Ffolkes,

Hajime…. I am empty of words. Those five you see in the previous sentence are the best beginning I could think to write, which goes to show just how empty I am at this moment. In spite of the unexpected sleep that I got, I’m tired, and grumpy, and just not in the mood. For anything.

Since there is nothing to say, I suppose I’ll go with the flow, and try to get a Pearl done without any sort of input from any sort of creative force. Talk about trusting the process…. Now we will see just how reliable the process has become, or, we’ll see an even greater mess than usual. The only fair way to judge it will be from the other end, so, we’ll go there, as quickly as possible. In fact we’re leaving now….

Shall we Pearl?

“Those who really deserve praise are the people who, while human enough to enjoy power, nevertheless pay more attention to justice than they are compelled to do by their situation.” — Thucydides

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    Today I feel like hearing from a revolutionary artist. This man’s music is the best example I can think of, for he lived, and made his music, for the people…. He was Jamaican, but, his attitude about humanity was perfectly Irish, for he believed implicitly in their belief, to wit: It is in the shelter of each other that people live….. Enjoy, ffolkes; and, live up to the lyrics….

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    Since I’ve nothing fresh to say, here is a discussion of morality & ethics from the archives; it will do just fine for the mood I’m in….

From 2/12/13:

I am an asshole. A jerk. A prick. A foul-mouthed, misbegotten excuse for a human being…. I, as is true of virtually all seven billion of my peers on this planet, am nothing more than a hypocrite, deserving of eternal residence in the lowest pits of hell for my perfidy….. What, you might ask, prompted this viciously personal outburst of self-denigration? Well, let me tell you….

Most of us, at some point or another, sit down from time to time to think about our actions, those we are considering, and those we have acted out in the past, to get some perspective on how those actions have conformed to our ethical and moral beliefs. In other words, we sit in self-judgment; whether we do so to praise or to chastise doesn’t matter, ultimately, as long as it is an honest appraisal, and we do not flinch from owning up to our baseness where it is found…..

This is why I am forced to curse myself…. Because I’m not a Catholic,  or any other faith that espouses such mummery, (I don’t mean to pick on Catholics…. some of my best friends, etc…..  :lol:  ….. They’re just an example everyone recognizes, and can relate to as similar to their own….)….  Any who, because I’m not of that Tribe, I don’t have the luxury of confessing to a priest, who would then reassure me that I am still one of the Chosen Ones, and send me on my way having learned nothing but a false sense of entitlement.

I can’t just pass off what I may have done in my life to some faceless butthead in a dress, who, no doubt, has a great laugh at the expense of the penitent, when he and the other priests get together in the rectory for a few drinks, passing around all the latest tall tales and outtakes from the confessional booth…..

I consider myself to be a morally upright person, and hope that my actions reflect that. But, I know for certain that, like every other human being who ever lived, I don’t always live up to those moral beliefs, and fall from grace on occasion…. If I were a less honest man, I’d say that there were mitigating, or at least explanatory reasons for my failures to hold to my own standards, but, if I tried that, my Dad would kick my ass from now until Thursday the next time I see him, so I’m not going to take that chance…. I take full responsibility for my actions, base and cruel as they were, and no one can hold me in lower regard than I do….

I had considered using this venue as a confessional, to air out my transgressions on the stage of reality, but, I don’t think that would be any more ethical than confessing to a priest…. Confession may make a difference to the penitent, by absolving him/her from any lingering guilt that could adversely affect them (i.e., they feel better about themselves after receiving absolution…), but, in truth, it doesn’t mean a damn thing, as nothing is done to balance the scale, in a karmic sense, especially for whatever creature or person that was the victim of the cruelty. The only act that would mean anything would be for the perpetrator to use the experience to motivate them to two things….

One, to try to repair whatever hurt or pain they have caused another creature…. man, animal, doesn’t matter…. They don’t deserve to be victimized, no matter their form, and ALL one can do, to fix any harm they have caused, is the least they should do…. Second, use the experience as motivation to make a change in themselves, to act with greater understanding, greater compassion, and greater control over themselves and their feelings…. which is what guilt is all about, right?…. The difference is that, when one confesses to a priest, and receives absolution, there is no motivation to make any changes in their actions…. They know none is necessary, since they can relieve themselves of any guilt they may feel by confessing…. so, why bother?

On the other hand, when one assumes the responsibility for their own actions, the guilt doesn’t go away…. I will never forgive myself for some of the things that I’ve done in my life (nor will I share them in any attempt to gain forgiveness from anyone else…. it’s none of their fucking business….)(Besides, that whole confessional thing just sounds too much like a blackmail scheme…. the people who confess are sure putting their fate trustingly into the hands of those priests, aren’t they?). That simple fact is what keeps me from falling into the same ethical trap I did when I lost my cool, and acted without thinking,  or took my feelings out on innocent bystanders….. Not going to happen again, a sentiment which, I’m sure, is NOT what you can expect from any religicos after confession….

You will note that there are no pearls associated with this discussion…. That’s because I am such an asshole, none were needed to stimulate me into spilling my guts, so to speak…. Besides, I couldn’t find a proper pearl for the beginning of such a somber subject by the time I was ready to write about it…. But, Murphy must have liked the way I dissed myself, because, hunting for an appropriate closer, afterward, I found these two, which, together, make a grand finishing touch for this subject…. Think of them as bookends….

“Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by, and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught.” — J. C. Watts

Boy, that hits the nail on the head, doesn’t it?…..    I’ve got these two quotes reversed in the order in which they make the most sense, but, given the state of things here, that isn’t surprising, is it…. This is the one that probably should go at the front of this piece, so, just put it there in your mind, okay? Thanks….. (Note from 2014: Actually, you may, or even should, ignore all of these final comments about pearls, as they are currently out of context, given the fact the pearl that now graces the front of this discussion is so perfectly suitable….)

“We tell lies when we are afraid, . . . afraid of what we don’t know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger.” — Tad Williams, Spoken by Dr. Morgenes, To Green Angel Tower (part of — Memory, Sorrow and Thorn)

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    This is an older poem of mine, about an old friend of mine, my constant companion, pain…. It’s one of many, I’m afraid….

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    I don’t know, so, please, don’t ask. It’s just the way it came out, so, deal with it as if it were actually a real pearl…. It’s all I can suggest….

“By space the universe encompasses and swallows me up like a dot; by thought I encompass the Universe.” — Pascal, Pensees, n. 265

“Certainly the game is rigged. Don’t let that stop you; if you don’t bet, you can’t win.” — Lazarus Long

“A wise man first determines what is within his control; all else is then irrelevant.” — Epictetus

“You should hammer your iron when it is glowing hot.” — Publius Syrus — Maxim 262

“The great consolation in life is to say precisely what one thinks.” — Voltaire

“And that’s the way it is…” — Walter Cronkite

“‘Scuze me while I kiss the sky…” — Jimi Hendrix, Purple Haze

“Bert? Are you awake Bert?” — Ernie

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Well, it’s done, and that’s the best I can say of it. Moreover, I won’t try to make any excuses or apologies. I’ll just go now, and try to do better tomorrow, should that prove possible, or even imaginable. So be it. See y’all then, should I live through the day & night…. Odds are good….

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Ffolkes,

Hajime…. Lest I begin to list, either literally, or, metaphorically, let it be said, while there is still time and wherewithal to do so, we have never, ever been so fucking tired, or, for that matter, the other way around. Of course, such presupposes carnal activity, which is, sadly, currently not an issue in this house, so, perhaps we won’t say that after all. After all, if we said it, there’d be no taking it back, right? Okay, so, let’s just forget this entire paragraph, shall we? I think, if we are to make any progress at all today, that would be best.

In case it isn’t clear, I’m weary. And, not just from living with insomnia, either. I’m weary of the world at large, I think. Part of this is my current lack of social interaction, other than here on the internet, which, though pleasant and fulfilling, isn’t the same as face to face time with other people. Last evening, I dined with my daughter to celebrate her birthday a few days ago, a thoroughly enjoyable time. But, I realized it was the first time I’d actually spoken to another person in two weeks, outside my house, who wasn’t on the other side of a counter, or, standing in a line somewhere. Rather a come-uppance to my mindfulness of my own life and times, if you get my drift.

‘S okay, though; no big. It will give me a short-term personal goal for the nonce, just what I’d been looking for, to supplement my other personal plans for this year, all of which will take time to mature, as they involve the collection of resources over time. I know, pretty obscure, but, at the moment, the best I’ve got to talk about. I’ve had so much time with my old friend, and been so locked into flowing to cope with it, I’ve not had any time to think about writing, other than what was absolutely necessary to post each day…. SIGH. I’m such a wimp sometimes…. but, after a few moments, my natural buoyancy reasserts itself, and we go on, in spite of any crap such as this little chat, which has, quite obviously, lost its way in melancholic wandering around in my head.

So be it. We’ve reached at least one of the required levels of idiocy to call this an intro, yet, I feel it needs more. I suppose I could try some…. No, did that last month. I also did THIS last month, so should probably use another method here, too. Aw, fuck it. I’m done. Let’s go on down the page, without any more bullshit, okay? Sometimes, ya just gotta quit banging yer head against the wall….

Shall we Pearl?….

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Yesterday, a Gentle Reader mentioned this artist, whereupon I realized I’d never included any of his music here. To rectify such a cultural faux pas, I am including the longest live session I could find on the first page of You Tube, a concert from 1970 in Philadelphia. Since, at the time, he was the best rock guitarist alive, it promises to be pretty good…. When he succumbed to the BRC’s poisons in his life, we lost a man who was, perhaps, destined to be the best ever, for within his short time on Earth, he had already taken the guitar to heights never before seen, or even considered for a musical instrument, of any kind…. Quite simply, he was made of music…. and the PTB of society cannot tolerate such beauty for long…

Think about it…. Why else would drugs STILL be an issue in society, if the PTB didn’t want it that way?…. End of rant; enjoy the music….

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“The truth is that Christian theology, like every other theology, is not only opposed to the scientific spirit; it is also opposed to all other attempts at rational thinking. Not by accident does Genesis 3 make the father of knowledge a serpent- slimy, sneaking and abominable. Since the earliest days the church as an organization has thrown itself violently against every effort to liberate the body and mind of man. It has been, at all times and everywhere, the habitual and incorrigible defender of bad governments, bad laws, bad social theories, bad institutions. It was, for centuries, an apologist for slavery, as it was the apologist for the divine right of kings.” — H. L. Mencken

I’d intended to use Henry’s quote to discuss religion yet again. However, I fell out for a couple hours, awakening in time to finish today’s Pearl, but, not in time to rant on such a subject. As is our attitude today, so be it. Here’s one on the same subject from the archives, to fill in as we may. Enjoy!…

From 12/2/2012:

Now, this is the proper use of reason and inquiry! Such a small question, made gargantuan by the depth of its insight. Which one, indeed, is the real God? There are as many answers to this question as there are what I like to call “preachers”, for want of a better word (I should maybe try to pick a better one, I suppose….); “preachers” are men, or women, who have decided upon one particular system of beliefs on the subject of divinity as being the correct one, to the exclusion of all the others. In spite of the lack of hard evidence on hand for any of the different belief systems, these folks choose one, and stick to it like a barnacle…. which, come to think of it, is probably what it feels like, after a while….

