Tag Archives: Robert G. Ingersoll

Oblique references to metaphoric events….

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Ffolkes,

“To him that waits all things reveal themselves,
provided that he has the courage not to deny,
in the darkness,
what he has seen in the light.”

~~ Coventry Patmore ~~

lets talk leelu

Okay, so, we need to talk….

Hajime…. Yesterday, for unknown reasons, while productive, was a wash in terms of satisfaction, as each task completed bore its own particular individual issues making it more difficult than either anticipated, or desired. I got it all done, but, was exhausted by 10 AM, & ended up NOT making it to the blogs I wanted particularly to get caught up on. Ah, well, such is life in the big city; everything we do has its piece of dissatisfaction, as we struggle to make sense of an insane world….. I’m reminded, at times like this, of Charlie Chaplin’s movie, Modern Times; not necessarily of the actual events, but, the overall feeling of something being wrong with this picture….

As an elder member of a species whose primary survival skill is adaptability, I’ll utilize all I have learned through the years to throw off that feeling, so I can, if nothing else, complete this Pearl & get on with another day of dealing with reality as best I can. I still have tasks to complete out in the Big Blue Room, so, I’ll see if what I’ve managed thus far will work again for today. In the meantime, rather than explore personal idiosyncracies, such as the need to make sense of things that make no sense, I’ll use my recently-honed skills in time management, mainly comprised of the ability to be ruthless in the act of ‘throwing out the dross’, to move this along as swiftly as possible…. Not my favorite new skill, but, handy at such times as these….

I could choose from among a number of different methods to accomplish this, but, I think I’ll just use the one that works best, to wit: the Drop. It isn’t always the most comfortable, to use or to experience, but, it does the job better than all the others, combined. Which one is it? Easy; this one….

Shall we Pearl?

“The notion that faith in Christ
is to be rewarded by an eternity of bliss,
while a dependence upon reason, observation, and experience
merits everlasting pain, is too absurd for refutation,
and can be relieved only by that unhappy mixture
of insanity and ignorance called “faith”.”

~~ Robert G. Ingersoll ~~

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bonnie (2)

This morning, I feel like rocking, & one cannot find anyone who can do that better than this lady and her band. From 1989, introduced by Bill Graham at the Oakland Coliseum theater, here is my own choice for redhead of the century (twentieth, if it matters; there’s a different award-winner chosen for this century; if she reads this, she’ll know to whom I refer….)….. Enjoy!….

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Bonnie Raitt Live

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Comedy_Tragedy

Manifesto, sotto voce

In retrospect, I’ve gotta say,
it’s all been rather a muddle.
Life is tough, so ‘they’all say,
Lots of misery, not much cuddle.

Me, I’ve found life a bit different
than ‘they’ seem to have done.
It’s all been rather excellent;
I’ve had loads & loads of fun.

Sure, there’s been some bad shit.
Who can’t say that?
All of that pales, all of it
when one hugs a dog, a child, or a cat.

I’ve seen, fought, and felt, more than my share,
the presence of evil in life.
The pain that remains often seems unfair;
I ask why I chose to deal with such strife.

I can always find the answer in the same place,
right where it has ever resided.
All we need to do is embrace
the joy we’ve given, and been provided.

Simple is good.
Balance is good.

Life can be both.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/19/2015

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pearls_3

After composing this old-school pearl, comprised of nine most subtle thoughts from a wide variety of people who have long been considered to be among humanity’s most respected minds, I found myself breathless, from the massive illumination it induced. Each individual pearl, which points a particular way, is part of the idea which came to me as I pondered them, one by one, each leading me deeper into the idea, until it became a near epiphany…. To try to fully explain that idea here would require a long dissertation, so, I’ll leave its expression as an exercise for the Gentle Reader…. Allow your mind dwell upon it, as you read, & perhaps you can find it, too…. Enjoy!….

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“A man may love a paradox without either losing his wit or his honesty.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

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“An ancient buddha said,
Mountains are mountains; waters are waters.
These words do not mean mountains are mountains;
they mean mountains are mountains.”

~~ Dogen ~~

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“The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”

~~ Chinese proverb ~~

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“In walking, just walk. In sitting, just sit. Above all, don’t wobble.”

!! Yun-Men !!

*******

“Illusion is the first of all pleasures.”

~~ Voltaire ~~

*******

“Whence come I and whither go I?
That is the great unfathomable question,
the same for every one of us.
Science has no answer to it.”

~~ Max Planck ~~

*******

“Whenever I climb I am followed by a dog called ‘Ego’.”

