“The gods conceal from men the happiness of death,
that they may endure life.”
~~ Lucan~~
Lost in the dream….
Hajime…. Today’s Pearl ended up with more material than expected; I found an old mini-rant/discussion I wrote, then put away for later use, back in 2014, which I have included below the music; sort of a bonus for my own benefit, you see. It’s not bad, for what it is, and it certainly helps me to realize how far I’ve traveled, if only in my own mind’s fertile fields…. There is also a poem from a while back, and some rather nice pearls for the old-school section. And, since I’m improvising today’s post, music to match the tone….
Finding myself with so much material, as it turns out, is fortuitous on more than one level, for my total working time yesterday took a serious hit in the morning. I’d taken care of my granddaughter the day before, without realizing how fatigued I would become; at about 0900, after posting & answering a couple comments, I went back to bed, where I slept like a rock for five straight hours…. This, of course, left my mind in a suppressed state for a while, thus putting me further behind my intended schedule…. That’s why I say ‘fortuitous’, for it saved me a lot of time this morning, which worked out well for getting this done in a timely fashion…. which it did. Get done, that is….
To keep from going completely overboard with the amount of material, I’ll say no more here, but, shall, instead, bring this intro to a rapid conclusion, if I can remember how….. Oh, right. No worries, ffolkes; I even put this little method aside to use this morning, and it works quite well, if you don’t blink….
Shall we Pearl?
“I speak truth, not so much as I would, but as much as I dare;
and I dare a little the more as I grow older.
~~ Michael de Montaigne — Essays, Book iii, Chap ii, Of Repentance ~~
***************************************
Phish
Today, I feel like some modern rock, with a deep connection to old rock…. Yes, I know, it’s a bit of a complex urge, but, I know just the right band to fill the bill. Here is one of my favorite modern concerts, which begins, and goes on, with a blend of improvisation & discipline I find encouraging, if not downright hopeful. I hope you enjoy excellent musicianship, because this is an excellent display of just that…. Enjoy!….
***************************************
Live Phish
***************************************
***************************************
***************************************
Written 4/12/2014:
{Chaos + Entropy } – {Compassion + Love} = 42
SIGH…. there are times, such as this, when I wonder what life might be like without Murphy’s unkind attentions, and though it might affect the balance of the universe somehow if he weren’t around to see to his chosen task , (that of filling my quota, plus bonuses, of stupid, annoying crap, with which to deal at the most inconvenient times), I’d be more than willing to try it out, just to see if I could deal with THAT any better than I do with him dogging me…. In fact, I’d give serious money to have an opportunity to try….
Sadly for me, and for all of us, I suppose, money won’t buy freedom from Reality, or from the elements of Chaos, and Entropy, that are as much a part of life as are Order, and Beauty…. There are people who believe that money CAN buy happiness, but they are deluded, existing in a way that prevents them from ever really connecting with the universe deeply, or experiencing the finer parts of life, those that come only when one is open to compassion, and to love.
Moreover, these poor, sad fools are completely ignorant of missing out on anything, believing themselves to be rich as Croesus…. which, in fact, they may be…. This, however does not prevent them from being, in truth, sadly misdirected, delusionally convinced of their own rightness, in spite of all evidence otherwise, and, ultimately, pathetically overburdened with more THINGS than they can ever use, or even appreciate.
And, when they die, none of what they’ve spent their lives pursuing can go with them, wherever they may go…. There’s no conclusive evidence indicating any particular destination to which we go when we pass on, at least, none we can perceive, or comprehend in our current state of being….
Nobody, in all of our checkered, but pretty well documented history, has ever come up with any real, solid evidence for ANY of the theories on the matter, one way or another, but, I know for a FACT, it is for sure, and for certain, wherever our consciousness may go, it won’t be carrying bus fare, or any credit cards…. and nobody, I think, will care at all how much crap they had while they were here….
Who knows where THIS came from…. not me. I found the first part in an old Pearl intro, and the rest just spewed out…. so be it….
gigoid, the dubious has spoken….
***************************************
Historical Perspective
When all has been said, and all been done,
there really isn’t much to say;
we all come to the same place in the sun,
where darkness overtakes us on our way.
The road seems long as we trundle along,
our perception of time allows us this boon.
In truth, our time here is a short, sweet song,
ending far, far too soon.
There never seems to be all the time
we would wish to have for our own.
Right at the point we find reason in our rhyme:
“It’s for you; your friend Death’s on the phone.”
Yet we all keep moving along our chosen pathway
burning each moment in imagination’s hot fire.
Future and past are held well at bay
lest we are distracted from our desire.
‘Tis no wonder history is rife with pain, and fear;
we sang sweet songs, but the key was wrong.
The only real surprise, it seems crystal clear,
is why the darkness has taken so long.
Just an observation….
~~ gigoid ~~
10/13/2015.
***************************************
Naked Pearls
Life + Death = Life at Large….
*******
“When I was born, death kissed me. I kissed it back.”
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~
*******
“To know much is often the cause of doubting more.”
~~ Montaigne ~~
*******
“Are all your stars shining?”
~~ JD Salinger ~~
*******
“At ebb tide I wrote a line upon the sand,
and gave it all my heart and all my soul.
At flood tide I returned to read what I had inscribed
and found my ignorance upon the shore.”
~~ Kahlil Gibran ~~
*******
“One’s friends are that part of the human race with which one can be human.”
~~ George Santayana ~~
*******
“A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us.
To live is to be slowly born.”
~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~
*******
“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 ~~
*******
***************************************
Well, there you have it. One complete Pearl of Virtual Wisdom, in all its broken glory. I have yet to look back at it, as a whole, but, it doesn’t matter, as I’m gonna post it, no matter how it turned out. That’s what I call trusting the process, which, thus far, has served me well. In celebration of that, I shall take my leave, with the gentlest of touches…. How’s this for quick, and easy? 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.
“Do every act of your life as if it were your last.”
~~ Marcus Aurelius ~~
Solitary splendor….
Hajime….
“I love mankind; it’s people I can’t stand.”
~~ Charles Schulz, aka Charlie Brown ~~
It’s unusual around here (if anything I say or do can be said to be anything but….) to begin the introduction with a second pearl. Today, (or, yesterday, if you prefer, as I’m writing this then… Time Lord business, pay no mind….), besides going completely overboard with the parenthetical remarks, I’ll be coming as close to ranting as I have in some time… I suppose I should find another descriptive word to indicate the sort of discussion in which I plan to engage, sotto voce, as it were; ’tisn’t really a rant. Perhaps a word I already utilize each day will give the proper ‘look & feel’ character; that word is ‘Exploring’, as used in the official blog title, at the top of the page.
Yes, that will do quite well, I should say; I’m going exploring, in my mind and heart, for the words to express what I find there, and how Life at Large, which we can also call consensual reality, has affected me in the recent past, which, as I type, I realize means, also, the distant past. What we know is always aware of what we have been through before, if only for its lingering effects on our attitudes & habits. Modern pop psychology would call those our ‘tapes’, that which we received before we were even self-aware, picked up in our relatively long immediately-post-natal learning period. Part of why I explore is to identify these ‘tapes’, to examine them for current relevance, or, mark them for deletion.
So, ready or not, here we go. We’ll begin with some thoughts on a subject I find to be part of the core of what I wish to explore, from a man I respect highly, dead or not. George was a thinker; more, he was a man who loved humanity, which allowed him to see all their foibles & idiosyncracies with a ruthlessly honest eye, and the genius to make them listen & laugh with him at their own bozoid natures….
Without ever using the word, George identifies the single most critical element, to my mind; that word is ‘fear’. He alludes to how it is exploited as cruelty, and, it is, for it spreads the fear it fans to others, sans any purpose but self-interest. Humans, though one plays hell getting them to admit it, are not all that different than our ancient cousins, who lived huddled in temporary safe havens, such as caves, or convenient groves of trees, afraid of everything in their environment they did not understand, other to know its danger…. To believe what religion claims to be true brings comfort to those who cannot learn to face, & control their fears, promising to them what they already possess.
