“E’en from the tomb the voice of nature cries,
E’en in our ashes live their wonted fires.”
~~ Thomas Gray, “Elegy in a Country Churchyard”, Stanza 23 ~~
Bravery….
Hajime…. Once again, I find myself with the elements of today’s Pearl ready, but for the opening, and closing sections. As is generally the case, inspiration deserts me just when needed, so, here I sit, vainly typing away, hoping some sort of opportunity to find a direction will present itself. Often, I can find such chances before ending the opening paragraph, but, it’s looking pretty grim right now for the home team. Ah, well, so be it. It will just have to be one of ‘those’ days; I’m not in the mood to fight with that particular demon this morning, so, we’re going to utilize our recently acquired ruthlessness to save the bacon, which I can no longer chew, but, use for soups….
Soup. Now, there’s an opportunity, one which, sadly, presents itself too late for our purpose. I’m done searching for my muse, & the day outside in the BBR promises to be a good one for a photo safari, so, this is all you’re going to get here. In fact, I am preparing to exercise executive authority; otherwise, we’re stuck with broth instead of soup. While you’re trying to figure out if that is a true, or merely metaphorical statement, I’m sending out the command to cease and desist. Hang on to your beverages, ffolkes, we’re going in hot….
Shall we Pearl?
“Ignorance is the ally of deception.”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
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SIGH…. I’ve fallen in love with another redhead with an angelic voice…. This one is Canadian, by birth, though she, like most enlightened people, would probably consider herself, as did Socrates, Einstein, and others, a citizen of the world. I can only say, she is an example of how bright a human can shine….
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The Journey So Far Loreena McKennitt
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Tuesday’s Child, from an Oblique Angle
When I really stop to think, it isn’t too much to expect
a warm bed, a bite of food, a loving smile to reflect.
We all need such comfort and supportive attention,
so basic to our soul, there is no real need to mention.
Life often offers us opportunities disguised very well,
illusions are rampant, what is real can be hard to tell.
To honor old ties may seem like the only thing one can do,
but evidence is real, despite one’s wish it were untrue.
Those who love us truly, without thought of any gain,
hate for us to experience life’s portions of pain.
They also know we each must follow our own chosen way,
for the lessons we learn, we all have our own price to pay.
Still, wishing and hoping can’t do any true harm
and wishing good things to friends feels welcome, and warm.
The pageant of society will pass on to the next day
what new sights and sounds it will bring me, I thankfully can’t say.
~~ gigoid ~~
10/5/2012
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Naked Pearls
Daily Tautology Lesson….
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“It is always best to start at the beginning.”
~~ Subtle Bee ~~
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“If a man will begin with certainties,
he shall end in doubts;
but if he will be content to begin with doubts,
he shall end in certainties.”
~~ Francis Bacon ~~
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“Every one is bound to bear patiently the results of his own example.”
~~ Phaedrus ~~
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“Depend not on fortune, but on conduct.”
~~ Publius Syrus ~~
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“True, we love life, not because we are used to living,
but because we are used to loving.
here is always some madness in love,
but there is also always some reason in madness.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche, “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” ~~
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“No matter where you go, there you are.”
~~ Buckaroo Banzai, “Buckaroo Banzai – Across the 8th Dimension” ~~
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“I better be going. I have to get up sometime tomorrow.”
~~ Jim from Taxi ~~
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The sun is already shining, the birds are chirping madly, & the day is calling. I’m outta here, and, therefore, so are you. I’ll try again, hopefully soon. If not, well, then, not. But, I will return, of that you may rest assured. I do like to give fair warning. Until then, be well, be happy, & stay strange….
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.
“Far from the madding crowd’s ignoble strife
Their sober wishes never learn’d to stray;
Along the cool sequester’d vale of life
They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.”
~~ Thomas Gray — Elegy in a Country Churchyard, Stanza 19 ~~
Simple pleasures….
Hajime…. The picture you see adorning the top of today’s post is one of my own, as can be deduced by the simple fact there is no attribution; if it isn’t mine, I always try to say whose it is. It’s a good one for today, & the comment below describes the feeling I had when taking it, as well as my reaction every time I look at it. I chose it for today because it seems to represent my current life, and what I seek to find in life, every day. To some, it may seem boring; others may find it charming, or even hopeful. However one sees it, I think, says more about the viewer than it does about the picture or its contents, which is, in my mind, exactly what a good picture does….
Today’s Pearl of Virtual Wisdom is fresh, if somewhat esoteric in nature; I suppose, in at least one respect, that’s a good description of my own nature. It came together fairly well over the past two days, as I continue to battle physical and mental demons, both of which, while progressing toward an improved status, are taking their own sweet time getting there. Life is funny, isn’t it? We live it forward, understanding it backward, while seldom taking the time to even consider which direction we take. I guess that’s a fair description of Life at Large, eh? Since that is the case, it’s probably best for our purpose here to acknowledge the truth of it, and get on with the rest of it, before it reaches its expiration date prematurely.
All that really means is I’m clueless as to how to get out of this intro; I seem to have written myself into a rather obscure corner, & finding my way back to rationality isn’t the most attractive option I see. Instead, I’ll take what we’ve already created, and run for the border, or, in this case, on to the next section, with the intention of making it to the end before it all falls down. To assist us in our quest, filled with folly though it may be, we’ll stop, right here, and right now, & head on down the page… That, in case you have forgotten, looks suspiciously like this….
Shall we Pearl?
“He who endeavors to serve, to benefit, and improve the world,
is like a swimmer, who struggles against a rapid current,
in a river lashed into angry waves by the winds.
Often they roar over his head,
often they beat him back and baffle him.
Most men yield to the stress of the current…
Only here and there the stout, strong heart
and vigorous arms struggle on toward ultimate success.”
~~ Albert Pike (1809-1891) ~~
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It’s a default day, but, we’ll go with classical, instead. Go figure, eh?…. I hope you enjoy this collection, chosen at random on You Tube….
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Classical Music
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Manifesto, sotto voce
In retrospect, I’ve gotta say,
it’s all been rather a muddle.
Life is tough, so ‘they’all say,
Lots of misery, not much cuddle.
Me, I’ve found life a bit different
than ‘they’ seem to have done.
It’s all been rather excellent;
I’ve had loads & loads of fun.
Sure, there’s been some bad shit.
Who can’t say that?
All of that pales, all of it
when one hugs a dog, a child, or a cat.
I’ve seen, fought, and felt, more than my share,
the presence of evil in life.
The pain that remains often seems unfair;
I ask why I chose to deal with such strife.
I can always find the answer in the same place,
right where it has ever resided.
All we need to do is embrace
the joy we’ve given, and been provided.
Simple is good.
Balance is good.
Life can be both.
~~ gigoid ~~
12/19/2015
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Naked Pearls
Notes on the Human Condition
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A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be.
Moderation in temper is always a virtue;
but moderation in principle is always a vice.”
~~ Thomas Paine ~~
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“Boys become men by watching men, by standing close to men.
Manhood is a ritual passed from generation to generation
with precious few spoken instructions.
Passing the torch of manhood is a fragile, tedious task.
If the rite of passage is successfully completed,
the boy-become-man is like an oak of hardwood character.
His shade and influence will bless all those
who are fortunate enough to lean on him
and rest under his canopy.”
~~ Preston Gilham ~~
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“Do not speak of what men deserve.
For we each of us deserve everything,
every luxury that was ever piled in the tombs of the dead Kings,
and we each of us deserve nothing,
not a mouthful of bread in hunger.
Have we not eaten while another starved?
Will you punish us for that?
Will you reward us for the virtue of starving while others ate?
No man earns punishment, no man earns reward.
Free your mind of the idea of *deserving*, of *earning*,
and you will begin to be able to think.”
~~ Odo, The Prison Letters~~
~~Ursula LeGuin, “The Dispossessed” ~~
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“The good life, as I conceive it, is a happy life.
I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy
– I mean that if you are happy you will be good.”
~~ Bertrand Russell ~~
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“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute.
We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race.
And the human race is filled with passion.
And medicine, law, business, engineering,
these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life.
But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.
To quote from Whitman,
‘O me! O life!…
of the questions of these recurring;
of the endless trains of the faithless
–of cities filled with the foolish;
what good amid these,
O me, O life?
Answer.
That you are here
– that life exists, and identity;
that the powerful play goes on
and you may contribute a verse.’
That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.
What will your verse be?”
~~ John Keating, Dead Poet’s Society ~~
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“It is a terrible thing
for a man to find out suddenly
that all his life he has been
speaking nothing but the truth.”
~~ Oscar Wilde ~~
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“The truth you speak has no past and no future.
It is, and that’s all it needs to be.”
~~ Richard Bach, “Illusions” ~~
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I made it. It’s unclear to me, exactly, how that came to be, but, then, I’m used to a fairly extensive degree of ambiguity, so, no big deal, right? Right. In fact, it offers me the opportunity to continue the ruthless efficiency I applied so well in ending the intro, by cutting this off before it becomes unwieldy. To make sure of it, I’ll bid thee adieu without further delay, with the concomitant wish your day goes well. Mine, such as it is, has made a decent start, so, our goal thus becomes clear…. to maintain that direction throughout the day. I’ll even forgo any analysis of the efficacy of such a wish, & merely say, see y’all next time, which, given the progress made, may be sooner than any of us believe. Stay strange, ffolkes; 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.
“One may not reach the dawn save by the path of the night.”
~~ Kahlil Gibran ~~
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Tiananmen Square with the OYA Posse
Hajime…. Observe, then, the bent, grizzled old man, sitting stiffly in front of a computer, perched painfully on the front edge of a chair, typing quickly in his haste to get down what must be said, while moderating the speed to minimize any errors requiring a stop to repair the damage. Grimacing, with a low grunt, as he shifts in the chair, he leans back, stiffly stretching, then leans on the table for support once more, & begins to type…
For very nearly five years, since beginning to blog here on WP, the only extended absence I’ve had was a few days when the cruise ship I was on didn’t offer adequate internet speed to make it worth the time. Even then, I didn’t always miss posting, as I just left out any pictures to decrease the upload/download time; text doesn’t take up much space, http-wise. When this Pearl gets posted, I’ll have missed, at least, four or five days, with the last freshly created work over a week ago, just when I seemed to be hitting some sort of stride. Since the creation of the daily Pearl has been, for all that time, and, remains my form of personal therapy, you can imagine just how much internal stress/angst has accumulated. Well, perhaps you can’t, but, I, sadly, don’t have to imagine, as I’ve lived through it.
