“Governing a large country is like frying a small fish.
You spoil it with too much poking.”
~~ Lao-Tzu ~~
Hajime…. Good morrow, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Fantasy Island…. Yep. America served notice yesterday, to the rest of the world, that the majority of those living here, at least those willing and able to vote, have picked a man to be president who is the perfect example of themselves, to wit: believes firmly in the value of show over substance. In short, fantasy is reality, and self-service is the rule of the day, and, soon, most likely, of the law; those same voters voted in a partisan Congress in both houses, giving the party whose core beliefs are racism, bigotry, and ignorance a majority in both. Some fun, eh?
Now, having abdicated my attention as much as possible, a necessary, if passive-aggressive adjustment to the nearly intolerable degree of negative irony that prevailed during the entire process, I shall wait to see if my prediction, voiced numerous times since learning of his candidacy, will come true. I noted that the Donald had voiced an interest in establishing tariffs on trade to protect American jobs; in conjunction, I pointed out what happened to the LAST President who made such remarks; his name was Nixon, and he didn’t last long after his suggestion was made public. I don’t believe the corporate interests who have bought & paid for our government are going to like that, and I fully expect some sort of ‘accident’, or ‘illness’, or some new revelation of bad deeds to strike the poor sap before he ever signs a single bill…
But, then, I’m pretty pessimistic about our government these days. Can’t figure out why; can you?…. and, yes, that’s extreme sarcasm, to be sure.
I’m afraid I don’t have much today. I don’t feel like music, (and THAT shows just how low I’ve been brought by the implications of this election, and its probable effect on the future…), and, in my thrashing about this morning, I even lost, by accidental deletion, the poem I’ve been working on. I also didn’t take any time to collect any pearls yesterday, being distracted by the process of making sure all my weapons are in working order. So, all you get today is this intro, a few pearls gathered in haste, (though, it IS a highly ironic group, and, thus, of some value today….), and, a wave bye-bye, at the end. So be it.
Not only that, but, that’s all I have for the intro, too. I’m too on edge about the future, as we have certainly entered a corner of the Twilight Zone, ffolkes. The human panorama promises to get very, very strange in the coming years. I confess to a bit of uneasiness as to the ultimate outcome. Go figure, eh? Ah, well, so much for THIS incarnation….
Shall we Pearl?….
“Can’t nobody lick us, Pa. We’re the people.”
~~ The Grapes of Wrath ~~
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Naked Pearls
Ironic notes on the recent unpleasantness….
*********
“Man’s rich with little, were his judgment true;
Nature is frugal, and her wants are few;
These few wants, answer’d bring sincere delights;
But fools create themselves new appetites.”
~~ Young ~~
*********
“I know that’s an illusionary dragon!”
~~ Famous Last Words ~~
*********
“A blind man will not thank you for a looking-glass.”
~~ Thomas Fuller ~~
*********
“If there’s anything disgusting about the movie business,
it’s the whoredom of my peers.”
~~ Sean Penn ~~
*********
“Success and failure are equally disastrous.”
~~ Tennessee Williams ~~
*********
“Democracy is that form of government
where everybody gets what the majority deserves.”
~~ James Dale Davidson ~~
*********
“A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal.”
~~ Oscar Wilde ~~
*********
All men that are ruined, are ruined on the side of their natural propensities.
~~ Edmund Burke ~~
~~ Reflections on the Revolution in France, Letter i, On a Regicide Peace, Vol. v, p. 286 ~~
*********
“YOW!! Everybody out of the GENETIC POOL!”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
*********
********************************
There you go, ffolkes. I guess Smart Bee is in touch with society more than I knew; the nine gems you see came up in about five minutes, total…. Such is life in the blogosphere; full of randomness and ambiguity, but, oh, so much fun. I’ll probably be back tomorrow; I can’t think of anything to do but hunker down, and watch for explosions. I guess I’ll have something to say on 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.
“Sin lies only in hurting other people unnecessarily.
All other “sins” are invented nonsense.
(Hurting yourself is NOT a sin–just stupid.)”
~~ Lazarus Long ~~
Mendenhall Glacier Ice, escaping to sea….
Hajime…. Today’s Pearl comes to you through the auspices of cultural delusion in action. The faux time change our government insists upon foisting upon the public twice each year has caused a reaction in me, similar to that one experiences through long-distance travel. In short, I’m jet-lagged, without having had the pleasure of traveling anywhere. Since Sunday, when the change took place, I’ve been arising at about 3 AM., unable to sleep any longer. SIGH…. Oh, well, at least it got a Pearl done for today….
