Monthly Archives: October 2016

The price of euphemisms is rising….

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Ffolkes,

“How can you tell the dance from the dancer?”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

lonely-duty

Lonely duty off the coast of Ireland….

Hajime…. It probably comes as no surprise to anyone who has been here more than once to learn the methods used to create these Pearls of Virtual Wisdom are, at the base, as random as can be tolerated. That is to say, the result is random; my approach is anything but, though to look at it from the outside, that probably doesn’t hold true. Nonetheless, when I am searching for pearls, or thinking about using a pearl as the basis for ranting, or, especially, when writing poetry, the process is allowed to proceed in a semi-conscious manner, with randomness as the only parameter. In short, it’s all done with a direct connection to the unconscious, as I’ve known forever most of my REAL thinking goes on there. What happens out here in the harsh light of reality is merely the reflection of that….

Why, you may ask, is he rambling on about such meaningless drivel? Gosh, do ya think it might be going along the lines of that parameter? I hope so, because it damn well is, and I’d hate to start your day out by forcing a hard reboot; it could get expensive in coffee. Not to worry, though, there won’t be any charges added on your bill for the service, should it have to be applied. I suppose it would be polite, at this point, to actually tell you why all this is so ‘in your face’ at such an hour. However, I gave up being polite for Halloween, and guess what today is? Yep, that’s right. It’s the day before the least important, yet significant day of the year. I speak, of course, of the Day of the Dead….

Yes, November 1st, El Dia de los Muertos in many places around the world, always my favorite holiday (well, sort of a holiday; hard to attach much frivolity and/or lightheartedness to the day, but, it’s fun, in a macabre sense….), not only for its honesty, but, because it’s also my birthday. I will turn old, officially, tomorrow about 3:30 AM, when it will have been exactly 66 years since my parents welcomed me into the world. It’s a big milestone, in this country, as it marks the age where one is allowed to begin collecting the money that society forced us to pay into Social Security, in my case, for shortly more than 50 years. My only remark on that, for now, is to note the relevance of the Grateful Dead line, to wit: “What a long strange trip it’s been!….”

But, that’s tomorrow, and, right now, it’s still today. My sense of duty is telling me to get posted, while my randomness gene is laughing at such nonsense. I’ll use the distraction of the argument to go ahead & get this done, while the various parts of my mind are busy elsewhere. It ain’t the most extensive Pearl ever, but, it’s sufficient unto the day. It will have to be, because, well, it will. On that fatalistic note, I think it’s time to move on….

Shall we pearl?….

“Life is cruel? Compared to what?”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

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royalty-free-clip-art-vector-logos-of-black-and-orange-floral-acoustic-guitars-by-seamartini-graphics-6573

That’s right; it’s more classical music. That’s because it’s what I want to hear today, so, you’ll just have to go along with it. Or, go read the poem. Either way, it’s good stuff, so, in a paraphrase of Frank Zappa, ‘Shut up & listen’…..

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

Unwrapped Morning

A jewel of deepest green, sparkles by firelight
Held fast by time, and space
Leaves only passive passion, pale and bright
Naught but grief, yet but a trace.

In morning’s bright parlor, burning for hate
Unspent moments fall, seeking pain
Spilling blood forlornly, cowed by fate
Left with nothing, life in vain.

Pallid purpose calls, to that fallow ground
In bold fashions, aflame
Conscience falls aside, value unbound
Death calls, forever lost, the game……

~~ gigoid ~~

8/21/2012

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

An odd collection, but, mine own….

*******

“I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.”

~~ Confucius (551-479 BC) ~~

*******

“All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to be free.”

~~ Lennon/McCartney, “Blackbird” ~~

*******

“You know you’ve achieved perfection in design,
Not when you have nothing more to add,
But when you have nothing more to take away.”

~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~

*******

“The only thing that makes life possible
is permanent, intolerable uncertainty;
not knowing what comes next.”

~~ Ursula K Le Guin ~~

*******

“Love not what you are, but what you may become.”

~~ Miguel de Cervantes ~~

*******

“In ancient times there were great Taoist Sages.
Their way of living was so deep, so subtle, it cannot be directly explained.
Instead, here is how they looked:
Cautious, as if crossing the ford of a stream in Winter
Alert, as if surrounded by danger
Polite, as if they were always a guest
Yielding, like ice that is on the verge of melting
Sincere, like an uncut block of wood
Receptive, like a valley
Opaque, like muddy water “

~~ Chapter 15, Tao Teh Ching ~~

*******

“Ne te confundant illegitimi”

(Don’t let the bastards get you down)

~~ Latin for everyday occasions ~~

*******

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I guess they can’t ALL be perfect gems. But, it’s done, and it ain’t too shabby, so, let’s go post it, and take our lumps like men, ‘kay? I don’t suppose I need to mention I’ll be back tomorrow, if I live through the celebration. You needn’t wish me luck; it wouldn’t help, anyway. But, the odds are still good, so, I’ll be here….

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

Dozer

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Delving into unusual matters of import….

