In 2006, or late 2005, I asked my doctor for a stronger pain control medication, so I could continue to work to retirement without the pain preventing such activity. He placed me on Norco, an opioid, & for the next nine plus years, I took it, to the point of addiction. I began trying other options, including medical marijuana, whereupon, the medical community, in its corruption, decided I no longer deserved to take the opioids, & ripped me off them, sending me to physical hell for about 16 months. I am now completely free of the addiction, no thanks to medical science, & rely completely on my own medical knowledge of my body, and on medical marijuana, which not only controls the pain better than the opioids ever did (without any dangerous side effects), but, is steadily assisting my body to heal many of the physical conditions that plagued this old carcase….
However, only writing, it seems, can keep me close to relative sanity; when I don’t, it is more of a relative insanity. Events in the BBR yesterday prevented working on a Pearl, so, I’m sublimating by re-blogging this post from that period of time when I was inhabiting Hell…. It’s a pretty good Pearl, which some of y’all probably remember; but, it also fits perfectly with my current mental status, with a decent rant, a decent poem, and a damn fine old-school pearl. Good music, too, if you enjoy brilliant musicianship….
So, enjoy, & I’ll try to get back, fresh, by tomorrow. Who knows? I might just do it on time, whatever that means these days….
Enjoy the present hour, Be thankful for the past, And neither fear nor wish Th’ approaches of the last.
~~ Abraham Cowley (1618-1667) ~~
Please! Everybody take your seats so we can get started! Image from the UK Telegraph 8-4-2015
Those readers who have been here consistently will know right away something is up. Those who have not will merely feel a slight bit of uneasiness, without knowing why. Those who are here for their first taste of Consensual Reality, gigoid-style, are in for an epiphany, of sorts; the direction it takes is completely ruled by their own inner needs. The rest of us, well, we’re going out for breakfast….
Of course, breakfast will consist solely of a bit of smarmy dialogue, but, they don’t know that. I’ve decided, as is by now obvious, to sever all connections we had to normal reality, and spend the day out on…
“If you think you’re free, there’s no escape possible.”
~~ Baba Ram Dass ~~
Summer Night by the Bay….
Hajime…. Hello, there, ffolkes. I am, for the moment, back from the abyss, though not without a degree of trepidation for the potential cost. But, cost is irrelevant in cases of introspective combat; if I had the option of giving up, it might prove less troublesome. But, Sarge never did teach us how to do that, so, I guess I’m stuck until I figure it all out. Hmm… sometimes, I amaze myself; that could easily be a coherent statement on how life works, right down at the core. I suppose that means the answers are there to be found, so, maybe I’ll follow down that path awhile….
Before I do so, however, I intend to post this Pearl. It has certainly cost me enough to put it together, & it would be a shame to see it wasted. Not that it is the best ever done, but, I really do hate waste, especially when it’s my own effort being trashed. Besides, it doesn’t fit in with the whole ‘no giving up’ idea very well, does it? No. Hence my decision, appropriate or not, to get it posted. All the correct elements are present, though at least one is a default choice. The rest is all mine, such as it is, & I hope you enjoy it.
As for me, I’m off to the battle zone, once again; sometimes it seems as if I’m making some headway (like this morning), but, given the pattern I’ve seen so far, that will soon be followed by a vicious attack by some rather nasty, tricky personal demons, who have the distinct advantage, as ‘personal’ demons, of knowing just where, and when to attack. As Luke Skywalker, and all heroes learn, we are our own worst enemy. The battle for control of self is like no other, but, the reward, true freedom, is well worth the risk and effort. So they say, anyway; I’ve yet to find out for myself, though there have been positive indicators.
In any case, that’s what’s what in gigoid’s little world; now, we’ll go do as promised, & get posted. I’ll see y’all down the page, okay? Okay….
Shall we Pearl?
“Entropy is not what it used to be.”
~~ Spaulding ~~
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Default music for a default day; go figure, eh? Try to enjoy it, anyway, ffolkes. It’s bound to be pretty decent, as all the best classical music we see and/or hear is what has survived the test of time for us to hear…. Well, we’re hoping that’s so; ‘twould be horrendous if it were not, wouldn’t it?…. Enjoy!….
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Classical Music
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Honorable Request
Days, filled to a brim with fluff and time, pass
dimly into memory, bit by combative bit;
ever mournful, yet loud with life and sass,
only in dream do we meet, and dance, and flit.