~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~

*******

“The farther you go, the less you know.”

~~ Lao Tzu, “Tao Te Ching”

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“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet
and the winds long to play with your hair.”

~~ Kahlil Gibran, “The Prophet” ~~

*******

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Well, there you go. It’s done, & I have to say, it ain’t bad, all things considered…. I’m off now, though being ‘off’ is nothing new. I’m also going to take my leave, forthwith. Now, seeing that, you might think I have more to say before leaving you, but, you’d be wrong. Not only am I done saying stuff, I’m, as we say downtown, outta here. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, as long as reality doesn’t intrude again….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Dozer

À bientôt, mon cherí….

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Searching for syllogistic integrity….

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Ffolkes,

“Brave men were living before Agamemnon.”

~~ Horace (65-8 BC) — Odes, iv, 9, 25 ~~

ignoring me

I’m ignoring you….

Hajime….

“I have here only made a nosegay of culled flowers,
and have brought nothing of my own but the thread that ties them together.”

~~ Michael de Montaigne (1533-1592) — Essays, Book iii, Chap. xii ~~

Perfect! I couldn’t have said it any better, in answer to the question of what I do here each time I post. Funny how so many writers/philosophers from the past have expressed human nature, and its means of expression, so accurately it remains valid today, nearly five hundred years later. It almost makes one feel superfluous, if not for the personal value it provides me as a means of self-therapy. Of course, such therapy is most effective when it is applied consistently, but, consistency isn’t always either available, or advisable. Too much of it, & one becomes hidebound, thus invalidating the positive nature of the effect. Ah, well, one can only do one’s best, n’est pas?

My best, today, is probably closer to ‘okay’ than to ‘most excellent’, so, we’ll atone for any lack of brilliance by shortening the exposure time. One of the best ways to do that is to make a serious attempt to curtail any use of excessive nonsense. Of course, any such limits need to be applied quickly, before the volume grows beyond my means of control. There are days, (of which today is one….) when the volume to be released is simply too much to keep from bursting out of any artificially applied boundaries. I can feel it in there, tons & tons of sheer idiocy & fun, straining at the edge of control so laboriously gathered for the purpose…..

Hell…. this means there’s only one way to keep this from getting away from me, & that is to apply an emergency method of egress. Happily, I found one in the nearest drawer, only two steps away in the kitchen, so, there’s still a chance to salvage this. The only hard part of it is the abrupt nature of its operation, so, I suggest you put down any adult beverages, & grab the closest stanchion, while I try to keep us from complete disaster…. You see, it works like this….

Shall we Pearl?

“Ignorance is the soil in which belief in miracles grows.”

~~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~~

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betty-boop-1934

I doubt very much there is any need to introduce this young lady to the Gentle Reader, unless said G. R. has been living in a cave for the past century…. This collection of her cartoons comprises more than an hour of her adventurous episodes, but, if that isn’t enough, just follow the links embedded in the player to find all you could wish for, including those that were banned due to ‘culturally questionable’ morals…. Have fun!….

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Betty Boop

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Comedy_Tragedy

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 ~~

9/14/2014

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Connecting some of the dots….

*******

“No law can be sacred to me but that of my nature.
Good and bad are but names
very readily transferable to that or this;
the only right is what is after my own constitution;
the only wrong what is against it.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

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“Enter freely and leave some of the happiness you bring behind.”

~~ The Insidious Wu Han ~~

*******

“I love those who yearn for the impossible.”

~~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust ~~

*******

“A person’s maturity consists in having found again
the seriousness one had as a child, at play.”

~~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche ~~

*******

“At some point your heart will tell itself what to do.”

~~ Achaan Chah ~~

*******

“Grain grows best in shit.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

*******

“You cannot face it steadily, but this thing’s for sure,
That time is no healer: the patient is no longer here.”

~~ T.S. Eliot ~~

*******

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Well!…. That was….. interesting. Rather than try to analyze what just occurred here, I’m going to use up some of my curmudgeonly currency, & drop y’all here like a hot potato. If that causes any severe injury, or excessive loss of blood, so be it; you’ll find first aid supplies in the hampers under the seats. As for me, I’m off to lick my wounds in private, so as to delegitimize any pertinent or possible litigation. I will, however, try to be back tomorrow, so, y’all may file any charges then. Until then, stay weird, be cool, and try to remain alert…. See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 2780

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Comforting delusions of adequacy….

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Ffolkes,

“The hands that help are better far than the lips that pray.”

~~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~~

spring tree 17

Spring in full bloom….

