Hajime…. Okay, so, if y’all can hang on a moment, I’ll find my stash of witty repartee, & we can get this slow on the toad. Have a seat, grab yourself something from the bar, & try to be patient; there’s no telling where I hid the silly stuff, as the last time I had a good grip on it, it turned on me, saddling me with several paragraphs of blather & relative nonsense. I suppose, in truth, that’s nothing out of the ordinary for around here, but, in our less coherent moments, we like to think so. On that completely insane note, we’ll go on….
Of course, doing so may make it worse, but, we’ll take the chance; otherwise, we’d be stuck here in the intro until the cows came home… which promises to be a LONG time, as we don’t own any cows, or even any naughas, from which we obtain that fabulous fashion couch covering so well-known to us here in the States. I mean, it goes so well with any sort of plastic, especially pink. Now, some of you may ask, what the hell does that do to get us further into today’s mess? Well, not much, but, it did give us one more paragraph to add to the mix, even if it makes nothing resembling sense. Go figure, eh?….
Yes, I know, I’m cheating unmercifully. That’s because, despite getting sufficient rest, and awakening at a reasonable hour, I’m still at a complete loss for any sort of mental acuity. Don’t know where I left it, & too confused to go look for it, so, I’m doing what most of us do in such instances, & falling back on our one remaining strength, to wit; a talent for blather (often called bullshit, especially when it smells this bad….), combined with a complete lack of shame or guilt. In short, this is what I’ve got, so this is what you get. C’est la vie, as we say downtown….
Not only do we say that, we often mean it. Today, we’ll ignore it, just as we are ignoring all the rules. Instead, I’ll use my executive authority to declare this introduction complete, whether it’s legal, or not. I simply haven’t any interest in the legality of any of this; there’s no point in it. What’s more, there’s less of a point in continuing, so, watch this….
Shall we Pearl?….
“Become what you are.”
~~ Buddha ~~
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Today’s musical selection could be considered a default choice, if not for the simple fact I had plenty of time to pick it, and, I’m not under any self-induced pressure to post soon. No, I simply want to listen to this man’s work today, as is my habit when I am working. It’s the perfect selection for reading, or writing, or simply sitting & listening; it ticks off all the boxes, for me, at least; I’d wager anyone with their humanity intact will appreciate it. The converse may also be true, but, I’m in too good a mood to go there. All I can suggest is, turn it on, & forget it’s playing; it will soothe your spirit any old way you choose to hear it…. Enjoy, if you will….
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Camille Saint-Saënz Violin Concertos
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A word is dead
When it is said
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day.
~~ Emily Dickinson ~~
Savory
Blown across steppes of imagination, a spore
finds a niche, takes root,
tries to live longer than now, before
chaos/peace descends, and desire is moot.
Feathered into fecundity, another possibility
builds a nest, hatches kin,
aims at immortality, sans responsibility,
chance manifests, as it does, again.
Leading toward peril, entropy saves creativity,
making tools, and lazy time;
solid signs imply such simple nativity,
as another snitch drops his dime.
Subtle compassion billows, passion to unfold,
covering hearts bloodied by time,
burning flesh made valid, unwaveringly bold,
turning love to brilliant rhyme.
Years weigh lightly, supported by youth,
gaining weight with each year,
only the old men know the actual truth,
peace comes only when we lose our fear.
~~ gigoid ~~
4/9/2013
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Naked Pearls
More Notes on Process & Program….
*******
“An intelligent mind is a mind which is not satisfied
with explanations,with conclusions;
nor is it a mind that believes,
because belief is again another form of conclusion.
An intelligent mind is an inquiring mind,
a mind that is watching, learning, studying.”
~~ J. Krishnamurti ~~
*******
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
~~ Anais Nin ~~
*******
“Life is the sum of all your choices.”
~~ Albert Camus ~~
*******
“He should not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.”
~~ Elrond ~~
*******
“Where pain predominates, agony can be a valued teacher.”
~~ Frank Herbert ~~
*******
“What you leave behind
is not what is engraved in stone monuments,
but what is woven into the lives of others.”
~~ Pericles ~~
*******
“Dwell as near as possible to the channel in which your life flows.”
~~ Henry David Thoreau ~~
*******
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Such as it is, there ’tis. To avoid any of the unpleasantness engendered so copiously in the intro section, I’ll bring this to a rapid close, sans any foolish attempts to clean it up. In keeping with that sentiment, I’ll add, see y’all tomorrow, & let this die a natural death. Be strange, ffolkes; it’s one of the few rights you retain….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
Hajime…. The picture I chose to adorn the top of today’s post is rather more relevant than usual. That is to say, generally, I don’t make any attempt to make it so, but, as I begin to type, it occurs to me that I am the bridge, and my fatigue is the fog; I’ve swept away the mists from the surface of the bay, and cleared my towers, but, the fog continues to hover close by, swirling about & trying to reclaim the waters of the Bay. I guess this means I’ll be taking yet another nap after getting this posted. Ah, well, ’tis just as well, for, I don’t think I have any desire to accomplish anything much beyond getting posted; doing so may shoot my wad, but, so be it.
Looking back over that opening paragraph has clued me into the risks of trying to compose anything strong in my current mental state; it’s a bit too fragile, I think, to support much powerful thought, or writing. Since I’ve, supposedly, reached an age where forethought is common, I guess I’ll use a bit of it to convince myself, and y’all, to move right along into the rest of today’s mess, so as to avoid fulfilling the risks, & ruining the rest of the day. In truth, to do otherwise would be tempting Fate, and Murphy, so, I’ll use some of that aged wisdom to keep anything untoward from moving past potentiality into reality.
Fortunately for me, doing so is fairly simple; in fact, it lends itself to our most efficacious method for closing an intro, to wit: old #4, which always seems to work best when applied without delay. Much like this, as you shall see, if you watch closely….
Shall we Pearl?….
“If what Proust says is true,
that happiness is the absence of fever,
then I will never know happiness.
For I am possessed by a fever
for knowledge, experience, and creation.
~~ Anais Nin ~~
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Here for your listening pleasure is a fairly new collection, described as a collection of soothing, relaxing works by Ottorino Respighi. I listened to the opening bars to make sure it’s okay, & it sounded pretty good to me. I hope you enjoy it, as you peruse today’s mess. Abondanza!….
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Classical Music
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Beyond Agapé
Passion burns and shines like iridescent paint
yet solitude stands mocking such mundane complaint.
Schemes and dreams promise to tempt attraction
never ending effort spends wit in perverse reaction.
Hale and hearty reports of honor and love
draft recruits to collect manna from above,
while searching each soul for that which will serve
to bring pure sensation to each expectant nerve.
How simple to fall into complete helpless hope
of two hearts bound in tradition, with cultural rope,
living a simple life, shared, in joy and in grief
promises consummated, in consensual belief.
