Tag Archives: Poetry

Subliminal toast….

Posted on by
2

Ffolkes,
It seems that my computer has developed some idiosyncrasies. I usually don’t turn it off very much, as I run a program that crunches data for a couple of cloud computing projects, one from UC Berkeley called SETI@home, and one from the American Physical Society called Einstein@home. But I decided to give the computer a break a couple nights here recently, and now it seems to want to find little things to do that annoy me. This morning my word-processing, database, and project program, Open Office Suite, wouldn’t open from the taskbar button; I had to work around it by using an already created document to open a new doc. Then Firefox, my internet browser, wanted to update itself for the sixth time. Just goes to show that our inanimate objects tend to take on human characteristics the more we use them. As I spend probably more than 10 hours a day working on this little machine, it has no doubt taken on some of my curmudgeonly traits. Ah well, as long as there is a work-around…..c’est la vie!
Today I have gathered a group of Pearls from some of history’s finest minds. Some were included simply for the beauty of the writing, others for the power of the ideas being presented. All are worth reading and contemplating, and should provide everyone with a good feeling or three with which to fortify their attitude for the day. If not, well, I’d have to say you really aren’t trying hard enough…..enjoy!

“Nature, whose sweet rains fall of just and unjust alike, will have clefts in the rocks where I may hide, and secret valleys in whose silence I may weep undetected. She will hang the night with stars so that I may walk abroad in the darkness without stumbling, and send the wind over my footprints so that none may track me to my hurt: she will cleanse me in great waters, and with bitter herbs make me whole.” — Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) — “De Profundis”

“When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty.” — George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), “Caesar and Cleopatra”, Act III

“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.” — Thomas Jefferson to A. Stuart, 1791

“Moral certainty is always a sign of cultural inferiority. The more uncivilized the man, the surer he is that he knows precisely what is right and what is wrong. All human progress, even in morals, has been the work of men who have doubted the current moral values, not of men who have whooped them up and tried to enforce them. The truly civilized man is always skeptical and tolerant, in this field as in all others. His culture is based on “I am not too sure.” — H.L. Mencken

The other shape,
If shape it might be call’d that shape had none
Distinguishable in member, joint, or limb;
Or substance might be call’d that shadow seem’d,
For each seem’d either,–black it stood as night,
Fierce as ten furies, terrible as hell,
And shook a dreadful dart; what seem’d his head
The likeness of a kingly crown had on.
Satan was now at hand.
— John Milton (1608-1674)
— Paradise Lost, Book ii, Line 666

“A wretched soul, bruised with adversity.” — William Shakespeare (1564-1616), The Comedy of Errors — Act ii, Sc. 1

I love these lines, “black as night it stood, fierce as ten furies, terrible as hell, and shook a dreadful dart!” And good old Will, he must have spent some time on the streets, or at least in a state of poverty, to be able to describe so perfectly in one line how it feels at the end of the day…”bruised with adversity.” Bruised indeed….. y’all take care out there….

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Any old garage would do…..

Posted on by
2

Ffolkes,
Everyone and his uncle’s brother’s cousin’s wife’s boyfriend will be writing their own take on 9/11/01 today, so I will limit my own response to the following:  Be patriotic – question authority. — Bumper Sticker   ‘Nuff said!….oh well, gotta say this too….. get over it!!! Learn to play nice and terrorism won’t be an issue any more…..
Okay, so maybe I will have a couple of points to make…..the part of the entire terrorism issue that bothers me the most is the absolutely idiotic response that one gets from most Americans when asked about the events of that fateful day. I call the reaction idiotic for a simple reason; because it is. No one seems to have any idea ‘why’ we were attacked, nor do they care. The act itself becomes the focus of attention, and the motivation is ignored. This is idiotic, for sure and for certain. In order for events like these to be prevented, the motivation of the perpetrators becomes paramount. How can you expect to be able to stop this kind of fanatic activity, if you don’t know why it happened to begin with?
It was obvious to me from the moment I first heard of the attacks that they were carried out by fanatic zealots; only those with a sense of martyrdom would have been able to carry out a mission that assured their own deaths, whether victorious or not. Faced with this kind of insanity, it seems obvious that determining motivation would be the most important detail needed to be able to find them; any competent hunter can verify that. And the motivation is so obvious anyway! But no one in our country is willing to accept the FACT that our own actions were responsible for the hatred felt by the misguided fanatics who carried out the attacks. Yes, us. It’s our own damn fault they hate us, for they are only mirroring the disdain we show to their beliefs. As I said above, if we would learn to play nicely, and quit acting the part of the bully, the other kids in the sandbox wouldn’t be ganging up on us.
But, there are very few Americans left who can be honest with themselves, much less with anyone else. Our leaders have indoctrinated us well to accept anything they say, whether it is in the same neighborhood as truth or not (usually not; they lie to us without shame, constantly). When I first heard about the incidents of 9/11, my first impression was that the whole scenario very much resembled the events one only heard about during the cocaine wars in South America in the 1970’s. You may or may not recall that G. Bush Senior was in charge of the CIA at the time, and was pretty clearly responsible for the growth of the drug cartels, and for the strengthening of the drug trade here. (A very damning book on the subject was written, called “The Cocaine Papers”) I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he was found to have been the real mastermind behind the attacks on 9/11/01. His son’s presidency was in trouble in the summer of 2001. There were a lot of investigations going on into the chicanery involved in the hijacking of the voting system by the Republicans, and these investigations were getting pretty close to showing how the American public had been fooled into believing that the election was clean, and free of manipulation, when in fact the Republicans had been successful in hiding their manipulation of the results in at least one state. That state just happened to be the pivotal state; if Gore had taken that state (which, in reality, he did), instead of Bush, he would have been elected, and the world would be a different place.
What better time for a terrorist attack, to distract the public from the chicanery with a terrible loss of life, and make certain that those allegations would never be looked at again? No, it wouldn’t surprise me at all, because the whole scenario had GHW Bush written all over it. I wonder what would happen if somebody followed the money…..it’s also somewhat curious that there has been no real investigation into that aspect of the affair. We were told (by those who lie to us on a daily basis) that it was the Taliban who was responsible, and so we set off on a world-wide hunt for the bad guy. Several trillion dollars later, we are still trying to find them all. We managed to kill Osama bin Laden, and wasn’t it convenient that he died before he could be questioned, or make any public statements? Very handy, that…..
Whew, I should know better than to start a rant so early in the morning. Now my sense of outrage is fully stimulated, and it is NOT directed at the Muslims in the world; it is directed at the political tyrants present in EVERY government in the world, and especially our own,who will say and do anything at all to maintain their own status quo. These power-hungry zealots (yes that term does apply, to Catholics, Christians, Muslims, and every other religion fighting over who has the most powerful imaginary friend) are the ones who are responsible for the events of that fateful day, and I for one would like to see them punished for all the heartache and sorrow they have so callously pushed upon the rest of us.
Enough for one morning….if you have comments, questions, or whatever, feel free to respond. Dialog is essential in seeking truth….meantime, enjoy this morning’s offerings, and think good thoughts for all those who died ten years ago. Let us make their deaths worthwhile, by seeking out the truth, and by not allowing hatred to hinder the quest for peace…..