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Ffolkes,

I’m still coping out in the BBR, in a good way, so far. Here is a Pearl from mid-2012, with some pretty standard material, which nonetheless remains pretty relevant. Things have changed for me since then; in the interests of efficiency, I’ll save any comments on the passage of time for another time. I hope you enjoy this trip into yesteryear…

gigoid, the dubious

gigoid's avatargigoid

Ffolkes,
Composing these Pearls every day has become the central stanchion on which the rest of my day is built. No matter what time I now arise, sometime between 5 AM and 9 AM, the process defines the morning’s activities, with very little else happening until it is done. Only coffee, breaks from sitting, and restroom urges are part of the routine; no other activities are engaged in prior to publication of the morning’s effort. I’ve found this to be the best way to ensure that it happens each and every day, which has my goal for this blog since its inception on August 11 of 2011.

Unfortunately, this also means that I’m spending a lot of time sitting at the computer, and very little time out exercising my mind, or body, in the real world. Of course, as a retiree, my need to relate to the real world is…

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Or, sometimes, it gets soft….

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Ffolkes,

“Sticks and stones may break our bones,
but words will break our hearts….”

~~ Robert Fulghum ~~

inverness-and-invergordon-004

Across the estuary, Invergordon, Scotland

Hajime…. I am taking a day for myself, one that doesn’t include putting together a Pearl. Since I’m really okay, mostly, I won’t tell you about the demon attack, or, the cost of quelling the insurrection. I’ll merely say, it might take me a day or two to deal with the consequences, both internally, and externally. Don’t fret, Facebook will learn to miss me, too, and like it; otherwise, they’re in for a spot of lumps. Me, I got stuff to do….

Part of this decision arises from a need to touch the Earth; part comes simply from frustration, as Smart Bee seemingly decided to go on vacation altogether. Since I don’t feel like using alternative sources, which, though they provide a bit of variety, are a lot more time-consuming, I decided to take a day or two, to find some shit, so I can get it together. Of course, I am well aware that shit’s easy to find; it’s the getting it together that’s hard. But, I can do it, and shall, in spite of the odds, which are running 3 to 5 against.

Okay, that’s it. I’ll quit trying to write something exemplary with which to leave you; it’s pretty obvious by now, exemplary isn’t in the bag, or, for that matter, in the same county. While I’m gone, I’ll see if I can’t find my muse; she’s probably passed out drunk again, in some flop in El Ciudad Tijuana. Should I do so, the next Pearl should come out alright; if I can’t well, we’ll just have to see, won’t we? I will, anyway. On that note, let’s just get on with this, as anything else makes no sense at all…

Shall we pearl?….

“I live in my own place have never copied nobody even half,
and at any master who lacks the grace
to laugh at himself — I laugh.”

~~ inscribed over the door to Friedrich Nietzsche’s house ~~

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No, we shall not pearl. Not any more than what you see now, anyway. That’s it. I’ll be back in a day or two; if I find time, I’ll post a re-blog, just to let y’all know I’m still alive. Otherwise, I’ll see you when I see you…. Y’all be well, & 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.

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Kowabunga!

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Intricate strategies deserve simple tactics….

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Ffolkes,

“Nothing in life is to be feared,
it is only to be understood.
Now is the time to understand more
so that we may fear less.”

~~ Marie Curie ~~

wtf-leelu

WTF is that!….

Hajime…. In direct opposition to how I feel, which is good, in a general sense, my muse seem to have deserted me. Add to that some rather unexpected, if not surprising, attacks from within by my resident demons, and it might be apparent why the intro sections of late have been sort of truncated, if not downright butchered to pieces by ruthless efficient trimming of the dross and drivel that usually shows up. This ruthlessness is not only unaccustomed for me, it’s exhausting, for it is another attempt to fit a square peg into that damned round hole.

While the physical limitations to typing and writing are better, it remains difficult to maintain any stamina; a few minutes will put me into some relevant if not obtrusive pain, so I try to work in spurts. This is good for the hands and shoulders, but, not good for creativity, let me assure you. Ideas need a bit of peace at times, and this constant whirl from one activity level to another, all damn day, is getting old. But, then, so am I, and that ain’t gonna stop, so, I suppose I should stop complaining, and get on with today’s mess/effort/mass of contradictions. Why not? It’s free….

I’ve put together an extensive Pearl for today; I checked out a couple of the suggested related blogs suggested by the WP bots, that show at the end of each post, and found a couple good inclusions for today. There’s also a pretty good older poem of mine, and, of course, an old-school pearl to chew on at the end. To save my hands, and left shoulder, which is giving me fits today, let’s just get this over with no fuss. I can use one of my literary tricks, or break out an old technique from our dark ages. I think, today, we’ll just do this….

Shall we pearl?….

“A heart is not judged by how much you love but by how much you are loved by others.”

~~ The Wizard of Oz ~~

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mariusz-goli

Image from The Inquistr.com via Google Images

A few days ago, I included a video of this gentleman playing a rather excellent piece, while sitting on the street in his hometown in Poland. One of our Gentle Readers ferreted out his information, including his Facebook presence. Here then is another video of his play, which connects you to a page on You Tube with a number of his pieces of work. He is truly an amazing guitarist, and I hope his name, Martiusz Goli, becomes a household word, the world over…. Enjoy!…

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Mariusz Goli

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We the People...

