“The great tragedy of life is not that men perish,
but that they cease to love.”
~~ W. Somerset Maugham ~~
Whale watch in Glacier Bay, near Hoonah….
Hajime…. On walkabout, even when attempting to remain in the moment, mindful of all that one is walking through, one naturally becomes somewhat introspective. Since I’ve been walkabout a LOT recently, this means I’ve spent a lot of time in my own head. This isn’t necessarily a good or bad thing, nor would I wish to label it as either. I regard such episodic occurrences as part of my persona, having spent more time in my head, or, in my own company, than is so for many people for all my days here on this old ball o’mud. It’s just what I do as a default, which makes me a bit odd, but, it’s okay; I’m quite comfortable with oddness.
Having spent so much time inside lately has led to some rather deep thoughts, not all of which I’m ready to discuss here. Not that it wouldn’t make for a fine discussion; I’m just not certain, as yet, I have brought it all to a ‘discussable’ state…. (I know, that’s not a word; spellchecker went nuts over it… but, it fits, so, get over it, okay?….) When I do, I will share it, as it seems to all be pretty well universal in its application for us humans. A rather sweeping claim, I realize, but, let’s just accept it as a given, & look forward to that discussion with some anticipatory glee, if only for the opportunity to make fun of my thoughts…. Of course, that will be the case only if I’ve managed to muddle it up; if it comes out right, I think y’all will be quite happy with it. I know I will…
With that ringing endorsement (well, perhaps not a loud ringing….), let us get on with the rest of the mess I’ve managed to cobble together for today. There’s good music, a decent recent poem (from last year), and a collection of fine, if odd, pearls for your perusal…. Rather than belabor any of today’s points, let’s just get on with it, lickety-split…. which looks like this….
Shall we Pearl?….
“What kind of conflict do you like?
Where will you jump in and fight the good fight —
body, heart, mind or spirit?
If you say you don’t like conflict at all,
then you have stopped growing,
because it is only through engaging differences
to find common ground or to triumph
that we become new and invigorated.
Pick your battles,
but always have some place you embrace conflict.”
~~ Callan Williams ~~
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Young Dubliners
It’s been so long since I played, or listened to, this band, I found an entire album I hadn’t heard yet, so, this will be a treat for me as well as y’all. I hope it’s as good as their previous work; if so, it’s grand craic…. Enjoy!….
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Young Dubliners With All Due Respect
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Obscure Empathy
Twisting the tail of reality, again, unrepentant,
as a pale moon rises in the west, unnoticed.
Sensing imminence, evicting the remaining tenant;
dispensing false empathy, well-practiced.
Metaphor becomes allegory, critically sane,
as humanity wells up, conflicted, bedeviling time;
experience assumes an old cut, with virgin pain,
a solitary ambient poet dies, in shame, sans rhyme.
Patterns form inside an intricate space, forlorn,
abiding, with reluctant patience, only to learn
of dispassion’s inelegant cost, basely shopworn;
forgotten verses, delicately done to a turn.
Previously spoken standards shall not apply;
forsworn, soaked in cruel imagination,
questing egos neglect to ask, why?
Purely natural law demands speculation.
Twice-told tales assume mythical profundity
casting shadows into night’s bower.
Artful, enticing, a lure for serendipity
passing time in a lonely tower.
~~ gigoid ~~
4/4/2017
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Naked Pearls
Random Notes on Life @ Large….
*******
“I travel with the wind & listen to it’s voices.”
~~ Dan Sakers, “A Voice in Every Wind” ~~
*******
“Childhood ends, the moment you know you’re going to die.”
~~ The Crow ~~
*******
“Anyone who has begun to think places some portion of the world in jeopardy.”
~~ John Dewey ~~
*******
“In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday.”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
*******
“What use is magic if it can’t save a unicorn?”
~~ Peter S. Beagle, “The Last Unicorn” ~~
*******
“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing,
of just going along,
listening to all the things you can’t hear,
and not bothering.”
~~ Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne ~~
*******
“It’s so clean.
It’s certainly uncontaminated by cheese.”
~~ Monty Python, The Cheese Shop Sketch ~~
*******
***************************************
Well, it’s done, and, thank goodness. It’s a bit late going up, but, it’s here, and complete, so, I’m letting it fly. I’m already working on another fresh entry for a day or two down the line, so, I hope y’all will come back & join me in my “reeling, writhing, & fainting in coils”…. I also hope you enjoyed today’s rather esoteric mess; sometimes, it’s best not to question much, but, take it all in without worrying about the final result. With my stuff, that’s probably the best bet to get through it with sanity intact. Well, intact as it ever gets around here. I’ll be back in a short while; in the meantime, y’all be well, and happy as you may be…. 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.
“To love someone deeply gives you strength.
Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.”
~~ Lao Tzu ~~
Focused meditation….
Hajime…. Since retiring from work, I have discovered the part of living in contact with much of the world I miss the least, & that is, quite simply, drama. The emotional turmoil in which much of the world seems to spend the majority of its time seems to me a complete waste of what little time we have here in this plane of existence, and I cannot understand why most people keep on walking on a path strewn with pain, and suffering caused by emotions, which are, after all, transient, by their nature. Because we are invested so heavily in EGO, we seem to find our own inner world, with its chaotic feelings, to be the way of the world, and our disappointment is intense when it proves not to be so.
All that, by the way, is the result of drama intruding upon my life, caused, as is generally the case, by others who are merely peripherally connected to me, by their connection to those I love. Without going into detail, I have to say, it’s more intense than I enjoy, and has no purpose beyond the fear felt by a narcissist, who then, according to their neurotic nature, pass their own fear and anger to everyone around them. These others are those to whom I am connected, so, some of the emotional chaos ends up at my door. Thankfully, I don’t have to engage in it, nor do I; it’s just hard to see those I love having no choice but to deal with it in all its intense, ‘in the moment’ importance, thus making their own journey through life more uncomfortable….
All has receded enough for me to finish this post, though not with the light-hearted humor with which I intended to start off. So, I’ll forgo trying to inject anything of that nature, as it would, no doubt, fall flatter on its face than a flounder, which is pretty flat. Instead, I’ll just mention how well I’ve coped with it, all in all, and get on with the process of posting. I didn’t manage to leak out the new poem yet; it’s blocked, somehow, by the presence of drama, at least until it’s all assimilated and processed into metaphor. But, I’ve included some most excellent music, a damn good older poem, and, a set of old-school pearls with which I am quite pleased. Good shit, as they say….
So, let’s go see what there is to see, eh? It can’t be any less thrilling than this has been, right? Right. We’re off now, so, hang on….
Shall we Pearl?….
“Everything in life is unusual until you get accustomed to it.”
~~ L. Frank Baum, “The Marvelous Land of Oz” ~~
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Nina Simone, 1933 ~ 2003
Image from kcur.org via Google Images
There is a lot I could say about this artist, but, it would all be superfluous to the experience of just listening to her sing. To show respect for that, I’ll let y’all do just that, without any further words from me, except to say, enjoy….
