Insidious pleasures….

Ffolkes,

“He who knows best knows how little he knows.”

~~ Thomas Jefferson ~~

profuse life

Life, breaking free….

I always find it interesting to note how our society/culture observes the various events of community, i.e. holidays, festivals, & celebration of important dates. The passing of the old year, & celebration of the New Year (why is one capitalized & the other not?…. I don’t know, but, that’s how I’ve always seen it done….) is one of those holidays, one whose origins are lost in ancient times, subject only to speculation as to why the event came to be an important day. Much of what I’ve noticed is how the various religions prevalent in each part of the world determines what is important, as well as what version of time, and calendar, is used to mark those days to be celebrated. Since I subscribe to none of them, it’s all a fascinating example for me of how little humans really understand themselves, and their own motivation for much of what they find themselves doing….

Fascinating to me, yet also frustrating, for it is our human lack of understanding which leads us into most of the trouble we encounter in society; we believe we know what is real, but, lacking mindfulness of the moment in which we exist tends to cause many of the issues that arise to torment each other, and create problems for all of society…. In modern slang terms, we think we’re all that, but, we ain’t. We’re mostly a large number of silly monkeys, pretending to be cultivated, but, still reacting to the real world as if we still lived in caves, or in trees….

Now, some folks, & even some ffolkes, may call me negative, or curmudgeonly for such an analysis, but, I just calls ’em as I sees ’em. Since most of the society in which I find myself believes in greeting the New Year with positivity, I will forgo any further curmudgeonry in favor of merely getting posted with the little bit of entertaining fluff I’ve cobbled together for your edification/elucidation. I shall also approach that with a higher degree of efficiency than thus far exhibited, by the simplest method, to wit:

Shall we Pearl?

“I am always doing that which I cannot do,
in order that I may learn how to do it.”

~~ Pablo Picasso ~~

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

For today’s musical interlude, I’ve chosen a set of six concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach, for several reasons, which are, most simply put, not particularly relevant. Suffice to say these are some of my favorites, since first hearing them years ago. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do…. Abondanza!….

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Comedy_Tragedy

Measures of Intent

Hell is never far away; it slips in, then out,
like a ninja, bent on stealth and death.
Living metamorphoses, in the space of a breath,
sordid entropy fills us, within, and without.

Tide turns again; back and forth it tumbles,
like those little wind up toys, yet never stays.
All our efforts, all our silly little ways,
disappear like seaweed, as sanity crumbles.

The duality of reality in which we are firmly caught,
seems to inhabit every part of our natural selves.
Nothing is ever still, nor can it be placed on shelves;
we are dark, and light; balance must be taught.

Life is lived only one moment at a time,
past and future have no power to alter this at all.
We can choose to fly, or choose to fall;
finding truth, and beauty, can never be a crime.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/14/2015

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

What did you say?….

*******

“If you are beginning to doubt what I am saying,
you are probably hallucinating.”

~~ The Firesign Theatre, “Everything you know is Wrong” ~~

********

“Imagine there’s no heaven… it’s easy if you try.”

~~ John Lennon, “Imagine” ~~

********

“”Curioser and Curioser!” cried Alice.”

~~ from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll ~~

********

“Nature is not human-hearted.”

~~ Lao Tzu ~~

********

“Whatever occurs from love is always beyond good and evil.”

~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~

********

“As great scientists have said and as all children know,
it is above all by the imagination
that we achieve perception, and compassion, and hope.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

********

“Prais’d be the fathomless universe,
for life and joy,
and for objects and knowledge curious.”

~~ Walt Whitman ~~

********

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Well, there you have it, such as it is…. I’ll continue my stated intention to be efficient, in hopes such will continue to guide my writing in the coming year; that, you may be certain, is as much of a resolution you’ll get from me, as it’s one I can keep as well as I ever do. Rather than belabor such a delicate point, (too much potential for sarcasm & curmudgeonry… ), I’ll leave y’all with the usual caveat, to wit: be well, be happy as you may be, & stay strange. It’s worked so far, so, why fuss with it? See you soon, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 8118

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Advertisement

Reason isn’t always reasonable….

Ffolkes,

“Over my mask
is your mask of me.”

~~ Mitsuye Yamada ~~

leelu chillin

Leelu Magicat, chillin’ with gigoid….

I find myself at a loss for words. Given the nature of this enterprise (i.e., blogging), that is certainly problematic, not to mention inconvenient in the here and now. However, if I don’t at least make an effort to put together enough words in a logical manner, I’ll feel even worse for wear. And, yes, that gives an indication of just how screwed up my head has been of late, as I have been touting a lack of angst over not posting, an outburst which, clearly, is a lie told to myself. When that happens, I can no longer fail to acknowledge the truth, painful as it must be….

The sad truth is, I have been under attack from the most perfidious and most dangerous of my personal demons, to wit: myself. To be more precise, ’tis a demon of my own making, which brings to bear my own unnamed fears upon my serenity/stability, with all that implies. Long story short, it uses my own skills and thoughts to undermine my peace of mind, with convincing authority, as it all comes from within. To be completely honest, it’s scary, and infuriating, to realize how vulnerable we are to ourselves… More infuriating is knowing it’s all bullshit, just personal weakness in the face of introspection. Nonetheless, bullshit or not, it’s kept me from writing, or thinking clearly, which, in my world, pretty much screws the pooch…. & if I have to explain that one, well, guess what? It ain’t happenin’, cuz I don’t wanna go there…

Since none of the above has any real bearing on anything but my own discomfort, I’ll make the adult decision to move past it without further comment; I’ll just have to come to my own terms with myself. Maybe, if I could find the wherewithal to get a poem down on paper (yes, I know, but, there’s no equivalent digital phrase that describes it so well…), some of this angst would bleed off, & I could spend a bit of time on what I WANT to do, rather than what my inner lack of balance ends up trapping me into doing…. SIGH…. Ah, well the hell with it…. Let’s just get this slow on the toad for the day, & try again another day….

