Tag Archives: Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Up the creek, paddling madly….

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Ffolkes,

“It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion;
it is easy in solitude to live after our own;
but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd
keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

Mt Tam

Mount Tamalpais from the northern SF Bay….

Hajime…. My journey into the depths of the machine yesterday turned into the expected nightmare, in which it seemed reality was determined to furnish me with numerous assaults upon my sensibilities, testing my resolve, as well as my control, both of which proved to be sufficient, if only just, to prevent leaving any corpses behind me as I wended my way across the desolate landscape, in a desperate search to find one redeemable instant of time. No luck there; this travesty of our former democratic republic’s process of finding justice is as broken as the rest of our society; I witnessed nothing to indicate that “justice” was the goal of any of it.

Added to the apparent lack of intelligent purpose in which they insist on pursuing, my physical issues decided to chime in, making it essentially impossible for me to participate with any degree of comfort, much less any ability to maintain my cool; fortunately, a compassionate drone used some bureaucratic expertise to excuse me for the day, which is the good news. The bad news is, it was merely postponed to a later date, so, I must contemplate having to do this again in a month, unless I can talk my doctor into writing a letter to get me out of it…. SIGH… I suppose, given the potentially disastrous outcomes that were both possible, and, showing strong odds of occurring, the way it came out is more good news. The bad part is having to deal with it again later…. Life in Dystopia, I guess…

I was so morose by the time I finished dealing with all that, I decided to blow off the rest of the day, then went out & treated myself to a good meal at a good restaurant, complete with cocktails & wine…. It helped, but, has complicated this morning’s agenda with the resultant hangover…. Go figure, eh? Ah well, ’twas well worth it….

All the above, though it wanders about in much confusion, was pointing to this instant in time, where I inform y’all of having to rather ruthlessly trim today’s (semi-) complete Pearl, into the abbreviated version you will find below. In fact, all you’ll see today are the pearls I collected for the old school section, and the two most excellent examples you found atop and at bottom of this section…. In fact, the closing pearl for this intro makes a rather accurate assessment of my day yesterday, so, at least we have that to hold onto as something positive to note… It ain’t much, but, it don’t take much to make me happy…. In my current state, I’ll take it….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Mit der Dummheit kaempfen Goetter selbst vergebens.”

[Against stupidity the very gods contend in vain.]

~~ Friedrich Schiller, “The Maid of Orleans”, Act iii, Sc. 6 ~~

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

“As it is written….”

*******

“A single event can awaken within us
a stranger totally unknown to us.
To live is to be slowly born.”

~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~

*******

“And can you teach me to how to dance real slow?”

~~ Don McLean, “American Pie” ~~

*******

“The world is what it is, no less and no more,
and therein lies its entire and sufficient meaning.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

*******

“Change can be exhilarating, joyous, liberating.
But it can also be terrifying,
because, in a deeper sense,
you are questioning your very identity and sense of value.
But take the risk.
It’s worth it.”

~~ Dee Hock ~~

*******

“Do not seek death; death will find you.
But seek the road which makes death a fulfillment.”

~~ Dag Hammarskjold ~~

*******

“If I don’t meet you no more in this world
Then I’ll see you in the next one.
Don’t be late”

~~ Jimi Hendrix ~~

*******

“There will come a time when you think everything is finished.
That will be the beginning.”

~~ Louis L’Amour ~~~

*******

***************************************

Considering the multitudinous handicaps with which I saddled myself today, I’m pretty stoked at just getting this done, which it is. Done, I mean. In fact, it’s so done, I’m outta here, so I can pull it together enough to, maybe, get another one done for tomorrow. Odds on that are running about even, so, we’ll see how it goes. I hope y’all had, and have, a better day than described above… I guess that wouldn’t take much, would it? Okay, so, I also hope you have a day you can enjoy…. Me, I’m goin’ back to bed awhile…. then, we’ll see what reality has to offer up for today…. 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.

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 13855

À bientôt, mon cherí….


		

			

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Relative, but, not related….

			
						

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Ffolkes,



“Look to the essence of a thing,


whether it be a point of doctrine, of practice,or of interpretation.”



~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, viii, 22 ~~


sf goodbye


Typical foggy/hazy day in SF….


Hajime…. For two days now, I’ve been engaged in pursuing my lifelong quest for truth; unfortunately, my search often leads me to places where, not only have I previously been there, but, left for good reason, even if those places were deep in my own soul. In truth, it is becoming increasingly clear that the truth resides there, as it does for each of us, though our culture and its demands upon us tends to attempt to deny this simple truth. We all have a tendency to play fast and loose with our connection to what is real, believing, deep in our innermost ego, we can alter Reality itself by the power of our imagination.


 

Reality, of course, is not so inclined, which leaves us living, much of the time, in a state of conflict with the world around us, and, as a reflection of this tension, in conflict with ourselves. As might be surmised, this often leaves us in a confused state of mind, which is not the most efficacious method for dealing with what is real. In my own case, this has led me to a point in life where the motivation to continue to struggle becomes difficult to find, much less employ to any advantage. In short, I just can’t find it in me to give much of a crap about what is happening in the world; there just doesn’t seem to be any good reason to do so. As you might imagine, this is not a particularly comfortable, or comforting, state of mind in which to dwell….


 

Over the past two days, since falling into the well of depression, I’ve managed to cobble together the elements of a Pearl for today; if I can continue a bit longer, I’ll even manage to post it. I’ve done this, not for any logical or identifiable reason, but, simply because, for my own sanity, it’s what I do. This is how I organize & codify my thoughts, and carry out the process of evaluating my thoughts in the light of reality; the process helps me to stay in a relatively stable frame of mind. Without it, I get even more depressed; expression of what we feel is critical for us humans. We get blocked up, mentally, when we try to shut ourselves off from such expression. So, I write, not to share, but, to vent….