“Virtue is but heroic bravery, to do the thing thought to be true, in spite of all enemies of flesh or spirit, in despite of all temptations or menaces.” — Albert Pike (1809-1891)

O Lord, grant that we may always be right, for
Thou knowest we will never change our minds.
— Old Scottish Prayer

“Basing our happiness on our ability to control everything is futile.” — Stephen R. Covey

No words suffice the secret soul to show,
For truth denies all eloquence to woe.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824)
— The Corsair, Canto iii, Stanza 22

If a person deceives you once, shame on that person. If a person deceives you twice, shame on you! For of all hard things to bear and grin, the hardest is being taken in.

Well, this one should start a conversation or two……y’all take care out there……

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

gigoid

Just Dozer

Kowabunga!

Standing in the corner of life….

Posted on by
3

Ffolkes,
As he watched, alone, he could see the families walking through the park, children playing on the swings, dogs romping in the grass. He felt set apart, an unknown player in a play that everyone else knew by heart. It had always been thus, this feeling of standing outside the normal events of Life, only joining the stream of humanity for moments at a time. He had no friends, only acquaintances who entered his world only to leave again, passing as the proverbial ships in the night. There were times, such as now, when his distance from the rest of his species was lessened, and he felt he might yet find someone who would understand him, and accept his differences as valuable, worthy of respect. At those times, as if by magic, his phone would ring, and a voice at the other end would give him his next assignment, placing him firmly outside the circle of society. He might have chosen another life, but circumstance is as powerful as fate, and his had been sealed early in life, before he developed enough of a conscience to reject the course upon which he set his sights. He did what he did for good reason; he had chosen his path with eyes wide open. Fate, and circumstance, had guided him to where he stood today, and wishing it different would never make it so.
Well, that was a struggle! I never know what will pop out of my head in the morning, and today was no different. It sounds like the beginning of a very deep, very heavy story, and at this point I’m not certain at all that I will continue with it. I have the distinct impression that the protagonist is involved in some pretty shady activities out there on the edge of society. So I may or may not explore this one further; probably not, as I think I need to involve my mind in something a bit more cheery. There is enough in my life now that pushes me toward negativity; I don’t need to put myself there. That’s okay though, something else will pop up tomorrow, and I’ll try to guide it toward a more positive outcome…..today’s Pearls are another eclectic lot, so open your minds and get ready…..

If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.

“Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
— H. L. Mencken (In my case, ‘at times’ translates to ‘daily’)

GIGO: Garbage in garbage out. (which explains my user name; gigoid, which I chose to remind myself of the proper mindset necessary when dealing with computers)

“A man once asked Diogenes what was the proper time for supper, and he made answer, “If you are a rich man, whenever you please; and if
you are a poor man, whenever you can.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Diogenes, vi

This is the way the world ends,
This is the way the world ends,
This is the way the world ends,
Not with a bang but with a whimper.
— T. S. Eliot, “The Hollow Men”

The truth you speak has no past and no future. It is, and that’s all it needs to be.

Did I say eclectic? There must be a word to describe what these are, but it fails to come to me, so eclectic will have to do. Y’all take care out there…..

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

Kowabunga!

Technicolor ferrets and red, red wine…

Posted on by
5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Watching the pot boil….

Posted on by
2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Dozer

Kowabunga!

At risk of bent principles…

Posted on by
4

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

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

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

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

“Become what you are.” — Buddha

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kowabunga!

Making final points count double….

Posted on by
6

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

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

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

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

Sometimes I sits and thinks,

and sometimes

I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Unbidden, patterns of silk bear witness….

Posted on by
2

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

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

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

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

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

Hold a true friend with both hands. — Nigerian Proverb

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

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

Sometimes I sits and thinks,

and sometimes,

I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Truffles bordered in mink….

Posted on by
3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Water from a shallow well….

Posted on by
4

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

Hear twice before you speak once.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dozer

Kowabunga!

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

gigoid