Tag Archives: Buddha

Your eggnog is on fire…

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Ffolkes,
I hope everyone had a peaceful and gratifying Thanksgiving holiday; now it’s time for turkey sandwiches! Best part of the whole deal, for my money…..

Errors, like straws, upon the surface flow;
He who would search for pearls must dive below.
— John Dryden (1631-1700) — All for Love, Prologue

Eureka! After months and months of searching, I finally found this couplet, which stands as my modus operandi, the vision statement for this entire undertaking, to wit: the creation of Pearls of Virtual Wisdom. I’ve always known the poem existed, but had not come across it in years.  I am proud and happy to serve it up this morning to lead off Black Friday, with a bit less frenzy than what is taking place right now in malls, Walmarts, and Target stores all across the country, as all the little well-trained consumers storm the well-stocked shops for Christmas bargains. Jesus, in whose honor they are, ostensibly, committing mayhem upon each other, well, he watches and weeps……Since it is only the day after Thanksgiving, I will spare you my yearly Christmas rant for the present. Too early in the day to get all worked up at the hypocrisy of the season….more later on this….
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The very purpose of the First Amendment is to foreclose public authority from assuming a guardianship of the public mind … because the forefathers did not trust government to separate the truth from the false. — Thomas v. Collins, 323 US 516 (1945)

Perhaps the nicest thing I can think of to say regarding this court ruling is to point out that our founding fathers could easily have left this out of our system of law. But, their experiences in dealing with the English throne taught them well, and they had no faith that those in power would honor the truth, and built some protection into the primary formation of the democracy they envisioned. I must applaud their foresight, because as can be seen by the modern political scenario, there is not one politician out there who has any interest in the truth, unless it will buy votes. Even when they do speak literal truth, it is a virtual guarantee that that truth will be denied once the election is over. We must be vigilant, because those who would limit our freedom are hard at work, campaigning to fool the most folks into believing their BS, and rubbing their hands together in glee, thinking of how rich and powerful they will become, once they have sold their lies enough times…..
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“Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.” — Buddha

Examining the Buddha’s statements can be confusing to a mind more accustomed to Western modes of thought, until one learns to put aside the cultural imperatives and look only at the bare truth or falseness of a statement. In doing so here, we find a far-reaching profundity that is not apparent at first look. Endurance implies conflict; to endure, one must first identify what it is we are to face with our virgin courage. Only if the experience becomes painful, or frightening, or overwhelmingly complex do we face the need to endure these experiences; if they cause no discomfort, no endurance is required. But when life presents us with difficulties, knowing one can always live through it, with the right thoughts leading us into right actions, is a valuable gift indeed. The ability to endure is one of the primary characteristics of the ancient sages, who lived “like ice on the verge of melting”…….
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“Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.” — Lao-Tzu

Water……we are 90%(+/-) water; it’s a basic part of our organism, and knowing all one can about its characteristics can only help us to understand ourselves, and our relationship to the world around us. It is a common mediation practice to envision in the mind a pool of still water, and attempt to merge with that absolute stillness, until reaching a point of merging with that serenity. A rushing stream of water can also provide a meditative focus, as can floating & dreaming in a pool, or merely considering the various properties of water that make it a unique substance, like no other in the universe, and worthy of our interest.


One of the most important aspects of water to consider is this: water can exist in all three possible forms in the universe; solid, liquid, or gaseous. And in all three states, it retains its integrity of being; it is water still, with all its facets present in each. No matter if it is solid as ice, gaseous as steam, or refreshingly liquid as its ordinary state, it is still just water, at a different temperature. Water is also indestructible. It cannot be destroyed by any means known to mankind, it can only be made to change forms from liquid to gas, or gas to liquid, or solid to either one of the others. Pretty cool, yes? So, trying to be like water is an occupation worthy of our efforts; even if we only come to understand it better, it’s a good thing. I myself enjoy meditating on the image of a stream of rushing water, until I get to the point where I am the water wearing down a rock, day by day, eon by eon, until the pool comes to resemble my innermost fantasy, a Mount Rushmore sized bust of Bozo the Clown……
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And never, ever cut a deal with a dragon.