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Nina Simone
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Blue chameleon
It’s hot today, with chances of pain & rain.
So it says on the news.
Guess there’s nothing to do again
unless it’s sing the blues.
The blues are gettin’ old, though.
So I say, & I should know.
I been singin’ the bloody songs, y’know?
For what seems a long row to hoe.
S’pose it could get better someday.
I’ve heard that tune before.
Always seemed out of tune anyway;
I ain’t waitin’ any more.
Bang those drums & kick the cans.
May as well raise some hell.
Clang together some old pots & pans;
It hides the little voices so well.
Never worry, don’t you fear at all.
We’ve got certificates of note.
Bureaucratic protections, officially small.
Non carborundum illegitimi, he wrote.
Time, and circumstance, wrote me today.
It came in the daily mail from home.
It said I shouldn’t write unless I say
you’ll be charged for the distance you roam.
~~ gigoid ~~
5/28/2016
***************************************
Naked Pearls
Notes on Life @ Large….
*******
“Do you want to be a power in the world?
Then be yourself.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Trine ~~
*******
“If life seems jolly rotten,
there’s something you’ve forgotten,
and that’s to laugh and dance and jump and sing.”
~~ Monty Python ~~
*******
“Live dangerously and you live right.”
~~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “Faust” ~~
*******
“If you haven’t found something strange during the day,
it hasn’t been much of a day.”
~~ John Wheeler ~~
*******
“Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge
and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you,
you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.”
~~- Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne ~~
*******
“If you’re going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance.”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
*******
“Great is the art of beginning, but greater the art of ending…”
~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~~
*******
***************************************
Though I can’t lay claim to any recent displays of brilliance, I am pleased with the last few ending pearls, for their completely apropos nature to what has gone before. In this case, Henry has it right, so, we’ll take his advice, and pursue our art as a properly brief ending. I’ll see y’all, or y’all will see me, soon enough, though how long it may be I cannot say at this time. Until I return, please be well, be happy as you may, and remember to utilize the one greatest characteristic nature allows us, to wit, be as strange as you can be. You may be sure, I shall. 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.
“I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.”
~~ William Butler Yeats, “The Lake Isle of Innisfree”~~
Gang of young Irish Seagulls, Galway….
Hajime…. When one makes the decision to battle internal demons, one takes on an opponent with special knowledge, of all one’s weak points, and avenues of attack. It also means one’s own skills and talents can be used against one; I can attest, it makes any battle sure to achieve epic proportion. I’m not complaining; the alternative is to live in Hell, & that just isn’t going to happen, not while I live. But, it also means any clear victory comes at a heavy cost, at a time my bank account is at a low ebb. SIGH….. It’s a good thing I’ve learned to accept that nothing worth doing is going to be easy….
As I have often related, I do this to stay sane; whether or not it works is probably an area of judgment I would rather not enter, lest the answer be too much to bear. So far, I have lived, and loved, for a long time, and have yet to break my vow to refrain from killing; in some circles, that can be enough. For me, it’s never enough; if I was satisfied with my own state, it would never change. So, I struggle on, to find the center, where change is welcome, for we are balanced enough there to adapt to any change.
Now I’ve thoroughly confused everyone who stumbles in today, with a healthy dose of obscurity, I think it’s best to get the rest of this mess done, & get on with another day in Paradise, or, wherever this is. I can’t say, with any degree of confidence, I can predict how it will go, but, that’s probably a good thing. Too much too easily becomes too much, indeed. Rather than tempt Murphy’s kind attentions, let us adjourn to the meat of the matter, where we may find another piece of the puzzle. If not, well, so much for another day; we can always try again tomorrow, right? Right. For now, let’s do this….
Shall we Pearl?
“Forget about likes and dislikes.
They are of no consequence.
Just do what must be done.
This may not be happiness, but it is greatness.”
~~ George Bernard Shaw~~
***************************************
When I went to look for inspiration for music today, this is what I found…. Given our opening lines, and the photo I chose, go figure, eh?. I guess you can take the boy out of the shamrock, but….
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Irish Folk Music
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Illusory Time
Viewed from askance, the river is long;
deep, uncompromisingly intent, swift and strong.
In duality, perception creates our only reality;
such faux metaphoric paradox enforces mutability.
By two we perceive, both zero, and one;
digital, binary, on or off, such fun.
Separate, melded, we exist, knowing not what we know
ego, striving to be solitary, looking above, seeing below.
Furiously asleep, cultural anomaly claims a victim of choice;
validly unconscious, nobody speaks, nary a voice.
Potential escapees stir in dreams, fighting to wake,
until taking the wheel, for their own bloody sake.
Pots boil in due time, when the fire’s hot,
time exists to our advantage; or, not.
The solitary warrior, head bent in pain,
fights on, with, or without gain.
Night fell, day after day it persisted;
of those who knew, none showed any care, or resisted
Angels, ministers, none had any defense, nor grace;
all that remains is a face.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/22/2016
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Naked Pearls
Pieces of the whole….
*******
“To say yes, you have to sweat and roll up your sleeves
and plunge both hands into life up to the elbows.
It’s easy to say no, even if it means dying.”
~~ Jean Anouilh ~~
*******
“Nothing matters very much,
and very few things matter at all.”
~~ Lord Balfour’s Contention ~~
*******
“Brains first and then Hard Work.”
~~ Eeyore, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne~~
*******
“Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: “I’m with you kid. Let’s go.””
~~ Maya Angelou ~~
*******
“In times of profound change, the learners inherit the earth,
while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped
to deal with a world that no longer exists.”
~~ Al Rogers, Global SchoolHouse Network, at CUE ~~
*******
“The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.”
~~ Bertrand Russell ~~
*******
“Truckin’, like the do-dah man
Once told me “Gotta play your hand.
Sometimes your cards ain’t worth a dime
If you don’t lay’em down.”
Sometimes the light’s all shinin’ on me;
Other times I can barely see.
Lately it occurs to me
What a long, strange trip it’s been.”
~~ “Truckin'” by Garcia, Weir, Lesh, Hunter ~~
*******
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Well, Ollie; this is another fine mess you’ve gotten us into. Fortunately, it’s done, so we can just ignore any warning signs we may have encountered, & be on our way with a smile and a whistle. Well, we could, if I could whistle any more…. I guess I’ll just say, see ya, & let it go at that for today…..
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.
“Socrates thought that if all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap,
whence every one must take an equal portion,
most persons would be contented to take their own and depart.”
