Tag Archives: Life

Searching for syllogistic integrity….

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Ffolkes,

“Brave men were living before Agamemnon.”

~~ Horace (65-8 BC) — Odes, iv, 9, 25 ~~

ignoring me

I’m ignoring you….

Hajime….

“I have here only made a nosegay of culled flowers,
and have brought nothing of my own but the thread that ties them together.”

~~ Michael de Montaigne (1533-1592) — Essays, Book iii, Chap. xii ~~

Perfect! I couldn’t have said it any better, in answer to the question of what I do here each time I post. Funny how so many writers/philosophers from the past have expressed human nature, and its means of expression, so accurately it remains valid today, nearly five hundred years later. It almost makes one feel superfluous, if not for the personal value it provides me as a means of self-therapy. Of course, such therapy is most effective when it is applied consistently, but, consistency isn’t always either available, or advisable. Too much of it, & one becomes hidebound, thus invalidating the positive nature of the effect. Ah, well, one can only do one’s best, n’est pas?

My best, today, is probably closer to ‘okay’ than to ‘most excellent’, so, we’ll atone for any lack of brilliance by shortening the exposure time. One of the best ways to do that is to make a serious attempt to curtail any use of excessive nonsense. Of course, any such limits need to be applied quickly, before the volume grows beyond my means of control. There are days, (of which today is one….) when the volume to be released is simply too much to keep from bursting out of any artificially applied boundaries. I can feel it in there, tons & tons of sheer idiocy & fun, straining at the edge of control so laboriously gathered for the purpose…..

Hell…. this means there’s only one way to keep this from getting away from me, & that is to apply an emergency method of egress. Happily, I found one in the nearest drawer, only two steps away in the kitchen, so, there’s still a chance to salvage this. The only hard part of it is the abrupt nature of its operation, so, I suggest you put down any adult beverages, & grab the closest stanchion, while I try to keep us from complete disaster…. You see, it works like this….

Shall we Pearl?

“Ignorance is the soil in which belief in miracles grows.”

~~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~~

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betty-boop-1934

I doubt very much there is any need to introduce this young lady to the Gentle Reader, unless said G. R. has been living in a cave for the past century…. This collection of her cartoons comprises more than an hour of her adventurous episodes, but, if that isn’t enough, just follow the links embedded in the player to find all you could wish for, including those that were banned due to ‘culturally questionable’ morals…. Have fun!….

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Betty Boop

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Comedy_Tragedy

Elemental, dear Watson….

Don’t worry,
it’s not
me
you hear
screaming.

It is
only
my bones,
giving in,
to
cowardly,
pathologically,
repetitive,
fucking,’
complaints
of
past abuse,
and
all the fun
we had.
playing,
hard.

I don’t mind
too much;
I can spend my
TIME
in another space
in my head,
pretending
my bones
don’t
exist….

It
is,
indeed,
a shame
they
always
come
back….

Fuck.

It
hurts.

More proof,
I guess,
either
God isn’t,
or,
He is.

IF

He isn’t?
Oh,
Well….

Ante up.
Deal.

IF

He is?
Then,
I don’t fucking care
who
doesn’t like it,

I say,

He
is
a bully,
a coward,
a hypocrite,
and,
truly,
an enormous asshole.

I suppose,
God
is
what comes,
to,
and
from,
People,

because

they
feel
a need,
for
someone
to
blame,
for
a
Universe
they
cannot
understand
or
accept.

I
will
take the complaints.

After all,
they
are
my bones.

~~ gigoid ~~

9/14/2014

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Connecting some of the dots….

*******

“No law can be sacred to me but that of my nature.
Good and bad are but names
very readily transferable to that or this;
the only right is what is after my own constitution;
the only wrong what is against it.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

*******

“Enter freely and leave some of the happiness you bring behind.”

~~ The Insidious Wu Han ~~

*******

“I love those who yearn for the impossible.”

~~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust ~~

*******

“A person’s maturity consists in having found again
the seriousness one had as a child, at play.”

~~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche ~~

*******

“At some point your heart will tell itself what to do.”

~~ Achaan Chah ~~

*******

“Grain grows best in shit.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

*******

“You cannot face it steadily, but this thing’s for sure,
That time is no healer: the patient is no longer here.”

~~ T.S. Eliot ~~

*******

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

Well!…. That was….. interesting. Rather than try to analyze what just occurred here, I’m going to use up some of my curmudgeonly currency, & drop y’all here like a hot potato. If that causes any severe injury, or excessive loss of blood, so be it; you’ll find first aid supplies in the hampers under the seats. As for me, I’m off to lick my wounds in private, so as to delegitimize any pertinent or possible litigation. I will, however, try to be back tomorrow, so, y’all may file any charges then. Until then, stay weird, be cool, and try to remain alert…. 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

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À bientôt, mon cherí….

Twist-ties for everyone….

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2

Ffolkes,

“Grief can take care of itself,
but to get the full value of joy
you must have somebody to divide it with.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

bird of paradox

Bird of paradox….

Hajime…. As we begin another day here on planet Earth, it seems apropos, somehow, to wish y’all a good one. I think my need to give away some of the good I feel prompts such a positive note, one I’m sure comes as something of a surprise to those who are relatively familiar with my usual curmudgeonry…. That isn’t to say I’m an asshole; not yet, anyway. I do still love humanity; it’s mostly just people I can’t stand. If I were truly an asshole, I’d just give up on virtue, and go for the gold. But, if I tried that, my daddy’d kick my ass, figuratively speaking, so, we’ll just stay with the program we’ve come to know & love, & maintain my ass’s integrity for a longer time…..

If it isn’t already clear, I’m in a bit of a mood; we’ll avoid any litigation, or insane laughter from the peanut gallery, by making no attempt to qualify that assessment to any large degree. Safest all around, I should think, & we do try to remain safety-conscious, mostly. Since safety, in this world, is pretty well-established as a complete illusion, that means we’re spending a lot of time chasing our tails, but, hey, all one can do, etc. It’s better than chasing the delusions so prevalent in society, none of which particularly appeal to my nature, which tends to turn rapidly to sarcasm when confronted by any of those fallacies (you know…. money, religion, government? Those silly monkeys….)….

