Profoundly Inane

Observation 106

2012-01-09T02:22:00.000-08:00

"For sale: Baby shoes, never worn." ~Ernest Hemingway

Which six words describe an event in your life?

Observation 105

2012-01-08T13:25:00.001-08:00

Noticed a sign at a local fast food joint today as I swung through the drive-through (or should that be drive-thru for fast food?) for a soda. It read:

Smile at the customer and say, "How are you today sir/ma'am."
Say, "That will be $________ today."
Say, "Thank you for your order today." Smile.

And that's exactly what the attendant did, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes, and she didn't quite look in my direction when she was speaking. In fact, she was laughing with a coworker. I guess there's nothing on the sign to say "and mean it." I wonder what happens if they veer from the script, try to have a conversation, forget to say thank you? Scripted courtesy? And why the script at all? Has it really come to the point when we, as a society, need a written reminder to be polite to one another? Just a thought.

Observation 104

2012-01-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

"The king is dead. Long live the king."

Doesn't that just say it all?

Observation 103

2012-01-05T13:30:00.000-08:00

Check out this bright little girl! I used her YouTube video in my classroom the other day. She's a pistol!

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Observation 102

2011-10-13T01:57:00.000-07:00

Profound? Maybe.

Observation 101

2011-08-18T01:12:00.000-07:00

Every time you wake up and ask yourself, "What good things am I going to do today?," remember that when the sun goes down at sunset, it takes a part of your life with it.
~Indian proverb

Observation 100

2011-08-15T11:54:00.000-07:00

Suck it Google and Facebook! Knowledge is power.

Observation 99

2011-08-10T18:16:00.001-07:00

Observation 98

2011-08-08T07:04:00.000-07:00

After an exceptionally good presentation at the UUFF yesterday, I am inspired to quote Mark Twain:

"Every man is in his own person the whole human race, with not a detail lacking. I am the whole human race without a detail lacking; I have studied the human race with diligence and strong interest all these years in my own person; in myself I find in big or little proportion every quality and every defect that is findable in the mass of the race. I knew I should not find in any philosophy a single thought which had not passed through my own head, nor a single thought which had not passed through the heads of millions and millions of men before I was born; I knew I should not find a single original thought in any philosophy, and I knew I could not furnish one to the world myself, if I had five centuries to invent it in." ~ from Mark Twain in Eruption

Observation 97

2011-08-05T04:37:00.001-07:00

Impermanence.

Observation 96

2011-08-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

Riding backward on a train gives you a retrospective perspective, as you have a unique view of all the places you've been along the journey.

Observation 95

2011-07-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

A photo only captures one side of a moment in time. We fill the rest in with our imaginations.

Observation 94

2011-03-20T05:09:00.000-07:00

Refrigerator Poetry:

It's wonderful to be a kinder gentler woman.

Are you better off than a universal peasant?
Are you a member of every generation?
You cannot stop an idea.

Damn 'a thousand points of light',
I invented a law against that

Speak softly while crossing a revolution.
Ask the modern world who say,
"I don't recall."

Republicans & Democrats are our children
in the great state of dreaming the industrial complex

Question the importance of horses.

Observation 93

2011-03-18T21:20:00.000-07:00

Wow!

Observation 92

2011-02-10T04:29:00.000-08:00

When does this become a cliché:

"I regret the harm that my actions have caused my family, my staff and my constituents. I deeply and sincerely apologize to them all. I have made profound mistakes and I promise to work as hard as I can to seek their forgiveness." ~ Rep. Chris Lee, NY (R).

Seriously, politicians, can't you come up with something a little more original when you're caught dipping your pen in forbidden ink? When are you going to publicly crawl across the proverbial floor with flowers in teeth and beg your wife to forgive you; to systematically seek out new and equally well-paying jobs for every staff member who loses theirs because you couldn't keep your hand out of your pants; to somehow make it up to your children who will be publicly humiliated among their peers? I don't claim to know how one corrects a mistake that is so palpable and painful for all involved, but the pat statement above, with it's redundancy and off-handedness, certainly doesn't begin to soothe any wounds.

But there's the crux, right? How DOES one show remorse for an such a public offense, especially adultery? These days, it begins to seem like a given that public officials will at some time conduct unsavory affairs outside their marriages, though I am sure that is not true of all politicians. There are always exceptions to the rule, but shouldn't the adulterers be the exception? Without a doubt there is more than one side to the story when cheating is involved, and understandably it is a symptom of other problems within a relationship; however, if you are the adulterer how do you show true remorse; or if you are not remorseful, how do you restore dignity to the partner with whom you have broken trust? It seems to me that if you do chose to cheat on a partner, no matter what state the relationship is in at the time, you must have reconciled within yourself that your actions might lead to the annulment of that relationship. You would have had to have accepted that point, even briefly, lest you be a total egomaniacal bastard. So, how then might you truly honor your partner and fulfill your obligation to uphold their self-worth once you have destroyed their trust?

Again, I have no answer as every situation is different, but it seems to me that one would do well to meditate on that place of love from whence the relationship originated; that place, be it physical or figurative, where the couple stood together and made an oath to treat each other with compassion and respect; because that's what it all boils down to, isn't it? Respect. If you respect your family, you don't behave this way in the public realm. You don't place yourself and them in the spotlight only to drag your issues out for all to see. Now there's a prerequisite for entering politics!

Observation 91

2011-01-17T04:23:00.000-08:00

“A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard; Why aren't we like that wise old bird?”

