Clearly a full half-bubble off plumb….

Ffolkes,

“The highest reward for a man’s toil is not what he gets for it,
but what he becomes by it.”

~~ John Ruskin ~~

foggy ggb

Foggy Golden Gate….

Hajime…. Well, here I am, as I promised yesterday, even though doing so has proved problematic. I spent the entire day off doing BBR stuff, & didn’t find or make the time to complete this completely. Awkward as my phraseology may or may not be (I kinda like it), getting this posted has proved to be rather an extended effort, made more complex by the apparently empty head with which I awoke. The poem which has been percolating has gone awry, & I had to abandon it altogether, to allow myself time to find the thread that broke, & try to mend it enough to allow the poem to blossom. I know, that’s probably as unclear to y’all as it often is for me, but, ultimately, it doesn’t matter, ’cause it ain’t done. SIGH….

Rather than complain further about my own failings at maintaining any consistency (not necessarily always a good thing, as you may know), I’ll just use some executive-style decision making expertise, otherwise known as ruthless trimming. Most of the trimming, as is proper, shall be right here in the intro section, where I’ll forgo the blather, nonsense, and/or idiocy which is the standard faire, in favor of merely saying, let’s get this done, shall we? I’m thinking that is probably the most efficient way to accomplish our primary purpose, which is to get a fresh Pearl up on line while I can. Since, if I spend any more time trying to explain, or excuse myself, it will not only fall apart, but, look terrible doing so. Rather than allow any of that, I choose to do this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“We have two ears and one mouth
so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”

~~ Epictetus ~~

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grace davies

Grace Davies

Image fram Twitter.com via Google Images

This year, for the first, and, no doubt, last time ever, I watched the entire 2017 season of th X-factor talent competition (on You Tube uploads, not on TV itself), from auditions to the final show. The young woman you see pictured above, a 20 year-old singer/songwriter from northern England, became one of the two finalists, while performing primarily original songs. She blew the audience and judges away, time after time, with the material she wrote, a feat nearly matched by the other finalists, a group of young modern rapper/singers in a four-man group, who also used original songs to make their way into the final. Popular voting by the more populous southern England brought their band, Rak-Su, the victory, which I found to be a clear indication of the caliber of public taste, preferring show over substance.

Snarky opinions aside, Ms. Davies ended as the runner-up, but, by producing eight original hit songs, made a name for herself in the industry, where I am certain she’ll continue to shine for years to come, as she has been writing songs for about six years, and has many more to offer the world. I enjoy her writing skills, which she pairs with a unique singing style, and a crystal clear voice with excellent range. Below, I’ve included the compilation of all her X-Factor performances this year, giving a good look at one of the future stars of the musical world at large. I hope you enjoy it. As for me, I have, and will continue to do so, though, I can promise, I won’t be following a TV show again…. The saccharine & obvious manipulation got pretty tiresome, saved only by good original musical talent…. Abondanza!….

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Grace Davies
X Factor UK 2017 Journey

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Comedy_Tragedy

Dreaming of Calliope

La belle dame sans merci speaks aloud through endless night,
torturing dreams, with powerful words and stentorian phrases.
Manifest visions bathed in unbearable grace and light,
destroying all direction, standing lost, in unfathomable mazes.

Fate plays a part, one that will never face denial,
as fear and courage eternally vie for ascendancy.
Conflict becomes valid, gifting strength in open trial,
but honest emotion wears no costume so fancy.

Blood, sweat, and tears stroll on avenues of gold,
unlikely heroines heralding as in ancient lore;
Sharp, competent knives cut through tales untold,
eternally shifting reality past the naked shore.

Drifting toward origin, bereft of mandate or cause,
finished, nay, abandoned, tied with a figurative bow.
No simple gift from muses to give comfort or pause,
save that all we need to know, we already know…..

~~ gigoid ~~

12/13/2012

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Points to ponder: being human….

*******

“I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.”

~~ Theodore Roethke ~~

*******

It is not the one with many possessions who is rich,
but the one who has no needs.”

~~ Philoxenos ~~

*******

“The true worth of a man
is not to be found in man himself,
but in the colours and textures
that come alive in others.”

~~ Albert Schweitzer ~~

*******

“The bright senses, sight & hearing,
make a world patent and ordered,
a world  of reason, fragile but lucid.
The dark senses, smell & taste & touch,
create  a world of felt wisdom,
without a plot, unarticulated, but certain.”