Souls, spinning ’round in gleeful wonder, comply
as they must, never given a reason;
somberly proper, yet limber and quite spry,
dancing on to greet each bright new season.
Storms, angered by apathetic care, rage
proceeding into ministerial glare, unknown;
clothed in colors, purified solely with sage,
past an infinite future, already flown.
Life, plumbed to its depths and secrets, keeps
flowing with currents, strong and fairly found;
love stands, asking release, as it slowly weeps,
seeking refuge unasked, to stay honor bound.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/13/2012
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Naked Pearls
Third star to the left, & straight on to morning….
*******
“Sometimes you have to be silent to be heard”
~~ Stanislaw J. Lec ~~
********
“Surely there is something in the unruffled calm of nature
that overawes our little anxieties and doubts:
The sight of the deep-blue sky, and the clustering stars above,
seems to impart a quiet to the mind.”
~~ Jonathan Edwards~~
********
“The cold wind that blows before and after time.”
~~ T.S. Eliot ~~
********
“Life is not the way it is supposed to be.
It is the way it is.
The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.”
~~ Virginia Satir ~~
********
“The individual has always had to struggle
to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened.
But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~
********
“No excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of madness.”
~~ Aristotle ~~
********
“…. I think I’d better go back to my DESK
and toy with a few common MISAPPREHENSIONS…
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
********
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I would say, at this point, Zippy has the floor, with the most cogent suggestion for maximizing our time. I’ll follow his example, though on my own path, which leads out into the BBR today, where events of late have provided more than sufficiently adventuresome activities for our amusement. The trick is to stay amused. I guess I’ll go work on that. See ya, ffolkes; it might even be soon….
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.
It’s Memorial Day, so, here is a memory from 2015, during my descent to Hell. Whatever I did to distract myself that day seems to have worked, much better than whatever I’m doing today…. which is why you’re seeing a re-blog in the first place. I’ll be back; you may consider that a warning, or a herald of better things…. See ya; too much, too much, it’s all too much…
“‘Tis not knowing much, but what is useful, that makes a wise man.”
~~ Thomas Fuller ~~
Bosom Buddies
In keeping with my resolution to lose weight (no, not a New Year’s resolution; I started three months ago…), and to take a more proactive attitude toward my overall health, I’m making good progress, 25 lbs; gone, so far, in 3 months…). In terms of the pain, not so much has been achieved, as yet, though I have high hopes, so to speak. In general, I also intend to be a bit less of a curmudgeon, at least in the way I look at certain subjects…. I have no intention of giving up my insistence on not suffering fools gladly; I’ll just be a little nicer to shopkeepers, and other folks who cannot properly defend themselves from my ire when they act stupid right in front of me…. It will…
“There are many intelligent species in the universe.
They are all owned by cats.”
~~ Encyclopedia Galactica ~~
Tower watch duty….
Hajime…. Although I did notice the stock market didn’t crash, I’m sure there was some sort of reaction to my total absence from the net yesterday. And, although that reaction wasn’t terribly noticeable, I’ll forgo any such event today, by posting this, in lieu of a complete Pearl…. Basically, what’s going on is a personal melt-down. Perhaps this old quote from Herr Nietzsche will help explain just why I have been so inconsistent of late in getting these Pearls done…. or, for that matter, anything else…. Just imagine the following as my Facebook status, & you’ll get the picture….
“He who fights with monsters might take care,
lest he thereby become a monster.
And if you gaze for long into an abyss,
the abyss gazes also into you.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche, “Beyond Good and Evil” IV, 146 ~~
Get the picture? No? Well, I’m afraid, for this once, that’s all you’re gonna get. I’m at a loss to explain that in which I am embroiled, not surprising, given that I’m also at a loss as to explain any of it to myself; I imagine that’s part of the problem here. Nevertheless, finding my way to some sort of stable ground on which to stand has become my priority, at least for today. I’ll say this; it’s not exactly what I’d call fun, but, it will, I suppose, keep me occupied for the time being. Let us hope that will be sufficient to maintain the integrity of the space-time continuum for another day or two, until I can get a better handle on things…. The alternative, as you well know, is unthinkable….
Normally, at this point, I’d say “Shall we Pearl?”, & we’d be off to the races. Today, we’re just off, with the standard caveat, to wit: I’ll be back. I can’t say exactly when that might be, but, it will happen, you may be sure…. I’ll find some serenity, and then the words can flow again… Until then, be well, & safe, & try to avoid what I’m going through, if you can; I can think of easier, better ways to find peace….
