This morning I had an early meeting, too early. Afterwards I needed coffee so I decided to take a break and walk to Cup of Joe's. The doors were locked and a nasty notice was on the door from the Constables office. They might be closed for awhile, so I went for option two, I walked to the convenience store there on 4th and 3rd to grab an energy drink and as I walked, my mind wandered.
I recalled years back in the early 90's after moving here from Indiana that Mayor DeeDee decided to start an initiative to purge the Pioneer Park area of undesirables and make it a gateway community. One of her first initiatives beyond increasing law enforcement was rehabilitating properties. Much of the block between 3rd - 4th South and 2nd – 3rd West was leveled and the surrounding properties rehabilitated. A sizable section just south of Rose Park was also razed for new housing. The Gateway Mall was the culmination of that plan.
At the time though, most media attention went to the apartments for low income housing that were to be built on 3rd West between 3rd and 4th South. For many years construction would start only to be stopped again for financial woes. You would think that for being subsidized housing there should have been more urgency on the situation. For me though it came without much notice when they were eventually completed. I recall they were finished just in time for the 2002 Olympics, but really never paid attention to what became of them. On walking past the apartments I finally noticed that it was now a hotel, not apartments as initially planned, a fairly nice hotel too. On getting back to the office I looked it up online and yep, they are pretty much upper end business class. Some have a washer/dryer in the room, kind of like an apartment might.
As I walked past realizing this social failure with near slack jawed awe I noticed the homeless that still occupy the area, standing in the shadow of a broken promise; literally they were hanging out in the morning shade cast by the hotel. I stopped, we talked and I went on my way. Afterall, I was still on the company dime.
It is the lessons such as these for why I am grateful to be a part of this city, this area, this life. There are those moments when I feel my ego pushing its way out, sometimes manifesting in ugly ways: moments when I feel myself the center of the universe. For those that know; yesterday is a good example of that feeling.
Sometimes lessons in humility come hard. I am grateful that this morning's was instead a gentle bite. I am reminded that what I am is insignificant in the grand scheme and though gilded, my path is only a manifested offering. I still exist at the will of the Universe.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Hemmingway and the IT Guy
This morning I had a minor technical issue at work and had to submit a request to the “I.T. Guy”. If you’ve ever tried getting something from one of these people, you might have an idea what I was looking forward to. Just like the receptionist, you need to build repartee with them as they are people who can get things done for you in the workplace.
This I.T. Guy is new, so I decided to take a creative approach with the following request.
Enjoy:
Once yesterday, then again this morning my laptop has chosen to simply turn off on being disconnected from its external DC power supply without first doing a hibernation or shut-down sequence. For reasons of mobility both in and out of the office, this is not a welcome development.
On it first happening I was suddenly reminded of what the F12 key in MS Word was for, as the sudden data loss turned my normally Pulitzer winning documentation into something far less. Example the recent issue: “It was a dark and stormy night as the Assistant Manager anguished over his not being able to print his Daily Sales by Item and Daily Sales by Department reports. The semi-rhythmic pattern of rain washed across the buildings roof with a sound reminisce of waking to find his father asleep in the living room chair, long after whatever television station he had been watching went off the air. “That was his favorite chair. Wow, I haven’t talked to dad in weeks,” he thought to himself. With blinding fury and crashing thunder a streak of lightening pierced the sky. A light flickered inside, “I wonder if I instead used the TMX_FRANCHISE role?”
Compelling stuff isn’t it? Suddenly though that became, “If the user does not have a TMX_FRANCHISE role, the Daily Sales by Item and Daily Sales by Department reports do not print correctly from franchise remote sites.”
Just figured I’d make my mundane whinings more entertaining for you. The issue can be worked around until a solution is found.
Well it’s all in how you say things and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for one of the new Dell’s.
This I.T. Guy is new, so I decided to take a creative approach with the following request.
Enjoy:
Once yesterday, then again this morning my laptop has chosen to simply turn off on being disconnected from its external DC power supply without first doing a hibernation or shut-down sequence. For reasons of mobility both in and out of the office, this is not a welcome development.
On it first happening I was suddenly reminded of what the F12 key in MS Word was for, as the sudden data loss turned my normally Pulitzer winning documentation into something far less. Example the recent issue: “It was a dark and stormy night as the Assistant Manager anguished over his not being able to print his Daily Sales by Item and Daily Sales by Department reports. The semi-rhythmic pattern of rain washed across the buildings roof with a sound reminisce of waking to find his father asleep in the living room chair, long after whatever television station he had been watching went off the air. “That was his favorite chair. Wow, I haven’t talked to dad in weeks,” he thought to himself. With blinding fury and crashing thunder a streak of lightening pierced the sky. A light flickered inside, “I wonder if I instead used the TMX_FRANCHISE role?”
