Tag Archives: The Giant from Twin Peaks

Navigating the slippery slopes of Reality….

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Ffolkes,

“Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf.”

~~ Rabindranath Tagore ~~

hidden glory

Path to Glory….

Hajime…. Okay, so, this is live…. I have found one of the reasons, or, partial reasons, as there are more than one, for my extended absences to be the simple fact of my improved health. For many years, thanks to pain, and opioid addiction, my sleep pattern was severely disturbed, such that I was often up much of the night, and I became accustomed to arising well before dawn, usually between 3 and 5 A.M.. I would also tend to fall out early, since I arose so early; this, in conjunction with not being able to sleep all night long, complicated the issue even more. My blog entries spoke of it often, and I now believe the lack of consistent sleep contributed to the issue of my constant display of stress related cognition, i.e. my depth of insanity…. Go figure, eh?

Now, however, my sleep pattern has resumed a degree of normality; I generally stay up longer, especially if I’ve napped during the day (I admit it; I’m old, and get tired more often….), and sleep fairly well for most of the night. My time for arising, to Leelu’s intense displeasure, now happens around six A.M, or later; today I got up at 7:15, & realized, as often happens, I was late in meeting my verbal commitment to post fresh material today. Again, go figure, eh? Ah, well, so be it. I happen to prefer my life now to any of the time I spent in Hell, otherwise known as the process of ridding myself of opioids. I’ll take the lesser degree of angst & stress, and the lack of the urge to post, over that time, without any complaint at all….

All that being said in my defense, I also realize I miss the interaction with other bloggers, which has, to some degree, been replaced by interaction with Reality, making it at once ironic, and a trifle sad, to realize I prefer the ambiguity of reality over the consistency of cyberspace. Reality, then, is shown to be preferable to any sort of non-reality based involvement. (By ‘non-reality’ I refer to the degree of separation between interaction in cyberspace and that of face-to-face interaction with people in real time….) For a very long time, that ‘non-real’ interaction was the ONLY kind in which I engaged. Now, just walking about in the BBR brings me more satisfaction than does sitting on my butt, reading from the computer… Again, all I can say is, so be it, for I will not be going back to full-time computer use; I enjoy the physical side of life too much to give up on it so young….

On that particularly ironic note, I’ll end this first-person diatribe, which is only intended to explain my absence, not to offer any excuses, which are not needed for exercising my own choice to be healthy, rather than filled with stress & angst. I know, I know, it makes for lousy ranting, but, hey, I do it better in person, anyway, believe me….. For now, let’s go post what I’ve thrown together for today, & be done with it for a time. I WILL return; there’s too much dross in my head to ever completely forgo this method of releasing it from durance vile. I just won’t be around as often. I’ll try to remember to offer some news and impressions of my time in the Real World, but, that, too, is, as yet, not set in stone…. At this point, I think I need to get us down the page, so, hang on, we’re going in hot….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Purity engenders Wisdom,
Passion avarice,
and Ignorance folly, infatuation and darkness”.

~~ Bhagavad Gita (c. B.C. 400) ~~

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

cream 2005

There is no introduction needed here, really; all you’ve got to know is, this was probably the best concert ever given, by three of the very best musicians alive. Here for your viewing pleasure is Cream, as reunited in 2005…. Enjoy, ffolkes; it really doesn’t get any better than this one….

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

Cream
Reunion Concert 2005
Royal Albert Hall

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

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

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

Comedy_Tragedy

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

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

pearls_3

Naked Pearls

Beginning to end….

*******

“Time goes, you say? Ah, no!
Alas, Time stays, we go.”

~~ Austin Dobson,” The Paradox of Time” ~~

*******

“To be a philosopher is not merely to have subtle thoughts,
nor even to found a school
but so to love wisdom
as to live according to its dictates,
a life of simplicity, independence, magnanimity, and trust.
It is to solve the problems of life
not only theoretically, but practically.”

~~ Henry David Thoreau, “Walden” ~~

*******

“Discontent is the want of self-reliance: it is infirmity of will.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

*******

“I suppressed word after word from my vocabulary.
When the massacre was over,
only one had escaped: Solitude.
I awakened euphoric.”

~~ E.M. Cioran ~~

*******

“At ebb tide I wrote a line upon the sand,
and gave it all my heart and all my soul.
At flood tide I returned to read what I had inscribed
and found my ignorance upon the shore.”

~~ Kahlil Gibran ~~

*******

“Do not look for all the answers at once.
A path is formed by placing stones one in front of the other.”

~~ The Giant from Twin Peaks ~~

*******

“Because I have loved life, I shall have no sorrow to die.”

~~ Amelia Burr ~~

*******

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

Don’t fret; the final pearl is NOT an omen, or statement of intent. It merely fits well at the end of that particular set of pearls. It also is a fitting finish to this Pearl, for it is, for me, as true as the day. I’ll be back, ffolkes, in a day or three. Y’all be cool, y’hear? Be good to each other….

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….



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Ffolkes,


“Do not look for all the answers at once.

A path is formed by placing stones one in front of the other.”


