Hajime…. Since I have no bloody idea how this got done, I’m unwilling to spend a huge effort introducing it. Placing a portion of the usual dross here might serve our purpose, but, to what gain? Little enough, to be sure. However, since it IS done, and, since there IS a new poem to share, funky as it may be, I suppose I owe myself the courtesy of at least a few words of note, if only to get us moving in the right direction. Now, if we only knew which direction that was, we’d be good to go…..
As we don’t, I’ll go ahead & use the trimming shears, ruthlessly, to keep the vehicle from collapsing under its own weight; otherwise, we could be stuck here in the intro until further notice. Luckily, we’ve already received that notice, which states, unequivocally, we won’t be allowed to stay here. Probably just as well, the way it’s going, eh? I think, given the circumstances, or lack thereof, I’ll just perform a small trick of legerdemain, & be done with it all for today. It’s pretty cool, actually; watch this….
Shall we Pearl?….
“Down in their hearts,
wise men know this truth:
the only way to help yourself
is to help others.”
~~ Elbert Hubbard ~~
********************************
Some days, it’s just gotta be real…. Can’t get any more real than Tom Waits…. Enjoy!….
********************************
Tom Waits Live
********************************
********************************
********************************
Cognitive Abstinence
Ever affable, serendipity calls on random days
bringing gifts, wrapped in flesh and bone.
Tempting fate, color springs from intricate stone;
singing, laughing, poised to amaze.
In metaphoric haste, clues gather to confer;
graceless, with absently casual frivolity;
fraught with severely limited civility,
lead yet into realms where hope may infer.
Allegory has faded, past all disrepute;
indelible, entropy holds the field today.
Honorable, the children stand, resolute,
justice is spent, the old-fashioned way.
Temporary measures no longer apply
to foster dreams; endless nightmares parade.
Forlorn, empty, the unwashed masses cry,
while time slips away, sleeping in the shade.
Wondrous moments continue to accumulate
odd gestures of indignant fortitude.
Destiny embraces no desire to illuminate;
with such a cavalier attitude.
Pale, afraid, the joker sits to compose
a final ode to reason.
Such grandiose dreams, a dying rose,
dragged along from season to season.
~~ gigoid ~~
12/1/2016
********************************
Naked Pearls
More stuff worth remembering….
*******
“Honour and shame from no condition rise;
Act well your part, there all the honour lies.”
~~ Alexander Pope — Essay on Man, Epistle iv, Line 193 ~~
*******
“A man can do something for peace without having to jump into politics.
Each man has inside him a basic decency and goodness.
If he listens to it and acts on it,
he is giving a great deal of what it is the world needs most.”
~~ Pablo Casals ~~
*******
“What you own is your own kingdom
What you do is your own glory
What you love is your own power
What you live is your own story…
You don’t get something for nothing
You can’t have freedom for free
You won’t get wise with the sleep still in your eyes
No matter what your dream might be.”
~~ N. Peart ~~
*******
“This time, like all times, is a very good one,
if we but know what to do with it.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
*******
“As far as we can discern,
the sole purpose of human existence
is to kindle a light of meaning in the darkness of mere being.”
~~ C. G. Jung ~~
*******
“The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And habit hardens into character.
So watch the thought and its ways with care,
And let it spring from love
Born out of concern for all beings.”
~~ The Buddha ~~
*******
“Are you sure you won’t change your mind?
Is there something wrong with the one I have?”
— Gillian & Spock, “The Voyage Home,” stardate 8390.~~
*******
********************************
As they’re fond of saying downtown, there you go. Another fine Pearl, freshly squeezed to bring out the best flavor. I know, it’s a bit late to start mixing my metaphors, but, we do like to push the envelope ’round here. I’ll go ahead & push it toward tomorrow now, by wishing y’all a day filled with grand craic, and, leave you with our standard caveat, to wit: I’ll be back tomorrow, to try this again. One of these days, I’ll get it right…. maybe… 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.
“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.”
~~ Louisa May Alcott ~~
Leelu’s cousin Mimi….
Hajime…. I will not say ‘Good morning’, for, thus far, it has not been so. I feel like crap, which wouldn’t be such a bad thing, if it were not preventing me from seeing my grandson today. I hurt, thanks to the weather, while other age-related issues have complicated the process of dealing with it. If I weren’t scheduled to go have fun, I’d just stay home and deal; as it is, I still have to stay home & deal, but, with the added fillip of being bummed over it. Ah, well…. piss on it.
I know; not very composed, or, nice, for that matter. But, I’m a little short of the milk of human kindness just now, so, we’ll all have to deal. It’s bad enough to feel so cruddy, without adding in the bonus of curmudgeonry gone sour. I suppose the only thing to do is to go force Smart Bee to cooperate, and put out a Pearl. If nothing else, the act of going through the process should help to distract me from the issues long enough to get a handle on the day. We can hope, right?
Right. So be it. I don’t have enough in me today to even attempt any further literary accomplishments. Hell, I don’t have enough in there to even care. To avoid setting any inconvenient patterns, I’ll end this intro post haste, and try to get this done before it all goes wonky on me. Of course, we started the day wonky, so, that may be a bit optimistic. But, it’s the best I can do; as we are so fond of reiterating, all you can do is all you can do. In that spirit, let’s go on….
Shall we Pearl?….
“Every child is born a genius.”
~~ R. Buckminster Fuller ~~
********************************
All my regular Gentle Readers know what’s coming now. Those who may be here for the first time may now note, and file, this information, to wit: in such situations, we resort to our default musical choice, known far and wide as “classical” music…. I’ve picked out a collection of the best classical guitar for your listening pleasure today….. Humanity has already established the value of all of this music, by enjoying it for the past several hundred years…. Y’all may as well enjoy it, too….
********************************
Classical Music
********************************
********************************
********************************
Momentary Terror
Absently casual, memories pester endlessly
leaving only bleeding remnants, amiable and loving.
Coming awake, I cry to still the pain, shamelessly.
Elsewhen, time gives surcease, if only to live,
shoring broken pilings, worn and gray.
Passing on, I laugh at the pain, accept all it will give.
Time will build a shelter, warm and ever safe
save for Fate’s busy hands.
Enduring, I follow the pain, knowing it will chafe.
Fixed against a darkened sky of starry black
such beauty brings us to our knees.
Entranced, I welcome the pain, ’tis all I lack…..
~~ gigoid ~~
2/4/2013
********************************
Naked Pearls
Random Thoughts….
*******
“Are all your stars shining?”
~~ JD Salinger ~~
*******
“I’m going to happydance among the stars and wear my stripes anyway I want to.”
~~ Stripes the tiger ~~
*******
“Dilige et quos vis fac.”
[Love and do what you will]
~~ St. Augustine ~~
*******
“The higher you climb, the more you show your ass.”
