Tag Archives: Oscar Wilde

Veiled sarcasm for sale or trade….

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Ffolkes,

“A man who does not think for himself does not think at all.”

~~ Oscar Wilde, “Oscariana” ~~

Inverness and Invergordon 007

Shop Street, Invergordon, Scotland….

If you called me irresponsible, it wouldn’t be particularly out of place, except for the fact that there’s only one person in the world to whom I have any specific responsibility, & that is me. Oh, sure, I have some responsibility toward all the other silly monkeys, and other forms of life on the planet, but, that’s merely the same responsibility that all Life forms have toward each other, not something specific, at least in the sense that being irresponsible won’t necessarily cause them harm. But, irresponsibility for self ALWAYS has consequences, & they are seldom pleasant….

In the case to which I refer today, I have shown a lack of responsibility by not posting for three days, in spite of having most of this done for two days. Instead, I blew off both Thursday and Friday, spending most of both days playing around & soaking up public conviviality, without any concern for my own personal, private agenda, in which I do try to invest some of my remaining store of self-discipline. To be perfectly clear, I drank too much, & accomplished little beyond some rather enjoyable conversations…. SIGH…. I call most humans “Silly monkeys”, & should not forget that I am to be included in that group….

Ah, well, nobody got hurt, & I managed to do my playing without falling off-diet, & am not currently suffering more than the usual age-related issues this morning, so, my overindulgence has induced no lasting harm. I am still hovering around 175#, which is 5# more than I weighed when I graduated from high school; solid…. I am now six days without a tobacco cigarette, so, that’s going well, as well. In fact, all is reasonably well in my life, which, of course, makes me nervous, & itchy, trying to watch all around to get some advance warning of when Murphy will step in & poop on my serenity…. But, in the meantime, let’s get THIS done, okay? It’s simple enough; all I have to do is this….

Shall we Pearl?

“Appearance must not foil, nor shifted sphere confuse thy brain.
Ample are time and space–ample the fields of nature.

~~ Walt Whitman, “CONTINUITIES, from Leaves of Grass” ~~

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melissa e pinterest

Melissa Etheridge

Image from Pinterest via Google Images…

I’ve never listened to this artist much; though I’ve enjoyed hearing it on the radio, etc., I just never followed up on the impulse to hear more. I suppose one cannot expect to see ALL one wishes to see (or hear, or perceive at all…). But, in listening to the beginning of this live concert, I know I WILL be listening again, and often…. I hope you enjoy it….

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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

Not So Naked Pearls

From 8/22/2015

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Our final entry today is another random pearl speaking about Life at Large…. Life can be a formidable proposition, and it behooves all of us to gather to our bosoms as much wisdom regarding the living of it as we can find…. Not that the answers aren’t all right there inside us, but, we humans have a tendency to look outside ourselves for those things we forget we already possess, such as peace, courage, compassion, and, well, everything we need…

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“He took his vorpal sword in hand
Long time the manxom foe he sought
Till rested he by the tumtum tree
And stood awhile in thought”

~~ Jabberwocky, by Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson) ~~

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“You can easily judge the character of others
by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them.”

~~ Malcolm Forbes ~~

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“A person is not given integrity.
It results from the relentless pursuit of honesty at all times.”

~~ Anonymous, most ancient human sage ~~

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“Life without music would be an intolerable insult.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

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“He conquers who endures.”

~~ Perseus ~~

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“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

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“Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench.
Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner.
Do your work, then step back.
The only path to serenity.”

~~ Tao Te Ching ~~

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Whew! I wasn’t sure I’d get it done, but, hangover or no, I did it. Well enough to keep, too, I think, so, I’ll forgo any further nonsense & just get it posted, so I can get on with some real Saturday fun…. whatever that means. Y’all be well, be as happy as you may, and, for goodness’ sake, be just as strange as you can possibly be. Don’t worry, you’ll fit right in…. See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 15667

À bientôt, mon cherí….

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Exquisitely intricate twine….

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Ffolkes,

“Food, sleep, fear, propagation;
each is the common property of men with brutes.
Virtue is really their additional distinction;
devoid of virtue, they are equal with brutes.”

~~ The Hitopadesa (600?-1100? A.D.) ~~

Defiant Beauty

Defiant Beauty….

Hajime…. It’s been a week or more (I’m too lazy to actually stop to figure out the exact interval…) since I last posted a fully fresh, fully filled-in Pearl, & I said I’d post, so, to avoid any significant build of inner angst (some folks call it ‘guilt’, but, not me, nosiree…. too personal….), I’m going to go ahead with what I’ve cobbled together, so I can work on a properly constructed piece of work, one with which I can be content. With this one, I am, if not content, then, tolerantly bemused. There’s a good older poem of mine, some fine music (three centuries of music enthusiasts can’t be ALL wrong….), and a number of excellent pearls strung together to make up the final, always odd finishing section of old-school pearling. Not bad, given the severe shortage of time spent at the computer in creating it….

Whatever my reasoning, or, euphemisms used, it’s going to have to serve, because I’m too invested in playing in the real world to stop at this point, with so much of the world still to explore. I’ll work hard to finish off the new poem, if only to get it out of my head, so, it won’t be long before the next fresh Pearl shows up. I’m sure, by now, y’all are thrilled to hear that. Well, perhaps ‘thrilled’ puts a strain on your credulity, but, you know what I mean, right? If not, boy, I’ve been doing something wrong, or, have been gone too often for my irony to register. SIGH…. Oh, well, that’s Life, y’know? Delicious ambiguity….

For now, let’s quit fooling about, & get on with what I have for y’all to enjoy today. I’ll even refrain from employing any of the customary BS, & just say this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Just being weird is enough.”

~~ Truthful Bee ~~

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mozart2

We’re going with a default selection today, to save time and cognitive angst which builds up the longer I take to make a decision on it. We’re also going with my personal favorite composer, for similar reasons… I do hope you enjoy it; I intend to do so as well…. Abondanza!….