Compelling stuff isn’t it? Suddenly though that became, “If the user does not have a TMX_FRANCHISE role, the Daily Sales by Item and Daily Sales by Department reports do not print correctly from franchise remote sites.”
Just figured I’d make my mundane whinings more entertaining for you. The issue can be worked around until a solution is found.
Well it’s all in how you say things and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for one of the new Dell’s.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Playing with Persephone
NOTE: I should warn you that this is still an incomplete thought. I just felt like throwing it out here to see how it looks and will most likely get back to it within the next couple days.
...And all his Armour staind ere while so bright.
Forthwith on all sides to his aide was run
By Angels many and strong, who interpos'd
Defence, while others bore him on thir Shields
Back to his Chariot; where it stood retir'd
From off the files of warr; there they him laid
Gnashing for anguish and despite and shame
To find himself not matchless, and his pride
Humbl'd by such rebuke, so farr beneath
His confidence to equal God in power.
John Milton. Paradise Lost. Book VI, lines 333-342
OK children; quiz time. What just happened? Seriously.
Sometimes life occurs with such blinding speed and ferocity I only have time to follow the fight when it’s over. No matter though, I always win. The manner with which a person handles a situation, no matter how deep the cut shows you more about them than any conversation; actions do indeed speak louder than words. Unfortunately we are sometimes made to explain our actions to those who do not understand them.
“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”
-Carl Jung
By fight I reference the quote from Richard Rose, “All of life is a struggle,” and the first of the Four Noble Truths, “All life is suffering.” Every moment of everyday can be viewed as such, even when you’re having fun. No person, nay… no thinking human can be so micromanaged that they will take from it what you believe. Any cognitive, rational being will digest each experience as their own and come away with their own lesson. Making the lesson from your presence a positive one is the only influence you may ever have, and thus the most meaningful.
The lesson here comes to us not from the Buddha, Christianity or new age philosophy. Our lesson today comes to us primarily from Lao Tzu and the Tao Teh Ching: the Way of the Peaceful Warrior. To paraphrase the concept of Shui, “Life is best lived when viewed as a river and is more easily lived when we don’t struggle against the current,” i.e. go with the flow. Action through inaction and all that, but it’s far from passive. In your being swept towards the horizon you can still move laterally, sometimes the river forks even; just don’t try to return upstream.
Just as in the first passage, when attempting to wrest control of yourself, shit happens. What happened in that passage was Satan made a run for the throne of the Judeo-Christian god. From the battlefield he looked around and saw it as unguarded. On his approach the archangel Michael came from up on his right and laid him open with his sword. It was a baited, ambush. If you don’t know what happened from that there, I suggest you ask one of the friendly strangers who visit your home unannounced. One thing they’ll tell you is that he didn’t give up. Unfortunately it would seem his is a battle based more of reactive deceit than proactive planning.
One cannot become so blinded by the goal that they fail to see the pebbles, boulders, even islands in the stream: those obstacles between here and there: the Liers in Wait. Sometimes they just can’t be avoided though. When armed with the facts and your eyes open you sometimes have to walk right through them on your way to honor each of the Gatekeepers. All the while being mindful of their rules and remembering that rules can be arbitrary as enforcement is always left to the judgment of another. “After she had crouched down and had her clothes removed, they were carried away. Then she (Inanna) made her sister Erec-ki-gala rise from her throne, and instead she sat on her throne. The Anna, the seven judges, rendered their decision against her. They looked at her - it was the look of death. They spoke to her - it was the speech of anger. They shouted at her - it was the shout of heavy guilt. The afflicted woman was turned into a corpse. And the corpse was hung on a hook,” (from The Decent of Inanna).
Unlike the earlier hero (or anti-hero depending on how you take your Jesus) Inanna had foresight. She knew whom she could count on and for what. She knew the gatekeepers would disarm her. She knew her sister would entrap her. She went before her peers and laid herself bare knowing no immediate good would come of it. Inanna planned ahead. Three days later, she was free.
Just as Inanna, Persephone was also able to escape. Persephone though couldn’t stay away and returns time and again; never being able to fully remove herself from that life, as it is the only place she is able to realize her power. In Greek Mythology Persephone’s name was the one that was not spoken. She was the Dread Queen of the Underworld; called by Homer, the “Iron Queen” and though a goddess, she is powerless when away from it. On the Earth she dances with nymphs and plays amongst the flowers; she is a symbol of love and fertility. In the Underworld; yeah… um… not so much. There, she is very much feared.
