A small dose of sweet sorrow….

Posted on January 24, 2019 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Grain grows best in shit.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shall we Pearl?

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

~~ Yogi Berra ~~

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

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

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

Accentuated Lessons

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

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

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

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

Peace lies within, always…..

~~ gigoid ~~

12/6/2013

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

Naked Pearls

Known and Unknown….

*******

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

~~ unknown Smart Bee ~~

********

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

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

********

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

~~ J. Krishnamurti ~~

********

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

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

********

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

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

********

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

********

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

~~ unknown Smart Bee ~~

********

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

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

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Insidious pleasures….

Posted on January 1, 2019 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“He who knows best knows how little he knows.”

~~ Thomas Jefferson ~~

Life, breaking free….

I always find it interesting to note how our society/culture observes the various events of community, i.e. holidays, festivals, & celebration of important dates. The passing of the old year, & celebration of the New Year (why is one capitalized & the other not?…. I don’t know, but, that’s how I’ve always seen it done….) is one of those holidays, one whose origins are lost in ancient times, subject only to speculation as to why the event came to be an important day. Much of what I’ve noticed is how the various religions prevalent in each part of the world determines what is important, as well as what version of time, and calendar, is used to mark those days to be celebrated. Since I subscribe to none of them, it’s all a fascinating example for me of how little humans really understand themselves, and their own motivation for much of what they find themselves doing….

Fascinating to me, yet also frustrating, for it is our human lack of understanding which leads us into most of the trouble we encounter in society; we believe we know what is real, but, lacking mindfulness of the moment in which we exist tends to cause many of the issues that arise to torment each other, and create problems for all of society…. In modern slang terms, we think we’re all that, but, we ain’t. We’re mostly a large number of silly monkeys, pretending to be cultivated, but, still reacting to the real world as if we still lived in caves, or in trees….

Now, some folks, & even some ffolkes, may call me negative, or curmudgeonly for such an analysis, but, I just calls ’em as I sees ’em. Since most of the society in which I find myself believes in greeting the New Year with positivity, I will forgo any further curmudgeonry in favor of merely getting posted with the little bit of entertaining fluff I’ve cobbled together for your edification/elucidation. I shall also approach that with a higher degree of efficiency than thus far exhibited, by the simplest method, to wit:

Shall we Pearl?

“I am always doing that which I cannot do,
in order that I may learn how to do it.”

~~ Pablo Picasso ~~

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

For today’s musical interlude, I’ve chosen a set of six concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach, for several reasons, which are, most simply put, not particularly relevant. Suffice to say these are some of my favorites, since first hearing them years ago. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do…. Abondanza!….

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

Measures of Intent

Hell is never far away; it slips in, then out,
like a ninja, bent on stealth and death.
Living metamorphoses, in the space of a breath,
sordid entropy fills us, within, and without.

Tide turns again; back and forth it tumbles,
like those little wind up toys, yet never stays.
All our efforts, all our silly little ways,
disappear like seaweed, as sanity crumbles.

The duality of reality in which we are firmly caught,
seems to inhabit every part of our natural selves.
Nothing is ever still, nor can it be placed on shelves;
we are dark, and light; balance must be taught.

Life is lived only one moment at a time,
past and future have no power to alter this at all.
We can choose to fly, or choose to fall;
finding truth, and beauty, can never be a crime.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/14/2015

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

Naked Pearls

What did you say?….

*******

“If you are beginning to doubt what I am saying,
you are probably hallucinating.”

~~ The Firesign Theatre, “Everything you know is Wrong” ~~

********

“Imagine there’s no heaven… it’s easy if you try.”

~~ John Lennon, “Imagine” ~~

********

“”Curioser and Curioser!” cried Alice.”

~~ from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll ~~

********

“Nature is not human-hearted.”

~~ Lao Tzu ~~

********

“Whatever occurs from love is always beyond good and evil.”

~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~

********

“As great scientists have said and as all children know,
it is above all by the imagination
that we achieve perception, and compassion, and hope.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

********

“Prais’d be the fathomless universe,
for life and joy,
and for objects and knowledge curious.”

~~ Walt Whitman ~~

********

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

Well, there you have it, such as it is…. I’ll continue my stated intention to be efficient, in hopes such will continue to guide my writing in the coming year; that, you may be certain, is as much of a resolution you’ll get from me, as it’s one I can keep as well as I ever do. Rather than belabor such a delicate point, (too much potential for sarcasm & curmudgeonry… ), I’ll leave y’all with the usual caveat, to wit: be well, be happy as you may be, & stay strange. It’s worked so far, so, why fuss with it? See you soon, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Sprinkle, sprinkle little jar….

Posted on September 18, 2018 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Thou hast commanded that an ill-regulated mind should be its own punishment.”

~~ Saint Augustine ~~

Dunphy’s Tavern…

One day, perhaps, I’ll find & resume the routine which allows me to produce these posts on a consistent basis; my deliberate absence, and the resultant lack of practice, along with the lifestyle alterations I’ve made, don’t seem to lend themselves particularly well to the single-minded focus I once displayed in that respect. All I can say about that is, oh, well; too bad, so sad. For the current time & place, that will have to suffice, for I feel no guilt, nor any particular shame. All I feel is a vague, unfocused feeling, much like thinking we’ve forgotten something important.