Can you feel it? Do you feel the tension in the air? The world is on a cusp, ffolkes, and the election tomorrow will have a definitive effect on how that tension plays out in reality. A lot of sensitive people are aware of what is happening, and they are all, including myself, nervous about what may happen tomorrow. My own unease is related to the simple fact that, whichever of the two candidates most likely to carry the day wins, it isn’t going to bode well for anybody, as they both have personal agendas in place that have nothing at all to do with their avowed duty, to help the American people. No, I’m afraid they both are much more selfish, and deluded, that that. I can’t see ANY good coming from the results, so, I’m holding my breath, to some degree, awaiting some indication of what direction to jump.
All that said, I’ve put together a Pearl without any real direction, or purpose, other than to maintain my own sanity, and to provide y’all with, perhaps, the only non-manipulative information you’ll be bombarded with today. Anything you see regarding the election, you may be sure, is only designed to get you to do what someone else wants. If nothing else, this won’t do THAT…. for we don’t want anything but your polite attention, and, if you wish to give it, a bit of appreciation. Or, argument. Doesn’t matter, if it keeps us both from having to think about an event which has already proven its irrelevance.
On that cheerful note, let’s get on with it. Ruthlessness coming; hang on….
Shall we Pearl?….
“What’s madness but nobility of soul
At odds with circumstance?”
~~ Theodore Roethke, “In a Dark Time” ~~
********************************
Yep. You guessed it. Today’s musical selection automatically went to default, since I hadn’t made any decision at post-time… Go figure, eh?…. Try to enjoy it, anyway; people have been doing so for centuries, so, it CAN be done…. *grin*….
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Classical Music
********************************
********************************
********************************
Somehow, the day before our election this year, this one seems appropriate….
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
********************************
Naked Pearls
How’s that again?….
*******
“By letting go, it all gets done.”
~~ Tao Te Ching ~~
*******
Dilige et “uos vis fac.”
[Love and do what you will]
~~ St. Augustine ~~
*******
“Dreams are real while they last. Can we say more of life?”
~~ Havelock Ellis ~~
*******
“Forgive many things in others; nothing in yourself.”
~~ Ausionius ~~
*******
“Always tell the truth–if you want to make trouble.”
~~ Honest Bee ~~
*******
“It is not the strongest of the species that survive,
nor the most intelligent,
but the one most responsive to change.”
~~ Charles Darwin ~~
*******
“How many Zen masters does it take to change a light bulb?”
“None. The Universe spins the bulb, and the Zen master stays out of the way.”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
*******
********************************
Well, it’s done. I am going now to make sure my ammo is dry, and all is ready for whatever may happen. It’s tough preparing for the worst, for, as humans, our ‘worst’ is pretty fucking unpredictable, not to mention terrifyingly, well, terrible. In any case, I’d suggest y’all stay alert. Things are going to get really ‘interesting’ out there in the Big Blue Room, and they’re going to get there soon…. I hope to see y’all tomorrow; if the internet is still up, then so will I be…. See ya, ffolkes, sans the advent of Armageddon….
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.
“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.”
~~ Paul Boese ~~
The cusp of the day….
Hajime…. When I arose this morning, this portion of my computer was blank, with only the basic formatting structure in place. I thought, given my lack of energy in the past few days, I would have to re-blog an older Pearl, simply because there wasn’t time for me to even fake it. However, Murphy stepped in, to remind me today is the day we set the clocks back an hour, which meant I had an extra hour to work on this. So be it…..
I still haven’t much energy, so you’ll have to put up with whatever happens; much of it will be old material. I’ve put in some lively music, to keep us all awake; beyond that, the following will be random as random can be. Go figure, eh? Moreover, I’m maintaining the ruthlessness we’ve been employing of late, to get this done while I still have the means to do so. I’m hoping to be back to relative normality soon, but, hey, what’s normal? In the meantime, we’ll get on with today’s mess, while we can do so with some dignity. Oh, really? Well, never mind. We’ll just go on, anyway….
Shall we Pearl?….
“Whatever your advice, make it brief.”
~~ Horace ~~
********************************
I felt like some hot rock, so, I went back a few years, to find some worth listening to; I believe I found some…. You tell me….
********************************
Hot Tuna
********************************
********************************
********************************
Increments
Meaning fades to distant reality
while gazing at such triviality.
An insane world, where utter finality
is reward for disability.
Metaphorically, as a matter of course.
Moment to moment, passion blooms,
swells, and fades, swept by new brooms.
Bitter dreams catch fire in empty rooms,
waiting for broken time, which never resumes.
Superficially, with great force.
Dire wolves stand snarling at the door
called to existence from a distant moor;
discordant strains sound a mad, sad roar,
a dirge for those who went before.
Morbidly, without vital recourse.
Honest effort fades from human ken
until entropy finds home in every when.
Illusory fear inundates imagination, then
buries hope, in its own ashes, hidden.
Cruelly, absolutely no remorse.
Silence falls until it shatters the night.
The universe has refused the fight.
Illusion is now reality, such a fey sight.