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

The new poem isn’t done; it’s leaking out in small pieces. Here is one of my better efforts from 2013….

After the odyssey….

Portraits of iconic symbols, crashing, singing, forgotten;
evolving into mature innovation, as yet pale, and rotten.
Still water justly breeds, impenetrable primal verses resound;
unholy moments tarry, emotion swirls in passion unbound

Spiritual ovulation precedes each pregnant pause;
gravid, time moves on, following destiny’s cause.
Cast adrift on waves of confusion, to a final, damp landing;
salvation beckons sweetly, fed well on understanding.

Dreams directly fall, in night’s grey bower, unbidden;
lingering flavors in simple taste, lovingly, cleverly hidden.
Childish laughter sounds, joyful, bright, and clear;
no need ever to hide, no more monsters to fear.

Temper most foul arrives under unregistered mail;
forgotten taunts live on, lashed by an ancient flail.
Plain dealing delivers such lasting specks of honest hate;
savage in retrospect, never hasty, always running late.

Forever, cries an ambient lover of the pending night;
his pale, weak issue forms its own failing light.
Still, fortune favors such as those who apprehend;
Sweet love of Gaia, let it never end.

~~ gigoid ~~

3/10/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Further Notes on Life @ Large….

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“It is in changing that things find repose”

~~ Heraclitus ~~

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“Anyone can hate. It costs to love.”

~~ John Williamson ~~

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“If you want to be happy, be.”

~~ Leo Tolstoy ~~

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“Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.”

~~ Anne Sexton ~~

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“The Soul is born old, but it grows young;
that is the comedy of life.
The Body is born young and grows old;
that is life’s tragedy.”

~~ Oscar Wilde ~~

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“Be not anxious about what you have, but about what you are.”

~~ Pope St. Gregory I ~~

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“How admirable,
he who thinks not,
‘Life is fleeting’,
When he sees the lightning!”

~~ Basho ~~

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I did it. Again. I don’t know how, or why, and don’t wish to tempt fate by trying to figure it out. I’m just going to be happy with what there is, & move on to different, if not better things. Y’all enjoyed it, I hope; if not, well, as Epictetus said, happiness & freedom begin with a clear understanding that some stuff isn’t within our control Cute, eh? And, just tricky enough to be true. I’ll see y’all in a day or two…. Be well & happy, ffolkes…,

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3

À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Reality is a revolving door….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“Well, it just seemed wrong to cheat on an ethics test.”


~~ Calvin ~~


autumn door


Signs of Autumn in California….


Hajime…. I stayed up late last night, to finish a poem, which you will see below. In fact, all of today’s Pearl is freshly composed, so, that makes it special, at least for lately around here. I can’t say I feel much urge to create more this morning, so, I’ll forgo the usual sort of blather and foolishness you generally see in this section, in favor of a relatively efficient introductory section in the traditional style. Now, if I knew what sort of tradition had been established, we’d be in a better place. Since I don’t, you’ll have to take what you get, as will I….


Hmm… Having just spent a rather unproductive five minutes trying to find some worthy thoughts, or even singular thoughts, to fill in from this point, I am again perplexed, by my own lack of cohesion. Though all in my world is fairly settled, compared to most of the last week, the fires are not yet out, and my son is still displaced with his daughter, so, life remains a bit off its normally even course; there is little doubt much of the surrounding area’s inhabitants are in for a tough time for the next few months, as the massive destruction left behind by the fires is cleaned up & repaired. More than 5000 homes & buildings were burnt to the ground, so there is a lot of work to be done to replace and or repair the damages…. I’m only at the edge of the zone of destruction, but, have no doubt the local economies will suffer more before returning to anything like normalcy…. A hard rain’s a gonna fall, to use an appropriate metaphor…


But, I, and my family, have been fortunate; no one was hurt, and no one lost their home altogether; they all at least have a place to which they can return, once the fires are contained. But, the overall thrust of the local culture will be in recovery mode for quite a while to come, I am sure…. As soon as the fires are out, the news media will forget all about it, within a very short time, and the process of recovery the people here will undergo will include the difficulty of getting the aid needed from a government that simply doesn’t care about anything but its own status quo, and the agenda of cancerous growth, complete with destructive conflict, will continue on its path to armageddon…. Yes I know, cynical, but, hey, the evidence is pretty clear, I should say, so, if y’all feel differently, well, feel free to say so, as long as you have some actual evidence to support such short-sightedness….


I guess that’s about enough of a mini-rant for one day; I just don’t have the taste for it I once did. Instead, let’s go on, & see what I’ve managed to cobble together over the last few days. If I do say so, the poem is quite decent, the music is the same, and there’s a nicely obscure, yet relevant set of pearls in old-school format for your cogitative pleasure. What more could you ask for, except a shorter intro section? Nothing, that’s what. To make sure you get at least that much, let’s get on with it…. Hang on, we’re going in hot….


Shall we Pearl?….


“I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be “happy.”

I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible,

to be honorable, to be compassionate.

It is, above all, to matter, to count,

to stand for something,

to have made some difference that you lived at all.”


~~ Leo C. Rosten ~~


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celtic design


For the past two days, I’ve been listening to the following musical compilation, streaming it on You Tube while reading, or working on the computer, or just staring into space, thinking. Even Leelu seems to prefer it to some of the other genres to which I listen at times. I know one of my gentle readers will avoid listening, but, that’s because it brings back sad memories for him…. For his benefit, this one is a bit different than much of what reminds him; it’s more lively, and more basic than the style that he associates with such music… In any case, it’s good thinking music, so, please, enjoy….


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Traditional Irish Music

 Instrumental






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Comedy_Tragedy


Toward the dream….


At odd moments, idiosyncratic visions come

drifting up out of unconsciousness; I bleed life.