I have enough respect for my audience that I won’t try to embellish this one; it is a patently obvious truth, and advice only a BIG fool ignores, generally to his everlasting regret. Anyone who would do so probably also votes the straight party ticket.  It’s just not a good policy, not at all, at all…..
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All in all, not a bad morning’s work. I will tempt fate no further, and send this on its way…. y’all take care out there…..

—

Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.
gigoid
Just Dozer

Kowabunga!

Notes on a reluctant subject…..

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Ffolkes,
The weather, having taken a turn toward nasty, compels me to huddle up close to the fire, wrap a sturdy blanket around my shoulders, and gaze into the flames seeking visions. Hence, today we go old school…..in the last couple of days, I’ve done a lot of work around this process of making Pearls of Virtual Wisdom. I went diving for a long while, building up my stash of backup Pearls, and in the process found a very good batch of lustrous new gems. Some are included for their Truth; others merely for their Beauty. At least one is there because I thought it was funny. All have something to say, even if it is something we may not like to hear. Since I’m not writing any original material for today’s piece, I will include a couple extra meaty Pearls. Having produced over a thousand words for each of the last four or five days, it will help fill in that extra space y’all have come to know and love…..see, give me just one teeny opening, and the sarcasm slips through. Oh well, it’s best to get it out early in the day so it doesn’t fester…….

“One of the oldest human needs is having someone to wonder where you are when you don’t come home at night.” — Margaret Mead

During the darkest days of World War II, when each night brought waves of Luftwaffe bombers raining death and destruction on a near-defenseless London, Prime Minister Churchill went on the air to address the British people.  “I read this morning’s paper that Herr Hitler plans to wring England’s neck like that of a chicken,” he began, “and I was reminded of what the Irish poacher said as he stood on the gallows.  Its seems the poor fellow was approached by a well-meaning if somewhat overzealous priest who, in horrific detail, described the unfading torments of Hades which awaited him if he did not repent of his misdeeds.  The condemned man listened patiently to all that the priest had to say, and when he was done, grinned broadly and replied, ‘Eat it raw, fuzz nuts.'” (YES!!!)

Keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final.

“As to values, I was taught — and still believe — that a sense of honor is necessary to personal self-respect; that duty, recognizing an individual’s subordination to community welfare, is as important as rights; that loyalty, which is based on the trustworthiness of honorable men, is still a virtue; and that work and self-discipline are as essential to individual happiness as they are to a viable society. Indeed, I still believe in patriotism — not if it is limited to parades and flag-waving, but because worthy national goals and aspirations can be realized only through love of country and a desire to be a responsible citizen.” — Lewis F. Powell (Former Supreme Court Justice)

It is the little rift within the lute
That by and by will make the music mute,
And ever widening slowly silence all.
— Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
— Idylls of the King, Merlin and Vivien

— Bother! said Pooh, as he stomped Barney’s butt to Jello.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” — Philo

“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

Intelligence is believing only half of what you hear; Brilliance is knowing which half.

All rivers flow into the sea, for it is lower than they; Humility is what gives it its strength.

And one last thought for contemplation……

“Make no mistake: the weeds will win.  Nature bats last.” — Robert Pyle

I hope you have enjoyed reading this little tour through a bed of Pearls as much as I did in putting it together. What with all the extras today, there’s probably enough potentially enlightening material to create a veritable army of Buddha’s! Well, maybe not; that would be getting a little far away from his message……..oh well……y’all take care out there……

 

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Keeping banker’s hours….

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Ffolkes,
With a smile, a whistle, and a joyful heart, the day begins…..

“Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.” — Buddha

Living in today’s complex culture gets to be pretty stressful and frustrating. The more we do, the more it seems there is more to do. Bombarded on every side with demands, duties, expectations, and a myriad of “it’ll just take a minute  of your time” favors for friends, we end up with no time left for ourselves. I recall the days when I had a wife, two small children, a mortgage, car payments, and two full-time jobs; I became the Master of the Nine-Minute Nap, and spent each day chasing my tail to try to keep up with all there was to do. And that feeling, of being hemmed in and having no time for anything except more work, is pretty common to much of our society. The complexity of what is needed just to survive these days has men and women scrambling and scratching to make ends meet, leaving little time for relaxation or much-needed recreational activities.