But, like any human of my age, I have numerous techniques to put all that sort of crap aside, & just go on as if it didn’t matter. Which, if you note, it doesn’t, at all. Not only doesn’t it matter, it’s probably only me who either cares, or even thinks about stuff like that. I mean, what’s the point? Well, I’ll tell ya…. When your mind is as empty of ideas on how to get going, or keep going, you (or, rather I….) will put damn near anything down, just to get a little further down the page….

SIGH…. However, even such shameless blather as I’ve employed thus far can only take us so far, & never quite far enough. In fact, it;s so pitifully bad, I’m giving up. If you listen closely, you can hear me muttering to myself as I do the only thing I have left to do….

Shall we Pearl?

“I prefer the folly of enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom.”

~~ Anatole France ~~

(So do I. Doesn’t mean I can muster up much of either some days…. )

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

Lena Horne

Image from Pinterest.com via Google Images…

I suppose it might be said I’m feeling rather nostalgic of late…. In keeping with that observation, here is a You Tube Mix of this artist’s works, which I have listened to all my life…. A strong soul, and a pure, smooth voice…. True beauty lasts forever; I hope you enjoy it….

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

Confidentially Paranoid

Only when the bright sunlight of dreams draws nigh
can the dark glass of reality factor true value..
Destiny’s horses run in fear as time goes dry,
for grappling with fate in such traitorous venue.

In pallid costumes made of graven cast-off tales,
fallen angels and demons show the measure of faith.
No sad transactions should escape these well-marked trails,
no angry relatives cast insults to a sedentary wraith.

Meaning can always hide in literal cold intent,
yet show mere facets of honor to perishable youth.
Sincere contentions leave with sorrowful bent,
while bastardly arguments fill in poorly for the truth.

Gone are moments filled with florid blasts of rhyme
left to molder on the shoulders of unreasonable hope.
Only courage can save these measures of unspoken time
to gather new issues, powerfully broad, painful in scope.

~~ gigoid ~~

2/25/2015

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

Naked Pearls

“Be obscure clearly.”

~~ E.B. White ~~

*******

“The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.”

~~ Carl Sagan ~~

*******

“Believe me!
The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness
and the greatest enjoyment from life
is to live dangerously”

~~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) ~~

*******

“Apollo, the God of light, of reason, of proportion, harmony, number —
Apollo blinds those who press too close in worship.
Don’t look straight at the sun.
Go into a dark bar and have a beer with Dionysos, every now and then.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

*******

“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

~~ Robert Frost, “The Road Not Taken” ~~

*******

“If you never assume importance you never lose it.”

~~ Lao-tzu ~~

*******

“It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man the oath.”

~~ Aeschylus (525-456 BC), Frag. 385 ~~

*******

“Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.”

~~ Buddha ~~

*******

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

Since I’ve already ‘made do’ with what came before, we’ll continue in that vein, & make do with it for today. Hopefully, there was a nugget or two for your pouch, or a pearl for your collection. In any case, I’ll try again, perhaps even tomorrow. Until then, be well, be happy as you may be, & remember: whatever you do, it’s all your choice. Make good ones….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

As if….

Posted on September 13, 2018 by gigoid

FFolkes,

“Seek not happiness too greedily, and be not fearful of happiness.”

~~ Lao-Tzu ~~

Big Ben, et al..,, London, England – 2013…

Even though I had cobbled together the necessary parts for a complete Pearl, I wasn’t going to post today, for the simple reason I had too much to do out in the BBR to sit long enough to compose anything fresh, such as an intro, or the discussion of Labels upon which I’ve been cogitating. However, the events which occurred as I engaged reality were, sadly, bigger than me, ending in more drama than I care to even consider, much less experience. My bozoid over-reaction has sent me into the wind, so, I thought, why not?

For me, it’s most likely a good thing, if only for the short term. For y’all, well, as usual, you’ll need to make your own judgments on that. In the extremely short term, practically in the moment, it means this….

Shall we Pearl?

“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us
to an understanding of ourselves.”

~~ Carl Gustav Jung ~~

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

Johann Strauss

Image from Wikiwand via Google Images

As has been made clear in the past, I love classical music. This composer is one everyone has heard of, even if they don’t know it; his Blue Danube Waltz may be the most well-known piece of music of all time, though that is a guess, based on only experience. In any case, today I’ve included a compilation of a number of his best and/or most famous works, which I hope you enjoy as much as do I….

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

A Failure to Germinate

Marking the days in elements of sad disarray
only holds me thrall, as I laugh while I may.
With cold, hard hands so impatient and cruel
pulling me to this vale of tears, a pathetic old fool.

Feelings sit silent, cast in shadows and light
breaking forth to implicate such vengeful might.
Just below the surface they patiently hide
to sally forth bravely, colors bright as they ride.

Tears and pain transform valued assets in hand
while comfort and serenity retreat to a far land.
Bold, bright patterns of hope garnish my ruinous state
until reality enters, full of disdainful portions of hate.

I sort out the illustrious measures of vision gone mild
only to find them transformed, now vicious and wild.
In my deepest desires I find myself calloused and cold
with faithless advocates whose souls have been sold.

My search finds little to support any hope of relief
far too much time has passed to bolster such belief.
The sad becomes real, and real becomes unfounded
until flights of such fancy are all dead, and grounded.

Nature has informed me of the newly hatched crime
of which reality boasted proudly, time after time.
The last answer we think of is always the best
as we come to terms with fate, our hope at rest.

~~ gigoid ~~

9/27/2012

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

Naked Pearls

Random Notes….

