“I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery
than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it.”
~~ Harry Emerson Fosdick ~~
Saturday’s Farmer’s Market…
Perhaps it is serendipity, or, more accurately, reality exposed to view, but, there are moments in our lives when we see more clearly than at other times. Who’s to say what circumstances create that moment’s clarity? More importantly, who would wish to say? It’s all a conundrum, ambiguity confirmed as a critically fundamental piece of the whole.That said, let us proceed.
Hmm… I forgot, (uncommon, to be sure, but, not unknown…); in order to proceed, one must choose a destination worthy of being proceeded to, and, yes, I know, that’s ending a sentence with a preposition. You’ll note, however, by adding the last confessional bit, it didn’t actually END the sentence, so much as presage the ending. I suppose, given the way things have begun thus far, I could continue to offer tricks of syntax, or, grammatical displays of dubious honesty, but, rather than waste everyone’s valuable time, I’ll just leave it all at that, & go post this puppy, before testing anyone’s mood, or ability to absorb nonsense so early in the day. I know I’ve already reached my personal limit, in two short paragraphs…. My inner critic has registered his disapproval with one short, “Hmph!”, to which I’ll add, “that’ll be quite enough thank you”….
Instead, we’ll do this….
Shall we Pearl?
“I was gratified to be able to answer promptly.
I said, “I don’t know.””
~~ Mark Twain ~~
************************************
Cream Farewell Concert
BBC Broadcast, January 5, 1969
If you’re older than 20 years or so, you know who these guys are; even most young ffolkes know of Cream. Here’s their farewell concert from way back in the day. When you’ve enjoyed it, I’m almost positive you will have the choice, on You Tube, of watching their reunion concert in 2005, played over four or five days at the Royal Albert Hall, just like the first concert…. Abondanza!….
*************************************
*************************************
*************************************
Cognitive Abstinence
Ever affable, serendipity calls on random days
bringing gifts, wrapped in flesh and bone.
Tempting fate, color springs from intricate stone;
singing, laughing, poised to amaze.
In metaphoric haste, clues gather to confer;
graceless, with absently casual frivolity;
fraught with severely limited civility,
lead yet into realms where hope may infer.
Allegory has faded, past all disrepute;
indelible, entropy holds the field today.
Honorable, the children stand, resolute,
justice is spent, the old-fashioned way.
Temporary measures no longer apply
to foster dreams; endless nightmares parade.
Forlorn, empty, the unwashed masses cry,
while time slips away, sleeping in the shade.
Wondrous moments continue to accumulate
odd gestures of indignant fortitude.
Destiny embraces no desire to illuminate;
with such a cavalier attitude.
Pale, afraid, the joker sits to compose
a final ode to reason.
Such grandiose dreams, a dying rose,
dragged along from season to season.
~~ gigoid ~~
12/1/2016
*************************************
Naked Pearls
“Roll the bones…“
*******
“All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous,
unpremeditated act without the benefit of experience.”
~~ Henry Miller ~~
********
“I don’t want to be a passenger in my own life.
I don’t want to get to the end of my life
and find that I just lived the length of it.
I want to have lived the width of it as well.”
~~ Diane Ackerman ~~
********
“You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.”
~~ Irish Proverb ~~
********
“Truth is always exciting. Speak it, then. Life is boring without it.”
~~ Pearl S. Buck ~~
********
“To live only for some future goal is shallow.
It’s the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top.”
~~ Robert M. Pirzig, “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” ~~
********
“We’re all in this together — by ourselves.”
~~ Lily Tomlin ~~
********
“Why are we here? Because we are here. Roll the bones.”
~~ from a song by Rush (Neil Peart?) ~~
********
*************************************
Well, it takes longer these days, apparently; I can’t seem to post more often than every other day…. SIGH. So be it. After all, it’s done, right? Right. So, until next time, I’ll let y’all be for the nonce, & merely issue the usual caveats, to wit: be well, be happy, act kindly, and stay strange. All good advice, wouldn’t you agree? No? Well, oh well…. 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’m going to happydance among the stars and wear my stripes anyway I want to.”
~~ Stripes the tiger ~~
I spy a spider!….
Hajime…. It’s been, literally, months since I last experienced such an uncomfortable night’s sleep. Hip, leg, & back pain got me up 3 times during the endless night, soothed only by immersion in hot water. While making it tolerable, such treatment has no lasting effect on the condition, so I decided to finish the current Pearl in the works, & get it posted while I’m forced to remain non-ambulatory by the pain. SIGH…. Ah, well, I can tolerate one night’s lack of slumber; I just hope I can settle it down enough to get my exercise in today….
To create the impression I’m efficient, and actually know what I’m about, I’m going to forgo any further attempts to rationalize my inefficiency, or my recent absence here in cyberspace. Instead, we’ll just get on with it, & do whatever it takes to get this slow on the toad. Whatever THAT means…. I’ll even go so far as to not pretend I’m employing any of our infamous tricks to get us down the page, but, rather, merely say….
Shall we Pearl?….
“A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care
that balances are correct.”
~~ from “Manual of Maud’Dib” by the Princess Irulan ~~
~~ from “Dune” by Frank Herbert ~~
***************************************
The image used for this section today is, as many of y’all may know, Kokopelli, the Hopi/Navaho trickster. It is NOT a picture of today’s guest artist, a magic dragon, because, apparently, images of magic dragons cause Windows to freak out. Don’t worry, you’ll get to see him, in action, in the embedded video of his performances as a runner-up finalist in America’s Got Talent in 2015. You can find him via Google, where there are links to his website. Frankly, he’s funny as hell, and a pretty good magician, too…. Enjoy!….
***************************************
Piff The Magic Dragon
***************************************
***************************************
***************************************
Denial of Comfort
Baleful chairs become the enemy, heralded in red
seemingly welcome softness beckons with a smile,
waiting, content with slaughter, they are finally led
screaming in agony, deluged in venom all the while.
Desperate distraction becomes such a friendless fire
for all the patterns of autumn’s pale dismay,
leaving sincerely latent trails in spirals of twisted wire,
while memory insists, again, upon failure, palpably evil, and fey.
Fat, jaded tears would have fallen in good time,
if only the suitable suitor had scaled the garden’s wall.
Credence for discounted prices luckily in their prime
bring only fascinated eyes into such a hallowed hall.
Searching for answers is ever a clever portrayal
with studious accouterments to fulfill each common rule.
Arguably patient pictures of science and honest betrayal
shall evermore languish, in light of passion so elegantly cruel.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/19/2012
***************************************
Naked Pearls
Hmmm….
*******
“Still round the corner there may wait,
A new road or a secret gate.”
~~ J. R. R. Tolkien ~~
*******
“Why are we here?
Because we are here.
Roll the bones.”
~~ Rush, “Roll The Bones” ~~
*******
“If you want to know all about the sea,
you go and ask a sailor, or a marine biologist, or an oceanographer,
and they can tell you a lot about the sea.
But if you go and ask the sea itself, what does it say?
Grumble, grumble, swish swish.
It is too busy being itself
to know anything about itself.”
