The verdict is bursitis, already on the mend. Still hard to sit, or type, so we’ll reblog this excellent Pearl from 2013. Enjoy, ffolkes; I’ll be back sooner than expected….
Today, like any other day, has yet to show its true potential, though even now, the feeling of pregnant possibility is almost palpable. It’s hard to describe, actually, this feeling of electric, buzzing anticipation of…. what? The very unknown qualities of the future, far-distant or immediate, add a certain tingle of both fear, and burgeoning joy, to the mix of emotions that swirl as we ponder the day’s dawning….
For some, this jittery, bouncy feeling is too much of a morning, so, they bury their nose in a paper, sip their coffee, and try not to think about what might happen… But, for others, such as meself…. well, let’s just say that there’s no better start to the day than to feel as if it will be filled with challenges, with problems, with solutions, and with both joy, and pain…. Not a bad day, for a human……
“The attacker must vanquish; the defender need only survive.”
~~ Master Po ~~
Mount Hood from the Coast Starlight….
Hajime…. I’d hoped to have a complete Pearl for y’all today; I’ve been working on one for about a week now, in between sessions of learning completely new physical paradigms developed to keep the various kinds of pain with which I am familiar from becoming so ubiquitous, naught else in my life is relevant. To be honest, it’s something of a PITA, in more ways, and senses, than merely one. In fact, calling it a major PITA wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility; hell, it might just be a colonel PITA…. Sorry, a little military humor there…
I’ll give fair warning; you may find this a bit odd. Not to say we are anything but odd most of the time; today it might be more obvious. I’ve been up since 3 AM, having given up the effort to sleep after a solid seven hours of futility and pain, not necessarily in that order. It’s now 0430, and the pain in my shoulder continues to scream, unabated, every time I lift my arm more than a quarter-inch. To scratch my nose using my left arm right now is a sure invitation for an impromptu bellow, as the motion slips a sharp, hot knife into the shoulder, at first movement…. Yes, it’s annoying, and yes, I’m pushing hard to get this done before I must go kill something…..
A new poem was also on the agenda for today, but, it’s stalled. The essay/rant I’m working on has gone epic, and isn’t quite ready for public consumption. So, what we have is a partial-Pearl, sans rant, but with a fairly recent poem. Music, too, to go along with this insane diatribe, and the old-school pearl, upon which our entire process depends. It’s a pretty good one, so, rather than just talk about it, let’s go get it done, before the authorities get wind of last night’s clandestine foray…. Oh, didn’t I mention that? Oh, well, another time. For now, let’s get this slow on the toad….
Shall we pearl?….
“I’m stealing back to my same old used to be.”
~~ Arlo Guthrie ~~
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Bob Dylan
Image from freegrafix.com via Google Images
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Blood On The Tracks
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Retrospective, defined in folly….
Yesterday
I wrote a poem.
It bled out of my head,
like I’d been struck with
an axe,
right through the artery,
in the neck,
spraying blood around
everywhere,
like a pulsing garden hose….
It hurt, at first,
then came the feeling,
of quick relief,
of timeless beauty,
of pain avenged,
of lust aroused,
of outrage aflame,
of deep compassion,
of endless empathy,
of truest love….
Now it’s gone, cast away
like pearls before twine.
(Grin…)
You thought
I was going to call you
a pig,
didn’t you?
Hah!
Well, you’re not.
You’re a person.
I know, because
you’re reading this poem…
if that’s what it is.
I think it is,
so,
maybe it is.
Or, maybe,
it will be,
someday, when it
grows up,
and learns to rhyme.
Whew…
Just in time…..
That’s all.
Reality often sucks wind,
y’know?
S’okay, though….
It keeps us busy,
and out of some of the
mischief,
so much part
of our
nature.
We all can do
only what we
do.
Or, don’t.
Two sides, one coin.
~~ gigoid ~~
8/31/2014
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Naked Pearls
Grin and bear it….
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“Believe me!
The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness
and the greatest enjoyment from life
is to live dangerously!”
~~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche ~~
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“The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
~~ Chinese proverb ~~
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“Far more crucial than what we know or do not know
is what we do not want to know.”
~~ Eric Hoffer ~~
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“These times of ours are serious and full of calamity,
but all times are essentially alike.
As soon as there is life there is danger.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
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“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes you get rained out.”
~~ Satchel Paige ~~
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“Truth is always exciting.
Speak it, then.
Life is boring without it.”