*******

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

~~ Sophocles, “Antigone”, 706

*******

“All that is harmony for thee, O Universe, is in harmony with me as well.
Nothing that comes at the right time for thee is too early or too late for me.
Everything is fruit to me that thy seasons bring, O Nature.
All things come of thee, have their being in thee, and return to thee.”

~~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditations”, iv, 23 ~~

*******

“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”)

*******

“We live in the kind of world where courage is the most essential of virtues;
without courage, the other virtues are useless.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

*******

“Love is all we have, the only way that each can help the other.”

~~ Euripides, Orestes (408 BC) ~~

*******

“From out of all the many particulars comes oneness,
and out of oneness come all the many particulars.”
— Heraclitus

*******

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

“Random” was a better choice than I knew. Who would? Not I, for sure and for certain. The best thing is, it’s done. The next best (well, maybe….) is, I’ll most likely do it again, soon. For the nonce, this is not only the best I can do, it’s all I can do. You know how that goes, right? Okay. Be well & happy as you may be, ffolkes…. ‘Twould also be for the best if you remained as strange as possible. Trust me on this….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Logical Technicolor dreams

Posted on February 26, 2018 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“I’m going to happydance among the stars and wear my stripes anyway I want to.”

~~ Stripes the tiger ~~

I spy a spider!….

Hajime…. It’s been, literally, months since I last experienced such an uncomfortable night’s sleep. Hip, leg, & back pain got me up 3 times during the endless night, soothed only by immersion in hot water. While making it tolerable, such treatment has no lasting effect on the condition, so I decided to finish the current Pearl in the works, & get it posted while I’m forced to remain non-ambulatory by the pain. SIGH…. Ah, well, I can tolerate one night’s lack of slumber; I just hope I can settle it down enough to get my exercise in today….

To create the impression I’m efficient, and actually know what I’m about, I’m going to forgo any further attempts to rationalize my inefficiency, or my recent absence here in cyberspace. Instead, we’ll just get on with it, & do whatever it takes to get this slow on the toad. Whatever THAT means…. I’ll even go so far as to not pretend I’m employing any of our infamous tricks to get us down the page, but, rather, merely say….

Shall we Pearl?….

“A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care
that balances are correct.”

~~ from “Manual of Maud’Dib” by the Princess Irulan ~~

~~ from “Dune” by Frank Herbert ~~

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

The image used for this section today is, as many of y’all may know, Kokopelli, the Hopi/Navaho trickster. It is NOT a picture of today’s guest artist, a magic dragon, because, apparently, images of magic dragons cause Windows to freak out. Don’t worry, you’ll get to see him, in action, in the embedded video of his performances as a runner-up finalist in America’s Got Talent in 2015. You can find him via Google, where there are links to his website. Frankly, he’s funny as hell, and a pretty good magician, too…. Enjoy!….

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

Piff The Magic Dragon

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

Denial of Comfort

Baleful chairs become the enemy, heralded in red
seemingly welcome softness beckons with a smile,
waiting, content with slaughter, they are finally led
screaming in agony, deluged in venom all the while.

Desperate distraction becomes such a friendless fire
for all the patterns of autumn’s pale dismay,
leaving sincerely latent trails in spirals of twisted wire,
while memory insists, again, upon failure, palpably evil, and fey.

Fat, jaded tears would have fallen in good time,
if only the suitable suitor had scaled the garden’s wall.
Credence for discounted prices luckily in their prime
bring only fascinated eyes into such a hallowed hall.

Searching for answers is ever a clever portrayal
with studious accouterments to fulfill each common rule.
Arguably patient pictures of science and honest betrayal
shall evermore languish, in light of passion so elegantly cruel.

~~ gigoid ~~

9/19/2012

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

Naked Pearls

Hmmm….

*******

“Still round the corner there may wait,
A new road or a secret gate.”

~~ J. R. R. Tolkien ~~

*******

“Why are we here?
Because we are here.
Roll the bones.”

~~ Rush, “Roll The Bones” ~~

*******

“If you want to know all about the sea,
you go and ask a sailor, or a marine biologist, or an oceanographer,
and they can tell you a lot about the sea.
But if you go and ask the sea itself, what does it say?
Grumble, grumble, swish swish.
It is too busy being itself
to know anything about itself.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

*******

“The light is reached not by turning back from the darkness,
but by going through it.”

~~ Leonard Roy Frank ~~

*******

“Cat advice: Take some time to eat the flowers.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

*******

“The secret of a good sex life is to have a good sex life….
In other words, kid, don’t let yer meat loaf.”

~~ R. Crumb ~~

*******

“If I don’t meet you no more in this world
Then I’ll see you in the next one.
Don’t be late”

~~ Jimi Hendrix ~~

*******

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

Hmm…. not bad for what it is, I’d say. But, then, I’d say that no matter how it turned out; professional responsibility, y’know? Besides, such a throw-away comment isn’t altogether out of place, since we’re here at the end, where it can’t cause any further harm. Or, for that matter, any further interest. I suppose they can’t all be brilliant. ‘Twould be nice to see, though, if only once. SIGH…. Never mind, no need to get all maudlin at this stage. Let’s just issue the usual caveats, & be done with it, shall we? Be well, mes amis, be happy as you may be, and non carborundum illegitimi (never let the bastards get you down….)! See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

A long lesson in humility….

Posted on February 14, 2018 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it.
For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it.
For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.”

~~ Ivan Panin ~~

Colors of dusk on San Francisco Bay….