Depending on to whom the question is put, the answer may vary from Odin the All Father of Norse mythology, to the God of Zoroaster, whose specific appellation escapes me just now. In between you will find God, also known as Yahweh/Jehovah to the those of the Tribe, Allah to the Muslims, and just plain old God to most of the Christian sects. There is the voodoo god, Jobu, in the Caribbean; Set, or Mammon, or any of the other ancient earth gods;  Ra of the Egyptians; Krishna, and all his incarnations, i.e., Kali, Yama, Ganesha, Maya, and the others in the Hindu pantheon. The American Indians seemed to favor the Great Spirit. Ancient Druids and Wiccans follow the Goddess, with gods and goddesses from the Greeks and Romans thrown into the mix, just for fun. The list seems as endless as human imagination….. which it is, since all of them spring from that source.

As far as I know, Buddha never claimed to be a god, and was, to my mind, not particularly clear on the subject of divinity, as directly related to humanity. The same seems true of Taoism, though certain of its sages seem to hold some of the old Chinese mythology beliefs on Heaven, and the creatures who inhabit that domain, another concept for which there is only imaginary evidence to support its veracity, and its reality. In this way, I see these philosophies as superior to the religious doctrines that purport to worship a deity, as they rely on reason, personal responsibility, and compassion to direct action, rather than fear of reprisal, or hope for reward, as is the wont of religious dogma and doctrine.

This perception of mine may be because I have always thought that the entire concept of a deity is not capable of being described, or understood, if one is to assume that a god is what it claims to be. How can a mortal understand an immortal? There is no common ground, other than the assumption of existence, for which there can be any reason for one to be connected to the other, as we could not comprehend their existence. We, limited to our human perceptions, have no direct evidence of a deity that can be experienced by those perceptions.

Anyone who tells you they do is lying, even if they believe it to be true, unless they can share that experience with another human, directly, with evidence for the senses we possess, not merely for what we wish to be true. Feelings don’t count, nor visions only seen by them, or voices in the head, and neither do personal revelations, or religious fevers, or speaking in tongues…. See, hear, touch, smell, taste…. that’s what we have, along with the ability to reason, and our imagination. That is our tool kit, and unless one of the tools fits, it isn’t real, to our perceptive ability. Items purported to be evidence that come from imagination are just that…. imaginary, and cannot be considered proof of anything other than the naivete of the speaker, and of any who choose to believe them.

SIGH…. People are people, though, and they will choose what to believe according to what they feel, most of the time, rather than according to what is the truth, which requires effort to find. It has even been said that humans have a tendency more often than not to make choices that are bad for them, just for that reason, that it is too much effort to think their way through to the truth that would ultimately help them. As long as this is true, then our species is in danger, from itself, and its own delusions…. Sad, in a species of such promise…..

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Considering I put in half a night & part of a day to get this done, I’ll take it, no matter how it floats, or, whether it floats at all. In fact, I’ll use this opportunity to get us all out of here, allowing us to get on with the day. I hardly need to mention, I will be back tomorrow, apparently whether I sleep, or not. Oh, well…. See y’all then….

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Ffolkes,

Hajime…. As I sit to begin this morning, I am struck by just how important to my sanity this process has become. Of course, sanity is a question-begging term for most folks, Most ffolkes, too. For me, it’s not a question, at all, at all. I am crazy as a bed-bug, as the saying goes, but, rather than suffer from it, I tend to revel in it. But, then, I am strange, and have accepted it as reality. In fact, being ‘tetched’, as it were, has afforded me untold opportunities in Life, of which otherwise I might never have seen or heard, to my everlasting regret. Since I don’t believe in regrets, I chose insanity.

You see, insanity is not the boojum most folks would have us believe. It is merely another of the many states of mind we humans can adopt, a state which, in truth, is merely another method humans have developed to deal with a big, scary universe they don’t always understand. It isn’t, as we are told, a bad method, it’s merely strange, compared to what most people have experienced. Strange and different don’t always have to mean ‘bad’; if it works to help the person deal with life more effectively than their previous method, well, so be it, in my book. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

But, the rest of the world doesn’t much like strange and different; those two adjectives have, unfortunately, been given a bad rap, in my estimation, and needn’t be viewed askance any more than any other such superlatives. In fact, they offer many advantages the merely sane are unable to even perceive, and, in their own way, are honorable methods for dealing with Life at Large. Well, I find them so, anyway….

I think I’m lost. I haven’t a clue how we got to this point, other than by indulging my own talent for blather. Since we’ve gotten to this point without having any real direction, perhaps it would be best to get on with the show, before we reach the point of no return. We need the return, for the deposit. Therefore, I am calling a halt to any further nonsense, sense, or blather, and will now flip this little switch right over here, which should take us directly to the oyster beds, express-style…. Hang on….

Shall we Pearl?….

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The musical selection for today is an example of pure self-indulgence. I feel like listening to something both soothing, and hot. I can’t think of a better artist to cover both. Here is a live concert from the Oakland Coliseum in 1989. It just doesn’t get any better than this, ffolkes, not in my world…. Enjoy, if you will….