Shall we Pearl?

“Time destroys the speculations of man,
but it confirms the judgment of nature.”

~~ Cicero ~~

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eric unplugged

Image from residentmusic.com via Google Images….

In my world, this particular musical set represents what I consider the best representative example to be found of Eric Clapton’s work. I listen to this while working, while relaxing, while reading… whatever I may do, it provides a smooth, brilliant background, without becoming tiresome or redundant. It shows off his skills in every style he has learned to play, & his band mates are some of the best to ever play, IMHO…. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do….

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Comedy_Tragedy

Meander….

Inimitable, grieving, garnering mere bargains, to taste;
naked apes, priapic by nature and choice,
filled up the only valid chalice, laid it to waste,
nobody asked, nor ever raised a single voice.

Formidable, dreams becoming so real;
clearly extraordinary, in a tawdry sense.
Deals to make, illusions to steal,
busy, busy, building fence after fence.

True nature’s existence, so to speak,
rests interiorly, as well as in your face.
Duality’s persistent insistence ain’t weak;
ignorance of reality leaves not a single trace.

Herds of commonality congregate before portals
shaking each other by the collar as they dance.
Chasing their illusionary dreams, as if they weren’t mortals,
born believing they ever had a chance.

Irony lives deep in the human soul, part, parcel, post;
holding four aces, betting a pair of jacks, or queens.
Expedience beckons toward mendacity, at most,
fox mocking grapes, while it dances and preens.

The wheel turns, inevitable, ponderously mundane,
grinding grain, chaff, and dust.
Bolstering connections aids those who may abstain
from the paltry tale of the bold, and just.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/5/2016

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Extra cheese, please….

*******

Before I speak, I am master of the words;
After, the word is master of me”

.~~- Ibn Gabriol ~~

*******

“The first place that I can well remember
was a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in it.”

~~ “Black Beauty”, by Anna Sewell, 1877 ~~

*******

“By the accident of fortune a man may rule the world for a time,
but by virtue of love he may rule the world forever.”

~~ Lao Tzu ~~

*******

“Don’t take the bull by the horns, take him by the tail;
then you can let go when you want to.”

~~ Josh Billings ~~

*******

“The present contains nothing more than the past,
and what is found in the effect is already in the cause.”

~~ Henri Louis Bergson (1859-1941) ~~

*******

“Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow–
You are not wrong who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.”

~~ Edgar Allan Poe, “A Dream Within A Dream” ~~

*******

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

~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~

*******

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Well, ffolkes, there you have it, such as it is. It’s not Pulitzer-worthy, to be sure, but, it’s all as fresh as I could make it, & it’ll have to do for the nonce. It will be at least a day or two before I post again, as I have committed to doing a small piece of work in collaboration with a friend, & that will garner all my attention for at least a day or two. Until I return, fear not; the universe is proceeding as it should, in spite of how we deal with it, or form opinions on how it may be to our perception….

Hmm…. I see even this little bit of composition is enough to stimulate my pedantry; so be it. I’m done for now, so, I’ll merely say, be well, be happy as you may be, and, keep up the level of strange, if only in self-defense…. I know I will….

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 -- 15674

À bientôt, mon cherí….

The importance of portability….

Ffolkes,

“Indifference is isolation.
In difference is texture and wonder.”

~~ Edwin Schlossberg ~~

day-the-next-006

“Sfera con sfera” (Sphere within a sphere)

Sculpture by Arnald Pomodoro, @ Trinity College Dublin….

In what is no doubt a vain hope, the old man sits to write, in spite of the vast plain of nothing that fills his nearly vacant mind. Such a vacuum is not surprising, given the hour (0530 on a Sunday morning), following the previous nine hours of sleepless tossing & turning. No rational, or irrational reason can be identified for such a night; no serious pain & no serious stress in life at large seem to be the order of the day. Probably, I could obsess over it much of the day, but, since that seems as unproductive as the night just spent, I decided to just start writing & see what happens….

As you probably noted by now, I’m ignoring the previous two day absence from this space; since all I did was spend the entire time wandering around my head, alternating that relatively pointless occupation with binge-watching old TV shows (mostly Have Gun Will Travel, from the 1950’s, or My Favorite Martian, from a few years later….), there’s no point in detailing that time any further, as I don’t intend to offer any excuses. I did manage to cobble together the necessary pieces to complete this Pearl, but, had absolutely no motivation to write the intro, or the exit lines; thus the short hiatus, and the resultant necessity for this mini-diatribe, such as it is….

When I began this intro, I had intended to at least make an attempt to make it, if nothing else, funny, and/or, rational; by now, you can probably tell, as can I, neither of those two states are possible; I’m just too tired & weirded out to get there. In fact, I have a feeling if I don’t bring this to a rapid conclusion, we may never get out of here at all. Rather than lose another day, I’ll perform what has become, of late, our default technique, to wit: the hot potato drop, which works like this….

Shall we Pearl?

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

~~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. ~~

Me, too, & if you’ve ever had you ear tugged by Death, you’d know, as Oliver and I do, you pay attention, & get on with living life large…. Hence, my tendency toward absence from cyberspace more often than not…. SIGH…. Choices, choices….

