“I still find each day too short
for all the thoughts I want to think,
all the walks I want to take,
all the books I want to read,
and all the friends I want to see.”
~~ John Burrough ~~
Celebrity Infinity’s Bar, Three Sheets to the Wind…
Hajime…. Some mornings, the irony of what I do here each day becomes too much to bear, unless I retreat into either curmudgeonly irritability, or complete and utter nonsense; while I prefer the latter, the former is more, shall we say, productive, in terms of returning me to relative stability. Naturally, I choose that one, to suit my own lifestyle preferences. Go figure, eh? That’s where the irony comes into the picture, coloring all with its sardonic, pitiless box of crayons, none of which are remotely pastel in nature. Such is life in the Big City, I guess.
Rather than spend a lot of time exploring this well of angst, (which can, conceivably, release demons I’d rather keep caged….), I’ll try to finish off this Pearl, and be done with it for today. Why? Well, why not? Besides, Smart Bee is being ridiculously recalcitrant, making me open and close the program repeatedly to find even one worthwhile pearl. Who needs that sort of aggravation before 8 AM? Not me, for sure. So, I’ll cut this intro short, again, in a valiant attempt to regain some sort of rationality. If you have any compassion at all, you’ll wish me luck…. As for me, well, I’m going to use my often disregarded skill at ruthless time management, in its most efficacious form, to wit: watch this….
Shall we Pearl?….
“To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.”
~~ Abraham Lincoln (attributed) ~~
********************************
“In the land of the dark, the Ship of the Sun is driven by the Grateful Dead.”
~~ Egyptian Book of the Dead ~~
50th Anniversary Fare Thee Well Tour
So, I was feeling nostalgic for the 60’s, and, guess what? Yep. Here’s a concert celebrating 50 years of alternative subculture, at its finest…. Enjoy!….
********************************
Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well 7/5/2015
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********************************
********************************
Qualifications of Passion
Sweetly and soft, her vision comes insistently stealing,
waking gently welcome strength of safely intimate feeling.
No mundane distractions even feebly compare,
to celestial musics that fill such welcoming air.
Joyous celebration is each minute’s lot
whenever I’m near her, and when I am not.
Just knowing she is real and relatively near
provides a glad and final solution to fear.
Trust can heal, and live up to the test,
and even the worst of us become best;
Love, when given, is a type of realistic example
of how life can be simple, yet more than just a sample.
Memory is forgiving, in the face of the Now,
our lessons of necessity will always show how;
Our future is but illusion, until fully grown,
the only option for survival is to call it our own.
Feathered with hopeful dreams of acquisition,
live the passions that have defined my position.
Universal justice demands satisfaction
love is ever my choice, and my only reaction.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/30/3012
********************************
Naked Pearls
Another roadside attraction….
*******
“I searched into myself.”
~~ Heraclitus ~~
*******
“The world is full of burled and gnarly knobs
on which you can hang a metaphysical system.
If you must.”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
*******
“We should consider every day lost
on which we have not danced at least once.
And we should call every truth false
which was not accompanied by at least one laugh.”
~~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~~
*******
“If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner,
you have learned how to live.”
~~ Lin Yutang ~~
*******
“Every evil to which we do not succumb is a benefactor.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
*******
“You thought, as a boy, that a mage is one who can do anything.
So I thought, once. So did we all.
And the truth is that as a man’s real power grows and his knowledge widens,
ever the way he can follow grows narrower:
until at last he chooses nothing,
but does only and wholly what he _must_ do.”
~~ Ursula K. LeGuin, _A Wizard of Earthsea_ ~~
*******
“Do not go gentle into that good night
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light”
~~ Dylan Thomas ~~
*******
********************************
There you have it. It’s late, and, it’s weird, so, all good to go. I’ll try again tomorrow, as long as everybody’s aim stays bad…. I mean, if they’re still shooting at me, that means I’m having some sort of effect, right? Right. ‘Course, I AM human, and subject to delusional behavior at the drop of a metaphor… but, what the hell….. See ya, ffolkes…. Just try to stop me….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
Hajime…. It probably comes as no surprise to anyone who has been here more than once to learn the methods used to create these Pearls of Virtual Wisdom are, at the base, as random as can be tolerated. That is to say, the result is random; my approach is anything but, though to look at it from the outside, that probably doesn’t hold true. Nonetheless, when I am searching for pearls, or thinking about using a pearl as the basis for ranting, or, especially, when writing poetry, the process is allowed to proceed in a semi-conscious manner, with randomness as the only parameter. In short, it’s all done with a direct connection to the unconscious, as I’ve known forever most of my REAL thinking goes on there. What happens out here in the harsh light of reality is merely the reflection of that….
Why, you may ask, is he rambling on about such meaningless drivel? Gosh, do ya think it might be going along the lines of that parameter? I hope so, because it damn well is, and I’d hate to start your day out by forcing a hard reboot; it could get expensive in coffee. Not to worry, though, there won’t be any charges added on your bill for the service, should it have to be applied. I suppose it would be polite, at this point, to actually tell you why all this is so ‘in your face’ at such an hour. However, I gave up being polite for Halloween, and guess what today is? Yep, that’s right. It’s the day before the least important, yet significant day of the year. I speak, of course, of the Day of the Dead….
