“Courage is the complement of fear.
A man who is fearless cannot be courageous.
(He is also a fool.)”
~~ Lazarus Long ~~
Curious neighbor….
Hajime…. I have, I think, discovered something about my own history here on Earth which may go a long way toward explaining “what the fuck just happened?” During the past weeks, as I have explored the writing and ideas of Joseph Campbell, I had occasion to review my own medical history, as it relates to the physical issues I deal with today on a regular basis. I found, in my past, at least five, or six, occasions, before my 20th birthday, during which I had taken a pretty severe ‘shot to the head’, mostly while engaging in one sport or another. Since then, there have been at least four other times when I was too slow, or, too unaware, & suffered a blow that produced those pesky stars in front of my eyes, followed by the little birdies tweeting & chirping around my head….
In addition, for at least twenty years, beginning at age six or so, I played baseball, spending my time on the field, mostly, sitting behind home plate, letting foul balls bounce off my face mask, sweating through the California summers in full gear. It would be impossible to count how many times I took another shot, but, it was probably a lot more than I remember. Go figure, eh? It kinda makes me suspect my memory has more gaps in it than I would like to guess, but, what the hell? Just because I can’t trust it any more is no reason to get worried, right? Right….
I am unsure why this all came out now; in fact, given the probable state of my mind, I am unsure of exactly how ANYTHING is happening. But, since such a state of indecision won’t get this Pearl done, I’ll put it all aside to do what I need to do to finish this. It’s all there, below, just waiting; the only anomaly is that I haven’t a clue as to whether or not any of it works. SIGH…. It’s tough, at this late age, to find oneself back at Square One, so to speak….
Oh, well. Fuck it. Let’s just do this, & be done with it for another day. Maybe, tomorrow, I’ll remember when it was my fairy godmother came & fixed all the issues with which I’d saddled myself. Or, not. At this point, I can’t seem to drum any enthusiasm for such hopes. But, I can do this….
Shall we Pearl?
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life.
A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
***************************************
I know I use this frequently, but, I figure, if you gotta go with old stuff, it may as well be really, really good. This fits that bill quite precisely. Enjoy!….
***************************************
Concert For George 2003
***************************************
***************************************
***************************************
Mad Dogs at Bay
Wicked, angry red scenes of imminent demise
haunt my dreams each night.
Fearful visions of destructive surprise
leave me sweating in terror, as well they might.
Small, mean, ugly, with beady little eyes,
pundits gather like maggots, bloated and vile,
grunting, snuffling, mumbling outlandish lies,
enslaving the ignorant with patience and guile.
Society’s denizens exist as volunteer slaves.
Living and dying by script, completely blind.
Never allowing any resentment, no making waves.
Never knowing joy, nor any peace of mind.
Free men will not be controlled, ’tis said;
No coercion, no illusion can cloud their sight.
No threats, no pain, no fear they dread;
their only duty to keep to the right.
Dreams are mere reflections of our inner fears,
whispering, close against doors shut fast.
Mocking our mostly irrelevant tears,
clearly marking the future as our sordid past.
~~ gigoid ~~
7/15/2015
***************************************
Naked Pearls
What’s that noise?….
*******
“It has long been known
that one horse can run faster than another
– but which one?
Differences are crucial.”
~~ Lazarus Long ~~
*******
“As for what you’re calling hard luck
— well, we made New England out of it, that and codfish.”
~~ Stephen Vincent Benet ~~
*******
“This is the strangest life I have ever known.”
~~ Jim Morrison ~~
*******
“But since life is cruel, to you and to me, here I am.”
~~ Umberto Eco ~~
*******
“In the midst of the word he was trying to say,
In the midst of hislaughter and glee,
He had softly and suddenly vanished away
— for the Snark *was* a Boojum, you see.”
~~ Lewis Carroll, “The Hunting of the Snark” ~~
*******
“I have always thought in the back of my mind, cheese and onions.”
~~ The Rutles ~~
*******
“Are you sure it isn’t time for another colorful metaphor?