Is there a solution to this problem, common to so many? Yes there is….it is really very simple, and revolves around one little word that a lot of folks have trouble saying, or meaning. We all learned this word at the age of 2, or thereabout, and have used it with varying effect ever since. Naturally, the word is “No”. That’s correct, “No”. Nothing else is needed, or even desirable, when confronted with yet another demand for assistance from a “friend”, or another pile of work from a boss, or another fundraiser. As long as it is delivered in a voice that carries authority, it needs no other help to rescue those stolen moments. Nancy Reagan had the correct slogan, Just say No!, but tried to apply it to an area of society that just laughs at such puerile nonsense.

     When applied to one’s own self, however, it becomes an invincible shield, protecting you from yet another waste of your time on other people’s behalf. Time is precious enough for us; we are mortal, and have only a finite amount of minutes here on this plane of existence. We each need to learn to protect those minutes, and keep them for use in service to our own goals and aspirations, instead of everybody else’s. You’ll be amazed at how much time you actually do have……

If I had thought thou couldst have died,
I might not weep for thee;
But I forgot, when by thy side,
That thou couldst mortal be.
— Charles Wolfe (1791-1823)
— To Mary

This little gem was another instance of serendipity. I was looking for a specific piece of information, and came across this in my search. I love that feeling, of getting a free gift from the universe. And when it is produced by something like this, that good feeling gets re-created at every reading. What I like about this one is the depth and breadth of the ideas being expressed, and how a few little words in the proper order can create in one’s mind an image that is richer and more detailed than could be surmised from just the words alone. Two little couplets strung together are enough to bring back the feelings one has when in the midst of infatuation, that first blush of love when the entire world assumes a compelling dream-like quality, and every sunrise is cause for joy. In this state, the mind is focused only on the object of desire, and any other perceptions are ignored, swept away from consciousness as if totally unimportant. It’s a very passionate time of life, and I find this little poem to be a truly exquisite conveyance back to those times……”There is no happiness like mine. I have been eating poetry.” — Mark Strand

Happiness is a state of mind.  Not happy?  Change your mind.

When I was in my teens, many, many moons ago, I read a book that is part of the sacred writings of Hinduism; it is titled, “The Bhagavad Gita. In the book, a young prince named Arjuna was entering a battle in ancient days in India, riding a chariot. His charioteer is none other than Krishna, the original Hindu god, from which all the others sprang, who then had a conversation with the young prince about life and philosophy. In answer to a question from Arjuna, Krishna replies, “All anger arises from obstructed desire. Thus all anger can be controlled, merely by altering the desire.” The concept works for happiness as well…..

What a powerful idea! To be able to control all of our anger with a small attitude change is a tool that every single human child should be given at birth, or at the very least, before they reach the age of reason. Imagine, an entire generation of people able to control and regulate the most passionate parts of their nature, with the power of their mind. Controversy and argument would vanish. War would be a distant memory. And humans would face life without fear, having replaced the passionate but unreliable emotions based on ignorance with a mind free of fear, and of the distraction of emotional turmoil. I can speak from experience to say that I know it is true, and really does work. I still experience anger and emotional turmoil, but it doesn’t last long in the face of reason and knowledge. This concept could very well be the next evolutionary step for our species; changing the way we deal with ourselves internally, rather than trying to modify the world to fit our image very well could be the answer for us. It couldn’t hurt…….

Whew! I could keep on writing on this subject for a long time, but I do have other stuff to do today. This is a good start though, and I may write more on this idea; it’s worth a second look. In the meantime, y’all take care out there……

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Banjo music and french toast….

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11/8/11
Ffolkes,
We begin anew, night into day; we are fresh, we are alive. We are…..

To whom the mornings are like nights,
What must the midnights be!
— Emily Dickinson

One of my favorite parts of life is experiencing serendipity. There is something very fulfilling, very soothing about getting more than expected from Reality; like a free sno-cone, or finding a forgotten dollar bill in your pocket. And every time I come across another poem by Emily D., I get that thrilling feeling, of having looked for dirt, and found diamonds instead. How fascinating it would be, to be able to hold a conversation with someone whose mind possessed such a unique vision of the world, and found within herself the language to describe those visions with clarity, and beauty. This one is typical of her ability to show a side of Reality that most folks never consider, and put that piece of Reality into a form that brings the reader to a deep understanding of what they heretofore had never known. And in two miserly, but meaningful verses, at that!


