Tag Archives: Life

Ghostly music played well….

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Ffolkes,
For a good bit more than ten years I have composed these pearls each morning, and can say without a doubt that there is nothing easy about it. It is at once fulfilling and frustrating, and always leaves me feeling somewhat ambivalent, right along with the sense of satisfaction. As I’ve stated here and elsewhere, this process is for me, a defense against the buildup of mental plaque, and is as necessary as breathing. But there is also the struggle each day to come up with something fresh and original; I find myself all-too-often just sitting, staring at the screen, frantically searching my entire conscious mind for inspiration, without notable success. Today is one of those days, and as is obvious by now, I have resorted to an old trick by just talking about the process, trying to make some sense of the morning, filling in space with a close examination of the obvious. I won’t subject y’all to much more of this; I’ve managed to pump out a couple hundred words without really saying much. Fortunately for all of us, the pearls I’ve chosen for today are strong enough to make up for any lack in the prefacing remarks, as you will see for yourselves. I promise, tomorrow I will have something a bit more nutritious to offer….just enjoy your coffee, and all will be well…..

“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell the truth.” — Oscar Wilde

“One who is to enjoy the purity of both body and mind walks the path to enlightenment, breaking the net of selfish, impure thoughts and evil desires. He who is calm in mind acquires peacefulness and thus is able to cultivate his mind day and night with more diligence.” — Buddha (B.C. 568-488)

“In handling a stinging insect, move very slowly.” — Lazarus Long

I slept, and dreamed that life was Beauty;
I woke, and found that life was Duty.
Was thy dream then a shadowy lie?
Toil on, poor heart, unceasingly;
And thou shalt find thy dream to be
A truth and noonday light to thee.
— Ellen Sturgis Hooper (1816-1841)
— Life a Duty

” Noise proves nothing.  Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid.” — Mark Twain (1835-1910)

“Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the  experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.” — Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

There you go….another fine group, and well worth what you’re paying for them. In the interest of time-management, I will end this now, before any further damage can be done….y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Just Dozer

Kowabunga!

Technicolor ferrets and red, red wine…

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Ffolkes,
The morning fog was lifting as she stepped outside, and the day promised to be bright and hot. Another perfect late summer day in northern paradise; day after gorgeous day had paraded by, seemingly oblivious to the oncoming autumn, lulling the world into a drowsy complacency. Moving briskly, the young woman walked up the street toward the old part of town, past lovely old Victorian homes pressed between newer apartment buildings, and on into the busier streets that led to her morning’s destination. As she passed others on the street, she looked away, toward the shop windows already sporting fall colors, avoiding any eye contact that might prompt a response, or slow her progress. Just ahead she could see the sign proclaiming “Eats!”, and the crowd of people outside, waiting and hoping for an opening inside. As she drew abreast of the door, she could see the people inside, talking, laughing, eating; she could see the staff rushing from table to table, pouring coffee, delivering food, frantically trying to keep abreast of the horde of orders and demands. She thought to herself, “they won’t have to do that much longer!”. With that thought, she drew the homemade bomb from her pocket, twisted the knob at the top, and calmly bent over to roll it across the floor toward the kitchen in the rear of the room. She turned away from the door and walked quickly away, twenty steps, then thirty, then BOOM! as the device exploded, sending large pieces of building and people flying into the street, along with most of the crowd in front. As she strolled away she thought to herself, “That will teach them to burn my bacon!”…….Justice had prevailed…..
Okay, so they can’t all be classic literature. You try to come up with something new every day, and see how easy it is….NOT! Days such as this one it all comes down to whatever pours out onto the screen; I don’t consciously direct the process, but just let it flow. Sometimes it works, and others, well….not so much. You can decide for yourself, I’m sure…..and I’m sure you will. In the meantime, I like this little group, especially the little poem from Emily; it’s a perfect example of why her level of excellence is difficult to reach. Simple words, strung together in a seemingly random fashion, and POW, the idea smacks you right upside the head. Good stuff…..

The good man is the teacher of the bad,
And the bad is the material from which the good may learn.
He who does not value the teacher,
Or greatly care for the material,
Is greatly deluded although he may be learned.
Such is the essential mystery.
— Lao-Tzu (fl. BC 600)

“What seems to be no test, no struggle, is the most deceiving test of all.” — Ezra Taft Benson

“And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.” — The Beatles, The last lyric of their last song

A word is dead
When it is said
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day.
— Emily Dickinson

“I cannot achieve complete humility — although complete humiliation is always within reach.” — Dan Goodman
(I resemble that remark!…)

Doing it the hard way is always easier. — Murphy’s Paradox

Easier, perhaps, in the long run; it is always so hard to know which way is the hardest. It’s why Murphy is so successful at what he does; reality seems to cater to him, and let’s him have his way all too often…..SIGH….. y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Watching the pot boil….