I’m in the mood to rant, but, not the ‘right’ mood. To rid myself of the emotional dross, while avoiding having to actually write, here is one last posted in April of 2013, written in 2012, prior to the last presidential election, which, though pretty lame, cannot approach the degree of lameness already shown in this election….

From 4/9/2013:

Here’s the deal…. I still don’t have a rant ready, but I feel like ranting…. so, I’ll sublimate…. This is an article that I posted on Triond, another web site where I’ve published some of my work, in the latter part of 2012, near the election that took place in November….. All of it is still pretty valid, discounting the date-related issues…. all the rest, I stand by…..

Absence of Honor: The Untimely Death of The US Constitution

“Ignorance can be compounded, made denser, until the light of our spirits is smothered.” — Deng Ming-Dao

As I read this pearl, my immediate thought was that it is a very clear, very accurate take on the 2012 election process that is currently unfolding before us in the daily news. The end of the political scale that is represented so raggedly by what is left of the Republican Party, and the mislabeled liberal end of the scale who claim to be Democrats, both of which are engaging in ongoing battles to see who can display the deepest ignorance.

The leading candidate for the “loyal opposition” to the party in power, Mr. Romney, seems to have a proclivity for alienating the very people from whom he is trying to win votes; women, immigrants and Hispanics, animal lovers, seniors, teachers and students, all have been told, in no uncertain terms, that they matter not at all to him. His plan? We’ll stop taxing the rich altogether, and that will fix everything…. Sometimes I wonder if he is getting all of his information on voter wants and issues of importance from old newspapers from the 1980’s, because he certainly hasn’t a clue as to what is happening out in America in this decade….

The other party, led by our first Black President, is busy hiding what the left hand is doing by distracting everyone with the tax and healthcare issues, to keep them unaware of how few of the Bill of Rights are left to us. “Executive Orders” signed by the POTUS this year, beginning on New Year’s Eve, while the voters were all busy celebrating the advent of the new year, include provisions that allow police to stop, search, and arrest any citizen of this country whom they suspect of any form of terrorism, or even of protest against the provisions of those orders.

These same police who are arresting their ostensible fellow-citizens are not required to tell ANYONE that they have arrested and imprisoned a citizen, nor are they ever required to provide any evidence of their suspicions in a court of law. Even though there may be no evidence, they can subject these CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY to torture to obtain a confession, or whatever it is they are after. There is no oversight to these orders; they don’t go before Congress to be approved, nor are they reviewed by the courts. Both of those particular checks on the power of the Executive Branch are completely out of the loop on this…. and they aren’t even complaining about it!

Does it physically hurt to be that stupid? — Smart Bee

My guess at the answer to this is, No. It can’t hurt very much to be that stupid, as we continue to go out each time there is an election and vote these same lying, cheating, avaricious assholes back into the same positions from which they have been oppressing the American people for oh, a hundred or so years now. I’d say that around the time of the Depression was when the first real strangle-hold on the national throat was first achieved…. the pure bullshit the government was spewing back then can be seen to have been the first real time that the government’s outrageous lies were swallowed whole by a reluctant public, who had nothing else to eat, and thus nothing else to risk…

“He was born stupid, and greatly increased his birthright.” — Samuel Butler

So, how does it feel? Does it physically hurt to be so stupid as to be part of the crowd that continues to buy into all the bullshit lies that our own government heaps upon us every day? To keep going to the polls, just as if it really matters who gets elected? Get real, folks. You will not find a name on the ballot that belongs to someone who is not a willing tool of the powers of oppression, the money-changers who are the power behind the scenes of every government in the world. Not going to happen; they’ve been the real power in the world for centuries, and they’re not about to give up all they have, just to be nice, or because they’ve all of a sudden grown a heart.

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting pretty fucking tired of being lied to, and cheated, and looked at as just another idiot for them to shit on….. and I’m not going to put up with it for much longer, without some kind of return fire….. believe it…. I don’t think I am alone in this, either…. No way to tell for sure, but I find it hard to believe that EVERYONE is falling for all of it…. but, even if I’m alone in this, I refuse to knuckle under any further, and can only say that I will do all I can to see things turn in a direction that will return my Rights, and those of the rest of the American people…. or at least those not stupid enough to hand them over without a fight….

“He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Comedy_Tragedy

Savory

Blown across steppes of imagination, a spore
finds a niche, takes root,
tries to live longer than now, before
chaos/peace descends, and desire is moot.

Feathered into fecundity, another possibility
builds a nest, hatches kin,
aims at immortality, sans responsibility,
chance manifests, as it does, again.

Leading toward peril, entropy saves creativity,
making tools, and lazy time;
solid signs imply such simple nativity,
as another snitch drops his dime.

Subtle compassion billows, passion to unfold,
covering hearts bloodied by time,
burning flesh made valid, unwaveringly bold,
turning love to brilliant rhyme.

Years weigh lightly, supported by youth,
gaining weight with each year,
only the old men know the actual truth,
peace comes only when we lose our fear.

~~ gigoid ~~

4/9/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Five Steps to Living Large….

*******

“By space the universe encompasses and swallows me up like a dot;
by thought I encompass the Universe.”