~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~
*******
“The light is reached not by turning back from the darkness,
but by going through it.”
~~ Leonard Roy Frank ~~
*******
“Cat advice: Take some time to eat the flowers.”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
*******
“The secret of a good sex life is to have a good sex life….
In other words, kid, don’t let yer meat loaf.”
~~ R. Crumb ~~
*******
“If I don’t meet you no more in this world
Then I’ll see you in the next one.
Don’t be late”
~~ Jimi Hendrix ~~
*******
***************************************
Hmm…. not bad for what it is, I’d say. But, then, I’d say that no matter how it turned out; professional responsibility, y’know? Besides, such a throw-away comment isn’t altogether out of place, since we’re here at the end, where it can’t cause any further harm. Or, for that matter, any further interest. I suppose they can’t all be brilliant. ‘Twould be nice to see, though, if only once. SIGH…. Never mind, no need to get all maudlin at this stage. Let’s just issue the usual caveats, & be done with it, shall we? Be well, mes amis, be happy as you may be, and non carborundum illegitimi (never let the bastards get you down….)! 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.
“By space the universe encompasses and swallows me up like a dot;
by thought I encompass the Universe.”
~~ Blaise Pascal, “Pensees”, n. 265 ~~
Prim morning beauties….
Hajime…. I’ve missed posting a fresh Pearl for some days now; I even blew off yesterday entirely, spending the whole day in pursuits not connected to a computer at all. Y’know what? I don’t feel any guilt, nor angst for having done so, which is rather a good indicator, in at least three respects, none of which I’ll bother explaining. In fact, the only identifiable feeling I have this morning is an almost irresistible urge to be silly…. Go figure, eh? Just another day here in…. Hmm, where are we, actually? I suppose, since we’re all not here, exactly, we could be considered as guests in cyberspace; can’t live there, obviously, but, we do manage to spend a lot of time there, mostly with little purpose. Why would I be different?
There. That manages to be obscurely intelligent sounding, without any hint of silliness. Quite an accomplishment, all things considered, and not one I’m going to examine too closely, lest I notice how close to home such nonsense can strike. Instead, since I have all the correct elements already in place, I’ll use the time to convince y’all I’m much more competent than I appear, even in the distorted mirrors we typically have at out disposal. Hmm… funny word to use about our sensory input, but, hey, we’re trying to achieve a specific purpose, & such micro-management wouldn’t hold up long, anyhow. Let’s move on, to the next paragraph, where we may find a spot of the sense we currently lack.
Or, not, as the case may be. I really can’t say ANY of what is passing through my mind this morning is very sensible. Nor did it ever get truly silly, or even comprehensible. I guess, since we’ve tallied no viable successes, it would be best if we just gave up for today, & hope our next effort can find us a bit more integrated. Whatever THAT means. I don’t think I’d be the best choice to find the answer today, & rather than belabor the point any further, let’s go see what there is to see down below. I know the music for today is excellent, (in my humble opinion), there’s a decent poem from the archives, and a fine set of pearls for the final section, where we once again dive deep in the metaphoric metamind, to poke around in the human psyche… Great fun for all, you’ll see….
Shall we Pearl?….
“There’s an old saying that life begins at 40.
That’s silly.
Life begins every morning when you wake up.
Open your mind to it; don’t just sit there, do things.”
~~ George Burns (1896-1996) ~~
***************************************
Sawyer Fredericks
Image from Facebook via Google Images
The somewhat eclectic-appearing young man you see above entered the 2015 contest on The Voice USA, performing a classic standard called A Man of Constant Sorrow for his audition. Within seconds of beginning to sing, three of the four coaches had turned to watch, & the fourth only held out until the chorus. His voice, and style, are unique, as is his musical upbringing, giving him a feel and style completely his own. I’ve embedded the initial audition, & included the link to his own You Tube page, where you can find a lot of his work, including some recent live performances…. He blows me away with his talent, & I intend to follow his career with great interest; he is massively talented, & well worth the time…. Enjoy!….
Dreaming the way home, lost, unseen,
from the dance, where
he felt so free, and clean.
Sorrow couldn’t find him there.
Waiting, filling up the hours, hoping,
some connection can be found
keeping busy as bees, coping.
Love creeps in, without a sound.
Fat days, skinny nights, passionate
visions of semi-conscious entities,
cannot seem to fully illuminate
or hide our innermost frailties.
Resolute, find the perfect sense, codify
simple rules with every breath
never waiting, anxious to modify.
fear nothing in life, not even Death.
~~ gigoid ~~
5/3/2013
***************************************
Naked Pearls
Solilquery….
*******
“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.
And you know what you know.
And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go….”
~~ Dr. Seuss ~~
*******
“All life is an experiment.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
*******
“I am made from the dust of the stars, the oceans flow in my veins.”
~~ Rush, “Presto” ~~
*******
“Go into yourself and see how deep the place is from which your life flows.”
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke in Letters to a Young Poet ~~
*******
“Besides learning to see, there is another act to be learned
— not to see what is not.”
~~ Maria Mitchell ~~
*******
“There must be some kind of way out of here…”
~~ the joker to the thief ~~
*******
“Flee at once, all is discovered.”
~~ Sardonic Bee ~~
*******
***************************************
Okay, I did it, finally. Though Leelu keeps interrupting for her cat hammock time, I WILL post today. To insure compliance, I’m gonna strip this section bare, & be off to do that. See y’all in a day or two, ffolkes, with more bells on…. Stay strange… Maybe it isn’t for everybody, but, it sure works for 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.
“Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is.”
~~ Isaac Asimov ~~
Spring in the Valley of the Moon….
Hajime…. We are all living in time, unconsecrated; most of us never know we live, at all, much less with any understanding of what any of it all means. Hence, unconsecrated. But, we go on, regardless, because, hey…. no choice. As long as our lungs pump air in and out, as long as we continue to exist on a planet filled with wonder and pain, we will continue to walk in beauty with eyes closed, oblivious to our own godhood….
I have no idea what prompted that. Nor do I care, for it broke the ice which had formed around my heart & mind. I still don’t know if the drama from next door is resolved, but, it’s been quiet for 24 hours, so, I’ll take it. The vet was here, & found Leelu to have picked up a flea, or three, from somewhere, along with a tapeworm infestation, both exacerbated by the recent heat wave & her apparent allergy to the flea. She’s been treated for both, & prophylactics have been applied to prevent further problems; she’s feeling better, though not yet her fully active self. She’s resumed her habit of wanting attention just as I begin this process, turning me into a cat hammock for a half-hour before she’ll allow me to finish, which is why this is a bit late this morning.
Things calmed down enough to allow me to finish this Pearl, so, I’m going to forgo any further discussion of the possible ramifications of recent events, & just get on with re-establishing the routines so rudely interrupted by real-time issues; first stop is to get this posted before any more interruptions can fuss with me. To enhance the possibility of success, I’ll go do that now, dumping y’all (and myself) back into consensual reality with a bit of a thump, which can happen when I apply such extreme measures. In fact, I’d suggest you hold on to your hat (if you’re wearing one) because the next step is rather steep, and there’s a high wind….