“Words are,
in my not so humble opinion,
our most inexhaustible source of magic,
capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.”
~~ J. K. Rowling, spoken by Albus Dumbledore ~~
~~ Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows ~~
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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.
“The deeds you do today may be the only sermon some people will hear today.”
~~ St. Francis of Assisi ~~
Calico in sepia….
Hajime…. There is a little place in my head where ideas form; it seems to live between the state of full mindful consciousness and dreams, though the exact location remains mysterious, as it, like everything else, moves around a lot. Some days, I can find it easily, & the words flow like good wine at a bacchanal. Other days, of which today seems to be one, I can wander for what seems to be weeks in the empty hallways of the mansions of my mind without ever encountering even a whiff of fresh thought. When I sat to begin today, I had intended to discuss the process, but, as the hours, and days passed in my head, I realized such an intention would only make the gods laugh….
Finally, I gave up, as you see by the exposition which opens our missive. Not terribly compelling, but, honest. If there were any way, at this juncture, to go back & start over, I’d consider it well; since there doesn’t seem to be anything, in my head, or in the surrounding locus, that might offer such an opportunity, I may as well just get us down the page, where there is some great music, and an interesting group of rather inscrutable pearls, for y’all to chew on. It ain’t Ibsen, but, it’s art, I suppose. Y’all may, of course, make your own judgment on that, but, for now, it’s our story, & we’re sticking to it.
I don’t believe this horse is going to come back to life, so, I’ll quit beating on it, so we can get on with the rest of this mess. If I had any true compassion, I’d offer my apologies for this intro, but, I don’t. Not at this time of the morning, anyway. But, I do have my sense of ruthlessness, which has saved us many times in the past. That, of course, works like this….
Shall we Pearl?
“Bother!”, said Pooh, as time unraveled around him.
~~ Anonymous Bee ~~
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While cruising old You Tube videos the other day, I came across this old recording from back in the day (1976, in this case), which gives a very clear idea of why I fell in love with this artist’s work, and have carried that torch for all the intervening years. The only reason she is not my favorite redhead in the world is because I know another one personally. She can’t sing, or play guitar like Bonnie, but, she’s even more talented, in her own way…. Bonnie, who plays and sings like an angel, always makes me smile, and sigh…. and dance….
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Bonnie Raitt Old Grey Whistle Test 1976
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“All men are poets at heart.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
“All poets are mad.” — Robert Burton
Ah Ain’t Sho, but Mebbe So….
Fried eggs got nuthin’ on me
Ah’m not even sure of mah name,
or how Ah come to be;
no idea from where Ah came.
Ah does like a mystery tho’,
puzzlin’ things out so’s Ah knows,
good from bad fo sho,
Ah sho don’t want no rock pillows.
If’n Ah cain’t figure out what’s best,
Ah just falls back on mah Daddy’s words,
seems he knowed just whut’d stand the test,
‘n how to gentle the scaredest birds.
‘Course, he’d lived a good long time,
‘n had lots of stuff go on by;
Went to a war, n’ lost a piece or two,
never once used it fer an alibi.
He tol’ me once Ah’d best learn to learn,
school’s only cool if ya ain’t already a fool.
Yer own good measure you can earn,
by startin’ yer learnin’ with the Golden Rule.
Always seemed to me as Ah growed up,
he mostly only spoke if it wuz true,
‘n by doin’ that clued me to what’s up,
kept me from stuff that’d a made me blue.
Without ever sayin’ the word itself,
Ah learned ’bout honor, ‘n helpin’ others
not some fake stuff from some shelf,
but, knowin’ whut’s right, ‘n that we’re all brothers.
Ah’ve been around long enough now, Ah think
to get around the block at least two times.
I s’pose long as my head don’t shrink
Ah’ll keep on doin’ right, ‘n makin’ these rhymes…..
~~ gigoid ~~
4/6/2013
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Naked Pearls
Yet Another Path….
*********
“All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.”
~~ Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace ~~
*********
“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing,
of just going along,
listening to all the things you can’t hear,
and not bothering.”
~~ Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne ~~
*********
“He who is unable to live in society,
or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself,
must be either a beast or a god.”