I had the opportunity to participate in a women's group last night where we focused on the attributes of the owl based on Lakota Sioux folklore. It was a fascinating and reflective exercise, so I thought I'd share a website that details some of the owl wisdom we talked about at the circle. And, of course, I couldn't leave out a clip highlighting the venerable Owl from one of my favorite movies. Enjoy.

Observation 90

2011-01-16T15:58:00.001-08:00

Bumper sticker profundity: Minds are like parachutes, they only function when open.

Observation 89

2011-01-12T19:17:00.000-08:00

Today I took advantage of my Forever Pass from the visitor’s center and visited the James Monroe Museum. It is a cozy space tucked into a side street in town that exudes an air of polite restraint, solitude, and the light wafting scent of graham cracker. I lingered over the exhibits, taking my time to soak in the revolutionary spirit of the objects collected behind polished glass cases, objects like the decorative ribbons that Monroe wore into battle during the American Revolution and the arm-length white leather gloves his great-granddaughter wore as part of her wedding ensemble. In one room, a sturdy pine corner cabinet rested in a corner, a relic from Monroe’s youth crafted by his joiner (carpenter) father, Spence Monroe. The same thought returned to me over and over during my solitary perusal of the exhibit items: Do objects house the spirit of the time from whence they come? If so, what these objects might tell us! If not, wouldn’t it be extraordinary if they did?

Imagine: strong, statuesque, affable James Monroe, with the laughing eyes and prominent arching brow line, wearing the epaulettes on his coat as he rode into battle in New York. Imagine the fervor of the troops, the rally to defend their ideals, and the hard-won freedom that was born of it all. Imagine this man, one who held more political positions than any president before or since, who traveled throughout Europe and our own nation, who mixed it up with royalty in France, simply wishing and desperate to remain at home and tend his acres, landed gentry that he was, but being persistently drawn across oceans and miles as a representative of the new nation.

Other items that impressed me were letters written to a friend in Monroe’s own handwriting. Does handwriting hold the imprint of the soul? Our penmanship is our own after all, our signature style. We choose the words eloquent or boorish, enlightened or provincial. The style during Monroe’s time leaned toward the polite, “Whither to impute my not meeting with you…I have been in the minor chance of some unlucky foe.” Beautiful. And what of the playing cards splayed across the game table next to the letters. Do those reveal the fingerprints of the Monroe clan and friends? What tales would they tell?

The museum has a variety of furniture that was specifically chosen by the Monroes for various houses they inhabited, including the Louis XVI secretary where he wrote the Monroe Doctrine. That in itself gave me pause; to think, one of our country’s most important documents was penned at that very desk! The docent told us a funny story about one of the original curator’s grandchildren climbing on the secretary and toppling it. The boy wasn’t hurt, but the desk needed a leg repair. Upon examination, the carpenter discovered a secret drawer within, and out poured a hundred or so letters to various neighbors and friends. What stories, these lives on parchment!

These items, these things he couldn’t take with him, are so lovingly preserved in the museum in perpetuity. A man of letters, educated and ecumenical, James Monroe was deemed worthy of remembrance and celebrity, and rightfully so. Moreover, visiting the museum inspired me to reflect on objects and furniture passed down through my own family. Someone loved these pieces and the people and places connected to them in such a way that they deemed them important enough to hand down from generation to generation. I can honor their history and the memories of my family just as we honor the memory of a man like James Monroe who fought for and helped established our beloved country.

Observation 88

2011-01-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

Granted a snow day (well, snow afternoon) as I was by the weather gods, I watched The Fountain with my extra time. After the first half hour I was wondering if it was yet another visually stunning film that suffered from a disjointed storyline, but I decided to hang in there; I'm glad I did. This is a profoundly moving movie. It deals thematically with the idea that death is simply a means to life, perhaps an afterlife, but perhaps just a continuation of life. It moves between three periods of time: the Spanish Inquisition (likened to a tumor on the realm of Spain) and a conquistador searching for the tree of life (a heresy - there's not supposed to be eternal life on earth, that's for later, so says the inquisitor-tumor guy); the present day, wherein a man desperately seeks a cure for his wife's brain tumor (pesky inquisitors!) and thinks he may have found one in a tree from Central America; and the future, 2500 A.D. to be exact, when the male character is traveling in a bubble toward the Xibalba nebulae that contains a tree - presumably the tree of life from Earth - to save it. Ultimately, they all meet the same fate, which leads them to the same result, which drives the film as a profound statement on visual motif and philosophies about life and death. Phew...just go watch it; you'll get it. It's like a Cadbury Cream Egg, a little hard to break through, but all gooey satisfaction in the middle. Yum!

Observation 87

2011-01-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

From The Art of Looking Sideways:

A child, out on a walk with its mother, suddenly points and cries out, "Look, a purple cow." The mother, perhaps rather tired and domestically harassed snaps, "Don't be silly." And then delivers the crunch line: "There's no such thing as purple cows."

So the child, a vagabond in the backwoods of rationality, is brought up to see the world in the prosaic terms of grown-ups and eventually forgets it ever saw a purple cow. Now purple cows walk around unseen by anyone.

