Tag Archives: Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

Following twisty passages….

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Ffolkes,

“If possible, try to find a way to come downstairs
that doesn’t involve going bump, bump, bump, on the back of your head. -“

~~ Pooh in Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne ~~

Day 5 023

The bar at Shelbourne Public House, Cork, Ireland…

I missed posting again for another day, but, it (mostly) wasn’t my fault. Smart Bee, my database of quotes, was acting a bit fractious, & it took until late in the afternoon before I assembled sufficient pearls to make up the final section. As they say across the pond, c’est la vie, amis; or, as they say downtown, too bad, so sad. Or, more aptly, as I have been known to say, so be it. At this juncture, I’m just happy it’s done, even if I still have yet to write anything resembling a rant, or discussion of anything more than the immediate needs of the moment. And, right there, it’s another ‘so be it’…..

In fact, I’m going to continue in the current vein, & just get on with the posting process, before I lose either my nerve, or the prevailing wind. ‘Tis simple enough to accomplish, as you may or may not know. All I have to do is this….

Shall we Pearl?

“For a man can lose neither the past nor the future;
for how can one take from him that which is not his?
So remember these two points:
first, that each thing is of like form from everlasting
and comes round again in its cycle,
and that it signifies not whether a man shall look upon the same things
for a hundred years or two hundred, or for an infinity of time;
second, that the longest lived and the shortest lived man,
when they come to die, lose one and the same thing.”

~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Meditations, ii, 14 ~~

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celtic design

Celtic Symbol

This is one of my default musical choices, to which I generally retreat two or three times per week, to listen to while puttering, or working at something constructive (a rare occasion, admittedly… SIGH). It always serves to give me the best chance to think…. well, I think it does. I hope you enjoy it as well…

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Comedy_Tragedy

Illusory Time

Viewed from askance, the river is long;
deep, uncompromisingly intent, swift and strong.
In duality, perception creates our only reality;
such faux metaphoric paradox enforces mutability.

By two we perceive, both zero, and one;
digital, binary, on or off, such fun.
Separate, melded, we exist, knowing not what we know
ego, striving to be solitary, looking above, seeing below.

Furiously asleep, cultural anomaly claims a victim of choice;
validly unconscious, nobody speaks, nary a voice.
Potential escapees stir in dreams, fighting to wake,
until taking the wheel, for their own bloody sake.

Pots boil in due time, when the fire’s hot,
time exists to our advantage; or, not.
The solitary warrior, head bent in pain,
fights on, with, or without gain.

Night fell, day after day it persisted;
of those who knew, none showed any care, or resisted
Angels, ministers, none had any defense, nor grace;
all that remains is a face.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/22/2016

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Ponderous points….

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“Any idiot can face a crisis.
It’s this day-to-day living that wears you out.”

~~ Anton Checkov ~~

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“All our decisions are made
in a state of mind
that is not going to last.”

~~ Marcel Proust ~~

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“If you think you’re free, there’s no escape possible.”

~~ Baba Ram Dass ~~

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“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 ~~

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“In comparison with heaven and earth, man is like a mayfly.
But compared to the great Way,
heaven and earth, too, are like a bubble and a shadow.
Only the primal spirit and the true nature overcome time and space.”

~~ Lu Yen (fl. 800 A.D.) ~~

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“Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision
for the limits of the world.”

~~ Arthur Schopenhauer ~~

********

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

~~ Basho ~~

********

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See? That didn’t hurt at all, did it? What’s more, it may have even been beneficial, in some abstruse fashion. Rather than dwell upon what cannot be altered, or even fully defined, let us move on to the rest of this fairly fine morning, just as if we had some silly reason to do so. I shall try to post again soon; I may even write something more than the usual drivel. As it always does, time will tell, the blabbermouth…. Y’all be well, happy as you may be, and, for goodness sake, be as strange as you can be; it really is your best defense against the world’s own version of strange,…. 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 -- 8118

À bientôt, mon cherí….

No corners to the wind….

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Ffolkes,

“Calm down. It’s only ones and zeroes.”

~~ Sam Kass ~~

Norms seat at Dunphys

Dunphy’s Tavern, view from the “Norm” seat….

I feel as if I should post, but, contrarily, don’t feel much like talking, or writing what I might have to say. To ease my self-inflicted angst, I’ll merely offer a few of the haiku I’ve written in the last month or so. Some were situaltionally (oops… spellchecker doesn’t like it when I make up words…) inappropriate, but a few were pretty decent, & will be included below. Nothing else to offer today, not even any further chatty discourse on not much. Instead…

Shall we Pearl?

All is ephemeral,–fame and the famous as well.”

~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Meditations, iv, 35 ~~

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Seven Haiku

Samsara happens
when the inner eye opens:
Serendipity.

*******

Butterflies alight
only upon the hand which
makes them feel welcome.

*******

Becoming human
is an ambiguous task:
(choose your own final line…)

Asininity

Serendipity

What a conundrum!

