Mesmerizing patterns in colorful silk….

Posted on January 24, 2013 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
It isn’t my habit to begin the day with blood and death, before I’ve even had my morning coffee, so I was mildly surprised to find both awaiting me as I stepped into the hallway outside my room. Since the body lying half-in, half-out of the elevator was pale, unmoving, and there was a box car’s worth of blood pooled around the area, I didn’t bother to check the pulse, but just pulled out my phone to call it in to dispatch, avoiding transfer of the still sticky mess on the floor to my shoes by walking to the other end of the hall. As a detective in the Homicide division, I figured it was awfully damn accommodating of the murderer to drop his handiwork right outside my door, and I wasn’t going to let anyone else take over my first home-delivery corpse….

What do you think? Decent opening for a murder mystery? I haven’t figured out the cop’s name yet, but you can bet it will be something hard-boiled, and cynical. Hey, probably the biggest market out there in the book world is murder mysteries, and if I can come up with an engaging character, it could lead to a whole series of books, thus assuring me of a more comfortable retirement, and keeping me busy enough to not intrude into the lives of my children more than is healthy, for them, or me. Not that such has been an issue, but I don’t wish to be a burden on them in my ‘golden’ years, and it would be cool to hit it big with my writing…..

We writers of blogs probably all have a similar dream…. Some editor or agent will be cruising the Net, and stumble across our work…. they’ll be so impressed they offer us a the gig of a lifetime…. For me, that would be a daily column, wherein I can share with millions of folks all my angst and silliness, in the process, perhaps, convincing a few of them to make some changes in their own sphere of influence, and little by little, the world will change….. for the better…… Well, that’s the dream, anyway….. All I need now is the agent, the editor/publisher, and a venue…. 🙂 I know, it’s a dream, though, so it can be as foolish as I want it to be….

Foolish, or profound and insightful, it would no doubt be best to just get on with it. Nobody can read my writing, if I don’t write, so, let’s get into the water, and find something I can turn into a gem of great beauty…. Shall we Pearl?…..
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“The mockingbird can change its tune eighty-seven times in seven minutes. Politicians regard this interesting fact with envy.” — Smart Bee

Hah! What a perfect opening pearl! Funny, and as true as the day is long….. It’s almost enough to start me off on a rant, since it zoomed right in to focus on my favorite group of miscreants to pester with my pointed stick. I say “almost” because I’ll need a bit more than this to really find a vulnerable point at which to poke; this is good, but it’s a bit imprecise for good ranting…. Let’s see what else we can come up with…..

“Innocence, most often, is good fortune and not a virtue.” — Anatole France

Hmm…. not bad, but not quite right, either….. Politicos, and other denizens of the BRC, all want us to believe in their innocence, but seem to want us to buy into that without any proof of said innocence. Not to mention, I would wager serious money that none of them qualify to use the term to describe themselves, in ANY area of their life, so, in that sense, it’s too easy…. We’ll go on, & look for something “mo bettah”….

“If you wish to be a success in the world, promise everything, deliver nothing.” — Napoleon

Nappie’s rule of thumb here could be said to be a summarization of every political party platform I’ve seen during an election in the past 60 years, and would no doubt make a decent rant, as the recent swearing in of our latest electoral fantasy winner provides a number of such promises, that could be used for examples…. But, to be fair, I suppose we should give Barry a few weeks, at least, to see whether or not he will make any effort to meet his stated goals, or if he’ll just put it away in the drawer marked, “election promises” along with the tax cuts, wars ended, and bankers punished for their crimes….

“One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations… is that in political, military, moral, and spiritual confrontations, there should be an honest attempt at the reconciliation of differences before resorting to combat.” — Jimmy Carter

Damn! That tears it! I forgot entirely about Jimmy Carter, so of course, since I’m looking for examples of how politicians screw with us, Murphy sends me off into one of Jimmy’s totally rational ideas, and my entire premise is shattered. Of course, Jimmy Carter is that exception that proves the rule for politicians; he is a morally upright man, who has worked his entire life to make the world a better place, working for the benefit of all people, yet somehow got roped into politics. He’s such a nice man, he didn’t want to say no, and got stuck in public office for most of his adult years.

Shoot, now we’ll have to cancel the rest of this pearl…. It’s no doubt too late to salvage the sense of outrage needed to produce a rant, and it doesn’t seem as if Smart Bee is going to cough up anything that hits the correct spot…. So, I’ll just leave you with this final indictment, and get on with the rest of this….. whatever this is…..

“A politician has to be able to see both sides of an issue, so he can get around it.” — Smart Bee
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“Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.” — T. S. Eliot

MORNING AT THE WINDOW

THEY are rattling breakfast plates in basement kitchens,
And along the trampled edges of the street
I am aware of the damp souls of housemaids
Sprouting despondently at area gates.

The brown waves of fog toss up to me
Twisted faces from the bottom of the street,
And tear from a passer-by with muddy skirts
An aimless smile that hovers in the air
And vanishes along the level of the roofs.

— T.S. Eliot

Bonus round:

That such have died enables us
The tranquiler to die;
That such have lived, certificate
For immortality.

— Emily Dickinson
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“Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.” — Clive James

I love to dance, so this makes a lot of sense to me. It also explains why there are no true politicians who are capable of either sustained laughter or the simplest waltz, much less a tango…. Ah hell…. brain freeze…..

I hate that. Calliope has apparently deserted me to stimulate another fledgling poet somewhere, and Thalia, the muse of comedy, is currently on sabbatical. Polyhymnia, muse of sacred poetry, bores me to tears, and Clio, muse of history, is busy on another blog. In fact, all nine of the classical muses are unavailable, so I’m stuck with whatever I have in my head, and that means we’re all in serious trouble….. The pressure is building, and if I can’t find some sort of outlet in the next few minutes, well, the carnage will be extensive, rest assured…..

On most days, Smart Bee would provide me with at least SOMETHING to bridge the gap, but, so far today, it has been relatively uncooperative, as the first pearl demonstrated. We may have to resort to emergency procedures, which, since this hasn’t occurred before, are untested, and might not be altogether safe…. They do contain explosives, in small, manageable portions, for clearing a path through any debris that may be encountered. Quantities of debris are often a result when I have to use the emergency tools…. I realize it’s a risky policy, but, hey, we run this operation on a shoestring, and all we can do is all we can do, y’know….

— Bother! said Pooh, as he went blotchy from that time with Eeyore.

There! I didn’t want to do it, but circumstances forced my hand. I don’t enjoy pulling Pooh’s covers like this, but, given his true nature, as revealed here, he deserves it. People need to know this kind of stuff, before they let their children get all dewy-eyed at his purported terminal cuteness, and find out later how twisted he really is. It’s a sad and all-too-accurate commentary on human nature when one thinks of how many young minds have been corrupted by this evil little bear of no brain; people tend to fall for such apparent innocence every time, and allow themselves to be disadvantaged, and victimized, by evil wearing the guise of good.

There, see, even the worst of pearls can be turned around, if one is patient, and has no shame. I’m going to allow this to die a peaceful death at this point, since I can’t seem to think of anywhere else it should, or could, go….. Must be the lack of muses….. In any case, we’ll bring this faux pearl to a halt now, with no regrets whatsoever…..

“YOU!! Give me the CUTEST, PINKEST, most charming little VICTORIAN DOLL HOUSE you can find!! An make it SNAPPY!!” — Zippy the Pinhead
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Shameless, I know…. just shameless…. You might ask yourself, though, what YOU would do if you found yourself in my position, with a blog to post, and not a damn thing worth writing in your head….. Another day, maybe I would have put a bit more effort into at least providing this with some class, or elegance, but, hell, it just didn’t seem appropriate today. I guess I just woke up on the wrong side of my head….

We’ll just have to console ourselves with knowing that it is done, which, after all, is the real quest here….. Well, that, and maintaining the pitifully weak grasp I have on sanity….. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

Soon, my child, this will all be toast….

Posted on January 11, 2013 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
I hardly know where to begin…. It isn’t every day one rejoins the mainstream, after struggling for about six months to keep posting, busting buns to keep in touch with the Internet world at large, and the blogging world in particular. Not enough time to do either one to my satisfaction, given an average of about 55 minutes of time to get done what is necessary to post, check email, answer email, do any research, banking, etc. Today, provided Murphy doesn’t, or hasn’t stepped in to take a hand, I’ll be connected to the Net at home, by 8 PM latest, again, given no technical glitches are thrown up last minute.

I really am speechless, almost. I don’t know whether to spit, grin, or scratch first, and since it is still, at the time of this writing, speculative fiction, I’ll just leave it alone, and let it all hang loose in that respect…. there will be plenty of options, so I’ll procrastinate later about it….. For now, it will be useful to point out… I didn’t post yesterday, the 10th, because I was too busy with real world activities that couldn’t be put off (more later on that stuff….), and today, same thing again. But, one of the productive things that got done today was the arrival and set up of the new modem, so that all will be in readiness tomorrow when the service is activated…..

What this all boils down to is that the intro, at least these first three paragraphs, are, were, written on the 11th…. after this paragraph is the intro from the 10th, with the material I wrote that day after that….. All of it is being posted either very late on the 11th, or on the 12th early, whenever I can get it done after activation. So, some of it is a bit fresher than the rest, but it is all part of a tough week, and you know what they say about authors and tough weeks… No? I thought you did…. Well, I don’t…. Any who…. onward, or in this case, backward…..

From 1/10/12

Ffolkes,
Far from being inflexible, I like to think I am pretty fluid in my attitudes about change. Any other approach to the matter is useless, as change is going to happen regardless of our take on it, so I’ve always tried to use that to my advantage, rather than spending a lot of time and energy trying to slow it down, or stop it altogether, a pastime certain to be filled with disappointment. This is why we are trying out a new technique today, or, rather, a new schedule for writing this blog when matters in the Big Blue Room require attention during the time set aside for pearling…..

I don’t know if it will work well, or not at all, so it should be a new experience, if nothing else, to find out. I can’t say I’m really enthused about having to go out into the BB Room so early, (gotta catch the 0700 bus, the first one that runs each morn….), as the weather has been nasty, cold, and wet all night, by the sounds of it, and I am feeling wimpy. But, one must do what one must, so I’ll bundle up and trundle off to the hospital to get these x-rays done for the state, so they can quit stalling around with my disability case. I swear, they’re finding every possible way they can to slow the process down, and wait until the last moment to spring them on me, for the most frustrating effect….. Apparently, Murphy works for them as a consultant on time management….

Now that the experiment has begun, I guess we’ll see how well I can write under deadline, which is sort of what I’ve done today, adjusting the schedule to accommodate this trip to Sutter-Solano this morning, and a trip to Kaiser this afternoon…. Hopefully, a trip to the library to post will fit in there between them…. that’s the plan, anyway. Plans, as we know around here, are for other people to depend on, not us…. Here at gigoid-ECR we know better than to tempt Murphy by making them, or, if we do, we don’t tend to get too worked up about having to alter them to suit reality, since we know already we will be suffering the kind attention of that particular icon, no matter what else may happen….

So, I would suggest that today, everyone take advantage of the seat belts that are attached to your seats…. Though we have never had to use them, it’s always a good thing to be prepared, right? Today’s blog could conceivably turn on us, and could conceivably necessitate some rather circuitous flying to get us past any turbulence, which may upset one’s tummy, if nothing else. Just close your eyes….. wait, no, that won’t work…. you can’t read your way out if you do that…. Well, just buckle up, hang on, and hope for the best, I suppose…. all you can do is all you can do, as you know…. Shall we Pearl?…..