If proper doors have been left ajar, some

of all I am spills essential truth, a sharpened knife.


Hearing cries of fear, laying waste by rote,

wonder dies a sordid death, desolate at the very last.

Filling such empty spaces needs focus, so remote,

blankness stretches to infinity, a weekly fast.


Attractive illusions stand beckoning from the wings,

bright temptation for those without imagination.

The phoenix opens wide its beak, and sings

hoping for sweet harmony, with dignified anticipation.


Steadily, brightly, the music summons the dream

passion pales, held at bay in serenity’s gentle hand.

Intricate patterns, unsullied, visible by a soft gleam;

The poem, in song, dances lightly, brightly on the shifting sand.


~~ gigoid ~~


10/15/2017


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pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Notes on Life at Large….


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“Things are not always what they seem.”


~~ Phaedrus (c. 8 A.D.), Book iv, Fable 2, 5 ~~


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“Remember there’s an “if” in the middle of life.”


~~ Subtle Bee ~~


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“Your vision will become clear

only when you look into your heart.

Who looks outside, dreams.

Who looks inside, awakens.”


~~ Carl Jung ~~


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“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”


~~ Oscar Wilde, “Lady Windermere’s Fan” ~~


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“Unknowingly, we plow the dust of stars,

blown about us by the wind,

and drink the universe in a glass of rain.”


~~ Ihab Hassan ~~


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“The simple act of paying attention can take you a long way.”


~~ Keanu Reeves ~~


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“It is by acts and not by ideas that people live.”


~~ Anatole France ~~


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“Sometimes it takes great effort

to discover that life was meant to be effortless.”


~~ Anonymous ~~


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“How often have I said to you

that when you have eliminated the impossible,

whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?”


~~ Sherlock Holmes (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), ” The Sign of Four” ~~


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Well, there you have it, ffolkes. It’s late getting posted, but, it’s all as fresh as I can make it. I can’t say how soon I’ll have another one, but, I’ll try not to take too long…. The real world, complex and hard though it may be to live in, has been calling me to go walkabout more often than I feel the urge to write; the poem I finished has been the only compelling urge I’ve felt, & it’s done, so, I may find myself out in the BBR a lot, soaking up more experience to pour into the hopper of my mind, where it can, and will, take its own sweet time to find a way out, back into the light. When it happens, I’ll be back; I’d estimate two to three days. Until then, be well, be happy as you may, and stay alert. The fires may go out, but, the lightning can still strike, when and wherever it pleases…. 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 -- 14904


À bientôt, mon cherí….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Dreaming of dragons on the wing….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“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” ~~


squirrel


Neighborhood scoundrel at play….


Hajime…. Yesterday, this sleepy little seaside town saw 103º F, which lasted through the night; it was still 85º at 10:00 pm. It’s 0630 now, & already pushing 80º, with a high predicted to reach 105º. But, climate change is just a myth, so, nothing to see here, move along. To watch people try to deal with such temps would be amusing, if it weren’t so pathetic, and, for many of society’s less capable or challenged individuals, dangerous to their health & well-being. Like Bert Russell once noted, sometimes one must be moved to a bottomless well of pity for the suffering of mankind…. I would share his sentiment, if it were not so clearly their own damn fault most of the time.


But, it’s too damn hot, and early, to rant; moreover, I really don’t want to do so very much, not any more. What’s the point, when virtually nobody listens, or makes any attempt to change their lives, or the way they approach it, which is, almost always, the root cause of all their suffering? Oh, well, I suppose some folks enjoy drama in their lives, though I can’t claim to understand why. I guess, when one suffers from a sense of helplessness and confusion, drama seems like a way to feel something other than dread and despair. SIGH…. Silly humans….


Rather than continue in such a fruitless vein, let’s do something else. Since I have most of this done, I suggest we move on down the page, listen to a bit of music, enjoy today’s poem choice, & some fine, if relatively obscure pearls of virtual wisdom, strung together on a common thread, together becoming greater than the sum of parts. Plus, if nothing else, it will serve to distract me from the ridiculous heat we’re experiencing around here, long enough to run a cool bath…. See y’all down the line….


Shall we Pearl?….


“Don’t ever become a pessimist, Ira;

a pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist,

but an optimist has more fun

— and neither can stop the march of events.”


~~ Robert Heinlein, “Time Enough For Love” ~~


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playing-for-change


Yesterday, we went with one default; today, we’re going with the other. I still donate every month to this organization, which pursues peace in the world through the application of music, and the teaching of human cooperation thereby…. Enjoy!….


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Ripple

 Song Around The World






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Comedy_Tragedy


Today’s poem is for those living in the greater Pacific Northwest, who, with me, are suffering the heat; it’s a winter poem, & may provide a bit of cooling distraction, if only for the time it takes to read and consider…. Enjoy!….


A Seasonal Approach


Absolute stillness grips a frozen field,

anticipating dawn with such patient yield

morning burgeoning in dark winter’s hold

brings promise of tales yet to be told.


Lengthening days of pale sun unto night

slowly tell of time’s subversive flight

bringing such original songs of natural fire

with melodies complex in casual attire.


The months are certain they will always win

it is just the way it has always been.

None may argue, nor yet slow life down

Nor dim the eternal beauty of nature’s gown.


Winter evolves from fall into spring,

sending flocks and hearts ever awing.

Summer follows suit, t’other way ’round

Spring into fall, often without a sound.


Life is meant to be lived, beginning to end

choices abound, and change can be a friend.

Yielding with grace to reality’s compelling ploy

fills our plain existence with clean, honest joy.


~~ gigoid ~~


10/2/012


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pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Notes on Process & Program


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“But the only way of discovering the limits of the possible

is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.”


~~ Arthur C. Clarke ~~


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“If you view your problem closely enough

you will recognize yourself as part of the problem.”


~~ Ducharm’s Axiom ~~


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“An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered;

an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered.”