~~ Alexander Pope, “The Dunciad” ~~
*******
Plato says, “‘T is to no purpose for a sober man to knock at the door of the Muses;”
and Aristotle says “that no excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of folly.”
~~ Michael de Montaigne — Essays, Book ii, Chap. ii, Of Drunkenness ~~
*******
“On the other hand,
life can be an endless parade
of TRANSSEXUAL QUILTING BEES aboard a cruise ship to DISNEYWORLD
if only we let it!!”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
*******
“Well, don’t look at ME. Ask the troll.”
~~ Snarky Bee ~~
*******
********************************
I think, all things considered, the last pearl is our best bet at understanding what happened here today. Since we don’t have any trolls handy to ask, I suppose we’ll just call it a wash, and get on with the day. In retrospect, I don’t believe we have any other choice. We do, however, retain the option to do this again tomorrow; we’ll exercise that option tomorrow morning, regardless of how anyone else feels about it. Can’t say any fairer than that…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; this is your final warning….
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.
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
~~ Philo ~~
Cork, Ireland
Hajime…. Each morning, I experience a brief moment of remembered terror, left over from the early days of this blog. Back then, I had no clue about how difficult it would be to come up with fresh material every day; the result of that ignorance was, naturally, fear, manifested as a fear of the blank, white screen, the filling of which being the task I feared so justly. Now, I am confident, for I know, if nothing else, I can always retreat into bozoid mode, where there is always enough nonsense to go around, any of which I am always happy to share.
I’ll spare y’all any of that today, though, simply because it’s, technically, a holiday. This holiday, Thanksgiving Day here in the states, is one I can accept, to a small degree, as being one with SOME connection to actual human culture, as opposed to manufactured holidays created to fill economically anemic months throughout the year. For my own part, giving thanks seems a little foolish, unless I apply said gratitude to a specific person, group, or acquaintance; it’s hard for me to offer up such advanced feeling to what I consider a delusional supernatural being. But, for the duration of the day, at least, everyone else is in a good mood, so, I try not to harp on my own thoughts while they’re doing so.
That being said, to less purpose than may have been prudent, it’s probably best to get on with today’s mess. It’s fairly un-messy, in truth, but, remains somewhat obscure, at least in direction. That’s fine with me; I never get lost doing this, because we start out never knowing where we begin, or, with any idea of where we’ll eventually end up. In fact, that’s how it works, mostly. To encourage such roguish behavior, we’ll use our standard #4 exit to move us along to the next section. I’m pretty sure, in today’s case, that is absolutely the best thing we can do. Moreover, best to get it done quickly; hang on….
Shall we Pearl?….
“If you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence,
try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around.”
~~ Bix Bender ~~
********************************
For today’s musical selection, we retreat once again into my own preference, to wit, classical music by one of the greatest composers to pick up a quill…. Enjoy!….
********************************
Mozart Piano Concertos
********************************
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********************************
A Seasonal Approach
Absolute stillness grips a frozen field,
anticipating dawn with such patient yield
morning burgeoning in dark winter’s hold
brings promise of tales yet to be told.
Lengthening days of pale sun unto night
slowly tell of time’s subversive flight
bringing such original songs of natural fire
with melodies complex in casual attire.
The months are certain they will always win
it is just the way it has always been.
None may argue, nor yet slow life down
Nor dim the eternal beauty of nature’s gown.
Winter evolves from fall into spring,
sending flocks and hearts ever awing.
Summer follows suit, t’other way ’round
Spring into fall, often without a sound.
Life is meant to be lived, beginning to end
choices abound, and change can be a friend.
Yielding with grace to reality’s compelling ploy
fills our plain existence with clean, honest joy.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/2/2012
********************************
Naked Pearls
One path, many roads…..
*******
“The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And habit hardens into character.
So watch the thought and its ways with care,
And let it spring from love
Born out of concern for all beings.”
~~ The Buddha ~~
*******
“Ah, I have access.”
~~ Data ~~
*******
“Grasp the whole world of reason, life and sense
In one close system of benevolence.”
~~ Alexander Pope ~~
*******
“We are what we repeatedly do.”
~~ Aristotle ~~
*******
“All those moments will be lost in time like tears in the rain.”
~~ from “Blade Runner” ~~
*******
“I have a grip on reality, just not this particular one.”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
*******
“Death the last sleep? No, it is the final awakening.”
~~ Sir Walter Scott ~~
*******
********************************
Having thus completed my chosen duty, I shall, without further display of either erudition, or panic, send y’all on your way, with my hopes you enjoy your massive dose of L-tryptophan, with all the trimmings, while happily ensconced in the bosom of your families. I hope it won’t spoil the thought to remind y’all, I’ll do this again tomorrow, with different, if not better, results, guaranteed…. See ya, ffolkes; enjoy the day….
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 wise man first determines what is within his control; all else is then irrelevant.”
~~ Epictetus ~~
Gate into Trinity College, Dublin….
Hajime…. Good morrow, ffolkes. I am currently extremely busy out in the BBR, as I have a friend staying to visit for the week. Posts here may become sparse, but, that remains to be seen. Putting this one together was a bit problematic, but, since I was able to get it done, perhaps I can do so again later in the week. If not, you may see some re-blogs from the archives. Either way, know I am busy, but, always have this process in mind, and regardless of how many distractions are offered by reality, I’ll be back to regale y’all with the dross and drivel so copiously created by my incredibly confusing mind… count on it.
In the meantime, let’s get started with the process of posting today’s mess, and get on with the rest of the day, and week. I’ll use good ol’ number 4, which is currently undefeated. It works pretty quickly, and quietly, so, hang on & stay alert….
Shall we Pearl?….
“Always obey your superiors–if you have any.”
~~ Mark Twain ~~
********************************
The Grateful Dead ~ Image from Dead.net via email
In my life, I’ve been to a dozen or more concerts by the Dead, ranging from 1969 to sometime in the 90’s, when I saw them the last time before the passing of their leader, Jerry Garcia. Though the band continues on, with new faces, the legend, and the experience lives on, with a multitude of choices to listen and watch, on You Tube, or on various sites, including Dead.net…. Enjoy, ffolkes; maybe you had to be there, but, there is NOTHING like a Dead concert…..
********************************
Live Dead
********************************
********************************
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While cruising through some old Pearls, I found this. It’s fun, and won’t hurt anyone, unless you try to follow too closely; it makes some abrupt turns and stops, so, stay alert. Oh, and, try to enjoy the stretch….
From 1/20/2013:
“Nothing unreal exists.”
~~ Kiri-Kin-Tha’s Law of Metaphysics ~~
For the uninitiated, this is from Star Trek, a line from the fourth movie, The Voyage Home. It is the answer, and question, posed to Spock by the computer, near the beginning of the movie, just before it asks him, “How do you feel?” Though the quote, and its author, are part of a fictional story, and do not, as far as I know, exist in real life, the idea is nonetheless a potent philosophical assertion, and deserving of some meditation upon its implications, and ramifications. I like it, as it creates a series of doorways, one after another opening for welcome, inviting me to come in and examine its furnishings for their value…. A bit fanciful, perhaps, but then, it IS from Star Trek….