P.S. to the intro: I’m rather confusing at times, I know…. it’s a gift. I don’t mean to be, actually, but, in trying to make things clear, I get carried away by details, and, it goes downhill from there…. At this particular point in time, I have no idea where this Pearl fits into real time…. I don’t know when it will be posted, the 11th, or the 12th, so any further attempts to provide any time markers seems futile. Thankfully for all of us, this means there is nothing left now but to go on…. this time it’s for real, no matter what day it is outside…. Shall we Pearl?……
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I don’t think anyone would argue if I said the world needs some work, in order to be the kind of place where everyone has an equal shot at a good life. On the bottom line, that seems to me to be the basic desire of everyone I know of who has any degree of what I’d call common sense, and it really doesn’t seem like a lot to hope for…. until one looks around at the way things are, and realizes that most folks aren’t going to have a chance in hell of spending a lot of time in a contented state….. That is, I’m certain, as confusing as I can put it, but, nonetheless, is perfectly accurate, if a bit pedantic…. The following old school pearl kind of created itself, as the best do, so you’ll need to keep an open mind to catch the point…. but, it’s a good point….

“Brains first and then Hard Work.” — Eeyore, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne

“Boys become men by watching men, by standing close to men. Manhood is a ritual passed from generation to generation with precious few spoken instructions. Passing the torch of manhood is a fragile, tedious task. If the rite of passage is successfully completed, the boy-become-man is like an oak of hardwood character. His shade and influence will bless all those who are fortunate enough to lean on him and rest under his canopy.” — Preston Gilham

“People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“At least I thought I was dancing, ’til somebody stepped on my hand.” — J. B. White

“Let life happen to you. Believe me: life is in the right, always.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

“I gained nothing at all from Supreme Enlightenment, and for that very reason it is called Supreme Enlightenment.” — Gautama Buddha

There you go…. Not to worry about grading; this is only on the pass/fail schedule, and won’t be on any quizzes…. But, you should pay attention, anyway, if for no other reason than is given by the Buddha….
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Is It Alive?

Fighting into the light, words push hard to exist
each step closer to real brings another unique twist.
Shedding meaning for meaning, until bright, alone, and right
sculpting useless shapes, yet undefined, in pale morning’s light.

Never knowing the face is part of the lasting charm
bringing elegant focus, before sounding the alarm.
Advantageous time sends out messages, fears finding voice,
mulling options for flexibility, virtually without choice.

Fortunate man, who embraces the power of change;
’tis magical knowledge, bonding common to strange.
Weaving words of wonder, made strong by love and duty,
into a tapestry of life, and everlasting beauty.

~~ gigoid
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“Pluralitas non ponenda est sine necessitate.” (Multiplicity is not to be asserted when it is unnecessary.) — William of Occam [Occam’s Razor]

Sometimes it’s a good thing to look at the original idea, when one is often found to use it in its various historical incarnations. (Huh? What did he say? I’ve gotta tone down the syntax complexity a bit…..) We all use some form of this in our lives; the concept has been common knowledge for many, many years. (William of Occam lived in the 12th century (?)…..) It’s really too bad that in all that time, the idea has never taken root in the general population’s mind, such as it may be. People don’t commonly use this priceless logical rule in their daily lives, and never know they have the opportunity to go through life with much less difficulty than they do in fact…..

The absence of the Razor in the everyday affairs of society is never more heavily felt than in the political arena, as year after year, and century after century, mankind continues to blunder around like a wounded rhinoceros, experimenting with various forms of government designed to keep the people happy and content to NOT kill the ruling class, (and vice versa…), and failing miserably. I can’t think of a single period from our relatively short but busy past that would indicate that we were choosing the most logical or effective forms of getting along as a culture, can you? Maybe I’m missing something, but it seems to me that if even a small amount of logic were applied to any of our governmental formats, they might just work better…. Maybe not, but, since it’s never actually been tried, why not?….

“It is difficult to legislate morality in the absence of moral legislators.” — Smart Bee

This, being absolutely true, shows just how using Occam’s Razor could be of value. The Razor implies that if legislators are not moral, then remove them, with prejudice if necessary (Razors are, after all, for cutting things off, or out, whichever works best….). Allowing them to pursue their immorality in creating laws has already cost our society many steps toward improving the human condition, and there is no room for sentimentality in such instances, not when it affects the entire world, which includes us, and every other living thing. The inanimate world doesn’t need our help at all, protected as it is by natural law from any such attempts by us to make changes to those laws. It has its own way of enforcing those laws, strong enough that compliance on our part is mandatory…..

One of the more useful characteristics of Occam’s Razor is that it can tell us when we are losing our way, so to speak. If we eliminate all the dross, and what is left isn’t working, then we are, culturally speaking, ‘in the weeds’ philosophically, and the ground is bound to get even muddier. I have, unfortunately, reached that point in this discussion…. In other words, I’m lost. When I started it, I had an idea of where to go, and started to go that way… it wandered a bit, then I got interrupted by my morning jaunt to the X-ray department. Now that I’m back, and a poem forced its way onto the screen, I’m lost, and can’t find a way back…. SIGH…. One of the risks of multi-tasking, I guess….

Oh well, just think about Occam’s Razor now and again ffolkes, and see if we can’t figure out how to put it to more use on a societal level…. it couldn’t hurt, right? No worse than what has been going on so far…..

“Th’ MIND is the Pizza Palace of th’ SOUL” — Zippy the Pinhead
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Okay, it will do…. It hasn’t been the most comfortable of Pearls to create, but it seldom is when a poem is involved. Add in the other extras today, and it goes off scale. So be it. I don’t have the time or energy to worry about it now, not if I’m going to get done all I need to do today. I hereby declare this Pearl to be finished…. Gotta go, so…. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

But, it’s never exploded before!….

Posted on January 1, 2013 by gigoid

Ffolkes…

Ignoring the tugs of fear plucking at the sleeves of my mind….. No, that’s not it…. Shoving the severed limbs aside, I….. No, that’s not it, either…. As the dire wolves howled their rage…. Nope, still not it…. Y’know, I don’t think it’s going to work this morning…. They all have a good hook, but it’s not quite what I need…. Shoot, well, there goes that little surprise….

Damn, I was really hoping it would do the trick, too…. I was going to start the new year off with a new story line beginning, but that part of my brain seems to be off duty. Now I’m compelled to fall back on the old meandering randomness that is so often the default here. Ah well, I guess it’s better than a long, boring discussion of last year’s events, or a list of my resolutions for the coming year. Of course, I never make resolutions at New Year’s advent; I am of a different opinion than most of society regarding that habit. In fact, I commented rather succinctly on that subject only last year…. Here is what I found I had written in the Pearl of Virtual Wisdom posted on January 1, 2012….

“According to all reports, today is the beginning of new year, a relatively subjective event in my estimation. I’m an odd duck, I suppose. I was asleep last night by 9:30, and by gosh, I didn’t make any resolutions. Of course, I never do, so that’s nothing new. I figure if I need to make a change in myself, it’s probably best to take care of it when it becomes apparent, rather than waiting and adding it to a list of things you may never get around to anyway.

Most folks, I think, try to be honest with themselves when coming up with resolutions, and may even make an honest effort to honor it. But, mostly I see or hear that the resolutions lasted right up to the first time temptation appeared, and then went flying out the window. My take on the whole matter is to make those kinds of introspective insights into what we need to do better in our lives a part of every day activity. Resolutions should be made each night before bed, and carried out in the morning, not put off to the end of the year. Year-end resolutions set unreasonable standards, and as such, are generally a fail-fail situation. For my money, that is a sucker’s bet, and homey don’t play that game…..let’s see what flotsam has washed up on the shores of my mind during the night……”

Since I can’t think of any way to say any of that any better, I think I’ll just say, “you can say that again”, and let it go at that. And, by golly, look! We’ve managed to fill up the intro space, so we can just go on, and jump right into the new year without further fooferah….. and I don’t care a whit that Spell Checker doesn’t like that word; I do….. Shall we Pearl?…..
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“Life isn’t weird; it’s the people in it.” — Smart Bee

This is one of the reasons I love Smart Bee, for its cheery reminders to look at reality from different perspectives; it always helps me to gain a wider understanding. It is also fitting to begin the New Year with one of its little gems, especially when it fits into my own world view so seamlessly. Weirdness, to my mind, is what gives people their snap (or, in at least one case, their Snaap!). Those who fight against weirdness, who try to conform as much as possible to what society wants of them, are dull, listless, and have leeched all the color from their existence, choosing to live in reality’s version of limbo, a world painted all in grey, quiet, and depressing. It is those ffolkes who embrace the strangeness in life who have found the secret of filling life with color, music, and beauty….

“Believe me! The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment from life is to live dangerously!” — Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900)

SIGH…. I must be getting old…. This year, for the time being, at least, I’m counting my refusal to make any resolutions as living dangerously. Normally, (there’s that word again…. I should stop using it, since it has little relevance around here….), in my checkered past, I’d do something a bit more flamboyantly dangerous, like go out drinking on New Year’s Eve, or maybe go out drinking on New Year’s Day morning. Or, when I was a Dad with teens, I’d try to keep track of my kids on New Year’s Eve…. boy, now that’s dangerous! This year, since nothing of what I intend for my life can happen until my SS disability is awarded, I am on HOLD, unwilling to partake of anything particularly complicated because I am….. and that makes me feel OLD….

“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along and not bothering.” — Winnie the Pooh

Perhaps it is an indicator of some sort, to base much of one’s behavior, or at least intended behavior, on the philosophy of a teddy bear, but this little idea from Pooh, in his Uncarved Block mode, is probably one of the most valuable pieces of advice one can take, even if not used consistently. I don’t know about anyone else, but I don’t mind if people consider me weird for feeling or thinking that way; in fact, it is rather a compliment, to my way of looking at things. But, then, having been raised in a family where ‘weird’ was encouraged, I suppose that isn’t a surprise…..

“Life treats all of us like dirt; it is how we react to being dirt that determines our own worth.” — gigoid

I imagine, nay, I’m pretty certain, this thought is not original; only the words I’ve used to express it in this form are mine. It is, however, perhaps the most important lesson that I have learned in my life, and I do not say that lightly. The four pearls in this pearl (don’t fret, just flow…), if put together as an old school pearl, would say the same thing they are saying with my comments, which is to say, a very important idea for anyone who wishes to live life well, with dignity and honor. Sure, we are all going to have moments of pain, moments of joy, and more than plenty of moments of nothing much going on….. but, how that makes us feel is completely up to us. We can, as the Navajo say, “walk in beauty”, or we can trudge through life with our heads down, plugging on toward the cemetery, oblivious to the beauty by which we are surrounded…. The choice is our own…..

“Truth does not change, although your perception of it may vary or alter drastically.” — John & Lyn St. Clair Thomas, “Eyes of the Beholder”
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anyone lived in a pretty how town

anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn’t he danced his did

Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn’t they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone’s any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

ee cummings
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“If the obstacles of bigotry and priestcraft can be surmounted, we may hope that common sense will suffice to do everything else.” — Thomas Jefferson

Oh well, so much for THAT hope! From all I can see in today’s society, what Tom J was afraid of has come to pass. If one takes almost any of the articles in the news that talk about the activities of government, religion, or society at large, it is obvious that bigotry and priestcraft have corrupted every level of those entities, and influence just about every human interaction that we see. Common sense is nowhere present, in any of those same activities under discussion. Of course, he forgot, in this instance, to include the bankers, but perhaps that is where the bigotry comes in…..