~~ Spock, “The Voyage Home,” stardate 8390 ~~
*******
***************************************
I’ll be damned! It’s done. Given the nature & content of the introductory section today, I’m going to use my executive powers to bring this to a rapid close; after reviewing the pertinent issues, and the regulations governing them, I find that to be for the best. Don’t ask, & I won’t have to tell any fibs, okay? Okay…. Now we have that out of the way, I’ll bid thee adieu, with no apologies, but, the usual caveat, to wit: I’ll be back, unless I come up with a good reason to abstain. Fat chance of that, so, see ya….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“A friend is one who knows the song in your heart
and can sing it back to you
when you have forgotten the words.”
~~ Donna Twitchell Roberts ~~
George Orwell’s House, London
Hajime…. Weighed down, crushed under the dark, the light beckons, promising endless pain. The foul odor of death permeates reality, a miasma bringing tears, burning, each one a brand. In a vast landscape devoid of hope, fear lives, devouring rational thought in frighteningly vague dreams made real. The beast within is arisen….
Introspection is, for many of us, a valuable tool. It seems, however, there are a few idiosyncratic characteristics involved in its use, of which nobody bothers to inform us. In my own case, it seems there are times I shouldn’t bother, as it merely releases the Beast…. Today is such a time, I’m afraid. My morning thus far has been rather, hmm… hard to describe. Let us just say it’s been somewhat ill-conceived, and ill-managed. Still, I am sitting at the computer, typing, which is where I wanted to be by now. The angst and disturbing elements to which I have already been subjected are slowly fading, while the process of pearling I’ve developed manages to soothe the demon I inadvertently awoke.
I suppose I could spend a little time exploring the cause of today’s major melt, but, that, I think, would be unproductive, since there is an equal chance of reawakening the beast, which is apparently falling back to sleep the longer I type. I imagine I have embedded this process so deeply into my persona, the mere act of trying is enough to provide some relief from the sharp knives of self-denigration. Perhaps, when my mind actually wakes up & starts to think, I will be able to calmly address the cause; for now, let’s let it lie, as a sleeping dog. Instead, we’ll do 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 ~~
********************************
George Harrison
Without going into superfluous detail, let is suffice to say, today, I want inspiration, and nothing will work any better than this…. Enjoy, please….
********************************
Concert for George
********************************
********************************
********************************
“Invincibility depends on one’s self;
The enemy’s vulnerability on him.”
~~ Sun Tzu ~~
I was planning to write a discussion of the refugee issue, using the above quote from The Art of War as a starting point. However, I can tell anything I wrote today would be, most likely, too inflammatory. Oh, not too much so for the purpose; too much for my current vulnerability… I’d be too tempted to follow up on the anger which would, no doubt, be generated by such a discussion. Instead, here is a somewhat extensive, but, thoroughly accurate, and, relevant, indictment of the Asininnies. If it isn’t clear to whom that term would apply, the following will make it clear as a crystal….
From 3/4/2014:
“Whenever you hear a man speak of his love for his country, it is a sure sign he expects to be paid for it.” — H. L. Mencken
Does anyone else remember what Tom Jefferson had to say about “professional politicians”, and “bankers”, as being the most dangerous threats to a democracy? I remember the tone of it, and the meaning of what he expressed, in a number of letters to others of his contemporaries, even if even if I don’t remember the exact wording in the letters….. Believe me, every single one of the people who inhabit the halls of the White House, the Congressional House and Senate, and the Federal Court system would have been very lucky if Tom had only called them by their true name, that of TRAITOR….. As I recall from my reading about Tom, he was a bit of a hothead, by reputation, and he might have decided to start shooting before speaking, if I read him right…. and, I couldn’t agree more with the sentiment that might have prompted him to start firing away….