~~ Pascal, Pensees, n. 265 ~~

*******

“The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”

~~ Walter Bagehot ~~

*******

“Go into yourself and see how deep the place is from which your life flows.”

~~ Rainer Maria Rilke in Letters to a Young Poet ~~

*******

“There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.”

~~ Buckminster Fuller~~

*******

“Throw strikes. Home plate don’t move.”

~~ Satchel Paige ~~

*******

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Well, there you have it. It’s big, but, it’s mine; it’s also done as well as I can do it. Rather than test any limits yet in place, let’s just cut this off here, and do it again tomorrow. It’s not as if anyone’s paying overtime, right? Right. See ya, ffolkes, unless Reality morphs on us drastically….

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

Kowabunga!

À bientôt, mon cherí….

This is NOT ‘rapt’ attention….

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6

Ffolkes,

“If you never assume importance you never lose it.”

~~ Lao-tzu ~~

poseur-leelu

Momentary peace….

Hajime….

I stood
Among them, but not of them; in a shroud
Of thoughts which were not their thoughts.

~~ Lord Byron ~~

~~ Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto iii, Stanza 113 ~~

Today is proclaimed a wash. I have only a few pearls, of which the snippet from Lord Byron assumes primary focus. This particular stanza has always appealed to me, as being a very accurate description of much of my life. Without going into a long, expansive treatise on why that should be so, I’m going to fake the rest of today’s mess, and be done with it, for I’m not in the mood for coherency. Or, for expansiveness, for that matter. In short, I’m in a funk, though not a hole. So be it. There isn’t much, but, it all has something to say. You can decide for yourselves if you needed to hear it…. Today, everything is left as an exercise for the Gentle Reader. So be it….

Shall we pearl?….

“From childhood’s hour I have not been
As others were — I have not seen
As others saw — I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.”

~~ Edgar Allan Poe, “Alone” ~~

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royalty-free-clip-art-vector-logos-of-black-and-orange-floral-acoustic-guitars-by-seamartini-graphics-6573

As per our default standard, classical music is on the menu for our musical accompaniment. I hope you enjoy it; the choice is, naturally, as random as I can make it, chosen simply for the picture that caught my eye…. Enjoy!….

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

Random Exposure

If I only knew what I was doing here,
I could give others a clue.
Reality gets stranger every year,
and I’m not sure what I should do.

Singing happy old tunes, in an old, gravely voice,
gives me a lot of pleasure.
I’m only glad I can still make a choice,
to look at life, to take its measure.

Memorable moments keep passing by
gilded, framed in precious emotion.
I never have to ask anyone why,
no need for a stronger potion.

Everything in life is clear, to me
there is no doubt, no misunderstanding.
We’re all good, as you can see,
members of Life, in good standing.

Life can be hard, or it can be great fun;
the right path is there for each of us to take.
That choice is often a difficult one;
pay close attention to the choice you make.

~~ gigoid ~~

4/22/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Good things come in threes….

*******

“If you don’t know where you’re going, when you get there you’ll be lost.”

~~ Yogi Berra ~~

*******

“What lies before us and what lies behind us….
are small matters
compared to what lies within us…
and when we bring what lies within into the world…
miracles happen!”

~~ Henry David Thoreau ~~

*******

“What’s money?
A man is a success if he gets up in the morning
and gets to bed at night,
and in between he does what he wants to.”

~~ Bob Dylan ~~

*******

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Over the course of the last five years, I’ve learned to put aside my own feelings at times, in order to find the chutzpah to post. Today is such a day. Tomorrow might be different, and it is that ambiguity I am both counting on, and hoping for. That said, there’s naught else to impart, so, I’ll take my leave, stage virtual, with the reassurance I shall return tomorrow, like it, or not…. So be it. 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.

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Kowabunga!

À bientôt, mon cherí….

A complex straightening of entropy….

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6

Ffolkes,

“How prone to doubt, how cautious are the wise!”

~~ Alexander Pope ~~

~~ The Odyssey of Homer, Book xiii, Line 375 ~~

escape

Beauty breaking free….

Hajime…. It isn’t as if I need such indulgence, but, it’s always a good feeling to find a pearl from the past which, in my mind, tends to justify the process of pearling, and, the wisdom of doubt as a policy of mind. I don’t need it, for I’d do this anyway; there are times I can point to which demonstrate clearly how important this is to my sanity. But, it’s still good to know I am not the only person, now, or in history, who believes in the sanctity of human thought, and the necessity for examining our perceptions for truth and accuracy. I’m human, go figure….

Today’s offering almost didn’t happen, but, with a few contortions, and a bit of time with the Tardis, it all worked out. I’m not going to make any foolish predictions, or judgments, about quality, or even quantity; it is what it is, and that’s all it is. So be it…..

To keep from becoming completely maudlin, which often occurs in just this sort of situation (Hey, pain, PTSD, animal husbandry issues, ants…. all in one morning, but, no pressure….), or, worse, fall into full-blown curmdugeonry, I’ll cut this section short. Oh, not too short, and certainly not as short as some of our most recent efforts. Just short enough to save us from looking so awkward and sophomoric; we do have our standards. Of course, those standards are not what most would term ‘normal’, or even ‘slightly eccentric’; in fact, we won’t go into what we have been termed at all, to save us, and y’all, a plethora of embarrassment.