Learning to control fear is, then, a human’s most critical lesson to learn; without such control over our own emotional state, we are susceptible to manipulation by those who serve only themselves. People learn to ‘believe’ instead of learning to ‘learn’, thus developing the habit of NOT thinking, but, making decisions based on beliefs, which were motivated by their fear…. As can be observed throughout history, this results in a pretty miserable time for most humans, a life much harder than it needs to be.
Some days ago, when I began this exploration, I had a specific purpose in mind; that has since eroded into a number of possible arenas to explore, ultimately leading me to the conclusion I’ve again bitten off too big a bite to chew. To continue would be counter-productive at this point, with the most likely result nobody would finish reading, simply because it has become too complex to be a cogent lesson. As an attempt to regain control of our destination, I will abandon any hope of completing my treatise, & end it with some pearls which can give some direction to your thoughts, leaving it there with some reluctance, and some relief….
I’ll probably take up this gauntlet again, when I am able to focus again on the path to where I wish to go…. For now, here are three thoughts to provide some food for your own processing appetite….. Then, we’ll go finish the rest of today’s mess, so we may all get on with our day…. I think that’s the way to go, so, off we go….
The evidence of the emotions, save in cases where it has strong objective support, is really no evidence at all, for every recognizable emotion has its opposite, and if one points one way then another points the other way. Thus the familiar argument that there is an instinctive desire for immortality, and that this desire proves it to be a fact, becomes puerile when it is recalled that there is also a powerful and widespread fear of annihilation, and that this fear, on the same principle proves that there is nothing beyond the grave. Such childish proofs are typically theological, and they remain theological even when they are adduced by men who like to flatter themselves by believing that they are scientific gents…” — H. L. Mencken
“I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleges, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives.” — Tolstoy
“The spirit is fascinated by the future, wants to know the meaning of everything, and would like to stretch, if not break altogether, the laws of nature through technology or prayer. It is full of ideals and ambition, and is a necessary, rewarding, and inspiring aspect of human life. The soul is… embedded in the details of ordinary,everyday experience. In the spirit we try to transcend our humanity; in the soul, we try to enter our humanity fully and realize it completely.” — Thomas Moore
Whew! Made it. Okay, ffolkes, that’s enough blather from me for one day, I should think. Let’s see what else we can find to mess with….
Shall we Pearl?
“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark;
the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”
~~ Plato ~~
***************************************
Naturally, spouting off for so long in the intro has made me late. That means, as you know, we go with default music, which, in this case, means a collection of classical pieces to read by…. Three hours worth ought to do it, I think….. Enjoy!….
***************************************
Classical Music
***************************************
***************************************
***************************************
Intelligent Crimes
The value of wit is often said to cause harm,
for those who think, such is its greatest charm.
The new and the bold cannot be fulfilled
if innovation and change is left unwilled.
Society behaves at its base as a mob
conformity and submission its primary job.
Any sign of rebellion against the mob’s rule
is met with resentment, naming such rebel the fool.
Intellect and talent are looked at askance,
expressing artistry stands nary a chance.
To stand out from the rest of mankind
is fraught with danger, for body and mind.
Often I stand to watch in solemn dismay
as beauty and joy are left by the way,
ignored and reviled by the unwashed masses
who prefer darkness, and acting like asses.
With shouts of derision the normals make known
their fear of intelligence, greater than their own.
They hope to stop all semblance of progress;
for thoughts and ideas, they couldn’t care less.
The world struggles on in spite of all opposition,
managing to maintain its advanced position.
Pulling the foolish along in spite of reluctance,
helping each to learn the survival dance.
Hard though it may be to keep up with the future
genius manages its plans to develop and nurture.
In the final analysis, those who live by reason
enjoy life the most, season to season.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/7/2012
***************************************
Naked Pearls
It’s a puzzle, isn’t it?….
*******
“Birth is the beginning of death.”
~~ Realist Bee ~~
*******
“A fiery soul, which, working out its way,
Fretted the pygmy-body to decay,
And o’er-inform’d the tenement of clay.
A daring pilot in extremity;
Pleas’d with the danger, when the waves went high
He sought the storms.”
~~ John Dryden — Absalom and Achitophel, Part i, Line 156 ~~
*******
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”
~~ Sir Richard Steele (1672-1729) ~~
*******
“An age is called Dark not because the light fails to shine,
but because people refuse to see it.”
~~ James Michener, “Space” ~~
*******
“He does not seem to me to be a free man
who does not sometimes do nothing.”
~~ Cicero ~~
*******
“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.”
~~ Philip K. Dick ~~
*******
“Around existence twine,
(Oh, bridge that hangs across the gorge!)
ropes of twisted vine.”
~~ Basho ~~
*******
***************************************
Y’all may consider this Pearl somewhat overdone. It’s what happens when I get too focused, & try to pack too much into one place. But, it’s done, and, all things considered, it will do. If nothing else, anyone who finishes it all can give themselves a hearty heigh-ho, just for wading all the way through to the end. I’d award prizes, but, the budget just won’t stretch that far this month. I guess all that’s really left to do is to say fare thee well, & add in the usual caveat, to wit: I’ll be back, eventually, to post more (non)sense for your perusal. Until then, be well, be safe, and for goodness’ sake, keep those thinking caps on…. It’s your best defense, and, quite frankly, your only hope….
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 enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but, it is fear.”
~~ Mohandas K., ‘Mahatma’ Gandhi ~~
I know I left it in here….
Hajime…. To say so may engender comments, or, at least, the general impression, that my curmudgeon status is in full force, but, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of discomfort and chagrin for much of yesterday, as I observed a large portion of humanity celebrating their particular form of madness, in the form of a paroxysm of common delusion, sharing the apparent unconscious joy of surrendering their rationality for a promise of supernatural intervention after they die. I suppose it is only fitting to also observe a world on the brink of a nuclear holocaust, as those most lacking in rationality lead the mass of their unwitting accomplices to extinction….
But, nonetheless, that’s the way I see it, & it wouldn’t be honest to not say so. Regardless of anyone’s beliefs, reality has come to a cusp for our species, & I can’t see much, or, for that matter, any evidence we will alter our rush to our own demise, for there are not nearly enough of us who can see the problem we face, or help the rest realize their failure to reason. Moreover, though it is difficult to accept, there is little reason to think reality will allow us to deny our own nature any longer, but, will assert its prerogatives in a way we will have no choice but to accede. In short, we’re pretty well up the creek, and there’s no paddle in sight.
Rather than dwell on that which I cannot personally change, I think I’ll just put together a Pearl, with some of what I see, and can guess, as some of the elements; this, while not likely to cause anyone to turn activist, or reformer, or any other possibly helpful state of mind, will have the simple effect of keeping me from hurrying anyone along the path we are already treading; I have to keep reminding myself it isn’t my job, or, my destiny, to fix anything; it’s only my task to observe, and report. So be it. It may not be the most ethical path, but, ’tis the one I can choose without abandoning all I know to be true….
That’s a bit cryptic, & possibly depressing, as well, but, such is life, sometimes. Wait a minute! What’s this?
A gray, bent old man just appeared; he’s wandering about the room, touching my stuff, & giggling to himself, somewhat madly….. Suddenly, he says, “Don’t you have something you’re supposed to be doing?”…. SIGH…. He’s right, so, we’ll go ahead, now, & just do it…..
Shall we Pearl?
“You can’t get wet from the word ‘water’.”
~~ Alan Watts ~~
***************************************
I’m in the mood for some old-time rock & roll, & for a blog that posts Pearls, what better music to turn to than that of this lady? She was, after all, known for a time as ‘Pearl’….. The video I’ve included is part of a collection of most of her live concert videos…. Enjoy, ffolkes; Janis had a voice that arrowed straight into the bones, & made itself felt….
