Tag Archives: Death

Brief forays into sanity….

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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 ~~

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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….

Squads of affable proctors….

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4

Ffolkes,

“He took his vorpal sword in hand
Long time the manxom foe he sought
Till rested he by the tumtum tree
And stood awhile in thought”

~~ “Jabberwocky”, by Lewis Carroll ~~

london-bridge

Not falling down yet….

Hajime…. Fortunately for me, today’s Pearl came together smoothly, once begun. I can’t say why, other than to thank SB for being so cooperative this morning, and, thanking Leelu for showing patience with my need to get it done (she’s often less than pleased with me during my writing time; it takes my attention away from her when she wants to play). Perhaps a short shout-out to Murphy is in order, as well, for being busy elsewhere this morning, giving hell to some other poor sap. All in all, I’m pleased with the outcome, too, so, hey, good day, so far….

Kind of like being immortal, right? I AM immortal, so far…. *grin* Okay, no more cheap shots. Instead, I’ll give honor to the process of Pearling, by making this intro of a reasonable size and shape, rather than the customary amorphous mass of contradictory statements, its usual complements. How to go about doing that is a bit tricky, so, maybe we should get right to that, before I lose what little control over this I possess. It’s actually quite a simple technique, involving only a ruthless nature (tough for me, I know). Since we have reached the obvious jumping-off point for said technique, I shall proceed to employ it, while y’all are still unsure of how to react. Watch this, ffolkes….

Shall we Pearl?

“In all affairs it’s a healthy thing now and then
to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.”

~~ Bertrand Russell ~~

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mariusz-goli

I’ve used this artist’s music previously, & will likely do so again. The first time I watched one of his videos, my jaw literally dropped open, at almost the first note. His brilliance as a guitarist is undeniable, and it is a joy to watch him play; he plays with intense focus and passion, putting everything he is into making the guitar speak for him. I regard him as one of the finest musicians playing today, and welcome the recent success he has seen. Enjoy, ffolkes; you’ll soon be paying big money to go see him play live….

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Mariusz Goli

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Comedy_Tragedy

Seeing is Conducive to Belief

Folly sits so comfortably upon my fevered brow
one would easily believe that I would know how
to look at Life with a jaded, weary eye
seeing enough, and more, to know Why.

Such seems the case, as I will it to be,
an open book of a face, it looks so like me;
what’s known to be so, needs no close attention
familiar sights require no minding, nor mention.

The eye is drawn at once to the stark and new,
and sent back to sleep by successful review.
Once we find evidence we feel we understand,
curiosity languishes, dismissed at command.

Ancient sages knew the insidious value of illusion,
preachers and pundits know the power of confusion.
Each pair of eyes contains its own point of reference,
each mind sets its own standards of preference.

Seeing is believing, for those who live in thrall,
accepting what is perceived is all they ever recall.
Unknown to them, reality follows another set of rules,
Deeper, more dangerous, and no place for fools.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/11/2012

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Stones on the path….

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“For after all what is man in nature?
A nothing in relation to infinity, all in relation to nothing,
a central point between nothing and all
and infinitely far from understanding either.
The ends of things and their beginnings
are impregnably concealed from him in an impenetrable secret.
He is equally incapable of seeing the nothingness out of which he was drawn
and the infinite in which he is engulfed.”

~~ Blaise Pascal ~~

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“It was the saying of Bion, that though the boys throw stones at frogs
in sport, yet the frogs do not die in sport but in earnest.”

~~ Plutarch — Which are the most crafty, Water or Land Animals? 7 ~~

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“Hope in reality is the worst of all evils, because it prolongs the torments of man.”

~~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche ~~

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“We usually get what we order from life.”

~~ Limon ~~

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“Humility is the better part of wisdom, and is most becoming in man.
But let no one disparage self-reliance;
it is, of all the rest, the greatest quality of true manliness.”

~~ Ferenc Kossuth ~~

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“Yet creeds mean very little,
Coth answered the dark god, still speaking almost gently.
The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds;
and the pessimist fears this is true.”

~~ James Branch Cabell, “The Silver Stallion” ~~

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“Independence?
That’s middle class blasphemy.
We are all dependent on one another,
every soul of us on earth.”

~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~

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I have to say it…. that went well. I realize such sentiments, stated aloud, are a temptation to Murphy, but, we’ll make the probably erroneous assumption he’s busy elsewhere; what’s life without some risk, eh? Rather than wait too long, we’ll take our leave post-haste, to increase the odds of successful disengagement. I’ll be back, fairly soon, I’m sure, as I’ve been feeling better, mostly, which increases efficiency, as well as improving mood. Go figure, eh? It may not be tomorrow, but, I’ll be back, of that you may be assured. For now, go have some fun, or work, or whatever floats your boat; I’ll do the same….

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 -- 11762

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Order has no meaning without entropy….

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3

Ffolkes,

“Far from the madding crowd’s ignoble strife
Their sober wishes never learn’d to stray;
Along the cool sequester’d vale of life
They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.”

~~ Thomas Gray — Elegy in a Country Churchyard, Stanza 19 ~~

red-georgian-door

Simple pleasures….