I’m working at this now simply as a distraction, taken for a short time to think of something other than the sharp pain in my lower back and right hip, a song of lamentation, sung in concert with the usual pantheon of irritated nerve endings which live to complain at the top of their inner vocal range. Mostly I can tune them out, or sing accompaniment louder to drown them out, at least long enough to get some thoughts down on screen. When the main melody becomes stridently piercing, like an alto soprano in full flight through an aria in the high C, glass-shattering range, it becomes too much to think, much less, hold still long enough in a position that exacerbates the tune’s volume, to get much done in the way of coherent composition.
Here I am anyway, for the nonce, to release some of the pressure, while simultaneously continuing the major effort involved in fixing what is wrong with my physical persona, which, in spite of any thoughts we might entertain to the contrary, cannot be separated from the psychic/mental persona, at any junction or point. They are one and the same; trying to act otherwise is generally how we go wrong in the first place, so, it’s well to begin the correction process with a reminder of that, so our efforts can address the complete picture/issue, & not forget any part of what is needed.
With all that said, we’ll now return to relatively normal space/time, to rejoin today’s exploration of consensual reality where I had originally begun, several days ago. What follows has been patched together in five to ten minute increments over the past week or so; since it’s all a wash, whatever happens, no matter how long, or short, or cogent, or silly, will have to do, for it’s what there is, & I ain’t a gonna do it again. First time damn near killed me, as is…. Let’s see now, where did I put that? Oh, right… Okay, let’s go….
“A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that balances are correct.”
~~ from “Manual of Maud’Dib” by the Princess Irulan ~~
This Pearl has been a difficult one to work on, for a number of reasons. First, as reported, I’m fighting my demons almost full time. In the process, I made some attempts to reconnect with reality, part of which involved going out to be social, at a bar. Friday last, the 29th of July, in fact, I walked to a nearby establishment, actually having a decent time, then cutting myself off at a decent level, (well pre-inebriation to excess, a good sign), to take the walk home. ‘Twas a fine night, and the walk was pleasant, as it naturally would have to be, with half-a-snoot-full of prime bourbon on board….
“The Law of Unintended Consequences carries it own penalties…”
~~ Smart Bee ~~
Does anyone else see the problem here? No? Well, allow me to continue, then….
For a couple weeks, since first walking by the route taken to the bar, (though, those times, to somewhere else), I had noticed a small puppy, quite good looking, and friendly, if excitable, in a small enclosure overlooking the sidewalk, not situated in a good spot for a pet, right in the sun, with no shade. There was water, and food, but, nobody was ever around, at any of the various times I went by; the dog was, naturally, starved for attention. He was there on Friday, still in good cheer, though not as happy as usual. I told him if nobody was around when I came back, I’d say hello again, & went on my way….
Got it now? No? Okay, full confession, then…. On the way home from the bar, I stopped to greet the dog, who was happy to have the attention. Since my judgment was gone, into the bottle, I decided to ‘rescue’ the dog, if possible. I went to the door & offered the people $20 for the dog. They turned him over without a whimper of protest, telling me I’d done the right thing. I took the food, and tied one of my ropes to the pup’s collar, & off we went home…. where we were greeted by a very unhappy cat. I got the dog & cat separated, & quieted down enough for all of us to get to sleep….
For the next day and a half, I tried to find a place for the dog, unsuccessfully, while acting as simultaneous animal trainer, referee, and apologist to a cat for subjecting her to such an outrage. She was NOT pleased, to be sure, thought the pup was ecstatic… and therefore boisterous. This, it seems where the law of unintended consequence steps in, you see….
I was a responsible dog owner while he was with us, meaning I walked him at least twice, or three times a day…. As it turns out, walking a boisterous puppy, with no training of how to behave on a leash, is a physical strain on the parts of my body that are not capable of such wear and tear any longer…. By Monday morning, I was in sheer agony, with my lower back and hip on fire, causing spasms and anguish in the other muscles, to the point I could not get out of bed, at all. To my undying embarrassment, I had to call my daughter to come rescue me. and the dog & cat….
I’ve dragged this out about as far as possible, with not much more to go, so, I’ll merely say at this point, this was an act of compassion, for which I am paying a heavy price, with some rather intimidating implications for the future, given my reaction to the strain. I have been unable to write, or sit, or stand, or even lie down for long, without pain interrupting with sharp complaints. It will pass, with rest and the right approach, but, it’s slow, and, damn, it hurts. But, I did the right thing, and the dog, now with a pet rescue organization who will find him a good home, will be a much happier dog. So be it. I’ll take the pain as part of the duty, and be fine with it….
Since that’s probably the longest intro to a Pearl, ever, let’s get to the rest of it, which I’ve been working on for over a week. It’s all fresh, complete with a new poem, and I hope y’all enjoy the output…. Let’s do this, before I forget how….
Shall we pearl?….
“Few, if any, children survive to their teens.
Most surrender to the vague but murderous pressure of adult conformity.”
~~ Maya Angelou ~~
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Go figure, eh?…. It’s both a great performance of a iconic piece of music, and, a pearl of virtual wisdom, with a message….
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Mozart Requiem
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“The disappearance of a sense of responsibility
is the most far-reaching consequence of submission to authority.”
~~ Stanley Milgram ~~
“Collective responsibility brings a lowering of moral standards.”
~~ Freeman Dyson ~~
“No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible.”
~~ Stanislaw Lem ~~
The three quotes you see above are an example of why I pearl, at all. Each of them is a statement which essentially says the same thing, yet each is distilled, and presented, in such a way the wisdom contained is made clear by its simplicity. Together, they bring to the reader a concept I hold to be the single most critical failure of the American people, and the primary reason they have become willing, if unwitting, slaves….
When beginning this Pearl, I’d intended to produce a considerable rant, if only to show myself I still can do so. The physical constraints I’m currently experiencing has prevented such an event, as I am still in considerable pain when sitting before the computer. So, I’m going to do us all a small favor, and leave today’s lesson at that. I’ll add two more pearls. The first, from our old friend Albert, is echoed by my own feelings on the matter of government sponsored killing, which is made possible by the above clearly cowardly abrogation of honor by most of the American public. Albert states what ought to be a common feeling, and, is not….
“He who joyfully marches to music rank and file, has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action. It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder.” — Albert Einstein
Lastly, I give you Emily, for, in spite of how bad things are, or how bad they get, for some reason, I cannot seem to give up hoping we can pull it off, and survive the consequences of our own idiocy… Maybe we will, maybe we won’t; the hope doesn’t seem to want to die….
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.
And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.
I’ve heard it in the chillest land
And on the strangest sea,
Yet never in extremity
It asked a crumb of me.
~~ Emily Dickenson ~~
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Bulletin
Patterns exist to bring sanity, if illusory, at best;
follicular, reality seems to slip and slide.
Still, formal insanity consistently fails the ultimate test,
why place faith in answers. from which truth can hide?
Following the music brings us back in good time;
forever seemingly retreats from relevance.
Crazy, time stands still with yet another innovative rhyme,
no burgeoning intentions for sale, to shimmy. or dance.
Folly sits easily upon this brow;
fateful and afraid, entropy bows in shame.
Into the river of time, slowly, forgetful of how
courage gives strength, no matter the game.
Capricious, the muse demands obedient attention
at risk of exhibiting true durance vile.
Bereft, single copies sit unused, despite all intention;
while singular examples of fate pass at the stile.
Seminal events bring their own weight;
no scale necessary, no guessing by eye, or hand.
Only one lesson to learn, just pay the freight;
the music is playing, and you’re part of the band.
~~ gigoid ~~
8/6/2016
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Naked Pearls
Life at Large
*********
“From hence, ye beauties, undeceived
Know one false step is ne’er retrieved
And be with caution bold.
Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
And heedless hearts is lawful prize,
Not all that glisters gold.”
~~ Thomas Gray ~~
~~ Elegy To A Favourite Cat Drowned In A Bowl Of Goldfishes ~~
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“Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.”
~~ Scott Adams, maybe ~~
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“Everything has two handles,
–one by which it may be borne;
another by which it cannot.”
~~ Epictetus — Enchiridion, xliii ~~
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“Be entirely tolerant or not at all;
follow the good path or the evil one.
To stand at the crossroads requires more strength than you possess.”
~~ Heinrich Heine ~~
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“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
~~ Hanlon’s Razor ~~
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“Do not speak of what men deserve.
For we each of us deserve everything,
every luxury that was ever piled in the tombs of the dead Kings,
and we each of us deserve nothing, not a mouthful of bread in hunger.
Have we not eaten while another starved?
Will you punish us for that?
Will you reward us for the virtue of starving while others ate?
No man earns punishment, no man earns reward.
Free your mind of the idea of *deserving*, of *earning*,
and you will begin to be able to think.”
~~ Odo, The Prison Letters ~~
~~ Ursula LeGuin, “The Dispossessed” ~~
*********
“Do not settle for less than the best your own excellence can command.”
~~ Anne McCaffrey ~~
*********
“It ain’t over until it’s over.”
~~ Casey Stengel ~~
*********
“When the way comes to an end, then change
– having changed, you pass through.”
~~ I Ching ~~
*********
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In spite of all the handicaps faced, it’s done. I’m going to post it, so I can say I’m still blogging…. sort of. I’ll be back again, though, with my back in the state it’s in, it’s hard to say when that may happen. I can’t promise it will, but, the odds are as good as they ever were, so, we’ll all have to live with the ambiguity for a time. See y’all then, mes amis, with more expulsion of angst, I’m sure…. You may count on that…..
“Don’t embarrass us.”
“Have I ever?”
~~ Buckaroo Banzai and Perfect Tommy ~~
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.
“Hate, the price you pay
For thinking you got the only way…”
~~ Blues Traveler ~~
Is that a spider?….
Hajime…. Thirty-six years ago, I was blessed by the birth of a son. It’s been a long road, far from over yet, but, I wouldn’t trade a single second of it for anything anyone could possibly offer. He’s turned into a very good person; devoted to, and, patient with his own children, and fair in his dealings with others. What more could a father ask? Moreover, he still talks with me, and, even listens to my advice. I’m as proud of him as I can be of anything in the world, and, can only wish my own father could have known him longer….
That said, with tears flowing, it might be best to just get on with this. I completed much of yesterday, and filled in the rest this morning, so, it is probably a bit choppy in its structure, and may not flow like usual. But, I really like the video selection today; I feel strongly about how music may be our one remaining chance to bring the masses of humanity together to fight the oligarchy, so as to sustain humanity as a whole species, one with any chance to survive the next century. The ranting section is from the archives, and isn’t too hard on the reader, and the poem is one of my favorites….. The final section, naturally, takes care of itself….
I guess that covers all that an intro section requires; it did get us three paragraphs in without much struggle. To carry on in the same efficient fashion, I’ll forgo any further literary tricks or, well, fillers, and just get on with it. We’ll use the Tardis, and a couple of the toys it comes with, and won’t need any of the usual crap to get us going…. See, that works like this….