Yes, November 1st, El Dia de los Muertos in many places around the world, always my favorite holiday (well, sort of a holiday; hard to attach much frivolity and/or lightheartedness to the day, but, it’s fun, in a macabre sense….), not only for its honesty, but, because it’s also my birthday. I will turn old, officially, tomorrow about 3:30 AM, when it will have been exactly 66 years since my parents welcomed me into the world. It’s a big milestone, in this country, as it marks the age where one is allowed to begin collecting the money that society forced us to pay into Social Security, in my case, for shortly more than 50 years. My only remark on that, for now, is to note the relevance of the Grateful Dead line, to wit: “What a long strange trip it’s been!….”
But, that’s tomorrow, and, right now, it’s still today. My sense of duty is telling me to get posted, while my randomness gene is laughing at such nonsense. I’ll use the distraction of the argument to go ahead & get this done, while the various parts of my mind are busy elsewhere. It ain’t the most extensive Pearl ever, but, it’s sufficient unto the day. It will have to be, because, well, it will. On that fatalistic note, I think it’s time to move on….
Shall we pearl?….
“Life is cruel? Compared to what?”
~~ Edward Abbey ~~
********************************
That’s right; it’s more classical music. That’s because it’s what I want to hear today, so, you’ll just have to go along with it. Or, go read the poem. Either way, it’s good stuff, so, in a paraphrase of Frank Zappa, ‘Shut up & listen’…..
********************************
Classical Music
********************************
********************************
********************************
Unwrapped Morning
A jewel of deepest green, sparkles by firelight
Held fast by time, and space
Leaves only passive passion, pale and bright
Naught but grief, yet but a trace.
In morning’s bright parlor, burning for hate
Unspent moments fall, seeking pain
Spilling blood forlornly, cowed by fate
Left with nothing, life in vain.
Pallid purpose calls, to that fallow ground
In bold fashions, aflame
Conscience falls aside, value unbound
Death calls, forever lost, the game……
~~ gigoid ~~
8/21/2012
********************************
Naked Pearls
An odd collection, but, mine own….
*******
“I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.”
~~ Confucius (551-479 BC) ~~
*******
“All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to be free.”
~~ Lennon/McCartney, “Blackbird” ~~
*******
“You know you’ve achieved perfection in design,
Not when you have nothing more to add,
But when you have nothing more to take away.”
~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~
*******
“The only thing that makes life possible
is permanent, intolerable uncertainty;
not knowing what comes next.”
~~ Ursula K Le Guin ~~
*******
“Love not what you are, but what you may become.”
~~ Miguel de Cervantes ~~
*******
“In ancient times there were great Taoist Sages.
Their way of living was so deep, so subtle, it cannot be directly explained.
Instead, here is how they looked:
Cautious, as if crossing the ford of a stream in Winter
Alert, as if surrounded by danger
Polite, as if they were always a guest
Yielding, like ice that is on the verge of melting
Sincere, like an uncut block of wood
Receptive, like a valley
Opaque, like muddy water “
~~ Chapter 15, Tao Teh Ching ~~
*******
“Ne te confundant illegitimi”
(Don’t let the bastards get you down)
~~ Latin for everyday occasions ~~
*******
********************************
I guess they can’t ALL be perfect gems. But, it’s done, and it ain’t too shabby, so, let’s go post it, and take our lumps like men, ‘kay? I don’t suppose I need to mention I’ll be back tomorrow, if I live through the celebration. You needn’t wish me luck; it wouldn’t help, anyway. But, the odds are still good, so, I’ll be here….
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.
“It is never too early or too late to care for the well-being of the soul.”
~~ Epicurus ~~
Late summer bloom….
Hajime…. In human experience, it is clear that the subject of ‘delayed gratification’ is associated closely with a great many of our difficulties. Taking the short-term view, while gratifyingly immediate, can often lead to long-term consequences, very few of which are as beneficial as our intentions would have them. In short, we screw our own pooch, regularly. I would say this is not an arguable conclusion, as the evidence is overwhelming.
Now, one might assume, from the professorial tone of the previous paragraph, today’s post will be another long diatribe against the machine. And, you’d be right. However, my diatribe, which has, in segments, been ongoing for several years, won’t be our major feature. In fact, there’s no rant, at all, in any real sense. There is material in that section today, but, you won’t find it hard to get through, as it turned old-school. We have music, we have a new poem, and a damn fine group of excellently polished pearls for your edification. You could say, this one has it all, and be correct. Go ahead, say it….
Okay, so, the obligatory nonsense is in place, we’ve got some rational dialogue, and we’re three paragraphs in; couldn’t ask for better progress. I mean, after all, Dave Letterman coined the perfect phrase to describe us, when he said, “Hopelessly lost, but, making good time….”. That’s us, to a T. Or, if necessary, to a Z. Whatever either of those means. I don’t believe I ever really ‘got’ that one, but, hey, it’s embedded in the language, so, gotta use it now and again, or it goes bad. Words do that, you know….
I think that, right there, is a good indicator, showing us it’s definitely time to get on with this, before it all goes wonky. I’ll be rational, and executive-like, & make the decision to cut this off, ruthlessly. How’s this for ruthless?….
Shall we pearl?….
“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 ~~
********************************
I had no intention of ranting today, though the urge often occurs. I’m trying to keep from that sort of indulgence for the time being. Sometimes, when looking for pearls for the old-school, Naked Pearls section, I do come across pieces such as these, which I can only describe as perfect pearls, for they create an entire discussion in one’s own head, in order to ascertain the full import of the relatively few words used. In short, they compose a pearl of virtual wisdom, which can, in its essence, only be considered a rant, against all the elements of human nature that cause us so much misery, and keep the bulk of us from feeling or experiencing life as it CAN be lived. I hope you enjoy this trip into the minds of a number of rather smart people….