Who has courage to live in the light?
Really? It could be worse.
~~ gigoid ~~
2/15/2016
********************************
Smart Bee is being stuffy this morning, refusing to issue even the least ironic pearl for me to use. Since I’m already deep into scavenging mode for material, here’s a short discussion to take the place of today’s old-school pearl. I could use another old-school version, but, what the heck? I’m going for it, anyway…. I hope you enjoy this little foray into not much….
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
********************************
Well, it’s done. I guess the best that can be said for it is, it’s not a re-blog. Entirely, anyway. As with everything else in reality, it is what it is. To encourage common sense, which is sorely needed in today’s world, let’s let it lie, and just get on with the day, eh? I think that’s a swell idea, and I’m driving, so…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. I may even have something rational to share, but, don’t get your hopes up…..
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
Hajime…. I don’t have much today. In fact, I’ve got so little, calling it zero would be dignifying it. It’s so little, it makes zero look like infinity. But, wait, there’s more!
No, there really isn’t. The physical issue related yesterday is such that it leaves me with no energy for anything beyond the minimum activities of daily living. To keep this from turning into a complaint session rather than an intro, we’re going to assume our ruthless mask, to ensure we get this done. It’s going to require some rather extensive ruthlessness, too, so, we’d best get started on that. We will begin, by beginning, now….
Shall we Pearl?….
“Every adult needs a child to teach;
it’s the way adults learn.”
A friend tweeted a song to me and others yesterday; ’twas Arlo Guthrie singing “City of New Orleans”, a song written by this man, an iconic songwriter who died in 1984…. I found a concert of his on You Tube, which has poor video, but, great sound, showing off his great voice, and excellent guitar skills… His songs have been covered by the best musicians, in a number of venues, simply because they’re so good…. Enjoy, ffolkes!….
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Steve Goodman
********************************
********************************
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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
********************************
Naked Pearls
Notes to ponder….
*********
There is a road from the eye to the heart that does not go through the intellect.”
~~ G.K. Chesterton ~~
*********
“If you don’t like yourself, you can’t like other people.”
~~ Robert Heinlein, Time Enough for Love ~~
*********
Happiness is the only good,
reason the only torch,
justice the only worship,
humanity the only religion,
and love the only priest.
~~ Robert G. Ingersoll ~~
*********
“Our greatest glory is not in never failing,
but in rising up every time we fail.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
*********
“A man can do something for peace without having to jump into politics.
Each man has inside him a basic decency and goodness.
If he listens to it and acts on it,
he is giving a great deal of what it is the world needs most.”
~~ Pablo Casals ~~
*********
********************************
It’s late, and short, and probably a wash; it is also done. So be it. I have no more now than I did in the beginning, so, we are outta here, post haste. I’ll see if I can do better, but, it will depend, naturally, on elements of reality yet to be encountered, or defined. You know what THAT means. Yep…. We shall remains, for the most part, clueless. 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.
Hajime…. First, I must apologize to those blogs I follow, where I’ve been mostly absent for a day or two. Yesterday, an old physical demon paid a visit, which has extended into today. I’m doing the right thing to move it along, but, it’s an insidious thing, embedding itself with cold claws that grip, and takes some time to convince to leave. The upshot was, I missed commenting on ANY blogs I’d planned to visit, for which I offer my regrets. I’ll see what happens, but, it could take a day or two to get normal. Let’s hope for efficient methodology results, eh?
All that said, obscurely as possible, to preclude relating details which might just flip switches, I’m going to go directly on, to keep from becoming overly sentimental, or even maudlin. Had enough of that over the birthday celebration, so, I’m cutting down on such indulgences. However I seem to cut it, nothing seems to feel comfortable, so, what the hell, I’m gonna go post this, and be done for today. I may, or may not, be here tomorrow…. I guess that’s another one time will have to tell. It always does.
Meantime, I’m out of ideas for any extensions here, so, I figure we’ll just go do what there is to do, and be off into the day…. On days like today, that looks like this….
Shall we Pearl?….
“All nature is but art, unknown to thee;
All chance, direction, which thou canst not see;
All discord, harmony not understood;
All partial evil, universal good;
And spite of pride, in erring reason’s spite,
One truth is clear, Whatever is, is right.”
~~ Alexander Pope ~~
~~ Essay on Man, Epistle i, Line 289 ~~
********************************
I’m in a hurry to get this posted, with no music chosen; hence, our default choice. Try to enjoy it anyway, ffolkes; can’t hurt….
********************************
Classical Music
********************************
********************************
********************************
Fatal Supplication
But what becomes of our deepest dangerous dreams?
Does fantasy rescue any part of life’s imperiled favor?
Reality becomes but silvery pairs of mismatched teams,
Dining with affable elegance, such diffident waste to savor.
Who decides what sorrows to carry bravely to term?