 

Now I’ve shared my inner conflict, to little advantage, I’m sure, I’m going to go post this, knowing full well it won’t mean anything much to anyone but me. I can’t seem to get on with any other business until I do, so, that’s what I’m gonna do. So be it. There will be no tricks, no ups, & no extras today; all there is are these pearls, and my own sense of angst, set free….. Let’s quit fooling around, then, shall we, & get on with it….


 

Shall we Pearl?


 



“What embitters the world is not excess of criticism,but an absence of self-criticism.”

~~ G. K. Chesterton, Sidelights on New London and Newer New York ~~


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hot tuna


Yep. The original Hot Tuna…. Enjoy! In case you’d forgotten, or never knew, these guys can PLAY!…..



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Hot Tuna Live, 3/4/88Fillmore Auditorium






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Comedy_Tragedy


Banishing demons….


Endless nights lead inexorably into endless days

while the battle for peace rages.

Lost arts find new meaning used in new ways;

to burn, yearn, and turn all the new pages.


Darkness falls heavily on bowed shoulders, contrite;

fireworks travel fast in nervous tissue.

The pace is kept, clean, but, never erudite;

such a pale tale of ancient issue.


Peering in terror down long, long halls of night

brings only confusion, destitute in sorrow.

Cannot time become our enemy, eager to fight

on the side which may never see tomorrow?


The longing gaze of passion, for reason to live,

must fall ever more faithfully into sedition,

else the clinging visions we claim to give,

shall not prevent reaching inevitable perdition.


Rising up, clarity of purpose shines the light of day

upon such a desolate landscape of absent release.

There is no escape, no furthering of the way.

Time never knows how to grant peace.


~~ gigoid ~~


11/23/2015


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pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Notes on Life at Large….


*******


“To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else.”


~~ Emily Dickinson ~~


*******


“It is important to do what you don’t know how to do.

It is important to see your skills

as keeping you from learning what is deepest and most mysterious.

If you know how to focus, unfocus.

If your tendency is to make sense out of chaos, start chaos.”


~~ Carlos Casteneda ~~


*******


“If you want to build a ship,

don’t drum up people together to collect wood

and don’t assign them tasks and work,

but rather teach them

to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”


~~ Antoine de Saint Exupery ~~


*******


“There’s no reality except the one contained within us.

That’s why so many people live an unreal life.

They take images outside them for reality

and never allow the world within them to assert itself.”


~~ Hermann Hesse ~~


*******


“Do not the spirits who dwell in the ether envy man his pain?”


~~ Kahlil Gibran ~~


*******


“One does what one is;

one becomes what one does.”


~~ Robert Musil, c. 1930 ~~


*******


Let us endeavour to live that when we come to die

even the undertaker will be sorry.”


~~ Mark Twain, from Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar (1894)~~


*******


***************************************

There you have it, such as it is. I’ve got nothing else to say, so, I won’t say it. I’ll see y’all in a day, or maybe two. Be well, be safe, & be real. That’s all you can really do, ultimately, & that is something we all have to live with. Ta, then, luvs….


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, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
We beg to differ….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“The gods conceal from men the happiness of death,

that they may endure life.”


~~ Lucan~~


dreaming


Lost in the dream….


Hajime…. Today’s Pearl ended up with more material than expected; I found an old mini-rant/discussion I wrote, then put away for later use, back in 2014, which I have included below the music; sort of a bonus for my own benefit, you see. It’s not bad, for what it is, and it certainly helps me to realize how far I’ve traveled, if only in my own mind’s fertile fields…. There is also a poem from a while back, and some rather nice pearls for the old-school section. And, since I’m improvising today’s post, music to match the tone….


Finding myself with so much material, as it turns out, is fortuitous on more than one level, for my total working time yesterday took a serious hit in the morning. I’d taken care of my granddaughter the day before, without realizing how fatigued I would become; at about 0900, after posting & answering a couple comments, I went back to bed, where I slept like a rock for five straight hours…. This, of course, left my mind in a suppressed state for a while, thus putting me further behind my intended schedule…. That’s why I say ‘fortuitous’, for it saved me a lot of time this morning, which worked out well for getting this done in a timely fashion…. which it did. Get done, that is….


To keep from going completely overboard with the amount of material, I’ll say no more here, but, shall, instead, bring this intro to a rapid conclusion, if I can remember how….. Oh, right. No worries, ffolkes; I even put this little method aside to use this morning, and it works quite well, if you don’t blink….


Shall we Pearl?


“I speak truth, not so much as I would, but as much as I dare;

and I dare a little the more as I grow older.


~~ Michael de Montaigne — Essays, Book iii, Chap ii, Of Repentance ~~


***************************************


phish-theline-freedownload-fuegodownload-2014phishtour


Phish


Today, I feel like some modern rock, with a deep connection to old rock…. Yes, I know, it’s a bit of a complex urge, but, I know just the right band to fill the bill. Here is one of my favorite modern concerts, which begins, and goes on, with a blend of improvisation & discipline I find encouraging, if not downright hopeful. I hope you enjoy excellent musicianship, because this is an excellent display of just that…. Enjoy!….


***************************************






Live Phish






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About Hopi Indian Symbols


Written 4/12/2014:


{Chaos + Entropy } – {Compassion + Love} = 42


SIGH…. there are times, such as this, when I wonder what life might be like without Murphy’s unkind attentions, and though it might affect the balance of the universe somehow if he weren’t around to see to his chosen task , (that of filling my quota, plus bonuses, of stupid, annoying crap, with which to deal at the most inconvenient times), I’d be more than willing to try it out, just to see if I could deal with THAT any better than I do with him dogging me…. In fact, I’d give serious money to have an opportunity to try….