~Alan Fletcher

Observation 86

2011-01-09T18:07:00.000-08:00

A grapefruit is a lemon that had a chance and took advantage of it. ~Oscar Wilde

Observation 85

2011-01-04T19:45:00.001-08:00

Observation 84

2011-01-03T18:17:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that jumping in with both feet is like an addiction? It is for me. I have the same heady feeling, the same euphoria that one experiences from a drug or drink. For instance, today I offered to take two cats from a co-worker due to a change in residence and circumstance, and making that decision because she needed someone to help her was like a high for me. I felt in control, the master of my destiny, the owner of my life. I could do something to aleviate this other person's difficulties, and it only took a second to make that decision.

I don't know if it's profound or not, but it certainly felt like doing the right thing.

Observation 83

2011-01-02T04:22:00.001-08:00

Jessica (6 years old) to her mother, Lee:

I KNOW there is a Santa Clause, because you would NEVER lie to me, Mommy.

Oof!

Observation 82

2010-11-25T05:10:00.000-08:00

Here's something I found while researching the god of slumber, Morpheus, for a poem I am writing: In Greek mythology, Nyx (goddess of night) was mother to all host of unsavory gods and goddesses, god-attendants, etc. She bore Moros (doom) and Ker (violent death); the Oneiroi (Morpheus (dreams), Phanatos (phantasmagoria), and Phobetor(fear)); and she brought Nemesis (envy), Apate (deceit), and Eris (strife) to life. She was also mother to Kharon - you know, that creepy ferryman that takes people to Hades. Yet she also bore the goddess of friendship, Philotes, and was the mother of Sophrosyne (moderation), Epiphron (prudence), and Eleos (mercy). *Side note: Researching anything Greek or Roman is a linguistic-freak's crack.*

I'm jazzed that the Greeks gave such diametrically opposed qualities to Nyx. Within this one goddess, they have juxtaposed the negative with the positive attributes of relationships. For instance, how might a person stave off doom and violent death? Why, have a bunch of friends, of course. Friends protect you and bolster your courage in tough times. Alternately, friends are sometimes the cause of envy and deceit; but if we give into those feelings we experience strife and unpleasantness. The stress may even cause us to have nightmares. But when we use prudence and moderation to balance those negative feelings, our friendships thrive. And thriving friendships always meant slumber parties with your pals when you were a child, where you giggle and joke about the monsters in the closet. Little did you know that the real monsters, the ones listed above, come later in life. Hold onto those friendships, kiddos.

Look for Morpheus to pop up in a poem soon; and now that I've learned about Nyx, I think she may deserve her own verse as well. Nyx: the hostess with the mostest, whose kids go bump in the night.

Observation 81

2010-11-24T17:58:00.001-08:00

"The real journey in life is not in finding new places, but in having new eyes."

Observation 80

2010-10-16T07:09:00.000-07:00

Red herrings are everywhere in this life.

Observation 79

2010-10-14T18:13:00.001-07:00

I need some of Dr. Yang's "muse tea." Where is my muse to get my ass in gear?

Observation 78

2010-10-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

A preying mantis can attack and eat a mouse. No way!

Observation 77

2010-09-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

Autumn Poem
By Garrison Keillor

Hear it at http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/2007/11/03/
Segment 3: skip to minute 6:54

Here on an autumn night in the orchard smell
Sitting in a pile of leaves under a starry sky
Oh what fine stories we could tell
With the starlight to tell them by
October night and you and paradise
So lovely and so full of grace
Above your head the universe has hung its lights
And I reach out my hand to touch your face.
I believe in impulse and all that is green
I believe in the foolish vision that comes out true
Believe that all that is essential is unseen
And for this lifetime I believe in you.
All of the lovers and the love they made
Nothing that was between them was a mistake
All that we did for love's sake was not wasted and will never fade.
All who have loved shall be forever young
And walk in grandeur on a cool fall night along the avenue.
They live in every song that is ever sung
In every painting of pure light
In every pot adieu
Love that shines in every star and love reflected in the silver moon,
It is not here, but it’s not far.
Not yet, but it will be here soon.

Observation 76

2010-09-04T05:31:00.001-07:00

How are Teachers like Apples?

Ultimately, teachers are like apples in their versatility. As language arts teachers, we help to instill a knowledge of communication in our students. We teach three crucial communicative skills: oral speaking, reading comprehension and analysis, and writing. We serve on committees, interact with the community, volunteer our time as sponsors of after-school activities and clubs, and take on extra work as coaches for school athletics. Sometimes, we are a child’s only smile or pat on the back for the day. Sometimes, we are their only hello. In the end, the goal is always student growth, self-confidence, and success. We may feel ready to “stick a fork in it” at times, but always remember immense effort and talent that it takes to be so versatile. How do you like them apples!

Read the rest at www.pomegrantmindspot.com

Observation 75

2010-08-19T03:46:00.000-07:00

Observation 74

2010-08-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

"Some people only open their mouths long enough to insert the other foot."

Observation 73

2010-08-02T17:20:00.001-07:00

It amazes me that this little guy can take a person down under the right conditions, or that I, as a human being hundreds of times its size, can be brought to cowering when it buzzes nearby.

One like this caused this on my thigh...

Observation 72

2010-07-27T04:51:00.001-07:00

"Sometimes life is so... I don't know. Ironic? Bizarre? The latest example: the lead story on the news is still The Leak. But now it's the Wikileaks release of all the information about the war. The oil leak has gone to second string. But the "leak" graphic sure looked similar."

An observation from my friend, Lois C.

