Thesis: To consider what the chance intersection of ideal beauty and intellectual confusion would mean in determining the fate of Earth. Phase 1: While touring San Francisco, I stayed at the Sir Francis Drake. The bartenders were adequate. Phase 2: I began a blog. I learned romance might exist, but depends upon whether a man and a woman can tread the maze individually and reach its center at the exact same instant in time. Phase 3: The center comes and goes as if it were a mirage.
To
glimpse Michelangelo's "Pieta" is reason enough to travel.
(Editor's
Note: Being lazy and preferring many of my early posts over many of my recent
posts, I have pulled two from 2009 and running them once again. This photograph
is from 2004 when I was younger and taking my own advice seriously .... and which, if you
continue to read, is the message I continue "to preach" verbatim to what it was when published in March 2009.)
Roam
the earth & see the beauty ....
It
seems to me that a primary advantage to residency on the European side of the
Atlantic Ocean is being much nearer to centuries of art and architecture. So
much is there to appreciate. Spending a few moments within St. Peter's Basilica
standing before Michelangelo's 15th Century marble "Pieta" is a
reminder that while years pass by, there is some beauty which may resist change
until the end of time.
I
sort of like this photograph, even though the technical quality is rather
dismal. The photo might also be a reminder for us to roam the earth while there
still is earth to roam, and while we are fully alive to enjoy it. Our days are
numbered, and neither god nor man will keep us young or safe forever.
Undoubtedly,
there is no way to know how many photographs have been taken of Split Rock
Lighthouse overlooking Lake Superior along the lake's north shore in Minnesota.
This shot was taken on a winter day a few years ago for the Minnesota
Historical Society. It seems appropriate to run it here as sort of an audacious
welcome to 2021. I use the word audacious because at the time of the creation of the lighthouse, there were no roads to the area and all building materials and
supplies arrived via ship on the lake and had to be lifted to the top of the
133-foot cliffs by crane. Quite a task -- worthy of a bit of bluster by those who planned the lighthouse and especially by those who constructed it. Tourists
with their cameras have flocked to the light since it became operational in
July 1910.
January
has a history of being a rather significant month for me: A few years ago prior to the 11th -- today -- I would have described myself as an aficionado of Benedictine and brandy and Amaretto and a few other liquors and liqueurs, but I had an epiphany of sorts and now exist as a teetotaler. My mother's birthday is the 13th;
a son was stillborn on the 17th; I signed on the dotted line with
the Marine Corps exactly a week later on the 24th. July is another
significant month for me. Two marriages both began and ended in July. Something
about months beginning with the letter "J" and ending with the letter "Y," I guess,
chuckles the sort-of-superstitious, silly me.
Hmmmm
.... almost forgot .... January 21, 2009, is the date of my first post on this blog.
I had started a blog a few weeks earlier centering on outdoor activities, but
decided that was too narrow and I could include anything and everything which
entered my mind with a non-specific setup. I deleted the outdoor pieces and
have used them here. If my finger count is correct, with this post the
difference between now and January 21, 2009, is approaching twelve full,
complete years. Hmmmm .... wonder what to do about that?
The figure in
the photograph is clad in military fatigues, boots and helmet, lying on his back in
peaceful repose, folded hands holding a military cap. Except for a thin trickle
of blood from the corner of his mouth, he could be asleep. But he is not
asleep; he is dead. This is not just another fallen trooper; it is Ernie Pyle, a celebrated war correspondent of World War II. The description is of the top photograph. The one below is Pyle, left center with a cigarette in his mouth, in
life, while on a Marine Corps patrol.
War & Remembrance ....
"It was a lovely day for
strolling along the seashore. Men were sleeping on the sand, some of them
sleeping forever. Men were floating in the water, but they didn't know they
were in the water, for they were dead."
That was the way Ernest Taylor "Ernie" Pyle
described the Normandy beachhead the day after Allied troops crossed the English
Channel and invaded the European continent. It is said a photograph can portray
a thousand words. Maybe it can, but those few words Pyle wrote certainly paint
a vivid scene in my mind.
This is not a post per se
about Pyle, but a few words and photographs to familiarize those who are not
aware of him with him. He was a Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent and probably the most celebrated journalist of World War II.
Pyle covered the North Africa
campaign, the invasions of Sicily and Italy, and on June 7, 1944, the day after
the landings, he went ashore at Normandy. In the Pacific, Pyle covered the assaults on
Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He wrote about the experiences of enlisted men, rather
than the battles they fought, until on April 18, 1945, he was killed by
Japanese machine-gun fire on the island of Ie Shima off the northwest coast of
Okinawa.
What popped Pyle into my head was recently
watching the "Story of G.I. Joe," a 1945 film about Pyle and his coverage of
the Italian campaign. Burgess Meredith played the role of Pyle admirably -- even sort of looked like Pyle. Every day, Pyle and guys
like him are falling further and further behind us, so a reminder of their
once-upon-a-time presence might keep memory of them alive .... at least for a while longer.