Reality dictates our degree of control over its state
insisting on changing whether or not we can wait.
Love will be present when we are completely at peace,
allowing ourselves, to give of ourselves, without cease.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/4/2012
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Naked Pearls
Iconic pearls of virtual wisdom….
*******
“Within the oyster’s shell uncouth
The purest pearl may hide,
Trust me you’ll find a heart of truth
Within that rough inside.”
~~ Mrs. Osgood ~~
*******
“Grain grows best in shit.”
~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~
*******
“Perhaps I know why it is man alone who laughs:
He alone suffers so deeply that he had to invent laughter.”
~~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche ~~
*******
“How can I lose faith in the justice of life,
when the dreams of those who sleep upon feathers
are not more beautiful than the dreams
of those who sleep upon the earth?”
~~ Kahlil Gibran ~~
*******
If we lose affection and kindness from our life,
we’ve lost all that gives it charm.”
~~ Marcus Tullius Cicero ~~
*******
“Every man is a divinity in disguise, a god playing the fool.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
*******
A human being is a part of the whole, called by us Universe,
a part limited in time and space.
He experiences himself,
his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest
–a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.
This delusion is a kind of prison,
restricting us to our personal desires
and to affection for a few persons nearest to us.
Our task must be to free from this prison
by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures
and the whole nature in its beauty.”
~~ Albert Einstein ~~
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***************************************
As the Colonel was fond of saying, I love it when a plan comes together. It’s done, & seems to be a pretty strong offering, considering the operational handicaps we had to overcome. I’ll take it, & make my run for the border with no further delay. I may even be back tomorrow, though such confidence may be premature. I suppose, like most every day, we’ll just need to see how it goes. Until I do, y’all be well, be happy, & remain in the vicinity of strange…. Trust me, it’s for the best…. See y’all on the flip side….
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.
“People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
Willows, weeping….
Hajime…. I’ve been plowing my way through Aldous Huxley’s essay on The Doors of Perception, a personal exploration of his experiences in taking mescaline during the initial phases of research into its psychic properties, i.e., how it affected the human mind. Extremely interesting discussion, for sure, one which has helped me during my own battles on the mental battlefield we humans often encounter in our own minds (my own battles are the result of 11 plus years of working in a job where violence was a daily risk; that’s a story for another time….). Though the details of his inward journey differ from my own experiences, his observations have assisted me to come closer to a better understanding of my own reactions.
During one of the battles yesterday, to gain some breathing room, I read from the essay, where Huxley’s words stimulated a train of thought regarding our perceptions, leading to a strong confirmation of what I have always known regarding reality, to wit: the universe in which we live exists in a state of duality, which is echoed in our own ability to perceive its qualities. All our senses of perception are predicated on this duality; we see due to the presence or absence of light; we hear due to the presence or absence of sound waves. The same is true for them all; touch, taste, smell, all depend on the duality of existence, which we observe because of that very duality. Naturally, this has implications for our ability to perceive, as well as our ability to act on what we perceive.
To go further along this line of thought is, without doubt, a long and complex exploration, one ill-suited to the intro section of an otherwise innocent blog post. Probably, I shouldn’t have even begun the discussion, knowing full well it wouldn’t receive the treatment, or the resolution required for full understanding. But, that’s okay. What I’ve already stated should provide y’all with enough to think about, and, perhaps, come to some conclusions of your own, which you may share, or not, as suits you. For me, it’s enough to have brought it forth; dropping it on you like this, there’s no guilt for having strained anyone’s synapses so early in the day. Perhaps, it will help you as much as it does me, to distract me from the issues so persistently part of my reality long enough to re-enter the fray with a fresh mind, and new methods of coping.
All that being said, to the usual little purpose, other than to move us along in the process, we’ll move along. It’s done so quite well, you’ll note; here we are, with going on four paragraphs of reasonably interesting blather, patently enough to pronounce as sufficient unto the day. I’ll cease & desist this exploration, which, if continued, could end up as a massive philosophical discussion of the different levels of reality we all know & love so well. Instead, we’ll be grateful, for having smoothly begun what might otherwise been another chaotic example of the power of entropy, which is always enjoyed far too much by Murphy for my taste.
Now I’ve made the obligatory reference to the powers of chaos, which obliquely provides us with proof of our own innocence, we can move on, to the rest of today’s mess, which you’ll find in its usual place as you scroll down the page. I hope you enjoy it; I worked on it for, literally, minutes & minutes. (What? You expected some marathon effort? Get real; it’s just a blog….) Let’s take this opportunity, which is rushing upon us very quickly, to get on with it. That, of course, looks like this….
Shall we Pearl?
“Do not be afraid of enemies; the worst they can do is to kill you.
Do not be afraid of friends; the worst they can do is betray you.
Be afraid of the indifferent; they do not kill or betray.
Yet only because of their silent agreement,
betrayal and murder exist on earth.”
~~ Bruno Yasienski, contemporary Soviet novelist ~~
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Image from guitarplayer.com via Google Images
What can I say? I just feel like listening to some hot, rockin’ blues. Nobody does it better than Stevie did…. The picture above is from his MTV Unplugged show, but, the music is from Montreux in 1985…. Enjoy!….
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Stevie Ray Vaughan Live at Montreux 1985
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Accentuated Lessons
Bold statements of calculated intent
Become common rule of the malcontent.
Avarice assumes such attractive wear
Beguiling deception, illusory and fair.
Grasping and pulling with ghostly hands
Legally proper in all the signatory lands.
Seeking and finding each vulnerable soul
Anguish as payment for exacting the toll.
Wraiths of commerce’s invisible dead guards
Still haunt the dreams left in sad empty yards.
While absentee nobles sit in stiffly elegant splendor
Served by sad-faced detainees in abject surrender.
Escape from reality is illusory at best
Often we falter and fail its daily test.
Only when focused on inner strength
Does peace stay with us for any length.
Peace lies within, always…..
~~ gigoid ~~
9/27/2012
********************************
Naked Pearls
Notes on Process & Program
*******
“No trumpets sound when the important decisions of our life are made.
Destiny is made known silently.”
~~ Agnes De Mille ~~
*******
“Nothing endures but change.”
~~ Heraclitus ~~
*******
“Je plie et ne romrs pas.”
(I bend and do not break.)
~~ Jean de la Fontaine ~~
*******
“Walking makes the world much bigger
and therefore more interesting.”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
*******
“A wise man first determines what is within his control;
all else is then irrelevant.”
~~ Epictetus ~~
*******
“Don’t look for the right person; be the right person.”
~~ Will Limon ~~
*******
“I postpone death
by living,
by suffering,
by error,
by risking,
by giving,
by losing.”