Will fragrant moments of sanity make hasty manifestation?
Only Time’s patient mutability sends messages so firm,
Yet salient impersonal vexation lends credence to ripe imagination.
Can folly bring out sadness and rampant visions of beauty?
What kindness can be found in distant open relations?
With countless faces the dead disturb with dire impunity,
From separate caches of wisdom come simple stylish privations.
Shall shallow emotion serve to provide such explanations?
When does avaricious intensity assume primary focus?
Plain answers slide softly through with multiple mitigations,
While conceptually indignant concepts engage a fatally personal locus.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/20/2012
********************************
Naked Pearls
Observations….
*******
“Ah, what a dusty answer gets the soul when hot for certainties in this our life!”
~~ George Meredith ~~
*******
“Waiting is.”
~~ Robert A. Heinlein, ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’ ~~
*******
“Make no judgments where you have no compassion.”
~~ Anne Mc Caffrey ~~
*******
“If my decomposing carcass helps nourish the roots of a juniper tree
or the wings of a vulture – that is immortality enough for me.
And as much as anyone deserves.”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
*******
“Nothing is so bitter that a calm mind cannot find comfort in it.”
~~ Seneca ~~
*******
“And though the course may change sometimes,
Rivers always reach the sea.”
~~ Led Zeppelin, Ten Years Gone ~~
*******
“Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.”
~~ Robert Benchley ~~
*******
********************************
That’s all I’ve got, so, that’s all you get. I’ll see what I can do to find something fresh in there to put here, tomorrow. In the meantime, stay alert, ffolkes. It’s getting pretty weird out in the BBR…. I’ll be back, but, no promises on exact times or dates…. Probably tomorrow, if all goes well…. See ya….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“Fear teaches us in the most graphic terms just what it is we value.”
~~ Limon ~~
Casual Symmetry….
Hajime….
At the eastern horizon, a pale sun rose, casting pallid light over the rocky landscape. As the sky lightened, vivid shadows leapt into evidence, casting their darkness away from the rising sun, to stain the white, white sand into gray. Nothing moved in the still, hot air, until, at the very edge of the visible, a small cloud of dust arose, moving slowly toward the sun’s point of ascent. As the wavering vision passed over the desert sand, the shadow of its passage trailed along behind, like a faithful dog. The heat, already stifling, mounted….
Not too bad for off the cuff, eh? And only one cup of coffee down; most encouraging. Yesterday taught me another new lesson on aging; hangovers are exhausting for us old farts. I did my best to act normally, even going so far as to walk the entire way home from my errand, a bit over a mile in one shot. Then, at about 6:30 PM, I faded, so rapidly, it was all I could do to prep coffee for the morning, and fall into bed, where I slept like a corpse for eight full hours (which may be a new record for the past ten years…). I feel a bit guilty, for blowing off all my regular blog visits, but, can’t argue with the energy 8 hours sleep will supply.
Since I’ve got all this energy, I’m gonna go use it up, then take a nap, just because I can. I’ve got a decent Pearl for you, with a four year-old poem, and a fresh old-school pearl to go with the most excellent musical choice of the day. Before my enthusiasm and energy gets me any more worked up, I’m going to go get this done, & posted, so I can use my energy more efficiently. I know, bozo talking, but, hey, I can dream, can’t I? In the meantime, let’s do this this way…. Watch your step, please….
Shall we pearl?….
“I would rather my ignorance be based on my understanding
than for my understanding to be based on my ignorance.
I would rather be a humorous fool than a serious jackass.”
Today’s music selection happened when I got a bit maudlin the day after my birthday celebration, during which I indulged in copious (for me) amounts of Jameson’s, attempting to verify the old saying about the Irish, to wit: an Irish man isn’t too drunk if he can still hold on to a single blade of grass and not fly off the planet. I discovered it is most likely true, though the details of the experimental process are a little fuzzy, and the data is a bit disorganized, so I have no proof, either true, or false. Given the results, I’d say this is a case of the belief being sufficiently accurate to convey the essence of the concept.
I’ve listened to the music of this group for over 50 years; my parents had several of their albums, which only stimulated my interest in that quarter of my heritage. Plus, these guys can flat-out play, sing, and, most importantly, engage with their audience, as you’ll plainly see, and hear…. Enjoy…
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The Dubliners
********************************
********************************
********************************
A Seasonal Approach
Absolute stillness grips a frozen field,
anticipating dawn with such patient yield
morning burgeoning in dark winter’s hold
brings promise of tales yet to be told.
Lengthening days of pale sun unto night
slowly tell of time’s subversive flight
bringing such original songs of natural fire
with melodies complex in casual attire.
The months are certain they will always win
it is just the way it has always been.
None may argue, nor yet slow life down
Nor dim the eternal beauty of nature’s gown.
Winter evolves from fall into spring,
sending flocks and hearts ever awing.