“Trekkies” have always taken the concept behind the show and movies much more seriously than most of us, and have created an entire panorama of alternate universe stories, legends, and characters as an adjunct to the original tales. I am certain that some fan, somewhere in the world, has put together a book that lays out Kiri-Kin-Tha’s philosophy for study, complete with Laws, Axioms, and Arguments. They probably even included material from other fictional works from the ST venue, weaving them into a coherent treatise, all of which is completely fabricated….. People can be pretty amazing when they are obsessed, indeed…..
“Nothing unreal exists.”….. fascinating, as Spock would say. It is reminiscent, in a backwards fashion, of the question posed by the door to Ravenclaw Tower, in the final Harry Potter book, The Deathly Hallows, when Professor McGonagall is queried, “Where do Vanished objects go?” by the door, in order to gain entrance to the Ravenclaw common room. “Into nonbeing, which is to say, everything.”, she answers immediately. “Nicely phrased”, replied the door….. I say backwards only because the ST movie came first in real time, by about 25 years or so…. As can be seen, however, the concepts involved in the two similar episodes are more than mere ideological throw-aways, but have some valid basis for their existence…
This is the power of Imagination at its finest, in my mind. People will take a good idea, and run with it into landscapes where it has never before been conceived, turning it into passionate variations on the original theme whose quality rivals that of it progenitor. At the height of the frenzy over the Harry Potter movies, a few years ago, I visited a site called MuggleNet.com, curious as to what the fans of the movie and stories were doing.
I was completely astounded by the prolific writings by fans, who wrote entire novels, short stories, and alternative plots by the dozens, all populated by the characters from the books by J.K. Rowling. Romances between the various characters abounded in the imagination of the fans, as well as the creation of new characters, and kinds of magic. The variety and depth of talent displayed is incredible, and goes to show how powerful is the influence of obsession on our imagination.
And hence one master-passion in the breast,
Like Aaron’s serpent, swallows up the rest.
~~ Alexander Pope — Essay on Man, Epistle ii, Line 131 ~~
Of course, obsession has the unfortunate tendency to go beyond the bounds of reasonable action in pursuit of its object of attention. It can easily consume all of the mind’s available store of common sense, submerging it in the raging river of passionate belief in whatever idea has emerged as the passion of choice. Pope was speaking no more than simple truth when he wrote these lines, which point again to the same fatal flaw that exists in other areas of human nature, the weakness of will that makes us choose paths that are self-destructive in their intensity, or in their ultimate logical end. Too many of us tend to make our choices in life without using even the most basic of mental tools we have, including imagination; the use of those tools can be hard, in the sense that it is harder to think than it is to allow others to think for you…..
Thus, we come to another point where the subject under discussion can be expanded, and further explored. Or, we can leave it here, with the ideas already discussed as a springboard for private consideration. I have a feeling it could get a bit esoteric from this juncture, and I’d lose a lot of ffolkes to the fatigue factor. I am feeling that a bit meself, having now been sparring with this Pearl for a bit over three hours. I should have eaten some philosophical oatmeal, to increase the fiber content of my output, I guess….
Rather than go any further down that road, we’ll bring this pearl to a close….. Perhaps you can take a bit of what we discussed with you, and chew on it later…. it doesn’t seem to get any less crunchy over time, so it can’t hurt…. Fewer calories than jerky, and it won’t require flossing afterward…..
“You can get anything you want, at Alice’s restaurant (‘ceptin’ Alice).”
~~ Arlo Guthrie ~~
********************************
Most days, if I don’t have a new poem to share, I’ll put one of my older poems here, to avoid contaminating anyone else’s reputation by proximity to my own work. I wouldn’t care to impugn anyone’s status inadvertently. But, I simply like this little piece of doggerel from the Trilogy of the Rings, so, it’s been chosen to adorn today’s poetry section.
I sit beside the fire and think of all that I have seen,
Of Meadow-flowers and butterflies in summers that have been;
Of yellow leaves and gossamer in autumns that there were,
With morning mist and silver sun and wind upon my hair.
I sit beside the fire and think of how the world will be
When winter comes without a spring that I shall ever see,
For still there are so many things that I have never seen:
In every wood in every spring there is a different green.
I sit beside the fire and think of people long ago,
And people who will see a world that I shall never know.
But all the while I sit and think of times that were before,
I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.
~~ J.R.R. Tolkien ~~
********************************
Naked Pearls
Notes on process and program….
*******
“You are the Skeptic. You have the power to Doubt.”
~~ Dubious Bee ~~
*******
“Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.””
~~ Pliny the Younger ~~
*******
“A man ought to do what he thinks is right.”
~~ John Wayne ~~
*******
“Pay attention to your enemies.
They are the first to discover your mistakes.”
~~ Antisthenes ~~
*******
“He who limps is still walking.”
~~ Stanislaw J. Lec ~~
*******
“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”
~~ Epictetus — Discourses, Book iii, Chap. xxiii ~~
*******
“The reward of a thing well done, is to have done it.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
*******
********************************
I’m taking it as a victory to have finished this one, what with the current status around here. Don’t ask. Let it suffice to say, it’s done, and I’ll be back to do this again. The schedule on that is not yet firmly established, so, I’ll confine myself to saying, see y’all later….
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…. First, I must apologize to those blogs I follow, where I’ve been mostly absent for a day or two. Yesterday, an old physical demon paid a visit, which has extended into today. I’m doing the right thing to move it along, but, it’s an insidious thing, embedding itself with cold claws that grip, and takes some time to convince to leave. The upshot was, I missed commenting on ANY blogs I’d planned to visit, for which I offer my regrets. I’ll see what happens, but, it could take a day or two to get normal. Let’s hope for efficient methodology results, eh?
All that said, obscurely as possible, to preclude relating details which might just flip switches, I’m going to go directly on, to keep from becoming overly sentimental, or even maudlin. Had enough of that over the birthday celebration, so, I’m cutting down on such indulgences. However I seem to cut it, nothing seems to feel comfortable, so, what the hell, I’m gonna go post this, and be done for today. I may, or may not, be here tomorrow…. I guess that’s another one time will have to tell. It always does.
Meantime, I’m out of ideas for any extensions here, so, I figure we’ll just go do what there is to do, and be off into the day…. On days like today, that looks like this….
Shall we Pearl?….
“All nature is but art, unknown to thee;
All chance, direction, which thou canst not see;
All discord, harmony not understood;
All partial evil, universal good;
And spite of pride, in erring reason’s spite,
One truth is clear, Whatever is, is right.”
