“Governing a large country is like frying a small fish.
You spoil it with too much poking.”
~~ Lao-Tzu ~~
Hajime…. Good morrow, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Fantasy Island…. Yep. America served notice yesterday, to the rest of the world, that the majority of those living here, at least those willing and able to vote, have picked a man to be president who is the perfect example of themselves, to wit: believes firmly in the value of show over substance. In short, fantasy is reality, and self-service is the rule of the day, and, soon, most likely, of the law; those same voters voted in a partisan Congress in both houses, giving the party whose core beliefs are racism, bigotry, and ignorance a majority in both. Some fun, eh?
Now, having abdicated my attention as much as possible, a necessary, if passive-aggressive adjustment to the nearly intolerable degree of negative irony that prevailed during the entire process, I shall wait to see if my prediction, voiced numerous times since learning of his candidacy, will come true. I noted that the Donald had voiced an interest in establishing tariffs on trade to protect American jobs; in conjunction, I pointed out what happened to the LAST President who made such remarks; his name was Nixon, and he didn’t last long after his suggestion was made public. I don’t believe the corporate interests who have bought & paid for our government are going to like that, and I fully expect some sort of ‘accident’, or ‘illness’, or some new revelation of bad deeds to strike the poor sap before he ever signs a single bill…
But, then, I’m pretty pessimistic about our government these days. Can’t figure out why; can you?…. and, yes, that’s extreme sarcasm, to be sure.
I’m afraid I don’t have much today. I don’t feel like music, (and THAT shows just how low I’ve been brought by the implications of this election, and its probable effect on the future…), and, in my thrashing about this morning, I even lost, by accidental deletion, the poem I’ve been working on. I also didn’t take any time to collect any pearls yesterday, being distracted by the process of making sure all my weapons are in working order. So, all you get today is this intro, a few pearls gathered in haste, (though, it IS a highly ironic group, and, thus, of some value today….), and, a wave bye-bye, at the end. So be it.
Not only that, but, that’s all I have for the intro, too. I’m too on edge about the future, as we have certainly entered a corner of the Twilight Zone, ffolkes. The human panorama promises to get very, very strange in the coming years. I confess to a bit of uneasiness as to the ultimate outcome. Go figure, eh? Ah, well, so much for THIS incarnation….
Shall we Pearl?….
“Can’t nobody lick us, Pa. We’re the people.”
~~ The Grapes of Wrath ~~
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Naked Pearls
Ironic notes on the recent unpleasantness….
*********
“Man’s rich with little, were his judgment true;
Nature is frugal, and her wants are few;
These few wants, answer’d bring sincere delights;
But fools create themselves new appetites.”
~~ Young ~~
*********
“I know that’s an illusionary dragon!”
~~ Famous Last Words ~~
*********
“A blind man will not thank you for a looking-glass.”
~~ Thomas Fuller ~~
*********
“If there’s anything disgusting about the movie business,
it’s the whoredom of my peers.”
~~ Sean Penn ~~
*********
“Success and failure are equally disastrous.”
~~ Tennessee Williams ~~
*********
“Democracy is that form of government
where everybody gets what the majority deserves.”
~~ James Dale Davidson ~~
*********
“A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal.”
~~ Oscar Wilde ~~
*********
All men that are ruined, are ruined on the side of their natural propensities.
~~ Edmund Burke ~~
~~ Reflections on the Revolution in France, Letter i, On a Regicide Peace, Vol. v, p. 286 ~~
*********
“YOW!! Everybody out of the GENETIC POOL!”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
*********
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There you go, ffolkes. I guess Smart Bee is in touch with society more than I knew; the nine gems you see came up in about five minutes, total…. Such is life in the blogosphere; full of randomness and ambiguity, but, oh, so much fun. I’ll probably be back tomorrow; I can’t think of anything to do but hunker down, and watch for explosions. I guess I’ll have something to say on that, so, 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.
“Sin lies only in hurting other people unnecessarily.
All other “sins” are invented nonsense.
(Hurting yourself is NOT a sin–just stupid.)”
~~ Lazarus Long ~~
Mendenhall Glacier Ice, escaping to sea….
Hajime…. Today’s Pearl comes to you through the auspices of cultural delusion in action. The faux time change our government insists upon foisting upon the public twice each year has caused a reaction in me, similar to that one experiences through long-distance travel. In short, I’m jet-lagged, without having had the pleasure of traveling anywhere. Since Sunday, when the change took place, I’ve been arising at about 3 AM., unable to sleep any longer. SIGH…. Oh, well, at least it got a Pearl done for today….