*******

Emotional storms
leave us limp and exhausted;
a lesson to learn.

*******

‘Tis often the case
to find ourselves in peril
of becoming real.

*******

Trouble comes to us
when we fail to attend to
the moment we are.

*******

‘Tis formidable
to note the power of words;
moving us to feel.

*******

~~ gigoid ~~

~~ November, December, 2018

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That’s all I’ve got today, ffolkes. I shall endeavor to do more, & perhaps better, next time. I’ll also shoot for relatively soon on that. For now, y’all enjoy the season; be well, be happy as you may be, and be just as strange as you can manage. 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 -- 8118

À bientôt, mon cherí….

To be real, engage with unreal ideas until full…

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Ffolkes,

“Your actions prove what you think of yourself.”

~~ Will Limon ~~

cork cathedral

Cathedral at Cobh, Port of Cork, Ireland…

I began blogging here on WordPress in August of 2011, during my first year of retirement. At the time, my health was not great; I lived with chronic pain which prevented any sort of exercise, & at one point reached 250 lbs., on a relatively diminutive frame, (5’7″). Blogging provided me with a means of distracting myself from what seemed to be a long, uncomfortable road toward death. To avoid allowing this to become either excessively lengthy, or excessively maudlin, I’ll merely say the production of a Pearl of Virtual Wisdom each day became both the focus of my everyday routine, as well as a life/mind saving grace….

Long story short, six years passed, during which time I was fortunate, or stubbornly persistent enough to evolve toward a more joyful existence, until, thanks to having resumed personal responsibility for my health & well-being, (achieved by kicking doctors and the AMA in general out of my life….), I am again living in much better balance. My weight is hovering around 175#, (very acceptable…), my arthritis is much better, with concomitant pain reduction sufficient to allow physical exercise (I walk 2+ miles/day….), and, most significantly, spend a LOT less time worrying about all of those things which compelled me to require distraction. To continue the policy of long story short, blogging has become a secondary, or auxiliary, part of my life. Where once I would have felt great angst at not having written, or posted a Pearl, I now feel satisfied, if only at the lack of angst…..

There…. Having once again said much, to little purpose, I feel as if I’ve gone a little way toward making it up to my neurotic tendencies by doing so, though I’m well aware it’s merely another way to distract myself from things I don’t wish to consider right now. If I didn’t keep shortening what could easily become much longer by the addition of sarcasm, nonsense, or blather in general, we’d never even get to the music, much less the old-school pearls. Goodness forfend! As a means of guarantee, here’s a rather abrupt ending to this rather ambiguous opening. Watch closely….

Shall we Pearl?

“The happiness and unhappiness of the rational, social animal
depends not on what he feels, but on what he does;
just as his virtue and vice consist not in feeling but in doing.”

~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, ix, 16 ~~

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

Despite having more than enough time to choose & find some proper music by which to read, I’m going with one of our default choices here on ECR (Exploring Consensual Reality, for those in the pre-coffee darkness…), to wit: a collection of some of the finest classical music on Earth, by some pretty talented composers. All of it has stood the test of time, and, I suspect, will do so again today, here…. Enjoy!….

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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

More Signs on the Path….

*******

“The miracle is not to walk on water.
The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment,
o appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now.”

~~ Thich Nhat Hanh ~~

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“Hang sorrow! care ‘ll kill a cat.”

~~ Ben Jonson — Every Man in his Humour, Act i, Sc. 3 ~~

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“There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man.
The true nobility is in being superior to you previous self.”

~~ Samuel Johnson ~~

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“It is a good thing to be rich and strong, but it is a better thing to be loved.”

~~ Euripides ~~

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“Education is not a preparation for life;
Education is life itself.”

~~ John Dewey ~~

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“Some say that my teaching is nonsense.
Others call it lofty but impractical.
But to those who have looked inside themselves,
this nonsense makes perfect sense.
And to those who put it into practice,
this loftiness has roots that go deep.
I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and in thoughts,
you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world.”

~~ Tao Te Ching ~~

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“No matter where you are, there you are.”

~~ Oliver’s Law of Location ~~

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I love it when a plan, even an ill-considered plan, comes together…. I wish to point out the rather ‘perfect’ status of our final pearl today, for it perfectly says all there is to say at this point. Not that it matters at all where we are, but, here we are. And, now, we’re not…. or, about to not be. Hmm… That might just be a little TOO subtle, even for me. I’ll just say, be well, ffolkes, and happy as you may be. Being strange is also an option, one I strongly recommend…. See y’all in a day or three…

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 -- 5012

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Notice: Hiatus….

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Ffolkes,

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

~~ Solomon Short ~~

Fooles pond

Northern California Idyll….

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shall we Pearl?….

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

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

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billy joel

Billy Joel

Image from wcmf.com via Google Images

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

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Billy Joel Live

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Samurai

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

~~ gigoid ~~

4/15/2018

Comedy_Tragedy

Bulletin

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

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

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

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

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

~~ gigoid ~~

8/6/2016

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Further notes on Life @ Large….