~~ Aristotle ~~
********
“Without the difficulty of being hemmed in,
the tree in the forest would not be forced to marshal its power
to grow toward the light.”
~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~
*********
“If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.”
~~ Things We Can Learn From Dogs ~~
*********
“In human intercourse the tragedy begins,
not when there is misunderstanding about words,
but when silence is not understood.”
~~ Henry David Thoreau ~~
*********
“Heaven embraces the horizon.
No matter how jagged the profile, the sky faithfully conforms.”
~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~
*********
“All men should strive to learn before they die
what they are running from, and to, and why.”
~~ James Thurber ~~
*********
“Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.
I know.
But I do not approve.
And I am not resigned.”
~~ Edna St. Vincent Millay, “Dirge Without Music” ~~
*********
***************************************
Having fulfilled the minimum standards for a Pearl, I declare it done. So done, I can’t think of anything to say that would improve matters; in fact, it all feels like the slightest wrong move will bring it tumbling down around my ears. I’ll just end it here, quickly, & take my chances it will fly. Y’all have a good day out there in the BBR, as best you may. I’ll do the same, & maybe, tomorrow, we can do this again. Worth a shot, right? 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.
The demons of pain are paying me a visit, so, a fresh Pearl is contraindicated today. When I opened my mailbox this morning, I found a pearl from a friend, to wit: “You’re basically killing each other over who has the better imaginary friend.” — Richard Jeni, on war over religion.
She knows me well, patently, as this is one I’ve long known of, without knowing who first said it…. Since there’s nothing in me worth writing, I’ve included a Pearl from 2013, near the beginning of my descent into the Hell of opioid withdrawal. It speaks at several points of the ideas already presented, and should serve well as sublimation for today’s urge to pearl… I hope you enjoy it, & I’ll be back tomorrow, with some new thoughts on Life at Large….
Be well, be safe, be happy, & be yourself…. Oh, & try to have some fun….
Ffolkes,
Salacious, grinning demons haunt the edges of my dreams, claws dripping in the blood of innocence. Hideous screams echo through the dark halls in my mind, as the torturous maze leads me ever deeper into the nightmare of my own mind. No soothing touch is felt on skin numb to all feeling, no mellifluous voice penetrates the foul cacophony ringing in my unwelcoming ears. Time stops, and pain becomes eternal, the focus of all perception, until I awake, groaning in fear, to find myself alive, and whole, shaking, soaked in sweat, and vowing never to sleep again….
Gee, look…. it’s already 0700 in the morning, and I’m just now getting started…. If I didn’t know better, I’d believe I had finally overcome the time distortion suffered when I went to a different time zone for over two weeks…. I knew about jet-lag, but didn’t realize just how powerfully it…
“Courage is the complement of fear.
A man who is fearless cannot be courageous.
(He is also a fool.)”
~~ Lazarus Long ~~
Curious neighbor….
Hajime…. I have, I think, discovered something about my own history here on Earth which may go a long way toward explaining “what the fuck just happened?” During the past weeks, as I have explored the writing and ideas of Joseph Campbell, I had occasion to review my own medical history, as it relates to the physical issues I deal with today on a regular basis. I found, in my past, at least five, or six, occasions, before my 20th birthday, during which I had taken a pretty severe ‘shot to the head’, mostly while engaging in one sport or another. Since then, there have been at least four other times when I was too slow, or, too unaware, & suffered a blow that produced those pesky stars in front of my eyes, followed by the little birdies tweeting & chirping around my head….
In addition, for at least twenty years, beginning at age six or so, I played baseball, spending my time on the field, mostly, sitting behind home plate, letting foul balls bounce off my face mask, sweating through the California summers in full gear. It would be impossible to count how many times I took another shot, but, it was probably a lot more than I remember. Go figure, eh? It kinda makes me suspect my memory has more gaps in it than I would like to guess, but, what the hell? Just because I can’t trust it any more is no reason to get worried, right? Right….
I am unsure why this all came out now; in fact, given the probable state of my mind, I am unsure of exactly how ANYTHING is happening. But, since such a state of indecision won’t get this Pearl done, I’ll put it all aside to do what I need to do to finish this. It’s all there, below, just waiting; the only anomaly is that I haven’t a clue as to whether or not any of it works. SIGH…. It’s tough, at this late age, to find oneself back at Square One, so to speak….