~~ Plutarch ~~
~~ Consolation to Apollonius ~~
The Bar at White’s Tavern, Est. 1630, Belfast, Ireland
Hajime…. Hmm… Here ’tis, early in the morning before the day our society’s most common delusion is celebrated. Those of us who don’t buy into that particular fallacy have not much reason to join in the game being played during this massive distraction from reality, but, we enjoy the simple fact that all who do are, usually, in a better mood, making it less likely we will need to employ any curmudgeonly techniques to keep them at bay; sort of a mini-vacation, as it were, from the stress of maintaining the socially amenable face so necessary during the rest of the year, negating the necessity of engaging in dishonorable battles of wit with an unarmed populace. I guess you could call that our seasonal gift….
That said, I’ll refrain from any further comments on the season, other than to wish y’all a peaceful holiday, filled with love and family, and a happy new year, whatever that means. Don’t worry, no ranting today. In fact, the Pearl for today is done, I’m just filling in this space, as is our wont, so it won’t look so empty and cold. It’s cold enough outside, right? Right. Wet, too, around here, anyway. But, that’s a story for another time.
For now, I think I’ll just get this slow on the toad, so we can all go about our scheduled activities…. On such days, it’s for the best; ffolkes have other stuff to do, and reading my drivel probably isn’t at the top of the list….. S’okay by me; even us curmudgeons have people to see this time of year…. Not that we expect them to be home, but, hey, the drive is always nice….
Just kidding; I’m going back to bed a while, then going for a long walk. In the meantime, here’s today’s mess, all dressed up & ready to go. Take a deep breath, & close your eyes…. It’s less scary that way….
Shall we Pearl?
“Most people are on the world, not in it…”
~~ John Muir ~~
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Camille Saint-Saëns
Image from mfiles.co.uk via Google Images
Rather than play another playlist of boring Christmas music we’ve all heard too many times, here is one with music from one of the most prolific composers of the Romantic Era…. He’s one of my favorites, for I’ve never heard any of his music I didn’t enjoy…. You will, too….
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Camille Saint-Saëns
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********************************
Last year, at this time, I was going through the final stages of withdrawal from the opioids I had been taking for ten years. I’m not sure how, or, why, but, on this date, I wrote a poem for Christmas; here ’tis again, just because I can….
A Seasonal Gift
Affordable, these moments in time,
all quite free, not costly, nor for sale at all.
Merely more misspent periods making rhyme.
seeking a peaceful heart, as my words fall.
A price, many will tell you, or me,
is due for every transaction.
In truth, everything you see is free;
Illusion seldom offers any real satisfaction.
Some also tell us we need some sort of god,
we’re told ’tis the only path to immortality.
On the path I’ve followed, that seems rather odd;
I’m quite happy with honorable mortality.
Some days it gets a bit lonely, for a bit,
out here in the cold light of reason.
Solitude is, however, well worth it;
Love, felt and treasured, gives warmth all season.
I suppose one could easily say,
this poem is the only gift I’ll give.
If I can teach love and kindness with the words I say,
such will be fine; it’s enough to live.
Happy Winter to All…
~~ gigoid ~~
12/24/2015
********************************
Naked Pearls
Notes on the Journey….
*********
“If you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
~~ Yogi Berra ~~
*********
“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 ~~
*********
“You may not, cannot, appropriate beauty.
It is the wealth of the eye, and a cat may gaze upon the king.”
~~ Theodore Parker ~~
*********
“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along,
listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.”
~~ Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne ~~
*********
“How much pain have cost us
the evils which have never happened.”
~~ Thomas Jefferson, “Writings” Vol. XVI ~~
*********
“Nothing is so strong as gentleness,
and nothing is so gentle as true strength.”
~~ Ralph Sockman ~~
*********
“In anything at all,
perfection is finally attained,
not when there is no longer anything to add,
but when there is no longer anything to take away.”
~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery , Wind, Sand & Stars ~~
*********
“An it harm none,
Do what ye will.”
~~ Wiccan Credo ~~
*********
“Isn’t this my STOP?!”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
*********
********************************
Okay, then; it’s done. Upon looking back over what I wrote, I can find much to improve, yet, nothing I’d change. I guess, for what it is, it’s about as good as it’s going to get. Go figure, eh? Funny how being done can make it look different, if not better. I suppose that’s what Einstein was talking about when he codified his Theory of Relativity… which, most simply stated, says, “It’s ALL relative…”. On that odd little note, I’ll take my leave, with the hopes that Santa’s sleigh doesn’t knock down your chimney, and that you have a very happy seasonal celebration, however you may choose to go about it. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; it’s my only hope….
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.
“Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice.
Tolerance in the face of tyranny is no virtue.”
~~ Barry Goldwater ~~
Violet Moore & sons, circa 1917….
Image from the Moore Family archives….
Hajime…. The people you see in the above photo are my relatives, to wit: My grandmother, my father, and his younger brother, one of two he had. When the photo was taken, I believe my grandfather was still off fighting in WWI, somewhere in Europe. I love it, and not just because they’re my ‘people’, as they’d say in the South. It’s a great snapshot of the time, & given the personal connection, tells me a lot about the people who are in it. In particular, though I didn’t know her until much later in her life, the expression on my grandmother’s face tells me a story, and enhances what I know of her, with her kindness, humor, and patience obvious for anyone with wit to see….
As an old fart with broken emotions, just looking at this picture makes me a little weepy, but, in a good way. I guess the old saw among women, regarding tears, is true; some tears are happy tears, that come when one feels so much love, it has to come out, and the tears are how they can be shared. Maybe it’s not true, but, it feels true…. So be it. It’s family, and needs no excuse for love to be felt…
I guess such an emotional opening rather limits the direction we can take from here. Rather than try to find one that will efficiently segue into the material below, I’ll just use the “fade away” method to move us along to where we need to go. Such indulgence isn’t at all normal, but, when have we ever worried about being normal? To be honest, I wouldn’t know quite how to react if anyone ever accused me of being so… but, that’s another story, for another time. For now, we’ll just do this, and be done with it….
Shall we Pearl?….
“But first, are you experienced?”
~~ Jimi Hendrix ~~
********************************
I spent a lot of time this morning, pre-pearl, to write a friend to whom I owed a letter; unfortunately, this pushed me over into time I needed to spend to get this done. The end result of this is not having the time to… wait a minute! I’ve got a Tardis! What was I thinking? Okay, never mind. We’ve got classical music today, simply because I like it. Deal with it; I must, and so must y’all…. Try to enjoy it, anyway… It is, after all, some of the best music ever played, y’know?….
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Mozart Symphonies 1-20
********************************
********************************
********************************
Confidentially Paranoid
Only when the bright sunlight of dreams draws nigh
can the dark glass of reality factor true value..
Destiny’s horses run in fear as time goes dry,
for grappling with fate in such traitorous venue.
In pallid costumes made of graven cast-off tales,
fallen angels and demons show the measure of faith.
No sad transactions should escape these well-marked trails,
no angry relatives cast insults to a sedentary wraith.
Meaning can always hide in literal cold intent,
yet show mere facets of honor to perishable youth.
Sincere contentions leave with sorrowful bent,
while bastardly arguments fill in poorly for the truth.