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“Self-reflection is the school of wisdom.”

~~ Balthasar Gracian ~~

*******

“Joy is not in things; it is in us.”

~~ Richard Wagner ~~

*******

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

~~ Helen Keller ~~

*******

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

~~ Chinese proverb ~~

*******

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

~~ Lao Tzu ~~

*******

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

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

*******

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

~~ The Rolling Stones ~~

*******

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

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 8561

À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Watching the parade with eyes closed….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“They who dream by day are cognizant of many things

which escape those who dream only by night.


~~ Edgar Allan Poe, “Eleonora” ~~


penguin attitude


Penguin with an attitude….


Hajime…. Sometimes, it’s strange, these days, to sit down to write, & fall prey to the same blankness and trepidation that were commonly the case when I was working hard to post every day. But, there it is; my mind is as blank as the screen upon which I am trying to fill up. I’m sure there are any number of explanations which might clarify the conundrum, but, it would be both indulgent, and wasteful of time, to try to get into that at this point. Instead, I’ll pretend no such conundrum exists, which allows me to ignore the entire issue without angst, or even guilt. Go figure, eh? Who’d a thunk mere denial would be so bloody useful?


However, having now thunk it, I guess I should take advantage of the space it creates to get back into this intro, which, as is clear, is already suffering from a lack of direction, if not completely lacking in proper intent. As we know, good intentions often fail the test of reality. Well, I know; if you don’t, by now, I don’t think my telling you again will make much difference; that’s one of those lessons Life only allows us to answer by ourselves, once we have encountered the evidence enough times for it to sink into our rather thick brain-pans. Whether we subsequently use the knowledge to our advantage is yet another of those sticky questions, the answer to which is often even stickier…. SIGH…. Life can be so hard….


Having thus set the tone for today, let us forgo further blather, & go on to see what I’ve managed to cobble together for your perusal. I can’t say it’s the best Pearl ever, but, it’s done, and, as is very often the case, that’s all I need to overcome any reluctance to post it. Don’t ask why, or we’ll never get out of here. Just accept it, as one must often do in Life, regardless of how we may feel about it, or, what we may have to do to get past the conflicts such mental gymnastics may offer as a result. In short, that’s the way it is, so, deal with it. I have to, so, the rest of y’all will just have to play along….


I’ll make that a bit easier, like this. Watch close, and hang on; it can get a bit bumpy….


Shall we Pearl?….


“It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants.

The question is:  what are we busy about?”


~~ Henry David Thoreau ~~


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jim croce


Jim Croce


Image from YouTube via Google Images


This artist is one who died young, but, not before making a name for himself by releasing a series of hit records during the late sixties and seventies, almost all of which you will hear today, should you choose to listen. I often forget him, for a long period of time, only to rediscover his work time and again, each time with more bemusement, for, each time, I wonder why I forget. His music is fun, light-hearted (for the most part), and perfectly pertinent to everyone’s life and experience, for he sings of times, feelings, and events which are common to all. I hope you enjoy it as much as I always do, when I find him again…. Abondanza!….


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Jim Croce

 Greatest Hits






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Comedy_Tragedy


Savory


Blown across steppes of imagination, a spore

finds a niche, takes root,

tries to live longer than now, before

chaos/peace descends, and desire is moot.


Feathered into fecundity, another possibility

builds a nest, hatches kin,

aims at immortality, sans responsibility,

chance manifests, as it does, again.


Leading toward peril, entropy saves creativity,

making tools, and lazy time;

solid signs imply such simple nativity,

as another snitch drops his dime.


Subtle compassion billows, passion to unfold,

covering hearts bloodied by time,

burning flesh made valid, unwaveringly bold,

turning love to brilliant rhyme.


Years weigh lightly, supported by youth,

gaining weight with each year,

only the old men know the actual truth,

peace comes only when we lose our fear.


~~ gigoid ~~


4/9/2013


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pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Properly bozoid behavior….


*******


“Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life.”


~~ Burton Hills ~~


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“Everybody’s gotta be someplace.”


~~ Subtle Bee ~~


*******


“When you drink the water, remember the spring.”


~~ Chinese Proverb ~~


*******


“Not loving is but a long dying.”


~~ Wu Ti ~~


*******


“If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.”


~~ Jimmy Buffet ~~


*******


“Mark how fleeting and paltry is the estate of man,

–yesterday in embryo,to-morrow a mummy or ashes.

So for the hair’s-breadth of time assigned to thee

live rationally, and part with life cheerfully,

as drops the ripe olive,

extolling the season that bore it

and the tree that matured it.”


~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, iv, 48 ~~


*******


“As God is my witness – I am that fool!”


~~ Gomez Addams ~~


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For what it’s worth, it’s not bad. I’d say it’s standard, if not iconic, and, given my current mental status, that is more than acceptable. Moreover, it has the added charm of being done, our most critical requirement. Since further blather can’t enhance its flavor, I’ll take the bull by the horns, & finish it off with a bang. BANG!…. See ya, ffolkes, possibly sooner than later…..