By its precise meaning, bigotry doesn’t include the idea of cheating, lying, and stealing from whomever one encounters; those activities, for a bigot, are only appropriate when done to those outside the personal group, to “foreigners, niggers, and chinks,” or some likely other group they’ve chosen to bless with their ignorance…… But, in a sense, bankers can be said to be universally bigoted, for they have no qualms about lying, cheating, or stealing from anyone, in any group, even their own. I guess that would qualify them as Ultimate Bigots…..

“As an ox goeth to the slaughter.” — Old Testament — Proverbs vii, 22; Jeremiah xi, 19

I would imagine this is how the bankers and preachers (either of which is capable of turning into a politician, at the drop of a hint….) views the masses of humanity who do not subscribe to their venality. In this view, they may be at least partially justified, by the apparent willingness of those masses to submit to whatever is done to them. Why should the politicians stop lying, when their lies secure for them the keys to the treasury? Why should the preachers not spread their delusions, when the masses are so willing to accept them, because it saves them the effort of either thinking about morality, or even better, saving them from having to BE moral….. The bankers, of course, need no excuses to carry on their despicable acts of calumny upon the remainder of society; their sole motivation is based on profit for them, and nothing else concerns them at all…

“I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” — Thomas Jefferson

Back to Tom…. He was a bit over the top sometimes, in the force of his expression, but never, to my mind, in his sincere commitment to Truth, and his sincere love for Mankind. I would like to think I join him in this sentiment, especially today, when we are so besieged by attempts to tyrannize our minds by our own beloved ruling classes. The war against immorality continues unabated, and too many folks in the world have withdrawn from the battle, accepting the lies and delusions that are foisted upon them.

It is important, in my opinion, that the rest of us, who can see the depredations assaulting the common man every day, keep on shouting from the rooftops to the rest of our compatriots, if only to save our own sanity….. and, before the strain of the conflict brings us to our knees, and we enter Zippy’s domain, doomed to extinction…..

“I just forgot my whole philosophy of life!!!” — Zippy the Pinhead
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I would say that, for the first blog of the year here at ECR, this didn’t come out too badly. It’s all pretty sincere, anyway, if not savory; it will make a nice wine for cooking, I think….. Now that we have established the tone for another year, I think I’ll go find a place to post this. That may be a chore of some magnitude, as the buses aren’t running at all today, so I have to find a Wi-fi spot within walking distance. Getting TO the spot will be okay, I think, it’s the three blocks straight up the hill on the way back that may take some time…. Ah well, not whining, just considering, and psyching myself up…. I guess I’ll stop talking about it, and get on with it….. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

Just another well-planned wardrobe malfunction….

Posted on December 30, 2012 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Having survived the nightly battle with my pillows, I awoke pretty early today, with no real story or discussion in mind, but lots of eagerness to begin writing. Now, I’m wondering why I bothered, as I’m sitting here staring at the blank screen, without a single word coming to mind. It seemed to take forever just to formulate that first sentence….. which is kind of surprising, actually. As I lay in bed this morning, just before getting up, several story beginnings were vying for attention in my head; now, they’re acting like virgins at a biker bar, bashful and reticent, and refusing to come out of the ladies room…..

Of course, none of the story lines would be allowed in a ladies room, even in a biker bar, so the analogy isn’t really accurate, but you get the picture. I don’t like to think that this reluctance to be written has anything to do with Murphy; as yet he hasn’t shown that kind of influence INSIDE my head, just in the outer world. But, it could be my own foolishness fussing with me, copying Murphy’s techniques; that is a scary thought, itself, and I sincerely hope it isn’t the case. I don’t think so, but, what with all the quotes from Zippy running around in there, one never knows for sure….. and, when under the influence of his darker side, Pooh can be pretty tricky, in a nasty sort of way…..

At this point, there isn’t any way to check which is the correct supposition, so we’ll use our normal method of dealing with odd stuff around here, and just ignore it until it either goes away, or fixes itself. It seems to work for me….. even if I have to clean the walls more often than most ffolkes do….. I’m just happy that modern cleaning solutions are effective at removing blood stains from almost any surface; otherwise, the landlord would NOT be a happy camper….. and neither would I be….

Okay, that’s probably enough. Since I was unable to come up with a literary opening, having to settle instead for more inane babbling on my part, the normal course of events around here would lead us into the primary sections of the Pearl in question, via the dive into Smart Bee’s massive database of wisdom and humor. And so it shall be today…. Shall we Pearl?…..
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“History is a lie commonly agreed upon.” — Nietzsche

I often wonder how the future will view these times, it being a given that the fabric of our society is based primarily on lies and/or delusions.* Which ones will stand the test of time, and end up in the books as being the one everyone agrees upon? It has also been said that history is always written by the winners, and that seems to me to be fairly close to the real truth of the matter. It would be a bit more acceptable to me if it weren’t so bloody predictable, and that there was at least a small chance that the events we experience would be reported truthfully. Alas, I am not hopeful that will ever be the case…..

* (Note the use of the technique of the positively stated assertion, using the assumption of its truth as proven, the same as exemplified in ALL religious doctrines as the basis for their truth and relativity…. Just thought I’d make it clear, that this is real, serious stuff…. 🙂 ….)

In all honesty, I’m not convinced that we, as a species, will have much of a future. Given the current state of the environment, I can’t see us lasting more than a couple hundred years more, without some major changes to society, changes that are not imminent, or even under consideration. When I first started this blog, over a year ago, I posted a link, to a World Clock at Poodwaddle.com ( I love the human imagination!…..). You can find that clock here: http://www.poodwaddlecom/clocks/worldclock/ This clock has a number of faces, one of which shows exactly how much CO and CO2, along with unnatural amounts of other toxic substances, are being pumped into the atmosphere every second, by industrial and manufacturing facilities, and by cars and other vehicles.

I am a scientist, first. I chose the path of the scientist in my youth, before my tenth birthday, before the warrior’s path I chose later. In essence, scientists ARE warriors, and vice versa, as battling the universe requires study to be effective, and acquiring knowledge requires the curiosity and courage of a warrior, in order to find, and face, Truth. Each path, or persona, complements the other, and, in my time, have led me on a journey of great beauty and wonder. This journey, though, is in danger of being ended before its time, by the asininity of the human race….

There are some scientists who believe that humans do not have the power to harm the planet, and the danger is not as great as others, and the evidence, might indicate. In one respect, they are right…. I don’t think the planet itself is in danger from what we are doing, though I’m sure it is suffering pain from the symptoms we’ve managed to saddle it with in our time. No, our activities, such as polluting the air and water, wasting resources, and killing the other creatures we live with indiscriminately, only endanger us, and the other life forms on the planet. Once we are gone, the planet will easily clean itself of the trash we deposited everywhere, and move on to the next evolutionary step in the parade of Time.

“Where man walks the earth hurts.” — Smart Bee

Many years ago, I used to believe in the ingenuity of scientists, to overcome the technological difficulties we’ve created, and find a way to keep us alive, perhaps by colonizing space, and leaving Earth behind. But, the figures don’t lie, and the figures say we don’t have the time to fool around waiting for space travel to solve the problems we have. By the time we could achieve any kind of significant progress there, we would be forced to live in domes, and wear protective gear to go outside them, to walk on the surface of our own world. That is if there are enough remaining resources to build the domes, and to power them sufficiently to survive.

The other possible solution is for the ruling classes of our species to come to their senses, to reverse their moral compasses, and start acting in the best interests of everyone, instead of just themselves. The whole problem with pollution we have today exists solely because the ruling classes, the people who control all the resources, don’t have any moral compass, or, choose to deliberately ignore its demands. They choose to deliberately structure society in their own favor, so that they have the power and control over what occurs, while the rest of us try to survive on what they don’t want. It is the same picture that history has drawn for all the millenia since we came out of the caves to live in cities, and the 1% of mankind who is in control is not interested in helping anyone else, unless and until they have secured their own….

Even the lies we agree upon in history show this to be true, so I don’t think there is a huge chance that we will see any changes before it is too late for it to matter. I just don’t see those in the beloved ruling class all of a sudden reversing the entire course of the history they’ve chosen to allow to happen; it is not in their nature to be altruistic to even a small degree. We are either going to have to rise up and throw them out on their asses, or suffer an ignominious death, when the air we can no longer breathe begins to choke us as we walk down the street toward our destiny….. which at this point, leads only to a coffin…..

“I can’t decide which WRONG TURN to make first!! I wonder if BOB GUCCIONE has these problems!” — Zippy the Pinhead
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Absence

I have scarcely left you
When you go in me, crystalline,
Or trembling,
Or uneasy, wounded by me
Or overwhelmed with love, as
when your eyes
Close upon the gift of life
That without cease I give you.

My love,
We have found each other
Thirsty and we have
Drunk up all the water and the
Blood,
We found each other
Hungry
And we bit each other
As fire bites,
Leaving wounds in us.

But wait for me,
Keep for me your sweetness.
I will give you too
A rose.

Pablo Neruda
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So, there I was, cruising through Smart Bee, and the following quotes popped up, not in this order, but, enough so that the picture they make together is relatively clear. It is merely a reiteration of a theme common to this blog, and needs no significant explanation in order for almost anyone to enjoy…. If the meaning isn’t clear, well, that’s okay, too…. Each of the quotes is good, simple stuff (hmm…. that word, again….), the stuff of which real, not virtual, wisdom is made. And, the crown of potential achievement offered by the overall view of reality that these show is virtually unlimited….

Whew! That’s quite a lot to ask of a few simple aphorisms, but, it’s just the kind of guy I am, I guess…. I just want everyone to be happy, that’s all…. (actually, Aristotle said, approximately, “He who tries to be friends with all, is friend to none.”) Well, maybe that’s a bit presumptuous…. but, I do want everyone to use what they have between their ears, and I’m not talking about their fabulous hair…. In any case, I think this makes a good pearl, so good, it WILL be on the Quiz, should we ever have one…..

“The infliction of cruelty with a good conscience is a delight to moralists. That is why they invented Hell.” — Bertrand Russell

“Being good at being stupid doesn’t count.” — Smart Bee

“Such is the human race. Often it does seem such a pity that Noah and his party didn’t miss the boat.” — Mark Twain

“I give up, what is the meaning of life?” — Smart Bee

“For several years more I maintained public relations with the Almighty. But privately, I ceased to associate with him.” — Jean-Paul Sartre

“I have partaken of the Great Banquet of Life. What I need now is the Great Alka-Seltzer of Life.” — Smart Bee

See? As I said, numerous times before, it’s all in the wrist….. and, timing is everything. TTFN….. (ta ta for now…)
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SIGH…. another attack of whimsy there at the end, but, all in all, not too bad, I think. Actually, after going back over it to edit and proof, it’s better than not bad, by a few notches, at least. Once again, it has reached that point of doneness that qualifies it for publication, and I’m glad. It was pretty hard work, in spots…. At any rate, as I said, it’s done, so, I’m off to a spot to publish….

The library is out, so coffee shop is in; the email Pearl Drops should be happy, they’ll get their morning nonsense right in their inbox….. I know, I’m making an unwarranted assumption that seeing my Pearls makes them happy, but, hey, what else do you think keeps this going but my ego? Or, at least, the assumption of an ego…. Whatever…. I’ve now lost all credibility, I’m sure, so I may as well take your leave, before I do any further damage….. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

Formerly from the circular file….