Shall we Pearl?….
“In handling a stinging insect, move very slowly.”
~~ Lazarus Long ~~
***************************************
Image from Album Cover via Google Images
I discovered this group in 2014, during the year’s Dead Covers Project, which takes place each year. Amateur, and some professional, artists make videos of their own version of iconic Grateful Dead songs, posting them on You Tube for the millions of Deadhead’s out there to enjoy. This group is comprised of four young men who play bluegrass music; they were obviously raised by Deadheads, as they play, & obviously love playing, old Dead songs in bluegrass style, with great four-part harmony, and excellent musical competence. Guitar, fiddle, bass, & mandolin, along with exuberant & beautifully blended voices make their versions irresistible. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do; I’ve included a link to their own band website, where you can also listen to the albums they’ve made streamed on various online platforms….
Absolute stillness follows violent movement,
it can happen during a downhill race,
as an immovable piece of asphalt pavement
meets the once handsome racer’s face.
Yuk, yuk, yuk said that asshole Moe,
after poking both of Larry’s eyes,
bashing face, head, & crotch of Curly Joe
and only ever got hit with pies.
Lonely moments never really come along
when Murphy’s got us in his sights.
Not for money, love, or siren’s song
will he abrogate his natural rights.
All we can do is sigh, or laugh in pain,
as Life portions out our ration of shit.
Silver linings melt in the slightest rain,
so we may as well learn to live with it.
~~ gigoid ~~
4/7/2013
***************************************
Naked Pearls
Notes on Life at Large….
*******
“Every moment is precious. And precarious.”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
*******
“Nothing is more useful to mankind than those arts which have no utility.
~~ Ovid ~~
*******
“A man of genius makes no mistakes.
His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.”
~~ James Joyce, “Ulysses” ~~
*******
“Every action in our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.”
~~ Edwin Hubbell Chapin ~~
*******
“If the only prayer you say in your whole life is ‘thank you,’
that would suffice.”
~~ Meister Eckhart ~~
*******
“Perhaps the most valuable result of all education
is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do
when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not;
it is the first lesson that ought to be learned;
and however early a man’s training begins,
it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly.”
~~ Thomas H. Huxley ~~
*******
“Many journeys end here,
But the secret’s told the same.
Life is just a candle
And a dream must give it flame.”
~~- Neil Peart, Rush ~~
*******
***************************************
Since I’m already late getting this posted, thanks to hammock duty, we’ll skip the usual tricks or treats you find in this final section, & merely say, see y’all tomorrow, as long as reality keeps itself on an even keel. In case I’ve forgotten to say so lately, thanks for stopping by…. See ya, sooner than you think, expect, or, probably, wish for…. Hah!…..
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…. Though I fully agree with our opening lines, I can’t say today’s journey to our destination has provided me with much reward, beyond the most basic, that of being, finally, done. SB went on semi-strike this morning, forcing me to practically bludgeon it to pull out seven pearls for the old-school section; even those I found were somewhat of an obscure grouping, even for me. Hence, the title chosen to direct your thoughts as you read them; it will take some rather extensive flexibility to ‘get it’ today, but, that’s okay by me. The harder the better, as Murphy so often reiterates for us…..
Naturally, having to take so long to put this together, I am left short on the time available to compose this intro, or the closing section…. & I don’t want to hear that’s an advantage from anybody in the peanut gallery. Besides, any of my usual Gentle Readers know better than to have too many expectations as to what they’ll find here on any particular day; hell, I don’t know what to expect. How could they have any? Well, they, like me, ARE human, so, I guess that answered itself. Perhaps it would be best for me to just go on to the next paragraph, before I really stick my foot in it….
In truth, the way this is developing, I believe I’d better take it in hand, with a firm grip, before I write myself right into a corner with no exits. Yeah, that’s a good idea, since everything else that is floating up into my mind to put down is looking a bit bedraggled, with wild hair & bugged eyes. To avoid any possible litigation, or nausea, I’m utilizing an old #4, which has saved our sorry ass many times in the past, simply because it works quickly…. How quickly? Well, it’s like this….
Shall we Pearl?
“One way or another, we all have to find
what best fosters the flowering of our humanity in this contemporary life,
and dedicate ourselves to that.”
~~ Joseph Campbell ~~
***********************************
Thanks to SB’s recalcitrance this morning, I’m quite late getting posted; y’all know what that means. Yep. Default music today, the You Tube selection of 50 of the most popular pieces of classical music in their database…. Works for me, today. Enjoy, if you will; there’s some grand stuff included, for sure….
********************************
Classical Music
********************************
********************************
********************************
Life as we know it….
As we grow and learn to be, in this sad, yet joyous parade,
we only have our Self with which to face life;
small, we are, and weak,
but, smart.
Reality, in studied contrast, is an invisible, ubiquitous shade
dispassionate ambivalence brings us mostly strife.
It’s never enough to seek.
Take part.
The universe won’t make a compromise, but will make a trade.
Give away your fear for knowledge, and a reasoned life.
It often requires a tweak;
live Art.
Love is an essential part of our own particular charade
without it, life can be filled with strife.
Souls perch high on a peak;
sweet, tart.
Pain always balances with joy, the price has to be paid;
for us humans, each must be equal in life.
To know one, the other must speak.
Never apart.
We are all actors, playing parts we’ve chosen to have portrayed;
the director’s absence produces endless strife.
Trying to make sense brings only pique.
Go. Start.
~~ gigoid ~~
11/27/2015.
********************************
Naked Pearls
gigoid’s folly….
*******
“What each must seek in his life never was on land or sea.
It is something out of his own unique potentiality for experience,
something that never has been
and never could have been experienced by anyone else.”
~~ Joseph Campbell ~~
*******
“Belief is not the beginning but the end of all knowledge.”
~~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~~
*******
“I am made from the dust of the stars, the oceans flow in my veins.”
~~ Rush, “Presto” ~~
*******
“I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain
There’s more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in a crooked line.
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine.”
~~ the Indigo Girls, “Closer to Fine” ~~
*******
“Only that in you which is me can hear what I’m saying.”
~~ Baba Ram Dass ~~
*******
“It is a curious thought,
but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous
that you realize just how much you love them.”
~~ Agatha Christie ~~
*******
” Attention, attention, there are monkey-boys in the complex.”
~~ — Buckaroo Banzai (the film) ~~
*******
********************************
I did it. It’s done. I can’t say exactly how that came to be, but, we all know the old saw about gift horses, of which this is a clear example. I’ll even show some dignified acceptance, (always a good policy with the heavy hand of reality at the wheel), & just get on with whatever comes to mind to get us out of here….. Hmm. Well, nothing comes up right away, so, I guess I’ll just say, see y’all next time, hopefully tomorrow, if reality doesn’t get any stranger than it is today…. Odds seem to be running even, so, we’ll see. Be cool, stay strange, & for goodness’ sake, stay alert….
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.
“He who has the courage to laugh
is almost as much a master of the world
as he who is ready to die.”
~~ Giacomo Leopardi ~~
Mornings are fun!….
