A small dose of sweet sorrow….

Ffolkes,

“Grain grows best in shit.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

day2 London 012

The market on Portobello Road, London, England, April 2013…

All the various parts of today’s Pearl have been present for nearly a week, without having been posted, thanks to my latest uncomfortable realization, to wit; I am becoming unable to write, no matter how willing I may or may not be. This is for two primary reasons, each of which has brought its’ own realizations of a need to make changes in my lifestyle. Since I may not have many more opportunities to do so, I’ll try to relate these epiphanies accurately, and as completely as I can….

The first reason I am becoming unable to write is a quite simple one; I am growing increasingly blind. Though not yet nearly disabled, the macular degeneration taking place in both my retinas is growing increasingly more extensive, & the vision in both eyes, especially the left one (oculus sinister), is becoming blurrier by the day. The difference between them affects my entire visual acumen, making both reading and driving problematic, if not entirely impossible. The blurriness causes me to have to squint hard just to make out normal type and/or fonts, and reading street signs & traffic signs very difficult, as well as visually tiring…. SIGH…. I know I should be getting used to age-related conditions and changes made necessary by physical degeneration, but, it still manages to cause a bit of self-pity, to go along with the eye-twitching & headaches….

Second, I finally realized why I’ve had an unbearably painful stiff neck for more than a full month, affecting both my waking physical comfort, and my ability to sleep, at all, not merely comfortably. Essentially, I find the more time I spend at the computer, the worse it gets, often shooting knife-like sharp shooting pains from neck to mid-back, merely on the act of typing for a few moments. As I am now typing this introduction, I can feel my shoulder stiffening against the pain, and spasms starting to ripple up & down the right side of my back, indicating I need to go walk it off, which, yesterday, took me about three miles before the muscles started to relax, probably because they got tired…. That would warrant another ‘SIGH’, but, I hate repeating myself too often….

The realization I’ve been compelled to come to, & begin to accept, is this…. I can’t do this any more. I cannot read fast enough, or long enough, to gather an adequate number of pearls to fulfill my own requirements; hell, I can’t even read for pleasure as much as I like, as I get tired & frustrated after struggling to read only a few pages. Typing this intro, though not too long for one of my outbursts, has left me gasping against the pain, & I still need to get it posted, after adding an ending section…. Before that becomes impossible, & this gets put off another day, I’m going to deliver my sorrowful apologies now, & warn y’all I may not be back very often, as it will take some extraordinarily compelling thoughts & feelings to get me to sit through this process…. Heck, a couple of haiku is the best I’ve been able to do in weeks.

I will miss being here, and miss all of my Gentle Readers, especially those who have demonstrated such loyal readership for many years…. Willow, chuq, Ashi Akira, Lou, Nadia, the jazz gang at swo8, with love dot I/O, PD, Katiemia (Fred & Katrina), maggiemae, Marie, megaeggs, Soochie, Carolyn the Light Worker, Wolfie of Europa, and numerous others I am sure I am forgetting to mention. They all have maintained their place in my heart, even when I had to stop going by & commenting almost a year ago, for they’ve continued to show up here to let me know they appreciate my work…. and that is a treasure I shall miss experiencing as often, to be sure….

My eyes are about done for the week, I think; this has been hard. I will miss y’all, severely, but, shall try to post now & again, as the impulse occurs, in what little time I can afford to spend at the computer. I cannot do so until I get this posted, so, let’s do that, with some of the most excellent dispatch I have learned of late, to wit:

Shall we Pearl?

“If folks don’t want to do it, it’s hard to keep them from it.”

~~ Yogi Berra ~~

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In keeping with my newly realized need for shortcuts, I’ve chosen a collection of classical music, a default position for me. Here is someone’s idea of some of the greatest works by famous composers, beginning with Beethoven, & moving on to various others, all of which have stood the test of time. I hope you enjoy it as I do, for the perfect background music to go with study, work, or mere listening pleasure…. Abondanza!….

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Comedy_Tragedy

Accentuated Lessons

Bold statements of calculated intent
Become common rule of the malcontent.
Avarice assumes such attractive wear
Beguiling deception, illusory and fair.

Grasping and pulling with ghostly hands
Legally proper in all the signatory lands.
Seeking and finding each vulnerable soul
Anguish as payment for exacting the toll.

Wraiths of commerce’s invisible dead guards
Still haunt the dreams left in sad empty yards.
While absentee nobles sit in stiffly elegant splendor
Served by sad-faced detainees in abject surrender.

Escape from reality is illusory at best
Often we falter and fail its daily test.
Only when focused on inner strength
Does peace stay with us for any length.

Peace lies within, always…..

~~ gigoid ~~

12/6/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Known and Unknown….

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“H=R-E
Happiness equals Reality minus Expectations”

~~ unknown Smart Bee ~~

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“What use is magic if it can’t save a unicorn?”

~~ Peter S. Beagle, “The Last Unicorn” ~~

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“I maintain that Truth is a pathless land, and you cannot approach it
by any path whatsoever, by any religion, by any sect….
I do not want to belong to any organization of a spiritual kind; please understand this …
If an organization be created for this purpose,
it becomes a crutch, a weakness, a bondage,
and must cripple the individual,
and prevent him from growing, from establishing his uniqueness,
which lies in the discovery for himself of that absolute, unconditioned Truth….”

~~ J. Krishnamurti ~~

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“My friend Data, you see things with the wonder of a child.
And that makes you more human than any of us.”

~~ Yar, “Skin of Evil”, stardate 41601.3 ~~

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“Once we truly know that life is difficult –
once we truly understand and accept it –
then life is no longer difficult.
Because once it is accepted, it no longer matters.”

~~ M. Scott Peck, “The Road Less Traveled” ~~

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“A lizard ran out on a rock and looked up, listening
no doubt to the sounding of the spheres.
And what a dandy fellow! the right toss of a chin for you
and swirl of a tail!
If men were as much men as lizards are lizards
they’d be worth looking at”
.
~~ D. H. Lawrence (1928) ~~

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“Art thou an artist, or art thou art?”

~~ unknown Smart Bee ~~

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Th…th…th…. that’s all, ffolkes. My eyes are done, as is my neck & shoulder. I’m gonna go walkabout for a while, until it all eases off…. I can’t say when I shall see y’all again; it won’t be forever, but, it probably won’t be real soon. In the meantime, be well, be happy as you may be, and maintain a level of strangeness with which you can be content…. I love you all….

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

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À bientôt, mon cherí….

Oblique references to a single rose….