The appeal of Ms. D’s poetry is as strong today as it was during her life, and its timelessness is borne out by the fact that even today, her verses have lessons for us to learn that are as important as they were a hundred years ago. The program I use to generate a lot of my Pearls, and where I found this little nugget, suggests that this poem could easily be descriptive of the hackish culture, (from hackers, aka rogue, or independent computer programmers) members of which are frequently to be found working through the night, and whose world-view could be described as being as unique as hers. To my way of thinking, poetry that is timeless, and as deeply insightful as this, is the pinnacle, the ultimate, most important use of language, for it makes us more human for having read it…..

— How many
Zen masters
— does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Two: one to change the bulb and one not to change it.

The writings and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, or Enlightened One, were created during his life in India, in the time before Jesus of Nazareth was born. His words have inspired humankind for well over two millenia, bringing peace of mind and hope for the future to all who would follow its precepts. An integral part of Buddhist practice is meditation, using the clarity of mind  brought about by introspection to lead one along the path to pure enlightenment. A Zen Buddhist will sit and contemplate, for example, the duality of perception, examining Reality from both sides, and how the nature of being human is grounded in our method of perceiving the duality present in every object, and concept, in this universe. We see due to the presence or absence of light; we hear because each word is surrounded by silence. Coming to an understanding of how we relate to the events of our life as another expression of the dual nature of the universe is a valuable tool, useful in coming to terms with events that would otherwise be troubling. A deep-seated knowledge of how Reality works can only be helpful in a world that constantly challenges us to meet demanding standards, and won’t even tell us what those standards entail. In other words, it’s a good tool for slowing down Entropy, or at least painting it a nice lively color…….

“Animals can be driven crazy by putting too many in too small a pen. Homo sapiens is the only animal that voluntarily does this to himself.” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s — “Time Enough For Love”

Regular readers of this…..I never know just what this is, so we’ll call it an ongoing exploration of reality….will be aware that a common subject of discussion is the power of human stupidity, and how deliberate ignorance plays a big part in the sad state of affairs of society at large. The reason I end up writing about this so often is pretty obvious; the news every day is chock full of examples of how another bonehead move, deliberately aggressive behavior, or ignorant remark has caused some kind of problem, problems that may or may not involve death, destruction, injury, or even, heaven forbid, halitosis (gasp!!!). People are people, and they are constantly finding new ways to abuse this sorry old planet, believing in their own false immortality, and worst of all, believing they have the right to act any way they wish, regardless of how it affects others or the outside world.

     This sense of entitlement, encouraged shamefully by organized religions that tout Mankind as the inheritors of the Earth, chosen by their (G)od to “have dominion” over the rest of the life forms, is the underlying false premise behind most of society’s ills. When a premise is false, the conclusion can only be false, as well, and this idea of the superiority of our species, can be seen as the critical factor in human nature that allows us to make decisions that are only in OUR interests, and the rest of Reality matters not at all. As long as I’ve got my milkshake, who cares about the rest?……selfish creatures, are we not?…….

Hmmm….a little less positive than I like to be, but truth nonetheless….. y’all take care out there…..

—

Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer at play..

Kowabunga!

The Naming of the Shrew…

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Ffolkes,
In some ways, retirement has been good for me, while in others I tend to struggle with the lack of urgency that generally accompanies most of those things we do for work.  I don’t think I ever realized it, but for my entire work career I worked with the constant background hum of tension. In retrospect, it is clear that the emotional state one must cultivate in order to go do those tasks we’ve chosen as our means of acquiring gelt is one of mild, constant fear, a legacy of our past, of living in a world of constant danger. This fear, a very base emotion, is present merely to provide us with motivation to act against our better instincts, and instead bow to societal and cultural pressure to channel those instincts into some sort of civilized form of hunting for sustenance, like, say, as a graphic artist working for an ad agency, or as a secretary, or almost any damn thing we as a species have evolved as sublimated replacements for the hunting arts we no longer need. 