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leokottke-npr

Leo Kottke

Image from npr.org via Google Images

In 1969, while attending UC Berkeley, I got tickets to see this artist. I’d never before seen or heard such fine guitar work, & was, by accident, introduced to an entire world of music heretofore unknown to me. Leo, John Fahey, and a slough of fine young (at the time) guitarists gave me the inspiration to learn to play myself, & though I’ve never come even close to this sort of expertise, it gave me, literally, music in my own soul, for there is no better feeling I’ve encountered in Life than the one I get from making my own music…. Please enjoy, if only in memory of my own youthful enthusiasm….

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Comedy_Tragedy

Cognitive Abstinence

Ever affable, serendipity calls on random days
bringing gifts, wrapped in flesh and bone.
Tempting fate, color springs from intricate stone;
singing, laughing, poised to amaze.

In metaphoric haste, clues gather to confer;
graceless, with absently casual frivolity;
fraught with severely limited civility,
lead yet into realms where hope may infer.

Allegory has faded, past all disrepute;
indelible, entropy holds the field today.
Honorable, the children stand, resolute,
justice is spent, the old-fashioned way.

Temporary measures no longer apply
to foster dreams; endless nightmares parade.
Forlorn, empty, the unwashed masses cry,
while time slips away, sleeping in the shade.

Wondrous moments continue to accumulate
odd gestures of indignant fortitude.
Destiny embraces no desire to illuminate;
with such a cavalier attitude.

Pale, afraid, the joker sits to compose
one final ode to reason.
Such grandiose dreams, a dying rose,
dragged along from season to season.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/1/2016

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

On being human….

*******

“I’m having an emotional outburst!!”

~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~

*******

“Around existence twine,
(Oh, bridge that hangs across the gorge!)
ropes of twisted vine.”

~~ Basho ~~

*******

“That’s right, yes, you’re going, you’re gone for ages,
already gone, you’re still here, just arrived, haven’t even met you yet.
It all depends on who you are and how you look at it.
Strange business, time.”

~~ Doctor Who, “Dragonfire” ~~

*******

“The real purpose of books is to trap the mind into doing its own thinking.”

~~ Christopher Morley ~~

*******

“Cogito, ergo sum presupposes “I”-ness.”

~~ Smart Bee ~~

*******

“Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love.”

~~ Lao-Tzu ~~

*******

“God has no religion.”

~~ Mahatma Gandhi ~~

*******

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Well, another one bites the dust. Once the dust settles, you’ll be able to see the bite marks, and will know just what it was all about. Or, not. In either case, it’s done, & I’m outta here…. Given my recent lack of consistency, my only remark will be, I don’t know exactly when, but, I’ll be back. I hope y’all continue to enjoy whatever it is I do here; if not, well, I’ll try to do better…. Be well, be happy as you may be, and stay strange; believe me, it’s your best defense….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 2780

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Sprinkle, sprinkle little jar….

Ffolkes,

“Thou hast commanded that an ill-regulated mind should be its own punishment.”

~~ Saint Augustine ~~

Dunphys

Dunphy’s Tavern…

One day, perhaps, I’ll find & resume the routine which allows me to produce these posts on a consistent basis; my deliberate absence, and the resultant lack of practice, along with the lifestyle alterations I’ve made, don’t seem to lend themselves particularly well to the single-minded focus I once displayed in that respect. All I can say about that is, oh, well; too bad, so sad. For the current time & place, that will have to suffice, for I feel no guilt, nor any particular shame. All I feel is a vague, unfocused feeling, much like thinking we’ve forgotten something important.

But, like any human of my age, I have numerous techniques to put all that sort of crap aside, & just go on as if it didn’t matter. Which, if you note, it doesn’t, at all. Not only doesn’t it matter, it’s probably only me who either cares, or even thinks about stuff like that. I mean, what’s the point? Well, I’ll tell ya…. When your mind is as empty of ideas on how to get going, or keep going, you (or, rather I….) will put damn near anything down, just to get a little further down the page….

SIGH…. However, even such shameless blather as I’ve employed thus far can only take us so far, & never quite far enough. In fact, it;s so pitifully bad, I’m giving up. If you listen closely, you can hear me muttering to myself as I do the only thing I have left to do….

Shall we Pearl?

“I prefer the folly of enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom.”

~~ Anatole France ~~

(So do I. Doesn’t mean I can muster up much of either some days…. )

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lena horne

Lena Horne

Image from Pinterest.com via Google Images…

I suppose it might be said I’m feeling rather nostalgic of late…. In keeping with that observation, here is a You Tube Mix of this artist’s works, which I have listened to all my life…. A strong soul, and a pure, smooth voice…. True beauty lasts forever; I hope you enjoy it….

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Comedy_Tragedy

Confidentially Paranoid

Only when the bright sunlight of dreams draws nigh
can the dark glass of reality factor true value..
Destiny’s horses run in fear as time goes dry,
for grappling with fate in such traitorous venue.

In pallid costumes made of graven cast-off tales,
fallen angels and demons show the measure of faith.
No sad transactions should escape these well-marked trails,
no angry relatives cast insults to a sedentary wraith.

Meaning can always hide in literal cold intent,
yet show mere facets of honor to perishable youth.
Sincere contentions leave with sorrowful bent,
while bastardly arguments fill in poorly for the truth.

Gone are moments filled with florid blasts of rhyme
left to molder on the shoulders of unreasonable hope.
Only courage can save these measures of unspoken time
to gather new issues, powerfully broad, painful in scope.

~~ gigoid ~~

2/25/2015

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

“Be obscure clearly.”

~~ E.B. White ~~

*******

“The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.”