Hajime…. Just look at that face! Is that not the perfect picture of experiencing joy, simply to be alive? Such serendipitous gifts cannot be overvalued, in my estimation, providing us with a reason to look inside, to find the part of us that once felt that joy, unbidden. For those of us advanced in years, it’s a long way back in memory, but, just seeing such a smile, echoed by the glittering eyes, gives us good reason to spend the time & effort to take that journey into our own past, to share the joy she so obviously feels….
Thanks to a studious application of will, I was able to cobble together this Pearl for today. Two final tasks to complete, then I can post it, before reaching my current limit for sitting. To keep from going wonky, as is my wont, far too often, I’ll truncate this intro, as best I can, & we can all get on with the rest of the day, which, for me, is a busy one. In fact, I’ve so much to do, I actually am experiencing the dreaded deadline anxiety; time to administer the antidote, I think. How, you may ask, will he do it this time? Simple, really. Watch this….
Shall we Pearl?
“If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good.
But you can survive without it
if you have love, compassion, and tolerance.
The clear truth of a person’s love of God
is if that person genuinely shows love to fellow human beings.”
~~ Dalai Lama ~~
***********************************
Since we’re having so much fun this morning, I feel like some good time music. Here is one of my favorite concerts from a good time musician, with whom I’ve spent many a fine evening, both in concert, and on the stereo…. I’ve been a Coral Reefer since the mid-70’s, when I first heard two of his first albums, “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation”, and “Living and Dying in 3/4 Time”. I won’t suggest you enjoy this, as I am sure you will, no matter what I may say; it’s just plain good stuff….
********************************
Jimmy Buffett Live in Anguilla
********************************
********************************
********************************
Dreaming of Calliope
La belle dame sans merci speaks aloud through endless night,
torturing dreams, with powerful words and stentorian phrases.
Manifest visions bathed in unbearable grace and light,
destroying all direction, standing lost, in unfathomable mazes.
Fate plays a part, one that will never face denial,
as fear and courage eternally vie for ascendancy.
Conflict becomes valid, gifting strength in open trial,
but honest emotion wears no costume so fancy.
Blood, sweat, and tears stroll on avenues of gold,
unlikely heroines heralding as in ancient lore;
Sharp, competent knives cut through tales untold,
eternally shifting reality past the naked shore.
Drifting toward origin, bereft of mandate or cause,
finished, nay, abandoned, tied with a figurative bow.
No simple gift from muses to give comfort or pause,
save that all we need to know, we already know…..
~~ gigoid ~~
12/13/2012
********************************
Naked Pearls
Poetic philosophy, aka, Philosophic Poetry….
*********
“A word is dead
When it is said
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day.”
~~ Emily Dickinson ~~
*********
“The hour is striking so close above me,
so clear and sharp,
that all my senses ring with it.
I feel it now: there’s a power in me
to grasp and give shape to my world.
I know that nothing has ever been real
without my beholding it.
All becoming has needed me.
My looking ripens things
and they come toward me, to meet and be met.”
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke, from Book of Hours~~
*********
“As for the future,
your task is not to foresee it,
but to enable it.”
~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery, “Wisdom of the Sands” ~~
*********
“Do I dare disturb the universe?”
~~ T. S. Eliot ~~
*********
“Happiness follows sorrow,
sorrow follows happiness,
but when one no longer discriminates
between happiness and sorrow,
a good deal and a bad deed,
one is able to realize freedom.”
~~ Buddha~~
*********
“If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”
~~ Rush, “Freewill” ~~
*********
“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.”
~~ Ralph Ellison ~~
*********
“All time in all time.
It does not change.
It does not lend itself to warnings or explanations.
It simply is.
Take it moment by moment,
and you will find that we are all bugs in amber.”
~~ Kurt Vonnegut Jr., “Slaughter-House 5” ~~
*********
“Come to the edge, life said.
They said: We are afraid.
Come to the edge, life said.
They came.
It pushed them….
and they Flew.”
~~ Guillaume Apollinaire ~~
*********
********************************
Well, I did it. Okay, so, I cheated, a bit. Sue me, if you dare. For my own part, I am content, or, as content as possible in my current state of advanced ambiguity. So be it, he said, with a wicked grin and a snap of the fingers. We’re done, and, what’s more, we’re outta here. No telling, at this point, when this might happen again, but, you may rest assured, it will. Hell, I’ve even got a new poem in the process of leaking out, so, eventually, when it’s done, I’ll have to post it, if only to soothe my own fevered dreams of adequacy. For the nonce, I’ll bid thee adieu, until we meet again, somewhere in cyberspace…. See ya, ffolkes; be alert, because it will happen quickly, when it does….
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…. While the funk in which my mind has spent the last days dwelling is lessened, I’m still not in the best of moods. There are signs I’m on a productive path, so, patience is the order of the day. Yesterday’s Pearl proved, once again, how critical the completion of this chosen duty has become to my state of mind; it literally saved me from a full day of bullshit. Since today’s Pearl will serve the same purpose, I’d best get started putting it together, before I lose either my impetus, or my fragile hold on reality….
My introspection seems finally to be approaching a degree of resolution, in the sense I am now convinced of where I’ve been going wrong in my agenda, and how to proceed. If one wishes to get somewhere, it’s a good thing to know where one wishes to go; what I’ve discovered in myself the last few days (hours) will help me keep that in focus. I cannot say, at this point, whether my chances are good, or not so much, but, at this point, I don’t care, & it won’t matter anyway. Saying isn’t doing, is it? Nope. At this point, all I’m doing is typing….
I’m getting a bit silly, as well as losing the thread, so, we’ll just give up trying to bring any real coherence into this intro, & get on with the rest of what needs to be done. I’m pretty sure coherence isn’t in the picture, anyway, so there’s no point going overboard trying to find any; I don’t feel like swimming. Instead, we’ll just go on, as if we actually had a plan, and were working on the list to get it done. Go figure, eh? Let’s pretend we are, and do this…
Shall we pearl?….
“When they turn the pages of history
When these days have passed long ago,
Will they read of us with sadness
For the seeds that we let grow?”
I’m in the mood for some old style rock & roll, so here’s a classic rock band, whose members still perform together, and whose music helped define rock and roll. Enjoy, ffolkes; these guys keep getting better….
********************************
Hot Tuna Live in 2015
********************************
********************************
********************************
Naked Pearls
Thoughts on modern living….
*******
“Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.”
~~ Martin Luther King, Jr. ~~
*******
“God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent-
it says so right here on the label.
If you have a mind capable of believing
all three of these divine attributes simultaneously,
I have a wonderful bargain for you.
No checks, please. Cash, and in small bills.”
~~ Lazarus Long ~~
*******
“No people do so much harm as those who go about doing good.”
~~ Mandell Creighton (1843-1901) ~~
*******
“The truth is that Christian theology, like every other theology,
is not only opposed to the scientific spirit;
it is also opposed to all other attempts at rational thinking.
Not by accident does Genesis 3 make the father of knowledge a serpent
– slimy, sneaking and abominable.