The power Persephone wields in the Underworld is without mercy; hers is not the attention you seek. When Orpheus traveled to the Underworld to plead for the return of his wife, Eurydice following her death from a snakes bite he made his argument through song using a golden lyre given to him by Apollo. Persephone’s demeanor cracked and she granted a pardon, with the caveat that Eurydice may leave so long as Orpheus does not cast his gaze upon her before they reach the surface. As they neared the entrance, for whatever reason Orpheus turned to look at her. It was too soon. His last vision of his wife was of her fading into oblivion.
That story as it appears in the Georgics by Virgil and similarly in Metamorphosis by Ovid is the only one showing anything resembling compassion from Persephone. In Plato’s Symposium, Phaedrus argues Orpheus failed because his love was not strong enough. On that cue, many have opened up on Orpheus with and understandable measure of Feminist and Jungian Criticism. Both agree his love was only physical and his not being able to wait to look at her is a reference to his objectification of her.
An interesting aside is what became of Orpheus; after losing Eurydice a second time, he foreswore love only to later be torn to pieces by the Maenads in a Bacchic orgy. The pieces were cast to the sea where they later washed ashore at the island of Lesbos and were enshrined by the inhabitants. His wife Eurydice in pre-Homeric Greece was known as Eurudike, meaning, “she whose justice extends widely.” Chances are you pronounced that name correctly.
From Gilgamesh up through the ages to Dante (though later works can be argued) classic literature is replete with prose of persons traveling through the Underworld in an effort to gain wisdom. That path is laid so one might find themselves; after all, a virtue untested is really nothing at all. How that Underworld manifests is different for everyone, but realize it has a purpose and those lessons are better learned when you flow with rather than fight against them.
“A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs - jolted by every pebble in the road.”
-Henry Ward Beecher
...And all his Armour staind ere while so bright.
Forthwith on all sides to his aide was run
By Angels many and strong, who interpos'd
Defence, while others bore him on thir Shields
Back to his Chariot; where it stood retir'd
From off the files of warr; there they him laid
Gnashing for anguish and despite and shame
To find himself not matchless, and his pride
Humbl'd by such rebuke, so farr beneath
His confidence to equal God in power.
John Milton. Paradise Lost. Book VI, lines 333-342
OK children; quiz time. What just happened? Seriously.
Sometimes life occurs with such blinding speed and ferocity I only have time to follow the fight when it’s over. No matter though, I always win. The manner with which a person handles a situation, no matter how deep the cut shows you more about them than any conversation; actions do indeed speak louder than words. Unfortunately we are sometimes made to explain our actions to those who do not understand them.
“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”
-Carl Jung
By fight I reference the quote from Richard Rose, “All of life is a struggle,” and the first of the Four Noble Truths, “All life is suffering.” Every moment of everyday can be viewed as such, even when you’re having fun. No person, nay… no thinking human can be so micromanaged that they will take from it what you believe. Any cognitive, rational being will digest each experience as their own and come away with their own lesson. Making the lesson from your presence a positive one is the only influence you may ever have, and thus the most meaningful.
The lesson here comes to us not from the Buddha, Christianity or new age philosophy. Our lesson today comes to us primarily from Lao Tzu and the Tao Teh Ching: the Way of the Peaceful Warrior. To paraphrase the concept of Shui, “Life is best lived when viewed as a river and is more easily lived when we don’t struggle against the current,” i.e. go with the flow. Action through inaction and all that, but it’s far from passive. In your being swept towards the horizon you can still move laterally, sometimes the river forks even; just don’t try to return upstream.
Just as in the first passage, when attempting to wrest control of yourself, shit happens. What happened in that passage was Satan made a run for the throne of the Judeo-Christian god. From the battlefield he looked around and saw it as unguarded. On his approach the archangel Michael came from up on his right and laid him open with his sword. It was a baited, ambush. If you don’t know what happened from that there, I suggest you ask one of the friendly strangers who visit your home unannounced. One thing they’ll tell you is that he didn’t give up. Unfortunately it would seem his is a battle based more of reactive deceit than proactive planning.