~~ Crowley ~~

*******

“There are those among us
who live in rooms of experience
that you and I can never enter.”

~~ John Steinbeck ~~

*******

“A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds.
A good deed is never lost;
he who sows courtesy reaps friendship,
and he who plants kindness gathers love.”

~~ Saint Basil ~~

*******

“This is the true joy in life –
being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one;
being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap;
being a force of nature
instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances,
complaining that the world will not devote itself
to making you consistent.”

~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~

*******

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

Well, finally, it’s done. I won’t promise to have another one soon, as the events currently on tap in the BBR portend the necessity to spend more time there than on my ass, typing. But, I can no more stop writing than I can stop breathing, so, I WILL return, not so very long from now. In the meantime, y’all continue practicing mindful weirdness and deliberate kindness. Do that, and, all will be well. See y’all soon enough, & thanks for stopping by….

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

Featured Image -- 4217

À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

The world is my oyster, I shall not whine….

Ffolkes,

In truth, I do have 9/10 of a Pearl ready to post. However, events in the BBR have issued a compelling call to go walkabout, which I cannot ignore. The direct result, of course, is this re-blog from 2015, to let y’all know there will be a fresh Pearl tomorrow morning, early PST, if Reality maintains the current consistency long enough to permit it. That said, I really must go forth, and battle with those elements in society we all hate, but, must acknowledge. SIGH…. I guess it’s like Zippy said, & I related recently, to wit: “Civilization is fun! Anyway, it keeps me busy.”

Y’all be well, be safe, & be as happy as you may be…. I’m goin’ walkabout. See y’all tomorrow, rain, shine, or whatever….

gigoid, the dubious

😎

gigoid's avatargigoid

Ffolkes,

“Don’t store garlic near other victuals.”

~~ Lazarus Long ~~

Posing LeeluLeelu, platting her next move….


Hajime…. Today, our opening line from Lazarus Long has more meaning than usual, as well as more than is immediately obvious upon first reading it. To understand Lazarus’ point, one must put in some heavy, yet subtle thought on the matter, before the light dawns….. Some see it right away, but, for those who do not, & may mistrust me on this, let me assure you, it isn’t talking just about garlic….

For us, today, it has more meaning because it fits in with the day I had yesterday… at least, up until writing this, of course. Who can say what may happen after? Not me, nor will I even attempt such foolishness. I AM old enough to know better; moreover, I’m old enough to listen when I tell myself that.

I was awakened…

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A large herd of nincompoops passed by here…..

Ffolkes,

Honest, I AM working on a new Pearl. That is to say, I am, on rare occasions between adventures in the BBR, slowly putting together a freshly made Pearl for your perusal. For today, as a sop to my overdeveloped sense of misguided need to post enough to keep at least a few Gentle Readers on the roll, I am re-posting this fine old-school Pearl from mid-2013, prior to my long-dreamed-of trip to Europe. It’s a good example of the breadth & depths into which my mind delved during those dark days of opioid addiction, now past, thankfully. I hope you enjoy it, enough to come back again when I get a fresh Pearl up for viewing. Until then, it will have to do, to sublimate my urges, and, to soothe any warranted, or unwarranted, need on your part to read this nonsense…. I guess it’s better than a sharp stick to the eye, yes? Say yes, then I’ll leave you be….

See ya in a day or two….

gigoid, the dubious, still busy in the real world….

😎

gigoid's avatargigoid

Ffolkes,
Weird…. the thoughts going through my head are quite simply, weird. Of course, this is not new, nor is it surprising; I’ll bet even you didn’t react much when I said it…. because, I’m sure, it has been previously established that weirdness, and this blog, are one and the same thing….. What this means, in terms of today’s intro, is that I’m once more stuck in my head, and can’t come up with anything to write about, other than the trouble I’m having thinking of something to write about…. It’s almost an endless loop, which, if I fall into it, will keep me stranded in literary limbo forevermore….. The question I have to ask myself at this point is, do I want to allow myself to fall into that loop, or keep on writing…. it’s a tough decision these days…..

I am convinced that if I don’t write, my…

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Chafing at the proverbial bit….

Ffolkes,

“True dignity is never gained by place,
and never lost when honors are withdrawn.”

~~ Phillip Massinger ~~

glory street

Glory Street….