*******
Thoughts on the Human Condition….
*******
“For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered.
But for those of us who can’t readily accept the God formula,
the big answers don’t remain stone-written.
We adjust to new conditions and discoveries.
We are pliable.
Love need not be a command or faith a dictum.
I am my own God.
We are here to unlearn
the teachings of the church, state,
and our educational system.
We are here to drink beer.
We are here to kill war.
We are here to laugh at the odds
and live our lives so well
that Death will tremble to take us.”
~~ Charles Bukowski ~~
*******
“…there is no poison on earth more potent, nor half so deadly,
as a partial truth mixed with passion.”
~~ Michael Jay Tucker~~
*******
“The entire world is being driven insane by this single phrase:
‘My religion alone is true.'”
~~ Ramakrishna ~~
*******
“There is no nonsense so arrant
that it cannot be made the creed of the vast majority
by adequate governmental action.”
~~ Bertrand Russell, “An outline of Intellectual Rubbish” ~~
*******
“And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon Gods they’d made.”
~~ Paul Simon ~~
*******
“The more laws and order are made prominent,
the more thieves and robbers there will be.”
~~ Lao Tzu ~~
*******
“… 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, “The Republic” ~~
*******
“What happens to your fist when you open your hand?”
~~ Zen Buddhism ~~
*******
********************************
Image from lastfm.com via Google Images
I finished a poem last night; don’t know why, but the last three stanzas just bled out in about an hour. In honor of poetry, here’s a performance by one of the greatest musician/songwriter/poets of the modern era. I consider his “Sound of Silence” the definitive poem/song of the latter part of the previous century; I know it’s just my opinion, but, go listen, then tell me it doesn’t nail modern society with one swift bullet. In any case, this is a pretty decent collection of his work, in a good studio, with good sound, and, his usual collection of great musicians to play with him…. Enjoy!….
********************************
Paul Simon BBC Sessions ~ 2006
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********************************
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Illusory Time
Viewed from askance, the river is long;
deep, uncompromisingly intent, swift, 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, looks above, sees 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
Serenity’s arcane art….
*********
I’m going to happydance among the stars and wear my stripes any way I want to.”
~~ Stripes the tiger ~~
*********
“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare;
it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.”
~~ Lucius Anneaus Seneca ~~
*********
“To dare is to lose your foothold for a moment.
Not to dare is to lose your self.”
~~ Soren Kierkegaard~~
*********
“How could the drops of water know themselves to be a river?
Yet the river flows on.”
~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~
*********
“Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it,
you will live along some distant day into your answers.”
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~
*********
“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow,
you gotta put up with the rain.”
~~ Dolly Parton ~~
*********
“Take a breath of the new dawn and make it a part of you.
~~ Hopi proverb ~~
*********
“Change is inevitable, growth is intentional.”
~~ Glenda Cloud~~
*********
“The road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began
Now far ahead the road has gone
And I must follow if I can.
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way.
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.”
~~ J.R.R. Tolkien ~~
*********
********************************
Boy! That’s a big one, isn’t it? So big, I’ll forgo further torment, and just say, see y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. I believe we can safely say it is now an obsession, without being inaccurate. So be it….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“Let ignorance talk as it will, learning has its value.”
~~ J. de La Fontaine (1621-1695) ~~
~~ The Use of Knowledge, Book viii, Fable 19 ~~
I swear it went inside here….
Hajime…. Thanks to goodness knows what, I’m running late. This is both good, and bad, like most things human. We do tend to try to strip it down to bare bones when possible; today’s post will, no doubt, require us to do so rather ruthlessly, if we hope to find our way to any sort of conclusive resolution. Of course, that also implies we actually know what we’re looking for, or where we’re going, neither of which approaches the truth of Reality in any portion. Go figure that one, eh?
There. That should make it clear you’ll get nothing rational out of me today. That happens to me consistently, I’m afraid, though you wouldn’t know it to watch me perform my antics. I’ve now had an officially long time to practice making it look normal, and, much as the effort costs, it seems worth it to keep those around me from worrying, or, for that matter, from bursting into flames when I look at them. Always a bonus out in public to avoid being noticed for such happenings. I can assure you, I don’t miss the drama….
Okay, that’s all you get today. I’m clean out of fresh ideas, at least for now, so, I’ll bite the bullet, and get this done, so I can say I did without lying about it. I do hate to have to lie, about anything; for us humans the facility comes too easily. I prefer to try to meet Reality on its own terms, which won’t work if we don’t use the rules. Another go figure, but, hey, we’re used to that. I’m going to stop tormenting all of us now, and use this very ruthless technique to get us down the page to where we need to be…. Watch closely, or you’ll miss it….
Shall we pearl?….
“Arouse the mind without resting it on anything.”
~~ Diamond Sutra ~~
********************************
Today I feel like some classical music. I also want to hear the guitar, so, what better way than to hear over two hours of some of the finest classical guitar ever played, by the acknowledged master of the genre, Andres Segovia…. I hope you enjoy it; it will be hard not to do so, since its probably some of the best music ever created by humans… Abondanza!….
********************************
********************************
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November Dreams of Spring
Crass and cold, the beggar finds me swollen, so frail and fat
with painful stepping motions, running, like a Republicrat.