Summer follows suit, t’other way ’round
Spring into fall, often without a sound.
Life is meant to be lived, beginning to end
choices abound, and change can be a friend.
Yielding with grace to reality’s compelling ploy
fills our plain existence with clean, honest joy.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/2/2012
********************************
Naked Pearls
More notes on process and program….
*******
“If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm,
you’ll never enjoy the sunshine.”
~~ Horace ~~
*******
“The true perfection of man lies,
not in what man has, but in what man is . . .
Nothing should be able to harm a man but himself.
Nothing should be able to rob a man at all.
What a man really has is what is in him.
What is outside of him should be a matter of no importance.”
~~ Oscar Wilde ~~
*******
“If all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap,
whence everyone must take an equal portion,
most people would be contented to take their own and depart.”
~~ Socrates ~~
*******
“A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience.”
~~ Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. ~~
*******
“It is better to know nothing than to know what ain’t so.”
~~ Josh Billings ~~
*******
“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 ~~
*******
“And sometimes the bear eats you.”
~~ Realistic Bee ~~
*******
********************************
Whoops! Almost forgot to close this off. I’ll be good, and just do it, sans fluff. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. Deal with 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.
“No evil is greater than indifference toward evil.”
~~ Sagacious Bee ~~
I know it’s in here….
Hajime…. That was close. I hate to lie, & came damn close to having done so to my Gentle Readers, had I not come up with this idea for a Pearl at the last moment. It would be tres chic for me to relate the details; it would also be foolish to do so, lest it be taken seriously. There’s nothing serious here at all today, even if it may appear that way. Oh, it’s all reasonably coherent; there just isn’t much of it. This is a direct result of getting officially old today, as hinted at yesterday….
Yep, I’m 66 now, a mere one tenth of the Age of the Beast, but, not an insignificant point of progress. A lot of what is taking place in my life is a hard row to hoe, but, having been raised right, hard work doesn’t scare me. Nor is it particularly scary to contemplate nearing the end of my time here. In fact, it’s rather exciting to think about, in a certain respect; the final adventure, with complete and utter uncertainty as to what will happen, can be considered the ultimate puzzle, which is what our brains do best, even if we don’t know it. And, now, I’m starting to babble….
That will happen when one really hasn’t much to say, other than, what you see is what you get. I’ve got an old-school pearl for you, with five odd inclusions that add up to a good idea to remember/discover. You’ll see. And I shall be as intended, out somewhere in the BBR, stirring up trouble for the machine, if I can manage it. If not, well, a nap sounds good, too. I’ll see if I have time to put together something for tomorrow, maybe. Then, again, maybe not. Time will tell, I suppose; it always does. For now, let’s get this done, and be on our way…. Don’t worry, there isn’t much of it, so, you won’t have to think very long….
Shall we pearl?….
“In the dark colony of night, when I consider man’s magnificent capacity
for malice, madness, folly, envy, rage, and destructiveness,
and I wonder whether we shall not end up as breakfast for newts and polyps,
I seem to hear the muffled cries
of all the words in all the books with covers closed.”
~~ Leo Rosten ~~
******************************
Naked Pearls
Random Notes on Life At Large
*******
“Weird is part of the job.”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
*******
“Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot”
~~ Charlie Chaplin ~~
*******
“What is reason?
Knowledge informed by sympathy,
intelligence in the arms of love.”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
*******
Truth that has merely been learned is like an artificial limb,
a false tooth, a waxen nose;
it adheres to us only because it is put on.
But truth acquired by thought of our own is like a natural limb;
it alone really belongs to us.”
~~ Arthur Schopenhauer ~~
*******
“What do you think has become of the young and old men?
And what do you think has become of the women and children?
They are alive and well somewhere.
The smallest sprout shows there is really no death.
And if ever there was it led forward life,
and does not wait at the end to arrest it,
And ceas’d the moment life appear’d.
All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses,
And to die is different from what any one supposed, and luckier.”
~~ Walt Whitman, “Song of Myself” ~~
*******
********************************
Once again, I’ve managed to get it done, though without any claims as to quality. It’s there, and that’s the most we can say of it. I will say, for what it is, it ain’t bad. I suppose we can think of it as one on which we may attempt to improve. For now, I’m gonna go practice my curmudgeon, and old fart skills on some unsuspecting denizens of the BBR. It’ll be fun… for me. As for y’all, you be well, and happy as you may….. I’ll be back, eventually….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
Hajime…. It probably comes as no surprise to anyone who has been here more than once to learn the methods used to create these Pearls of Virtual Wisdom are, at the base, as random as can be tolerated. That is to say, the result is random; my approach is anything but, though to look at it from the outside, that probably doesn’t hold true. Nonetheless, when I am searching for pearls, or thinking about using a pearl as the basis for ranting, or, especially, when writing poetry, the process is allowed to proceed in a semi-conscious manner, with randomness as the only parameter. In short, it’s all done with a direct connection to the unconscious, as I’ve known forever most of my REAL thinking goes on there. What happens out here in the harsh light of reality is merely the reflection of that….