One cannot become so blinded by the goal that they fail to see the pebbles, boulders, even islands in the stream: those obstacles between here and there: the Liers in Wait. Sometimes they just can’t be avoided though. When armed with the facts and your eyes open you sometimes have to walk right through them on your way to honor each of the Gatekeepers. All the while being mindful of their rules and remembering that rules can be arbitrary as enforcement is always left to the judgment of another. “After she had crouched down and had her clothes removed, they were carried away. Then she (Inanna) made her sister Erec-ki-gala rise from her throne, and instead she sat on her throne. The Anna, the seven judges, rendered their decision against her. They looked at her - it was the look of death. They spoke to her - it was the speech of anger. They shouted at her - it was the shout of heavy guilt. The afflicted woman was turned into a corpse. And the corpse was hung on a hook,” (from The Decent of Inanna).
Unlike the earlier hero (or anti-hero depending on how you take your Jesus) Inanna had foresight. She knew whom she could count on and for what. She knew the gatekeepers would disarm her. She knew her sister would entrap her. She went before her peers and laid herself bare knowing no immediate good would come of it. Inanna planned ahead. Three days later, she was free.
Just as Inanna, Persephone was also able to escape. Persephone though couldn’t stay away and returns time and again; never being able to fully remove herself from that life, as it is the only place she is able to realize her power. In Greek Mythology Persephone’s name was the one that was not spoken. She was the Dread Queen of the Underworld; called by Homer, the “Iron Queen” and though a goddess, she is powerless when away from it. On the Earth she dances with nymphs and plays amongst the flowers; she is a symbol of love and fertility. In the Underworld; yeah… um… not so much. There, she is very much feared.
The power Persephone wields in the Underworld is without mercy; hers is not the attention you seek. When Orpheus traveled to the Underworld to plead for the return of his wife, Eurydice following her death from a snakes bite he made his argument through song using a golden lyre given to him by Apollo. Persephone’s demeanor cracked and she granted a pardon, with the caveat that Eurydice may leave so long as Orpheus does not cast his gaze upon her before they reach the surface. As they neared the entrance, for whatever reason Orpheus turned to look at her. It was too soon. His last vision of his wife was of her fading into oblivion.
That story as it appears in the Georgics by Virgil and similarly in Metamorphosis by Ovid is the only one showing anything resembling compassion from Persephone. In Plato’s Symposium, Phaedrus argues Orpheus failed because his love was not strong enough. On that cue, many have opened up on Orpheus with and understandable measure of Feminist and Jungian Criticism. Both agree his love was only physical and his not being able to wait to look at her is a reference to his objectification of her.
An interesting aside is what became of Orpheus; after losing Eurydice a second time, he foreswore love only to later be torn to pieces by the Maenads in a Bacchic orgy. The pieces were cast to the sea where they later washed ashore at the island of Lesbos and were enshrined by the inhabitants. His wife Eurydice in pre-Homeric Greece was known as Eurudike, meaning, “she whose justice extends widely.” Chances are you pronounced that name correctly.
From Gilgamesh up through the ages to Dante (though later works can be argued) classic literature is replete with prose of persons traveling through the Underworld in an effort to gain wisdom. That path is laid so one might find themselves; after all, a virtue untested is really nothing at all. How that Underworld manifests is different for everyone, but realize it has a purpose and those lessons are better learned when you flow with rather than fight against them.
“A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs - jolted by every pebble in the road.”
-Henry Ward Beecher
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
If You Mess With the Bull. . . .
Two bulls are standing on top of a hill; a young bull and a much older bull. They're looking over a herd of cows, and the younger bull says, "Let's run down there and fuck ourselves one of them cows!"
From time to time I recall moments and experiences that at the time seemed fairly innocuous to only later realize how they predict my behavior now. I recall sometime early in the First Grade my homeroom teacher, Mrs. Grosgritz passed us a lesson on sharing or something that I took as one of learning when to pick my battles and not to be whipped into a fervor by another’s arbitrary whim.The teacher had us all stand in a circle, a class of some 20 kids and she stood in the middle holding a candybar high above her head. She paced the circle discussing loudly what she was going to do; her plan was to throw this candybar into the circle. Each would have a fair chance at getting it and whomever got it, got to keep it. She stepped out of what was now a ring, and tossed the confection in.
The whole class immediately descended, save myself and one other. I just recall standing there watching this scene unfold as twenty some-odd kids fought and struggled to wrest the candybar from one another. I don’t recall the other kids rationale, but after Mrs. Grosgritz broke the pile she asked us why we didn’t involve ourselves. “I just didn’t see the point in doing that over a candybar,” I said (or at least something like that). The best part was that the kid who ended up with the candybar had little more than something resembling a turd, smashed in a wrapper. He won, but for what?
Why this comes up is because I see this same behavior daily on a greater scale when commuting via the train between work and home.
The older bull replies, "How about we walk down there and fuck 'em all?"