Hmm… In looking back over the two previous paragraphs, I see I slipped over the edge into some pretty smarmy assertions, if not actual pointed sardonicism. By the way, did you note the historical references? No. Well, no worries; neither did I, because they aren’t there, unless one counts the mention of my dad. I do think either paragraph could win awards, were there any contests involving sheer nonsense to be found. In fact, these two paragraphs may constitute my finest opening ever, if one isn’t too picky about it. They could also, very easily, get shit-canned without a single regretful sigh, but, that’s only my curmudgeon speaking; pay it no mind.

Instead, watch what I’m doing with my OTHER hand, as it’s the one holding the remote. What remote? Why, the one that controls the length of this introductory section, of course. Today, it was pre-programmed to get us out of here, well before anything I wrote could cause actual physical symptoms. Oh, look, it’s starting to flash, a new feature warning us to hold on, because we’re about to change direction. I wonder where we’ll end up today? Let’s go find out….

Shall we Pearl?

“You only live twice:
Once when you’re born,
Once when you look death in the face.”

~~ Ian Fleming ~~

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mozart2

Wolfie Mozart

Today, I feel like some of the best…. In my less than humble opinion, this man’s work comprises proof of his claim to that adjective. In short, as far as I’m concerned, he was/is the best to ever write music. Period…. I figure about, oh, six hours of it should make the point…. I hope you enjoy it as much as I shall….

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

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Comedy_Tragedy

When life calls, ready or not….

Memories are all we have sometimes
to keep our sanity intact,
with learned phrases and subtle rhymes
lessening life’s vicious, vibrant impact.

Presently all seems composed and intent
in stark contrast to hollow day,
forlorn patchwork emotions of unheralded bent,
fill up night’s bower, leaving hell to pay.

Such vigorous and elevated temper
brings us rare moments to ponder,
filled with lessons all need to remember
lest base perception lose valued wonder.

Laugh loud when entropy sticks fast
leaving shameless anger in its wake.
Let bygones pass quietly into the past
reaping only what is left to take.

Final words of wise imagination
tell us living well’s the best revenge, it appears
ever eluding choirs and congregations
finally finding home, never buried in tears.

~~ gigoid ~~

9/10/2012

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Waypoints on the Path….

*******

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

~~ Lao-Tzu ~~

*******

“I shall tell you a great secret, my friend.
Do not wait for the last judgment, it takes place every day.”

~~ Albert Camus ~~

*******

“Late in the night, we realize that
the acts of our lives have not been shadow-free,
that we are shadowed by curses and sins —
not because we are cursed and sinful by nature,
but because with the very origins of the world,
one half of which belongs to night,
come fearful figures who demand we know them.”

~~ James Hillman ~~

*******

“It ain’t so much the things we don’t know that get us in trouble.
It’s the things we know that ain’t so.”

~~ Artemus Ward aka Charles Farrar Brown ~~

*******

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

~~ Richard Burton ~~

*******

“The human condition is such that pain and effort
are not just symptoms which can be removed without changing life itself;
they are rather the modes in which life itself,
together with the necessity to which it is bound, makes itself felt.
For mortals, the ‘easy life of the gods’ would be a lifeless life.”

~~- Hannah Arendt ~~

*******

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

~~ Buddha ~~

*******

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

Well, that went well, didn’t it? Oh, sorry; thought you were paying attention. ‘S okay; neither was I. I am, now, though, so, I suppose I ought to close this up, before it gets any stranger than it has already gone. I’ll offer the usual caveat, to wit: I’ll be back. You may regard that as a warning, a threat, a promise, or a conundrum; your choice. Me, I’m outta here, before I lose all dignity, or more blood….. See ya, ffolkes…. Stay weird; I’m planning something special, & weird can only help….

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….

It always helps to whistle….

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Ffolkes,

“Forget what you know and learn.”

~~ Roger von Oech ~~

spanish arch

Galway’s Spanish Arch….

Hajime…. A foul wind blew, bringing the temptation of nausea; forgotten, the pale shadows of burgeoning night stole softly past time’s patient milieu. Sultry, the hours pass, until the ripeness of entropic salvation assumes precedence over preference. Still, there is no pattern exclusive to such mundane proliferation, save that which strikes fancy. The silly simians have held their sway, only to find a more attractive degree of oblivion. So be it….

Good morning…. Hmm? Oh, that. Nothing much; merely some random thoughts to warm up the somnolent grey cells, in the interest of aiding the caffeine I’ve already taken aboard. Didn’t seem to work as well as I’d hoped, but, since I’m rather late getting this done, it will have to do. I do have all the elements for a Pearl in place; that isn’t to say it’s good, or even great. It merely means it’s ready for consumption, if not appreciation. I guess, all things considered, that’s about as good as I can expect on such a morning as this one promises to be. No, I’m not being obscure (not deliberately, anyway), I’m being overly honest. And, given the implications, I think I’ll just leave that right there….

I could, if I felt so inclined, wander around my head a little longer, trying to find something worthwhile to put into this intro; that, however, would be mere indulgence on my part, so, instead, I’ll break out yet another literary trick, & dazzle y’all with the brilliance it reveals, in all its tawdry glory. I’ll even go so far as to neglect any attempt to explain, or justify such an assumptive attitude, & show you how it works, first-hand. That hand, if you will, or, if you won’t, is quick, too…. How quick? This quick….

Shall we Pearl?

“I met a traveler from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read.
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal these words appear:
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

~~ Percy Bysshe Shelley, “Ozymandias” (1819) ~~

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

I’ve managed to make myself late getting posted, so, we will go with one of our default music selections. This collection of Nocturnes by F. Chopin is touted as excellent for reading or studying, so, let’s see it it’s true, shall we? Enjoy!….