Gone are moments filled with florid blasts of rhyme
left to molder on the shoulders of unreasonable hope.
Only courage can save these measures of unspoken time
to gather new issues, powerfully broad, painful in scope.
~~ gigoid ~~
2/25/2015
********************************
Naked Pearls
Fun with Karma….
*******
“…The Universe is thronged with fire and light,
And we but smaller suns, which, skinned, trapped and kept
Enshrined in blood and precious bones, hold back the night.”
~~ Ray Bradbury ~~
*******
“It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible,
but also for what we do not do.”
~~ Moliere ~~
*******
“Everyone who lives dies, but not everyone who dies has lived.”
~~ No Fear ~~
*******
“You can’t just feel happy; to feel anything you have to feel everything.”
~~ Callan Williams ~~
*******
“If you would know a man, observe how he treats a cat.”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
*******
“We’re tossed by the winds of fate, Maggie Mae.
Once we end where they blow us, we make of ourselves what we will.”
~~ Niall Feeney, in Nora Roberts’ “Born In Fire” ~~
*******
“It’s so much more friendly with two.”
~~ Piglet, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne ~~
*******
********************************
Well, there you go… or, rather, there ’tis. Done, and done in time, if not comfort. So far today, I’ve written a long letter, had two cuppas, and faked a routine. I’ve also completed a Pearl, for what it’s worth. To me, it’s worth what I paid for it, if nothing else. Y’all will have to make up your own minds as to whether the cost was worth it, or not. Me, I’m outta here. Of course, I’ll be back, but, I don’t want to scare anybody…. 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.
“In all affairs it’s a healthy thing now and then
to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.”
~~ Bertrand Russell ~~
Break time, again….
Hajime…. Hmm… Well, here we are again, ffolkes. You’re out there, ready to read, hoping to find something of compelling interest. I’m sitting here, full of angst, anticipatory delight, and a complete absence of rational ideas about which to write. Status: normal. Since ‘normal’ is an anomaly for me, you can see this is not a good thing, with implications of impending potentially lethal consequences. Okay, so it’s only lethal to good literature; we can be as metaphoric as the next guy. Doesn’t mean we don’t bleed for it, internally…. It only means your hopes are pretty certain to go unfulfilled, once again.
SIGH…. Sorry ’bout that. I really didn’t have much to say, so, I said it the best I could. Screwed the pooch pretty good, didn’t I? Oh, well. I’ve done worse, and done it right here, so, such a measly little failure doesn’t impress me, scare me, or make me want to quit. I ain’t no quitter, which, in some cases, is more a matter of stubbornness than virtue. This, sadly, may be one of them; it’s beginning to look as if quitting wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. Too bad I’m in the mood I’m in, or we could go that route. But, if I have to suffer, so will you….
I know, that’s a bit harsh, but, reality can teach us some hard lessons. Who am I to alter the ways of reality? Just another human with fancy ideas and a sense of self that manages to get in my way as much as it moves me along. And, I just realized, this is getting too abstract for manageability. In fact, I find myself lost in a corner of my mind I don’t recall encountering before. It’s a little dark, and there’s a lot of dust. No pictures on the walls, either. Boy, that must’ve been some wrong turn.
Rather than continue to wander around in the relative dark I suggest moving on, post haste, before this gets us somewhere we’ll have to break out weapons. I’m not sure I remembered to pack them, so, best we get this slow on the toad. Let’s use an old method, which we know works well…. It’s our old standard, #4, and it works like this….
Shall we Pearl?….
“I once wanted to save the world.
Now I just want to leave the room with dignity.”
~~ Lotus Weinstock ~~
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There’s a lot going on around here today, with still a lot of preparations to complete. Naturally, to make the time go smoothly, we turn to our default musical choice, for some classical gems. Enjoy!….
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Classical Music
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********************************
********************************
Momentary Terror
Absently casual, memories pester endlessly
leaving only bleeding remnants, amiable and loving.
Coming awake, I cry to still the pain, shamelessly.
Elsewhen, time gives surcease, if only to live,
shoring broken pilings, worn and gray.
Passing on, I laugh at the pain, accept all it will give.
Time will build a shelter, warm and ever safe
save for Fate’s busy hands.
Enduring, I follow the pain, knowing it will chafe.
Fixed against a darkened sky of starry black
such beauty brings us to our knees.
Entranced, I welcome the pain, ’tis all I lack…..
~~ gigoid ~~
2/4/2013
********************************
Naked Pearls
Sagacious Silliness….
*******
“I’ve got to get back to Reality. Where IS that silly Blue Dragon?”
~~ Schizo Bill from Philly ~~
*******
“ARTHUR: Then who is your lord?
WOMAN: We don’t have a lord.
ARTHUR: What?
DENNIS: I told you.
We’re an anarcho-syndicalist commune.
We take it in turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week.”
~~ The Quest for the Holy Grail (Monty Python) ~~
*******
“I’m gonna be a monkey, monkey monkey muuuunkey!”
~~ Stimpy ~~
*******
“When having a smackerel of something with a friend,
don’t eat so much that you get stuck in the doorway trying to get out.”
~~ Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne ~~
*******
“There’s no problem so awful
that you can’t add some guilt to it and make it even worse.”
~~- Calvin and Hobbes ~~
*******
“I’m in direct contact with many advanced fun CONCEPTS.”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
*******
“Most of all, I’ve learned that a good time to laugh is anytime you can.”
~~ Linda Ellerbee~~
*******
********************************
Well, that went better than usual. I’m pretty sure it came out pretty well, too…. To keep from showing my complete surprise, I’ll pretend it happens all the time, and you can pretend you believe it. That way, we’re already both into the correct mode to go out & deal with whatever depredations and new insanity we find out in the BBR, all courtesy of your own Beloved Ruling Class, and the oligarchs, dogma dogs, and myrmidons who infest the halls of our government and churches. Such lovely creatures, filled with savagery and bile, always willing to lend a helping hand, complete with grasping claws… Ah, well, it’s probably too late to start ranting, so, I’ll just say, good luck, and see y’all tomorrow, when we’ll try again to achieve some sort of rationality, or, at minimum, relative sanity…. Can’t hurt to try, right?….
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.
~~ Jean Anouilh, Ardele, 1948, (2, translated by Lucienne Hill) ~~
Spider!….
Hajime…. It used to be I’d sit here, staring at a blank screen, wondering where, and when, I’d find anything in my head worth setting down for others to read. Now, I sit here, wondering which of the various approaches I’ve developed over the past five years of blogging to use to begin the day’s mess. Perhaps the one I choose is what makes it a mess, or an offering. Or, perhaps, it’s my own attitude. Ya think? Oops, cover pulled….
Okay, we’ll use the cat method for that one. It never happened, I didn’t say it. So be it. To avoid any possible reenactments, I’ll go back to an older method, though, not far, as it actually was employed (or, is that ‘deployed? Ah, well, no matter…), yesterday. It’s our most ruthless intro format, and it looks pretty spartan, if elegantly smooth and simple. It works just like this….
