“Do not protect yourself by a fence, but rather by your friends.”
~~ Czech proverb ~~
Sunset over the Sea, off the coast of Scotland….
Howdy, y’all…. Since returning to the blog world, things have proceeded better than expected. The only part with which I’m not completely happy is my own lack of original material; it seems my muse isn’t quite done with her/his/its vacation yet, & there’s little I can do, at this juncture, to summon them home. Ah, well, at least the old-school pearls are flowing along nicely. I can only hope a new poem is percolating, while I work on a new expository outburst. One may only hope some little bit will be forthcoming….
Until that happens, I am, it seems, limiting myself to refining the process, and that seems to be going well enough to not make any changes. In fact, it also has been working to use a bit of moderation here in the intro, depending on the content below to fulfill whatever misplaced urges for approbation I may feel. I trust y’all will let me know how that’s going at some point. Until such a time, how about we stick what seems to be working best, which looks like this….
Shall we Pearl?
“Go often to the house of a friend;
for weeds soon choke up the unused path.”
~~ Scandinavian Proverb ~~
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Thanks to the demo going on in the downstairs apartment, I am having a bit of difficulty deciding on a musical selection. Since I am as much of an egotist as anyone else, and it’s my blog, I decided to go with one of my own favorites, to wit: all six Brandenburg concertos, by Johann Sebastian Bach. This version is from the Orchestra Mozart, Claudio Abbado conducting. Enjoy!….
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Honorable Request
Days, filled to a brim with fluff and time, pass
dimly into memory, bit by combative bit;
ever mournful, yet loud with life and sass,
only in dream do we meet, and dance, and flit.
Souls, spinning ’round in gleeful wonder, comply
as they must, never given a reason;
somberly proper, yet limber and quite spry,
dancing on to greet each bright new season.
Storms, angered by apathetic care, rage
proceeding into ministerial glare, unknown;
clothed in colors, purified solely with sage,
past an infinite future, already flown.
Life, plumbed to its depths and secrets, keeps
flowing with currents, strong and fairly found;
love stands, asking release, as it slowly weeps,
seeking refuge unasked, to stay honor bound.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/13/2012
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Naked Pearls
Caution: Curves ahead….
*******
“The wake does not drive the boat.”
~~ Alan Watts ~~
*******
“Everyone who becomes conscious of
even a fraction of his unconscious
gets outside his own time and social stratum
into a kind of solitude.”
~~ Carl Jung ~~
*******
“Do not settle for less than the best your own excellence can command.”
~~ Anne McCaffrey ~~
*******
“That nature only is good
when it shall not do unto another
whatever is not good for its own self.”
~~ Dadistan-I dinik, Zend-Avesta, c. 700 B. C. ~~
*******
“He who has so little knowledge of human nature
as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition
will waste his life in fruitless efforts.”
~~ Samuel Johnson ~~
*******
“I want to beg you, as much as I can, dear friend,
to be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart
and to try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms
and like books written in a very foreign tongue.
Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you,
because you would not be able to live them.
And the point is, to live everything.
Live the questions now.
Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it,
live along some distant day into the answer.”
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~
*******
“In these matters the only certainty is that nothing is certain.”
~~ Pliny the Elder ~~
*******
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Though suffering slightly from immoderate truncation, it’s done. Not too shabbily, either, if I do say so meself. In short, I’ll take it, & make my run for the border (that’s the border of sanity, if you hadn’t guessed by now….). I’ll do it again, soon, which you may regard as either a threat, or a promise. In any case, I’ll be back, post haste. Bide thy time, but, hold not thy breath until I can do so, please? Be well, & happy as you may. You may also emulate my example, and just as strange as you can possibly be; trust me, the Universe will reward you for it…. 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.
“Let life happen to you.
Believe me: life is in the right, always.”
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~
Just another path to adventure….
Hajime…. As promised, I do have a relatively fresh Pearl ready to go; it’s not quite as fresh as I’d like, but, I did get interrupted right when I had hoped a new poem was about to leak out. At 0430 this morning, the phone rang, never a good thing to hear in the middle of the night. After finding the phone, which had fallen under the bed, I spoke with my son, who, along with his family, had been awakened at 0330 by the authorities in Sonoma county, to evacuate their house due to the danger of nearby wildfires that sprang up last night in several places in Napa and Sonoma counties…. They were not even able to come to my home, as the roads between were closed…..
So, now I’m up, worried somewhat, though I know my son is well able to handle such events & take care of his people; it’s still worrisome to think of them in distress, even if not in danger. So, I’m distracting myself by posting today’s Pearl; what I’ll do after that’s done remains to be seen, but, will probably involve some further worry, though I know it isn’t necessarily a constructive response. Even wise old farts can’t always keep from needless worry when family is involved. I know they’ll be okay; it’s just worrisome….
To keep from becoming either maudlin, or manic, I’ll go ahead & finish this off, get it posted, & then try to figure out how to keep from thinking about it, long enough for them to get settled somewhere for a time, until they can return to normalcy, or as nearly as is possible…. In fact, I’ll do that now, as it gives me something to think about that isn’t too complicated, or close to home…. I’ll see y’all at the closing section; for now, it’d be best if you hang on to the nearest stanchion, or, resume your seats, as our pilot showed up a little tipsy….
Shall we Pearl?….
“Discourse on virtue and they pass by in droves.
Whistle and dance the shimmy, and you’ve got an audience.”
~~ Diogenes ~~
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Today’s music is a compilation of a number of epic Celtic music compositions. I’ve included it today for two reasons; first, I’m too distracted to make a search for anything else, & second, I need the soothing elements to provide some relief from the stress of having family in distress, from being evacuated from their homes due to fires raging nearby…. Hopefully, it will relax us all…. Enjoy…..
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Celtic Music
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I am up early, not because the poem I’m percolating was ready to come out, but, because I received a phone call at 0430 or so, when my son called to tell me they were being evacuated from their home due to the massive fires threatening Sonoma Valley, where he lives with his family. To sublimate, here is an older poem, with nothing to do with fires, or danger from natural events…. Since I haven’t even picked one yet, you’ll be getting Hobson’s choice….
*********
Ah Ain’t Sho, but Mebbe So….
Fried eggs got nuthin’ on me
Ah’m not even sure of mah name,
or how Ah come to be;
no idea from where Ah came.
Ah does like a mystery tho’,
puzzlin’ things out so’s Ah knows,
good from bad fo sho,
Ah sho don’t want no rock pillows.