***************************************
Janis Joplin Live
***************************************
***************************************
***************************************
Augmentation: Inner Aye
Distant, peals of thunder, vividly.
Closer, a patter of rain, falling gravidly.
Between the light and the darkness of fear
find merely the remnants of one lonely tear.
Do not hate us, though we have not sinned;
eager for courage, upon whom all hope is pinned.
Tales of insolence, hatred, or fallen virtue
fill us up, not down, in such pristine foreign venue.
Capable hands severed, able hands tied;
the future is angry, all but now denied.
Multiple times, warnings sounded across the pale
nobody heard, nobody came to tell the tale.
Gifted by time, salience fails in epic rhyme;
watchmakers watching, each a separate crime.
Logical solutions refuse to emulsify
forever pretending to cruelly crucify.
Blood will fly alongside pertinent composure,
never seeking, never finding tea, or closure.
Falsely laid trails on mountains of gold
imply no happy endings, no fortunes told.
Ages past have no time for repetition;
further chances only lead to perdition.
Destiny feels a shameful portion of guilt,
for a thousand sand castles, never built.
~~ gigoid ~~
3/2/2016
***************************************
Naked Pearls
Notes on Transcendence….
*******
“It’s that moment of dawning comprehension I live for.”
~~ Hobbes ~~
*******
“In order to make an apple pie from scratch,
you must first create the universe.”
~~ Carl Sagan, “Cosmos” ~~
*******
“Never let the future disturb you.
You will meet it, if you have to,
with the same weapons of reason
which today arm you against the present.”
~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus ~~
*******
“I say love, it is a flower; and you, it’s only seed.”
~~ Bette Midler. “The Rose” ~~
*******
“Education is an admirable thing,
but it is well to remember from time to time
that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.”
~~ Oscar Wilde ~~
*******
“Time present and time past
are both perhaps present in time future.
What might have been and what is
all point to the same end,
that which is always present.”
~~ T.S. Eliot, “Burnt Norton” ~~
*******
“You only live twice:
Once when you’re born,
Once when you look death in the face.”
~~ Ian Fleming ~~
*******
***************************************
Well, it’s done, in spite of having to resort to literary trickery, just to free ourselves from the burgeoning rant in the intro section. All the elements are present, so, we’ll go ahead & post this, just as if it were worthy. I’ll make it a point to try again, perhaps tomorrow…. Until then, y’all be careful out there, & stay alert. Things are becoming even more strange than we can imagine….. Imagine what THAT is going to be like, if you dare….
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 hands that help are better far than the lips that pray.”
~~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~~
Spring in full bloom….
Hajime…. In the past six years, or so, I have spent many hours contemplating the state of Reality in which I find myself existing, along with more than seven billion other humans, each of whom possesses their own interpretation of that Reality. The degree of cognitive dissonance this existence engenders amongst us humans is, as it naturally must, increasing, at a rate that any good mathematician fears, to wit: it is exponential, rapidly approaching a parabolic curve leading to infinity. Now, that may not sound like it is something to fear, but, if one truly understands what ‘parabolic’ implies, such fear is the natural result….
Another way to describe this is in the less mathematical, but, more accessible concept of insanity, with which we humans also have extensive experience, both individually, and as a species. Perhaps the simplest way to express all I see can be summed up in the short, pithy phrase, the world has gone fucking crazy. I would suggest that anyone who doesn’t agree with that assessment can only be understood to be a large part of the problem; it’s hard to see the trees when one is in a forest fire…..
I suppose such a sobering line of thought isn’t altogether appropriate to begin today’s missive; some might say it’s a sure path to perdition, leading to loss of Gentle Readership, as well as being a real bummer. But, then, ‘appropriate’ has never really been an accepted part of my vocabulary, being, as it so clearly is, a concept rooted in giving a shit what others think, of which I have never been guilty. But, since I do happen to agree it’s a bummer, I’ll forgo any further exploration of so obvious a truism, or, set of truisms, in favor of some rather more uplifting lines of discussion.
This, patently, implies changing direction, a habit we encourage, as it fits in with Reality’s general directional flow, which is in a rather constant state of flux (great word, flux….). To further encourage such flexibility, I’ll proceed now to make the necessary directional alterations to get us where we need to be, to wit: further on down the road…. How does that look? Ah, well, to find out, simply follow me, as I make this slight adjustment to our modus operandi…. Watch closely, or, you’ll miss it….
Shall we Pearl?
I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together!
~~ The Beatles, “I Am The Walrus” ~~
***********************************
We are going with a default selection today. This one advertises itself as a collection of the greatest classical composers; let’s see if they got that right, shall we? Enjoy!….
********************************
Classical Music
********************************
********************************
********************************
Random Visions/Coloring Between the Lines of Grief
Everywhere is dark, and shining,
with points in dissonant pain.
Sharp, senses dull past divining,
tears burn, a torrential rain.
Escape! Flee within to cower,
find an unconscious cave.
Call on Morpheus’ power
deny reality’s beckoning wave.
Light breaks, drawing the inner eye,
leading to the slippery slope.
Risk is critical, we may only sigh,
yet welcome, for bringing hope.
Sanity seems far out of reach
Insanity’s a stronger friend.
Decisions made will merely teach
our way toward Death to wend.
Lost, while still on familiar ground,
the future yet undesigned.
Making way on paths unfound,
to Now, as yet undefined.
~~ gigoid ~~
2/22/2013
********************************
Naked Pearls
Points to ponder….
*******
“When one shuts one eye, one does not hear everything.”
~~ Swiss Proverb ~~
*******
“If you love the sacred and despise the ordinary,
you are still bobbing in the ocean of delusion.”
~~ Lin-Chi ~~
*******
“Virtue knowing no base repulse, shines with untarnished honour;
nor does she assume or resign her emblems of honour
by the will of some popular breeze.”
~~ Horace ~~
*******
“Live the questions now.
Perhaps then, someday far in the future,
you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way in the answer.”
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~
*******
“The education of the will is the object of our existence.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
*******
“Always make room for the unexpected in yourself.”
~~ Steve Martin ~~
*******
“But since life is cruel, to you and to me, here I am.”
~~ Umberto Eco ~~
*******
********************************
As I have noted previously, I do this to help keep my own sanity intact…. Well, as intact as it ever gets, anyway. If it helps decrease the overall level of insanity extant in the world, so be it. If not, well, entropy wins again. Either way, I’m done for today, which merely means I get to try again tomorrow, or, at the earliest convenient time, whichever seems clever. For the nonce, I shall bid thee adieu, with a hearty wave and my best wishes for your own retention of sanity. Hope, silly as it always seems, springs eternal, doesn’t it? Yes, yes, it does…. 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.
“Only, as long as we’re going insane, we might as well go the whole way.
A mere shred of sanity is of no value.”
~~ S. S. Van Dine ~~
Memorial for the victims & heroes of the Great Famine Exodus
Galway, Ireland
Hajime…. Opening with such a picture, when taken in the context of the quote preceding it, could, very easily, lead me into a very long rant. However, I seem to have burned off some of the built-in angst, generally so common to my persona, over the past six years of railing against the machine that passes for human society. For example, the truth of the Great Famine is, for the most part, ignored by most of the world, that truth being more shameful than most of humanity cares to contemplate; this alone could prompt at least five thousand harsh words from me, especially given my personal ties to Ireland. I’ll forgo any such rant, however, simply because I am weary of shouting into the wind, & having only a few people listen….
Ranting is also complicated, these days, by my basic inability to sit long enough to marshal the words necessary to produce a viable discussion; hard to think when one’s ass is constantly signaling its desire to get up & move, rather than submitting to gravity’s less than tender embrace. This brings out, naturally, my human tendency to allow expediency to influence our decision making process; in short, I won’t rant, simply because its too much trouble for little return. I suppose, in and of itself, that, too, is human.