~~ G. K. Chesterton, “On Running After Ones Hat, All Things Considered”, 1908 ~~


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And so the little freighter sat upon the sea,

and, though Africa came closer day by day,

the freighter never moved.

She was old and weather-weary,

and she had learned to let the world come round to her.”


~~ Beryl Markham, “West With the Night” ~~


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“People are strange when you’re a stranger.”


~~ Jim Morrison ~~


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“The true perfection of man lies,

not in what man has, but in what man is .  .  .

Nothing should be able to harm a man but himself.

Nothing should be able to rob a man at all.

What a man really has is what is in him.

What is outside of him should be a matter of no importance.”


~~ Oscar Wilde ~~


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“I know who I am. Sometimes you go away, but I’m still here.”


~~ Subtle Bee ~~


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Well, it’s late, but, it’s also done, so, I’m going for it. It’s already too hot to think deeply, so, I’ll forgo any more tricks, & just say, see y’all tomorrow, if’n I don’t melt first…. Stay strange, ffolkes; these days, it’s your best defense against the madness….


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 -- 14405


À bientôt, mon cherí….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Repeat performances….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


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


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Sandclock .jpg


From 12/15/2012:

Ffolkes,

I’m not sure I can do this….. not this way. I’m sitting on a complete Pearl, you see. The one that was completed for posting on the 13th has not made it to the Net, as I haven’t figured out yet whether it will work to edit the old post, or just add a new one with that material….. The title I came up with on the 13th was certainly one of the best I’ve done “Despite the disaster, yak butter was still on the menu….”  Brilliant, if I do say so myself, as it tells a whole story all by itself, without any supportive material, and I don’t know about y’all, but I get a mental vision of some poor sap in a dingy kitchen, struggling to chop vegetables, as he worries about the price of yak butter…. perhaps not quite Hemingway, but perhaps, Raymond Chandler?…. Okay, Steven King, and he’s my last offer….

Any who…. I’ve got all this material already finished, ready  to post, and can’t seem to settle enough to sit down to write a Pearl. I’ve got pieces in progress (who doesn’t?) but it all seems pointless, when I don’t have to do anything at all, and will still have stuff to put up. I had not realized just how tied into the routine I’ve become, I guess; I’m still human, it seems, and can fall prey to mundane habit-forming drills like anyone else, until it becomes the dreaded “routine”, harder to break than a five minute egg. (Five minute eggs won’t break; they just smoosh….) These can be fatal, if not treated at an early stage….

And the verbs! What will I do with the verbs? All my conjugation, so precisely aligned to the proper time frames and concomitant pronouns, all useless! How will I ever know what day it is, if I’m always a day ahead?


 


Since retiring, keeping track of what day it is has become hard enough; I don’t need any help in forgetting. But, it should be okay, in the end…. I’ve finally figured out the bus schedule, and it can tell me what day it is, just by what time the buses go by the house. Of course, that is assuming they are running anywhere close to on time, an event of scarcity during the major portion of the week…..

Enough blather…. I could produce such for hours, probably, if I ever gave myself the chance. But, since nobody is paying me for this, it doesn’t seem very productive, so I’ll take this opportunity to get on with today’s effort at composition, and dive on in. I must say, the water looks inviting today, all blue and refreshing…..

Shall we Pearl?…..

__________________________________


 


“This is the true joy in life – being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you consistent.” — George Bernard Shaw

When I first began creating Pearls of Virtual Wisdom, there was only one quote each day, with short comments by me, only to introduce, and perhaps provide a bit of background to, the pieces I chose, generally on the subject of Liberty, Freedom, Honor, Truth, etc. In those days, this pearl would have definitely made the grade, and, given that I don’t remember all the quotes I’ve used, it may have been used back then. It still makes the grade, so much so that I’m leaving it to stand alone, aside from the closing quote from Mr. Twain, which echoes the sentiment expressed by Mr. Shaw perfectly….

“Let us endeavour to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.” — Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), from Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar (1894)]

__________________________________


 


“Cruel as death, and hungry as the grave.” — James Thomson (1700-1748) — The Seasons, Winter, Line 393

The only possible comment is the same word that made up the first thought in my head when I read this… WOW…. Such an incredibly powerful line, so gripping and real, it makes me as jealous as I allow myself to feel. To write such a phrase would be enough for me; I could die happy. I’ll do so anyway, (die happy, that is….), just to spite Murphy, but, if I can write one line half as strong as this, I’ll be content, for sure…. Here is something that came to me last night…. at least, it began last night…..

Territorial imperative….


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

~~ gigoid ~~


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


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



__________________________________


 


“Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right actions arises by itself?” — Lao Tzu

Ever since being first exposed to the precepts of Taoism, back when I was in college in the late 60’s, it has always appealed to my sense of rightness, and makes the closest approach to what I personally believe about the Universe at large. Not the mystical parts, that cater to the religious order of the time it first was clarified by Lao Tzu, but the essence of the concept of reality, as being both within our perception, and unknown to us as beyond our understanding. We may not possess the necessary sense to be capable of receiving such information, whether about reality or fantasy, and if we assume the omnipotence of a god, then we would not be able to comprehend their existence, lacking the tools to perceive them with our five or six senses…..

This knowledge, however, is tempered by the deduction that, as a physical part of the universe, we are connected to it, and to every other part, if only by sharing that existence. The connection, intuitively, is deeper than merely the physical; it extends somehow into the spiritual plane, which, though not tangible, is nonetheless a proven part of our mental reality. (What IS the mind?) It is this very lack of the ability to explain by which we may know the connection exists, as it echoes the nature of reality itself, which cannot be explained in words. Goodness knows why I’m trying, to be sure…. this is getting pretty esoteric, although, so far, it is consistently rational, if not entirely illuminating.