~~ The Giant from Twin Peaks ~~


river corrib


Galway City Museum on River Corrib, from the Wolfe Tone Bridge


Hajime…. Generally, the opening pearl, which sits just above the opening picture, has little, if anything, to do with what comes after. Today, it is a perfect beginning, for it, as well as all that follows, is a stone on the path I am, in my own inimitable, if odd, fashion, creating in this, my life, or, as Joseph Campbell would call it, my hero’s journey…. I know, it’s a little early for grandiosity, but, try not to fall for connotations, okay? By ‘hero’, we’re not talking Superman, or Spiderman, (although they are, and do fit the word’s definition….), but, rather, the hero of every man’s life, himself (or, herself; let’s also not get too hung up on gender specificity, ‘kay? It’ll just slow things down, & I can’t sit that long.).


I would suppose most people will find it odd to philosophize so early on in a post, but, then, by now, y’all should realize, I am far from being ‘most’ people, and, in fact, find such a term to be rather insulting when applied to my own case. Not that I’m a rogue human, but, I’m definitely NOT part of the herd of, as my friend chuq would call them, ‘Ignorati’, that mass of humanity that surges from water closet to water closet, seeking comfort and joy in the process of living a life of delusion. And, thank goodness for that, I say!


Perhaps it seems elitist, but, it really is not, as I also know I am one of the world’s great Bozos, as deserving of Fate’s ill attention as much as any Fool. If there is any doubt of that, I am not the one holding on to it, even though dubiousity is my nature…. Of the mere fact of being a great Fool, I have no doubt it is a club in which I hold long-standing membership.


Hmm…. Well, it started well, but, took a bit of a random turn there, didn’t it? I’d hoped to dazzle y’all with the excellence, sharp wit, and coherence on display in the above passages, but, I now see I’ve missed the mark by an inch or three. Oh, well; it got us this far. I’ll ignore it all, as any good human is trained to do, & just get on with the rest of today’s insanity. Yes, insanity; it isn’t sane to expect one’s views to bear the force of realism, or even reality; only our human ego, drenched as it is in our own consciousness, (which may only be a local phenomenon, like E=MC²) can lead us to believe it does. I prefer honest idiocy to false wit; hence Pearls of Virtual Wisdom, eh?


I think, on that note, it’s time to get to the rest of the mess I’ve created today, before I lose what nerve I have left. Today’s version of illegitimacy is brought to you through the auspices of insomnia, bordered with a bit of smarm, and a lot of doubtful cogitation. So be it. Moreover, let’s just, as Nike says, do it….


Shall we Pearl?


“There’s a great power in words,

it you don’t hitch too many of them together.”


~~ Josh Billings ~~


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


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


Since this Pearl, like many before it, is being cobbled together in a relative rush, we’re going with our default selection. I never know ahead of time whether the selection is a good one, or just a one. But, hey, it’s classical, and that genre is mostly comprised of what has lasted over the centuries, so, it’s hard not to find parts of it that are good…. Enjoy it, regardless, if you will…..


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





Classical Music





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












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


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


Comedy_Tragedy


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


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


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Random thoughts on Life at Large….


*******


“In the long run, we get no more than we have been willing to risk giving.”


~~ Sheldon Kopp ~~


*******


“Just think of the tragedy of teaching children not to doubt.”


~~ Clarence Darrow ~~


*******


“Human progress is furthered, not by conformity, but by aberration.”


~~ H.L. Mencken~~


*******


“In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge.

The young they keep out of mischief;

to the old they are a comfort

and aid in their weakness,

and those in the prime of life they incite to noble deeds.”


~~ Aristotle ~~


*******


“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 ~~


*******


“He that feareth is a slave,

were he never so rich, were he never so powerful.

But he that is without fear

is king of all the world.”


~~ E. R. Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros ~~


*******


“Dying is a wild night and a new road.”


~~ Emily Dickinson ~~


*******


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


Today, it’s rather satisfying to reach the end; three days of cobbling can be tiresome, even if it provides welcome distraction from the issues which preclude comfortable writing, i.e., being capable of sitting for more than five minutes without having to get up, having reached the tolerable limit. But, to dwell on that would be inconclusive, unproductive, and, whiny, so, we’ll not go there any further. Instead, I’ll just take my leave, with the latest caveat, to wit: I’ll be back, though ‘when’ is still a question. For now, I’ll just say, be well, and happy as you may, and stay alert. Not only does the world need more ‘lerts, it’s pretty iffy out there…. Ta, then, luvs….


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 -- 12382


À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Irony, so fresh, it squeaks….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“He who is inclined to lust is merciful and tender-hearted;

those who are inclined to purity are not so.”


~~ Saint John Climacus ~~


alcatraz


Alcatraz Island, Southern View


Hajime…. When I began to compose today’s mess, the only part done was the picture, and the two introductory quotes, both of which already graced my FB page yesterday. Sue me; I like ’em, I’ll use ’em twice, or more. Hell, I’ll use a good pearl ’til it’s damn near unforgettable. None of which really has anything to do with what you’ll see. I just needed something to fill in this space. Go figure, eh?