Sadly for me, and for all of us, I suppose, money won’t buy freedom from Reality, or from the elements of Chaos, and Entropy, that are as much a part of life as are Order, and Beauty…. There are people who believe that money CAN buy happiness, but they are deluded, existing in a way that prevents them from ever really connecting with the universe deeply, or experiencing the finer parts of life, those that come only when one is open to compassion, and to love.


Moreover, these poor, sad fools are completely ignorant of missing out on anything, believing themselves to be rich as Croesus…. which, in fact, they may be…. This, however does not prevent them from being, in truth, sadly misdirected, delusionally convinced of their own rightness, in spite of all evidence otherwise, and, ultimately, pathetically overburdened with more THINGS than they can ever use, or even appreciate.


And, when they die, none of what they’ve spent their lives pursuing can go with them, wherever they may go…. There’s no conclusive evidence indicating any particular destination to which we go when we pass on, at least, none we can perceive, or comprehend in our current state of being….


Nobody, in all of our checkered, but pretty well documented history, has ever come up with any real, solid evidence for ANY of the theories on the matter, one way or another, but, I know for a FACT, it is for sure, and for certain, wherever our consciousness may go, it won’t be carrying bus fare, or any credit cards…. and nobody, I think, will care at all how much crap they had while they were here….


Who knows where THIS came from…. not me. I found the first part in an old Pearl intro, and the rest just spewed out…. so be it….


gigoid, the dubious has spoken….


***************************************


Comedy_Tragedy


Historical Perspective


When all has been said, and all been done,

there really isn’t much to say;

we all come to the same place in the sun,

where darkness overtakes us on our way.


The road seems long as we trundle along,

our perception of time allows us this boon.

In truth, our time here is a short, sweet song,

ending far, far too soon.


There never seems to be all the time

we would wish to have for our own.

Right at the point we find reason in our rhyme:

“It’s for you; your friend Death’s on the phone.”


Yet we all keep moving along our chosen pathway

burning each moment in imagination’s hot fire.

Future and past are held well at bay

lest we are distracted from our desire.


‘Tis no wonder history is rife with pain, and fear;

we sang sweet songs, but the key was wrong.

The only real surprise, it seems crystal clear,

is why the darkness has taken so long.


Just an observation….


~~ gigoid ~~


10/13/2015.


***************************************


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Life + Death = Life at Large….


*******


“When I was born, death kissed me. I kissed it back.”


~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~


*******


“To know much is often the cause of doubting more.”


~~ Montaigne ~~


*******


“Are all your stars shining?”


~~ JD Salinger ~~


*******


“At ebb tide I wrote a line upon the sand,

and gave it all my heart and all my soul.

At flood tide I returned to read what I had inscribed

and found my ignorance upon the shore.”


~~ Kahlil Gibran ~~


*******


“One’s friends are that part of the human race with which one can be human.”


~~ George Santayana ~~


*******


“A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us.

To live is to be slowly born.”


~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~


*******


“For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered.

But for those of us who can’t readily accept the God formula,

the big answers don’t remain stone-written.

We adjust to new conditions and discoveries.

We are pliable.

Love need not be a command or faith a dictum.

I am my own God.

We are here to unlearn the teachings

of the church, state, and our educational system.

We are here to drink beer.

We are here to kill war.

We are here to laugh at the odds

and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.”


~~ Charles Bukowski ~~


*******


***************************************


Well, there you have it. One complete Pearl of Virtual Wisdom, in all its broken glory. I have yet to look back at it, as a whole, but, it doesn’t matter, as I’m gonna post it, no matter how it turned out. That’s what I call trusting the process, which, thus far, has served me well. In celebration of that, I shall take my leave, with the gentlest of touches…. How’s this for quick, and easy? See ya, ffolkes….


Y’all take care out there,

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Just when it seemed safe….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“Let us treat men and women well;

Treat them as if they were real;

Perhaps they are.”


~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~


nap


Creativity is tiring….


Hajime…. Having had a great time yesterday with my two-year-old granddaughter, I awake today, very late, and, not at all stressed about being so. I decided to just mosey for a while, putting together all the elements for today’s post, without the usual attendant self-induced stress over the deadline, which exists only in my own head, anyway. This may not have contributed to the quality of this one, but, it sure made me easier in my own mind about when it got done. Which it is. Done, that is….


Since that is the case, I’m going to ruthlessly end this intro, right here, right now, to avoid any further delay, or possible build-up of unwanted angst as a result. How’s this for ruthless efficiency?…..


Shall we Pearl?


“As a man can drink water from any side of a full tank,

so the skilled theologian can wrest from any scripture

that which will serve his purpose.”


~~ Bhagavad Gita ~~


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royalty-free-clip-art-vector-logos-of-black-and-orange-floral-acoustic-guitars-by-seamartini-graphics-6573


I’m late, & in a hurry; guess what that means? Yep…. Today’s selection is the collection of choices made by You Tube, itself…. Try to enjoy it, anyway….


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Classical Music






***************************************












***************************************


***************************************


Comedy_Tragedy


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


***************************************


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Graphing the curve….


*******


“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret;

it is only with the heart that one can see rightly,

what is essential is invisible to the eye.”


~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~


*******


“Forget the past and live the present hour.”


~~ Sarah Knowles Bolton ~~


*******


“With two hearts do people live;

a small one of deep softness, the other of steel.

And kindness is too often a shield, generosity too often a sword.”


~~ Kahlil Gibran ~~


*******


“The wise person questions the wisdom of others

because they question their own;

the foolish one, because it is different from their own.”


~~ Leo Stein ~~


*******


“What is done with joy is always better done.”


~~ H. L. Mencken ~~


*******


“I always have fun because I’m out of my mind!!!”