Ffolkes,

“All art is autobiographical.
The pearl is the oyster’s autobiography.”

~~ Federico Fellini ~~

gulls counting

Waitin’ for the Robert E. Lee….

Hajime….  Today, we begin with this, just because:

“An infinite universe presents infinite examples of unreasoned acts,
often  capricious and threatening, godlike in their mystery.
Without god-powers, conscious reasoning cannot explore
and make this universe absolutely known;
there must remain mysteries beyond what is explained.
The only reason in this universe is that which you,
in your ungodlike hubris, project onto the  universe.
In this, you retain kinship with your most primitive ancestors.”

~~ Raja Flattery, “The Jesus Incident”, Frank Herbert ~~

It seems clear, if one may temporarily assume the truth of this statement, there are limits to human intelligence; those limits, alas, do not seem to apply to human imagination, thus opening the probability for imagination to exceed intelligence in the course of human behavior…. which it does, and, if the history of mankind is any indicator, has been doing so for several thousand years…. End of rant…

Sorry, had to get that out before it got any worse. I’ve ceased my habit of ranting over the state of the world; it’s pretty fruitless, given humanity’s predilection for denying the truth of reality, and, of our own nature. Occasionally, though, a pearl will draw my attention, & require a short outburst to relieve the pressure that might otherwise build into a larger, more explosive rant, thus sparing all of us the emotional stress. See, I can be nice!

Today, I’ll be even nicer, & spare y’all from any further blather, whether coherent, or nonsensical; the rest of today’s mess is ready, such as it may be; I’ve spent more time than was wise getting it to this point. Since I wouldn’t want to waste that effort, (without considering whether it’s worthwhile to make it at all…), why don’t we just get on with it?

Shall we Pearl?….

“If your lead pencil is less than three inches long,
and still equipped with  a virgin eraser,
you are about as close to perfection as this world will  allow you to be.”

~~ Esoteric Bee ~~

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emmy n mark

Today’s musical selection was chosen for its quality of content, if no other reason; this isn’t to say there are not others. It only means I was listening to the concert last night, and noted just how well the band Knopfler put together for this tour played together. When one adds the exquisite voice Emmylou brings to the party, the possibility for ‘joyful noise’ become endless. I can sincerely attest, they made that grade several times in this concert… I hope you enjoy it as much as I do…. By the way; the best stuff is in the latter half of the concert, though there’s nothing bad to find in the first part, either….

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An Evening Together
Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris

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Comedy_Tragedy

Here is a poem whose driving force came from the depths of Hell, a place I inhabited at the time it was composed…. Considering that, it’s not too shabby & I hope you enjoy it….

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

Today’s mess has been cobbled together this morning, in a fashion best described as willy-nilly, thanks to poor time management on my part. Go figure, eh? Added to that, Smart Bee decided to go on hiatus, flatly refusing to give up more than a single pearl, after which it simply presented me with the worst it has. To save time, and build-up of nasty angst, I went to search for an old-school pearl for this section in the archives. I found this, which is the third Pearl ever posted online, on another site… For what it is, or was, it’s pretty good, so, we’ll finish off today’s effort with this blast from the distant past…. Enjoy!…

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From 6/4/2011:

Ffolkes,

Finding serenity is theoretically simple, as both the tools for reaching the state, and the actual creation of the state, are part of our inner nature, and come from within, making the search short in terms of distance. Duration is another matter; it can take a very long time, and in many cases, the search never ends. Even when it can be found, the nature of the outer world makes it nearly impossible to hold on to serenity for long periods; something about a quiet, contented human just sticks in the craw of the universe; it inevitably challenges our ability to maintain our inner peace, usually in a dramatic, often dangerous fashion. It therefore becomes important for each of us who desires serenity in life to identify and keep handy the tools we use to bring about this state of blissful content, and maintain their usefulness. In short, stay chill dudes, and party on!…….

2 is not equal to 3, not even for large values of 2. — Grabel’s Law (another one for the math geeks, like me….I think this is hilarious!) (and is good advice as well…..)

“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality.” — Dante Alighieri 321

Integrity is the superlative strategy. <—- honesty is the best policy

“The map is not the territory.” — Alfred Korzbyski

“I’m going to happydance among the stars and wear my stripes any way I want to. ” — Stripes the tiger

Always try to stop talking before people stop listening.

Bearing the last in mind, we bid thee adieu for another turning of the planet….. y’all take care out there….

Note from 2017: As our old friend Porky would say, that’s all ffolkes!….

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In keeping with Porky’s admonition, this section shall remain free of disingeniousness, thereby bolstering our karmic account. Of course, the use of legerdemain could cancel that out, but, what the hell? We’re done for today, & there’s still no law against it. As to that, I say, enough! I’ll also add, yes, I am odd, but, then, I try to be, so, it’s all good. I’ll see y’all soon, ffolkes; on that you may rely….

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

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À bientôt, mon cherí….


Enhanced bozoid melancholia….

Ffolkes,

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

~~ Oscar Wilde ~~

happy pom

Why did we stop?….

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

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

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

Shall we Pearl?

“Seek the headwaters of the river of pain.”

~~ Buddhist Saying ~~

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linda ronstadt

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

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Linda Ronstadt
Greatest Hits

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Comedy_Tragedy

Off the proverbial cuff….

I never meant to kill that period of time,
it didn’t give me any choice.
It tried to hem me in without reason, or rhyme,
refused me any vote, or any voice.

You have to admit, I buried it deep and fast,
just as if I cared.
I knew, though, it would never last,
or ever be fully repaired.

No news, no pictures can bring it back,
once is all we get.
No pleas of public good, or even public lack;
in stone the past is set.

Futuristic visions now occupy my dreams,
I’m ready to go on.
Look! It fills up the screen, and it gleams!
Where’s the moment I’m sitting on?

Now, I remembered, at long, long last,
is all we really can hold.
Every moment goes by so bloody fast,
we’d best fill them all with beauty, warm and bold.

~~ gigoid ~~

4/30/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Little known notes on being human….

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

~~ Smart Bee ~~

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

~~ Tom Robbins ~~

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“Frivolity is important.
Frivolity is the species refusal to suffer.”

~~ John Lahr ~~

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

~~ Ansel Adams ~~

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“If you put a chain
around the neck of a slave,
the other end
fastens itself around your own.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

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

~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~

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

~~ Louis Wu “Ringworld” ~~

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

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

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À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

Hardly soft, but, pungent….

Ffolkes,

“A talent is formed in stillness, a character in the world’s torrent.”