“Since everything in life is but an experience perfect in being what it is, having nothing to do with good or bad, acceptance or rejection, one may well burst out in laughter.” — Long Chen Pa

And what better way to acknowledge and celebrate the perfection that we can see, or hear, feel, smell, taste, or imagine?…… It’s certainly preferable to a long, dusty discussion of esoteric concepts, and will encourage enlightenment just as efficiently, if not quite so verbally. In some way, I’m always looking for the perfect quote, the ultimate aphorism, that delivers that cosmic truth we are all seeking in one swell foop, and the above from Long Chen Pa comes very close to it, especially when considered in the light of what one concludes from considering the answers to the first two questions today. As a Westerner who has learned to appreciate what the East brings us, the following resonates very well….

“Somehow, in the midst of their horrid history, the best among the _gaijin_ learned a wonderful lesson.  They learned to distrust themselves, to doubt even what they were taught to believe or what their egos make them yearn to see.  To know that even truth must be scrutinized, it was a great discovery, almost as great as the treasure we of the East have to offer them in return, the gift of harmony.” — David Brin – Dr. Pak’s Preschool

There’s the key, ffolkes, right there in front of you…. Even truth must be scrutinized, or the universe will have its way with you, and you may never find the gift of harmony that is also there for the taking….. There, not so esoteric, after all…. not too shabby, eh what?…..

“The ancient Taoist sages were poised and alert…. like ice on the verge of melting.” — Taoist proverb


__________________________________

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

Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..


 


dozer3

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Dangerous yearnings….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				3			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,


“Murder is always a mistake….

One should never do anything that one cannot talk about after dinner.”


~~ Oscar Wilde ~~


profuse color


Midsummer colors….


Hajime…. Though I know ‘hope’ to be, in general, a denial of reality, I still allowed myself to entertain some, investing it in my wish to write a most excellent Pearl, including a bright, catchy, and compelling intro section. As usual, ‘hope’ fails the test of time, & while all the elements of a decent piece of work are present, the bright, compelling part has shown  itself to be rather problematic. This, of course, is a natural function of my brain, to find even the simplest of tasks problematic; I can’t be positive, but, it’s a pretty sure bet it’s my own fault…. I mean, given my history, (I AM a human…), and my  inclinations, (curmudgeon-in-training….), whom else can I blame?….


Still, I guess I can be content with having completed it, at all; my recent lack of consistency, while unsurprising after so much time, still manages to cause me a bit of unwanted and unfamiliar guilt, which, having completed today’s task in a relatively timely, if uncomfortably rushed fashion, can be dismissed as misguided, for today, anyway. As for tomorrow, well, I AM old enough to know better than to place much faith or hope in THAT; after all, as we all know, tomorrow may never come, right? Right. So, we’ll regard that as a fait accompli, which if you think about it, is a pretty neat trick….


What? That last reference is unclear? SIGH…. It must be the extra scoop of coffee I put in the basket this morning; got me typing nearly as fast as I’m thinking. That’s always a confusing thing when one starts discussing matters of time; past, present, future are all rather uniquely related, in a very real way, & our imagination, while a powerful tool, usually isn’t up to the task of keeping them all in their appropriate places, actually believing it has the power to do so in reality, as well as in the mind…. Silly humans. Ah, well, don’t fret; it’ll all be clear eventually, & if not, well, it will give you something to chew over in those quiet moments….


As for me/us, & today’s Pearl, well, we’ll practice what we preach, & get on with it, any time now. In fact, isn’t that our signal? Yes, yes it is, and, look! We’ve already been cleared for landing, or, take-off…. It’s our choice, & I promise, we’ll make it as random as we can….


Shall we Pearl?….


“The strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone.”


~~ Henrik Ibsen, “An Enemy of the People”, 1882 ~~


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


Yield_Logo


Today’s music is one of our default selections, used when I can’t think of anything else, & time is short. Go figure, eh? It’s well worth a listen, and even more worth donating a small bit of gelt, to an organization that works for peace through music…. Enjoy!….


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


Playing For Change

 Ripple


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




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


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


Comedy_Tragedy


Augmentation: Inner Aye


Distant, peals of thunder, vividly.

Closer, a patter of rain, falling gravidly.

Between the light and the darkness of fear

find merely the remnants of one lonely tear.


Do not hate us, though we have not sinned;

eager for courage, upon whom all hope is pinned.

Tales of insolence, hatred, or fallen virtue

fill us up, not down, in such pristine foreign venue.


Capable hands severed, able hands tied;

the future is angry, all but now denied.

Multiple times, warnings sounded across the pale

nobody heard, nobody came to tell the tale.


Gifted by time, salience fails in epic rhyme;

watchmakers watching, each a separate crime.

Logical solutions refuse to emulsify

forever pretending to cruelly crucify.


Blood will fly alongside pertinent composure,

never seeking, never finding tea, or closure.

Falsely laid trails on mountains of gold

imply no happy endings, no fortunes told.


Ages past have no time for repetition;

further chances only lead to perdition.

Destiny feels a shameful portion of guilt,

for a thousand sand castles, never built.


~~ gigoid ~~


3/2/2016


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


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Um… Isn’t it obvious?….


*******


“When we look at a rock

what we are seeing is not the rock,

but the effect of the rock upon us.”


~~ Bertrand Russell ~~


*******


“When it’s dark enough you can see the stars.”


~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~


*******


“Down in their hearts, wise men know this truth:

the only way to help yourself is to help others.”


~~ Elbert Hubbard ~~


*******


“How many cares one loses

when one decides not to be something

but to be someone.”


~~ Coco Chanel ~~


*******


“Big, undreamed-of things.

The people on the edge see them first.”


~~ Kurt Vonnegut Jr ~~


*******


“The real voyage of discovery

consists not in seeking new lands,

but in seeing with new eyes.”


~~ Marcel Proust ~~


*******


“It is something to be able to paint a particular picture,

or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful;

but it is far more glorious to carve and paint

the very atmosphere and medium through which we look,

which morally we can do.