Now, at this point, y’all might be asking, “Why?”. Of course, if you’ve been around here much at all, you’ll know I just ignore such questions, as being unproductive to our purpose here. Today, I’ll answer it, just to be fair. The only answer I have, though, is “Why not?”, so, you may want to just forget it altogether. That’s often the best way to deal with my intransigence; get upset & it could well get completely out of hand. Actually, I’m thinking, the best idea is for me to just say nothing, and go on to the next paragraph; this one seems to have gotten away from me.


Whew! Never thought, when I started, I’d ever get this far. But, just a bit of distraction, some minor sleight of fingers, and, look here! It’s damn near an intro! Fancy that. In order to fulfill our standard requirements, I’m required to inform you, all the above is pure drivel. Yep, and some of my finest drivel, at that. Who’d a thunk it? Well, one might say, I should have, but, they’d be wrong, for I never plan any of this ahead of time, or bother figuring out why it does what it does. If I did, it would only get worse. Since that’s the case, let’s do this, rather than pursue such folly any further….


Shall we Pearl?….


“I know a lot of people without brains who do an awful lot of talking.”


~~ The Scarecrow, Wizard of Oz ~~


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


bach-organ-works-for-free


Johann Sebastian Bach


Image from openculture.com via Google Images


J. S. Bach is as close to a classical rock star as it was possible to be in his era. Not only did he write, perform, and produce many children, (a couple of whom weren’t too shabby as composers, either…), but, has had much of his work act as a strong influence on modern rock and roll, blues, and soul music. I give you today some of his finest works, the six Brandenburg Concertos…. Enjoy!….


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





J.S. Bach 

Brandenburg Concertos





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











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


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


Comedy_Tragedy


Just because it is….


A Dubiously Soft Morning


Idiosyncratic images, clamoring for regard,

fill up the white, white screen on which I view

my life, never seeing, nor invited to sup

ambrosial remnants of anything new.


Still, yet almost in motion, allegory sails away

bobbing gently, quick and easy to find,

signs of one happy child, seriously at play,

blissfully immersed, focused joy in mind.


Formidable cries of outraged simple justice

echo plaintive relevance, in half the time.

Maladaptive infants, destined for hospice

salvage an only child, daring to sing in rhyme.


Creativity equals unquestioning farce,

often reaching for absurdity, brazenly afire.

Instead, a blow is felt no joy will ever soften,

accepting the price, added to the cost of desire.


~~ gigoid ~~


7/26/2013


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


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


To be there, one must go there….


*******


“Back to the insanity at hand.”


~~ gigoid, pearling mode ~~


*******


“Do not look for all the answers at once.

A path is formed by placing stones one in front of the other.”


~~ The Giant from Twin Peaks ~~


*******


“All of a sudden, I want to THROW OVER my promising ACTING CAREER,

grow a LONG BLACK BEARD and wear a BASEBALL HAT!!

… Although I don’t know WHY!!”


~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~


*******


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


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


*******


“I don’t suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.”


~~ Bumper Sticker ~~


*******


He thought he saw an albatross

That fluttered ’round the lamp.

He looked again and saw it was

A penny postage stamp.

“You’d best be getting home,” he said,

“The nights are rather damp.”


~~ Linus Songs Poems #185 of 719 ~~


*******


“Say goodnight, Gracie.”


~~ George Burns ~~


*******


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


Okay, well…. that was different. Instead of commenting on any of the above, I think I’ll leave well enough alone. Which, if I’m not making another inaccurate assessment, will do it for today. Oh, right. No assessment needed, other than to note, it’s done, dammit! Now we’ve settled that, I’ll be on my way, to wend my way through the BBR to a toy store…. Don’t ask; it’s the season. For now, suffice it to know, I’ll be back, though I won’t be Bach. Ha!…. See ya, ffolkes…. Stay strange; I intend to….


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….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Drawing the string, for luck….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“Self-reflection is the school of wisdom.”


~~ Balthasar Gracian ~~


lets-talk-leelu


We need to talk….


Hajime…. I’m tired of reblogging old Pearls, so, I’m putting this together with what I have ready, and, so be it. I’ll even be super-nice, and forgo any sort of long, rambling intro, in favor of just getting it done with as little hullabaloo as we can manage. That shouldn’t be hard, given the already overbearing handicaps under which I’m operating, as a matter of course, for the time being. This, of course, is superfluous to our purpose, but, then, little is not.


All that said, with the standard lack of direction fully acknowledged, if not compensated for, I’ll just get on with it, as it will be hard enough. I guess what I should, and will do, is pay attention to our final opening pearl’s advice, and put the damn stones down as they need to be…. Let’s go do that, ‘kay? ‘Kay!….


Shall we pearl?….


“Do not look for all the answers at once.

A path is formed by placing stones one in front of the other.”


~~ The Giant from Twin Peaks ~~


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


Comedy_Tragedy


Pensive early and late…


Endings aren’t always a new beginning

I’m sad to say.