New Year’s Eve
revelers began to assemble as the sun was setting on the last day of the final
month of the indescribable year 2020. It was a gathering of kindred spirits who
seem to abide by the rules of Nature and to enjoy roaming free from birth to
death.
This is the Christmas
ornamentation which has adorned my dining room table throughout the holiday
season. It is, to me, sort of an elegance reflected through simplicity. As Emily Dickinson wrote: "How happy is the little stone .... In casual simplicity ...."
Happy New Year ....
Given the negatives of 2020
when compared to the positives, on the surface the headline here might seem a bit
out of place.
Allow me to explain.
Someone once said words to
this effect. "Any year you have seen from start to finish is a good year in my
book."
Well, I agree, it is. The year
has been a good one in my book, too.
Incidentally, my gift to you
is having blocked comments, so you are able to arrive and to depart without a
second thought.
Four videos are offered today
for you to pick and choose among -- or, if you wish, to ignore. Read whatever
symbolism you will into that.
The first is Bon Jovi performing "New Year's
Day." It is no secret I like the band and its music, and I like Jon-boy even
better because his mama and his poppa met when they both were in the Marine
Corps. I did use this video to greet the New Year once before, and probably
will again. My body is landlocked in the middle of the North American
continent, but the visuals reveal where my mind and spirit wish to be ....
The second is Diana Ross and
the Supremes performing "I Hear a Symphony." There is a story about a man being
asked back in the 1960s which girl group he liked most. His reply was: "The
only girl group, the Supremes." Asked the same question in 2020, his reply was:
"Still the only girl group, the Supremes." Some might argue that point .... I
will not.
The third is Gabriella Quevedo
performing a Kiss piece, "I Was Made for Lovin' You." The only other Kiss song I like
is "Forever." It undoubtedly is the
melody of both and probably is the concept of longevity expressed in the lyrics
which appeal to me. I chose this version because Gabriella knows her way around a guitar.
Rounding out the selections is
David Bowie and his crew performing "All The Young Dudes" 20 years ago at
Glastonbury. I did see and was dazzled by his Glass Spider show way back when, and have never seen another anytime/anywhere/or with anyone to match it. No further explanation will
be offered ....
As we move from 2020 to 2021, enjoy this final day of this strange and unique year .... I hope and trust the coming year will be and will have been a "good year" for you and for those you love when we bid it fare thee well 12 months from now ....
Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English (= literature) and history (= reality). Master of Arts in literature. Once upon a time, U.S. Marine Corps = Semper Fidelis. These things pretty much explain everything there is to know about me.
Other than that, ask, if you actually are curious .... I like to drift where the current takes me within this endless sea of blogs, read what others write in their blogs, observe, learn, question and, hopefully, understand, while offering a few comments of my own along the way .... by the way, the photo of me actually is me .... was me .... will be me .... hmmmm ....
Emerald River
-
That autumn morning the river was a rare emerald color with golden ripples
and it seemed that an American Avocet was swimming on a mirror surface in a ...
TRAE MALA SUERTE DEJAR COSAS A MEDIAS
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—Estoy en casa, amor —dijo el muchacho mientras sonaba un bolero.
La anciana tomó su mano para incorporarse y empezar a bailar.
—No he tenido oportuni...
Talven kauneutta
-
Aamulla kello 09:50 on vielä melko hämärää. Iltapäivällä kuvattu kello
15:10Päivän pituus 6t 46 minuuttia. Vaikka päivät eivät ole vieläpitkiä
kyllä valoi...
Tijd voor gratis fotoshoots in mijn studio
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Vanwege de lopende corona-lockdown liggen in mijn studio de cursussen en
workshops tijdelijk stil. Daarom heb ik de komende periode tijd om in de
studio ...
Steampunk Tendencies
-
Steampunk…
What have you heard about it?
Perhaps now you will remember steam-powered machines, flying boats and
submarines.
*RECREATE THE LO...
SCULPTSHE
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Hey my dear!
I come to you today with a new post! Similar topics as the one about which
I will write today have been discussed on my blog more than once...
Snow time!Viking bath.Some like it cold
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Some photoes from my place today!
Yeehaa Tiger!
I think it is nice when it is all white
So peacful
Naturally all folks went out
to go skiiing and
run on...
Marouette de Baillon
-
Voici une très timide Marouette qui a bien voulu se dévoiler pour moi à sur
les berges du lac Baringo au Kenya. Elle se nourrit d'insectes et de
petites ...
Urban Diary
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Social housing has a long and rich history in the UK. Take almshouses, for
instance. First established in the 12th century, these places often
provide...
Cernícalo vulgar (Falco tinnunculus)
-
Con estas fotografías del *Cernícalo vulgar (Falco tinnunculus)* os quiero
desear unas felices fiestas de Navidad y todo lo mejor para el 2021. Hasta
el ...
Que dezembro acelere mais os passos...