Since the earliest days the church as an organization
has thrown itself violently against every effort
to liberate the body and mind of man.
It has been, at all times and everywhere,
the habitual and incorrigible defender of bad governments,
bad laws, bad social theories, bad institutions.
It was, for centuries, an apologist for slavery,
as it was the apologist for the divine right of kings.”
~~ H. L. Mencken ~~
*******
“In our society, sometimes you have to penalize (innocent) people
for the good of everybody else.”
~~ A Pittsburgh Cop 10/16/93 ~~
*******
“Anybody who wants religion is welcome to it, as far as I’m concerned
— I support your right to enjoy it.
However, I would appreciate it if you exhibited more respect
for the rights of those people who do not wish to share
your dogma, rapture or necrodestination.
~~ Frank Zappa, “The Real Frank Zappa Book” ~~
*******
“Every man’s life, liberty, and property are in danger
when the Legislature is in session.”
~~ Gideon J. Tucker ~~
*******
********************************
Dreaming of Calliope
La belle dame sans merci speaks aloud through endless night,
torturing dreams, with powerful words and stentorian phrases.
Manifest visions bathed in unbearable grace and light,
destroying all direction, standing lost, in unfathomable mazes.
Fate plays a part, one that will never face denial,
as fear and courage eternally vie for ascendancy.
Conflict becomes valid, gifting strength in open trial,
but honest emotion wears no costume so fancy.
Blood, sweat, and tears stroll on avenues of gold,
unlikely heroines heralding as in ancient lore;
Sharp, competent knives cut through tales untold,
eternally shifting reality past the naked shore.
Drifting toward origin, bereft of mandate or cause,
finished, nay, abandoned, tied with a figurative bow.
No simple gift from muses to give comfort or pause,
save that all we need to know, we already know…..
~~ gigoid ~~
12/13/12
********************************
Five Naked Pearls
The Path taken is irrelevant…
*****
“Before enlightenment, one carries water and chops wood.
After enlightenment, one carries water and chops wood.”
~~ Zen Proverb ~~
*****
“A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears:”
~~ Montaigne ~~
*****
“And though the course may change sometimes,
Rivers always reach the sea.”
~~ Led Zeppelin, Ten Years Gone ~~
*****
“One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spake Zarathustra ~~
*****
“May you live all the days of your life.”
Jonathan Swift — Polite Conversation, Dialogue ii ~~
*****
********************************
Damn! That was rather a surprisingly difficult Pearl to create. SB decided to go on strike when I was nearly finished, which added a lot of time; so much so, I ended up with a five-star pearl at the end, rather than our customary seven to nine stars…. Oh, well. It’s done, so, regardless of anything else, we’ll take it, and run. I hear the starting/stopping gun now, so, let’s do that. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; on that you may depend….
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.
“Who well lives, long lives; for this age of ours
Should not be numbered by years, daies, and hours.”
~~ Du Bartas (1544-1590) ~~
~~ Divine Weekes and Workes, Second Week, Fourth Day, Book ii ~~
Gorse overlooking Glasgow/Greenock Bay, Scotland
Hajime…. Full of jitters, but, game, he sits to write once more, bereft of all peace, mired in darkness and pain. Little does it matter, yet, the demons gnawing at his vital organs allow no rest, no break from the anxiety, diffuse and intangible. The hours of the night just passed, sleeping, only to awaken confused, and afraid, to escape the amorphous dreams, veiled by the dense fog of fear, unnamed, join hands with the day, promising endless, pointless forays into anger, or pain. Thus begins another day, insane….
Good morrow, ffolkes…. I feel better now, having purged, to a small degree, some of the crap I’m fighting to get the hell out of my head. The PTSD which continues to occasionally grace my life with its unwelcome presence, is rather insidious at times, slowly building, without giving advance notice, until it strikes, with full force, usually by filling me with a strong, diffuse anxiety, which, though I know it to be false, is nonetheless disconcerting to experience….
This is generally followed by a period of flashbacks, to some of the more violent incidents in which I was involved over an 11+ year period in my twenties and thirties, culminating in a full-blown rage, the result of the final memory to be brought up, wherein I stepped over the body of a friend to control the asshole who killed him. The rage is from knowing I acted professionally, and did not give in to the desire to throttle the man myself, more’s the pity. If I had, I might be in jail, but, I wouldn’t feel so bad about it…. maybe.
I’m relating all this because it might help to explain my recent absences, and, give y’all notice there may be more to come; I seem to be winning the battle to regain my balance, but, it’s taking longer than usual…. While this is going on, the Pearls tend to suffer; thankfully, I’ve done so many of them, there’s plenty of stuff to recycle, most of which is decent enough to fly by my standards…. But, it also means I don’t get out & interact as much as I prefer, or, as much as I think is deserved. So, please bear with me; it won’t be long, and I’ll be as full of blarney and chutzpah as ever, and things will get back to, well, not normal, cuz we don’t go there, but, more predictable, anyway….
All that said, to our usual little purpose, other than sheer honesty, we’ll get on with the rest of today’s mess, without further blather. In fact, I’ve got a new trick. Watch this…..
Shall we Pearl?….
“The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail.
Travel too fast and you miss all you are traveling for.”
Today, I feel like listening to a great voice, to provide a beacon for me to follow, back to sanity….. This woman’s voice has always had the quality of a siren’s call, for me, so, it will do nicely….. It’s sad she can no longer sing, due to Parkinson’s Disease; fortunately, she has a large body of work as a legacy….. Enjoy, ffolkes; Linda is/was an iconic figure in my youth, and remains a favorite….
“Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.”
~~ The Beatles ~~
Although the lads from Liverpool provided me with a perfect opening for a rant, I just don’t have it in me today. While searching for an appropriate filler, I came across the following, which is the intro section from a Pearl I posted in early 2014. I copied it, then shut the program, before remembering to find out exactly which day it came from, but, it’s pretty general, anyway, so, it really doesn’t matter. Here then is the intro of which I speak, which is more of a rant, anyway….. I’ve followed it with one excellent pearl which seems to fit, right after Zippy’s comment…. Enjoy!
From the archives in 2014:
Finding just the right words for an opening statement, after repeated attempts to do just that, for what is now getting close to 3 years, can frequently become, not merely a conundrum, but a chronic pain in the ass, at least until Reality steps in to lend a hand…. which it did today….
Just as I sat down to begin, I noted a light playing on the wall of the house across the street, a spot-light moving along, until it found and highlighted a tall, hooded figure skulking on the porch…. The light, which was coming from a police squad car at the corner, pinned the hooded figure, and apparently issued instructions I couldn’t hear, as the figure froze, put up its hands, and walked slowly out to the street, where two police officers met him, frisked, him, handcuffed him, and took him away in their car….
The entire scenario took about one and a half minutes to take place, start to finish, though, afterward, they sat in the car for quite a while, probably running the Unsub for priors, and starting the paperwork for whatever charges they were arresting him, obviously to include trespassing…. It wasn’t overly dramatic, or a particularly gripping scene, but, it isn’t every morning I get to witness crime being fought, and defeated, right here on my street…. It almost makes me feel safe….. Well, that would probably be stretching the truth farther than is good for it, so, I’ll take it back, and just say it was interesting to watch….