It doesn’t make it any more comfortable to know this; it merely makes it tawdry, and pedestrian. Fortunately, memory is volitional, making it easy to deny the reality of any situation that challenges our morality…. Go figure, eh? No ranting is necessary to demonstrate; the act of NOT ranting, in this case, becomes an act of sublimation, designed simply to make us easier in our skin. Thus, our humanity, shameful as it may be, is verified.
Gosh…. That’s pretty much of a bummer, eh? Oh, well. I’d hoped to come up with something a bit more uplifting, but, such is life for us humans; we lift our eyes to the stars, only to have to stop to wipe our feet, having stepped in something unpleasant, from having our attention focused away from what is real. I suppose this is a pretty clear indicator of how our culture has gone so far off the rails, but, to dwell on that would, once again, lead us into the realm where ranting would become necessary, if only to keep from exploding from excessive irony…..
Since it’s way to early for that, why don’t we get on with the rest of today’s mess, before I stumble into a real rant…. We’ll do it this way, which seems to work out as well as anything else I’ve attempted over the years…. Watch your step, please; the sidewalk is rather bumpy….
Shall we Pearl?
“We shall never cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.”
~~ T. S. Eliot~~
***********************************
I arose later than usual, meaning we go with one of our default choices. Here is a relatively new cut from the organization, with an old country tune most of us know…. Enjoy! Then, go send them some money…. They’re doing good work….
********************************
Playing For Change Take Me Home, Country Roads
********************************
********************************
********************************
Unheralded Sagacity…
To many, who will not see beyond their nose
the world becomes a dangerous place,
a bullet in every gun, a thorn with every rose,
no magic comes to save us, reality leaves no trace.
Minds closed, wrapped tight in manufactured fears,
men become clay, easily molded into complacent form.
No chains needed, held in thrall for years,
lies become gospel, when dishonesty is the norm.
Shed the chains you wear in durance, in kind;
Oh, ye of little faith, and much doubt
Strength is found in an unfettered mind,
Cry “freedom” with a great shout.
No help from any gods can hinder so much
as our own lack of confidence;
finding the light within, knowing it as such
confirms us, becoming consequence.
Illumination…..
~~ gigoid ~~
4/17/2013
********************************
Naked Pearls
One path of many….
*******
“He should not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.”
~~ Elrond ~~
*******
“I have everything, yet have nothing;
and although I possess nothing, still of nothing am I in want.”
~~ Terence — Act ii, Sc. 2, 12, (243.) ~~
*******
“… 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” ~~
*******
“My friend Data, you see things with the wonder of a child.
And that makes you more human than any of us.”
~~ Yar, “Skin of Evil”, stardate 41601.3 ~~
*******
“The problem with the future is that it keeps on becoming the present.”
~~ Calvin & Hobbes ~~
*******
“When in doubt, sing loud.”
~~ Robert Merrill ~~
*******
“For how much longer can I howl into this wind?”
~~ The Cure “A Thousand Hours” ~~
*******
********************************
Well, there you go…. I can’t say it’s the best Pearl ever, but, it ain’t bad, and will do for our purposes here today. I’ll be back, hopefully tomorrow, with more fresh, if strange, material. Ooh, there’s a cut, if I ever heard one. Ah, well, self-denigration is always a good technique; it makes people think you’re honest, if nothing else. Since I am honest, as humans go, I’ll just use this opportunity to say, thanks for dropping in, & I hope you’ve enjoyed our time together. We’ll do it again, soon…. Ta, for now….
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…. Today, along with the rest of this week, (and, the rest of the month, the way it is developing), is busy, with events taking place out in the BBR. It will take up most of the day, so, I have worked hard to complete this Pearl, as I am unsure when I’ll be able to get another fresh one done. The good news, for me, is, I finished the discussion/rant on which I’ve spent a week or more. It isn’t quite as planned, but, it’s definitely a feast for the mind, so, it will do. The rest is pretty much a throw-together, with another of my old poems, and an archived pearl of pearls for the last section. Since it all flowed together smoothly, I’ll take it, and be content. So, then, must you…. I mean, that’s what blogging is, right? Right….
All that being said, to our regular lack of defined purpose, I’ll make this intro a short one; they seem to work best for days such as the one in which we currently find ourselves. I shan’t apologize; I shall, however, issue a warning. To make it through this one, you’ll need to put on your thinking caps, if you have one; the following is NOT for the weak-minded, or, anyone who is afraid to challenge their own beliefs. It’s all about doubt, which remains our most relevant tool for finding our way in life…. a statement we’ll defend another time, if necessary. Today, we’re going elsewhere, with gusto….
That’ enough; we/I have a lot to do today. Let’s begin, while we are still fresh….
Shall we Pearl?
There is nothing like death. To it, everything is a metaphor.
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
********************************
“You’re not ready for what I think.”
~~ Fox Mulder ~~
“History does not record anywhere at any time
a religion that has any rational basis.
Religion is a crutch for people not strong enough
to stand up to the unknown without help.
But, like dandruff, most people do have a religion
and spend time and money on it
and seem to derive considerable pleasure from fiddling with it.”
~~ Robert Heinlein, Time Enough for Love (1972) ~~
The above passage from Mr. Heinlein happens to be one of my favorites, in all I have read, in more than 60 years of pursuing the truth in books. In that sixty years, I’ve read an average of a book every other day; I no longer claim one per day, though I managed that average for the first 45 years or so; I’ve slowed some, trading quality for quantity in these latter years. In all that time, I have found this to be the most tactful, sardonic, and accurate statement summarizing my own thoughts, and my own opinion on the matter of religion.
I know such a statement meets with knitted brow, (I can hear the needles clacking together…), showing obvious disapproval from the majority of humankind; I noticed that at age four, the first time I asked my Sunday School teacher to explain the nonsense I was hearing there. I have noted no lesser degree of disbelief from almost everyone in the ensuing years, though not so frequently as if I had not learned to avoid discussions of religion, at least without some observable indications of an open mind. Since turning 60, or so, I’ve given up caring if people get offended, as I simply no longer care what they think about it, and am prepared to discuss it with anyone who cares to risk it.
Moreover, I’m not alone in my distrust of religions, especially the one in which I was made the subject of attempted indoctrination, almost from birth. Quite a number of the men who led the struggle to formulate this country, whom we were raised to call our “Founding Fathers”, also shared this mistrust. For example, here are some of their thoughts on the matter, followed by a closing thought from a modern poet….
“But a short time elapsed after the death
of the great reformer of the Jewish religion,
before his principles were departed
from by those who professed to be his special servants,
and perverted into an engine for enslaving mankind,
and aggrandizing t heir oppressors in Church and State.”
~~ Thomas Jefferson, [letter?] To S. Kercheval, 1810 ~~
*******
“What is it the Bible teaches us? – rapine, cruelty, and murder.
What is it the Testament teaches us?
– to believe that the Almighty committed debauchery
with a woman engaged to be married,
and the belief of this debauchery is called faith.”
~~ Thomas Paine — The Age of Reason ~~
*******
“All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish,
appear to me no other than human inventions,
set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.”
~~ Thomas Paine ~~
*******
“The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity.
Nowhere in the Gospels do we find a precept
for Creeds, Confessions, Oaths, Doctrines,
and whole carloads of other foolish trumpery
that we find in Christianity.”
~~ John Adams ~~
*******
“…this would be the best of all possible worlds,
if there were no religion in it.”
~~ John Adams, Letter to Thomas Jefferson, 1816 ~~
*******
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 ~~
Let’s finish this part…. For just a moment, wrap your head around the following statement, without attaching any emotional or even intellectual importance to whether it is true, or, not: “There is no God, or gods. No Allah, no Jehovah/Yahweh, no Jesus, no Krishna, nor any supernatural force which created/controls the universe.”