Some of us, such as yours truly, develop the art of making long, complicated, run-on sentences to give the impression that language and letters are my weapons of choice in the battle for survival in today’s complex world of the future. Whether this weapon serves me well, or not, I suppose it is less challenging than learning to survive in the wild.


Now that I’ve reached that point in life where I’m supposed to “rest on laurels”, I find myself instead to be restless. After 46 years or so of working at one job or another, I got used to that little bit of fear that was always there to give me the back-story, the motivating factor that got me up and out the door every day to go do…whatever I was doing at the time. Cooking, serving, writing, wrestling, therapizing (I made it up), or any of the other hats I wore, all had that basic, clinging fear of failure that went along with them, giving me that little squirt of adrenaline to get me going.


I’ve found that in retirement, one has to re-learn the skill of providing impetus out of our own store of rationales. Without prior knowledge of this (yes, another thing that got left out of the manual), it can turn into a harrowing experience, fraught with possibilities for failure in totally new areas of endeavor, and exasperating in its elusiveness. 

I would guess that in at least one respect I have a slight advantage over many folks, rooted in my life-long love of reading and learning. Change, in and of itself, is not fearful to me; it can be frustrating, and sudden, and totally bizarre, but it doesn’t make me afraid, just tired.  I’m learning, slower perhaps than I might otherwise prefer, but learning nonetheless, how to maintain my equilibrium living under a completely new set of rules. I may be an old dog, but I ain’t dead yet……


Well, there you have it…..another flight through fancy, holding court with a congress of ravens, all of whom look at me with dark, beady eyes, and all in harmony, squawk out, “Nevermore!”……now I know why Edgar Allen was so flipped; they’re scary little buggers……hope y’all enjoy today’s Pearls as much as I enjoyed the process of finding them…..

“$100 invested at 7% interest for 100 years will become $100,000, at which time it will be worth absolutely nothing.” — Lazarus Long, “Time Enough for Love”

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” — Buddha

A little learning is a dangerous thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.
— Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
— Essay on Criticism, Part ii, Line 15

“The function of free speech under our system of government is to invite dispute. It may indeed best serve its high purpose when it invites a condition of unrest, creates dissatisfaction with conditions as they are, or even stirs people to anger.” — former US Supreme Court Justice William Douglas

The value of knowledge lies not in its accumulation, but in its utilization.

“A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.” — James Joyce, “Ulysses”

I thought for a bit that today’s group would be a good message, but I couldn’t quite find a thread that tied them all together into a package with a nice little bow. Ah well, another time….you get away lucky today…… y’all take care out there….

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Contemplating whirled peas…

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Ffolkes,
Of late, coming up with a fresh idea has been, shall we say, problematic at best. I sit and stare at the screen, while various scenarios play out in my head, but none of them clamor to get into print. And they (ideas) can’t be forced into service, willy-nilly; they turn ugly and nasty to deal with. So I try to think of nonsense, and of course, all that comes to mind is politics, which we are all sick of, and wish the pundits would all just SHUT IT for a day or two. I swear, it’s several times a day we have to hear about the latest batch of BS coming out of their cavernous mouths, and each statement is more outrageously stupid than the one before. By election-day, we’ll all be so crazy, it won’t matter who we elect because we’ll all be stone catatonic.


But, there is hope. At least the ffolkes who receive these will be inoculated against the contagious ignorance so prevalent today. Didn’t you know? These Pearls are far and away the best medicine that can be found in the fight against rampant stupidity, against which the gods themselves contend in vain.  Heck, you can even use them for the entertainment factor. Take any two of the Pearls, and use them when speaking with someone whose opinions are primarily faith-based. You will note the glazing-over of the eyes, the hunching of shoulders, the withdrawal into cliche, and the stark fear of the unknown which will manifest in the light of evidence-based fact. It’s almost gratifying, until one thinks of how many of these piteous folk there are in the world, how great is the challenge to bring them into the light; getting them to open their eyes to see will remain a problem even then. You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can’t make him think. Which is really too bad, n’est pas? Enjoy……..