~~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~~

Ebb tide galway

Ebb tide on the Strand, Galway Bay, Ireland….

Hajime…. I write because I found, early on in life, it helps me to organize my thoughts; in doing so, it aids in maintaining a relative degree of what is often termed ‘sanity’. At this point in my life, a fair piece down the road, I might add, I am ambiguously happy to report, it hasn’t worked too well at all. Now, I will agree, that’s a pretty ambiguous statement, as well, but, it’s accurate, for all it may be ironic, or more pointedly, sardonic. I’m happy to be insane, but, ambiguously, because it’s not a sane world, which rather makes the whole exercise somewhat of a conundrum. I suppose, if I stop to think for long about it, that’s not only a fair assessment, but, shows clearly, my sanity bears little resemblance to what others might accept as such….

I have related the above, not because I am particularly proud of it, or even concerned by it. No, I only do so to demonstrate for y’all, in graphic clarity, a set of thoughts that, if considered with gravity and compassion, can provide some understanding of why it often gets a bit strange around here. It doesn’t necessarily excuse it, or even attempt to justify any of it; it only offers an opportunity to process the strangeness, so it can be assimilated into your own understanding of consensual reality, at least well enough not to laugh outright at any of this. Well, I guess laughing is okay; I do try to be humorous.  But, it also will, hopefully, help y’all to see why I’m so fucking weird, which can only help. Right? Right…..

Now we have that completely squared away, as far as it will ever be, I think I’ll get on with the rest of what I’ve cobbled together for today. I am aware enough this morning to be able to realize, if I don’t, it may never happen. Wouldn’t want that; I’d be mentally constipated all day. Instead, let’s go consume some fibrous material for the mind, such as it may be.

What? No, we’re all out of rationality, so, don’t ask. Instead, just hang on, & before you know it, you’ll be on your way to your next scheduled stop…. I would suggest, however, you fasten your restraining belts; it might get a little turbulent….

Shall we Pearl?

“He that respects himself if safe from others;
He wears a coat of mail that none can pierce.”

~~ Henry Wordsworth Longfellow ~~

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I am in need of soothing music, as is often the case in the midst of creation. Today’s selection was chosen, as is also often the case, because I like the picture it displayed on You Tube. I hope you enjoy this hour-long selection of classical pieces, put together by a random computer user…. Abondanza!….

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy


Fine and Good, Good and Fine

A pig in a poke’s got nothing on me,
cuz I’m as confused as a man can be.
This ol’ world’s got me spinnin’ around
cussin’ and spittin’, a penny for a pound.

Forty ‘leven times since I was a kid, well,
I’ve fallen in love, ‘least too close to tell.
Every damn time, it all went to crap,
Forty ‘leven times I’ve felt like a sap.

‘Course, each time it happens, I forget the last;
why not? I’m havin’ such a blast….
Livin’ in each moment, filled with joie de vivre,
’til it’s all gone away again, nothin’ left up my sleeve.

Don’t want y’all to think I’m sad or blue,
life’s full of sorrow, lots for me, and/or you..
T’other side of that coin, we can be glad,
is joyful love, and that ain’t at all bad.

My road’s been littered with parts o’my heart,
each one colored with trust, which ain’t always smart.
Yet, long as I don’t lose my connection to joy,
I’ll find my own true love, and be a happy boy.

It’s been some kinda fun, even when I’d take a fall,
and doin’ it over makes no sense at all, at all
Day after day, I keep on keepin’ on, as it’s said;
Guess I’ll keep on doin’ that ’til I’m dead.

‘Nuff said….

~~ gigoid, tongue firmly in cheek ~~

3/23/2013

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Notes on Life at Large….

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“All that glitters is not gold”
is from “Parabolae”, a book of poems written circa 1175
by Alanus de Insulis, a French monk:
“Non teneas aurum totum quod splendet ut aurum”
= “Do not hold everything gold that shines like gold”.
It was Englished by Chaucer in the “Canterbury Tales” (1389) as:
“But al thyng which that shyneth as the gold
Nis nat gold, as that I have herd it told.”

~~ Smart Bee ~~

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“A day dawns, quite like other days;
in it, a single hour comes, quite like other hours;
but in that day and in that hour the chance of a lifetime faces us.”

~~ Maltbie Babcock ~~

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“So seek the wolf in thyself
Shape shift – nose to the wind
Shape shift – feeling I’ve been
Move swift – all senses clean
Earth’s gift, back to the meaning of wolf and man.”

~~ Metallica “Of Wolf and Man” ~~

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“Not all those who wonder are lost.”

~~ J. R. R. Tolkien ~~

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“In the moment between stimulus and response lies freedom.”

~~ Steven Covey ~~

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“The world is full of cactus, but we don’t have to sit on it.”

~~ Will Foley ~~

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“I see my life go drifting like a river
From change to change; I have been many things –
A green drop in the surge, a gleam of light
Upon a sword, a fir tree on a hill,
An old slave grinding at a heavy quern,
A king sitting upon a chair of gold –
And all these things were wonderful and great;
But now I have grown nothing, knowing all.
Ah! Druid, Druid, how great webs of sorrow
Lay hidden in that small slate-coloured thing!”

~~ William Butler Yeats, “Fergus and the Druid” ~~

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Well, there you have it. While I wouldn’t call it classical literature, I would say, it’s done. I’ll add, thank goodness for that. This one should probably never have happened, but, who am I to argue with consensual reality? Rather than belabor such an obvious point, I’ll just say, see y’all next time, and let you be until then…. See ya….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

dozer3

À bientôt, mon cherí….


					

Twisting reality’s tail….

Ffolkes,

Dum vivimus, vivamus.

“While we live, let us live.”

~~ quote on Philip Dodderidge’s coat of arms ~~

May Day 001

Passionate purple….

Hajime…. I do enjoy making my life difficult, it seems. Upon arising today, with the intent of finishing this Pearl before moving on to the rest of the day’s tentative plans, I found I had sandbagged any such effort; the only parts completed were the picture you see of the rose, and one lonely pearl. All else you will find below was thrown together, ruthlessly chopping the process’s usual leisurely pace, with the concomitant lack of pure mindfulness so critical to any sort of quality. Go figure, eh? Nonetheless, it got done, such as it is, so, I suppose I can’t complain….

Well, I can, but, I won’t. Instead, I’ll keep using that ruthlessness so liberally applied to the process, by getting us out of this section at our earliest opportunity. Naturally, that makes the, perhaps, erroneous assumption I’ll recognize any such opportunity, but, hey, we do what we can. It’s not as if you’re shelling out any hard cash for this, y’know…. All you have to supply is a bit of attention for a short while, to gain the possibility of an epiphany. What a bargain!

