We are Family

[curt]

We don't need another / a new discussion to prove it.

It is as it is.

Let this "fred" (discussion thread) live under the theme .......

long live this family

brothers, sisters, brethern, dogs, cats and birds, ants and flees, water and air and gas and Clare and Jim and him and the window Simm (??) and you and me and he and she and we and them and us and puss (???) and fish and the dish (it's on) and paper and pen.

Yip.

[Cal]

#Solidarity .... just you guys are all too far away.  And when the grid goes down we won't even be able to commiserate by way of offering care.

 

Got a magnificent email the other day ranting & raving about how ridiculous it is that we have evolved a culture where you have to pay to be alive ... for air, water etc. etc.  It was good reading.  Until I got down to the bottom beneath the signature and read that my financial contribution to keeping the organization (the author) going would be much appreciated.  I did a big 'non-compute' ... the Titanic has guys making a quick buck off the desperate passengers.

 

 

[BO]

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered, " Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. He is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then he dies having never really lived."

[Cal]

"Like"

 

I'm working on that one big time Bo. 

I've been reading a book by Lyn Margulis & Dorion Sagan (ex-wife & son of Carl Sagan respectively) called Dazzle Gradually - Reflections on the Nature of Nature.  It's awesome reading!  Puts us right back into perspective.  We may ( well, ok, already have) stuffed up completely - but LIFE will go on regardless.  They sketch the rise & fall of all natural systems known to us - and each has basically stifled in its own waste or some other catastophe & another life form has evolved to thrive under those conditions.  Did you know there were things that have already learnt to live in the water used to cool nuclear reactors?

I am really taken with the Emily Dickinson poem the title is taken from:

"Tell all the truth but tell it slant -

Success in Circuit lies

Too bright for our infirm Delight

The Truth's superb surprise

As Lightning to the Children eased by explanation kind

The Truth must dabble gradually

Or every man be blind"

 

[BO]

Was joking with my brother the other day that the next creatures to inherit the earth will probably evolve from the trash we leave behind...and look like a twinky.

I can only laugh at man's stupidity. Otherwise, it's just to sad to think about it.

[pan]

Cockroaches - "the meek shall inherit the earth".

[pan]

Decided to move to this thread.

Been uploading videos to youtube.  I guess it is an attempt to document the body of work we have done/are doing.  Performance is wonderful because it is in the moment of performing but it leaves nothing but memory.  Our audiences have always been small and, unless you do it in New York where there are critics who get published it doesn't really exist. 

My creative work has been about creating rituals on stage that, I think, are entertaining theatre.   Perhaps it is my way of still doing Church after realizing how little I think of Church.  Interestingly enough, the official rituals of our society have diminished in importance.  We have boxes of Christmas decorations sitting in the garage storage area - the last time they left the boxes was in 2006 when we created the Grudge Match: ReMatch performance.  Without children and without the rigid structures of holy days of obligation, the shared shopping ritual seems less essential.

Tomorrow my 90 year old parents are moving from their condo in the retirement community into another one in a community that provides health care.  My mom's Alzheimer episodes and declining physicality have created too much anxiety for my father - and my sister who is the primary care-giving sibling - to deal with so they are off to the older folks home.  Once my parents die I will have no ties to keep me in America - I have grown further from my siblings and we have no children - Ms. Medusa and I are, as Kurt Vonnegut wrote, a nation of two.

Tomorrow we will drive south to Zion National Park and try out our new tent.  A couple of years ago we replaced the zippers on the old one but, after having to make several emergency repairs with duct tape and bobby pins we concluded that 20 years of memories was all that we were going to get out of the old tent.

My longest friend - we were bestest buddies before we went to Kindergarten together - sent an electronic Christmas letter sharing his elation over his new-found love.  He is one of the nicest guys I have ever known.....I hope this one really works for him.  Last night my mother-in-law phoned to tell us that her son and his wife used their Christmas celebration to announce their upcoming trial separation after over 25 years of marriage - not a surprise to us as the kids moving out removed any connective tissue they had.

My friends here have their problems - with health, with life, with faceless corporations - I am glad you feel that you can share this here.  And sometimes there is good news, a new house, a new grandbaby, a favorite recipe - and I am glad you can share that here too.

The solstice has passed, the sun has once again be reborn.  The cycle of life and death continues.  As the Buddha said, all life is struggle.   I am fortunate to count you as my friends along my way.

[Cal]

Good that someone is keeping track of which thread goes where -:)  RBC is a small haven for me.  Wonder if we'll ever meet up at the 'Rainbow Bridge' & recognize each other. 

I got myself a tent during a spending spree earlier this year.  Am now building up the rest of the gear and wondering if I'll manage to get to the point of going off to camp on my own - I'm making a valiant effort but 'nation of one' is pretty tricky for me to adjust to.  My iPod helps a lot.  Don't know how I lived without one.  I got stuck in a massive queue in the xmas post office crowd the other day, slipped iPod out & got so engrossed in my book that I was a bit annoyed to find myself facing the teller at last.

Will you post links to your youtube stuff Pan?  I've worked out how to download youtubes onto the iPod.

 

Christmas in the southern hemisphere is quite an amusing phenomonon - mid winter festivities are just not a good fit for sweltering mid-summer with fake snow on trees, sweaty father xmas suits & beards - having a good supply of refriferated water melon on hand helps to cool things down a bit.  My sister nearly had an un-christmassy sort of fit when I pointed out that it was solstice celebrations we were involved in with crib-in-a-manger being a rather late add-on to the whole affair.