~~ Carl Sagan ~~

*******

“Believe me!
The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness
and the greatest enjoyment from life
is to live dangerously”

~~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) ~~

*******

“Apollo, the God of light, of reason, of proportion, harmony, number —
Apollo blinds those who press too close in worship.
Don’t look straight at the sun.
Go into a dark bar and have a beer with Dionysos, every now and then.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

*******

“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

~~ Robert Frost, “The Road Not Taken” ~~

*******

“If you never assume importance you never lose it.”

~~ Lao-tzu ~~

*******

“It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man the oath.”

~~ Aeschylus (525-456 BC), Frag. 385 ~~

*******

“Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.”

~~ Buddha ~~

*******

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Since I’ve already ‘made do’ with what came before, we’ll continue in that vein, & make do with it for today. Hopefully, there was a nugget or two for your pouch, or a pearl for your collection. In any case, I’ll try again, perhaps even tomorrow. Until then, be well, be happy as you may be, & remember: whatever you do, it’s all your choice. Make good ones….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 2780

À bientôt, mon cherí….

As if….

FFolkes,

“Seek not happiness too greedily, and be not fearful of happiness.”

~~ Lao-Tzu ~~

Day 3 and 4 013

Big Ben, et al..,, London, England – 2013…

Even though I had cobbled together the necessary parts for a complete Pearl, I wasn’t going to post today, for the simple reason I had too much to do out in the BBR to sit long enough to compose anything fresh, such as an intro, or the discussion of Labels upon which I’ve been cogitating. However, the events which occurred as I engaged reality were, sadly, bigger than me, ending in more drama than I care to even consider, much less experience. My bozoid over-reaction has sent me into the wind, so, I thought, why not?

For me, it’s most likely a good thing, if only for the short term. For y’all, well, as usual, you’ll need to make your own judgments on that. In the extremely short term, practically in the moment, it means this….

Shall we Pearl?

“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us
to an understanding of ourselves.”

~~ Carl Gustav Jung ~~

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Johann_Strauss_I_(2)

Johann Strauss

Image from Wikiwand via Google Images

As has been made clear in the past, I love classical music. This composer is one everyone has heard of, even if they don’t know it; his Blue Danube Waltz may be the most well-known piece of music of all time, though that is a guess, based on only experience. In any case, today I’ve included a compilation of a number of his best and/or most famous works, which I hope you enjoy as much as do I….

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Comedy_Tragedy

A Failure to Germinate

Marking the days in elements of sad disarray
only holds me thrall, as I laugh while I may.
With cold, hard hands so impatient and cruel
pulling me to this vale of tears, a pathetic old fool.

Feelings sit silent, cast in shadows and light
breaking forth to implicate such vengeful might.
Just below the surface they patiently hide
to sally forth bravely, colors bright as they ride.

Tears and pain transform valued assets in hand
while comfort and serenity retreat to a far land.
Bold, bright patterns of hope garnish my ruinous state
until reality enters, full of disdainful portions of hate.

I sort out the illustrious measures of vision gone mild
only to find them transformed, now vicious and wild.
In my deepest desires I find myself calloused and cold
with faithless advocates whose souls have been sold.

My search finds little to support any hope of relief
far too much time has passed to bolster such belief.
The sad becomes real, and real becomes unfounded
until flights of such fancy are all dead, and grounded.

Nature has informed me of the newly hatched crime
of which reality boasted proudly, time after time.
The last answer we think of is always the best
as we come to terms with fate, our hope at rest.

~~ gigoid ~~

9/27/2012

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Random Notes….

*******

“Think not that thy word and thine alone must be right.”

~~ Sophocles, “Antigone”, 706

*******

“All that is harmony for thee, O Universe, is in harmony with me as well.
Nothing that comes at the right time for thee is too early or too late for me.
Everything is fruit to me that thy seasons bring, O Nature.
All things come of thee, have their being in thee, and return to thee.”

~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditations”, iv, 23 ~~

*******

“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”)

*******

“We live in the kind of world where courage is the most essential of virtues;
without courage, the other virtues are useless.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

*******

“Love is all we have, the only way that each can help the other.”

~~ Euripides, Orestes (408 BC) ~~

*******

“From out of all the many particulars comes oneness,
and out of oneness come all the many particulars.”
— Heraclitus

*******

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“Random” was a better choice than I knew. Who would? Not I, for sure and for certain. The best thing is, it’s done. The next best (well, maybe….) is, I’ll most likely do it again, soon. For the nonce, this is not only the best I can do, it’s all I can do. You know how that goes, right? Okay. Be well & happy as you may be, ffolkes…. ‘Twould also be for the best if you remained as strange as possible. Trust me on this….

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 -- 15630

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Notice: Hiatus….

Ffolkes,

“The moment in which you confront your own death
is the moment in which you are most totally alive.”

~~ Solomon Short ~~

Fooles pond

Northern California Idyll….

Hajime…. Today, as I sit to begin, I feel a sadness, having naught to do with today’s mess, as such, but, rather at the passage of time, and the changes we experience, not always comfortably. The sadness is rooted in my decision to acknowledge the demands of the body, and the real world, as opposed to using the mind as primary source for purpose, searching for sanity and balance in the cybersphere. For more than six years, since August, 2011, I have used this blog as the cornerstone of my existence, spending hours a day on my ass in front of Arthur (my computer’s name….), while I explored the consensual reality we call cyberspace, using the time spent as distraction from the physical issues with which I was plagued for so long….