Got that idea? Is it comprehensible, simply as a statement of alternative possibility? I contend this statement is the Truth of Reality; in fact, I contend there is no rational reason to suspect otherwise.
Further, the belief there is such an entity has caused more harm to our species than any other single idea. It has caused people to be divided from each other, over something that merely plays upon their fears of the unknown to manipulate them into serving purposes that have no benefit for them, beyond an ignoble death, at the hands of another person suffering from the same manipulation, by another name.
Even worse, this ‘belief’ predisposes humans to then transfer their ‘belief’ to other ideas that are not in their self-interest, such as believing one is better, or worse than any other human, simply because of where they were born, or the amount of pigment in their skin, or that money implies worth. Humans are not naturally hierarchal; we all die, so what is to make one ‘better’ than another? Yet we find it easy to believe in such hierarchal fantasies, to the point of offering up our lives for an idea we never thought ourselves, but, had planted in our head before we knew enough to be able to tell for ourselves….
You see, the idea that humans NEED a government to solve their issues between each other is yet another silly notion, not supported by reality. The concept of money as a part of reality necessary to our success is also a false idea; there is nothing hierarchal about Nature, of which money is NOT a part. Yet, because humans are easily convinced, by their training to believe ideas are real, people set themselves up to fail, to be manipulated to expend their efforts and their attention on matters which serve no useful (to them) purpose….
“Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons.”
~~ Bertrand Russell ~~
*******
“Some writers have so confounded society with government,
as to leave little or no distinction between them;
whereas they are not only different, but have different origins.
Society is produced by our wants,
and government by our wickedness;
the former promotes our happiness *positively*,
by uniting our affections,
the latter *negatively*, by restraining our vices.
The one encourages intercourse,
the other creates distinctions.
The first is a patron, the last is a punisher.
Society in every state is a blessing,
but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil;
in its worst state an intolerable one….”
~~ Thomas Paine, opening lines of _Common Sense_ 1776 ~
~~ *asterisks denote Paine’s use of italics* ~~
*******
“Money made a vow to itself, that no one who didn’t love it, would ever have it.”
Irish Proverb
As can be easily seen, merely by reading the history of our species, this trio of delusions, i.e., religion, government, and money, has caused more strife, conflict, and needless death, than any other single idea, for all the time since we began to gather in cities. It has been shown that humans lose their ability to function as a truly human animal when there are more than 200 or so sets of eyes; as we gather in towns, & cities, this number grows beyond our personal need for community, and the rules of engagement between people begin to fray, and those who have the need to control others, due to their own inner fears & perversions of spirit, begin manipulating the weak minded, and we see the development of rules and hierarchies to manipulate people into losing their own self-control of what serves their interests, in the mistaken belief it is necessary, when, in truth, what is necessary is increased personal responsibility, and self-reliance.
“The races of the Galaxy look towards mankind as the essential lunatic element.”
~~ Terry Pratchett, “Strata”, pg. 60 ~~
In sixty years of observing and studying human history, and humanity itself, both individually, and, as a species, I’ve come to two conclusions. First, our most compelling talent, as proven by any historical tome anyone has written, or read, is the ability to think of endless, inventive ways to kill each other, or anything else we come across in our wandering about the face of the earth. Second, almost everything we have invented, as weapons, is simply a more complicated method of throwing rocks, both sharp, and dull; most everything we have created as tools & systems/skills for use as non-weapons, is a response to this talent, in that it is designed to keep ourselves, in one way or another, from getting killed, mostly by each other….
Both sides of this talent, of course, stem from our imagination, which, in the most pure analysis, has been shown to be little more than an anomaly of our consciousness; neither can be quantified, or touched, or in any way seen to be a part of the reality we perceive through our physical senses. In short, it may be, as some speculate, merely a local phenomenon, in this small corner of the universe we perceive elsewhere, all around us, but too far to reach physically. This paradoxical sense, I think, is what gives most humans the tendency to ‘imagine’ themselves to be more than they actually are, denying completely the simple truth of reality as it exists, to assume that reality is what we imagine it to be. In short, we are able to deny our own nature….
Perhaps this is why so many are willing to believe in the lies and untruths on which our entire culture has been based for so long. In truth, we may never know; I probably won’t; if I haven’t been able to figure it out by now, I don’t think I have enough time left on this particular plane of existence to do so. Perhaps, after I have gone on to the next great adventure, the answers will be made clear; then again, anything, at all, can be no more than speculation, thus, exercising again that imagination… I’ve figured out enough to not believe anything that comes from that source; it tends to be less than real, at least as often as it is more so….
Enough, he cried, enough…. ‘Tis a feast, no more is needed.
********************************
Finishing the rant/discussion above took up all the spare time I had, so, we go with default, as is our wont. This is the original video, which started the whole idea of the organization. All of it is great music, by street musicians, along with the occasional music star to add their talent to the mix. I hope you enjoy it, and take the time to support the organization, which spreads love, and joy, and human kindness in all its branches, now located around the world at their music schools… Check our their website, it’s worth the time….
*************************************
Playing For Change
*************************************
*************************************
********************************
In case it isn’t clear, this poem, written over four years ago, is a rather complex version of the rant/discussion above, though, at the time, I didn’t know that…. *grin*…. I hope you enjoy it anyway….
Fatal Supplication
But what becomes of our deepest dangerous dreams?
Does fantasy rescue any part of life’s imperiled favor?
Reality becomes but silvery pairs of mismatched teams,
Dining with affable elegance, such diffident waste to savor.
Who decides what sorrows to carry bravely to term?
Will fragrant moments of sanity make hasty manifestation?
Only Time’s patient mutability sends messages so firm,
Yet salient impersonal vexation lends credence to ripe imagination.
Can folly bring out sadness and rampant visions of beauty?
What kindness can be found in distant open relations?
With countless faces the dead disturb with dire impunity,
From separate caches of wisdom come simple stylish privations.
Shall shallow emotion serve to provide such explanations?
When does avaricious intensity assume primary focus?
Plain answers slide softly through with multiple mitigations,
While conceptually indignant concepts engage a fatally personal locus.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/20/2012
********************************
I’m in a bit of a hurry, for reasons I explained above, so, we’re filling in the final section with a group of pearls from an archived Pearl, which, oddly enough, fits right in with today’s post…. Go figure, eh? At any rate, it’s a good way to finish this off with some aplomb, if not complete dignity…. Enjoy!….
From 9/7/2012:
Having just spent three hours (okay, I exaggerated…. only two….) searching in vain for a pearl to finish with, I became incensed with frustration, and rather than scare my new neighbors with a verbal outburst, I calmly set a parameter, and collected the following pearls on one subject, to wit: human nature…. As far as I can tell, all of them rate a solid 10 on the truth scale….. As always, just follow the bouncing thought as it explores your own inner self….
“The world always makes the assumption that the exposure of an error is identical with the discovery of truth–that the error and truth are simply opposite. They are nothing of the sort. What the world turns to, when it is cured on one error, is usually simply another error, and maybe one worse than the first one.” — H. L. Mencken
“The ultimate evil is the weakness, cowardice, that is one of the constituents of so much human nature. When, rarely, unalloyed nobility does occur, its chances of prevailing are slim. Yet it exists, and its mere existence is reason enough for not wiping the name of mankind off the slate.” — John Simon
“We are all terrible little creatures.” — Martin Amis
“The tragedy and the magnificence of Homo sapiens together rise from the same smoky truth that we alone among the animal species refuse to acknowledge natural law.” — Robert Ardrey, _The Social Contract_
“Man, were he not corrupted by Governments, is naturally the friend of Man, and that human nature is not of itself vicious.” — Thomas Paine
“I think we’re all Bozos on this Bus!” — Firesign Theater
Now I feel better….. and I hope you do, as well….