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    Yesterday, for a time, before my back & shoulders began to react to the oncoming rain we’re expecting today, I spent time commenting on a friend’s blog. He posts mostly about politics and issues in the Middle East, and can be found here: https://lobotero.com/ 

My comments became rather a lengthy series of mini-rants, and, apparently, have cleared out any angst that had built up. So, in today’s section reserved for such ranting, you get an old-school pearl, designed to create more angst, or, as we like to call it sometimes, stimulating our rage against the Machine…. It isn’t the most pointed pearl ever, but, it gets rather esoteric and strange in spots…. As well, it’s got some rather tasty shots…. Enjoy!….

“The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.” — Aristotle

“In all levels of life, the sheep are safe only when the wolves are not hungry.” — F. J. Lovret

“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

“When I was seven years old, I was once reprimanded by my mother for an act of collective brutality in which I had been involved at school. A group of seven-year-olds had been teasing and tormenting a six-year-old.  It is always so, my mother said. You do things together which not one of you would think of doing alone…. Wherever one looks in the world of human organization, collective responsibility brings a lowering of moral standards. The military establishment is an extreme case, an organization which seems to have been expressly designed to make it possible for people to do things together which nobody in his right mind would do alone.” — Freeman Dyson, Weapons and Hope

“A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.” — Paul Simon

“King Arthur and his armored goons of the Round Table functioned as the Politburo of a slave state: Camelot. Of all who have written on the Matter of Arthur, from Malory to White, only Mark Twain understood this. But Mark Twain was a great writer.” — Edward Abbey

“How many Presidential family members does it take to screw in a light bulb in the White House? Two, Hillary for her office, Bill for the rest of the White House.” — Snarky Bee

“I am quite sure that (bar one) I have no race prejudices, and I think I have no color prejudices or caste prejudices nor creed prejudices. Indeed I know it. I can stand any society. all that I care to know is that a man is a human being – that is enough for me; he can’t be any worse.” — Mark Twain — Harper’s Magazine, September, 1899

“If voting could change the system it would be illegal.  If not voting could change the system it would be illegal.” — Schroedinger’s Cat

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Having fulfilled the minimum requirements for a Pearl of Virtual Wisdom, we shall take our leave. We shall, in the interim before our return, attempt strongly to rid ourselves of this damnable royal “we” into which we keep stumbling. We are hopeful of success. We are also outta there, until the morrow. Count on it….

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Ffolkes,

“Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice.
Tolerance in the face of tyranny is no virtue.”

~~ Barry Goldwater ~~

Violet Moore & sons, circa 1917….

Image from the Moore Family archives….

Hajime…. The people you see in the above photo are my relatives, to wit: My grandmother, my father, and his younger brother, one of two he had. When the photo was taken, I believe my grandfather was still off fighting in WWI, somewhere in Europe. I love it, and not just because they’re my ‘people’, as they’d say in the South. It’s a great snapshot of the time, & given the personal connection, tells me a lot about the people who are in it. In particular, though I didn’t know her until much later in her life, the expression on my grandmother’s face tells me a story, and enhances what I know of her, with her kindness, humor, and patience obvious for anyone with wit to see….

As an old fart with broken emotions, just looking at this picture makes me a little weepy, but, in a good way. I guess the old saw among women, regarding tears, is true; some tears are happy tears, that come when one feels so much love, it has to come out, and the tears are how they can be shared. Maybe it’s not true, but, it feels true…. So be it. It’s family, and needs no excuse for love to be felt…

I guess such an emotional opening rather limits the direction we can take from here. Rather than try to find one that will efficiently segue into the material below, I’ll just use the “fade away” method to move us along to where we need to go. Such indulgence isn’t at all normal, but, when have we ever worried about being normal? To be honest, I wouldn’t know quite how to react if anyone ever accused me of being so… but, that’s another story, for another time. For now, we’ll just do this, and be done with it….

Shall we Pearl?….

“But first, are you experienced?”

~~ Jimi Hendrix ~~

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I spent a lot of time this morning, pre-pearl, to write a friend to whom I owed a letter; unfortunately, this pushed me over into time I needed to spend to get this done. The end result of this is not having the time to… wait a minute! I’ve got a Tardis! What was I thinking? Okay, never mind. We’ve got classical music today, simply because I like it. Deal with it; I must, and so must y’all…. Try to enjoy it, anyway… It is, after all, some of the best music ever played, y’know?….

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Mozart Symphonies 1-20

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Confidentially Paranoid

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

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

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

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

~~ gigoid ~~

2/25/2015

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Naked Pearls

Fun with Karma….

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“…The Universe is thronged with fire and light,
And we but smaller suns, which, skinned, trapped and kept
Enshrined in blood and precious bones, hold back the night.”

~~ Ray Bradbury ~~

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“It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible,
but also for what we do not do.”

~~ Moliere ~~

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“Everyone who lives dies, but not everyone who dies has lived.”

~~ No Fear ~~

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“You can’t just feel happy; to feel anything you have to feel everything.”

~~ Callan Williams ~~

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“If you would know a man, observe how he treats a cat.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

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“We’re tossed by the winds of fate, Maggie Mae.
Once we end where they blow us, we make of ourselves what we will.”

~~ Niall Feeney, in Nora Roberts’ “Born In Fire” ~~

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“It’s so much more friendly with two.”

~~ Piglet, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne ~~

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Well, there you go… or, rather, there ’tis. Done, and done in time, if not comfort. So far today, I’ve written a long letter, had two cuppas, and faked a routine. I’ve also completed a Pearl, for what it’s worth. To me, it’s worth what I paid for it, if nothing else. Y’all will have to make up your own minds as to whether the cost was worth it, or not. Me, I’m outta here. Of course, I’ll be back, but, I don’t want to scare anybody…. See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Ffolkes,

“If it’s a despot you would dethrone,
see first that his throne erected within you is destroyed.”