Can you feel it? Do you feel the tension in the air? The world is on a cusp, ffolkes, and the election tomorrow will have a definitive effect on how that tension plays out in reality. A lot of sensitive people are aware of what is happening, and they are all, including myself, nervous about what may happen tomorrow. My own unease is related to the simple fact that, whichever of the two candidates most likely to carry the day wins, it isn’t going to bode well for anybody, as they both have personal agendas in place that have nothing at all to do with their avowed duty, to help the American people. No, I’m afraid they both are much more selfish, and deluded, that that. I can’t see ANY good coming from the results, so, I’m holding my breath, to some degree, awaiting some indication of what direction to jump.
All that said, I’ve put together a Pearl without any real direction, or purpose, other than to maintain my own sanity, and to provide y’all with, perhaps, the only non-manipulative information you’ll be bombarded with today. Anything you see regarding the election, you may be sure, is only designed to get you to do what someone else wants. If nothing else, this won’t do THAT…. for we don’t want anything but your polite attention, and, if you wish to give it, a bit of appreciation. Or, argument. Doesn’t matter, if it keeps us both from having to think about an event which has already proven its irrelevance.
On that cheerful note, let’s get on with it. Ruthlessness coming; hang on….
Shall we Pearl?….
“What’s madness but nobility of soul
At odds with circumstance?”
~~ Theodore Roethke, “In a Dark Time” ~~
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Yep. You guessed it. Today’s musical selection automatically went to default, since I hadn’t made any decision at post-time… Go figure, eh?…. Try to enjoy it, anyway; people have been doing so for centuries, so, it CAN be done…. *grin*….
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Classical Music
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Somehow, the day before our election this year, this one seems appropriate….
Adjectives of Quality ~~ Bloody Friday
A baleful lump of ironic introspection
sits upon my shoulder today
leaving traces of fey reflection
with a smattering of true dismay.
Resistance may be futile, many have said,
belief didn’t necessarily follow.
Abnegation of fear marks all bills paid,
leaving such empty threats hollow.
Symbolic courage never sleeps so deeply
as when delusion holds sway.
Bartered virtue, sold far too cheaply,
stands in shame, until honor fades away.
Too many culprits exist to count just one;
all of us bear obvious blame.
Evil is as evil does, only, when it’s done,
it begins again, all same-same.
Nobody seems to care enough to deny the lies.
Ignorant fear rules humanity’s masses.
When evil passes unremarked, innocence dies;
silence equals guilt, leaving only hope’s ashes.
Reality screams; tales of terror unfold,
flames fanned with purposeful malice,
insidious dangers hide beneath atrocity untold
as Gaia weeps into an empty chalice.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/3/2015
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Naked Pearls
How’s that again?….
*******
“By letting go, it all gets done.”
~~ Tao Te Ching ~~
*******
Dilige et “uos vis fac.”
[Love and do what you will]
~~ St. Augustine ~~
*******
“Dreams are real while they last. Can we say more of life?”
~~ Havelock Ellis ~~
*******
“Forgive many things in others; nothing in yourself.”
~~ Ausionius ~~
*******
“Always tell the truth–if you want to make trouble.”
~~ Honest Bee ~~
*******
“It is not the strongest of the species that survive,
nor the most intelligent,
but the one most responsive to change.”
~~ Charles Darwin ~~
*******
“How many Zen masters does it take to change a light bulb?”
“None. The Universe spins the bulb, and the Zen master stays out of the way.”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
*******
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Well, it’s done. I am going now to make sure my ammo is dry, and all is ready for whatever may happen. It’s tough preparing for the worst, for, as humans, our ‘worst’ is pretty fucking unpredictable, not to mention terrifyingly, well, terrible. In any case, I’d suggest y’all stay alert. Things are going to get really ‘interesting’ out there in the Big Blue Room, and they’re going to get there soon…. I hope to see y’all tomorrow; if the internet is still up, then so will I be…. See ya, ffolkes, sans the advent of Armageddon….
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.
“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 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 ~~
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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!…
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Mariusz Goli
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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.
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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
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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.
“If you never assume importance you never lose it.”
~~ Lao-tzu ~~
Momentary peace….
Hajime….