Building with straw and spittle, should artists come aground,
we all pay heavily, a billion for a bloody pound.
Too desperate, too ashamed to play such a part
We ask for belief, and sweet liberty, dressing up so smart.
It falls between the simple cracks, always in a hurry
To find a shrunken ego, ashen, swift, and full of worry.
Never there was a more penitent group, such a sterling way
To fast in luxury, making sure the guilty enter, but do not stay.
Forgotten gods can find their diffident suitors tonight
With dream-fitted convention, and a natural sense of delight.
For all the silken babies cried, to see the broken dreams of power
forgiven moments of certitude serve, filling up the maiden’s bower.
All the patient, loving veterans of ancient foreign time,
give up their first impressions, dying, dying for a rhyme.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/19/2012
********************************
Naked Pearls
Warning: thinking caps required….
*********
“I certainly wasn’t happy.
Happiness has to do with reason,
and only reason earns it.
What I was given was the thing you can’t earn,
and can’t keep, and often don’t even recognize at the time;
I mean joy.”
~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~
*********
“If possible, try to find a way to come downstairs
that doesn’t involve going bump, bump, bump, on the back of your head. -“
~~ Pooh, in Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne ~~
*********
“How to gain, how to keep, how to recover happiness
is in fact for most men at all times
the secret motive of all they do,
and of all they are willing to endure.”
~~ Dean William R. Inge ~~
*********
“There is, nevertheless, a certain respect
and a general duty of humanity that ties us,
not only to beasts that have life and sense,
but even to trees and plants.”
~~ Michael de Montaigne, Essays, Book ii, Chap. xi, Of Cruelty ~~
*********
“Seek not to follow in the footsteps of men of old;
seek what they sought.”
~~ Matsuo Basho ~~
“Good taste is always an asset.”
~~ Rudy Bakalov ~~
*********
“Fear is the lock and laughter the key to your heart.”
~~ Steven Stills ~~
*********
“After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”
~~J.K. Rowling, The Man with Two Faces, ~~
~~ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, 1997 ~~
~~ spoken by the character Albus Dumbledore ~~
*********
“Aw Mom, you act like I’m not even wearing a bungee cord!”
~~ Calvin ~~
*********
********************************
Despite some rather spirited competition from the cat, I got it done. I’m going to cut my losses at this point, since, by posting, I win. Of course, it’s only myself I beat, but, hey, gotta take the kudos where you find ’em, or, you might not get ’em at all. I will, as consistently threatened, be back to do this again tomorrow, I imagine…. Odds are running even right now, but, they’ll improve; bet on it. See ya…..
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“If a man insisted always on being serious,
and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation,
he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it.”
~~ Herodotus ~~
Spring morning ~ Ketchikan, Alaska….
Hajime…. According to all I’ve been told most of my life, there are limits to what we may expect from Life. I don’t remember ever quite believing it, since all I could observe around me failed to support such a thesis. (Yes, I was precocious….) So, I’ve always tended to go beyond what others might feel is prudent, which was fine with me, but, tended to make my young life a bit more, shall we say, ‘interesting’? But, then, nobody ever learned much from never being challenged, did they?
Y’all might, at this point, wonder just what the hell I’m getting at, but, that would show your own self-absorption. If you thought about it a moment, you also might remember you shouldn’t expect what you expect around here, and it wouldn’t surprise you to find out I’m not getting at anything. Well, nothing particularly meaningful, or, for that matter, relevant. I was just sort of wandering around in my head, and that’s what I found. I do that a lot, which, if you’ve been here any number of times, you’d already know, and have skipped down to the music.
For any Gentle Readers who remain at this point, it probably won’t cause any further feather-ruffling to announce we’re done here, and will be moving on, as soon as I figure out a reasonably intelligent way to get myself out of this cul-de-sac of reasoning in which I’ve inadvertently placed myself. I’m afraid I’m going to have to resort to an old, tried-and-true method, we used to call #4….. Actually, it’s pretty cool, not to mention efficient. How does it work. Easy. Just like this….
Shall we pearl?….
“A reverence for life does not require one to respect nature’s obvious mistakes.”
~~ Robert A. Heinlein ~~
********************************
Norah Jones
Image from desktopimages.com via Google Images
A friend reminded me to include music, which I do using his own stated preference, with great pleasure. Especially for the opportunity to include the music of this daughter of an icon, sister of another, as well as an iconic talent herself. In today’s world of hype and illusion, her music stands out, as real. Here’s a live concert from a few years back, purported to have good sound quality…. Let’s go see if that holds true, shall we?…. Enjoy, ffolkes….
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********************************
********************************
Stray Cats
The veils that billow and fold
between dreams and reality
may sometimes part,
showing the visions of one to the other,
blending, bleeding as one,
only to bring us up short,
closely jammed against immovable fate.
Still, we keep our watch,
seeking to find the vision
that brings with it the mark of reality’s regard,
a humble mind, and a compassionate heart.
Events of broad impact draw us away again,
distracting with shiny glitter and tinny music,
leaving our feelings raw and bruised,
the victim of universal disregard.
Now, in the twilight of years, the music is fading,
and the glitter has all gone….
yet the memory of visions remains sharp and clear,
melancholy reminders of reality’s promises,
unkept…..
~~gigoid~~
4/12/2013
********************************
Naked Pearls
Justifiably Inane….
*******
“Words must be weighed, not counted.”