~~ Kahlil Gibran, 1923 ~~

Bougainvillea blooming….

Hajime…. I made it. The holiday is past, for most of the world, and I didn’t go postal. This, naturally, can be considered a victory, mostly. Mostly, I’d just as soon forget the whole month, in many respects, though it was not without moments of exquisite irony, to be sure. But, it’s also mostly gone, so, I can tone down the intensity of my self-control a bit, knowing much of the danger is past. Oh, no danger for me; just for the mundanes. It’s nice to be able to leave off the vest, and only carry the usual number of concealed weapons, rather than the full complement. Less weight, easier on the back, y’know?….

Okay, okay, I’ll just drop the whole subject. I really don’t feel like ranting, except that I do. In this case, it’s for the best if I just note the degree of angst present today, take the necessary precautions, and get on with posting today’s mess. Really, you don’t really want to know the rest; trust me on this. To forgo any further discussion, which may prove unhelpful, I’m using my executive privilege to declare this intro complete, as is… I know it’s too early, and y’all don’t even have your orders placed. But, it can’t be helped; if we don’t go now, the ensuing explosion could throw us completely out of orbit, & it’s best we don’t test that particular potential eventuality. Instead, let’s do this….

Shall we Pearl?

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

~~ Jimi Hendrix ~~

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The Lads

This morning, I wanted some music/entertainment to give the Gentle Reader two things; one, an idea of how I feel today, having survived another Xmas season of insanity. Second, I wanted something fun, or, at minimum, light-hearted, without becoming maudlin, or sappy. A light flashed on in my head at that point, and the name of this movie came scrolling across the ticker-tape in my head; hence, this most excellent blast from the past…. I hope you enjoy it; it’s a classic, you know….

Late note: None of the links on You Tube for the full movie were free; all required some sort of payment, or registration. So, here is a collection of video clips from the movie, with some extras thrown in…. It’s worth it to hear the music, if nothing else…. and, gives an idea of why I don’t much enjoy the Christmas season, due to the commercial flavor of all going on…. Enjoy anyway!….

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The Beatles
“A Hard Day’s Night”

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Lamenting Empathy, No Grace

Strange, strong, passions burn from within
Selling nothing short, nor out
Consumed, loudly, failing to mark the spin
Sad, resigned, in singular redoubt.

Fallow grounds for twisted seed
Become fated, grow, and die.
Experience never fills critical need
Save perhaps once, in ages gone by.

Shouting in severe, dulcet tone
Brittle, flaking, destiny floats away
Making noise, rattling the bone
Simply ageless fears held at bay.

We mask our illusions in faux belief
Tied to reality by matter of rote,
Send them postcards, without relief
Consecrated time, forever remote.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/19/2014

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

Naked Pearls

On the path to an eternal Now….

*******

“My standard answer for that is, I don’t know.”

~~ Honest Bee ~~

*******

“Nothing exists except for atoms and space; everything else is opinion.”

~~ Democritus ~~

*******

“A bird does not sing because it has an answer.
It sings because it has a song.”

~~ Chinese proverb ~~

*******

“Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

*******

“Nothing is more dangerous than an idea…if it’s the only one you’ve got.”

~~ St. Thomas Aquinas Bee ~~

*******

“Well, Darkness has a hunger that’s insatiable,
And Lightness has a call that’s hard to hear.”

~~ Indigo Girls ~~

*******

“You thought, as a boy, that a mage is one who can do anything.
So I thought, once. So did we all.
And the truth is that as a man’s real power grows and his knowledge widens,
ever the way he can follow grows narrower:
until at last he chooses nothing,
but does only and wholly what he “must” do.”

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin, _A Wizard of Earthsea_ ~~

*******

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

Now disaster has been averted, (neatly, too, I might add…), I’m going to end this here, using a little bit of that leftover executive privilege mentioned in the intro. I’m not certain it is still valid, but, it will do for our purpose today. To make sure that happens without delay, or consequence, I shall bid thee adieu, until next time. If all goes as planned, that will be tomorrow morning, same time, same bat-station. And, no, I don’t know why; it’s just the way it is….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Ffolkes,

“Love withers under constraint:
its very essence is liberty:
it is compatible neither with obedience, jealousy, nor fear.

~~ Percy Bysshe Shelley ~~

Bursting with summer color….

Hajime…. The area of the world in which I reside, northern California, is currently experiencing an intense wave of heat. Yesterday, it reached 97ºF (36ºC) in the little seaside town where I hang, which put both Leelu and I into a state much akin to comatose. At 9 PM it was still 90º, so, sleeping was somewhat problematic. We survived, though, if uncomfortably. Since the coming week is predicted to be even hotter (Wow! But, climate change is a myth, right?), I’m considering spending it sitting in a tub of cool water….

If I were less empathetic, I’d turn on the fan for Leelu, & go find an air-conditioned place to hang for a while. But, that would be rather rude, making my familiar go through that alone. She’d live; her species evolved in the desert, & she’s well adapted, instinctively knowing how to deal with such temperatures, by, mostly, not moving. But, I’d feel guilty the whole time, knowing I was being selfish….If she liked to swim, I’d have her join me in the tub, but, though water fascinates her, it isn’t enough to make her want to immerse herself in it; she shares the usual cat philosophy, which prompts them to mostly refrain from having much to do with it, unless thirsty, or watching it run….