Hajime…. For close to seven years, the early hours of the day, before dawn, were the most productive time I spent, in terms of writing. Now I’ve achieved a degree of physical capability impossible for me during that time, I have rejoined the world of the diurnal, going to bed later at night, and arising well after dawn, just like most of the people in the world. While I find the advances in physical well-being quite elevating, I do miss the productive aspects, and some extent, the ‘oddness’ of nocturnal existence. In any case, I have returned, so to speak, to the world of living, and find it intriguing, if not fully exciting. In the words of the dubious one, so be it.

This Pearl, while fresh, and relatively coherent, still lacks any new material, other than the usual suspects, to wit: the old-school pearl section has all freshly chosen elements, as always. The poem, while one of my better ones, is included here today merely to fill in for the half-completed poem which continues to leak out of my head at a ridiculously snail-like pace. The relatively incomplete nature of what has transpired today can be considered as the result of trying to write while actively engaged with Reality…. In short, it’s not working out quite the way I’d hoped. It is, however, done enough to suit my always low standards; while acceptable, it’s not excellent. Well, perhaps that’s hasty, but, feelings don’t care much about that….

Rather than belabor such a less than useful point any further, why don’t we get on with the rest of today’s mess? I know, we’ll use my favorite fill-in phrase to indicate efficient progress is necessary, with whimsy and fervor…. Ffolkes, let’s get this slow on the toad…. BEFORE it implodes, injuring us all….

Shall we Pearl?….

“And as we stand on the edge of darkness
Let our chant fill the void
That others may know
In the land of the night
The ship of the sun
Is drawn by
The grateful dead.”

~~ Tibetan “Book of the Dead” ca. 4000 BC. ~~

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

No introduction should be necessary for this artist; anyone who doesn’t know who he is has been living in a dark bubble for many moons. He’s played with just about every famous band and/or musician with a guitar in the world, getting better & better all the time. This is one of my favorite concerts, over an hour of some of the best music you’ll ever hear. Enjoy!

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

Eric Clapton
MTV Unplugged 1992

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

Illusory Time

Viewed from askance, the river is long;
deep, uncompromisingly intent, swift and strong.
In duality, perception creates our only reality;
such faux metaphoric paradox enforces mutability.

By two we perceive, both zero, and one;
digital, binary, on or off, such fun.
Separate, melded, we exist, knowing not what we know
ego, striving to be solitary, looking above, seeing below.

Furiously asleep, cultural anomaly claims a victim of choice;
validly unconscious, nobody speaks, nary a voice.
Potential escapees stir in dreams, fighting to wake,
until taking the wheel, for their own bloody sake.

Pots boil in due time, when the fire’s hot,
time exists to our advantage; or, not.
The solitary warrior, head bent in pain,
fights on, with, or without gain.

Night fell, day after day it persisted;
of those who knew, none showed any care, or resisted
Angels, ministers, none had any defense, nor grace;
all that remains is a face.

~~ gigoid ~~

10/22/2016

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

Naked Pearls

Signs on the Path to being Human….

*******

“Everything that has a beginning has an ending.
Make your peace with that and all will be well.”

~~ Buddha ~~

*******

“My imagination makes me human and makes me a fool;
it gives me all the world and exiles me from it.”

~~ Ursula K. Le Guin ~~

*******

“The Master doesn’t talk, he acts,
when his work is done, the people say,
“Amazing: We did it all by ourselves!”

~ Tao Teh Ching ~~

*******

“Not to decide is to decide.”

~~ Harvey Cox ~~

*******

“Doubt is not a pleasant condition but certainty is an absurd one.”

~~ Voltaire ~~

*******

“Our care should not be to have lived long as to have lived enough.”

~~ Seneca ~~

*******

“To see the world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.”

~~ William Blake, “Auguries of Innocence” ~~

*******

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

Since I managed to get the intro done in short order, I’m going to apply similar techniques here to bring it home. Besides, at this point in the day, I’m fresh out of anything else to say, or, do…. Rather than play the fool, I’ll play the odds, & leave it at that. I’ll be back in a day or three, with bells on. Maybe. In any case, y’all be well, be as happy as you may be, and remember…. The easy way is always the hardest, so, buckle down & face life, head on…. See ya….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Chilling the bones of metaphor….

Posted on January 14, 2018 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world
is to be in reality what we would appear to be;
all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves
by the practice and experience of them.”

~~ Socrates (BC 469-399) ~~

Glacier melt in Tracy Arm Fjord….

Hajime…. At my age, I should have learned not to expect rational, or even polite, behavior from any of my fellow humans; I’ve certainly witnessed enough evidence of the absence of either quality in the majority of those who call themselves ‘people’ during my time here on this planet. But, as has been noted by many, hope springs eternal, so, I keep making the attempt to relate to people, only to find disrespect and entitlement without reason. It seems the act of common courtesy has become lost from society, in the simplest of interactions between the members of that group. The most obvious is in the area of basic communication habits, such as those involving the use of a telephone….

In today’s culture, damn near everyone I can find uses their “smart” phone to screen calls; nobody, except, apparently, me, actually answers their phone. Instead, they let it go to a voice mail box, to leave messages that apparently don’t get listened to, for nobody returns calls, unless it suits their own needs or purposes. The simple courtesy of a timely response seems to have been displaced by narcissistic entitlement, and the disrespect that is implied when communication is ignored. It has become, in my experience, an event of noteworthiness when someone actually answers the phone when I call, even businesses. Nobody wants to actually speak with anyone else; texting, which removes the responsibility of exchanging emotional cues from speech, is the default response, and that is often ignored as well…. and, I just don’t get it….