Hajime…. In the past six years, or so, I have spent many hours contemplating the state of Reality in which I find myself existing, along with more than seven billion other humans, each of whom possesses their own interpretation of that Reality. The degree of cognitive dissonance this existence engenders amongst us humans is, as it naturally must, increasing, at a rate that any good mathematician fears, to wit: it is exponential, rapidly approaching a parabolic curve leading to infinity. Now, that may not sound like it is something to fear, but, if one truly understands what ‘parabolic’ implies, such fear is the natural result….

Another way to describe this is in the less mathematical, but, more accessible concept of insanity, with which we humans also have extensive experience, both individually, and as a species. Perhaps the simplest way to express all I see can be summed up in the short, pithy phrase, the world has gone fucking crazy. I would suggest that anyone who doesn’t agree with that assessment can only be understood to be a large part of the problem; it’s hard to see the trees when one is in a forest fire…..

I suppose such a sobering line of thought isn’t altogether appropriate to begin today’s missive; some might say it’s a sure path to perdition, leading to loss of Gentle Readership, as well as being a real bummer. But, then, ‘appropriate’ has never really been an accepted part of my vocabulary, being, as it so clearly is, a concept rooted in giving a shit what others think, of which I have never been guilty. But, since I do happen to agree it’s a bummer, I’ll forgo any further exploration of so obvious a truism, or, set of truisms, in favor of some rather more uplifting lines of discussion.

This, patently, implies changing direction, a habit we encourage, as it fits in with Reality’s general directional flow, which is in a rather constant state of flux (great word, flux….). To further encourage such flexibility, I’ll proceed now to make the necessary directional alterations to get us where we need to be, to wit: further on down the road…. How does that look? Ah, well, to find out, simply follow me, as I make this slight adjustment to our modus operandi…. Watch closely, or, you’ll miss it….

Shall we Pearl?

I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together!

~~ The Beatles, “I Am The Walrus” ~~

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

We are going with a default selection today. This one advertises itself as a collection of the greatest classical composers; let’s see if they got that right, shall we? Enjoy!….

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

Random Visions/Coloring Between the Lines of Grief

Everywhere is dark, and shining,
with points in dissonant pain.
Sharp, senses dull past divining,
tears burn, a torrential rain.

Escape! Flee within to cower,
find an unconscious cave.
Call on Morpheus’ power
deny reality’s beckoning wave.

Light breaks, drawing the inner eye,
leading to the slippery slope.
Risk is critical, we may only sigh,
yet welcome, for bringing hope.

Sanity seems far out of reach
Insanity’s a stronger friend.
Decisions made will merely teach
our way toward Death to wend.

Lost, while still on familiar ground,
the future yet undesigned.
Making way on paths unfound,
to Now, as yet undefined.

~~ gigoid ~~

2/22/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Points to ponder….

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“When one shuts one eye, one does not hear everything.”

~~ Swiss Proverb ~~

*******

“If you love the sacred and despise the ordinary,
you are still bobbing in the ocean of delusion.”

~~ Lin-Chi ~~

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“Virtue knowing no base repulse, shines with untarnished honour;
nor does she assume or resign her emblems of honour
by the will of some popular breeze.”

~~ Horace ~~

*******

“Live the questions now.
Perhaps then, someday far in the future,
you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way in the answer.”

~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~

*******

“The education of the will is the object of our existence.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

*******

“Always make room for the unexpected in yourself.”

~~ Steve Martin ~~

*******

“But since life is cruel, to you and to me, here I am.”

~~ Umberto Eco ~~

*******

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

As I have noted previously, I do this to help keep my own sanity intact…. Well, as intact as it ever gets, anyway. If it helps decrease the overall level of insanity extant in the world, so be it. If not, well, entropy wins again. Either way, I’m done for today, which merely means I get to try again tomorrow, or, at the earliest convenient time, whichever seems clever. For the nonce, I shall bid thee adieu, with a hearty wave and my best wishes for your own retention of sanity. Hope, silly as it always seems, springs eternal, doesn’t it? Yes, yes, it does…. See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 2780

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Bittersweet are the memories of youth….

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Ffolkes,

” If you see a man approaching you with the obvious intention
of doing you good, you should run for your life.”

~~ Thoreau’s Law ~~

tiki-secrets

Sharing Tiki secrets….

Hajime…. Having spent more than five years using this blog process as a means of retaining what sanity I may claim, it seems Reality, in its most significant manifestations, is demanding I give it up, in favor of survival, in a very real sense. The condition in which current Reality has been configured by human culture is beginning to resemble our nature, which is somewhat unstable, a generous description, at best. The population has grown, and continues to grow, beyond the planet’s ability to sustain us in any degree of comfort, showing no signs of establishing any rational limits to its growth.

