Ffolkes,
~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~
The Spanish Arch ~ Galway, Ireland
Hajime…. Bilious clouds of noxious fumes rose up to obscure the hallway, as Perry Gomes carefully passed by the broken pipes, from which the gases were leaking. Perry thought to himself it wasn’t surprising, when two buses full of commuters crashed into each other, then bounced into the pumping station; a bit of damage was to be expected. Perry, who worked for the company which maintained the gas lines, was tasked with going into the mess to assess the damage. As he peered down the hallway, in the light of the near-useless flash, he could see something moving, thrashing about against the walls, smashing all in its path. “My God,” he thought, “it’s an intro to a Pearl! How will we ever fix that!”
No telling, actually. Perry’s obviously got his work cut out for him, and, since we are responsible for his being in the situation in the first place, we abandon him to his fate with some reluctance. However, should we wish to get today’s mess on the toad, we’ll need to ignore any and all distractions, just to find the wherewithal within to do so. Not an easy task when one is still wandering around in a creative daze, having just come up with yet another way to NOT write an actual introduction…. It’s a gift.
That said, and, thankfully, done, we’ll make our usual executive decision, and put the slow on the toad. We have no regrets, other than having again fallen into the royal ‘we’, just as if we had time to deal with it. Fuck it. I’m done with this. We are outta here, now…. Watch this!….
Shall we Pearl?….
is not to feel secure,
but to be able to tolerate insecurity.”
~~ Erich Fromm ~~
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Today’s music is a nod to one of my blogging friends, who prefers to listen to his classical music played on the guitar. Here is the man who single-handedly brought this kind of music to the world’s awareness, back in the mid-twentieth century…. Considered to be the Master of the guitar, his expertise and artistry are legendary, for good reason…. Enjoy!….
Andres Segovia
Classical Guitar
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Not only do I not have a rant ready, I don’t even feel like ranting. Go figure. At least, this way, I get to use my new icon again…. Here’s a short discussion & old-school pearl about the wisdom mankind pretty much ignores….
From 6/27/2014:
“Waste not the remnant of thy life in those imaginations touching other folk, whereby thou contributest not to the common weal.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, iii, 4
I end up using a lot of quotes from Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, all of which seem to me to be pretty well-reasoned and insightful re: human nature, and ethical/moral behavior….. In fact, I find there are as many, or more, insightful, reasoned philosophers who lived before Christ was born… (not that I care that much, but, it’s the point in time our society has agreed upon to use as the basis for our calendar, thus making it the obvious, most convenient, and expedient, choice as a marker, in order to organize people into their time periods for reference and identification)…..
Marcus Aurelius, Socrates, Plato, Plutarch, Aristotle, Cato, the Elder and the Younger, Gautama Buddha, Lao Tzu, Confucius, and a host of others from all cultures in the world, passed their wisdom to us throughout the ages, and have always seemed to me to be superior in their reasoning to any of the more modern philosophers to whom I’ve been exposed….. which you will see reflected in the quotes you see here…. I have no apology for that, and don’t plan to change it, so, I hope y’all enjoy them, because they’re not going away…. In fact, I’m going to put together a pearl with parameters limiting it to quotes over 1500 years old, or more…. I would suggest you enjoy it, but, it’s not necessary with such classical wisdom to offer….
“Before enlightenment, one carries water and chops wood. After enlightenment, one carries water and chops wood.” — Zen Proverb
“Whatever you can lose, you should reckon of no account.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 191
“…for the most part happiness consists in being willing to be what you are.” — Erasmus
“As surgeons keep their instruments and knives always at hand for cases requiring immediate treatment, so shouldst thou have thy thoughts ready to understand things divine and human, remembering in thy every act, even the smallest, how close is the bond that unites the two.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, iii, 13
“Nothing made the horse so fat as the king’s eye.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Of the Training of Children
“He is a fool who lets slip a bird in the hand for a bird in the bush.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Of Garrulity
“The trouble with Nixon is that he’s a serious politics junkie. He’s totally hooked… and like any other junkie, he’s a bummer to have around: especially as President.” — Hunter S. Thompson (b. 1939), journalist — The Great Shark Hunt, Jacket Copy for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1979)
(Oops! Sorry, that slipped in there due to appending to the clipboard, rather than overwriting…. but, it’s kinda cool, I think, so, it can stay…. just ignore it after reading, and go on to the final pearl, which you see in its designated place, right down there on the line below this….)
“It behooves a prudent person to make trial of everything before arms.” — Terence (185-159 BC) — Act iv, Sc. 7, 19, (789.)
