Ffolkes,
Sometimes, the tears that come to me are not unwelcome…. even if they are attached to a small bit of painful awareness. Yesterday, I got to visit for a time with my two-year old grandson, Zackary. He is becoming a delightful child, sweet-natured and affectionate, and not yet fully engaged in being  two, so no tantrums. Any who, the tears are because he recognized me this time, and called  me “grandpa”, the first time he’s made that connection. THAT is definitely worth a few tears of joy…..

Since I don’t wish to spend the entire morning in tears, though, I’ll leave it at that; it is a complicated situation, and one I can do nothing about, so I let it go a lot. I know if I can live long enough, Zack and I will have our chance to get to know each other when he is older….. For now, though, it’s best if we just get on with normal business, so I don’t get all maudlin on you….. Too much salty water and the pearls get soggy and hard to manage…. Shall we Pearl?…..
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With the Presidential election coming up tomorrow, it seems appropriate to indicate some of my thoughts on the process. Here is an old school pearl, with a group of quotes that show various points about the candidates, or the choice to be made, or just thoughts on how the entire scene is merely a sham, a cover-up of what is actually happening in the world…. see any of George Carlin’s work from the last five years before his death for some of the finer points that I may miss…. He issued several precise condemnations of the beloved ruling class that spoke to the depth of corruption present…. but, maybe these will aid you in making a rational choice tomorrow, so…. here they are…..

“All riches come from iniquity, and unless one has lost, another cannot gain.  Hence that common opinion seems to be very true, “the rich man is unjust, or the heir to an unjust one.” Opulence is always the result of theft, if not committed by the actual possessor, than by his predecessor.” — St. Jerome (340?-420)

“Pessimism is not in being tired of evil but in being tired of good. Despair does not lie in being weary of suffering, but in being weary of joy. It is when for some reason or other the good things in a society no longer work that the society begins to decline; when its food does not feed, when its cures do not cure, when its blessings refuse to bless.” — G.K. Chesterton

“He was so crooked, you could have used his spine for a safety-pin.” — Dorothy L. Sayers, from “The Nine Tailors”
(Guess who THAT might fit; a clue: it rhymes with twit….)

“Government, today, is growing too strong to be safe. There are no longer any citizens in the world; there are only subjects.  They work day in and day out for their masters; they are bound to die for their masters at call.  Out of this working and dying they tend to get less and less.” — H.L. Mencken

“The people came to realize that wealth is not the fruit of labour but the result of organized protected robbery.” — Frantz Fanon

“A professional politician is a professionally dishonorable man.  In order to get anywhere near high office he has to make so many compromises and submit to so many humiliations that he becomes indistinguishable from a streetwalker.” — H.L. Mencken
(Mr. Mencken was smart, but he was an ass about some things, including his thoughts on women. This, to me, is accurate, regarding politicians, but is an insult to women, especially one trapped into a life as a streetwalker….. Being smart doesn’t preclude being an asshole, obviously….)

“The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.” — Lily Tomlin
(Trust Lily to get right to the heart of the matter….)

‘When the legislature decides the rules of buying and selling, the first thing to be bought will be the legislators.” — P. J. O’Rourke

That is probably more than enough…. I don’t want to make you depressed, and unable to make a reasonable choice at the polls…. or make you too despondent to care…. just vote, ffolkes, this one will make a difference if it goes the wrong way…..
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No introduction needed for this lady’s work….

I had been hungry all the years-
My noon had come, to dine-
I, trembling, drew the table near
And touched the curious wine.

‘T was this on tables I had seen
When turning, hungry, lone,
I looked in windows, for the wealth
I could not hope to own.

I did not know the ample bread,
‘T was so unlike the crumb
The birds and I had often shared
In Nature’s dining-room.

The plenty hurt me, ‘t was so new,–
Myself felt ill and odd,
As berry of a mountain bush
Transplanted to the road.

Nor was I hungry; so I found
That hunger was a way
Of persons outside windows,
The entering takes away.

~~ Emily Dickinson
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I have been searching Smart Bee literally all day, and can’t seem to find an appropriate third section inspiration…. so I’m going with Art again…. this time we have three photos, any one of which serves me as a touchstone for the concept of sheer beauty. The pictures come from the web site of a friend, whose beauty of spirit rivals the pictures she takes of her flowers. These three are some of my favorites, so much so that when I am depressed, or need a fix of beauty, these are what I bring up on screen…. honestly. A couple of minutes of taking in the details of their sheer perfection of form and color, and my soul is much closer to serenity…. Her name is Carol, and her website address is….  http://carolwelsh.wordpress.com/

Enjoy!
    See? Proof positive that perfection exists…..
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Well, with a bit of creative cheating, it all got done, and none too soon. I’m going to leave this alone now, and trust to my instincts to let it fly…. I spent much of the day doing laundry, then recovering from that, as it is no longer a simple chore for me. Ah well, life goes on…. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!