~~ Alexander Pope ~~
~~ Essay on Man, Epistle i, Line 289 ~~
********************************
I’m in a hurry to get this posted, with no music chosen; hence, our default choice. Try to enjoy it anyway, ffolkes; can’t hurt….
********************************
Classical Music
********************************
********************************
********************************
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
********************************
Naked Pearls
Observations….
*******
“Ah, what a dusty answer gets the soul when hot for certainties in this our life!”
~~ George Meredith ~~
*******
“Waiting is.”
~~ Robert A. Heinlein, ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’ ~~
*******
“Make no judgments where you have no compassion.”
~~ Anne Mc Caffrey ~~
*******
“If my decomposing carcass helps nourish the roots of a juniper tree
or the wings of a vulture – that is immortality enough for me.
And as much as anyone deserves.”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
*******
“Nothing is so bitter that a calm mind cannot find comfort in it.”
~~ Seneca ~~
*******
“And though the course may change sometimes,
Rivers always reach the sea.”
~~ Led Zeppelin, Ten Years Gone ~~
*******
“Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.”
~~ Robert Benchley ~~
*******
********************************
That’s all I’ve got, so, that’s all you get. I’ll see what I can do to find something fresh in there to put here, tomorrow. In the meantime, stay alert, ffolkes. It’s getting pretty weird out in the BBR…. I’ll be back, but, no promises on exact times or dates…. Probably tomorrow, if all goes well…. See ya….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
Hajime…. It isn’t as if I need such indulgence, but, it’s always a good feeling to find a pearl from the past which, in my mind, tends to justify the process of pearling, and, the wisdom of doubt as a policy of mind. I don’t need it, for I’d do this anyway; there are times I can point to which demonstrate clearly how important this is to my sanity. But, it’s still good to know I am not the only person, now, or in history, who believes in the sanctity of human thought, and the necessity for examining our perceptions for truth and accuracy. I’m human, go figure….
Today’s offering almost didn’t happen, but, with a few contortions, and a bit of time with the Tardis, it all worked out. I’m not going to make any foolish predictions, or judgments, about quality, or even quantity; it is what it is, and that’s all it is. So be it…..
To keep from becoming completely maudlin, which often occurs in just this sort of situation (Hey, pain, PTSD, animal husbandry issues, ants…. all in one morning, but, no pressure….), or, worse, fall into full-blown curmdugeonry, I’ll cut this section short. Oh, not too short, and certainly not as short as some of our most recent efforts. Just short enough to save us from looking so awkward and sophomoric; we do have our standards. Of course, those standards are not what most would term ‘normal’, or even ‘slightly eccentric’; in fact, we won’t go into what we have been termed at all, to save us, and y’all, a plethora of embarrassment.
Why, look! It’s the end of the intro, coming up fast. We’d best stop fooling around, (as if we did anything else around here….), and get to it. Let’s save some time, and electrons, okay? Watch that last step there….
Shall we pearl?….
“Obey the spur of the moment.These accumulated it is
that make the impulse and the impetus of the life of genius.”
~~ Henry David Thoreau ~~
********************************
When I can’t think of anything else to put here, I fall back to my default position, where I find this lady waiting, every time…. Enjoy, ffolkes; you can’t find better music….
********************************
Bonnie Raitt
********************************
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Penance, Made Simple
After all the dross is sent away
a celebration can begin,
time will face up to space, to stay
willing, to shine from within.
Anger and confusion come in to share
brushing reason aside,
eager to welcome all that is fair,
alert to danger, eyes wide.
Re-gift the wicked with their own pain
stand with the just;
fail to partake of the ill-gotten gain,
living in honor, the only must.
Standing fast in the face of wrong
is its own prize and reward.
Holding on to truth makes us strong,
well worth working toward.
Little is left to chance by fate
our lessons are never free of cost.
Seldom does reality make us wait
only when alone, are we lost.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/23/2012
********************************
Naked Pearls
“Notes on Process and Program…”
*******
“If you are out of trouble, watch for danger.”
~~ Sophocles ~~
*******
“Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.”
~~ Things We Can Learn From Dogs ~~
*******
“Common sense isn’t.”
~~ Practical Bee ~~
*******
“If you call a tail a leg, how many legs has a dog? Five? No, four.
Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg.”
~~ Abraham Lincoln ~~
*******
“There is a kind of poetry in simple fact.”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
*******
“Sometimes it takes great effort
to discover that life was meant to be effortless.”
~~ Anonymous ~~
*******
“Before enlightenment, one carries water and chops wood.
After enlightenment, one carries water and chops wood.”
~~ Zen Proverb ~~
*******
********************************
Since I wasn’t completely certain of finishing this in time to post, I’m happy. Well, happy as may be expected. Moreover, such lightness of spirit bodes well for the rest of the day. I think I’ll go find it while I’m in the mood. Fair warning, though; I will return tomorrow, most likely, with another attempt to find sanity in an insane world…. Maybe you could help me find it?….. Well, maybe not. But, I’ll be back, anyway…. See ya, ffolkes…..
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can read.”
~~ Mark Twain ~~
Irish Butter Factory ~~ 50 miles east of Galway
Hajime…. “Begin” is, today, the most appropriate way for us to start; using the Japanese word indicates the beginning of a battle in Judo, Karate, or any other martial arts match in Japan, or any dojo world-wide. Since I awoke engaged in a battle, it seems apropos. For some reason, yet to be identified, my first emotion upon awakening was rage, full-blown and unstoppable. Leelu probably thought I’d gone starkers, as I raged about the house, completely losing my cool for a good ten minutes before gaining some small degree of control…. This, of course, has left me/us completely out of balance, as well as well behind schedule, a combination which also, as you see, has killed all signs of creativity in my mind….
Getting this Pearl done has thus become another morning conundrum, which is best answered by cleaving tightly to routine. The difficulty in that is the sheer impossibility of finding the routine, which went right out the window, fleeing, no doubt, the heat of temper with which I began the day. I did manage to find my way here, to get started on this, but, now, I’m at a complete loss as to how to get it done with any sort of style or grace, those qualities being off the list for today’s use. It’s definitely what the Brits would call a ‘facer’, I think. I suppose it has to do with having to face whatever it is, but, it doesn’t make it any easier to know that, nor any less of a hassle in my current state.
Since that state isn’t anywhere close to being amenable to manipulation, I guess I’ll trust the process enough to just get on with it. I’ve got some done, from yesterday, so, it won’t take forever; it will merely feel that way. I’d best get going on that, so we have half a chance to be done before lunch time. I’ll even forgo the use of any toys or tricks; instead, I’ll just say, let’s get this slow on the toad….
Shall we pearl?….
“All nature is but art unknown to thee.”