Oops. That’s not being ruthless, is it? Well, we do what we can, as noted, so, I’ll just pretend it didn’t happen & get us out of here, post-haste, before anyone has a chance to call their lawyer. How, otherwise, can we hold up our head(s) in any gathering of associates? Well, I don’t know, but, I can guess. However, rather than go down such a dangerous path, I’ll do this, instead….

Shall we Pearl?

“One’s friends are that part of the human race
with which one can be human.”

~~ George Santayana ~~

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Today’s selection touts itself as the “50 Best” classical music pieces of all time. You can decide for yourselves if you agree, or not. To be fair, you should listen to all six hours of it, just to be sure of your decision…. *grin*…. Enjoy!….

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

Meander….

Inimitable, grieving, garnering mere bargains, to taste;
naked apes, priapic by nature and choice,
filled up the only valid chalice, laid it to waste,
nobody asked, nor ever raised a single voice.

Formidable, dreams becoming so real;
clearly extraordinary, in a tawdry sense.
Deals to make, illusions to steal,
busy, busy, building fence after fence.

True nature’s existence, so to speak,
rests interiorly, as well as in your face.
Duality’s persistent insistence ain’t weak;
ignorance of reality leaves not a single trace.

Herds of commonality congregate before portals
shaking each other by the collar as they dance.
Chasing their illusionary dreams, as if they weren’t mortals,
born believing they ever had a chance.

Irony lives deep in the human soul, part, parcel, post;
holding four aces, betting a pair of jacks, or queens.
Expedience beckons toward mendacity, at most,
fox mocking grapes, while it dances and preens.

The wheel turns, inevitable, ponderously mundane,
grinding grain, chaff, and dust.
Bolstering connections aids those who may abstain
from the paltry tale of the bold, and just.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/5/2016

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pearls_3

I’m running very late today, without time to properly search out an appropriate group of pearls for this final section. Here, instead, is a combination rant/old-school pearl from early in 2013…. I hope you enjoy this blast from our past….

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From 4/18/2013:

MORAL, adj. Conforming to a local and mutable standard of right. Having the quality of general expediency.

“It is sayd there be a raunge of mountaynes in the Easte, on one syde of the which certayn conducts are immorall, yet on the other syde they are holden in good esteeme; wherebye the mountayneer is much conveenyenced, for it is given to him to goe downe eyther way and act as it shall suite his moode, withouten offence. _Gooke’s Meditations_

— Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

A reader commented to me recently that my rants have gone soft; she enjoys it when I rake someone over the coals, figuratively speaking, and asked me when I was going to get back on my white horse, or my soapbox, as the cliché may be…. I told her it is most likely a result of having some of the pressure of living removed, by the acquisition of my SS benefits, so much so that I’m finding it hard to summon up the outrage needed to rant effectively…. Like Voldemort told Harry, when he tried to use the Cruciatus Curse against Bellatrix Lestrange, in HP5-The Order of the Phoenix, “You’ve got to MEAN it, Harry!” Funny how not worrying about where the next meal is coming from takes some stress out of one’s life, isn’t it?….. Ha Ha…..

So, anyway, then I saw the above entry from the Devil’s Dictionary, and thought to myself, “AHA!” (I do that a lot…), “Now, here’s a subject worthy of a rant!”…. This is absolutely true, even though morality is sort of like reality…. there are as many versions of what it means as there are people…. of which, each and every one believes that what they perceive is the only correct version, obviously…. Right….

So, you can see the problem right away…. As a society, we have an unfortunate tendency to try to legislate morality, so that everyone is compelled to behave according to a commonly accepted pattern of behavior…. Supposedly, this legislation is supposed act as some sort of magic bullet, that will stop all the bad things from happening, like stealing, killing, and general misbehavior that is upsetting to the rest of society…. It never works, at all, but, we keep on passing laws designed to enforce a common morality anyway….

Such a drama is now being played out on the national stage, as the Senate just defeated the new gun control reforms that 90% of the populace wants in place. Out of a hundred Senators, it only took 45 Republicans to bring the proposed law down, meaning that once again, a very small percentage of people have forced their views on the rest of the public, to suit their own morality, and, more importantly, to suit their own special interests, who paid good money for their votes, dammit!…. I am somewhat piqued about this, but see little in the way of anything to be done that will make any difference, in the big picture…. No matter how stringent the laws, people who want guns will get them, and use them on other people…. The new laws would have made that a bit more time-consuming, but no less possible, or even less probable….

Since I can’t thing of anything positive to suggest, other than to stay alert to what may end up as a critical issue, I will fill out what should normally be a rant, with a number of cogent pearls, to try to jab the stick into the appropriate eyes…. and my friend will have to wait a bit longer for a good, old-fashioned brouhaha, as I get nasty and vicious in my denouncement of the BRC, the churches, and the corporate masters….. I will say this to her….. have no fear, my outrage isn’t gone, just temporarily dormant, and I WILL be back to rant….. meanwhile, enjoy these tasty gems…..

“The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes.” — Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Linear Model: An assumption concerning the nature of reality applied unquestioningly to every relationship as though God had determined that truth must always run in straight lines. — Smart Bee

“The clinching proof of my reasoning is that I will cut anyone who argues further into dogmeat.” — Sir Geoffery de Tourneville (ca. 1350)

“Has history ever recorded a time when the majority was right?” — Lazarus Long

“He would be the finer gentleman that should leave the world without having tasted of lying or pretense of any sort, or of wantonness or conceit.” –Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, ix, 2

“A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep.” — Saul Bellow

“If you want to be free, there is but one way; it is to guarantee an equally full measure of liberty to all your neighbors. There is no other.” — Carl Schurz (1829-1906)

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Damn! I did it! I honestly wasn’t sure I could, but, there it is, in all its tawdry glory. I’m going to risk losing credibility by doing so, but, so be it. It’s not as if we are taking advantage of anyone’s better nature, right? Well, I think so, &, at this juncture, that’s what counts. I’ll cease and desist this blather any moment now, & y’all can get on with the rest of your day, content in your having completed probably the toughest bites of the morning. I’ll also issue the usual warning, to wit: I’ll be back. For now, à bientôt, mes amis….

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….

All the plastic flowers are melting….

Ffolkes,

“It is not the one with many possessions who is rich, but the one who has no needs.”

~~ Philoxenos ~~

at-her-ease

At her ease….

