Monthly Archive: August 2007
Look at the bright side…
1. It was only for a week.
2. I slept well.
3. I got more exercise than usual, and found I could deal with it – and lost weight finally.
4. It didn’t cost any more money than I would have spent.
5. None of my stuff is missing. (She left a few of her own items, some of which I’m sure she needs.)
6. I still have all my friends, and get warm fuzzies from them in email and blog posts.
7. I’m still here.
I could go on. Thank you all for your support.
Hugs,
Me
Dumped Again
When I left the house this morning to go to a meeting, Stacy was going
to go to the VA and get her services transferred and meet with the VA
homeless liaisons. We left with hugs, kisses, and “I love you”s.
When I got home, all her stuff was gone, and a note was stuck to the phone which read, “Do NOT contact me EVER. Stacy”
The
only thing she left behind was a little notebook. The last 2.5 pages
of the notebook was raving about what an insecure “pompous ass” I was,
and lots of stuff that was praising Jesus.
If you want to know, email me and I’ll send you a copy.
There
is, as usual, some amount of truth to the things she says in the note,
but most of it is interpreting loving actions in the most negative way.
Frankie is coming to get me to go to Witches’ Meetup.
Actually,
I’m not hurting TOO much… Stacy never seemed to want to get close to
me. Maybe she had a totally different view of what “closeness” was.
One week was enough, and I didn’t even spend any money I wouldn’t
normally have… might even have a few extra food items that she bought.
Really, it did hurt, maybe I’m just still in shock…
Hugs,
Moss
Looking for a reasonable presidential candidate? Why not Bill Richardson?
BIOGRAPHICAL FACTS:
POLITICAL:
-
Candidate for Congress, 1980.
-
US Congressman, 1983-97 (elected 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996).
-
US Ambassador to the United Nations, 1997-98.
-
US Secretary of Energy, 1998-2001.
-
Governor of New Mexico, 2003-present (elected 2002, 2006).
-
Chairman, 2004 Democratic National Convention.
-
Chairman, Democratic Governors Association, 2006.
-
Nominated four times for the Nobel Peace Prize.
PROFESSIONAL: Congressional Aide, 1971-78. International Business Consultant, 1978-82.
EDUCATION: B.A. (French/Political Science), Tufts University, 1970. M.A., Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Tufts Univ.), 1971.
PERSONAL:
Governor Richardson was born on November 15, 1947 in Pasadena,
California to William Richardson and Maria Luisa Lopez-Collada. He is
married to Barbara Flavin Richardson. He is a member of the Catholic
church.
If you’re wondering (or are afraid of) what I’ve been hinting about, I was trying REALLY HARD not to jinx things. Now that my wishful thinking has materialized as reality, it might be safe to talk about it.
Yes, I have a new girlfriend, Stacy, and she very much appears to be the one I’ve been looking for all this time. Yes, it was an Internet relationship for a while… but she paid her own bus ticket, has steady income and savings, and has already agreed to pay rent (with the amount agreed on and mutually beneficial).
Frankie has vetted her already… Stacy’s bus out of Memphis (second leg) was held up a couple hours, so she didn’t know if she would get stuck overnight in Knoxville (her last transfer point). Frankie offered to pick me up and drive me to Knoxville if that happened. It worked out that they held up the bus in Knoxville, so the worst that happened is she was a little over an hour late… but Frankie stayed with me, and drove us home (instead of us taking a cab). Frankie admitted to me this morning that she was all ready to go off on her if she thought she might be trouble (Frankie has been quite long-suffering through my last two mistakes)… but Frankie fell half in love with Stacy herself (not that either of them would go there). They felt like “instant Family” to each other.
We’re not rushing anything, except for her being here as long as she’d like. The bedsprings have creaked more from the comings and goings of my cat than anything we have done. When it’s time, we’ll know it.
Well, ya know, I can’t goof it up EVERY time (although I was beginning to wonder). I have zero expectations, and extremely high hopes.
Hugs,
Me
You are The Hierophant
Divine Wisdom. Manifestation. Explanation. Teaching.
All things relating to education, patience, help from superiors.The Hierophant is often considered to be a Guardian Angel.
The Hierophant’s purpose is to bring the spiritual down to Earth. Where the High Priestess between her two pillars deals with realms beyond this Earth, the Hierophant (or High Priest) deals with worldly problems. He is well suited to do this because he strives to create harmony and peace in the midst of a crisis. The Hierophant’s only problem is that he can be stubborn and hidebound. At his best, he is wise and soothing, at his worst, he is an unbending traditionalist.
What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.
You just gotta check these guys out, they are called Heartstrings. The instruments they play are called “Chapman Sticks”, which is a fairly new invention, about 20 years. It was invented as a jazz instrument, but these guys play classical like you’ve never heard. Go to their MySpace page – Heartstrings7 – and see their other video, buy their CD, whatever.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1VNWjGPGhI]
Couldn’t sleep last night, despite being relaxed and having everything out of the way. It’s going to make today pretty rough, as I have a meeting at 2, a doctor’s appt. at 3:30, and another meeting at 5 before getting home probably around 8. I’m excited, but it’s too early to be THIS excited.