“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; re-made all the time, made new.”– Ursula K. LeGuin, The Lathe of Heaven

In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday.

The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And habit hardens into character.
So watch the thought and its ways with care,
And let it spring from love
Born out of concern for all beings.
— The Buddha

Cats, no less liquid than their shadows, offer no angles to the wind.

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time,
the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars…” — Jack Kerouac, “On the Road”

“Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.” — Joe Louis

And so begins another day…..y’all take care out there…..

 

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.gigoid

Just Dozer

Kowabunga!

Wicked barbarian hairstyles with peach highlights….

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Ffolkes,
Back in dark ages, during the hippie era in Berkeley, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend an exhibition of art at the San Francisco Museum of Art in Golden Gate Park. The showing I attended was highlighted by a collection of the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh.  During my walk through his visions in oil, I stopped to look at one of his self-portraits, and received a revelation, or perhaps epiphany. In any case…as I stood looking at this small painting, covered with the extremely thick, bold strokes common to his works, I thought at first that it was a good piece of work, but I didn’t see what all the fuss was about his paintings, which were often simple and without pretension, scenes of everyday life. Then, for some reason, I stepped back from the portrait I was observing, to a distance of about 12 feet from the painting. When I reached a certain spot away from the painting, his eyes came to life. Literally. Alive. The entire portrait no longer had brush strokes that described a face; it WAS a face, and his eyes looked right into my soul. I could feel all of his feelings through his eyes; the anguish, the pain, the genius, all of it came through as if I was looking at his reflection in a mirror. In that moment, I was given a gift, for which I will always be grateful. I had seen beauty in its most basic form; with bold strokes Van Gogh made his vision of life come to life, and it was then I first came to understand genius, and how it can show Reality to those of us who cannot always see what people like Van Gogh see through their unique vision.


Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to have seen many things that are beautiful, both in the works of man, and in nature itself. It was a grand awakening, of a side of my own soul that previously I had not known, and I have always been grateful for the impulse that took me to SF that day. Seeing true beauty, as seen through the eyes of a genius (I know, three times, but its the best word I have on that subject), has shown me how to find it in other places, and has enriched my life in uncountable ways. So if you ever get the chance to see his work, or the sculpture of Renoir, or hear the music of Mozart and Bach, take the chance. You won’t regret it…..


All this leads me to today’s Pearls, many of which were created by men of genius, and bear the unmistakable sign of beauty that only a few people can show us……beauty is as necessary for life as is oxygen. A soul that cannot appreciate it is a stunted soul, and not fully human. These were all chosen because they touch Reality, and show it back to us, and bring us to beauty….

“There are worlds out there where the sky is burning and the sea’s asleep and the rivers dream; people made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there’s danger, somewhere there’s injustice, somewhere else the tea’s getting cold. Come on Ace, we’ve got work to do…”
— The Doctor, Survival [Last lines of last episode]

‘Friendship should be more than biting time can sever.’ — T. S. Eliot

I see the lights of the village
gleam through the rain and the mist.
And a feeling of sadness comes o’er me,
that my soul cannot resist.
A feeling of sadness and longing
that is not akin to pain,
And resembles sorrow only
as the mist resembles rain.
— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), The Day is done

“Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind.
To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.” — Buddha (B.C. 568-488)

Yet each man kills the thing he loves,
By each let this be heard,
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word,
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword!
— Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), The Ballad of Reading Gaol

It is alleged that when Einstein and his wife visited the Mount Wilson Observatory in California, Mrs. Einstein pointed to a particularly
complex piece of equipment and asked its purpose. Their guide said that it was used to determine the shape of the universe. “Oh,” she
said, not at all impressed, “my husband uses the back of an old envelope to work that out.”

That is probably enough for one day; don’t want to consume too much in one sitting. Today, I’m going to hunt beauty…y’all take care out there…

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Ghostly music played well….

