Thanks to demon wars & a sore ass, there’s no fresh Pearl as yet. However, I found this one, from 2013, which only got a couple views & a like from one of my two most faithful Gentle Readers. It’s not a bad example of the genre of the time, so, we’ll use it today to sublimate my urges; it’s got some decent semi-ranting going on, & some damn fine pearls. There’s also one of my better, if less serious poems, which I see I’ll need to re-format… I suppose that makes it fresh, to some degree.
I’ll be back, that’s a for sure; when is a query yet to be answered. Until then, stay loose, ffolkes… it’s marginally better than the alternative….
Ffolkes,
Shhh!…. Quiet! Don’t make a sound….. I’m writing this in stealth mode, so please, don’t, whatever you do, read this aloud. I’m trying to avoid letting Murphy know I’m up…. When I booted up this morning, I found that he had left a calling card, of sorts, when I discovered Smart Bee had once again started its funky corrupted file activity, refusing to de-minimize from the task bar. Murphy, the asshole, has left me with this glitch a number of times in the past, always bringing the Pearling process to a halt, as I have to then waste time uninstalling and reinstalling the program. But, I got that done quickly and silently today, and have somehow managed to get started without any further nonsense from him…..
Which, of course, brings us back to the usual difficulty encountered at this time of day, the Mystery of the Blank Screen, and…
I’ll be busy today, avoiding Facebook, Twitter, & the world at large as far as possible. Don’t ask why, or, I may tell you, & then we’d be here most of the day. Rather than even go there, I’m re-blogging this Pearl from 2014, one that didn’t get a lot of traffic, but, deserves some air time… I’m working on a fresh Pearl, in my own way, & should have one for y’all soon. In the meantime, be real, be safe, be happy, & be strange. All will help….& goodness knows our species can use the help….
Attribution is not required for an Unarguable Truth
If you feel you MUST argue it, well, bring it on…..
~~ gigoid ~~
The most excellent picture, which highlights the absolutely perfect form displayed by these two small warriors, is from The Daily Yell (London Daily Telegraph) Animal Pictures of the Week, 10/3/2014. Notice the strength of the stance, with four legs firmly gripping the limb, perfectly balanced, and the formidable knife-like spikes on the forearm and hand sections, held in perfect position to strike…. Their sifu would be proud…. *modest smile* Perfect tong long tong long bu…. preying mantis style kung fu, straight from the source….
One might think, given the week I’ve had, I’d be more, or less, insane…. In either case, more, or less, it would seem I’ve made a case for the newest format here on ECR, even if it is…
“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 ~~
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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!….
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Camille Saint-Saëns Violin Concertos
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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
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Naked Pearls
Notes on Life at Large
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“Death tugs at my ear and says: “Live, I am coming.”
~~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. ~~
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“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 ~~
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“Perfect valor is to do unwitnessed
what we should be capable of doing before all the world.”
~~ Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld ~~
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“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 ~~
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“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 ~~
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“My life is light, waiting for the death wind,
Like a feather on the back of my hand.”
~~ T.S. Eliot ~~
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“What I tell you three times is true.”
~~ Lewis Carroll, “The Hunting of the Snark” ~~
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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.
‘Twas yet another busy day in the BBR; combine that with Smart Bee’s unfortunate habit of taking a vacation just when needed, & today’s fresh Pearl again bit the dust. To my credit, I did spend a little time commenting, but, these days, my chair time is severely limited…. By now, y’all realize what’s coming, so, I’ll just get on with it…. This one is pretty good, as an example of a complete, classic style Pearl, with a bit of everything…. Of course, it’s all from my head, so, take it as you will. Me, I’m gonna stay out of the rain, and see if I can’t finish the Pearl for tomorrow….
Not bad for someone in the midst of demonic wars, eh?….
Thirty-some minutes later, I woke up, and tried again…. It’s pointless for me to get upset now; the damage is done, and mostly cleaned up, so no further time needs to be spent on this morning’s major flare-up of Murphyism, or in this instance, my own bozoid tendencies interacting with Murphy’s due diligence…. Hmm… that’s even more obscure than I intended, and is perfect proof that this entire process may not be a good idea today…. At the rate things are progressing, by the time I can finish a Pearl, or even a pearl, I’ll have lost a limb, and the house will be on fire….