~~ Anais Nin ~~
*******
********************************
It probably comes as no surprise to anyone but me, but, hey! We’re done. Not unexpectedly, to be sure; I did take an extra day to get this done. Nonetheless, it’s done, and glad to be so. Me, too. Y’all will have to make your own decision on that. To assist you in doing so in a timely fashion, I’m outta here, for the nonce (which just means until tomorrow…). Y’ll take it easy. Or, hard, or however it may come; just take, & enjoy it, whatever it may be. It is, after all, better than the alternative, for most of us. See ya, ffolkes; I’m gonna go play with fire…
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.
~~ Jean Anouilh, Ardele, 1948, (2, translated by Lucienne Hill) ~~
Spider!….
Hajime…. It used to be I’d sit here, staring at a blank screen, wondering where, and when, I’d find anything in my head worth setting down for others to read. Now, I sit here, wondering which of the various approaches I’ve developed over the past five years of blogging to use to begin the day’s mess. Perhaps the one I choose is what makes it a mess, or an offering. Or, perhaps, it’s my own attitude. Ya think? Oops, cover pulled….
Okay, we’ll use the cat method for that one. It never happened, I didn’t say it. So be it. To avoid any possible reenactments, I’ll go back to an older method, though, not far, as it actually was employed (or, is that ‘deployed? Ah, well, no matter…), yesterday. It’s our most ruthless intro format, and it looks pretty spartan, if elegantly smooth and simple. It works just like this….
Shall we pearl?….
“What is the first business of one who studies philosophy?
To part with self-conceit.
For it is impossible for any one to begin to learn
what he thinks that he already knows.”
~~ Epictetus — How to apply general Principles to particular Cases ~~
This is what I call a WSYIWYG rant. The meme you see above from the Free Thought Project pretty much says it all, though to be completely accurate in describing my thoughts, it would include all religions along with nations as being worthy of being fucked….. but, that’s just me. We don’t NEED any of it….
‘Nuff said.
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We are going simple today, with a mix of classical music someone collected as a means of encouraging students to study. Works for any kind of reading, so, enjoy!…..
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Classical Music
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Dreaming, I wait….
In the most patient moments of rationality
kindness flows smoothly in a special milieu,
fallow thoughts speed first from equality
to give no anxious fever, anger to eschew.
Indignant mothers and step-sons in-law
shall fade simply from brilliant to grey,
intoning ritual dogma, fresh, avid, and raw,
falling, falling, in massive pastoral disarray.
Safety lives not, save brightly in ignorant bliss,
it follows us all, silent and infinitely frail,
foremost too often, soft as a virgin kiss,
alive, always eager, willing, and pale.
Intimate knowledge finds only the bold few
with courage and virtue to gift, unbidden.
No solemn royal version may pass in review,
true love for man, never to remain unhidden.
Sweet feathers of Emily’s hope uplift,
calm, drowsy episodes bursting with light,
With final glad cries we set ourselves adrift,
swimming in the oceans of natural delight.
When sorrow is banished, in ages yet to come,
roots solidly anchored, cold and remote,
Ample supplies of kindness sit silent and dumb,
and the old stranger shrugs on his faded coat.
Dreaming, then, I wait with shadows in the night
aspiring to inspire, a message from the muse’s heart
Never forgotten images, framed in color bright,
tempt me only, grieving, steeped in serenity’s arcane art.
~~ gigoid ~~
8/18/2013
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Naked Pearls
Serving the truth….
*******
“I am the shadow my words cast.”
~~ Octavio Paz ~~
*******
“In’I no expect to be justified by the laws of men.”
~~- Bob Marley ~~
*******
“Brains first and then Hard Work.”
~~ Eeyore, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne ~~
*******
“It is one thing,
to show a man that he is in an error,
and another,
to put him in possession of truth.”
~~ John Locke ~~
*******
“The human condition is such
that pain and effort are not just symptoms
which can be removed without changing life itself;
they are rather the modes in which life itself,
together with the necessity to which it is bound,
makes itself felt.
For mortals, the ‘easy life of the gods’ would be a lifeless life.”
~~ Hannah Arendt ~~
*******
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
~~ Anais Nin ~~
*******
Costing not less than everything.
~~ T.S. Eliot ~~
*******
********************************
Well, there you go. A bit esoteric in spots, but, altogether, a fine little Pearl for your consumption. I’ll skip any comments on process, or program, or even potential quality, and just say, see ya tomorrow, ffolkes. It seems to be a habit I can’t break…. Not that I want to, mind you…. More to follow….
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 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 ~~
Sans Ambergris….
Hajime…. No, sorry, it’s really not all that obscure, if one has a clue as to what I meant by the above caption, showing George Salmon, Provost of Trinity College, Dublin, who oversaw its passage into the 20th century. Actually, I just like the picture, because it reminds me of my trip there. The ambergris came to mind when I recalled the habits of grooming & hygiene among the general run of people of that period in history, before indoor plumbing became a common fixture in society. That, by the way, is the clue….
Ambergris, for those who don’t know, is an ingredient used in making perfume; it comes from whales, sadly, which were becoming commonly used for their commercial products in that era. One living in cities of the time needed to develop a calloused attitude toward odious fumes in the air, much of it from the people…. Hence, sans ambergris describes most of the urban populace, all but those who indulged in such methods as perfume to mask their ‘aura’….
Not bad, altogether. Two paragraphs of completely purposeless drivel, complete with sarcasm, veiled, vaguely insulting insinuations, and, a travelogue, all in one place. I’ll take it, and move on to more cogent matters, any time now. Possibly. Or, this could go on for some time, until my hips or lower back stab me, or Leelu demands play time.
Shall we pearl?….
“Jesus died too soon.
If he had lived to my age he would have repudiated his doctrine.”
~~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche ~~
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Naked Pearls
“A wise man needs no advice; a fool never takes it.”
*******
“The higher we soar, the smaller we seem to those who cannot fly.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~
*******
“If there is a sin against life,
it consists perhaps not so much in despairing of life as
in hoping for another life and
in eluding the implacable grandeur of this life.”
~~ Albert Camus ~~
*******
“Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain.
It’s not something you learn in school.
But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship,
you really haven’t learned anything.”
~~ Muhammad Ali ~~
*******
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
~~ Anais Nin ~~
*******
“The more you judge, the less you love.”
~~ Honore de Balzac ~~
*******
“If you’re already in a hole, there’s no use to continue digging.”
Roy W. Walters
*******
“Be what you is,
’cause if you is what you ain’t,
then you ain’t what you is.”
~~ Satchel Paige ~~
*******
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Plans change, if we’re smart. In fact, without you noticing, they changed right here and now. Today’s Pearl, therefore, is brought to you by forces of entropy. So be it. It will do for what it is. I’ll try again, trust me. See y’all then, if I can get my glasses clean….
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.
“Ignorance doesn’t kill you, but it makes you sweat a lot.”
~~ Haitian proverb ~~
Did you say ‘chase paper’?….