~~ Pearl S. Buck ~~
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“All go down the hooooooole.”
~~ Baby Plucky. ~~
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Having completed my chosen duty, I’m ending this quickly, so as to be able to get it posted in a timely fashion. I can’t say just now when I’ll get another fresh Pearl done; it’s getting hard to predict my ability to sit & write at all. For now, I’ll merely say this: I WILL be back, if only to post another archived Pearl, of which there are legion. For now, y’all be strange; it’s cool out there, and dangerous as hell. Stay alert, & be happy as you may….
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.
I am actually working on a full, fresh Pearl, which I hope to have for y’all by tomorrow. Today, here is one from 2013, with some pretty good ranting for your morning consumption…. Enjoy, please, & I’ll see y’all next time….
The title of today’s Pearl, somehow, got close to meaning something, as well as connecting that meaning to what is contained herein…. I’m positive, however misguided that may be, if I just ignore that, it will pass off without comment…. Hell, I’m not sure if there’s enough ffolkes out there TO comment, but, since that’s neither here, nor there, we’ll ignore that, too. It seems like the best thing to do on a day such as this promises to be…. I’m not sure exactly where my head’s at, but, it ain’t here, exactly, and I haven’t a clue as to how to go about finding out where it might be….. You know, just in case I need it? I’ve been told that I could use it around here, but, I don’t know what they mean by that…. do you?….
Honesty….. there’s a subject. Trust….. There’s another one… Honor, truth…
“If you understand, or if you don’t.
If you believe, or if you doubt.
There is a universal justice
and the eyes of truth are always watching.”
~~ Enigma ~~
Sans Ambergris….
Hajime…. No, sorry, it’s really not all that obscure, if one has a clue as to what I meant by the above caption, showing George Salmon, Provost of Trinity College, Dublin, who oversaw its passage into the 20th century. Actually, I just like the picture, because it reminds me of my trip there. The ambergris came to mind when I recalled the habits of grooming & hygiene among the general run of people of that period in history, before indoor plumbing became a common fixture in society. That, by the way, is the clue….
Ambergris, for those who don’t know, is an ingredient used in making perfume; it comes from whales, sadly, which were becoming commonly used for their commercial products in that era. One living in cities of the time needed to develop a calloused attitude toward odious fumes in the air, much of it from the people…. Hence, sans ambergris describes most of the urban populace, all but those who indulged in such methods as perfume to mask their ‘aura’….
Not bad, altogether. Two paragraphs of completely purposeless drivel, complete with sarcasm, veiled, vaguely insulting insinuations, and, a travelogue, all in one place. I’ll take it, and move on to more cogent matters, any time now. Possibly. Or, this could go on for some time, until my hips or lower back stab me, or Leelu demands play time.
Shall we pearl?….
“Jesus died too soon.
If he had lived to my age he would have repudiated his doctrine.”
~~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche ~~
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Naked Pearls
“A wise man needs no advice; a fool never takes it.”
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“The higher we soar, the smaller we seem to those who cannot fly.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~
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“If there is a sin against life,
it consists perhaps not so much in despairing of life as
in hoping for another life and
in eluding the implacable grandeur of this life.”
~~ Albert Camus ~~
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“Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain.
It’s not something you learn in school.
But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship,
you really haven’t learned anything.”
~~ Muhammad Ali ~~
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“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
~~ Anais Nin ~~
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“The more you judge, the less you love.”
~~ Honore de Balzac ~~
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“If you’re already in a hole, there’s no use to continue digging.”
Roy W. Walters
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“Be what you is,
’cause if you is what you ain’t,
then you ain’t what you is.”
~~ Satchel Paige ~~
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Plans change, if we’re smart. In fact, without you noticing, they changed right here and now. Today’s Pearl, therefore, is brought to you by forces of entropy. So be it. It will do for what it is. I’ll try again, trust me. See y’all then, if I can get my glasses clean….
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.
Though still in much funk, I’m working my way toward serenity at an even pace. Here is another old blog, from the early days here on ECR… I like it, and so will you….
Ffolkes,
Far be it from me to moan and complain about the Universe…. I wasn’t around to consult when it was slapped together (Six, seven days? Really? I’d suspect shoddy workmanship for a job of that size so rushed, regardless of the contractor’s reputation….), or happened randomly, or belched from the belly of a Great Turtle, or whatever, so I have no basis for complaint. But, I’ve got to say, and I know I’m not being original when I do, this getting old shit really sucks big time…. I won’t bore you with my own particular litany of aches, pains, and embarrassing body function stories…. suffice it to say that it all adds up after a while, and let’s one know…. this SUCKS!