I can’t chance it, ffolkes…. I’ve just completed the final clean-up task to be accomplished, and reality is up in active arms against me. Every action is being challenged, somehow, by another little piece of the environment, or maybe it’s by the coming…
Yesterday’s trip into the Big Blue Room turned into a marathon, during which I pushed my limits for walking up over 3 miles, while managing to get almost everything I’d planned done. Murphy, apparently, stayed home. I did get a little done on a new Pearl, but, not enough to post, so, y’all will have to settle for another blast from the past…. Today, we’ll go back only a couple years, to a time Pearls had grown quite large, with five sections, & an almost daily rant. This one, while a good representative of that period, didn’t get much traffic, so, it’s a good one for today. I do hope you enjoy it, & I’ll try to get a fresh Pearl done for tomorrow…. In the meantime, stay strange; it’s still pretty cool out there….
“Ordinary people know little of the time and effort it takes to learn to read.
I have been eighty years at it, and have not reached my goal.”
~~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) ~~
The picture is one almost everyone has seen by now; I got this copy from the London Daily Yell (Telegraph), in their Pictures of the Day feature. It shows the Grand Canyon, filled up by a fog that completely covers the floor of the canyon, as seen from one of the vantage points somewhere in Arizona, or Colorado…. Great shot, but, I couldn’t help thinking about how strange it must be to be on the floor of the canyon when it happens…. Talk about eerie!…. I bet the Indian ghosts who live there have a great time, running about, scaring the tourists….
There…. I’ve started a Pearl with an intro that doesn’t rant……
‘Tis the day I must deal with the banking industry, and most of their cohorts, all of whom insist on sharing what little gelt comes to me from my retirement…. It’s usually a tough one, as I must deal with a number of rather clueless myrmidons, and more than a few mundanes. To sublimate some of the angst I know will ensue, here’s one from a couple years ago, with a reprint of a piece I wrote about my last canine companion, Noah, who passed on in 2011, at the age of almost 18 years. I hope you enjoy it….
Image from Space.com Pictures of the Day, 3/23/2015
“Nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen…” Imagine you’re hearing that on the radio, standing in the shower, thinking about the past…. Then, imagine, for just a moment, you are not naked. What the hell are you doing in the shower fully clothed? Are you nuts? What possessed you to…. Oh, never mind…..
Howdy, ffolkes. As might be noted, I’m a bit under the weather, or, is that over the top? Probably the latter. Nevertheless, this still must get done; hence, the nonsensical BS in the opening paragraph, such as it is. I have little clue as to why that popped out, actually. It just seemed to want to be a part of today’s mess, though goodness knows why. It’s bad enough for us, who HAVE to do this, or go mad; choosing…
Still busy adjusting to new paradigms, as well as spending less time in a chair; this precluded any pearling… but, did give me time to find this one, another blast from the past, when I still ranted regularly. This one, from 2014, also has some archived material, thus giving us an even wider selection of pearls from which to draw. I hope you enjoy it. I’ll be back soon, I think; time will tell, won’t it? The blabbermouth….
“Nadie tiene mas imaginacion que la realidad.” — Miguel de Unamuno, “El Espejo de la Muerte”, 1941
“Nothing has more imagination than reality.” — Miguel de Unamuno, “The Mirror of Death”, 1941
This picture, which I got on the web, somewhere ( I know, it calls for more accuracy than that…. I found it in a photo feature on the London Daily Telegraph web site…..), perfectly illustrates how I feel almost every day when I am trying to create these Pearls…. Because of who I am, such a task, having been assumed as a duty, requires that I give each one my best shot, in terms of using my mind for what it was intended, to wit: …….
Okay, I’m busted, again…. That long, echoing silence you heard was me, repeating to myself all the different thoughts that were NOT running through my mind, in response to the above…
Yesterday got too busy to Pearl, so, today, we’ll go deep into the archives, back to the first few months here on WordPress, to a rather extensive older style Pearl, which, when first posted, got almost no traffic…. I guess nobody knew I was around yet…. It’s a bit wordy, but, not bad; feel free to comment, as it dives pretty deep…I hope you enjoy this little, or, not so little, blast from the past….