At least it didn’t turn into another Rodney King episode…. I’m not sure I can figure out yet how to work the video capture on my new smart phone, so, that’s probably a good thing, as I didn’t have the expertise to be able to film it, whereupon it would have become another in a long series of acts of egregious violence from police upon relatively undeserving victims that DIDN’T slide through the public’s awareness…. Oh yes, it happens…. In fact, NOT hearing about bad things happens, I would wager, far many more times than ever get reported, or captured on film, or digitally, on somebody’s phone, in the modern world….. It has always been so, it’s just not something people like to talk about, or admit…
That, by the way, is something I’ve never understood…. the reluctance of many people to report unethical actions by public servants like police, or firemen…. It’s as if people accept the sense of entitlement that often goes with such service, and automatically, and unquestioningly, give the privileges and perks that so many officers take as their due, without any real justification, other than their own power of authority…. which, in my mind, should produce the exact opposite effect…. It should make the person who holds any such position humble, and grateful, not make them feel powerful, and special, and deserving of all honor, merely for holding a certain kind of job….
However, if I start going into all that, I’ll get all worked up, as I already am, and begin to rant….. Since we’re just getting to the end of the intro, it wouldn’t be appropriate to start one now, so I’ll let that go, for discussion at another time…. or not, who cares? There’s always a new example to pick from, with the police…. The institution, as it exists now in our society, attracts the very worst sort of asshole to its ranks, men, and women, who are only there because it gives them the wherewithal, and the excuse, to be bullies, to assert their authority over others at every opportunity…. THAT type of personality is drawn irresistibly to police work, as it offers them the perfect outlet for their aggressive natures….
Ah well, I guess it’s only natural, but, that doesn’t make it right, or acceptable, in my book…. It does, however, make it enough material written to form the nucleus of an intro, which, after all, is what we were up to….. In fact, I’m going to go ahead, and just drop you here, so I can get on with stuff…. I think you can find the next section without my help…. I’m gonna go dive…..
Shall we Pearl?…..
“I share the belief of many of my contemporaries that the spiritual crisis pervading all spheres of Western industrial society can be remedied only by a change in our world view. We shall have to shift from the materialistic, dualistic belief that people and their environment are separate, toward a new consciousness of an all-encompassing reality, which embraces the experiencing ego, a reality in which people feel their oneness with animate nature and all of creation.” — Dr. Albert Hoffman
(I am forced to comment on this: While I am in complete agreement with the good Doctor on this matter, I fail to see how his uplifting, accurate, totally cool expression of what is needed for us to survive will convince a single person to take it up as truth, or how it will get people to make the necessary changes in human nature…. Telling people that they need to “feel their oneness with animate nature and all of creation.” is going to lose everyone who hears it…. In fact, it is such an off-putting, airhead kind of statement, I’d wager that, in spite of the fact that this is absolute truth, and will help people to save themselves from a certain death, nobody is going to hear it, because they automatically turned off their ears as soon as they heard the words “spiritual crisis”, followed by “spheres of Western industrial society”, and “world view”…. That kind of New Age babble-speak will shut off most folk’s heads in a New York minute….. Too bad, ‘cuz its’ totally true….)
“FUN is never having to say you’re SUSHI!!” — Zippy the Pinhead
” When they turn the pages of history
When these days have passed long ago,
Will they read of us with sadness
For the seeds that we let grow?”
~~ Rush, A Farewell to Kings ~~
********************************
I know I’m in the now, if only…..
Oh, there it is again, fiddle faddle;
Begone, I said, vamoose, skedaddle!
It looked at me as if I were insane:
Scoffed, it did, filled me with pain.
Where does it come from?
Where does it live?
I’d stick out my thumb,
if I had more to give.
If only, should, would, could it be?
It went away again, this time free.
It will be back again, this I know;
or I’m wrong, and it won’t show.
Who cares?
Who hears?
Such goings on wobble the sphere,
I wish it wouldn’t do that here.
I’ve been wrong before…..
~~ gigoid ~~
4/19/2013
********************************
Naked Pearls
Perspicacity
*******
“I love to doubt as well as know.”
~~ Dante ~~
*******
“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”
~~ Aldous Huxley ~~
*******
“Furious activity is no substitute for understanding.”
~~ H. H. Williams ~~
*******
“Ignorance is not bliss — it’s oblivion.”
~~ Phillip Wylie ~~
*******
” I can believe anything, provided it is incredible.”
~~ Oscar Wilde ~~
*******
“Only the half-mad are wholly alive.”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
*******
“It isn’t easy being green.”
~~ Kermit ~~
*******
********************************
I did it, though I really can’t say exactly how it got done. That’s fine with me, as I’ve learned to trust the process, even with the recent change in my routine, when the upgrade to my email browser forced me to remove one complete step of the process, moving it to another time slot. Since to say more on that would only devolved into geek-speak, we’ll let it go, in favor of a hearty, if somewhat insane farewell. I’ll be back, tomorrow, ffolkes, should I find the proper coordinates for the island of sanity….. or, not. Ta, then….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
Soft, puffy, pristine white clouds scudded lazily across the morning sky, looking like nothing so much as huge balls of cotton, tumbling through the blue vastness, dazzling in the bright sun. The chirping calls of thousands of awakening birds echo through the trees, as the mundane creatures of the night silently retreat to their dens, giving way to those who hunt by day….
One of these predators, walking on two legs, is up, moving through the dappled light between the trees…. With rapid steps, he heads east, toward the sun, moving silently between the trees as the bright orb rises slowly, higher and higher, laying a blanket of oppressive heat over the landscape, stirred by the gentlest of breezes, enough only to make one wish for more….
Whoever that is, walking through the tropical forest (it’s too hot, too early to be anywhere but tropical…) is on their own today; I don’t care what he’s hunting, or how hot it gets…. It is now 0215 AM, and I’m up, wide awake, having slept for eight straight…. an unusual occurrence, to say the least…. I won’t be going back to sleep awhile yet, as I slept right through two pain pills (thank you mary jane!)…. Now, here I am, at this ungodly hour, wide awake, nerves dancing with massive dyskinesia, the result of missing two doses of Norco…. That alone will take an hour, before the pill I took hits, & I can stop jitterbugging in my chair, like a junkie who needs a fix….
So, I began with a landscape/story opening, just for practice, and to see how my mind is loosening up so far today…. Not too bad, all in all, so, there may be some hope for this process yet; I’ll be gracious, and try to assume the WORST is not necessarily going to happen…. I’m not yet ready to completely give up my curmudgeon status, so, I won’t be anticipating any Pollyanna issues, such as positive proof of the death of Murphy; however, I WILL try to keep a bit of a positive outlook about the future, especially as it pertains to this….
That isn’t to say I’ll be any more lucid or coherent than I usually am; no, I won’t make promises I can’t keep…. But, it does mean I probably won’t bite anyone, at least, not until someone actually SAYS something really stupid to me…. The mere act of being stupid in my vicinity won’t be held against them, beyond a bark or two, and I’ll break tradition so far as to go unarmed for the first couple of hours, until these homicidal urges pass….