Hajime…. I’m posting very late again today, but, not for any bad reason. On the contrary, it’s been a fine morning. I would share it, but, it’s still too intimate an experience to do so; I’m greedy sometimes, & want to savor it for a time. The time I spent will, eventually, be a big part of my personal cache of memories, in the folder simply labeled “joy”. Can’t say exactly why ’tis so, but, gift horse, right? Don’t want to examine it too closely….
Rather than torture all of us by trying to create some grandiose, compelling intro today, I’ll make these two paragraphs do as a sublimation for the real thing. I doubt seriously y’all will miss it, any more than will I. We also will not be discussing any of the personal quirks, and/or mental issues which would tend to complicate matters in the normal course of events. Of course, around here, there is no such thing as a normal course of events, but, we won’t talk about that, either. Instead, we’ll just do this….
Today’s musical selection features an Irish artist, a fiddler, who currently plays with the Celtic Woman group. I’ve seen the group on stage a couple of times; each time, this woman’s performance, for me, made the show as special as it was. Quite simply, her performance is infectiously joyous, sharing her own pleasure at playing her music to such a degree it is tangible…. I hope you enjoy it….
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Celtic Woman
Máiréad – Granuaile’s Dance
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“None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.”
~~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~~
*******
“No slave is ever freed, save he freeth himself.”
~~ Bob Marley, paraphrased ~~
Today’s rant is self-directed, as it should be, given the opening quotes…. Enjoy! Oh, and, keep an open mind on this one; you’ll need it….
From 5/6/2015:
Dubiousity, Redux
In the virtual world, I call myself gigoid, the dubious, for specific reasons…. Rather than use my own words to delineate/describe those reasons, here are some of them, in the form of pearls, (naturally….), as collected by Smart Bee, just as an exercise…. It turned out to be a nice, eleven-star pearl, all centered around the concept of doubt as a function of wisdom…. It seems I’m not the only person in history to put my faith in doubt, rather than the other way around, so to speak…. There are a lot of big names here, and, I only went through the first half of the collection….
Pay particular heed today, ffolkes; these little bits of shiny stuff are more subtly important, to you, than you may realize…. Oh, and, ALL of this will be on your final Quiz…. Don’t blame me, I didn’t make it up….
Shadow and sunlight are the same;
The vanished gods to me appear;
And one to me are shame and fame.
They reckon ill who leave me out;
When me they fly, I am the wings;
I am the doubter and the doubt,
And I the hymn the Brahmin sings.
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, Brahma ~~
“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
“A lizard ran out on a rock and looked up, listening no doubt to the sounding of the spheres. And what a dandy fellow! the right toss of a chin for you and swirl of a tail! If men were as much men as lizards are lizards they’d be worth looking at.” — D. H. Lawrence (1928)
“Authority has every reason to fear the skeptic, for authority can rarely survive in the face of doubt.” — Robert Lindner
“Doubt is not a pleasant condition but certainty is an absurd one.” — Voltaire
Modest doubt is call’d
The beacon of the wise, the tent that searches
To the bottom of the worst.
~~ William Shakespeare ~~
~~ Troilus and Cressida — Act ii, Sc. 2 ~~
Doubt is the beginning, not the end, of wisdom. — Smart Bee
“Freedom of speech and freedom of action are meaningless without freedom to think. And there is no freedom of thought without doubt.” — Bergen Evans, The Natural History of Nonsense (1946)
“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
“Men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in their readiness to doubt.” — H. L. Mencken
My guard stood hard when abstract threats too noble to neglect
deceived me into thinking I had something to protect.
Good and bad I defined these terms, quite clear, no doubt, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then;
I’m younger than that now.
~~ Bob Dylan ~~
Ah, yes, indeed…. I AM younger than that now….. so, there will be more on this subject later…. Ta, then….
********************************
Retrospective, defined in folly….
Yesterday
I wrote a poem.
It bled out of my head,
like I’d been struck with
an axe,
right through the artery,
in the neck,
spraying blood around
everywhere,
like a pulsing garden hose….
It hurt, at first,
then came the feeling,
of quick relief,
of timeless beauty,
of pain avenged,
of lust aroused,
of outrage aflame,
of deep compassion,
of endless empathy,
of truest love….
Now it’s gone, cast away
like pearls before twine.
(Grin…)
You thought
I was going to call you
a pig,
didn’t you?
Hah!
Well, you’re not.
You’re a person.
I know, because
you’re reading this poem…
if that’s what it is.
I think it is,
so,
maybe it is.
Or, maybe,
it will be,
someday, when it
grows up,
and learns to rhyme.
Whew…
Just in time…..
That’s all.
Reality often sucks wind,
y’know?
S’okay, though….
It keeps us busy,
and out of some of the
mischief,
so much part
of our
nature.
We all can do
only what we
do.
Or, don’t.
Two sides, one coin.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/1/2014
********************************
Naked Pearls
Not so obvious truths….
*********
“I think, therefore I am… dangerous, that is…”
~~ Master Bee ~~
*********
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
~~ Anais Nin ~~
*********
“Do what you love.
Know your own bone;
gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still.”
~~ Thoreau ~~
*********
“A man cannot speak but he judges himself…
no man thoroughly understands a truth
until he has contended against it.”
~~ Emerson ~~
*********
“In walking, just walk.
In sitting, just sit.
Above all, don’t wobble.”
~~ Yun-Men ~~
*********
“Really to see the sun rise or go down every day…
would preserve us sane forever.”
~~ Thoreau ~~
*********
“… as sight is in the body, so is reason in the soul…”
“I have realized that the past and future are real illusions,
that they exist in the present,
which is what there is and all there is.”
~~ Alan Watts ~~
*********
“If it had been a bear it would have bit you.”
~~ Jonathan Swift — Polite Conversation, Dialogue i”
*********
********************************
Did it. Down, dirty, done. Moreover, got nothin’ left to say, so, I’ll just say, see y’all tomorrow. I’m as certain of that as I am of anything in the world…. Fair warning, I’d say….
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.
“What men really want is not knowledge but certainty.”
~~ Bertrand Russell ~~
gigoid leaving his mark in Beijing, 2004….
Hajime…. To answer any untoward remarks before they occur, yes, my hair was short. In fact, this picture shows how I looked about a week after the very last haircut I got; I haven’t cut it since. The picture was taken during a short trip to China, where I tried, without notable success, to secure a job teaching English in their schools for a year, under contract. However, I mis-prepared, and was unable to secure a position before my savings got too small to stay….