Since we were so rudely interrupted by Hunter’s oh-so-poignant observation of reality, I’ll add one more, to show that the ancients possessed as subtle a sense of humor as any modern pundit, for sure and for certain….
“Anaximander used to assert that the primary cause of all things was the Infinite,–not defining exactly whether he meant air or water or anything else.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Anaximander, ii
Well, a bit disjointed, but, it works for me…. So be it…. gigoid has spoken
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I never meant to kill that period of time,
it didn’t give me any choice.
It tried to hem me in without reason, or rhyme,
refused me any vote, or any voice.
You have to admit, I buried it deep and fast,
just as if I cared.
I knew, though, it would never last,
or ever be fully repaired.
No news, no pictures can bring it back,
once is all we get.
No pleas of public good, or even public lack;
in stone the past is set.
Futuristic visions now occupy my dreams,
I’m ready to go on.
Look! It fills up the screen, and it gleams!
Where’s the moment I’m sitting on?
Now, I remembered, at long, long last,
is all we really can hold.
Every moment goes by so bloody fast,
we’d best fill them all with beauty, warm and bold.
~~ gigoid ~~
4/30/2013
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It’s old-school, and, classic; seven stars of virtual wisdom, all about being human…. such as we are….
“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards.” — Vernon Sanders Law
“‘Casting Out Fear’ ought to be the motto over every school door.” — A.S. Neill
“Don’t ask of your friends what you yourself can do.’ — Quintus Ennius
“I exist as I am, that is enough.” — Walt Whitman
“Anacharsis said a man’s felicity consists not in the outward and visible favours and blessings of Fortune, but in the inward and unseen perfections and riches of the mind.” — Plutarch, The Banquet of the Seven Wise Men, 11
“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” — Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet
“Though nothing can bring back the moments of splendor in the grass, of glory of the flower, we will grieve not . . .” — Wordsworth “Intimations of Immortality”
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I have fulfilled my chosen duty. I’m tired, and Leelu wants her play time, in her new cat tower. Therefore, without further nonsense, I shall bid thee adieu for another day. Hope yours goes well; I’m planning on hiding today, so I can avoid any jail time. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, as long as the warrants don’t come through….
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
gigoid, the dubious
The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.
PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.
“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch
À bientôt, mon cherí….
gigoid 
Modern philosophers!
‘I don’t have pet peeves.
I have major psychotic fucking hatreds.’
And what can we do to silence these Christian athletes who thank Jesus whenever they win, never mention his name when they lose? Not a word. You never hear them say “Jesus made me drop the ball.” “The good lord tripped me up behind the line of scrimmage.” According to these guys Jesus is undefeated, meanwhile these assholes are in last place. Must be another one of those “miracles.”
The real reason that we can’t have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse: You cannot post “Thou shalt not steal,” “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” and “Thou shalt not lie” in a building full of lawyers, judges, and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment.
So maybe it’s not the politicians who suck; maybe it’s something else. Like the public. That would be a nice realistic campaign slogan for somebody: “The public sucks. Elect me.” Put the blame where it belongs: on the people. Because if everything is really the fault of politicians, where are all the bright, honest, intelligent Americans who are ready to step in and replace them? Where are these people hiding? The truth is, we don’t have people like that. Everyone’s at the mall, scratching his balls and buying sneakers with lights in them. And complaining about the politicians.
George Carlin the philosopher…….
and another…
Bertrand Russell: Man isn’t Rational Animal
‘It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this.’
Bertrand Russell on Critical Thinking
‘Many people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so.’ (Bertrand Russell)
and the best?
Open Society and Social Criticism: Karl Popper
‘In my opinion, the greatest scandal of philosophy is that, while all around us the world of nature perishes … philosophers continue to talk, …about the question of whether this world exists.’
😉
I love it when what I write stims such responses…. I have to agree with all of it, though, given the number of people alive today, one might think there would be more good philosophers…. But, George, and Bertie are truly such… I don’t know Mr. Popper, but, his observation is accurate, and could easily be used as a metaphor for human nature in action….
See ya…. I still say the ancients had it right more often….
😉
gigoid
😎
HeLLo.. Friend gigoid..
Life is only as good
as the moment
is full
of Life..
To feel the
moment iS
to Live LIFE!
hmm.. words..
words.. words..
words..
SUCK..
Dance.. dance..
dance.. dance..
dance..
MOVES..
i dance
words
and MOvE
ON..
NOW..
dance
MOVES WORDS…
Writing in a way to
stay iN the Now..
alWays verb
vs.. yester
day’s
noun..