Sometimes it’s just an ending

there’s always a price to pay.


Still, it’s only money, he said

watching it piss away

Did everything ‘cept meet Fred

‘n had a good time the whole way.


Even the bad stuff turned out well,

life lessons are just that way.

Knowing what’s right, you can’t always tell,

we don’t always know the right things to say.


I’ll take all the hard times, without complaint,

learning isn’t always easy to take.

Kindness, patience, and compassion without restraint,

are still the best decisions we can make.


~~ gigoid ~~


4/26/2013


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


pearls_3


Naked Pearls


Logic, untwisted….


*******


“It costs so much to be a full human being

that there are very few who have

the enlightenment or the courage to pay the price…

One must abandon altogether the search for security

and reach out to the risk of living with both arms…

One has to embrace the world like a lover…

One has to accept pain as a condition of existence…

One has to court doubt and darkness as the cost of knowing.

One needs a will stubborn in conflict,

but apt always to

total acceptance of every consequence of living and dying.”


~~ Morris L. West, “Shoes of the Fisherman” ~~


*******


“Make no judgments where you have no compassion.”


~~ Anne McCaffrey ~~


*******


“Belief gets in the way of learning.”


~~ Robert Heinlein, Time Enough for Love ~~


*******


“Fear is the lock and laughter the key to your heart.”


~~ Steven Stills ~~


*******


“I looked more widely around me,

I studied the lives of the masses of humanity,

and I saw that not two, or three, or ten, but hundreds,

thousands, millions, had so understood the meaning of life

that they were both able to live and to die.

All these men were well acquainted with the meaning of life and death,

quietly labored, endured privation and suffering, lived and died,

and saw in all this, not a vain, but a good thing.”


~~ Leo Tolstoy ~~


*******


“Heaven embraces the horizon.

No matter how jagged the profile, the sky faithfully conforms.”


~~ Deng Ming-Dao ~~


*******


“Comedy. Sudden, violent, comedy!”


~~ Monty Python ~~


*******


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


There. I feel a little better. It’s not epic, but, it’s a Pearl, so, I’ll take it. And, so will you, for the nonce. I will keep working at this, and may be able to resume steady production in the fairly near future. Yay, me. Or, not. Time will tell; always does. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, one way or another….


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….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Unavailable for comments or plastic ducks….

			
						

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Ffolkes,


“Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength

which will always spring up if thou wilt always look there.”


~~ Marcus Aurelius ~~


Wind Spinner


Wind Spinner


Hajime…. To avoid getting either maudlin, or whiny, I’ll forgo relating how I’ve spent the past three days, three days in which no Pearl was posted, for the first time in five years. Suffice it to say, I’ve not been having fun, nor have I been frantically writing down the thousands of irreverent, or psychotic, take your pick, thoughts that have paraded past my inner censors, without ever seeing the light of day. No doubt, that sentence will bring beads of sweat to the brow of anyone trying to decipher any real meaning, for it wound its way tortuously to a bad end. This, perhaps, more than anything else, should tell you how its been around here….


Nevertheless, here I am, bad syntax & all. I’m going to post this, come Hell or High Water, so, I suppose it would be best to just get on with it. If I take the time to compose a thorough introductory section, I have a feeling we’d never get out of here, or, get anywhere close to finishing this in time to even post it with today’s date. To make a long story short, I’m pretty frigging off the rails right now, without a clue as to why, or even why not. When I have a clue, I’ll be okay, but, right now, the price for one is out of my range, so, I’ll just have to fake it, as I have been now for three days. So be it.


Since, in spite of all planning I managed to find a somewhat cryptic note, we’ll use it to twist our way down the page, in the interests of fair play, while simultaneously pretending it’s not unusual. How’m I doing? No? Well, okay. We’ll just go on, without any further bullshit…. Hmm. Let’s do this….


Shall we Pearl?….


“If nothing went wrong today, you’re probably dead.”


~~ Murphy’s Last Law ~~


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


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


For a return to routine, default is perfectly appropriate, not to mention, lovely. Enjoy, ffolkes, if you wish. Hard not to with such music….


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



Classical Music



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



https://youtu.be/09t0twQlPSI



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







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


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


Sandclock .jpg


I’m working on a rant, which, naturally, isn’t done, as I haven’t written at all in three days. To fill in for today, here’s a relatively light piece from a couple years ago…. Enjoy!….


From 3/11/2014:


As iterated above, there will be no rant today…. However, having found the first quote in this group on the very first try today, I believe I can put together an old school variety pearl that will serve as well to take a few telling shots at the dignity of the BRC, as well as pulling as many of their covers as I can grab hold of…. Enjoy…..


“Governments are the world’s real terrorist organizations. They function by means of inducing fear in their victims to gain compliance.” — Westley F. Deitchler


(Now, if that isn’t the most truthful, most logical, and most accurate quote I’ve seen in many moons, then, nothing at all fits that description…. This is the absolute truth, ffolkes, and something EVERYONE ALIVE should be made aware of…. let’s hope the rest of what Smart Bee finds for us is as potent….)