I could continue in this vein for a long time, but, I don’t believe anyone else cares enough to either read it, or respond to such complaints… which, ultimately, also says a lot about the state of modern culture. Also, I have noted a distinct drop in the traffic here on ECR, due, no doubt, to my own absences, from here, and from visiting other blogs. Of the registered 700+ followers of this blog, perhaps 10 or 12 still stop by with any consistency, and only two or three even let me know they’ve been by by leaving a “Like” or a comment. It seems there are still a small percentage of people out there who care to demonstrate the respect of acknowledgment without first receiving it; mostly, I have no idea how many ffolkes drop in, unless I want to chase down the stats in one of the WP admin pages.

It’s early in the morning, about 0430, pre-dawn here in California, and I’ve been up a couple hours dealing with a resurgence of PTSD symptoms, brought on by assaults upon my tender sensibilities by a series of rude responses I have received during attempts to connect with people. At this point. a statement I made yesterday in response to a Facebook query to describe how I felt right then is still appropriate; I stated I was feeling ‘indiscriminately homicidal’…. Today, perhaps, it is even stronger, so, I guess I’ll be avoiding the rest of my species today, if only to avoid the inconvenience of having to dispose of the corpses that might conceivably accrue by daring to go out & try to relate with any of them. SIGH…. ah, well, so be it….

At least the angst built up by this war with my inner demons has stimulated me enough to post some fresh material; hell, this is the first time I’ve ranted in a couple months. Though I can’t say it felt very good to release all this deitrus, I suppose it will eventually show some positive effects. One may hope, may one not, even if hope is a futile pastime? One may…. so, I shall. I shall also show a bit of the courtesy I so desperately miss in others, by cutting off any further blather, in favor of getting on with the rest of today’s mess. I hope you enjoy it, futile as it may have been as a form of therapy…. In any case, let’s do this, eh?….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Kindness is more important than wisdom,
and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.”

~~ Theodore Isaac Rubin ~~

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

Today’s musical selection is, for me, an obvious one. I need the soothing sounds of a classical nature; it’s my default, and today, it’s also yours. I hope you enjoy it as much as I intend to…. Abondanza!….

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

Classical Music

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

Further Proof

No evidence exists, no rumored promise
of a guide on the path we seek.
Salient information lies hidden, seeking solace;
each possibility lost, no longer unique.

The past cascades through today, resolute;
finished and gone, by all reputable report.
Common failings decry any fever in the root,
as pillars of salt offer up little retort.

Longitude has latitude, one dimension to the next;
truth and lies, mirrored, transform on first exposure.
Born in chaos, living in change, by guile and pretext;
artful insanity, with no rational cure.

‘Tis no wonder, some do say now and then,
such creatures are doomed, by their own hand.
Cursed by the force of their very own ken,
until only the leaving seems very grand.

Perhaps, but, then, say those who doubt,
it’s all part of how it works, in fact.
We can’t know, really, what it’s all about
without completing the final act.

Is there any hurry?

~~ gigoid ~~

6/23/2016

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

Naked Pearls

Yep….

*******

“Any fool can know.
The point is to understand.”

~~ Albert Einstein ~~

*******

“Anywhere is walking distance, if you’ve got the time.”

~~ Steven Wright ~~

*******

“Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength
which will always spring up if thou wilt always look there.”

~~ Marcus Aurelius ~~

*******

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

~~ Steven Covey ~~

*******

“Before you can be creative, you must be courageous.
Creativity is the destination, but courage is the journey.”

~~ Joey Reiman ~~

*******

“Every action in our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.”

~~- Edwin Hubbell Chapin ~~

*******

~~ Odo, “The Prison Letters” (by Ursula LeGuin, “The Dispossessed”)

*******

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

Well, it’s done. I can’t say, nor will I attempt to say, anything about how it may have turned out; I’ll leave that to anyone else who cares to make note of it. I’m going walkabout, before the rest of the world around here gets up, so I won’t have to talk to any of them. I’ll see y’all, probably fairly soon, as writing does help me stay moderately sane, or, at minimum, less insane than the usual case. On that less than positive, but, realistic note, I shall bid thee adieu, until we meet again. See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Bearing malice toward none….

Posted on October 20, 2017 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.”

~~ Louisa May Alcott (1868) ~~

The road to SF via the Bay….

Hajime…. Good morning. Well, sort of. In any case, I have the elements of a complete Pearl, but, find myself with less than nothing about which to write here in the intro. Instead of fooling around, & trying to fill up space, I’ve decided to just say this…. Here it is. I hope you enjoy it, spare as it may be. That’s it. I’m still in a funk, mostly, so, this is what I’ve got. I’m pretty certain, in the long run, it won’t matter, but, even if it did, I don’t think I’d care. As has been my habit to say in the past, so be it….

Shall we Pearl?….

“The only people for me are the mad ones,
the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved,
desirous of everything at the same time,
the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing,
but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles
exploding like spiders across the stars…”

~~ Jack Kerouac, “On the Road” ~~

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

It’s been awhile since I last used music from this organization, so, it’s time today, since I’m posting late. Here’s another link to some of the finest live music you’ll ever hear, from an organization that uses the power of music to teach humanity about being truly human…. Enjoy!….

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

Playing For Change
Redemption Song

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

Ah Ain’t Sho, but Mebbe So….