It’s funny, (ha ha AND weird, both types…) how the mind plays tricks on itself, even going so far as to use one’s own memories in manipulating to have its way…. however obscure that way may be…. Yesterday, in the rant in section three, (I think…. that’s how unsure I am of my own memory right now; memories as close as yesterday are currently suspect, due to the very issue under discussion IN THIS SENTENCE, thus, demonstrating once again how slippery our hold on Reality is, just all the damn time….), I mentioned the rant from the day before, in which, I was supposed to have spoken about the NSA, and its shenanigans…. That, of course, was either mistaken belief on my part, or just laziness in thinking about what actually was written, as I was writing at the time…. I know, it’s all very confusing, and maybe even moot, but, I have to explain this, or I’ll go crazy…
Crazy, as you know, is always a risk around here…. Anyway…. The rant to which I referred as being about the NSA, (as yesterday’s rant from the archives actually happened to be), was NOT about that, specifically, though that agency WAS mentioned…. No, that rant was about the Shrubs, and the events of 9/11/01 considered as a conspiracy to misdirect the public attention away from election results of the previous two elections, in which certain disputed voting irregularities “fixed” the election in favor of the Republican ticket…. A conspiracy, I will add, whose very existence, due to the very professional, comprehensive planning, and execution, by the elder Shrub’s minions, in eliminating and/or explaining away any evidence of such a conspiracy, is completely unknown to the majority of the American public…. That’s how good they are at this…
My intent in saying the above, long and complicated as it turned out to be, was to be honest, with y’all, and with myself…. and to keep things straight…. There are two different issues at hand in my rants from the last week or so, (Two, at the very least…. most likely more, if truth be told…), with the only connection being the fact that both issues are a result of previously clandestine, illegal, selfish, paranoid actions by the same set of shadowy corporate slave masters, and their political minions…. Thanks to the actions of a single patriotic citizen with a conscience, (E. Snowden), SOME of their actions are now a matter of public record, a fact which they are desperately working to remove from the public’s awareness….
Right now, they’re using the stone wall technique…. They aren’t making comments on any part of the issues, and they won’t address any questions they’re given by journalists on the subject. They’ve planted the seeds they wished to plant, with their lies about intended reforms to the NDAA regulations, and about Eric Snowden’s incompetence, and possible (fabricated) ties to Russian spies….
“All men can be led to believe the lie they want to believe.” — Italo Bombolini
Since that last outrageous, ‘ipse dixit’ proclamation from the House Intelligence Committee’s lead Republican, (….. Wow, talk about an oxymoron!…), about the infamous, totally made-up Soviet spies who “tricked” Eric Snowden into hacking those files, the White House, and every other public mouthpiece in DC, has been giving their best impression of an uncooked clam about the entire issue….. They don’t want to confuse the issue by introducing too many other ideas, especially if they might be found to be true….
They’re letting the lies they told sit and percolate, so it is the last discussion in the public mind; that way, when they come back to re-address the same issue again, those minds, of the mundanes among us, will have already been primed with the previous lies….. Hence, their next round of fabrications can not only be even more outrageous, but, in their minds, will have the additional advantage of being more easily believed by those parts of the public that bought into their previous (false) statements…. ‘Tis an unfortunate truth that it will probably work….
“These activities have their own rules and methods of concealment which seek to mislead and obscure.” — Dwight D. Eisenhower (1960)
Even if only a few people buy into their lies and machinations, they’re content…. They know that, because of human nature, the people who DO fall for that line of crap are generally the loudest, most stridently vocal of their supporters, those who have a strong investment in believing what they’re told by the talking heads on TV, primarily so they don’t appear to be so FUCKING STUPID to the rest of us….
Sorry…. didn’t mean to shout. I just get so frustrated, thinking about the lack of intelligence it takes to NOT be able to see how often these people are lying to us. This rant sort of evolved, all by itself. on Monday morning, as I sat reading the original line from Mr. Mencken, who happens to be one of the most prolific social philosophers of the twentieth century….
Mencken had a sharp eye, a nimble mind, and he wasn’t afraid to call a spade a spade, which, in the end, gets more done than calling it what it isn’t…. His honesty, and his willingness to “call ’em as he saw ’em” is why he was relatively unpopular with, and feared by, the governing elite of his era…. Too many sharp barbs and exposed truths for their taste….