By “unarmed”, I mean, of course, I won’t carry any guns, crossbows, spears, atl-atl’s, or other types of projectile weaponry…. Items such as knives, cords, shuriken, that sort of hidden tool set, doesn’t count toward the state of being unarmed, as I carry at least one of each of those at ALL times…. Just an old habit learned at me father’s knee, so to speak, and not subject to alteration…. You know how a Christian feels naked without clothes? Well, that’s me, without my standard tool set…
As is patently obvious at this point, though, it becomes clear that this intro section IS subject to alteration, and thank goodness for small favors, eh?…. In fact, I’ve already blathered sufficiently, following the fictional opening, to be able to legally call this an intro, and be done with it…. That, given the time of day, and my state of mind, may just save my ass, and, by logical concatenation, yours as well…. I find it to be a very good policy to keep the asses of my Gentle Readers intact, insofar as it is at all possible to do so; it makes everybody happier, especially my insurance guy….
With that in mind, I believe we’ll bring this to a halt; I’ll be firm, as it appears to be making an attempt to drag itself on, preventing me from either finishing this, or getting on with the rest of today’s effort…. But, as I say, firm…. so, with no further ado, we apply #4….
Shall we Pearl?…..
“We are all bozos on the bus of life, lunatics every one, but there is a difference; the one who can analyze his own delusion is often called a learned person, a philosopher.” — unknown smart guy, found in Smart Bee
When I first saw this article, I wasn’t going to react; it was on one of those recent days when my pain level was through the roof, and it seemed too much effort to get into…. but, today, I’m okay, for the nonce, at least, so, we’ll take a shot at it, and see how it goes….
In truth, this article is one that provides us with a number of issues to discuss, so we should probably pick one to focus on, so we don’t get too lengthy, or involved to the point of distraction, & spend the entire day at it, creating an opus that nobody will ever read…. too long, too windy, too pedantic… So, lets see…. We could go for the obviously metaphorical conjunction of a “transparent” president using one of the country’s most reviled corporations as an example of green technology commitment; this, of course allows for a discussion of the minimum wage, and healthcare reform, either of which is a subject Wal-Mart fails at, totally…..
Or, we could talk about how Obama is now, finally, after six years in office, getting around to doing something about the climate change issue, as he promised in his first campaign, regarding an issue which, now, is even further away from being fixable than it was in 2008….
Or, we could talk about how Obama, and the BRC in general, are becoming less and less clandestine in their efforts to conceal the lies that are their stock in trade….. (Now, don’t start on me…. He’s a politician, therefore, he lies…. That is not a theorem, that is a proven fact, and arguing about it is counterproductive…. Please see the original pearl, at the beginning, by Montaigne; if they knew this in the 1500’s, it is certainly not disproved by any of today’s political figures…. They ALL lie, ffolkes, get used to it….)
I voted for Barry…. At the time, he was the only logical choice, since the only decision to make was which was the lesser of the evils, in the field from which we were forced to choose…. But, I was never convinced of his actual honesty, as the previous four years of his administration had already demonstrated he was no different than any other man who occupied that office in the last hundred years or more…. They all lied ffolkes, regularly, and with no shame; if you don’t believe that, then, I’m sorry, there is nothing at all that can be done to save your sorry ass from the consequences of that belief….
I’ve previously ranted numerous times on this subject, so I shouldn’t have to demonstrate any further just how often the lies are spread; my only source of data comes from the daily news, which is available to everyone, just as it is to me. All of the evidence needed to convict any politician is right there, in the public record for anyone to read, at any time of the day or night…..
The hardest part for me is to realize that, much of the time, the lies aren’t even being covered up any more; more and more often, they are being left right out there in the public eye, obviously untrue, yet, the Beloved Ruling Class says nothing to augment, defend, or alter them….. whereupon, the public just accepts it with resignation, or with deliberately ignorant enthusiasm…. Myself, I find it hard to be enthusiastic over having my ass reamed on a consistent basis by those who ostensibly work for me….
Ah well…. I could rant all day on this subject; there is a lot of evidence that supports it, and it’s easy to pick out examples that prove my contention. I mean, examples of political prevarication are all over the news, every day; one need only look, to find…. But, I feel too good this morning, physically, to spend any more time at this; I still have to read TODAY’s news, so, I figure it would be best to let go of what came from a couple days ago…. There will be plenty more data for me to use, should I choose to take up this gauntlet another time, I’m sure….
After all, all I have to do is watch TV, and wait for one of them to open their lips…. At that point, I know I’ll have another choice lie to add to my evidential pile….
“It is an unhappy lot which finds no enemies.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 499
“It is better to deserve honours and not have them than to have them and not to deserve them.” — Mark Twain
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wish I had known Oscar Wilde…. I think we would have had a lot to talk about…. Plus, the society of his time hadn’t a clue as to what to do about him, so, I think we would have been, in that sense, brothers in arms…. I like some of his poems, too, and though this isn’t one of them, it IS a good one…. I don’t always go with my own tastes; I try to be flexible, acknowledging those works that deserve it, even though it may not be completely to my liking…. This is okay; it’s a very good poem…. I just like others better…. Nonetheless, enjoy, please….
A Vision
Two crowned Kings, and One that stood alone
With no green weight of laurels round his head,
But with sad eyes as one uncomforted,
And wearied with man’s never-ceasing moan
For sins no bleating victim can atone,
And sweet long lips with tears and kisses fed.
Girt was he in a garment black and red,
And at his feet I marked a broken stone
Which sent up lilies, dove-like, to his knees.
Now at their sight, my heart being lit with flame,
I cried to Beatrice, ‘Who are these? ‘
And she made answer, knowing well each name,
‘AEschylos first, the second Sophokles,
And last (wide stream of tears!) Euripides.’
~~ Oscar Wilde ~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m a bit disappointed in my rant today…. It’s long enough, but seems a bit disorganized to my mind; not enough vitriol, or anger on hand to drive it, I suppose. That’s what happens when I sleep so long; my attitude improves, and my ranting goes wonky…. SIGH…. Oh well, such is life…. I can make up for it all here, though, by putting together an excellent old-school pearl, thus balancing out the scales of reality…. Hey, we’re all entitled to our fantasies, right?…. Right….
“Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all the others.” — Winston Churchill
“Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero!” [Seize the day, put no trust in the morrow!] — Quintus Horatius Flaccus (Horace) (65-8 B.C.)
“Not only is life a bitch, it has puppies.’ — Adrienne E. Gusoff
So the struck eagle, stretch’d upon the plain,
No more through rolling clouds to soar again,
View’d his own feather on the fatal dart,
And wing’d the shaft that quiver’d in his heart.
— Lord Byron (1788-1824) — English Bards and Scotch Reviewers, Line 826
They say there is strangeness, too dangerous, in our theaters and bookstore shelves.
Those who know what’s best for us, must rise and save us from ourselves.
Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand;
ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand.