Hugs,
Me
Chewing fingernails
ETA Tuesday 8/21 9:05 pm
Stolen – gleefully and gratefully – from David Quinn’s blog.
TEACHINGS OF DIOGENES
(c.
412- c. 323 B.C )
Diogenes was a very playful
philosopher who liked to use great wit when challenging the values and beliefs
of his fellow citizens in ancient Athens. He lived in great
poverty, probably begging and stealing his food, and steadfastly disdained all
forms of luxury. It was because of his determination to follow his
own dictates and not adhere to the conventions of society that he was given the
epithet “dog,” from which the name “cynic” is derived. Here are some of
his wittiest and most profound teachings.
***
“Why is it, Diogenes, that pupils leave you to go to other teachers, but
rarely do they leave them to come to you?”
“Because,” replied Diogenes, “one can make eunuchs out of men, but no one can
make a man out of eunuchs”.
***
In winter Diogenes walked barefoot in the snow. In summer he rolled in the
hot sand. He did this to harden himself against discomfort.
“But aren’t you overdoing it a little?” a disciple asked.
“Of course,” replied Diogenes, “I am like a teacher of choruses who has to
sing louder than the rest in order they may get the right note.”
***
A student of philosophy, eager to display his powers of argument, approached
Diogenes, introduced himself and said, “If it pleases you, sir, let me prove to
you that there is no such thing as motion.” Whereupon Diogenes immediately
got up and left.
***
A disciple asked Diogenes, “What is the main reason for
wearing a cynics robe and the begging bowl?”
“So as not to deceive oneself.”
***
When someone once asked Diogenes why he often laughed by himself, he said,
“For that very reason.”
***
Plato considered Diogenes’ stray-dog behaviour unbecoming to one calling
himself a philosopher. “You really do live up to your name” he said to him
disapprovingly one day. “By the Gods, you are right for once Plato,” replied
Diogenes, and then baring his teeth, he added, “But at least I’ve sunk my teeth
into philosophy.”
***
Plato was discoursing on his theory of ideas and, pointing to the cups on the
table before him, said while there are many cups in the world, there is only one
`idea’ of a cup, and this cupness precedes the existence of all particular cups.
“I can see the cup on the table,” interupted Diogenes, “but I can’t see the
`cupness'”.
“That’s because you have the eyes to see the cup,” said Plato, “but”, tapping
his head with his forefinger, “you don’t have the intellect with which to
comprehend `cupness’.”
Diogenes walked up to the table, examined a cup and, looking inside, asked,
“Is it empty?”
Plato nodded.
“Where is the `emptiness’ which procedes this empty cup?” asked Diogenes.
Plato allowed himself a few moments to collect his thoughts, but Diogenes
reached over and, tapping Plato’s head with his finger, said “I think you will
find here is the `emptiness’.”
***
Diogenes was knee deep in a stream washing vegetables. Coming up to him,
Plato said, “My good Diogenes, if you knew how to pay court to kings, you
wouldn’t have to wash vegetables.”
“And,” replied Diogenes, “If you knew how to wash vegetables, you wouldn’t
have to pay court to kings.”
***
Diogenes was once asked what he thought of Socrates. “A madman,” he replied.
Later, Plato was asked what he thought of Diogenes. “A Socrates gone mad,” he
replied.
Diogenes ridiculed Plato for being long-winded.
***
Some strangers to Athens once asked Diogenes if he would point out to them
the great philosopher [meaning Plato]. Diogenes looked around and then led them
to the most deserted part of the city and, gesturing to the empty air as one
would in formal introduction, said, “May I present to you the great philosopher
Plato.”
***
Diogenes was once invited to dinner by a wealthy man. During the evening, one
of the guests became so outraged by Diogenes’ general behaviour that he began to
throw bones at him, calling him a “dog.” Whereupon Diogenes got
up,
went to the guest, cocked up his leg and urinated on him.
***
Often when he was begging, Diogenes would be spat on by the people who passed
him. Diogenes would ignore this and simply wipe his face with his sleeve. When
ridiculed for his passive behaviour, Diogenes said, “Since men endure being
wetted by the sea in order to net a mere herring, should I not endure being
sprinkled to net my dinner?”
***
Diogenes stood outside a brothel, shouting, “A beautiful whore is like
poisoned honey! A beautiful whore is like poisoned honey! A beautiful whore . .
. “. Men entering the house threw him a coin or two to shut him up.
Eventually Diogenes had collected enough money and he too went into the brothel.
***
Diogenes was asked why he always begged. “To teach people,” replied Diogenes.
“Oh yes, and what do you teach?” people would ask him scornfully.
“Generosity”, he replied.
***
Diogenes was once asked why he took money from people. “To show them how they
ought to spend their money,” he replied.
***
Diogenes was asked, “Tell me, to what do you attribute your great poverty?”