Fried eggs got nuthin’ on me
Ah’m not even sure of mah name,
or how Ah come to be;
no idea from where Ah came.

Ah does like a mystery tho’,
puzzlin’ things out so’s Ah knows,
good from bad fo sho,
Ah sho don’t want no rock pillows.

If’n Ah cain’t figure out what’s best,
Ah just falls back on mah Daddy’s words,
seems he knowed just whut’d stand the test,
‘n how to gentle the scaredest birds.

‘Course, he’d lived a good long time,
‘n had lots of stuff go on by;
Went to a war, n’ lost a piece or two,
never once used it fer an alibi.

He tol’ me once Ah’d best learn to learn,
school’s only cool if ya ain’t already a fool.
Yer own good measure you can earn,
by startin’ yer learnin’ with the Golden Rule.

Always seemed to me as Ah growed up,
he mostly only spoke if it wuz true,
‘n by doin’ that clued me to what’s up,
kept me from stuff that’d a made me blue.

Without ever sayin’ the word itself,
Ah learned ’bout honor, ‘n helpin’ others
not some fake stuff from some shelf,
but, knowin’ whut’s right, ‘n that we’re all brothers.

Ah’ve been around long enough now, Ah think
to get around the block at least two times.
I s’pose long as my head don’t shrink
Ah’ll keep on doin’ right, ‘n makin’ these rhymes…..

~~ gigoid ~~

4/6/2013

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

Naked Pearls

A blank map….

*******

“The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal Name.”

~~ Lao-Tzu, “Tao Te Ching” ~~

*******

“Give me health and a day,
and I will make ridiculous the pomp of emperors.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

*******

“Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced,
not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious,
but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature.”

~~ Tom Robbins ~~

*******

“When you follow your bliss…
doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors;
and where there wouldn’t be a door for anyone else.”

~~ Joseph Campbell ~~

*******

“Wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder.”

~~ Socrates (470?-399 B.C.), [quoting Plato] ~~

*******

“It is not length of life, but depth of life.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

*******

“It is good to have an end to journey toward,
but it is the journey
that matters in the end.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

*******

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

It’s probably clear by now, what you see is all you’re gonna get. If not, well, this should cinch it. I’ll be back, though I cannot say exactly when; life keeps intruding into cyberspace, & I can’t find any reason not to go with the flow. Until my return, be well, be happy, & be excellent to each other. See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Insignificant dreaming….

Posted on September 20, 2017 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“A chief event of life is the day
in which we have encountered a mind that startles us.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

Monument for the Exodus, Galway, Ireland

Hajime…. The simple truth is, I’m becoming a reclusive hermit. From all I can determine, the world at large, in this country especially, has gone stark, raving mad, & I find the most satisfying way to deal with it to be to ignore it, and most of the people in it, as far as possible. I stopped watching TV several years ago; the only time I see what’s on is during my occasional trips to a lounge, on those relatively rare occasions I want to sip a nightcap & socialize to some degree with those others who retreat from the madness. Other than that, my socialization is limited to interacting with my familiar, who remains an enigma, like any Siamese cat, and to conversations with a few people over the internet, via email or comments on a blog. The only ranting I do these days is confined to those comment sections, which seems to be enough to assuage the urge to do so at all….

Perhaps the failure to connect is with me; I can’t seem to bring myself to care much. The more I ignore the world, the more satisfying Life seems; whenever I try to deal with some part of it, I am presented with ample evidence of the depths of insanity to which human culture has plumbed. In my defense, I’ll note I keep trying, interacting with all I meet, and, to be honest, I meet a lot of fine people, who, if they were not so deeply buried in odd misconceptions, which they possess due to the sheer weight of misinformation they’ve been taught all their lives, would otherwise be interesting. As it is, simply dealing with most of them becomes problematic, as their ignorance adds to the overall insanity so prevalent in every aspect of society, making it hard to elicit any sort of rational response from any of them.

You might think this makes me judgmental, but, I would say, no more so than anyone else human; we all judge, according to our own set of likes & dislikes. I like to think the standards by which I judge are loose, in terms of compassion & understanding compared to the average. I try to give people a lot of leeway, to be fair, and so I can honestly expect the same in return. Unfortunately, this is, apparently, too rational for most folks to deal with, making it even more problematic for me to connect with most humans on more than a surface level; when I get to know them more intimately, they too often turn to their ignorance, rather than their rationality, & I am, again, disappointed to find them unreachable by any rational means. SIGH…. silly humans.

I guess that all sounds like a complaint; it really isn’t. I guess I’m just saying I can only wish that I could find a small group of humans living in my vicinity who spent more time ‘thinking’, & less time ‘reacting’ to what goes on in the world. But, I’m old enough to realize I can’t make any changes in anyone else; I’m the only one I have any power to change. Since I’m already in the ongoing process of doing just that, I suppose I’ll have to be satisfied with that, & forget about making a lot of ‘acquaintances’. I’ll hold out for those with whom I can call ‘friends’. I have several of those, and family, and that will have to be sufficient….

For now, I suppose I should cease the meandering ramblings, & get this posted. The poem I was working on disappeared; I think I accidentally deleted it during a cut & pasting session, & can’t seem to find it in my head. So, I’ve used an older poem; the rest is fresh, & relevant as I can make it, given my less than compelling urge to get anything at all written for this blog. The good news, for me, is I am now up to more than two miles a day walking; I’ll be doing three to four in no time at all, at this rate. My increased stamina is matched by other positive signs of physical healing of some of the problems brought by aging; I’m fully regular, and my sleep habits are approaching normality, as I’m averaging 7-8 restful hours each night, with no problems in falling into sleep…. That, by the way, is a BIG improvement over the past five to ten years….