There, I think that should be enough chatty conversation for one day. I’m glad I got it all out at once; it’ll save time later, not having to meet the quota. Since I reached this plateau rather quickly, showing an unprecedented degree of efficiency for 5 AM, I’ll use the empathy I possess, what little of it there may be, to issue an order to cease & desist, with the additional hope my fingers get the message, before haring off into another tangential paragraph. To ensure compliance, I’ll resort to trickery. Look! Over there! Isn’t that Elvis?….. Okay, so, it’s just Leelu. It got us here, didn’t it? Sheesh… So much for trying something new….

Shall we Pearl?….

If six turned out to be nine, I don’t mind.

~~ Jimi Hendrix ~~

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

Though not, technically, late, yet, I’m feeling the pressure of deadline; probably it’s just my own, (well, not probably; ’tis undoubtedly mine…). In such cases, when I’m feeling a bit washed out, or, just lazy, this is our default choice. As is the usual case, as well, the one chosen had the picture that caught my eye…. Enjoy, if you will….

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

Classical Music

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

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

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

Sublimation

In the deepest, darkest hours of the night,
horror drapes the shadow of fear on a tortured mind.
Endless, hopeless, wave after wave of fright
weave a tapestry shroud, stifling, brutally unkind.

Fear, then pain, trade off in durance vile,
offering only blackness as a temporal guide.
No moments of clarity, no comfort, no guile
with no respite, nor any safe place to hide.

Hour after hour, time stops dead in its tracks,
the path back to sanity ends, no big surprise.
Every passing second becomes new hope, dashed,
while our remaining strength fades and dies.

God shall never be forgiven, nor ever praised.
No such pale, sad illusion can explain such reality.
Any reasonable chance for joy to be raised,
requires more than mere ghostly personality.

Hope isn’t needed if one finds the center of the soul;
all the answers we ever need are there.
Killing fear, creating joy in life, for these there’s no toll.
Love, friendship, laughter, are ever the healthiest fare.

~~ gigoid ~~

12/1/2015

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

Naked Pearls

Notes on Life at Large….

*******

“Read nature; nature is a friend to truth.”

~~ Edward Young ~~

*******
‘
The real questions are the ones that obtrude upon your consciousness
whether you like it or not,
the ones that make your mind start vibrating
like a jackhammer,
the ones that you “come to terms with”
only to discover that they are still there.
The real questions refuse to be placated.
They barge into your life at the times
when it seems most important for them to stay away.
They are the questions asked most frequently
and answered most inadequately,
the ones that reveal their true natures
slowly, reluctantly,
most often against your will.”

~~ Ingrid Bengis ~~

*******

“In order to be, never try to seem.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

*******

“The world is so constructed,
that if you wish to enjoy its pleasures,
you must also endure its pains.
Whether you like it or not,
you cannot have one without the other.”

~~ Swami Brahmananda ~~

*******

“When the situation is desperate,
it is too late to be serious.
Be playful.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

*******

“The truth knocks on the door and you say,
Go away, I’m looking for the truth,
and so it goes away.
Puzzling.”

~~ Robert Pirsig (quoted in “Zen To Go”, Jon Winokur) ~~

*******

“You are on a well traveled path.”

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

*******

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

A quick perusal of what happened above shows a relatively iconic Pearl; all the correct elements have been included, & the quality level is acceptable. Since it has the added attractive feature of being done, I suppose the best idea is to end it here. The closing section, after all, exists solely for that purpose; who am I to challenge destiny? Well, I guess, like any human, that’s not really relevant, since that particular habit seems ingrained in our species. Rather than explore such a deep well now, I’ll merely say, see y’all tomorrow, ffolkes, should that destiny come to be. And, that’s a wrap….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Ffolkes,

“It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion;
it is easy in solitude to live after our own;
but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd
keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”

~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~~

Mount Tamalpais from the northern SF Bay….

Hajime…. My journey into the depths of the machine yesterday turned into the expected nightmare, in which it seemed reality was determined to furnish me with numerous assaults upon my sensibilities, testing my resolve, as well as my control, both of which proved to be sufficient, if only just, to prevent leaving any corpses behind me as I wended my way across the desolate landscape, in a desperate search to find one redeemable instant of time. No luck there; this travesty of our former democratic republic’s process of finding justice is as broken as the rest of our society; I witnessed nothing to indicate that “justice” was the goal of any of it.

Added to the apparent lack of intelligent purpose in which they insist on pursuing, my physical issues decided to chime in, making it essentially impossible for me to participate with any degree of comfort, much less any ability to maintain my cool; fortunately, a compassionate drone used some bureaucratic expertise to excuse me for the day, which is the good news. The bad news is, it was merely postponed to a later date, so, I must contemplate having to do this again in a month, unless I can talk my doctor into writing a letter to get me out of it…. SIGH… I suppose, given the potentially disastrous outcomes that were both possible, and, showing strong odds of occurring, the way it came out is more good news. The bad part is having to deal with it again later…. Life in Dystopia, I guess…

I was so morose by the time I finished dealing with all that, I decided to blow off the rest of the day, then went out & treated myself to a good meal at a good restaurant, complete with cocktails & wine…. It helped, but, has complicated this morning’s agenda with the resultant hangover…. Go figure, eh? Ah well, ’twas well worth it….

All the above, though it wanders about in much confusion, was pointing to this instant in time, where I inform y’all of having to rather ruthlessly trim today’s (semi-) complete Pearl, into the abbreviated version you will find below. In fact, all you’ll see today are the pearls I collected for the old school section, and the two most excellent examples you found atop and at bottom of this section…. In fact, the closing pearl for this intro makes a rather accurate assessment of my day yesterday, so, at least we have that to hold onto as something positive to note… It ain’t much, but, it don’t take much to make me happy…. In my current state, I’ll take it….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Mit der Dummheit kaempfen Goetter selbst vergebens.”