If’n Ah cain’t figure out what’s best,
Ah just falls back on mah Daddy’s words,
seems he knowed just whut’d stand the test,
‘n how to gentle the scaredest birds.
‘Course, he’d lived a good long time,
‘n had lots of stuff go on by;
Went to a war, n’ lost a piece or two,
never once used it fer an alibi.
He tol’ me once Ah’d best learn to learn,
school’s only cool if ya ain’t already a fool.
Yer own good measure you can earn,
by startin’ yer learnin’ with the Golden Rule.
Always seemed to me as Ah growed up,
he mostly only spoke if it wuz true,
‘n by doin’ that clued me to what’s up,
kept me from stuff that’d a made me blue.
Without ever sayin’ the word itself,
Ah learned ’bout honor, ‘n helpin’ others
not some fake stuff from some shelf,
but, knowin’ whut’s right, ‘n that we’re all brothers.
Ah’ve been around long enough now, Ah think
to get around the block at least two times.
I s’pose long as my head don’t shrink
Ah’ll keep on doin’ right, ‘n makin’ these rhymes…..
~~ gigoid ~~
4/6/2013
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Naked Pearls
Listen….
*******
“I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you- Nobody- Too?
Then there’s a pair of us?
Don’t tell! they’d advertise-you know!
How dreary-to be- Somebody!
How public-like a Frog-
To tell one’s name-the livelong June-
To an admiring Bog!”
~~ Emily Dickinson ~~
*********
“It is pleasant to have been to a place the way a river went.”
~~ Henry David Thoreau ~~
*********
“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare;
it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.”
~~ Lucius Anneaus Seneca ~~
*********
“The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world
is to be in reality what we would appear to be;
all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves
by the practice and experience of them.”
~~ Socrates ~~
*********
“Men become civilized,
not in proportion to their willingness to believe,
but in their readiness to doubt.”
~~ H. L. Mencken ~~
*********
“A person never so beautifully shows his own strength,
as when he respects another’s weakness.”
~~Douglas Jerrold ~~ ~~
*********
“Make no judgements where you have no compassion.”
~~ Anne Mc Caffrey ~~
*********
“Death is the doorway into a locked room with an open window.
Jump out the window, and take your own chances.”
~~ Tim Robinson ~~
*********
“This mind intentionally left blank.”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
*********
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I made it this far, without spilling anything on me, or anyone else…. at least, as far as I can tell. To keep from doing so inadvertently, I’ll close this quickly, without the usual folderol. That, in case you were wondering, looks exactly like this…. See y’all soon….
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 have a skeleton in your closet, take it out and dance with it.”
~~ Carolyn MacKenzie ~~
Beauty escapes….
Hajime…. Having spent much of yesterday dancing with skeletons, it’s probably not surprising I’m a bit foggy this morning. Those guys just won’t give up, or slow down, no matter the cost to their terpsichorean partner. But, the alternative is too upsetting to consider, so, we’ll just put it into the kill file, for now, at least long enough to get this Pearl posted. The rest of the day can fend for itself…..
All the correct elements for today’s effort are in place; after all, I did have an extra day to get it done. I have to say, the old-school pearl today is rather good…. So good, in fact, I titled it in Greek, to honor the connection it displays to Peruaosophy, which it supports and clarifies, all at once. For those who aren’t familiar with Peruaosophy, it is my personal codec, my own creation, the axioms on which I have based my existence, so, you might see how this pearl shines so brightly, in my eyes. If not, oh, well; just take them at face value, and their relevance will make itself quite clear. Of course, you’ll also need to employ the power of metaphor, but, that’s de rigeur for us, anyway.
All that said, I’ll be nice, for a change, & bring this to a rapid close, so as to facilitate the rest of today’s demand for attention. Reality has a way of insisting upon precedence, & the consequences of ignoring, or trying to deny those demands, are much more negative than any of us care to deal with. Rather than even go near there, we’ll turn a hard left, (or, right, depending on where you’re sitting, I guess….), into the future, which will, if naught else, get us down the page to the closing section, where we need to be. Elegance, while tricky, is possible when courted with the proper attitude. Of course, we gave up on it long ago, but, hey, it sounds good, & looks good on a resumé.
What? You don’t think so? Hmph. Okay, I guess we’ll need to demonstrate. Watch this, and learn….
Shall we Pearl?
“Do not settle for less than the best your own excellence can command.”
~~ Anne McCaffrey ~~
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Probably, no explanation is necessary when one feels like hearing the blues. Here is a live concert from one of today’s finest blues guitarists, who is also pretty easy on the eyes…. Enjoy!..
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Ana Popovic Live
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Illusory Time
Viewed from askance, the river is long;
deep, uncompromisingly intent, swift and strong.
In duality, perception creates our only reality;
such faux metaphoric paradox enforces mutability.
By two we perceive, both zero, and one;
digital, binary, on or off, such fun.
Separate, melded, we exist, knowing not what we know
ego, striving to be solitary, looking above, seeing below.
Furiously asleep, cultural anomaly claims a victim of choice;
validly unconscious, nobody speaks, nary a voice.
Potential escapees stir in dreams, fighting to wake,
until taking the wheel, for their own bloody sake.
Pots boil in due time, when the fire’s hot,
time exists to our advantage; or, not.
The solitary warrior, head bent in pain,
fights on, with, or without gain.
Night fell, day after day it persisted;
of those who knew, none showed any care, or resisted
Angels, ministers, none had any defense, nor grace;
all that remains is a face.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/22/2016
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Naked Pearls
Τέλεια μαργαριτάρια
*******
“Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.”
~~ Roger Miller ~~
*******
“There is no God.
But it does not matter.
Man is enough.”
~~ Edna St. Vincent Millay, “Conversation at Midnight” ~~
*******
“There is no conclusive evidence of life after death.
But there is no evidence of any sort against it.
Soon enough you will know.
So why fret about it?”
~~ Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love” ~~
*******
“Don’t be confused by surfaces; in the depths everything becomes law.
What is necessary, after all, is only this:
solitude, vast inner solitude.
Walk inside yourself and meet no one for hours
–that is what you must be able to attain.”
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~
*******
“It is almost impossible systematically to constitute a natural moral law.
Nature has no principles.
She furnishes us with no reason to believe
that human life is to be respected.
Nature, in her indifference,
makes no distinction between good and evil.”