Hajime…. The picture you see adorning the top of today’s post is one of my own, as can be deduced by the simple fact there is no attribution; if it isn’t mine, I always try to say whose it is. It’s a good one for today, & the comment below describes the feeling I had when taking it, as well as my reaction every time I look at it. I chose it for today because it seems to represent my current life, and what I seek to find in life, every day. To some, it may seem boring; others may find it charming, or even hopeful. However one sees it, I think, says more about the viewer than it does about the picture or its contents, which is, in my mind, exactly what a good picture does….

Today’s Pearl of Virtual Wisdom is fresh, if somewhat esoteric in nature; I suppose, in at least one respect, that’s a good description of my own nature. It came together fairly well over the past two days, as I continue to battle physical and mental demons, both of which, while progressing toward an improved status, are taking their own sweet time getting there. Life is funny, isn’t it? We live it forward, understanding it backward, while seldom taking the time to even consider which direction we take. I guess that’s a fair description of Life at Large, eh? Since that is the case, it’s probably best for our purpose here to acknowledge the truth of it, and get on with the rest of it, before it reaches its expiration date prematurely.

All that really means is I’m clueless as to how to get out of this intro; I seem to have written myself into a rather obscure corner, & finding my way back to rationality isn’t the most attractive option I see. Instead, I’ll take what we’ve already created, and run for the border, or, in this case, on to the next section, with the intention of making it to the end before it all falls down. To assist us in our quest, filled with folly though it may be, we’ll stop, right here, and right now, & head on down the page… That, in case you have forgotten, looks suspiciously like this….

Shall we Pearl?

“He who endeavors to serve, to benefit, and improve the world,
is like a swimmer, who struggles against a rapid current,
in a river lashed into angry waves by the winds.
Often they roar over his head,
often they beat him back and baffle him.
Most men yield to the stress of the current…
Only here and there the stout, strong heart
and vigorous arms struggle on toward ultimate success.”

~~ Albert Pike (1809-1891) ~~

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

It’s a default day, but, we’ll go with classical, instead. Go figure, eh?…. I hope you enjoy this collection, chosen at random on You Tube….

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

Manifesto, sotto voce

In retrospect, I’ve gotta say,
it’s all been rather a muddle.
Life is tough, so ‘they’all say,
Lots of misery, not much cuddle.

Me, I’ve found life a bit different
than ‘they’ seem to have done.
It’s all been rather excellent;
I’ve had loads & loads of fun.

Sure, there’s been some bad shit.
Who can’t say that?
All of that pales, all of it
when one hugs a dog, a child, or a cat.

I’ve seen, fought, and felt, more than my share,
the presence of evil in life.
The pain that remains often seems unfair;
I ask why I chose to deal with such strife.

I can always find the answer in the same place,
right where it has ever resided.
All we need to do is embrace
the joy we’ve given, and been provided.

Simple is good.
Balance is good.

Life can be both.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/19/2015

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Notes on the Human Condition

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A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be.
Moderation in temper is always a virtue;
but moderation in principle is always a vice.”

~~ Thomas Paine ~~

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“Boys become men by watching men, by standing close to men.
Manhood is a ritual passed from generation to generation
with precious few spoken instructions.
Passing the torch of manhood is a fragile, tedious task.
If the rite of passage is successfully completed,
the boy-become-man is like an oak of hardwood character.
His shade and influence will bless all those
who are fortunate enough to lean on him
and rest under his canopy.”

~~ Preston Gilham ~~

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“Do not speak of what men deserve.
For we each of us deserve everything,
every luxury that was ever piled in the tombs of the dead Kings,
and we each of us deserve nothing,
not a mouthful of bread in hunger.
Have we not eaten while another starved?
Will you punish us for that?
Will you reward us for the virtue of starving while others ate?
No man earns punishment, no man earns reward.
Free your mind of the idea of *deserving*, of *earning*,
and you will begin to be able to think.”

~~ Odo, The Prison Letters~~

~~Ursula LeGuin, “The Dispossessed” ~~

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“The good life, as I conceive it, is a happy life.
I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy
– I mean that if you are happy you will be good.”

~~ Bertrand Russell ~~

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“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute.
We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race.
And the human race is filled with passion.
And medicine, law, business, engineering,
these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life.
But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.
To quote from Whitman,
‘O me! O life!…
of the questions of these recurring;
of the endless trains of the faithless
–of cities filled with the foolish;
what good amid these,
O me, O life?
Answer.
That you are here
– that life exists, and identity;
that the powerful play goes on
and you may contribute a verse.’
That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.
What will your verse be?”

~~ John Keating, Dead Poet’s Society ~~

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“It is a terrible thing
for a man to find out suddenly
that all his life he has been
speaking nothing but the truth.”

~~ Oscar Wilde ~~

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“The truth you speak has no past and no future.
It is, and that’s all it needs to be.”