~~ Alexander Pope ~~
********************************
One of the more convenient parts of being in this state is that I don’t much care about how anyone feels about what is seen here today. I need the soothing grace of quiet, peaceful music, so, that’s what we’ll have. The only genre I can trust for that is classical music, so, that’s what we have today…. Enjoy, if you will, or, skip it & go on; I’ll be listening, and trying to let it soothe the savage breast….
********************************
Classical Music
********************************
********************************
********************************
Plato vs. Aristotle
*******
(1) You can’t win.
(2) You can’t break even.
(3) You can’t even quit the game.
~~ Ginsberg’s Theorem ~~
Every major philosophy that attempts to make life seem meaningful
is based on the negation of one part of Ginsberg’s Theorem. To wit:
(1) Capitalism is based on the assumption that you can win.
(2) Socialism is based on the assumption that you can break even.
(3) Mysticism is based on the assumption that you can quit the game.
~~ Freeman’s Commentary on Ginsberg’s theorem ~~
In short: you live, then you die. Everything else is all in your head.
You know what? That’s probably enough…. Once one comes to terms with the elements of thought which comprise the line above this one, there really isn’t a whole lot to say, especially considering all that might be said, at all, that doesn’t already fit into the purview of the second sentence, i.e., it’s all in your head.
Today, my head is jam packed with angst and bile, so, we’ll pass on ranting any further…. Besides, I may have, inadvertently, but, nonetheless effectively, created a brand new Zen koan, a perfect idea upon which to expend our powers of cogitation. The more I think on what I wrote for the first line, the more it resonates with depth…. So, I’ll merely repeat it. so y’all can let it circle around in there, where it can do some good….
You live, then you die. Everything else is all in your head…..
gigoid has spoken.
So be it…..
********************************
Given the start to my day, this one just seems like the one to go with…. I hope you enjoy it, such as it is….
Future Shocked:
Weeping, I wake;
waking, I weep, I weep.
I weep for the ages to be lost,
for the children never to be born.
Time comes calling, strident and spare,
nudging us toward the future with bony hands.
No pausing, no waiting, always away,
Frantic hearts unseen, unheard.
Spirits are dark, afraid.
And the Beast hunts, hungry and cruel,
seeking out the weak, and the foolish.
We all weep now…..
~~ gigoid ~~
7/22/2013
********************************
Naked Pearls
Living Large
*******
“I went in search of my art, often in danger of my life.
I have not been ashamed to learn those things
which to me have seemed useful —
even from vagabonds, barbers, and executioners.
For we know how a lover will go a long way
to meet the woman that he loves.
How much the more, then, will the lover of wisdom
be tempted to go in search of his divine mistress!”
~~ Paracelsus ~~
*******
“There are as many nights as days,
and the one is just as long as the other in the year’s course.
Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness,
and the word ‘happy’ would lose its meaning
if it were not balanced by sadness.”
~~ Carl Jung ~~
*******
“The idea of absolute freedom is fiction.
It’s based on the idea of an independent self.
But, in fact, there’s no such thing.
There’s no self without other people.
There’s no self without sunlight.
There’s no self without dew.
And water.
And bees to pollinate the food we eat…
So the idea of behaving in a way
that doesn’t acknowledge those reciprocal relationships
is not really freedom, it’s indulgence.”
~~ Peter Coyote ~~
*******
“No man is free who is not master of himself.”
~~ Epictetus ~~
*******
“Believe me!
The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness
and the greatest enjoyment from life is to live dangerously!”
~~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche ~~
*******
“Everything in excess!
To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites.
Moderation is for monks.”
~~ Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love” ~~
*******
“Don’t take life too serious. It ain’t no ways permanent.”
~~ Pogo, by Walt Kelly ~~
********************************
Thanks to a process developed over the course of nearly five years, it’s done. I’m not going to question any of it, nor will I comment upon any claims of quality. It’s done, and it’s on its own from here. Me, I’m going to go find some peace of mind, if I have to kill somebody to do it…. Just kidding, of course; killing somebody would only keep me awake. Instead, I’ll just say, see y’all tomorrow, given half a chance….
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.
“Philosophy, means, first, doubt;
and afterwards the consciousness of what knowledge means,
the consciousness of uncertainty and of ignorance,
the consciousness of limit, shade, degree, possibility.
The ordinary man doubts nothing and suspects nothing.”
~~ Henri Frederick Amiel ~~
Galway’s Spanish Arch ~~ Irish Football Cup Finals Week
Hajime…. At this point, I’m throwing in the towel. I’ve searched the outer limits of my entire head, & found nothing worth putting down here to begin today’s Pearl, other than the mild complaint you now see. The rest of the material today is almost ready, mostly, but, with the lack of anything remotely coherent material I’m finding, it may not be simple to complete. I guess we’ll see, won’t we? I hate to leave it so much up to chance, as that gives Murphy too much opportunity; since there’s no other choice, I’ll have to risk it…..
In order to deal with this in a manner approaching, if not sanity, at least some relevance, I’ll once again cut off this intro section, pretty much at the root, to get us moving onward. Hell, any movement at all will be a victory today. I’m going to forgo using Tardis Toys, or literary tricks today. Instead, I’ll just dump you right here, and get on with what else must be done to finish. Ruthlessness, though not my best thing, is getting easier; so much so, I can do this, without any guilt whatsoever…..
Shall we Pearl?….
“Auribus teneo lupum.”
[I hold a wolf by the ears.]
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
********************************
Today’s music is a bit eclectic; there are probably only a few old Deadheads out there who will appreciate it fully. However, regardless of anyone’s prejudices about certain genres, this is good stuff, full of jazz/rock improvisations by two of the best….. I hope you enjoy it, as I know I will….
********************************
Merl Saunders & Jerry Garcia Live at the Keystone, 1974
Yesterday, I came across the quote you see below, from a Roman philosopher, Marcus Tullius Cicero. For some reason, it struck me forcibly, whereupon the text you see between the quotes that follow streamed out of me in about two minutes. I then realized the other quotes you will find, which I had been collecting for the next rant I had in mind, had all just been verified as useful, and needed to be included. To augment, and make it clearer, I’ve added some text to the original, which can be seen, sans quotes, on my Facebook Timeline, as I posted the whole thing right after writing it.
In one sense, at least, this is a definitive rant for me; it covers about all I have come to realize about Life in today’s insane world, in one way or another. I can’t say it is the most compelling, or even the best I’ve ever done, but, it’s all me, and it’s all, as far as I know, the absolute truth as I see it. The quotes you see should provide some verification of my thoughts, as they indicate others have walked the same path in their own minds. I hope you enjoy it, and can find something in it to assist you in your own journey through this mad, wonderful world of beauty and pain…..
“Honor is the reward of virtue.” — Cicero
Sadly, in today’s world, honor is not valued as much as money, or almost anything money will buy. This, in and of itself, is at the core of the issues we face as a society, for without honor, there is no justice.