Now, having taken important steps to correct the lifestyle issues making, and keeping me sick and in pain, and, having made significant progress toward regaining much of my former physical status as a warrior/scholar, I must acknowledge two things…. First, I can no longer afford to spend the time on my ass; doing so exacerbates too many of the physical conditions I am trying to overcome, and it makes little sense to keep doing the main thing I do that keeps me from getting healthier…. Second, my recent absence, and lack of consistency in posting, has lost me most of my readership. I can say that with sad confidence, as my last fresh post, on the 10th of April, received fewer than 10 Likes…. and the last post, a reblog of an early Pearl, has not had a single Like in the five days since I posted it…. Even the six or eight most faithful of those who stopped by regularly have been absent; I haven’t actually gone to look at the stats, but, that tells me traffic to my site has gone seriously delinquent….

SIGH…. A natural result, I would guess, to also having stopped visiting other sites to read…. a decision forced on me by my inability to sit, and my increasingly failing vision…. Typing this is hard enough, considering I must do so in spurts of a few minutes at a time, while even trying to read over what has been typed is problematic…. All in all, I am unsurprised at my lack of readership; I’ve managed to stop doing all the stuff that would bring ffolkes back, merely by being absent both here, and out there….

All that being said, with at least some relevant purpose, I come now to the main purpose behind this long-winded explanation, which is this: I am taking a hiatus from blogging. The guilt/angst I felt for so long when I didn’t post is gone; I feel fine about it, and, frankly, am enjoying my time on walkabout, out in the BBR, actually engaging with humanity…. though the latter does tend to wear on my patience. After all, I AM still a curmudgeon, & prefer the company of dogs, cats, & even squirrels to that of most humans. But, even my impatience is a valuable lesson, so, I’m content with my current life….

I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but, will offer this to anyone who feels any sense of loss; my email is still listed in my profile. which can be found on the right side of my home page here on WP. Please feel free to contact me at that address, as email will be my primary focus any time I sit to do banking, or business, using the computer. Most of my time will be spent trying to get back to full conditioned status, so I don’t have to follow so many of the paradigms that go along with getting older; I much prefer to be able to do what I want to do, without having to take steps to prevent injury or fatigue….

That’s it. I’m outta here, after finishing the following Pearl, & I won’t be back for what promises to be quite some time, if ever…. Who knows, maybe y’all will hear from me in a different venue, playing music, or pursuing some form of entertainment in the Big Blue Room?…. In short, I’m off to find my bliss….

Or, if you wish to stay in touch, email me, & I will answer, just as I still answer the phone when it rings…. For now, let’s see what I managed to cobble together for your final Pearl of Virtual Wisdom…. That, by the way, looks like this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“It is impossible for a man to be cheated by anyone but himself.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

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billy joel

Billy Joel

Image from wcmf.com via Google Images

I don’t think this artist needs much introduction; he’s been around long enough most everyone knows how good he is. My only comment is to enjoy; it really doesn’t get much better than this….

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Billy Joel Live

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Samurai

Bushido is this:
Haiku and a katana.
Arcane art, indeed.

~~ gigoid ~~

4/15/2018

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

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Further notes on Life @ Large….

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“Self-reflection is the school of wisdom.”

~~ Balthasar Gracian ~~

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“Joy is not in things; it is in us.”

~~ Richard Wagner ~~

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“The best and most beautiful things in the world
cannot be seen or even touched.
They must be felt within the heart.”

~~ Helen Keller ~~

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“A bird does not sing because it has an answer.
It sings because it has a song.”

~~ Chinese proverb ~~

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“Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.”

~~ Lao Tzu ~~

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“Remember this,–that very little is needed to make a happy life.”

~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditations”, vii, 67 ~~

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“You can’t always get what you want,
but if you try sometimes
you get what you need.”

~~ The Rolling Stones ~~

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There you have it. In truth, it came out well, & I’m happy enough to offer it up as the final Pearl…. for now. I can’t say how long until I might return, but, it’s going to be a good while…. When I do, I’ll try to let y’all know, but, don’t hold your breath. Just follow the same caveats I’ve been presenting for a long time, for I know them to be worthwhile…. Be well, be happy, and, most important, stay strange…. I love you all, and go now, to show that love out in the real world….

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

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À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

Total eclipse of the smart….

Ffolkes,

“A wise player ought to accept his throws and score them, not bewail his luck.”

~~ Sophocles (496-406 BC) — Phaedra, Frag. 862 ~~

Galway early morn

Early morning in Galway….

Hajime…. Aha! It isn’t 0 and 1… it’s 0 and infinity! Or, rather, ‘twould be, if we were able to perceive reality with more discrimination. Mostly, we’re not, so, we stumble around this old ball o’mud with our mouths open & our minds shut, pretending we are the lords of creation, when what we are, at base, is a pack of over-active, under-achieving apes with aggressive tendencies, and very little consideration for the other inhabitants who live here with us. SIGH…. Such promise, too. Ah, well, perhaps in our next incarnation, our species will have learned, as well as ‘earned’, a bit more of the basic understanding which might do well to ease our path away from self-destruction, seemingly our most developed talent….

As might be construed, my thoughts have turned maudlin again, in spite of having hovered close to what feels like a major epiphany for some days now, under the impetus and influence of my current reading, difficult as has been to perform the act of reading itself. It seems age is catching up to me again, in the worst way I can imagine. My eyes are giving out, & make it very hard to read for long, or well, at all. Even the act of typing/writing is becoming more problematic, as the letters swim around, mixing & melding with each other until the whole mess is nearly incomprehensible. Not to say it isn’t always so, but, not being able to make out the individual letters does complicate the process, slowing it considerably, not to mention increasing the threat of typographical inaccuracy, always a risk for us self-styled philosophers…. BIG SIGH….