I stood
Among them, but not of them; in a shroud
Of thoughts which were not their thoughts.
~~ Lord Byron ~~
~~ Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto iii, Stanza 113 ~~
Today is proclaimed a wash. I have only a few pearls, of which the snippet from Lord Byron assumes primary focus. This particular stanza has always appealed to me, as being a very accurate description of much of my life. Without going into a long, expansive treatise on why that should be so, I’m going to fake the rest of today’s mess, and be done with it, for I’m not in the mood for coherency. Or, for expansiveness, for that matter. In short, I’m in a funk, though not a hole. So be it. There isn’t much, but, it all has something to say. You can decide for yourselves if you needed to hear it…. Today, everything is left as an exercise for the Gentle Reader. So be it….
Shall we pearl?….
“From childhood’s hour I have not been
As others were — I have not seen
As others saw — I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.”
~~ Edgar Allan Poe, “Alone” ~~
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As per our default standard, classical music is on the menu for our musical accompaniment. I hope you enjoy it; the choice is, naturally, as random as I can make it, chosen simply for the picture that caught my eye…. Enjoy!….
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Classical Music
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Random Exposure
If I only knew what I was doing here,
I could give others a clue.
Reality gets stranger every year,
and I’m not sure what I should do.
Singing happy old tunes, in an old, gravely voice,
gives me a lot of pleasure.
I’m only glad I can still make a choice,
to look at life, to take its measure.
Memorable moments keep passing by
gilded, framed in precious emotion.
I never have to ask anyone why,
no need for a stronger potion.
Everything in life is clear, to me
there is no doubt, no misunderstanding.
We’re all good, as you can see,
members of Life, in good standing.
Life can be hard, or it can be great fun;
the right path is there for each of us to take.
That choice is often a difficult one;
pay close attention to the choice you make.
~~ gigoid ~~
4/22/2013
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Naked Pearls
Good things come in threes….
*******
“If you don’t know where you’re going, when you get there you’ll be lost.”
~~ Yogi Berra ~~
*******
“What lies before us and what lies behind us….
are small matters
compared to what lies within us…
and when we bring what lies within into the world…
miracles happen!”
~~ Henry David Thoreau ~~
*******
“What’s money?
A man is a success if he gets up in the morning
and gets to bed at night,
and in between he does what he wants to.”
~~ Bob Dylan ~~
*******
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Over the course of the last five years, I’ve learned to put aside my own feelings at times, in order to find the chutzpah to post. Today is such a day. Tomorrow might be different, and it is that ambiguity I am both counting on, and hoping for. That said, there’s naught else to impart, so, I’ll take my leave, stage virtual, with the reassurance I shall return tomorrow, like it, or not…. So be it. 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.
Hajime…. Probably, what’s going on is merely a function of my own mind, in dealing with all the crap that builds up in there. Whatever the case may be, I’ve been going into some strange places lately. In my head, that is; sadly, I don’t get out enough to say that about the Big Blue Room. These places have the unfortunate ability to keep my attention on them, rather than on Reality, where I have things that need to get done, if only for my own comfort and serenity. I can’t say I’m suffering, per se; I can say I am not happy with Reality just now, and the only responsibility for it rests securely on my own head.
I’d say life can be a bitch, but, that’s not taking responsibility, and the world suffers THAT way too fucking much for me to add to it. I can’t say I’ll be able to put it all aside with any degree of simplicity, but, I will do so, regardless of how much more uncomfortable I get. If I don’t it won’t change, now, will it? Nope. Such is life….. With all that said, I can get to the meat of the matter, which is simply this: I didn’t get much of a Pearl done. I’ll finish it up, best I may, and post it, but, it’s not anywhere close to what can usually be expected around here. All I can say is, oh, well…. Moreover, I’m going to go against my usual habit, and make that all I say. I have a feeling, ruthlessness is the only thing that will get this posted, so, here is ruthless…
Shall we pearl?….
“Do nothing secretly; for Time sees and hears all things, and discloses all.”
~~ Sophocles (496-406 BC) ~~
~~ Hipponous, Frag. 280 ~~
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As is our wont, we’ll go with our old standby, classical music, because I know it will always do for its purpose…. Today’s selection purports itself as being designed for reading…. Enjoy!….