Hmm… I see I’ve rambled rather extensively, & it’s getting late; I suppose I should get this posted before I decide to blow it off for another day. I also suppose I’ve rambled so much, I should do so without any further delay. Here’s how that one works….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Even while a thing is in the act of coming into existence,
some part of it has already ceased to be.”

~~ Marcus Aurelius ~~

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

Angelina Jordan

Image from YouTube.com via Google Images

A bit over three years ago, this young singer, then age 7, won the “Norway’s Got Talent” competition, singing a series of jazz/r&b/ballads of vintage distinction, covering artists such as Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Etta James, and others. She is now age 10, an internationally known artist; her YouTube page has received over 100 million views of her performance videos alone. She has appeared all over the world, on TV, in festivals, & can be considered, in my mind, one of the finest young talents to ever shine.

Her voice is incredibly rich, & not merely because of her tender age… She has a massive range, and her ‘feeling’ for the songs she chooses to sing is, simply, astounding; she is the living embodiment of an “old soul”. The link under her name is for her You Tube channel; the embedded video is of her singing a version of “Feeling Good” in the style of Nina Simone… You’ll see why people all over the world listen to her sing, myself among them…. If you don’t like this, well, you really should think about widening your scope of interests…. (*smile*), because she is amazingly good; I think she is a living example of what makes us human….

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

Angelina Jordan

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1Pwa4nFvIPbtYVLcBGDpjA

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

Unconscious prophecy….

In the semblance of Time described below,
Circumstance plays its part.
Though Fate has its say,
only the most elemental of emotional responses
could conceivably hold sway before the throne of Reason.

As the light of Illumination grows stronger,
Fear retreats, hidden in shadowed halls behind the stairs,
while Serenity fills hearts and minds.
Gladly, the people sleep, unwary, unaware,
t’will be long before they woke….

Dreams, unnaturally natural, gently haunt slumber,
of course; how else to wander from various to sundry?
Angelic demons vie, posing as professional guides,
while demonic angels simply watch, impassively laughing.
Eternity, of a sudden, seems to yawn.

Twice now, Forever has come, gone; ah, look!
It came back, a bit bedraggled, to be sure.
(A little whiny, too…)
Perhaps, shifting reality into dreams is not such
a bad idea, after all.

If Time stops, how will you know?

~~ gigoid ~~

12/12/2016

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

Naked Pearls

“You are Here”….

*******

“I have an existential map.
It has ‘You are here’ written all over it.”

~~ Steven Wright ~~

*******

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

*******

“The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.”

~~ Bertrand Russell ~~

*******

“If there is a sin against life,
it consists perhaps not so much in despairing of life as
in hoping for another life and
in eluding the implacable grandeur of this life.”

~~ Albert Camus ~~

*******

Narim: What your mind doesn’t know, your heart fills in.
Carter: I don’t know what that means, exactly, but it’s beautiful.
Narim: Which is exactly what it means.

~~ from Stargate ~~

*******

“For him who has conquered the mind,
the mind is the best of friends;
but for one who has failed to do so,
his mind will be the greatest enemy.”

~~ Bhagavad Gita ~~

*******

It costs so much to be a full human being
that there are very few who have
the enlightenment or the courage to pay the price…
One must abandon altogether the search for security
and reach out to the risk of living with both arms…
One has to embrace the world like a lover…
One has to accept pain as a condition of existence…
One has to court doubt and darkness as the cost of knowing.
One needs a will stubborn in conflict,
but apt always to total acceptance
of every consequence of living and dying.”

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

*******

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

I should think the five-plus paragraphs of blather found in the intro section would be enough for anyone’s taste, so, I’ll skip any more here at the end, in favor of getting posted before I lose the focus to do so. I hope you enjoyed today’s outburst, & that you’ll continue to drop in now & again to see what’s come up. I intend to continue my relative hiatus, but, can feel some stuff building up that will have to come out somewhere; it may as well be here. Until then, be well, be as happy as you may, and stay strange…. Trust me, life’s tastier that way…. See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Blatantly aphoristic rumination….

Posted on August 16, 2017 by gigoid

Ffolkes,

“Man is the only creature that refuses to be what he is.”

~~ Albert Camus ~~

Sleeping Gaia…. Can you see her?….

Hajime…. Words flow, at times, like a melodic brook falling softly down a forest glen; still other times, they fade away, disappearing into the grey fogs swirling always at the edges of the mind. No matter which side of the universal coin they present, seemingly at the whim of fate, the need to use them, as the means of stilling the cacophony which builds up, in reaction to perception of our confusing, complex, beautiful world, remains an undeniable impulse. Better yet is to find the place inside where the words merge and meld into music, often as if meant for no other purpose; such moments are true epiphany, for me, for any truly human being….

I have to write; it’s no longer an option to keep from doing so, if only when I can physically tolerate the numerous repetitive actions, while seated, required to perform the very act, all of which puts stress on our bodies, so accustomed to activity. In the recent past, I’ve come to understand my time of introspection needs to turn toward action, in the sense I must now, as Joe Campbell would put it, ‘follow my bliss’…. So, I intend to try to meld my need to write with my love of music, & start practicing on my guitar, & trying to fit some of my poetry into the music I find in me…. I can’t say any of it will ever reach the stage of showing it to the world, but, the attempt itself will be a learning experience, so, we’ll see what I learn.