There…. just had to get that out….. and a happy good morning to you! As indicated in the first paragraph, my being able to say that, at…
Here for your edification is an excerpt from Nadia Harhash’s just-launched book. She is also writing it in English for those of her audience who read it. She is, in my mind, incredible; every word she writes displays her courage, strength, intelligence, and humanity…
A friend who worked for the organization told me, “Write down what happened and circulate it.” I was active in the Coalition of Women for Peace back then. Sending the message I wrote after that dark, hollow night gave me a sense of liberation. Writing had empowered me.
The image of my mother and cousin rushing into that presentation hall has never left me. It’s like a nightmare that stays with me. I imagined myself the way they saw me, as if in a movie scene where they catch a woman committing prostitution or adultery. Whatever. Any woman is seen as a whore when society insists on perfection.
How the female among us is considered both sacred and inviolable. Heavens lay under her feet. As the holy hadith says, “Paradise waits beneath the feet of the mother.” Yet she herself is the burning coal of…
I am still not writing much; reading a lot, though…. Here is a decent Pearl, with some rather pointed ranting that makes me proud. Since this is as close as it gets right now, I offer it today as sublimation. Take that as you will… I’m going back to my books….
Having spent the last 8 or so hours in complete and utter misery, or, as much as anyone sleeping indoors in a warm place can experience in one night, I am up, and ready to Pearl, in my own fashion…. Coffee’s siren call fills my senses as, bravely, I sally forth from the chamber of horrors that comprises my sleeping room, to do battle with the forces of evil one more time….
Not that there are any such nasty forces at play right here and now, but, it sounds more dramatic that way, making it easier to talk myself into this again. Motivation can play a big part in getting a Pearl done, especially in the beginning, when potential is strongest, but, the day has not yet been given a direction, or even a mood….
Motivation today will be an issue of note, I’m thinking, as it generally is…
In the infamous words of the Wicked Witch, “I’m melting, I’m melting.”… That state includes both emotional and physical states, as our temps here are climbing up to the 90’s today. I’m going into seclusion with a couple good books, and will return in a day or two, when balance has been achieved, and the melting process halted…
Until then, bright blessings, and be well & happy as you may…
“Since we cannot know all that is to be known of everything,
we ought to know a little about everything.”
~~ Blaise Pascal ~~
Ah, yes! I love the smell of artificial, imitation, deep-fried ANYTHING! I AM, after all, a trained consumer….
Okay, no ranting in the intro, bozoid one. Hie, there, ffolkes. In case it isn’t clear by now, I’m in a Zippy mood. While not a frequent occurrence, we can never tell quite what that will mean, in the final analysis; I’ve had it turn out quite well, at times; other times, I wake up in another state, (e.g., Wisconsin, or Sinaloa, in Mexico…. which was, admittedly, way better than Wisconsin….), naked, hung over, with no idea where I’ve been, how I got there, what I’ve been consuming (the masters won’t like that!…. gotta consume our quota!…), or with whom, or what, I’ve been consorting…. Not…
Hajime…. As may be clear to some, given the selection of pearls today, I’m off the rails. Yesterday, I stumbled into a whole I didn’t see (spelling is deliberate), tumbling rapidly down the slippery slope of insanity, to a point long familiar to me, where pain, anguish, and tears mark the day. I can only say, in retrospect, it was not much fun. Moreover, my fragility continues this morning; it’s taking a lot of effort to not go off on little things. I can feel the pressure building again, and will spend today finding ways to keep from melting down….
Of course, there is no way to do so, once the critical mass of emotional power is reached, so, that mostly involves keeping my nose buried in a book, or busy doing stuff that means little, but occupies much attention. I prefer reading; it has always been my choice of preference when a break from reality is called for by the press of events. When the alternative involves weeping, and anguish unleashed, almost anything is better. SIGH….
Today, and for the foreseeable future, these blog posts may become even more important to staying sane. On the other hand, there are signs that trying to fulfill this particular chosen duty may not be so helpful any more, and, in fact, may be causing more stress than relieving it. It’s hard to tell just now, as almost everything in reality seems to resist my concern and/or rational handling, causing yet more angst to build up. Since the whole purpose of this is to release that angst, it may need to be altered, or even eliminated, in order to find any peace. Just now, my head’s not in any kind of space to decide, so, we’ll see how that goes….