~~ Richard Bach, “Illusions” ~~

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I made it. It’s unclear to me, exactly, how that came to be, but, then, I’m used to a fairly extensive degree of ambiguity, so, no big deal, right? Right. In fact, it offers me the opportunity to continue the ruthless efficiency I applied so well in ending the intro, by cutting this off before it becomes unwieldy. To make sure of it, I’ll bid thee adieu without further delay, with the concomitant wish your day goes well. Mine, such as it is, has made a decent start, so, our goal thus becomes clear…. to maintain that direction throughout the day. I’ll even forgo any analysis of the efficacy of such a wish, & merely say, see y’all next time, which, given the progress made, may be sooner than any of us believe. Stay strange, ffolkes; it’s cool out there….

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…

Unreasonable degrees of irony….

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9

Ffolkes,

“A man is a very small thing, and the night is very large and full of wonders.”

~~ Lord Dunsany, The Laughter of the Gods ~~

blue

Morning glorious….

Hajime…. For more than six years now, I have used the creation of this blog as a means of finding my inner balance. The process I developed over that time has furnished me with a routine upon which I could depend to produce a product I considered worthy of publishing for peer review, while simultaneously providing me with a means to organize my thoughts into the mold it most favors, in order to maintain the balance so essential to the peace sought so diligently by our inner self.

Since the real world, which I call consensual reality, seldom provides any of these for us, ( in truth, it often works in the opposite direction, making it hard to find any such means….), it has worked pretty well, such as it is. Of course, I am the sole judge of how well it works, & I am, deliberately, inconsistent in judging its efficacy, thus, most probably, detracting from its efficiency to some degree. But, as the closing introductory quote from Ralphie notes, consistency is just as well left out of the issue. By my standards, writing has worked well to keep me relatively sane, by public standards, if not my own, or, those of others less familiar with my personality); as proof, I offer a simple statistic, to wit: I have yet to kill anyone. Given the almost hourly occurrence of homicidal urges that come to me as I perceive the world, that’s not bad.

In truth, it occurs to me, much of my life has been a long struggle to keep myself from killing people; there are just so many of them who deserve killing, by almost any standard! Oligarchs, politicians, priests, pimps, corrupt cops, the list, to me, seems endless. Each of those categories of humans, on a consistent basis, exhibit the worst traits of humanity…. Fear, cowardice, the ability to lie, or deny reality, without guilt, shame, or the slightest degree of compassion; most of my fellow humans, to my mind, seem to abrogate their very humanity at every turn, refusing to use the intelligence they have been imbued with by nature, and denying their own connection to the rest of creation, insisting they are so special, the rules of the universe do not apply to them.

Moreover, the most basic flaw our species demonstrates regularly, seems to not even enter their perception. This flaw, as I see it, is the ability to deny their own nature, such that their entire approach to reality becomes their own worst enemy. We humans seem to have the unfortunate ability to make the assumption we have the power to alter reality at our whim, a belief not shared by that reality. Moreover, we are so convinced of this false power, we make the automatic assumption we are thus better than the rest of reality. This sense of entitlement, false as it may be, will, in the long run, prove to be a fatal flaw, for it is leading us inexorably to an ignoble end…. which is another simple deduction people refuse to make….

I have wandered around in my mind now for some time today, trying to find a way to succinctly state my feelings & thoughts, trying to explain, to myself as much as y’all, why I haven’t been writing much. I suppose I should take a shot at summarizing, so we can get on with the rest of this mess….

I don’t see much hope for humanity. The flaws in our nature, which we refuse to acknowledge, or attempt to abrogate, are killing us. If we cannot change the paradigm with which we now live, we are ALL going to die, and not comfortably. I suppose the angst and lack of balance I have been experiencing for the past year or so, since regaining a bit of clear-mindedness I had misplaced is a direct result of my sorrow at such an outcome. As a species, we show a lot of promise; it’s unfortunate our own nature prevents us from reaching out to grasp that promise, and make it our own. Instead, we fuss, we fight, we act as if the lies and delusions, upon which our entire culture is based, are real, and will help us live, when, in fact, all we can ever expect, if we don’t change, is ongoing conflict, and misery for the major portion of humanity.

My angst thus, is a persistent sense of sorrow, and anger at those humans who refuse to acknowledge the problems our own nature creates for us…. Since I, too, am human, my feelings cause me to want to strike out, hard, at those who will not see the truth of reality, and how our choices, to live in fear and delusion, have brought us to the brink of extinction. I’ve managed thus far to control those urges, human as they are; I’m having a hard time doing so these days, as there just doesn’t seem to be much reason NOT to follow the injunction of nature, so aptly described by H. L. Mencken, when he said, “Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.”

I have to admit, the temptation is great. However, I see I have, without realizing it, ranted in the intro again. So much so, I’ve made the rant I had started superfluous, & will proceed to delete it, in favor of finishing the rest of this now overlong mess. I can’t say I’m sorry for having done so; if naught else, it was rather cathartic for me, so, we’ll let it go, as is, & trust the chips to fall in convenient places. Since I can’t think of any easy, comfortable method for getting us out of the intro, I’ll just stop here, & hope for the best. I hope you enjoy today’s interlude….

Shall we Pearl?

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,
adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.
With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays: First Series (1841) “Self-Reliance” ~~

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fare thee well aldotcom

Today, I feel like listening to the Dead (go figure). Here is the second set (over two hours long) from their 50th Anniversary/Farewell Tour in 2015. Though Jerry, Robert Hunter, & Pigpen are long gone, the music and culture lives on…. Enjoy!….