~~ Anatole France ~~
*******
“Wherever your journey takes you, there are new gods waiting there,
with divine patience – and laughter.
~~ Susan Watkins ~~
*******
That must be wonderful: I don’t understand it at all.
~~ Moliere~~
*******
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I guess it’s done. I don’t see how I can add, or take away anything that would make it any better, so, I’ll do the rational thing, & call it done. To augment & enhance that decision, I’ll end this quickly, so as to reinforce the idea we know what we’re about. I hope you enjoyed today’s mess; the cost to produce it was a bit high, as I would prefer to be. On that rather sardonic note, I shall bid thee adieu until next time, most likely tomorrow, when we’ll try once again to achieve perfection…. Hey, I know; it’s not possible, but, the effort to do so is the lesson, anyway, so….. See ya, ffolkes. Be strange; I am, & I can use the company…..
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.
“In answer to the question of why it happened,
I offer the modest proposal
that our Universe is simply one of those things
which happen from time to time.”
~~ Edward P. Tryon ~~
Midday light show, La Bufadora, Ensenada…
Hajime…. My purpose here today is single-fold; to get done with this, before I reach complete melt-down mode. I don’t know exactly why I’m in such a state, but, to deal with it most efficiently, it’s best to get this done, & move directly into hunker-down mode, my most powerful state of protective insulation from Reality. I don’t even care much today, so, I’m letting the process dictate the results. I’ve trusted it for this long, so, may as well keep on doing so….
I have nothing stirring in my conscious mind to put into this section; even my unconscious is in limbo. To avoid any accusations of either pandering, or, whining, I’ll just quit trying to be coherent, & get on with what we have for your perusal today. Nothing else to do, but, smile, & get on with it. Smiling may be pushing it, so, we’ll just move on to the latter…. It’s simple, really; this is all there is to it….
Shall we Pearl?
“Do not settle for less than the best your own excellence can command.”
~~ Anne McCaffrey ~~
Oops….
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I’ve had a mad crush on this woman for decades, & still regard her as one of humanity’s treasures, for any number of reasons, most of which she displays every time she performs…. Besides, the year is already 3 days old, & we haven’t used her yet…. Enjoy, ffolkes; I will, so, you may as well, too….
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Bonnie Raitt Live
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Semblance of Time
The dreams and visions of modern times are pallid and pale
filled with fear and loathing instead of joy and wonder.
Reality is aging poorly, submitting less data to loudly regale
Sad faded images lacking substance, or proof of thunder.
Sisters and brothers of nightly performance speak in spite
building up scars to protect, or keep a semblance of sanity.
Knowing illusion is near and dear, steeped in muscular delight
while compassion and intelligence get smothered by humanity.
Loneliness soon became the friend of many sizes of fools
stealing through mazes of social tests as if truly wise, or old
while companies of sterile opportunity are hiding their tools
from anyone who might be feeling even a little bit bold.
Painful momentary flashes seem to outline society’s fate
until soft, heavy monuments to elder gods fall from grace.
We’re all getting tired of being told we’re far too late
and never ever nearing tolerance, nor regaining any face.
A hard message awaits us all when we dare to even stay
of life’s uncaring disposition and curmudgeonly faux heart
Only with the strength of a hero may such tales make way
Only a poet may turn such pain into a valid work of art.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/5/2012
********************************
Naked Pearls
Gentle reminders….
*******
“Is the glass half empty or half full?
To some the glass is irrelevant.”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
*******
“Grub first, then ethics.”
~~ Bertolt Brecht ~~
*******
“The higher you climb, the more you show your ass.”
~~ Alexander Pope, “The Dunciad” ~~
*******
“If one studies too zealously, one easily loses his pants.”
~~ Albert Einstein ~~
*******
“‘But he hasn’t got any clothes on,’ a little boy said.”
~~ from The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen ~~
*******
“The next best thing to doing something smart is not doing something stupid.”
~~ Flo Capp’s Observation ~~
*******
“If you can’t change your mind, do you still have one?”
~~ Caroline Malmgren-Davis ~~
*******
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I did it; it’s done. That is, really, all there is to it today. In fact, it’s so done, I’m outta here, with no ups & no extras. Mark this date on your calendars, ffolkes; it’s likely you’ll never see it like this again…. 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…. 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 ~~
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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….
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Classical Music
********************************
********************************
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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
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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…. I’m tired of reblogging old Pearls, so, I’m putting this together with what I have ready, and, so be it. I’ll even be super-nice, and forgo any sort of long, rambling intro, in favor of just getting it done with as little hullabaloo as we can manage. That shouldn’t be hard, given the already overbearing handicaps under which I’m operating, as a matter of course, for the time being. This, of course, is superfluous to our purpose, but, then, little is not.
All that said, with the standard lack of direction fully acknowledged, if not compensated for, I’ll just get on with it, as it will be hard enough. I guess what I should, and will do, is pay attention to our final opening pearl’s advice, and put the damn stones down as they need to be…. Let’s go do that, ‘kay? ‘Kay!….
Shall we pearl?….
“Do not look for all the answers at once.
A path is formed by placing stones one in front of the other.”
~~ The Giant from Twin Peaks ~~
********************************
Pensive early and late…
Endings aren’t always a new beginning
I’m sad to say.
Sometimes it’s just an ending
there’s always a price to pay.
Still, it’s only money, he said
watching it piss away
Did everything ‘cept meet Fred
‘n had a good time the whole way.
Even the bad stuff turned out well,
life lessons are just that way.
Knowing what’s right, you can’t always tell,
we don’t always know the right things to say.
I’ll take all the hard times, without complaint,
learning isn’t always easy to take.
Kindness, patience, and compassion without restraint,
are still the best decisions we can make.
~~ gigoid ~~
4/26/2013
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Naked Pearls
Logic, untwisted….
*******
“It costs so much to be a full human being
that there are very few who have
the enlightenment or the courage to pay the price…
One must abandon altogether the search for security
and reach out to the risk of living with both arms…
One has to embrace the world like a lover…
One has to accept pain as a condition of existence…
One has to court doubt and darkness as the cost of knowing.
One needs a will stubborn in conflict,
but apt always to
total acceptance of every consequence of living and dying.”
~~ Morris L. West, “Shoes of the Fisherman” ~~
*******
“Make no judgments where you have no compassion.”
~~ Anne McCaffrey ~~
*******
“Belief gets in the way of learning.”
~~ Robert Heinlein, Time Enough for Love ~~
*******
“Fear is the lock and laughter the key to your heart.”
