Ffolkes,
~~ Nikos Kazantzakis ~~
Captive Beauty
Hajme…. Quietly babbling to itself, the brook tumbled over rocks down the gentle slope toward the waiting trees, obligingly leading into the depth of the woods. Softly, the breeze pushed at the backs of sweaty necks of the party walking alongside the brook, on an ancient path worn by generations of animal and human feet. In the afternoon sun, which beat mercilessly upon the heavily laden backs of the porters, the party looked wilted and fatigued, stumbling occasionally on the rock-strewn path. As the afternoon wore on, they walked more slowly, peering side to side on the path, obviously seeking the proper bivouac…..
Okay, that’s enough. We’ll leave our party wherever in the hills they happen to be, & let them find their own camp site. I wrote that story intro because I don’t really want to be up at all, having again fought for sleep all night, unsuccessfully. I don’t feel too bad, considering, but, I decided to try not to complain about it first thing. Since I could only wait until the second paragraph, I’ll also place a firm limit on it, and end such indulgence before it really gets started…. The primary purpose in saying anything at all about it is to give warning to my Gentle Readers as to the general outlook for today’s Pearl, which is, sad to say, rather unpredictable in nature…. Go figure….
I only say this to give y’all a chance to skip the parts that don’t suit you today. It’s all fairly fresh, if not from the archives, and probably won’t be too weird, thought, of course, a certain degree of that is always present. However, it will be, due to circumstances well beyond my comprehension, if not control, shall we say, somewhat patchwork in nature, and, thus, the unpredictability previously mentioned. Hell, I guess I’m saying, I haven’t a clue as to what may happen after the intro, so, watch where you put your feet, and your faith. Either one could be in serious danger if you are less than mindful…..
Now I’ve probably driven most everyone away, I guess I’ll get to this; it’s already late, by my usual schedule, so, some haste might be in order…. Haste, however, as we know, makes waste, so, fuck that. I’m going to take my time, and see if I can’t make it, if not good, at least palatable as food for thought. If I can do it, it will be a first, but, we won’t comment on that. Instead, we’ll do this…..
Shall we Pearl?
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
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Today’s music was chosen simply because it’s a default day. As always, this compilation was picked because the picture drew my eye. I hope you enjoy it as you read….
Classical Music
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As a break from the usual sobriety, here is a discussion of one of our favorite things around here, to wit: sheer nonsense…. Enjoy!….
From 2/8/2013:
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
As previously noted, we like our nonsense around here…. This one from Zippy is particularly nonsensical, and will serve nicely as a segue into a discussion of the value there is in engaging in nonsensical behavior on occasion. A lot of folks, and even some ffolkes, might think there isn’t a lot to say on the subject, but, they don’t know me, do they? Having spent much of the last two years honing that very skill, to wit: propounding at length on subjects of little meaning, I think we can turn this into quite a nice little pearl, one that will shine even in the dark…. or maybe not… Why don’t we just go ahead, and see what happens, eh?….
Now, to begin, let me point out that the concept of nonsense, by the structure of the word itself, gives us a clue as to where its value lies… it is composed of two parts, “non” a prefix indicating negative state, and “sense”, in this form meaning perception, or ordered perception, more accurately (it makes good sense….). This tells us that the word ‘nonsense’, as the direct antonym for ‘sense’, supplies the balance that the universe demands from every part of its makeup….
“As a professional humorist, I often get letters from readers who are interested in the basic nature of humor. “What kind of a sick perverted disgusting person are you,” these letters typically ask, “that you make jokes about setting fire to a goat?” … — Dave Barry, “Why Humor is Funny”
Everything in the universe exists in duality, as we have explored previously; this duality is directly related to our own set of perceptive abilities, which operate solely by noting the presence or absence of certain forms of matter, or energy manifestation (light, sound, etc….) We see because our eyes note the presence and absence of light waves. We hear the moments of sound between the moments of silence…. It all exists in duality, and that is how we perceive it, for that is what gives the universe its balance, and allows it to produce life, and matter, and all that we are a part of in this grand landscape of wonder….
But, the human mind is subtle, and recognizes the subtlety of the universe…. Thus, when we are confronted with seriousness for a long period of time, our nature demands something as balance, and we slip over into the nonsense mode in the privacy of our minds, to provide some relief from the somber nature of much of what is created by the hand of Man…. Goodness knows, after I am forced, or trapped, into listening to the prattling of fools about laws, or dogma, or some such asinine bureaucratic folderol, a bit of Zippy, or Wacko, or Pooh’s evil twin can always make me smile, and get through the boredom with greater equanimity….. or, as much as I ever can summon in those situations…..
is cherished by the wisest men.”
~~ Willie Wonka ~~
Willie knew this little fact about the universe well, thanks to Roald Dahl, whom we can thank for his contribution to literature of quite a bit of nonsense, written with great style and verve, and not a little sarcasm. This little couplet springs up in my mind on many occasions when I am confronted by some piece of societal sobriety, and reminds me to take what I’m seeing or hearing with a big dose of salt, and maybe some Cholula’s hot sauce to spice it up. What the hell, it can’t hurt…. Can it? You tell me…..
“SANTA CLAUS comes down a FIRE ESCAPE wearing bright blue LEG WARMERS.. He scrubs the POPE with a mild soap or detergent for 15 minutes, starring JANE FONDA!! — Zippy the Pinhead
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Poems, alas, don’t chase through my head,
bumping and pushing each other like brothers at dinner.
They’re more ripped out of my innards, instead.
Time and circumstance reveal no ultimate winner.
Simmering and bubbling near my unconscious mind
these maddening rhymes blind me sans glimmer.