Near everyday I watch this situation unfold. I get to the train station in time to see the train pull up as I pull my briefcase from my car. In the same parking lot I see a few heads pop up and about a half dozen men and women break in a dead run to catch the train. I open my briefcase, drop my keys in, grab my iPod and start walking to the platform. I usually get there in time to see the train pull away. I pull a smoke from my pocket, and I wait. During this time of the morning I’ll have the platform to myself. I don’t worry; the next train is in 10 minutes. That’s the train I’m there for anyway, I just like being early.Also near everyday I see the same situation, but in some ways better. I’ll catch the bus over to the station. The tension on those things can be brutal. It’s not sourced from some thug sitting in the back polishing his brass knuckles or counting the contents of his last victims wallet; it’s men and women in ties and dresses sitting there grumbling, pensively watching the road as if by shear power of will they can control the destinies of those around them.
As we arrive at the station, two trains stand idling; one leaves any moment; the other in about ten minutes. Of course once the doors to the bus open most all break into that dead run for the train that leaves first. I boarded that train a couple of times; you have relatively no choice in seating arrangement. If one is available, it’s generally on the sunny side of the car and the whole thing is full of persons that look at each other with a yardstick that measures who’s closer to god. I in turn go for the later train. I have my choice of seat and ride in fair comfort and I don’t really count those lost ten minutes as being lost.
I’ve seen coworkers get caught up in this; Glenn will stand there almost dancing at the bus stop with repeated looks down the street. He’ll near push his way onto the bus and is usually one of the first off when we get there. I’ve asked him in a backhanded manner what his motivation was, “What do you generally do after work?”
“Nothing really, just watch TV,” was his reply. Regardless of his elevated position at work, I see this behavior as aggressive, not dominant.
Another I’ve seen caught up in this game is an attractive, younger receptionist who works in another office named Amy. We’re generally on the same train in the morning and will often catch the same bus to our building. The train was late yesterday though and we missed our bus. Amy was intent on waiting the 20 minutes for the next, but I proposed an idea; any bus leaving the station stops in a relative proximity to the building where we both work. “Why not just take one of them and walk the distance?” I asked her. She looked at me with a raised brow and I added that she was already late; she really had nothing more to lose. She agreed and followed me.
We boarded a semi-random bus and were let off at Third South and Fourth West. “Oh we just take Third over to Second?” she asked.
“Even better,” I replied pointing towards Pierpont Avenue and set off walking. Amy quickly shed her heels and came up in tow. As we came up on Pierpont and Fourth I had her stop to see one of the many oases I have found in this city. A quick second later we were back on the move. I couldn’t help but watch how she walked: very focused with her eye to the horizon.
At one point I had to guide Amy off the beaten path to cut across the parking lot behind Java Joe’s. By now the backside of our building could be seen. Coming up on Third I was starting to figure a few things out about her. As we came to the sidewalk, just about mid-block, Amy turned and started heading for the cross walk. “Wait,” I said and directed her attention to see that with the exception of cars idling at either intersection, there was no traffic for about a hundred yards. “Sometimes jay-walking is the thing to do,” I said with a smile. She followed me across the road.
As we came upon the pay lot on the corner I mentioned to her that on the days I drive; this is where I have to park, a whole block away. Considering what I had observed and already knew about her, what she offered next was a bit of a surprise; “I’m supposed to, but I kinda cheat the system.” I inquired as to how and admittingly though resourceful her method was, I’m not finding it worth the risk of being ticketed and/or having my car impounded. I would like a better place to leave my car though. Indeed that could be a slippery slope.
The point here though isn’t one of sex, or even relationships. The point is, “What do you do with what you’ve been given and what do you give yourself?”
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Destroying the self, one position at a time.
I lay there on the floor, spent, gasping for air, covered in sweat and surrounded by some symbolic puddle of the accumulated filth of an active weekend. I watched her cross the room towards me, slowly circling my body. We locked eyes and with a slight curl to her lips she said, “You did well this morning.”
I smiled back and ever so softly she offered her “Namasté” to the class and walked out the door.
“Namasté,” I replied. A voice so small that it was only heard inside my head as the gentle chorus rose from around me. I felt something in that moment: something genuine both within, and outside of myself. It was recognition of divinity. Not just me and not just the instructor. Through the class she had been little more than a manifest voice in my head. Her movement at the end was all that gave her away. I had a sudden awareness of being. I was suddenly aware of the woman to my left and the one behind me: the man to my right and the one in front of me. The two other women near the west wall and the other to the east, plus the men behind both of them. I realized I had lost myself in the moment and through the session had only suffered brief flashes of reality.
