
laughing hilarIOUsly iNside..
and it was a Kodak moment that
only the audience enjoyed as the
wife is too shy to tape movies of me
in front
of the
audience
per se.. these
days.. seriously3 tHeRE
are not many moments @
all that do not exceed tHeir
shelf life in ways of technology
as transhumanism of the hEARt..
sPiRit and mINd and BoDy BaLanCinG
soUL continues to come iN even Tornado way
for A
reCord
aS Such..;)
And i don’t thiNk/FeeL iT wOUld have
ever happened if not for the 40 miles
of dance precedinG.. iN about three days..
or the over 6000 miles preceding tHat in three
years of dance to max.. Magic is never without merit..
as far as i kNOw.. SenSe
And FeeL.. tHerE
are/iS No free rides iN
Disney world iSREAL
Heaven noW..
i am A
FucKinG
Free Ride
iN A FaiR oF i and AiR..
sure.. it’s like the first time
Michael Jackson moon walked noW
iN aLL Free FeeLinG and SeNSE.. mY FriEnd..
tHere is no FucKinG amount of material goods
or oThEr associated means to get to those ‘goods’
that could have equaled juST that moMent in LiGht
oF LiGht not
even
the
first time
of SeX.. by far acTuALLy..
oh yeah.. increasing my leg
press 10% in the last week
or so to 1020LBs.. surELy
helped to lift
mE
uP
2.. hiGher..
By about a foot..
seriOusly.. i literAlly
fELt Seven feet tALL..;)
“And if the word integration means anything, this is what it means: that we, with love, shall force our brothers to see themselves as they are, to cease fleeing from reality and begin to change it.” — James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
Force
does not
make love…
iS
Force..
– yoda2..;)
“An American Fascist seeking power would not proclaim that he is a fascist. Fascism always camouflages its plans and purposes. … Any fascist attempt made to gain power in America would not use the exact Hitler pattern. It would work under the guise of “super-patriotism” and “super-Americanism”. Fascist leaders are neither stupid nor naive. They know that they must hand out a line that “sells”. Huey Long is said to have remarked that if Fascism came to America it would be on a program of “Americanism”. — U. S. Army (1945)”
“I could shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters”
– Trump
2016 Election Speak..
Like the Captain of the Navy
Station who once told
me i failed
in
marketing
101.. then..
“You have to know
your target audience”
– Captain Platz..
CE 2007
And if i saw
that woman..
i would give
her A biggest
‘kiss’ oF aLL iN hELping
to spArk my reLease to HeLL..
And eventual trip to HeaVen noW..
row row row yoUr boat.. gentLY dOwn A Styx River.. hehe..;)
‘You Failed’
Words.. thaT
every ‘Perfect Human’..
needs to evenTuAlly hEar..
serioOUsly.. A first time i heaRd
those wordS in 47 years.. so F iN Worth iT.. noW..;)
“Can you say “Pervert?” I thought you could.” – Smart Bee
PerVersion
beYond
PeRverts..;)
‘Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.’
– gigoid
DanceS
wiTh
siTs2..;)