I did spend 10 days in the capitol of China, where I met, and made some great friends, a couple of whom still communicate occasionally. This photo was taken by one of the other teachers seeking jobs, with whom I stayed, in a bar in some random alley, called hutongs, in which much of the street and night life takes place. This particular hutong was lined with about 20 or 30 bars, all with different themes of music and/or decor, to attract tourists and their Chinese fans, all of whom want to practice their English. There is a rather extensive community of expatriates and traveling young people who also tend to gather there, to mingle and find someone with whom to speak their own language
A bit of history is always good, right? So we are told, anyway. Good morrow, ffolkes. I am up, tired and late, again, but, have a Pearl to post, so, all will eventually be well. Well, it will be, if Leelu and I can come to terms today. She’s being a bit rude this morning; can’t say why. She’ll get over it, as will I, if I can get this done. To help with that, I’ll use the old red-tape scissors on the intro, & get us on our way without any further BS, or nonsense, or, well, anything at all…. It’s actually pretty easy, and works like this….
Shall we Pearl?….
“I bid him look into the lives of men as though into a mirror, and
from others to take an example for himself.”
Today I felt like hearing a ‘voice’. This lady’s voice is, quite simply, the best of my generation….. This is her 75th birthday celebration, which, naturally, she celebrated on stage, in New York. Enjoy, ffolkes; she’s the best…..
I’m still recovering from my trip, thanks to my advanced years, all of which seem to continually catch me unawares…. Here is a discussion from the archives, to sublimate today’s angst….. Enjoy!….
From 1/27/2013:
“Life is not separate from death. It only looks that way.” — Native American Proverb (Blackfoot)
Right! What a wonderful pearl! Not only is it short and sweet, it’s just packed with insight and implied wisdom…. In my mind, when I read it, I get a vision of a fireworks fountain, spewing light and beauty into the air, in blazing, colorful sparks…. A bit fanciful, but that’s the impression I got upon seeing it the first time…. You see, I’ve been thinking a lot of late, about Death vs. Life, due most likely to the fact that my own time to face that specter is approaching, seemingly ever more rapidly, as it tends to do later in our lives. When we look back over the time we’ve had on this Earth, the time left seems so short….
But, it isn’t really any shorter, nor, I’ve come to believe, is there anything to fear from Death’s approach. We all get to live just one day at a time…. Nay, not even so much…. we live one moment at a time, and we can’t make it go faster, or slow it down. So, worrying about what might happen in the future is a waste of the moment, and not worth the effort of doing so. In addition, I’ve come to the conclusion that what happens after Death comes for us isn’t anything to fret over, either, because, logically, death is merely a transition phase, from one level of perception to another, with the other being a reality for which we do not possess the ability to perceive, lacking some organ, or some mental awareness that is needed to do so…..
There is no evidence at all that consciousness, as we understand it, persists on this level of reality after the body has died. On the other hand, there is also no evidence at all that it does not continue to exist, on some other level that we are not aware of; add to this the simple fact that in our universe, according to physical laws, energy, in ALL of its forms, cannot be destroyed, only changed in form. The Law of the Conservation of Energy has been proven many times, and is not a matter for dispute. When one considers consciousness, i.e., the MIND, as a form of energy, it makes perfect sense to assume that it changes forms when we die, but is not destroyed. It is the only logical answer, as far as I can see….
The wise women and men of the Blackfoot tribe apparently were aware of this, as well as being aware that the universe exists as a duality, with each characteristic of reality having its opposite complement, that defines and proves its very existence. We see the world in these opposites, so it is very easy to be fooled into thinking that what we see is the true nature of that reality…. but, it isn’t, because those two opposites are all part of the same grand scheme of things, and cannot be separated, not in reality…. only in our minds, where we separate them in order to comprehend them….
“Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” — Murphy, courtesy of Smart Bee
Why does he do that? Why wait until I’ve spouted off for almost a thousand words before dropping these little bombs? Ah well, fuck him, and his bloody white horse! Everything I said above is the absolute truth, in my mind, so Murphy can just go f__k himself. Even though this aphorism is also true as the day is long, I don’t think I’ve gone so far astray that it applies… so, in spite of the Irish asshole, we’ll push on….
I have yet to discern any reason that can logically, or even speculatively, answer the question of why we don’t remember any of the time we’ve spent dead, or whatever it’s called when we’re busy not living on this plane of existence. You know, before you were born? And after we die? All of that is a long time, and since it is logical to assume the energy that makes up our consciousness is still in existence when we aren’t alive, in the classic sense, then it is also logical to assume that our minds are busy doing….. something else.
What that may be, well, your guess is as good as mine…. But, some folks’ guesses aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on…. I doubt seriously that the typical version of Heaven is a likely scenario, nor is Hell…. I regard those as just the unscrupulous concepts created by the BRC and/or priestly hierarchies to try to control the populace, not having any basis, or evidence to support them, in reality. In fact, there is ample evidence that shows otherwise, if one is open to perceiving it….. I figure what Robert Heinlein said once is the best way to look at it, “There’s no evidence that says we live after death; there is also no evidence saying we don’t. Soon enough, you will know, so why worry about it now?” (That may be slightly paraphrased, but the idea is precisely accurate….)
Ah well, this subject, due to its nature, is one that we, or I, could ramble on about all day, and, from the looks of things, almost have done so. Life and Death are popular subjects, understandably enough, and since we all are experts, there’s no lack of stuff to read about it; everybody’s talking, as Glenn Campbell said. But, since we have the rest of this Pearl to finish, I guess I’ll let this go for now….. Just keep in mind, ffolkes, Death isn’t anything to fear, because, if nothing else, Life itself is proof of our continued existence after it is gone…. Think about it….
“The adventure is over. Everything gets over, and nothing is ever enough. Except the part you carry with you.” — E. L. Konigsburg
“One never realizes how much and how little he knows until he starts talking.” — Louis L’Amour
********************************
Confidentially Paranoid
Only when the bright sunlight of dreams draws nigh
can the dark glass of reality factor true value..
Destiny’s horses run in fear as time goes dry,
for grappling with fate in such traitorous venue.
In pallid costumes made of graven cast-off tales,
fallen angels and demons show the measure of faith.
No sad transactions should escape these well-marked trails,
no angry relatives cast insults to a sedentary wraith.
Meaning can always hide in literal cold intent,
yet show mere facets of honor to perishable youth.
Sincere contentions leave with sorrowful bent,
while bastardly arguments fill in poorly for the truth.
Gone are moments filled with florid blasts of rhyme
left to moulder on the shoulders of unreasonable hope.
Only courage can save these measures of unspoken time
to gather new issues, powerfully broad, painful in scope.
~~ gigoid ~~
2/25/2015
********************************
Our final pearl today requires a bit of explanation. Well, more of an apology, really, but, we’ll go with the former, for dignity’s sake. These pearls all picked themselves; I had nothing to do with the choices. I found myself in an old, familiar state, wherein I cruise through the database, and let my hand on the mouse have free rein, connected only to my unconscious mind. The results are generally fairly subtle, but, this one reaches for new heights of obscurity. That’s fine with me; that always makes it a challenge to figure out the final conclusion, especially given the simple fact there isn’t always one to figure out. Sometimes, the mountain is just a mountain…. Enjoy, ffolkes; this one’s quite a ride….