Hajime…. Though I am pretty tired out, today is a good day. Yesterday, thanks to my new & improved general condition, and stamina, I spent 5.5 hours visiting with my son, grandson, and daughter. We had a great time, as we walked around the Plaza, chasing Pokemon Go figures, laughing, talking, and generally enjoying the day. It was the first time in a long time I have been able to tolerate spending the entire visit with them, which we all enjoyed. I got to read to my grandson from the book I gave him for his late birthday present (The Little Prince…), played baseball, threw the football, & do all the stuff I usually miss. ‘Twas a day filled with love, laughter, and hope; all in all, grand craic, as my Irish ancestors would say….

This morning, the Pearl came together fairly smoothly, given the fatigue & general mental fuzziness that goes with it. Though I didn’t have time to work on, or finish the new rant, or poem, still, things went well. When SB is in the right mood, it usually does; today, that’s a good thing, as it meant I was spared the frustration that comes in those times when it refuses to give me anything useful without massive contortions of effortful manipulation. We have the usual suspects lined up for your reading pleasure today (well, we are hopeful it will bring pleasure….); a poem, some music, and an old-school pearl, with some fine thoughts to feed your elephant’s child…. Maybe it ain’t Ibsen, or, for that matter, Twain, but, it’s art, and it’s mine, so there….

Before I lose what control I have, why don’t we go down the page a bit, and see what I’ve pulled together? It’s probably for the best, before anything untoward can occur, or, more relevant, before Murphy notices we’re up and about. Hmm….. Let’s use this one; it’s clean, and efficient….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Ignorance can be cured. Stupid is forever.”

~~ Smart Bee ~~

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As is usually the case on mornings such as this one, I’m using our default choice for entertainment while reading. Todays mix of classical selections was selected using my most favored method, to wit: the one with the most compelling picture was chosen, simply because it caught my eye…. It usually works just fine, so, I’ll just leave you with our general injunction, to wit: Enjoy!…..

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

Retrospective, defined in folly….

Yesterday
I wrote a poem.

It bled out of my head,
like I’d been struck with
an axe,
right through the artery,
in the neck,
spraying blood around
everywhere,
like a pulsing garden hose….

It hurt, at first,
then came the feeling,

of quick relief,
of timeless beauty,

of pain avenged,
of lust aroused,

of outrage aflame,
of deep compassion,

of endless empathy,
of truest love….

Now it’s gone, cast away
like pearls before twine.

(Grin…)

You thought
I was going to call you
a pig,
didn’t you?

Hah!

Well, you’re not.
You’re a person.

I know, because
you’re reading this poem…
if that’s what it is.

I think it is,
so,
maybe it is.

Or, maybe,
it will be,
someday, when it
grows up,
and learns to rhyme.
Whew…
Just in time…..

That’s all.
Reality often sucks wind,
y’know?

S’okay, though….
It keeps us busy,
and out of some of the
mischief,
so much part
of our
nature.

We all can do
only what we
do.

Or, don’t.

Two sides, one coin.

~~ gigoid ~~

9/1/2014

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Naked Pearls

Life Lessons, Redux….

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“It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations,
if you live near him.”

~~ J.R.R. Tolkein, Lord of the Rings ~~

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“If you don’t know where you’re going,
when you get there you’ll be lost.”

~~ Yogi Berra ~~

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“Expect everything, and anything seems nothing.
Expect nothing, and anything seems everything.”

~~ Samuel Hazo ~~

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“A belief is not true because it is useful.”

~~ Henri Frederic Amiel ~~

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“Love is not something you have; it is something you do.”

~~ Limon ~~

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“The improver of knowledge absolutely refuses to acknowledge authority, as such.
For him, skepticism is the highest of duties, blind faith the one unpardonable sin.”

~~ Thomas Huxley ~~

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“The man who carries a cat by the tail
learns something that can be learned in no other way.
He will never be dim, or doubtful.
Chances are, he’ll never carry the cat like that again,
but, I say, if he wants to, let him!”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

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Hmm…. Reconciling what happened here today with what I expected should be a snap, since my expectations were dead low. Go figure, eh? Ah well, such is life in paradise. I’m going to leave y’all now, just as if I’d intended it to go like this; I am, if nothing else, in charge. So, rather than abrogate any of my duties, or, responsibilities, I’ll just go now, and try to figure out what those might be. I will, in case you’re wondering, be back tomorrow, to try this again… Most likely, anyway…. 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….

Empirical evidence of intuition….

Ffolkes,

“There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else.”

~~ James Thurber ~~

odd-group-017

A Rose for Carole….

Hajime…. Well, it’s done. I’m not sure how I did it, but, since it is patently a gift horse, I won’t quibble. There’s some music, a decent poem, and a crusty old-school pearl, which together complete the required elements of a standard Pearl of Virtual Wisdom. Beyond their mere existence, and presence here in their correct slots, I make no claims; doing so could seriously affect not only any honor I might possess, but could easily destroy all the fragile equilibrium I have so recently attained. So, I won’t.

What I will do is demonstrate some compassion, by NOT bombarding y’all here in the intro with any of the usual supply of dross, or drivel, or even doggerel. Instead, I’ll note my feelings of relief and gratitude for the passing of the recent unpleasantness. The process of enduring the crap so ubiquitous during the election frenzy is exhausting, so, it’s a pleasant contrast to only have to listen to the moaning and groaning from all those who didn’t get what they wanted. Especially since having to listen is easily controlled, by switching off any TV’s, radios, or other venues that might regale me with such idiocy.

Yes, the election has made me grumpy, but, that’s nothing new, right? For now, let’s just get on with getting this mess done, and posted. To do that, we’ll have to get started, so, let’s just do that, right here, right now….

Shall we Pearl?….

“A round man cannot be expected to fit in a square hole right away.
He must have time to modify his shape.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

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Today’s musical selection once again falls into our default category because, yes, I’m lazy, and didn’t feel like even thinking about another genre….It’s okay, we’ll all be fine; today, and the future, will demand much of us, so we must learn to “go with the flow”, so to speak…. Enjoying it is the simplest solution, ffolkes…. Reportedly, this collection comes with a slide show of great works of art… Bonus!….

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

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

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I’m running late, thanks to a small fur-bearing extortionist, and my own demons. No complaints, just a comment, made only because SB decided to be uncooperative. Here’s an old, old-school pearl from a while back that will fit the necessary bill neatly…. It’s a bit random, and silly to boot, but, what the hell….