Oh, well. Fuck it. Let’s just do this, & be done with it for another day. Maybe, tomorrow, I’ll remember when it was my fairy godmother came & fixed all the issues with which I’d saddled myself. Or, not. At this point, I can’t seem to drum any enthusiasm for such hopes. But, I can do this….
Shall we Pearl?
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life.
A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
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I know I use this frequently, but, I figure, if you gotta go with old stuff, it may as well be really, really good. This fits that bill quite precisely. Enjoy!….
***************************************
Concert For George 2003
***************************************
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Mad Dogs at Bay
Wicked, angry red scenes of imminent demise
haunt my dreams each night.
Fearful visions of destructive surprise
leave me sweating in terror, as well they might.
Small, mean, ugly, with beady little eyes,
pundits gather like maggots, bloated and vile,
grunting, snuffling, mumbling outlandish lies,
enslaving the ignorant with patience and guile.
Society’s denizens exist as volunteer slaves.
Living and dying by script, completely blind.
Never allowing any resentment, no making waves.
Never knowing joy, nor any peace of mind.
Free men will not be controlled, ’tis said;
No coercion, no illusion can cloud their sight.
No threats, no pain, no fear they dread;
their only duty to keep to the right.
Dreams are mere reflections of our inner fears,
whispering, close against doors shut fast.
Mocking our mostly irrelevant tears,
clearly marking the future as our sordid past.
~~ gigoid ~~
7/15/2015
***************************************
Naked Pearls
What’s that noise?….
*******
“It has long been known
that one horse can run faster than another
– but which one?
Differences are crucial.”
~~ Lazarus Long ~~
*******
“As for what you’re calling hard luck
— well, we made New England out of it, that and codfish.”
~~ Stephen Vincent Benet ~~
*******
“This is the strangest life I have ever known.”
~~ Jim Morrison ~~
*******
“But since life is cruel, to you and to me, here I am.”
~~ Umberto Eco ~~
*******
“In the midst of the word he was trying to say,
In the midst of hislaughter and glee,
He had softly and suddenly vanished away
— for the Snark *was* a Boojum, you see.”
~~ Lewis Carroll, “The Hunting of the Snark” ~~
*******
“I have always thought in the back of my mind, cheese and onions.”
~~ The Rutles ~~
*******
“Are you sure it isn’t time for another colorful metaphor?
~~ Spock, “The Voyage Home,” stardate 8390 ~~
*******
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I’ll be damned! It’s done. Given the nature & content of the introductory section today, I’m going to use my executive powers to bring this to a rapid close; after reviewing the pertinent issues, and the regulations governing them, I find that to be for the best. Don’t ask, & I won’t have to tell any fibs, okay? Okay…. Now we have that out of the way, I’ll bid thee adieu, with no apologies, but, the usual caveat, to wit: I’ll be back, unless I come up with a good reason to abstain. Fat chance of that, so, 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.
Hajime…. The Pearl you will find below is one you may find to be resistant to classification, or, for that matter, quantification. Even more, it defies all normality, due to a recent decision made by my subconscious mind, which seems to indicate I have given up trying to maintain any semblance of sanity. It seems, according to all the evidence I can gather, insanity is a more rational response to life in today’s world. I suppose it makes R. D. Laing’s statement the most relevant, to wit: “Insanity is a sane reaction to an insane world.”…..
In truth, this is not, necessarily, a cause for worry; in fact, I regard it as a good sign, that I am on the correct path to find my ‘bliss’, as it were. I’ve been reading, and thinking long and hard about, the work of Joseph Campbell. His lifelong study of human mythology, examining the common thread running through all the cultures of humanity throughout our history, led to what I think is the most coherent, inclusive, and accurate assessment of the human condition. By identifying the ‘monomyth’, the story of humanity’s expression of our core nature, and our connection to the universe, he offers us all an understanding of ourselves, and each other, which I find incredibly valuable, as a means of learning how to be true to our nature….
This, naturally enough, has occupied a great portion of my mind’s attention for the past few weeks, which has, as a side effect, influenced the production of Pearls, generally by sending me out into the real world, to re-engage with those parts of reality I have been neglecting, in favor of spending time in cyberspace, or in my own head. The most telling reflection is shown by the number of times I’ve missed posting, or re-blogged, rather than creating anything fresh. Go figure, eh? It seems the real world is more engaging than my need for the sanity which creating Pearls maintains….