Posted on December 22, 2012 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Oh, joy…..0245 AM, and depression strikes. Wide awake, in pain and anguish, and hating every moment. Well, I guess that first sip of coffee wasn’t so bad….. but it sure would be nice to be able to sleep without interruption…. I can see how this would tend to wear one’s defenses down after a while, so it’s a good thing, I suppose, that I’m not the suicidal sort…. Too selfish & cowardly for me, thanks anyway….

I know why I’m up now…. My patience took a big hit yesterday, when I found an email from my lawyer in my inbox, informing me that SS is sending me to yet another medical exam, and getting X-rays of my back…. like they don’t have any already. This, of course, promises to add another 12 weeks, minimum, to the time before a decision is made. They KNOW that I have PTSD, but they insist on dragging this whole thing out, making it worse every day. I’m nearly at a point where I will have to assume enemy action (1st time, happenstance; 2nd time, coincidence; 3rd time, enemy action….), and take countermeasures….. which NOBODY will enjoy….

Was that a vague enough threat? I’d never really hurt anyone, you know, not deliberately. I say such things for the release, and once said, the urge to commit homicidal acts is generally dissipated. It’s a parallel effect to swearing, which, as we all know, can release a lot of tension merely by the expression of certain words in a forceful manner. But, in these days of paranoia over terrorists, one must walk a narrow line between release and offense….. and cops notoriously have no sense of humor…..

I’m not sure right now just what I’m going to do…. I mean, I know I have to wait again, because shooting at them won’t help. It might get them to move faster, but also might prejudice my case a bit (ya think?) if they figure out it’s me. I’m pretty frigging tired of pinching pennies to eat, and these psyche symptoms of my deeper anguish are getting a bit obtrusive. It’s tough to be out there, looking for love, with tears running down my face, and fear in my heart….. one can’t present a very attractive image in that state…. and who wants to kiss a mustache with snot all over it?

Now that I’ve thoroughly disgusted y’all with that image, I’d most likely be getting on with the day’s dive for pearls. I’m not going to try to predict what kind of pearls may get engendered, as that would be foolish AND stupid, not to mention dumb….. But, I will warn you to handle them with care today, as you never know what they might do after I let them loose…. keep a tight grip!…. Shall we Pearl?…..
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“Unknowingly, we plow the dust of stars, blown about us by the wind, and drink the universe in a glass of rain.” — Ihab Hassan

What a beautiful line! I wasn’t sure when I saved it last night just what kind of pearl it would make, but it creates such a beautiful image in the mind, I couldn’t resist. I suppose it makes a fine contrast to how I feel just now, and as such, can be used to demonstrate how our attitudes are under our control, if we but choose to assume it…..

I feel like shit, emotionally, for various reasons, and that is reflected in my attitude toward the day; I don’t want to face it. I’d like to be able to just turn it all off, and go visit a friend somewhere far away. But, being stuck here, waiting for relief from my financial limitations, keeps me on the edge of depression, as well as keeping me in place…. If only for the time it takes to read, and contemplate this line, beauty takes over, and my thoughts and attitude undergo a marked change for the better. All it takes is a reminder of what we always have as creatures of this reality, our potential for grace.

“Grace”. Interesting word, that…. I like what it implies, the feeling of being connected to the universe, and enjoying that tie for the joy it can bring. To live in grace means to act rightly, surrounding oneself with beauty, and increasing the joy in life by living it well, passionately, with compassion and humility. I can understand how religious folks would seek to receive such from the practice of their faith, though I can’t agree with them about exactly where grace comes from. They seem to believe that it is something given to them, when in reality, it is something they have to learn to give, and can only be found inside themselves.

“The supreme irony of life is hardly anyone ever gets out of it alive.” — Robert Heinlein

Perspective…. the proper perspective can be hard to find, and it is good when such can be provided for us by a simple phrase, like this one, and the first one, above. The first phrase tells us to remember there are two sides to life, and only one side is inherently painful. This quote, from the Grand Master, is a reminder to SEEK perspective, and is one nobody should ever lose track of, as it is universally applicable. One may, at least temporarily, find ways to avoid paying taxes, but there is no avoiding death…. none.

Mere contemplation of our own death is a sure way to gain perspective. It may not always be the most amenable, or comfortable perspective, but it is the most truthful that can be acquired, without exception. Nothing will ground us better than thinking about our own demise, as there is no room for anything but truth when dealing with the whole concept. Anything less than the truth just fails to compute….. Not the most comforting line of thought, unless one has learned not to fear death, but, who is ever very successful at that? I mean, that’s why there are so many different religions out there, all offering their own way of dealing with that fear…. they’re just not very good at it. Well, not very truthful, anyway….

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” — W. W. Zeige

I’m not sure whether I can truthfully classify this as a pearl. The criteria for that decision are pretty loose, all in all, so it will fit in that respect. But, I do rather like to make some valid point, and this one doesn’t seem to have one I can find offhand. We humans spend a lot of our mental energy on stuff like this, which may be a clue as to the whole problem of the inability of so many of us to cope with reality without some kind of crutch, or without letting someone else do our thinking for us. That isn’t a danger for me, thank goodness, but most of humanity seems to fall into that pattern, and that, in itself, presents me with perspective issues, as mine differs radically from most everyone in the mainstream of society.

Oh, there are a lot more ffolkes such as myself out there; WordPress is proof enough of that. But, the major percentage of the population of this country generally prefers not to have to exercise their mental muscles any more than is absolutely necessary. Whether the inertial momentum that is built up by such a large percentage is amenable to adjustment remains to be seen, and all we can do is our best, to spread the virus of rational thought as far as we can….. “You’re our only hope, Obi-wan!”……

“I feel better about world problems now!” — Zippy the Pinhead
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Here’s a treat… Two of the world’s best, ever, each with a link to the entire piece, for those with the time and inclination to absorb all of it….. Enjoy!

The Moving Finger writes; and having writ,
Moves on; nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.

— Omar Khayyam (died c.1133) — Rubaiyat, Stanza lxxi

Link: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-rubaiyat-of-omar-khayyam/
——————————

A little learning is a dangerous thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.

— Alexander Pope (1688-1744) — Essay on Criticism, Part ii, Line 15

Link: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/an-essay-on-criticism/
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I’m feeling a bit muddled…. discombobulated…. fuzzy…. sluggish between the ears. I suppose it isn’t entirely surprising, given the time of night, or morning, whichever you prefer; either is accurate at 0425 AM. (Yes, I realize writing the time thus is oxymoronic, if not merely redundant…. some folks don’t comprehend military time, so I do it for clarity…. I’m just that kind of guy….) I’ve got pearls ready, chosen yesterday and saved for use whenever, so, of course, my brain isn’t capable of dealing with them adequately….. Now I’ll have to dive deeper, to find a pearl or two to augment this group, and bring some kind of form to this nebulous mass…. ‘Scuse me, I’ll be back….

In the words of Neville Longbottom, “That went well…” Two very fine additions to round out the first three, and we’re good to go; I couldn’t be prouder. I suppose if I had written these myself, I could feel a bit more so, but, I’ll just bask in the reflected glory, and be content, knowing I’ve done my part to decrease entropy at least a small bit……

“Knowledge is the antidote of fear.” — Emerson

“Any culture which in the interests of efficiency or in the name of some political or religious dogma, seeks to standardize the human individual commits an outrage against man’s biological nature.” — Charles A. Reich, THE GREENING OF AMERICA

“Of all the benefits that virtue confers upon us, the contempt of death is one of the greatest.” — Montaigne (1533-1592)

“Life without learning is death.” — Cicero

“Hypotheses are not to be multiplied without necessity.” — Occam’s Razor

See? As I’ve said before, it’s all in the wrist. Oh, and, of course, timing is everything….. Ta, then…..
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Even after taking the time to edit, and proof, once, this Pearl is done, and it is still an hour and twenty minutes before the earliest I ever get up these days. Translated, that means it is now 0455 AM here in California, and even the classical music DJ is still on the night-time programming schedule. What to do now just became a critical issue, one I’ll have to go deal with personally, I suppose. Ah well, for such an out-of-sequence kind of deal, this didn’t turn out too badly, and it has that ineffable quality of “doneness” that I especially appreciate…. (No, “doneness” is NOT a word, according to Spell Checker…. what’s your point? You know what I meant…. and, since there is no such thing as a dumb question, don’t fret, no worries…. Besides, this is the end, so we can waste as much time as I want….) Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

A valid reason to stay exfoliated….

Posted on December 21, 2012 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Reason be damned, and rhyming can go hang; it’s time again to ramble…. As I sat down to begin this morning, two opening scenarios paraded across my inner eye, beginnings for new story ideas. One was pretty good, and would make an excellent opening for a J.D. Robb novel about Eve Dallas and Roarke…. The other was okay, but was basically a rewrite of one I’ve done previously, to a slightly different plot line (different planet, different culture, same basic societal upheaval and heroism in the face of cataclysm…. you know, the usual literary hack stuff….)….

Both, however, failed to meet one of today’s requirements, to wit: it must practically write itself, because I’m just not up to it today…. I decided, in my sleep, that I’ve been way too intense lately, taking everything too seriously, and generally giving myself a hard time, by railing against reality, and its stubborn refusal to give me what I desire….. Bloody a__holes….. Ah, hell….. It’s hard to get angry at reality, since it isn’t an entity we can attack verbally, or physically, not if we expect any reaction, anyway. In fact, we cannot attack it at all. It’s just too much more than we are, in a universal importance kind of way; our ability to affect the way things happen in life is nowhere in the same vicinity as the immutable nature of reality, other than in our imagination. On the scale of cosmic significance, reality trumps just about anything I can come up with…..

“Reality can be hazardous to your health.” — Smart Bee

Perhaps our imagination is the problem; that would make sense, as it is also our strongest asset in dealing with the universe at large, and nothing comes without a price in reality, not even the use of our given tools and characteristics. We imagine how we would like things to be, and when reality does not bother to match what we imagine, the disappointment we feel also becomes real, if not justifiable to our feelings…… Aha! I’ve accidentally uttered the magic word!….. Now I feel really stupid….

Feelings….. I forgot all about feelings. (D’oh!…..) I see it all, now…. It isn’t our imagination that gives us such a difficult time with what reality gives us to deal with, it is our feelings about what we must do that are the problem. Well, that makes much more sense…. What was I thinking?…..

Sheesh, I can’t believe I took myself, and y’all, on a three paragraph trip into nonsense, all because it was too early for me to be using my mind. I forgot to mention it was 0545 AM when I started writing today, and no matter how alert and awake I may have felt, I can see now that I had no business trying to philosophize so early…. Good grief! If I wasn’t such a hypocrite, I’d say I should be taken out and shot…. but, I will accept that derogatory title if I must, as I am ever so allergic to brass cartridges traveling at high velocity in my vicinity, especially if on a vector coinciding with my personal space….

I suppose that I’ve once again left myself with no alternative but to get on with the usual stuff that goes on around here, to wit: diving for pearls. Given my recent ramblings in this section, I’m considering eliminating the introduction, or imposing a limit of one paragraph before beginning the dives each morning. Perhaps not; I’m pretty wishy-washy about that stuff and this blog; I try not to change what works, and much of what I do is sort of an unconscious set of actions anyway, so I don’t pay a lot of attention to it sometimes. And now I really AM rambling, so….. Shall we Pearl?…..
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Mind is the one and only creative power. All attempts to account for creation from any other standpoint are futile… Our most important study, then, is our own consciousness. — Charles Fillmore, “Christian Healing”

“???”