“I could not milk the cow and leave it thirsty.” — Munyawera, current volunteer and former client — of Christian Children’s Fund — on why he donates his time to CCF.


(Now, if only we could find a politician who felt this way….)


“Apparently, a democracy is a place where numerous elections are held at great cost without issues and with interchangeable candidates.” — Gore Vidal


Where is the Life we have lost in living?

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?

Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?


— T. S. Eliot, Choruses from the Rock


(Nowadays, we KNOW where our information is, don’t we? And, if we don’t, we have the NSA, who tracks and collects all of it for us….)


“Is being an idiot like being high all the time?” — Janeane Garofolo


(I’m not sure of the answer, but I figure we could just ask any elected official to find out….)


“No science is immune to the infection of politics and the corruption of power.” — Jacob Bronowski, in “Encounter”, 1971


And, lastly, just because we can….


“How difficult it is to save the bark of reputation from the rocks of ignorance.” — Petrarch


Now, THAT’S what I’m talking about…..


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


Comedy_Tragedy


Gently Came a Wounded Child


But you shall not escape my iambics.


Soft, sinuous patterns of unearthly beauty

blithely commune with sinking stars,

as pale shadows of former virtue hover

near, ever clean, ever tolerant.

These unbidden habits are worn with age and care,

ready now for dissolution,

welcoming gladly the kiss of Death’s handmaiden.


Unknown to all, the child stands aside,

weeping for the lost days of youth,

days that now shall never be,

nor yearned for ever after.

Only darkness shall lay upon the landscape,

cold, hard, eternal.


Such then are the signs and portents

as we enter into the unknown future,

they are grave indeed.


Uncertainty will be our sole companion,

as the search for hope yields no result.

The lamentations of the gods

shall sound the elegy for Man,

who never learned to see the gift that was made,

so many echoes ago, in the hopeful past;

thus will we pass this plane of existence

as we came, baffled and afraid….


~~ gigoid ~~


written 2/2/2012


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pearls_3


Naked Pearls


It only seems like a joke….


*******


“In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west;

people create distinctions out of their own minds

and then believe them to be true.”


~~ Buddha ~~


*******


“There is no sun without shadow

and it is essential to know the night.”


~~ Albert Camus ~~


*******


“You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.

Don’t let yourself indulge in vain wishes.”


~~ Rabindranath Tagore ~~


*******


“He who searches for truth must not appease his urge

by giving himself up to the narcotic of belief.”


~~ Hans Reichenbach ~~


*******


“Here is the world,

sound as a nut, perfect,

not the smallest piece of chaos left,

never a stitch nor an end,

not a mark of haste, or botching, or second thought;

but the theory of the world

is a thing of shreds and patches.”


~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~


*******


“Do not look for all the answers at once.

A path is formed by placing stones one in front of the other.”


~~ The Giant from Twin Peaks ~~


*******


“So this is what it feels like to be potato salad”


~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~


*******


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


It’s done. We’ll treat it like a gift horse, & go post it before I can change my mind. I’ll try to do this again tomorrow, but, at this point, I’m not making any guarantees. Most likely, I’ll be here tomorrow; odds are once again in our favor. Until then, be strange, because it’s cool out there….


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 -- 8636


À bientôt, mon cherí….

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Organized reserves of flippancy….

			
						

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Ffolkes,




“I expect nothing.  I fear no one.  I am free.”


~~ Nikos Kazantzakis ~~


captive


Captive Beauty




Hajme…. Quietly babbling to itself, the brook tumbled over rocks down the gentle slope toward the waiting trees, obligingly leading into the depth of the woods. Softly, the breeze pushed at the backs of sweaty necks of the party walking alongside the brook, on an ancient path worn by generations of animal and human feet. In the afternoon sun, which beat mercilessly upon the heavily laden backs of the porters, the party looked wilted and fatigued, stumbling occasionally on the rock-strewn path. As the afternoon wore on, they walked more slowly, peering side to side on the path, obviously seeking the proper bivouac…..


Okay, that’s enough. We’ll leave our party wherever in the hills they happen to be, & let them find their own camp site. I wrote that story intro because I don’t really want to be up at all, having again fought for sleep all night, unsuccessfully. I don’t feel too bad, considering, but, I decided to try not to complain about it first thing. Since I could only wait until the second paragraph, I’ll also place a firm limit on it, and end such indulgence before it really gets started…. The primary purpose in saying anything at all about it is to give warning to my Gentle Readers as to the general outlook for today’s Pearl, which is, sad to say, rather unpredictable in nature…. Go figure….


I only say this to give y’all a chance to skip the parts that don’t suit you today. It’s all fairly fresh, if not from the archives, and probably won’t be too weird, thought, of course, a certain degree of that is always present. However, it will be, due to circumstances well beyond my comprehension, if not control, shall we say, somewhat patchwork in nature, and, thus, the unpredictability previously mentioned. Hell, I guess I’m saying, I haven’t a clue as to what may happen after the intro, so, watch where you put your feet, and your faith. Either one could be in serious danger if you are less than mindful…..