Why, look! It’s the end of the intro, coming up fast. We’d best stop fooling around, (as if we did anything else around here….), and get to it. Let’s save some time, and electrons, okay? Watch that last step there….

Shall we pearl?….

“Obey the spur of the moment.These accumulated it is
that make the impulse and the impetus of the life of genius.”

~~ Henry David Thoreau ~~

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bonnie (2)

When I can’t think of anything else to put here, I fall back to my default position, where I find this lady waiting, every time…. Enjoy, ffolkes; you can’t find better music….

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Bonnie Raitt

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Comedy_Tragedy

Penance, Made Simple

After all the dross is sent away
a celebration can begin,
time will face up to space, to stay
willing, to shine from within.

Anger and confusion come in to share
brushing reason aside,
eager to welcome all that is fair,
alert to danger, eyes wide.

Re-gift the wicked with their own pain
stand with the just;
fail to partake of the ill-gotten gain,
living in honor, the only must.

Standing fast in the face of wrong
is its own prize and reward.
Holding on to truth makes us strong,
well worth working toward.

Little is left to chance by fate
our lessons are never free of cost.
Seldom does reality make us wait
only when alone, are we lost.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/23/2012

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

“Notes on Process and Program…”

*******

“If you are out of trouble, watch for danger.”

~~ Sophocles ~~

*******

“Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.”

~~ Things We Can Learn From Dogs ~~

*******

“Common sense isn’t.”

~~ Practical Bee ~~

*******

“If you call a tail a leg, how many legs has a dog? Five? No, four.
Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg.”

~~ Abraham Lincoln ~~

*******

“There is a kind of poetry in simple fact.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

*******

“Sometimes it takes great effort
to discover that life was meant to be effortless.”

~~ Anonymous ~~

*******

“Before enlightenment, one carries water and chops wood.
After enlightenment, one carries water and chops wood.”

~~ Zen Proverb ~~

*******

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Since I wasn’t completely certain of finishing this in time to post, I’m happy. Well, happy as may be expected. Moreover, such lightness of spirit bodes well for the rest of the day. I think I’ll go find it while I’m in the mood. Fair warning, though; I will return tomorrow, most likely, with another attempt to find sanity in an insane world…. Maybe you could help me find it?….. Well, maybe not. But, I’ll be back, anyway…. 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.

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Kowabunga!

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Aggrandizing for the masses….

Posted on by
9

Ffolkes,

“Dying is a wild night and a new road.”

~~ Emily Dickinson ~~

primroses

Simple Beauty….

Hajime…. Probably, what’s going on is merely a function of my own mind, in dealing with all the crap that builds up in there. Whatever the case may be, I’ve been going into some strange places lately. In my head, that is; sadly, I don’t get out enough to say that about the Big Blue Room. These places have the unfortunate ability to keep my attention on them, rather than on Reality, where I have things that need to get done, if only for my own comfort and serenity. I can’t say I’m suffering, per se; I can say I am not happy with Reality just now, and the only responsibility for it rests securely on my own head.

I’d say life can be a bitch, but, that’s not taking responsibility, and the world suffers THAT way too fucking much for me to add to it. I can’t say I’ll be able to put it all aside with any degree of simplicity, but, I will do so, regardless of how much more uncomfortable I get. If I don’t it won’t change, now, will it? Nope. Such is life….. With all that said, I can get to the meat of the matter, which is simply this: I didn’t get much of a Pearl done. I’ll finish it up, best I may, and post it, but, it’s not anywhere close to what can usually be expected around here. All I can say is, oh, well…. Moreover, I’m going to go against my usual habit, and make that all I say. I have a feeling, ruthlessness is the only thing that will get this posted, so, here is ruthless…

Shall we pearl?….

“Do nothing secretly; for Time sees and hears all things, and discloses all.”

~~ Sophocles (496-406 BC) ~~

~~ Hipponous, Frag. 280 ~~

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

royalty-free-clip-art-vector-logos-of-black-and-orange-floral-acoustic-guitars-by-seamartini-graphics-6573

As is our wont, we’ll go with our old standby, classical music, because I know it will always do for its purpose…. Today’s selection purports itself as being designed for reading…. Enjoy!….

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

Classical Music

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

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

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

Comedy_Tragedy

Off the proverbial cuff….

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

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

pearls_3

Today’s final, old-school pearl requires a moment of explanation. It is what I call a random harlequin pearl, chosen completely by instinct. Smart Bee offers up a group of pearls, and my unconscious mind picks out the ones that have something to say to us for today. Don’t ask me how it works beyond that, because I don’t know, and wouldn’t say if I did. If I look too closely at it, it might go away. In any case, here is our offering for today. There is a meaning to it all, but, you have to figure it out yourselves…. Enjoy!….

*******

“For age is opportunity no less
Than youth itself, though in another dress.
And as the evening twilight fades away,
The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.
It is never too late to start doing what is right.
Never.”

~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~~

“… denn da ist keine Stelle,
die dich nicht sieht. Du musst dein Leben andern.”
(… for there is no place that does not see you. You must change your life.)