As nearly as I can describe, using the keyboard, this was my immediate response to the above. Three query marks appeared in my inner eye, just as you see them here, surrounded by what I can only say looked like a thought balloon such as you’d see in a comic book. I also must point out that neither the questions, nor the image by which my mind indicated its bemusement, surprised me, somehow, though they certainly should have, since I’ve never, to this point in my life, had anything cause me to respond with an instant immersion into comic-speak….

I guess my reaction is explainable as justified by the contrast between what is said in the statement, and the title of the piece from which it came. For the life of me, I cannot figure out whether the author is being facetious, serious, or merely using the idea as context in some way that isn’t clear with the statements standing alone. As it stands, the statements are perfectly rational, and, as such, could be said to be perfectly antithetical to the precepts of Christianity that I know, and certainly to the precepts of any of the sects that would be involved in mystical healing of imagined flaws in the human soul (Original Sin). Well, I guess that could be any of them, so, that won’t wash, exactly….. but, I’m still confused, as identifying Mind as the “only creative power” seems to go against everything Christians assume about divinity, and creation, unless I’ve missed something important over the last 60 years…..

“There are scores of thousands of sects who are ready at a moment’s notice to reveal the will of God on every possible subject.” — Smart Bee

Bah, humbug! Now I’m going to have to track down this article, or book, or whatever it is, and see the whole thing to get the perspective I need to figure this out. My curiosity won’t let me do anything else…. Besides, once I do get an idea of what the author was doing when he made this assertion, I’ll have a better idea of how to point the ensuing rant. If I go with what I have now, I’ll probably end up making all sorts of contextual assumptions that could be entirely false, and completely ruin any hope of future respect for my opinions, especially from myself, as I should know better than to assume anything about context from just one assertion.

To be continued, after a suitable interval to consult with Google, and subsequent sources…. And besides, even as simple and easy as it is, ranting on the Christians today is more than I want to get into…. Call me lazy, call me irresponsible, call me irresistible, just don’t call me late for lunch…..

“Toes, knees, NIPPLES. Toes, knees, nipples, KNUCKLES… Nipples, dimples, knuckles, NICKLES, wrinkles, pimples!!” — Zippy the Pinhead

Nipples, knuckles, and nickles….. Genius! Sheer genius!….. And toes, too!….
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An Old Man, Snoring….

Winter arrives with gusts of wind and rain,
clover spreads green amongst the hedges.
Urban gardens quiver, and dream of spring again,
gargoyles stoically crouch on corniced ledges.

Umbrellas sprout over heads shrouded and hatted,
dotting the sidewalks in colorful profusion.
Urban denizens pose sketches, framed and matted,
adding casual beauty to fill the illusion.

Hissing tires, swishing along with the wipers
join nature’s orchestra smoothly, as percussion.
Dripping gutters sound gong tones, true pipers,
a sudden roar of wind hushes all discussion.

Dreams of summer heat form the crux of desire
as winter chills our souls from without.
Sitting in warmth, gazing into an imaginary fire;
content to know spring will come, no doubt.

~~ gigoid
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It is Friday…. I mention this only to point out that the day of the week only has two points of interest for me; hours of operation at the library are different every day, and the bus schedules are different on weekends. Other than that, my only interest in what day it is has to do with whether or not there is a possibility of mail. This lack of pressure about what is required for any particular day is one of the real perks of being retired, one that is seldom mentioned in all that I’ve seen and read on the subject, despite its real significance. I really enjoy the sensation of being in total control of my own time, with no other entity in the world who decides for me what I am to do at any particular moment…. It is a luxury that we do not appreciate when we are not retired, as we almost never experience it…..

Such freedom of time is limited, of course, by other considerations, but those are all connected to personal issues, not to reality’s issues. It is this freedom that allows me the time to create this blog every day, a task to which I dutifully cling as my lifeline to sanity. I guess that the years of work, during which my time was extremely tightly scheduled, for reasons associated with what others wanted/expected of me, created a need for some organization of that time, in order to feel some degree of control that is generally necessitated by conditions from the outside world. So, I try to do my writing when I am most able to do so, physically, which means first thing in the morning…..

None of this really has any point, other than to illustrate that I’m a lucky guy, for one with so many issues to deal with; I am both beset upon by reality, and rewarded by it immensely….. Now, if only I could get reality to hand over some of what is mine, I’d be set….. In the meantime, I needed a pearl, and all I could find were these little gems from a variety of sources, all of which, taken together, make a pretty fair set of principles on which to base one’s life, and one’s attitudes about life….. I’d say anyone who was true to all of these would be considered an asset to whatever part of society he or she inhabited…. Abondanza!……

“I would rather suffer defeat than have cause to be ashamed of victory.” — Quintus Curtius

“It is not the one with many possessions who is rich, but the one who has no needs.” — Philoxenos

“When we look at a rock what we are seeing is not the rock, but the effect of the rock upon us.” — Bertrand Russell

“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like “What about lunch?” — Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne

“Most people seem to think that trampling individual rights is OK if it is “for the good of society as a whole.” However, society is but a large number
of individuals, and how can harming the individual parts better the whole?” — Andrew Ford, forda@agcs.com

“But if a man happens to find himself … he has a mansion which he can inhabit with dignity all the days of his life.” — Google says….

“I should have been a plumber.” — Albert Einstein

I think, without irony, life would be pretty dull….. Don’t you?…..
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Since I can’t seem to find a perfect pearl to finish with…. one more try….. Well, not perfect, perhaps, but close. Bonus points if you can figure out which one it is (hint: It’s not the last one in line, from Albert, though his is one of my favorites….)….. Okay, I’m done. I’ve been playing around in my head now for almost three hours, while the rest of the world is waking up. I’m going to go shower up to face the day, then maybe go back to bed until time to catch the bus to the library….. Just kidding, but, hey, I can if I want to, so, who knows?….. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

It is often considered de rigeur to order dessert first….

Posted on December 19, 2012 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
That answers THAT question…. When I awoke today, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel, as I’d gone to bed with a lot of pain. But, for some odd reason, I slept well, even going so long at one point that my medication ran low, & I had to take a pill, late, before I got too far awake at 3:00 AM. Even then, I fell back to sleep, and got up feeling pretty normal, all in all…. But, of course, that brings Murphy to mind, and I was a bit worried he might stick his nose in and fuss with me, but so far he must be busy elsewhere…. I’m sure he finds ways to keep busy with other folks when I’m not available…. I just know of his predilection for my life’s events, and try not to draw his attention when he’s not around…..

At any rate, when I sat down to begin, I did so with a relatively clear head, and fell right into a rant in section three, where I had placed a particularly stimulating pearl to await some discussion. It is flowing well, and gives me hope for the rest of this piece; and THAT is encouraging….. Sadly, I’m so acutely aware of the attentions of Murphy, I suspect his hand in this good feeling I have, as if he is setting me up to fall again….. SIGH…..

(BTW, when I write that word, in that way, one should imagine the sigh that is common to the people of the west counties in Ireland, as described by Father Whatsisname who writes the delightful mystery novels about the “Little Archbishop” and the series of books about the wife of Dermott Michael Coyne, whose name also escapes me, a Celtic wise woman, fey as the day is long, and the visions she sees that send them on missions of mercy to solve problems…. Greatly entertaining books, for a priestly author….. Ah yes, his name is Andrew Greely, I believe…. the priest, that is…. Any who, the sigh is a huge production, long, drawn out, and implying the presence of doom, long-suffering, and the futility of fighting against Fate….. now, THAT’s a SIGH……)

I suppose I should just be grateful that I am not blocked up today, and let it go at that; simple is best when it comes to avoiding the attraction of Murphy’s attention….. Since I’ve already started on section three, we’ll get on with today’s effort, finish there, and go for a dive in Smart Bee’s ocean of quotes. I think that, all things considered, that would be best for all of us…. Shall we Pearl?…..
__________________________________

Here is the deal…. I’ve become confused already, I think because I began the day in section three, then did the intro…. finished section three, and now am back in section one…. and I’m lost. Smart Bee, however, has been quite accommodating, and has allowed me to put together what I like to call an unconscious pearl…. I picked out these quotes quite randomly, as far as my conscious mind is concerned; it had no part in choosing them, other than controlling the act of pressing the right mouse buttons at the right times….. Each of these was picked by my sub-, or unconscious mind, thus, I have no idea what the resulting concept will take as a shape for consideration…. It’s kind of fun, actually, and quite illuminating in its own way…. Since I have no idea what you will now experience, just try to enjoy it; it’s bound to be an interesting ride…..

The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. “Where shall I begin, please your Majesty ?” he asked. “Begin at the beginning,”, the King said, very gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.” — Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

“Despite its suffix, skepticism is not an “ism” in the sense of a belief or dogma. It is simply an approach to the problem of telling what is counterfeit and what is genuine. And a recognition of how costly it may be to fail to do so. To be a skeptic is to cultivate “street smarts” in the battle for control of one’s own mind, one’s own money, one’s own allegiances. To be a skeptic, in short, is to refuse to be a victim.” — Robert S. DeBear, “An Agenda for Reason, Realism, and Responsibility,” — New York Skeptic — (newsletter of the New York Area Skeptics, Inc.), Spring 1988

“One should always prefer the probable impossible to the improbable possible.” — Aristotles Dictum.

“Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence.” — Albert Einstein

Thus, God said: “Let there be cats!”, and He was promptly ignored. — Smart Bee

IMAGINATION, n. A warehouse of facts, with poet and liar in joint ownership. — Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

“There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

Whew! That took a nasty dive-turn there at the end, didn’t it? I didn’t see that coming, myself….. but, it is the perfect finish to what now appears to be somewhat inspired…. Even the one about cats has its place in the sequence, don’t you think? Just in case this one caused any discomfort among the Gentle Readership, I think it is a good thing the poetry section is next…. When I get to Google, I’ll look for something soothing…. perhaps some Keats, or Marlowe…. I am a patsy when it comes to the Romantics….
__________________________________

Apollo And The Graces

APOLLO

WHICH of the fairest three
To-day will ride with me?
My steeds are all pawing at the threshold of the morn:
Which of the fairest three
To-day will ride with me
Across the gold Autumn’s whole Kingdom of corn?

THE GRACES all answer

I will, I – I – I
young Apollo let me fly
Along with thee,
I will- I, I, I,
The many wonders see
I – I – I – I
And thy lyre shall never have a slackened string:
I, I, I, I,
Thro’ the golden day will sing.

John Keats

‘Tis a fine day for singing, is it not?……
__________________________________

“He was sweet and sincere and giving and good… AND A CHERISHED NEIGHBOR UNDESERVING OF SUCH A FATE!! Nevertheless, better him than me. Amen.” — Eulogy given by Banana PC Jr to Opus in “Bloom County”

As an indictment of modern society, this little remark from Berke Breathed manages to hit just about all of the high points, and is wickedly, viciously sarcastic, to boot. Just plain charming, is what it is….. I forget exactly how Opus died, but I remember it was particularly mundane, as well as inane, and also made the sarcasm grade higher. I really don’t understand why Berke Breathed stopped writing his/her comic strips; he/she may have been the best cartoonist ever, but I thank the stars that for a while, we were able to enjoy his or her wit (I never did know if the person who drew Bloom County was male of female…. didn’t seem to matter….). Between this strip, and Odds Bodkins, which came before Bloom County, my sense of proportion was sculpted into a truer figure, resembling reality a lot closer than before having been exposed to the deadly sharp, brilliantly targeted humor in those comics.