There is only one other time in my life I can remember anything close to that. The reality was like a skilled opiate; a morphine high. Endorphins. The conscious was like ecstasy; feeling the world pass through me and seeing richness of colors I had never seen before. Adrenaline. Nothing could describe how I felt by the end of class, but it soon became obvious to me that others saw it too.
I smiled back and ever so softly she offered her “Namasté” to the class and walked out the door.
“Namasté,” I replied. A voice so small that it was only heard inside my head as the gentle chorus rose from around me. I felt something in that moment: something genuine both within, and outside of myself. It was recognition of divinity. Not just me and not just the instructor. Through the class she had been little more than a manifest voice in my head. Her movement at the end was all that gave her away. I had a sudden awareness of being. I was suddenly aware of the woman to my left and the one behind me: the man to my right and the one in front of me. The two other women near the west wall and the other to the east, plus the men behind both of them. I realized I had lost myself in the moment and through the session had only suffered brief flashes of reality.
There is only one other time in my life I can remember anything close to that. The reality was like a skilled opiate; a morphine high. Endorphins. The conscious was like ecstasy; feeling the world pass through me and seeing richness of colors I had never seen before. Adrenaline. Nothing could describe how I felt by the end of class, but it soon became obvious to me that others saw it too.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
We are all chained by fate....
This morning I woke up late; a friend needed a compassionate ear last night so I went. We met over coffee and I did what I do and stayed up late doing it. This morning though, I slept past both alarms. I figured last night that I was going to miss yoga, but nothing like this. I dressed and was out the door in no time. I arrived at the station just to watch the 7:15 train pull away. I could have gotten back in my car, drove to SLC and been to work easily within the hour.
I checked the schedule; the next train wasn’t for another half hour. It was late in the morning and I knew I had the place to myself for the next little while. Instead of racing to work I chose to appreciate what I had been given. The platform was empty. The morning was still. The air was quiet. The view of Freemont Island and Little Mountain, each bathed in soft morning desert pastels were beautiful. A subtle smell of alfalfa wafted the air and so much green speckled across the landscape provided strong contrast. The rising sun shed it’s light through broken clouds making an incredible show of light and shadow. And there it was, the day was handed to me.
Whereas many are unable to see the forest for the trees, my issue lately has been not seeing the trees for the forest. Not seeing and appreciating every little thought, deed or action that goes into manifesting the big picture. Although each of those elements holds beauty, none on its own could stage a scene so grand as what is provided when they work in concert.
We all have those moments when we realize a world outside of ourselves, but still we all mostly operate at the lower end of the The Great Chain of Being like the fish with rudimentary goals in mind; swim, feed, fuck. This is the evolution most people talk about, though few realize it. We are all capable of higher thinking, higher reasoning, a higher understanding of the world around us.
Humans are in an odd position on The Great Chain of Being. We can elevate or descend to exist anywhere on it. Beneath the fish are insects and the like then earth, but at our base level most humans are considered right there with the fish; swim, feed, fuck. If you examine those three actions you can see how much of our lives can be tied back to that. Every animals actions can be, it’s what we do beyond that which defines us.
Above the fish exist the domesticated flock animals: sheep, cows, etc. They almost entirely lack free will and allow man to exercise dominion over them.
Above them are the higher domesticated animals: horses, dogs, cats and the like. Domesticated still, yet servile in nature in that they perform specific functions in the service of man.
Higher still are the wild herd animals: deer, antelope, elk, bison. This group defies domestication, yet still has that issue of free will.
Then come the wild predators: cougars, bears, and wolves. Wolves have an exceptional characteristic of still being herd-like in their mentality; though in a way are much like man, but still the lower of the wild predators.
The latter group will consume any of the lower groups, including the only one higher, man. When this group or any lower attempts to reach beyond its place on the chain, it is still punished. Think what happens when any of these of it’s own volition attacks a human and you’ll know what I mean.
On the earthly level of The Great Chain of Being man sits on top, yet is able to figuratively exist by his manifest behavior with any of the lower, flesh made groups and as such people are often referred to as the animal they manifest: sheep, cow, dog, cougar, wolf. Deer (dear) could even be argued in there.
Beyond man of course are the purely ethereal beings: cherubim, seraphim, archangels then lastly, God. These groups are immutable on The Great Chain of Being and as such demonstrate that we are not meant to advance beyond that within our lifetimes, rather than strive to become one after death.
Man is the dichotomy between the spirit and the flesh. In life we can exist anywhere along The Great Chain of Being and it is the challenge of our condition to push past that and define ourselves on our own terms. Fundamentally that idea of elevating ourselves is the same across the board in all religions. We all have spiritual aspirations, but the flesh is made weak by the temptations of swim, feed, fuck and we fall right back down again.