“Hard work,” he replied.
“And what advice can you offer the rich?”
“Avoid all the good things in life.”
“Why?”
“Because money costs too much. A rich man is far poorer than a poor man.”
“How can that be?”
“Because poverty is the only thing money can’t buy.”
***
Whenever people complimented Diogenes, he would slap himself hard across the
face and in self-reproach would cry, “Shame! I must have done something terribly
wicked!”
***
A famous athlete was making his triumphal entry into the city after another
successful games. As he was carried along, he was unable to tear his eyes away
from the many beautiful women among the onlookers.
“Look at our bave victor,” remarked Diogenes, “taken captive by every girl he
sees.”
***
On one bright, clear day, Diogenes was walking up and down the market place,
holding a lighted lantern high in front of him and peering around as if
searching for something. When people gaped and asked him what he was doing, he
replied, “I am looking for an honest man.”
***
“It’s my fate to steal,” pleaded the man who had been caught red-handed by
Diogenes.
“Then it is also your fate to be beaten,” said Diogenes, hitting him across
the head with his staff.
***
Diogenes was strolling through the market place. Suddenly, he called out in
despair, “Men! Men! Men! . . . “
Immediately, they came running from all directions: young fops with flowers
in their hair; lusty young boys, scantily dressed, hanging off the arms of older
men; freemen, their slaves beside them burdened down with groceries, their
cheeks bulging with small change; merchants who had left their shops in answer
to Diogenes’ call.
He looked at them searchingly one by one and with a sad shrug turned to walk
away. “I called for men,”
he said in disgust.
***
The city was under seige. Everyone was busy fortifying the walls – some were
carrying stones, others were patching the walls, yet others were building
battlements. Diogenes, not wanting to appear idle while everyone around him was
working so frantically, diligently rolled his barrel back and forth along the
battlements. The city fell.
***
In the midst of serious discourse in the Craneum, Diogenes realised no one
was listening. So he instead began to whistle and dance about to attract
attention. Immediately, people
flocked round him. Diogenes stopped and said, “You idiots, you are not
interested to stop and pay attention to wisdom, yet you rush up to observe a
foolish display.”
***
A heckler in the crowd shouted out, “My mind is not made like that, I can’t
be bothered with philosophy.”
“Why do you bother to live,” Diogenes retorted, “if you can’t be bothered to
live properly?”
***
Very few of Diogenes’ disciples had the physical and mental stamina to become
cynics. One in particular left the circle, but not before entreating Diogenes to
give him one of his books. “You really are a silly fellow,” said Diogenes.
“Surely you wouldn’t have painted figs instead of real ones. And yet you pass
over the genuine practice of wisdom and would be satisfied with what is merely
written.”
***
Someone once asked, “Tell me Diogenes, what does a wise man look like?”
At once, Diogenes straightened himself up and stroked his beard.
***
Diogenes was gathering figs and had just filled his bag when a stranger came
along the road. “I wouldn’t touch this fruit! A man hung himself from the tree
just the other day,” warned the man, obviously believing the tree to be cursed.
By way of answer, Diogenes sank his teeth into the fig he was holding.
Sucking, as one would suck venom from a wound, he proclaimed, “Thus I purify the
tree.”
Agog, the man stood there marvelling while Diogenes
walked off.
***
Passing a stream, Diogenes saw a boy drinking out of
his hands. “A child has beaten me in simplicity,” he said, throwing away his
cup.
***
A young man contemplating marriage sought advice from Diogenes. “Should I
marry?”
“Marriage is too soon for a young man”
“Would you have me wait then until I am old.”
“Oh no, Marriage is far too late for an old man.”
“What am I to do then? I love the girl.”
“Love is a luxury no one can afford. It is for those who have nothing better
to do.”
“What should we be doing then?”
“To seek freedom. But it is not possible to be free if you have a wife and
children.”
“But having a wife and family is so agreeable.”
“Then you see the problem, young man. Freedom would not be so difficult to
attain were prison not so sweet.”
“You mean to be free is to be alone?”
“We come into the world alone and we die alone. Why, in life, should we be
any less alone?”
“To live, then, is terrible.”
“No, not to live, but to live in chains.”
***
Asked about his worst nightmare, Diogenes said, “Waking to find myself living
in a palace and everyone else in barrels.”.
***
Once Diogenes was going into the theatre just as everybody was coming out.
When asked why he did this, he answered, “Opposition has been my manner. It is
what I have been doing all my life.”
***
Diogenes was walking backwards across the Agora, affecting a studied
indifference to all who laughed at him. Finally, when he had collected a large
following he stopped and announced, “You are laughing at me walking just a
little distance backwards while you all lead your entire lives arse-about.”
“And what’s more,” he asked, “can you change your way of living as easily as
this?” Whereupon, he turned on his heel and walked off in normal fashion.
***
Diogenes was asked, “What is the difference between life and death?
“No difference.”
“Well then, why do you remain in this life?”
“Because there is no difference.”