This, of course, is a self-regulating issue; the problem is, the regulatory process will, in its most basic permutation, kill most of us in its manifestation. We are rapidly approaching the possibility of more than one sort of catastrophic adjustment in Nature, and making no preparations to deal with whatever may occur to bring the population down to a manageable size, or, eliminate us altogether…. Hell, you couldn’t get more than a single percent of that population to admit there may be a problem; they’re too busy creating it to notice…. Homo suicidus, indeed….

Knowing this, I am finding the creation of these Pearls to be, not tiresome, or tedious, but, difficult to justify, in terms of how it may help me to survive. For the time I’ve been writing, it has served me well, as a balm to my injured soul, and, a means of striking back at the demons who live in my head, as a result of my experiences with the violent side of human nature for so long. Now, my sense of danger from the death throes of human culture has reached a critical point, where I must decide whether to continue this process, or, let it go, & do what can be done to prepare for the upcoming disturbances, so clearly imminent in my understanding. A hard rain’s a gonna fall, ffolkes, and I need to replace my umbrella with one a bit more sturdy….

This means, in the near future, I may decide to disappear, as far off-grid as I can safely get to; there are still assessments to be completed, and preparations to be planned & carried out. But, be sure, at some point, I will be ready, and will just go, probably without much of a ripple in the waters of reality. For now, I guess I’ll see if Smart Bee is in a mood to share. If so, we’ll finish up this mess, & post what I’ve got. If not, well, I guess I’ll see what happens then…. For now, let’s do this, & go see what there is to find….

Shall we Pearl?

“Only the half-mad are wholly alive.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

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

Naturally, since I’m cutting things short today, we’ll go with the first, best classical collection I can find… I hope you enjoy it; if not…. Oh, well. Can’t say I’m not trying….

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

Measures of Intent

Hell is never far away; it slips in, then out,
like a ninja, bent on stealth and death.
Living metamorphoses, in the space of a breath,
sordid entropy fills us, within, and without.

Tide turns again; back and forth it tumbles,
like those little wind up toys, yet never stays.
All our efforts, all our silly little ways,
disappear like seaweed, as sanity crumbles.

The duality of reality in which we are firmly caught,
seems to inhabit every part of our natural selves.
Nothing is ever still, nor can it be placed on shelves;
we are dark, and light; balance must be taught.

Life is lived only one moment at a time,
past and future have no power to alter this at all.
We can choose to fly, or choose to fall;
finding truth, and beauty, can never be a crime.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/14/2015

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Notes on Process and Program….

*******

“Civilization is fun! Anyway, it keeps me busy!!”

~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~

*******

“Fate is a river; free will is a paddle.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

*******

“I don’t believe that life is supposed to make you feel good,
or make you feel miserable either.
Life is just supposed to make you feel.”

~~ Gloria Naylor ~~

*******

“Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself.”

~~ Cicero ~~

*******

“Joy is wealth and love is the legal tender of the soul.”

~~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~~

*******

“I believe that it is better to tell the truth than a lie.
I believe it is better to be free than to be a slave.
And I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant.”

~~ H. L. Mencken ~~

*******

“Death is not the greatest loss in life.
The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.”

~~ Norman Cousins~~

*******

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Well, I pushed it, shoved it, patted it, and lied to it (no, just kidding…), and, well, it’s done. I won’t deny I did it, but, I’m pretty sure I won’t be sending it to the Pulitzer Committee, either. Since it IS done, I’m going to go find other stuff to do. I will also say, I’ll probably be back tomorrow; still too much to be done before I can get away as I wish, so, I may as well use the process to blow off any built up insanity that may accrue. Or, not; time will tell, won’t it? It usually does. Me, I’m outta here…. See ya, ffolkes, if I don’t explode first….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Bold by nature, reluctant by choice….

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3

Ffolkes,

“When we try to pick out anything by itself,
we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.”

~~ Muir’s Law ~~

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

small-beauty

Small Beauty, on city streets….

Hajime…. It is probably a bit early for introspection; like any area of thought, it’s a good thing to wait until one is fully awake, or, at least, invested in becoming so, before making any serious attempts at coherence, or, even more important, decision-making. To suppose I can figure out an inner demon’s moves well enough to defend myself from them is, perhaps, the height of arrogance. Oh, well; if I get hurt, so be it. Nobody else will lose any hit points, & will have nothing to worry about….