Hajime…. One might think, given my recent spate of absence here on WP, any Pearls I manage to post with fresh material would be, at the base, well-constructed, even witty, with some obvious thought put into the material included; so much for expectations, eh?  Not only do I not feel that kind of confidence in what you’ll find today, I’m not sure I can come up with anything much more erudite that what you’ve already seen, which is, admittedly, not up to my usual standards, low as they are. But, I shall persist nonetheless, if only to rid myself of the nagging, dragging feeling of having not completed a chosen duty. Yes, I’m odd, or strange, or weird, take your pick…. but, so be it…..

With the caveat now out of the way, which does not excuse my lack of excellence, but, rather, seeks to mitigate its harshness, I can get on with the rest of the mess I’ve thrown together. It is, to say the least, not the finest collection of material I’ve posted, but, it falls far short of being the worst. In fact, for what it is, it’s not too shabby. Good music to listen to while reading, one of my older, better poems, and a fine collection of old-school pearls in the final section turned what might have been a train wreck into merely a bumpy ride. And, once again, I can, and will say, so be it. For now, it’s the best I can do without making myself any crazier than usual, and, as we are wont to say around here, all you can do is all you can do.

Now I’ve whined & dinned sufficiently for one day, I shall proceed to go post this mess, before I lose the nerve, and the will necessary to get it done. Both of those particular qualities have been sublimated of late, dealing with real human interaction issues out in the Big Blue Room. In fact, today, I’ll be testing my resolve, by going on an actual date, with a real person of the fairer sex. Terrified, I am, as it’s been at least a dozen years since I tried this with anyone but my son or daughter…. I can only hope I remember the proper protocols and interactive skills to keep from either looking or feeling like a fool…. Of course, as a Bozo of long standing, that may be a forlorn hope, but, we do what we can…. In any case, it promises to be an interesting day, hopefully not in the old sense implied by the Chinese curse….

So, with that outpouring of angst, and the hope to survive not only the day, but, the night, I’ll get on with what’s needed to get this done, & begin getting ready for another day of walkabout, followed by what I hope to be a pleasant evening in the company of a charming woman…. I can’t wait….

Shall we Pearl?….

“There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man.
The true nobility is in being superior to you previous self.”

~~ Samuel Johnson ~~

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

Though I’ve had several days to decide, I still couldn’t find it in me to choose anything for today; hence this typical retreat into music I know will fit whatever agenda one may have. Some of the finest music ever written, played on acoustic guitar by the acknowledged master of the instrument, should fill the bill nicely. If you can’t find any of this you enjoy, your sense of music needs some refinement… I’m just sayin’…. In any case, I do hope you enjoy it…..

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Classical Guitar Music
Andres Segovia

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Comedy_Tragedy

Bulletin

Patterns exist to bring sanity, if illusory, at best;
follicular, reality seems to slip and slide.
Still, formal insanity consistently fails the ultimate test,
why place faith in answers. from which truth can hide?

Following the music brings us back in good time;
forever seemingly retreats from relevance.
Crazy, time stands still with yet another innovative rhyme,
no burgeoning intentions for sale, to shimmy. or dance.

Folly sits easily upon this brow;
fateful and afraid, entropy bows in shame.
Into the river of time, slowly, forgetful of how
courage gives strength, no matter the game.

Capricious, the muse demands obedient attention
at risk of exhibiting true durance vile.
Bereft, single copies sit unused, despite all intention;
while singular examples of fate pass at the stile.

Seminal events bring their own weight;
no scale necessary, no guessing by eye, or hand.
Only one lesson to learn, just pay the freight;
the music is playing, and you’re part of the band.

~~ gigoid ~~

8/6/2016

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Notes on Process & Program….

*******

“In a word, neither death, nor exile, nor pain, nor anything of this kind
is the real cause of our doing or not doing any action,
but our inward opinions and principles.”

~~ Epictetus — Discourses, Book i, Chap xi ~~

*******

“Fear is the lock and laughter the key to your heart.”

~~ Steven Stills ~~

*******

“An age is called Dark not because the light fails to shine,
but because people refuse to see it.”

~~ James Michener, “Space” ~~

*******

“We turn not older with years, but newer every day.”

~~ Emily Dickinson ~~

*******

“But where shall I start?
The world is so fast, I shall start
with the country I know best, my own.
But my country is so very large,
I had better start with my town.
But my town, too, is large.
I had best start with my street.
No, my home.
No, my family.
Never mind, I shall start with myself.”