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4

Ffolkes,
For a good bit more than ten years I have composed these pearls each morning, and can say without a doubt that there is nothing easy about it. It is at once fulfilling and frustrating, and always leaves me feeling somewhat ambivalent, right along with the sense of satisfaction. As I’ve stated here and elsewhere, this process is for me, a defense against the buildup of mental plaque, and is as necessary as breathing. But there is also the struggle each day to come up with something fresh and original; I find myself all-too-often just sitting, staring at the screen, frantically searching my entire conscious mind for inspiration, without notable success. Today is one of those days, and as is obvious by now, I have resorted to an old trick by just talking about the process, trying to make some sense of the morning, filling in space with a close examination of the obvious. I won’t subject y’all to much more of this; I’ve managed to pump out a couple hundred words without really saying much. Fortunately for all of us, the pearls I’ve chosen for today are strong enough to make up for any lack in the prefacing remarks, as you will see for yourselves. I promise, tomorrow I will have something a bit more nutritious to offer….just enjoy your coffee, and all will be well…..

“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell the truth.” — Oscar Wilde

“One who is to enjoy the purity of both body and mind walks the path to enlightenment, breaking the net of selfish, impure thoughts and evil desires. He who is calm in mind acquires peacefulness and thus is able to cultivate his mind day and night with more diligence.” — Buddha (B.C. 568-488)

“In handling a stinging insect, move very slowly.” — Lazarus Long

I slept, and dreamed that life was Beauty;
I woke, and found that life was Duty.
Was thy dream then a shadowy lie?
Toil on, poor heart, unceasingly;
And thou shalt find thy dream to be
A truth and noonday light to thee.
— Ellen Sturgis Hooper (1816-1841)
— Life a Duty

” Noise proves nothing.  Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid.” — Mark Twain (1835-1910)

“Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the  experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.” — Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

There you go….another fine group, and well worth what you’re paying for them. In the interest of time-management, I will end this now, before any further damage can be done….y’all take care out there…..

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Just Dozer

Kowabunga!

At risk of bent principles…

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4

Ffolkes,
Today’s subject line came to me when I was trying to find a way to describe what I have discovered these last few months, living on the edge of poverty. In some ways, it has been quite illuminating, once one can get past the bone-deep fear that seems to accompany this lifestyle.

‘This lifestyle’…..hmmph. Even that is euphemistic, a more delicate way to say what is actually true, to wit: living without money. As a middle-class citizen of this country, one gets accustomed to, and takes for granted, things that the lower income folks almost never see or have. Like plenty of money to buy food, after paying the most essential bills. Or enough to go out for a meal, or a movie, or just a drive. It’s hard to take a Sunday drive to see the sights, when there is no car; or if there is a car, it must only be used for work, with gas at $4/gallon. It’s hard to take in a movie, when one can’t even afford to have cable tv, if there is a tv to be had. Clean clothing becomes a luxury, when one lives without a washer & drier, and not enough cash to spare the $10-15 for the laundromat.

These are only the most obvious differences; the less obvious are nonetheless just as harmful to the spirit, degrading confidence and adding weight to the burdens already carried. Life then, for those in reduced circumstances (another euphemism….just how does one reduce one’s circumstances?), becomes a constant battle for survival, instead of a platform for growth. I can’t say that learning these life lessons is comfortable, nor can I say that I am learning them with grace; more of a growl. I find my spirit to be in constant need of rejuvenation; it keeps getting harder to find something about which I can feel hopeful. Each day brings another angry creditor to the door (figuratively speaking of course; thank goodness they haven’t started actually pounding at the door….. yet…).

Being the kind of person that I am, I know I will survive. But the shape of the future is not as clear as it used to be, hampered as I am by the fog of fear, and the constant distraction of having to find ways to live and spend less. It has been said that to be an artist, one must suffer….if that is even remotely true, then whatever work I am putting out in between periods of dithering about income vs. outgo, must be truly genius. I wish I could believe it is so…..

“Become what you are.” — Buddha

“In the vacant places, we will build with new bricks.” — T.S. Eliot

And after all, what is a lie? ‘T is but
The truth in masquerade.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824)
— Don Juan, Canto xi, Stanza 37

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” — Will Rogers

“And it came to pass that in the hands of the ignorant, the words of the bible were used to beat plowshares into swords…” — Alan Watts

When you are down and out, all too often the thing that turns up is the noses of your former friends.

“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 (1709-1784)

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.
gigoid
Dozer

Kowabunga!