Serendipity is where you find it….
*********
“The cold wind that blows before and after time.”
~~ T.S. Eliot ~~
*********
“If you’re ridin’ ahead of the herd,
take a look back every now and then
to make sure it’s still there.”
~~ The Cowboy’s Guide to Life ~~
*********
The head thinks,
the hands labor, but it’s
the heart that laughs.
~~ Liz Curtis Higgs ~~
*********
I postpone death
by living,
by suffering,
by error,
by risking,
by giving,
by losing.
~~ Anais Nin ~~
*********
“It’s not true that life is one damn thing after another;
it is one damn thing over and over.”
~~ Edna St. Vincent Millay ~~
*********
“Dharma: What is the greatest mystery of all?
Yudishthira: That each day, death walks the earth,
and we continue to live as though we were immortal.”
~~ The Bhagvad Gita ~~
*********
“Forward goes the vanguard of the lunatic fringe,
tickling the death clowns of normality.”
I did it. I wasn’t entirely confident it would get done, but, after a short conversation with a friend in Europe, and some minor scuffles with Leelu, it’s finished, at least to the point I’m done with trying to get it to look any better. Once again, we’ll trust the process, and go post what we have. I will try again, as is my wont. Moreover, I’ll do that, and be back tomorrow; habits die hard. See y’all in the morning, ffolkes; I seem to have little choice in the matter….
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…. A week from tomorrow, I’ll be taking a trip, which is the activity I most enjoy in life. This may be a result of being raised as an Army brat, moving from base to place to base for much of my first ten years. We lived in Fort Ord, Fort Lewis, Japan, and Southern California in those times we visited relatives, all by my tenth birthday, when my father retired from the Army. Since leaving home, I’ve traveled as often as possible, for I feel I am fulfilling all my own dreams when I do. I enjoy having a base from which to go, but, for me, the journey is the thing, not the destination, or the beginning point.
In this case, I’ll be traveling for only about six days, to go see a friend get married. I have volunteered my services as a caterer for the reception, which is my usual gift to the bride and groom, as it takes a large burden from them during the time leading to the ceremony. It should be an interesting challenge, as it will be my first event since reaching an age where I cannot count on being able to do much of the actual work myself. Instead, I’ll be coordinating everyone else’s efforts, to make sure the event come off without a hitch. I’m looking forward to all of it, with great anticipation, and a small degree of fear, which will serve to keep me sharp, focused on working smart, instead of hard.
All that said, I’ll add there seems to be some lingering effect on my creativity, or, my angst, which drives it. In any case, these Pearls, for the first time in ages, will be a secondary concern; this means I’m going to fake it, a lot. We’ll begin that today, with a rant from the archives, instead of anything fresh in that section, as it takes the most focus and time to create a worthwhile rant. So be it. I’ll try to keep the rest fresh, but, no promises, as my head is already in Texas, organizing a work crew and space. In twelve days, I’ll be back home, probably ready to collapse for a few days, but, also, ready to write….. I hope.
At any rate, speaking of it gave us a grand opening for today, if naught else, so, we’ll take it, and run. In fact, we’ll break into a sprint, by using one of our standard tricks, to keep y’all fooled , er, occupied while I push this hidden button over here…. See how that works?…..
Shall we Pearl?….
“Even a fool knows that you can’t touch the stars,
but it doesn’t stop a wise man from trying.
~~ Judge Harry T. Stone ~~
********************************
Image from redmp3.su via Google Images
I feel like the blues today, so, here is the King of the Electric Blues, himself…. Live in Dortmund, Germany in 1976, he does his thing, and does it in style…. Abondanza!….
As promised, here is one from the archives…. Not to worry, it’s short, and not at all serious-minded…. Enjoy!
From 10/21/2012:
Okay, so there I was, cruising through Smart Bee, and these little gems popped up. Each one tempted me to begin a rant, or a discussion, but, none of them completely grabbed my attention enough to do the trick. They are all much too valuable to throw out, so I had this idea to include them as a “new-school” pearl….. Y’all can take the ideas herein described, and formulate them into your own pearl of virtual wisdom…. there is plenty here to work with; I’ve used many similar pearls myself to create unforgettable rants, or brilliantly funny forays into nonsense. (Sure I have….. trust me….)
“The correct way to punctuate a sentence that starts: “Of course it is none of my business, but –” is to place a period after the word “but.” Don’t use excessive force in supplying such a moron with a period. Cutting his throat is only a momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about.” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love”
“In certain trying circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity furnishes a relief denied even to prayer.” — Mark Twain
“In regard to disagreeable and formidable things, prudence does not consist in evasion, or in flight, but in courage. He who wishes to walk in the most peaceful parts of life with any serenity must screw himself up to resolution. Let him front the object of his worst apprehension, and his stoutness will commonly make his fear groundless” — Ralph Waldo Emerson, _Essays_, Prudence
“I figure that if God actually does exist, He’s big enough to understand an honest difference of opinion.” – Isaac Asimov
“There’s more than one way to skin a cat, but there ain’t no way to make the cat enjoy it.” — Jed Clampett
“Man is certainly stark mad; he cannot make a worm, and yet he will be making gods by dozens.” — Michael de Montaigne (1533-1592) — Essays, Book ii, Chap. xii, Apology for Raimond Sebond
“Once you can accept the universe as being something expanding into an infinite nothing which is something, wearing stripes with plaid is easy.” — Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
So, you should find it reasonably simple to do the same yourselves (creating a pearl, that is, not wearing plaid…) …. and if not, well, they are all fairly strong stand-alone dribbles of good advice/good observations, so you aren’t completely without recourse…. No refunds, though, we’re not completely without shame…. Remember, you get what you pay for in this world, right? TANSTAAFL….. (for the uninitiated, that is, There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch….)
********************************
Vague Glimpses of a Rainbow
All the sad notions of propriety had fled,
Screaming their anger for pausing in song,
Until late came the rabid fog, colored in red,
As serenity cried, unafraid to live so strong.
Fallow fields in faithful patience set free,
Dragged from birth, by their own nature cast
Saving each moment against fear yet to be,
Carved into silence, by ignorance held fast.
Historical forces plod slowly ’tis often said
Anxieties streaming stiffly, one epoch to the next.
Cultural mania stands nonchalant in its stead
No sadder epitaph has such bittersweet context.
Patterned bags of forgotten virtue lie in wait
Blessed by reminders whose souls value affinity
Frozen webs surround the fields in gravid state
Grasping passionately within obvious opportunity.
Passage to future realities isn’t guaranteed
Small favors for deities was left off the menu
No roses, nor manna, nor gallant aerial steed
Left traces of fatal, yet originally gracious venue.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/6/2012
*******************************
Naked Pearls
Rare Thoughts
*********
“God, to me, it seems
is a verb
not a noun
proper or improper.”