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Classical Music
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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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Today’s final, old-school pearl requires a moment of explanation. It is what I call a random harlequin pearl, chosen completely by instinct. Smart Bee offers up a group of pearls, and my unconscious mind picks out the ones that have something to say to us for today. Don’t ask me how it works beyond that, because I don’t know, and wouldn’t say if I did. If I look too closely at it, it might go away. In any case, here is our offering for today. There is a meaning to it all, but, you have to figure it out yourselves…. Enjoy!….
*******
“For age is opportunity no less
Than youth itself, though in another dress.
And as the evening twilight fades away,
The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.
It is never too late to start doing what is right.
Never.”
~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~~
“… denn da ist keine Stelle,
die dich nicht sieht. Du musst dein Leben andern.”
(… for there is no place that does not see you. You must change your life.)
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke, “Archaic Torso of Apollo” ~~
*******
“…all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
~~ George Bernard Shaw ~~
*******
“Deeds, not words shall speak me.”
~~ John Fletcher ~~
*******
“If a person is to get the meaning of life
he must learn to like the facts about himself —
ugly as they may seem to his sentimental vanity —
before he can learn the truth behind the facts.
And the truth is never ugly.”
~~ Eugene O’Neill ~~
*******
“Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.”
~~ Things We Can Learn From Dogs ~~
*******
“Are you a good witch or a bad witch?”
~~ Subtle Wiccan Bee ~~
*******
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Okay; it’s done. Possibly the fastest ever created, but, we won’t worry about that. We’ll just post it, and be on our merry way. To fulfill our regulatory obligations, I’ll mention I will be back tomorrow. Use the time between now and then wisely; it’s your only real possession, you know…. See ya, ffolkes; count on it…..
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.
“A chief event of life is the day in which we have encountered a mind that startles us.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson~~
Who’s cross-eyed?….
Hajime…. Unavoidable, if semi-volitional events transpired this morning, preventing a smooth transition into writing mode. Fortunately, I ignored it all, and did it my way, which proved to be the most efficacious method, as, well, here I am, writing. I will submit that there may be some who would argue that what goes on here resembles writing much less than it does foolishness, but, we stopped listening to them long ago. My favorite response to such criticisms is, “We are not amused.”, followed by a Bronx cheer. They never pay any attention anyway, but, it does keep them quiet from the shock for a time, usually long enough for me to shut the door in their faces.
See? I’m writing…. Where else could you find complete nonsense right at the start of a post? Oh. Well, okay, but, it’s my own nonsense, which makes it acceptable for consumption, under the proper conditions, easily identified by their bright, pink faces. Still, it’s heartening, to think I can do this kind of thing, and not get prosecuted. Such moments in life are rare, thankfully, so, we should treasure them. If only it made any sense!….
Very well. I can see I’m not going to find anything worthwhile to discuss, unless I start telling you about today’s Pearl. But, why should I do that, when all you need to do is scroll down to find out? Instead, I’ll resort to one of our older, more ruthless methods for closing the intro, by breaking out the old #4, our most commonly used, and most effective technique. It works like this….
Shall we pearl?….
“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth:
(1) not going all the way;
and (2) not starting.”
~~ Buddha ~~
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I enjoyed yesterday’s music enough to repeat it today, though with a different selection from You Tube. Here is more from Adrian Von Ziegler, a young man who composes a lot of it…. Enjoy….
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More Celtic Music
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Dead Hands,Typing…
Puzzled anew by anomalous blocks of pain
caught, bemused, chained to routine, insane.
Stilled within breathless beauty
Engaging epiphany, insistent, called to duty.
Knees bent in lieu of a faithful rendition
suffuses, confuses, locked into stale perdition.
Clearing corrosion with hands encased in stone
Singular frozen follicles, masked by bone.
Partial focus brings unfiltered flavors to light
coloring each particle in simple delight.
Forlorn, novel conceptual artists singing in tune
nine notes in harmony, soft as the moon.
Honed blades of carbon steel flash in rhyme,
filling sensual receptors well past closing time.
Borrowed from neighbors in a week-old game
still bloody, without a proper name.
No flooded memories can justify such cost
no simple stationery, bilious, afraid, lost.
Ten times ten will never be enough
To fill so empty a stolen trough.
Bartering simplicity takes well into the night
solidly temporary pillars turned bright.
Unknown to all the pretty children who came
none were called, none had any remaining flame.
~~ gigoid ~~
2/25/2015
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Naked Pearls
Pay attention….