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 -- 15383


À bientôt, mon cherí….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Particularly practical in several respects….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“Hateful to me as are the gates of hell, is he who,

hiding one thing in his heart,

Utters another.”


~~ Homer (c. 700 B.C.) ~~


isle bnb


Brothers Island Light Station B & B, Point Richmond…


Hajime…. All the elements of a fresh Pearl are in place, with standard adjustments to the lineup necessitated by the new poem NOT getting done. We also went with default music, but, there’s a fresh old-school pearl, which, though a trifle obscure, has its own charm. No rant, either, but, that’s nothing new for these days; ranting just doesn’t seem to cut the mustard for me of late. I guess I’d rather confine myself to less antagonistic matters, which has the advantage of producing less angst, which I can only applaud.


In truth, my mind is elsewhere; if I knew exactly where that ‘else’ might be, this would be simpler. But, having depended heavily upon the process for too long now, it’s all I can do to keep doing so; whether it will continue to function as intended remains to be seen. I think, in today’s case, I’m not going to even look; that way I won’t see if it doesn’t do what it should. And, yes, I’m now thoroughly confused; if you are not, well, good for you. That means you’ve learned to take whatever you read here with a healthy dose of doubt, sufficient to keep from investing any belief, which is always a good thing. We do love our doubts ’round here….


I can feel this getting away from me; much of that last paragraph will require some metaphoric translation to process; unfortunately, the translator is unplugged, as it consumes far too much power to justify its use in such non-critical instances. But, I digress, not an uncommon practice, but, inconvenient. Rather than beat this moribund soft-hoofed ungulate any more, why don’t we just get on with it. Maybe, if we do, we might even make it to the end by breakfast time. Even if we don’t, it will look better on the official record…. Hang on, I’m going in hot….


Shall we Pearl?….


“One of the most perverse things about the universe

is that it doesn’t care  what you believe.”


~~ Subtle Bee ~~


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


Yield_Logo


Playing For Change Ambassador Logo


I had too much music to choose from, so, we’ll go with one of our default choices today. Here’s one of my favorite cuts from the Songs Around The World collection; to listen to more, just put the Autoplay function in You Tube to run, & you’ll be treated to as much music as you like, all of the finest kind…. Enjoy!….


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






One Love

 Songs Around The World






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












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


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


Comedy_Tragedy


Bulletin


Patterns exist to bring sanity, if illusory, at best;

follicular, reality seems to slip and slide.

Still, formal insanity consistently fails the ultimate test,

why place faith in answers. from which truth can hide?


Following the music brings us back in good time;

forever seemingly retreats from relevance.

Crazy, time stands still with yet another innovative rhyme,

no burgeoning intentions for sale, to shimmy. or dance.


Folly sits easily upon this brow;

fateful and afraid, entropy bows in shame.

Into the river of time, slowly, forgetful of how

courage gives strength, no matter the game.


Capricious, the muse demands obedient attention

at risk of exhibiting true durance vile.

Bereft, single copies sit unused, despite all intention;

while singular examples of fate pass at the stile.


Seminal events bring their own weight;

no scale necessary, no guessing by eye, or hand.

Only one lesson to learn, just pay the freight;

the music is playing, and you’re part of the band.


~~ gigoid ~~


8/6/2016


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


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Watch that last step….


*******


“Welcome back to (or from) reality!”


~~ Subtle Bee, the comedian ~~


*******


“A man should be upright, not be kept upright.”


~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, iii, 5 ~~


*******


“The only interesting answers are those which destroy the questions.”


~~ Susan Sontag ~~


*******


Everything that irritates us about others

can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”


~~ Carl Gustav Jung ~~


*******


“Happiness is the harvest of a quiet eye.”


~~ Austin O’Malley ~~


*******


“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is love.”


~~ Sophocles ~~


*******


“YOW!!  I’m in a very clever and adorable INSANE ASYLUM!!”


~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~


*******


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


Well, I made it here to the end; just lucky, I guess. To avoid picking up any penalty points, I’m gonna go post this, & be done with it for another day. I’m planning a few changes to the basic routines around here, in preparation for going into full training. More on that another time; for now, I’ll just say, see y’all soon, (tomorrow, if all goes well), & let the rest of the day take care of itself…. Be well, & happy as you may….


Y’all take care out there,

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Featured Image -- 14532


À bientôt, mon cherí….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Suicide by platitude….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				1			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,


“In the bigger scheme of things,

the universe is not asking us to do something,

the universe is asking us to be something.

And that’s a whole different thing.”


~~ Lucille Clifton ~~


harbor view


Harbor view at high tide, from the esplanade….


Hajime…. It has been four days since I last wrote…. anything significant. In that time, my muse went away, along with much of my sanity; it’s been, shall we say, an ‘interesting’ time. In fact, I still don’t feel much like writing, but, there is still SOME degree of social consciousness floating around in what now passes for my mind, & I thought it would be good to let those few ffolkes who come regularly know I am alive, and, within reason, as well as can be expected…. for an old fart with more life under his belt than he, perhaps, knows what to do with….