Shall we pearl?….
“What is the first business of one who studies philosophy?
To part with self-conceit.
For it is impossible for any one to begin to learn
what he thinks that he already knows.”
~~ Epictetus — How to apply general Principles to particular Cases ~~
This is what I call a WSYIWYG rant. The meme you see above from the Free Thought Project pretty much says it all, though to be completely accurate in describing my thoughts, it would include all religions along with nations as being worthy of being fucked….. but, that’s just me. We don’t NEED any of it….
‘Nuff said.
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We are going simple today, with a mix of classical music someone collected as a means of encouraging students to study. Works for any kind of reading, so, enjoy!…..
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Classical Music
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Dreaming, I wait….
In the most patient moments of rationality
kindness flows smoothly in a special milieu,
fallow thoughts speed first from equality
to give no anxious fever, anger to eschew.
Indignant mothers and step-sons in-law
shall fade simply from brilliant to grey,
intoning ritual dogma, fresh, avid, and raw,
falling, falling, in massive pastoral disarray.
Safety lives not, save brightly in ignorant bliss,
it follows us all, silent and infinitely frail,
foremost too often, soft as a virgin kiss,
alive, always eager, willing, and pale.
Intimate knowledge finds only the bold few
with courage and virtue to gift, unbidden.
No solemn royal version may pass in review,
true love for man, never to remain unhidden.
Sweet feathers of Emily’s hope uplift,
calm, drowsy episodes bursting with light,
With final glad cries we set ourselves adrift,
swimming in the oceans of natural delight.
When sorrow is banished, in ages yet to come,
roots solidly anchored, cold and remote,
Ample supplies of kindness sit silent and dumb,
and the old stranger shrugs on his faded coat.
Dreaming, then, I wait with shadows in the night
aspiring to inspire, a message from the muse’s heart
Never forgotten images, framed in color bright,
tempt me only, grieving, steeped in serenity’s arcane art.
~~ gigoid ~~
8/18/2013
********************************
Naked Pearls
Serving the truth….
*******
“I am the shadow my words cast.”
~~ Octavio Paz ~~
*******
“In’I no expect to be justified by the laws of men.”
~~- Bob Marley ~~
*******
“Brains first and then Hard Work.”
~~ Eeyore, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne ~~
*******
“It is one thing,
to show a man that he is in an error,
and another,
to put him in possession of truth.”
~~ John Locke ~~
*******
“The human condition is such
that pain and effort are not just symptoms
which can be removed without changing life itself;
they are rather the modes in which life itself,
together with the necessity to which it is bound,
makes itself felt.
For mortals, the ‘easy life of the gods’ would be a lifeless life.”
~~ Hannah Arendt ~~
*******
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
~~ Anais Nin ~~
*******
Costing not less than everything.
~~ T.S. Eliot ~~
*******
********************************
Well, there you go. A bit esoteric in spots, but, altogether, a fine little Pearl for your consumption. I’ll skip any comments on process, or program, or even potential quality, and just say, see ya tomorrow, ffolkes. It seems to be a habit I can’t break…. Not that I want to, mind you…. More to follow….
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.
“We turn not older with years, but newer every day.”
~~ Emily Dickinson ~~
Spare any fish, mister?….
Hajime…. As predicted yesterday, and many times previously, I’m back. That isn’t to say I am claiming any kudos, or expect any acknowledgment. It’s merely taking note of what exists, for now. In the final analysis, after all, we don’t have anything else but what exists now; yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is but a dream, right? Right. So, we take it as it comes, do the best we can, and move on down the road to the next moment, all with as much aplomb as we find comfortable…. Simple creatures, we are, in truth. We just don’t remember it often….
I don’t have a lot today; yesterday turned out pretty busy, in a good way. I spent the afternoon reconnecting with an old friend; we hadn’t seen each other for about 12 or more years, so, we had some ground to cover; it was good, especially when one considers all the possibilities that are engendered when two old farts start trading memories. We had a great time, and are both looking forward to staying in touch. Since all this was happening when my physical issues seem to be resolving positively, it turned into a fine day….
In the interests of not pushing our luck, I’m going with what I’ve got. It’s not too shabby; the new poem finished leaking onto the screen, and there’s a pretty fine old-school pearl to ponder. The poem’s a bit strange, but, then, so am I. Go figure, eh? Let’s get on with it, before I lose my nerve…. I say that, of course, in the hope I do have some nerve left…. Ha! Onward into the day, ffolkes. Hang on…..
Shall we pearl?….
“Truth, like surgery, may hurt. But it cures.”
~~ Han Suyin ~~
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Meander….
Inimitable, grieving, garnering mere bargains, to taste;
naked apes, priapic by nature and choice,
filled up the only valid chalice, laid it to waste,
nobody asked, nor ever raised a single voice.
Formidable, dreams becoming so real;
clearly extraordinary, in a tawdry sense.
Deals to make, illusions to steal,
busy, busy, building fence after fence.
True nature’s existence, so to speak,
rests interiorly, as well as in your face.
Duality’s persistent insistence ain’t weak;
ignorance of reality leaves not a single trace.
Herds of commonality congregate before portals
shaking each other by the collar as they dance.
Chasing their illusionary dreams, as if they weren’t mortals,
born believing they ever had a chance.
Irony lives deep in the human soul, part, parcel, post;
holding four aces, betting a pair of jacks, or queens.
Expedience beckons toward mendacity, at most,
fox mocking grapes, while it dances and preens.
The wheel turns, inevitable, ponderously mundane,
grinding grain, chaff, and dust.
Bolstering connections aids those who may abstain
from the paltry tale of the bold, and just.
~~ gigoid ~~
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Naked Pearls
I yam what I yam….
*******
“Our quarrel with the world is an echo
of the endless quarrel proceeding within us.”
~~ Eric Hoffer ~~
*******
“It’s not denial.
I’m just very selective about what I accept as reality.”
~~ Calvin (“Calvin and Hobbes”) ~~
*******
“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along,
listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.”
~~ Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne ~~
*******
1. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.
2. Allow the experience of fresh air
and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
3. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
4. When it’s in your best interest, always practice obedience.
5. Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory.
6. Take naps and always stretch before rising.
7. Run, romp, and play daily.
8. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
9. Be loyal.
10. Never pretend to be something you’re not.
11. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
12. When someone is having a bad day,
be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
13. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
14. Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
15. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
16. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
17. When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
18. No matter how often you are criticized,
don’t buy into the guilt thing and pout.
Run right back and make friends.
~~ Things We Can Learn from a Dog ~~
*******
“Ah, fill the Cup: – what boots it to repeat
How Time is slipping underneath our Feet:
Unborn To-morrow, and dead Yesterday,
Why fret about them if To-day be sweet!”