Observation 71

2010-07-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

Have you tried talking to a corpse? It's boring.
Jack, An American Werewolf in London

Observation 70

2010-07-21T02:27:00.000-07:00

Ode to Amy's Honda
By Connie Snyder Lester

My poor little Honda, you served me so well,
stuck in some kinda limbo between garage and auto hell.
We go way back,so many memories of you,
like that little paint spot from my table of blue.

Yer windows won't go down, but hey that's okay -
you aint got no climate control, so down they will stay.
Yer bumpers are rusted, you make noise on yer turns,

but I grew to love 5W-30 and the smell when it burns.
It was okay when you needed a fix;
I had a lot of friends and they pulled a few tricks.
A dollar here, ten dollars there
turned into a hundred or a thousand, I swear!
No more of this! I can't keep it up!
I'm letting you go,
you ain't no young pup!
So as yer end draws near, you've taken all of my cash,
I wish you farewell
you broke-ass piece of trash.

Observation 69

2010-07-19T12:11:00.000-07:00

Cried buckets last night for the first time in a very long time. I always get down on myself when I cry like that, just don't really see any reason for it. I have a good life and I know that. I guess sometimes a person just needs to let emotions flow, be they negative or positive. Could have just as well been laughing, I suppose. Laughing is a fantastic release, but crying is better.

Observation 68

2010-07-17T11:14:00.001-07:00

It's hot. Just an observation.

Observation 67

2010-07-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

A conversation between one of my dearest friends in the world, Lee, and her soon to be six-year-old daughter, Jessica:‎

"Jess, what do you want for your birthday?"
"I want to change bedrooms with Alyssa."
"Why?"
"Because my bedroom is across from yours and you can always see what I'm doing at night. I don't want you to see me doing things anymore."

This from the same little girl who said the following to her mother soon after she turned five:

"Jess, how many times have I told you not to do that?"
"As many times as I've done it, Mommy."

She's got it figured out already. No one is going to get anything over on her!

Observation 66

2010-07-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's difficult to see the reality of a situation until you are in over your head.

Observation 65

2010-06-27T08:31:00.001-07:00

Symbolism

(from Merriam-Webster)
Pronunciation: \ˈsim-bə-ˌli-zəm\
Function: noun
Date: 1654
1 : the art or practice of using symbols especially by investing things with a symbolic meaning or by expressing the invisible or intangible by means of visible or sensuous representations: as a : artistic imitation or invention that is a method of revealing or suggesting immaterial, ideal, or otherwise intangible truth or states

Observation 64

2010-06-26T08:57:00.001-07:00

Sometimes cleaning reaps great rewards. I found two items today that made me smile: the first because it shows the pure innocence and love of my son when he was a young child; and the second because it reminds me that even though relationships can bring their share of pain, there are very sweet moments that are worth holding onto.

If Mommy were the President
By Xaviar Jenerette (2000, 5 years old)

If mommy were the president there would there would (be) a law for fighting. A law for peic (peace). Evryone would be happy. There would be more trees. There would be no more pollution. There would be no more shooting animmals. No more distroing the rain forest. Helping others. Taking care of animmals. Helping ingerd animmals. Doing what your suposed to do. No poisining water. Clean up. Exersize a lot. Caring for evrything.

************************************************
Lilacs

The scent of lilacs should fill the world!
It has spread through my room,
Been dropped on my pillow
which then passed it to my hair
when I left the world of dreams.

Aside from being a wondrous scent
Given by the petals of a flower
The smell of lilacs fills places in my life
I didn't even know were empty.
It hugs me,
It kisses me,
It holds me tight,
It wakes me before dawn,
Then keeps me alive while the
Moon moves through the night.
When I can't smell lilacs
My rainbows dry up,
I nap while I'm awake,
And all I can do is wait to see
My purple flower again.

I love the scent of lilacs!
I wish everyone could have
At least one whiff of it's fragrance.
I wish I could have
My life filled with it's flower.

It's nice to know that my kid thought so highly of me for a portion of his life, and I know he still does somewhere under all that teen angst and apathy. Likewise, it melts away some of the contentious spirit that has come between my ex and myself when I read this very sweet poem from almost twenty years ago! When relationships are strained or life starts squirting lemon juice in your eye, it's a gift to have gems like these to remind you that those with whom you are currently arguing are people who, at times, have had strong feelings of love and kinship toward you.

Cleanliness truly is next to godliness. Peace, y'all.

Observation 63

2010-06-24T14:06:00.000-07:00

Such a mood, quite; I am the mute. My head covered; my shoulders covered; my legs revealed in short shorts, but under a guise of neutrality. However, I am not placid; underneath the calm is a child beating her fists on the bed. Too much introspection. Too much sheer thought.

Observation 62

2010-06-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

Bradbury, Byron, and Buggering

In 1948 Ray Bradbury first published the short story, "And the Moon be Still as Bright," now found in the novel The Martian Chronicles. In it, the reader finds many gems of profundity, yet this struck me as one in which to delve further:

The astronaut/archaeologist Spender says..."No matter how we touch Mars, we'll never touch it. And then we'll get mad at it, and you know what we'll do? We'll rip it up, rip the skin off, and change it to fit ourselves."

"We won't ruin Mars," said the captain. "It's too big and too good."

"You think not? We Earth Men have a talent for ruining big, beautiful things. The only reason we didn't set up hot-dog stands in the midst of the Egyptian temple of Karnak is because it was out of the way and served no large commercial purpose. And Egypt is a small part of Earth. But here, this whole thing is ancient and different, and we have to set down somewhere and start fouling it up. We'll call the canal the Rockefeller Canal and the mountain King George Mountain and the sea the Dupont Sea, and there'll be Roosevelt and Lincoln and Coolidge cities and it won't ever be right, when there are proper names for these places."