~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~


*******


“Don’t ask me where I’m going,

Just listen when I’m gone

And far away you’ll hear me singing softly to the dawn”


~~ Pippin ~~


*******


***************************************


There; that ought to do for now. Having displayed a completely unlikely efficiency in the intro, it behooves me to continue the policy here at the end. Plus, it balances it all quite nicely, for what it is, or, for what it could be. To do so means I have to be a little rude, but, hey, nothing new, right? Okay, now we’ve settled that, I’m outta here. I’ll try again, ffolkes, in the relatively near future. That’s both a promise, and a threat, in case you weren’t sure. For now, let it be, and, don’t ask. Then I won’t have to tell…. 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.


gigoid, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Featured Image -- 12787


À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Exposing random consistency….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“One cannot live without inconsistency.”


~~ C. G. Jung ~~


full moon 9-8-14


Full moon rising…. 2014


Hajime…. My first remarks today are an apology, of sorts, to those of my Gentle Readers whose blogs I have seemingly boycotted in recent days. Generally, if I can sit for any appreciable length of time after posting the Daily Pearl, I will go to those sites, & leave comments, most of which have sublimated my ranting urges, enough to keep me from having to expunge that urge here. But, lately, I have been both unable to sit for long, and, unable to face commenting on issues in which I see so little reward for trying to join a dialogue. Perhaps it is because of the general sense of futility so prevalent in today’s world, where no good deed goes unpunished; perhaps it is just my own sense of the world’s state, which, needless to say, is NOT particularly hopeful of any reasonable resolution… Either way, I haven’t been commenting, & wish to relate my apology for that failure….


As for today, I have completed putting together today’s offering, but, cannot promise to pursue any surfing, or commenting later; I’m fighting a cold, (my own fault, as it always is, for waiting too long to begin the battle…. ), and spent yesterday on public transportation, (via ferry, train, & bus….) to travel to SF & back, to take care of some important business. Mission accomplished, but, given my only partially healthy state, put me well over my limits, enough to make today a slow recovery day. So be it. I can’t change the past (a lesson now well-learned….), so, I’ll just do what I can today to meet as many duties as I can, & not fret the rest.


To assist myself in that task, we’ll cut this short, (well, as short as it can be, having already meandered through a couple hundred words of blather….), & get on with the rest of today’s mess. I’ll even go so far as to do so without undue fuss, or any unreasonable delay. I do that, of course, like this….


Shall we Pearl?


“When the fox gnaws — smile.”


~~ Lazarus Long in Robert A. Heinlein’s Time Enough For Love ~~


***********************************


dixie last fm


Image from lastfm.com via Google Images


Today, I feel like some erudite modern rock, which this band does as well as anyone…. Enjoy!….


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Dixie Chicks

Live in Denver, 2016






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Comedy_Tragedy


Joe Friday’s lament


Life is short, and though I’m odd, they say

it really doesn’t bother me

to realize there is no God, per se.


Though other folks will disagree

and tell me I’m wrong

I won’t believe it, with naught to see.


Liars called padre tell me, have humility,

and do as the authorities say,

then fondle little boys with facility.


They also tell me to share the wealth

and give them a 10% tithe

so they don’t have get it by stealth.


So spare me the delusions, please

don’t bother with such a tale;

I’m nobody that needs such a tease.


Keep your fantasies under your hat

and out of my face;

I don’t need them, they’ll make me fat….. headed.


~~ gigoid ~~


2/8/2013


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pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Further notes on process & program….


*******


“Beauty is truth, truth beauty, –that is all

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”


