After an unusually warm snap here

After an unusually warm snap here,
It's cold out this morning.
Nothing unusual about that.
So cold that there's frost on the bicycle tires!
Frost on the grass, even on the limbs of trees.
The squirrels are up to their usual play,
Cats skulk, and birds flutter and peck,
As people go to work.
All the while I sit here, bare footed and cozy.

I had a professor who had advice for failing students. It went much like the placard to the left. After handing back a particularly poor test result, he would look at the class and say, " Repeating the same mistakes while expecting different results is not so much a recipe for failure: It is my definition of insanity!"

Unless we change, will will remain the same. It cannot be otherwise.

Is it Just Me or?

To whom it may concern:

Each time I have to run errands, at least my homeward route takes me past a Church of Christ school. Like most modern private academies, they have one of those lighted, scrolling marque signs to remind the passersby of up coming bake sale, report cards, or various breaks. When there are no announcements, they simply flaunt their school pride with a, no doubt, heart felt, "Go Centurions." 

Now maybe it's just me, but that seems like a uniquely bad choice of mascots for a Christian school. After all, isn't a mascot supposed to symbolically embody a school's values or ideals? Moreover, given the almost fetishly strict adherence to detail which the average Church of Christ church pays to minutiae of detail regarding life and theology, choosing the type of Roman soldier which crucified Jesus of Nazareth seems  more than painfully ironic. 

Of course, I went to high school where the mascot was the Trojan. Think of it, in the late 70's, the only brand of condom sold in my town was, yes, Trojans. Needless to say, we were reminded of that fact a lot, especially after a sound defeat in football. Also, if my memory serves me correctly, the Trojans are only famous because they got their asses shamefully handed to them by accepting a gift horse from the Greeks who had hidden their best warriors in the belly. Either way one takes it, that's one unfortunate choice of mascots. 

Maybe it's just me, but I think the powers which be, in choosing a mascot, should examine the historical context a bit better before selecting an emblem of "power" to represent their school's ideals and values. 

Just sayin'.

Until next time,

Contemplate the mysteries, and mascots, and remember to breathe.

All Too True!

I blush to think of how many times I've thought this!

Elegance

It's also the ultimate complication.

***

The most elegant solution is always best.

Movies and Music

To whom it may concern:

First my apologies for such a detour through reading. Never fear, it's a topic I'll return to again and again. To say I'm addicted to books, reading, and everything else to to with words would be an understatement along the lines of the man who thought the Wright brothers were just another pair of bicycle makers. But for now, let's move on to another area of interests as a part of my introduction: Movies and Music.

When I began thinking on this topic, I had produced lists of categories and definitions. Then I realized I could go thru a huge list of movies I like, breaking them up by category, genre, or actors, but this would bore you and take more time than I think the subject deserves. Truth be told, it was a chore I wasn't enjoying. In short, movies and music aren't a prime interest of mine: pure and simple. However, when I do indulge in the visual arts, I tend to enjoy movies which are very long on dialog and VERY short on action. Car chases and shoot outs bore me to tears ordinarily. While I do enjoy Star Wars type sci-fi movies, I tend more often in the direction of Driving Miss Daisy types. For decades I told people my favorite movie of all times was Dead Poets Society. I'd still be hard pressed to name a better one. Altho, when the mood strikes I might. 

The older I get, the more I enjoy the older movies. Just last night my better half and I watched Hello Dolly, a movie I'd never seen all the way thru before. Yes, it's a musical, but what a musical! I've also been known to watch a 12 hour marathon of The Twilight Zone when shown. Nevertheless, I think I like the older movies because of their lack of special effects, dialog driven content, and scripts more akin to books than to film. I'm really a book worm, what can I say?

When it comes to music, I'm pretty much in the same camp. Well, not exactly. I do enjoy singing, and whistle as a nervous habit, so obviously I enjoy music. However, like movies, there is no single genre which compels my attention all the time. No artist is on my must buy list unheard. I enjoy a sampling of everything from classical to mild hip-hop. Like Homer Simpson, I think Rock music reached it's zenith in the mid to lat 70's and would claim that it constitutes my favorite style if forced. 

At the end of the day tho, I'm a lyrics man. I'll accept a pitiful tune, no beat, and a mediocre singer (ever heard of a guy named Bob Dylan?) if the lyrics move me. Which, yes, you guessed it, are word driven rather than music driven. Even in music, I like words over sound. Just the other night I was driving home from a trip and found old radio drama on our XM satellite radio. I listened to The Jack Benny Show, The Great Gildersleeve, and others. I guess when it comes to listening, I'm just lost in the world of words too. I love the clever poetry in country music, but don't particularly like the way it's sung. I love the complexity in classical music, even without words, but hate the pretension often associated with its practitioners. 

That's not to say that I'm not moved by a good beat or a sweet tune. There are Irish and other folk tunes which can move me to tears. There are rhythmic numbers, especially from movies, which make my graceless body want to dance. But they tend to be songs which find me rather than the other way around. I can't remember the last time I bought a CD or down loaded music simply for it's own sake. 

That said, I do understand the drive of those who love movies and music for it's own sake. But, as this is my introduction, I'm just analyzing what makes me tick. I do love nothing more than relaxing with a good movie after a long day of running around. To finally sit and rest while a story washes over me and those I love makes for memories to cherish. The same occurs with music over a nice meal at the end of a hectic day. 

Anyway, thanks for reading. 

Until next time, 

Contemplate the mysteries, and remember to breathe.

New Year's Resolutions

To whom it may concern:

For all the usual reasons, I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions. Some of the best life corrections I have ever made were done on the spur of a moment. To me if something is worth doing, it's worth doing today. However, given the radical changes in my life this year, I took the week between Christmas and New Year's to evaluate the year ahead. This gestation period yielded the following:

I want to finish 50 books in 2013. I'll draw these from a list of varying topics. One or two of them might actually take the whole year to complete. Such are theoretical books. Others will be simple and consumed in a weekend or so. Regardless, I'm going to read more.

Writing seems to be my latest kick. Thus, I want to dedicate at least an hour or two each day to doing nothing but creative writing. I currently have 3 blogs. However, I really want to try my hand at short stories I could submit for publication in the real world. I can't imagine seeing my name in print, but I'd like to try. Whatever comes of it, only this time next year will tell. 

More than anything else, I want to really live this year. Like Thoreau, I don't want to come to the end of my life, or this coming year, only to find that I'd never really lived. I want to love those around me more, and grow. 

Thanks for reading, 

and until next time,

contemplate the mysteries, and remember to breathe.

Happy New Year!