-
*Às vezes eu demoro um pouco a chegar, mais meu barquinho sempre aporta por
aqui. Devido um turbilhão de coisas, ausentei-me um pouco do blog.
Ultimamen...
3 HABITS THAT MAKE ME BETTER
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Всем привет! Поскольку я давненько не писала посты и очень редко, честно
признаться, заглядывала в Blogger, только сегодня я имею возможность по
достоинств...
-
Cu regret va anunt ca in data de 30 mai, tatal meu a murit in spital,
Robert Nicolaescu a decedat din pricina infectarii cu coronavirus. La
spital, cat tim...
Blogini osoite ja nimi on muuttunut
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*Tervetuloa lukijaksi uuteen blogiini*
* te kaikki tämän vanhan blogin lukijat*
*sekä myös uudet lukijat.*
*Pääset tästä linkistä uuteen ➣ Kuvallista bl...
Engaño Encerrado
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*395*
*Engaño encerrado*
*Dejé las puertas entreabiertas*
*para darle paso al señor*
*más este no estaba tan solo*
*pues vino con otro postor,*
*tenían ...
ArtHalle One Summer Show
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'Bucharest weather may be unpredictable,
but you can always rely on ArtHalle to bring the heat with our One Summer
Show.
Fr...
1 year ago
Romance, from Fram
I discovered Romance might yet exist, but it depends upon whether a man and a woman can tread the maze, individually, and reach its center at the same moment in time.
The Actual Instant of Love, from Fram
I am a jealous guy, of the sort John Lennon sang about. Any man who says he is not a jealous guy either has no genuine depth of feelings for the woman he is saying it about or is a liar. I can remember very distinctly, for example, when my feelings for my wife vanished. It happened in an instant. When love vanished, so did jealousy.
Actual love happens in an instant, I believe, although it does not always seem to be that way. I am not talking about "love at first sight," but, rather, "love at first instant." This means two people might have known each other for weeks, even for years, before the "instant" occurs. It comes with a single sentence spoken by one, or a single action taken by one, that strikes the other like lightning.
Affection grows; love is born. Love also disappears in an instant, I believe, although it does not always seem to happen that way. Incidental to my point, I do not believe in "love at first sight." That is no more than simple, physical or emotional attraction, which is the cause of countless and never-ending problems.
Happiness is momentary, from Fram
When I was age eighteen, a wise, old man of twenty-six told me that happiness is a momentary thing. It might last for minutes or days or weeks or, sometimes, even for a few years. But, like life itself, happiness is a transitory thing and, like fate, it is capricious. At some point along the road, I came to realize this wise, old man had been right.
The Three Sorts of Friends ....
Though friendships differ endless in degree, The sorts, methinks, may be reduced to three. Acquaintance many, and Conquaintance few; But for Inquaintance I know only two -- The friend I've mourned with, and the maid I woo!
Samuel Taylor Coleridge poet & philosopher Fragment 10: "The Three Sorts of Friends"
Time retains ....
Time retains its sacred right to meddle in each earthly affair. Still, time's unbounded power that makes a mountain crumble, moves seas, rotates a star, won't be enough to tear lovers apart: they are too naked, too embraced, too much like timid sparrows.
Old age is, in my book, the price that felons pay, so don't whine that it's steep: you'll stay young if you're good. Suffering doesn't insult the body. Death? It comes in your sleep, exactly as it should.
When it comes, you'll be dreaming that you don't need to breathe; that breathless silence is the music of the dark and it's part of the rhythm to vanish like a spark.
Wislawa Szymborska poet, essayist & translator Nobel Prize for Poetry 1996 "Entropy"
Yesterday is History ....
Yesterday is History, 'Tis so far away -- Yesterday is Poetry -- 'Tis Philosophy --
Yesterday is mystery -- Where it is Today While we shrewdly speculate Flutter both away.
Emily Dickinson poet "Yesterday is History"
Never the answers
The most interesting thing in the world is another human being who wonders, suffers and raises the questions that have bothered him to the last day of his life, knowing he will never get the answers.
Will Durant historian, philosopher, teacher
The equality of man
Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not.
Thomas Jefferson president, patriot, free thinker
The audience
Better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self.
Cyril Connolly writer, editor, literary critic
I am free
I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. Robert Heinlein science fiction writer philosopher
Marine Corps Forever, from Fram
To all Marines, those among the dead, those who still live, those yet to be born: Semper Fidelis, to the end of time ....
Have gun .... will travel
Once upon a time: "She said, There is no reason ...."
Time & again ....
Time .... he's waiting in the wings .... he speaks of senseless things .... but, if you could heal a broken heart, wouldn't time be out to charm you?
Voluspo 28-29
Alone I sat when the Old One sought me .... The terror of gods, and gazed in mine eyes .... "What hast thou to ask? why comest thou hither? .... Othin, I know where thine eye is hidden" .... Deep in the wide-famed well of Mimir .... Mead from the pledge of Othin each morn .... Does Mimir drink: would you know yet more? ....