~~ Omar Khayyam (fl. 1100) ~~
*******
“I exist as I am, that is enough.”
~~ Walt Whitman ~~
*******
“The supreme irony of life is hardly anyone ever gets out of it alive.”
~~ Robert Heinlein ~~
*******
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That will have to do. Duty, and the events of the upcoming day are calling me. If you’ll pardon me, I shall now go forth, and ignore as much of that call as I can, as is our habit as humans. Y’all have a good one, ffolkes. I’ll see if I can’t put another one together for tomorrow…. 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.
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold,
it would be a merrier world.”
~~ J.R.R. Tolkien ~~
Random Government Building, Belfast, Ireland
Hajime…. The Pearl you’ll see today is a rush job, the natural result of being incredibly late in starting today. Since the reason has to do with the amount of sleep I got, (for a change, plenty), my only response is to feel the rush, without the urgency, because, hey, sleep, right? I could have arisen at a usual hour (3 or 4 AM), but, was able to turn over and sleep until I was done, an event of major proportion around here. Yay for me, and now we’re done with the excuses.
I’ll warn y’all now; I have no idea what will happen below. I’ve got zilch finished, so, it will all be the quickest work I can devise, whether from the archives, or, forced out of SB with no mercy. I’ll use the whip, if necessary, but, it WILL get done. So be it. To assist with this goal, the intro will be as truncated as I can make it. How truncated will it be? Just this much….
Shall we Pearl?….
“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane
by those who could not hear the music.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~
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You guessed it. We’re going default for music, just because we can. I’ll pick one with a nice picture, and be done with it. Abondanza!….
As intimated in the intro so strongly, we’re hitting the archives again today for our ranting material. I don’t know yet what kind it will be, but, we’ll try for a bit of either humor, or snark. Let’s see what we can find today….
From 2/24/2013:
“Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience.” — Adam Smith
This is so true, I want to shout it out from the rooftops…. It is the kind of insight that leads to jokes like “Lord, protect me from the works of thy followers.” which are so prevalent in our society. We’ve all witnessed the excesses of fanaticism at times, and, I’m sure, have suffered indignity of some sort at their hands at some point in our lives. Nobody escapes it, as such fanaticism is like having roaches; they are impossible to completely eradicate. Of course, there are methods of killing roaches that are foolproof (placing them in a complete vacuum, for example), but it means killing off the entire species , and the rest of us would doubtless find objections to that scenario…..
“It is hard to be brave, when you’re only a Very Small Animal.” — Piglet, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne
These simple minded fools who become fanatics, whether it is over their country, their religion, their race, or their collection of plastic flamingos, all suffer from the same lack of courage as Piglet describes here. In their case, it isn’t because they lack the ability to be “larger”, like Piglet, but because their minds see themselves as “small”, in relation to all they don’t understand, and this gives them the same sense of constant fearfulness that comes with never knowing when some larger creature will notice you, and eat you, or not notice you, and crush you under foot, with careless indifference….
“Again, our observations of the stars make it evident, not only that the earth is circular, but also that it is a circle of no great size. For quite a small change of position to south or north causes a manifest alteration of the horizon. There is much change, I mean, in the stars which are overhead, and the stars seen are different, as one moves northward or southward. …All of which goes to show not only that the earth is circular in shape, but that it is a sphere of no great size: for otherwise the effect of so slight a change of place would not be so quickly apparent. Hence, one should not be too sure of the incredibility of the view of those who conceive that there is a continuity between the parts about the pillars of Hercules [the strait of Gibraltar] and the parts about India, and that in this way the ocean is one.” — Aristotle, De Caelo, Fourth Century B.C.
As a consequence of all that fear, most of the folks who assume fanatical stances refuse to see, or perceive, as much as they possibly can, and this includes reading, or watching, or listening to things that challenge the truth of what they have chosen to believe. The things they DO choose to believe never challenge them to think, or to go outside their comfort zone in any way; any such suggestion is viewed with anger, mistrust, and fearful rejection, no matter how nonthreatening it may be to normals…. If it doesn’t fit into their narrow little view of things, it is evil, and not to be trusted, in their minds, or what passes for one….
As the quote from Aristotle shows, mankind’s knowledge of the natural world has grown beyond the guesses and speculation that are rampant in the ancient writings about religion, and, thankfully, most of the world is able to understand, and accept the facts in question. It is only those whose fear of the universe is such that they cling to outdated, misguided systems of belief that, though they offer comfort to their preconceptions and misapprehensions, have nothing to do with the real world on any level. And, damned if they don’t get upset, and violent, when those misapprehensions are challenged in any way!…. Idiots….
Sorry, I get disgusted sometimes, especially when I think about those assholes who encourage the idiots, i.e., the priests, preachers, and other members of the priestly hierarchies…. I regard them as the WORST of humanity, in complete lock-step and purpose with that other group of reprehensible semi-humans, the BRC, or 1%, as they’re known these days in the news. The entire purpose of the religious institutions on this planet is to provide behavioral control of the population to the ruling classes, under the guise of religion, by manipulating the masses of believers into following whatever dictates the ones in power may come up with, in order to receive their heavenly rewards…. I swear, it’s the biggest, longest running scam in history….
I’ve already gone a bit overboard here, and really haven’t begun to roll with my indictment/rant yet. Since this is the last pearl for today, I’ll stop here, and just say this…. There are a lot of really stupid people on this planet, as well as a great many good, intelligent, compassionate ffolkes…. but, the money, and the power, reside with a very small number, with representatives from both groups, and as far as I can see, most of them are bat shit crazy, in the sense that they don’t care at all about any of the rest of humanity, as long as they get theirs….. We, the intelligentsia, are perhaps the only hope left to the world before it is too late…. Only if enough of us rise up and throw their sorry asses into the pits will we have a chance of seeing another millennium on our calendar…. THAT is a fact, not a guess; the evidence is there for anyone to see….
So, wake up, ffolkes, and folks, because the day is coming when you will wish you had listened to people like me…..
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This poem is either the first, or second poem I wrote in 2012, after a 35 year hiatus from writing any at all. I hope you enjoy it….
A Failure to Germinate
Marking the days in elements of sad disarray
only holds me thrall, as I laugh while I may.
With cold, hard hands so impatient and cruel
pulling me to this vale of tears, a pathetic old fool.
Feelings sit silent, cast in shadows and light
breaking forth to implicate such vengeful might.
Just below the surface they patiently hide
to sally forth bravely, colors bright as they ride.
Tears and pain transform valued assets in hand
while comfort and serenity retreat to a far land.
Bold, bright patterns of hope garnish my ruinous state
until reality enters, full of disdainful portions of hate.
I sort out the illustrious measures of vision gone mild
only to find them transformed, now vicious and wild.
In my deepest desires I find myself calloused and cold
with faithless advocates whose souls have been sold.
My search finds little to support any hope of relief
far too much time has passed to bolster such belief.