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Ffolkes,
It is said, with good reason, that in order to be able to take care of someone else, you must first take care of yourself. That being the case, I certainly hope no one seriously needs my help, because I’m afraid I just don’t have anything to give. At least not in any financial sense. I have struggled a lot lately in that arena, and have been holding my own, for the most part. But circumstances, and Finagle’s prophet, the ever-slippery Murphy, have combined to make this month a whole new experience. It has also been said that in today’s world, we (the middle and lower financial classes) are but two paychecks away from living on the streets. I’m here to tell you, it may not take that long…..drastic measures are not just needed, they are critically essential. If I want to continue living indoors and eating on a regular basis, something has to give…..ah, well, griping about it isn’t going to help either, I suppose, so we’ll go on to bigger and better things. Something will come up, it always does; Murphy just likes to see me sweat…..today’s group took quite a bit of time and effort to gather; they were hiding deep, way back behind some rocks on the ocean floor, so it took several dives to drag them into the light of day…..enjoy!….

“A man begins cutting his wisdom teeth the first time he bites off more than he can chew.” — Herb Caen

“I see little divinity about them or you.  You talk to me of Christianity when you are in the act of hanging your enemies.  Was there ever such
blasphemous nonsense!” — George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), The Devil’s Disciple
(This one is a response to much of what I’ve been reading about Dickless Cheney’s new book of memoirs)

I care not, Fortune, what you me deny:
You cannot rob me of free Nature’s grace,
You cannot shut the windows of the sky
Through which Aurora shows her brightening face;
You cannot bar my constant feet to trace
The woods and lawns, by living stream, at eve:
Let health my nerves and finer fibres brace,
And I their toys to the great children leave:
Of fancy, reason, virtue, naught can me bereave.
— James Thomson (1700-1748)
— The Castle of Indolence, Canto ii, Stanza 3

If you are patient in a moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow. — Chinese Proverb

“Cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing.” — Samuel Johnson

“Times are bad.  Children no longer obey their parents, and everyone is writing a book.”– Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.)

I suppose that means I should probably get mine finished. Book, that is…..meantime, y’all take care out there…..

 

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

Dozer

Kowabunga!

At risk of bent principles…

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Ffolkes,
Today’s subject line came to me when I was trying to find a way to describe what I have discovered these last few months, living on the edge of poverty. In some ways, it has been quite illuminating, once one can get past the bone-deep fear that seems to accompany this lifestyle.

‘This lifestyle’…..hmmph. Even that is euphemistic, a more delicate way to say what is actually true, to wit: living without money. As a middle-class citizen of this country, one gets accustomed to, and takes for granted, things that the lower income folks almost never see or have. Like plenty of money to buy food, after paying the most essential bills. Or enough to go out for a meal, or a movie, or just a drive. It’s hard to take a Sunday drive to see the sights, when there is no car; or if there is a car, it must only be used for work, with gas at $4/gallon. It’s hard to take in a movie, when one can’t even afford to have cable tv, if there is a tv to be had. Clean clothing becomes a luxury, when one lives without a washer & drier, and not enough cash to spare the $10-15 for the laundromat.

These are only the most obvious differences; the less obvious are nonetheless just as harmful to the spirit, degrading confidence and adding weight to the burdens already carried. Life then, for those in reduced circumstances (another euphemism….just how does one reduce one’s circumstances?), becomes a constant battle for survival, instead of a platform for growth. I can’t say that learning these life lessons is comfortable, nor can I say that I am learning them with grace; more of a growl. I find my spirit to be in constant need of rejuvenation; it keeps getting harder to find something about which I can feel hopeful. Each day brings another angry creditor to the door (figuratively speaking of course; thank goodness they haven’t started actually pounding at the door….. yet…).

Being the kind of person that I am, I know I will survive. But the shape of the future is not as clear as it used to be, hampered as I am by the fog of fear, and the constant distraction of having to find ways to live and spend less. It has been said that to be an artist, one must suffer….if that is even remotely true, then whatever work I am putting out in between periods of dithering about income vs. outgo, must be truly genius. I wish I could believe it is so…..