Nonetheless, I have persevered, long enough to complete a freshly constructed Pearl for your perusal, and for the release of my angst. Bingo…. I love two for one. Now, all I have to do is figure out how to work our way around the maudlin starting phase, into the proper outcome, to wit, moving down the page to the rest of the material. I think I know how to do that; it’s actually fairly simple, really. All I actually have to do is this… Watch close, or you’ll miss the turn….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul.
One brave deed is worth a thousand books.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

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

This won’t hurt. Those familiar with the process here on ECR will recognize the icon atop this section as our indicator of default musical choice, to wit, classical music. They can reassure the rest of y’all who might otherwise be worried such music will be boring, or beyond their taste…. trust me, just listen while you read, and you’ll see… it truly doesn’t hurt, and, if given half a chance, can actually be soothing to the spirit…. Let’s have a listen, shall we?…

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

Penance, Made Simple

After all the dross is sent away
a celebration can begin,
time will face up to space, to stay
willing, to shine from within.

Anger and confusion come in to share
brushing reason aside,
eager to welcome all that is fair,
alert to danger, eyes wide.

Re-gift the wicked with their own pain
stand with the just;
fail to partake of the ill-gotten gain,
living in honor, the only must.

Standing fast in the face of wrong
is its own prize and reward.
Holding on to truth makes us strong,
well worth working toward.

Little is left to chance by fate
our lessons are never free of cost.
Seldom does reality make us wait
only when alone, are we lost.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/23/2012

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Random notes on Life @ Large….

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“Do you ever think about the end of the world as we know it?”

~~ Calvin, to Hobbes ~~

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“I am going to seek a great perhaps.”

~~ Francois Rabelais (1494-1553) ~~

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“How you do anything is how you do everything.”

~~ Zen proverb ~~

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“It’s not peace I want, not mere contentment.
It’s boundless joy and ecstasy for me.”

~~ Kugell ~~

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“Sometimes I think we’re alone.
Sometimes I think we’re not.
In either case, the thought is quite staggering.”

~~ R. Buckminster Fuller ~~

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“It matters not so much what you sing, but why”

~~ J.S. Bach ~~

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“Always we hope
Someone else has the answer
Some other place will be better
Some other time it will all work out.
This is it.
No one else has the answer
No other place will be better
And it has already turned out.
At the center of your being
You have the answer;
You know who you are and what you want.
There is no need to turn outside
For better seeing.
Rather abide at the center of your being
For the more you leave it
The less you learn.
Search your own heart and see
the way to do is to be.”

~~ Lao Tzu ~~

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My sense of accomplishment, while probably unwarranted, is solid enough to be able to declare this one ‘done’. And thank goodness for that! My sociability is straining at the seams, & it’s probably just as well I’ve reached an ending point, which I shall proceed to take advantage of unmercifully. I shall try to post again in the near future, but, the way things seem to be going, it might be a few days before I can pull one together enough to suit my OCD need to get it right. However it works out, I will be back; on that you may rest assured. Y’all be well, & happy as you may be; I’m doin’ pretty much the same, with a strong dose of strange added in…. 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….


					

Bearing malice toward none….

Ffolkes,

“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.”

~~ Louisa May Alcott (1868) ~~

vallejo to sf

The road to SF via the Bay….

Hajime…. Good morning. Well, sort of. In any case, I have the elements of a complete Pearl, but, find myself with less than nothing about which to write here in the intro. Instead of fooling around, & trying to fill up space, I’ve decided to just say this…. Here it is. I hope you enjoy it, spare as it may be. That’s it. I’m still in a funk, mostly, so, this is what I’ve got. I’m pretty certain, in the long run, it won’t matter, but, even if it did, I don’t think I’d care. As has been my habit to say in the past, so be it….

Shall we Pearl?….

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

~~ Jack Kerouac, “On the Road” ~~

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playing-for-change

It’s been awhile since I last used music from this organization, so, it’s time today, since I’m posting late. Here’s another link to some of the finest live music you’ll ever hear, from an organization that uses the power of music to teach humanity about being truly human…. Enjoy!….

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Playing For Change
Redemption Song

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Comedy_Tragedy

Ah Ain’t Sho, but Mebbe So….

Fried eggs got nuthin’ on me
Ah’m not even sure of mah name,
or how Ah come to be;
no idea from where Ah came.

Ah does like a mystery tho’,
puzzlin’ things out so’s Ah knows,
good from bad fo sho,
Ah sho don’t want no rock pillows.

If’n Ah cain’t figure out what’s best,
Ah just falls back on mah Daddy’s words,
seems he knowed just whut’d stand the test,
‘n how to gentle the scaredest birds.

‘Course, he’d lived a good long time,
‘n had lots of stuff go on by;
Went to a war, n’ lost a piece or two,
never once used it fer an alibi.

He tol’ me once Ah’d best learn to learn,
school’s only cool if ya ain’t already a fool.
Yer own good measure you can earn,
by startin’ yer learnin’ with the Golden Rule.

Always seemed to me as Ah growed up,
he mostly only spoke if it wuz true,
‘n by doin’ that clued me to what’s up,
kept me from stuff that’d a made me blue.

Without ever sayin’ the word itself,
Ah learned ’bout honor, ‘n helpin’ others
not some fake stuff from some shelf,
but, knowin’ whut’s right, ‘n that we’re all brothers.

Ah’ve been around long enough now, Ah think
to get around the block at least two times.
I s’pose long as my head don’t shrink
Ah’ll keep on doin’ right, ‘n makin’ these rhymes…..

~~ gigoid ~~

4/6/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

A blank map….

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“The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal Name.”

~~ Lao-Tzu, “Tao Te Ching” ~~

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“Give me health and a day,
and I will make ridiculous the pomp of emperors.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

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“Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced,
not because it has been  sober, responsible, and cautious,
but because it has been playful,  rebellious, and immature.”