From 1/11/2015:

I’m feeling a bit silly today, along with the normal (!!!…) degree of angst over the news; Smart Bee was sympathetic enough to find the perfect group of pearls with which to address both emotional states at once…. Go figure, eh? This one is both fun, and quite pointed, with some sharp thorns adorning the roses…. There were a lot of them, so, brace yourselves, and for goodness sake, put down your adult beverages so you don’t spew on the keyboard….

“I drank what?” — Socrates

“The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that still carries any reward.” — John Maynard Keynes

“We have had no good comic operas of late, because the real world has been more comic than any possible opera.” — G. K. Chesterton, The Quotable Chesterton

“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” — Hanlon’s Razor

“Good God,” said Arthur, “it looks just like the sea front at Southend.”
“I’m relieved to hear you say that,” said Ford.
“Why”
“Because I thought I must be going mad.”
“Perhaps you are. Perhaps you only thought I said it.”
Ford thought about this.
“Well, did you say it, or didn’t you?” he asked.
“I think so,” said Arthur.
“Well, perhaps we’re both going mad.”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “we’d be mad, all things considered, to think this was Southend.”
“Well, do you think this is Southend?”
“Oh, yes”
“So do I.”
“Therefore we must be mad.”
“Nice day for it.”
“Yes,” said a passing maniac.
“Who was that?” asked Arthur.
“Who–the man with the five heads and the elderberry bush full of kippers?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know. Just someone.”
“Ah.”

— From The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

“It is an interesting question how far men would retain their relative rank if they were divested of their clothes.” — Henry David Thoreau

“If you ever reach total enlightenment while you’re drinking a beer, I bet it makes beer shoot out your nose.” — Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey

“If a lawyer and an IRS agent were both drowning, and you could only save one of them, would you go to lunch or read the paper?” — Smart Bee

“When something irritates you, think of this: How else would we get pearls?” — Smart Bee

“For to err in opinion, though it be not the part of wise men, is at least human.” — Plutarch (46-120 AD) — Against Colotes

Finally, to finish off this nonsense, we move on to what good ol’ Socrates said, immediately after voicing his surprise, as related in the opening line of this pearl….

“Sure, everyone always said ‘Socrates what is the meaning of life?’ or’Socrates how can I find happiness?’…. Did anyone ever say ‘Socrates, hemlock is poison.’???????” — Socrates, minutes before death

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I really haven’t a clue how this got done, but, since it is, I’ll go post it. I’ll even issue our standard warning/disclaimer, by letting you know, I’ll be back tomorrow, hopefully in a more rational state…. 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

Dozer

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Tiny bits of fluff, in situ….

Ffolkes,

“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.”

~~ Paul Boese ~~

Day the next 013

The cusp of the day….

Hajime…. When I arose this morning, this portion of my computer was blank, with only the basic formatting structure in place. I thought, given my lack of energy in the past few days, I would have to re-blog an older Pearl, simply because there wasn’t time for me to even fake it. However, Murphy stepped in, to remind me today is the day we set the clocks back an hour, which meant I had an extra hour to work on this. So be it…..

I still haven’t much energy, so you’ll have to put up with whatever happens; much of it will be old material. I’ve put in some lively music, to keep us all awake; beyond that, the following will be random as random can be. Go figure, eh? Moreover, I’m maintaining the ruthlessness we’ve been employing of late, to get this done while I still have the means to do so. I’m hoping to be back to relative normality soon, but, hey, what’s normal? In the meantime, we’ll get on with today’s mess, while we can do so with some dignity. Oh, really? Well, never mind. We’ll just go on, anyway….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Whatever your advice, make it brief.”

~~ Horace ~~

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hot tuna

I felt like some hot rock, so, I went back a few years, to find some worth listening to; I believe I found some…. You tell me….

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Hot Tuna

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Comedy_Tragedy

Increments

Meaning fades to distant reality
while gazing at such triviality.
An insane world, where utter finality
is reward for disability.

Metaphorically, as a matter of course.

Moment to moment, passion blooms,
swells, and fades, swept by new brooms.
Bitter dreams catch fire in empty rooms,
waiting for broken time, which never resumes.

Superficially, with great force.

Dire wolves stand snarling at the door
called to existence from a distant moor;
discordant strains sound a mad, sad roar,
a dirge for those who went before.

Morbidly, without vital recourse.

Honest effort fades from human ken
until entropy finds home in every when.
Illusory fear inundates imagination, then
buries hope, in its own ashes, hidden.

Cruelly, absolutely no remorse.

Silence falls until it shatters the night.
The universe has refused the fight.
Illusion is now reality, such a fey sight.
Who has courage to live in the light?

Really? It could be worse.

~~ gigoid ~~

2/15/2016

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pearls_3

Smart Bee is being stuffy this morning, refusing to issue even the least ironic pearl for me to use. Since I’m already deep into scavenging mode for material, here’s a short discussion to take the place of today’s old-school pearl. I could use another old-school version, but, what the heck? I’m going for it, anyway…. I hope you enjoy this little foray into not much….

From 2/9/2013:

“Been there. Done that. Reincarnated.” — Smart Bee

Reincarnation is a fascinating concept, especially given its controversial nature as being in opposition to what is believed by many of the world’s most influential religious systems. Some do, and some don’t believe in it, and I have yet to determine, through either research or luck, just why some do an some don’t…. I mean, I know why, in the sense that it doesn’t fit in with the dogma of those religions that subscribe to an afterlife consisting of harps and clouds, while it does match those that have a clearly different view of what happens after death. No, I mean I don’t understand why….. oh. Wait….

You know, I just realized, as I wrote that last line there, that this is a complete waste of energy and time, and further, is in direct violation of one of my own personal rules of life, and avoiding hassles in same…. That rule says, “Asking why is a waste of time, especially as regards human behavior…. so don’t bother.” It’s an old lesson, and one that I should have realized I was close to breaking before I did, as I’ve had a lot of experience with it in my time. Hell, I’ve had enough time that almost everything is something I’ve had experience with; maybe I can use that as an excuse for missing this time, yes? Well, okay…. Still, I can claim a lot on my mind, and nobody can tell me different, so there….

Any who, getting into the “why” of how folks choose their beliefs about a subject as speculative and controversial as reincarnation is bound to be a subject that would entail a great deal of delving into human behaviors that would only serve to frustrate me no end. If there is any area of existence that people are more foolish, or deliberately ignorant about, than such a subject as the afterlife, well, I don’t know what it is. Add to that the very dominant tendency on the part of most people to choose one religious dogma over another based on how much it makes them think (seeking the lesser of two evils, in their minds….), and you get subject matter that can only lead one to drink, to try to get the bitterness and shame out of one’s head….