WOW! Now, when I read something like that I just have to find out the fate of the aforementioned temple in current times, especially since the story was written sixty-some years ago. Take a look at the picture below...

The Temple of Karnak in modern times

I'd say that hotdog stand is precariously close.

As for Egypt being "a small part of the Earth"...

...not so tiny anymore.

Science fiction writers never cease to overwhelm me with their intuitive sense of what the future might hold. Be it positive or negative, uplifting or doomsaying, progressive or apocalyptic, there is usually more fact than fiction, especially with a writer of the caliber of Ray Bradbury.

As for Byron, Bradbury quotes him throughout the novel, using the lure of his love poems to coax the Earth men to Mars. In this case, the poem leaves us with the overall prophetic tone of the novel, and Bradbury's vision for the fate of humanity if things remain on the same track. Judging from the photos above, I would say we're hurdling down the track without an emergency break.

So we'll go no more a roving
By Lord Byron

So we'll go no more a roving
So late into the night,
Though the heart be still as loving,
And the moon be still as bright.

For the sword outwears its sheath,
And the soul wears out the breast,
And the heart must pause to breathe,
And Love itself have rest.

Though the night was made for loving,
And the day returns too soon,
Yet we'll go no more a roving
By the light of the moon.

The first mission to Mars is currently planned for the mid-2030's, just thirty years from Bradbury's hypothesized 2001 date in the novel. Whether we make it there, are able to stand the desolation, and whether we refrain from buggering the entire endeavor remains to be seen.

Observation 61

2010-06-21T17:34:00.000-07:00

The picture says it all.

Observation 60

2010-06-21T04:32:00.000-07:00

My cat is playing dirty this morning, he's giving me "big eyes" and chatting.

Observation 59

2010-06-19T03:37:00.000-07:00

I think I would have liked George Harrison the best. I mean, he looks like he thinks the whole endeavor was a load of bullshit, and he has an attractive contemplative wrinkle in his forehead. I like that wrinkle. A person could live a thousand lifetimesin that wrinkle.

~On flipping through the insert to Xaviar's new White Album CD.

Observation 58

2010-06-18T03:40:00.000-07:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

An Energy-Independent Future

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Tea Party

Observation 57

2010-06-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

Ed Sanders...just sayin'.

Observation 56

2010-06-16T15:19:00.001-07:00

"We all exist on the mountaintop, and work in the village. When we work in the village, we dream of the mountaintop, but there is this worry: If I go to the mountaintop, the village may be gone when I return. It's a hard climb. We can't bring all of our possessions. What if we could bring the mountaintop to the village where we live and work?" ~Fred Freedom

My response: Or bring the village to the mountaintop, eh? Eh?

Observation 55

2010-06-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

On an Episcopal church's sign: Soul Food Served Here. Cute.

Observation 54

2010-05-06T02:39:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
~Dream researcher on Nova

Observation 53

2010-05-04T18:22:00.000-07:00

It is comforting to me when I realize we all have the same hang-ups, just to varying degrees and manifestations.

Observation 53

2010-04-23T11:23:00.001-07:00

Xaviar was born fifteen years ago today. That's profound to me!

Xaviar

by A.E. Bayne

Dimple-bodied boy
smiles at the sense in everything.
Frumpy bed-head boy with the get-up-and-go style,
You bring me down.
Those eyes that are mine
and that mouth that is his
make a you that is yours.
Funky bright apostrophe of me
doubles and doubles my humanity.

Observation 52

2010-04-20T18:25:00.001-07:00

Brooke and Ruby...definitely profound!

Observation 51

2010-04-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

Sabotage (n.): an act or process tending to hamper or hurt; deliberate subversion.

Example: Eating a bunch of french fries while sitting around in my Curves t-shirt after my workout.

And now you know.

Observation 50

2010-04-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

I am going to share Steve Watkins' favorite quote, which he shared with my classes at school today:

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. .

~Samuel Beckett.

Yeah, I'm lazy today. It's a good one though.

*** Having said this, I just had a thought (amazing, I know). Wouldn't it be interesting to trace the evolution of a profound statement such as this one. Most profound statements have a basis in some piece of literature or oral language from a prior culture. If I were to trace the origins of this quote, would I find that somewhere along the chain of thought, eons ago perhaps, that some cave-dwelling humanoid might have painted symbolic representation of it on a wall? I can imagine it now: (picture)kill the antelope with hands...(picture) fail...(picture)kill the antelope using spear...(picture)fail, but now you've got a tool. You know he eventually kills the antelope because he lived to finger paint the scene on the wall. Fascinating.

Observation 49

2010-04-16T14:15:00.001-07:00

There are people with whom I SHOULD be friends. We enjoy the same activities, laugh at the same jokes, live with the same values, and work in similar fields. We share pictures, recipes, and books. We gab about movies and gossip about motives. These people and I share cultural backgrounds, educational qualifications, class status, and age. We are cut from the same Atlantic Coast mold. Their families could have been my family. So, with all these commonalities, what holds us back from being closer? Where is the crucial piece that drives a wedge in the heart of true friendship?

Do I smell? You can tell me.