The sad becomes real, and real becomes unfounded
until flights of such fancy are all dead, and grounded.
Nature has informed me of the newly hatched crime
of which reality boasted proudly, time after time.
The last answer we think of is always the best
as we come to terms with fate, our hope at rest.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/27/2012
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Naturally, Smart Bee goes on strike, just when I need it most. Go figure. Fortunately, for me, I’ve got archives, and a lot of ’em, to boot. Here’s one now….
From 2/23/2013:
“I represent a sardine!!” — Zippy the Pinhead
At this point, after reading that line, you might just be wondering if I’ve slipped my leash again…. and, you’d be justified in that thought. However, rest assured, I’m perfectly sane, if somewhat metaphorically, so it’s all good, right? Right…..
Now, such a bald statement from our old pal is liable to make one think at first that he is either kidding (not bloody likely….), or he is currently having hallucinatory delusions of being a seafood lawyer, or fish solicitor, as my British friends would say. While both of those are possible scenarios, similar in nature to Zippy’s previous episodes of verbal gymnastics, neither is correct in this instance, as I happen to know that he is teaching a lesson in metaphorical manipulation, or, as it is commonly known, lying his ass off, to keep you preoccupied while he is doing something else he doesn’t want you to see, or know about…. He’s tricky that way….
I suppose he might be trying to tell us he is a theatrical/literary agent of some sort, and has a sardine who a) has written the next best seller, entitled “The Truth About Tuna”, an exposé of the fishing industry, b) has a voice like Pavarotti, c) juggles three seahorses while riding a motorized wheelchair, or d) paints incredibly lifelike pictures of cruise ships, from an underwater view…. He might, if that is what he meant, but, it isn’t…. It is all just a distraction, a hullabaloo to draw your attention away from his real purpose, which has to do with several cases of motor oil, a rag-time band, two Senators, and a motel out on Route 666….. You really don’t want to know, now, do you?
No, really, ffolkes, I had a reason to show Zippy’s little gem off today, and it was really a good one…. So, it’s really too bad that, by the time I finished with the second paragraph above, I completely lost track of whatever it was I had to say about it….. That, of course, is embarrassing, but not as much as having to turn tail, right in the middle of a pearl, or what SHOULD have been a pearl, and go old school, just to save my ass from complete well, asininity (what else?….)….
So, here is what Smart Bee came up with, and taken together, the pearls all DO have a point…. just don’t ask me what it is, because even if I knew, I don’t think I can be trusted today to say it correctly, or even interpret it accurately…. So, you’re kind of on your own…. Don’t worry, they’re all safe, just pointed a little….Enjoy!….
“Look under enough rocks and you’ll find _something_ slimy” — Smart Bee
“And gentle Dulness ever loves a joke.” — Alexander Pope (1688-1744) — The Dunciad, Book ii, Line 34
“Don’t edit reality for the sake of simplicity.” — Smart Bee
“No people do so much harm as those who go about doing good.” — Mandell Creighton
“A thief believes everybody steals.” — E.W. Howe
“I have a feeling that at any time about three million Americans can be had for any militant reaction against law, decency, the Constitution, the Supreme Court, compassion and the rule of reason.” — John Kenneth Galbraith
“My way of joking is to tell the truth. It’s the funniest joke in the world.” — George Bernard Shaw
Well, there you have it, such as it is…. Ta then, luvs…..
********************************
Having managed to hit the golden mean for today, I’m going to be as succinct as I can here at the end. It may be the quickest Pearl ever created, but, it’s not bad, considering. I’m going to trust the process again, & go get it posted before I lose my nerve. Y’all have a good one, ffolkes; I’ll be back tomorrow, hopefully with some fresher material. You may count on two things; one, I’ll be here; two, I’ll be here…. Sounds solid to me….
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.
Hajime…. Once again, I ain’t got it. Some might ask, “What ain’t you got?”, but, they’re just jealous. Others may query, “So what?” They, too, can go take a hike. What I ain’t got today isn’t defined by simple words, so, I’m not going to try. But, to know it’s so is often useful, especially since we all must deal with it. Me, I’m going to fade back 10 yards, and punt. I’ve lost too much ground already to do anything else.
What this means, of course, is today’s Pearl will be chopped up into pieces, and recycled where possible. Where not possible, I’ll either cheat, or bail. Otherwise, there won’t be a Pearl, unless I re-blog an older one, which isn’t happening today. Why? Don’t ask, I won’t have to use the Metaphorse, which, as we all know, can get completely out of hand in a heartbeat. Perhaps, by the end of this paragraph, I’ll have some sort of sense of direction, which will take us where we ought to be by now.
Or, not….. Oh, well, so much for that. Instead, I believe I’ll just forget all the tricks, and distractions, and get on with whatever will happen. I don’t know how this will go, so, wish me luck. I have a distinct feeling I’ll need it…..
Shall we Pearl?….
“Belief is the death of intelligence.”
~~ Robert Anton Wilson ~~
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Camille Saint-Saëns
Okay. I have my direction, such as it is, so, here is what I’ll be listening to while I’m taking it. Y’all enjoy; this is what I listen to when my PTSD is raging, and I am on the edge of tumbling into the abyss. It keeps me from going over, as long as it plays…. You’ll understand, once you’re engaged in listening…. Enjoy!….
Since I’ve got nothing, here’s a rant from early last year, sometime during my descent into my personal Hell…. Enjoy, ffolkes; it’s rather pointed…. and delightfully nasty in spots….
From 1/29/2015:
“A power has risen up in the government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various and powerful interests, combined into one mass, and held together by the cohesive power of the vast surplus in the banks.” — Johann L. Uhland (1787-1862) — Speech, May 27, 1836
Zowie! Eureka! I knew I’d heard this somewhere before, but, couldn’t remember the author’s name. In stating this observation, made not long after the US government was formed, the author takes the hand of Thomas Jefferson, who expressed his fear of exactly this happenstance, in numerous letters to friends before, and after, the signing of the Constitution. He recognized the overpowering ambition and thirst for power so obvious in those who embrace it, attempting to warn his fellow citizens, many times….
As is plain to see, nobody paid the slightest attention, whereupon the bankers, in close conjunction with their myrmidons, i.e., the pundits and lawyers, continued to pursue their evil intent, to secure their hold over government, and, thus, society…. They’ve been so successful, we see in today’s world, they control every level of the national scene; witness the number of Republican presidential candidates who have been sucking up to the Koch brothers, and the Citizens United PAC, with their unlimited pile of money, in use in today’s world buying the loyalty of every single politician they can pervert to their insane desire to make the world over in their own image…. It doesn’t seem to matter at all to them that image is a clear, crisp photograph of the worst HELL imaginable, or that it would entail oppressing 99% of the human race….
Why are many scientists using lawyers for medical experiments instead of rats?
a) There are more lawyers than rats.
b) The scientist’s don’t become as emotionally attached to them.
c) There are some things that even rats won’t do for money.