One may well ask one’s self at this point, “What’s the point?” To answer, naturally, would only encourage one, so, we’ll pass on that, preferring, instead, to address the aforementioned introspection, which, you may have noted, hasn’t materialized as yet. Damn good thing, too, since it is/was rather embarrassing. What was I thinking? Oh, right…. I wasn’t. In fact, at this point, I’ve managed to thoroughly confuse myself, to the point I no longer remember what I was going to say on that subject. Oh, goodie. I love when I get all introspective, then lose track of the whole thing in the press of the process. Just makes me tingly all over, to know my unconscious defense systems are working well….

The only part of that to worry over is what sort of direction to take from here; it’s clearly not in the direction we were heading, wherever that might have been. Hell, now I think of it, it’s even more confusing. In fact, I’m pretty well lost, ffolkes. I don’t know if I was actually going to be introspective, or just spent about 13 minutes creating a complete bubble of conflicting intentions, imbalanced by indecision and sheer fuzziness, until, now, I’m making up new ways to avoid talking about any of it, or, anything, at all. What a waste of electrons!

Fuck it. I’m done with the intro, which may just be the weirdest damn thing I’ve ever seen, much less created. If y’all have any further issues from having to read it, well, you’re on your own. I’m leaving now, before this becomes legally actionable….

Shall we Pearl?

“A wishbone ain’t no substitute for a backbone.”

~~ Old Western saying ~~

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

As is my habit, when I can’t decide on any other type of music, we go to default…. I hope you enjoy today’s collection, put together by somebody else, & chosen simply for the picture that drew my eye on the page I found it…. *grin*…. Good luck!….

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

Unheralded Sagacity…

To many, who will not see beyond their nose
the world becomes a dangerous place,
a bullet in every gun, a thorn with every rose,
no magic comes to save us, reality leaves no trace.

Minds closed, wrapped tight in manufactured fears,
men become clay, easily molded into complacent form.
No chains needed, held in thrall for years,
lies become gospel, when dishonesty is the norm.

Shed the chains you wear in durance, in kind;
Oh, ye of little faith, and much doubt
Strength is found in an unfettered mind,
Cry “freedom” with a great shout.

No help from any gods can hinder so much
as our own lack of confidence;
finding the light within, knowing it as such
confirms us, becoming consequence.

Illumination…..

~~ gigoid ~~

4/17/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Anarcho-Paladin Training Guidelines….

*******

“If at first you doubt, doubt again, and again …”

~~ gigoid Bee ~~

*******

“How often we recall, with regret,
that Napoleon once shot at a magazine editor
and missed him and killed a publisher.
But we remember with charity,
that his intentions were good.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

*******

“Anger blows out the lamp of the mind.”

~~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~~

*******

“Books aren’t written to be believed in, but to be questioned.”

~~ Umberto Eco ~~

*******

“Man is condemned to be free.
Condemned, because he did not create himself,
yet is nevertheless at liberty,
and from the moment he is thrown into the world,
he is responsible for everything he does.”

~~ Jean Paul Sartre ~~

*******

“A hero is no braver than anyone else; he is only brave five minutes longer.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

*******

“Character is who you are in the dark.”

~~ Lord John Whorfin ~~

*******

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

To be perfectly honest, this one is a joke. Probably not too funny a joke, but, after looking at it, I can’t think of a better way to speak of it, if I have to speak of it, at all. Since I am in, perhaps, a fortunate place for such a decision, I think I’ll just do as I have all day, & avoid any mention of what just took place. Instead, I’ll say, see y’all tomorrow, and, be on my way out for a long walk… Gotta keep up the new training guidelines….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 2780

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Primarily pilfered from the Pope’s patio….

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7

Ffolkes,

“Certainty is only a symptom of lack of imagination.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

the-president

The President

Composite Image by National Geographic via Facebook link….

Hajime…. As I sat to begin writing today’s Pearl, Leelu decided it was time for her morning “hammock” configuration; I had to spend the next half-hour making sure she felt loved, by assuming the position in which she prefers to lounge. This, naturally, screwed the pooch, as far as routine goes, so, what you see has been cobbled together in the time remaining before my panic sets in, when it becomes clear only ruthless trimming, and using every shortcut I can think of, will bring us to the point of completion so vital to my own sense of comfort. Hey, it’s MY obsession, and I like it!