Observation 48

2010-04-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

There are times when things seem so clear. Have you had those moments, dear reader? They happen to me at the strangest times and, sometimes, in the most inconvenient places - like when I'm stopped at a red light. When I say moment of clarity, what I'm really talking about is an instance of clairvoyance, in the strictest definition of the word, when I can see in a single second many possible paths that I might hurdle down at the turn of a decision. These decisions are usually drastic or fantastic. The entire process is instantaneous, where I am the crotch of a tree and the possible outcomes are the branches reaching into the future. Then, almost as quickly as it has begun, I return to my place in the present. It is a disconcerting feeling to have your mind's eye spread out before you that way and then fling back like a sling-shot. Knowing full well that I might never have to make the decision that I am musing over negates the entire experience and leaves me shaking my head. If I ever do find myself in need of a solution to one of these flights of fancy, I should certainly be prepared. The mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Observation 47

2010-04-14T19:09:00.000-07:00

F&*%!!! Oh, oops...profundity, right.

Observation 46

2010-04-13T20:11:00.001-07:00

I was trying to think of something profound to say about Chinese food, but it all came out inane.

Chinese food: the food that keeps on giving.

Ugh, my belly!

Observation 45

2010-04-12T02:25:00.000-07:00

In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day (Sunday, April 11th) and the beginning of my unit on Anne Frank and WWII, I will use a quote from Miss Frank as my profundity for the day.

“In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery and death.”

If you have never read The Diary of Anne Frank check it out; and look here form more information about Anne and her family.

Observation 44

2010-04-11T17:39:00.000-07:00

The Horrors of War
by Xaviar Jenerette

9th grade, mixed media project for a unit on All Quiet on the Western Front

Observation 43

2010-04-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

The simplicity of one flower illuminated by sunlight over one perfect chair...now that is profound.

Observation 42

2010-04-08T21:12:00.000-07:00

Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music. ~Angela Monet

Observation 41

2010-04-08T05:36:00.000-07:00

Each of us has the potential to change the life of someone less fortunate; and no matter what our situations are at this moment, there are always people who are less fortunate than us, we have only to open our eyes and see. This thought gives me hope.

Follow-up: Here is a prime example of the altruistic spirit. I heard this earlier in the week, but they played an expanded version of the report this morning. Enjoy!

Click here for the report.

Observation 40

2010-04-07T11:08:00.000-07:00

Bonobo monkeys, our close primate relatives, share food and tools with their fellow bonobos. Pack rats will leave behind an item for every one they steal. Elephants bury their dead in ancient graveyards, and dolphins have been known to assist ships through treacherous fjords in the Netherlands. When we see that animals exhibit such instinctively thoughtful behaviors that fall far outside the realm of mere animal survival, how can we claim that humans are not a part of the animal kingdom, and even more poignantly that our fate is integrally twined with theirs.

Follow-up: I heard this report on NPR this morning about a new book called The Dog Boy. It chronicles the fictional life of a four-year-old boy living among a pack of stray dogs in Moscow. The entire report was about wild children, those who are raised by wild animals and then enter human society. It's worth a listen, and it connects with the idea from this post that humans hold themselves outside of the animal kingdom, though we are actually an integral part.

Check out the NPR report.

Observation 39

2010-04-06T05:48:00.000-07:00

I am very appreciative of my skin these days. It's taking a beating from the yard work and the sun. Yesterday, it was bitten by ants, stuck with thorns, roasted in the sun, and bothered by soap and detergent. As of 8:00 this morning, it already tolerated the company of a number of flying and crawling insects when I took it out to trim bushes around the house. You would think it wouldn't be bothered by bugs crawling on it, considering that it comes into contact with all manner of creepy bacteria and "germs" each day; however, if one prances upon its surface the entire organ virtually vibrates with heebie-jeebies. Yup, skin; wouldn't want to live without it.

Observation 38

2010-04-05T15:54:00.000-07:00

It's good to know that I share a considerable amount of DNA with soil, because I think I inhaled enough today while doing yard work to sneeze out entire person.

Observation 37

2010-04-04T19:47:00.000-07:00

I said a hip hop the hippie the hippie to the hip hip hop, a you dont stop the rock it to the bang bang boogie say up jumped the boogie to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat, yeah! Happy Hippity Hop Day.

Observation 36

2010-04-03T05:39:00.001-07:00

I was at Jo's house the other evening and noticed this tree observing us.

Observation 35

2010-04-02T02:18:00.000-07:00

We passed a man who was sitting in his truck in the middle of the road talking on his cell phone. X and I thought this was obnoxiously strange behavior, so I said, “Isn’t he odd-acious?” (Yuk, yuk)

Observation 34

2010-04-01T02:34:00.000-07:00

While recently flipping through Textile Designs: Two Hundred Years of European and American Patterns Organized by Motif, Style, Color, Layout, and Period, I had this thought: humans are constantly trying to find balance between the civilized and the primitive. This thought struck me as I read about a pattern called grotesques, which are "fantastic decorations with a slightly wicked air." The sample shows a menagerie of sharp-toothed fantastical beasts. This pattern was first displayed on fabrics in ancient Rome, and was later appreciated by Renaissance artists; however, between the Roman era and the Renaissance the pattern disappeared from favor. Toward the end of the 1700's, after years as a favorite design, the pattern fell out of preference as society's views become more puritanical.

A grotesque in architecture

Late 18th century fashion

So, what does it all mean? When society's mores begin to swing too far into the realm of restriction and rigidity, or when they turn toward the outlandish and primitive, people are naturally inclined to balance the scales. Everything old is new again.