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Fare Thee Well
Grateful Dead, 7/5/2015
Second Set

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Comedy_Tragedy

I can feel poems percolating, but, none are ready to leak. Here is one from last year, written during the time I was attempting to regain some balance after more than a year of fighting the symptoms of opioid withdrawal, so kindly foisted upon me by the ignorance & cowardice of the medical industry in this country. Needless to say, it’s a bit more intense than my usual fare, & I hope you enjoy it….

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

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Esoterica

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“A person needs a little madness,
or else they never dare cut the rope and be free.”

~~ Nikos Kazantzakis ~~

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“Every man is guilty of all the good he didn’t do.”

~~ Voltaire ~~

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True glory consists in doing what deserves to be written;
in writing what deserves to be read;
and in so living as to make the world
happier and better for our living in it.

~~ Pliny the Elder ~~

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It is something to be able to paint a particular picture,
or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful;
but it is far more glorious to carve and paint
the very atmosphere and medium through which we look,
which morally we can do.
To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.”

~~ Henry David Thoreau, “Where I Live” ~~

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“The world is full of cactus, but we don’t have to sit on it.”

~~ Will Foley ~~

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“He knows not how to know who knows not also how to unknow.”

~~ Richard Burton ~~

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“The only thing I know for sure is that I know nothing at all, for sure.”

~~ Socrates ~~

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Although today’s missive is extensive, it feels a bit underdone, if obese. But, so be it; I’m done, & not willing to either start over, or edit. Instead, I’ll trust the process, as I’ve learned to do so well, & let it go without further ado. In fact, I’ll even go so far as to end it swiftly, rather than drawing it out to resemble the intro. I’ll be back as soon as I have enough to say; it won’t be long, I’m sure, as I’m a naturally voluble study in contradictions and subtle notes of irony. Go figure, eh? See ya, ffolkes; that’s a promise I hope to live long enough to fulfill….

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

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Oblique references at reality’s core….

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6

Ffolkes,

“A mind forever voyaging through strange seas of thought, alone.”

~~ William Wordsworth ~~

georges house

George Orwell’s Home, London….

Hajime…. Nearly a week has passed since the last fresh Pearl of Virtual Wisdom was posted. In that week, I’ve seen this country, and the world, edge ever closer to either a civil war, or a world war, take your pick, as both scenarios are receiving some attention in the available news, whether fake, real, or just out there. Since there is little, at this point, I can do about any of that, beyond what I already have done to prepare myself, I find myself rather bored by it all, sort of Oscar Wilde-ish in my impatience with the tedious nature of most of my species. The very worst of human behaviors are on full public display, as the ignorance of the American people is played out on the world stage in the most appalling manner. SIGH… ah, well, bell curve, is all I can say….

I am working on a rant, but, even the degree of angst I’ve built up watching the nonsense going on all around me isn’t quite enough to have it ready, given the physical and emotional wars I’m waging on a daily basis. Suffice it to say, the rant may get outrageous, so, we’ll save it until it’s fully developed, to savor any potential impact it may produce. In the meantime, over the past four or five days, in the few moments per day allotted to me for sitting in a chair, I’ve managed to string together the basic elements of a fresh Pearl, which I now present for your viewing/reading pleasure. Of course, only you can decide whether it produces the desired effect, but, I’m sure you’ll let me know, if only by completely ignoring it. What the hell, I’ve blogged here on WP for more than six years now; I know better than to worry about how many will see what I produce; basically, it’s a crap shoot, & I never did figure out the odds on craps..

All that said, with the standard lack of purpose or justification, I’m going to be a trifle rude, & drop y’all right here, so I can get this finished & posted in a timely manner. Lots still to do out in the BBR today, laying in supplies for the coming month/times, & generally avoiding the rain as much as possible. Not that I mind the rain; I spent four years living in the state of Washington as a boy, & the rain is just a part of life, one you learn to enjoy, or suffer all the damn time. I like to control my suffering, so, I choose to enjoy the rain. It’s not hard, it’s just cold. So be it. And so be this intro, which I now declare done. Watch this….

Shall we Pearl?

“I am not an Athenian or a Greek, I am a citizen of the world.”

~~ Socrates ~~

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camille-saint-saens-photo2

French composer Camille Saint-Saens

Camille Saint-Saëns

Today, I feel like some classical music; by my personal experience, one cannot choose better than this man’s work, no matter what particular type of orchestral arrangement wishes to hear. Here are two plus hours of violin concertos, to ease your way into the day…. Enjoy!….

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Camille Saint-Saëns
Violin Concertos

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

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

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Comedy_Tragedy

Stray Cats

The veils that billow and fold
between dreams and reality
may sometimes part,
showing the visions of one to the other,
blending, bleeding as one,
only to bring us up short,
closely jammed against immovable fate.

Still, we keep our watch,
seeking to find the vision
that brings with it the mark of reality’s regard,
a humble mind, and a compassionate heart.

