Weblog 80
August 19, 2007~ 12:15am
If you haven't read Jim Harrison's newest book yet- "Returning To Earth"- pick it up and read it! I don't know when I've ever read such a positive take on humanity. It comes upon you gently, like a breeze, and it leaves the same way. The subject sounds as if it has to be depressing because the main character of Donald is a man dying of Lou Gehrig's disease- it is anything but sad.
Donald is a native American, married to a privileged white woman in a union that first began they were both in their teens and Donald worked for her father- a truly damaged human being, a wealthy alcoholic and sexual predator whose actions affect the lives of both his children: Cynthia, Donald's wife- and her mooncalf brother David, who spends his life attempting to attone for his father's sins.
Donald is by far one of most spiritually-developed persons I've ever come across in fiction, and his reminiscences- and the reminiscences of all the eccentric main characters, are full of what should be horrifying details- but they are never narrow. They are so reflective that from their mouths, the harshest details fall on the softest surfaces of forgiveness and wisdom. This is a healing book. It is a gift, so pick it up and soak it in. You'll be happy you did.
August 19, 2007~ 12:45am
I thought you might like to see the exquisite clutter in both halves of my life....the work place, and at home....
Although I always think I long to have a space that is cleanly stripped of all unnecessary accoutrements- alas, I am a packrat and a filler of all available space. LOL!! Oh.... and that workload sitting there?--- that was one's days labor. {{{{{{{{{sigh}}}}}}}}}}
August 19, 2007~ 1:00am
I came across the most telling article about online moral turpitude-- you know......the murky morass so many of us get caught up in. Look at these comments , and then read Pollack's article, the link at the very bottom of the page.
How many cyber travelers have found their way to those shady inns, and awakened in the morning- or after a year or more of mornings- and thought: WHAT WAS I THINKING?? Such dumb, damaging-- dishonest-- and completely manufactured misery. Why do human beings do it? The masquerading, the flight from life into the pixels of perdition.... I did dumb things myself early on- shortly after I first got my computer, just because I could- because the absolute FREEDOM to do anything was so heady, but as with many of us, experimentation quickly turned to self-loathing. We finally wake up---- too many of us do not.
Why take something as inaminate, as unreal as the internet and pretend that it's an actual life with someone for Christ's sake? Why compromise yourself like that? (Well yes, I know that some are bereft in actual life and are lonely, disturbed, shy)-- but too many others are simply conniving and greedy sorts who are trying to resurrect Lazurus again and again- that 'first time', first thrill is addictive-- those dangerous currents....that bloom that died years ago, re-blossomed.
For those...well, I hope you get the Medusa or the Jack the Ripper you richly deserve. All is not what it seems.......a 'lovely thing' or a 'courtly gent' may turn out to be something quite different. There are a thousand faces out there for every nickname and you're picking straw lots, aren't you? Just who IS it at the other end of the connection, and how many of 'them' are there?
You never know. Be careful, be discerning and wise, and if you have a life, don't start another you may quickly find is more than you can handle- more than you were bargaining for. Remember the 'Monkey's Paw': be careful what you wish for- or what you let in the door. Use your damn head, for God sakes........the BIG one....the one you have to live in the other 99 percent of the time.
August 19, 2007~ 8:50pm
OK. This gets my most recent vote for
weirdest current internet picture. Needless to say- this is now sized and installed as my computer's wallpaper. (Couldn't resist.) For another strange 'gas mask' photo, look at this MASKED HIGHLANDER from WWI. Creepy.
August 21, 2007~ 4:45pm
All in all, a fine birthday. Lovely, thoughtful gifts (gonna celebrate with the grandkids on Saturday night. Bill called me at work today to sing 'Happy Birthday to you' in a strange, breathy, Marilyn Monroe way he has, and to warn me about the HURRICANES!- Four year old Bill watches too much of the weather channel)- I got some tasty treats, some scratch-off lottery cards from Wayne's sister, a bathset full of creamy shea butter to do a 'Calgon! Take me away!' number on me from my sister....lol... the last season of 'Cracker' in 3 DVD's, the soundtrack from 'Deadwood' on CD that has dialogue, and had me laughing so hard in the car I didn't know where I was for a minute- ("Wu,who?")- LOL!!!- and a thorny letter from an old aquaintance to help me remember just why there is such a vaaaaaast space between our varying perspectives- (nothing better than a good old 'poison pen' to remind you how really wise you've become with time's passage) so in a way, that's just the thing for a birthday. Thanks. (Gonna dig into my fudge tonight and read a really crappy horror novel that regrettably, I bought- sight unseen- and it's god-awful, but in a 'popcorn movie' sort of way. This lady author thinks she's H.P. Lovecraft- but not by a long shot. lol) Nigh' tall.