~~ Tom Robbins ~~

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“When you follow your bliss…
doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors;
and where there wouldn’t be a door for anyone else.”

~~ Joseph Campbell ~~

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“Wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder.”

~~ Socrates (470?-399 B.C.), [quoting Plato] ~~

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“It is not length of life, but depth of life.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

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“It is good to have an end to journey toward,
but it is the journey
that matters in the end.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

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It’s probably clear by now, what you see is all you’re gonna get. If not, well, this should cinch it. I’ll be back, though I cannot say exactly when; life keeps intruding into cyberspace, & I can’t find any reason not to go with the flow. Until my return, be well, be happy, & be excellent to each other. See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 14964

À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

Implications of entropy….

Ffolkes,

“‘Change’ is scientific, ‘progress’ is ethical;
change is indubitable, whereas progress is a matter of controversy.”

~~ Bertrand Russell ~~

Sonoma creek

Sonoma Creek, April 2016

Hajime…. I’ve only got a few minutes to get this posted, so I won’t be composing any long, involved intro, in spite of any need, or wish, to do so. Not that time is pressing, but, because I don’t know how long I can remain in a state of mind that allows me to concentrate even this much. Soon enough, I suppose, I’ll have some solid information on which to chew, once the vet is able to identify the problem with Leelu; until then, I’m still too antsy to maintain the illusion of competence necessary to compose anything worth reading.

Rather than carry on further in this vein, I’ll use some of the ruthlessness still extant in my spirit, one legacy of my humanity, to dump all of us out of the first section, & move on to the next. It’s actually a pretty simple technique, though it can be a disconcerting, if one isn’t quite ready for the rather tumultuous ride necessitated by the rapidity employed. Yes, I know that makes little, if any sense, but, don’t fret; that’s part of how it works. Just hang on to the nearest stanchion, & we’ll be on our way in a trice…. whatever that is….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Never appeal to a man’s “better nature.” He may not have one.
Invoking his self-interest gives you more leverage.”

~~ Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love” ~~

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wilburys

Today’s musical selection brings us one of the most beloved iconic bands to ever play together. Brought together by chance, the six members all possess exemplary credentials as successful artists in their own right. They only released a small number of records, but each one is considered a classic. Jeff Lynne, (Electric Light Orchestra), Roy Orbison (needs no intro), Bob Dylan (also needs no intro), Tom Petty (of his band, the Heartbreakers), George Harrison (of Beatles fame, duh….), and Jim Keltner, a drummer who has played with nearly every good rock band for a LONG time (played with Clapton, in several of his bands, and MANY others….). The embedded video is one of five, a part of the collection on You Tube, a compendium of the videos the band made to go along with the songs. The link below their name is to their home site, where you may listen to all 3 of their albums, via various streaming services, or purchase them…. Enjoy!….

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Traveling Wilburys

http://www.travelingwilburys.com/

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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

A Harlequin Necklace….

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“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 (Charles Dodgson) ~~

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“It is important that man dreams,
but it is perhaps equally important
that he can laugh at his own dreams.”

~~ Lin Yutang ~~

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“Every day passes whether you participate or not.”

~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~

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“Clay is moulded to make a vessel,
but the utility of the vessel
lies in the space where there is nothing….
Thus, taking advantage of what is,
we recognize the utility of what is not.”

~~ Lao Tzu ~~

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“There’s too much beauty upon this earth for lonely men to bear.”

~~ Richard Le Gallienne ~~

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“I had too much to dream last night.”

~~ Electric Prunes ~~

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“Clouds come floating into my life,
no longer to carry rain or usher storm but
to add color to my sunset sky.”

~~ Rabindranath Tagore ~~

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Well, it’s done, or, in today’s case, it’s a reasonable facsimile of done. It will have to do, ‘cuz that’s all I’ve got. I’ll get it posted, then continue my pacing & worrying until the vet arrives. I’ll try to get another done for tomorrow, but, no promises are likely until I know more. Let’s just say, see ya when I see ya, & leave it at that…. Be well, be strange, & stay alert, ffolkes…. I’ll be around 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.

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 14532

À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

Repeat performances….

Ffolkes,

Today’s Pearl is a stealth re-blog; it’s from December of 2012, & I didn’t feel like finding it online, so, I went to my draft archives & pulled it out. Here then, for your viewing pleasure (we hope) is the entire Pearl posted on 12/15/2012, with a few minor alterations to make it look better in today’s format. I hope you enjoy it….

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Sandclock .jpg

From 12/15/2012:
Ffolkes,
I’m not sure I can do this….. not this way. I’m sitting on a complete Pearl, you see. The one that was completed for posting on the 13th has not made it to the Net, as I haven’t figured out yet whether it will work to edit the old post, or just add a new one with that material….. The title I came up with on the 13th was certainly one of the best I’ve done “Despite the disaster, yak butter was still on the menu….”  Brilliant, if I do say so myself, as it tells a whole story all by itself, without any supportive material, and I don’t know about y’all, but I get a mental vision of some poor sap in a dingy kitchen, struggling to chop vegetables, as he worries about the price of yak butter…. perhaps not quite Hemingway, but perhaps, Raymond Chandler?…. Okay, Steven King, and he’s my last offer….
Any who…. I’ve got all this material already finished, ready  to post, and can’t seem to settle enough to sit down to write a Pearl. I’ve got pieces in progress (who doesn’t?) but it all seems pointless, when I don’t have to do anything at all, and will still have stuff to put up. I had not realized just how tied into the routine I’ve become, I guess; I’m still human, it seems, and can fall prey to mundane habit-forming drills like anyone else, until it becomes the dreaded “routine”, harder to break than a five minute egg. (Five minute eggs won’t break; they just smoosh….) These can be fatal, if not treated at an early stage….
And the verbs! What will I do with the verbs? All my conjugation, so precisely aligned to the proper time frames and concomitant pronouns, all useless! How will I ever know what day it is, if I’m always a day ahead?