To affect the quality of the day,

that is the highest of arts.”


~~ Henry David Thoreau, “Where I Live”


*******


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


I’m fairly certain there are any number of appropriate techniques for ending today’s outburst, but, since I can’t think of any of them, how about I just say, see ya, ffolkes? Hey, it’s always good to try something new, especially when it offers the possibility of getting out of this intact. In that spirit, y’all stay stay alert, & I’ll see ya on the flip side….


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 -- 13906


À bientôt, mon cherí….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Poised, like ice on the verge of melting….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“The border between the Real and the Unreal is not fixed,

but just marks the last place where rival gangs of shamans

fought each other to a standstill.”


~~ Robert Anton Wilson ~~


tacking


Tacking for home on SF Bay, near China Camp…


Hajime…. Most mornings, when I sit to begin this introductory section, I am faced with a blank screen to match my generally blank mind; today’s conundrum is the opposite. I have too many things going ’round in my head from which to choose, any of which would do, making the decision that much harder for someone accustomed, as I am, to waffling in the morning. (I won’t define ‘waffling’; if you don’t know, you don’t want to know, trust me….) I suppose it’s just one more piece of evidence as to the truth of the old saw about the donkey who starved between the pile of hay, and the pile of oats, for lack of the power to choose….


If I choose to speak of most of what I have to use, this section could grow beyond the bounds of reason, shooting right toward epic, or even massive; I have found such to be ‘interesting’, mostly, if somewhat unwieldy. Boring, too. So, we’ll avoid all that, by falling back on our old standard, to wit: blather & nonsense. We’re good at that….


But, wait! There’s more…. In addition to my lack of ability to choose, I find myself with a complete absence of ‘give a shit’; this, fortunately, will save the day, for I’ll use that to simply dump the intro altogether, leaving all of us in a dither. Dithering is preferable to waffling, marginally, so, we’ll settle for that, & just get on with the rest of today’s mess. It’s pretty standard, all in all, but, the old-school section may provide some chuckles, and/or, furrowed brow moments. One may hope, though hope is a delusion, as well as a denial of reality. Ah well, it’s far too late for philosophizing, even if we stood half a chance of doing so with any aplomb. Instead, let’s just do this….


Shall we Pearl?….


“I would not enter on my list of friends

(Though graced with polish’d manners and fine sense,

Yet wanting sensibility) the man

Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.”


~~ William Cowper ~~


~~ The Task, Book vi, Winter Walk at Noon, Line 560 ~~


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


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


Though, in reality, there is plenty of time to find some good music, the fact is, I’m lazy, and, I like classical music. So, we’re going with that today, simply to indulge my whimsical nature…. Well, perhaps ‘whimsical’ is a tad optimistic for an old curmudgeon, but, hey, we do what we can, right?… Today’s selection was chosen simply for the picture that first caught my eye…. Enjoy!


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






Classical Music






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












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


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


Comedy_Tragedy


A Dubiously Soft Morning


Idiosyncratic images, clamoring for regard,

fill up the white, white screen on which I view

my life, never seeing, nor invited to sup

ambrosial remnants of anything new.


Still, yet almost in motion, allegory sails away

bobbing gently, quick and easy to find,

signs of one happy child, seriously at play,

blissfully immersed, focused joy in mind.


Formidable cries of outraged simple justice

echo plaintive relevance, in half the time.

Maladaptive infants, destined for hospice

salvage an only child, daring to sing in rhyme.


Creativity equals unquestioning farce,

often reaching for absurdity, brazenly afire.

Instead, a blow is felt no joy will ever soften,

accepting the price, added to the cost of desire.


~~ gigoid ~~


7/26/2013


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


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Items from the manual….


*******


“He bids fair to grow wise who has discovered that he is not so.”


~~ Publius Syrus — Maxim 598 ~~


*******


“Live for those private moments of wild abandon!”


~~ Opus  ~~


*******


“If a little knowledge is dangerous,

where is the man who has so much as to be out of danger?”


~~ Thomas Henry Huxley ~~


*******


There is no wealth but life.”


~~ John Ruskin ~~


*******


“Life is never fair,

and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not.”


~~ Oscar Wilde, “An Ideal Husband” ~~


*******


“You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going,

because you might not get there.”


~~ Yogi Berra ~~


*******


“It is better to learn late than never.”


~~ Publius Syrus — Maxim 864 ~~


*******


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


It took every bit of chutzpah I possess, but, it’s done. At this point, any further attempts at rationality, or even clarity, would be both superfluous, and futile. Rather than test the patience of the universe any further, I’ll issue our standard disclaimer, & be on my way back to consensual reality, to see what sort of mischief I can cause…. On days like today, it’s the only path to finding any balance open to me….


As for y’all, be well, be happy as you may, and, be alert. I can’t over-emphasize how important that last one is, ffolkes, but, trust me, the alternative is, to say the least, not something calculated to enhance your day…. Okay, I guess I’m done now; 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 -- 13672


À bientôt, mon cherí….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Enhanced bozoid melancholia….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				5			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,


“Experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing.”


~~ Oscar Wilde ~~


happy pom


Why did we stop?….


Hajime…. Isn’t that the greatest little grin you ever saw? I met this little lad yesterday on a walk down by the harbor; he was with his humans, leading the way with that huge grin on his face, just having the time of his little life. So, the picture was mandatory; I actually got two good ones, the second of which I’ll put up in a few days. It’s a nice way for me to encourage walking, as most of my best pictures come while I am out and about with my camera, slowly making the world bigger… & now I can walk as far as I wish, it’s working for me quite well….