Why, you may ask, is he rambling on about such meaningless drivel? Gosh, do ya think it might be going along the lines of that parameter? I hope so, because it damn well is, and I’d hate to start your day out by forcing a hard reboot; it could get expensive in coffee. Not to worry, though, there won’t be any charges added on your bill for the service, should it have to be applied. I suppose it would be polite, at this point, to actually tell you why all this is so ‘in your face’ at such an hour. However, I gave up being polite for Halloween, and guess what today is? Yep, that’s right. It’s the day before the least important, yet significant day of the year. I speak, of course, of the Day of the Dead….
Yes, November 1st, El Dia de los Muertos in many places around the world, always my favorite holiday (well, sort of a holiday; hard to attach much frivolity and/or lightheartedness to the day, but, it’s fun, in a macabre sense….), not only for its honesty, but, because it’s also my birthday. I will turn old, officially, tomorrow about 3:30 AM, when it will have been exactly 66 years since my parents welcomed me into the world. It’s a big milestone, in this country, as it marks the age where one is allowed to begin collecting the money that society forced us to pay into Social Security, in my case, for shortly more than 50 years. My only remark on that, for now, is to note the relevance of the Grateful Dead line, to wit: “What a long strange trip it’s been!….”
But, that’s tomorrow, and, right now, it’s still today. My sense of duty is telling me to get posted, while my randomness gene is laughing at such nonsense. I’ll use the distraction of the argument to go ahead & get this done, while the various parts of my mind are busy elsewhere. It ain’t the most extensive Pearl ever, but, it’s sufficient unto the day. It will have to be, because, well, it will. On that fatalistic note, I think it’s time to move on….
Shall we pearl?….
“Life is cruel? Compared to what?”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
********************************
That’s right; it’s more classical music. That’s because it’s what I want to hear today, so, you’ll just have to go along with it. Or, go read the poem. Either way, it’s good stuff, so, in a paraphrase of Frank Zappa, ‘Shut up & listen’…..
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Classical Music
********************************
********************************
********************************
Unwrapped Morning
A jewel of deepest green, sparkles by firelight
Held fast by time, and space
Leaves only passive passion, pale and bright
Naught but grief, yet but a trace.
In morning’s bright parlor, burning for hate
Unspent moments fall, seeking pain
Spilling blood forlornly, cowed by fate
Left with nothing, life in vain.
Pallid purpose calls, to that fallow ground
In bold fashions, aflame
Conscience falls aside, value unbound
Death calls, forever lost, the game……
~~ gigoid ~~
8/21/2012
********************************
Naked Pearls
An odd collection, but, mine own….
*******
“I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.”
~~ Confucius (551-479 BC) ~~
*******
“All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to be free.”
~~ Lennon/McCartney, “Blackbird” ~~
*******
“You know you’ve achieved perfection in design,
Not when you have nothing more to add,
But when you have nothing more to take away.”
~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~
*******
“The only thing that makes life possible
is permanent, intolerable uncertainty;
not knowing what comes next.”
~~ Ursula K Le Guin ~~
*******
“Love not what you are, but what you may become.”
~~ Miguel de Cervantes ~~
*******
“In ancient times there were great Taoist Sages.
Their way of living was so deep, so subtle, it cannot be directly explained.
Instead, here is how they looked:
Cautious, as if crossing the ford of a stream in Winter
Alert, as if surrounded by danger
Polite, as if they were always a guest
Yielding, like ice that is on the verge of melting
Sincere, like an uncut block of wood
Receptive, like a valley
Opaque, like muddy water “
~~ Chapter 15, Tao Teh Ching ~~
*******
“Ne te confundant illegitimi”
(Don’t let the bastards get you down)
~~ Latin for everyday occasions ~~
*******
********************************
I guess they can’t ALL be perfect gems. But, it’s done, and it ain’t too shabby, so, let’s go post it, and take our lumps like men, ‘kay? I don’t suppose I need to mention I’ll be back tomorrow, if I live through the celebration. You needn’t wish me luck; it wouldn’t help, anyway. But, the odds are still good, so, I’ll be here….
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.
“Sticks and stones may break our bones,
but words will break our hearts….”
~~ Robert Fulghum ~~
Across the estuary, Invergordon, Scotland
Hajime…. I am taking a day for myself, one that doesn’t include putting together a Pearl. Since I’m really okay, mostly, I won’t tell you about the demon attack, or, the cost of quelling the insurrection. I’ll merely say, it might take me a day or two to deal with the consequences, both internally, and externally. Don’t fret, Facebook will learn to miss me, too, and like it; otherwise, they’re in for a spot of lumps. Me, I got stuff to do….