[Against stupidity the very gods contend in vain.]

~~ Friedrich Schiller, “The Maid of Orleans”, Act iii, Sc. 6 ~~

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

Naked Pearls

“As it is written….”

*******

“A single event can awaken within us
a stranger totally unknown to us.
To live is to be slowly born.”

~~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~~

*******

“And can you teach me to how to dance real slow?”

~~ Don McLean, “American Pie” ~~

*******

“The world is what it is, no less and no more,
and therein lies its entire and sufficient meaning.”

~~ Edward Abbey ~~

*******

“Change can be exhilarating, joyous, liberating.
But it can also be terrifying,
because, in a deeper sense,
you are questioning your very identity and sense of value.
But take the risk.
It’s worth it.”

~~ Dee Hock ~~

*******

“Do not seek death; death will find you.
But seek the road which makes death a fulfillment.”

~~ Dag Hammarskjold ~~

*******

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

~~ Jimi Hendrix ~~

*******

“There will come a time when you think everything is finished.
That will be the beginning.”

~~ Louis L’Amour ~~~

*******

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

Considering the multitudinous handicaps with which I saddled myself today, I’m pretty stoked at just getting this done, which it is. Done, I mean. In fact, it’s so done, I’m outta here, so I can pull it together enough to, maybe, get another one done for tomorrow. Odds on that are running about even, so, we’ll see how it goes. I hope y’all had, and have, a better day than described above… I guess that wouldn’t take much, would it? Okay, so, I also hope you have a day you can enjoy…. Me, I’m goin’ back to bed awhile…. then, we’ll see what reality has to offer up for today…. See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Ffolkes,

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

~~ Stripes the tiger ~~

I spy a spider!….

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

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

Shall we Pearl?….

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

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

~~ from “Dune” by Frank Herbert ~~

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

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

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

Piff The Magic Dragon

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

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

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

Denial of Comfort

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

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

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

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

~~ gigoid ~~

9/19/2012

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

Naked Pearls

Hmmm….

*******

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

~~ J. R. R. Tolkien ~~

*******

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

~~ Rush, “Roll The Bones” ~~

*******

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

~~ Ursula K. LeGuin ~~

*******

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

~~ Leonard Roy Frank ~~

*******

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

~~ Subtle Bee ~~

*******

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

~~ R. Crumb ~~

*******

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

~~ Jimi Hendrix ~~

*******

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

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

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Ffolkes,

“The truth is straight ahead so don’t burn yourself instead;
try to learn  instead of burn–hear what I said.”

~~ Jimi Hendrix ~~

Study in light & shadow….

Hajime…. Well, he said, it’s finally done. Since it is, he added, let’s forgo any nonsense, & just get it posted, without any of the usual folderol (great word….). In fact, we’re probably going to cause a bit of surprise, if not outright shock, at the suddenness of the shifts and changes you’ll experience today. Just in case you feel some skepticism, watch closely….

Shall we Pearl?….

“If all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap,
whence everyone must take an equal portion,
most people would be contented to take their own and depart.”

~~ Socrates ~~

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

Given the length of time I had to find something, I suppose it’s a bit of a letdown to find I’ve gone with a default selection. So be it; at least it’s done. Moreover, it’s done well, with some of the finest music ever written…. Enjoy!….

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

Chopin
Classical Music

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

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

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

Though less troublesome of late, personal demon wars continue to be waged on occasion. This one is from a time when I was trapped in some of Hell’s lower regions…. Thank goodness THAT’S over & done…

Banishing demons….

Endless nights lead inexorably into endless days
while the battle for peace rages.
Lost arts find new meaning used in new ways;
to burn, yearn, and turn all the new pages.

Darkness falls heavily on bowed shoulders, contrite;
fireworks travel fast in nervous tissue.
The pace is kept, clean, but, never erudite;
such a pale tale of ancient issue.

Peering in terror down long, long halls of night
brings only confusion, destitute in sorrow.
Cannot time become our enemy, eager to fight
on the side which may never see tomorrow?

The longing gaze of passion, for reason to live,
must fall ever more faithfully into sedition,
else the clinging visions we claim to give,
shall not prevent reaching inevitable perdition.

Rising up, clarity of purpose shines the light of day
upon such a desolate landscape of absent release.
There is no escape, no furthering of the way.
Time never knows how to grant peace.

~~ gigoid ~~

Yep. It’s new. Written last night, 11/23/2015, amazingly enough, in between bouts of pacing & twitching. Oh, joy!…. It helps. A little…..

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

Naked Pearls

Signposts….

*******

“True merit, like a river, the deeper it is,
the less noise it makes.”

~~ Lord Halifax (1633-1695) ~~

*******

“It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible,
but also for what we do not do.”

~~ Moliere ~~

*******

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

~~ Steven Stills ~~

*******

“Happiness follows sorrow,
sorrow follows happiness,
but when one no longer discriminates
between happiness and sorrow,
a good deal and a bad deed,
one is able to realize freedom.”

~~ Buddha ~~

*******

“All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.”

~~ Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace ~~

*******

“By space the universe encompasses and swallows me up like a dot;
by thought I encompass the Universe.”

~~ Pascal, Pensees, n. 265 ~~

*******

“Listen to the colour of your dreams.”