Shall we Pearl?….
“…common human laws and interests and emotions have no validity or significance in the vast cosmos-at-large…” — H. P. Lovecraft
As I’ve related in previous posts, I’m a softie, in some ways; it’s a reaction, in a strange way, to my understanding of human nature…. We humans are a vicious, brutish lot, mostly; a bundle of contradictory sensory organs supplying an overwhelming amount of sensory data to an overly imaginative brain, with more intelligence than is needed to survive, all of which leaves us a confused, mostly mindless, as opposef to mindful, milling mass of hairless apes, who cannot comprehend most of their own perceptions, much less make any sense of a complex, wonderful universe that doesn’t give a crap about us in any way…. It kinda left us in a grumpy mood, I think….
I’ve seen, and dealt with a lot of violence in my life, on a personal level, as a specialist in managing assaultive behavior in humans, during their loss of control during active psychosis, or other mental disorder. In short, I’ve had my fill, and plenty more, of hand-to-hand combat. I didn’t go to war; having been raised in the Army, by a Master Sergeant, I was already quite familiar with the whole idea, as well as the knowledge and skills taught to the child of any soldier. I understood the principles of politics in deciding where the Army was sent; having moved every couple years until the age of 10, it was clear personal choices were not an issue…..
So, I decided to avoid the whole Vietnam issue; I registered as a C.O, & eventually beat the draft. This meant I went to work in mental hospitals, where I spent 11.5 years, approximately, engaging in over 750 serious incidents of interpersonal violence (i.e., fighting hand-to-hand),in order to keep someone from hurting another person, or, destroying property, or, often enough, making a serious attempt to rip my head off….
In all those incidents, I was efficient enough to only get hurt once, & accidentally hurt only one person (a teenager who rushed me…. I was holding the one who attacked him on the floor when he attacked me; I had to take him down quickly, & couldn’t be as careful as usual…. He hit the floor a bit hard….)…. but, mostly, just got sicker and sicker of seeing people lose control, without ever learning why it happened to them….
Kinda like the average person in society…. and, in a larger sense, exactly like what the entities called ‘governments’ have always used as their primary method of interacting, to wit; they fight, and squabble, and act like little children having their toys taken away….
When the war in Vietnam began, I, like the American I was raised to be, informed myself as to the reasons for engaging our troops in S. E. Asia. It was clear to me at 17, the ONLY reason we were there was to protect the business interests of the heroin trade. (As an aside, Safeway, and a small number of companies made a literal fortune in Vietnam, supplying all the food & supplies for the armed forces there….) The BS being fed to the public at the time, about the Red Menace, and how it would be on our shores in California if we didn’t stop it first, was, to my mind, the purest sort of shit imaginable…. Japan had already tried that, and look how well that went for them….
All that said, I’ve watched our country, and the arms dealers who run it, for the most part, engage our young, impressionable teens and young adult males in seemingly endless, viciously destructive, illegal wars, all completely without any Constitutional consent, nor any rational, or even true reason stated, for 65 years now. ALL of our engagements since WWII have been solely to protect business…. period. Anyone who believes differently just hasn’t been paying attention, and, seemingly would believe a politician if they told them their own asshole was a threat was to society….
Hmph….. and, these fucking idiots think they’re Americans…. What they are is a huge group of ignorant slaves to illusion….
So, here’s this organization, Playing for Change, (https://playingforchange.com/), made up of musicians, both professional and amateur, as well as regular, average people, from around the entire world, who make songs, and send them out as a message to the world’s people, of the need to stand up and fight back, to take our planet, and our lives, back from the hands of the oligarchs, who have forsaken all their humanity for the sake of Ego driven desire…. I wept all the way through the first one I heard (also the first one here), a Grateful Dead tune called Ripple, from the late 1960’s. Some absolutely fantastic singers, musicians, and regular folks from all over the world sing together, in their own words at times, to spread the message needed to unite the people in a spirit of humanity, rather than in fear, so desired by those would be kings…
Listen, and join in the songs, ffolkes…. It’s time for revolution, which, after all, just means change…. and, nobody can stop change…..
“If you’re going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance.”
~~ Fatalist Bee ~~
********
“If you can walk, you can dance; if you can talk, you can sing.””
The video section today was quite enough of a rant for me; to save y’all from any further bludgeoning of your sensitivities, I’ll bring in an archived pearl, of a type I used fairly often in that year, a pearl with comments on each entry…. It will do for our purpose here today, which is to merely get out of this while still sane…
From 9/12/2012:
This is an old school pearl for your reading pleasure, or nearest approximation of same…. a bit different, with some internal comments from yours truly (in parentheses for your convenience….), to give directional hints that may or may not lead you to the point being developed…. but, funny, at least, as much as I can make them….
“… But when he [the people’s champion] has disposed of foreign enemies by conquest or treaty, and there is nothing to fear from them, then he is always stirring up some war or other, in order that the people may require a leader.” — Plato (428-348? B.C.), “The Republic”
(When I read this, or sentiments like it, I always get a picture in my head of the two Bushes…. GW and GHW, otherwise known as the Senior Shrub and the Junior Shrub, or vice versa…. The national mourning that took place yesterday is the best example of their work in this arena….)
“My first American ancestor, gentlemen, was an Indian-an early Indian. Your ancestors skinned him alive, and I am an orphan. All those Salem witches were ancestors of mine. Your people made it tropical for them…. The first slave brought into New England out of Africa was an ancestor of mine-for I am a mixed breed, an infinitely shaded and exquisite Mongrel.” — Mark Twain (1835-1910)
(Me too! I loved this when I first saw it, back in High School, a VERY LONG time ago… so long ago, it was hot off the press…… The best part is, every one of those folks who believe themselves to be blue-blooded Americans are exactly the same make-up… There are very few real pure-bloods left anywhere in the world, and certainly not in a country with the diverse population we have….. we’re all, technically speaking, close to being “mutts”, every one of us…..)
“Faced with the choice between changing one’s mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.” — Galbraith’s Law
(I am reminded of those folks who are busy trying to convince everyone that they aren’t against Obama because he’s black, and then turn around and support R&R, who have all but guaranteed to return racism and bigotry to government….. Hell, just look at one of their primary talking point slogans, the key part of which is, and I quote, “…we’ll take America back….” Take it back? From whom? From other Americans? Does this mean the current government aren’t real Americans? That sounds suspiciously of both racism, AND treason, to me…..)
“The clinching proof of my reasoning is that I will cut anyone who argues further into dog meat.” — Sir Geoffery de Tourneville (ca. 1350)
(Ah, the good old days…. sometimes, I wish we would see someone in the House, or the Senate, say this at the end of a speech, just to see if anyone is paying attention…)
“Somewhere in suburban Honolulu, an unemployed bellhop is whipping up a batch of illegal psilocybin chop suey!!” — Zippy the Pinhead
(Okay, I admit it… this one isn’t part of the message inherent in the other quotes…. I just like it….. Though, now that I think about it, the fact that it is entirely possible this is true, does say something about the subject at hand, to wit: society and government thereof…. What it says could be paraphrased as “If God is in charge here, I am angry; if He is not, I am frightened….” — Smart Bee)
No one ever made laws keeping people from making fools of themselves. — Smart Bee
(This is a wonderful end point for this discussion, or at least, it is such an ending for the discussion going on in my head….. I think this is very, very true, sadly…. Moreover, I believe that the laws we do pass actually are the proof of the pudding, in terms of people making fools of themselves…. especially when we try to legislate morality…..)
That’s enough mental torture for one day….. I hope the conclusion these quotes led to is clear…. if not, well, that’s okay, because I never hold quizzes…. and hopefully, you got a chuckle or two from reading it…. and if not, well, console yourself with the fact that it is done…..
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When life calls, ready or not….
Memories are all we have sometimes
to keep our sanity intact,
with learned phrases and subtle rhymes
lessening life’s vicious, vibrant impact.
Presently all seems composed and intent
in stark contrast to hollow day,
forlorn patchwork emotions of unheralded bent,
fill up night’s bower, leaving hell to pay.
Such vigorous and elevated temper
brings us rare moments to ponder,
filled with lessons all need to remember
lest base perception lose valued wonder.
Laugh loud when entropy sticks fast
leaving shameless anger in its wake.
Let bygones pass quietly into the past
reaping only what is left to take.
Final words of wise imagination
tell us living well’s the best revenge, it appears
ever eluding choirs and congregations
finally finding home, never buried in tears.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/6/2012
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By any other name, ‘t would smell as sweet….
Today’s final pearl is, I think, not too shabby. It’s a simple pearl, speaking only of “things we learn in life….” Enjoy!
********
“They hear a voice in every wind,
And snatch a fearful joy.”
~~ Thomas Gray — On a Distant Prospect of Eton College, Stanza 4 ~~
********
“But evil is wrought by want of thought,
As well as want of heart.”
~~ Thomas Hood — The Lady’s Dream ~~
********
“A church is a place in which gentlemen who have never been to heaven
brag about it to persons who will never get there.”
— H. L. Mencken
********
“Too rashly charged the troops of error,
and remain as trophies unto the enemies of truth.”
~~ Sir Thomas Browne — Religio Medici, Part i, Sect. vi ~~
********
“Doubt is the key to knowledge.”
~~ Persian Proverb ~~
********
“No method nor discipline can supersede the necessity of being forever on the alert.”
~~ Henry Thoreau ~~
********
“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing it’s best, night
and day to make you everybody else, means to fight the hardest battle
which any human can fight and never stop fighting.”
~~ e.e. cummings, “A Miscellany” ~~
********
“Everything hurts!”
~~ Michaelangelo Antonioni ~~
********
“Alone, I look down the road.
Each must walk one’s own path.
~~ 365 Tao ~~
********************************
Well, it’s done. Leelu isn’t happy with me, as I had to ignore her for a time; ignoring doesn’t sit well with any cat; they consider it their sole provenance. But, in spite of the new bite and scratch marks, I’m reasonably content this won’t hurt anyone. Offend, perhaps, but, that is fine; that’s part of what I’m shooting for, anyway. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, if I can stop this bleeding in time…. Leelu isn’t happy right now…. No worries. A bit of tuna, and some crumpled up paper, and we’ll be fine….
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.
“Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get.”
~~ Lazarus Long ~~
White Buffalo Calf Woman
Image from Google Stock Images
This one is going to be strange; there’s no way around it. I am up on time, but, clueless. I’m confused, which is normal. I hurt, but, not so badly as the past few days. Yet, not a damn thing occurs to me to start this Pearl off with any pizazz, or dignity, or anything in between. Therefore, there is no way to predict, at all, what might happen today…. I’m not sure if I should be nervous, or filled with joyful anticipation. Since I went with the nice picture of the Lakota Spirit woman, who brought them their beliefs and wisdom, I’ll go with the latter, and hope for the best.