~~ Elie Wiesel ~~

*******

“It was when I found out I could make mistakes
that I knew I was on to something.”

~~ Ornette Coleman ~~

*******

“Yield to Temptation … it may not pass your way again.”

~~ Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love” ~~

*******

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

Having completed all the required elements, I can, thankfully, declare this a finished product, such as it is. I’ll be back, possibly in the near future, to try this again. As we have seen, things don’t always work out just the way we plan them, but, I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t think I could do it. So, keep a weather eye out for that in the next few days. I can promise I will do my best to make it worth reading, as is, I hope, always the case. In any case, that’s all I’ve got for today, so, I will bid thee adieu, with the hope you remain well, and happy as you may be. Me, I’m gonna stay strange, as it’s what I do best…. 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

Featured Image -- 15231

À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

Filled with inordinately good cheer….

Ffolkes,

This morning, I actually got up a bit late, having indulged in excess of eight hours sleep. Such events are a rarity for me these days; even with my improved ability to get to sleep, staying there isn’t usually in the picture. So, thinking I’d do a bit of writing, I sat to begin, whereupon I found nothing but a blank mind, filled with little worth noting other than its very blankness…. SIGH…. Go figure, eh? Murphy is subtle, and experienced, is he not?…. Since I’m here, I’m reblogging a pretty good Pearl from a couple years ago, during my days of opioid withdrawal. I liked it, but, it didn’t get much traffic, so, I’m giving it another chance.

Honest, I am working on a fresh Pearl, which I’ll post as soon as I’ve finished the book review I promised a friend….In the meantime, y’all be well, and happy as you may…. I’m doing all I can do to be the same, & as we know, all you can do is all you can do…. See ya soon, ffolkes….

gigoid, the dubious

😎

gigoid's avatargigoid

Ffolkes,

“Every man is guilty of all the good he didn’t do.”

~~ Voltaire ~~

AP111205110369-jpg_134718

Super Black Hole eating stars….

Hubble Deep Space Telescope Image


Good morning…. I’m beginning to enjoy the intro section, now I have the option to make it as short or long as I choose…. Today, we’re going with short…. I suppose you could call this minimalist, something you don’t often see around these parts….

Shall we Pearl?

“To a reasonable creature, that alone is insupportable which is unreasonable; but everything reasonable may be supported.” — Epictetus (c. 60 AD) — Discourses, Book i, Chap. ii

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


beach boys heyreverbdotcom

Image from heyreverb.com via Google Images


Continuing our theme of bands from the early days of rock and roll, here is an American band, whose music is familiar to probably about a third of the world’s population, having heard it played ubiquitously, in numerous incarnations, (live, radio, TV, Muzak…

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Wing nuts fried in color-fast bleach…

Ffolkes,

The urge to blog is strong in this one… Sort of. It’s still there, anyway. To sublimate that urge, here is a rather good early example of the ramblings of my mind during a period of my life filled with physical pain, before the healing properties of cannabis had been revealed to me. All in all, that guy seems now to have been laboring mightily, but, without much hope of change on a personal level. I suppose that goes to prove what I’ve always said, i.e., the value of the journey lies in the journey itself, not necessarily, or even likely, the destination…. I hope you enjoy it, & I’ll be back with some fresh nonsense in a day or two…. Be well, & happy as you may be….

gigoid, the dubious

😎

gigoid's avatargigoid

Ffolkes,
I surrender….. My email wins, or rather the WP email ‘bots win. I got busy yesterday running errands for real life, and couldn’t get to all the email that came in. So, I figured I’d get up early and knock it down this morning, from the 150 that I left in there last night when I crashed. This morning there are 268 in my Inbox….. and by the time I finish this Pearl, that will no doubt grow to an even 300…..

I can’t keep up. There are at least two bloggers that are publishing about 30 times a day each, one with pictures I have no interest in seeing (in addition, he will often post the same article or pictures four or five times in a row, within minutes of each other), and one with re-blogs of just about every blog they visit. Then at least one a…

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Cogent metaphors for sale or trade….

Ffolkes,

“Knowing your own darkness is the best method
for dealing with the darknesses of other people.”

~~ Carl Jung ~~

butterfly garden

Butterfly & herb garden, urban style….