~~ Rainer Maria Rilke, “Archaic Torso of Apollo” ~~

*******

“…all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~

*******

“Deeds, not words shall speak me.”

~~ John Fletcher ~~

*******

“If a person is to get the meaning of life
he must learn to like the facts about himself —
ugly as they may seem to his sentimental vanity —
before he can learn the truth behind the facts.
And the truth is never ugly.”

~~ Eugene O’Neill ~~

*******

“Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.”

~~ Things We Can Learn From Dogs ~~

*******

“Are you a good witch or a bad witch?”

~~ Subtle Wiccan Bee ~~

*******

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

Okay; it’s done. Possibly the fastest ever created, but, we won’t worry about that. We’ll just post it, and be on our merry way. To fulfill our regulatory obligations, I’ll mention I will be back tomorrow. Use the time between now and then wisely; it’s your only real possession, you know…. See ya, ffolkes; count on it…..

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

Kowabunga!

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Surrounded by militant budgies….

Posted on by
4

Ffolkes,

I sent my Soul through the Invisible,
Some letter of that After-life spell,
And by and by my Soul returned to me,
And answered “I Myself am Heaven and Hell.”

~~ Omar Khayyam ~~

moving

Wow… that’s a lot of coffee….

Hajime…. It may only be some sort of unconscious adjustment going on in my brain, but, for the last few days, I get a few hours in the morning of coherent thought; then, about nine or ten in the morning, it shuts down, refusing to do anything more complicated than watch old, foolish movies (Such as Father Goose, if that gives you a clue…), or read uncomplicated fiction. Anything beyond that just doesn’t seem to bring any sort of satisfaction, or serenity. I suppose it isn’t particularly heinous in nature, but, it’s damn disconcertin’ to not be up to be more active, or at least more coherent.

I’d hate to think I’m getting old, though all the evidence is pointing that way. There’s no turning back now, so, I guess I’ll just keep on plowing ahead, best I may. Today, I think that means I should get this going early. There isn’t a lot; some good music, a poem from the past, and some silly pearls that say more than they seem. Let’s be what might be termed as maximally efficient, and get started right away. That, of course, looks just like this….

Shall we pearl?….

“Always store beer in a dark place.”

~~ Lazarus Long ~~

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

fred_neil2

I am in the mood for the music of my youth. This man wrote at least one song that, for a time, everyone in the world was singing…. Though recorded by another artist when it became a hit, almost everyone knew who wrote it, as he followed the hit song with an album, that demonstrated one of the finest baritone voices ever heard…. I hope you enjoy his music….

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

Fred Neil
Sessions

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

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

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

Comedy_Tragedy

Dreaming, I wait….

In the most patient moments of rationality
kindness flows smoothly in a special milieu,
fallow thoughts speed first from equality
to give no anxious fever, anger to eschew.

Indignant mothers and step-sons in-law
shall fade simply from brilliant to grey,
intoning ritual dogma, fresh, avid, and raw,
falling, falling, in massive pastoral disarray.

Safety lives not, save brightly in ignorant bliss,
it follows us all, silent and infinitely frail,
foremost too often, soft as a virgin kiss,
alive, always eager, willing, and pale.

Intimate knowledge finds only the bold few
with courage and virtue to gift, unbidden.
No solemn royal version may pass in review,
true love for man, never to remain unhidden.

Sweet feathers of Emily’s hope uplift,
calm, drowsy episodes bursting with light,
With final glad cries we set ourselves adrift,
swimming in the oceans of natural delight.

When sorrow is banished, in ages yet to come,
roots solidly anchored, cold and remote,
Ample supplies of kindness sit silent and dumb,
and the old stranger shrugs on his faded coat.

Dreaming, then, I wait with shadows in the night
aspiring to inspire, a message from the muse’s heart
Never forgotten images, framed in color bright,
tempt me only, grieving, steeped in serenity’s arcane art…..

~~ gigoid ~~

8/18/2013

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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Tongue-in-cheek Truths

*******

“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere.”

~~ Dr. Seuss ~~

*******

“Everything is simpler than you think
and at the same time more complex than you imagine.”

~~ Goethe ~~

*******

“Right-handers go over there,
left-handers go over there,
the rest of you, come with me.”

~~ Yogi Berra ~~

*******

“”Do what you love.
Know your own bone;
gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still.”

~~ Thoreau ~~

*******

“.. I think I’d better go back to my DESK and toy with
a few common MISAPPREHENSIONS…”

~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~

*******

“Do what you wanna, do what you will;
Just don’t mess up your neighbor’s thrill.
And when you pay the bill, kindly leave a little tip
To help the next poor sucker on his one-way trip.”

~~ Frank Zappa, You Are What You Is ~~

*******

“Dead, huh? Well, that’s one less thing.”

~~ Beverly ~~

*******

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

Since that went so well, I’ll continue the ruthless behavior here, and be done for another day. I will, however, be back tomorrow, to do this one more time. There doesn’t seem to be any reason to stop, so, I’ll keep going until, well, I’m done…. I ain’t done yet….

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

Kowabunga!

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Ample reason to remain sidereal….

Posted on by
4

Ffolkes,

“It is never too early or too late to care for the well-being of the soul.”

~~ Epicurus ~~

late-bloom

Late summer bloom….