The battle for sanity continues, though with somewhat less bloodshed. It’s strange to be experiencing the symptoms of PTSD so strongly, & my only cogent thought on why involves the physical issues that I also am battling, as I realized the emotional content of what is going on in my head is all attached to past events, not present, yet, it is the present in which I must cope… It has long been known that stress & disturbance in the ‘gut’, (i.e., the digestive system) often cause such emotional purging; it was noted first in women who had multiple abdominal surgeries (C-sections, etc.), & was determined to be a relatively general human condition; when our midsection is under ‘attack’, whether from internal or external forces, it will unleash emotions, past or present, at high volume & strength…


Knowing what might be behind my issues only makes it understandable. This allows one to create some emotional space in which to think, but, doesn’t make any of it any simpler, or easier…. just more explainable…. and, it isn’t done, for my gut has a LOT of healing to do. It is getting the help it needs from me, but, the ultimate effect must be borne by my mind, currently under attack from self-imposed demonic possession…. Sounds like a party, doesn’t it? NOT….


Oh well, so be it. I hope to be able to write soon; for now, I am on hiatus, and will remain so for the foreseeable near future. The Pearl you see today is all there is, as I haven’t even been able to get Smart Bee to cooperate much, thus precluding one of my more stabilizing activities… Probably Murphy’s fault there, but, he only gets us where we leave ourselves vulnerable, so, I can’t complain about that. I will merely say, I’ll be back, for I can feel much in me still to purge, & it’s gotta go somewhere, right? Right…. For today, all that means is, what you see, from this point on, is what you get. So be it….


Shall we Pearl?….


“Courage is not the absence of fear,

but rather the judgment

that something else is more important than fear.”


~~ Ambrose Redmoon ~~


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


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


Default day, so, default music…. Enjoy!…..


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






Classical Music






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












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


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


Comedy_Tragedy


“Haiku’s inventor

must have had seven fingers

on his middle hand.”


~~ Smart Bee ~~


Tally Ho…


Mornings bring quiet

as the demons go to rest.

But, where do they go?


Sanity recedes

into insignificance.

Only Now exists.


We create it all

out of fear and memory.

Yet spirit abides.


If only poems

would flow out as easily

as our pain flows in.


Ah, well, said the sage;

Now is all we ever have

for eternity.


~~ gigoid ~~


7/16/2017


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


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Use the wrist, Luke….


*******


“Pluralitas non ponenda est sine necessitate.”

(Multiplicity is not to be asserted when it is unnecessary.)


~~ William of Occam [Occam’s Razor] ~~


*******


“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love

will have the final word in reality.”


~~ Martin Luther King ~~


*******


“Even a fool knows that you can’t touch the stars,

but it doesn’t stop a wise man from trying.”


~~ Judge Harry T. Stone ~~


*******


“The happiness and unhappiness of the rational, social animal

depends not on what he feels but on what he does;

just as his virtue and vice consist not in feeling but in doing.”


~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Meditations, ix, 16 ~~


*******


“The man who has no imagination has no wings.”


~~ Muhammad Ali ~~


*******


“How many Zen masters does it take to change a light bulb?

A tree in a golden forest.”


~~ Sagacious Bee ~~


*******


“You grok?”


~~ Michael Valentine Smith ~~


*******


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


Well, apparently, I had more in there than I knew. As I’ve said before, so be it. I believe I also said, WYSIWYG, so, there you go. I’ll be back as soon as I finish off these demons, but, won’t bother to try to predict how long it might take…. I will, however, be back, on that you may rely…. 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….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Relative, but, not related….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				3			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,



“Look to the essence of a thing,


whether it be a point of doctrine, of practice,or of interpretation.”



~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, viii, 22 ~~


sf goodbye


Typical foggy/hazy day in SF….


Hajime…. For two days now, I’ve been engaged in pursuing my lifelong quest for truth; unfortunately, my search often leads me to places where, not only have I previously been there, but, left for good reason, even if those places were deep in my own soul. In truth, it is becoming increasingly clear that the truth resides there, as it does for each of us, though our culture and its demands upon us tends to attempt to deny this simple truth. We all have a tendency to play fast and loose with our connection to what is real, believing, deep in our innermost ego, we can alter Reality itself by the power of our imagination.


 

Reality, of course, is not so inclined, which leaves us living, much of the time, in a state of conflict with the world around us, and, as a reflection of this tension, in conflict with ourselves. As might be surmised, this often leaves us in a confused state of mind, which is not the most efficacious method for dealing with what is real. In my own case, this has led me to a point in life where the motivation to continue to struggle becomes difficult to find, much less employ to any advantage. In short, I just can’t find it in me to give much of a crap about what is happening in the world; there just doesn’t seem to be any good reason to do so. As you might imagine, this is not a particularly comfortable, or comforting, state of mind in which to dwell….