As is now obvious, by the contents of this intro, I’m wandering around in my own head, trying to piece together some sort of order I can use to complete this missive. As is also obvious, to me, at least, it isn’t doing so well at that; order doesn’t seem to be on today’s menu anywhere. And, what the hell am I going to do if I can’t even order the menu? I guess I could retreat into delusion, & pretend God will show me the way, but, I’m afraid that particular set of nonsense never did much for me; everything I read about what God supposedly wanted sounded too much like somebody else’s idea of what THEY wanted.
Okay, now I’m falling into a rant mode, which, in this state, could prove extremely dangerous for all of us. Rather than try to use it, or abuse it, we’ll end this meandering diatribe now, and see if Smart Bee will give me enough pearls to complete the task. Since the first effort at that failed, odds are a bit iffy. But, we’ll try, and see y’all at the end of whatever happens…. Wish me luck; I’ll need it….
Shall we pearl?….
“YOW!! I’m in a very clever and adorable INSANE ASYLUM!!”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
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Naked Pearls
Guesswork….
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“Any one can hold the helm when the sea is calm.”
~~ Publilius Syrus — Maxim 358 ~~
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“It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.”
~~ Leonardo da Vinci ~~
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“Because I could not stop for Death —
He kindly stopped for me —
The carriage held but just ourselves
And immortality.”
~~ Emily Dickinson ~~
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“Do you love it do you hate it
There it is the way you made it”
~~ Frank Zappa, “Brown Shoes Don’t Make It” ~~
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“Kids, don’t gross me off..
“Adventures with MENTAL HYGIENE” can be carried too FAR!”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
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“GOOD-NIGHT, everybody..
Now I have to go administer FIRST-AID to my pet LEISURE SUIT!!”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
All I can say is, go figure….. As it turned out, the group of contributors today is one of the most eclectic, yet solidly balanced, set of pearls and authors I’ve ever seen. The actual old-school message may be a bit obscure, but. it works, and is much deeper than it may seem on the surface… another ‘go figure’, I’d say.
Ah, well, that’s what happens when sanity is on vacation. I’ll say this: tomorrow is another day. Whether I am up to creating Pearls remains to be seen. One way or another, I’ll be back; I just don’t know right now how that will look, or feel. Ask Steve, if you can get him on the line…. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait for the actual event to see what happens. So will I….. See ya, ffolkes….
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.
“We live only to discover beauty. All else is a form of waiting.”
~~ Kahlil Gibran ~~
Even weeds hold beauty….
Hajime…. In the interests of public benefit, today’s Pearl is abbreviated, to a degree, simply to be nice. Nice to whom? Well, I suppose that is what we’d call a personal judgment, or preference, and not our problem. We’re nice, and that’s that. Now we’ve settled that portion of today’s intro, we can go on to more lucrative, and, hopefully, more rational discourse.
Of course, finding rationality can be an issue, as well, but, that’s an issue we don’t discuss in mixed company. Boy, if there is phrase that accurately describes my readership, that would be it. Mixed company. I won’t even consider any discussion as to what it may mean, for that would again fall into the personal judgment arena, where we don’t go. In fact, we don’t go much of anywhere, not if it’s got any real connection to reality. How else can we expect to survive this process? We can’t. Nor should we….
Okay, I’m done. Our Pearl today is short, sweet, and, it’s done, so let’s get the slow on the toad, and get on down the page. I can’t think of anything else to put here, so, this is all you get. So be it….
Shall we pearl?….
“The man who believes he can do it is probably right.”
~~ Helvetius ~~
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Naked Pearls
Notes on How to Live….
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“The wise man will always reflect concerning the quality, not the quantity of life.”
~~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca ~~
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“In all affairs it’s a healthy thing now and then
to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.”
~~ Bertrand Russell (1872-1967) ~~
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“People might not get all they work for in this world,
but they must certainly work for all they get.”
~~ Frederick Douglas ~~
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“To develop a complete mind:
Study the science of art;
study the art of science.
Learn how to see.
Realize that everything connects to everything else.”
~~ Leonardo da Vinci ~~
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“The only way round is through.”
~~ Robert Frost ~~
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See? Told ya it was short. It’s also, as we like to say around here, done to a turn. That’s a cooking phrase, meaning, we’re outta here. Go figure, eh? I’ll be back tomorrow, ffolkes; consider this your only warning…. See ya….
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 