~~ Polish Proverb ~~
*******
“The truth is always the strongest argument.”
~ Sophocles — Phaedra, Frag. 737 ~~
*******
“Hypotheses are not to be multiplied without necessity.”
~~ Occam’s Razor ~~
*******
“The shortest distance between two people is laughter.”
~~Victor Borge ~~
*******
“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 ~~
*******
“If you are out to describe the truth,
leave elegance to the tailor.”
~~ Albert Einstein ~~
*******
“Appearance must not foil, nor shifted sphere confuse thy brain.
Ample are time and space–ample the fields of nature.”
~~ Walt Whitman, CONTINUITIES ~~
*******
********************************
It may be premature of me to make any judgments, so, I won’t. What I will do is continue the efficiency so bravely provided in the intro by using the old #4. In the closing section, that looks like this…. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. Just try to stop me…. Hah!….
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.
“Go into yourself and see how deep the place is from which your life flows.”
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke in Letters to a Young Poet ~~
Who’s this ‘grumpy cat’ dude?….
Hajime…. Running, chased by gibbering demons, claws extended to rend my flesh, I pant in abject terror. Of course, then I wake up, generally, so, all is well; the nightmare of insanity passes quickly, as a rule. As a human, my mind naturally organizes my perceptions into an ordered framework, one with which it can deal, of which rules are an important part, delineating, as they do, the boundaries of our understanding. Yes, I realize, now, that’s probably a bit more complex & esoteric a thought than I should be trying to express at this point in time; hell, I’m barely awake, having had only one cup of coffee before starting to work on this Pearl….
Ah, well, so much for my application to join the real world. I didn’t really WANT it to be accepted, anyway; it all seems so pointless these days. The world itself is broken, and there’s little to be done now that would, or could, be of any significant help in fixing it; people have pretty much sewn up their future into a casket, ready for lowering six feet down into the ground. The evidence keeps piling up, and few will even look at it, so, my own sense of hope is pretty well eroded down to a nub. But, that’s too depressing a thought with which to start the day, so, how about we let it be, and get on with what I originally began, to wit: today’s Pearl of Virtual Wisdom….
A short reminder to my readers: Pearls, and pearls, as well as mere pearls, are kind of special to me. The collections I gather usually lead to a train of thought, always off the schedule, but, running on time. They are intended as a means of feeling uplifted to begin the day. The fact they don’t usually do that isn’t important; it’s the thought that counts, right? Right. On that cryptic, if transparent note, let’s get this slow on the toad. All I have today is a poem from a couple years ago, and a rather odd, Zippy-directed old-school pearl. It’s what I’ve got, and, as always, will have to do….
Shall we pearl?….
“Als das Kind noch Kind war, gab es diese Fragen:
Warum bin ich mich, und warum nicht dich?
Warum bin ich hier, und warum nicht dort?”
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~
********************************
A dream, weeping….
“Never a dull moment to spare”, he said
with a crooked grin, and a broad wink.
“Can’t keep Reality hanging by a thread….
what would Chaos, or Entropy think?”
So, we plucked up our dreams of old,
to carry us on, in dutiful, strong arms,
stuffed a candle in the remaining fold,
for luck, and perfect proof against charms.
Storms follow the sun, but, never stay;
lessons round every corner, all free.
Past fleeting doubts, in a sad disarray,
the journey becomes the reason to be.
Simple kindness manifests untold riches,
in defiance of common cause’s demise.
Bold courage, hanging in stitches,
mends wounds that come as no surprise.
Still, waters run deep, ’tis said by many.
Too much pain cannot apprehend
the salient, sharp points of epiphany,
nor, plainly, to wisdom aspire to pretend.
Folly dogs even the simplest truth,
fumes of toxic ignorance and bile,
alienated as a loose rotten tooth;
it often hides itself, for a long while.
Sought after eons ago, we cried out,
to believe, to suffer no more doubt.
But found instead good reason,
for love, and truth, from season, to season.
~~ gigoid ~~
~~ 8/30/2014 ~~
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Naked Pearls
Watch that last step….
*******
“A wide-eyed, innocent UNICORN, poised delicately in a MEADOW
filled with LILACS, LOLLIPOPS & small CHILDREN
at the HUSH of twilight??”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
*******
“It is one of the commonest of mistakes to consider
that the limit of our power of perception
is also the limit of all there is to perceive.”
~~ C. W. Leadbeater ~~
*******
“To develop a complete mind:
Study the science of art;
study the art of science.
Learn how to see.
Realize that everything connects to everything else.”
~~ Leonardo da Vinci ~~
*******
“If our behavior is strict, we do not need fun!”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
*******
“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.”
— Louisa May Alcott ~~ ~~
*******
“It is good to have an end to journey toward,
but it is the journey
that matters in the end.”
~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~
*******
“When this load is DONE I think I’ll wash it AGAIN..”
~~ Zippy the Pinhead ~~
*******
********************************
Well, there you have it. No excuses; it is what it is. And, I’m done. Not merely done; I’m outta here. I will, however, be back to do this again, to as little purpose as ever. Thus far, nobody has figured out an effective way to stop me…..
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“Everything is simpler than you think
and at the same time more complex than you imagine.”