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“All that we see or seem,
is but a dream within a dream.”
~~ Edgar Allan Poe ~~
*******
“The more you know… well, the more you know!”
~~ Realist Bee ~~
*******
“By definition, when you are investigating the unknown,
you do not know what you will find.”
“If I repent of any thing, it is very likely to be my good behavior.”
Henry David Thoreau
*******
“You only live once — but if you work it right, once is enough.”
~~ Joe E. Lewis ~~
*******
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Well, I guess, compared to what used to transpire around here, this isn’t much. But, like all the others, it’s done, so, we won’t question any of it; at least, not out loud. In fact, to continue the efficiency begun in the intro, I will use the ending I see approaching rapidly. In fact, it’s here. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. Just try to stop 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.
~~ Jean Anouilh, Ardele, 1948, (2, translated by Lucienne Hill) ~~
Spider!….
Hajime…. It used to be I’d sit here, staring at a blank screen, wondering where, and when, I’d find anything in my head worth setting down for others to read. Now, I sit here, wondering which of the various approaches I’ve developed over the past five years of blogging to use to begin the day’s mess. Perhaps the one I choose is what makes it a mess, or an offering. Or, perhaps, it’s my own attitude. Ya think? Oops, cover pulled….
Okay, we’ll use the cat method for that one. It never happened, I didn’t say it. So be it. To avoid any possible reenactments, I’ll go back to an older method, though, not far, as it actually was employed (or, is that ‘deployed? Ah, well, no matter…), yesterday. It’s our most ruthless intro format, and it looks pretty spartan, if elegantly smooth and simple. It works just like this….
Shall we pearl?….
“What is the first business of one who studies philosophy?
To part with self-conceit.
For it is impossible for any one to begin to learn
what he thinks that he already knows.”
~~ Epictetus — How to apply general Principles to particular Cases ~~
This is what I call a WSYIWYG rant. The meme you see above from the Free Thought Project pretty much says it all, though to be completely accurate in describing my thoughts, it would include all religions along with nations as being worthy of being fucked….. but, that’s just me. We don’t NEED any of it….
‘Nuff said.
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We are going simple today, with a mix of classical music someone collected as a means of encouraging students to study. Works for any kind of reading, so, enjoy!…..
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Classical Music
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Dreaming, I wait….
In the most patient moments of rationality
kindness flows smoothly in a special milieu,
fallow thoughts speed first from equality
to give no anxious fever, anger to eschew.
Indignant mothers and step-sons in-law
shall fade simply from brilliant to grey,
intoning ritual dogma, fresh, avid, and raw,
falling, falling, in massive pastoral disarray.
Safety lives not, save brightly in ignorant bliss,
it follows us all, silent and infinitely frail,
foremost too often, soft as a virgin kiss,
alive, always eager, willing, and pale.
Intimate knowledge finds only the bold few
with courage and virtue to gift, unbidden.
No solemn royal version may pass in review,
true love for man, never to remain unhidden.
Sweet feathers of Emily’s hope uplift,
calm, drowsy episodes bursting with light,
With final glad cries we set ourselves adrift,
swimming in the oceans of natural delight.
When sorrow is banished, in ages yet to come,
roots solidly anchored, cold and remote,
Ample supplies of kindness sit silent and dumb,
and the old stranger shrugs on his faded coat.
Dreaming, then, I wait with shadows in the night
aspiring to inspire, a message from the muse’s heart
Never forgotten images, framed in color bright,
tempt me only, grieving, steeped in serenity’s arcane art.
~~ gigoid ~~
8/18/2013
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Naked Pearls
Serving the truth….
*******
“I am the shadow my words cast.”
~~ Octavio Paz ~~
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“In’I no expect to be justified by the laws of men.”
~~- Bob Marley ~~
*******
“Brains first and then Hard Work.”
~~ Eeyore, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne ~~
*******
“It is one thing,
to show a man that he is in an error,
and another,
to put him in possession of truth.”
~~ John Locke ~~
*******
“The human condition is such
that pain and effort are not just symptoms
which can be removed without changing life itself;
they are rather the modes in which life itself,
together with the necessity to which it is bound,
makes itself felt.
For mortals, the ‘easy life of the gods’ would be a lifeless life.”
~~ Hannah Arendt ~~
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“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
~~ Anais Nin ~~
*******
Costing not less than everything.