Events of broad impact draw us away again,
distracting with shiny glitter and tinny music,
leaving our feelings raw and bruised,
the victim of universal disregard.

Now, in the twilight of years, the music is fading,
and the glitter has all gone….
yet the memory of visions remains sharp and clear,
melancholy reminders of reality’s promises,
unkept…..

~~gigoid~~

4/12/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Notes on Life at Large

*******

“Death tugs at my ear and says: “Live, I am coming.”

~~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. ~~

*******

“We should consider every day lost
on which we have not danced at least once.”
And we should call every truth false
which was not accompanied by at least one laugh.”

~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~

*******

“Perfect valor is to do unwitnessed
what we should be capable of doing before all the world.”

~~ Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld ~~

*******

“Sure, understanding today’s complex world of the future
is a little like having bees live in your head.
But there they are . . .”

~~The Firesign Theater ~~

*******

“If you understand, or if you don’t.
If you believe, or if you doubt.
There is a universal justice
and the eyes of truth are always watching.”

~~ Enigma ~~

*******

“My life is light, waiting for the death wind,
Like a feather on the back of my hand.”

~~ T.S. Eliot ~~

*******

“What I tell you three times is true.”

~~ Lewis Carroll, “The Hunting of the Snark” ~~

*******

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

Well, there you go. I can’t think of anything else this needs, so, I’ll forgo any tricks, traps, or distractions, & merely say, see y’all soon. Not sure when a fresh Pearl will next appear, but, I can guarantee it will, as long as I survive long enough. Until then, be well, and happy as you may… In the infamous words of the Terminator, I’ll be back….

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 -- 11727

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Is that an igloo?….

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9

Ffolkes,

“Where there is much light there is also much shadow.”

~~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~~

posing-leelu

A moment of peaceful contemplation…

Hajime…. Below, y’all will find a Pearl. It’s a good Pearl. It’s been created in the past couple days, bit by bit, as the opportunity to sit arose, or was noted as necessary, if not exactly condoned. Suffice it to say, it’s done, and will do for the nonce. I don’t have anything else to say, really, so, I’ll forgo the usual amount of nonsense, & limit myself to this lone paragraph. Y’all can tell me sometime later whether you think it works, or, not. Of course, that makes the assumption, perhaps without warrant, that I’ll actually pay attention. But, life is full of uncertainty, isn’t it? Why, yes. Yes, it is. For now, what is certain is, I am done with this, and we can now get this slow on the toad…. Watch closely, or, it will shoot right past, without anyone noticing….

Shall we Pearl?

“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart.
Who looks outside, dreams.
Who looks inside, awakens.”

~~ Carl Jung ~~

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

pinterest-edie-b

Edie Brickell

Image from Pinterest via Google Images

Though I’ve heard this lady’s music on the radio, I never pursued any of it beyond that; I see now that was a mistake, for she’s done some rather fine work. In addition, she seems to find a lot of rather excellent musicians to play with her, as well as being married to Paul Simon, not a bad performer himself…. Ah, well, we can’t listen to it all, but, I’ll be listening to her more, for sure…. Enjoy!….

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Edie Brickell & Friends

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

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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

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Subtle notes on process & program….

*******

“First things first, but not necessarily in that order.”

~~ Doctor Who, MEGLOS ~~

*******

“Any fool can know.
The point is to understand.”

~~ Albert Einstein

*******

“We dance round in a ring and suppose,
But the Secret sits in the middle and knows.”

~~ Robert Frost “The Secret Sits” 1936 ~~

*******

“Always store beer in a dark place.”

~~ Lazarus Long

*******

“Are all your stars shining?”

~~ JD Salinger ~~

*******

“I think it’s good that everyone becomes food.”

~~ Hobbes, the Tiger ~~

*******

“It’s a fool’s life,
a rogue’s life,
and a good life
if you keep laughing all the way to the grave.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

*******

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

Today’s Pearl is, in at least one respect, a most efficient, and iconic example of the genre. Moreover, I’ll not detract from that pristine nature by waxing overly philosophic, or extensively, here at the end. Instead, I’ll merely say, I hope you enjoyed it, and I’ll do it again, soon as I can. Meantime, y’all be alert, stay as happy as you may, & all will be well. How else can it be, but what it is?…..

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….

Observational evidence of previous habitation….

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4

Ffolkes,

“What I am is what I am.
Are you what you are, or what?”

~~ Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians ~~

iconic-pepper-tree

Black Pepper Tree….

Hajime…. I have managed to put together a Pearl for today; what I didn’t manage is to find any particularly creative energy within myself to write anything more complicated than a short intro paragraph for the music. The rest is, as they say so often in Silicon Valley, what you get. Suffused, as I am, with the angst so carefully built up over the past few days of watching the US government shake itself to pieces, I find it difficult to find the words to express the degree of horror implied by the massive display of duplicity, ignorance, bigotry, and, well, stupidity we have witnessed, as the Trumpette goes about his business, feeding into the ignorance of his ‘fans’, and rewarding all the assholes who helped him get into this mess….