The saddest part is that money doesn’t actually exist, except in our own estimation. We have become insane, in our pursuit of an illusion.
“And that inverted Bowl they call the Sky,
Whereunder crawling coop’d we live and die,
Lift not your hands to It for help – for It
As impotently rolls as you or I.”
Omar Khayyam/Edward Fitzgerald, The Rubaiyat ~~
But, then, we are encouraged in that particular delusion by the support of another illusory set of principles, to wit, religions, which all base their beliefs on unreasoning faith in an imaginary supernatural figure, thus dividing, and conquering, the true strength of the human spirit.
“Obsessed by a fairy tale,
we spend our lives searching
for a magic door and a lost kingdom of peace.”
~~ Eugene O’Neill ~~
Add in the third illusion, that humans require a government to exist, and the nature of humanity has voluntarily assumed the mantle of mental slavery.
“Until philosophers are kings … cities will never cease from ill, nor the human race.”
~~ Plato ~~
Pursuing the agenda of money, religion, and government has led this nation, and this world, down a path of self-destruction, and none of us have anyone to blame but our own lack of willingness to face reality, as it exists.
We don’t need any of those three delusions, folks. We can deal with each other without them, if we use our true nature. We need clean air, clean water, and good, fresh food. And, we need each other, and every other living creature who is a part of this ecosystem….
That’s all we need. We don’t need a business, or a preacher, or an elected official to tell us what we need, either. All we need is each other.
“It is in the shelter of each other that people live.”
~~Irish proverb ~~
*****
“All you need is love.”
~~ John Lennon/ Paul McCartney & the lads~~
That’s all. Had to get that off my chest, as an antidote to all the foolishness, despair, and insanity I see each day in the news….
********************************
Premises, premises….
Tricked, I stumble, and I fall
dreaming, through an abandoned palace.
Frightened and wary, unheard my call
fading into memory, no cup, no argent chalice.
The people, crushed, cry out to be freed
asking only to take part, or travel.
Nascent oaths spotlight such bursting need
fed by treachery, deep from our well.
Only the wicked shall find their way blocked
justice seeks them, snug in their hole.
Faint praises never touched, but naked, stalked
singing no gospel, no soul, no rock and roll.
Only the promised will remember the way
from unforgiven trails of sorrow.
To live life, and give death no sway,
saving grace for our only tomorrow.
~~ gigoid ~~
12/19/2014
********************************
Five Naked Pearls
*****
“Hundreds of people can talk for one who can think,
but thousands can think for one who can see.
To see clearly is poetry, prophecy, and religion – all in one.”
~~ John Ruskin ~~
*****
“How prone to doubt, how cautious are the wise!”
~~ Alexander Pope — The Odyssey of Homer, Book xiii, Line 375 ~~
*****
A monk said to Joshu,
“Your stone bridge is widely renowned,
but coming here I find only a heap of rocks.”
Joshu said, “You see only the stones and not the bridge.”
The monk said, “What is the bridge?”
Joshu said, “What do you think we are walking on?”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
*****
“During my eighty-seven years I have witnessed
a whole succession of technological revolutions.
But none of them has done away with
the need for character in the individual
or for the ability to think.”
~~ Bernard M. Baruch ~~
*****
Learning builds daily accumulation,
but the practice of Tao builds daily simplification.
Simplify and simplify, until all contamination
from relative, contradictory thinking is eliminated.
Then one does nothing,
yet nothing is left undone.
One who wins the world does so by not meddling with it.
One who meddles with the world loses it.”
~~ Lao-Tzu ~~
~~ Tao Teh Ching ~~
*****
********************************
I am going to be human now, and issue a certificate of denial. It’s not my fault. Actually, it is, but, it’s done, so I figured I’d make the attempt. Oh, well. This one is going into the books, though I doubt seriously it will ever reach any milestones of legitimacy. What that means, stripped of all the BS, is, we’re done. Or, rather, it’s done. Oh, fuck it, I’m outta here. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, if I can’t talk myself out of it…. Odds are good on that, guaranteed…. See ya….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“Since we cannot know all that is to be known of everything,
we ought to know a little about everything.”
~~ Blaise Pascal ~~
Tracy Arm Glacier Melt Runoff, Alaska
Hajime…. In the past five years, my sanity has been somewhat of a hit and miss proposition. Now, for some, this might be an issue, which could conceivably cause difficulties in life. However, I don’t suffer from insanity; I revel in it, so, the process is not the same as it is for anyone else, with a typical view of sanity vs. the opposite side of the coin. In my world, being sane is merely a judgment, usually made by others, for others, using only their own silly rules to make the decision, just as if they actually knew what was real, and what was not. Silly humans….
In my world, we believe in humanity, and reality; we, or, I, since I’m really not a royal, know our body and mind are NOT separate things; neither is our sense of “I” anything more than an illusion, created by the power of our imagination to help us find the sense of order our mind requires, to separate us from our perceptions, so the power of our intelligence can imagine itself as real, rather than merely the resultant outcome of a biological process. poorly understood. In truth, we are not separate from what we perceive; to believe so sets us on a path of delusion, for reality does not actually conform to our imagination, much as we like to believe it does.
This belief has led us into a real mess, but, since we are still in the intro, perhaps we should wait to explore such deep matters. In fact, it’s probably a deep and wide enough of a subject to fill up an entire section, with severely rant-like qualities. We’ll see how it goes. We like to rant, but, we don’t know if we are up to it. Uh oh…. Now we’ve done it; we’re stuck in the royal we again. Shit. We hate when that happens. Oh, ’tisn’t a necessarily bad thing, just weird. We know, we’ll use the old royal coping mechanism, so diligently applied by the real royals we see, to wit: sheer denial. We shall act as if we do not see, or hear….
We shall also end this intro here, before it becomes any more onerous, or moves any further from the confines of true reality. We shall hope to fall out of the ‘we’ mode soon, but, if not, well, so be it. Let us try to shock it out, by using one of the more radical Tardis toys to move us along. We shall push THIS button….
Shall we Pearl?….
“Think of doubt as an invitation to think.”
~~ Dubious Bee ~~
********************************
Image from amazon.com via Google Images
I often retreat into the past when I’m feeling this way, to find those things forgotten over time. I decided, once breaking out of the royal ‘we’, I was in the mood for some class and style. I can’t think of a better example than one of my first crushes…. Miss Peggy Lee….
The rant I’m working on isn’t ready; for all the hype and delay, it better turn out pretty damn good, I’d say, but, we’ll see. For now, here is a self-directed rant, with some pointers to take you on a journey through your mind’s interpretation of reality, to look at some of those things in our public life which are part of what I see as humanity’s issues of contention with reality…. In short, if you follow the dots, the picture will show why we’re all wobbly….
*****
“Discourse on virtue and they pass by in droves.
Whistle and dance the shimmy, and you’ve got an audience.”