~~ T.S. Eliot ~~
*******
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Well, there you go. A bit esoteric in spots, but, altogether, a fine little Pearl for your consumption. I’ll skip any comments on process, or program, or even potential quality, and just say, see ya tomorrow, ffolkes. It seems to be a habit I can’t break…. Not that I want to, mind you…. More to follow….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“In the moment between stimulus and response lies freedom.”
~~ Steven Covey ~~
Grrr….
Hajime…. Sometimes in the morning, one receives a lesson. Today is not such a day. Any lessons I might have learned this morning would have been fruitless, as my mind resembles nothing more than a colander; most everything is leaking right out. In order to successfully produce today’s Pearl, I will be shortening this intro unmercifully, since anything I write would be suspect. How merciless are we going to be? Well, I’ll show you….
Shall we pearl?….
All that is harmony for thee, O Universe,
is in harmony with me as well.
Nothing that comes at the right time for thee
is too early or too late for me.
Everything is fruit to me that thy seasons bring, O Nature.
All things come of thee, have their being in thee, and return to thee.”
~~ — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus — Meditations, iv, 23 ~~
Today, while appreciating this sentiment from our old friend Marcus, all I can say is, “I wish”….. Onward, he said, grimly….
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During the process of yesterday, (you know, getting by, getting through….), I had occasion to use one of Bob’s best lines, to wit: “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, …”, etc., (from “Redemption Songs), in a comment on FB. Since I have a touch of OCD about such, using it required looking up the exact wording, which took me to a page with ALL his video mentions in Google, i.e., the Google playlist for his work. I began to listen, naturally, whereupon I decided the mix of songs was perfect for today’s Pearl. Hence, Mr. Marley…. If you listen long enough, you’ll hear everything of his there is to hear, some more than once…. Excellent….
Following the music from Bob, I’ve included a video of an unknown street performer, somewhere unknown in the world, which I found while cruising You Tube. You will NOT believe how good this man is on the guitar, or why you have never seen nor heard of him…. Watch, and try to keep your jaw from dropping; you don’t even have to know anything about guitar to see what a genius he is….
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Bob Marley
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Choosing a Theme
Powerful words playing hide and seek in my mind,
teasing with subtle cruelty, pretending to be kind.
Grand visions and flowery verses of beauty and truth
evaded my inner eye all through the days of my youth.
Affable interludes interspersed with allegorical wit
softened the crimes, against all reason, to finally acquit.
Time became at once an enemy, and an ally
Never once compelled to provide an answer why.
Giving gifts of simple kindness are their own pay,
spreading ripples of compassion are felt far and away.
Love given freely is precious, we are ever told,
increasing love received, more than a hundred fold.
Living long and with passion has centered my soul,
allowing me room, and time, to choose my own goal.
Now that I’ve gone past any need to pretend
I love everything in life, even knowing it will end.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/21/2012
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Naked Pearls
Who knew?….
*********
“Reality is a cliche from which we escape by metaphor.”
~~ Wallace Stevens ~~
*********
“Who are you?”
~~ Curious Bee ~~
*********
“Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear?
Can you remain unmoving till the right actions arises by itself?”
~~ Lao Tzu ~~
*********
“If you would hit the mark,
you must aim a little above it:
Every arrow that flies
feels the attraction of earth.”
~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~~
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“Do thou restrain the haughty spirit in thy breast,
for better far is gentle courtesy.”
~~ Homer ~~
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“Gli arcobaleni d’altri mondi hanno colori che non so.
Ma lungo i fiumi d’altri mondi nascono fiori che non ho.
[The rainbows of other worlds have colors I don’t know.
But along the rivers of other worlds flowers are born that I don’t have.]”
~~ Fabrizio De Andre ~~
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“The strongest of all warriors are these two — Time and Patience.”
~~ Leo Tolstoy ~~
*********
“What is man’s chief enemy? Each man is his own.”
~~ Anacharsis (f1. c. 600 B.C.), Scythian philosopher ~~
~~ Stobaeus, Flor., II, 43 ~~
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“In every enterprise consider where you would come out.”
~~ Publius Syrus — Maxim 777 ~~
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Following the prophetic words from Publius Syrus, we have come out precisely where we intended. Since the ruthlessness displayed in the intro was so effective, not to mention efficient, let’s carry on with that here. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, if I’m still breathing, and able to type….. good odds on that….