Hmm.. lesson lEarned..
to worship a man or idea
of yesternow.. is NOT to
move forWard..
whether
it is
a word
or a man
named
GOD…
As a participant observer
Anthropologist i study
it aLL
iN
PerSon.. and when i
visit Catholic Church this
morning.. there will be much
talk about 2 to 3.5K years
ago.. and little
talk or
ACTION
ABOUT NOW..
MOST PEOPLE..
will be nodding off..
or dazed and confused
or just plain bored.. and
leave wrong after they
receive the magical
bread and wine..
thinking that
will get
’em a
free ticket
to heaven
after all
their
stress
is gone..
as D E A D..
Man that’s sad..
they just hide the
truth of what Jesus was
really saying about heaven
being now.. and the fact that
human potential was groWinG
and not siNking forever into
the past of one human
being.. myth
and man..
but here’s the deal..
FEAR IS THE DEAL.. tHEDEVIL..
THEY JUST CANNOT HANDLE
THE TRUTH AND LIGHT THAT
ALL THAT IS IS NOW AND NO
OTHER NOW BUT NOW..
AND TO PRACTICE
A PERFECT
PRACTICE
OF FEELING
AND FILLING THE
MOMENT OF NOW..
is as close to FiN heaven
as they will ever see
or FEEL
NOW
JUST
NOW..
and that was also
the message of the
Luke 17:21 reported
words of a man named
Yeshua.. and OMG yes..
so many other philosophers
poets.. and sitting on a rock
thinkers of Universal Truth
and liGht.. meanwhile
a man hangs on a
wall with
or without
a cross..
and
people
kneel
to him..
hoping with
all their heart for
heaven after life and
to meet the man then..
when.. all he was truly
reported to say is
ya find it..
within
and work
from theRe..
it’s all about
‘ME’ getting
iT correct
now..
iN any
hUman heARt..
SpiRit expreSsinG
emoTioNaL BoDy
miND Balance
SoUl..
NoW
JUST
NOW..
as much oF
Truth and LiGht
wE CAN be for
NOW never
ending
NOW..
And yes.. the flesh dance
of Life works excellent to
bRinG noW hiGher and
hiGher iN BliSs..
ever RinGinG
True iN everY
ceLL beLow
and aBove..
in our miNd and
BoDy balanCinG
SoUl.. Working
for NOW..
just
NOW
aLL
aRound!..:)
Sorry for not replying earlier; haven’t slept well for days, & finally fell out last night for seven solid…. I think, in response, I’d say one of the primary characteristics of modern man is his/her mental laziness, so strongly encouraged by those who would control. They place their hopes and dreams outside themselves, and believe whatever anyone tells them that fits into that laziness…. and, think they’ve done right.
Pathetic, is all I can say, and, more power to ’em….
Me, I’m gonna go yell at PG&E; always fun to take on a soulless corporation in the guise of bureaucrats….
See ya….
Love
gigoid
SMiLes.. my friend.. gigoid..
never a need to apologize
for not having time to respond
to all my
torrent of
words in flow
and cou
rage..
as well..
For me it is the inspiration
that counts.. and friends of
course.. i never expect
anyone to
float
in the boat
i do now.. as my
river’s path
is different
of course
than most..
or haha..
all perhaps..
SMiLes again..
as of course aLL our
journeys and paths
are ‘IEP Individual
Education Plans’
provided
by both
the God of
Nature iN iNnate
iNstinct and iNtuition..
and OMGx2.. a culture..
school.. and work.. spoon-fed
to us from almost now when oUr
eYes meet liGht in delivery room
of birth in culture.. now.. recently
i used the old Cherokee Indian
Chief’s Wisdom of feeding
the two wolfs of human
Fear and Hate..
opposed to
Love and Hope..
but surely even though
Love is All i Need.. challenge
of Cou
rage pArt
of Love iS a
necessary pArt
of Life for balance..
and the tale of
three cats
who live(d)
in my home..
Arthur.. the first..
20 years-old at death..
inside outside neighborhood
Noble Alpha cat.. never getting
injured in a fiGht.. with no being
he ever bowed down to in
life other than
free as he..
wITh wiLd
cAll of THE
God of Nature
wheRe he found his
own answers in life..
of course with the
partial assistance
of human made
culture..
for a guaranteed
and subsidized meal..
when the hunting was low..
but the fact is he kept the
challenge of life for survival
and moved steadily from
fast to slow.. to
his last
day of
life.. when too
weak to meet
the challenge
wandering into
the woods.. to go
back to the dust of Nature
and yes.. as Karma goes
to feed the
birds
in his
last hurrah..
doing life his
way..