Part of this decision arises from a need to touch the Earth; part comes simply from frustration, as Smart Bee seemingly decided to go on vacation altogether. Since I don’t feel like using alternative sources, which, though they provide a bit of variety, are a lot more time-consuming, I decided to take a day or two, to find some shit, so I can get it together. Of course, I am well aware that shit’s easy to find; it’s the getting it together that’s hard. But, I can do it, and shall, in spite of the odds, which are running 3 to 5 against.
Okay, that’s it. I’ll quit trying to write something exemplary with which to leave you; it’s pretty obvious by now, exemplary isn’t in the bag, or, for that matter, in the same county. While I’m gone, I’ll see if I can’t find my muse; she’s probably passed out drunk again, in some flop in El Ciudad Tijuana. Should I do so, the next Pearl should come out alright; if I can’t well, we’ll just have to see, won’t we? I will, anyway. On that note, let’s just get on with this, as anything else makes no sense at all…
Shall we pearl?….
“I live in my own place have never copied nobody even half,
and at any master who lacks the grace
to laugh at himself — I laugh.”
~~ inscribed over the door to Friedrich Nietzsche’s house ~~
********************************
No, we shall not pearl. Not any more than what you see now, anyway. That’s it. I’ll be back in a day or two; if I find time, I’ll post a re-blog, just to let y’all know I’m still alive. Otherwise, I’ll see you when I see you…. Y’all be well, & happy as you may….
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.
“Nothing in life is to be feared,
it is only to be understood.
Now is the time to understand more
so that we may fear less.”
~~ Marie Curie ~~
WTF is that!….
Hajime…. In direct opposition to how I feel, which is good, in a general sense, my muse seem to have deserted me. Add to that some rather unexpected, if not surprising, attacks from within by my resident demons, and it might be apparent why the intro sections of late have been sort of truncated, if not downright butchered to pieces by ruthless efficient trimming of the dross and drivel that usually shows up. This ruthlessness is not only unaccustomed for me, it’s exhausting, for it is another attempt to fit a square peg into that damned round hole.
While the physical limitations to typing and writing are better, it remains difficult to maintain any stamina; a few minutes will put me into some relevant if not obtrusive pain, so I try to work in spurts. This is good for the hands and shoulders, but, not good for creativity, let me assure you. Ideas need a bit of peace at times, and this constant whirl from one activity level to another, all damn day, is getting old. But, then, so am I, and that ain’t gonna stop, so, I suppose I should stop complaining, and get on with today’s mess/effort/mass of contradictions. Why not? It’s free….
I’ve put together an extensive Pearl for today; I checked out a couple of the suggested related blogs suggested by the WP bots, that show at the end of each post, and found a couple good inclusions for today. There’s also a pretty good older poem of mine, and, of course, an old-school pearl to chew on at the end. To save my hands, and left shoulder, which is giving me fits today, let’s just get this over with no fuss. I can use one of my literary tricks, or break out an old technique from our dark ages. I think, today, we’ll just do this….
Shall we pearl?….
“A heart is not judged by how much you love but by how much you are loved by others.”
~~ The Wizard of Oz ~~
********************************
Image from The Inquistr.com via Google Images
A few days ago, I included a video of this gentleman playing a rather excellent piece, while sitting on the street in his hometown in Poland. One of our Gentle Readers ferreted out his information, including his Facebook presence. Here then is another video of his play, which connects you to a page on You Tube with a number of his pieces of work. He is truly an amazing guitarist, and I hope his name, Martiusz Goli, becomes a household word, the world over…. Enjoy!…
********************************
Mariusz Goli
********************************
********************************
********************************
I’m in the mood to rant, but, not the ‘right’ mood. To rid myself of the emotional dross, while avoiding having to actually write, here is one last posted in April of 2013, written in 2012, prior to the last presidential election, which, though pretty lame, cannot approach the degree of lameness already shown in this election….
From 4/9/2013:
Here’s the deal…. I still don’t have a rant ready, but I feel like ranting…. so, I’ll sublimate…. This is an article that I posted on Triond, another web site where I’ve published some of my work, in the latter part of 2012, near the election that took place in November….. All of it is still pretty valid, discounting the date-related issues…. all the rest, I stand by…..
Absence of Honor: The Untimely Death of The US Constitution
“Ignorance can be compounded, made denser, until the light of our spirits is smothered.” — Deng Ming-Dao
As I read this pearl, my immediate thought was that it is a very clear, very accurate take on the 2012 election process that is currently unfolding before us in the daily news. The end of the political scale that is represented so raggedly by what is left of the Republican Party, and the mislabeled liberal end of the scale who claim to be Democrats, both of which are engaging in ongoing battles to see who can display the deepest ignorance.