~~ John Keats — “Ode on a Grecian Urn” ~~


*******


“Fear is sharp-sighted,

and can see things under ground,

and much more in the skies.”


~~~ Miguel de Cervantes — Don Quixote, Part i, Book iii, Chap. vi ~~


*******


“We must laugh at man to avoid crying for him.”


~~ Napoleon Bonaparte ~~


*******


“The mastery of nature is vainly believed to be an adequate substitute for self-mastery.”


~~ Reinhold Niebuhr ~~


*******


“How could the drops of water know themselves to be a river?

Yet the river flows on.”


~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~


*******


A man said to the Universe: “Sir, I exist!”


“However,” replied the Universe, “the fact has not created in me a sense of obligation.”


~~ Stephen Crane, “War is Kind”, 1899 ~~


*******


“The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind.”


~~ Bob Dylan ~~


*******


********************************


Today’s Pearl has been thrown together with some dispatch, though it may seem relatively smooth from the outside. It does have the one primary characteristic for which we continually aim, to wit: it’s done. To complement the relative efficiency shown in the intro, I’ll use the same technique to bring it to a rapid close. How rapid? Well, how’s this? See ya, ffolkes; I’ll be back, relatively soon, I’m sure. Until then, be strange; I find it to be a compellingly satisfying way to keep people on their toes….


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, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Adrift on a sea of sorrow….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”


~~ Marcus Tullius Cicero ~~


Leelu at leisure


Leelu at leisure….


Hajime…. I am in a position where it is becoming difficult to remain confident of ultimate success; since the article of contemplation under consideration is my life, this translates to some slight degree of danger, in that preserving life requires, at minimum, a confident interest in expending the effort to do so. Maintaining that attitude of interest can, I may now attest, become questionable, or, perhaps, questioned as to whether the effort is worth the result. In short, and, more clearly, there develops a decision to be made, as to whether maintaining the effort to live is worth the result….


I guess that’s a long winded way to say I’m tired of making the effort, only to encounter more, and yet more, obstacles or conditions which make that life less than pleasurable. I’ve just spent two days, and more, trying to assuage my body’s symptoms, only to arise today & find them unchanged to any appreciable degree. I’m still susceptible to extreme fatigue, lethargy, & pain, with the added fillip of occasional loss of blood to provide extra interest to an already too-interesting process. It’s disconcerting to spend a night sleeping hard, only to awaken tired, and still ‘out of balance.’ More than just a little disheartening, to be sure….


Ah, well, such is life for those of us who have lived fully, I suppose; there’s a price to be paid for continually going past the limits observed by those who cruise through life avoiding risks, in order to avoid injury, or emotional hurt, or other activities less than comfortable. Life lets us know very early there is a price for going beyond the normal; some of us are willing to pay it more readily than others, and who is to say who has the better way? Not me, though I have to say, I’d rather be scared and in pain, than bored, any day…..


There…. not too bad. I’ve related how unsettled I am, without going into tedious or graphic details sure to offend someone’s sensibilities. Perhaps it will suffice to explain how choppy the following Pearl turned out (well, it seems so to me, but, that’s probably because I’m seeing it from the inside…); then again, when have Pearls ever been easily explained? Never, I’d say. So, rather than belabor a non-point, I’ll just get on with it, before it gets any more maudlin, or incomprehensible altogether. I had hoped to finish the new poem, but, those pesky symptoms have kept me from any such comforting completion of a task, so, we’ll have to make do with what I’ve got so far, & be content with that. Or, not, as you wish….


As for me, I’m getting it done, as quickly as possible, so as to, once again, go deal with the aforementioned symptoms, which shall remain obscure, to save everyone’s breakfast. Rather than explore that notion, we’ll resort to one of our emergency techniques for getting us down the page…. It’s one you know well, as I’ve used it many times… it works like this….


Shall we Pearl?


“Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure.

We get very little wisdom from success, you know.”


~~ William Saroyan ~~


***********************************


zydeco at mardi gras


Picture from http://blog.agaxtur.com.br via Google Images


A few days ago, in a re-blogged Pearl, I made mention of Cajuns, whereupon a friend asked me, “What about that lovely Cajun music?” She’s right, so, here is a mix of some pretty damn good Zydeco, as their music is so aptly named…. Enjoy, but, only if you really like to party….


********************************






Cajun Music Mix






********************************












********************************


********************************


Comedy_Tragedy


Since I am battling my body, here is a poem I wrote a while back, while battling other internal demons. Different causes, but, similar battles, and the poem gives the correct flavor for today’s experience…. So be it….


Banishing demons….


Endless nights lead inexorably into endless days

while the battle for peace rages.

Lost arts find new meaning used in new ways;

to burn, yearn, and turn all the new pages.


Darkness falls heavily on bowed shoulders, contrite;

fireworks travel fast in nervous tissue.

The pace is kept, clean, but, never erudite;

such a pale tale of ancient issue.


Peering in terror down long, long halls of night

brings only confusion, destitute in sorrow.

Cannot time become our enemy, eager to fight

on the side which may never see tomorrow?


The longing gaze of passion, for reason to live,

must fall ever more faithfully into sedition,

else the clinging visions we claim to give,

shall not prevent reaching inevitable perdition.


Rising up, clarity of purpose shines the light of day

upon such a desolate landscape of absent release.

There is no escape, no furthering of the way.

Time never knows how to grant peace.


~~ gigoid ~~


11/23/2015


********************************


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


To be, or….


*******


“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) ~~


*******


“Where pain predominates, agony can be a valued teacher.”


~~ Frank Herbert ~~


*******


“If you want to build a ship,

don’t drum up people together to collect wood

and don’t assign them tasks and work,

but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”


~~ Antoine de Saint Exupery ~~


*******


“How do the geese know when to fly to the sun?

Who tells them the seasons?

How do we, humans, know when it is time to move on?

As with the migrant birds, so surely with us,

there is a voice within, if only we would listen to it,

that tells us so certainly when to go forth into the unknown.”


~~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross ~~


*******


“If you are distressed by anything external,

the pain is not due to the thing itself,

but to your own estimate of it;

and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”


~~ Marcus Aurelius ~~


*******


“The important thing is not to stop questioning.

Curiosity has its own reason for existing.

One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates

the mysteries of eternity,

of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.

It is enough if one tries merely

to comprehend a little of this mystery every day.