Such a lack of direction also may affect this intro, as is probably already obvious. I can’t think of another time when I was so out of it, mentally, after nine hours sleep…. The knife in my hip finally went away yesterday afternoon, without first giving me any clue as to A) why it happened, or B) what fixed it. I was sitting in the chair, uncomfortably shifting my weight around to get comfortable, when I realized it had dissolved, in a manner of speaking; it had simple gone away, without notice, or fanfare….. at which point, the stress and struggle of the last five days of fighting against the constant, unrelenting pain caught up to me….
So, I went to bed, at about 6:45 pm, sleeping fairly well until about 3:45 am, with only two trips to the restroom during the night…. possibly the best night’s sleep in weeks…. I’ll take it, naturally; I just wish I felt more together upon awakening. I seem to be less able to get up & begin functioning right away, as has always been my habit….. another gift from Father Time, I suppose (or, is that the Time Bitch I hear so much about from so many women?….). Whatever the case may be, I’m up, and moving, if not exactly spinning along like a top….
Oh well, it will have to do. I’m tired, I’m confused, and I don’t even like Jesus; oh, wait. That’s already a song….. okay, well, I’m done, anyway. This intro has reached a point I can call it legal, even if it doesn’t quite cut the mustard. It will have to do, for I’m just not together enough to try any harder…. not that it would get any better for having done so, but, I would have a better excuse to blame someone else, right? Right…. Now I’ve rejoined the human race, we’ll leave that subject behind, and get on with this….. Look Ma! No hands, and no emergency methods…. Yet, we are outta here, and on to the oyster beds, tout suite….
Shall we Pearl?
“Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought to be learned; and however early a man’s training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly.” — Thomas H. Huxley
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Mozart, Image from Google Stock Images
Not only am I confused, but, decision making seems to also be a problem…. Hence, we’ll go with something to soothe the mind…. Enjoy!
***********************
Music for reading – Chopin, Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Debussy, Liszt, Schumann
“I can handle reality in small doses, but as a lifestyle it’s much too confining.” — Lily Tomlin
This is one of many statements of its type, some from Miss Lily, some from other comedians and social philosophers, all of whom are special to me…. They are special because they poke fun at society in the mildest way, but with clarity that is belied by their apparent simplicity and obvious humor. It is easy for a lot of folks to dismiss little gems like this, as being unimportant, or less than serious, just because it speaks with tongue in cheek… Nothing could be further from the truth, as this statement is absolute gospel to a large percentage of the adult population of this country….
“Reality is for those people who can’t handle drugs.” — George Carlin (My attribution here might be incorrect, but, George inspired the line, if he didn’t write it himself….)
Here is another line from the revolution that happened back in the 60’s and 70’s, and it points up a very definitive difference between those folks who spend their time in the mainstream of society, and those who exist at the extremes, in this case, in what is generally conceived to be on the Left end of the scale…. Those who inhabit the other end of the political spectrum tend to rely on alcohol to blunt the effects of Reality on the brain, rather than what are dismissed by them as recreational drugs, such as marijuana, psilocybin, mescaline, etc. In some ways, you can get a good idea of the philosophies themselves by looking at how they approach the subject of drugs and alcohol, and by the differing methods of enhancing life with them….
Those who rely on alcohol are those who prefer to NOT know the truth, about anything. It seems to me that the physical effects of alcohol parallel exactly the way these folks look at life…. When under the influence of alcohol, one’s senses are depressed, and it is much harder to see the truth than at other times…. and that is the way they like it…. With consumption of alcohol, the hearing decreases, judgment is impaired, vision blurs, sense of touch is lessened, and fine muscle control is compromised, pretty much in that order of occurrence. It is the same each time, but with continued regular consumption, a certain tolerance is developed, a tolerance that slightly mitigates the effects, but certainly does not keep them from happening.
Those who use drugs to enhance or adjust their view don’t deny the truth, but they want it to be all prettied up for them in some way, so it isn’t so harsh and ugly…. Most of the effects of the drugs are in the mind, with some notable exceptions; the perceptions of all the senses are not depressed, but altered in some way, usually personal to the user, in physical response to the chemical in the drug that causes the cognitive alterations. Either way, whether with drugs, or with alcohol, perception of the truth is what ultimately suffers, which is what the proponents of both ends of the spectrum tend to forget, or deny….
“Have you ever wondered if taxation without representation was cheaper?” — Smart Bee
I have…. It is and it isn’t, and we are witnessing that phenomenon right now….. This may be why many people have such a hard time with reality; when one becomes aware of just how screwed up things are, and how much lying, cheating, and stealing is going on right before our eyes, it is rather daunting to take in all at once, so people do as they’ve always done, and slip into massive denial of the truth, preferring to just ignore the evidence that is slapping them upside the head…. One time, I actually sat down to do the math on the above question, and what I found was surprising…. Neither way works…. There just isn’t any logical way to govern people, and make it either profitable, or even reasonably cheap…. Well, not as long as the lying, cheating, and stealing is part of the equation, anyway….
“The word “dog” does not bite,” — William James
Boy, if that isn’t the truth…. but, try to convince the general public of that….. It is one of the basic issues to be considered when speaking to the public, one that the BRC and PTB members all know very well, as it is their chief weapon in controlling the populace…. Most folks don’t think…. when they do, it causes them pain, so they tend to let someone else do it for them, and just go along in blissful ignorance, accepting whatever they’re told without a clue. They never consider that the word itself is not the thing it describes; even worse, they don’t care to know….. It is the simplest thing in the world for the Beloved Ruling Class to fool the public, because they actively participate, with apparent glee, in their own debasement….
“As a matter of cold fact, a lot of people have no use for you because they can’t use you.” — Smart Bee
Sometimes, I’m not sure which disgusts me more…. the callous disregard for others that is the defining characteristic of all politicians and preachers, or the deliberately blind, fawning ignorance of those who refuse to become fully human, use their minds, and take responsibility for their own life…. To my way of thinking, both are deserving of every bit of trouble that reality can give them, just for their intransigence…. otherwise known as rampant stubbornness, or more simply, massive stupidity….
I’m being deliberately offensive this morning, as I’m sick and tired of how the general public refuses to wake up and smell the gunpowder, and I don’t really care if it hurts someone’s feelings. Anyone who disagrees with my assessment is free to offer up their own take on the matter, and I’ll give it equal time for discussion…. but, if what I’ve said hurts feelings, then apparently what I’ve said strikes just a little too close to the truth for comfort, and I would suggest that the person take a look at that before setting themselves up for embarrassment, by trying to argue without a leg upon which to stand….
In the past year and a half, I’ve written thousands and thousands of words trying to wake people up to how much they are giving away by refusing to think. It is my greatest hope that what I have to say may have some small effect on the world, an effect that might in some way contribute to our chances of surviving our own foolishness. I’m afraid my hope is, sadly, rather slim, but, I am not ready to quit my campaign, nor to change tactics. I’ll keep on poking at the BRC, and the priestly hierarchies, and every other enemy of mankind (for that is how I see them….) for as long as I can, and hope for the best….
“One of the greatest advantages in the world is enjoyed by the person who says and insists that they are telling the truth, when in fact, they are telling the truth.” — Smart Bee
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Image stolen from Talesfromtheconspiratum.com
Don’t ask me why, but, this poem just seems like the only one for today…..
The world is too much with us; late and soon
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune,
It moves us not.–Great God! I’d rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.
~~ William Wordsworth ~~
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The following pearl is indescribable; moreover, I haven’t a single clue as to what any of it means…. Anybody got any ideas?….. Feel free to comment on this one; it may need it….
“One should always be a little improbable.” — Oscar Wilde
“Few things are less enjoyable than being old enough to know better.” Smart Bee, with no argument from gigoid
“I don’t think it would have all got me down quite so much if just once in a while- just once in a while- there was at least some polite little perfunctory implication that knowledge should lead to wisdom, and that if it doesn’t, it’s just a disgusting waste of time.” — J.D. Salinger, Franny & Zooey
“Why don’t cannibals eat clowns? Because they taste funny.” — Smart Alec Bee
“He bids fair to grow wise who has discovered that he is not so.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 598
“There’s no easy quick way out, we’re gonna have to live through our whole lives, win, lose, or draw.” — Walt Kelly
“In the words of Shankarachaya, “All impossible things can be made possible save the bringing of the fool’s mind to the point of truth.” — Hazrat Inayat Khan (Sufi writer)
“I think the dragon’s asleep.” — Famous Last Words
“And weep the more, because I weep in vain.” — Thomas Gray (1716-1771) — Sonnet, On the Death of Mr. West
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I can’t say how I did it, but, it’s done…. Though much of the pain I’ve had for the past five days has passed, the exhaustion remains, from the battle to keep from becoming homicidal. I’m taking the rest of today off…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, should I survive that long…. The odds are good….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
Now. TELL me animals don’t have feelings. Go ahead.
In sooth, this picture is one that I’ve loved since finding it on Facebook somewhere. By all I perceive. and imagine in this picture, regarding the inner lives and feelings of animals, animals who bear live young, raising them as do humans until able to care for themselves, are no less loving and connected than is any human family. It is my contention, which I’ve believed for a long time, anyone who can, after witnessing animals in such displays, still claim to lack belief in the animal’s capacity to FEEL, well, I’d suggest they take a closer look into their own heart and mind.
Such a belief can only reflect an emptiness of emotion in the one who makes it; no other cause is possible. Thus, such calloused fools miss out on much of what makes life in this dimension preferable to the death we all fear. If one cannot connect to the love within them, which grows most quickly, becoming stronger and more joyously beautiful only when shared, or given away, one loses not merely all of their joy, but, their very humanity as well…..
This understanding makes the quote at the top even more poignantly true. It describes exactly the flaw in those who cannot perceive what is right in front of their face. Reality demands our attention, by its ubiquitous ability to be the very bedrock of existence, solid, defined by its very name, while simultaneously possessing the quality of change; entropy is also part of our reality, thus, our duality of perception becomes more understandable.
We perceive the universe, i.e. reality, in opposites. Light/dark allows us to see; vibration/silence brings us sound, and music, which is made more beautiful by the silence between each note. Our duality of perception reflects the very nature of reality; how else could we know it, without knowing this about ourselves. Those who never learn to understand this shut themselves out of half of what the universe can offer in the way of experience, because they cannot see what is right in front of their face….
See? Isn’t that a symmetrical little discussion? That second & third paragraphs I particularly like, for the way the first, and last sentences echo their arguments with matching phraseology…. Pretty slick, eh, slick? Well, gosh, I didn’t expect applause…. shucks….