Observation 33

2010-03-31T03:27:00.000-07:00

Some days you feel like a nut; some days you feel like a coconut.

Observation 32

2010-03-30T03:17:00.000-07:00

Leaving things to time can have dichotomous results. For instance, one might be pleasantly surprised by flowers, once given by a youthful lover, falling from a book . Alternately, opening the attic door after four years might give one a shock if there happens to be a four-foot high squirrels' nest looming in a back corner. Of course, the first scenario presents a memory and the second presents a challenge, but the memory might just as well present a challenge if there is unfinished business between the two lovers. And, well, I suppose there are people who might delight in having squirrels living in their attic. In both cases, and in every case, there can be a multitude of outcomes depending upon which which reactions ensue. Now we're talking about a point of convergence in time, when all things following result from one reaction. It is at this point where results diverge;here is where conception falls apart. What if...

Observation 31

2010-03-29T02:52:00.000-07:00

In a note from a friend (and our haiku workshop leader) after a haiku workshop yesterday -

Took a short nap, when I woke up your haiku popped into my head:

winter storm
two crows struggle to land
on a wind whipped branch

That gives you the snow, the fight and the drama.
This is your haiku, I just played editor. According
to Ueda's book Basho's frog haiku was "workshopped"
with his students.

~soji

Observation 30

2010-03-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

The lower I sit, the lower I get; and the lower I get, the lower I sit: It's a vicious cycle.

Observation 29

2010-03-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

Telephone booth number 898 1/2
By Pedro Pietri

if you are
unable to erase it
it means that you
have not written down
anything to erase
& don't have to fear
being quoted just
when you are about
to contradict what
you didn't write down

The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry
Edited by Alan Kaufman

Observation 28

2010-03-26T03:09:00.001-07:00

Art is in the everyday things, the small words, the plain t-shirt. It's in the honey-do list, and the grocery list, and the birthday list. Art is in the newsprint; it's in the faces of the patrons at the coffee shop. It's in the living, not just the life.

Observation 27

2010-03-25T03:17:00.000-07:00

It is difficult not to measure my worth in dollars when the bill companies and mortgage companies and even some people do. It is challanging to lead the life I want to live in an overly possessive climate. At least I believe it's the life I want to live; maybe if I was living it I would look back on this other existence and covet it just as much. Maybe I would feel like the littlest match girl, one of the saddest stories I have ever heard. I would rather measure myself in feathers, as they are more permanent vessals floating on the breeze than are the dollars flying out of my pocket.

Observation 26

2010-03-24T03:24:00.000-07:00

Today, the dateline identifiers of B.C. (before Christ) and A.D. (anno domini - in the year of the lord) take on new meaning: before cell phones / after digital.

Observation 25

2010-03-23T03:15:00.000-07:00

Observation 24

2010-03-22T03:24:00.001-07:00

In every insult there is insecurity, even the ones wrapped up as compliments.

Observation 23

2010-03-21T20:37:00.001-07:00

Life and death in Caledon...

Observation 22

2010-03-20T05:14:00.000-07:00

Quoting a friend, who heard this from a roommate, who read it in a book of Bodhisattva teachings:

You will never have enough leather to cover the earth; but if you wear leather on the soles of your feet, you will always have a soft place to walk.

Hmmmm...I think it's profound; and like everything Buddhist there are layers, like an onion in springtime.

Observation 21

2010-03-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

"There is nothing to fear but fear itself," so said FDR in his famous inaugural address of 1933. Risk taking, keeping your cool, and being open-minded are the antithesis of fear. Fear is a virus, the father of hatred, and the bearer of destruction. Fear causes the most inocuous person to react irrationally when over-stressed. Fear is primitive; it is closed to reason. Ultimately, all fear festers from a place where we question demise - the end of a friendship, getting fired from our jobs, death.

Take a risk. Stand by your convictions. Fear not the reaper.

Observation 20

2010-03-18T02:34:00.000-07:00

To everything, turn, turn, turn, even in a revolution.

Observation 19

2010-03-17T03:11:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Paddy's Day, everyone (even though I realize that "everyone" is probably a strong word). Here are a few Irish profundities for the day:

A fool and his money are easily parted. (Especially at the pub.)

It's easy to halve the potato where there is love. (Hmmm? I'll have to remember that a bag of potatoes might make a nice gift for birthdays. Be warned; I'll expect soup.)

As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction. (Amen!)

May your home always be
too small to hold all of your friends. (Someone must have wished this one on me. Have you been to my New Year's Day party?)

May you
live as long
as you want, and never want as long as you live. (I like that!)

God is good, but never dance in a small boat. (? That must be profound, and certainly concocted over pints.)

May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future. (Whoa, how'd they think of that one?)

Observation 18

2010-03-16T14:52:00.000-07:00

The chicken ate my God.

Observation 17

2010-03-15T01:55:00.000-07:00

Reflection Perfection
By A.E. Bayne

Observation 16

2010-03-14T05:42:00.000-07:00

While volunteering at the bookstore last night, I flipped through a book called American Sideshow, by Marc Hartzman. It is a fascinating history of sideshow performers from that industry's golden days through its most present incarnation. My first thought as I closed the back cover was that people come in so many different shapes, sizes, styles, and varieties, that I am not sure how we, as a society, can logically conceive a universal standard for beauty (as some industries attempt to do). A more profound idea from the book was that a condition can be considered a deformity in one culture, yet revered in another.