~~ Goethe ~~
Grand Craic in Belfast ~ White’s Tavern, Est. 1635
Hajime…. The heat continues to make me fade early in the day; I wasn’t able to surf as much as I’d like yesterday, though my pain was manageable.Today, I may experience some deja vu, as the weather is repeating itself steadily, and I’ve some errands out in the Big Blue Room, which are best done early in the day, before the expected fade. One of the items to complete is to pick up an article I lost, but, was found, saving me from having to replace a number of important items, such as my camera, and my disabled parking placard, both of which were in the lost bag. A small favor from the universe, but, welcome…
That said, to rather some good purpose, for a change, I’ll forgo any further directed insanity, in favor of getting posted on time. All we have today is our usual old-school pearl, and that will have to do. I know it will give Fred some inspiration, and that will do for me. Let’s just get on with it, okay? Okay….
Shall we pearl?….
“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little death that brings total oblivion.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me
and turn my inner eye to follow its path.
When the fear is gone, there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.”
~~ The Litany Against Fear ~~
~~ Frank Herbert, “Dune”, 1965 ~~
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Naked Pearls
Living Life Large
*******
“He that feareth is a slave, were he never so rich, were he never so
powerful. But he that is without fear is king of all the world.”
~~ E. R. Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros ~~
*******
“Because the name is the thing, and the truename is the true thing.
To speak the name is to control the thing.”
~~ Mr. Underhill, The Rule of Names, Ursula K. Le Guin, 1964 ~~
*******
“All things are to be examined and called into question.
There are no limits set on thought.”
~~ Rational Bee ~~
*******
“Down in their hearts, wise men know this truth:
the only way to help yourself is to help others.”
~~ Elbert Hubbard ~~
*******
“The best helping hand that you will ever receive
is the one at the end of your own arm.”
~~ Fred Dehner ~~
*******
“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet
and the winds long to play with your hair.”
~~ Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet ~~
*******
“Too much of a good thing is WONDERFUL.”
~~ Mae West ~~
*******
********************************
In comparison to how these Pearls looked for many years, the current version casts a much smaller shadow. This may, or may not be, a good thing; it’s certainly different for me. But, that’s a subject for another Pearl. For now, I’ll be on my way to get ready for my morning adventure, as I take my chances out there amongst the great unwashed masses. Watch the headlines, ffolkes; you’ll know if I had a meltdown while out there. As long as I can still get to my computer, I’ll be back tomorrow to try again…. sanity seems to be keeping its distance these days…. Oh, well…. See ya….
Y’all take care out there,
and May the Metaphorse be with you;
Blessed Be, dearest Carole, Mark,Theresa, & Richy
and everyone else, too…
When I works, I works hard.
When I sits, I sits loose.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.
Which is Why….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes,
I just sits.
“It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority.
By definition, there are already enough people to do that.”
~~ G. H. Hardy ~~
Random Kirk ~~ Greenock, Scotland
Hajime…. Evolution is an implacable process, regardless of what point on the scale at which one resides. Those who have the most experience in observing the process, as we all must, from the inside, have no distinct advantage over those brand new to its principles of reality based requirements, otherwise known as parameters. In short, age is no defense against the universe; the laws which regulate its operation are equally applicable to the young, the old, and the foolish. Go figure, eh?
During this most recent vacation from blogging, I’ve been forced to read more, stand more, and write less, as the time needed to transfer my thoughts onscreen has been too much to tolerate. This morning seems to have brought me a bit of space, hence this intro section, composed while I am able….
This inability to spend any consistent time at writing continues; what you see above is from two days ago. As is patently clear by now, it’s making it hard to keep the material from looking and feeling weird to me, chopped up & rustic, rather than smooth and elegant. Of course, elegance is a goal for which I often shoot, but, seldom hit; it sounds good though, doesn’t it?
The above, in retrospect, teaches me this; things will have to change, if I intend to continue blogging. How those changes look has yet to be discovered. For now, we’ll go with what I’ve managed to put together, and, hope for the best…. Without further discussion, we’ll go do that now….
Shall we pearl?….
“I leapt headlong into the sea,
and thereby have become better acquainted
with the soundings, the quicksands, and the rocks,
than if I had stayed upon the green shore,
and piped a silly song, and took tea and comfortable advice.”
~~ John Keats ~~
********************************
Having listened to this concerto many times, I can attest it is perfectly suited for reading with blogs…. So, enjoy!…..
********************************
W.A. Mozart Concerto for Flute & Harp
********************************
********************************
********************************
“All warfare is based on deception.”
~~ Sun Tzu (ca. 500 BC) ~~
For more than three weeks now, I’ve been unable to sit long enough to write. Moreover, it isn’t looking as if that is ever going to change; if it does, it won’t be soon. This acknowledgment of reality is hard for me, but, inescapable. Not being able to vent is, without doubt, a serious conundrum, about which I haven’t a clue as how to fix; the building pressure is becoming dangerous, & not just to me. Critical mass is approaching, and nobody likes nuclear explosions….
The quote you see above from The Art of War is, in many ways, always a good place to begin a rant, yet, I am unable to take advantage long enough to put anything together, thanks to the onset of excruciating pain after about three minutes of sitting, requiring me to get up, & move about until it passes, or, worse, to lie down until the pain is manageable. It’s making a serious dent in my serenity, to be sure. It is also making it necessary to once again transform Pearls of Virtual Wisdom into a new, or, rather, old configuration….