 

Since retiring, keeping track of what day it is has become hard enough; I don’t need any help in forgetting. But, it should be okay, in the end…. I’ve finally figured out the bus schedule, and it can tell me what day it is, just by what time the buses go by the house. Of course, that is assuming they are running anywhere close to on time, an event of scarcity during the major portion of the week…..
Enough blather…. I could produce such for hours, probably, if I ever gave myself the chance. But, since nobody is paying me for this, it doesn’t seem very productive, so I’ll take this opportunity to get on with today’s effort at composition, and dive on in. I must say, the water looks inviting today, all blue and refreshing…..
Shall we Pearl?…..
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“This is the true joy in life – being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you consistent.” — George Bernard Shaw
When I first began creating Pearls of Virtual Wisdom, there was only one quote each day, with short comments by me, only to introduce, and perhaps provide a bit of background to, the pieces I chose, generally on the subject of Liberty, Freedom, Honor, Truth, etc. In those days, this pearl would have definitely made the grade, and, given that I don’t remember all the quotes I’ve used, it may have been used back then. It still makes the grade, so much so that I’m leaving it to stand alone, aside from the closing quote from Mr. Twain, which echoes the sentiment expressed by Mr. Shaw perfectly….
“Let us endeavour to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.” — Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), from Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar (1894)]
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“Cruel as death, and hungry as the grave.” — James Thomson (1700-1748) — The Seasons, Winter, Line 393
The only possible comment is the same word that made up the first thought in my head when I read this… WOW…. Such an incredibly powerful line, so gripping and real, it makes me as jealous as I allow myself to feel. To write such a phrase would be enough for me; I could die happy. I’ll do so anyway, (die happy, that is….), just to spite Murphy, but, if I can write one line half as strong as this, I’ll be content, for sure…. Here is something that came to me last night…. at least, it began last night…..
Territorial imperative….

Beauty must define, as augment to existence,  as life must be more than mere subsistence.Nature demands more.Truth helps.
~~ gigoid ~~

It ain’t long, but it’s much…. and better for being so, rather than the reverse….. Just as an afterthought to this section, I offer the following as proof that even genius can feel insecurity and jealousy….

“There are two ways of disliking poetry; one way is to dislike it, the other is to read Pope.” — Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

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“Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right actions arises by itself?” — Lao Tzu
Ever since being first exposed to the precepts of Taoism, back when I was in college in the late 60’s, it has always appealed to my sense of rightness, and makes the closest approach to what I personally believe about the Universe at large. Not the mystical parts, that cater to the religious order of the time it first was clarified by Lao Tzu, but the essence of the concept of reality, as being both within our perception, and unknown to us as beyond our understanding. We may not possess the necessary sense to be capable of receiving such information, whether about reality or fantasy, and if we assume the omnipotence of a god, then we would not be able to comprehend their existence, lacking the tools to perceive them with our five or six senses…..
This knowledge, however, is tempered by the deduction that, as a physical part of the universe, we are connected to it, and to every other part, if only by sharing that existence. The connection, intuitively, is deeper than merely the physical; it extends somehow into the spiritual plane, which, though not tangible, is nonetheless a proven part of our mental reality. (What IS the mind?) It is this very lack of the ability to explain by which we may know the connection exists, as it echoes the nature of reality itself, which cannot be explained in words. Goodness knows why I’m trying, to be sure…. this is getting pretty esoteric, although, so far, it is consistently rational, if not entirely illuminating.
“Since everything in life is but an experience perfect in being what it is, having nothing to do with good or bad, acceptance or rejection, one may well burst out in laughter.” — Long Chen Pa
And what better way to acknowledge and celebrate the perfection that we can see, or hear, feel, smell, taste, or imagine?…… It’s certainly preferable to a long, dusty discussion of esoteric concepts, and will encourage enlightenment just as efficiently, if not quite so verbally. In some way, I’m always looking for the perfect quote, the ultimate aphorism, that delivers that cosmic truth we are all seeking in one swell foop, and the above from Long Chen Pa comes very close to it, especially when considered in the light of what one concludes from considering the answers to the first two questions today. As a Westerner who has learned to appreciate what the East brings us, the following resonates very well….
“Somehow, in the midst of their horrid history, the best among the _gaijin_ learned a wonderful lesson.  They learned to distrust themselves, to doubt even what they were taught to believe or what their egos make them yearn to see.  To know that even truth must be scrutinized, it was a great discovery, almost as great as the treasure we of the East have to offer them in return, the gift of harmony.” — David Brin – Dr. Pak’s Preschool
There’s the key, ffolkes, right there in front of you…. Even truth must be scrutinized, or the universe will have its way with you, and you may never find the gift of harmony that is also there for the taking….. There, not so esoteric, after all…. not too shabby, eh what?…..
“The ancient Taoist sages were poised and alert…. like ice on the verge of melting.” — Taoist proverb

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All things considered, this didn’t come out too badly. It’s going to have to do, as I now have more material ready to post than I’ve ever had previously, and I’m not sure quite what to do about it. I know what I’d like to do, but, I’m still waiting for the green light from SS on that, so…. I suppose I’ll just have to pretend it’s the day before tomorrow, when it’s really the day after yesterday….. if you see what I mean….
Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

 

dozer3