~~ Steven Stills ~~
*******
“I looked more widely around me,
I studied the lives of the masses of humanity,
and I saw that not two, or three, or ten, but hundreds,
thousands, millions, had so understood the meaning of life
that they were both able to live and to die.
All these men were well acquainted with the meaning of life and death,
quietly labored, endured privation and suffering, lived and died,
and saw in all this, not a vain, but a good thing.”
~~ Leo Tolstoy ~~
*******
“Heaven embraces the horizon.
No matter how jagged the profile, the sky faithfully conforms.”
~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~
*******
“Comedy. Sudden, violent, comedy!”
~~ Monty Python ~~
*******
********************************
There. I feel a little better. It’s not epic, but, it’s a Pearl, so, I’ll take it. And, so will you, for the nonce. I will keep working at this, and may be able to resume steady production in the fairly near future. Yay, me. Or, not. Time will tell; always does. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, one way or another….
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.
“One may not reach the dawn save by the path of the night.”
~~ Kahlil Gibran ~~
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Tiananmen Square with the OYA Posse
Hajime…. Observe, then, the bent, grizzled old man, sitting stiffly in front of a computer, perched painfully on the front edge of a chair, typing quickly in his haste to get down what must be said, while moderating the speed to minimize any errors requiring a stop to repair the damage. Grimacing, with a low grunt, as he shifts in the chair, he leans back, stiffly stretching, then leans on the table for support once more, & begins to type…
For very nearly five years, since beginning to blog here on WP, the only extended absence I’ve had was a few days when the cruise ship I was on didn’t offer adequate internet speed to make it worth the time. Even then, I didn’t always miss posting, as I just left out any pictures to decrease the upload/download time; text doesn’t take up much space, http-wise. When this Pearl gets posted, I’ll have missed, at least, four or five days, with the last freshly created work over a week ago, just when I seemed to be hitting some sort of stride. Since the creation of the daily Pearl has been, for all that time, and, remains my form of personal therapy, you can imagine just how much internal stress/angst has accumulated. Well, perhaps you can’t, but, I, sadly, don’t have to imagine, as I’ve lived through it.
I’m working at this now simply as a distraction, taken for a short time to think of something other than the sharp pain in my lower back and right hip, a song of lamentation, sung in concert with the usual pantheon of irritated nerve endings which live to complain at the top of their inner vocal range. Mostly I can tune them out, or sing accompaniment louder to drown them out, at least long enough to get some thoughts down on screen. When the main melody becomes stridently piercing, like an alto soprano in full flight through an aria in the high C, glass-shattering range, it becomes too much to think, much less, hold still long enough in a position that exacerbates the tune’s volume, to get much done in the way of coherent composition.
Here I am anyway, for the nonce, to release some of the pressure, while simultaneously continuing the major effort involved in fixing what is wrong with my physical persona, which, in spite of any thoughts we might entertain to the contrary, cannot be separated from the psychic/mental persona, at any junction or point. They are one and the same; trying to act otherwise is generally how we go wrong in the first place, so, it’s well to begin the correction process with a reminder of that, so our efforts can address the complete picture/issue, & not forget any part of what is needed.
With all that said, we’ll now return to relatively normal space/time, to rejoin today’s exploration of consensual reality where I had originally begun, several days ago. What follows has been patched together in five to ten minute increments over the past week or so; since it’s all a wash, whatever happens, no matter how long, or short, or cogent, or silly, will have to do, for it’s what there is, & I ain’t a gonna do it again. First time damn near killed me, as is…. Let’s see now, where did I put that? Oh, right… Okay, let’s go….
“A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that balances are correct.”
~~ from “Manual of Maud’Dib” by the Princess Irulan ~~
This Pearl has been a difficult one to work on, for a number of reasons. First, as reported, I’m fighting my demons almost full time. In the process, I made some attempts to reconnect with reality, part of which involved going out to be social, at a bar. Friday last, the 29th of July, in fact, I walked to a nearby establishment, actually having a decent time, then cutting myself off at a decent level, (well pre-inebriation to excess, a good sign), to take the walk home. ‘Twas a fine night, and the walk was pleasant, as it naturally would have to be, with half-a-snoot-full of prime bourbon on board….
“The Law of Unintended Consequences carries it own penalties…”
~~ Smart Bee ~~
Does anyone else see the problem here? No? Well, allow me to continue, then….
For a couple weeks, since first walking by the route taken to the bar, (though, those times, to somewhere else), I had noticed a small puppy, quite good looking, and friendly, if excitable, in a small enclosure overlooking the sidewalk, not situated in a good spot for a pet, right in the sun, with no shade. There was water, and food, but, nobody was ever around, at any of the various times I went by; the dog was, naturally, starved for attention. He was there on Friday, still in good cheer, though not as happy as usual. I told him if nobody was around when I came back, I’d say hello again, & went on my way….
Got it now? No? Okay, full confession, then…. On the way home from the bar, I stopped to greet the dog, who was happy to have the attention. Since my judgment was gone, into the bottle, I decided to ‘rescue’ the dog, if possible. I went to the door & offered the people $20 for the dog. They turned him over without a whimper of protest, telling me I’d done the right thing. I took the food, and tied one of my ropes to the pup’s collar, & off we went home…. where we were greeted by a very unhappy cat. I got the dog & cat separated, & quieted down enough for all of us to get to sleep….
For the next day and a half, I tried to find a place for the dog, unsuccessfully, while acting as simultaneous animal trainer, referee, and apologist to a cat for subjecting her to such an outrage. She was NOT pleased, to be sure, thought the pup was ecstatic… and therefore boisterous. This, it seems where the law of unintended consequence steps in, you see….
I was a responsible dog owner while he was with us, meaning I walked him at least twice, or three times a day…. As it turns out, walking a boisterous puppy, with no training of how to behave on a leash, is a physical strain on the parts of my body that are not capable of such wear and tear any longer…. By Monday morning, I was in sheer agony, with my lower back and hip on fire, causing spasms and anguish in the other muscles, to the point I could not get out of bed, at all. To my undying embarrassment, I had to call my daughter to come rescue me. and the dog & cat….