The indictment is brilliantly delivered here, in one simple phrase… “Nevertheless, better him than me.” I don’t know about y’all, but that seems to me like it would be a pretty good slogan for the general attitude society presents in the modern world. It shows of that perfect sense of selfishness and entitlement that is held by so many of today’s folks, given to them mostly by their elitist religions. Of course, this egregious attitude, so common to those in the Western religions, is strengthened and exemplified by the beloved ruling class, as they continue to lie to the public on a daily basis, all while they go about their business of looting the public treasury, and carrying out the wishes of their true masters, the bankers and corporate executives.

The beloved ruling class, and the preachers, are so effective at their work that they have trained most of the public to accept their lies without question. People are so controlled that they believe that the pittance they earn is a blessing, and that they can do anything at all to try to improve their own lot, without fear of consequence. I mean, what other conclusion could be arrived at, given the picture that is presented to us by our leaders? They (the BRC, beloved ruling class….) say whatever they wish, no matter how untrue. They steal, and call it business. They cheat, and call it expedience. They kill, and call it spreading democracy. And, for all this, the public rewards them, by electing to office again, and again…..

“Do not be afraid of enemies; the worst they can do is to kill you. Do not be afraid of friends; the worst they can do is betray you. Be afraid of the indifferent; they do not kill or betray. Yet only because of their silent agreement, betrayal and murder exist on earth.” — Bruno Yasienski, contemporary Soviet novelist

Indifference is a condition of mind the true world masters have refined to an art, one they employ constantly, to ignore the evil they cause. In this, they are not alone…. Humanity at large has become indifferent to the struggles of other people, and have that indifference rewarded regularly, by advantages to their self-interests. Indifference becomes a protection for the weak and vulnerable, who cannot afford to give up any of their own resources to aid another, a situation perfectly set-up by our beloved rulers, and maintained by them as suitable for their purposes.

It must be very satisfying for them to see how people in society have taken in their training, and applied it so well to their own pitiful existence, as this kind of societal attitude is one that is self-protecting, and self-reproducing…. the more people are cruel to each other, the more it will continue to be so…..

“If you have ever seen a four-year-old trying to lord it over a two-year-old, then you know what the basic problem of human nature is — and why government keeps growing larger and ever more intrusive.” — Thomas Sowell

Comedy, as produced by some cartoonists, is a very accurate portrayal of the true nature of society, and can serve as a means of causing change. Unfortunately, our beloved ruling class already knows this, and takes steps to curtail the effect as much as possible. In my opinion, comedians like George Carlin, cartoonists like Berke Breathed, Garry Trudeau, and Walt Kelly (Pogo), should be held up as the heroes and honored philosophers of Society, because they are always fighting to expand the human consciousness, rather than limit it, as is the case for the entire ruling class, and the priestly hierarchies.

They, the masters, do not want a public that can think critically, for then their chicanery is exposed. Oh, they are well enough protected that they are in no real danger; they just don’t like to be in the light, where they can be targeted…. It is the same for all evil; it does better in the dark, where its purposes and methods can be hidden from sight…. which is why I love the comics, both live, stand-up comics, and those who scribble on paper, for they are in the thick of the revolution of the mind, the war that is still raging here on Earth…. The war to see whether reason, or venality, will determine the future of the human race…. I, for one, salute them all….

— Bother! said Pooh, as he bribed Ron Brown.

(See?…. Even Pooh has been corrupted…..)
__________________________________

To quote the Colonel, “I love it when a plan comes together….”; I only wish I had a big cigar to fire up, to go along with the big grin. (Reference: The A-Team, 1970’s or 1980’s TV show….) Somehow, I’ve managed to complete a Pearl without any disruption from Murphy, a completely unprecedented event, which turns this day’s date into one of major significance. I may even start to celebrate this day in coming years, as it is the first time it has ever occurred, and deserves some acknowledgment. Of course, doing so would probably tempt Murphy into retaliation, implying some disrespect, I suppose…. But, hey, one must take what the universe gives, and learn to like it, or spend one’s time in misery. Not being fond of misery, I opt for the former, rather than the latter….

Such being the case, I shall now go forth into the Big Blue Room, to see what kind of mischief I can find to get into; perhaps a trip to the Social Security Office, to cause a ruckus by a display of stress-related angst for their elucidation and enjoyment. Hell, in a bureaucrat’s day, especially in that office, they probably get pretty bored, and it might be good entertainment for them….. Nah, better not…. nobody these days seems to have much of a sense of humor, and they’d probably end up thinking I’m some kind of terrorist or something, rather than just another stressed out citizen trying to survive with some degree of sanity, and dignity….. I’m in too good of a mood to have to deal with some ignorant cops today…..

Hmm…. no wonder it flowed so well today…. I even figured out a way to put a small rant into the closing section. Actually, the above paragraph is a quite delightful (to me) little poke at Social Security and the federal bureaucracy; very tidy and succinct, with some good zingers cleverly disguised as observations. It’s almost too bad I’m done for the day…. but, since I don’t fell a poem struggling to get out, I am, and must go find a place to find a poem in Google, then, post this gem….. So….. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

Yak butter redux….

Posted on December 14, 2012 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Thwarted! WordPress’ New Post Page thwarted my attempt to post on Thursday, 12/13/12. Three separate times I went through all the necessary steps, hit the Publish button, and proceeded to watch the damn thing drop out every bit of material in the post, save the title. Nothing that I entered into the text entry box was sent to the page, so all that shows is the title, the categories, the comment section, and the buttons. Complete malfunction ensued, destroying, or at least, refusing my 1800 plus words and two pictures, including a new original poem, sending them off to somewhere in cyberspace, to be lost forever in the internet cloud. What a waste of effort…. temporary, if I can make it so….. nonetheless, wasted time is still wasted. I suppose it could be said to be more futile than wasted, to be fair….

The above, written soon after returning from the library yesterday, in two separate stages, is pure truth, sadly. I don’t do well with futility, all in all, and it’s hard to accept missing a day due to a WP technical glitch. I noted new interfaces and buttons yesterday, and recently, which may have messed with the system somehow…. Today’s post will prove the pudding, or banish it to the trash, as may be….

This paragraph begins the new day…. fresh, and full of promise, just like a new day should be. Let us hope that the sense of promise holds true long enough for at least one event of good note to occur; it sure would be nice to have some good news for a change…. It is hard to get too enthusiastic about the chance of that happening, though, given the past’s record of disappointment in that area. Murphy, may he rot in the lowest portion of hell, has been far too ubiquitous for any such luck….. In sooth, it is getting almost comical, and would be so, if it weren’t so real, and so important to me, and my quality of life….

There are signs of improvement along those lines, but rather than jinx things, I’ll just let that go with a mention, and just say I’m glad to see any kind of change in that direction, and hope for more…. So, I saved what I produced yesterday, to post today, so I’ll make good use of my time now, and start on the next Pearl, which I haven’t decided whether to post twice today, to make up, or to just skip a day, and move on…. I guess that will actually be determined by the WP page, and whether or not it will be publishing me at all…. I really do hate technical glitches…. it indicates poorly written code, and there’s no excuse for that, to my way of thinking…. But, then, I’ve never written code, so, who knows what is real?….

This intro section has turned into a daily proof, I guess, that there is no limit to how far I can, or will, meander when I’m just blathering like this. Of course, some of this one was spit out yesterday, so it really doesn’t count that way, but, hey, it all works for me, as it gets me to the diving portion of the program, which is where I like to be…. looking for a reason to write, some excuse to get all the stuff in my head out into the world, where it might do something other than just drive me bats…. Shall we Pearl?…..
__________________________________

— Bother! said Pooh, as he fried Piglet for breakfast. — Smart Bee

(Piglet, I hear, made an ill-timed humorous comment about Pooh’s “hunny pot”…..)

Oh, my! Pooh’s dark side is showing again…. In previous posts, I’ve told y’all how I discovered that Winnie the Pooh wasn’t the innocent little Bear of Little Brain that most people know and love. For years, it seems, Pooh has led a dual existence, on the one side wandering the 100 Acre Forest with his friends, undergoing simple, instructive events where no one gets hurt badly, and no one cries for long. On the other hand, in his alternate universe, Pooh makes Darth Vader look like a Boy Scout, helping grannies across the road…..

I’m sorry if your illusions have been destroyed, but, I thought you should know, as I believe that Pooh uses his faux-innocent disguise to lure attractive young children into his sphere of influence, then corrupts them in any of a thousand time-tested ways, sending them on the path to perdition, and a lifetime of pain and misery…. the evil git…. Here then, are some examples of the kind of things Pooh has been up to recently, for your education and elucidation, so that you may be warned to guard your own progeny from the depredations to which they could conceivably fall prey, by becoming fond of this extremely evil creature…. The Bear of Little Brain, and Less Scruple…. (My comments appear in parentheses after the quoted text…. just like this…)

🙂

— Bother! said Pooh, as he nuked Iraq!

(Pooh’s first term as a mercenary came during the Kuwait conflict, indicating even then his willingness to use nuclear weapons, in contravention of all treaties….)

— Bother! said Pooh, as he lobbed a grenade at the intruder.

(The intruder was his neighbor, Mrs. Graham, bringing him some mail brought to her house by mistake….)

— Bother! said Pooh, as he ordered Mr. Worf to fire all phasers.

(The other ship had just agreed to lower its shield to negotiate….)

— Bother! said Pooh, as he put on the hockey mask and started the saw.

(Oh, you didn’t know? The idea for the Freddy movies, and the other massacre movies, came from one of Pooh’s home videos….)

— Bother! said Pooh, as Eeyore mounted him from behind.

(He only said “Bother” because he had just finished mounting Roo from behind, and was tired….)

Need I say more?….. Be warned, ffolkes…..
__________________________________

Danny O’Dare

Danny O’Dare, the dancin’ bear,
Ran away from the County Fair,
Ran right up to my back stair
And thought he’d do some dancin’ there.
He started jumpin’ and skippin’ and kickin’,
He did a dance called the Funky Chicken,
He did the Polka, he did the Twist,
He bent himself into a pretzel like this.
He did the Dog and the Jitterbug,
He did the Jerk and the Bunny Hug.
He did the Waltz and the Boogaloo,
He did the Hokey-Pokey too.
He did the Bop and the Mashed Potata,
He did the Split and the See Ya Later.
And now he’s down upon one knee,
Bowin’ oh so charmingly,
And winkin’ and smilin’–it’s easy to see
Danny O’Dare wants to dance with me.

Shel Siverstein
__________________________________

Since the election last month, the political scene has gone typically quiet, as the politicians all figure out how to make their newly shaped garments fit. The obligatory conflict between the White House and Congress trudges on toward the next subject of dire consequence, this time the tax structures inherited from Bush, and Medicare/Medicaid. As usual, the GOP wants to take all they can away from the weak and vulnerable, and give it to Wall Street, while the White House tries to cut a piece of that out for the middle class, and tries to protect the seniors. Meanwhile, the incipient erosion of rights being silently and stealthily taken from us citizens, by BOTH parties, goes on in the background, while everyone pretends they aren’t noticing….

So, any who, I just felt somewhat nostalgic for all the outrage and energy that gets bandied about during the election months, and thought it would be a good idea to put out some little reminders of how dishonest and egregiously avaricious ALL politicians are; even the ones you like are in office for their own reasons, not for your interests. Oh, they’ll tell y’all anything you want to hear, as long as you keep voting for them, but, mark my words, they will pursue their own agenda as soon as the election is over, guaranteed…. So, remember, these “jokes” about politicians and the like (preachers/priests and unscrupulous lawyers usually fall into that category in my mind….. Besides, these days a law degree is a required prerequisite for politicians who aim for high office….) exist for one simple reason…. they’re usually TRUE….. If not strictly so, there is ample evidence that they are based on true events….