I suppose it makes sense, though; real is always more engaging than unreal, if not as attractive. I mean, it does demand we be mindful, for the consequences of NOT doing so are uncomfortable, to say the very least. But, in this insane world we have engendered as a species, the distractions provided to befuddle and control the less mindful are powerful, making the lessons to be learned rather less valuable, than any of those taught by nature. This, of course, ties in quite nicely with our human talent of denying reality, and our own nature, so, it isn’t hard to figure out; it’s only hard to avoid….
It also takes a lot of practice time, which is why fewer Pearls have been seen here; I’ve been practicing the skills needed to live according to the dictates of my nature. Writing about that merely slows down the actual doing of it, so, less of it has been forthcoming…. So be it. It’s taken me 66 years to arrive at the point on my path where I currently exist, & I’m still searching. The search, as is required by our very nature, is all that matters….
I guess this intro doesn’t resolve much; neither does it explain much, I suppose, but, it got us this far…. Let’s go see what else happened, & get on with the rest of our journey for today….
Shall we Pearl?
“The greatest happiness you can have
is knowing that you do not necessarily require happiness.”
~~ William Saroyan ~~
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This video comprises a summary and exploration of the ideas of Joseph Campbell’s work, as seen through examination & discussion of the central ideas, regarding the commonality present in all human myths, from all human cultures. The presentation of those ideas is laid out clearly, so clearly, and so powerfully, I wept through the first 30 minutes I watched, simply from the joy of learning; the truth has a power not to be denied…. Watch it all, and think about it, for it can change your life….
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Finding Joe The Timeless Tale of The Hero’s Journey
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***************************************
Further Proof
No evidence exists, no rumored promise
of a guide on the path we seek.
Salient information lies hidden, seeking solace;
each possibility lost, no longer unique.
The past cascades through today, resolute;
finished and gone, by all reputable report.
Common failings decry any fever in the root,
as pillars of salt offer up little retort.
Longitude has latitude, one dimension to the next;
truth and lies, mirrored, transform on first exposure.
Born in chaos, living in change, by guile and pretext;
artful insanity, with no rational cure.
‘Tis no wonder, some do say now and then,
such creatures are doomed, by their own hand.
Cursed by the force of their very own ken,
until only the leaving seems very grand.
Perhaps, but, then, say those who doubt,
it’s all part of how it works, in fact.
We can’t know, really, what it’s all about
without completing the final act.
Is there any hurry?
~~ gigoid ~~
6/23/2016
***************************************
Naked Pearls
Love at Large….
*******
“Time is precious, but truth is more so.”
~~ Benjamin Disraeli ~~
*******
“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.
And you know what you know.
And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go….”
~~ Dr. Seuss ~~
*******
“I look at you all, see the love there that’s sleeping…”
~~ George Harrison ~~
*******
“And what is good, Phaedrus, and what is not good,
Need we ask anyone to tell us these things?”
~~ Robert Pirsig ~~
*******
“Your task is not to seek for love,
but merely to seek and find
all the barriers within yourself
that you have built against it.”
~~ Rumi ~~
*******
“Anything worth doing well is worth doing slowly.”
~~ Gypsy Rose Lee ~~
*******
“All I know of love is that Love is all there is.”
~~ Emily Dickinson ~~
*******
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Hmm… It’s done, & the words used in the intro remain valid; it defies description. So be it. I’m done for today; moreover, I cannot say when I’ll be back. I have to write; that is a given. But, it’s also a given I will be walking on my hero’s journey much of the time, & have yet to figure out how to do both. When I do, I’ll let you know…. In the meantime, try to enjoy your own journey; be safe, & let your love shine…. 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.
Smart Bee is on vacation, apparently. The weather here is magnificent, and I have tasks to complete. These factors, combined, have precluded the creation of a fresh Pearl for today. Here is one from a bit under five years ago, when Pearls were longer, wordier, and less colorful than today’s incarnation. I hope you can enjoy it, anyway; I’ll be back as soon as I can talk myself into it…. making tomorrow a good bet…. See ya!….
Ffolkes,
My mind’s eye is clouded and grey this morning. No visions of beauty, or even of horror. No trite phrases, no witty repartee, and worst of all, no nonsense floating around in my head, clamoring for release. It’s all a void, empty space that I may have to try to rent out. I have fallen into writer’s limbo, that terrifying landscape where ideas run off the moment they arrive, and creativity is limited to sock colors. Where material is not merely hard to find, but actively resistant in spite of all efforts on my part to find something, anything to write about……
A hundred sinister eyes peered out from the darkness surrounding the traveler, closely following his progress on the road leading to the castle of the local lord. The traveler took no notice, his hooded face hidden as he stared downward at the back of his horse, seemingly…
“Do not try to live forever. You will not succeed.”