“He knew that insofar as one denies what is, one is possessed by what is not, the compulsions, the fantasies, the terrors that flock to fill the void.” — Ursula K. LeGuin, “The Lathe of Heaven”
I cannot deny the pain; I must adjust. So, long story short, from this day forward, until further notice, the Pearls you see will resemble the first one published here; an introductory statement or two, followed by the day’s selection of pearls for your edification and glad consumption. Until my condition allows me to sit long enough to actually compose, that’s about all I can promise to get done. It’s not up to the standards I’ve since adopted, but, those standards no longer apply.
Otherwise, I would have to stop writing completely; I’m not ready to give that up, nor am I willing to give up the people I’ve met here, who have become like family…. So, I’ll be around, if less often, and less copiously…. All you can do is all you can do, as we know….
I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s introspective, and hope y’all will continue to drop in now & again to say howdy, or just enjoy the pearls. For the nonce, that will have to do, for all of us….
gigoid has spoken….. So be it….
********************************
A Seasonal Approach
Absolute stillness grips a frozen field,
anticipating dawn with such patient yield
morning burgeoning in dark winter’s hold
brings promise of tales yet to be told.
Lengthening days of pale sun unto night
slowly tell of time’s subversive flight
bringing such original songs of natural fire
with melodies complex in casual attire.
The months are certain they will always win
it is just the way it has always been.
None may argue, nor yet slow life down
Nor dim the eternal beauty of nature’s gown.
Winter evolves from fall into spring,
sending flocks and hearts ever awing.
Summer follows suit, t’other way ’round
Spring into fall, often without a sound.
Life is meant to be lived, beginning to end
choices abound, and change can be a friend.
Yielding with grace to reality’s compelling ploy
fills our plain existence with clean, honest joy.
~~ gigoid ~~
9/26/2012
********************************
Naked Pearls
Notes on Life at Large
*******
“Our care should not be to have lived long as to have lived enough.”
~~ Seneca ~~
*******
“It is impossible for a man to be cheated by anyone but himself.”
~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~
*******
“It is ridiculous to lay the blame of our wrong actions upon external causes,
rather than on the facility with which we ourselves are caught by such causes.”
~~ Aristotle ~~
*******
“Practice Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Beauty.”
~~ Ancient Hippie proverb ~~
*******
“Really to see the sun rise or go down every day…would preserve us sane forever.”
~~ Henry David Thoreau ~~
*******
“Good enough is never good enough.”
~~ AB Guthrie ~~
*******
“Kindness is more important than wisdom,
and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.”
~~ Theodore Isaac Rubin ~~
********************************
Well, it took two weeks to put this together, but, it’s done. Hopefully, with the changes in format I’m planning, more Pearls will be forthcoming. Our elegant invention, Time, will tell, I’m sure. Since I’m nearing my three-minute limit, I’m going to end this & go post, before I am unable to do so, again. I WILL be back; that’s a promise, which is never made lightly. Hopefully, I’ll also be able to go surfing soon, to make up for all the time I’ve lost visiting my friends’ blogs…. For now, we’ll take our leave, with our usual caveat, to wit: even reality has to take a breath now and then. Whatever that means…. 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.
“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 ~~
********************************
Go figure, eh?…. It’s both a great performance of a iconic piece of music, and, a pearl of virtual wisdom, with a message….
********************************
Mozart Requiem
********************************
********************************
********************************
“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 ~~
********************************
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
********************************
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 ~~
*********
“Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.”
~~ Scott Adams, maybe ~~
*********
“Everything has two handles,
–one by which it may be borne;
another by which it cannot.”
~~ Epictetus — Enchiridion, xliii ~~
*********
“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 ~~
*********
“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
~~ Hanlon’s Razor ~~
*********
“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 ~~
*********
********************************
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.
“We must not allow the clock and the calendar to blind us to the fact
that each moment of life is a miracle and a mystery.”
~~ H.G. Wells ~~
Super Moon 9/8/2014
Hajime…. It is now a bit after 5 AM here in California, which means I’ve been up for at least two hours, trying to find the words to begin. As you see, the words found are, shall we say, less than compelling? Yes, we shall. Yet, even though there isn’t anything particularly elegant or inspiring laying about my mind, there is enough material already in place to make up a dandy little Pearl. Therefore, we went with the realistic confession of our inability to create, which, though less than riveting, gets us down the page….
How far it will get us remains to be seen, as I am unsure, given my current mental status, just how long I can keep up this inane patter. Why, just a moment ago, as I wrote the previous sentence, I had to stop, play with Leelu, and find my way back to this sentence, while keeping up the illusion we actually planned all this. Not bad, I’d say, for someone currently without a clue. Still, even if I’m lacking in clues, I do have my chutzpah, which generally serves me well to carry off any such maneuvers; needless to say, I keep it close at hand on such mornings.
I think it’s all used up now, though, so, perhaps this would be the right time to take this slow on the toad. Sure, that’s the ticket. In fact, I’m going to employ our long-neglected, formerly most-used technique for getting us out of the intro. We call it, simply, old #4, and it works quite quickly when we remember it. In fact, so quickly, I’d best stop here, before it cuts me off before…..
Shall we Pearl?….
Eternity has nothing to do with the hereafter… This is it… If you don’t get it here, you won’t get it anywhere. The experience of eternity right here and now is the function of life. Heaven is not the place to have the experience; here’s the place to have the experience.” — Joseph Campbell
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That’s right; when you see this icon above this section, it means you’ll be hearing a collection of classical music. Go figure…. Oh, and, enjoy!….
Y’all may be wondering why, since I arose at 3 AM to begin this Pearl, I have no fresh rant. The simple answer is I’m fresh out of angst. Of course, that would be stretching the truth, but, it will work for today. Here’s one from 2013 to soothe my fevered brow…. and, get us down the page….