Me? Hell, I have no idea what will happen when this life ends, not in any specific sense…. I believe that my consciousness, as a form of energy, will not be destroyed, and that part of the universe that manifests as the essence of Ned will merely change form…. to what form I couldn’t say. I can say that, though I am in no particular hurry to find out, it sounds like a great adventure, and I’m looking forward to knowing the answers to all the great questions that we humans ask ourselves during our stint on Earth, in the form we currently inhabit, even if those answers aren’t anything like any of the speculative concepts I’ve heard of or seen, or though of myself…. As Bob Heinlein said, “…. Soon enough, you will know, so why fret about it?”

“He who awaits much can expect little.” — Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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Well, it’s done. I guess the best that can be said for it is, it’s not a re-blog. Entirely, anyway. As with everything else in reality, it is what it is. To encourage common sense, which is sorely needed in today’s world, let’s let it lie, and just get on with the day, eh? I think that’s a swell idea, and I’m driving, so…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. I may even have something rational to share, but, don’t get your hopes up…..

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….

Cursive poetry in grammatical restraints….

Ffolkes,

“Humor is the best antidote to reality.”

~~ Smart Bee ~~

bright-brick

Brick at its best….

Hajime…. First, I must apologize to those blogs I follow, where I’ve been mostly absent for a day or two. Yesterday, an old physical demon paid a visit, which has extended into today. I’m doing the right thing to move it along, but, it’s an insidious thing, embedding itself with cold claws that grip, and takes some time to convince to leave. The upshot was, I missed commenting on ANY blogs I’d planned to visit, for which I offer my regrets. I’ll see what happens, but, it could take a day or two to get normal. Let’s hope for efficient methodology results, eh?

All that said, obscurely as possible, to preclude relating details which might just flip switches, I’m going to go directly on, to keep from becoming overly sentimental, or even maudlin. Had enough of that over the birthday celebration, so, I’m cutting down on such indulgences. However I seem to cut it, nothing seems to feel comfortable, so, what the hell, I’m gonna go post this, and be done for today. I may, or may not, be here tomorrow…. I guess that’s another one time will have to tell. It always does.

Meantime, I’m out of ideas for any extensions here, so, I figure we’ll just go do what there is to do, and be off into the day…. On days like today, that looks like this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“All nature is but art, unknown to thee;
All chance, direction, which thou canst not see;
All discord, harmony not understood;
All partial evil, universal good;
And spite of pride, in erring reason’s spite,
One truth is clear, Whatever is, is right.”

~~ Alexander Pope ~~

~~ Essay on Man, Epistle i, Line 289 ~~

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I’m in a hurry to get this posted, with no music chosen; hence, our default choice. Try to enjoy it anyway, ffolkes; can’t hurt….

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Classical Music

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Comedy_Tragedy

Fatal Supplication

But what becomes of our deepest dangerous dreams?
Does fantasy rescue any part of life’s imperiled favor?
Reality becomes but silvery pairs of mismatched teams,
Dining with affable elegance, such diffident waste to savor.

Who decides what sorrows to carry bravely to term?
Will fragrant moments of sanity make hasty manifestation?
Only Time’s patient mutability sends messages so firm,
Yet salient impersonal vexation lends credence to ripe imagination.

Can folly bring out sadness and rampant visions of beauty?
What kindness can be found in distant open relations?
With countless faces the dead disturb with dire impunity,
From separate caches of wisdom come simple stylish privations.

Shall shallow emotion serve to provide such explanations?
When does avaricious intensity assume primary focus?
Plain answers slide softly through with multiple mitigations,
While conceptually indignant concepts engage a fatally personal locus.

~~ gigoid ~~

9/20/2012

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pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Observations….

*******

“Ah, what a dusty answer gets the soul when hot for certainties in this our life!”

~~ George Meredith ~~

*******

“Waiting is.”

~~ Robert A. Heinlein, ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’ ~~

*******

“Make no judgments where you have no compassion.”

~~ Anne Mc Caffrey ~~

*******

“If my decomposing carcass helps nourish the roots of a juniper tree
or the wings of a vulture – that is immortality enough for me.
And as much as anyone deserves.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

*******

“Nothing is so bitter that a calm mind cannot find comfort in it.”

~~ Seneca ~~

*******

“And though the course may change sometimes,
Rivers always reach the sea.”

~~ Led Zeppelin, Ten Years Gone ~~

*******

“Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.”

~~ Robert Benchley ~~

*******

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

That’s all I’ve got, so, that’s all you get. I’ll see what I can do to find something fresh in there to put here, tomorrow. In the meantime, stay alert, ffolkes. It’s getting pretty weird out in the BBR…. I’ll be back, but, no promises on exact times or dates…. Probably tomorrow, if all goes well…. See ya….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

Featured Image -- 2780

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Intricate strategies deserve simple tactics….

Ffolkes,

“Nothing in life is to be feared,
it is only to be understood.
Now is the time to understand more
so that we may fear less.”

~~ Marie Curie ~~

wtf-leelu

WTF is that!….

Hajime…. In direct opposition to how I feel, which is good, in a general sense, my muse seem to have deserted me. Add to that some rather unexpected, if not surprising, attacks from within by my resident demons, and it might be apparent why the intro sections of late have been sort of truncated, if not downright butchered to pieces by ruthless efficient trimming of the dross and drivel that usually shows up. This ruthlessness is not only unaccustomed for me, it’s exhausting, for it is another attempt to fit a square peg into that damned round hole.

While the physical limitations to typing and writing are better, it remains difficult to maintain any stamina; a few minutes will put me into some relevant if not obtrusive pain, so I try to work in spurts. This is good for the hands and shoulders, but, not good for creativity, let me assure you. Ideas need a bit of peace at times, and this constant whirl from one activity level to another, all damn day, is getting old. But, then, so am I, and that ain’t gonna stop, so, I suppose I should stop complaining, and get on with today’s mess/effort/mass of contradictions. Why not? It’s free….

I’ve put together an extensive Pearl for today; I checked out a couple of the suggested related blogs suggested by the WP bots, that show at the end of each post, and found a couple good inclusions for today. There’s also a pretty good older poem of mine, and, of course, an old-school pearl to chew on at the end. To save my hands, and left shoulder, which is giving me fits today, let’s just get this over with no fuss. I can use one of my literary tricks, or break out an old technique from our dark ages. I think, today, we’ll just do this….

Shall we pearl?….