~~ R. Buckminster Fuller ~~
*********
“One should always be a little improbable.”
~~ Oscar Wilde ~~
*********
“We do not walk on our legs, but on our Will.”
~~ Sufi proverb ~~
*********
“Time is but the stream I go a-fishin in.
I drink at it, but while I drink
I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is.
It’s thin current slides away, but eternity remains.”
~~ Henry David Thoreau ~~
*********
“We have art that we do not die of the truth.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~
*********
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
~~ Anais Nin ~~
*********
“To teach is to learn.”
~~ Japanese Proverb ~~
*********
“What is the first business of one who studies philosophy?
To part with self-conceit.
For it is impossible for any one to begin to learn
what he thinks that he already knows.”
~~ Epictetus ~~
*********
********************************
Well, it’s done. Again. Today, I can only thank my sense of duty; without it, this doesn’t get done. Since it is, I’ll forgo any further torture, or, for that matter, possible entertainment value, and merely say, see y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. There doesn’t seem to be any way to get out of 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.
“Be a hero! Teach your children to think for THEMSELVES!”
~~ Truly Wise Bee ~~
Ketchikan, early morning, pre-invasion
Hajime…. It’s Tuesday, I believe. I know that’s accurate, because I checked off-screen before going on to this next sentence. Rather studious of me, but, then studying is part of what I do, and, am. In order to begin today’s Pearl in the proper mindset, I’ve managed to complete the silly thing before starting this intro. Not that switching stuff around has ever worked wonders, but, sometimes, it’s matter of going with the flow, which may, or may not be present, at all. If, by this point in the narrative, you are NOT confused, I’m doing this wrong.
Distraction, obfuscation, it’s all par for the course here in Amurrica when one speaks of communication. Nobody out there in the real world is telling all the truth, ffolkes. Lying, or, in some cases, pure fabrication of factoids, has become our major means of transferring information from one to another; there is nothing on TV, and very little on the internet, which can be trusted to be truthful at all times. The pastime, or skill, however one views it, of lying has become an accepted means of obtaining one’s desires; at this point, I don’t see how it can be entirely eradicated as part of human interaction. Everybody lies, ffolkes. Even you, even me. We all do it, for we have been trained since birth to use the truth as a means of manipulation, rather than a means of education, or, of meaningful interaction.
Hmph. I see I’ve fallen into rant mode. Must have something to do with having used an older rant for that section below. Ah well, having caught myself up, I shall throttle the impulse, and, with some attempt at grace, bring this intro to a close, well before it gets out of what control we still possess. Since that will mean a rapid extraction, I’ll just use this little box right here. Watch what happens when I push this button….
Shall we Pearl?….
Excellence is an art won by training and habituation.
We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence,
but we rather have those because we have acted rightly.
We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
~~ Aristotle ~~
********************************
I’m running a bit late, and don’t feel like fussing with finding “just” the right music for today. Instead, we’ll go with what I know to be music that will grace any situation, providing soothing, relaxing music to read by. Enjoy!….
And the crowd was stilled.
One elderly man, wondering at the sudden silence,
turned to the Child and asked him to repeat what he had said.
Wide-eyed, the Child raised his voice and said once again,
“Why, the Emperor has no clothes! He is naked!”
~~ The Emperor’s New Clothes ~~
Today’s pearl for this section is a favorite of mine, for, in today’s world, we have many emperors, all of whom are naked. I’m late, & not particularly in the mood to rant, so, here is one I’ve reproduced previously, meaning I thought it was pretty good. Hence, here ’tis, again. Enjoy!…
From 1/1/13:
“If the obstacles of bigotry and priestcraft can be surmounted, we may hope that common sense will suffice to do everything else.” — Thomas Jefferson
Oh well, so much for THAT hope! From all I can see in today’s society, what Tommy was afraid of has come to pass. If one takes almost any of the articles in the news that talk about the activities of government, religion, or society at large, it is obvious that bigotry and priestcraft have corrupted every level of those entities, and influence just about every human interaction that we see. Common sense is nowhere present, in any of those same activities under discussion. Of course, he forgot, in this instance, to include the bankers, but perhaps that is where a portion of the bigotry comes in…..
By its precise meaning, bigotry doesn’t include the idea of cheating, lying, and stealing from whomever one encounters; those activities, for a bigot, are only appropriate when done to those outside the personal group, to “foreigners, niggers, and chinks,” or some likely other group they’ve chosen to bless with their ignorant regard…… But, in a sense, bankers can be said to be universally bigoted, for they have no qualms about lying, cheating, or stealing from anyone, in any group, even their own. I guess that would qualify them as Ultimate Bigots…..
“As an ox goeth to the slaughter.” — Old Testament — Proverbs vii, 22; Jeremiah xi, 19
I would imagine this is how the bankers and preachers (either of which is capable of turning into a politician, at the drop of a hint….) view the masses of humanity who do not subscribe to their venality. In this view, they may be at least partially justified, by the apparent willingness of those masses to submit to whatever is done to them. Why should the politicians stop lying, when their lies secure for them the keys to the treasury? Why should the preachers not spread their delusions, when the masses are so willing to accept them, because it saves them the effort of either thinking about morality, or even better, saving them from having to BE moral?….. The bankers, of course, need no excuses to carry on their despicable acts of calumny upon the remainder of society; their sole motivation is based on profit for them, and nothing else concerns them at all…
“I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” — Thomas Jefferson
Back to Tom…. He was a bit over the top sometimes, in the force of his expression, but never, to my mind, in his sincere commitment to Truth, and his sincere love for Mankind. I would like to think I join him in this sentiment, especially today, when we are so besieged by attempts to tyrannize our minds by our own beloved ruling classes. The war against immorality continues unabated, and too many folks in the world have withdrawn from the battle, accepting the lies and delusions that are foisted upon them.
It is important, in my opinion, that the rest of us, who can see the depredations assaulting the common man every day, keep on shouting from the rooftops to the rest of our compatriots, if only to save our own sanity….. and, before the strain of the conflict brings us to our knees, and we enter Zippy’s domain, doomed to extinction…..
“I just forgot my whole philosophy of life!!!”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
********************************
Choosing a Theme
Powerful words playing hide and seek in my mind,
teasing with subtle cruelty, pretending to be kind.
Grand visions and flowery verses of beauty and truth
evaded my inner eye all through the days of my youth.
Affable interludes interspersed with allegorical wit
softened the crimes, against all reason, to finally acquit.
Time became at once an enemy, and an ally
Never once compelled to provide an answer why.
Giving gifts of simple kindness are their own pay,
spreading ripples of compassion are felt far and away.
Love given freely is precious, we are ever told,
increasing love received, more than a hundred fold.
Living long and with passion has centered my soul,
allowing me room, and time, to choose my own goal.
Now that I’ve gone past any need to pretend
I love everything in life, even knowing it will end.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/21/2012
********************************
Naked Pearls
Notes on Life
*******
“A word is dead
When it is said
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day.”