From 4/20/13:
Quis custodiet ipsos Custodes? [Who guards the Guardians?] — Juvenal
This is the perfect opening for a discussion of gun control, for me, as I believe strongly that this is the bottom line issue for that particular subject…… Sure, taking guns out of the hands of people who are insane is a good thing; nobody, I think, can argue that. The problem lies in figuring out WHO gets to decide what sanity is, the same issue that comes up in discussing getting rid of firearms altogether.
You see, I’m sorry, but, I just can’t bring myself to trust the Beloved Ruling Class to decide who is sane, and who isn’t. Part of this stems from the fact that I don’t consider anyone in public office to have a very tight grip on sanity to begin with…. How effective can it be to have insane people making the rules for deciding who is insane? Not very, I suspect….
Yet, I read many articles that profess the belief that the police, and the army, who naturally would have to have guns (Why? If nobody is supposed to have them, why would they need them?), are more trustworthy than the common citizen. I’m sorry, but, just what planet did you say you came from?
It certainly isn’t Earth, because, last time I looked, all the police, all the folks in the army, and all the folks who tell them what to do, are all PEOPLE, just like anyone else, suffering the same fears, the same delusions or preconceptions, and the same lack of morality, as does the average Joe on the streets. In fact, due to my experience at observing and identifying psychiatric symptoms common to the insane, I can honestly state that I see a higher percentage of police and military personnel who have a demonstrable lack of moral compass than I do in the general public.
Part of the problem is that the police and military end up as being attractive to the type of person who enjoys having power over others, whose self-image requires them to be in positions of authority, to be able to view themselves in a positive light, as successful. They equate money and power with success, and so gravitate to those sectors of society that deal in those commodities.
Normal, stable personality types seldom need to exercise power over others, and so avoid such pastimes, but to the selfish, and the sociopathic, the police and the army are seen as a path to what they term as success. If you see a flaw in this logic, please, enlighten me…. Until I see some evidence to the contrary, though, I find this to be a valuable, and accurate summation of the situation, thereby affording myself the opportunity to avoid the majority of their machinations, at least in a directly personal sense….
We all have to deal with them eventually though, so it’s good, I think, to be aware of the above arguments, as it will forewarn anyone who absorbs it, and takes it to heart, allowing them to defend themselves from the worst of the BRC’s attempts at repression, or oppression, if not all. Maintain a high level of doubt when considering announcements and decrees, stay alert to the news, and the meaning behind what you see there, and be ready to jump when the balloon goes up.
Things out in the Big Blue Room are getting a bit serious in spots, with potentially disastrous possibilities being threatened, so it would be a good thing to be ready for whatever may take place, no matter how insane…. And remember, guard yourself, against the Guardians themselves, if need be…..
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift; the rational mind is faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” — Albert Einstein
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Rejection
“Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so…”
I’d be crying a river, I thought
if ever such crap I bought.
Sorry if it hurts your sense of style,
but, hypocrisy always gives me bile.
Being lied to accidentally is okay,
but, deliberate lies make me angry, and fey.
Oh, God, hear what I pray!
Keep me from your followers today.
Having to listen to so much that is wrong
makes me puke, before it makes me strong.
I don’t know why it isn’t clear to other folks,
which is alright, you know, different strokes.
But, why should that mean that they must
force me to believe, or fail in trust?
Spare me the lies, and the make-believe,
fairy tales are easier to hear, and to weave.
They give us a lesson which we can feel
but don’t pretend at all to be real.
Reality can scare us, that’s a given fact,
still, met with care it will leave us mostly intact.
Met without fear, standing tall and alone
Life will allow us to make it our own.
Folly beckons, and so many follow
mass delusions seem to me most hollow.
I’ll have to stick to my own chosen way
while so many go so sadly astray.
It’s lonely at times, it may seem sad,
but really isn’t, and I’m quite glad,
that knowledge is always stronger than fear,
year after year, tear after tear…..
~~ gigoid ~~
3/18/2013
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Naked Pearls
Aristotle & friends…
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“… as sight is in the body, so is reason in the soul…”
I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know:
the only ones among you who will be really happy
are those who have sought and found how to serve.”
~~ Albert Schweitzer ~~
*******
“Always question Authority;
oft venal and wrong.”
~~ Wise Bee ~~
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“The chief good is the suspension of the judgment,
which tranquility of mind follows like its shadow.”
~~ Diogenes Laertius — Pyrrho, xi ~~
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If we are not stupid or insincere when we say
that the good or ill of man lies within his own will,
and that all beside is nothing to us,
why are we still troubled?”
~~ Epictetus — Discourses, Book i, Chap. xxv ~~
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“He knew that insofar as one denies what is,
one is possessed by what is not,
the compulsions, the fantasies,
the terrors that flock to fill the void.”
~~ Ursula K. LeGuin, _The Lathe of Heaven_ ~~
*******
Life is doing things, not making things.
~~ Aristotle ~~
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Well, it’s done. I had high hopes for this one, which, clearly, had to be adjusted to account for reality. Since those adjustments took extra time, and space, I’ll forgo the usual blather here, and merely say, see y’all tomorrow, ffolkes. Perhaps, if all goes well, it will even be something special; you never know. We’ll see what we can do to make it so…. For now, to echo a pig, that’s all, ffolkes! See ya on the flip side….
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 