At this juncture, I have to decide whether to throw in a small pile of nonsense, head off into a rant, or just wing it. Since ‘winging it’ is what I’ve been doing now for a paragraph and a half (nice rhyme there…), I suspect we’ll continue in that vein, just because it will save time to forgo switching over to something more rational. Besides, rational isn’t in the picture right now, anyway, so what would be the point? None. Not that we don’t enjoy the occasional foray into such rationality, but, it’s not the most comfortable place to exist; ask any American voter. Hah! Though we were done with the recent unpleasantness, didn’t you?

Well, we are; I’m not going there. It was merely a fake, intended to draw your eyes away while I located the proper tool to get us out of here. As I have done so, we’ll get right to it, before I lose my nerve, or my sense of direction, always a joy. In fact, with the technique I’ve chosen, all I have to do is put this right here, and….

Shall we Pearl?….

“As you grow older, you’ll find the only things you regret are the things you didn’t do.”

~~ Zachary Scott ~~

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

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

Yes, I know; we’ve had a lot of classical of late. I’m not going to apologize; whether you know it or not, when you listen to classical music, you are doing your brain a favor. Far be it from me to keep anyone from doing themselves a favor…. Enjoy, or not; up to you, as it always is….

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

Classical Music

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

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

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

Comedy_Tragedy

A new poem continues to leak out, slowly. Here’s one I wrote shortly after returning from Europe for the first time. I hope you enjoy it….

After the odyssey….

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

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

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

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

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

~~ gigoid ~~

3/10/2013

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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Stuff worth remembering….

*******

“You can get help from teachers,
but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself,
sitting alone in a room.”

~~ Theodore Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) ~~

*******

“Innocence is its own Defence.”

~~ Benjamin Franklin ~~

*******

“”The superior man is the providence of the inferior.
He is eyes for the blind, strength for the weak,
and a shield for the defenseless.
He stands erect by bending above the fallen.
He rises by lifting others.”

~~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~~

*******

“If you love the sacred and despise the ordinary,
you are still bobbing in the ocean of delusion.”

~~ Lin-Chi ~~

*******

“At times the wolves howl and the moon is silent.”

~~ George Carlin ~~

*******

“In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments
– there are consequences.”

~~ Robert Ingersoll (Lectures and Essays, 3d Series, Some Reasons Why, iii) ~~

*******

“Isn’t this my STOP?!”

~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~

*******

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

I did it, in spite of all obstacles, some of which, devised by a cat, were difficult to avoid. To further such efficiency, and, in the name of all that is wholly, I declare this Pearl complete, and shall now take my leave, stage virtual, to begin the preparations for doing this again tomorrow. Oh, by the way, I’ll see y’all then; you may place your bets, knowing the odds are pretty good….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 2780

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Those aren’t billable hours….

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2

Ffolkes,

“The poetry of earth is never dead.”

~~ John Keats — On the Grasshopper and Cricket ~~

sb-street-scene

State Street, Santa Barbara

Hajime…. I don’t have much today. In fact, I’ve got so little, calling it zero would be dignifying it. It’s so little, it makes zero look like infinity. But, wait, there’s more!

No, there really isn’t. The physical issue related yesterday is such that it leaves me with no energy for anything beyond the minimum activities of daily living. To keep this from turning into a complaint session rather than an intro, we’re going to assume our ruthless mask, to ensure we get this done. It’s going to require some rather extensive ruthlessness, too, so, we’d best get started on that. We will begin, by beginning, now….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Every adult needs a child to teach;
it’s the way adults learn.”

~~ Frank A. Clark ~~

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

steve-too

Image from http://www.stevegoodman.net — Bio pic

A friend tweeted a song to me and others yesterday; ’twas Arlo Guthrie singing “City of New Orleans”, a song written by this man, an iconic songwriter who died in 1984…. I found a concert of his on You Tube, which has poor video, but, great sound, showing off his great voice, and excellent guitar skills… His songs have been covered by the best musicians, in a number of venues, simply because they’re so good…. Enjoy, ffolkes!….

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

Steve Goodman

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

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

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

Comedy_Tragedy

Seeing is Conducive to Belief

Folly sits so comfortably upon my fevered brow
one would easily believe that I would know how
to look at Life with a jaded, weary eye
seeing enough, and more, to know Why.

Such seems the case, as I will it to be,
an open book of a face, it looks so like me;
what’s known to be so, needs no close attention
familiar sights require no minding, nor mention.

The eye is drawn at once to the stark and new,
and sent back to sleep by successful review.
Once we find evidence we feel we understand,
curiosity languishes, dismissed at command.

Ancient sages knew the insidious value of illusion,
preachers and pundits know the power of confusion.
Each pair of eyes contains its own point of reference,
each mind sets its own standards of preference.