On the surface it may not sound so hard but let’s polarize this with life. Think of swimming as travel; going from point A to B or just busying ourselves with any little distraction to keep from being made to be alone with ourselves.
Consider feeding as the endless consumerism that we all participate in. If you don’t believe me then go sit in a Starbuck’s and watch the artificial coffee snobs.
And fuck, well yes but that is only in part meant for sex. On the human level that is socializing in general, returning us to that need to not be left alone and surrounding ourselves with hollow relationships.
We all seem to be so deluded with this idea that was either need a large group, OR one or two, close intimate friends. In his book, ”The Art of Happiness,” the Dalai Lama discusses the concept of loneliness as one that perplexes him. He questions how one can truly find themselves lonely when we are all surrounded by friends, acquaintances or loved ones, any of which we are capable of cultivating a meaningful relationship with, and for those who speak under their breath, intimacy is not sex.
Another area this comes in at is the song, Stay Human by Spearhead (which some refer to as ”All the Freaky People,” by Michael Franti, same song, same group) in which he cites the same:
”…. isolation is a riddle
to be surrounded by a million other people
but feel alone like a tree in the desert…. ”
Yes the problem exists, but it’s not a physical issue so much as a spiritual one. Cherubim, seraphim, archangels, and God do not necessarily exist as icons to follow anymore. What does exist is you, and me: objects of the flesh who are real and tangible. We do have a responsibility to evolve, but that evolution isn’t towards some being of light; it’s evolving to being human and pulling yourself from the dirt to dust off the remains from yesterday.
We are built to do more than swim, feed and fuck; yet so many (sometimes myself included) seem perfectly content in that reality. I say don’t be! You’re more an animal when you do your best to blend in and join the herd and in reality the closest to being above man you’ll ever be on The Great Chain of Being is in those moments when you test yourself. We all know of the ugliness we’re capable of, but what about the beauty? You’ll never know until you try and testing that is where you will evolve.
I checked the schedule; the next train wasn’t for another half hour. It was late in the morning and I knew I had the place to myself for the next little while. Instead of racing to work I chose to appreciate what I had been given. The platform was empty. The morning was still. The air was quiet. The view of Freemont Island and Little Mountain, each bathed in soft morning desert pastels were beautiful. A subtle smell of alfalfa wafted the air and so much green speckled across the landscape provided strong contrast. The rising sun shed it’s light through broken clouds making an incredible show of light and shadow. And there it was, the day was handed to me.
Whereas many are unable to see the forest for the trees, my issue lately has been not seeing the trees for the forest. Not seeing and appreciating every little thought, deed or action that goes into manifesting the big picture. Although each of those elements holds beauty, none on its own could stage a scene so grand as what is provided when they work in concert.
We all have those moments when we realize a world outside of ourselves, but still we all mostly operate at the lower end of the The Great Chain of Being like the fish with rudimentary goals in mind; swim, feed, fuck. This is the evolution most people talk about, though few realize it. We are all capable of higher thinking, higher reasoning, a higher understanding of the world around us.
Humans are in an odd position on The Great Chain of Being. We can elevate or descend to exist anywhere on it. Beneath the fish are insects and the like then earth, but at our base level most humans are considered right there with the fish; swim, feed, fuck. If you examine those three actions you can see how much of our lives can be tied back to that. Every animals actions can be, it’s what we do beyond that which defines us.
Above the fish exist the domesticated flock animals: sheep, cows, etc. They almost entirely lack free will and allow man to exercise dominion over them.
Above them are the higher domesticated animals: horses, dogs, cats and the like. Domesticated still, yet servile in nature in that they perform specific functions in the service of man.
Higher still are the wild herd animals: deer, antelope, elk, bison. This group defies domestication, yet still has that issue of free will.
Then come the wild predators: cougars, bears, and wolves. Wolves have an exceptional characteristic of still being herd-like in their mentality; though in a way are much like man, but still the lower of the wild predators.
The latter group will consume any of the lower groups, including the only one higher, man. When this group or any lower attempts to reach beyond its place on the chain, it is still punished. Think what happens when any of these of it’s own volition attacks a human and you’ll know what I mean.
On the earthly level of The Great Chain of Being man sits on top, yet is able to figuratively exist by his manifest behavior with any of the lower, flesh made groups and as such people are often referred to as the animal they manifest: sheep, cow, dog, cougar, wolf. Deer (dear) could even be argued in there.