Now I’ve probably driven most everyone away, I guess I’ll get to this; it’s already late, by my usual schedule, so, some haste might be in order…. Haste, however, as we know, makes waste, so, fuck that. I’m going to take my time, and see if I can’t make it, if not good, at least palatable as food for thought. If I can do it, it will be a first, but, we won’t comment on that. Instead, we’ll do this…..


Shall we Pearl?




A wise man once said …”I don’t know.”


~~ Subtle Bee ~~




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





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




    Today’s music was chosen simply because it’s a default day. As always, this compilation was picked because the picture drew my eye. I hope you enjoy it as you read….




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Classical Music

















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About Hopi Indian Symbols




    As a break from the usual sobriety, here is a discussion of one of our favorite things around here, to wit: sheer nonsense…. Enjoy!….


From 2/8/2013:




“Yow!  I want to mail a bronzed artichoke to Nicaragua!”


~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~




As previously noted, we like our nonsense around here…. This one from Zippy is particularly nonsensical, and will serve nicely as a segue into a discussion of the value there is in engaging in nonsensical behavior on occasion. A lot of folks, and even some ffolkes, might think there isn’t a lot to say on the subject, but, they don’t know me, do they? Having spent much of the last two years honing that very skill, to wit: propounding at length on subjects of little meaning, I think we can turn this into quite a nice little pearl, one that will shine even in the dark…. or maybe not… Why don’t we just go ahead, and see what happens, eh?….


Now, to begin, let me point out that the concept of nonsense, by the structure of the word itself, gives us a clue as to where its value lies… it is composed of two parts, “non” a prefix indicating negative state, and “sense”, in this form meaning perception, or ordered perception, more accurately (it makes good sense….). This tells us that the word ‘nonsense’, as the direct antonym for ‘sense’, supplies the balance that the universe demands from every part of its makeup….


“As a professional humorist, I often get letters from readers who are interested in the basic nature of humor.  “What kind of a sick perverted disgusting person are you,” these letters typically ask, “that you make jokes about setting fire to a goat?” … — Dave Barry, “Why Humor is Funny”


Everything in the universe exists in duality, as we have explored previously; this duality is directly related to our own set of perceptive abilities, which operate solely by noting the presence or absence of certain forms of matter, or energy manifestation (light, sound, etc….) We see because our eyes note the presence and absence of light waves. We hear the moments of sound between the moments of silence…. It all exists in duality, and that is how we perceive it, for that is what gives the universe its balance, and allows it to produce life, and matter, and all that we are a part of in this grand landscape of wonder….


But, the human mind is subtle, and recognizes the subtlety of the universe…. Thus, when we are confronted with seriousness for a long period of time, our nature demands something as balance, and we slip over into the nonsense mode in the privacy of our minds, to provide some relief from the somber nature of much of what is created by the hand of Man…. Goodness knows, after I am forced, or trapped, into listening to the prattling of fools about laws, or dogma, or some such asinine bureaucratic folderol, a bit of Zippy, or Wacko, or Pooh’s evil twin can always make me smile, and get through the boredom with greater equanimity….. or, as much as I ever can summon in those situations…..




“A little nonsense now and then, 

is cherished by the wisest men.” 


~~ Willie Wonka ~~




Willie knew this little fact about the universe well, thanks to Roald Dahl, whom we can thank for his contribution to literature of quite a bit of nonsense, written with great style and verve, and not a little sarcasm. This little couplet springs up in my mind on many occasions when I am confronted by some piece of societal sobriety, and reminds me to take what I’m seeing or hearing with a big dose of salt, and maybe some Cholula’s hot sauce to spice it up. What the hell, it can’t hurt…. Can it? You tell me…..


“SANTA CLAUS comes down a FIRE ESCAPE wearing bright  blue LEG WARMERS..  He scrubs the POPE with a mild  soap or detergent for 15 minutes, starring JANE FONDA!! — Zippy the Pinhead


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





Comedy_Tragedy




Notes of process and program…


Poems, alas, don’t chase through my head,

bumping and pushing each other like brothers at dinner.

They’re more ripped out of my innards, instead.

Time and circumstance reveal no ultimate winner.


Simmering and bubbling near my unconscious mind

these maddening rhymes blind me sans glimmer.

Building until bursting as if to be dined and wined,

the remaining denizens appear much slimmer.


Fiery visions retain such glorious fatal dimension,

in retrospect, yet fail to leave a permanent scar,

until blessed, or cursed, with focused attention,

singing, crying, bleeding, fast as a movie star.


Pretty soon can’t be soon enough, she said

to a chameleon colored thief bathed in moonlight.

Fancy candles in stripes of blue, gold, and red

foster honest dreams in shades of white.


Passage to daylight is problematic, at best:

beastly ghosts of insomniacs cast no shadow.

Even judges with robes can pass the wrong test

while the rest of us go with what we know.


~~ gigoid ~~


1/3/2013




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





pearls_3




Naked Pearls


Good Stuff to Remember


*******


“What you think of yourself is more important than what others think of you.”