Seeing is believing, for those who live in thrall,
accepting what is perceived is all they ever recall.
Unknown to them, reality follows another set of rules,
Deeper, more dangerous, and no place for fools.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/11/2012

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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Notes to ponder….

*********

There is a road from the eye to the heart that does not go through the intellect.”

~~ G.K. Chesterton ~~

*********

“If you don’t like yourself, you can’t like other people.”

~~ Robert Heinlein, Time Enough for Love ~~

*********

Happiness is the only good,
reason the only torch,
justice the only worship,
humanity the only religion,
and love the only priest.

~~ Robert G. Ingersoll ~~

*********

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing,
but in rising up every time we fail.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

*********

“A man can do something for peace without having to jump into politics.
Each man has inside him a basic decency and goodness.
If he listens to it and acts on it,
he is giving a great deal of what it is the world needs most.”

~~ Pablo Casals ~~

*********

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

It’s late, and short, and probably a wash; it is also done. So be it. I have no more now than I did in the beginning, so, we are outta here, post haste. I’ll see if I can do better, but, it will depend, naturally, on elements of reality yet to be encountered, or defined. You know what THAT means. Yep…. We shall remains, for the most part, clueless. See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 2780

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Oblique references to imaginary events….

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3

Ffolkes,

“But groundless hope, like unconditional love, is the only kind worth having.”

~~EFF co-founder John Perry Barlow ~~

~~ “Cynthia Horner’s Eulogy”, Apr. 1994 ~~

monarch

Signs of autumn….

Hajime…. Though it is true that hope springs eternal, it is also true that Murphy lies in wait. I’d hoped, when I sat this morning to begin, there would be time, and wherewithal, to put together an entire, modern Pearl, as seen here a mere two months ago. However, SB decided to go wonky on me, which slowed down the pearling process from the get-go. Then, I tried to find enough angst to rant, and was both pleased and dismayed to find none. That, ffolkes, is a first, and positive evidence of Murphy’s intransigent sense of humor. Hmph….

Since the original intent is now irrelevant, I suppose I’ll just do what I can to put together a good, solid, old-school pearl for your perusal, and call it a day. Hey, it’s a Sunday; I can pretend I’m taking a day off. Of course, I’ve already pulled the covers on that, but, what do you think? Is it worth a shot? In today’s world, truth doesn’t seem to possess much value, in terms of getting what one wants; fulfilling one’s desires seems to be our cultural goal as humans, seems to me.

Since I’m fully in the grasp of the wisdom of Epictetus today, I’ll forgo joining the cultural parade, by NOT lying to get what I want. Instead, I’ll merely observe how to obtain the ultimate human goals, to wit:

Epictetus sez

Sounds like good advice. How about we follow it, & get on with the rest of today’s mess? I think that’s fine idea, and so do you….

Shall we pearl?….

“The hands that help are better far than the lips that pray.”

~~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~~

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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Koans on parade….

*******

“I stared into the abyss. The abyss stared into me.
Neither of us liked what we saw.”

~~ Zen Bee ~~

*******

“What is reason?
Knowledge informed by sympathy, intelligence in the arms of love.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

*******

“We cannot unthink unless we are insane.”

~~ Arthur Koestler ~~

*******

“Life without the courage for death is slavery.”

~~ Seneca ~~

*******

“Not to laugh, not to lament, not to curse, but to understand.”

~~ Spinoza ~~

*******

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret;
it is only with the heart that one can see rightly,
what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~

*******

“If you understand, things are as they are.
If you do not understand, things are as they are.”

~~ Gensha, Zen Master ~~

*******

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

I’d say that is just about as done as it can be. Given my position as the blog’s author and administrator, that means, hey, it’s done. How ’bout that, eh? I think, at this point, it would be best to take our leave, before anything untoward can take place. I will offer the standard caveat, to wit: I’ll be back, so, stay alert. As they say, mindful is good…. Well, they say it around here, anyway…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. Can’t seem to find a valid reason to stay away….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Certain redundancies are valid….

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5

Ffolkes,

“If you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

~~ Yogi Berra ~~

new-view

Wow! Great view up here!….

Hajime…. I no longer have a routine. In fact, this whole process seems to have lost its basic structure, leaving me adrift on a sea of words. Add in the physical & mental issue with which I’ve come to accept as my lot in life, & one begins to see a pattern of change, from a life lived large, to one lived along defined lines of limitation, in a physical sense, if in no other. Hmph. Can’t say I’m real happy about it, but, once the bees are in the hive, the honey’s going to flow, right?