I just wish I could figure out how to convince all the Numbnoids to use their minds, for something more than just carrying their bladders around from toilet, to table, to toilet…. Oh well, I’ll keep at it, and maybe, someday, one of the tabloids, or one of the mainstream papers, or even, GASP!, maybe a major player, like PEOPLE magazine, will pick up one of my rants, it will go viral, and the world will be saved from the all-too-frequently ignored effects of practicing ignorance, and the crushing soulless presence of Evil in our society’s most powerful denizens, who take advantage of that ignorance among the masses to maintain their own supremacy….
Or, maybe not…. Either way, I’ll keep on pointing out what I see, even if it doesn’t get very far…. Better out than in, I always say….
“Lord, defend me from my friends; I can account for my enemies.” — D’Hericault
********************************
I feel a poem circling around in my head, but, it’s not anywhere near ready to bleed out. Here is one I wrote in March of this year, which is probably closest to my mood today…. I hope you enjoy the process of watching me find my balance as much as I hope it works….
Augmentation: Inner Aye
Distant, peals of thunder, vividly.
Closer, a patter of rain, falling gravidly.
Between the light and the darkness of fear
find merely the remnants of one lonely tear.
Do not hate us, though we have not sinned;
eager for courage, upon whom all hope is pinned.
Tales of insolence, hatred, or fallen virtue
fill us up, not down, in such pristine foreign venue.
Capable hands severed, able hands tied;
the future is angry, all but now denied.
Multiple times, warnings sounded across the pale
nobody heard, nobody came to tell the tale.
Gifted by time, salience fails in epic rhyme;
watchmakers watching, each a separate crime.
Logical solutions refuse to emulsify
forever pretending to cruelly crucify.
Blood will fly alongside pertinent composure,
never seeking, never finding tea, or closure.
Falsely laid trails on mountains of gold
imply no happy endings, no fortunes told.
Ages past have no time for repetition;
further chances only lead to perdition.
Destiny feels a shameful portion of guilt,
for a thousand sand castles, never built.
~~ gigoid ~~
3/2/2016
********************************
Naked Pearls
Observations
*******
“In all the many-colored worlds of the universe
no single ethical code shows a universal force.
I am convinced that virtue is but a reflection of good intent.”
~~ Magnus Ridolf ~~
*******
“There is nothing in a caterpillar
that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.”
~~ Buckminster Fuller ~~
*******
“If you have a skeleton in your closet, take it out and dance with it.”
~~ Carolyn MacKenzie ~~
*******
“Intellect annuls fate.
So far as a man thinks, he is free.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
*******
“To go forth and experience the myriad things is delusion.
That the myriad things spring forth and experience themselves is enlightenment.”
~~ Dogen ~~
*******
“If you can’t change your mind, do you still have one?”
~~ Caroline Malmgren-Davis ~~
*******
Nature, whose sweet rains fall of just and unjust alike,
will have clefts in the rocks where I may hide,
and secret valleys in whose silence I may weep undetected.
She will hang the night with stars so that I may walk abroad
in the darkness without stumbling,
and send the wind over my footprints
so that none may track me to my hurt:
she will cleanse me in great waters,
and with bitter herbs make me whole.”
~~ Oscar Wilde — “De Profundis” ~~
*******
********************************
Not too shabby for an hour and a half later than planned; I’ll take it. Moreover, I’ll do so without further nonsense, or, sense, for that matter. I’ll merely say, I hope it works, and let it go at that. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; I’m pretty sure it will be relatively unavoidable….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines,
but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.”
~~ Buddha ~~
Wine Country Spring, 2016
Hajime…. Today we will begin with an apology. For two or three days now, including today, I’ve been avoiding going to the blogs I follow, because I simply didn’t have the time to do so, and still deal with reality. Getting a Pearl done yesterday was, in essence, a rush job, which I don’t really like to do, as I’m not able to give it the attention I prefer to give, thus making the quality a questionable matter. It also means I haven’t commented or hit the Like button, to let them know I was by to read their work…. I am sorry, but, for a few days, I will need to reduce my blogging interactions, in order to maintain any semblance of sanity….
