Ffolkes,

“What men really want is not knowledge but certainty.”

~~ Bertrand Russell ~~

gigoid leaving his mark in Beijing, 2004….

Hajime…. To answer any untoward remarks before they occur, yes, my hair was short. In fact, this picture shows how I looked about a week after the very last haircut I got; I haven’t cut it since. The picture was taken during a short trip to China, where I tried, without notable success, to secure a job teaching English in their schools for a year, under contract. However, I mis-prepared, and was unable to secure a position before my savings got too small to stay….

I did spend 10 days in the capitol of China, where I met, and made some great friends, a couple of whom still communicate occasionally. This photo was taken by one of the other teachers seeking jobs, with whom I stayed, in a bar in some random alley, called hutongs, in which much of the street and night life takes place. This particular hutong was lined with about 20 or 30 bars, all with different themes of music and/or decor, to attract tourists and their Chinese fans, all of whom want to practice their English. There is a rather extensive community of expatriates and traveling young people who also tend to gather there, to mingle and find someone with whom to speak their own language

A bit of history is always good, right? So we are told, anyway. Good morrow, ffolkes. I am up, tired and late, again, but, have a Pearl to post, so, all will eventually be well. Well, it will be, if Leelu and I can come to terms today. She’s being a bit rude this morning; can’t say why. She’ll get over it, as will I, if I can get this done. To help with that, I’ll use the old red-tape scissors on the intro, & get us on our way without any further BS, or nonsense, or, well, anything at all…. It’s actually pretty easy, and works like this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“I bid him look into the lives of men as though into a mirror, and
from others to take an example for himself.”

~~ Terence — Adelphoe, Act iii, Sc. 3, 61, (415.) ~~

********************************

 

 

Today I felt like hearing a ‘voice’. This lady’s voice is, quite simply, the best of my generation….. This is her 75th birthday celebration, which, naturally, she celebrated on stage, in New York. Enjoy, ffolkes; she’s the best…..

********************************

Joan Baez Live 2016
75th Birthday Celebration

********************************

https://youtu.be/4b0XeJNK-Sk

********************************

********************************

********************************

 

 

I’m still recovering from my trip, thanks to my advanced years, all of which seem to continually catch me unawares…. Here is a discussion from the archives, to sublimate today’s angst….. Enjoy!….

From 1/27/2013:

“Life is not separate from death. It only looks that way.” — Native American Proverb (Blackfoot)

Right! What a wonderful pearl! Not only is it short and sweet, it’s just packed with insight and implied wisdom…. In my mind, when I read it, I get a vision of a fireworks fountain, spewing light and beauty into the air, in blazing, colorful sparks…. A bit fanciful, but that’s the impression I got upon seeing it the first time…. You see, I’ve been thinking a lot of late, about Death vs. Life, due most likely to the fact that my own time to face that specter is approaching, seemingly ever more rapidly, as it tends to do later in our lives. When we look back over the time we’ve had on this Earth, the time left seems so short….

But, it isn’t really any shorter, nor, I’ve come to believe, is there anything to fear from Death’s approach. We all get to live just one day at a time…. Nay, not even so much…. we live one moment at a time, and we can’t make it go faster, or slow it down. So, worrying about what might happen in the future is a waste of the moment, and not worth the effort of doing so. In addition, I’ve come to the conclusion that what happens after Death comes for us isn’t anything to fret over, either, because, logically, death is merely a transition phase, from one level of perception to another, with the other being a reality for which we do not possess the ability to perceive, lacking some organ, or some mental awareness that is needed to do so…..

There is no evidence at all that consciousness, as we understand it, persists on this level of reality after the body has died. On the other hand, there is also no evidence at all that it does not continue to exist, on some other level that we are not aware of; add to this the simple fact that in our universe, according to physical laws, energy, in ALL of its forms, cannot be destroyed, only changed in form. The Law of the Conservation of Energy has been proven many times, and is not a matter for dispute. When one considers consciousness, i.e., the MIND, as a form of energy, it makes perfect sense to assume that it changes forms when we die, but is not destroyed. It is the only logical answer, as far as I can see….

The wise women and men of the Blackfoot tribe apparently were aware of this, as well as being aware that the universe exists as a duality, with each characteristic of reality having its opposite complement, that defines and proves its very existence. We see the world in these opposites, so it is very easy to be fooled into thinking that what we see is the true nature of that reality…. but, it isn’t, because those two opposites are all part of the same grand scheme of things, and cannot be separated, not in reality…. only in our minds, where we separate them in order to comprehend them….

“Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” — Murphy, courtesy of Smart Bee

Why does he do that? Why wait until I’ve spouted off for almost a thousand words before dropping these little bombs? Ah well, fuck him, and his bloody white horse! Everything I said above is the absolute truth, in my mind, so Murphy can just go f__k himself. Even though this aphorism is also true as the day is long, I don’t think I’ve gone so far astray that it applies… so, in spite of the Irish asshole, we’ll push on….