“Become what you are.” — Buddha

“In the vacant places, we will build with new bricks.” — T.S. Eliot

And after all, what is a lie? ‘T is but
The truth in masquerade.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824)
— Don Juan, Canto xi, Stanza 37

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” — Will Rogers

“And it came to pass that in the hands of the ignorant, the words of the bible were used to beat plowshares into swords…” — Alan Watts

When you are down and out, all too often the thing that turns up is the noses of your former friends.

“He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless
efforts.”– Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.
gigoid
Dozer

Kowabunga!

Making final points count double….

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Ffolkes,
Been feeling my age quite a bit lately. This is not usual for me; most days I still look around me and see with younger eyes. Even though I know I’ve lost 24 inches (at least) off my vertical leap, and probably a couple of seconds off a hundred yard dash (provided I could make it all the way to 100 without collapsing in shock), I still assume my body will do what I ask it to do. That assumption is not always warranted, but it’s how I feel, and that has to count for something, right? Right…..anywho, today’s Pearls, of which there are only two, speak to the aging process. The first is one that has been circulating the net for several years, at least. But it is actually filled with good, solid sense, and bears repeating now and again. The second, and last, just provides a punctuation point to the first, bringing us right back around to reality once more. Enjoy!

EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN
1. Share everything.
2. Play fair.
3. Don’t hit people.
4. Put things back where you found them.
5. Clean up your own mess.
6. Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
7. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
8. Wash your hands before you eat.
9. Flush.
10. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
11. Live a balanced life–learn some and think some and draw and paint
and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
12. Take a nap every afternoon.
13. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands,
and stick together.
14. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup:
The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why,
but we are all like that.
15. Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the
Styrofoam cup–they all die. So do we.
16. And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned
–the biggest word of all–LOOK.
— Robert Fulghum

Dim with the mist of years,
gray flits the shade of power. — Lord Byron (1788-1824) — Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto ii, Stanza 2

Thus ends another daily blast of reason, or a reasonable facsimile….. y’all take care out there…..

Sometimes I sits and thinks,

and sometimes

I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Unbidden, patterns of silk bear witness….

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Ffolkes,
The Flight, continued:  As he pounded through the forest toward the river, with his terror lending him speed, he felt himself nearing a nexus, a time of decision. His pursuer had pushed and herded him for three days, deeper and deeper into the wild, and everything he was, and hoped to be, depended on what took place now, at this juncture of time. Finally, he caught a glimpse of water through the trees, and coming around a corner, found himself in a small clearing and beach formed by a turn of the river. And he was not alone. Somehow, through what arcane magic he knew not, his pursuer stood between him and his boat, arrogant and evil, and calmly fixed upon him that terrible gaze. Before he knew it, he had blurted out what was uppermost in his mind, “Mom! You’re the one who has been chasing me? Who’s taking care of the fish?”. Sadly, and with great gravity, she replied, “Your Aunt Millie’s got them at her house.” And with that, she vanished, leaving him alone, and very, very confused…..
There, it’s done. Now no one can complain that I never finish anything…..today’s Pearls had to be ripped out of their hidden lairs, and fought every step of the way. You wouldn’t know it to look at them, but they are worth a lot, if only for the effort it took to obtain them. Still, they retain their intrinsic value, as good advice. Good advice, you will remember, is worth everything you pay for it…..

“A little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.” — Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Madison, 1787

“There are moments when art attains almost to the dignity of manual labor.” — Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

“I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.” — Frederick Douglass

And that inverted Bowl they call the Sky,
Whereunder crawling coop’d we live and die,
Lift not your hands to It for help – for It
As impotently rolls as you or I.
— Omar Khayyam/Edward Fitzgerald, The Rubaiyat

Hold a true friend with both hands. — Nigerian Proverb

“If you find yourself in a hole the first thing to do is stop diggin.” — Unknown Old Cowboy

Boy, if that ain’t the truth! Probably wouldn’t hurt to get rid of the shovel as well……y’all take care out there…..

Sometimes I sits and thinks,

and sometimes,

I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Truffles bordered in mink….