The leading candidate for the “loyal opposition” to the party in power, Mr. Romney, seems to have a proclivity for alienating the very people from whom he is trying to win votes; women, immigrants and Hispanics, animal lovers, seniors, teachers and students, all have been told, in no uncertain terms, that they matter not at all to him. His plan? We’ll stop taxing the rich altogether, and that will fix everything…. Sometimes I wonder if he is getting all of his information on voter wants and issues of importance from old newspapers from the 1980’s, because he certainly hasn’t a clue as to what is happening out in America in this decade….
The other party, led by our first Black President, is busy hiding what the left hand is doing by distracting everyone with the tax and healthcare issues, to keep them unaware of how few of the Bill of Rights are left to us. “Executive Orders” signed by the POTUS this year, beginning on New Year’s Eve, while the voters were all busy celebrating the advent of the new year, include provisions that allow police to stop, search, and arrest any citizen of this country whom they suspect of any form of terrorism, or even of protest against the provisions of those orders.
These same police who are arresting their ostensible fellow-citizens are not required to tell ANYONE that they have arrested and imprisoned a citizen, nor are they ever required to provide any evidence of their suspicions in a court of law. Even though there may be no evidence, they can subject these CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY to torture to obtain a confession, or whatever it is they are after. There is no oversight to these orders; they don’t go before Congress to be approved, nor are they reviewed by the courts. Both of those particular checks on the power of the Executive Branch are completely out of the loop on this…. and they aren’t even complaining about it!
Does it physically hurt to be that stupid? — Smart Bee
My guess at the answer to this is, No. It can’t hurt very much to be that stupid, as we continue to go out each time there is an election and vote these same lying, cheating, avaricious assholes back into the same positions from which they have been oppressing the American people for oh, a hundred or so years now. I’d say that around the time of the Depression was when the first real strangle-hold on the national throat was first achieved…. the pure bullshit the government was spewing back then can be seen to have been the first real time that the government’s outrageous lies were swallowed whole by a reluctant public, who had nothing else to eat, and thus nothing else to risk…
“He was born stupid, and greatly increased his birthright.” — Samuel Butler
So, how does it feel? Does it physically hurt to be so stupid as to be part of the crowd that continues to buy into all the bullshit lies that our own government heaps upon us every day? To keep going to the polls, just as if it really matters who gets elected? Get real, folks. You will not find a name on the ballot that belongs to someone who is not a willing tool of the powers of oppression, the money-changers who are the power behind the scenes of every government in the world. Not going to happen; they’ve been the real power in the world for centuries, and they’re not about to give up all they have, just to be nice, or because they’ve all of a sudden grown a heart.
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting pretty fucking tired of being lied to, and cheated, and looked at as just another idiot for them to shit on….. and I’m not going to put up with it for much longer, without some kind of return fire….. believe it…. I don’t think I am alone in this, either…. No way to tell for sure, but I find it hard to believe that EVERYONE is falling for all of it…. but, even if I’m alone in this, I refuse to knuckle under any further, and can only say that I will do all I can to see things turn in a direction that will return my Rights, and those of the rest of the American people…. or at least those not stupid enough to hand them over without a fight….
“He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
********************************
Savory
Blown across steppes of imagination, a spore
finds a niche, takes root,
tries to live longer than now, before
chaos/peace descends, and desire is moot.
Feathered into fecundity, another possibility
builds a nest, hatches kin,
aims at immortality, sans responsibility,
chance manifests, as it does, again.
Leading toward peril, entropy saves creativity,
making tools, and lazy time;
solid signs imply such simple nativity,
as another snitch drops his dime.
Subtle compassion billows, passion to unfold,
covering hearts bloodied by time,
burning flesh made valid, unwaveringly bold,
turning love to brilliant rhyme.
Years weigh lightly, supported by youth,
gaining weight with each year,
only the old men know the actual truth,
peace comes only when we lose our fear.
~~ gigoid ~~
4/9/2013
********************************
Naked Pearls
Five Steps to Living Large….
*******
“By space the universe encompasses and swallows me up like a dot;
by thought I encompass the Universe.”
~~ Pascal, Pensees, n. 265 ~~
*******
“The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”
~~ Walter Bagehot ~~
*******
“Go into yourself and see how deep the place is from which your life flows.”
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke in Letters to a Young Poet ~~
*******
“There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.”
~~ Buckminster Fuller~~
*******
“Throw strikes. Home plate don’t move.”
~~ Satchel Paige ~~
*******
********************************
Well, there you have it. It’s big, but, it’s mine; it’s also done as well as I can do it. Rather than test any limits yet in place, let’s just cut this off here, and do it again tomorrow. It’s not as if anyone’s paying overtime, right? Right. See ya, ffolkes, unless Reality morphs on us drastically….
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 