I’ve dragged this out about as far as possible, with not much more to go, so, I’ll merely say at this point, this was an act of compassion, for which I am paying a heavy price, with some rather intimidating implications for the future, given my reaction to the strain. I have been unable to write, or sit, or stand, or even lie down for long, without pain interrupting with sharp complaints. It will pass, with rest and the right approach, but, it’s slow, and, damn, it hurts. But, I did the right thing, and the dog, now with a pet rescue organization who will find him a good home, will be a much happier dog. So be it. I’ll take the pain as part of the duty, and be fine with it….
Since that’s probably the longest intro to a Pearl, ever, let’s get to the rest of it, which I’ve been working on for over a week. It’s all fresh, complete with a new poem, and I hope y’all enjoy the output…. Let’s do this, before I forget how….
Shall we pearl?….
“Few, if any, children survive to their teens.
Most surrender to the vague but murderous pressure of adult conformity.”
~~ Maya Angelou ~~
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Go figure, eh?…. It’s both a great performance of a iconic piece of music, and, a pearl of virtual wisdom, with a message….
********************************
Mozart Requiem
********************************
********************************
********************************
“The disappearance of a sense of responsibility
is the most far-reaching consequence of submission to authority.”
~~ Stanley Milgram ~~
“Collective responsibility brings a lowering of moral standards.”
~~ Freeman Dyson ~~
“No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible.”
~~ Stanislaw Lem ~~
The three quotes you see above are an example of why I pearl, at all. Each of them is a statement which essentially says the same thing, yet each is distilled, and presented, in such a way the wisdom contained is made clear by its simplicity. Together, they bring to the reader a concept I hold to be the single most critical failure of the American people, and the primary reason they have become willing, if unwitting, slaves….
When beginning this Pearl, I’d intended to produce a considerable rant, if only to show myself I still can do so. The physical constraints I’m currently experiencing has prevented such an event, as I am still in considerable pain when sitting before the computer. So, I’m going to do us all a small favor, and leave today’s lesson at that. I’ll add two more pearls. The first, from our old friend Albert, is echoed by my own feelings on the matter of government sponsored killing, which is made possible by the above clearly cowardly abrogation of honor by most of the American public. Albert states what ought to be a common feeling, and, is not….
“He who joyfully marches to music rank and file, has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action. It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder.” — Albert Einstein
Lastly, I give you Emily, for, in spite of how bad things are, or how bad they get, for some reason, I cannot seem to give up hoping we can pull it off, and survive the consequences of our own idiocy… Maybe we will, maybe we won’t; the hope doesn’t seem to want to die….
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.
And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.
I’ve heard it in the chillest land
And on the strangest sea,
Yet never in extremity
It asked a crumb of me.
~~ Emily Dickenson ~~
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Bulletin
Patterns exist to bring sanity, if illusory, at best;
follicular, reality seems to slip and slide.
Still, formal insanity consistently fails the ultimate test,
why place faith in answers. from which truth can hide?
Following the music brings us back in good time;
forever seemingly retreats from relevance.
Crazy, time stands still with yet another innovative rhyme,
no burgeoning intentions for sale, to shimmy. or dance.
Folly sits easily upon this brow;
fateful and afraid, entropy bows in shame.
Into the river of time, slowly, forgetful of how
courage gives strength, no matter the game.
Capricious, the muse demands obedient attention
at risk of exhibiting true durance vile.
Bereft, single copies sit unused, despite all intention;
while singular examples of fate pass at the stile.
Seminal events bring their own weight;
no scale necessary, no guessing by eye, or hand.
Only one lesson to learn, just pay the freight;
the music is playing, and you’re part of the band.
~~ gigoid ~~
8/6/2016
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Naked Pearls
Life at Large
*********
“From hence, ye beauties, undeceived
Know one false step is ne’er retrieved
And be with caution bold.
Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
And heedless hearts is lawful prize,
Not all that glisters gold.”
~~ Thomas Gray ~~
~~ Elegy To A Favourite Cat Drowned In A Bowl Of Goldfishes ~~
*********
“Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.”
~~ Scott Adams, maybe ~~
*********
“Everything has two handles,
–one by which it may be borne;
another by which it cannot.”
~~ Epictetus — Enchiridion, xliii ~~
*********
“Be entirely tolerant or not at all;
follow the good path or the evil one.
To stand at the crossroads requires more strength than you possess.”
~~ Heinrich Heine ~~
*********
“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
~~ Hanlon’s Razor ~~
*********
“Do not speak of what men deserve.
For we each of us deserve everything,
every luxury that was ever piled in the tombs of the dead Kings,
and we each of us deserve nothing, not a mouthful of bread in hunger.
Have we not eaten while another starved?
Will you punish us for that?
Will you reward us for the virtue of starving while others ate?
No man earns punishment, no man earns reward.
Free your mind of the idea of *deserving*, of *earning*,
and you will begin to be able to think.”
~~ Odo, The Prison Letters ~~
~~ Ursula LeGuin, “The Dispossessed” ~~
*********
“Do not settle for less than the best your own excellence can command.”
~~ Anne McCaffrey ~~
*********
“It ain’t over until it’s over.”
~~ Casey Stengel ~~
*********
“When the way comes to an end, then change
– having changed, you pass through.”
~~ I Ching ~~
*********
********************************
In spite of all the handicaps faced, it’s done. I’m going to post it, so I can say I’m still blogging…. sort of. I’ll be back again, though, with my back in the state it’s in, it’s hard to say when that may happen. I can’t promise it will, but, the odds are as good as they ever were, so, we’ll all have to live with the ambiguity for a time. See y’all then, mes amis, with more expulsion of angst, I’m sure…. You may count on that…..
“Don’t embarrass us.”
“Have I ever?”
~~ Buckaroo Banzai and Perfect Tommy ~~
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…. Reality has again intruded upon my life; demanding little bugger, too. Today, it’s even intruding on my blog, which is, to say the least, rather annoying. Moreover, it’s compelled me to trim today’s Pearl mercilessly, just to get posted. I have been forced by circumstances to eliminate today’s video, and the entire ranting section, leaving us with an intro, a poem, an old-school pearl, and a closing. So be it…..
Since this will undoubtedly save time for all of us, you are encouraged to thank me later. I have no illusions as to how important any of this is, so, don’t worry about my feelings; they’ll get over it. In fact, I’ve already decided to consider this a serendipitous morning, just because I can. I’m human, you know, so there is nothing reality can do which I cannot deny in toto. Hah!….
There…. that’s the gigoid we all know and love so well. Or, know, anyway. I think, given the turn this has taken, it’s time we get on with the rest of today’s mess, or, we’ll get stuck here for longer than we wish. I guess I’ll just use this little device right here, which is so fast, I may not be able to finish this senten…..