Okay, fantasy over. Good morning…. No, I don’t know why that stuff all came pouring out; I guess the picture and quote kind of got into my head, & started fizzing or something, indicating the mutually compatible, catalytic qualities of each, if used conjointly. I just went with the flow, so to speak…. Then, of course, my bozoid nature stepped in, to supply a bit of nonsense to close it out, just to balance the sober logic of the three opening paragraphs. SIGH…. Some day, I swear, I’m going to stumble across a way to open this puppy up each day that doesn’t drive me batty with its unpredictability…..
I suppose it just goes to show the absolute power metaphor has over me, and, for that matter, over all of us stuck in this Reality for our turn on the Karmic Wheel. Our imagination, when using the limitless power residing in the Metaphorse, engenders a heterodyne effect in both; when imagination joins hands with metaphor, the possibilities are, literally, infinite. This, of course, is why we are so fond of both around here; it’s sort of our thing, you know?
Hence our actual blog title, to wit: Exploring Consensual Reality…. I like to think that says just exactly what it is I try to do by posting, taking y’all along with me as I go, flying/diving off into the depths of my imagination, and the world wide web, to find new ways to use the power of metaphor…. In short….
May the Metaphorse be with you…..
Shall we Pearl?
“And weep the more, because I weep in vain.”~~ Thomas Gray (1716-1771) — Sonnet, On the Death of Mr. West
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Oops…. Almost forgot to put in a video…. Hmm…. Okay, here’s one. I hope you enjoy it…. The Deputy and I go way back, to more of those Saturday mornings, long ago during the Jurassic Period, when I was a child. He’s a little strange in spots, but, he’s got a big heart…. Don’t put a lot of stock in the story lines, or try to make much sense of them; it will just make your head hurt…. Just let ’em roll, and don’t worry about it…. Enjoy!….
Yesterday, due to the effects of long-term stress, I exploded, producing over 5000 words of fresh material to post, mostly in the shape of a rant. Quite simply, I’m exhausted, a state exposed by having slept, real, actual sleep, for over 7 hours, even sleeping through the time to take a pain pill. It’s more sleep than I’ve been blessed with for over two months, so, my body is happy, mostly.
This does mean, however, there won’t be any fresh ranting today; I think I may have squeezed that lemon all the way dry. But, Smart Bee is still in a good mood, and gave me these seven pearls, all taking a look at the concept of government, as applied by human beings today; each one seems to look at it from a different view, which is handy, not to mention cute…. Enjoy, ffolkes, these tell it like it is pretty well, when it comes to pundits, and their habits….
“Grown men, he told himself, in flat contradiction of centuries of accumulated evidence about the way grown men behave, do not behave like this.” — Douglas Adams
“Civilization is almost exclusively masculine, a civilization of power in which woman has been thrust aside in the shade. Therefore it has lost its balance and is moving by hopping from war to war. Its motive forces are the forces of destruction and its ceremonials are carried through by an appalling n number of human sacrifices. This one-sided civilization is crashing along a series of catastrophes at a tremendous speed because of its one-sidedness. And at last the time has arrived when woman must step in and impart her life rhythm to the reckless movement of power.” — Rabindranath Tagore, before 1941
“Broken promises don’t upset me. I just think, why did they believe me?” — Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey
“I love my country too much to be a nationalist.” — Albert Camus
“But, sir, the people themselves have it in their power effectually to resist usurpation, without being driven to an appeal of arms. An act of usurpation is not obligatory; it is not law; and any man may be justified in his resistance. Let him be considered as a criminal by the general government, yet only his fellow-citizens can convict him; they are his jury, and if they pronounce him innocent, not all the powers of Congress can hurt him; and innocent they certainly will pronounce him, if the supposed law he resisted was an act of usurpation.” — Theophilus Parsons, in the Massachusetts Convention, on the ratification of the U.S. Constitution — [Jonathan Elliot, ed., “The Debates of the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution”, — (New York, Burt Franklin: 1888), 2:94 ]
“Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters.” — Noah Webster
Souls made of fire, and children of the sun,
With whom revenge is virtue.
~~ Edward Young ~~
~~ The Revenge, Act v, Sc. 2 ~~
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Today’s poem is one of mine written in 2014, making it one of the most recent…. I hope you enjoy it; if nothing else, the title fits in quite well with today’s rather ambiguous theme, which is, patently, based almost exclusively on the concept of “What The Fuck!”…. if you catch my drift….
Blithely Untitled
A poem came to me today, willy, nilly,
along with a sharp blow to the head.
Since it left me feeling just a bit silly,
anything that rhymes should lessen the dread.
Manifesting destiny into a small, insidious group
we push on toward sanity, concentrating hard.
Full engaging moments spent navigating the loop
shall ever make a difference to victims found in the yard.
Still corpses of creatures, straight out of nightmare
fill up the corners of our tortured minds.
While ever saddened, the iconic male, most debonair,
gazes softly, ironically, at all the mutual interest he finds.
Moronic public statutes compel outbreaks of sanity,
responding to momentary impulses toward inducing peace.
Still, the motions get completed, in fertile stages of inanity
while the bulk of our inmates can find no surcease.
Reluctant motivation to continue is unbound,
striving to ascertain how far there yet remains to go.
No precognitive guesswork will make any less of a sound
to soften the final strains, or teach us to truly know.
~~ gigoid ~~
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This pearl is of the type I’ve named “high percentage” pearls, which refers to how they were discovered in my database, the ever-faithful Smart Bee. (You, too, may know the wonders of Smart Bee; it’s free software you can find by just typing the name into Google. You will find many links to the web site where you can get your own copy…. if you wish….) Upon searching for today’s pearls for the final, old school section, the following seven pearls were presented for my perusal almost in order, with only five other quotes even submitted, some of which almost made the cut. So, the percentage of good pearls was a “high percentage”, get it? Good. I think you’ll enjoy whatever the message is; it’s a bit quirky, but, good thinking, all in all….
“One can survive everything, nowadays, except death, and live down everything except a good reputation.” — Oscar Wilde
“I quite agree with you,” said the Duchess; “and the moral of that is — `Be what you would seem to be’ — or, if you’d like it put more simply — `Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to theirs that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.'” — Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland
“He who despairs over an event is a coward, but he who holds hopes for the human condition is a fool.” — Albert Camus
“Anything is possible, but only a few things actually happen.” — Rich Rosen
“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason why so few engage in it.” — Henry Ford
“OVER the underpass! UNDER the overpass! Around the FUTURE and BEYOND REPAIR!!” — Zippy the Pinhead
“If you make a mess, clean it up.” — Mom
See how cool that was? No? Well, I thought so; I shan’t comment on anyone else’s lack of perception, at all, at all… Besides, the only two you really need to figure it out are the second, and the last. How can you go wrong by doing what Mom taught you?…..
Well, okay, I get your point; there are times Mom wasn’t always right on the ball; she DID have a few odd idiosyncrasies…. But, this one is one we all know is a good one, so, moot point, and a fine waste of our time, so thanks very much, you bozos…. Oops, mustn’t call the little voices in one’s head any bad names, even if they’re hopelessly parenthetical…. Sorry, but, shoot, use your head, kids…. Would Mom steer you wrong? No…..
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Regardless of any comments, or any differing opinions, and, even in my less than stellar state of perception, I know a done deal when I see one; this is a done deal. Since I have very little doubt about that, it enters the realm of ‘fairly possible’ to assume we’ve finished, and will be asked to leave. All of which, apparently, means we are outta here, in some sort of weird individual code, made up just now by my ridiculously silly mind. Whatever the hell it means, or even doesn’t mean, we’re still outta here, so, bye, bye, for now…. Or, as we are commonly wont to say here at ECR, see y’all tomorrow, ffolkes…. probably.
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.
Coolness…. It seems I have another language in my head, ready to deploy for releasing all of that really vulgar, insulting, and probably illegal stuff that comes out of my emotional holding area into the atmosphere, where it won’t harm anyone, and so far, is not affecting the already scary situation with climate change…. it’s too toxic for even us to use in any meaningful way…. But, then, what would we know of meaningful around here, eh? Not much, I can assure you…. It’s okay, though, the meaning of the above is such that, if I told you, not only would I have to kill you, but, you’d probably want to kill yourself…
No, I have no idea what language it is; it was probably beamed down to me from the mother-ship, sometime during the night while my software was rebooting… It DOES seem to have some sort of resemblance to Italian, but, with some spillover out of, or into, Greek…. Hell, maybe it came from Saturn’s moon, Titan…. Lately, there have been some indications of stuff going on down on the surface of that moon that indicates possible intelligent actions…. or, they could be just anomalies in the telescope. It’s a bit hard to determine from Earth; the camera on the telescope that took the pictures we’re receiving are several hundred million miles away now, on one of our probe satellites, launched years ago, and just now completing its mission around Saturn…
But, it DOES trip off the tongue rather elegantly, don’t you think? No? Well, I do, and it’s my blog, so there….
As you can see, some days around here are more organized than others….. This particular day is such that I’m not sure how to proceed; it all could change on me in a heartbeat, and there I’d be, still trying to translate a language nobody’s ever heard or seen before into some kind of meaningful, or, at least, a partially honest, yet condescending episode of parenthetical ideation. Works for me, but, not everyone has my degree of tolerance, or my panache at making shit up….
On that rather silly note, I think I’ll wrap this up, and go see what other kind of crap I can come up with today…. I’m feeling good, (well, as good as it gets these days…), and hopeful for a reasonably pain-free hour, if not day…. Meantime, I see an opportunity to take us out of here without any serious bloodshed coming up, so, we’ll take this slow on the road, and see if it will float…. And, yes, I paid good money for those cliches; I’m damned if I’ll let them go to waste…. Hang on, ffolkes…
Shall we Pearl?
“The makers of fortunes have a second love of money as a creation of their own, resembling the affection of authors for their poems, or of parents for their children … and hence they are very bad company, for they talk of nothing but the praises of wealth.” — Plato (428-348? B.C.)
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I’m in the mood for something cerebral today, (that’s cerebral, not cereal….), so, here is a mix of classical pieces put together by a You Tube downloader, designed to stimulate and relax the mind at once, to enhance study habits and retention…. I like the little text that pops up at the start…. “Keep Calm And Study Hard” with a royal crown above it…. the icon of the Queen’s wisdom, as it is portrayed, with affectionate cheekiness, on souvenir cups, key chains, and clothing all over London, starting during her Golden Jubilee Celebration a few years ago….
“You are not a fool just because you have done something foolish;
only if the folly of it escapes you.”