Any further comments on that would easily fall into ranting mode; I’ll cease and desist now, rather than try to regain control later. The few words I’ve already written today came close enough to cover that, and will sit more comfortably in the psyche of the Gentle Reader if not augmented by further displays of angst. Besides, I’m really NOT in the mood to rant; I feel too good to let it wreck what’s left of the day. Instead, I’m going to go all executive, and cut this off while still in its prime, in favor of just getting on with what I’ve got. For y’all, that’s probably a bonus; it certainly makes my job easier, so, we’ll go with it, and let the chips fall where they may…. That, by the way, looks like this….

Shall we Pearl?

“Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies.”

~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~

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playing-for-change

I’ve decided to use the music from various artists in this organization as our default, at least for the time being. Since I’m not spending a lot of time at the computer, it will save some of it for actually creating Pearls, which is already hard enough without the extra time. Here is one that I feel is, or should be, the single most important piece of music I know, for it shows humanity where our true salvation lies, to wit: within our own nature, and not in chasing after an illusory supernatural being who loves us, which has no evidence to support it. “It is in the shelter of each other people live.” Here’s one of the building blocks of that shelter….

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Imagine
Playing For Change

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

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Comedy_Tragedy

Bulletin

Patterns exist to bring sanity, if illusory, at best;
follicular, reality seems to slip and slide.
Still, formal insanity consistently fails the ultimate test,
why place faith in answers. from which truth can hide?

Following the music brings us back in good time;
forever seemingly retreats from relevance.
Crazy, time stands still with yet another innovative rhyme,
no burgeoning intentions for sale, to shimmy. or dance.

Folly sits easily upon this brow;
fateful and afraid, entropy bows in shame.
Into the river of time, slowly, forgetful of how
courage gives strength, no matter the game.

Capricious, the muse demands obedient attention
at risk of exhibiting true durance vile.
Bereft, single copies sit unused, despite all intention;
while singular examples of fate pass at the stile.

Seminal events bring their own weight;
no scale necessary, no guessing by eye, or hand.
Only one lesson to learn, just pay the freight;
the music is playing, and you’re part of the band.

~~ gigoid ~~

8/6/2016

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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Listen, and learn….

*******

“The map is not the territory.”

~~ Alfred Korzbyski ~~

*******

“Be careless in your dress if you will, but keep a tidy soul.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

*******

“Something we were withholding made us weak
Until we found it was ourselves.”

~~ Robert Frost ~~

*******

“Immortality lies not in the things you leave behind,
but in the people your life has touched.”

~~ Sagacious Bee ~~

“All I know of love is that Love is all there is.”

~~ Emily Dickinson ~~

*******

“You thought, as a boy, that a mage is one who can do anything.
So I thought, once. So did we all.
And the truth is that as a man’s real power grows and his knowledge widens,
ever the way he can follow grows narrower:
until at last he chooses nothing,
but does only and wholly what he ‘must’ do.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin, “A Wizard of Earthsea” ~~

*******

“If you do not understand my silence, then you will not understand my words.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

*******

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

That’s it. That’s all I’ve got; besides, my butt’s done with the chair for now. I think I’ll go for a walk in the early morning cold and dark, & see what sort of mischief there is to find…. I don’t know when I’ll be back with a fresh Pearl, but, you may rest assured, I shall. Until then, y’all be strange, and stay alert. It’s getting pretty weird out there in the BBR…. See ya….

Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…

When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Four signs, but, only two portents….

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4

Ffolkes,

“Life, like a dome of many-colored glass, stains the white radiance of eternity.”

~~ Percy Bysshe Shelly ~~

yellow rose 1

Late blooming rose…

Hajime…. It has been well over a week since I posted a fresh Pearl; my psyche is feeling the buildup of angst quite frequently. Physically, I am still unable to sit for more than a few minutes before the conditions I’m working to improve tell me it’s time to get up again. There is some slow improvement, and a strong hope/plan to see more. For now, it’s all I’m able to do to spend five minutes at the computer before I’m compelled to go do something less sedentary, in a different gravitational configuration than the one sitting places us automatically. It makes writing, as might be guessed, a bit problematic; reading & surfing are also relatively hard to accomplish standing up for any length of time, so, I’m necessarily finding other things to do, all of which are healthier for me, though not as mentally soothing, in the sense of the release it gives my fractured psyche.

As this is being written in short spurts of sitting, I’m hoping to manage to keep this intro smooth, without exhibiting too much of the the broken timing so obviously a part of such a routine. To promote that hope, I’ll quickly issue an apology for missing so many of the posts of those I follow; I hope to be able to get back to it eventually. But, if I wish to live, with any degree of independence, re-establishing my health is of primary importance; I’ve still much to do before my time here is up, & I’d best be getting to it, before that time runs out. I hope to publish a bit more often, but, if not, I hope y’all can forgive me for being selfish to this degree….

I can’t think of any tricks, and I need to get up & move, so, I’ll end this here, & go close it off so I can get it posted. I’ll try to get by some other blogs today, if my time here in the chair doesn’t become too onerous. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the mess I’ve thrown together for your perusal… For the nonce, we’ll do this….

Shall we Pearl?