“Crime must pay, or politicians wouldn’t seek re-election.” — Smart Bee

“When you’re around it all the time, you don’t notice it so much.” — Garrison Keillor, “Lake Wobegon Days”

“So many lawyers, so few bullets.” — Smart Bee

“Election time is that period when politicians get free speech mixed up with cheap talk.” — J. B. Kidd

“It’s getting harder and harder to act weird.” — Zippy the Pinhead

(Oops, sorry, that one slipped by me…. but, then, it kind of fits, don’t you think? Okay, it can stay….)

“Don’t do the crime, if you can’t do the time.” — Lt. Col. Ollie North

(I must apologize again…. Ollie wasn’t a politico, but he played one in real life. I thought it rather nice of him to share his expertise and wisdom with his co-conspirators like this….)

“I’m a fellow who bleeds every time a tree is cut down.” — Ronald Reagan, Fresno Bee, 4/28/66, while Governor

“If you’ve seen one tree, you’ve seen them all….” — Ronald Reagan, while President, recorded prior to a speech he made regarding proposed environmental legislation.

“California is proud to be the home of the freeway.” — Ronald Reagan

(And he was considered The Great Communicator?….. Sure he was…. He always communicated exactly what he wanted people to believe…. when he could remember what that was….)

“Before I begin, I’d like to recite the Lawyer’s Prayer: Lord, please let there be strife and misery among your people, Lest your servant starve…” — Clonezone takes on lawyers, from “Badger”

“Any priest or shaman must be presumed guilty until proved innocent.” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love”

Okay….. I will show mercy. Obviously, there is no shortage of jokes and general lamentations regarding these less than stellar members of society, and one begins to get a hint as to why they are so reviled among their peers. Experience is the only thing that such vituperation could spring from, and the deeper the well of that experience, the more evidence one accrues to support the accuracy of the indictment of the reputations involved. Or, more simply, where there is smoke, there is often fire…. not always, mind you, but, …. often…..
__________________________________

“Work is not an end in itself; there must always be time enough for love.” — Robert Heinlein

I’m not sure why I included the last statement, even though I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment. I guess it just felt like a good closing thought…. and I’d be right in that. So, before such simple elegance gets away from me….. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

Prior to the arrival of thrills….

Posted on November 21, 2012 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
Vague. A very descriptive word, though what it describes is anything but precise in nature. It certainly fits my mind this morning, and looks as if it could slide right over into being the word of the day. It would be an easy choice, as no preparation is needed; I’m already there. I’m not sure it’s the kind of word I want to base a whole day on….. then, again, not picking it may annoy Murphy, who no doubt flung it up there into my head himself. It’s just his style……

As well, it’s not as if it is a condition that is unknown around here. I’ve been known to get vague, and stay that way, for days on end, actually. It’s kind of fun, teasing shop workers, confusing bus drivers, and if a chance to annoy a cop comes up, well, I’m all over it. I know, that can be dangerous here in Vallejo, but, I like to live dangerously sometimes, and if one can’t annoy a cop now and again, where is all the fun in life to come from, I ask you? Though not in the realm of CEO’s yet, the police are pretty well-paid these days, and are the obvious target for anyone who has a gripe against society; they have to know that going in. So, don’t get all righteous and prim on me; they’re supposed to be able to take that kind of harassment from the public, and if they can’t, they’ve no business wearing a badge. To my mind, a sense of humor is the single most important tool a police officer can have, and the ONLY one he/she can’t do without….

Now, how did we get from being vague and curmudgeonly to a discussion of societal mores? Sometimes I amaze even myself…. and I have no idea how it happened this time. Hmm…. must have been the mention of the salary of a CEO that set me off. THAT is certainly a subject well worth dissection, and a bit of people bashing. I can’t think of a single category of society that deserves it more than CEO’s, the assholes. Any one of them will do….. I don’t care how stupid and mean a person is, they have to know that NOBODY is worth the kind of money they are being paid…. NOBODY. NOBODY. NOBODY…… I don’t care how much they spout off, and quote figures, or anything else; they aren’t worth that much money, nor is whatever function they perform. It isn’t, period. And nothing can be produced to support that it is, so they may as well just shut it….

I can see from the last paragraph that a rant is coming on, or could be if I were to allow it…. not surprisingly, I guess. The salaries of those corporate assholes is one of my favorite peeves, and it doesn’t surprise me at all to go from 0 to rant in one half-paragraph. Again, I can’t think of a more deserving group of folks about which to rant, but, I’m not even out of the intro yet…. give me a break, will ya? Hah!…. I’ll bet this is all Murphy’s work…. leading me by the nose into a subject that he knows will cause me to blow up like a puffer fish, then standing back and laughing, as I try to write my way back into some semblance of normalcy (not that normal is ever our goal here….). I’d call Murphy an asshole, too, but, he already knows he is, and delights in it too much….

Weird…. there’s another fine word, and one that fits well at this point. I guess you could say this was a better than average intro section, as it traversed the land between vague and weird, and never once fell into whining, or complaining about Reality, though goodness knows there is always enough of that to provide ample material for those activities. Not doing so is considered a win around here….. Since we’ve won so handily today, it would most likely be best to go for a dive before things start to fall apart…. which can happen in a heartbeat….. So…. Shall we Pearl?…..
__________________________________

“Be wiser than other people if you can, but do not tell them so.” — Lord Chesterfield (to his son)

One might think that Lord Chesterfield was being somewhat devious, or ingenious, at least, when he said this to his son. But, I can attest, from personal experience, that he is right in every respect, and for anyone who is smarter than your average bear, necessary knowledge, if one wishes to survive. It is a hard truth, and one that many people will find distasteful, but, it is nonetheless true for all that….. That truth is this: some people in the world are smarter than others. If you are one of them, it is well to not advertise that fact too loudly, or try to assume a lot of prominence for one’s intelligence, for several reasons, the foremost of which is that other people, not as smart, will object, merely on the principle of ‘fairness’, or ‘democracy’…..

I’m not sure about why it is so hard for a lot of folks to understand the concept of ‘average’, but it is clear that it doesn’t seem to register with a lot of people that the very meaning of the word implies that at least half of the people alive are well under that average in intelligence. They HAVE to be, or it would not be the average, now, would it? The hard part for people to understand, I suppose, is that the odds are that THEY themselves are part of that lower half. Someone HAS to be, but, nobody wants to be labeled as “below average”, or to think of themselves that way. For anyone who is at all empathetic to inner turmoil, it is hard to watch, knowing controversy and denial is inevitable, yet wishing it weren’t…..

“Every person is an individual; we all have a set of designer genes.” — Smart Bee

Knowing this, and accepting it, is the key to solving the intelligence issue, if it exists for you. Whether smart or dumb, ugly or pretty, thick or thin, each of us is unique, and therein lies the key to living with serenity. Learning to use our abilities to their maximum, at whatever level they exist, is the only use of knowledge that will lead us to success; concentrating on the differences in life that exist is a time wasting proposition, and will lead only to more trouble and pain. Our salvation lies in our uniqueness, not in how we are the same. The knowledge that there are people smarter than us, and there are those who are less so, is knowledge that should give us hope, rather than take it away, for it implies unlimited opportunity. When there is no limit to the kind of people who exist, then there is no limit to what can be done by them when they interact…. That is common sense, not deep logic…. though it is deeply logical as well….

“The logic of worldly success rests on a fallacy: the strange error that our perfection depends on the thoughts and opinions and applause of other men!
A weird life it is, indeed, to be living always in somebody else’s imagination, as if that were the only place in which one could at last become real!” — Thomas Merton, “Seven Storey Mountain”

Sometimes, it seems as if it would be nice if there weren’t so much diversity of ability in the world; it might make things simpler. But, given human nature, probably not…. We’d still find some way to fuss and fight with each other…. If it isn’t about intelligence, it would be about looks, or money, or ancestors, or any of the other myriad of subjects man finds to fight about…. We are contentious creatures, at best…. and often, I am left, after writing such a treatise as this one, with a feeling much like Friedrich gives us here…. in fact, I’ve felt this way often…..

“It is hard enough to remember my opinions, without also remembering my reasons for them.” — Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)
__________________________________

I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You

I do not love you except because I love you;
I go from loving to not loving you,
From waiting to not waiting for you
My heart moves from cold to fire.

I love you only because it’s you the one I love;
I hate you deeply, and hating you
Bend to you, and the measure of my changing love for you
Is that I do not see you but love you blindly.

Maybe January light will consume
My heart with its cruel
Ray, stealing my key to true calm.

In this part of the story I am the one who
Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,
Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.

Pablo Neruda
__________________________________

“No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.” — Taoist Proverb

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” — Buddha

Monk: Where can I enter Zen?
Master Gensha: Can you hear the babbling brook?
Monk: Yes, I can hear it.
Master Gensha: Then enter it there.

A bird can fly, but a fly can’t bird. — Tao of Pooh.
(Not as undeep as it seems…. think on it….)

“I wanted to change the world. But I have found that the only thing one can be sure of changing is oneself.” — Aldous Huxley

Okay, so here is a bass-ackwards pearl, just because…. I started off collecting for a pearl on a point of Eastern philosophy, and how it differs from Western. That changed, into what seemed to be a collection of different ideas from separate philosophies, all of which were connected somehow. But, then it came to the final pearl, and it all fell into place…. What we have here is nothing more, and nothing less, than a complete philosophy of life, in five short lessons. Encompassed within the relatively non-existent confines of these principles, one from each of five different parts of the world, each from a different time in history, and from a different master of thought, is everything that one would need to live a life of complete rationality and peace. Sometimes, I just don’t know how I do it….. 🙂

‘Nuff said…. just meditate on the five truths, and you’ll get where you need to go….. and remember axiom 7 of Peruaosophy…. “Do your Duty. Honor the truth. Respect Life. Share your Love.”…. and all will be well….
__________________________________

Smart Bee was particularly cooperative today…. one of the best things it showed me was a new disclaimer. I am adding it below, because it mirrors my thoughts on this subject perfectly…… enjoy! Just replace the words “All software” with “Whatever gigoid wrote”, and it will all apply perfectly…..

NOTE: “No warranties, either express or implied, are hereby given. All software is supplied as is, without guarantee. The user assumes all responsibility for damages resulting from the use of these features, including, but not limited to, frustration, disgust, system abends, disk head-crashes, general malfeasance, floods, fires, shark attack, nerve gas, locust infestation, cyclones, hurricanes, tsunamis, local electromagnetic disruptions, hydraulic brake system failure, invasion, hashing collisions, normal wear and tear of friction surfaces, comic radiation, inadvertent destruction of sensitive electronic components, windstorms, the Riders of Nazgul, infuriated chickens, malfunctioning mechanical or electrical sexual devices, premature activation of the
distant early warning system, peasant uprisings, halitosis, artillery bombardment, explosions, cave-ins, and/or frogs falling from the sky.” — Smart Bee

I think that should about cover it….. if not, well, I’m sure you’ll let me know what I’ve forgotten, won’t you?…… Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

Only the only allowed on the promenade….

Posted on November 14, 2012 by gigoid

Ffolkes,
A lot of people saw the movie Forrest Gump; I finally joined that group some years after its release. It took that long because I have a problem with movies about Vietnam; not an objection, merely an uncomfortable reaction from my PTSD. I only found this out after going to see The Deer Hunter many years ago, when I was still working in the violent places I used to inhabit; my adrenal gland went nuts during the captivity and firefight scenes in the movie, dumping a load of epinephrine into my blood stream, which had me buzzing for hours, looking around for an enemy to engage. I can still get jittery when I hear those helicopters in the distance….. Whoops, here come the tears…..