~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~
Subtle Urban Beauty….
Hajime…. In the past here on ECR, when searching for inspiration, I have often faced a vast, frightening expanse of featureless nothing, promising naught but dismay for all my efforts. Some days, I will retreat into introspection, speaking of personal issues, or rumination on past events. Other times, depending on mood, I’ll hare off into nonsense, or, blather incessantly about whatever comes to mind, as long as it makes little sense. Still other days, I’ll make an attempt at writing something new & fictional, just to practice the skills involved in producing something readable, if not compellingly so. Today, however, I’m trying something else….
I can hear the groaning, so just stop it. All I’m going to do is be honest, and forthright about my lack of inspiration. I got nothin’, ffolkes. It’s a miracle a Pearl got done at all; I am surprised enough to not even examine any of the ‘how’ that may have been involved; it would just turn out to have been illegal, or, immoral, at the very least. But, it did, so, I’m going to post it. I’m just not going to say anything relevant beforehand, to preserve any potential intellectual value that may have accrued by accident. This is not only necessary for our purpose, it’s the only compassionate thing to do.
See? Even a surly old curmudgeon can be nice, as long as it isn’t expected. I’ll just use the accumulated expertise I found here on the desk to help us get to the proper configuration to augment the purpose, in what will probably be the most coherent part of all you’ve seen thus far. That looks, suspiciously, like this….
Shall we Pearl?
“Reality is useful: It occupies time between fantasies.”
~~ Heyoka Bee ~~
***************************************
Since I’ve got nothing, here’s someone who had it on a regular, consistent basis, & said it well…. I doubt he needs any more introduction than that, so, all that’s necessary now is for me to say, enjoy!….
***************************************
George Carlin Live
***************************************
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Early Observations
Until I knew there was more,
I wanted to know God.
They said he was a nice guy,
and would let me live forever.
All I had to do, they said,
was live my life for Him,
always living by scripture
cleaving only to his Way.
But, everyone I saw in church,
acted different at home.
Living wild, cussin’ and fussin’,
nobody lived like they said.
Still, I tried to be like Jesus,
he was sort of cool.
He never hurt nobody
and walked on the right path.
‘Course they killed him for that,
they couldn’t stand his example.
Turned him into a martyr,
hid his real words among their own.
Then I found the Buddha,
and met Lao Tzu at the gate.
They saw things real different,
showed me how to see straight.
Right thought, and right action
replace blind obedience and faith.
Reality becomes manageable,
fear retreats, the universe expands.
Brother John said it pretty well,
“Imagine there’s no heaven,
it’s easy if you try.”
Sounds like he knew why.
Day to day, life is grand,
we walk in eternal beauty.
Open your eyes and hearts,
find yourself already immortal.
~~ gigoid ~~
4/12/2013
***************************************
Naked Pearls
A small paradox….
*******
“I’m not a teacher
only a fellow traveller of whom you asked the way.
I pointed ahead
– ahead of myself as well as of you.”
~~ George Bernard Shaw, “Getting Married,” 1908 ~~
*******
“As I look at your image,
I see only the light which was not absorbed.”
~~ Mark Middleton ~~
*******
“He who wonders discovers that this in itself is wonder.”
~~ M C Escher ~~
*******
“Are you trying to somehow deal with the snake?”
~~ Curiously Subtle Bee ~~
*******
“… and she’s buying a stairway to Heaven.”
~~ Led Zeppelin ~~
*******
“And it’s just a box of rain
I don’t know who put it there
Believe it if you need it
Or leave it if you dare
And it’s just a box of rain
Or a ribbon for your hair
Such a long, long time to be gone
And a short time to be there”
~~ Box of Rain by Lesh, Hunter ~~
*******
“All this happened, more or less..”
~~ Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut, 1968 ~~
*******
***************************************
There you go, ffolkes. That’s all I’ve got, & it’s probably more than is wise to share. Oh, well. The good news is, it’s done. The other good news is, we get to try again, another day, maybe even tomorrow. The odds are getting a bit hard to figure, but, that’s okay, because the game is rigged, anyway. See ya, 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 