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Ffolkes,
Racing through the forest in the pelting rain, he paused a moment to try to catch up to the frantic pounding of his heart. His breath heaved, in and out, in and out, in a staccato rhythm that only served to increase his terror. Behind him, on the path he had forged through the undergrowth, he could hear savage growls and crashing trees as the creature which followed him barreled forward. It sounded as if he had gained a small distance, so he put aside his fear long enough to gaze around him, seeking a more passable route. Off to the north he saw through the trees a faint regularity, possible sign of a trail. He began to run toward it, hoping the relative ease of the path would allow him to completely outdistance the horror that followed. It was a path! He redoubled his efforts, pounding full speed on the packed earth, heading east, toward the river he knew was there. The river marked the edge of the forest, and effectively kept the wild creatures in the forest from exploring its far side, for there was no place to ford, and no bridges conveniently placed. The river also held his canoe, and he knew if he could reach it in time, he had a good chance of surviving. Spurred on now by hope, he fought to push his aching legs to further speed.
That’s far enough today; we will leave our hero just there, nearly out of the fire, and carry on into the new day. Another fine group this morning, with one of my all-time favorites by Mark Twain, and a very strong supporting cast. Today, being the first day of the new month, promises to be pretty busy, so I will leave you now to enjoy these delectable bites of truth, and virtual wisdom….

“A man who carries a cat by the tail is getting experience that will always be helpful.  He isn’t likely to grow dim or doubtful.  Chances are, he isn’t likely to carry the cat that way again, either.  But if he wants to, I say let him!” — Mark Twain

“Population, when unchecked, increases in a geometrical ratio…. Subsistence only increases in an arithmetical ratio.” — Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834)
(In case you didn’t recognize it, this little phrase, backed up as it is by pure, unassailable mathematics, was the first warning received by Mankind in respect to overpopulation. It was published in the 1850’s, so it’s not like we haven’t had the time to absorb it; nonetheless, most folks not only never heard this statement, but still have no idea that much of the trouble in today’s world is due to the effects of having simply too many folks on the planet….)

“He who knows best knows how little he knows.” — Thomas Jefferson

1. Avoid fried foods, which angry up the blood.
2. If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts.
3. Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you move.
4. Go very light on the vices, such as carrying on in society. The social ramble ain’t restful.
5. Avoid running at all times.
6. Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.
— Satchel Paige

I give thee all,–I can no more,
Though poor the off’ring be;
My heart and lute are all the store
That I can bring to thee.
— Thomas Moore (1779-1852)
— My Heart and Lute

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.” — Plato

And on that note, I will bid thee adieu, and fare thee well….  y’all take care out there…..

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Water from a shallow well….

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Ffolkes,
As has been said before, all will be well, and all will be well. Serendipity is alive and well in the world! I’ve just reestablished contact with a young man from Beijing, whom I met when I was there in 2004. He was student working part time for the company that helped me to get there and apply for teaching jobs in the Chinese schools, and he assumed the position as my personal translator and guide. Our meeting was one of those fortuitous moments in life when two people meet, two whose souls were already joined, possibly from another life. I was in the apartment where he stayed with the director of the company, working on the computer they let us use. He was on the couch, asleep, but woke up, turned to look at me, and said without thinking, “Good morning, godfather.” I grinned at him, he grinned at me, and a fast friendship was begun. He took it upon himself to act as would a ‘godson’, walking around with me to help me communicate with the people we met, showing me how to get around in Beijing, and generally looking out for my welfare as a stranger in a strange land. He was, and is, an open, caring, intelligent young man, and for a time we continued to converse via email, after I had returned to the USA. We lost contact after about a year, and I misplaced his email address, so I had to forgo further communication with him…..until today. Last night I received a friend request on Facebook, and it turned out to be him, so this morning I will have the very great pleasure of resuming our talks via email. As the Colonel said every week, “I love it when a plan comes together!”……it’s amazing what a little good news and a full night’s sleep will do for the attitude one brings to the day.
Today’s Pearls  are another eclectic group, gathered in a series of dives over the last couple of days. They each would stand alone, and still be strong; together they make a nice little bit of food for thought to go along with whatever comestibles pass for breakfast at your house. Enjoy them as you would a good cup of coffee with your bagel…..

Hear twice before you speak once.

“Belief is the death of intelligence.” — Robert Anton Wilson

‘It is not a fish until it is on the bank.” — Irish Proverb

The keenest pangs the wretched find
Are rapture to the dreary void,
The leafless desert of the mind,
The waste of feelings unemployed.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824) — The Giaour, Line 957

“…I am opposed to all attempts to license or restrict the arming of individuals…I consider such laws a violation of civil liberty, subversive of democratic political institutions, and self-defeating in their purpose.” — Robert A. Heinlein, in a 1949 letter concerning “Red Planet”

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

One can always depend on Ursula LeGuin to cut to the heart of a concept….. go then, and pun no more….. y’all take care out there….