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

Frédéric Chopin
Nocturnes

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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

Curves ahead; watch your step….

********

“All things are to be examined and called into question.
There are no limits set on thought.”

~~ Edith Hamilton ~~

*******

“You did then what you knew how to do.
When you knew better, you did better.
You are spirit who did what you had to do,
but you are not that thing.”

~~ Maya Angelou ~~

********

“Eternity has nothing to do with the hereafter… This is it…
If you don’t get it here, you won’t get it anywhere.
The experience of eternity right here and now is the function of life.
Heaven is not the place to have the experience;
here’s the place to have the experience.”

~~ Joseph Campbell ~~

********

“It is never too early or too late to care for the well-being of the soul.”

~~ Epicurus ~~

********

“Keep the juices going by jangling around gently as you move.”

~~ Satchel Paige ~~

********

“I don’t pretend to have all the answers.
I don’t pretend to even know what the questions are.
Hey, where am I?”

~~ Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey ~~

********

“I just forgot my whole philosophy of life!!!”

~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~

********

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

I shall offer no apology for today’s Pearl; I won’t even offer sympathy. I will, however, leave you to nurse your wounded psyche in peace, as I probably should have done at the beginning. Let’s try again, tomorrow, shall we? Well, I will; I can only hope you’ll show some forgetfulness, and forgiveness, enough to send you back tomorrow, to see if we can do any better. Until then, be well, and happy as you may; I’m going back to bed, I think. That promises to be the safest bet I can make…. See ya….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 2780

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Tawdry, not maudlin…

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2

Ffolkes,

“Arouse the mind without resting it on anything.”

~~ Diamond Sutra ~~

faded rose

Aging beauty….

Hajime…. Today, I have a complete Pearl, composed in pieces over the last day, as is my wont. The poem I’ve been working on is as done as it will ever be, so, it’s here for your perusal; you can tell me if you think it’s worth the time to read. I won’t take any criticism lightly; I also won’t pay it much mind at all, for the most important part for me is that it isn’t wandering around my head any more, bugging me to write it down. Besides, the average loss of blood that takes place whenever I write a new poem is a bit problematic, requiring a longer recovery time each time it occurs. Oh, well, he said, with resignation….

In order to hasten said recovery, I’ll truncate today’s introductory section, in the interests of moving things along on their prescribed path toward some sort of resolution. We’ll even skip any discussion of WHAT we are attempting to resolve, in favor of the aforementioned truncation; it seems like the only decent thing to do. What’s more, we’ll use one of our oldest, most efficient methods for the process. Yep, it’s old #4, and it works like this….

Shall we Pearl?

“Some mistakes we must carry with us.”

~~ Speaker-to-Animals “Ringworld” ~~

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loreena

Image from Bedwyn.com on Flickr.com via Google Images

I’ve meant to include this artist’s work as our musical selection for some time now, but, hadn’t done so. To remedy that obvious mistake, here she is. Considered by many to have one of the finest voices in her chosen field of music, she has achieved a large fan base; if I am any judge, it is well-deserved. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do….

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Loreena McKennit

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Comedy_Tragedy

Obscure Empathy

Twisting the tail of reality, again, unrepentant,
as a pale moon rises in the west, unnoticed.
Sensing imminence, evicting the remaining tenant;
dispensing false empathy, well-practiced.

Metaphor becomes allegory, critically sane,
as humanity wells up, conflicted, bedeviling time;
experience assumes an old cut, with virgin pain,
a solitary ambient poet dies, in shame, sans rhyme.

Patterns form inside an intricate space, forlorn,
abiding, with reluctant patience, only to learn
of dispassion’s inelegant cost, basely shopworn;
forgotten verses, delicately done to a turn.

Previously spoken standards shall not apply;
forsworn, soaked in cruel imagination,
questing egos neglect to ask, why?
Purely natural law demands speculation.

Twice-told tales assume mythical profundity
casting shadows into night’s bower.
Artful, enticing, a lure for serendipity
passing time in a lonely tower.

~~ gigoid ~~

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Five points worth a ponder….

*******

“The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth.”

~~ Chinese proverb~~

*******

“How often I found where I should be going only by setting out for somewhere else.”

~~ R. Buckminster Fuller ~~

*******

“Your body cannot heal without play.
Your mind cannot heal without laughter.
Your soul cannot heal without joy.”

~~ Catherine Rippenger Fenwick ~~

*******

“It is not necessary to change.
Survival is not mandatory.”

~~ W. Edwards Deming” ~~

*******

“Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.”

~~ Kahlil Gibran in Essay on Death in The Prophet ~~

*******

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

Well, it’s done. It took a little longer than I’d planned, thanks to a relatively short interruption to cuddle a cat in hammock mode/mood. Such is life with a familiar…. Without further silliness, or sobriety, I take my leave, with the standard caveat, to wit: I’ll try again soon to get it right…. Until then, enjoy the diem as you seize it, & stay alert. It’s our best defense against our own kind, you betcha…. 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 -- 2780

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Comforting delusions of adequacy….

Posted on by
3

Ffolkes,

“The hands that help are better far than the lips that pray.”

~~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~~

spring tree 17

Spring in full bloom….

Hajime…. In the past six years, or so, I have spent many hours contemplating the state of Reality in which I find myself existing, along with more than seven billion other humans, each of whom possesses their own interpretation of that Reality. The degree of cognitive dissonance this existence engenders amongst us humans is, as it naturally must, increasing, at a rate that any good mathematician fears, to wit: it is exponential, rapidly approaching a parabolic curve leading to infinity. Now, that may not sound like it is something to fear, but, if one truly understands what ‘parabolic’ implies, such fear is the natural result….

Another way to describe this is in the less mathematical, but, more accessible concept of insanity, with which we humans also have extensive experience, both individually, and as a species. Perhaps the simplest way to express all I see can be summed up in the short, pithy phrase, the world has gone fucking crazy. I would suggest that anyone who doesn’t agree with that assessment can only be understood to be a large part of the problem; it’s hard to see the trees when one is in a forest fire…..