Building until bursting as if to be dined and wined,
the remaining denizens appear much slimmer.
Fiery visions retain such glorious fatal dimension,
in retrospect, yet fail to leave a permanent scar,
until blessed, or cursed, with focused attention,
singing, crying, bleeding, fast as a movie star.
Pretty soon can’t be soon enough, she said
to a chameleon colored thief bathed in moonlight.
Fancy candles in stripes of blue, gold, and red
foster honest dreams in shades of white.
Passage to daylight is problematic, at best:
beastly ghosts of insomniacs cast no shadow.
Even judges with robes can pass the wrong test
while the rest of us go with what we know.
~~ gigoid ~~
1/3/2013
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Good Stuff to Remember
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“What you think of yourself is more important than what others think of you.”
~~ Seneca ~~
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“Think not that thy word and thine alone must be right.”
~~ Sophocles — Antigone, 706 ~~
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“It is necessary to the happiness of man
that he be mentally faithful to himself.
Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving,
it consists in professing to believe what one does not believe.”
~~ Thomas Paine ~~
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“It is impossible to design a system so perfect that no one needs to be good.”
~~ T. S. Eliot ~~
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“Do not look for all the answers at once.
A path is formed by placing stones one in front of the other.”
~~ The Giant from Twin Peaks ~~
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“…for the most part happiness consists in being willing to be what you are.”
~~ Erasmus ~~
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“Tanstaafl!”
~~ Ancient Sage Bee ~~
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Well, I did it. As I figured before beginning, I don’t think I’ll comment on the quality of whatever you find above; too easy to look silly, and, I’ve probably already reached my limit for that today. I think I’m going back to bed, to see if the sleep I seek, which seems so elusive at night, can be found, or persuaded to approach for a session of indulgence. The way I am feeling, fat chance…. In a perfect world, who cares, right?
Okay, that does it. I’m outta here, before I try to be rational. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. I can’t seem to help myself….
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….
“I expect nothing. I fear no one. I am free.”
~~ Nikos Kazantzakis ~~
i am
Nature
i am..om
wOnenoW…
alWays another
word.. line.. paragraph
pAge.. a UniVerse oF NatUre
wE are iN eYes oF Free.. thE world
iS a wonderful place when stars align
and perhaps theRe iS more dArkness than
stars.. but never the less the stars WiLL shine..
how true iT iS.. as above so below.. how liGht WiLL
shine through darkest niGhts oF soUL regret.. Stars
never die In dark refRain..
liGht iS Stars
iN liGht
Star
Lives..
in eYes of
uS when yes..
FReEd iN liGht
oF Love.. ever BriGhter
liGht gRoWinG oceaNs
sWhirlinG wAves
flYinG
Seas
uS
iN
FREE..
other than that..
a beautiful Bear Lake
with photos coming soon..
a hiKe.. iN Nature.. wiTh
my sister.. and only two
other people
iN one oF
Nature’s
briGhtest
gRaceS..
one oF which
mirrors most of
what wE come to
see as consensual
realiTy sAMe.. iN Truth
and liGht.. the magic iN
Life iS iN attraction Of LIGht..
matters not tHe foRm.. esSeNcE
shiNes through dArkest paths as
liVing oNce
aGaiN..
iN liGht
eternal now..
never ending
joY oF bRighter
LiGht.. iN noW.. oh
DanCinG BalanCinG
Eternal SonG iNoW..
Tree oF LiVinG LiFE..:)
*grin*
Nice poem/song, brother…. but, didn’t I just say that above?….
Kidding, of course; I always enjoy your comments, though it can take me a moment to reference all of it…
No sleep again, so, I’m going down for a while… See y’all in a bit…
Love
gigoid
Ha..!
sMiLes..
A frIeNd
saw.. see..
aS alWays
bAlanCes
SInGsoNg..:)
Mozart is wonderful…but a little too technical for me…..LOL
If one knows not fear then one has not lived….
I am having one of those days when nothing is going to make me happy…umphf! chuq
Aye, me, as well… I’m staying in, as far as possible, to save the mortuary business from getting behind…
Aye, to fear is to be human; to my mind, though, being human also bears the responsibility, and requirement for happiness, of facing that fear, and moving past it to learn why we fear…
In reality, even our sense of ‘I’-ness is an illusion, for we are actually just a single part of an organism, call it whatever you like. In thinking we are separate from others, or from any part of reality, is to sink into illusion, fostered by the power of our imagination.
We are NOT smart enough to handle our perceptive abilities, nor our imagination, unless we can get past the ego, to rediscover our place in Nature, which we have been denying for 10,000 years, since coming together into cities.
Try not to dwell on it, bro; it just makes us crazier…
Have a good one, anyway… Don’t analyze the Mozart, just let it flow over your senses…
😉
gigoid
I have to dwell it is what I do….LOL chuq
Well, try not to think of the song, and we might get through this today…
*grin*
gigoid
Now it is lodged in there…along with the ad “monkey-puppy-baby”….damn! LOl chuq
LOL!… Well, you mentioned the damn thing… ah, well, could be worse… could be the Barney tune… which I will NOT detail at all, lest it stick in both our heads, as those damn disney-dolls are, all singing & clacking those artificial jaws…
SIGH….
See ya…
Yeah or that damn “Green Acres” theme…that hung around for months…LOL chuq
Yep, that’s another one… damn ‘jingles’….
😉
Uh uh…..THc
Love the picture of the flower!
Thanks… I shot it at a local bus stop, waiting for, of all things, a bus…
Beauty is where we find it…
😉
gigoid
It’s so perfect! 2 red pole between the triangle exactly where the rose is right in the middle!