 

Over the past two days, since falling into the well of depression, I’ve managed to cobble together the elements of a Pearl for today; if I can continue a bit longer, I’ll even manage to post it. I’ve done this, not for any logical or identifiable reason, but, simply because, for my own sanity, it’s what I do. This is how I organize & codify my thoughts, and carry out the process of evaluating my thoughts in the light of reality; the process helps me to stay in a relatively stable frame of mind. Without it, I get even more depressed; expression of what we feel is critical for us humans. We get blocked up, mentally, when we try to shut ourselves off from such expression. So, I write, not to share, but, to vent….


 

Now I’ve shared my inner conflict, to little advantage, I’m sure, I’m going to go post this, knowing full well it won’t mean anything much to anyone but me. I can’t seem to get on with any other business until I do, so, that’s what I’m gonna do. So be it. There will be no tricks, no ups, & no extras today; all there is are these pearls, and my own sense of angst, set free….. Let’s quit fooling around, then, shall we, & get on with it….


 

Shall we Pearl?


 



“What embitters the world is not excess of criticism,but an absence of self-criticism.”

~~ G. K. Chesterton, Sidelights on New London and Newer New York ~~


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


hot tuna


Yep. The original Hot Tuna…. Enjoy! In case you’d forgotten, or never knew, these guys can PLAY!…..



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






Hot Tuna Live, 3/4/88Fillmore Auditorium






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












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



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


Comedy_Tragedy


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


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


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Notes on Life at Large….


*******


“To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else.”


~~ Emily Dickinson ~~


*******


“It is important to do what you don’t know how to do.

It is important to see your skills

as keeping you from learning what is deepest and most mysterious.

If you know how to focus, unfocus.

If your tendency is to make sense out of chaos, start chaos.”


~~ Carlos Casteneda ~~


*******


“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 ~~


*******


“There’s no reality except the one contained within us.

That’s why so many people live an unreal life.

They take images outside them for reality

and never allow the world within them to assert itself.”


~~ Hermann Hesse ~~


*******


“Do not the spirits who dwell in the ether envy man his pain?”


~~ Kahlil Gibran ~~


*******


“One does what one is;

one becomes what one does.”


~~ Robert Musil, c. 1930 ~~


*******


Let us endeavour to live that when we come to die

even the undertaker will be sorry.”


~~ Mark Twain, from Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar (1894)~~


*******


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

There you have it, such as it is. I’ve got nothing else to say, so, I won’t say it. I’ll see y’all in a day, or maybe two. Be well, be safe, & be real. That’s all you can really do, ultimately, & that is something we all have to live with. 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


dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
There are no plans to wobble in the lobby….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				Reply			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,


“To teach men how to live without certainty,

and yet without being paralyzed by hesitation,

is perhaps the chief thing philosophy can still do.”


~~ Bertrand Russell ~~


Day the next 013


Sunrise/Sunset….


Hajime…. Never seen, but, known well. Known, but, never seen well. Oft, in simpler days, this was enough. Now, it failed the test of existence, only to return, dead, as the night wore on into day. No one cares, no one feels, and all the pretty flowers have turned to dust & ashes. But, we still have our health….


Enough! Crying foul won’t alter reality, but, if I can just make it to one more…. YES! I made it out of whatever that was….


‘Tis I, gigoid, the dubious, attempting, yet again, to come up with an opening that will titillate, or, at least, exonerate. I’m pretty sure what you see in the first, short paragraph is a combination of words never seen previously…. nor, if we’re lucky, ever again. That provides no excuses, but, if considered in the appropriate light, will distract sufficiently to allow us to move on to the next, yet-to-be-instigated paragraph, where, maybe, just maybe, we can find a shred of the rationality with which we awoke.


Fat chance of that, I admit, but, hope springs eternal, & it got us into the third paragraph, still without any significant injury, so, I must be doing something correctly. I will also admit it isn’t going to be enough, not to prevent what seems to be threatening, which I shan’t go into, to prevent panic. Not yours, mine. Of course, I’ve been in a panic state for about five minutes, so, I guess that’s also a wash. In fact, it’s looking pretty grim right now, in terms of any sort of rescue. Maybe, if I try this new device, we might get on with this, before I ruin everything completely.


Hmm…. I wonder what happens if I push this button?…..


Shall we Pearl?


“Be not as one that hath ten thousand years to live;

death is nigh at hand:

while thou livest, while thou hast time, be good.”


~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, iv, 17 ~~


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


david bromberg


Image from You Tube via Google Images


I was listening to this concert yesterday, & realized I’d forgotten just how good a musician David is; along with three of his band members, he shows virtuosity on every instrument he picks up. For him, that includes guitar, fiddle, and mandolin, just in this concert. The last third of this show, the band, with a bit of help from Phoebe Snow on a torrid blues tune, is some of the finest improvisational music I have EVER heard…. They made magic on this night, & I am very glad I heard it…. You will be too, if you enjoy good music at all….