Yellow Boy.. all feral..
on his last leg of difficulty
iN finding a meal..
down to
single
digit
LBS.. when
he came out of
the woods and cried
under our shed.. gaining
predictable subsistence..
and a new found
respect for
human
beings..
his friends
from the brick
caves who altruistically
provided a bowl of
life sustaining
tender
vittles
and Love of
Course.. as the
wiLd boy who only
knew the fight of life
and comfort in his own
arms and paws..
gained
the
comfort of
human warmth
to the belly of my
wife.. and lap..
that became
the mother’s
milk
of life
once again..
born to the paws
of Love before
the hunt
and
play
of life
takes
over..
Yellow Boy will never
lose the call of the Wild
and even after ‘the operation’
as muscular and power
flu from before..
THE EPIGENETIC
POTENTIAL OF CAT
WILD STAYS
IN PLACE..
same as human
when more fully
challenged
in the
cou
RAGE
of life..
And Moby the human
among the cats.. spoon-fed
from birth.. with only Love
as the requirement
of his ages..
job done
well on
Love..
but job
on couRAGe
not pArt of his
Human
culture
functionally
disabling instruction
of life.. can i blame him
now for his diabetes.. for
his crippling weakness and
arthritis in flesh and
bones of walk..
nah..
the enemy
is also
Love
in his
case.. and this
same sitting comfort
in human’s case..
Love is like oxygen
to quote ‘that
band’ you get
too much.. you get
too high.. not
enough
and
ya
gonna
die.. in life
at least.. but
without
the
cou
Rage of
Life.. suffeRinG
iS and Misery iS the
eventual pitfall and
stumble to a shorter
life in weakness and pain..
As always a balance.. iS the
answer to life.. Finding the balance
iS a challenge of a lifetime for most
folks now.. but i for
one PROVE
IT’S POSSIBLE..
and what works for
me may not work at
all in terms of dance
and all arts for others…
that’s the complicated
pARt.. theRe
are no
same
answers
to the questions
of life.. The search
for balance..
iS
a
me Art
of NOW..
but sure.. we
at least share our
stories now of what
works.. and perhaps
helpful hints wiLL spark
the life of others
iN
Balance
as well..
Anyway.. our challenge
today.. my wife and i..
was finding a lid
to a plastic
container
at Target
that was low
enough where Moby
can climb over the edge
for a litter box.. with
continued
diminished
use of his legs
a complication
of both Diabetes
and Cat Arthritis..
and medicine
is no longer
meeting
the
challenge
alone.. now
Humans have
a choice to move
early to avoid this
premature fate
in Wheel
Chair carts
at Super-Walmart..
but sadly culture
says
sit
still boys
and girls
and do
not F
in Fidget
in your seats..
at work.. at school..
at home.. and now
stuck to screens
as a self-fulfilling
prophecy.. that
even i fall
to.. too
often
now..
that i must
balance even with
166.66 miles of
dance walking
a month..
as sitting
still is scientifically
proven now.. as bad
as smoking cigarettes
for degenerative
human
health..
So i came down
from the Mountain
and not only said
let’s dance in
Church
i actually
F
iN
show
Ed
’em
how
to do iT..
i make a bigger
impact on healing
in the real world..
as reading
me.. now..
can encourage
folks to sit more
and more and more..
but i must at least
leave a record
of what
i lEarn(ed)
as yes.. it is
possible to both
move.. and use
a smARt phone
but OMG
not in
car! oM
FOOT iN
AN OPEN
FIELD OF LIfE..
OFF OF SIDEWALKS
OF HUMAN MADE HELL..
i can show ’em A way..
but i cannot
make
them
drink
from
Chalice
iNArtFuLFlowNoW
oF Human Dance..
Holding Hands with
the God of Nature
and All others
once
again..
as a tribe
of FREE DANCE..:)
Good evening, milady… stayin’ warm?…
gigoid
OH yes. Toasty!
Reblogged this on gigoid and commented:
Ffolkes,
I had hoped to be ready to post a fresh Pearl, but, the physical issues which make doing that problematic continue to do just that; currently, I can’t sit for more than two or three minutes without having to get up & move. This made it hard to even find a Re-blog with which to sublimate the urge to post. I did, though, & here ’tis, in all its faded glory, from about two years ago, near the end of my time in Hell. I hope y’all enjoy it,…. Our weather is finally dry, so, perhaps I’ll be able to get the current work in progress done soon…. One may hope, yes? Yes.
Y’all take care, & accept the usual caveats. Me, I’m outta here for my first walkabout of the day…. See ya, ffolkes….
gigoid, the dubious
😎