Shall we Pearl?….
“Heresy is another word for freedom of thought.”
~~ Graham Greene ~~
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When life calls, ready or not….
Memories are all we have sometimes
to keep our sanity intact,
with learned phrases and subtle rhymes
lessening life’s vicious, vibrant impact.
Presently all seems composed and intent
in stark contrast to hollow day,
forlorn patchwork emotions of unheralded bent,
fill up night’s bower, leaving hell to pay.
Such vigorous and elevated temper
brings us rare moments to ponder,
filled with lessons all need to remember
lest base perception lose valued wonder.
Laugh loud when entropy sticks fast
leaving shameless anger in its wake.
Let bygones pass quietly into the past
reaping only what is left to take.
Final words of wise imagination
tell us living well’s the best revenge, it appears
ever eluding choirs and congregations
finally finding home, never buried in tears.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/10/2012
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Naked Pearls
Did you know?….
*******
“The goal of all life is death.”
~~ Sigmund Freud ~~
*******
“Truth is a thing not of words but of life and being.”
~~ Robertson ~~
*******
“‘Tisn’t life that matters! ‘Tis the courage you bring to it.”
~~ Sir Hugh Walpole ~~
*******
“The wise man will always reflect concerning the quality, not the quantity of life.”
~~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca ~~
*******
“By space the universe encompasses and swallows me up like a dot;
by thought I encompass the Universe.”
~~ Pascal, Pensees, n. 265 ~~
*******
“Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them.”
~~ Aristotle ~~
*******
“Do not settle for less than the best your own excellence can command.”
~~ Anne McCaffrey ~~
*******
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Well, there you go. I can’t say it will join the ranks of the best Pearls I’ve created, but, it is done. As you are well aware, that is our only consideration at this point, so, we’ll take it, and run. I’ll see y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, though I don’t believe I’ll try to predict any sort of actual promise of presence in real-time. At this point, I’ll be lucky to not choke on my coffee…. Until we meet again on the morrow, I bid the adieu….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“Do not settle for less than the best your own excellence can command.”
~~ Anne McCaffrey ~~
Gothic Architecture gone mad ~~ Belfast, Ireland
Hajime…. There was some confusion this morning when I awoke; I could have sworn this was a different universe than the one I went to sleep in last night. Of course, that one was rather sedate, thanks to some new, efficient mind-altering substances, but, that in itself wouldn’t cause a dimensional shift; it says so on the package. I guess their lab results don’t match what we have here in Reality; that can always cause problems. Lab rats always tend to trust their results too far; reality has a way of altering conditions in such a way as to be completely impossible to reproduce in a laboratory setting. But, they keep trying, so, you gotta admire their spunk.
Once I had managed to figure out which dimension I had landed in, it seemed like I should just get on with routine, and things might settle into some sort of recognizable configuration. It doesn’t seem to be happening though, and I’m not quite sure what to do about it? Do I continue to act as if I’m right at home, or should I start panicking soon? An uncomfortable conundrum for early morning, to be sure, but, I think we’ll just use the human trait so common among the mundanes, of being able to completely ignore any part of Reality we don’t understand. Works for me today, because, in spite of getting a bit of sleep, I can’t seem to cudgel my brain into any sort of creative mode. Ah, well, so much for vaulting ambition, eh?
So be it. Since I’ve got diddly-squat on board, I’ll just do my usual default sandbagging, and dip into the archives for part of today’s post. Expect to see something a bit crusty in the rant section, and a poem of mine from the past, as well. Other than that, hey, it’s as fresh as I can make it, and, y’all will just have to like it, or, lump it, as they used to say when I was a kid. Oh, they do? Well, how ’bout that! Okay, I’ve spewed enough bs for one morning, so, let’s get the hell down the page, before I get either maudlin, or, god forbid, smarmy from trying to be clever….
Shall we Pearl?….
“We must respect the other fellow’s religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart.” — H. L. Mencken
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Today’s musical treat is just that; a live concert from the Playing For Change Band, from 2012, at the Internet Festival…. Enjoy!….
Today’s rant is yet another statement on the subject of rights, in particular, that right ostensibly protected in the Constitution for us by the Second Amendment to the Bill of Rights, which states unequivocally Congress shall make no laws abridging the right of American citizens to bear arms in their own defense. I know we’ve covered this recently, but, it bears repeated discussion, in my opinion. Besides, this one fits in with today’s dimensional and Space/Time Continuum confusion, as it is a rant last posted in May of 2013, but, written in 2012…. and, now, reposted in 2016…. The sad part of that is, it’s still a question…. hence, the opening quote from Ralph Waldo….
“Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion. It loves not realities and creators, but names and customs.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays,”Self-Reliance”
From 5/8/2013:
This may be cheating, but, it’s a good sort of cheat….. This was a rant on gun control that I wrote last year, after one of the spate of incidents in which a bunch of innocent folks got blasted by some crazy man…. Since that particular question is still in the public eye, this is worth a re-run…. (Hmm… I realized my statement may seem a bit calloused… but, that’s merely my attempt to keep emotional distance from the feelings that such events can produce, of sadness and outrage, neither of which will help reach a solution to the problem…) Any who…. abondanza!
“Are we at last brought to such a humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our own defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in our own possession and under our own direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the _real_ object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?” — Patrick Henry
Here is a subject that is always worth a few words…. I’m a firm believer in the right to bear arms. I do feel that it is probably unnecessary for a private citizen to own, or feel they need, an automatic weapon such as a machine gun, or even an M-16 assault rifle. I can’t think of a lot of everyday situations where one might be called for, but, I wouldn’t want that to be a factor in whether or not I would be allowed to have one, because what Mr. Henry asks above remains valid today….”in whose can they be trusted.. with equal safety… as in our own hands.”
That simple question is one that MUST be answered to even CONSIDER the idea of disallowing citizens the ownership of firearms. It is a certain conclusion, with more than ample evidence, that the police, military, and government agencies and people that I know of, are NOT to be trusted to have the monopoly on guns. Nope, no way will those who seek entitlement and power over others in society ever be trusted fully by the likes of me….
