Deepens

"It is only great pain, that slow protracted pain which takes its time and in which we are, as it were, burned than with green wood, that compels us philosophers to descend into our ultimate depths and to put from us all trust, all that is good-hearted, palliated, gentle, average, wherein perhaps our humanity previously reposed. I doubt whether such pain "improves"-- but I do know it deepens us."  ~Friedrich Nietzsche

Vera

 

 

It's interesting that Vera Kholodnaya is described as a Russian silent film star.  You would think silent film would be universal.

Passing Through

 

Andrew Martin was so taken with this song that he wrote an article about it for the Paris Review. You can read it HERE. 

Full lyrics HERE.

So Too

"The landlord, qua landlord, performs no function in the economy of industry or of food production. He is a rent receiver; that, and nothing more. Were the landlord to be abolished, the soil and the people who till it would still remain, and the disappearance of the landowner would pass almost unnoticed. So too with the capitalist."  ~James Keir Hardie (source)

The Whole Object

"No one imagines that a symphony is supposed to improve in quality as it goes along, or that the whole object of playing it is to reach the finale. The point of music is discovered in every moment of playing and listening to it. It is the same, I feel, with the greater part of our lives, and if we are unduly absorbed in improving them we may forget altogether to live them."  ~Alan Watts

Gateways

Cannabis isn’t a gateway drug.
Alcohol isn’t a gateway drug.
Nicotine isn’t a gateway drug.
Caffeine isn’t a gateway drug.

Trauma is the gateway.
Childhood abuse is the gateway.
Molestation is the gateway.
Neglect is the gateway.

Drug abuse, violent behavior, hypersexuality, and self-harm are often symptoms (not the cause) of much bigger issues.

And it almost always stems from a childhood filled with trauma, absent parents, and an abusive family.

But most people are too busy laughing at the homeless and drug addicts to realize your own children could be in their shoes in 15 years.

Communicate.
Empathize.
Rehabilitate.

 

The quote above is attributed to Russell Brand, but I was unable to find a primary source.  It does sound like the sort of thing he might say. 

But regardless of who said it, I think it's correct.

"What a lovely thing a rose is!"

Excerpted from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, ©1894:

“Thank you. I have no doubt I can get details from Forbes. The authorities are excellent at amassing facts, though they do not always use them to advantage. What a lovely thing a rose is!”

He walked past the couch to the open window, and held up the drooping stalk of a moss-rose, looking down at the dainty blend of crimson and green. It was a new phase of his character to me, for I had never before seen him show any keen interest in natural objects.

“There is nothing in which deduction is so necessary as in religion,” said he, leaning with his back against the shutters. “It can be built up as an exact science by the reasoner. Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers our desires, our food, are all really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its colour are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers.”

Percy Phelps and his nurse looked at Holmes during this demonstration with surprise and a good deal of disappointment written upon their faces. He had fallen into a reverie, with the moss-rose between his fingers. It had lasted some minutes before the young lady broke in upon it.

“Do you see any prospect of solving this mystery, Mr. Holmes?” she asked, with a touch of asperity in her voice. 

This was an odd little aside that had nothing to do with the story.  My guess is that it's just something that was important to Mr. Doyle, so he sort of shoehorned it in.

All of Arthur Conan Doyle's books are in the public domain, and may be read online or downloaded freely from Project Gutenberg, HERE.

Style

 

Andy Singer blurs the line between "art" and "comic."  He's on the web HERE.

Utter Delusion

"What have we achieved in mowing down mountain ranges, harnessing the energy of mighty rivers, or moving whole populations about like chess pieces, if we ourselves remain the same restless, miserable, frustrated creatures we were before? To call such activity progress is utter delusion."  ~Henry Miller

 –•‒

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"  ~Mark 8:36

Jatayu

 A few nights ago I dreamed that I was polishing a crystal idol of Jatayu with a cloth.  As I cleaned away layers of soot, the idol began to glow brightly until the room was filled with light.

The fable always resonated with me.  Jatayu, feeble and old, launching himself into a battle he knew he could never win.

You don't have to be David to interpret that dream.

Different Ways to Pray

"Does God have a set way of prayer, a way that he expects each of us to follow? I doubt it. I believe some people-- lots of people-- pray through the witness of their lives, through the work they do, the friendships they have, the love they offer people and receive from people. Since when are words the only acceptable form of prayer?"  ~Dorothy Day

Kill/Protect

"There is a Bengali saying, two lines: rakse krsna mare ke, mare krsna rakse ke. If Krishna, God, wants to kill somebody, oh, nobody can protect him. And if God wants to protect him, oh, nobody can kill him…"  ~Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (source)

Dance

 

Storytelling is an integral part of folk music, and David Bromberg does a nice job of incorporating the story into the song,

His webpage is HERE.

Full lyrics HERE.

Saltine

 So a saltine fell on the floor, and instead of throwing it away I threw it in the front yard near the bird feeders.  I figured that either a bird would eat it, or a squirrel, or if they didn't move fast enough then the ants.

Nope.

It's been in the yard for two weeks now, and nobody wants it.  It's gradually falling apart thanks to the sun and the dew, but there's not an animal alive that's willing to eat it.

It almost makes you feel sorry for it.

I'm not sure who the author is.  I found it posted HERE.

 

 40 Habits of Authentic People

1. They carry out everyday activities in personal and unique ways.
2. They respectfully ignore instructions.
3. They take time to understand the fine print. Then, take advantage of the loopholes discovered.
4. They work hard in every aspect of their life.
5. Though some consider them to be out of the ordinary, they feel no shame being who they are.
6. They do not fear confrontation. Instead, they love opportunities to see the world from new perspectives.
7. They love to make friends with people from varying backgrounds.
8. They have no inhibitions when it comes to sharing honest opinions.
9. They enjoy being alone. It is then they are free to explore the deepest corners of their mind.
10. They are self-aware and poke fun at their own faults.
11. They are active listeners. They can even hear changes in their surroundings.
12. They understand the fact that perfection does not exist.
13. They know their limits and never take on more than they can handle.
14. They often reflect on their past and the choices they’ve made.
15. They are curious about why things happen.
16. They do not take no for an answer.
17. They always have a plan, with more than one backup.
18. Intellectual stimulation excites them more than anything else.
19. They are proactive and think clearly before taking action.
20. They are quiet unless the conversation is meaningful.
21. They listen between the lines, and find deeper meaning during casual conversation.
22. Truly authentic people understand how their brain processes information.
23. They are always respectful.
24. They are supportive and encourage others to be themselves.
25. Their first impressions of others look beyond superficial beauty.
26. They are curious and hungry for knowledge.
27. They know their answer before the question is posed.
28. They understand that every action causes a reaction.
29. They never sweat the small stuff. Worrying is a waste of their time.
30. They make light of bad situations, and are slow to pass judgment.
31. They understand that being authentic is not the same as being pleasant.
32. They jump on every opportunity for new or exotic adventures.
33. They carry vibrancy everywhere they go.
34. They listen to advice, but will only act upon it after they develop their own opinions.
35. Guilty pleasures are important to them. They learn through frivolous play.
36. They care about the environment and are compassionate to animals.
37. They are interested in social issues.
38. Authentic people live in the moment.
39. They rarely look at their phones in public.
40. They explore their immediate surroundings.