Sorry, had to regain control… I was dripping on the keyboard…. Any who….. In Forrest Gump, the scenes from ‘Nam weren’t quite as bad, though bad enough in spots. But, what I really wanted to talk about was Forrest’s mother, who gave us the phrase that I believe should become our national motto…. “Stupid is as stupid does….” Boy, how true is THAT! It is a perfect pearl, and a perfect aphorism, or truism, or call it what you will…. it is a perfect lesson in life, and one that several million sore losers all over this country really need to take to heart…..

Yesterday, when I went over to Facebook to see what was happening for a few minutes, I noted some posts from this particular conservative Friend on my list. I’ve never actually met this woman, other than as a co-writer on a blogging site I used to frequent. Though a conservative politically, she has some ideas that are congruent with mine, so I’ve tried to be tolerant of the nonsense she posts, repeating all the lies and propaganda she hears from the pundits on her side of the issues. (Plus, it keeps me up to date on what the opposition is thinking, or what passes for that among them….) Now, however, she is starting to piss me off, and the latest BS from that group is enough to make my adrenaline flow…. There are a number of idiots in several states that voted for Romney who are so frightened, and so bitter, that they are talking about seceding from the Union…. I repeat, Stupid is as Stupid does…..

These people so frightened of the non-whites who have taken over “their” country that they continue to spout their racist agenda, in spite of having it pointed out to them how divisive they are being, merely raising the volume of the clamor they’ve created with their bigoted claims of prejudice on the opposing party. What they have failed to realize is that the world has passed them by, and their outdated attitudes are not shared by a very significant percentage of the Caucasian population….. At least 50% of the whites in this country support the President, and what he is trying to do by strengthening the middle class, and making healthcare and services available to those in society who need them, such as seniors, students, veterans, and the poor and disadvantaged.

All these foolish racists can see is that they worst nightmares have come true, and they are realizing that they now have nowhere to go to join a society that believes as they do. I saw one comment from a woman on FB that highlighted part of the issue…. This disgruntled racist said “I’m going to move to Australia, where the President is white, and Christian….” Unfortunately, this statement points out a big part of their problem, to wit: stupidity, compounded by deep ignorance…. First, Australia has a Prime Minister, not a President. Second, she is white, but she’s not a he…. and third, she’s an atheist…. Many more of the conservative whiners are threatening to move to Canada, but, then someone told them that Canada allows gay marriage (has done so for years….) and has socialized healthcare, just like the system they’re complaining about…..

These folks (who have lost the privilege and honor of being “ffolkes”, in my mind….) who are speaking treason (yes, treason…. they are definitely not patriots….), have their attitudes stuck back in 1864, and they really need to get over the Civil War, before they start another. But then, one of the primary characteristics of those who embrace racism and bigotry is a severe mistrust of education, so they have obviously forgotten the one about “those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.” I say, go ahead, let them secede, and then ignore them. Ostracism is a very, very powerful tool, and one they well deserve….

They don’t have the economic clout they would need to make themselves into a successful new country, nor do they have the support from anywhere else in the world (except a few dictatorships who would love to manipulate such idiots into joining their evil causes…. and those are the only ones in the world who would have anything to do with a country of white, fundamentalist Christian fanatics….). So, let them go, we’ll do fine without them, and they’ll find that the world at large is much less tolerant of their sort of stupidity, than were their former countrymen, who at least gave them the courtesy of allowing them to speak aloud without penalty…. they won’t find that to be true anywhere else….

Well…. hmm….. This introductory section seems to have gotten away from me a bit…. no pearl, yet a rant of some proportion came pouring out. I can see that this whole issue, of secession, is bothering me more than I had realized. It just seems so damn futile to me…. to get so fucking upset and bitter over losing an election that these fools would be willing to send this country into a Second Civil War, with all the concomitant pain and anguish, for both sides of the battle, seems to me to be the very epitome of what is STUPID! In this case, it is also very small minded and petty…. I mean, we who are not invested in keeping the white race supreme put up very nicely with Nixon, Johnson, Reagan, Ford, Bush I, and Bush II, all without ever crying or threatening secession. If they don’t like this administration, well, start looking for a candidate to put forward; it’s only four years, and their nightmare has to leave office, anyway….

But, for goodness’ sake, get over yourselves. Nobody gets to win every time in life, and your attitudes and beliefs, which are NOT consistent with what the rest of the world believes, are what is causing you all the trouble, as they are based on things that just aren’t true, and have no real validity in modern life. It is that simple, which is probably good, as they’ve already amply demonstrated a lack of ability to take in complicated ideas, and I wouldn’t want to confuse them any more than they are naturally, as a matter of course.

“To the intelligent man or woman, life appears infinitely mysterious. But the stupid have an answer for every question.” — Edward Abbey

SIGH…. now what will I do? I seem to have used up a lot of today’s verbiage in this lament over the stupidity of my countrymen (or, former countrymen, depending on their decision re: treason vs. patriotism….. makes no never mind to me which they choose….). I will make some attempt to keep the pearls below from getting so out of hand, since I’ve already taken this boat too close to the shores of indifference…. but, stubborn old fool that I am, I must go on…. Shall we Pearl?…..
__________________________________

“Virtue is but heroic bravery, to do the thing thought to be true, in spite of all enemies of flesh or spirit, in despite of all temptations or menaces.” — Albert Pike (1809-1891)

I like this quote; it speaks to both the philosopher and the warrior in me. My first thought, on reading it, was, “Cowardice might be said to be the reverse, that is, to NOT do the thing that one knows to be true, for whatever reason one may choose”… Any choice to abrogate one’s duty is the wrong choice, and when that choice causes pain or misery for others, it becomes not merely cowardice, but cruelty, and gives a new level of meaning to the word despicable.

One of the most important goals of anyone who wishes to consider themselves in a good light MUST be to seek to limit one’s own choices of that nature. We are all human, and weak by nature, in some respects; it takes training to make the will strong enough to overcome our instinctive reactions at times. Fear, and its companion, cowardice, can be powerful motivating factors, especially in times of perceived danger (even if the perception is false), and the ability to consistently overcome both can be a difficult task.

“Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong.” — Leo Buscaglia

I remember hearing this, from my own father, in fact, when I was a young boy, and the words he spoke were reinforced by his example. Though equipped with a powerful personality, he never exhibited any sort of belligerence, desire to control others, or hints of implied violence, except under circumstances that warranted such (such as in speaking with a bully who was abusing his wife in public….). Even at that time, he retained perfect control of his actions and words, but with such strength of will that he retained control of the situation without raising his voice. He merely made it clear that he was performing his duty, according to what he knew to be right, an act that, in his world, and mine thereby, requires no acknowledgment or reward.

“It is the main earthly business of a human being to make his home, and the immediate surroundings of his home, as symbolic and significant to his own imagination as he can.” — G. K. Chesterton, The Coloured Lands

The concept Mr. Chesterton presents here is one that, I believe, every person tries to accomplish in an instinctive fashion. But, not everyone who does so applies the same level of introspection, or strength of will, to what they imagine, or in what they try to make real. Our own current society is offering proof of this assertion, as the different visions of many millions of people all jockey for position as the primary viewpoint on which the culture uses for the justification of its actions. The clamor and cacophony that ensues is enough to drive a thinking man to drink, as conservatives vie with liberals, and fundamentalists parry and riposte with reformists, and society itself totters along toward the almost certain oblivion that will be a direct result of allowing a select few determine the course for all the rest…..

“Anything else you wish to draw to my attention, Mr. Holmes ?” “The curious incident of the stable dog in the nighttime.” “But the dog did nothing in the nighttime.” “That was the curious incident.” — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, “Silver Blaze”

Sadly, I am afraid that the incident will remain curious, with its solution never realized, as those who live for only themselves follow their path to self-destruction, which is inevitable when one ignores the laws of physics. I hold some hope that there are enough men and women of reason and honor to save the species in the end, but, that hope is not well supported by the evidence, or by reality’s current course. But, all I can do is all I can do, so I keep writing these little treatises, in my own attempt to arrange the universe to suit my inner vision of how it could be. It’s pretty much shouting into the wind, I know, but, hey, what do I have other than time?…..

“Do the right thing, regardless of what others think.” — Smart Bee

“YOW!! I’m in a very clever and adorable INSANE ASYLUM!!” — Zippy the Pinhead
__________________________________

Sharing the Wealth

Lucky are we who live with some adversity,
Such strife to bear leaves us strong and free.
Time is no better spent at a fine university
Teaching us the kind of person we wish to be.

We humans are such contrary creatures
Life lived in ease is our fondest intent.
New perceptions are our strongest features
Learning to cope with troubles we cannot prevent.

Lessons we learn at Trouble’s bent knee
Stay on top in the bag of tools we carry.
Knowledge so earned can keep us free
On our long, strange trip to Charon’s ferry.

Pain is the least favorite of our teachers
Yet such powerful lessons stay forever and a day.
No matter how life presents its features
Strength of will equals what life sends our way.

T’is well to consider such time-tested tools,
To carry them with us as we travel through Life.
Events are less likely to show us as fools,
as we deal with Reality, where peril is rife.

~~ gigoid

Well, it’s kind of simplistic, but, it’s all true, and it rhymes…. what more could I ask? What, you want brilliance? Sorry, not happening today, but, this will do…..
__________________________________

The universe we live in in truly wondrous and strange; of this there is little doubt, or argument. I appreciate that about reality, as it is certainly more entertaining than the one that many of my fellow inhabitants would have me acknowledge. There is so much more interesting stuff going on at the fringes of humanity than at the center…..

This isn’t to say that normal is bad; far from it. I like a spot of normal most of the time, it’s a very comfortable place to spend time. But, I’d really hate to get stuck there for very long, as it doesn’t suit my taste nearly as much as the spicy strangeness that abounds when one frees the imagination from the bounds of normalcy…..

In that spirit, I present now some little known pieces of a very familiar old character…. We all know of Pooh, and his innocent wisdom…. but, what many DON’T know is that he has a darker side…. Oh my, yes he does…. and here are just a few examples, straight from the horse’s, or bear’s, mouth…..

— Bother! said Pooh, as a woozle bit his bottom.

— Bother! said Pooh, as he hid Piglet’s corpse with Roo’s.

— Bother! said Pooh, as he carved Eeyore’s name in the black candle.

— Bother! said Pooh, I’m just a sweet transvestite.

— Bother! said Pooh, as his plastic love doll exploded.

— Bother! said Pooh, as he was accidentally neutered.

— Bother! said Pooh, as he adjusted Tigger’s head on the trophy wall.

Sorry if I’ve destroyed anyone’s illusions irreparably…. Well, actually, no, I’m not. It was fun…. so, deal with it. If I had fun, so can you….. 🙂
__________________________________

Wow…. I thought I’d never finish this one. Stuff just kept coming out…. but, I feel better now. I guess I’ll try to get something constructive done today….. right after my nap….. 🙂 Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you…..

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

gigoid

Kowabunga!

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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Exploring Consensual Reality

Tag Archives: Winnie the Pooh

Mesmerizing patterns in colorful silk….

Soon, my child, this will all be toast….

But, it’s never exploded before!….

Just another well-planned wardrobe malfunction….

Formerly from the circular file….

A valid reason to stay exfoliated….

It is often considered de rigeur to order dessert first….

Yak butter redux….

Prior to the arrival of thrills….

Only the only allowed on the promenade….

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