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






David Bromberg Band

Capitol Theater, 4/15/77






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












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


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


Comedy_Tragedy


Savory


Blown across steppes of imagination, a spore

finds a niche, takes root,

tries to live longer than now, before

chaos/peace descends, and desire is moot.


Feathered into fecundity, another possibility

builds a nest, hatches kin,

aims at immortality, sans responsibility,

chance manifests, as it does, again.


Leading toward peril, entropy saves creativity,

making tools, and lazy time;

solid signs imply such simple nativity,

as another snitch drops his dime.


Subtle compassion billows, passion to unfold,

covering hearts bloodied by time,

burning flesh made valid, unwaveringly bold,

turning love to brilliant rhyme.


Years weigh lightly, supported by youth,

gaining weight with each year,

only the old men know the actual truth,

peace comes only when we lose our fear.


~~ gigoid ~~


4/9/2013


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


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Listen up….


*******


“If you obey all of the rules, you miss all of the fun.”


~~ Katherine Hepburn ~~



*******


“How a person masters his fate

is more important than what his fate is.”


~~ Wilhelm von Humboldt ~~



*******


“Dreams are real while they last. Can we say more of life?”


~~ Havelock Ellis ~~


*******


“Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life.”


~~ Bertolt Brecht ~~



*******


“I want to beg you, as much as I can, dear friend,

to be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart

and to try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms

and like books written in a very foreign tongue.

Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you,

because you would not be able to live them.

And the point is, to live everything.

Live the questions now.

Perhaps you will then gradually,

without noticing it,

live along some distant day into the answer.”


~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~



*******


“It’s the RINSE CYCLE!!

They’ve ALL IGNORED the RINSE CYCLE!!”


~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~



*******


“And now there is merely silence, silence, silence, saying all we did not know.”


~~ William Rose Benet ~~



*******


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


After looking back over today’s effort, I am compelled, by logic, and intuition, to cease and desist without further delay. The tricks used above, in the intro, won’t work here at the end, so, I’ll just say, see ya, ffolkes, & let it go at that…. Who’d a thunk it?….


Y’all take care out there,

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


Featured Image -- 13293


À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Twisting reality’s tail….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				Reply			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,


Dum vivimus, vivamus.


“While we live, let us live.”


~~ quote on Philip Dodderidge’s coat of arms ~~


May Day 001


Passionate purple….


Hajime…. I do enjoy making my life difficult, it seems. Upon arising today, with the intent of finishing this Pearl before moving on to the rest of the day’s tentative plans, I found I had sandbagged any such effort; the only parts completed were the picture you see of the rose, and one lonely pearl. All else you will find below was thrown together, ruthlessly chopping the process’s usual leisurely pace, with the concomitant lack of pure mindfulness so critical to any sort of quality. Go figure, eh? Nonetheless, it got done, such as it is, so, I suppose I can’t complain….


Well, I can, but, I won’t. Instead, I’ll keep using that ruthlessness so liberally applied to the process, by getting us out of this section at our earliest opportunity. Naturally, that makes the, perhaps, erroneous assumption I’ll recognize any such opportunity, but, hey, we do what we can. It’s not as if you’re shelling out any hard cash for this, y’know…. All you have to supply is a bit of attention for a short while, to gain the possibility of an epiphany. What a bargain!


Oops. That’s not being ruthless, is it? Well, we do what we can, as noted, so, I’ll just pretend it didn’t happen & get us out of here, post-haste, before anyone has a chance to call their lawyer. How, otherwise, can we hold up our head(s) in any gathering of associates? Well, I don’t know, but, I can guess. However, rather than go down such a dangerous path, I’ll do this, instead….


Shall we Pearl?


“One’s friends are that part of the human race

with which one can be human.”


~~ George Santayana ~~


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


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


Today’s selection touts itself as the “50 Best” classical music pieces of all time. You can decide for yourselves if you agree, or not. To be fair, you should listen to all six hours of it, just to be sure of your decision…. *grin*…. Enjoy!….


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






Classical Music






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












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


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


Comedy_Tragedy


Meander….


Inimitable, grieving, garnering mere bargains, to taste;

naked apes, priapic by nature and choice,

filled up the only valid chalice, laid it to waste,

nobody asked, nor ever raised a single voice.


Formidable, dreams becoming so real;

clearly extraordinary, in a tawdry sense.

Deals to make, illusions to steal,

busy, busy, building fence after fence.


True nature’s existence, so to speak,

rests interiorly, as well as in your face.

Duality’s persistent insistence ain’t weak;

ignorance of reality leaves not a single trace.


Herds of commonality congregate before portals

shaking each other by the collar as they dance.

Chasing their illusionary dreams, as if they weren’t mortals,

born believing they ever had a chance.


Irony lives deep in the human soul, part, parcel, post;

holding four aces, betting a pair of jacks, or queens.

Expedience beckons toward mendacity, at most,

fox mocking grapes, while it dances and preens.


The wheel turns, inevitable, ponderously mundane,

grinding grain, chaff, and dust.