~~ Jim Fiebig ~~
Headlines from the UK Guardian, 11/4/2014: Fresh Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone raises fears of new infection chain
I’ll bet the Guardian wouldn’t cop to the idea they are contributing to the problems faced by trumpeting the latest inducements for panic released by official information sources…. Every little dangerous new piece of speculation about what the disease MIGHT do, or how bad the situation COULD POSSIBLY become is reports like this, with the explicit use of the phrase, “… X raises fears of new….”….
By analyzing the sub textual meaning of this, it becomes crystal clear they are engaging in speculation, making an unwarranted assumption of the ubiquitous veracity of Murphy’s laws, which, though powerful, are not omnipotent…. It is entirely possible the newest information means something entirely different than their predictions of imminent doom; the reality of it will most likely settle somewhere in between the best and worst potential scenarios…. But, bland reports of technical information doesn’t sell any papers or ads….
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles prompt RSPCA warning
The charity group RSPCA has raised their best Monty Python silly voice in protest over the possible effects this more than just a little silly movie has had on the baby terrapins of the world… They’ve seen an upsurge in “abandoned turtles” since it came out, a number which has grown beyond the point of reason, as the owners tire of the turtles, when they are no longer “cute”….
SIGH….. No… It isn’t a joke I put here; it’s a real headline, and story, and actual events acted out in the real world, by, who else, people who haven’t a clue as to what life is all about, or, their own place in reality…. I think this headline, along with the others below, and above, will give a very clear portrait of just how STUPID people are, in general, as well as providing more evidence in support of yesterday’s rant, concerning the same issue, to wit: rampant ignorance and stupidity, at work in the real world….
Let’s see what else we can find, to give y’all an idea of how dim is our candle of hope….
From the 11/4/2014 UK Guardian Book Review: Benjamin Zephaniah: people all over the world are living in fear and to me all those people are being terrorised
“In the second part of an interview by group members DG Readers, the Terror Kid author talks about terrorism, governments, why it’s really important to be an activist and how the revolution starts with chocolate cake”
Oh, yeah, that’ll do it…. We’ll either bribe, or threaten the corporate masters of the world to stop preying on mankind, by offering them chocolate cake…. or, by eating it ourselves (maybe in front of them, without sharing?…. It would piss ME off, for sure….) Sure, that’ll do it….
Ffolkes, do I really need to tell you why this is so stupid? If so, I think the effort most likely would fall into the category of “sheer unadulterated futility”…. for what, to me, is a patently obvious reason… I’ll give you a five-word-clue…. Pollyanna is a FICTIONAL character….
From Think Progress, 11/4/2014: IPCC Scientists Emphasize Immorality Of Inaction By Focusing On ‘Irreversible Impacts’
Excerpted from the article:
What do the world’s leading scientists mean by “irreversible impacts”?
“Warming will continue beyond 2100 under all RCP scenarios except RCP2.6. Surface temperatures will remain approximately constant at elevated levels for many centuries after a complete cessation of net anthropogenic CO2 emissions. A large fraction of anthropogenic climate change resulting from CO2 emissions is irreversible on a multi-century to millennial time scale, except in the case of a large net removal of CO2 from the atmosphere over a sustained period….
It is virtually certain that global mean sea-level rise will continue for many centuries beyond 2100, with the amount of rise dependent on future emissions. ”
The report by the International Panel on Climate Change was released a week or so ago…. Since it came out, there has been an almost deafening silence on what is reported by the agency from ALL public sources, such as the government, a silence that extends into ALL its branches…. Very few public figures, pundits, talking heads, or even news anchors. are saying much about this at all….
This article is one of only a couple I saw in my morning cruise through the news reader…. which tells me, the most important report about our future that exists is being treated just like any other unwelcome piece of news, with complete and utter denial, by well OVER 99% of the people who will be most affected by it….
Now, I don’t know about y’all, but, to me. that is really, really, REALLY STUPID…. (sorry for the redundant descriptive adjectives…)
From the Associated Press:
Shy bladder group protests DirecTV ad
I decided, after perusing the first couple sentences of this article, to not read any further…. Quite frankly, I do NOT want to know anything about this issue, or the ad, or the group that is complaining….
In fact, I think, since we are talking about the power of human stupidity, we’ve pretty well provided all the evidence required, and have proved the point to a degree of massive certainty… So, I’ll let it go, and go on to something else…. I will leave you with the following thought….
“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” — Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength of Love, 1963
Snicker…. As if a preacher hadn’t known that since the first class in seminary school…. One might think it shows a bit of hypocrisy, but, to mention anything so critical of MLK Jr. is to take one’s life in their hands, for the criticism and vituperation pours out from those who have already canonized him…. As if he weren’t a human being, with the flaws and misconceptions each and every member of the species possesses, as part of their genetic legacy…. Oh, well… since he’s right, we’ll let all that go, to get us out of here….
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Today’s effort, thus far, seems to fall into that category where nobody else should be required to take any of the blame for it…. hence a poem of mine from the archives…. Hmm… Let’s just take a little trip overseas, and let it go at that….
Days and Nights of Eire
Comforting, a dream creeps oft into my mind
On the elven hills of Eire lives the vision I find.
Elegant, gracious, everlastingly draped in beauty
Just payment of simple homage lives as joyous duty.
Fairies and druids walk abroad in ghostly parade
Gracing each hearth with its own welcoming shade.
Castles and heroes yet live in tale and song
Proving love for the land in each heart strong.
From cold of winter into glorious young spring
Brown, and gray, to emerald green songs to sing
Soft rains always follow winter’s great tempest
Eire dons its emerald coat from east to west.
Old and strong, connections call out in dreams
Nothing that was known remains as it seems.
Immersion in ancient runes and battle hymns
Offering sanity in place of grievous whims.
Time and place can tell a much different tale
Judgment should never be a final sale.
Yet something solid and real calls me to go see
Where dreams of loving beauty may actually be….
~~ gigoid ~~
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This turned out to be an odd little pearl, which should serve well to highlight the overall oddity of the entire Pearl…. When I started to collect the entries in SB, I hadn’t quite decided on the parameters to use, so, it came out a bit random (See the third entry below, by Seneca the Younger, to understand how that happens…)….
But, all in all, and to carry that metaphor a bit further, the current seems to have made any skill at sailing, or knowing where to go, a moot point, as it brought us to a pretty cool destination, where some pretty cogent observations, and, some decent advice, were to be found, all around the subject of being human, always a challenge, while trying to deal with Life at Large….
” For others do I wait…for higher ones, stronger ones, more triumphant ones, merrier ones, for such as are built squarely in body and soul: laughing lions must come.” — Friedrich Nietzsche
“The very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. Instead of altering their views to fit the facts, they alter the facts to fit their views…which can be very uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that needs altering.” — Doctor Who, “Face of Evil”
“If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” — Seneca (the Younger)
— Bother! said Pooh, for no apparent reason.
“Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.” — Buddha
It is never too early or too late to care for the well-being of the soul.” — Epicurus
To each his suff’rings; all are men,
Condemn’d alike to groan,–
The tender for another’s pain,
Th’ unfeeling for his own.
Yet ah! why should they know their fate,
Since sorrow never comes too late,
And happiness too swiftly flies?
Thought would destroy their paradise.
No more; where ignorance is bliss,
‘T is folly to be wise.
~~ Thomas Gray (1716-1771) ~~
~~ On a Distant Prospect of Eton College, Stanza 10 ~~
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Okay, so, this went pretty well, (Well, okay, you’re correct; I didn’t count the first few sentences as part of the stats for today….), which is a good thing, as I’m pretty sure anything I might have tried to do wouldn’t have worked so well…
In any case, it’s DONE, our only REAL requirement…. Having completed my chosen Duty, I shall bid thee adieu…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark, and Theresa…
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese.”
~~ G. K. Chesterton ~~
This is a picture of the work space where Pearls of Virtual Wisdom are composed; my virtual oyster bed, so to speak…. I hope the picture was taken from enough distance, to keep from giving away too much personal information, of the sort that I have not already related at one point or another…. I do try to be discreet, to some extent, as to where I am, physically, though, for anyone with any real geek in them, it wouldn’t be difficult to run down more exact info than is apparent in this, I’m sure….
Hell, information on anybody is so ubiquitous on the internet, I no longer use Google to find information about friends, just because it tends to show TOO MUCH info… If I do, then I’d have to tell them what’s there, so they can cork their leaks, and deal with all that, so, it’s just better to leave sleeping dogs lie, in that respect…. So, I know it wouldn’t be too hard to find me, but, from the picture, I don’t think anyone can find anything to either pinpoint, or to litigate…. especially our friends over at the NSA, FBI, and/or anyone else who might be mining the data the NSA gets from Facebook, Google, Twitter, etc…. so, it makes for a good opener, yes? I think so…. If nothing else, it needs no attribution, so, bonus….
As for the poets and cheese, I don’t believe Mr. Chesterton actually cared about that; cheese has very few of the qualities upon which a good poem might expostulate. No feelings, no special place in human affairs, no compelling features to extol… boring…. But, he’s right, also, in that one would think that everything had been given at least one poetic glance, if only as a peripheral mention in a poem about something else entirely….. But, I can’t think of a single poem where cheese plays a significant part, can you?…..
Well, maybe it’s not such a big deal, anyway…. It did, however, provide us with just about enough blather to get us down the page far enough to call this legal… It will be close, but, I think, since it’s Saturday, all the monitoring agencies are closed, with nobody on duty to tell us otherwise, so, I’m pretty sure we can slide by on a technicality…. If not, we’ll just run for it, okay? So, don’t change out of your sneakers, just in case we need to book on short notice….
I know, I know, cheap…. but, also, done, so, deal with it…
Shall we Pearl?….
“You will know unexpected happiness. You will know the sorrow of seeing what is dearest to you cut down before your eyes. Accept that. That is the nature of human existence, and you have no time to buffer this fact with fairy tales and illogical explanations.” — Deng Ming-Dao
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“Whatever power you give to the good cops, goes to the bad ones, too. Never forget that.” — Phillip J. Birmingham
I feel like ranting, but, there is so much material to choose from, I can’t seem to pick one…. I could talk about the NSA, and the latest developments on the illegal spying front…. I could talk about police militarization… I could talk about the prisoners of war our leaders are holding captive without charges, force feeding, and torturing for information…. I could talk about the latest police shooting of an innocent citizen…. All of those have a headline and/or articles in the news over the last couple of days….
But, I’m tired of ranting about all that, and never seeing any changes take place; sometimes, it seems as if nobody listens…. But, then I see other blogs with the same issues being addressed, with the same results…. The fact is, ffolkes, the government of this country no longer cares at all what the public may think, or want; they are going to carry out their agenda regardless of anything the American public thinks about it…
They will continue to wage wars without public or Congressional sanction; they will continue to torture and abuse prisoners captured during our illegal wars. They will continue to arm the police forces of this country, preparing for an armed revolt, which they seem to be deliberately provoking by their actions….