Now I’ve managed to bore everyone silly, we’ll just use a Tardis toy, in a moment, to get us down to the next section, where you’ll find today’s video. We’ll be doing some archive diving, as I’m still not in the most creative space I’ve ever been; hell, I’m having a hard time tying my shoes. And, they’re slip-ons…. Writing coherently is currently not in the schedule, or on the menu. But, I continue to type, just as if I could make up some fine, stentorian passage, thrilling all with my expertise and creativity. Fat chance of that today, right? Right. So, rather than torture y’all, or myself, any further, I’m going to push this little button on the side of this little cube, and….
Shall we Pearl?….
“There is not enough love and kindness in the world
to permit us to give any of it to imaginary beings.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~
********************************
George
I have this concert on my computer. Whenever I’m feeling a little down, and want to hear great music, I put it on, from the beginning, and let the beauty wash away my blues. All the music herein was written, and played, with love at the core of it. George Harrison left a legacy of love, in his work, and his life, and, as far as music goes in today’s world, this is as good as it gets…. Enjoy!….
As promised in the intro, here is a piece on reincarnation from the archives to fill in today’s ranting section…. I hope you enjoy it….
From 2/9/2013:
“Been there. Done that. Reincarnated.”
~~Smart Bee ~~
Reincarnation is a fascinating concept, especially given its controversial nature as being in opposition to what is believed by many of the world’s most influential religious systems. Some do, and some don’t believe in it, and I have yet to determine, through either research or luck, just why some do an some don’t…. I mean, I know why, in the sense that it doesn’t fit in with the dogma of those religions that subscribe to an afterlife consisting of harps and clouds, while it does match those that have a clearly different view of what happens after death. No, I mean I don’t understand why….. oh. Wait….
You know, I just realized, as I wrote that last line there, that this is a complete waste of energy and time, and further, is in direct violation of one of my own personal rules of life, and avoiding hassles in same…. That rule says, “Asking why is a waste of time, especially as regards human behavior…. so don’t bother.” It’s an old lesson, and one that I should have realized I was close to breaking before I did, as I’ve had a lot of experience with it in my time. Hell, I’ve had enough time that almost everything is something I’ve had experience with; maybe I can use that as an excuse for missing this time, yes? Well, okay…. Still, I can claim a lot on my mind, and nobody can tell me different, so there….
Any who, getting into the “why” of how folks choose their beliefs about a subject as speculative and controversial as reincarnation is bound to be a subject that would entail a great deal of delving into human behaviors that would only serve to frustrate me no end. If there is any area of existence that people are more foolish, or deliberately ignorant about, than such a subject as the afterlife, well, I don’t know what it is. Add to that the very dominant tendency on the part of most people to choose one religious dogma over another based on how much it makes them think (seeking the lesser of two evils, in their minds….), and you get subject matter that can only lead one to drink, to try to get the bitterness and shame out of one’s head….
Me? Hell, I have no idea what will happen when this life ends, not in any specific sense…. I believe that my consciousness, as a form of energy, will not be destroyed, and that part of the universe that manifests as the essence of Ned will merely change form…. to what form I couldn’t say. I can say that, though I am in no particular hurry to find out, it sounds like a great adventure, and I’m looking forward to knowing the answers to all the great questions that we humans ask ourselves during our stint on Earth, in the form we currently inhabit, even if those answers aren’t anything like any of the speculative concepts I’ve heard of or seen, or though of myself…. As Bob Heinlein said, “…. Soon enough, you will know, so why fret about it?”
“He who awaits much can expect little.”
~~ Gabriel Garcia Marquez ~~
********************************
My Nose Is Growing Old
Yup.
A long lazy September look
in the mirror
say it’s true.
I’m 31
and my nose is growing
old.
It starts about 1/2
an inch
below the bridge
and strolls geriatrically
down
for another inch or so:
stopping.
Fortunately, the rest
of the nose is comparatively
young.
I wonder if girls
will want me with an
old nose.
I can hear them now
the heartless bitches!
“He’s cute
but his nose
is old.”
~~ Richard Brautigan ~~
********************************
Naked Pearls
Things You Should Know By Now
*******
“Forward, as occasion offers.
Never look round to see whether any shall note it….
Be satisfied with success in even the smallest matter,
and think that even such a result is no trifle.”
~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Meditations, ix, 29 ~~
*******
“As long as you live, keep learning how to live.”