Bolstering connections aids those who may abstain

from the paltry tale of the bold, and just.


~~ gigoid ~~


10/5/2016


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


pearls_3


I’m running very late today, without time to properly search out an appropriate group of pearls for this final section. Here, instead, is a combination rant/old-school pearl from early in 2013…. I hope you enjoy this blast from our past….


*******



From 4/18/2013:


MORAL, adj. Conforming to a local and mutable standard of right. Having the quality of general expediency.


“It is sayd there be a raunge of mountaynes in the Easte, on one syde of the which certayn conducts are immorall, yet on the other syde they are holden in good esteeme; wherebye the mountayneer is much conveenyenced, for it is given to him to goe downe eyther way and act as it shall suite his moode, withouten offence. _Gooke’s Meditations_


— Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”


A reader commented to me recently that my rants have gone soft; she enjoys it when I rake someone over the coals, figuratively speaking, and asked me when I was going to get back on my white horse, or my soapbox, as the cliché may be…. I told her it is most likely a result of having some of the pressure of living removed, by the acquisition of my SS benefits, so much so that I’m finding it hard to summon up the outrage needed to rant effectively…. Like Voldemort told Harry, when he tried to use the Cruciatus Curse against Bellatrix Lestrange, in HP5-The Order of the Phoenix, “You’ve got to MEAN it, Harry!” Funny how not worrying about where the next meal is coming from takes some stress out of one’s life, isn’t it?….. Ha Ha…..


So, anyway, then I saw the above entry from the Devil’s Dictionary, and thought to myself, “AHA!” (I do that a lot…), “Now, here’s a subject worthy of a rant!”…. This is absolutely true, even though morality is sort of like reality…. there are as many versions of what it means as there are people…. of which, each and every one believes that what they perceive is the only correct version, obviously…. Right….


So, you can see the problem right away…. As a society, we have an unfortunate tendency to try to legislate morality, so that everyone is compelled to behave according to a commonly accepted pattern of behavior…. Supposedly, this legislation is supposed act as some sort of magic bullet, that will stop all the bad things from happening, like stealing, killing, and general misbehavior that is upsetting to the rest of society…. It never works, at all, but, we keep on passing laws designed to enforce a common morality anyway….


Such a drama is now being played out on the national stage, as the Senate just defeated the new gun control reforms that 90% of the populace wants in place. Out of a hundred Senators, it only took 45 Republicans to bring the proposed law down, meaning that once again, a very small percentage of people have forced their views on the rest of the public, to suit their own morality, and, more importantly, to suit their own special interests, who paid good money for their votes, dammit!…. I am somewhat piqued about this, but see little in the way of anything to be done that will make any difference, in the big picture…. No matter how stringent the laws, people who want guns will get them, and use them on other people…. The new laws would have made that a bit more time-consuming, but no less possible, or even less probable….


Since I can’t thing of anything positive to suggest, other than to stay alert to what may end up as a critical issue, I will fill out what should normally be a rant, with a number of cogent pearls, to try to jab the stick into the appropriate eyes…. and my friend will have to wait a bit longer for a good, old-fashioned brouhaha, as I get nasty and vicious in my denouncement of the BRC, the churches, and the corporate masters….. I will say this to her….. have no fear, my outrage isn’t gone, just temporarily dormant, and I WILL be back to rant….. meanwhile, enjoy these tasty gems…..


“The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes.” — Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)


Linear Model: An assumption concerning the nature of reality applied unquestioningly to every relationship as though God had determined that truth must always run in straight lines. — Smart Bee


“The clinching proof of my reasoning is that I will cut anyone who argues further into dogmeat.” — Sir Geoffery de Tourneville (ca. 1350)


“Has history ever recorded a time when the majority was right?” — Lazarus Long


“He would be the finer gentleman that should leave the world without having tasted of lying or pretense of any sort, or of wantonness or conceit.” –Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, ix, 2


“A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep.” — Saul Bellow


“If you want to be free, there is but one way; it is to guarantee an equally full measure of liberty to all your neighbors. There is no other.” — Carl Schurz (1829-1906)


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


Damn! I did it! I honestly wasn’t sure I could, but, there it is, in all its tawdry glory. I’m going to risk losing credibility by doing so, but, so be it. It’s not as if we are taking advantage of anyone’s better nature, right? Well, I think so, &, at this juncture, that’s what counts. I’ll cease and desist this blather any moment now, & y’all can get on with the rest of your day, content in your having completed probably the toughest bites of the morning. I’ll also issue the usual warning, to wit: I’ll be back. For now, à bientôt, mes amis….


Y’all take care out there,

and May the Metaphorse be with you;

Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy

and everyone else, too…


When I works, I works hard.

When I sits, I sits loose.

When I thinks, I falls asleep.


Which is Why….


Sometimes I sits and thinks,

and sometimes,

I just sits.


gigoid, the dubious


The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.


PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.


“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch


dozer3


À bientôt, mon cherí….