********************************
Okay!…. That went well, for a change. This is one I put a lot into; in a certain sense, it might be considered an iconic Pearl, a representative of all Pearls, with an example of all of what I do. Of course, I don’t see it addressing any of the ‘why’ I do it, but, hey, we can’t have everything. At least, not all at once; that’s a bit much to expect…. At this point, you may expect your day to continue, and, in that, you’d be right. You see, this one is at an end; at least, as far as I can make it so. Since I can feel it slipping away from me, I’ll just say this…. See ya, ffolkes. I’ll be back, in a day, or possibly two, depending on how efficiently I can deal with the demands upon me set by what is happening out in the Big Blue Room. Should be an interesting week; lets get started on it, ‘kay? ‘Kay! Be cool, be strange, be alert, and most of all, keep those thinking caps close at hand….
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 Golden Rule is of no use to you whatever
unless you realize it is your move.”
~~ Frank Crane ~~
Looking south from La Bufadora, Ensenada, Baja Mexico
Hajime…. Between the events which took place out in the Big Blue Room over the last few days, and the contortions and incidences of discomfort my healing body provided for my consideration over the same period, I’ve been mostly unable to write, or even to read much, especially on the Net. Yesterday, I spent about 12 hours with my abdominal organs wiggling, gurgling, & generally having a high old time giving me fits, while cleansing itself, purging a lot of unwanted material, and, apparently, repairing decades of ill-function, in one swell foop. After the discomfort passed, I felt, relatively, great, just long enough to get some sleep. A long, difficult day, but, encouraging in the results….
I hope that was delicately enough put to spare anyone any distasteful imagery; it’s harder than it looks to impart the sense and feel of such matters, without going into basic descriptions which can get a bit graphic in nature. Rather than dwell on such things, I suggest we just take what there is so far, and go on to other matters, more relevant to our avowed purpose here, which is to sublimate my own inner urges, and to provide y’all with a few moments of entertainment, or, at minimum, distraction. Since I never worry about whether or not we actually achieve that purpose, (why torture myself?…), this means we can go on to the meat of today’s post without any residual guilt. Well, I can; y’all, as ever, are on your own.
Not that I don’t care; I just don’t care. But, that’s another story, & this intro is already wandering further from its intended path than planned. This, of course, is the usual result when I start blathering about current events, while attempting to maintain a bit of tact. Not an easy task, I admit, but, if I don’t do it, who will? I’m the only one here, aside from a periodically intrusive feline familiar; since she refuses to even consider using the keyboard to communicate, it falls to me. Go figure, eh?
It’s been too long, I think, since the last fresh Pearl; I don’t feel as if I’m quite getting the tone, or the incisive feel I want for a solid intro. Ah, well, chalk it up to lack of practice, & we’ll go on, just as if it was acceptable. Otherwise, there’s no telling when this will get posted. To save us any further embarrassment, I’m going to employ one of our usual methods of forcing the issue, to wit: the drop back five yards & punt technique, which happens to look like this….
Shall we Pearl?
“If I repent of any thing, it is very likely to be my good behavior.”
~~ Henry David Thoreau ~~
********************************
I have been working on a long rant, which keeps growing with time, but, has never, yet, reached a point where it can be finished. SIGH…. To sublimate the urge, I’m posting this photo, which contains what I consider the guiding philosophy of my life, as taught to me, and my brothers, without any words used, by my own father…. How, you may ask, did he manage that? Easy. He lived by these rules, and let us watch…. You cannot do any better than this to help a young boy become a Man….
********************************
Though I am in somewhat better shape than any time in the recent past, I’m still not at top form. Today, this means we go with one of our two default choices for music, with some soothing classical tunes, chosen, as always, for the picture which caught my eyes while perusing the choices…. Enjoy!…
*************************************
Classical Music
*************************************
*************************************
********************************
As an explanation/excuse for seeing my own poetry so often of late, I offer the simple fact of my condition, which prevents a great deal of research and/or reading I might otherwise do to find something new or different; using my own past efforts saves me that time. Today, this one merely gives a notion of how the last few days have passed for me, so, I’m going with it, for the reasons cited…. I do hope you enjoy it, nonetheless….
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 ~~
2/25/2016
********************************
Naked Pearls
Stuff worth remembering….
*******
“Bring all you got.”
~~ Bob Gibson ~~
*******
“The chain that can be yanked is not the cosmic chain.”
~~ Cal Keegan ~~
*******
“Life is pleasant.
Death is peaceful.
It’s the transition that’s troublesome.”
~~ Isaac Asimov ~~
*******
“Deeds, not words shall speak me.”
~~ John Fletcher ~~
*******
“If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it.”
~~ Kindly Bee ~~
*******
“One cool judgment is worth a thousand hasty counsels.
The thing to do is to supply light and not heat.”
~~ Woodrow Wilson ~~
*******
“Have a great morning, and remember: if you don’t like the news,
go out and make some of your own.”
~~ “Scoop” Nisker, KFOG radio reporter, Preposterous Words ~~
*******
********************************
I have to say, this is one of the odder Pearls I’ve ever put together. Not surprising, to be frank, given it was created in pieces, at a number of various times over the past four days. In fact, it’s a small wonder it came together, at all. As it did, I’m going to take the money & run, far and fast. Well, as far, and as fast as I am currently able; I can’t honestly say that’s very far, or very fast. But, you get the idea. On that rather abrupt note, I shall take my leave, with the usual caveat, to wit; I will be back to do this again. Given the changing state of reality at all times, and the particularly uncertain state in which it currently exists, I’ll forgo predicting how long it will be; I’ll shoot for tomorrow, but, without promising to make it happen by then. In any case, we’re done today, and we’ll be back. That’s about as firm as I can be; so be it. Be strange, ffolkes; the alternative is unthinkable….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“We never reflect how pleasant it is to ask for nothing.”
~~ Seneca ~~
Leelu, Dispossessed….
Hajime…. Though the crisis at Lake Oroville’s Dam has receded to precautionary warnings, and the level of the dam’s reservoir has dropped to manageable levels, it continues to rain here in northern California, to the delight of sea birds & other aquatic creatures, and the chagrin of all the spoiled, self-centered denizens of the human culture, most of whom begin whining after one day of such weather. People are getting testy from the lack of sunshine, it seems, though, personally, I enjoy a spot of rainy weather. That’s due to experience, though, which most folks find hard to assimilate into their thinking apparatus….. but, that’s a tale for another day….
For the nonce, let it suffice to say, it’s wet here. The Pearl you’ll find below is what today’s culture would call a ‘mash-up’, consisting, as it does, of the various parts of other, older Pearls, with a bit of original smarm from yours truly thrown in to distract anyone from any uncomfortable questions, or, noticing anything off. Hey, it works like a charm for the government flunkies who infest the airwaves with their BS, to distract the public from what they’re doing in those back offices & darkened conference rooms; why can’t it work for me? No reason, I think, since humans are so adept at NOT thinking; you’d think we’d find something better to do with all this grey matter we’re wasting, but, no…. we just carry it around from toilet to toilet, moving water from place to place while we dither….
If you couldn’t tell, I’m feeling a bit snarky today; it should work well for me when I start working on the huge ‘discussion’ in my temp files. However, to keep it from getting too sticky here, (it tends to get tacky after it sits a while….), I think I’ll just mention the construction alterations I’ve used today, & get on with it….. Most of what you see below was stolen, from a Pearl first posted in mid-2012. The poem is from that date, as is the final section’s old school entry. This is simply to save time, (Smart Bee went on strike again….), and energy, which can be better utilized later today for a walk out in the storm. So be it, he said, grimly. He also said, watch this….
Shall we Pearl?
“Hope is the fawning traitor of the mind,
which, while it cozens with a color’d friendship
robs us of our best virtue-resolution.”