***
(Return To Weekly Archives)
If you haven't read Jim Harrison's newest book yet- "Returning To Earth"- pick it up and read it! I don't know when I've ever read such a positive take on humanity. It comes upon you gently, like a breeze, and it leaves the same way. The subject sounds as if it has to be depressing because the main character of Donald is a man dying of Lou Gehrig's disease- it is anything but sad.
Donald is a native American, married to a privileged white woman in a union that first began they were both in their teens and Donald worked for her father- a truly damaged human being, a wealthy alcoholic and sexual predator whose actions affect the lives of both his children: Cynthia, Donald's wife- and her mooncalf brother David, who spends his life attempting to attone for his father's sins.
Donald is by far one of most spiritually-developed persons I've ever come across in fiction, and his reminiscences- and the reminiscences of all the eccentric main characters, are full of what should be horrifying details- but they are never narrow. They are so reflective that from their mouths, the harshest details fall on the softest surfaces of forgiveness and wisdom. This is a healing book. It is a gift, so pick it up and soak it in. You'll be happy you did.
August 19, 2007~ 12:45am
I thought you might like to see the exquisite clutter in both halves of my life....the work place, and at home....
Although I always think I long to have a space that is cleanly stripped of all unnecessary accoutrements- alas, I am a packrat and a filler of all available space. LOL!! Oh.... and that workload sitting there?--- that was one's days labor. {{{{{{{{{sigh}}}}}}}}}}
August 19, 2007~ 1:00am
I came across the most telling article about online moral turpitude-- you know......the murky morass so many of us get caught up in. Look at these comments , and then read Pollack's article, the link at the very bottom of the page.
How many cyber travelers have found their way to those shady inns, and awakened in the morning- or after a year or more of mornings- and thought: WHAT WAS I THINKING?? Such dumb, damaging-- dishonest-- and completely manufactured misery. Why do human beings do it? The masquerading, the flight from life into the pixels of perdition.... I did dumb things myself early on- shortly after I first got my computer, just because I could- because the absolute FREEDOM to do anything was so heady, but as with many of us, experimentation quickly turned to self-loathing. We finally wake up---- too many of us do not.
Why take something as inaminate, as unreal as the internet and pretend that it's an actual life with someone for Christ's sake? Why compromise yourself like that? (Well yes, I know that some are bereft in actual life and are lonely, disturbed, shy)-- but too many others are simply conniving and greedy sorts who are trying to resurrect Lazurus again and again- that 'first time', first thrill is addictive-- those dangerous currents....that bloom that died years ago, re-blossomed.
For those...well, I hope you get the Medusa or the Jack the Ripper you richly deserve. All is not what it seems.......a 'lovely thing' or a 'courtly gent' may turn out to be something quite different. There are a thousand faces out there for every nickname and you're picking straw lots, aren't you? Just who IS it at the other end of the connection, and how many of 'them' are there?
You never know. Be careful, be discerning and wise, and if you have a life, don't start another you may quickly find is more than you can handle- more than you were bargaining for. Remember the 'Monkey's Paw': be careful what you wish for- or what you let in the door. Use your damn head, for God sakes........the BIG one....the one you have to live in the other 99 percent of the time.
August 19, 2007~ 8:50pm
OK. This gets my most recent vote for
weirdest current internet picture. Needless to say- this is now sized and installed as my computer's wallpaper. (Couldn't resist.) For another strange 'gas mask' photo, look at this MASKED HIGHLANDER from WWI. Creepy.
August 21, 2007~ 4:45pm
All in all, a fine birthday. Lovely, thoughtful gifts (gonna celebrate with the grandkids on Saturday night. Bill called me at work today to sing 'Happy Birthday to you' in a strange, breathy, Marilyn Monroe way he has, and to warn me about the HURRICANES!- Four year old Bill watches too much of the weather channel)- I got some tasty treats, some scratch-off lottery cards from Wayne's sister, a bathset full of creamy shea butter to do a 'Calgon! Take me away!' number on me from my sister....lol... the last season of 'Cracker' in 3 DVD's, the soundtrack from 'Deadwood' on CD that has dialogue, and had me laughing so hard in the car I didn't know where I was for a minute- ("Wu,who?")- LOL!!!- and a thorny letter from an old aquaintance to help me remember just why there is such a vaaaaaast space between our varying perspectives- (nothing better than a good old 'poison pen' to remind you how really wise you've become with time's passage) so in a way, that's just the thing for a birthday. Thanks. (Gonna dig into my fudge tonight and read a really crappy horror novel that regrettably, I bought- sight unseen- and it's god-awful, but in a 'popcorn movie' sort of way. This lady author thinks she's H.P. Lovecraft- but not by a long shot. lol) Nigh' tall.
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