~~ Diogenes ~~
*****
“You can fool too many of the people too much of the time.”
~~ James Thurber, “The Thurber Carnival”, 1945 ~~
*****
“Every sensible man, every honest man,
must hold the Christian sect in horror.
But what shall we substitute in its place? you say.
What?
A ferocious animal has sucked the blood of my relatives.
I tell you to rid yourselves of this beast
and you ask me what you shall put in its place?”
~~ Voltaire ~~
*****
“Like…If guns are outlawed,
the lawyer population will explode out of control.”
~~ Valley Bee ~~
*****
“JAPAN is a WONDERFUL planet
— I wonder if we’ll ever reach
their level of COMPARATIVE SHOPPING…”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
*****
********************************
Recently, there was yet another insane shooting spree by an idiot. This poem is one I wrote about three years ago, after a similar event…. I hope you enjoy it, though ‘enjoy’ may not the most precise word I’m seeking…. But, I hope you enjoy the process….
Modest sounds of impatient concern….
Crowds converge at the raw and grisly scene,
comatose to compassion, curiosity tugging at the hem
with sharp, oh, sharp tools made obscene,
filing the essence of future hopes in spite of them.
Yet who has won the keys to the treasure,
who whipped up the fear of another brother?
Who spent the dreams of the old in selfish measure,
with such arrogant blindness grave issues to smother?
Fateful decisions may prompt still another pause,
to catch and release collective images of insanity.
Surely legitimate anger arises with ample cause
wallowing in self-made entrepreneurs, fluent in profanity.
A quartet of eternities must pass to guarantee change,
regardless of need, or desire, or autonomous manipulation.
Ancient rules and modern aggression is only passing strange
when golden delusion grasps futilely at its related illusory station.
~~ gigoid ~~
8/18/2013
********************************
Naked Pearls
Random Thoughts on Life at Large
*******
“Who combats bravely is not therefore brave,
He dreads a death-bed like the meanest slave:
Who reasons wisely is not therefore wise,–
His pride in reasoning, not in acting lies.”
~~ Alexander Pope — Moral Essays, Epistle i, Line 115 ~~
*******
“A man cannot speak but he judges himself…
no man thoroughly understands a truth
until he has contended against it.”
~~ Emerson ~~
*******
“The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.”
~~ Henri Bergson ~~
*******
“Man is not disturbed about things, but by his opinion about things.”
~~ Epictetus ~~
*******
“Happiness is the harvest of a quiet eye.”
~~ Austin O’Malley ~~
*******
“Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink
Nor slumber nor a roof against the rain;
Nor yet a floating spar to men that sink
And rise and sink and rise and sink again;
Love can not fill the thickened lung with breath,
Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone;
Yet many a man is making friends with death
Even as I speak, for lack of love alone.
It well may be that in a difficult hour,
Pinned down by pain and moaning for release,
Or nagged by want past resolution’s power,
I might be driven to sell your love for peace,
Or trade the memory of this night for food.
It well may be.
I do not think I would.”
— Edna St. Vincent Millay
*******
“And now there is merely silence, silence, silence, saying all we did not know.”
~~ William Rose Benet ~~
*******
********************************
It’s done. I’m way late, and not at all sure I didn’t forget something, but, as we’re fond of saying downtown, oh, well…. Fuck it. That’s another favorite in the places I hang out, so, we’ll go with that, too. At least, we’ll do that until tomorrow, when I’ll try again to reach some sort of coherent plateau, where I might find my center. If not, well, I’ll try again the next day. So be it. See y’all then, if nobody catches me at it….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold,
it would be a merrier world.”
~~ J.R.R. Tolkien ~~
Random Government Building, Belfast, Ireland
Hajime…. The Pearl you’ll see today is a rush job, the natural result of being incredibly late in starting today. Since the reason has to do with the amount of sleep I got, (for a change, plenty), my only response is to feel the rush, without the urgency, because, hey, sleep, right? I could have arisen at a usual hour (3 or 4 AM), but, was able to turn over and sleep until I was done, an event of major proportion around here. Yay for me, and now we’re done with the excuses.
I’ll warn y’all now; I have no idea what will happen below. I’ve got zilch finished, so, it will all be the quickest work I can devise, whether from the archives, or, forced out of SB with no mercy. I’ll use the whip, if necessary, but, it WILL get done. So be it. To assist with this goal, the intro will be as truncated as I can make it. How truncated will it be? Just this much….
Shall we Pearl?….
“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane
by those who could not hear the music.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~
********************************
You guessed it. We’re going default for music, just because we can. I’ll pick one with a nice picture, and be done with it. Abondanza!….
As intimated in the intro so strongly, we’re hitting the archives again today for our ranting material. I don’t know yet what kind it will be, but, we’ll try for a bit of either humor, or snark. Let’s see what we can find today….
From 2/24/2013:
“Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience.” — Adam Smith
This is so true, I want to shout it out from the rooftops…. It is the kind of insight that leads to jokes like “Lord, protect me from the works of thy followers.” which are so prevalent in our society. We’ve all witnessed the excesses of fanaticism at times, and, I’m sure, have suffered indignity of some sort at their hands at some point in our lives. Nobody escapes it, as such fanaticism is like having roaches; they are impossible to completely eradicate. Of course, there are methods of killing roaches that are foolproof (placing them in a complete vacuum, for example), but it means killing off the entire species , and the rest of us would doubtless find objections to that scenario…..
“It is hard to be brave, when you’re only a Very Small Animal.” — Piglet, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne
These simple minded fools who become fanatics, whether it is over their country, their religion, their race, or their collection of plastic flamingos, all suffer from the same lack of courage as Piglet describes here. In their case, it isn’t because they lack the ability to be “larger”, like Piglet, but because their minds see themselves as “small”, in relation to all they don’t understand, and this gives them the same sense of constant fearfulness that comes with never knowing when some larger creature will notice you, and eat you, or not notice you, and crush you under foot, with careless indifference….
“Again, our observations of the stars make it evident, not only that the earth is circular, but also that it is a circle of no great size. For quite a small change of position to south or north causes a manifest alteration of the horizon. There is much change, I mean, in the stars which are overhead, and the stars seen are different, as one moves northward or southward. …All of which goes to show not only that the earth is circular in shape, but that it is a sphere of no great size: for otherwise the effect of so slight a change of place would not be so quickly apparent. Hence, one should not be too sure of the incredibility of the view of those who conceive that there is a continuity between the parts about the pillars of Hercules [the strait of Gibraltar] and the parts about India, and that in this way the ocean is one.” — Aristotle, De Caelo, Fourth Century B.C.