I suppose such a sobering line of thought isn’t altogether appropriate to begin today’s missive; some might say it’s a sure path to perdition, leading to loss of Gentle Readership, as well as being a real bummer. But, then, ‘appropriate’ has never really been an accepted part of my vocabulary, being, as it so clearly is, a concept rooted in giving a shit what others think, of which I have never been guilty. But, since I do happen to agree it’s a bummer, I’ll forgo any further exploration of so obvious a truism, or, set of truisms, in favor of some rather more uplifting lines of discussion.

This, patently, implies changing direction, a habit we encourage, as it fits in with Reality’s general directional flow, which is in a rather constant state of flux (great word, flux….). To further encourage such flexibility, I’ll proceed now to make the necessary directional alterations to get us where we need to be, to wit: further on down the road…. How does that look? Ah, well, to find out, simply follow me, as I make this slight adjustment to our modus operandi…. Watch closely, or, you’ll miss it….

Shall we Pearl?

I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together!

~~ The Beatles, “I Am The Walrus” ~~

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

We are going with a default selection today. This one advertises itself as a collection of the greatest classical composers; let’s see if they got that right, shall we? Enjoy!….

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

Random Visions/Coloring Between the Lines of Grief

Everywhere is dark, and shining,
with points in dissonant pain.
Sharp, senses dull past divining,
tears burn, a torrential rain.

Escape! Flee within to cower,
find an unconscious cave.
Call on Morpheus’ power
deny reality’s beckoning wave.

Light breaks, drawing the inner eye,
leading to the slippery slope.
Risk is critical, we may only sigh,
yet welcome, for bringing hope.

Sanity seems far out of reach
Insanity’s a stronger friend.
Decisions made will merely teach
our way toward Death to wend.

Lost, while still on familiar ground,
the future yet undesigned.
Making way on paths unfound,
to Now, as yet undefined.

~~ gigoid ~~

2/22/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Points to ponder….

*******

“When one shuts one eye, one does not hear everything.”

~~ Swiss Proverb ~~

*******

“If you love the sacred and despise the ordinary,
you are still bobbing in the ocean of delusion.”

~~ Lin-Chi ~~

*******

“Virtue knowing no base repulse, shines with untarnished honour;
nor does she assume or resign her emblems of honour
by the will of some popular breeze.”

~~ Horace ~~

*******

“Live the questions now.
Perhaps then, someday far in the future,
you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way in the answer.”

~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~

*******

“The education of the will is the object of our existence.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

*******

“Always make room for the unexpected in yourself.”

~~ Steve Martin ~~

*******

“But since life is cruel, to you and to me, here I am.”

~~ Umberto Eco ~~

*******

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

As I have noted previously, I do this to help keep my own sanity intact…. Well, as intact as it ever gets, anyway. If it helps decrease the overall level of insanity extant in the world, so be it. If not, well, entropy wins again. Either way, I’m done for today, which merely means I get to try again tomorrow, or, at the earliest convenient time, whichever seems clever. For the nonce, I shall bid thee adieu, with a hearty wave and my best wishes for your own retention of sanity. Hope, silly as it always seems, springs eternal, doesn’t it? Yes, yes, it does…. 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 -- 2780

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Sanity off the port bow….

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1

4/2/2017

Ffolkes,

“Every man is a divinity in disguise, a god playing the fool.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

leelu in odd pose

“Because it’s comfortable. Why?….”

Hajime…. In spite of how little incentive I find to finish and post today’s Pearl, I will do so; for those of us who write for the same reason we breathe, incentive is irrelevant, for it appeals only to self-interest, which has no bearing on duty, or survival, both of which are their own incentive. This, of course, means we will get posted, if only to demonstrate how critical it is to be true to oneself. I am beset by demons, some physical, some cerebral, either of which would be sufficient to keep me from completing today’s effort; duty, chosen or demanded, provides adequate reason to disregard any demands such distraction implies….

Having thus dismissed any attempts to sublimate, or to procrastinate, I shall proceed to do what is necessary to get posted. As is already clear, all the true issues involved have been placed into the vault, where they won’t distract me from doing what is required. Perhaps, in some future time, it will all come into some sort of balanced level of coherency; then, again, perhaps not. At this juncture, this too, is irrelevant, if not downright obscure. In fact, I may have achieved a new level of such obscurity, though such would be hard to determine. And, in the final analysis, who cares? Not me; I’m too crazy today.

I will take a moment, though, to express my regrets to those blogs where I make a habit of commenting. For some days now, sitting long enough to visit other blogs has been put on a back burner, as all the time available to me for such activity has been used up by the act of posting. I’m even having a hard time sitting enough to do any reading; to me, that is as close to hell as I ever get. I will offer my apologies to those blogging friends whose sites I’ve not gone to; my only excuse is self-preservation, which all of us, necessarily, place ahead of most everything else we may wish to do. All I can say is, I hope to do better, in the near future….

Having thus soothed my angst, as far as possible, I believe it would be best to just get on with this, before I become any MORE obscure, through trying to maintain some dignity. Dignity, for us Bozos, doesn’t come easily, patently. But, then, given the state of insanity currently extant in reality, I suppose that isn’t much of a surprise. In any case, it’s time to get this slow on the toad, so, hang on, while I make a quick, hard turn into efficiency, if not elegance…. Don’t worry, it will all be over soon….

Shall we Pearl?

33. “Be gentle with the earth.”

~~ Instructions for life ~~

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theblockheads

Ian Drury & The Blockheads

Image from werksman.blogspot.com via Google Images

A friend from England recommended this band to me yesterday, & I enjoyed it enough, it got picked for today’s musical selection. Gritty, real, and smart, this band has made some rather fine music for quite a number of years. I hope you enjoy it…..

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Ian Drury & The Blockheads

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Comedy_Tragedy

Premises, premises….

Tricked, I stumble, and I fall
dreaming, through an abandoned palace.
Frightened and wary, unheard my call
fading into memory, no cup, no argent chalice.