Below you’ll find some links, to articles discussing these, and other issues, none of which are related to the ONE issue we NEED to address, to wit, the imminent, catastrophic environmental crisis that is rapidly coming to a head on our planet, caused by the deliberate ignorance, and stubborn denial of those who control all the physical resources…. This issue is the only one that is going to make any difference to us, very soon…. There won’t be any time at all to worry about all the other BS going on, because we will HAVE to focus on just staying alive….
I may be a grump, and a curmudgeon, but, I am not blind, and I can see clearly how things are going, and how they’ll continue to progress…. and, it ain’t pretty…. Ah well, here are some links to highlight some of the problems we are facing, followed by a short pearl to drive home the thoughts presented today…. I hope….
[A photo is displayed of Senator Dan Quayle holding a pumpkin to the left of his head.] “Here’s an Update Quiz: what’s the difference between these two spherical objects? The answer is: eventually, the one on the left will have a light in it.”– Dennis Miller, SNL Weekend Update
“Faith: not wanting to know what is true.” — Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
Senate, n.: A body of elderly gentlemen charged with high duties and misdemeanors. — Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary
“People who have what they want are very fond of telling people who haven’t what they want that they really don’t want it.” — Ogden Nash (1902-1971)
To each his suff’rings; all are men,
Condemn’d alike to groan,–
The tender for another’s pain,
Th’ unfeeling for his own.
Yet ah! why should they know their fate,
Since sorrow never comes too late,
And happiness too swiftly flies?
Thought would destroy their paradise.
No more; where ignorance is bliss,
‘T is folly to be wise.
~~ Thomas Gray ~~
— On a Distant Prospect of Eton College, Stanza 10 —
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Today’s video selection is a blast from the past; some of these are even before MY time…. though, it’s true, my older sister and brother listened to all of these on the radio, back in the 50’s…. Easy listening, to be sure…. Enjoy!….
20 Hits from The Everly Brothers: Platinum Collection
having the low down blues and going
into a restaurant to eat.
you sit at a table.
the waitress smiles at you.
she’s dumpy. her ass is too big.
she radiates kindness and sympathy.
live with her 3 months and a man would know real agony.
o.k., you’ll tip her 15 percent.
you order a turkey sandwich and a
beer.
the man at the table across from you
has watery blue eyes and
a head like an elephant.
at a table further down are 3 men
with very tiny heads
and long necks
like ostriches.
they talk loudly of land development.
why, you think, did I ever come
in here when I have the low-down
blues?
then the the waitress comes back with the sandwich
and she asks you if there will be anything
else?
and you tell her, no no, this will be
fine.
then somebody behind you laughs.
it’s a cork laugh filled with sand and
broken glass.
you begin eating the sandwich.
it’s something.
it’s a minor, difficult,
sensible action
like composing a popular song
to make a 14-year old
weep.
you order another beer.
jesus, look at that guy
his hands hang down almost to his knees and he’s
whistling.
well, time to get out.
pick up the bill.
tip.
go to the register.
pay.
pick up a toothpick.
go out the door.
your car is still there.
and there are 3 men with heads
and necks
like ostriches all getting into one
car.
they each have a toothpick and now
they are talking about women.
they drive away first
they drive away fast.
they’re best i guess.
it’s an unbearably hot day.
there’s a first-stage smog alert.
all the birds and plants are dead
or dying.
you start the engine.
~~ Charles Bukowski ~~
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This pearl was pre-packaged for your, and, more specifically, my convenience today…. Not that there is any real need to use the provided convenience; but, what the hell? It’s here, and it’s done, so, hey, why not? It isn’t bad, for a throw-together-in-a-few-minutes kind of deal; It takes some pretty hefty shots at the beloved ruling class, if no one else… It’s also a bit depressing, beginning and end, but, hey, life is tough…. Buck up…. Do you see, or hear, Wolverine complaining? Nope, so, whatever YOU are worried about, get real…. and toughen up…. You can’t win if you don’t fight…
“Cogito, ergo doleo. I think, therefore I am depressed.” — Smart Bee
“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.” — Marcus Aurelius
“Let honor be as strong to us an obligation as necessity is to others.” — Pliny the Elder
“It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.” — Voltaire
“Taxation is theft; Conscription is slavery; War is murder.” — Smart Bee
“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” — Plato
“Life must go on; I forget just why.” — Edna St. Vincent Millay, ‘Lament’, Second April (1921)
See? Get a grip, ffolkes, ’cause it’s probably not going to get much better, without some sort of diaspora to the outer solar system…. Soon, too, or it won’t matter any longer….
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I am completely baffled as to how this came out as well as it did; the entire time I felt as if I were pushing my way through a field of brambles… and, now I’m done, it feels just as if I were bloodied and scarred from traversing the gauntlet of thorns…. Ah well, in all the words you see in that sentence, only one matters…. “done.” See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark, and Theresa…
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
I apologize most heartily for the title today; I couldn’t resist the pun, or the fun…. Since I don’t recall hearing it before, (This is probably a lie, but, we’ll let it lay, or lie…. Oh, hell, we’ll let it alone…), to me, it’s a new pun, which justifies any and all attempts to share it…. or, as some states call such self-indulgent behavior, a misdemeanor hate crime….
It isn’t that I don’t understand those states’ objection to punning, but, I think a minimum sentence of five years at hard labor is a bit harsh, don’t you?….. I suppose I should feel lucky I live in a state where it is still considered a social faux pas, without entering the realm of criminality….
Now that the fantasy portion of our program (pogrom?) is completed, or, at least, neglected due to disinterest, we can go on to bigger and hopefully better things…. I’m up, in theory, at a time I’m having a hard time believing, given my habits of late…. It’s almost 5 AM, and I just finished sleeping for a solid eight hours…. so long, I had time to pass through the point where the body is rested, to the point where it is becoming MORE stiff and sore from laying down too long…. I got up to a bit of stiffness, but, thanks to my new magic cream, it won’t last long….
I found a new product at the medical cannabis store I’ve been going to; it’s a topical pain relieving cream that gets spread on the skin over any part of the body that is hurting, such as shoulder joints, lower back, hips, etc…. It is extremely effective for almost all the different pains I’ve tested it on….
It relieves pain and stiffness in the back muscles… it makes the hips stop singing…. and it works wonders on sore joints like the wrist or thumb, at those times when arthritic pain strikes…. It acts almost instantly; I have milady apply it to my entire back, and within a moment or two, it feels as normal as it ever gets, giving a feeling of release you would not believe….
As I said, it’s pretty magical stuff, especially for those of us who know the accuracy of the old adage that says, “True freedom is release from pain.” The release I feel when my back stops hurting is phenomenal, almost to the point of giddiness, and makes me understand why the pharmaceutical companies are so worried about these products hitting the market….
This cream alone could completely destroy the market for products such as Ben-Gay and Tiger Balm, as well as threatening the entire line of pain killers like Aleve or Tylenol, that are designed for arthritis pain…. They’re all unnecessary in the extreme if one possesses this magic cream, which the Big Pharm companies don’t have in their formularies…. In other words, it would eat into their bottom line profits, thus making them nervous to know the products are out there, not under their control or influence… They’re asininnies, they can’t help being assholes….
So, now that we’ve explored further into the details of my life more than is either necessary, warranted, or even desired, we can at least go on to bigger and better things, as I’ve again managed to go completely overboard with this sharing of TMI, or TMOI (Too Much Obscure Information)…. At any rate, we’re done here, so we can go for a nice, quiet dive for pearls, to soothe the savage breast…. Oh wait, that’s music… Hmm, okay, well, just put on your earphones, plug in the jack, and you’ll have music…. even if it IS just public radio, and it’s time for their Gardening Hour….
Shall we Pearl?…..
“Change is the essential process of all existence.” — Spock, “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield,” stardate 5730.2.
(FYI, today, the stardate is, officially: [-27} 00060.0 The -27 means it is now twenty seven years prior to mankind’s first foray into interstellar space, using the Cochran ftl (faster-than-light) engine, as noted in the History of the Galaxy, Star Trek universe…..)
_____________________________
As noted, I’ve started a bit late, and want to get done in jig time today…. This means some cheating, if only by making this first section the old-school pearl for today, rather than ranting right away…. which is another cheat that will come later…. In the interval, let’s enjoy a random, harlequin pearl, followed by one of my favorite poets, and one of my favorite of his poems…. Abondanza!….
“As a man can drink water from any side of a full tank, so the skilled theologian can wrest from any scripture that which will serve his purpose.” — Bhagavad Gita
“A lot of what I say comes off as political satire. In that, I have a lot in common with Congress.” — Solomon Short
“It is better to have a little than nothing.” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 484
“Every man is guilty of all the good he didn’t do.” — Voltaire
“If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons.” — James Thurber
“Everybody thinks himself so well supplied with common sense that even those most difficult to please. . . never desire more of it than they already have.” — Rene Descartes
“Ah, tell them they are men!” — Thomas Gray (1716-1771) — On a Distant Prospect of Eton College, Stanza 6
Damn!…. Sometimes, this process just amazes me, at how it can produce such depth of meaning when none is sought after during the search…. This, ffolkes, is one DEEP pearl…. I hope you enjoy it, and find the point to which I refer…. If not, no worries, as this one, due to its not being listed on the curriculum listings, will NOT be on the Quiz….
_____________________________
As noted above, a classic poem from an acknowledged Master….
A Draught Of Sunshine
Hence Burgundy, Claret, and Port,
Away with old Hock and madeira,
Too earthly ye are for my sport;
There’s a beverage brighter and clearer.
Instead of a pitiful rummer,
My wine overbrims a whole summer;
My bowl is the sky,
And I drink at my eye,
Till I feel in the brain
A Delphian pain –
Then follow, my Caius! then follow:
On the green of the hill
We will drink our fill
Of golden sunshine,
Till our brains intertwine
With the glory and grace of Apollo!
God of the Meridian,
And of the East and West,
To thee my soul is flown,
And my body is earthward press’d. –
It is an awful mission,
A terrible division;
And leaves a gulph austere
To be fill’d with worldly fear.
Aye, when the soul is fled
To high above our head,
Affrighted do we gaze
After its airy maze,
As doth a mother wild,
When her young infant child
Is in an eagle’s claws –
And is not this the cause
Of madness? – God of Song,
Thou bearest me along
Through sights I scarce can bear:
O let me, let me share
With the hot lyre and thee,
The staid Philosophy.
Temper my lonely hours,
And let me see thy bowers
More unalarm’d!