“A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun, therefore, be the constant companion of your walks.” — Thomas Jefferson — Encyclopedia of Thomas Jefferson, 318 (Foley, Ed. reissued 1967)
Tom may have gone a bit overboard in his enthusiasm for his personal artillery, but, it does reflect the environment in which he lived, and the culture of the time. In today’s world, of course, physical health needn’t depend on the environment, per se, to provide the exercise our bodies enjoy, and need, to stay healthy and strong. Now we have a fitness center, a faux gym, every third block in major cities, open all night for those insomniacs who want to obsess over their abs. We don’t need to go tramping through the woods with our forty pound musket, trying to spot something appropriate for dinner.
But, even without the need for the exercise involved, if one is going to have a gun, it needs to be used in order to retain its functionality, and one needs to practice occasionally, in order to maintain the skills needed to actually hit whatever at which one is aiming. Society, because of the average person’s fear of guns, and of violence in the whole, has made that more difficult for citizens as time has passed, as those who don’t want to have to deal with violence at all in their lives add the power of the common man’s fears to the effort by the beloved ruling class to take away our guns, which they’ve been trying to do regularly since the inception of this nation.
Our country is still one of the very few in the world where the government actually still has to keep in mind the fact that the citizens are well armed, and able to defend themselves…. Very few governing groups will allow that, and those in power in this country are still trying to get us to give ours up, too. It has been obvious since 1782, when the Constitution and the Bill of Rights came into effect, that those in power would prefer that the populace give up their weapons…. just check Congressional records to see how often a bill is introduced to that effect. To now, all of those attempts have been thwarted, until the latter half of the 20th century, when some limitations were placed on what kinds of weapons would be legal for citizens to own.
But, the effort by the beloved ruling class to disarm the populace continues, and every year I hear talk about new legislation designed to limit the citizen’s access to guns, and place that power monopoly in the hands of the government. I won’t have it, I tell you, and there are a LOT of people in this country who feel the same way…. I have not seen ANYTHING that convinces me at all that the people who run the government are to be trusted with that kind of power. I have seen many, many pieces of evidence to the contrary, especially in the actions of about half of the police forces in the country, who are filled with power hungry sociopaths, who believe they are above the law, and should be allowed to interpret the law to their advantage, and to the advantage of the people who buy them, er…. pay them……
Nope…. none of what I see in society is any evidence of the trustworthiness of the government, and until there is no question of their integrity, (like THAT will ever happen), you won’t be convincing me that they are worthy of my trust…. ESPECIALLY regarding guns…..
“So live that you can look any man in the eye and tell him to go to hell.” — Smart Bee
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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 ~~
12/6/2013
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Today’s final section, which, as y’all know, is reserved for showing off SB’s versatility, is another random, harlequin pearl, which came out a bit choppy, in my original estimation, but, after reflection, is a not-too-shabby little collection of advice on living life with some style and grace. Or, at least, some dignity, which often amounts to the same thing…. Enjoy!….
“Immortality lies not in the things you leave behind, but in the people your life has touched.” — Truly Wise Bee
“For my purpose holds… To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.” — Alfred, Lord Tennyson
“Bravery is being the only one who knows you’re afraid.” — Franklin P. Jones
“It’s the most unhappy people who most fear change.” — Mignon McLaughlin
“Human nature is interesting not because it is human, but because it is nature.” — Aristotelian Bee
“Reason is not measured by size or height, but by principle.” — Epictetus — Discourses, Book i, Chap. xii
“Maybe you’re right, boss. It all depends on the way you look at it….Look, one day I had gone to a little village. An old grandfather of ninety was busy planting an almond tree. ‘What, granddad!’ I exclaimed. ‘Planting an almond tree?’ and he, bent as he was, turned round and said, ‘My son, I carry on as if I should never die.’ I replied, ‘And I carry on as if I was going to die any minute.’ Which of us was right, boss?” — Nikos Kazantzakis, “Zorba the Greek”
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Done again… whew! I was NOT certain, at all, I would be able to do it, but, have once again, by trusting the process, completed my self-directed duty. Yay! Now, I think, I’ll go back to be a while, if Leelu can postpone her play time…. Either way, the rest of the day, for me, and for y’all, begins now. I, with my usual caveats, will be back tomorrow, to try again. See y’all then, since I am just crazy enough to believe I should….
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.
“Let there be a hundred answers with none of them entirely correct.
The asking of the question is already enough.”
~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~
This image shows a small section of the Veil Nebula, as it was observed by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. This section of the outer shell of the famous supernova remnant is in a region known as NGC 6960 or — more colloquially — the Witch’s Broom Nebula.
Veil Nebula ~ The Witches Broom Image by NASA/ESA Hubble Deep Space Telescope via Space.com
Good morning…. Such greeting might have more cachet, were it actually morning. It is, however, not. It’s 11:13 PM, and I am up, in moderately severe pain, (if you MUST know, everywhere but for my eyebrows….), complete with twitching in every muscle in my body, for the second time since trying to go to sleep tonight, an ambition obviously not in the cards. Had I known this would be happening earlier today, I would have probably just shot myself then, and been done with it…..
Ah, well, such is Life; ’tis the lot of Man to suffer, and die. Too bad, really, it has to be in that order, isn’t it? It would be a lot easier the other way around…. or, hey, couldn’t we just skip the suffering part? Seems like an idea, to me. But, then, I guess you could say I have a vested interest, having experienced what I tend to feel (like everyone) is more than my fair share of it…. Should that matter? I don’t know, and, currently, don’t give a rat’s ass…. Gee, is that a little too over the top? I repeat, ah, well….
I think it was Plato, or possibly Aristotle, who once remarked, “If everyone were to bring their troubles, and throw them all together in a pile, most everyone would be content to just pick up their own, and go away home.” That makes a lot of sense, and shows a deep understanding of human nature…. Another ancient sage said this on that subject, to wit: “Every horse believes his own burden to be the heaviest.” That one makes a lot of good sense, as well. Of course, neither one of them, though perfectly appropriate, make me feel one little bit better, but, hey, it distracted me long enough to get another paragraph done, so, bonus!
Why, look, ffolkes! We’ve lost our way again! Fancy that…. I don’t suppose any of y’all know which way might lead us back a bit closer to Reality? No? So be it. We’ll spend the day searching the way back, instead of diving for pearls. Good thing I’ve been working on this for a while, isn’t it? Maybe I’ll hop in the Tardis, and take a spin into the future. Oh, wait, that’s right. It’s temporarily restricted, as it may not exist at all much longer; they’re waiting to see what happens in the next couple years. If things don’t work out for us humans, the Tardis will have to go to another species somewhere else in Space and Time…. can’t let it sit idle, it’s too valuable.