~~ Seneca ~~
*******
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
~~ Anais Nin ~~
*******
“He bids fair to grow wise who has discovered that he is not so.”
~~ Publius Syrus, Maxim 598 ~~
*******
“Anger blows out the lamp of the mind.”
~~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~~
*******
“The most important thing in a man is not what he knows, but what he is.”
~~ Narciso Yepes ~~
*******
“Pearl of great price.”
~~ New Testament, Matthew xiii, 46 ~~
*******
********************************
Well, there you have it. Such as it is, it is, and shall ever remain. So be it. I’m done for today, ffolkes, but, I’ll be back again tomorrow, to subject us all to yet another Pearl of Virtual Wisdom. As always, y’all have the choice as to whether that is a threat, or a promise. For me, it’s a given…. See ya….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
Yudishthira: “That each day, death walks the earth, and we continue to live as though we were immortal.”
~~ The Bhagvad Gita ~~
The Crane Bar, Galway, Ireland
Hajime…. Since any sort of schedule seems to be currently inoperable, the hell with it. I’ll post late, and hope any of my Gentle Readers will understand…. You see, I slept. Normally, and for a full eight-plus hours. Leelu got worried at my usual time to get up, but, she’s a cat, and understands wanting to roll over and go back to sleep…. She settled right back down for another nap….
Now I’m up, with all this energy, let’s not fool around & waste it. I’ll see if I can cobble together some decent material, and let ‘er fly. In fact, we’ll go do that now. Luigi, fire it up. Yeah, I know, we’re early, but, we’re late, so, it’ll even out. Don’t worry that little head of yours; just fly the plane…. Here we go, ffolkes….
Shall we Pearl?….
“God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent- it says so right here on the label. If you have a mind capable of believing all three of these divine attributes simultaneously, I have a wonderful bargain for you. No checks, please. Cash, and in small bills.” — Lazarus Long
********************************
George Harrison Image from clipartzebra.com via Google Images
George Harrison was one of rock & roll’s most beloved icons; the entire world mourned his death. This concert, put together by his friends, among whom numbered some of the world’s best musicians, of ALL types, was a fitting tribute to his memory. It still makes me weep to watch his son, who looks exactly as he did at that age, playing on stage with Clapton, Ringo, Paul, and a host of other famous rock stars who came to play for George. Enjoy, ffolkes, this one is unique….
“Human beings are perhaps never more frightening than when they are convinced beyond doubt that they are right.” — Laurens Van der Post, The Lost World of the Kalahari (1958)
I’m really sorry I don’t have the time or energy to rant on the above; it’s so perfectly apt for our current situation in America. But I don’t, so, we’ll make do with a short discussion from 2012, taking a few shots at one of our favorite targets…. our Beloved Ruling Class….
From 9/9/2012:
A Native American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner: “Inside of me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean dog fights the good dog all the time.” When asked which dog wins, he reflected for a moment and replied, “The one I feed the most.” — George Bernard Shaw
This is a wonderful anecdote, and one I feel very firmly about, as it is one of the clearest lessons in self-awareness I have ever seen. This one is so simple an idea, that even the ignorant asses who make up the political scene in this country would be able to understand it. They probably couldn’t do it, as they never, ever think about themselves other than as an important person, who doesn’t need to make changes in himself. Anyone who does think of themselves would never, ever consent to be put into a public office…. the two things (introspection vs. public office) just don’t mix…. That is because of the following, from a pretty smart fella, who lived quite some time ago, but seemed to have a good head on his shoulders….
“Neither do the ignorant seek after wisdom. For herein is the evil of ignorance, that he who is neither good nor wise is nevertheless satisfied with himself; he has no desire for that of which he feels no want.” — Plato (428-348? B.C.)
“…he who is neither good nor wise” is a perfect description of anyone who wants to be President of this country. I’ve said it before, and I’m saying it again, because it bears repetition, that anyone, anyone at all, who actually WANTS to be President can be classified as clinically insane, usually a paranoid schizophrenic, with grandiose delusions of adequacy…. NOBODY is adequate for that job… nobody. And anyone who thinks they are is simply not all there…..