Hajime…. In human experience, it is clear that the subject of ‘delayed gratification’ is associated closely with a great many of our difficulties. Taking the short-term view, while gratifyingly immediate, can often lead to long-term consequences, very few of which are as beneficial as our intentions would have them. In short, we screw our own pooch, regularly. I would say this is not an arguable conclusion, as the evidence is overwhelming.

Now, one might assume, from the professorial tone of the previous paragraph, today’s post will be another long diatribe against the machine. And, you’d be right. However, my diatribe, which has, in segments, been ongoing for several years, won’t be our major feature. In fact, there’s no rant, at all, in any real sense. There is material in that section today, but, you won’t find it hard to get through, as it turned old-school. We have music, we have a new poem, and a damn fine group of excellently polished pearls for your edification. You could say, this one has it all, and be correct. Go ahead, say it….

Okay, so, the obligatory nonsense is in place, we’ve got some rational dialogue, and we’re three paragraphs in; couldn’t ask for better progress. I mean, after all, Dave Letterman coined the perfect phrase to describe us, when he said, “Hopelessly lost, but, making good time….”. That’s us, to a T. Or, if necessary, to a Z. Whatever either of those means. I don’t believe I ever really ‘got’ that one, but, hey, it’s embedded in the language, so, gotta use it now and again, or it goes bad. Words do that, you know….

I think that, right there, is a good indicator, showing us it’s definitely time to get on with this, before it all goes wonky. I’ll be rational, and executive-like, & make the decision to cut this off, ruthlessly. How’s this for ruthless?….

Shall we pearl?….

“As great scientists have said and as all children know,
it is above all by the imagination
that we achieve perception, and compassion, and hope.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

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

Plato-Aristotle

I had no intention of ranting today, though the urge often occurs. I’m trying to keep from that sort of indulgence for the time being. Sometimes, when looking for pearls for the old-school, Naked Pearls section, I do come across pieces such as these, which I can only describe as perfect pearls, for they create an entire discussion in one’s own head, in order to ascertain the full import of the relatively few words used. In short, they compose a pearl of virtual wisdom, which can, in its essence, only be considered a rant, against all the elements of human nature that cause us so much misery, and keep the bulk of us from feeling or experiencing life as it CAN be lived. I hope you enjoy this trip into the minds of a number of rather smart people….

*******

Thoughts on the Human Condition….

*******

“For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered.
But for those of us who can’t readily accept the God formula,
the big answers don’t remain stone-written.
We adjust to new conditions and discoveries.
We are pliable.
Love need not be a command or faith a dictum.
I am my own God.
We are here to unlearn
the teachings of the church, state,
and our educational system.
We are here to drink beer.
We are here to kill war.
We are here to laugh at the odds
and live our lives so well
that Death will tremble to take us.”

~~ Charles Bukowski ~~

*******

“…there is no poison on earth more potent, nor half so deadly,
as a partial truth mixed with passion.”

~~ Michael Jay Tucker~~

*******

“The entire world is being driven insane by this single phrase:
‘My religion alone is true.'”

~~ Ramakrishna ~~

*******

“There is no nonsense so arrant
that it cannot be made the creed of the vast majority
by adequate governmental action.”

~~ Bertrand Russell, “An outline of Intellectual Rubbish” ~~

*******

“And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon Gods they’d made.”

~~ Paul Simon ~~

*******

“The more laws and order are made prominent,
the more thieves and robbers there will be.”

~~ Lao Tzu ~~

*******

“… But when he [the people’s champion]
has disposed of foreign enemies by conquest or treaty,
and there is nothing to fear from them,
then he is always stirring up some war or other,
in order that the people may require a leader.”

~~ Plato, “The Republic” ~~

*******

“What happens to your fist when you open your hand?”

~~ Zen Buddhism ~~

*******

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

paul-simon-lastfm

Image from lastfm.com via Google Images

I finished a poem last night; don’t know why, but the last three stanzas just bled out in about an hour. In honor of poetry, here’s a performance by one of the greatest musician/songwriter/poets of the modern era. I consider his “Sound of Silence” the definitive poem/song of the latter part of the previous century; I know it’s just my opinion, but, go listen, then tell me it doesn’t nail modern society with one swift bullet. In any case, this is a pretty decent collection of his work, in a good studio, with good sound, and, his usual collection of great musicians to play with him…. Enjoy!….

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

Paul Simon
BBC Sessions ~ 2006

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

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Comedy_Tragedy

Illusory Time

Viewed from askance, the river is long;
deep, uncompromisingly intent, swift, strong.
In duality, perception creates our only reality;
such faux metaphoric paradox enforces mutability.

By two we perceive, both zero, and one;
digital, binary, on or off, such fun.
Separate, melded, we exist, knowing not what we know
ego, striving to be solitary, looks above, sees below.

Furiously asleep, cultural anomaly claims a victim of choice;
validly unconscious, nobody speaks, nary a voice.
Potential escapees stir in dreams, fighting to wake,
until taking the wheel, for their own bloody sake.

Pots boil in due time, when the fire’s hot,
time exists to our advantage; or, not.
The solitary warrior, head bent in pain,
fights on, with, or without gain.