— Rush
“The known is finite, the unknown infinite; intellectually we stand on an islet in the midst of in illimitable ocean of inexplicability. Our business in every generation is to reclaim a little more land.” — Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895)
“My imagination makes me human and makes me a fool; it gives me all the world and exiles me from it.” — Ursula K. Le Guin
Sometimes, I look back over a pearl, such as this one, and I think to myself, “Wow.” Then, it occurs to me, I didn’t have a damn thing to do with what just took place here, not with any consciousness of doing so, anyway. Yet, taken as a progression of thoughts/ideas, in this instance, the seven pearls that constitute the greater pearl, in the context of today’s Pearl at large, still manage to follow a logical train of ideas to a conclusion that is at once infinite, yet, specific and precise, though not annoyingly so…. Much better than I can do myself, more’s the pity….
😉
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If the process of putting out a Daily Pearl of Virtual Wisdom were this easy every day, I’d probably end up posting more often than once a day…. That isn’t to say this was a snap; it’s taken over two hours to get this far, into the closing section. But, all of it, completely fresh, came out smoothly, in a relative sense, and all of it, to my probably only semi-coherent mind, appears to be uniformly logical and well-reasoned, if a bit opinionated. Of course, logical doesn’t mean much, but, the reasoning is good…. I also avoided swearing a lot…. Mom would be proud….
Since it went so well, I’m thinking I’ll bring it to a halt here, so it doesn’t get out of control, as it can so quickly in this corner of the space-time continuum; reality tends to twist itself into some rather fanciful contortions, rather rapidly at times, so, we’ll take our leave before that happens today…. I will, however, be back tomorrow… Take that as a warning, or a heralding, your choice…. See ya….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark, and Theresa…
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.
Ffolkes,
It all began to run together in his mind as he started to type. Common sense dictated that an outline would be helpful, but organized structuring of material is anathema to his soul, so he kept on typing, pushing through the self-induced confusion to the calm below, from whence came the well of words that filled his fevered mind. As time wore on, the typing slowed, until finally, the keys fell silent, numb from the assault. “Hmph!”, he thought to himself, “that was certainly a crock!” Time began again…..
Most people make sense, at least some of the time. I’m not one of them; I only do it when goaded into it. Needless to say, when I do make sense, I’m probably either speaking from my own experience, or I’m lying. Very little middle ground there; I’m pretty opinionated, even for a Scorpio….. Nor do I at any time feel any compulsion to make an attempt to make sense; I figure that is an exercise for the reader anyway…..
___________________________________
“Once Chuang Chou dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn’t know he was Chuang Chou. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Chuang Chou. But he didn’t know if he was Chuang Chou who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Chuang Chou.” — Chuang Tzu
I had this feeling when I woke up this morning, that momentary confusion of two realities that comes on the edge of consciousness between sleeping and waking. It’s not a bad feeling, actually, and I for one always have a yearning to believe that I am the butterfly, dreaming of being me. Reality is, for me, already a slippery slope, and I tend to spend a lot of time sliding from one to another, and enjoying the contrasts that are inherent in changing at will. Being adept at adjusting to new realities is a good skill to have; it allows one the emotional distance and control that may be lacking in those who resist change. I’ve found its better to have some familiarity with the process, by exploring its procedural parameters on a regular basis. This way I’m not caught unawares so often by the capricious changes reality goes through all on its own…..
___________________________________
“A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.” — Edward Abbey
Too many Americans have either forgotten what it means to be an American, or were left to try to deduce it on their own. And we all know what that means! It means giving up the only effective defense liberty has against oppression, an educated populace. Today’s society in the US is populated by an increasingly large number of young people who not only have no knowledge of American history, but actively resent any attempts to engage them in learning it. This is partly because schools don’t teach kids how to learn, but rather how to be good consumers. The government likes it that way, as an ignorant populace is much easier to control than one that is constantly challenging authority to justify itself. And now, thanks to the NDAA, brought to you in stealth by collusion of the three branches of our supposedly self-regulating government, ignorance has won the day in this country, and very few people at all are even paying attention. Those of us who are, are very, very afraid……
“Under current law, it is a crime for a private citizen to lie to a government official, but not for the government official to lie to the people.” — Donald M. Fraser
___________________________________
“You can lead a yak to water but you can’t teach an old dog to make a silk purse out of a pig in a poke.” — Opus
You’ve got to love Opus, even though he is no longer with us on this plane of reality. Only a polymathic penguin could be so…..lovably erudite. It is now 7:45 AM, and I have been searching for something new or interesting to write about since 4:03 AM. This is what I’ve come up with, so it will have to do. Spending time in nonsensical pursuits is good for the soul, some say, and who am I to question some? I am beginning to think that I have written myself right into a self-imposed state of high dudgeon, and will now be compelled to spend some unknown amount of time wallowing in inconsistency and howling at the moon. I’ve lost touch with the funny bone of reality, and though I don’t relish the quick, agonizing pain of having it stimulated (generally by meeting unexpectedly with a sharp corner of satire), it’s the only way to get back to my center, where head and heart are balanced. I’ve spent so much time in my head of late, my heart is suffering atrophy; laughter will fix it in jig time though, and all I need to do for that is go look in a mirror….. 🙂
___________________________________
It has been said, and not without evidence, that humor can indicate how a society looks at life. Jokes tell us what things hurt the most, for we laugh to kill the pain of living. And this is never truer when applied to how society looks at its leaders…..here are few examples of how people feel about politics in this country…..and not just today….
What’s the difference between a politician and a hooker? There are some things a hooker won’t do for money.
“Our congressmen are the finest body of men money can buy.” — Morey Amsterdam (written for Will Rogers)
“George Washington said to his father, “If I never tell a lie, how can I get to be President?” — Red Buttons
He’s not a politician. He’s just ethically challenged.
“We, the people, are not free. Our democracy is but a name. We vote? What does that mean? We choose between Tweedledum and Tweedledee.”– Helen Keller
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that it really isn’t funny any longer. We have lost trust in government, and thus have lost trust in ourselves. It’s another way of saying, the joke is on us…..
“Authority has always attracted the lowest elements in the human race. All through history, mankind has been bullied by scum. Those who lord it over their fellows and toss commands in every direction and would boss the grass in the meadow about which way to bend in the wind are the most depraved kind of prostitutes. They will submit to any indignity, perform any vile act, do anything to achieve power. The worst off-sloughings of the planet are the ingredients of sovereignty. Every government is a parliament of whores. The trouble is, in a democracy the whores are us.” — P.J. O’Rourke, _Parliament of Whores_
___________________________________
When they turn the pages of history
When these days have passed long ago,
Will they read of us with sadness
For the seeds that we let grow?
— Rush, A Farewell to Kings
The answer to that would be Yes……
___________________________________
Would that I had within me the strength to go on; though the day dawns, my spirit flags, mired in obscure beauty, afflicted by sober gravity. To reach an ending will be a fit beginning, to another day among the damned and the unwilling ghosts of regret. Fare thee well in this thy birth of a new day, and walk not the path of evil….. y’all take care out there…..
—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.
gigoid 