Hajime…. During the early days on this blog, and, for that matter, for the entire time I’ve pursued this demon, finding the right words to open the festivities has been the most challenging piece of the puzzle. I found it is NOT easy to come up with something witty or interesting right out of the gate each day; it’s more like the intense anxiety and effort it takes to face the consequences of a bad decision. In short, not fun at all. But, I persevered, and managed to come up with some relatively effective techniques, if only because they got done.

Now, with more than a thousand posts under my belt over the six-plus years of writing & angsting over it, I find it no simpler a task than it’s ever been. Even if I merely relate the cause of my absence, it’s no less daunting in it’s sheer terror. But, as I have ever done, I persist, for some unknown, but, compelling reason. Perhaps, one fine day, I’ll come to understand why I keep trying; for now, I’ll merely be content to have completed my task, thus fulfilling my self-imposed duty, and taking what comfort from that I can. SIGH…. I am SUCH a Bozo….

But, since I claim to be a fairly rational Bozo, I’ll forgo any further attempt at coherency, because I can tell already, there isn’t a lot of that I can find today. Why? Don’t know, don’t care. Today, the way my mind is wandering about in fields of blank spaces, I know only this: if I don’t do it now, it won’t get done, & then I’ll feel incomplete all damn day. So, we’ll employ one of our most effective techniques for moving this along…. Yep, it’s old # 4, and it works like this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Trouble rather the tiger in his lair
than the sage amongst his books.
For to you Kingdoms and their armies
are things mighty and enduring,
but to him they are but toys of the moment,
to be overturned by the flicking of a finger.”

~~ Chinese proverb ~~

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sammie jay

Sammie Jay

Image from SammieJaymusic.com via Google Images

While cruising You Tube one day a month or so ago, I came across a video of this young singer, busking on the streets of London, where she resides. I was, quite simply, amazed at her vocal range and skills, and impressed with her musicianship, as she plays guitar and sings in a unique style. I could gush over her easily for a long time, but, will merely say, listen, and watch. You’ll see a modern incarnation of Terpsichore the Muse, alive, singing, playing, dancing and spreading happiness with each note…. Enjoy!….

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Sammie Jay

https://www.sammiejaymusic.com/home

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Comedy_Tragedy

Blithely Untitled

A poem came to me today, willy, nilly,
along with a sharp blow to the head.
Since it left me feeling just a bit silly,
anything that rhymes should lessen the dread.

Manifesting destiny into a small, insidious group
we push on toward sanity, concentrating hard.
Full engaging moments spent navigating the loop
shall ever make a difference to victims found in the yard.

Still corpses of creatures, straight out of nightmare
fill up the corners of our tortured minds.
While ever saddened, the iconic male, most debonair,
gazes softly, ironically, at all the mutual interest he finds.

Moronic public statutes compel outbreaks of sanity,
responding to momentary impulses toward inducing peace.
Still, the motions get completed, in fertile stages of inanity
while the bulk of our inmates can find no surcease.

Reluctant motivation to continue is unbound,
striving to ascertain how far there yet remains to go.
No precognitive guesswork will make any less of a sound
to soften the final strains, or teach us to truly know.

~~ gigoid ~~

2/7/2014

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Way stations on the map of the Path…

*******

“How you do anything is how you do everything.”

~~ Zen proverb ~~

*******

“If every day is an awakening, you will never grow old.
You will just keep growing.”

~~ Gail Sheehy ~~

*******

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive,
nor the most intelligent,
but the one most responsive to change.”

~~ Charles Darwin ~~

*******

“Fill your bowl to the brim
and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife
and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security
and your heart will never unclench.
Care about people’s approval
and you will be their prisoner.
Do your work, then step back.
The only path to serenity.”

~~ Tao Te Ching ~~

*******

“And the time will come when you see we’re all one
and life goes on within you and without you.”

~~ George Harrison ~~

*******

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

~~ Emily Dickinson ~~

*******

“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, “The Lord of the Rings” series ~~

*******

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

There, that wasn’t so bad, was it? Wait…. Don’t answer that; I’m not sure I’m ready to hear it. Let’s just call it a draw, and use the time saved to get on with the rest of today’s agenda, whatever it may entail. For me, it’s a day for dealing with capitalism, combined with a bit of housework. So be it. I hope your day works out well; I’m off to walk before the work begins. Be well, be happy as you may, and, for goodness’ sake, be strange…. You can believe I will….. See ya in a couple days, 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

dozer3

À bientôt, mon cherí….