~~ Emily Dickinson ~~
*******
“An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all.”
~~ Oscar Wilde ~~
*******
“We live in the kind of world where courage is the most essential of virtues;
without courage, the other virtues are useless.”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
*******
“Keep looking. What’s lost will be found.”
~~ Fleer’s Double Bubble Fortune ~~
*******
“If what Proust says is true,
that happiness is the absence of fever,
then I will never know happiness.
For I am possessed by a fever
for knowledge, experience, and creation.”
~~ Anais Nin ~~
*******
“Life is full of infinite absurdities,
which, strangely enough, do not even need to appear plausible,
because they are true.”
~~ Pirandello ~~
*******
“.. I wonder if I ought to tell them about my PREVIOUS LIFE as a COMPLETE STRANGER?”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
********************************
Done, and done well enough. I’m not even going to fuss around at all here in the closing section. It may come as a surprise, but, I do know how to exit gracefully. You doubt my word? Okay, then, here you go. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. Neither of us can stop it….. Who would wish to do so? Not 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.
“Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines,
but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.”
~~ Buddha ~~
Wine Country Spring, 2016
Hajime…. Today we will begin with an apology. For two or three days now, including today, I’ve been avoiding going to the blogs I follow, because I simply didn’t have the time to do so, and still deal with reality. Getting a Pearl done yesterday was, in essence, a rush job, which I don’t really like to do, as I’m not able to give it the attention I prefer to give, thus making the quality a questionable matter. It also means I haven’t commented or hit the Like button, to let them know I was by to read their work…. I am sorry, but, for a few days, I will need to reduce my blogging interactions, in order to maintain any semblance of sanity….
Now I’ve managed to bore everyone silly, we’ll just use a Tardis toy, in a moment, to get us down to the next section, where you’ll find today’s video. We’ll be doing some archive diving, as I’m still not in the most creative space I’ve ever been; hell, I’m having a hard time tying my shoes. And, they’re slip-ons…. Writing coherently is currently not in the schedule, or on the menu. But, I continue to type, just as if I could make up some fine, stentorian passage, thrilling all with my expertise and creativity. Fat chance of that today, right? Right. So, rather than torture y’all, or myself, any further, I’m going to push this little button on the side of this little cube, and….
Shall we Pearl?….
“There is not enough love and kindness in the world
to permit us to give any of it to imaginary beings.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~
********************************
George
I have this concert on my computer. Whenever I’m feeling a little down, and want to hear great music, I put it on, from the beginning, and let the beauty wash away my blues. All the music herein was written, and played, with love at the core of it. George Harrison left a legacy of love, in his work, and his life, and, as far as music goes in today’s world, this is as good as it gets…. Enjoy!….
As promised in the intro, here is a piece on reincarnation from the archives to fill in today’s ranting section…. I hope you enjoy it….
From 2/9/2013:
“Been there. Done that. Reincarnated.”
~~Smart Bee ~~
Reincarnation is a fascinating concept, especially given its controversial nature as being in opposition to what is believed by many of the world’s most influential religious systems. Some do, and some don’t believe in it, and I have yet to determine, through either research or luck, just why some do an some don’t…. I mean, I know why, in the sense that it doesn’t fit in with the dogma of those religions that subscribe to an afterlife consisting of harps and clouds, while it does match those that have a clearly different view of what happens after death. No, I mean I don’t understand why….. oh. Wait….
You know, I just realized, as I wrote that last line there, that this is a complete waste of energy and time, and further, is in direct violation of one of my own personal rules of life, and avoiding hassles in same…. That rule says, “Asking why is a waste of time, especially as regards human behavior…. so don’t bother.” It’s an old lesson, and one that I should have realized I was close to breaking before I did, as I’ve had a lot of experience with it in my time. Hell, I’ve had enough time that almost everything is something I’ve had experience with; maybe I can use that as an excuse for missing this time, yes? Well, okay…. Still, I can claim a lot on my mind, and nobody can tell me different, so there….
Any who, getting into the “why” of how folks choose their beliefs about a subject as speculative and controversial as reincarnation is bound to be a subject that would entail a great deal of delving into human behaviors that would only serve to frustrate me no end. If there is any area of existence that people are more foolish, or deliberately ignorant about, than such a subject as the afterlife, well, I don’t know what it is. Add to that the very dominant tendency on the part of most people to choose one religious dogma over another based on how much it makes them think (seeking the lesser of two evils, in their minds….), and you get subject matter that can only lead one to drink, to try to get the bitterness and shame out of one’s head….
Me? Hell, I have no idea what will happen when this life ends, not in any specific sense…. I believe that my consciousness, as a form of energy, will not be destroyed, and that part of the universe that manifests as the essence of Ned will merely change form…. to what form I couldn’t say. I can say that, though I am in no particular hurry to find out, it sounds like a great adventure, and I’m looking forward to knowing the answers to all the great questions that we humans ask ourselves during our stint on Earth, in the form we currently inhabit, even if those answers aren’t anything like any of the speculative concepts I’ve heard of or seen, or though of myself…. As Bob Heinlein said, “…. Soon enough, you will know, so why fret about it?”
“He who awaits much can expect little.”
~~ Gabriel Garcia Marquez ~~
********************************
My Nose Is Growing Old
Yup.
A long lazy September look
in the mirror
say it’s true.
I’m 31
and my nose is growing
old.
It starts about 1/2
an inch
below the bridge
and strolls geriatrically
down
for another inch or so:
stopping.
Fortunately, the rest
of the nose is comparatively
young.
I wonder if girls
will want me with an
old nose.
I can hear them now
the heartless bitches!
“He’s cute
but his nose
is old.”
~~ Richard Brautigan ~~
********************************
Naked Pearls
Things You Should Know By Now
*******
“Forward, as occasion offers.
Never look round to see whether any shall note it….
Be satisfied with success in even the smallest matter,
and think that even such a result is no trifle.”
~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Meditations, ix, 29 ~~
*******
“As long as you live, keep learning how to live.”
~~ Seneca ~~
*******
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
~~ Anais Nin ~~
*******
“He bids fair to grow wise who has discovered that he is not so.”
~~ Publius Syrus, Maxim 598 ~~
*******
“Anger blows out the lamp of the mind.”
~~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~~
*******
“The most important thing in a man is not what he knows, but what he is.”
~~ Narciso Yepes ~~
*******
“Pearl of great price.”
~~ New Testament, Matthew xiii, 46 ~~
*******
********************************
Well, there you have it. Such as it is, it is, and shall ever remain. So be it. I’m done for today, ffolkes, but, I’ll be back again tomorrow, to subject us all to yet another Pearl of Virtual Wisdom. As always, y’all have the choice as to whether that is a threat, or a promise. For me, it’s a given…. 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.
gigoid 