The people, crushed, cry out to be freed
asking only to take part, or travel.
Nascent oaths spotlight such bursting need
fed by treachery, deep from our well.

Only the wicked shall find their way blocked
justice seeks them, snug in their hole.
Faint praises never touched, but naked, stalked
singing no gospel, no soul, no rock and roll.

Only the promised will remember the way
from unforgiven trails of sorrow.
To live life, and give death no sway,
saving grace for our only tomorrow.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/19/2014

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Thoroughly Walt….

*******

“I exist as I am, that is enough.”

~~ Walt Whitman ~~

*******

“At any price that I can pay, let me own myself.
And the price is worth paying if you keep what you have bought…
A man may apply his independence to what is called worldly advantage,
and discover too late that he laboriously has made himself
dependent on a mass of external conditions
for the maintenance of which he has sacrificed himself.
So he may be festooned with the whole haberdashery of success,
and go to his grave a castaway.
Some men hold that the risk is worth taking.
Others do not.
It is to those that I have spoken.”

~~ Rudyard Kipling, speech at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, 1923 ~~

~~ quoted in _Kipling’s Science Fiction_ edited by John Brunner ~~

*******

“Have you learn’d lessons only of those who admired you,
and were tender with you, and stood aside for you?
Have you not learn’d great lessons from those who reject you
and brace themselves against you?
or who treat you with contempt,
or dispute the passage with you?”

~~ Walt Whitman ~~

*******

“A man can only do what he can do.
But if he does that each day
he can sleep at night and do it again the next day.”

~~ Albert Schweitzer ~~

*******

“If a camel flies, no one laughs if it doesn’t get very far.”

~~ Paul White ~~

*******

“This is thy hour, O Soul;
Thy free flight into the wordless
Away from books, from art.
The day erased; the lesson done.

Thee fully forth emerging,
Silent, gazing…
Pondering the themes thou lovest best:
Night, sleep, death, and the stars.”

~~ Walt Whitman ~~

*******

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

Well, there you have it. I won’t call it good; I won’t even call it adequate. I’ll merely call it ‘done’, and be done with it. I suggest you do what I plan to do, which is to go try to salvage what is left of the day, while there is still hope of doing so. I’ll try to get back to this by tomorrow, but, what with my state of mind (such as it is), and the state of reality, that remains problematic, if not completely questionable. We’ll just have to wait, & see how it goes…. which is a pretty good metaphor for how most of us approach life, altogether. Stay strange, stay alert, and be well & happy as you may…. Me, I’m shooting for a touch of sanity….

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….

Alternative sublimation….

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1

Ffolkes,

“Only, as long as we’re going insane, we might as well go the whole way.
A mere shred of sanity is of no value.”

~~ S. S. Van Dine ~~

famine memorial

Memorial for the victims & heroes of the Great Famine Exodus

Galway, Ireland

Hajime…. Opening with such a picture, when taken in the context of the quote preceding it, could, very easily, lead me into a very long rant. However, I seem to have burned off some of the built-in angst, generally so common to my persona, over the past six years of railing against the machine that passes for human society. For example, the truth of the Great Famine is, for the most part, ignored by most of the world, that truth being more shameful than most of humanity cares to contemplate; this alone could prompt at least five thousand harsh words from me, especially given my personal ties to Ireland. I’ll forgo any such rant, however, simply because I am weary of shouting into the wind, & having only a few people listen….

Ranting is also complicated, these days, by my basic inability to sit long enough to marshal the words necessary to produce a viable discussion; hard to think when one’s ass is constantly signaling its desire to get up & move, rather than submitting to gravity’s less than tender embrace. This brings out, naturally, my human tendency to allow expediency to influence our decision making process; in short, I won’t rant, simply because its too much trouble for little return. I suppose, in and of itself, that, too, is human.

It doesn’t make it any more comfortable to know this; it merely makes it tawdry, and pedestrian. Fortunately, memory is volitional, making it easy to deny the reality of any situation that challenges our morality…. Go figure, eh? No ranting is necessary to demonstrate; the act of NOT ranting, in this case, becomes an act of sublimation, designed simply to make us easier in our skin. Thus, our humanity, shameful as it may be, is verified.

Gosh…. That’s pretty much of a bummer, eh? Oh, well. I’d hoped to come up with something a bit more uplifting, but, such is life for us humans; we lift our eyes to the stars, only to have to stop to wipe our feet, having stepped in something unpleasant, from having our attention focused away from what is real. I suppose this is a pretty clear indicator of how our culture has gone so far off the rails, but, to dwell on that would, once again, lead us into the realm where ranting would become necessary, if only to keep from exploding from excessive irony…..

Since it’s way to early for that, why don’t we get on with the rest of today’s mess, before I stumble into a real rant…. We’ll do it this way, which seems to work out as well as anything else I’ve attempted over the years…. Watch your step, please; the sidewalk is rather bumpy….

Shall we Pearl?

“We shall never cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.”

~~ T. S. Eliot~~

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

playing-for-change

I arose later than usual, meaning we go with one of our default choices. Here is a relatively new cut from the organization, with an old country tune most of us know…. Enjoy! Then, go send them some money…. They’re doing good work….

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Playing For Change
Take Me Home, Country Roads

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Comedy_Tragedy

Unheralded Sagacity…

To many, who will not see beyond their nose
the world becomes a dangerous place,
a bullet in every gun, a thorn with every rose,
no magic comes to save us, reality leaves no trace.

Minds closed, wrapped tight in manufactured fears,
men become clay, easily molded into complacent form.
No chains needed, held in thrall for years,
lies become gospel, when dishonesty is the norm.

Shed the chains you wear in durance, in kind;
Oh, ye of little faith, and much doubt
Strength is found in an unfettered mind,
Cry “freedom” with a great shout.

No help from any gods can hinder so much
as our own lack of confidence;
finding the light within, knowing it as such
confirms us, becoming consequence.

Illumination…..