 

And yes guys - good to know you all here.  And all the best for the year ahead.  The cycle of life & death continues as you say.  Getting old is a bit of a bitch but every now & then I feel the revelling stir of the power of having very little to lose.  Must exploit that as soon as I've paid of my bond -:)

 

 

[hannah j]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            moved here from a response to Cal on Collapse:  

This has been a turn around for me, too.  My dad was a generous grandpa, but didn't over do it as far as mom (me) was concerned. He felt I had my way of doing things and didn't need money as much as acceptance.  I wanted him to spend my inheritance~ he had a great life, loved where i ended up so far (his father's birthplace) and would love it if i got a horse here.  we'll see.  i am most excited to have a pool, as i really need to exercise, and love to swim.  it is a very low maintenance pool, so says the seller.  the greenhouse is huge, and heated and has plants i will have to find homes for, as i am more into edibles than hot house flowers, but who knows.  i will have room here for a lot of dreams coming true, so will patrick.  our house we are in now is smaller than the garage. interesting what happens when you hit 'a certain age' huh.

[waldopaper]

I got macular degeneration and a pacemaker (pulse-generator) and writers' block (rare-but it happens).  Also got a Kindle Fire this morning from Ms. Waldo... so i downloaded "The Trial."  Gotta save up the grinkles to get a Springbar Tent... prolly a Vagabond 4 or 7.  The #occupation took a toll on the ol Eureka.  Got about 6 hours to finish this year's story. 

Read a bit about Belize at my sib's house.  Certainly nothing to keep me in the USA except a tight family to scatter soon... if eye am here long enough to see it.  Filled out that disability stuff too... after the stroke.  Had a Chinese Army of doktors and documentation... lost most of my vision and ability to read... but they said "naaaaan..." so eye thought fuckem- only a couple years away from social scrutiny... which is now bout 1200 a month... prolly enuff to live ok in Belize.  

But eye shore am glad we took this path away from the Chump together.  it's a godz-end to know there are sane people in the world.  I had to re-learn to read and about 6 months and brain plasticity saved my ass enuff to fake it thru the classes that pay for extra beer and glasses.  eye still smokes and drinks too much.  Little physical maladys pop up all the time and will show you the story as soon as eye kin git it up... and that's another fucking story!  Myrtle Crispies, you guys... the best and only readers a guy kin have.  We ARE family. 

Shore wisht eye knew how Curt wuz doin... 

[BO]

Be in Belize in a couple of days. Already warm and humid. All midwesterners on this ship. Basically, a buncha crazy rednecks and rich pomp-ass Jews (sorry Pan, but it's true). Full report when I get back home.

[waldopaper]

Diana Story

December 25, 2011

 

There was this gnarly old Billy that lived under a bridge.  It was not really a bridge and he was not really a troll, but with the traffic overhead you could hardly tell the difference.  Only friends were stars…and they were so far away.  Speak to them clear nights.  Little difference if stars rarely reply.  And there were protos and giants and dwarfs, all parts of the same family with planets and moons and such… wheeling over dark dome above the bridge.  It was the coldest time of year, and a young Moon came to stay. 

 

She could be a warm Moon, cool or just about anything.  And they would roil and sleep and sometimes weep and soon there were two new stars just above the bridge.  What would they be?  Carbons or cool reds, and who could guess?  Now clip clop traffic on bridge-singing tire grids rush further clear and the stars and all their bright cousins seem to be near.  Ever since standing on hind-legs head point to Grandfather Star and touch tow Grandmother Earth along winding turbine down the road. 

 

That road long gone buys not the real road that heads and fetes toward plan it and stars.  God has an app for that and all call it life and strife wheel spoke our Goodman to our Goodwife, “gae up and bar the door.”  Old Billy butts him stupid head at star for all to see.  "Will ye kiss me wife before me een, and scad me wi pudding-bree?”  Good thing young Moon got lots of parts to moving houses, hats and hearts and fits and starts.  Moon of my life!  Winter is coming!  Still she nose things, always humming. 

 

“The wind sae cauld blew south and north, and blew into the floor;” and young Moon always shine a light ‘til Billy butts no more.  He chews the close upon the line and kicks the can-tar nation; his dim old brain begins to sea the stars his destination.  Aye, one day his ship will sail and he will head on home… and plow a path with laughter wrath the starry-darkened dome.  And weather global warming Christmas leads the little horses, knot the ties that bind in flight the twi’ lights in their courses. 

 

Like Sisera, he has it pegged, the serial he endorses.  No doubt he’d rather eat the stuff than have it scare the bourses.  Wind-chime jingles, turbine spin, big wheel turn around.  His Moon-light brings him so much joy returning to the ground where planted little punkin patch, was it so long ago?  The Kismet puppy rainbow bridge was always there, you know.  Wag-tail little brown fur-ball will start and lift an ear… and grumbling butting chewing shirts, old Billy will appear.  Cue scene that road before. 

 

It was a home that crossed the creek, a fire that stopped the leak.  It was a loving song born long before and after his young Moon.  You can not stop what is coming but she keeps on humming a sweet song life for four.  And where it will lead, who knows indeed?  Old Billy could not ask for more.  Then up and started our goodwife, gied three skips on the floor: "Goodman, you’ve spoken the foremost word,

 

Get up and bar the door!”  So spackling windows, duct-tape patches, squeaky hinges, sticky latches wrapped in Season greeting happy Moon and light. 

Good Night! 

[Cal]

I am in the frame of mind to have followed what you writ Waldo .... It is rather lovely ... sorry, can't think of a more impressive word but 'lovely' is right up there on the top of my list of good names for things.