Never lose a holy curiosity.”


~~ Albert Einstein ~~


*******


“All is flux, nothing stays still.”


~~ Heraclitus (540?-480? B.C.) ~~


*******


********************************


Having already sat longer than is wise, I’ll truncate this closing without mercy. That looks like this. See ya, ffolkes. Can’t say exactly when, for I’ve sat too much today already. I’ll be back when I can…..


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, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Featured Image -- 12301


À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Applicable standards don’t exist….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“He who has the courage to laugh

is almost as much a master of the world

as he who is ready to die.”


~~ Giacomo Leopardi ~~


smiley zoey


Mornings are fun!….


Hajime…. Just look at that face! Is that not the perfect picture of experiencing joy, simply to be alive? Such serendipitous gifts cannot be overvalued, in my estimation, providing us with a reason to look inside, to find the part of us that once felt that joy, unbidden. For those of us advanced in years, it’s a long way back in memory, but, just seeing such a smile, echoed by the glittering eyes, gives us good reason to spend the time & effort to take that journey into our own past, to share the joy she so obviously feels….


Thanks to a studious application of will, I was able to cobble together this Pearl for today. Two final tasks to complete, then I can post it, before reaching my current limit for sitting. To keep from going wonky, as is my wont, far too often, I’ll truncate this intro, as best I can, & we can all get on with the rest of the day, which, for me, is a busy one. In fact, I’ve so much to do, I actually am experiencing the dreaded deadline anxiety; time to administer the antidote, I think. How, you may ask, will he do it this time? Simple, really. Watch this….


Shall we Pearl?


“If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good.

But you can survive without it

if you have love, compassion, and tolerance.

The clear truth of a person’s love of God

is if that person genuinely shows love to fellow human beings.”


~~ Dalai Lama ~~


***********************************


jimmy_buffett


Since we’re having so much fun this morning, I feel like some good time music. Here is one of my favorite concerts from a good time musician, with whom I’ve spent many a fine evening, both in concert, and on the stereo…. I’ve been a Coral Reefer since the mid-70’s, when I first heard two of his first albums, “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation”, and “Living and Dying in 3/4 Time”. I won’t suggest you enjoy this, as I am sure you will, no matter what I may say; it’s just plain good stuff….


********************************






Jimmy Buffett

Live in Anguilla






********************************












********************************


********************************


Comedy_Tragedy


Dreaming of Calliope


La belle dame sans merci speaks aloud through endless night,

torturing dreams, with powerful words and stentorian phrases.

Manifest visions bathed in unbearable grace and light,

destroying all direction, standing lost, in unfathomable mazes.


Fate plays a part, one that will never face denial,

as fear and courage eternally vie for ascendancy.

Conflict becomes valid, gifting strength in open trial,

but honest emotion wears no costume so fancy.


Blood, sweat, and tears stroll on avenues of gold,

unlikely heroines heralding as in ancient lore;

Sharp, competent knives cut through tales untold,

eternally shifting reality past the naked shore.


Drifting toward origin, bereft of mandate or cause,

finished, nay, abandoned, tied with a figurative bow.

No simple gift from muses to give comfort or pause,

save that all we need to know, we already know…..


~~ gigoid ~~


12/13/2012


********************************


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Poetic philosophy,

aka,

Philosophic Poetry….


*********


“A word is dead

When it is said

Some say.

I say it just

Begins to live

That day.”


~~ Emily Dickinson ~~


*********


“The hour is striking so close above me,

so clear and sharp,

that all my senses ring with it.

I feel it now: there’s a power in me

to grasp and give shape to my world.

I know that nothing has ever been real

without my beholding it.

All becoming has needed me.

My looking ripens things

and they come toward me, to meet and be met.”


~~ Rainer Maria Rilke, from Book of Hours~~


*********


“As for the future,

your task is not to foresee it,

but to enable it.”


~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery, “Wisdom of the Sands” ~~


*********


“Do I dare disturb the universe?”


~~ T. S. Eliot ~~


*********


“Happiness follows sorrow,

sorrow follows happiness,

but when one no longer discriminates

between happiness and sorrow,

a good deal and a bad deed,

one is able to realize freedom.”


~~ Buddha~~


*********


“If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”


~~ Rush, “Freewill” ~~


*********


“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.”


~~ Ralph Ellison ~~


*********


“All time in all time.

It does not change.

It does not lend itself to warnings or explanations.

It simply is.

Take it moment by moment,

and you will find that we are all bugs in amber.”


~~ Kurt Vonnegut Jr., “Slaughter-House 5” ~~


*********


“Come to the edge, life said.

They said: We are afraid.

Come to the edge, life said.

They came.

It pushed them….

and they Flew.”


~~  Guillaume Apollinaire ~~


*********


********************************


Well, I did it. Okay, so, I cheated, a bit. Sue me, if you dare. For my own part, I am content, or, as content as possible in my current state of advanced ambiguity. So be it, he said, with a wicked grin and a snap of the fingers. We’re done, and, what’s more, we’re outta here. No telling, at this point, when this might happen again, but, you may rest assured, it will. Hell, I’ve even got a new poem in the process of leaking out, so, eventually, when it’s done, I’ll have to post it, if only to soothe my own fevered dreams of adequacy. For the nonce, I’ll bid thee adieu, until we meet again, somewhere in cyberspace…. See ya, ffolkes; be alert, because it will happen quickly, when it does….


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, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Featured Image -- 12330


À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Implicit rules of engagement….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				3			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,


“Life is cruel? Compared to what?”


~~ Edward Abbey ~~


first bloom of spring


First bloom of spring….


Hajime…. As spring approaches this part of the planet, the day’s are a bit warmer, & longer by a bit each time we revolve, & move around our sun. I find myself wanting to spend more time out of doors, as made clear by today’s image of a downtown tree coming into its seasonal growth. My recovery from last weekend’s difficult journey continues apace, albeit a slow one; any wisdom we may accrue as we grow older comes with a higher price than at any previous time, to be sure. Even though I never mind paying whatever price is required, it does bring a bit of frustration along, as the price takes longer to pay. Ah, well, such is life, with all its beauty and pain, each of which, if accepted as part of the overall balance in reality, brings its own sort of appreciation and joy…. beauty at its perception, & pain at its absence….