Night fell, day after day it persisted;
of those who knew, none showed any care, or resisted
Angels, ministers, none had any defense, nor grace;
all that remains is a face.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/22/2016

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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Serenity’s arcane art….

*********

I’m going to happydance among the stars and wear my stripes any way I want to.”

~~ Stripes the tiger ~~

*********

“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare;
it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.”

~~ Lucius Anneaus Seneca ~~

*********

“To dare is to lose your foothold for a moment.
Not to dare is to lose your self.”

~~ Soren Kierkegaard~~

*********

“How could the drops of water know themselves to be a river?
Yet the river flows on.”

~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~

*********

“Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it,
you will live along some distant day into your answers.”

~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~

*********

“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow,
you gotta put up with the rain.”

~~ Dolly Parton ~~

*********

“Take a breath of the new dawn and make it a part of you.

~~ Hopi proverb ~~

*********

“Change is inevitable, growth is intentional.”

~~ Glenda Cloud~~

*********

“The road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began
Now far ahead the road has gone
And I must follow if I can.
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way.
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.”

~~ J.R.R. Tolkien ~~

*********

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

Boy! That’s a big one, isn’t it? So big, I’ll forgo further torment, and just say, see y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. I believe we can safely say it is now an obsession, without being inaccurate. So be it….

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

Kowabunga!

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Flaws in the walnut….

Posted on by
9

Ffolkes,

“A chief event of life is the day in which we have encountered a mind that startles us.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson~~

crosseye

Who’s cross-eyed?….

Hajime…. Unavoidable, if semi-volitional events transpired this morning, preventing a smooth transition into writing mode. Fortunately, I ignored it all, and did it my way, which proved to be the most efficacious method, as, well, here I am, writing. I will submit that there may be some who would argue that what goes on here resembles writing much less than it does foolishness, but, we stopped listening to them long ago. My favorite response to such criticisms is, “We are not amused.”, followed by a Bronx cheer. They never pay any attention anyway, but, it does keep them quiet from the shock for a time, usually long enough for me to shut the door in their faces.

See? I’m writing…. Where else could you find complete nonsense right at the start of a post? Oh. Well, okay, but, it’s my own nonsense, which makes it acceptable for consumption, under the proper conditions, easily identified by their bright, pink faces. Still, it’s heartening, to think I can do this kind of thing, and not get prosecuted. Such moments in life are rare, thankfully, so, we should treasure them. If only it made any sense!….

Very well. I can see I’m not going to find anything worthwhile to discuss, unless I start telling you about today’s Pearl. But, why should I do that, when all you need to do is scroll down to find out? Instead, I’ll resort to one of our older, more ruthless methods for closing the intro, by breaking out the old #4, our most commonly used, and most effective technique. It works like this….

Shall we pearl?….

“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth:
(1) not going all the way;
and (2) not starting.”

~~ Buddha ~~

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

celtic design

I enjoyed yesterday’s music enough to repeat it today, though with a different selection from You Tube. Here is more from Adrian Von Ziegler, a young man who composes a lot of it…. Enjoy….

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

More Celtic Music

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

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

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Comedy_Tragedy

Dead Hands,Typing…

Puzzled anew by anomalous blocks of pain
caught, bemused, chained to routine, insane.
Stilled within breathless beauty
Engaging epiphany, insistent, called to duty.

Knees bent in lieu of a faithful rendition
suffuses, confuses, locked into stale perdition.
Clearing corrosion with hands encased in stone
Singular frozen follicles, masked by bone.

Partial focus brings unfiltered flavors to light
coloring each particle in simple delight.
Forlorn, novel conceptual artists singing in tune
nine notes in harmony, soft as the moon.

Honed blades of carbon steel flash in rhyme,
filling sensual receptors well past closing time.
Borrowed from neighbors in a week-old game
still bloody, without a proper name.

No flooded memories can justify such cost
no simple stationery, bilious, afraid, lost.
Ten times ten will never be enough
To fill so empty a stolen trough.

Bartering simplicity takes well into the night
solidly temporary pillars turned bright.
Unknown to all the pretty children who came
none were called, none had any remaining flame.

~~ gigoid ~~

2/25/2015

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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Pay attention….

*******

“All that we see or seem,
is but a dream within a dream.”

~~ Edgar Allan Poe ~~

*******

“The more you know… well, the more you know!”

~~ Realist Bee ~~

*******

“By definition, when you are investigating the unknown,
you do not know what you will find.”

~~ The Ultimate Principle ~~

*******

“Do I dare disturb the universe?”

~~ T. S. Eliot ~~

*******

“Reality corrupts.
Absolute reality corrupts absolutely.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

*******

“If I repent of any thing, it is very likely to be my good behavior.”

Henry David Thoreau

*******

“You only live once — but if you work it right, once is enough.”

~~ Joe E. Lewis ~~

*******

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

Well, I guess, compared to what used to transpire around here, this isn’t much. But, like all the others, it’s done, so, we won’t question any of it; at least, not out loud. In fact, to continue the efficiency begun in the intro, I will use the ending I see approaching rapidly. In fact, it’s here. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. Just try to stop me….

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

Kowabunga!

À bientôt, mon cherí….