Dozer

Kowabunga!

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

gigoid

Dashes, dots, and the spaces between….

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Ffolkes,
Once more I sit, keyboard at hand, preparing to wage war against the demons of day with words of power. When the magic won’t flow, and creativity is hiding somewhere in the kitchen, I commonly turn to nonsense. But even that, though a powerful ally, is absent, leaving nothing but the 1000 monkey technique to carry the field. I wouldn’t mind so much, if they made less noise about it, and if they would occasionally come up with something other than Shakespeare. That’s the problem with last-minute solutions; they’re typically messy, and tend to provide one with solutions that fall apart under the merest scrutiny. Plus, you wouldn’t believe the absolutely appalling condition of the typewriters when they’re done; most are only good for the scrap pile. And that banana smell! Gag me with a spoon…..have no fear, Gentle Readers, I have not slipped past the boundaries of sanity. I’m cruising near the edge, but remain in full control of my faculties, such as they are. My primary concern at this point is how to bring this to a close; it seems to just keep growing and growing. Funny how things can get away from you when least expected; I suppose that’s why they call it a surprise…..today’s Pearls are an eclectic group, bound to give the impression that they were gathered during the dark of the moon, rather than in the full light of day. And you would be right in that……

What happens to the wide-eyed observer when the window between reality and unreality breaks and the glass begins to fly?

There came to the beach a poor exile of Erin,
The dew on his thin robe was heavy and chill;
For his country he sigh’d, when at twilight repairing
To wander alone by the wind-beaten hill.
— Thomas Campbell (1777-1844) — The Exile of Erin

“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

“I don’t like to commit myself about heaven and hell – you see, I have friends in both places.” — Mark Twain

“A great many people mistake opinions for thoughts.”- Herbert Prochnow

“Are you sure it isn’t time for another colorful metaphor?” — Spock, “The Voyage Home,”  stardate 8390.

Personally, I believe it IS time for another colorful metaphor. Unfortunately, none come to mind that can be printed for this audience, not if I want to keep my PG rating……. Y’all take care out there….

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Reaping the Whirlwind….

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Ffolkes,
So many things going around and around in my mind, nothing wants to settle…..it occurred to me this morning that today will be the first day in over 33 years that I have lived alone. For 23 years, up until 2002, I was married and raising our kids; we spent a few days here and there not in each other’s company, but for the most part, we were together. After my wife and I parted ways, Noah stayed with me, and until yesterday, was my constant and faithful companion and friend; dogs never change their minds when they have chosen their object of affection. So this will be a relatively new situation, one that will, I think, require some rather sweeping adjustments on my part. I have no regrets in my life, other than those natural when love chooses not to stay, yet I cannot help but wonder how different life would be had things gone otherwise than they have done. Well, such is life; we have no choice but to take it as it comes, and do our best to live with dignity and honor. So far, I have managed to live with honor; dignity has been harder to maintain at times, in the face of the harsh light of reality. All I can really say for sure at this point is, I still live. And as long as there is life, there is hope……(thank you Edgar Rice Burroughs)……this morning’s selections were chosen with mind on hold, but in retrospect, that was probably for the best…….

“I tore myself away from the safe comfort of certainties through my love for truth – and truth rewarded me.” — Simone de Beauvoir

We are not victims of the world we see, but of the way we see the world.

“Blessed is he who has learned to laugh at himself, for he shall never cease to be entertained.” — John Powell

“Official truths are often powerful illusions.” — John Pilger, _Distant_Voices_, 1992 (In today’s world, “often” can be changed to “virtually always”….)

“These PRESERVES should be FORCE-FED to PENTAGON OFFICIALS!!” — Zippy the Pinhead

I stood
Among them, but not of them; in a shroud
Of thoughts which were not their thoughts.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824) — Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto iii, Stanza 113

Doubt is the beginning, not the end, of wisdom.

I guess all I can say at this point is, it’s all a wash. Not a do-over, but at least a start-over. Step by step, walking the path toward the future, eyes ahead and eager for new sights, new sounds. If I wasn’t so bummed, I’d be excited; I suppose that in itself could be considered a small life lesson. Sweet and bitter are two sides of the same bagel, and we all would do well to keep that firmly in mind as we find our way down that long road upon which we have set our feet……y’all take care out there…..

Dozer

Kowabunga!


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