I have yet to discern any reason that can logically, or even speculatively, answer the question of why we don’t remember any of the time we’ve spent dead, or whatever it’s called when we’re busy not living on this plane of existence. You know, before you were born? And after we die? All of that is a long time, and since it is logical to assume the energy that makes up our consciousness is still in existence when we aren’t alive, in the classic sense, then it is also logical to assume that our minds are busy doing….. something else.

What that may be, well, your guess is as good as mine…. But, some folks’ guesses aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on…. I doubt seriously that the typical version of Heaven is a likely scenario, nor is Hell…. I regard those as just the unscrupulous concepts created by the BRC and/or priestly hierarchies to try to control the populace, not having any basis, or evidence to support them, in reality. In fact, there is ample evidence that shows otherwise, if one is open to perceiving it….. I figure what Robert Heinlein said once is the best way to look at it, “There’s no evidence that says we live after death; there is also no evidence saying we don’t. Soon enough, you will know, so why worry about it now?” (That may be slightly paraphrased, but the idea is precisely accurate….)

Ah well, this subject, due to its nature, is one that we, or I, could ramble on about all day, and, from the looks of things, almost have done so. Life and Death are popular subjects, understandably enough, and since we all are experts, there’s no lack of stuff to read about it; everybody’s talking, as Glenn Campbell said. But, since we have the rest of this Pearl to finish, I guess I’ll let this go for now….. Just keep in mind, ffolkes, Death isn’t anything to fear, because, if nothing else, Life itself is proof of our continued existence after it is gone…. Think about it….

“The adventure is over. Everything gets over, and nothing is ever enough. Except the part you carry with you.” — E. L. Konigsburg

“One never realizes how much and how little he knows until he starts talking.” — Louis L’Amour

********************************

Confidentially Paranoid

Only when the bright sunlight of dreams draws nigh
can the dark glass of reality factor true value..
Destiny’s horses run in fear as time goes dry,
for grappling with fate in such traitorous venue.

In pallid costumes made of graven cast-off tales,
fallen angels and demons show the measure of faith.
No sad transactions should escape these well-marked trails,
no angry relatives cast insults to a sedentary wraith.

Meaning can always hide in literal cold intent,
yet show mere facets of honor to perishable youth.
Sincere contentions leave with sorrowful bent,
while bastardly arguments fill in poorly for the truth.

Gone are moments filled with florid blasts of rhyme
left to moulder on the shoulders of unreasonable hope.
Only courage can save these measures of unspoken time
to gather new issues, powerfully broad, painful in scope.

~~ gigoid ~~

2/25/2015

********************************

 

 

Our final pearl today requires a bit of explanation. Well, more of an apology, really, but, we’ll go with the former, for dignity’s sake. These pearls all picked themselves; I had nothing to do with the choices. I found myself in an old, familiar state, wherein I cruise through the database, and let my hand on the mouse have free rein, connected only to my unconscious mind. The results are generally fairly subtle, but, this one reaches for new heights of obscurity. That’s fine with me; that always makes it a challenge to figure out the final conclusion, especially given the simple fact there isn’t always one to figure out. Sometimes, the mountain is just a mountain…. Enjoy, ffolkes; this one’s quite a ride….

Serendipity is where you find it….

*********

“The cold wind that blows before and after time.”

~~ T.S. Eliot ~~

*********

“If you’re ridin’ ahead of the herd,
take a look back every now and then
to make sure it’s still there.”

~~ The Cowboy’s Guide to Life ~~

*********

The head thinks,
the hands labor, but it’s
the heart that laughs.

~~ Liz Curtis Higgs ~~

*********

I postpone death
by living,
by suffering,
by error,
by risking,
by giving,
by losing.

~~ Anais Nin ~~

*********

“It’s not true that life is one damn thing after another;
it is one damn thing over and over.”

~~ Edna St. Vincent Millay ~~

*********

“Dharma: What is the greatest mystery of all?
Yudishthira: That each day, death walks the earth,
and we continue to live as though we were immortal.”

~~ The Bhagvad Gita ~~

*********

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

~~ HealNorm ~~

*********

“Change is disruptive–that’s the point!”

~~ Karen Bredfeldt ~~

*********

“Toes, knees, NIPPLES.
Toes, knees, nipples, KNUCKLES…
Nipples, dimples, knuckles, NICKLES,
wrinkles, pimples!!”

~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~

*********

********************************

I did it. I wasn’t entirely confident it would get done, but, after a short conversation with a friend in Europe, and some minor scuffles with Leelu, it’s finished, at least to the point I’m done with trying to get it to look any better. Once again, we’ll trust the process, and go post what we have. I will try again, as is my wont. Moreover, I’ll do that, and be back tomorrow; habits die hard. See y’all in the morning, ffolkes; I seem to have little choice in the matter….

Y’all take care out there,
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….