~~ Seneca ~~


*******


“Think not that thy word and thine alone must be right.”


~~ Sophocles — Antigone, 706 ~~


*******


“It is necessary to the happiness of man

that he be mentally faithful to himself.

Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving,

it consists in professing to believe what one does not believe.”


~~ Thomas Paine ~~


*******


“It is impossible to design a system so perfect that no one needs to be good.”


~~ T. S. Eliot ~~


*******


“Do not look for all the answers at once.

A path is formed by placing stones one in front of the other.”


~~ The Giant from Twin Peaks ~~


*******


“…for the most part happiness consists in being willing to be what you are.”


~~ Erasmus ~~


*******


“Tanstaafl!”


~~ Ancient Sage Bee ~~


*******




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


Well, I did it. As I figured before beginning, I don’t think I’ll comment on the quality of whatever you find above; too easy to look silly, and, I’ve probably already reached my limit for that today. I think I’m going back to bed, to see if the sleep I seek, which seems so elusive at night, can be found, or persuaded to approach for a session of indulgence. The way I am feeling, fat chance…. In a perfect world, who cares, right?


Okay, that does it. I’m outta here, before I try to be rational. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. I can’t seem to help myself….




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….



					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
We’ve used all the available penguins…

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

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Ffolkes,




“If you’re going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance.”


~~ Whimsical Fatalist Bee ~~


By any other name


By any other name….




Konichiwa, gospodin, a phrase which makes more sense than is apparent, not to mention combining two languages from two countries, neither of which is the one I currently inhabit…. Not too shabby for relatively early morning, what? After all, it DOES, technically, mean “Good morning, ffolkes”, (Japanese/Russian, for those curious enough to care….); as such, it fulfills the obligatory initial greeting for the day, thereby freeing us to proceed, onward, to more lucrative, if less structured, and, thus, less debilitating to creativity, activities of the literary process, known as ‘blogging’. Otherwise, there’d be no excuse for such a display of chutzpah, sans shame, or any overt evidence of conscience….


The good news is, I will have internet service again at home as of the coming Tuesday, the 3rd. The bad news, AT&T is taking over the ISP business, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. The only service I could find ends up having to use AT&T lines, and is busily trying to assume the same corporate persona and practices of that behemoth. Ah, well, food for more ranting, I suppose, but, I should no doubt, cease my introductory bitching, and get on with the pearl for today, since I still must go find a place to post it…. Probably lose fewer readers that way.


In fact, it sounds like a plan. Luigi, take it away, and don’t spare the horses…. I’m in a strange, unpredictable mood, and don’t wish to begin the killing too early in the day. Too much clean-up that way…. Off we go, then….


Shall we Pearl?….


“Do not confuse ‘duty’ with what other people expect of you; they are utterly different. Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily. Paying that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die. Difficult it may be, but the reward is self-respect.” — Lazarus Long


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





marley




Image from Google Free Images




I don’t think this artist requires an introduction; just enjoy….







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Bob Marley


















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Dont keep calm




Six mistakes mankind keeps making century after century:


  Believing that personal gain is made by crushing others;

  Worrying about things that cannot be changed or corrected;

  Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot accomplish it;

  Refusing to set aside trivial preferences;

  Neglecting development and refinement of the mind;

  Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do.


~~ Cicero ~~




I’m often amazed at how wise our ancient ancestors were, compared to the current age. It seems to me there are any number of ancient sages, whose words, like Cicero’s, above, have showed us how to avoid making the same mistakes mankind has been engaged in making for, oh, about the last 10,000 years or so. From all I can gather, by record and by deduction, we haven’t made a single millimeter of progress over the civilizations which existed 4 to 5,000 years in our past. We continue to make ALL of the above mistakes, and have learned to make even more of our own…. Now, with the aid of computers, we can make them faster than ever….


“Religion is a crutch, but that’s okay… humanity is a cripple.” — Moral of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, via Smart Bee


Throughout history, most of mankind has fallen prey to the myth of religion, much like the populace of the kingdom where they needed a child to see the truth about the Emperor…. Sadly, there is also a significant portion of humanity which not only KNOWS this, but, uses it to their advantage at every opportunity, though not always in the guise of religion. The ability, or rather, the obtuseness, to fall for anything that will soothe their fear of the unknown, without the bother of actually thinking, or being brave enough to go and FIND OUT about what frightens them. Men assume, to their everlasting regret, the Universe reflects their own state of being, and MUST have been made by a supernatural being….


“Men freely believe that what they wish to desire.” — Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 B.C.)


Sorry, folks, ‘taint so, by a long piece. There is NOTHING that actually indicates any such thing, anywhere to be found, outside our own imagination. If anyone can point any out, feel free; I’ll wait until I understand, without the need to blame it on someone else…. It’s just another way to avoid the responsibility of one’s own actions, as far as I’m concerned…. Unfortunately, there is a direct correlation between the state of the society, and humanity’s lack of courage and will, which we are now observing in action, as the weight of more than seven billion people stretch the total resources of the planet to its limits….