See? Told ya we were lost. The hell with it. Let’s go do something else now….
Shall we Pearl?….
“If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.” — Maya Angelou
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“An agreeable companion on a journey is as good as a carriage.”
~~ Publius Syrus — Maxim 143 ~~
I thought (relatively) long and hard about what to put in this section today. Today’s Pearl, as it turned out, is, in the current sense, an anomaly, as it is completely composed of (relatively) fresh material. By fresh, I mean it is all newly written material, just for this Pearl, though it took three days to complete, as I wend my way through the latter days of my recovery from medical abuse. (Long story, for another time….)….
, I picked Wolfie’s two last symphonies (I am pretty sure there’s no # 42…. I did look.) because they are, perhaps, the best representation of the kind of music that turned me on to the classical genre, about thirty years ago, when I became tired of the state of modern music being played on the airwaves, and, well before the advent of internet streaming…. As far as I’m concerned, this is about as good as music gets. Period. I also think it goes well with the rest of the stuff you’ll find below…
Oh, and, by the way. If you enjoyed this, on the You Tube page where you will be taken by clicking the link below, you’ll find a link to a video recording of eight of Mozart’s best symphonies, over three hours worth, all conducted by Leonard Bernstein… I haven’t checked it out, but, I have a feeling it will be my next download, for music to keep on my computer, for those times I need it…. which come fairly often these days….
“If people were required to know the law rather than to obey it,
the government would be overthrown the next day.”
~~ Polly Sigh Bee ~~
As I walk the streets of the city in which I live, I see the truth of the above proposition all too clearly. Yet, the urge to rant about it seems to be in abeyance for the nonce; chalk it up to the selfishness brought to the fore when we suffer from physical issues. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t take some shots at our Beloved Ruling Class, or spend some time being ironic regarding modern society… I think the following nine-star pearl falls right into that category, so, we’ll go with that today, rather than forcing the issue with a rant…. This is better, trust me…. It’s all about the old Reader’s Digest, with yet another version of Life in these United States….
“Deal,” said the devil. “Don’t you want to cut first?” the imp asked, shoving the cards across the table. “Why bother? We’re all going to cheat, anyway.” — Ester M. Friesner, “Bargaining Chip”
“Ninety-eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hard-working, honest Americans. It’s the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity. But then–we elected them.” — Lily Tomlin
“One can imagine a sane, healthy, cheerful human society based on no more than the principles of common sense, as validated each day by work, play, and living experience. But this remains the most Utopian and fantastic of ideals.” — Edward Abbey
“If we were to promise people nothing better than only revolution, they would scratch their heads and say: “Is it not better to have good goulash?” — Nikita Khruschev, quoted 1971
“I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the rights of the people by the gradual & silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” — James Madison, Virginia Conv. 1788
“The only guarantee of the Bill of Rights which continues to have any force and effect is the one prohibiting quartering troops on citizens in time of peace.” — H. L. Mencken, 1951
“A free life cannot acquire many possessions, because this is not easy to do without servility to mobs or monarchs…” — Epicurus
“The majority, compose them how you will, are a herd, and not a nice one.” — William Hazlitt
“I see from your coat, my friend, you’re from the other side.
There’s just one thing I’d like to know:
Who won?
~~ David Crosby ~~
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Adjectives of Quality/Bloody Friday
A baleful lump of ironic introspection
sits upon my shoulder today
leaving traces of fey reflection
with a smattering of true dismay.
Resistance may be futile, many have said,
belief didn’t necessarily follow.
Abnegation of fear marks all bills paid,
leaving such empty threats hollow.
Symbolic courage never sleeps so deeply
as when delusion holds sway.
Bartered virtue, sold far too cheaply,
stands in shame, until honor fades away.
Too many culprits exist to count just one;
all of us bear obvious blame.
Evil is as evil does, only, when it’s done,
it begins again, all same-same.
Nobody seems to care enough to deny the lies.
Ignorant fear rules humanity’s masses.
When evil passes unremarked, innocence dies;
silence equals guilt, leaving only hope’s ashes.
Reality screams; tales of terror unfold,
flames fanned with purposeful malice,
insidious dangers hide beneath atrocity untold
as Gaia weeps into an empty chalice.
~~ gigoid ~~
Written 10/2/2015.
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This one is for Tom, who stimulated/inspired it by the simple act of asking two questions…..
Life, as we know it, can be a tricky proposition; I think we can all agree on that. This is especially true for us humans, given our gift/curse, to wit: endless imagination. Both help and hindrance, it makes us, if naught else, the strangest creatures on the planet, duck-billed platypi notwithstanding.
Today’s final old-school pearl is a a celebration/lamentation of that particular facet of our existence. Each of these pearls, if I’ve done this correctly, should give you both a little thrill of understanding, and a little chill of foreboding…. Enjoy!….
“Is this going to involve RAW human ecstasy?” — Zippy the Pinhead
“Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around — nobody big, I mean — except me. And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff — I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I’d do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye. I know it; I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be. I know it’s crazy.” — J. D. Salinger, “Catcher in the Rye”
“No one is as weird as they think they are. Everyone is weirder than others think they are.” — Byron Elbows’ two rules of human nature
“Dragons fly because they *think* they can.” — Anne McCaffrey.
“If there are twelve clowns in a ring, you can jump in the middle and start reciting Shakespeare, but to the audience, you’ll just be the thirteenth clown.” — Adam Walinsky
“A man who carries a cat by the tail is gaining helpful experience. He will never be dim or doubtful. Chances are he will never carry a cat by the tail again. But I say, if he wants to, let him!” — Mark Twain
“Forward goes the vanguard of the lunatic fringe, tickling the death clowns of normality.” — HealNorm
“I go through the house in the middle of the night, and hear the ticking of the clocks. I can’t stop them; I can’t turn them back.” — the Marschallin, in Der Rosenkavalier
And if I laugh at any mortal thing,
‘T is that I may not weep.
~~ Lord Byron — Don Juan, Canto iv, Stanza 4 ~~
Whew! I don’t know about y’all, but, all I can say is, what a ride!…. Good thing we’re done for today, isn’t it?….
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Done. And, if not, tough stuff, as they say. Well, somebody said it. Plus, it’s done, so there. I’ll take the credit, and/or the blame, whichever seems most appropriate. Meanwhile, I’m outta here, to try to find some of the sleep I lost. See y’all next time, whenever that may be….
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 