Ah, well, such is Life; ’tis the lot of Man to suffer, and die. Too bad, really, it has to be in that order, isn’t it? It would be a lot easier the other way around…. or, hey, couldn’t we just skip the suffering part? Seems like an idea, to me. But, then, I guess you could say I have a vested interest, having experienced what I tend to feel (like everyone) is more than my fair share of it…. Should that matter? I don’t know, and, currently, don’t give a rat’s ass…. Gee, is that a little too over the top? I repeat, ah, well….

I think it was Plato, or possibly Aristotle, who once remarked, “If everyone were to bring their troubles, and throw them all together in a pile, most everyone would be content to just pick up their own, and go away home.” That makes a lot of sense, and shows a deep understanding of human nature…. Another ancient sage said this on that subject, to wit: “Every horse believes his own burden to be the heaviest.” That one makes a lot of good sense, as well. Of course, neither one of them, though perfectly appropriate, make me feel one little bit better, but, hey, it distracted me long enough to get another paragraph done, so, bonus!

Why, look, ffolkes! We’ve lost our way again! Fancy that…. I don’t suppose any of y’all know which way might lead us back a bit closer to Reality? No? So be it. We’ll spend the day searching the way back, instead of diving for pearls. Good thing I’ve been working on this for a while, isn’t it? Maybe I’ll hop in the Tardis, and take a spin into the future. Oh, wait, that’s right. It’s temporarily restricted, as it may not exist at all much longer; they’re waiting to see what happens in the next couple years. If things don’t work out for us humans, the Tardis will have to go to another species somewhere else in Space and Time…. can’t let it sit idle, it’s too valuable.

See? Told ya we were lost. The hell with it. Let’s go do something else now….

Shall we Pearl?….

“If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.” — Maya Angelou

, I picked Wolfie’s two last symphonies (I am pretty sure there’s no # 42…. I did look.) because they are, perhaps, the best representation of the kind of music that turned me on to the classical genre, about thirty years ago, when I became tired of the state of modern music being played on the airwaves, and, well before the advent of internet streaming…. As far as I’m concerned, this is about as good as music gets. Period. I also think it goes well with the rest of the stuff you’ll find below…

Oh, and, by the way. If you enjoyed this, on the You Tube page where you will be taken by clicking  the link below, you’ll find a link to a video recording of eight of Mozart’s best symphonies, over three hours worth, all conducted by Leonard Bernstein… I haven’t checked it out, but, I have a feeling it will be my next download, for music to keep on my computer, for those times I need it…. which come fairly often these days….

Enjoy!….

“Deal,” said the devil. “Don’t you want to cut first?” the imp asked, shoving the cards across the table. “Why bother? We’re all going to cheat, anyway.” — Ester M. Friesner, “Bargaining Chip”

“Ninety-eight percent of the adults in this country are decent,  hard-working, honest Americans.  It’s the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity.  But then–we elected them.” — Lily Tomlin

“One can imagine a sane, healthy, cheerful human society based on no more than the principles of common sense, as validated each day by work, play, and living experience. But this remains the most Utopian and fantastic of ideals.” — Edward Abbey

“If we were to promise people nothing better than only revolution, they would scratch their heads and say: “Is it not better to have good goulash?” — Nikita Khruschev, quoted 1971

“I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the rights of the people by the gradual & silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” — James Madison, Virginia Conv. 1788

“The only guarantee of the Bill of Rights which continues to have any force and effect is the one prohibiting quartering troops on citizens in time of peace.” — H. L. Mencken, 1951

“A free life cannot acquire many possessions, because this is not easy to do without servility to mobs or monarchs…” — Epicurus

“The majority, compose them how you will, are a herd, and not a nice one.” — William Hazlitt

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This one is for Tom, who stimulated/inspired it by the simple act of asking two questions…..

“Is this going to involve RAW human ecstasy?” — Zippy the Pinhead

“Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all.  Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around — nobody big, I mean — except me.  And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff.  What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff — I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them.  That’s all I’d do all day.  I’d just be the catcher in the rye.  I know it;  I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be.  I know it’s crazy.” — J. D. Salinger, “Catcher in the Rye”

“No one is as weird as they think they are. Everyone is weirder than others think they are.” — Byron Elbows’ two rules of human nature

“Dragons fly because they *think* they can.” — Anne McCaffrey.

“If there are twelve clowns in a ring, you can jump in the middle and start reciting Shakespeare, but to the audience, you’ll just be the thirteenth clown.” — Adam Walinsky

“A man who carries a cat by the tail is gaining helpful experience. He will never be dim or doubtful. Chances are he will never carry a cat by the tail again. But I say, if he wants to, let him!” — Mark Twain

“Forward goes the vanguard of the lunatic fringe, tickling the death clowns of normality.” — HealNorm

“I go through the house in the middle of the night, and hear the ticking of the clocks. I can’t stop them; I can’t turn them back.” — the Marschallin, in Der Rosenkavalier

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Done. And, if not, tough stuff, as they say. Well, somebody said it. Plus, it’s done, so there. I’ll take the credit, and/or the blame, whichever seems most appropriate. Meanwhile, I’m outta here, to try to find some of the sleep I lost. See y’all next time, whenever that may be….