~~ John Lennon 1966 ~~

*******

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

There you have it, ffolkes. Not the greatest Pearl ever written, but, it’s got all the correct parts, so, we’re gonna fly with it. I cannot say with any degree of accuracy how long I’ll be absent this time; sitting down has become not merely problematic, but, actively painful to an extreme, to the point where I’m actively reluctant to do so at all. C’est la vie…. no choice but to obey my body’s demands. I’ll do my best to keep in touch, but, I have a feeling my days of consistency in posting are well past…. Sorry for my absence from y’all’s web sites, too; reading is getting harder every day, as I continue to slowly lose visual integrity, (translation: I’m going blind…) SIGH. Ah well, life goes on, & the BBR is calling me. I’ll be spending more time there than here, but, will try to drop in to check in when I can…. Y’all be well & happy, & stay strange…. See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….

Ffolkes,

“Be virtuous and you will be eccentric.”

~~ Mark Twain ~~

Congress is in session….

For the first five-plus years I wrote this blog, I posted every day, almost without fail. I had found producing it each day offered me the best way to feel sane, and whole, a condition which, at the time, was difficult to attain, as I was in severe pain much of the day, a condition I found to be counter-productive, to say the least. After finally gaining some control over my health issues, & finding the proper eay to treat them, the ensuing better health had an unplanned effect, to wit: I felt less need to spew out my thoughts on the internet, and less need to maintain my relative sanity by that method alone. Exercise and human interaction became more entertaining, and more attractive than it had for many years.

I remained, and still remain, a curmudgeon at the core, but, there are now more frequent instances of breakthrough empathy, and I find it more pleasant to discuss philosophy face to face with others than to write about it, & use delayed discussion, via email or comments online, as a means of interaction. I also don’t seem to feel any emotional loss for having abandoned most of my online community, at least on the primary level it once enjoyed; face to face interaction, though less ordered, & less predictable, is nonetheless more emotionally satisfying. I suppose that fits in with being human; we humans NEED to experience community, & the more intimate, up-close & personal it is, the better we like it.

This change in my personal weather pattern has had the effect of slowing down my work online; I can’t seem to find the inner angst necessary to drive me to post each day. Nor do I feel much sense of loss, & what I do feel is mostly connected to the 20 or 30 ffolkes who have been my ‘mates’ of longest standing. The real world is, after all, more compelling than the digital world, perhaps because it connects to both mind AND body at once. I am unsure of exactly why I find such amiguity preferable; I just know I do. As I have been known to say, so be it…..

On that plaintive, yet somehow positive note, I’ll leave off this wandering introspection, & get on with posting what I’ve cobbled together for today. It’s a pretty good one, if perhaps, as it’s author, a bit ambiguous. As Gilda Radner noted, ambiguity, in terms of reality, is delicious….

Shall we Pearl?

“It is an open question whether any behavior
based on fear of eternal punishment can be regarded as ethical
or should be regarded as merely cowardly.”

~~ Margaret Mead ~~

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

Jimi Hendrix

This artist needs no introduction, at least, not for anyone from my generation. Even older folks know of Jimi, and the newer generations seem to know him well, also; his music is timeless, in its way. But, then, genius usually has that effect on normal people…. This is an old video, but has great sound, so, enjoy!….

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

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

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

Gently Came a Wounded Child

But you shall not escape my iambics.

Soft, sinuous patterns of unearthly beauty
blithely commune with sinking stars,
as pale shadows of former virtue hover
near, ever clean, ever tolerant.
These unbidden habits are worn with age and care,
ready now for dissolution,
welcoming gladly the kiss of Death’s handmaiden.

Unknown to all, the child stands aside,
weeping for the lost days of youth,
days that now shall never be,
nor yearned for ever after.
Only darkness shall lay upon the landscape,
cold, hard, eternal.

Such then are the signs and portents
as we enter into the unknown future,
they are grave indeed.

Uncertainty will be our sole companion,
as the search for hope yields no result.
The lamentations of the gods
shall sound the elegy for Man,
who never learned to see the gift that was made,
so many echoes ago, in the hopeful past;
thus will we pass this plane of existence
as we came, baffled and afraid….

~~ gigoid ~~

written 2/2/201

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

Naked Pearls

Oddly enough….

*******

“A short saying oft contains much wisdom.”

~~ Sophocles (496-406 BC), “Aletes”, Frag. 99

********

“You’re not the only one who’s made mistakes,
but they’re the only things that you can truly call your own.”

~~ Billy Joel, “You’re Only Human” (Second Wind) ~~

********

“I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

~~ T.S. Eliot ~~

********

“Chaos is but unperceived order.”

~~ attributed to Fred Hoyle ~~

********

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether twenty or eighty.”

~~ Henry Ford ~~

********

“Happiness follows sorrow,
sorrow follows happiness,
but when one no longer discriminates
between happiness and sorrow,
a good deal and a bad deed,
one is able to realize freedom.”

~~ Buddha ~~

********

“Forget what you know and learn.”

~~ Roger von Oech ~~

********

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

Such as it is, here ’tis; I do hope you’ve enjoyed our little foray into uncertainty. I know I have, so much so I will, no doubt, do this again in the near future. As noted above, I probably won’t post every day, but, every second or third day seems as if it will work just fine. Until I do return, y’all be well, be happy, & stay strange, In the midst of the current capitalist frenzy involved in this “season of giving” (funny how giving to the poor got turned into what we now see…), being strange is one of your most effective defenses…. Works for me, anyway…. See ya, ffolkes….

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

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

Which is Why….

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

gigoid, the dubious

The *only* duly authorized Computer Curmudgeon.

PLEASE STOP READING THIS MESSAGE NOW.

“SCRAM!!!!!!!!!!”- Oscar the Grouch

À bientôt, mon cherí….