~~ Smart Bee ~~
Gee, do ya think I’ve lost some of my respect for lawyers, and their second-slimiest clients, the bankers? (First place in my hell is reserved for pimps, and those who abuse women, children, or animals…. which, of course, lawyers and bankers do by proxy, with their usual complete indifference to the suffering of others….) Why no, of course not. I’ve lost ALL of it, with what I consider damn good reason, based on 64 years of observing the human drama, along with my own personal experience with both categories of asshole…. The only respect for any of them I have, is for those who actually HELP people, without considering what they can get out of it, other than their own satisfaction for helping people find justice, and a reasonable fee for that help, whether the fee is taken in pies & chickens, eternal gratitude, or simply cash….
In keeping with today’s theme of picking on lawyers and bankers, and, to save energy for my upcoming battle, I decided to pick out an old school pearl, aimed at the former, as they’re an easier target, all in all…. They’re just SO…… weaselly! Well, there are some are exceptions, sure, but, the others infest the world so prominently, the good ones are hard to find…. Ah well, here are some observations about them, from Smart Bee, and a number of other people who feel the same as most everybody else, about those lawyers who use their skills to benefit themselves, showing complete indifference as to whether it benefits anyone else….
Liar, n.: A lawyer with a roving commission. — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”
“A group of white South Africans recently killed a black lawyer because he was black. That was wrong. They should have killed him because he was a lawyer.” — A. Whitney Brown
“Always take a lawyer with you, and bring another lawyer to watch him.” — Bo Diddly’s Observation on the Law
“Fleas can be taught nearly everything a lawyer can.” — Smart Bee
“Here’s an amazing story. A man in Orlando, Florida, was hit by eight cars in a row and only one stopped. The first seven drivers thought he was a lawyer. The eighth was a lawyer.” — Jay Leno
“If a lawyer and an IRS agent were both drowning, and you could only save one of them, would you go to lunch or read the paper?” — Smart Bee
“In a man’s world…simian aptitudes are rated high, and so not too many women get in. To succeed as a lawyer, for example, a woman would have to throttle two of her chief attributes: her disdain for the petty accumulations of useless knowledge, and her sharp feeling for the truth. What men in their imbecility consistently mistake for a deficiency of intelligence in women is merely an incapacity for mastering small and trivial tricks.” — H. L. Mencken, Chicago _Sunday Tribune_, January 8, 1928
“In the Norse mythology Loki originally was on the side of the rest of the gods, helping them once or twice using particularly nasty forms of trickery. He was a cunning negotiator with a talent for technicalities. He was sort of the Norse equivalent of a lawyer, no doubt the reason they tied him down in a pit dripping acidic venom on him.” — Martin Terman
“How many lawyers does it take to change a light bulb? You won’t find a lawyer who can change a light bulb. Now, if you’re looking for a lawyer to screw a light bulb… ” — Smart Bee
LAWYER: A professional advocate hired to bend the law on behalf of a paying client; for this reason considered the most suitable background for entry into politics. — Definition from “THE CYNIC’S DICTIONARY”
Needless to say, I could do this forever, no sweat, or guilt; there are already nine pearls, and I’ve only used three of the ten pages of quotes I’ve collected on the subject. But, I suppose there ARE more productive things we could all be doing. This is pretty cool, but, as with all good things, it can’t last forever…. Onward, into the day….
Oh, hell…. Naturally, AFTER I’ve finished, I find the PERFECT pearl for this group. Since we’ve already completed it, I’ll just tack it here on the end, where it will enjoy its highlighted position; I call it perfect because it takes a shot at two categories at once, both of which are current players in my personal drama…. This one tells it like it is, for sure and for certain….
“Doctors are the same as lawyers; the only difference is that lawyers merely rob you, whereas doctors rob you and kill you too.” — Anton Chekhov
gigoid has spoken…
So be it.
********************************
In the past couple weeks, you may have noted my less than stellar condition; if not, I can congratulate myself for keeping it quiet, mostly. The fact is, I’ve been experiencing a lot of arthritic pain, all over, as the barometer bounces up & down with our spring time weather. It’s kept me in a rotten mood, which has affected these Pearls rather significantly. Here is a poem I wrote about this sort of time, some time ago, that may give y’all an idea of what I’m dealing with…. Of course, it doesn’t speak of the effects of the PTSD, which sort of adds its own flavor, but, that can be for another time….
Elemental, dear Watson….
Don’t worry,
it’s not
me
you hear
screaming.
It is
only
my bones,
giving in,
to
cowardly,
pathologically,
repetitive,
fucking,’
complaints
of
past abuse,
and
all the fun
we had.
playing,
hard.
I don’t mind
too much;
I can spend my
TIME
in another space
in my head,
pretending
my bones
don’t
exist….
It
is,
indeed,
a shame
they
always
come
back….
Fuck.
It
hurts.
More proof,
I guess,
either
God isn’t,
or,
He is.
IF
He isn’t?
Oh,
Well….
Ante up.
Deal.
IF
He is?
Then,
I don’t fucking care
who
doesn’t like it,
I say,
He
is
a bully,
a coward,
a hypocrite,
and,
truly,
an enormous asshole.
I suppose,
God
is
what comes,
to,
and
from,
People,
because
they
feel
a need,
for
someone
to
blame,
for
a
Universe
they
cannot
understand
or
accept.
I
will
take the complaints.
After all,
they
are
my bones.
~~ gigoid ~~
********************************
In order to get this done in nearly a timely fashion, I’m going back to the archives. Go figure….
From 7/28/2012:
Caution: Old School Pearl Ahead. Gird Your Grids For A Big One…..
“Two babies were born on the same day at the same hospital. They lay there and looked at each other. Their families came and took them away. Eighty years later, by a bizarre coincidence, they lay in the same hospital, on their deathbeds, next to each other. One of them looked at the other and said, “So. What did you think?” — Steven Wright
A monk said to Joshu, “I have just entered this monastery. Please teach me.”
“Have you eaten your breakfast?” Joshu asked.
“Yes, I have,” replied the student.
“Then you had better wash your bowl.”
— Smart Buddhist Bee
“TAPPING? You POLITICIANS! Don’t you realize that the END of the “Wash Cycle” is a TREASURED MOMENT for most people?!” — Zippy the Pinhead
“I’ll get you my pretty, and your little dog too!” — Wicked Witch of the East
“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” — Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne
There, that should do it…. I’ve made this as clear as mud, obviously…. Don’t worry, though, it won’t be on the test…. In fact, it won’t even count toward graduation, not that we care about stuff like that…. But, it does make a good point, yes? Nod your head…..
********************************
It’s done; that’s the best I can say of this one. I’ll probably be back tomorrow, as I don’t seem able to keep from doing so. I will, however, try to make it somewhat fresher than this one, thought that remains only a possibility at this point. Let’s just say, I’ll be here, come what may, & leave it at that, okay? Okay….. See y’all then, 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 