It’s probably a bit early for such deep philosophy; one cuppa coffee isn’t quite enough to achieve that sort of equanimity…. which reminds me, it’s time to refill. Be right back…. Okay, good to go. The only question remaining, then, is to figure out where to go. I have put together the basic elements of a pretty decent Pearl, rantless though it may be, so, it shouldn’t be too much effort to finish it off. Of course, that makes the, perhaps, erroneous assumption we know where to go & what to do in order to complete that task; assumptions, while necessary at times to continue to function, are tricky bastards, often ill-advised. Today, since we aren’t going to make any, it shouldn’t prolong our agony for longer than we can endure….


That being said, I suppose it would be best to go on, without further delay; this might ensure at least a modicum of dignity, which is often completely missing from these pages. It’s not as if we care, (we don’t) (and, neither do I, in the normal, non-royal persona….), but, according to the general rules of blogging, we are supposed to make an effort to LOOK as if we do. I’m not sure, at this point, just how to do that, so, I’m going to ignore that rule, & just get on with the rest of this mess. That, in and of itself, is easy enough. All we have to do to accomplish that, is this….


Shall we Pearl?


“Don’t take life so seriously… it’s only a temporary situation.”


~~ Humanity’s Ancient Sage, Anonymous ~~


***********************************


playing-for-change


I’m up quite late, so, naturally, we’re going with one of our default choices for music. This cut of Gimme Shelter is by the P4C Band, a live cut from one of their concerts…. It’s hot, as it should be…. Enjoy!….


********************************







Playing For Change

Gimme Shelter







********************************












********************************


********************************


Comedy_Tragedy


I came across these lines, from one of T. S. Eliot’s most famous poems, & decided to include the entire poem/song as today’s choice for this section. I’ve included a link, to a reproduction of the full poem on Bartleby.com, rather than taking up that space here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, every time I read it…..


We have lingered in the chambers of the sea

By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown

Till human voices wake us, and we drown.


~~ T.S. Eliot, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock ~~


http://www.bartleby.com/198/1.html


********************************


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


“The more I learn, the more I have to learn….”


*******


“Inquiry is fatal to certainty.”


~~ Will and Ariel Durant ~~


*******


“What is the hardest task in the world? To think.”


~~ Emerson ~~


*******


“He knows not his own strength that hath not met adversity.”


~~ Ben Jonson ~~


*******


“The belief that there is only one truth

and that oneself is in possession of it

seems to me the deepest root of all evil that is in the world.”


~~ Max Born, physicist ~~


*******


“I know but one freedom, and that is the freedom of the mind.”


~~ Antoine de Saint Exupery ~~


*******


“Work is not an end in itself;

there must always be time enough for love.”


~~ Robert Heinlein ~~


*******


“After all,

to the well-organized mind,

death is but the next great adventure.”


~~ Albus Dumbledore ~~


*******


********************************


Given the handicaps, (periodic outbursts of sanity, chronic pain, bozoid tendencies, cynicism, to name just a few….), under which I normally operate, I can’t consider this one as shabby. Fortunately for us all, I CAN consider it done, as it has a completed section in each space provided, it flows fairly well, and, most importantly, I can’t think of anything to add. To avoid any further embarrassment or build-up of unduly authorized angst among the participating denizens of this reality, I think I’ll just end it here, before it gets away from me. I’ll be back, tomorrow, hopefully, to try to get it right, one more time…. Please join me then, as we explore yet another dark corner of my mind, as it attempts to deal with Consensual Reality, as best we may…. See ya, ffolkes…. As yet, nobody has come up with a reliable way to prevent me from doing so….


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, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Featured Image -- 2780


À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Twisting the night into pretzels….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				9			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,


“To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.”


~~ Marilyn vos Savant ~~


irish-chees-factory


Irish Cheese Factory, east of Galway…


Hajime…. Good morrow, Gentle Reader(s)…. ‘Twas a minor struggle, but, I have managed to put together a Pearl; while I can’t say it’s the best ever, it is up to snuff; ’nuff said on that. The rant upon which I am working continues to grow beyond all reason, & may require both editing and trimming before it’s ready for consumption. However, we’ve got some rather fine music today, to go along with a nicely obscure little old-school pearl, and a poem, which, though mine, isn’t too shabby. If nothing else, all the elements for an excellent Pearl are in place; whether such status has been reached is a judgment I’m not prepared to make, so, you will have to decide for yourselves….


With that being said, to cover my ass, if not my conscience, I think I’ll just get on with it. Such ruthlessness always seems to work out, though not necessarily with any better results, which remain just about as random as they can be. Go figure, eh? The truth hurts, much of the time; we all have to get used to that. Since this blog is, as far as I can make it, dependent upon truth, we’ll pretend we’ve learned our lesson well, and go with the flow, as indicated. That flow is a fast-running stream today, so, we’ll maximize our utilization practices, & get on with it; fighting the current never works well, anyway. I think we’ll use this old method, which just happens to be laying right over here. Watch this….


Shall we Pearl?


“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”


~~ William Butler Yeats ~~


********************************


ella-and-louis


Image from Pinterest via Google Images


Today, I feel my age, thanks to the constant rain…. Well, I’m using that as an excuse, anyway. This pair of artists were both stars in their own right; together, they made magic….


*************************************






Ella and Louis






*************************************












*************************************


********************************


Comedy_Tragedy


A dream, weeping….


“Never a dull moment to spare”, he said

with a crooked grin, and a broad wink.

“Can’t keep Reality hanging by a thread….

what would Chaos, or Entropy think?”


So, we plucked up our dreams of old,

to carry us on, in dutiful, strong arms,

stuffed a candle in the remaining fold,

for luck, and perfect proof against charms.


Storms follow the sun, but, never stay;

lessons round every corner, all free.

Past fleeting doubts, in a sad disarray,

the journey becomes the reason to be.


Simple kindness manifests untold riches,

in defiance of common cause’s demise.

Bold courage, hanging in stitches,

mends wounds that come as no surprise.


Still, waters run deep, ’tis said by many.

Too much pain cannot apprehend

the salient, sharp points of epiphany,

nor, plainly, to wisdom aspire to pretend.


Folly dogs even the simplest truth,

fumes of toxic ignorance and bile,

alienated as a loose rotten tooth;

it often hides itself, for a long while.


Sought after eons ago, we cried out,

to believe, to suffer no more doubt.

But found instead good reason,

for love, and truth, from season, to season.


~~ gigoid ~~


8/30/2014


********************************


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Oddly enough….


*******


“In anything at all,

perfection is finally attained,

not when there is no longer anything to add,