~~ John Keats ~~
_____________________________
The last three or six Pearls have all been either over 3000 words, or very close to breaking over that limit; one of them came in at a whopping 3900+….. It hasn’t been deliberate, in the sense I don’t start with a number of words in mind… I just like to keep writing until done…. But, that’s a lot, so, I’ll try to keep this a bit shorter today, to keep from driving too many ffolkes away, chased there because they’re tired out from fighting the fatigue factor that is often found when reading my blog…. Occupational hazard, I suppose.
I only say this because I COULD rant further about this subject today; I’ve got plenty of angst biding its time inside me, especially for the corporate members of the Asininnies, the ones I consider to be the absolute WORST of those who prey on mankind…. Well, okay, but, wait…. I only put them there on those days I DON’T put the men, and, sadly women, who enable, and profit from, the abuse of women in the sex trafficking trade into that primary position on my list, the list of those the world would be better off doing without….
Both of these groups, as far as I’m concerned, are only worthy of becoming the target of any right thinking person with a gun in their hands, no trial needed…. I think, in those two cases, I wouldn’t mind playing God, making up my own mind as to who is guilty…. Nope, no trouble at all, not when the crimes are as egregiously inhuman as those perpetrated by these two groups….
As you can see, it wouldn’t take much to get me going, so, I’ll leave it there, and let you enjoy this piece, from a couple years ago, addressing a subject near and dear to my heart…. or, at least, to my head….
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From 12/4/2012:
“Free enterprise ended in the United States a good many years ago. Big oil, big steel, big agriculture avoid the open marketplace. Big corporations fix prices among themselves and drive out the small entrepreneur. In their conglomerate forms, the huge corporations have begun to challenge the legitimacy of the state.” — Gore Vidal
In his book, “Friday”, Robert Heinlein details a society, in humanity’s possible future, one in which corporations have continued to grow beyond the boundaries of mere countries, until their interests become paramount even over that of the state, as observed by Mr. Vidal. We, of the society here on Earth in the early 21st century are witnessing that growth, as I write, and as you read…..
The small enterprise markets still exist, but only on the fringes of the economy, the major portion of which is busy manipulating the population into serving the economic trends that the corporations control, in the essential markets that cover everyone… In other words, the corporations monopolize most of the economy, allowing the fringe markets to exist to provide exotic, alternative toys and entertainments for the working classes, as a way to keep them fat, happy, and contentedly stupid.
Mr. Heinlein’s character, is a young woman with designer genes, & a genius IQ, giving her almost superhuman powers, as well as a strong portion of Heinlein’s innate sardonicism, as part of an assignment from her boss, is required to perform a research and analysis of how the major corporations in the world affected the political and economic scenes of their society, obliquely referring, of course, to the one we have now.
It’s a very interesting part of a very good book, and well worth a read, not only for its perspicacity in explaining the piracy we are seeing today, but because Heinlein was a master storyteller, who created fascinating characters in fantastic situations, making it all seem perfectly normal and real.
“The phenomenality of organic, conscious existence should, could have made impossible the sadism, the unending hurt of our ways. The impotent fury, the guilt that master and surpass my identity carry with them the working hypothesis, the ‘working metaphor’, if you will, of ‘original sin’. To this expression, I am unable to attach any reasoned, let alone historical substance. On the pragmatic-narratological plane, stories of some initial crime and inherited culpability are universal fables — uncannily profound and lasting. Nothing more. Yet in the presence of the beaten, raped child, of the horse or mule flogged across its eyes, I am possessed, as by a midnight clarity, by the intuition of the Fall.” — Rudolf Steiner, Errata: An examined life, Phoenix — (a division of Orion Books), London, 1998, p. 169
At first, this quote may not seem to be related to the first. However, it is this “original sin” of which he speaks that is the root cause of the problems with corporations in society. Those humans who reject commonality with the rest of humanity are the villains in this play that passes for modern culture, for they do not accept their debt to the rest of the species, and have determined that they will use whatever means they need to become ascendant over the rest of us. Greed is only the most obvious of the ills that this group has subjected our culture to, with cruelty, dishonesty, and lack of compassion as side attractions. Through the actions of their corporate entities, they work to maintain their power and control of others, all for the sake of their own aggrandizement….
These are the men who run the trade in human trafficking, abducting and abusing children and women, for sex and slavery. These are the men who run the brothels, and the underground casinos, and the money-lending, and the protection rackets, and the drug dealing rings. What many folks don’t realize is that they are also the men who run for political office, or become preachers/priests, and the bankers, and the CEO’s, and other corporate officers, who make their decisions based on self-interest, never on altruism. They seem, and act like, they are the leaders of society, when, in fact, they, in my mind, the scum of our race, and are the very reason our society is headed for extinction….
Unfortunately, these men (and they are almost ALL men….) will not give up their power and control without a fight. They will not respond to reason, giving up all their wealth and perceived power, to benefit the rest of mankind. They will not suddenly see the light, and give it all back. They will have to be rooted out like weeds, tough, hardy weeds; ultimately, they MUST be destroyed, if we are to have any chance of survival….
It is unfortunate, but no other method will work, and it brings with it the danger of falling into the same kind of behavior by which they have always achieved their own ends. But, I can see no other way to solve the issue, since they will not cooperate with the rest of us for the benefit of all….
1. If you keep doing what you are doing, you will keep getting what you are getting.
2. What you settle for is what you end up with.
3. If you think that worrying about a problem is the same thing as solving it, then you must live in some other universe where different laws pertain.
–Smart Bee
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I made it…. When I started, I had some doubts, but, all went well, and it’s done…. I think…. They don’t call me “the dubious” for nothing, you know…. Any who, I say it’s done, and, since I’m the final arbiter of all such questionable issues, it’s done…. Nyah, nyah, nyah…. Okay, I’m now done being three years old, and I’m outta here, before I get any sillier (That probably isn’t possible, from a reality-based viewpoint; nevertheless, it had to be said, for form’s sake….)…. See ya tomorrow, ffolkes….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark, and Theresa…
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
I may stop looking at the statistics for my blog altogether, after the lesson I was taught yesterday….. Two days ago, I wrote a very short Pearl, to say I was taking the day off, essentially. After weeks of seeing only 4to 6 people visit the blog, and only a few Likes, the short blurb garnered 11 Likes in the first 12 hours. I was astounded at that outburst of visitors, but, even more astounded yesterday….. I wrote what I thought to be an excellent Pearl, with a rant and everything…. I just now looked at it, and ONE person has seen it…. ONE. LMAO ROFL!…. as they say in the text world…. One regular reader came by and left their mark, and that was it… total = 1. I suppose this could also be expressed as a box score, to wit: Universe 1 – gigoid 0……
Hilarious! It just goes to show I made the right decision when I stopped paying a lot of attention to the Likes that are garnered each day. I know that what I write here is a lot to take in, both from a quantity standpoint, and because there is some rather pointed, opinionated material discussed, at great and wearisome length. I know also that some of my regulars only come by every few days, and read several day’s worth at once, to catch up, as it were… That’s all well and good, but, it’s a good thing that I write for sanity rather than money, or fame, because those two characters are fickle, and hard to pin down for long…. or, so I’m told, not having a lot of experience with either one, either over time, or in great quantity.
That will teach me to even think about who is reading this stuff; it has never been the driving force behind what I write, though I’ve always paid attention to the stats. The motivation for all this remains in the realm of my angst and tendency toward a loose hold on reality, and won’t be changing soon. Now, though, this process should be even less of a bother for me, because I won’t be thinking about the number of visitors at all, and thus won’t be distracting myself from the material at hand for discussion. Whoopee….
I know, boring, eh? Well, some days, y’all just have to put up with my meandering blather…. oh, wait…. That happens every day, doesn’t it? Well, so be it. It’s my blog, and that’s the way it is, so, nyah, nyah, nyah….. Sorry, sometimes the inner child comes out in its obnoxious brat uniform…. Noting that did serve to alert me to the fact that I’ve reached a minimum legal limit for an intro, and can get out of this mess, should I so choose…. which, given the bilge that is so far populating these pages, is probably a good idea….. So, we will now get on with the regular business of the day, or, if that isn’t possible, a reasonable facsimile thereof will be provided…..
Shall we Pearl?….
“The world is a dangerous place to live — not because of the people who are evil but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.” — Albert Einstein
_____________________________
Oh that those lips had language! Life has pass’d
With me but roughly since I heard thee last.
— William Cowper (1731-1800)
This section is dedicated today to my high school classmate, and friend, Carole Anne Heaton Olivero, who passed out of this plane of existence last night in Texas, after a more-than-a-year-long battle with cancer. I could say a lot of things about her passing, and will, at some point, but, for now, let it suffice to say that the world has lost a bright spirit, one whose like will never be seen again. Carole lived a life filled with laughter, and love, and infused her happy spirit into everyone she met over the course of her life. She will be missed, and remembered with fondness by all who knew her…. She was my friend, and I loved her….
Her track, where’er the goddess roves,
Glory pursue, and gen’rous shame,
Th’ unconquerable mind,
— Thomas Gray (1716-1771)
Ah, the souls of those that die
Are but sunbeams lifted higher.
I don’t think I need to explain this one, given my state of mind today…. All I can say is, thank goodness for Emily….
I died for beauty but was scarce
Adjusted in the tomb,
When one who died for truth was lain
In an adjoining room.
He questioned softly why I failed?
“For beauty,” I replied.
“And I for truth,–the two are one;
We brethren are,” he said.
And so, as kinsmen met a night,
We talked between the rooms,
Until the moss had reached our lips,
And covered up our names.
~~ Emily Dickinson ~~
_____________________________
Time constraints have worked to limit the time I have today to write, so, this final section will be an old-school pearl, because they take less time to put together, as long as Smart Bee is cooperating. The point of this one is to paint a picture of politics, as we practice it here in America in the twenty-first century…..
“Most people seem to think that trampling individual rights is OK if it is “for the good of society as a whole.” However, society is but a large number of individuals, and how can harming the individual parts better the whole?” — Andrew Ford
“For himself doth a man work evil in working evils for another.” — Hesiod (c. 700 BC) — Works and Days, Line 265
“Hell hath no fury like a vested interest masquerading as a moral principle.” — Smart Bee
“I am different from Washington; I have a higher, grander standard of principle. Washington could not lie. I can lie, but I won’t.” — Mark Twain
“Be careful what you vote for. You may get it.” — Smart Bee
“No man’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the Legislature is in session.” — Lysander Spooner
“What is left when honour is lost?” — Publius Syrus (42 BC) — Maxim 265
_____________________________
“I refuse to be intimidated by reality anymore. What is reality? Nothing but a collective hunch.” — Lily Tomlin
Ain’t that the truth? I’m not sure just how this one will look, but, it won’t matter, because it’s done, and that’s the way it will stay. Not too shabby, all in all, and well worth the money you will pay to read it. As for me, I’m done, and, I’m outta here….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole…
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 