“Change your opinions, keep to your principles; Change your leaves, leave intact your roots.” — Victor Hugo
This particular inclusion represents what is, to my mind, an absolutely perfect example of what makes a good Pearl of Virtual Wisdom*. (See below) Fifteen words, none complex, put together in a simple way to present an idea, a concept that is far more profound than the simplicity of its structure might imply. No extra adjectives to suggest passion or unnecessary emotion, while still heeding the need for it as motivation. Good advice, almost a corollary of the Golden Rule, one that goes one step further, to include the possibility and promise of Change. In Peruaosophy, we learned axiom #2: “The nature of the Universe is Change. Unpredictable, innovative transformation of Reality is the Norm. If you have a problem with this, you’re in…
“Where there is much light there is also much shadow.”
~~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~~
A moment of peaceful contemplation…
Hajime…. Below, y’all will find a Pearl. It’s a good Pearl. It’s been created in the past couple days, bit by bit, as the opportunity to sit arose, or was noted as necessary, if not exactly condoned. Suffice it to say, it’s done, and will do for the nonce. I don’t have anything else to say, really, so, I’ll forgo the usual amount of nonsense, & limit myself to this lone paragraph. Y’all can tell me sometime later whether you think it works, or, not. Of course, that makes the assumption, perhaps without warrant, that I’ll actually pay attention. But, life is full of uncertainty, isn’t it? Why, yes. Yes, it is. For now, what is certain is, I am done with this, and we can now get this slow on the toad…. Watch closely, or, it will shoot right past, without anyone noticing….
Shall we Pearl?
“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart.
Who looks outside, dreams.
Who looks inside, awakens.”
~~ Carl Jung ~~
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Edie Brickell
Image from Pinterest via Google Images
Though I’ve heard this lady’s music on the radio, I never pursued any of it beyond that; I see now that was a mistake, for she’s done some rather fine work. In addition, she seems to find a lot of rather excellent musicians to play with her, as well as being married to Paul Simon, not a bad performer himself…. Ah, well, we can’t listen to it all, but, I’ll be listening to her more, for sure…. Enjoy!….
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Edie Brickell & Friends
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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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Naked Pearls
Subtle notes on process & program….
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“First things first, but not necessarily in that order.”
~~ Doctor Who, MEGLOS ~~
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“Any fool can know.
The point is to understand.”
~~ Albert Einstein
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“We dance round in a ring and suppose,
But the Secret sits in the middle and knows.”
~~ Robert Frost “The Secret Sits” 1936 ~~
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“Always store beer in a dark place.”
~~ Lazarus Long
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“Are all your stars shining?”
~~ JD Salinger ~~
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“I think it’s good that everyone becomes food.”
~~ Hobbes, the Tiger ~~
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“It’s a fool’s life,
a rogue’s life,
and a good life
if you keep laughing all the way to the grave.”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
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Today’s Pearl is, in at least one respect, a most efficient, and iconic example of the genre. Moreover, I’ll not detract from that pristine nature by waxing overly philosophic, or extensively, here at the end. Instead, I’ll merely say, I hope you enjoyed it, and I’ll do it again, soon as I can. Meantime, y’all be alert, stay as happy as you may, & all will be well. How else can it be, but what it is?…..
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.
‘Twas a busy day yesterday out in the BBR, dealing with modern life in a chaotic world. Since I didn’t have time, or inclination, to sit & pearl, we’re going with this one from the archives; it’s pretty decent, all in all, and will serve us nicely to fill in for today’s scheduled mess. I hope you enjoy it; I did….Hopefully, I’ll have a fresh one tomorrow. Until then, enjoy, & stay half crazy, ffolkes; it’s a grand defense against the craziness that surround us today….
I’m here…. purportedly, I’m awake, but, given my state of confusion, and pain, bless its black little heart, I may be incorrect in that assessment. For some reason, which shall evermore remain unknown, and, possibly, unknowable, I have no idea what the date should be. When I began to write this morning, the date that I put above the first line, here in the program where I compose Pearls, said that today is the eighteenth of the month…. but, the little perpetual calendar I use says it is only the seventeenth. Since my phone and computer both agree with the latter, I’m going with that, but, what happened to the sixteenth, or fifteenth, or wherever I lost count? Somewhere in my brain, there is an entire day wandering around, empty and alone, poor thing, destined to never find its way back into the calendar…. Sad story, eh?….
gigoid 