but when there is no longer anything to take away.”


~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery , Wind, Sand & Stars ~~


*******


“The farther it gets from the bench it was worked on,

the more real the real world becomes.”


~~ Todd Johnson ~~


*******


“You can’t wake a person who is pretending to be asleep.”


~~ Navajo Proverb ~~


*******


“Happy is he who can give himself up.”


~~ Naguib Mahfouz ~~


*******


“If the doors of perception were cleansed

every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite.

For man has closed himself up,

till he sees all things thro’ narrow chinks of his cavern.”


~~ William Blake, English poet, artist, and mystic ~~


*******


“Life is a tragedy to those who feel, and a comedy for those who think.”


~~ Jean de la Bruyere ~~


*******


“Th’ MIND is the Pizza Palace of th’ SOUL”


~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~


*******


********************************


Having once again fulfilled the vow made to myself so many years ago, I’ll finish this off with some spare elegance. I will, if all goes well, be back again tomorrow to do this again; one of these days, I might even get it right! Time will tell, the blabbermouth. See ya, ffolkes; Ive got stuff to do, so, I’ll leave you to find your way out by yourselves…. Ta, then….


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, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Brief forays into sanity….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				5			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,


“Give, expecting nothing thereof”


~~ St. Thomas Aquinas ~~


parliament-square-trinity


Parliament Square, Trinity College, Dublin


Hajime…. Wherever one may reside on the face of this planet, the hours between 3 and 6 AM are pretty quiet. Most ffolkes, as well as most folks, are either asleep, or would like to be. Leelu and I are, perhaps, the exception which proves the rule, in that case, for we arise each day, no matter what time I may fall to sleep, between 3 and 4 AM, with her preference to eat and play, and mine to write. This usually happens soon after feeding her, and throwing her paper to fetch for a short while, until she becomes bored with it, whereupon she has learned to take a nap until I am done posting the day’s mess. I have found the peaceful quiet to be my most productive period of the day, and have come to appreciate the space to think and compose.


That said, we will ignore the concomitant issues, such as a blank, or troubled mind, or a painful body, which may preclude any competent production beyond the most basic. Generally, if the latter instance is in play, I’ll end up re-blogging, which is relatively simple, as I have more than five years of almost daily posts from which to choose. Of late, both the process of re-blogging and/or posting a fresh Pearl have been complicated due to physical issues. Today, beset only by my own predilection to ‘get it done’, I found the means, within me, and in the tools I employ, to get it done fairly efficiently, if not exactly up to the standards I wish to meet. So be it, for, I find myself also unwilling to go the extra ten steps to make it all perfect (in my own mind, anyway). In short, y’all will just have to take it ‘as is’, & be content with that, as that’s just the way it is today.


That’s probably not the approach best guaranteed to produce a successful post, but, then, I’ve never really cared about success, as I measure that by how many mundanes I haven’t killed in a day; so far, so good, today. Let us hold out hope to reach the end of the day having maintained that status. Not that I’d mind acing a few of them, but, it’s hard to justify when I know they simply can’t help being stupid, or ignorant, whichever the case may be. (Ignorance is amenable to fixing; as we all know, stupid is forever….) But, producing these Pearls has been an invaluable tool in keeping the body count down, so, I suppose we can be content with that. Better than the alternatives, yes?


I think that’s probably quite enough meandering blather for one day, don’t you? Why don’t we just get on with this, since what is to be found below is probably more entertaining than wandering around in my early morning miasma? Moreover, let’s do so with some panache, or, at the very least, some efficiency. Such is relatively simple, you see, for all we have to do is this….


Shall we Pearl?


“A man can only do what he can do.

But if he does that each day he can sleep at night

and do it again the next day.”


~~ Albert Schweitzer ~~


********************************


cream 2005


Cream, Reunited….


Cream was one of the most popular & successful rock bands of the 60’s, lasting until the creative tension amongst the three artists became too much to bear, whereupon they held a farewell concert, in 1968. Thirty-seven years later, they reunited to hold a series of concerts at Royal Albert Hall, a concert that is now legendary for the performances they gave. Here is a video of one of the shows, in its entirety. Enjoy, ffolkes; it doesn’t get any better than this….


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Cream Reunion

Royal Albert Hall, 2005






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Comedy_Tragedy


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


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pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Basic Ingredients….


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“I’m a man of my word.

In the end, that’s all there is really….”


~~ Avon ~~


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“I used to sit on the banks with a raft and watch the water roll lazily by.

One day I pushed my raft into the shallows of the water

and found the water moved swifter than I thought,

but my raft was actually a little rowboat.

Then, after some time, I rowed my little boat into deeper water.

There were great storms, mighty winds, tremendous waves,

and sometimes I felt so alone.

But I have noticed my little rowboat is now

a mighty ship manned by my friends and loved ones,

and beautiful calm seas, warm sunny days,

and nights filled with comfortable dreams always double after a storm.

Now, I could never go back and sit on the bank,

in fact, I search for deeper water.

Such is life when lived.”


~~ B D Gulledge ~~


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“Be not afraid of going slowly; be only afraid of standing still.”


~~ Chinese Proverb ~~


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“Anybody remotely interesting is mad, in some way or another.”


~~ Dr. Who ~~


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“He who sacrifices his conscience to ambition burns a picture to obtain the ashes.”


~~ Chinese Proverb ~~


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“Blessed is he who has learned to laugh at himself,

for he shall never cease to be entertained.”


~~ John Powell ~~


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“How could the drops of water know themselves to be a river?

Yet the river flows on.”


~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~


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Well, it’s done. Since the intro provided all the lack of coherence necessary, I think we’ll end this quickly, before it shakes itself apart, which, if I am not mistaken, will happen in the very near future, unless we can beat it to the end. Oh, good, I see the end, right there…. Let’s take this exit, then, rather than risk the alternative. See ya, ffolkes. I’ll be back relatively soon, as I can already feel the creative tension building toward another one…. Funny how that works, isn’t 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.


gigoid, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Dozer


À bientôt, mon cherí….