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…. Howdy, ffolkes. While creating today’s offering, I came to a realization about why I haven’t been able to find the angst necessary to produce a good rant. The realization came as I looked for a pearl to place at the beginning, to indicate the direction the piece would follow; there were so many issues, and so many pearls, I couldn’t make up my mind. It isn’t the angst after all; there’s plenty of that, as a direct result of having plenty of cause. So, I gave up, as is my wont of late, and decided to wait until one of the issues assumed a cloak of dire need, then give it a shot….. Otherwise, I’d be writing forever, without any resolution, for there aren’t many good answers to be found.
Now that I’ve provided myself with a plenitude of future excuses to be lazy, I’ll tell you today’s Pear is a good one, if rant-free. Fine music, perhaps my best poem, and a damn fine old-school lesson, sort of. I’m happy with it, & that’s all that matters ultimately. Y’all will, as always, need to decide for yourselves whether your time has been wasted, or augmented. Sharing your decision is, of course, optional. When I see such comments, I tend to feel a small portion of guilt, right before ignoring them altogether, so, it’s not my favorite thing to occur; I gave up guilt long ago. But, I’m fair-minded, mostly, so, have at it, if you wish…. No worries; I don’t own a gun.
Okay, that’s about enough of that for one day. It’s all getting that red color that happens right before Reality begins to swirl and fade away, so, perhaps it would be best to get on with the rest of this mess. It’s not as if we are concerned with our sales figures, but, I hate casualties, and so does the insurance guy. So, we’ll get the slow on the toad, and be done with it for another diurnal period. Besides, it makes it harder to catch me this way…. See ya down the page….
Shall we pearl?….
“Entropy requires no maintenance.”
~~ Amanda Walker ~~
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Stevie Ray Vaughan, in his short time with us, left a large mark on the musical scene. He was already considered a master when he passed, and, fortunately, left a substantial body of recorded work to enjoy. This concert, though not the greatest picture, has good, clear sound, essential for full appreciation of his genius. Enjoy, ffolkes, it doesn’t get any better……
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Stevie Ray Vaughan Live in Tokyo ~ 1985
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Unheralded Sagacity…
To many, who will not see beyond their nose,
the world becomes a dangerous place;
a bullet in every gun, a thorn with every rose.
No magic comes to save us, reality leaves no trace.
Minds closed, wrapped tight in manufactured fears,
men become clay, easily molded into complacent form.
No chains needed, held in thrall for years;
lies become gospel, when dishonesty is the norm.
Shed the chains you wear in durance, in kind;
oh, ye of little faith, and much doubt.
Strength is found in an unfettered mind;
cry “freedom” with a great shout.
No help from any gods can hinder so much
as our own lack of confidence;
finding the light within, knowing it as such
confirms us, becoming consequence.
Illumination…..
~~ gigoid ~~
4/17/2013
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Naked Pearls
Potpourri
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“I have been a stranger in a strange land.”
~~ Old Testament, Exodus ii, 22 ~~
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“What we wish, that we readily believe.”
~~ Demosthenes ~~
*********
“You grow up the day you have your first real laugh — at yourself.”
~~ Ethel Barrymoore ~~
*********
“Anyone without a sense of humor is at the mercy of everyone else.”
~~ William Rotsler ~~
*********
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
~~ T. S. Eliot ~~
*********
“He who has a WHY to live for can bear with almost any HOW.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~
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“Self-trust is the essence of heroism…
It speaks the truth, and it is just, generous, hospitable, temperate,
scornful of petty calculations, and scornful of being scorned.
It persists; it is of an undaunted boldness,
and of a fortitude not to be wearied out.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Essays” ~~
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“He who laughs, lasts.”
~~ Mary Pettibone Poole ~~
*********
“Deserve your dream.”
~~ Octavio Paz ~~
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There you have it; short, but sweet. I’m going to go now, before it all loses focus, and turns on us, which can happen here at the end, if we aren’t mindful. Of course, that particular state remains fitfully inconsistent, but, we’re working on it. See y’all tomorrow, if I, once again, can find no good reason to NOT do so….. Trust me, I won’t…. and, I WILL be here, one way, or another…. Hope for the one, the other is bloody dangerous…. for everyone….
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.
“Let ignorance talk as it will, learning has its value.”
~~ J. de La Fontaine (1621-1695) ~~
~~ The Use of Knowledge, Book viii, Fable 19 ~~
I swear it went inside here….
