A post without a title

I do not know what the "typical person" feels or thinks or connects with when looking at a photograph or a painting or a film in which the Native American culture is a central element, but my mind usually wanders quickly into the realm(s) of Nature and religion. The painting here is entitled "Buffalo Dance." It was done by Oscar Howe, a Yanktoniai Dakota (Sioux) who died in 1983 and whose work has been and remains prominent and influential in Western art. I have a few prints of his work, but, unfortunately, no originals. Since my mind has been wandering through places like the Dakotas/Montana/Wyoming a great deal in recent weeks and I am thinking of relocating back to such an area (I have lived in South Dakota and Montana, in case you are not aware) and some of my words (rant ??) in this post circle in and out of Nature and religion a bit, it seemed a painting as majestic and magical and mystical as this one by Oscar was ideal to be here today.

There seems to be one born every minute

I cannot decide which group has become the most boring -- Islamic terrorists with their fanatical, dictatorial, religious doctrine or American Liberals (whoops, excuse me .... they call themselves Progressives now, I guess) with their irrational, incessant whining that the Earth is about to melt .... or freeze .... if not be hit by a comet first.

People who attempt to force religion and life styles upon others (or, on the opposite hand, non-believers who constantly complain about religious symbolism in public places) are beyond redemption, to my way of thinking. (Clever choice of words, hmmmm ??)

People who have no perception about the perpetual swings of "Pendulum Earth" (including climate and weather patterns/transitions) over the millions/billions of years past have no legitimacy trying to impose their ridiculous "the sky is falling" idiosyncrasies upon others. I suppose next they will be warning about the imminent dangers of continental drift.

Climate fear-mongering is nothing more or less than another element in a pathetic attempt for a power grab to gain greater political and economic dominance. Liberals/Progressives always seem to need a "cause célèbre" behind which to rally the masses. Some "causes" are real; most are fictional hysteria based on fear. I sometimes describe myself as a deistic pantheist and I sense a spiritual connection to the Native American "Manitou" concept, but I am not a complete fool. (Sorry, if I offended any of you who are led by the prophets Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio, and enraptured by the climate-change dogmatists, but you are walking a road which has no destination.)

Was it Karl Marx or Harpo Marx or P.T. Barnum (or David Hannum, maybe ??) who said? "There's a sucker born every minute." No, wait. It was Barack Obama. (AKA Colonel Douglas Obobo, as the Obama persona was loosely disguised in a novel I recently read.) Under the "leadership" of the Narcissist-in-Chief, it has become easy to understand why civilizations crumble and fall. We are witnessing such an event at this very moment.

 I guess it is not difficult to "read my mood" today. I am laughing, though.

What, where, when, why, who, how ....

It seems I spend much of my time trying to figure out where I should be and what I should be doing. I suppose indecisive is a word that has come to describe me the past few months. Such interludes of stagnation come and go for me .... sort of like the seasons.

I actually even have been trying to remember things I wanted to do in the distant past, but which escaped me back then for one reason or another, and, possibly, do them now:

Another young man and I had hopes of living off the land in an absolute wilderness for a year following our graduation from high school. The Marine Corps, college and a young lady sort of interrupted my participation. His reason was more simple .... just college.

Still another young man and I had hopes of advancing our abilities in the sport of judo by training at the Kodokan in Japan for a year following our graduation from college. The Marine Corps (still or again, I am not sure how to explain it) and a different young lady sort of interrupted my participation. His reason was work and his own young lady.

I still indulge in judo on occasion. (I have broken lamps and assorted other pieces of damaged furniture to demonstrate my "errors in judgment" while bouncing around the house engaged in practicing that activity.) But, I no longer have a competitive urge in that regard, so what purpose could it serve to resume serious study? (By the way, it is not always wise to dance with me when I have been drinking; I sometimes have the urge to toss my partner into the air .... some enjoy it.)

On the subject of air, I have had a few flying lessons and thought about returning to them. But, what would be the point? Flying is boring when there is no destination.

Foolish as it might sound, I seriously am thinking about my high school dream and retreating into the hinterlands for a year. Even if I chose to do so, however, that plan would have to wait a while. I would begin such a venture in the spring, not on the eve of winter.

Well, this is getting to be pretty long. Right now, I think I could write on and on and on for hours, but I hope you catch my drift .... my thoughts and my words are drifting just like the continents and the climates, and, without doubt, will continue to do so .... so long, September .... see you next year ....

I'm younger than that now

So, now you see what I have been up to (or down to) the past couple of weeks. If you do not understand the implements in this photograph, well, there is little more detail I am in the mood to offer. Allow me to comment that I am well on the way to recovery and should pretty much be ready to rock and roll in another month or so. I will report that, but I will not say anything specific about "the event" other than it was not the result of an accident per se. I suppose it mostly had to do with being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I love mysteries, so we shall leave this one at that .... or, if you prefer, that one at this ....

Bucky said: "Dare to be naïve"

I have asked for advice, suggestions, ideas in posts in the past, and a few people have offered them. Thank you. Now, I have another query. I probably am a bit crazy (which, I never have denied, but not so much now as when I was eighteen or nineteen) to ask this question, but I will anyway: Is anyone interested in doing a bit of travel?

My reasoning for this is quite simple. I am not attached to anyone at the moment; I do not like traveling, going out or visiting places by myself; I am curious about random chance and, on occasion, will "read the runes" to test fate. I suppose there are other reasons, too, but those are enough to begin.