And it’s just a box of rain
I don’t know who put it there
Believe it if you need it
Or leave it if you dare
And it’s just a box of rain
Or a ribbon for your hair
Such a long, long time to be gone
And a short time to be there~~ Box of Rain by Phil Lesh & Robert Hunter ~~
Ah me…. politics and politicians are such an easy target. If it wasn’t so much fun, I might call it a naughty habit, and leave them to their devices, which surely are many….. Since we’re pressed for time today, we’ll leave them be, and just caution y’all to watch out, because their antics can be dangerous, if they are left without supervision for long….
********************************
Retrospective, defined in folly….
Yesterday
I wrote a poem.
It bled out of my head,
like I’d been struck with
an axe,
right through the artery,
in the neck,
spraying blood around
everywhere,
like a pulsing garden hose….
It hurt, at first,
then came the feeling,
of quick relief,
of timeless beauty,
of pain avenged,
of lust aroused,
of outrage aflame,
of deep compassion,
of endless empathy,
of truest love….
Now it’s gone, cast away
like pearls before twine.
(Grin…)
You thought
I was going to call you
a pig,
didn’t you?
Hah!
Well, you’re not.
You’re a person.
I know, because
you’re reading this poem…
if that’s what it is.
I think it is,
so,
maybe it is.
Or, maybe,
it will be,
someday, when it
grows up,
and learns to rhyme.
Whew…
Just in time…..
That’s all.
Reality often sucks wind,
y’know?
S’okay, though….
It keeps us busy,
and out of some of the
mischief,
so much part
of our
nature.
We all can do
only what we
do.
Or, don’t.
Two sides, one coin.
~~ gigoid ~~
Written 8/31/2014.
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“I often have long conversations all by myself, and I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word I am saying.” — Oscar Wilde
Sometimes, when constructing these pearls of virtual wisdom, I feel much as Oscar described; often it’s the fault of Smart Bee, which can be a fractious program (remind me to tell you about software sometime, and how it can act just like any other inanimate object, taking on the characteristics we give it with the application of our will upon it….), but, just as often, it’s my own fault, for letting my mind wander while collecting the pearls. Believe it or not, this process DOES take some focus, or it doesn’t work. Trust me. This one, in spite of my waffling, didn’t wobble, so, enjoy!….
“What’s hard is simple,
What’s natural, comes hard. Maybe you could show me,
How to let go,
Lower my guard,
Learn to be….free.
Maybe if you whistle…
Whistle for me.”
~~ Stephen Sondheim, ANYONE CAN WHISTLE ~~
“Take your life in your own hands and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame.” — Erica Jong
“Ah, what a dusty answer gets the soul when hot for certainties in this our life!” — George Meredith
“It is not a man’s duty, as a matter of course, to devote himself to the eradication of any, even the most enormous wrong; he may still properly have other concerns to engage him; but it is his duty, at least, to wash his hands of it, and, if he gives it no thought longer, not to give it practically his support. If I devote myself to other pursuits and contemplations, I must first see, at least, that I do not pursue them sitting upon another man’s shoulders. I must get off him first, that he may pursue his contemplations too.” — Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
“Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure. We get very little wisdom from success, you know.” — William Saroyan
“No pleasure is comparable to the standing upon the vantage-ground of truth.” — Francis Bacon — Of Truth
“It’s easy to come and go… The hard thing is to remain.” — Subtle Bee
“It is a good thing to be rich and strong, but it is a better thing to be loved.” — Euripides
How small of all that human hearts endure
That part which laws or kings can cause or cure!
Still to ourselves in every place ensigned
Our own felicity we make or find.~~ Samuel Johnson ~~
********************************
Well, I did it. Not that I’m completely convinced of whether or not I SHOULD be doing this, but, hey, I was never one to pay much attention to ‘should’. Lazarus taught me at an early age, when he pointed out, quite accurately, that when you hear that word, it is ALWAYS something someone ELSE told you, or thinks you ought to do, or think, or be…. No thanks…. Instead, I’ll just say, see y’all tomorrow; count on 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 