Now I’ve created a completely nonsensical metaphor, or euphemism, take your pick, I think today’s collection of pearls is going to have to carry the day. I don’t know exactly what they’re trying to say, but, it must be worthwhile, for they just wouldn’t go away, no matter how many times I tried to make them. One of the lessons I’ve learned is not to fight with reality so much, so, we’re just going to let it go, as is, & hope for the best. In fact, that’s probably a good way to describe today’s Pearl, altogether. So be it….. In fact, so be it, now….

Shall we pearl?….

“Fear is not in the habit of speaking truth.
When perfect sincerity is expected, perfect freedom must be allowed;
nor has anyone who is apt to be angry when he hears the truth,
any cause to wonder that he does not hear it.”

~~ Tacitus ~~

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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Follow the bouncing ideas…

*******

“If I am Sophocles, I am not mad; and if I am mad, I am not Sophocles.”

~~ Sophocles — Vit, Anon, p. 64 (Plumptre’s Trans.) ~~

*******

“An honest god is the noblest work of man.
… God has always resembled his creators.
He hated and loved what they hated and loved
and he was invariably found on the side of those in power.
… Most of the gods were pleased with sacrifice,
and the smell of innocent blood has ever been considered a divine perfume.”

~~ Robert G. Ingersoll ~~

*******

“Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?”

~~ Leia to Luke during first rescue. (Star Wars) ~~

*******

“Although our information is incorrect, we do not vouch for it.”

~~ Satie ~~

*******

“Happiness is not a reward-it is a consequence.
Suffering is not a punishment-it is a result.”

~~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~~

*******

“Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs; therefore
avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in adversity.”

~~ Socrates ~~

*******

.. here I am in 53 B.C. and all I want is a dill pickle!!

~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~

*******

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

Well, there you go. It’s all clear as a bell to me, so, y’all can figure it out, or let it percolate until it’s done, whereupon it will slap you upside your head, & be on it’s merry way. In the meantime, I’m going to go look for a routine to follow. I’ll let you know how it goes, upon my return, tomorrow…. You may regard that as a threat, or a promise, your choice. I’ll see you then, ffolkes, either way….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Use the inflatable version, please….

Posted on by
1

Ffolkes,

“If you are out of trouble, watch for danger.”

~~ Sophocles ~~

Glasgow-Greenock Port 029

View from the heights, Greenock, Scotland

Hajime…. I faded away yesterday, having decided to honor the holiday by refusing to do any work. Yes, I’m an odd duck. Nonetheless, I’m back today, though without any real clue as to why I’m so inclined. However, blogging is much like being president of this country, though without the need to lie with every other word. Ooh, that was almost mean; too bad my insult button is worn out, isn’t it? I think I’ll just eat some worms.

I seem to have lost my muse; it’s that, or I’m rusty from disuse. I suppose the only thing to do is get on with the pearls for today, & be done with it. Considering the amount of material I’ve posted in the last five years, a few short Pearls won’t alter the overall picture much. To save us all some time, and probably money, (not that I care a whit), we’ll get on with that right now. Since trimming the format, no tricks are needed to get us where we need to go. Now, I just say this….

Shall we pearl?….

“There is no system so perfect no one needs to be good.”

~~ T. S. Eliot ~~

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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Stuff to remember….

*******

“Inquiry is fatal to certainty.”

~~ Will and Ariel Durant ~~

*******

“There is nothing new under the sun,
but there are lots of old things we don’t know yet.”

~~ Ambrose Bierce ~~

*******

“Happiness is the only good,
reason the only torch,
justice the only worship,
humanity the only religion,
and love the only priest.”

~~ Robert G. Ingersoll ~~

*******

“A good example is the best sermon.”

~~ H. Jackson Brown ~~

*******

“A good laugh is sunshine in a house.”

~~ William Makepeace Thackeray ~~

*******

“Know how to listen,
and you will profit
even from those who talk badly.”

~~ Plutarch ~~

*******

“If you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence,
try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around.”

~~ Bix Bender ~~

*******

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

Having reached the minimum standards, we’ll cease and desist. Y’all never thought to see such efficiency here, did you? I know I didn’t. But, regardless of any such minor considerations, I’m determined to go ahead & post it anyway. Go figure, right? You see, this gives me the chance to say, yet again, I’ll be back. In fact, I don’t think there’s much anyone can do to stop me; I am my only enemy. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, given a fair wind & a rising tide…..

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3

À bientôt, mon cherí….