~~ gigoid ~~

4/17/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

One path of many….

*******

“He should not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall.”

~~ Elrond ~~

*******

“I have everything, yet have nothing;
and although I possess nothing, still of nothing am I in want.”

~~ Terence — Act ii, Sc. 2, 12, (243.) ~~

*******

“… denn da ist keine Stelle,
die dich nicht sieht. Du musst dein Leben andern.”
(“… for there is no place that does not see you.
You must change your life.”)

~~ Rainer Maria Rilke, “Archaic Torso of Apollo” ~~

*******

“My friend Data, you see things with the wonder of a child.
And that makes you more human than any of us.”

~~ Yar, “Skin of Evil”, stardate 41601.3 ~~

*******

“The problem with the future is that it keeps on becoming the present.”

~~ Calvin & Hobbes ~~

*******

“When in doubt, sing loud.”

~~ Robert Merrill ~~

*******

“For how much longer can I howl into this wind?”

~~ The Cure “A Thousand Hours” ~~

*******

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

Well, there you go…. I can’t say it’s the best Pearl ever, but, it ain’t bad, and will do for our purposes here today. I’ll be back, hopefully tomorrow, with more fresh, if strange, material. Ooh, there’s a cut, if I ever heard one. Ah, well, self-denigration is always a good technique; it makes people think you’re honest, if nothing else. Since I am honest, as humans go, I’ll just use this opportunity to say, thanks for dropping in, & I hope you’ve enjoyed our time together. We’ll do it again, soon…. Ta, for now….

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

Kowabunga!

À bientôt, mon cherí….

A kaleidoscope of sober myrmidons….

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5

Ffolkes,

“People do not lack strength, they lack will.”

~~ Victor Hugo ~~

no way

No way you’re leaving without me….

Hajime…. There are days here at ECR when the process by which the Pearls you see posted can only be described as ‘torturous’…. That’s not to say it isn’t a pleasant, uplifting experience, because it isn’t; it’s merely to say it can be fucking annoying. This attitude, patently, is not one that lends itself particularly well to the creative process; around here, that, in and of itself, is therapeutic, if nothing else. But, it is also an attitude which, given its patently less-than-constructive nature, can lead to hours and hours of guilt, if I ever felt guilt. Since I don’t, (gave it up long ago as a bad investment of time….), it’s probably for the best if we just move on to the next stop on the way to the closing section….

If I were really as smart as I believe myself to be, I’d use that paragraph as a jumping off point for any number of ideological forays; instead, I’m going to ignore it completely, by filling in the rest by the numbers. Number two, if we are counting correctly, is to proceed with our morning ramblings, but, on a completely new tack; it’s actually a pity I haven’t a clue as to how to proceed in that direction, without edging over into the realm of either fantasy, or, more likely, sheer insanity, a condition with which I am all too familiar. How, you may ask, can anyone be so calm about being insane? That one’s easy: practice…..

Yes, I am a practicing psychopath; the work is good, and never ending, but, the pay is lousy. Far be it from me to question the dictates of reality, though, so, I just try to ‘go with the flow’, so to speak, in order to maintain the illusion of competency so vital to living in a world gone mad. That, by the way, is an illusion fully 100% of humanity has experience in, to our everlasting regret, I’m sure. Of course, there are numerous reasons we spend so much time insane, each of which is implacable, as well as embedded in our nature. In short, our entire species is, simply, quite insane on at least three levels, of which two are incredibly vital to survival, while the third is critical only in our own estimation. Go figure, eh?

Having, quite clearly, demonstrated the assertion proposed, it becomes clear we may have screwed the pooch, a euphemism both obscure, and all-too-obvious. Rather than continue to beat a moribund equine, let’s do this…..

Shall we Pearl?

“The perfect man uses his mind as a mirror.
It grasps nothing. It regrets nothing.
It receives but does not keep.”

~~ Chuang Tzu ~~

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

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

Today’s selection of classical music is for a blogging friend, who particularly enjoys classical guitar; I figure over six hours worth should hold him for a time…. I also hope the rest of our Gentle Readers enjoy the feast…. Abondanza!….

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Classical Guitar

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Comedy_Tragedy

Off the proverbial cuff….

I never meant to kill that period of time,
it didn’t give me any choice.
It tried to hem me in without reason, or rhyme,
refused me any vote, or any voice.

You have to admit, I buried it deep and fast,
just as if I cared.
I knew, though, it would never last,
or ever be fully repaired.

No news, no pictures can bring it back,
once is all we get.
No pleas of public good, or even public lack;
in stone the past is set.

Futuristic visions now occupy my dreams,
I’m ready to go on.
Look! It fills up the screen, and it gleams!
Where’s the moment I’m sitting on?

Now, I remembered, at long, long last,
is all we really can hold.
Every moment goes by so bloody fast,
we’d best fill them all with beauty, warm and bold.

~~ gigoid ~~

4/30/2013

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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

A Polymath’s path….

*******

Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum —
“I think that I think, therefore I think that I am.”

~~ Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary” ~~

*******

“Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.”

~~ The Beatles ~~

*******

“A man of genius makes no mistakes.
His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.”

~~ James Joyce, “Ulysses” ~~

*******

“We are all born mad. Some remain so.”

~~ Samuel Beckett ~~

*******

“How does it feel?
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown?”

~~ Bob Dylan ~~

*******

“Logic doesn’t apply to the real world.”

~~ Marvin Minsky ~~

*******

Calvin: “People think it must be fun to be a super genius,
but they don’t realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world.”
Hobbes: “Isn’t your pants’ zipper supposed to be in the front?”

~~ Calvin (Bill Watterson, “Calvin and Hobbes”) ~~

*******

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

Well, that was fun. Sort of. It’s done, anyway, so, I suppose I should find some way to gracefully close this mess. Hmm…. I guess ‘graceful’ isn’t on the agenda today. Oh, well….. This, then, will have to do, as I am now completely baffled as to any new direction to take. I know…. I’ll just drop y’all like the proverbial hot potato, which will get us all out of here, and, give y’all something about which you may unleash those pent up feelings you’ve been holding on to for too long. See, I can be nice. I can also be gone, and, I am…. See y’all next time, provided the universe cooperates…. I’d say we have even odds on that….