For the moment, which comes two days after composing the above paragraphs, we’ll jump right in to the effort I’ve made over the last few days of recovery, since last posting a fresh mess. It wouldn’t help to detail this particular morning’s events, as I am neither happy about them, nor content with my own state of being; I’ve been up since 0230, thanks to some negative behavior seeking by the resident fur-bearing extortionist, after a long day with 3 naps yesterday, trying to recover a bit of energy. Suffice it to say, the rest of the day has to go better, for it couldn’t have been much worse so far….

In fact, only concentrating on finishing this episode of my personal quest to find, or create, some rationality in an insane world has kept me from felinicide, or taxicide (fyi, the killing of cats & cabbies who never show up….), so, I’m going to get it posted, hopefully before I get arrested. I’ll even give up trying to explain anything, & get on with it, post haste…. That, of course, looks like this….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Freedom begins when you tell Mrs. Grundy to go fly a kite.”

~~ Lazarus Long ~~

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

Jethro Tull

Image found on random Russian WordPress site via Google Images…

Today’s musical selection is a find of most excellent flavor. The video you’ll see below is called the ‘best version’ of the song played by the iconic band from the 60’s & 70’s… I have to agree with the title’s assumption, having seen or heard it many times, both live & on the radio of the day. Incredible performances by the entire band mark this as a truly iconic representation of the spirit that burgeoned during that era; the energy is incredible. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have, & use the links in the player to listen to some of their more recent work, as they are still playing & living their music….

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Jethro Tull
Aqualung, BBC 1977

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Life as we know it….

As we grow and learn to be, in this sad, yet joyous parade,
we only have our Self with which to face life;
small, we are, and weak,
but, smart.

Reality, in studied contrast, is an invisible, ubiquitous shade
dispassionate ambivalence brings us mostly strife.
It’s never enough to seek.
Take part.

The universe won’t make a compromise, but will make a trade.
Give away your fear for knowledge, and a reasoned life.
It often requires a tweak;
live Art.

Love is an essential part of our own particular charade
without it, life can be filled with strife.
Souls perch high on a peak;
sweet, tart.

Pain always balances with joy, the price has to be paid;
for us humans, each must be equal in life.
To know one, the other must speak.
Never apart.

We are all actors, playing parts we’ve chosen to have portrayed;
the director’s absence produces endless strife.
Trying to make sense brings only pique.
Go. Start.

~~ gigoid ~~

11/27/2015

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Naked Pearls

Yep, that about covers it…

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“And now, let the fun begin.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

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“Then somebody spoke, and I went into a dream….”

~~ The Beatles, “A Day In The Life” ~~

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“There is only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.”

~~ Napoleon Bonaparte ~~

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“A desire not to butt into other people’s business
is at least eighty percent of all human wisdom…
and the other twenty percent isn’t very important.”
“You butt into other people’s business. All the time.”
“Who said I was wise? I’m a professional bad example.
You can learn a lot by watching me.”

~~ Lazarus Long & Ira Johnson, “Stranger in a Strange Land,” Robert A. Heinlein ~~

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“As great scientists have said and as all children know,
it is above all by the imagination
that we achieve perception, and compassion, and hope.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

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“If you don’t care where you are, you ain’t lost.”

~~ Rune’s Rule ~~

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“Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies.”

~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~

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“They can because they think they can.”

~~ Virgil ~~

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“Living Dead
the path is chosen,
to live forever is to die forever.

To not know when you’ll die
is to find life
wherever you are.”

~~ Alagad ~~

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I’ve gone over what is above, & found it to be all there; I’ll make no judgments regarding quality, as that is your task. Feel free to tell me what you think, though, I’ll note any critical comments will be cheerfully ignored…. or, at least as cheerfully as I can be, on a day that started like this one. No complaints, & no worries; the sun will come up again tomorrow, & we all get a new chance at it…. I’m hoping to see some small improvement; it doesn’t take much to smooth the waters, really…. I hope to have another fresh Pearl tomorrow, so, I guess I’ll see you then…. I promise I’ll be in a better mood; not hard, as it can’t get much worse today…. Blessed be, my friends….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

gigoid

Ned Moore, aka gigoid, is a 70 year-old, (!!!… When did that happen?….), retired dilettante, who would rather read than eat, most days. His first blog, "gigoid’s folly", has been emailed out to folks he knows for about 18 years now. He still considers it his best defense against angst, and the ever-present specter of sheer insanity..... Due to rigorous curmudgeon training requirements, he has discontinued his Facebook presence, but still indulges in the occasional Twitter session... In essence, he's socialized, but, not overly sociable; all labels and stereotypes are forbidden in his presence... and he doesn't care what anyone thinks about that..... In fact, he doesn't want to talk anymore.... If you feel you MUST contact gigoid, his email address is: alphagigoid@gmail.com You can go read now.... Go on, beat it.... gigoid, the dubious

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gigoid

Exploring Consensual Reality

Tag Archives: Ursula K. LeGuin

A small dose of sweet sorrow….

Insidious pleasures….

Sprinkle, sprinkle little jar….

As if….

Logical Technicolor dreams

A long lesson in humility….

Chilling the bones of metaphor….

Bearing malice toward none….

Insignificant dreaming….

Blatantly aphoristic rumination….

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