~~ Lee ~~
********************************
French composer Camille Saint-Saens
Today’s musical selection is a two hour collection of violin concertos from this man’s work, which I use a lot to provide myself with music, by which to write. I hope it soothes today, as you read the mess I’ve put together….
*************************************
Violin Concertos Camile Saint-Saëns
*************************************
*************************************
********************************
I Speak Not
I speak not, I trace not, I breathe not thy name;
There is grief in the sound, there is guilt in the fame;
But the tear that now burns on my cheek may impart
The deep thoughts that dwell in that silence of heart.
Too brief for our passion, too long for our peace,
Were those hours – can their joy or their bitterness cease?
We repent, we abjure, we will break from our chain, –
We will part, we will fly to – unite it again!
Oh! thine be the gladness, and mine be the guilt!
Forgive me, adored one! – forsake if thou wilt;
But the heart which is thine shall expire undebased,
And man shall not break it – whatever thou may’st.
And stern to the haughty, but humble to thee,
This soul in its bitterest blackness shall be;
And our days seem as swift, and our moments more sweet,
With thee at my side, than with worlds at our feet.
One sigh of thy sorrow, one look of thy love,
Shall turn me or fix, shall reward or reprove.
And the heartless may wonder at all I resign –
Thy lips shall reply, not to them, but to mine.
~~ George Gordon, Lord Byron ~~
********************************
Today’s final section is, again, graced with the material used in the Pearl posted on 7/13/2012; it carries a flavor tease, of a part of the massive ‘rant’ I’m working on in my spare moments… I hope you enjoy this little group of pokes, targeting one of humanity’s most persistent delusions….
From July, 2013:
Here then is an old-school pearl…. Strung together, each of these distinct ideas blend to become one scathing exposé of society today…. Just what that exposé consists of is, of course, left as an exercise for the Gentle Reader…..
“And it came to pass that in the hands of the ignorant, the words of the bible were used to beat plowshares into swords…” — Alan Watts
“Religion is the masterpiece of the art of animal training, for it trains people as to how they shall think.” — Arthur Schopenhauer
“What do you mean, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch?” *YOU* are the free lunch!” — Solomon Short
On a sidewalk near Portland State University someone wrote `Trust Jesus’, and someone else wrote `But Cut the Cards’. — Smart Bee
Those Jesus Freaks
Well, they’re friendly but
The shit they believe
Has got their minds all shut.
— Frank Zappa, “The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing”
“Honesty isn’t any policy at all; it’s a state of mind or it isn’t honesty.” — Eugene L’Hote
and last, but certainly not least….
“Apes evolved from Creationists!” — Smart Bee
Well, there you have it…. perhaps a bit less scathing than sardonic, but attractively presented, if nothing else, eh? Don’t forget to offer a cut to the player on your right before you deal the cards ….
🙂
********************************
Hmm… well, it seems to have worked; my efforts, despite their randomness, got me here to the final, closing section, without much hesitation, otherwise known as ‘dithering’, and, more importantly, with sanity, if not completely intact, at least still present. That, in itself, is worthy of celebration; too bad I don’t have any champagne. Since I don’t, I guess I’ll just finish this off, & call it a day. While that may be more rational than the alternative, we’re not choosing to do so for any rational reason. No, sirree, Bob; we’re doing it cuz we’re done to a turn. Rather than stick around, chancing awkward questions or comments, I’ll just say, see y’all later, & hope for the best. Besides, I’ll be back, eventually; maybe it will all make sense, one day. Until then, be strange…. it’s cool out there….
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.
“A man is a very small thing, and the night is very large and full of wonders.”
~~ Lord Dunsany, The Laughter of the Gods ~~
Morning glorious….
Hajime…. For more than six years now, I have used the creation of this blog as a means of finding my inner balance. The process I developed over that time has furnished me with a routine upon which I could depend to produce a product I considered worthy of publishing for peer review, while simultaneously providing me with a means to organize my thoughts into the mold it most favors, in order to maintain the balance so essential to the peace sought so diligently by our inner self.
Since the real world, which I call consensual reality, seldom provides any of these for us, ( in truth, it often works in the opposite direction, making it hard to find any such means….), it has worked pretty well, such as it is. Of course, I am the sole judge of how well it works, & I am, deliberately, inconsistent in judging its efficacy, thus, most probably, detracting from its efficiency to some degree. But, as the closing introductory quote from Ralphie notes, consistency is just as well left out of the issue. By my standards, writing has worked well to keep me relatively sane, by public standards, if not my own, or, those of others less familiar with my personality); as proof, I offer a simple statistic, to wit: I have yet to kill anyone. Given the almost hourly occurrence of homicidal urges that come to me as I perceive the world, that’s not bad.
In truth, it occurs to me, much of my life has been a long struggle to keep myself from killing people; there are just so many of them who deserve killing, by almost any standard! Oligarchs, politicians, priests, pimps, corrupt cops, the list, to me, seems endless. Each of those categories of humans, on a consistent basis, exhibit the worst traits of humanity…. Fear, cowardice, the ability to lie, or deny reality, without guilt, shame, or the slightest degree of compassion; most of my fellow humans, to my mind, seem to abrogate their very humanity at every turn, refusing to use the intelligence they have been imbued with by nature, and denying their own connection to the rest of creation, insisting they are so special, the rules of the universe do not apply to them.
Moreover, the most basic flaw our species demonstrates regularly, seems to not even enter their perception. This flaw, as I see it, is the ability to deny their own nature, such that their entire approach to reality becomes their own worst enemy. We humans seem to have the unfortunate ability to make the assumption we have the power to alter reality at our whim, a belief not shared by that reality. Moreover, we are so convinced of this false power, we make the automatic assumption we are thus better than the rest of reality. This sense of entitlement, false as it may be, will, in the long run, prove to be a fatal flaw, for it is leading us inexorably to an ignoble end…. which is another simple deduction people refuse to make….
I have wandered around in my mind now for some time today, trying to find a way to succinctly state my feelings & thoughts, trying to explain, to myself as much as y’all, why I haven’t been writing much. I suppose I should take a shot at summarizing, so we can get on with the rest of this mess….
I don’t see much hope for humanity. The flaws in our nature, which we refuse to acknowledge, or attempt to abrogate, are killing us. If we cannot change the paradigm with which we now live, we are ALL going to die, and not comfortably. I suppose the angst and lack of balance I have been experiencing for the past year or so, since regaining a bit of clear-mindedness I had misplaced is a direct result of my sorrow at such an outcome. As a species, we show a lot of promise; it’s unfortunate our own nature prevents us from reaching out to grasp that promise, and make it our own. Instead, we fuss, we fight, we act as if the lies and delusions, upon which our entire culture is based, are real, and will help us live, when, in fact, all we can ever expect, if we don’t change, is ongoing conflict, and misery for the major portion of humanity.
My angst thus, is a persistent sense of sorrow, and anger at those humans who refuse to acknowledge the problems our own nature creates for us…. Since I, too, am human, my feelings cause me to want to strike out, hard, at those who will not see the truth of reality, and how our choices, to live in fear and delusion, have brought us to the brink of extinction. I’ve managed thus far to control those urges, human as they are; I’m having a hard time doing so these days, as there just doesn’t seem to be much reason NOT to follow the injunction of nature, so aptly described by H. L. Mencken, when he said, “Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.”
I have to admit, the temptation is great. However, I see I have, without realizing it, ranted in the intro again. So much so, I’ve made the rant I had started superfluous, & will proceed to delete it, in favor of finishing the rest of this now overlong mess. I can’t say I’m sorry for having done so; if naught else, it was rather cathartic for me, so, we’ll let it go, as is, & trust the chips to fall in convenient places. Since I can’t think of any easy, comfortable method for getting us out of the intro, I’ll just stop here, & hope for the best. I hope you enjoy today’s interlude….
Shall we Pearl?
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,
adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.