“A heart is not judged by how much you love but by how much you are loved by others.”

~~ The Wizard of Oz ~~

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

mariusz-goli

Image from The Inquistr.com via Google Images

A few days ago, I included a video of this gentleman playing a rather excellent piece, while sitting on the street in his hometown in Poland. One of our Gentle Readers ferreted out his information, including his Facebook presence. Here then is another video of his play, which connects you to a page on You Tube with a number of his pieces of work. He is truly an amazing guitarist, and I hope his name, Martiusz Goli, becomes a household word, the world over…. Enjoy!…

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

Mariusz Goli

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

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

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

We the People...

I’m in the mood to rant, but, not the ‘right’ mood. To rid myself of the emotional dross, while avoiding having to actually write, here is one last posted in April of 2013, written in 2012, prior to the last presidential election, which, though pretty lame, cannot approach the degree of lameness already shown in this election….

From 4/9/2013:

Here’s the deal…. I still don’t have a rant ready, but I feel like ranting…. so, I’ll sublimate…. This is an article that I posted on Triond, another web site where I’ve published some of my work, in the latter part of 2012, near the election that took place in November….. All of it is still pretty valid, discounting the date-related issues…. all the rest, I stand by…..

Absence of Honor: The Untimely Death of The US Constitution

“Ignorance can be compounded, made denser, until the light of our spirits is smothered.” — Deng Ming-Dao

As I read this pearl, my immediate thought was that it is a very clear, very accurate take on the 2012 election process that is currently unfolding before us in the daily news. The end of the political scale that is represented so raggedly by what is left of the Republican Party, and the mislabeled liberal end of the scale who claim to be Democrats, both of which are engaging in ongoing battles to see who can display the deepest ignorance.

The leading candidate for the “loyal opposition” to the party in power, Mr. Romney, seems to have a proclivity for alienating the very people from whom he is trying to win votes; women, immigrants and Hispanics, animal lovers, seniors, teachers and students, all have been told, in no uncertain terms, that they matter not at all to him. His plan? We’ll stop taxing the rich altogether, and that will fix everything…. Sometimes I wonder if he is getting all of his information on voter wants and issues of importance from old newspapers from the 1980’s, because he certainly hasn’t a clue as to what is happening out in America in this decade….

The other party, led by our first Black President, is busy hiding what the left hand is doing by distracting everyone with the tax and healthcare issues, to keep them unaware of how few of the Bill of Rights are left to us. “Executive Orders” signed by the POTUS this year, beginning on New Year’s Eve, while the voters were all busy celebrating the advent of the new year, include provisions that allow police to stop, search, and arrest any citizen of this country whom they suspect of any form of terrorism, or even of protest against the provisions of those orders.

These same police who are arresting their ostensible fellow-citizens are not required to tell ANYONE that they have arrested and imprisoned a citizen, nor are they ever required to provide any evidence of their suspicions in a court of law. Even though there may be no evidence, they can subject these CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY to torture to obtain a confession, or whatever it is they are after. There is no oversight to these orders; they don’t go before Congress to be approved, nor are they reviewed by the courts. Both of those particular checks on the power of the Executive Branch are completely out of the loop on this…. and they aren’t even complaining about it!

Does it physically hurt to be that stupid? — Smart Bee

My guess at the answer to this is, No. It can’t hurt very much to be that stupid, as we continue to go out each time there is an election and vote these same lying, cheating, avaricious assholes back into the same positions from which they have been oppressing the American people for oh, a hundred or so years now. I’d say that around the time of the Depression was when the first real strangle-hold on the national throat was first achieved…. the pure bullshit the government was spewing back then can be seen to have been the first real time that the government’s outrageous lies were swallowed whole by a reluctant public, who had nothing else to eat, and thus nothing else to risk…

“He was born stupid, and greatly increased his birthright.” — Samuel Butler

So, how does it feel? Does it physically hurt to be so stupid as to be part of the crowd that continues to buy into all the bullshit lies that our own government heaps upon us every day? To keep going to the polls, just as if it really matters who gets elected? Get real, folks. You will not find a name on the ballot that belongs to someone who is not a willing tool of the powers of oppression, the money-changers who are the power behind the scenes of every government in the world. Not going to happen; they’ve been the real power in the world for centuries, and they’re not about to give up all they have, just to be nice, or because they’ve all of a sudden grown a heart.

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting pretty fucking tired of being lied to, and cheated, and looked at as just another idiot for them to shit on….. and I’m not going to put up with it for much longer, without some kind of return fire….. believe it…. I don’t think I am alone in this, either…. No way to tell for sure, but I find it hard to believe that EVERYONE is falling for all of it…. but, even if I’m alone in this, I refuse to knuckle under any further, and can only say that I will do all I can to see things turn in a direction that will return my Rights, and those of the rest of the American people…. or at least those not stupid enough to hand them over without a fight….

“He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

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

Comedy_Tragedy

Savory

Blown across steppes of imagination, a spore
finds a niche, takes root,
tries to live longer than now, before
chaos/peace descends, and desire is moot.

Feathered into fecundity, another possibility
builds a nest, hatches kin,
aims at immortality, sans responsibility,
chance manifests, as it does, again.

Leading toward peril, entropy saves creativity,
making tools, and lazy time;
solid signs imply such simple nativity,
as another snitch drops his dime.

Subtle compassion billows, passion to unfold,
covering hearts bloodied by time,
burning flesh made valid, unwaveringly bold,
turning love to brilliant rhyme.

Years weigh lightly, supported by youth,
gaining weight with each year,
only the old men know the actual truth,
peace comes only when we lose our fear.

~~ gigoid ~~

4/9/2013

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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Five Steps to Living Large….

*******

“By space the universe encompasses and swallows me up like a dot;
by thought I encompass the Universe.”

~~ Pascal, Pensees, n. 265 ~~

*******

“The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”

~~ Walter Bagehot ~~

*******

“Go into yourself and see how deep the place is from which your life flows.”

~~ Rainer Maria Rilke in Letters to a Young Poet ~~

*******

“There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.”

~~ Buckminster Fuller~~

*******

“Throw strikes. Home plate don’t move.”

~~ Satchel Paige ~~

*******

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

Well, there you have it. It’s big, but, it’s mine; it’s also done as well as I can do it. Rather than test any limits yet in place, let’s just cut this off here, and do it again tomorrow. It’s not as if anyone’s paying overtime, right? Right. See ya, ffolkes, unless Reality morphs on us drastically….

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

Kowabunga!

À bientôt, mon cherí….