Good morrow, ffolkes. I am, still, rather lost in my head, trying to make some sense out of all I’ve come to realize about the world, and my own place in it. But, it could be worse; I could be lost in somebody else’s head, eh? I’m also steadily improving my overall health, with the consistent application of sensible eating, drinking, and exercising this tired old body. The cannabis oil I take daily is doing exactly as I expected when I began, to wit: everything wrong in my system is steadily being repaired. Though I have no illusions of returning to my youthful levels of energy & strength, I am rapidly approaching the proper levels for someone of my age, which, given all I’ve learned about how to conserve energy, & use it more efficiently, will be sufficient unto the day.


There, that should qualify us for take-off; a bit of happy chatter, some relevant discussion of present-time issues, and a bit of snarky silliness always cuts the ice quite nicely. Of course, the snarkiness is an assumed disguise, but, y’all should be used to such stuff by now, so I won’t even mention how little it costs. Even better, I won’t prolong your agony any longer today, but, will, instead, get us out of here with unprecedented efficacy. No big change, actually, just thought I’d try something new…. It works much like the other methods; in fact, it works like this….


Shall we Pearl?


“Seek the headwaters of the river of pain.”


~~ Buddhist Saying ~~


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


linda ronstadt


Since this lady’s music has been among my favorites for close to 50 years, I don’t feel any need to introduce it to anyone. All I can say is, music should make us feel good, and that’s what her voice does for me…. I hope you enjoy it as much as I will….


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






Linda Ronstadt

 Greatest Hits






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












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


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


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


Little known notes on being human….


*******


“Some folks just aren’t cut out to be normal…”


~~ Smart Bee ~~


*******


“To an artist, a metaphor is as real as a dollar.”


~~ Tom Robbins ~~


*******


“Frivolity is important.

Frivolity is the species refusal to suffer.”


~~ John Lahr ~~


*******


“There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”


~~ Ansel Adams ~~


*******


“If you put a chain

around the neck of a slave,

the other end

fastens itself around your own.”


~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~


*******


“Today is the ideal moment between yesterday and tomorrow.”


~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~


*******


“We’ll have to make our own luck from now on.”


~~ Louis Wu “Ringworld” ~~


*******


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


I cannot, with any sense of dignity or honesty, say this is one of the best. It does have one similar characteristic with those which merit such praise, to wit: it’s done. Since I can’t decide whether to spit, or go blind, I’ll just pretend I know what I’m doing, & say, see y’all tomorrow…. Well, if all goes as intended, anyway. If not, oh, well, such is life, & we’ll see y’all when we see ya. For now, be well, be strange, and stay alert. Can’t do much more than that these days….


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 -- 13524


À bientôt, mon cherí….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
‘Tis more than clever, but, less than orange….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				5			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,


“Each of us visits this Earth involuntarily, and without an invitation.

For me, it is enough to wonder at the secrets.”


~~ Albert Einstein ~~


cali skyline


Identifiably California….


Hajime…. I can’t remember off-hand, & am too lazy to go find the answer this early, but, I believe it was Plato who once related, “If everyone were to bring their troubles to a common pile, upon seeing them all, most would be happy to take their own, and go away.” On this blog, that particular phrase has found its, perhaps, most genuine believer…. Each of us, in our own way, thinks the pain and difficulty we encounter is the worst; subjectivity lends, apparently, a focusing eye to such matters, much in the way a magnifying glass focuses the small into the large for the ease of our eye…. Yet, when viewed in light of the problems we find others to have, they automatically shrink, in importance, and impact.


My trouble yesterday, which prompted me to blow off the entire day, was merely physical, & self-inflicted, to boot; to be honest, I over-indulged the night before, with a short, but, intense conversation with my old friend Jack Daniels, & spent the day recovering my equilibrium, with 3 naps…. felt good, too….. The only thing I managed to get done was to feed the cat, & find a few pearls for this Pearl, so that, whenever it gets posted, it will go smoothly…. Of course, as we all know, that’s tempting Murphy to take a hand, but, since he usually does, anyway, what the hell…. we’ll take the risk, & the consequences, just like a big boy…..


I am, after all, quite familiar with Murphy’s antics, & know not to offer him much with which to work his ‘magic’. When he does manage to poke us, it’s a good idea to just smile, shake one’s head, & take the lumps; nothing else seems to help any more than that, & is essentially fruitless, anyway, so, why not go with the flow?  Today, the flow is down…. down the page, & on into cyberspace, where you’ll find all the elements of an average Pearl, with above average music, average poetry, & some fine thoughts on Life at Large. All for the cost of an internet connection, & a few moments of your time & mental energy. What a bargain, eh?….


Shall we Pearl?


 


“In a mad world, only the mad are sane.”


~~ Akiro Kurosawa ~~


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


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


One of my blogger friends enjoys classical guitar music, & mentioned a while back he was listening to this artist. Since I hadn’t heard any flamenco in quite some time, I figured he would be a good choice for today. Here is a play list with 200 videos to choose from, featuring the brilliant guitar work of Carlos Montoya…. Abondanza!….


 


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




Carlos Montoya




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








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


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


Comedy_Tragedy


Augmentation: Inner Aye


Distant, peals of thunder, vividly.

Closer, a patter of rain, falling gravidly.

Between the light and the darkness of fear

find merely the remnants of one lonely tear.


Do not hate us, though we have not sinned;

eager for courage, upon whom all hope is pinned.

Tales of insolence, hatred, or fallen virtue

fill us up, not down, in such pristine foreign venue.


Capable hands severed, able hands tied;

the future is angry, all but now denied.

Multiple times, warnings sounded across the pale

nobody heard, nobody came to tell the tale.


Gifted by time, salience fails in epic rhyme;

watchmakers watching, each a separate crime.

Logical solutions refuse to emulsify

forever pretending to cruelly crucify.


Blood will fly alongside pertinent composure,

never seeking, never finding tea, or closure.

Falsely laid trails on mountains of gold

imply no happy endings, no fortunes told.


Ages past have no time for repetition;

further chances only lead to perdition.