With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays: First Series (1841) “Self-Reliance” ~~
********************************
Today, I feel like listening to the Dead (go figure). Here is the second set (over two hours long) from their 50th Anniversary/Farewell Tour in 2015. Though Jerry, Robert Hunter, & Pigpen are long gone, the music and culture lives on…. Enjoy!….
*************************************
Fare Thee Well Grateful Dead, 7/5/2015 Second Set
*************************************
*************************************
********************************
I can feel poems percolating, but, none are ready to leak. Here is one from last year, written during the time I was attempting to regain some balance after more than a year of fighting the symptoms of opioid withdrawal, so kindly foisted upon me by the ignorance & cowardice of the medical industry in this country. Needless to say, it’s a bit more intense than my usual fare, & I hope you enjoy it….
Augmentation: Inner Aye
Distant, peals of thunder, vividly.
Closer, a patter of rain, falling gravidly.
Between the light and the darkness of fear
find merely the remnants of one lonely tear.
Do not hate us, though we have not sinned;
eager for courage, upon whom all hope is pinned.
Tales of insolence, hatred, or fallen virtue
fill us up, not down, in such pristine foreign venue.
Capable hands severed, able hands tied;
the future is angry, all but now denied.
Multiple times, warnings sounded across the pale
nobody heard, nobody came to tell the tale.
Gifted by time, salience fails in epic rhyme;
watchmakers watching, each a separate crime.
Logical solutions refuse to emulsify
forever pretending to cruelly crucify.
Blood will fly alongside pertinent composure,
never seeking, never finding tea, or closure.
Falsely laid trails on mountains of gold
imply no happy endings, no fortunes told.
Ages past have no time for repetition;
further chances only lead to perdition.
Destiny feels a shameful portion of guilt,
for a thousand sand castles, never built.
~~ gigoid ~~
3/2/2016
********************************
Naked Pearls
Esoterica
*******
“A person needs a little madness,
or else they never dare cut the rope and be free.”
~~ Nikos Kazantzakis ~~
*******
“Every man is guilty of all the good he didn’t do.”
~~ Voltaire ~~
*******
True glory consists in doing what deserves to be written;
in writing what deserves to be read;
and in so living as to make the world
happier and better for our living in it.
~~ Pliny the Elder ~~
*******
It is something to be able to paint a particular picture,
or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful;
but it is far more glorious to carve and paint
the very atmosphere and medium through which we look,
which morally we can do.
To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.”
~~ Henry David Thoreau, “Where I Live” ~~
*******
“The world is full of cactus, but we don’t have to sit on it.”
~~ Will Foley ~~
*******
“He knows not how to know who knows not also how to unknow.”
~~ Richard Burton ~~
*******
“The only thing I know for sure is that I know nothing at all, for sure.”
~~ Socrates ~~
*******
********************************
Although today’s missive is extensive, it feels a bit underdone, if obese. But, so be it; I’m done, & not willing to either start over, or edit. Instead, I’ll trust the process, as I’ve learned to do so well, & let it go without further ado. In fact, I’ll even go so far as to end it swiftly, rather than drawing it out to resemble the intro. I’ll be back as soon as I have enough to say; it won’t be long, I’m sure, as I’m a naturally voluble study in contradictions and subtle notes of irony. Go figure, eh? See ya, ffolkes; that’s a promise I hope to live long enough to fulfill….
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.
“A mind forever voyaging through strange seas of thought, alone.”
~~ William Wordsworth ~~
George Orwell’s Home, London….
Hajime…. Nearly a week has passed since the last fresh Pearl of Virtual Wisdom was posted. In that week, I’ve seen this country, and the world, edge ever closer to either a civil war, or a world war, take your pick, as both scenarios are receiving some attention in the available news, whether fake, real, or just out there. Since there is little, at this point, I can do about any of that, beyond what I already have done to prepare myself, I find myself rather bored by it all, sort of Oscar Wilde-ish in my impatience with the tedious nature of most of my species. The very worst of human behaviors are on full public display, as the ignorance of the American people is played out on the world stage in the most appalling manner. SIGH… ah, well, bell curve, is all I can say….
I am working on a rant, but, even the degree of angst I’ve built up watching the nonsense going on all around me isn’t quite enough to have it ready, given the physical and emotional wars I’m waging on a daily basis. Suffice it to say, the rant may get outrageous, so, we’ll save it until it’s fully developed, to savor any potential impact it may produce. In the meantime, over the past four or five days, in the few moments per day allotted to me for sitting in a chair, I’ve managed to string together the basic elements of a fresh Pearl, which I now present for your viewing/reading pleasure. Of course, only you can decide whether it produces the desired effect, but, I’m sure you’ll let me know, if only by completely ignoring it. What the hell, I’ve blogged here on WP for more than six years now; I know better than to worry about how many will see what I produce; basically, it’s a crap shoot, & I never did figure out the odds on craps..
All that said, with the standard lack of purpose or justification, I’m going to be a trifle rude, & drop y’all right here, so I can get this finished & posted in a timely manner. Lots still to do out in the BBR today, laying in supplies for the coming month/times, & generally avoiding the rain as much as possible. Not that I mind the rain; I spent four years living in the state of Washington as a boy, & the rain is just a part of life, one you learn to enjoy, or suffer all the damn time. I like to control my suffering, so, I choose to enjoy the rain. It’s not hard, it’s just cold. So be it. And so be this intro, which I now declare done. Watch this….
Shall we Pearl?
“I am not an Athenian or a Greek, I am a citizen of the world.”
~~ Socrates ~~
********************************
French composer Camille Saint-Saens
Camille Saint-Saëns
Today, I feel like some classical music; by my personal experience, one cannot choose better than this man’s work, no matter what particular type of orchestral arrangement wishes to hear. Here are two plus hours of violin concertos, to ease your way into the day…. Enjoy!….
*************************************
Camille Saint-Saëns Violin Concertos
*************************************
*************************************
********************************
Stray Cats
The veils that billow and fold
between dreams and reality
may sometimes part,
showing the visions of one to the other,
blending, bleeding as one,
only to bring us up short,
closely jammed against immovable fate.
Still, we keep our watch,
seeking to find the vision
that brings with it the mark of reality’s regard,
a humble mind, and a compassionate heart.
Events of broad impact draw us away again,
distracting with shiny glitter and tinny music,
leaving our feelings raw and bruised,
the victim of universal disregard.
Now, in the twilight of years, the music is fading,
and the glitter has all gone….
yet the memory of visions remains sharp and clear,
melancholy reminders of reality’s promises,
unkept…..
~~gigoid~~
4/12/2013
********************************
Naked Pearls
Notes on Life at Large
*******
“Death tugs at my ear and says: “Live, I am coming.”
~~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. ~~
*******
“We should consider every day lost
on which we have not danced at least once.”
And we should call every truth false
which was not accompanied by at least one laugh.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~
*******
“Perfect valor is to do unwitnessed
what we should be capable of doing before all the world.”
~~ Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld ~~
*******
“Sure, understanding today’s complex world of the future
is a little like having bees live in your head.
But there they are . . .”
~~The Firesign Theater ~~
*******
“If you understand, or if you don’t.
If you believe, or if you doubt.
There is a universal justice
and the eyes of truth are always watching.”
~~ Enigma ~~
*******
“My life is light, waiting for the death wind,
Like a feather on the back of my hand.”
~~ T.S. Eliot ~~
*******
“What I tell you three times is true.”
~~ Lewis Carroll, “The Hunting of the Snark” ~~
*******
********************************
Well, there you go. I can’t think of anything else this needs, so, I’ll forgo any tricks, traps, or distractions, & merely say, see y’all soon. Not sure when a fresh Pearl will next appear, but, I can guarantee it will, as long as I survive long enough. Until then, be well, and happy as you may… In the infamous words of the Terminator, I’ll be back….
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 