Hajime…. Thanks to goodness knows what, I’m running late. This is both good, and bad, like most things human. We do tend to try to strip it down to bare bones when possible; today’s post will, no doubt, require us to do so rather ruthlessly, if we hope to find our way to any sort of conclusive resolution. Of course, that also implies we actually know what we’re looking for, or where we’re going, neither of which approaches the truth of Reality in any portion. Go figure that one, eh?
There. That should make it clear you’ll get nothing rational out of me today. That happens to me consistently, I’m afraid, though you wouldn’t know it to watch me perform my antics. I’ve now had an officially long time to practice making it look normal, and, much as the effort costs, it seems worth it to keep those around me from worrying, or, for that matter, from bursting into flames when I look at them. Always a bonus out in public to avoid being noticed for such happenings. I can assure you, I don’t miss the drama….
Okay, that’s all you get today. I’m clean out of fresh ideas, at least for now, so, I’ll bite the bullet, and get this done, so I can say I did without lying about it. I do hate to have to lie, about anything; for us humans the facility comes too easily. I prefer to try to meet Reality on its own terms, which won’t work if we don’t use the rules. Another go figure, but, hey, we’re used to that. I’m going to stop tormenting all of us now, and use this very ruthless technique to get us down the page to where we need to be…. Watch closely, or you’ll miss it….
Shall we pearl?….
“Arouse the mind without resting it on anything.”
~~ Diamond Sutra ~~
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Today I feel like some classical music. I also want to hear the guitar, so, what better way than to hear over two hours of some of the finest classical guitar ever played, by the acknowledged master of the genre, Andres Segovia…. I hope you enjoy it; it will be hard not to do so, since its probably some of the best music ever created by humans… Abondanza!….
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November Dreams of Spring
Crass and cold, the beggar finds me swollen, so frail and fat
with painful stepping motions, running, like a Republicrat.
Building with straw and spittle, should artists come aground,
we all pay heavily, a billion for a bloody pound.
Too desperate, too ashamed to play such a part
We ask for belief, and sweet liberty, dressing up so smart.
It falls between the simple cracks, always in a hurry
To find a shrunken ego, ashen, swift, and full of worry.
Never there was a more penitent group, such a sterling way
To fast in luxury, making sure the guilty enter, but do not stay.
Forgotten gods can find their diffident suitors tonight
With dream-fitted convention, and a natural sense of delight.
For all the silken babies cried, to see the broken dreams of power
forgiven moments of certitude serve, filling up the maiden’s bower.
All the patient, loving veterans of ancient foreign time,
give up their first impressions, dying, dying for a rhyme.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/19/2012
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Naked Pearls
Warning: thinking caps required….
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“I certainly wasn’t happy.
Happiness has to do with reason,
and only reason earns it.
What I was given was the thing you can’t earn,
and can’t keep, and often don’t even recognize at the time;
I mean joy.”
~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~
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“If possible, try to find a way to come downstairs
that doesn’t involve going bump, bump, bump, on the back of your head. -“
~~ Pooh, in Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne ~~
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“How to gain, how to keep, how to recover happiness
is in fact for most men at all times
the secret motive of all they do,
and of all they are willing to endure.”
~~ Dean William R. Inge ~~
*********
“There is, nevertheless, a certain respect
and a general duty of humanity that ties us,
not only to beasts that have life and sense,
but even to trees and plants.”
~~ Michael de Montaigne, Essays, Book ii, Chap. xi, Of Cruelty ~~
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“Seek not to follow in the footsteps of men of old;
seek what they sought.”
~~ Matsuo Basho ~~
“Good taste is always an asset.”
~~ Rudy Bakalov ~~
*********
“Fear is the lock and laughter the key to your heart.”
~~ Steven Stills ~~
*********
“After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”
~~J.K. Rowling, The Man with Two Faces, ~~
~~ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, 1997 ~~
~~ spoken by the character Albus Dumbledore ~~
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“Aw Mom, you act like I’m not even wearing a bungee cord!”
~~ Calvin ~~
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Despite some rather spirited competition from the cat, I got it done. I’m going to cut my losses at this point, since, by posting, I win. Of course, it’s only myself I beat, but, hey, gotta take the kudos where you find ’em, or, you might not get ’em at all. I will, as consistently threatened, be back to do this again tomorrow, I imagine…. Odds are running even right now, but, they’ll improve; bet on it. 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 