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

Kowabunga!

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Delectable morsels of sustainable illusion….

Posted on by
9

Ffolkes,

“Do not look for all the answers at once.
A path is formed by placing stones one in front of the other.”

~~ The Giant from Twin Peaks ~~

river corrib

Galway City Museum on River Corrib, from the Wolfe Tone Bridge

Hajime…. Generally, the opening pearl, which sits just above the opening picture, has little, if anything, to do with what comes after. Today, it is a perfect beginning, for it, as well as all that follows, is a stone on the path I am, in my own inimitable, if odd, fashion, creating in this, my life, or, as Joseph Campbell would call it, my hero’s journey…. I know, it’s a little early for grandiosity, but, try not to fall for connotations, okay? By ‘hero’, we’re not talking Superman, or Spiderman, (although they are, and do fit the word’s definition….), but, rather, the hero of every man’s life, himself (or, herself; let’s also not get too hung up on gender specificity, ‘kay? It’ll just slow things down, & I can’t sit that long.).

I would suppose most people will find it odd to philosophize so early on in a post, but, then, by now, y’all should realize, I am far from being ‘most’ people, and, in fact, find such a term to be rather insulting when applied to my own case. Not that I’m a rogue human, but, I’m definitely NOT part of the herd of, as my friend chuq would call them, ‘Ignorati’, that mass of humanity that surges from water closet to water closet, seeking comfort and joy in the process of living a life of delusion. And, thank goodness for that, I say!

Perhaps it seems elitist, but, it really is not, as I also know I am one of the world’s great Bozos, as deserving of Fate’s ill attention as much as any Fool. If there is any doubt of that, I am not the one holding on to it, even though dubiousity is my nature…. Of the mere fact of being a great Fool, I have no doubt it is a club in which I hold long-standing membership.

Hmm…. Well, it started well, but, took a bit of a random turn there, didn’t it? I’d hoped to dazzle y’all with the excellence, sharp wit, and coherence on display in the above passages, but, I now see I’ve missed the mark by an inch or three. Oh, well; it got us this far. I’ll ignore it all, as any good human is trained to do, & just get on with the rest of today’s insanity. Yes, insanity; it isn’t sane to expect one’s views to bear the force of realism, or even reality; only our human ego, drenched as it is in our own consciousness, (which may only be a local phenomenon, like E=MC²) can lead us to believe it does. I prefer honest idiocy to false wit; hence Pearls of Virtual Wisdom, eh?

I think, on that note, it’s time to get to the rest of the mess I’ve created today, before I lose what nerve I have left. Today’s version of illegitimacy is brought to you through the auspices of insomnia, bordered with a bit of smarm, and a lot of doubtful cogitation. So be it. Moreover, let’s just, as Nike says, do it….

Shall we Pearl?

“There’s a great power in words,
it you don’t hitch too many of them together.”

~~ Josh Billings ~~

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

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

Since this Pearl, like many before it, is being cobbled together in a relative rush, we’re going with our default selection. I never know ahead of time whether the selection is a good one, or just a one. But, hey, it’s classical, and that genre is mostly comprised of what has lasted over the centuries, so, it’s hard not to find parts of it that are good…. Enjoy it, regardless, if you will…..

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Classical Music

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

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

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

Comedy_Tragedy

Dreaming, I wait….

In the most patient moments of rationality
kindness flows smoothly in a special milieu,
fallow thoughts speed first from equality
to give no anxious fever, anger to eschew.

Indignant mothers and step-sons in-law
shall fade simply from brilliant to grey,
intoning ritual dogma, fresh, avid, and raw,
falling, falling, in massive pastoral disarray.

Safety lives not, save brightly in ignorant bliss,
it follows us all, silent and infinitely frail,
foremost too often, soft as a virgin kiss,
alive, always eager, willing, and pale.

Intimate knowledge finds only the bold few
with courage and virtue to gift, unbidden.
No solemn royal version may pass in review,
true love for man, never to remain unhidden.

Sweet feathers of Emily’s hope uplift,
calm, drowsy episodes bursting with light,
With final glad cries we set ourselves adrift,
swimming in the oceans of natural delight.

When sorrow is banished, in ages yet to come,
roots solidly anchored, cold and remote,
Ample supplies of kindness sit silent and dumb,
and the old stranger shrugs on his faded coat.

Dreaming, then, I wait with shadows in the night
aspiring to inspire, a message from the muse’s heart
Never forgotten images, framed in color bright,
tempt me only, grieving, steeped in serenity’s arcane art….

~~ gigoid ~~

8/18/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Random thoughts on Life at Large….

*******

“In the long run, we get no more than we have been willing to risk giving.”

~~ Sheldon Kopp ~~

*******

“Just think of the tragedy of teaching children not to doubt.”

~~ Clarence Darrow ~~

*******

“Human progress is furthered, not by conformity, but by aberration.”

~~ H.L. Mencken~~

*******

“In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge.
The young they keep out of mischief;
to the old they are a comfort
and aid in their weakness,
and those in the prime of life they incite to noble deeds.”

~~ Aristotle ~~

*******

“It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.”

~~ J.R.R. Tolkein, Lord of the Rings ~~

*******

“He that feareth is a slave,
were he never so rich, were he never so powerful.
But he that is without fear
is king of all the world.”

~~ E. R. Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros ~~

*******

“Dying is a wild night and a new road.”

~~ Emily Dickinson ~~

*******

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

Today, it’s rather satisfying to reach the end; three days of cobbling can be tiresome, even if it provides welcome distraction from the issues which preclude comfortable writing, i.e., being capable of sitting for more than five minutes without having to get up, having reached the tolerable limit. But, to dwell on that would be inconclusive, unproductive, and, whiny, so, we’ll not go there any further. Instead, I’ll just take my leave, with the latest caveat, to wit: I’ll be back, though ‘when’ is still a question. For now, I’ll just say, be well, and happy as you may, and stay alert. Not only does the world need more ‘lerts, it’s pretty iffy out there…. Ta, then, luvs….