I have no specific dates in mind. I think it might be fascinating to spend Christmas in another country, but do not wish to be snowbound. I do not have a specific length of time in mind -- a few weeks, a few months -- whatever. I am thinking Europe, although I have no specific destination in mind and am open to other locations, other thoughts. I would not object to returning to places I have been, but would like to experience new sights and sounds, as well.

Actually, I do travel in brief jaunts -- usually three or four or five days involving business -- more often than people realize unless they are clever enough to interpret some of the words, photographs and music I publish here. I think few, if any, have seen beyond the surface of such posts. There usually are no "critical readers" of my page, so to speak, and I prefer not to leave too many bread crumbs. Remember? I am one who likes shadows and secrecy and anonymity and privacy and mystery.

Anyway .... these brief excursions often give me a day or two for being an "accidental tourist." But, how much can a person do in a day or two? And, again, doing things alone is not nearly as enjoyable as doing things with a companion.

I am curious to discover if this idea will lead anywhere. Five years ago, a variation of this theme presented options leading in five or six directions. My selection of which path among them to follow was not the wrong one -- actually, it was a fine one -- but, unfortunately, it did not lead to a journey lasting as long as I had hoped.

We shall see what happens this time .... or not ....

P.S. I have been re-examining the work/writing of Buckminster Fuller recently (AKA "Bucky"). I spent an afternoon with him when he was very old and I was very young. (The right place at the right time, in that instance.) One of the things he wrote which I love is this: "What I am trying to do is to discover why God included humans in the Universe."
 

Here are a few more words, none of them mine, but they seem to mirror my perception of my life at the moment:

"Why was (he) reluctant? Why did he have an odd feeling in his gut? It was that the whole thing was so ghostly, somehow. It had the feeling of the remembered, or the previously glimpsed. He had already seen it, in a movie or a book or something. Very strange feeling."

Class acts are few & far between

I never have posted these songs before. (He wrote, mocking himself.) I had a difficult time deciding whose version of "Windmills of Your Mind" I wanted to post. Actually, I think I like Dusty Springfield's rendition the best (http://youtu.be/qKV9bK-CBXo), but this video with Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway struck my fancy, and Neil Diamond does a nice job with the song. (Please, do not get so caught up in watching Steve and Faye that you do not listen to the lyrics .... ok?) As for old Bobby Dylan, he wrote "Forever Young," so it shall be his video shown here today. I have seen Dylan in concert more times than I have any other major musical artist, including twice in closed, barroom performances. He is unique, to say the least, and will be "back home" in November .... maybe, then, again ....

Here are some more words that are mine:

Thanks to a young lady I once knew ("baby, let me follow you down" .... to quote Dylan), I have developed sort of a habit (not a phobia, mind you) of doing some things not once, but twice .... even thrice or four times or .... well, you get my drift .... when circumstances permit and it is appropriate. Hence, we have two posts in a row which begin with a pair of songs, include no illustration/photograph and continue until their ending with a few sentences of words forming random thoughts which have been hovering near me. (No, I am not hearing voices.)

I believe I am not only walking in a circle, but thinking and talking and dreaming in a circle. (Ring any bells?)

I come from nowhere and am going nowhere. I look for a perfect life, a perfect woman, a perfect pistol, a perfect car, a perfect .... well, I will stop before I reach that point. I do not mean perfect in terms of perfection, because there is no such thing. Remember the cliché: One man's concept of perfection is another man's vision of the ordinary -- or variations to that effect. No, I merely mean perfect for me. (That might be a phobia .... hmmmm ....)

I think I have lived at least four lives during this lifetime/incarnation, and I want one or two or three or more before, in cowboy parlance, I cash in my chips. (Any bets .... any challenges .... any dares?)

P.S. I think I will be back home before very much longer; sorry, if I do not post as many photographs as some would like, but photography is work and I am lazy .... and, I am more interested in speech than in image; sorry, if I do not always allow for comments as some would prefer, but if more people would write comments more often, I might allow for leaving them more often .... anyway, this time I will leave this post open for remarks ....

No words that are not mine will appear this time around: (He wrote, with a laugh on his lips.)

All these things that don't change

I have posted these songs before. I prefer the original artists/versions, but feel closer to these renditions this evening. They have been "playing in my mind" during the past few days. Some songs are ageless, timeless, endless ....

Here are some words, none of them mine, but they run parallel to my own thoughts:

"You must know your weaknesses and strengths and maneuver accordingly. That is strategy."

"No one can protect you from Buddha's whimsy, God's will, the indifference of Shinto, or the sheer random drift of chaos in the universe. It sticks its ugly little head in at the most inopportune time .... The only thing we can't protect against is bad luck."

Here are some words that are mine:

Sunny, sandy, summer beach time has come and gone; the rip and roar and rush of drag racing has come and gone. For reasons I do not understand, I am anxious to feel wet, cold, driving snow on my face. In the meanwhile, I will be scanning the blogs again .... at least for a few days. Time flies and things do not always go as planned or follow a timetable. Whatever .... remember, life is but a dream within a dream .... but, for some of us, one dream is not enough ....

P.S. Happy anniversary, Bud and Shirley; I am on the road, "out West," in case you did not notice via my visits to your blogs; still searching and hoping to find the one who will last ....