“Truckin’, like the do-dah man
Once told me “Gotta play your hand.
Sometimes your cards ain’t worth a dime
If you don’t lay’em down.”
Sometimes the light’s all shinin’ on me;
Other times I can barely see.
Lately it occurs to me
What a long, strange trip it’s been.”

~~ Truckin’ by Garcia, Weir, Lesh, Hunter ~~

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

playing-for-change

I believe this organization is doing as much as anyone in the world to promote peace and goodwill among men. I support them with a monthly donation, and feel I get my money’s worth every time I listen to a new tune…. Nothing better than live music ffolkes, and no better way to spend your time, or money than to hear/buy this music…. Enjoy!….

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

Playing For Change

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

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

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Comedy_Tragedy

To fill in this space without resorting to the work of others, thus avoiding any embarrassment for them, here is a poem I wrote exactly five years ago yesterday. Since it’s been raining here for about two weeks straight, it fits right in…. I hope you enjoy it….

An Old Man, Snoring….

Winter arrives with gusts of wind and rain,
clover spreads green amongst the hedges.
Urban gardens quiver, and dream of spring again,
gargoyles stoically crouch on corniced ledges.

Umbrellas sprout over heads shrouded and hatted,
dotting the sidewalks in colorful profusion.
Urban denizens pose sketches, framed and matted,
adding casual beauty to fill the illusion.

Hissing tires, swishing along with the wipers
join nature’s orchestra smoothly, as percussion.
Dripping gutters sound gong tones, true pipers,
a sudden roar of wind hushes all discussion.

Dreams of summer heat form the crux of desire
as winter chills our souls from without.
Sitting in warmth, gazing into an imaginary fire;
content to know spring will come, no doubt.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/21/2012

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

pearls_3

This pearl came together over several days, managing to maintain its original shape and purpose the entire time. Here then, for your reading pleasure, is a rather classic old-school pearl, with a fine message…. Enjoy….

*******

“A life without cause is a life without effect”

~~ Barbarella ~~

*******

You can be happy or you can be miserable – the choice is yours.

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

*******

“We turn not older with years, but newer every day.”

~~ Emily Dickinson ~~

*******

“Fear is the lock and laughter the key to your heart.”

~~ Steven Stills~~

*******

“For water continually dropping will wear hard rocks hollow.”

~~ Plutarch — Of the Training of Children~~

*******

“If you cannot find it in yourself, where will you go for it?”

~~ Confucius ~~

*******

“Death is every man’s final critic. To die well you must live bravely.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

*******

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

Having completed my task, I shall bid thee adieu, until next time, which, hopefully, will be relatively soon. Compared to recent times, that’s a pretty good bet. See ya when I am able, ffolkes…. Stay strange; it’s cool out there….

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….

A pale, galloping horse….

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5

Ffolkes,

“It is the ability to choose which makes us human.”

~~ Madeleine L’Engle, “Walking on Water” ~~

Alaska Grand Adventure 004

Ketchikan, Alaska, pre-invasion…

Hajime…. The choices we make always seem to turn out differently than we expect, don’t they? Identifying & making those choices is a process we seldom consider in depth, yet, it is a process critically important, to who we are, and what we can expect from Life at Large. My own choices seem to be catching up to me, as physical conditions now assume a greater portion of my attention than I have heretofore had to give. It seems, in my youth and checkered past, some of my choices have led me to where I now am, physically, which, at the moment, is rather an uncertain position, more uncertain than ever before, which tends to decrease the available choices….

That’s a bit obscure, but, at the moment, there aren’t a lot of details I can, or will share, until there is more certain information to relate. Suffice it to say, I probably won’t be around here for a stretch of time; how long remains as uncertain as my own health. I’d like to be able to say when I might return, but, at this point, I don’t have enough information on that to make any reliable prediction. So, I’ll just say this for now. I don’t want to stop writing, but, the very act of doing so is contributing to the issue, so, it will need to be curtailed, to some degree, for an unknown time…. If anyone wishes more details, or has any interest in communicating beyond the usual commentary found here, my email is available in my profile, somewhere, as well as on the side bar of my home page, & I’ll be happy to answer any queries via that venue…

For now, I’m just going to bid thee all a temporary (hopefully) farewell, with the added hope that life continues to proceed along acceptable lines, for all of y’all… Me, I’m going to be following a rather strict regimen of cannabinoid consumption in large doses, to help me heal whatever is going on. It seems to work on everything we’ve tried it on, so, I’m hopeful it will do so for me. In the meantime, stay alert, & stay loose. It’s all going to change, and rapidly, starting soon, so, you’ll need all the chutzpah you can manage to display…. I’m outta here, for now….

Normally, at this point, I’d say “Shall we Pearl?”…. today, I’ll just say, see ya later, ffolkes

“You live and learn. Or, you don’t live long.”

~~ Lazarus Long ~~

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….

Bitter whimsy…

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4

Ffolkes,

“Rotten wood cannot be carved.”

~~ Confucius ~~

~~ Analects, Book 5, Ch. 9 ~~

homebase

gigoid’s hideaway….