Destiny feels a shameful portion of guilt,

for a thousand sand castles, never built.


~~ gigoid ~~


3/2/2016


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


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Yep, all true….


*******


“Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.”


~~ Seneca ~~


*******


“True dignity is never gained by place,

and never lost when honors are withdrawn.”


~~ Phillip Massinger ~~


*******


“A good example is the best sermon.”


~~ H. Jackson Brown


*******


“When the fight begins within himself,

A man ‘s worth something.”


~~ Robert Browning — Men and Women, “Bishop Blougram’s Apology” ~~


*******


“Anybody remotely interesting is mad,

in some way or another.”


~~ Dr. Who ~~


*******


“Intellect annuls fate.

So far as a man thinks, he is free.”


~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~


*******


“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”


~~ Oscar Wilde, “Lady Windermere’s Fan” ~~


*******


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


I hope y’all enjoyed today’s journey through the backwash of my mind; I did, if only because now I don’t have to feel guilty for not meeting my self-imposed task. In today’s world, that’s pretty much more than one may expect, so, I’m gonna take it, and run for the border…. which seems to be right here…. Y’all stay strange, ffolkes. It may not always be comfortable, but, it certainly makes things more interesting…. See ya tomorrow, if all goes according to plan….


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….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Oatmeal is multi-talented….

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				4			

					


				

			
Ffolkes,


“The Soul is born old, but it grows young;

that is the comedy of life.

The Body is born young and grows old;

that is life’s tragedy.”


~~ Oscar Wilde ~~


Galway stained glass


Church window, Galway, Ireland…


Hajime…. In the TV series, Northern Exposure, Cris Stevens, the local DJ, made the observation: “There’s a dark side to each and every human soul. We wish we were Obi-Wan Kenobi, and for the most part we are, but there’s a little Darth Vader in all of us. Thing is, this ain’t no either-or proposition. We’re talking about dialectics, the good and the bad merging into us. You can run but you can’t hide. My experience? Face the darkness. Stare it down. Own it. As brother Nietzsche said, being human is a complicated gig. So give that ol’ dark night of the soul a hug. Howl the eternal yes!”


“…being human is a complicated gig.” There are mornings when this phrase assumes a relevance that always amazes. The mental process involved in creating one of these Pearls, as I have discovered of late, is more of a function of will than it is of reasoned effort. The reasons we find to perform those tasks for which we assume responsibility are, of course, personal, not valid for others. This means one must learn to trust oneself, allowing both reason and passion to guide and direct us. When we do, we become both sides of ourselves, which is, ultimately, both our goal, and our raison d’etre, our reason to be….


You may be asking yourself right now, just what is he getting at? Well, that, too, is somewhat personal, but, essentially, what I’m saying is, all you can do is all you can do. In the past weeks, I’ve managed to complete and post a Pearl most days, even those days when it seemed less than productive to even get out of bed. (Yes, there are still demons hanging about….). But, I got it done, and that has, again, saved my sorry ass from falling into the abyss, which exists always, nearby, ready to claim yet another victim to internal fears. In the process, I, necessarily, have been too distracted, too tired, and too unfocused in my mind to perform the other side of blogging, to wit: visiting other sites & exchanging views… In short, I’ve neglected my friends, if only in my own estimation….


I can only offer the excuse above, which, in the larger picture means little, but, in my mind, means a lot. I offer my humble apologies to those who usually see me, and hope to redress my absence in the near future. It’s tough, because, frankly, I’m finding more to engage my attention outside, in the Big Blue Room, a place we all need to remember is our true venue. Cyberspace, while attractive, and quite fascinating, isn’t actually reality, much as it seems it is.


Well, golly! Would ya look at that? Four paragraphs of philosophic blather, bowed, but, unrepentant; cheap at the price, too. I think I’ll go now, & find something better to do. Wanna come with? Okay, follow me….


Shall we Pearl?


“Everything has two handles,

one by which it may be borne; another by which it cannot.”


~~ Epictetus (c. 60 AD) — Enchiridion, xliii ~~


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loreena


Last night, I watched this video, describing the elements and processes involved in putting on a tour, as well as the mindset required to do it her own way. It’s a fascinating story, with the added bonus of a number of most excellent performances from live concerts and pre-concert sound checks… The process, as related, reminded me very much of the food catering business, which is essentially the same exact process…. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did….


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Loreena Mckennitt

A Moveable Musical Feast






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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


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pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Did you know?….


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“…all life is only a set of pictures in the brain, among which there is no

difference betwixt those born of real things and those born of inward

dreamings, and no cause to value the one above the other.”


~~- H. P. Lovecraft, from The Silver Key~~


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“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past,

not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles,

but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.”


~~ Buddha ~~


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“When we try to pick out anything by itself,

we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.”


~~ Muir’s Law ~~

~~ John Muir, “My First Summer in the Sierra”, 1911, page 110. ~~


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“A man of genius makes no mistakes.

His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.”


~~ James Joyce, “Ulysses” ~~


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“Rock gives reality to the otherwise abstract notion of transhuman time.”


~~ Edward Abbey ~~


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All’s fair in love and war – What a contemptible lie.


~~ Lazarus Long ~~


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“Some days the dragon wins …”


~~ Subtle Bee ~~


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Though I won’t make any claims as to quality, I can honestly say, it’s done, & done well, if only measured by intent. This, of course, makes it imperative I try again tomorrow. It won’t make today any better, or easier to digest, but, it will get us outta here without more bother. I’ll also say, I hope to go surfing today, but, we’ll see how the waves are running before I make any firm commitments. I can also say, honestly, I don’t think I can do any more damage, so, there’s only one thing left, and that is to say, see ya, ffolkes. I’ll be back; it’s not a threat, though you may take it as such, should you be so inclined. It is, as far as I can make it, a promise, one I intend to do all I can to fulfill…. Ta, then….


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….