“The other planets are laughing at us.” — Futurist Bee


If we WERE so fortunate as to belong to a Galactic Federation, it is my firm belief they WOULD be laughing at us. ‘Hoomans’ would become a caricature of one of our OWN iconic prejudices, a product of our own bigotry, for we would be known as the “pink trash” of the infinitely diverse galactic panoply of species, all of the rest of whom will, no doubt, be free of such failures of perception of reality, pitying us for the suffering we cause each other, through our own ignorance and fear….


Unfortunately, a small portion of mankind seem to think it is perfectly acceptable to prey upon their species mates, regardless of how any such behavior affects anyone else. They believe they are entitled to any sort of resource or power they can steal or take, and are willing to resort to any means to obtain their desires…. Even our American cartoon art reflects this attitude, thereby legitimizing the lack of honor by making it laughable…. What do I mean by that? Well, take note of this, from the ’50’s….


“Consequences, Schmonsequences, as long as I’m rich.” — Daffy Duck, from Looney Tunes Ali Baba Bunny (1957, Chuck Jones)


These corporate snakeheads, bankers, businessmen, doctors, lawyers, and the ilk, don’t care at all about other people; they live completely without compassion, having no soul themselves. They deliberately lie, creating outlandish situations so they can cry “danger!” to the populace, making them believe they are unsafe, thereby turning them aside from their democratic duty to educate themselves…. Instead, the average American accepts as gospel all they read in the media (which only repeats the lies told by the leaders, as if they were true….), and all they hear from the pulpit, where their sycophantic corporate shills preach obedience to temporal authority, in exchange for a dubious promise of immortality, completely unfounded on any evidence…


“A society that will trade a little liberty for a little order will lose both, and deserve neither.” — Thomas Jefferson


Fuck it. Tom would be angry, almost as angry as I am. Moreover, I still believe there are a LOT of people in this country who are unhappy with the way things are going. The Powers That Be are making a big mistake by assuming their new technological toys will make the difference, and protect them from the rage that will be their only legacy, when the rest of humanity comes to realize how they’ve been duped…. It won’t matter, because it will be over seven billion to a handful, and the odds won’t be affected by any such nonsense as technology…..


Revolution is coming, ffolkes. Call it treason if you like, but, you and I both know Thomas Jefferson would have been at the head of the columns in the streets, along with Tom Paine, George Mason & Washington, and Patrick Henry, none of whom were afraid to be called traitor….. Another word for it is Patriot….


“Caesar had his Brutus; Charles the First, his Cromwell; and George the Third [“Treason!” cried the Speaker]–may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it.” — Patrick Henry (1736-1799) — Speech in the Virginia Convention, 1765


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





Comedy_Tragedy




    Here is a poem I wrote back in 2013, when I still retained a small piece of hope for our nation. I have since come to some rather more harsh conclusions, but, that’s for another day, and another poem…. I hope you enjoy it….




Destiny’s Vote




It was a special day, written on tablets of stone

with fanfare, and crepe paper, a symphony of lies,

played with verve, but discordant, and alone,

never more the grand parade, no more apple pies.


Heated dialog full of prejudice, hatred, and fears,

fills up the airwaves, a cacophony of callow untruth,

playing up to ignorance, bringing anguish, and fearful tears,

while Nero’s fiddler sits down, in the only open booth.


Watchful and afraid, I see the coming conflict

clouds of ignorance and intellect, preparing to fight,

one to fight with darkness, and abject fear to depict

opposed at the base, banishing fear with truth, and light.


Seeds of anger and bigotry are planted very deep,

growing best in darkness, hiding in shame and fear,

waiting for moments of trouble, its destiny to keep,

looking for weakness, seeking to draw its victim near.


Sing not yet a funeral dirge for tolerance,

that particular die is not yet cast,

there still remains a very good and honest chance,

our common dream of freedom may yet hold fast…..


~~ gigoid ~~




Written 8/18/2013.


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





ankh




    Yep, it’s another pearl about Life, in this case, with some pretty solid advice on how to do it right, or, at least, do it with some style to go with the virtue…. Enjoy!…. I particularly like the closing pearl; it’s pretty deep….


“Reality is in the mind of the beholder.” — Reality Bee


1. ” Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully. ” — Instructions for life”


“As you go the way of life you will see a great chasm. Jump. It is not as wide as you think.” — Native American advice


“Discontent is the want of self-reliance: it is infirmity of will.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson


“Kindness is my true religion.” — The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet


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


“Do not look for all the answers at once. A path is formed by placing stones one in front of the other.” — The Giant from Twin Peaks


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


So be it. Pearls of late have been a bit choppy, for which I apologize, and lay the blame at my own feet, for allowing the uncertainty in my Life at Large to leak over into the process. Hopefully, a greater degree of consistency of quality can be achieved once I don’t have to worry about access to the internet; it seems to have become a more important part of life today than can be abrogated. Before I get started again, let’s take our leave, and try again another day…. See y’all next time, whenever it may be….. It WILL be, I assure you….




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….