As a consequence of all that fear, most of the folks who assume fanatical stances refuse to see, or perceive, as much as they possibly can, and this includes reading, or watching, or listening to things that challenge the truth of what they have chosen to believe. The things they DO choose to believe never challenge them to think, or to go outside their comfort zone in any way; any such suggestion is viewed with anger, mistrust, and fearful rejection, no matter how nonthreatening it may be to normals…. If it doesn’t fit into their narrow little view of things, it is evil, and not to be trusted, in their minds, or what passes for one….
As the quote from Aristotle shows, mankind’s knowledge of the natural world has grown beyond the guesses and speculation that are rampant in the ancient writings about religion, and, thankfully, most of the world is able to understand, and accept the facts in question. It is only those whose fear of the universe is such that they cling to outdated, misguided systems of belief that, though they offer comfort to their preconceptions and misapprehensions, have nothing to do with the real world on any level. And, damned if they don’t get upset, and violent, when those misapprehensions are challenged in any way!…. Idiots….
Sorry, I get disgusted sometimes, especially when I think about those assholes who encourage the idiots, i.e., the priests, preachers, and other members of the priestly hierarchies…. I regard them as the WORST of humanity, in complete lock-step and purpose with that other group of reprehensible semi-humans, the BRC, or 1%, as they’re known these days in the news. The entire purpose of the religious institutions on this planet is to provide behavioral control of the population to the ruling classes, under the guise of religion, by manipulating the masses of believers into following whatever dictates the ones in power may come up with, in order to receive their heavenly rewards…. I swear, it’s the biggest, longest running scam in history….
I’ve already gone a bit overboard here, and really haven’t begun to roll with my indictment/rant yet. Since this is the last pearl for today, I’ll stop here, and just say this…. There are a lot of really stupid people on this planet, as well as a great many good, intelligent, compassionate ffolkes…. but, the money, and the power, reside with a very small number, with representatives from both groups, and as far as I can see, most of them are bat shit crazy, in the sense that they don’t care at all about any of the rest of humanity, as long as they get theirs….. We, the intelligentsia, are perhaps the only hope left to the world before it is too late…. Only if enough of us rise up and throw their sorry asses into the pits will we have a chance of seeing another millennium on our calendar…. THAT is a fact, not a guess; the evidence is there for anyone to see….
So, wake up, ffolkes, and folks, because the day is coming when you will wish you had listened to people like me…..
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This poem is either the first, or second poem I wrote in 2012, after a 35 year hiatus from writing any at all. I hope you enjoy it….
A Failure to Germinate
Marking the days in elements of sad disarray
only holds me thrall, as I laugh while I may.
With cold, hard hands so impatient and cruel
pulling me to this vale of tears, a pathetic old fool.
Feelings sit silent, cast in shadows and light
breaking forth to implicate such vengeful might.
Just below the surface they patiently hide
to sally forth bravely, colors bright as they ride.
Tears and pain transform valued assets in hand
while comfort and serenity retreat to a far land.
Bold, bright patterns of hope garnish my ruinous state
until reality enters, full of disdainful portions of hate.
I sort out the illustrious measures of vision gone mild
only to find them transformed, now vicious and wild.
In my deepest desires I find myself calloused and cold
with faithless advocates whose souls have been sold.
My search finds little to support any hope of relief
far too much time has passed to bolster such belief.
The sad becomes real, and real becomes unfounded
until flights of such fancy are all dead, and grounded.
Nature has informed me of the newly hatched crime
of which reality boasted proudly, time after time.
The last answer we think of is always the best
as we come to terms with fate, our hope at rest.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/27/2012
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Naturally, Smart Bee goes on strike, just when I need it most. Go figure. Fortunately, for me, I’ve got archives, and a lot of ’em, to boot. Here’s one now….
From 2/23/2013:
“I represent a sardine!!” — Zippy the Pinhead
At this point, after reading that line, you might just be wondering if I’ve slipped my leash again…. and, you’d be justified in that thought. However, rest assured, I’m perfectly sane, if somewhat metaphorically, so it’s all good, right? Right…..
Now, such a bald statement from our old pal is liable to make one think at first that he is either kidding (not bloody likely….), or he is currently having hallucinatory delusions of being a seafood lawyer, or fish solicitor, as my British friends would say. While both of those are possible scenarios, similar in nature to Zippy’s previous episodes of verbal gymnastics, neither is correct in this instance, as I happen to know that he is teaching a lesson in metaphorical manipulation, or, as it is commonly known, lying his ass off, to keep you preoccupied while he is doing something else he doesn’t want you to see, or know about…. He’s tricky that way….
I suppose he might be trying to tell us he is a theatrical/literary agent of some sort, and has a sardine who a) has written the next best seller, entitled “The Truth About Tuna”, an exposé of the fishing industry, b) has a voice like Pavarotti, c) juggles three seahorses while riding a motorized wheelchair, or d) paints incredibly lifelike pictures of cruise ships, from an underwater view…. He might, if that is what he meant, but, it isn’t…. It is all just a distraction, a hullabaloo to draw your attention away from his real purpose, which has to do with several cases of motor oil, a rag-time band, two Senators, and a motel out on Route 666….. You really don’t want to know, now, do you?
No, really, ffolkes, I had a reason to show Zippy’s little gem off today, and it was really a good one…. So, it’s really too bad that, by the time I finished with the second paragraph above, I completely lost track of whatever it was I had to say about it….. That, of course, is embarrassing, but not as much as having to turn tail, right in the middle of a pearl, or what SHOULD have been a pearl, and go old school, just to save my ass from complete well, asininity (what else?….)….
So, here is what Smart Bee came up with, and taken together, the pearls all DO have a point…. just don’t ask me what it is, because even if I knew, I don’t think I can be trusted today to say it correctly, or even interpret it accurately…. So, you’re kind of on your own…. Don’t worry, they’re all safe, just pointed a little….Enjoy!….
“Look under enough rocks and you’ll find _something_ slimy” — Smart Bee
“And gentle Dulness ever loves a joke.” — Alexander Pope (1688-1744) — The Dunciad, Book ii, Line 34
“Don’t edit reality for the sake of simplicity.” — Smart Bee
“No people do so much harm as those who go about doing good.” — Mandell Creighton
“A thief believes everybody steals.” — E.W. Howe
“I have a feeling that at any time about three million Americans can be had for any militant reaction against law, decency, the Constitution, the Supreme Court, compassion and the rule of reason.” — John Kenneth Galbraith
“My way of joking is to tell the truth. It’s the funniest joke in the world.” — George Bernard Shaw
Well, there you have it, such as it is…. Ta then, luvs…..
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Having managed to hit the golden mean for today, I’m going to be as succinct as I can here at the end. It may be the quickest Pearl ever created, but, it’s not bad, considering. I’m going to trust the process again, & go get it posted before I lose my nerve. Y’all have a good one, ffolkes; I’ll be back tomorrow, hopefully with some fresher material. You may count on two things; one, I’ll be here; two, I’ll be here…. Sounds solid to me….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
gigoid 