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 -- 12382

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Adrift on a sea of sorrow….

Posted on by
11

Ffolkes,

“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”

~~ Marcus Tullius Cicero ~~

Leelu at leisure

Leelu at leisure….

Hajime…. I am in a position where it is becoming difficult to remain confident of ultimate success; since the article of contemplation under consideration is my life, this translates to some slight degree of danger, in that preserving life requires, at minimum, a confident interest in expending the effort to do so. Maintaining that attitude of interest can, I may now attest, become questionable, or, perhaps, questioned as to whether the effort is worth the result. In short, and, more clearly, there develops a decision to be made, as to whether maintaining the effort to live is worth the result….

I guess that’s a long winded way to say I’m tired of making the effort, only to encounter more, and yet more, obstacles or conditions which make that life less than pleasurable. I’ve just spent two days, and more, trying to assuage my body’s symptoms, only to arise today & find them unchanged to any appreciable degree. I’m still susceptible to extreme fatigue, lethargy, & pain, with the added fillip of occasional loss of blood to provide extra interest to an already too-interesting process. It’s disconcerting to spend a night sleeping hard, only to awaken tired, and still ‘out of balance.’ More than just a little disheartening, to be sure….

Ah, well, such is life for those of us who have lived fully, I suppose; there’s a price to be paid for continually going past the limits observed by those who cruise through life avoiding risks, in order to avoid injury, or emotional hurt, or other activities less than comfortable. Life lets us know very early there is a price for going beyond the normal; some of us are willing to pay it more readily than others, and who is to say who has the better way? Not me, though I have to say, I’d rather be scared and in pain, than bored, any day…..

There…. not too bad. I’ve related how unsettled I am, without going into tedious or graphic details sure to offend someone’s sensibilities. Perhaps it will suffice to explain how choppy the following Pearl turned out (well, it seems so to me, but, that’s probably because I’m seeing it from the inside…); then again, when have Pearls ever been easily explained? Never, I’d say. So, rather than belabor a non-point, I’ll just get on with it, before it gets any more maudlin, or incomprehensible altogether. I had hoped to finish the new poem, but, those pesky symptoms have kept me from any such comforting completion of a task, so, we’ll have to make do with what I’ve got so far, & be content with that. Or, not, as you wish….

As for me, I’m getting it done, as quickly as possible, so as to, once again, go deal with the aforementioned symptoms, which shall remain obscure, to save everyone’s breakfast. Rather than explore that notion, we’ll resort to one of our emergency techniques for getting us down the page…. It’s one you know well, as I’ve used it many times… it works like this….

Shall we Pearl?

“Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure.
We get very little wisdom from success, you know.”

~~ William Saroyan ~~

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zydeco at mardi gras

Picture from http://blog.agaxtur.com.br via Google Images

A few days ago, in a re-blogged Pearl, I made mention of Cajuns, whereupon a friend asked me, “What about that lovely Cajun music?” She’s right, so, here is a mix of some pretty damn good Zydeco, as their music is so aptly named…. Enjoy, but, only if you really like to party….

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Cajun Music Mix

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Comedy_Tragedy

Since I am battling my body, here is a poem I wrote a while back, while battling other internal demons. Different causes, but, similar battles, and the poem gives the correct flavor for today’s experience…. So be it….

Banishing demons….

Endless nights lead inexorably into endless days
while the battle for peace rages.
Lost arts find new meaning used in new ways;
to burn, yearn, and turn all the new pages.

Darkness falls heavily on bowed shoulders, contrite;
fireworks travel fast in nervous tissue.
The pace is kept, clean, but, never erudite;
such a pale tale of ancient issue.

Peering in terror down long, long halls of night
brings only confusion, destitute in sorrow.
Cannot time become our enemy, eager to fight
on the side which may never see tomorrow?

The longing gaze of passion, for reason to live,
must fall ever more faithfully into sedition,
else the clinging visions we claim to give,
shall not prevent reaching inevitable perdition.

Rising up, clarity of purpose shines the light of day
upon such a desolate landscape of absent release.
There is no escape, no furthering of the way.
Time never knows how to grant peace.

~~ gigoid ~~

11/23/2015

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

To be, or….

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“A lizard ran out on a rock and looked up,
listening no doubt to the sounding of the spheres.
And what a dandy fellow! the right toss of a chin for you
and swirl of a tail!
If men were as much men as lizards are lizards
they’d be worth looking at.”

~~ D. H. Lawrence (1928) ~~

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“Where pain predominates, agony can be a valued teacher.”

~~ Frank Herbert ~~

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“If you want to build a ship,
don’t drum up people together to collect wood
and don’t assign them tasks and work,
but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”

~~ Antoine de Saint Exupery ~~

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“How do the geese know when to fly to the sun?
Who tells them the seasons?
How do we, humans, know when it is time to move on?
As with the migrant birds, so surely with us,
there is a voice within, if only we would listen to it,
that tells us so certainly when to go forth into the unknown.”

~~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross ~~

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“If you are distressed by anything external,
the pain is not due to the thing itself,
but to your own estimate of it;
and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”

~~ Marcus Aurelius ~~

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“The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Curiosity has its own reason for existing.
One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates
the mysteries of eternity,
of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.
It is enough if one tries merely
to comprehend a little of this mystery every day.
Never lose a holy curiosity.”

~~ Albert Einstein ~~

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“All is flux, nothing stays still.”

~~ Heraclitus (540?-480? B.C.) ~~

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Having already sat longer than is wise, I’ll truncate this closing without mercy. That looks like this. See ya, ffolkes. Can’t say exactly when, for I’ve sat too much today already. I’ll be back when I can…..

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 -- 12301

À bientôt, mon cherí….