Hajime…. Bitter whimsy, indeed, my friends. It’s been at least three days since I last sat to compose a Pearl, though I’ve spent a little time collecting pearls to use. Most of my time, sadly, has been spent feuding with the powers that be, in the guise of banks, and robotic zombies in service to soulless corporations. As usual, the conflicts in which I’ve been compelled to engage have ended in what can best be called a draw; I get what I need, the myrmidons get confused, and we both feel a bit unsettled afterward. Mostly, it works, though there seems to be little point to any of it.

In fact, if you consider our opening lines from Confucius (the real one, not the one with the weird fake accent everyone uses… this is from the books he actually wrote, back in the days of Lao Tzu and the emperors of various dynasties in China…), taken together with the intro closing quote from Bert Russell, it gives the flavor of how my time out in the BBR has gone, for the most part. Relatively productive in terms of task completion, but, with the concomitant angst and stress from having to deal with mundanes, myrmidons, zombies, and simple idiots, to go along with the more rarely encountered true human, those who are able to display rational behavior, and a human ability to display empathy toward others.

I miss the conversations involved in blogging; in the past six or so years, I’ve met some of the best ffolkes I’ve ever known; several have become very good friends, and I am reluctant to completely give up the time I spend connecting with them. But, I am finding, also, I am less filled with the background of tension that comes from having to soak up so much bad juju, which is hard to avoid if one follows current events. There are literally dozens of issues being played out in the world today, all of which are relatively critical in nature; the failure to meet some of the challenges necessary to resolve those issues will have serious effects on the entire world, including our own species, effects which conceivably lead to our demise as a species. It ain’t pretty, ffolkes; humanity has been ignoring the basic rules of reality for a long time, hoping against hope the delusions/illusions upon which we have based our existence are powerful enough to withstand conflict with the real world. I’m unhappy to report, they aren’t….

But, that’s a rant for another time, yes? Yes. For now, I’m going to once again slough it all onto a back burner, & throw together a Pearl of Virtual Wisdom, just because I can, and, probably should, given the alternative, which none of us should contemplate without a better handle on things…. For now…

Shall we Pearl?

“In the part of this universe that we know there is great injustice,
and often the good suffer, and often the wicked prosper,
and one hardly knows which of those is the more annoying.”

~~ Bertrand Russell ~~

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

mikegordon__leo_kottke

Image from LIVEmusicblog.com via Google Images

Leo Kottke has been a legendary performer on the 12-string guitar for most of my life; I first saw him in concert in my first year at UC Berkeley, where he blew me, and the rest of the audience, right out of our shoes. Mike Gordon is much younger, but, no less a phenomenon, as a studio bassist, and for the popular rock band, Phish, with Trey Anastasio complementing his bass licks on lead guitar with his improvisational genius. Leo and Mike got together prior to Phish, to play in concert, also making a number of albums treasured by aficionados of great improvisational music…. Enjoy, ffolkes; these are two of the best, having fun together….

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

Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon Live

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Comedy_Tragedy

Adjectives of Quality ~~ Bloody Friday

A baleful lump of ironic introspection
sits upon my shoulder today
leaving traces of fey reflection
with a smattering of true dismay.

Resistance may be futile, many have said,
belief didn’t necessarily follow.
Abnegation of fear marks all bills paid,
leaving such empty threats hollow.

Symbolic courage never sleeps so deeply
as when delusion holds sway.
Bartered virtue, sold far too cheaply,
stands in shame, until honor fades away.

Too many culprits exist to count just one;
all of us bear obvious blame.
Evil is as evil does, only, when it’s done,
it begins again, all same-same.

Nobody seems to care enough to deny the lies.
Ignorant fear rules humanity’s masses.
When evil passes unremarked, innocence dies;
silence equals guilt, leaving only hope’s ashes.

Reality screams; tales of terror unfold,
flames fanned with purposeful malice,
insidious dangers hide beneath atrocity untold
as Gaia weeps into an empty chalice.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/3/2015

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Odd, but, true….

*******

“Everything can be filed under “miscellaneous”.”

~~ Dilbert, Scott Adams ~~

*******

“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth:
(1) not going all the way; and
(2) not starting.”

~~ Buddha ~~

*******

“Freedom is not free. Free men are not equal. Equal men are not free.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

*******

“The keenest sorrow is to recognize ourselves
as the sole cause of all our adversities.

~~ Sophocles ~~

*******

“As I look at your image,
I see only the light which was not absorbed.”

~~ Mark Middleton ~~

*******

“It will not out of the flesh that is bred in the bone.”

~~ John Heywood (c. 1565) — Proverbes, Part ii, Chap. viii~~

*******

“What sane person could live in this world and not be crazy?”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

*******

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

‘Tis now 0510, which means this process has done its job admirably; I’m still relatively sane, and nobody died in my vicinity, whether due to my action, or inaction. Plus, compared to the general run of mundanes, I’m still sane, and as free as anyone in this sad old world can be. Rather than entertain any opinions of a different nature, I’ll just ease my way off screen, & get on with the re-ordering of my personal reality. It’s a tough job, but, who else will do it, if I don’t? No one. Since that remains the case, I’ll see y’all later; the exact date remains, at this point, a mystery, but, don’t fret, it won’t be too long… It seems to keep pulling at me…. 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….