I was discussing this with some friends at a poetry salon later in the evening, and Barry told me about a little girl, Lakshmi Tatma, who was born in 2007 with multiple arms. In her village she was honored as the reincarnation of Vishnu, the multiple-armed Hindu god who was a creator and protector of the universe. Doctors told her parents that they would remove her polymeliac arms free of charge. People of the village were outraged.

In another case from Burma, a mother and son carried the genes for a condition called hypertrichosis, or werewolf syndrome. They were referred to as The Sacred Family of Burma , and were owned (this was back in the early 1800s) by the King of Ava who cared for and revered them as symbols of luck.

So, my profound thought of the day is that there truly is no "normal" in this world. There is a median for behavior, looks, and philosophy within each culture, which is where most people fall in order to hold the idea of society together; however, I find it fairly obvious that its a tenuous hold at best, considering all the "freaks" there are in the world that don't tidily fit into that box. This was a fascinating browse, and I would like to go back with more care to find out about these performers' lives.

What do I hear from the peanut gallery? Profound, or inane? Be honest...

Observation 15

2010-03-13T04:51:00.000-08:00

I read recently that a person who is asked to mimic the facial expressions of someone experiencing a stressful situation will have the exact same responses throughout the systems of his or her body as a person who is actually experiencing the stress. This revelation prompted me to think about actors, who routinely embody personas experiencing varying degrees of stress and distress. It seems to prove the old adage, "To thine own self be true." Stress kills; feigning stress is equal to actual stress; therefore, acting is self-destructive. No wonder they make so much money.

Incidentally, the book was called Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell.

Hmmmmm...profound? Inane.

Observation 14

2010-03-12T02:27:00.000-08:00

I find it ironic that "comfort" food ultimately ends up making us feel the most uncomfortable.

Hmmmm?

Observation 13

2010-03-11T19:38:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's all just a bunch of babble.

Observation 12

2010-03-10T02:18:00.001-08:00

Dreams can make you question your sanity.

Take this dream, for instance, that woke me up at 2:39 A.M. in a fit of maniacal laughter. I was a couple. A couple of what, you ask? No, I mean I was a married couple, played by Jennifer Aniston and that tall, bumbling guy from How I Met Your Mother, Marshall (Jason Segel). I guess that's where the yen and yang of the subconscious mind comes in, because I wouldn't mind looking like Jennifer Aniston, but I don't want to be Jason Segel. Anyway, I am this couple, and I / we are visiting an island paradise on recommendation from a friend. I / we are excited about expecting our first child and are playing in some lightly tumbling rapids.

Suddenly, the scene zips to an ice room and I / we are on ice skates. I am primarily Jen in this scene. The ice room is very eerie and as cold as liquid nitrogen if you touch its surface; but it was the setting for a famous National Geographic photo shoot and I / Jen want to replicate the professional photo with my cell phone camera (like that's going to work!) The subject of the photo shoot was as set of hanging white ceramic pots in the corner of the room, so I / Jen wobbly skate toward the pots to catch the shot. Jason / himself stands by the door which, consequently, opens onto a lit display case filled with S&M toys and two naked manikins. I /Jen am having a hard time maneuvering on the skates, and I end up falling onto the ice. As I / myself typed earlier, the ice is as cold as liquid nitrogen, and it burns my hands as I fumble around to get onto my skates. The scene progresses this way for some time, I / Jen fall and burn myself, the ice cracks and refreezes each time, the whole things is terrifying. Jason and I / Jen both know we are in great peril. I / Jen get the shot and I / we book it out of there.

Zip, zap, pow, we are frolicking in the waterfall again. This time I / we are seriously talking about building a house on the waterfall. I / we look at a flat, smooth rock with water gently bubbling over it and decide it is the perfect spot for the baby's crib (remember the baby?). Just then, I / we are bombarded with large boulders and chunks of ice crashing down the waterfall. I / we scramble out of the way and begin laughing at our luck...maniacally laughing, just as I / myself was when I floated up out of the dream.

What a strange sensation to laugh yourself out of a dream. You are in two worlds at once: still under the influence of the subconscious, but aware of your bedroom, the fact that it’s too early to wake up, and feeling like your mind is being pulled through your guffawing mouth with each cackle.

Oh, I also had a dream that my teeth absorbed a piece of nasty, cherry flavored gum. When I looked inside, my teeth were full of cavernous holes. It was disturbing.

Whether you vote profound or inane, you have to admit the dream world can really stir things up.

Observation 12

2010-03-09T17:46:00.000-08:00

A friend asked her five-year old daughter, "How many times have I asked you not to ____________________ (fill in the blank)."

Her daughter replied, "As many times as I've done it, Mommy."

Out of the mouths of babes, a profound statement.

Observation 11

2010-03-08T03:10:00.000-08:00

A fish is the last one to recognize the water.

Okay, I borrowed this one from The Art of Looking Sideways, which I know borrowed it from somewhere else. The question is whether it is profound or inane? Any opinions out there?

Here's a bit more information about this phenomenal book, straight from its author.

Observation 10

2010-03-07T04:47:00.000-08:00

"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." Enough said, Mr. Dickens. I vote profound.

Read the rest here.

Observation 9

2010-03-06T04:51:00.000-08:00

A flock of starlings flew through the neighborhood yesterday, cutting angular voids into the fabric of the day. Like a baby, I was left wondering if the sky had disappeared behind the birds. If I didn't see it, was it there? If you say yes, how can you prove it to me?

Ahhhh, now you get it. Profound, or inane?