Beyond man of course are the purely ethereal beings: cherubim, seraphim, archangels then lastly, God. These groups are immutable on The Great Chain of Being and as such demonstrate that we are not meant to advance beyond that within our lifetimes, rather than strive to become one after death.
Man is the dichotomy between the spirit and the flesh. In life we can exist anywhere along The Great Chain of Being and it is the challenge of our condition to push past that and define ourselves on our own terms. Fundamentally that idea of elevating ourselves is the same across the board in all religions. We all have spiritual aspirations, but the flesh is made weak by the temptations of swim, feed, fuck and we fall right back down again.
On the surface it may not sound so hard but let’s polarize this with life. Think of swimming as travel; going from point A to B or just busying ourselves with any little distraction to keep from being made to be alone with ourselves.
Consider feeding as the endless consumerism that we all participate in. If you don’t believe me then go sit in a Starbuck’s and watch the artificial coffee snobs.
And fuck, well yes but that is only in part meant for sex. On the human level that is socializing in general, returning us to that need to not be left alone and surrounding ourselves with hollow relationships.
We all seem to be so deluded with this idea that was either need a large group, OR one or two, close intimate friends. In his book, ”The Art of Happiness,” the Dalai Lama discusses the concept of loneliness as one that perplexes him. He questions how one can truly find themselves lonely when we are all surrounded by friends, acquaintances or loved ones, any of which we are capable of cultivating a meaningful relationship with, and for those who speak under their breath, intimacy is not sex.
Another area this comes in at is the song, Stay Human by Spearhead (which some refer to as ”All the Freaky People,” by Michael Franti, same song, same group) in which he cites the same:
”…. isolation is a riddle
to be surrounded by a million other people
but feel alone like a tree in the desert…. ”
Yes the problem exists, but it’s not a physical issue so much as a spiritual one. Cherubim, seraphim, archangels, and God do not necessarily exist as icons to follow anymore. What does exist is you, and me: objects of the flesh who are real and tangible. We do have a responsibility to evolve, but that evolution isn’t towards some being of light; it’s evolving to being human and pulling yourself from the dirt to dust off the remains from yesterday.
We are built to do more than swim, feed and fuck; yet so many (sometimes myself included) seem perfectly content in that reality. I say don’t be! You’re more an animal when you do your best to blend in and join the herd and in reality the closest to being above man you’ll ever be on The Great Chain of Being is in those moments when you test yourself. We all know of the ugliness we’re capable of, but what about the beauty? You’ll never know until you try and testing that is where you will evolve.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
So this woman from Mississippi walks into a bar. . .
Check out this email I received today. Of course I had to respond. This is the stuff that gives Chris a big rubbery one.
Sent by Ginger;
I typed in my address 1st and then I tried just the road I live on and got more results when I just put in my road.
Forwarded from Marianne;
This is VERY interesting! See who your neighbors are. After you type in your address, it pinpoints all the people close to your home that have been convicted of ANY felonies. Then you just click on the red pins/balloons on the map and it gives you the offenders name, age, and felony offense. Better to know than not.
http://www.felonspy.com/search.html
My Response:
Ginger (and everyone else);
The link is a nice graphic, but you still get better results by checking the states online sex offender registry. The unfortunate sides of both is that offenders don't always register as they're required to and that otherwise harmless behavior could cause one to be placed on there (think the kids in Farmington who were sending pictures of their own genitals to each other before you reply). Honestly I believe a large reason such criminals exist is because they have failed to socialize and see people as persons rather than objects.
To sum it all up, the list isn't all that accurate and really only promotes a form of vigilante justice which in some cases may be entirely unwarranted. If the individual is so concerned about the guy next door, how about we educate our children on what behaviors to avoid rather than living in fear. This is just another example of how our own government promotes a fear based society rather than one of individual and national growth.
Go outside, get to know your neighbors. When you see them, smile and say hi. Don't let the phrase, "How ya doin?" be used as a passing salutation. Most say it without realizing they've made an invitation for you to talk; use it. In turn don't offer some disgenuine reply; you've been asked a question, answer it!
Now I should offer the disclaimer that no I am not on there nor do I affiliate anyone who is. The reason though such things piss me off is that one; we have a criminal justice system that we pay for. Two; it is not necessarily applied correctly (again the kids in Farmington). Three; lists are never good. Sure today it's sex offenders and tomorrow it's all felons, then the mentally ill, the handicapped, the illegal immigrants...does any of this get your attention? It's all been done before. Next it was the Jews. It's about time YOU speak up for ANY of the disfranchised, because if YOU don't, who will? We're all in this together, and those don't see that will be left behind.
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
-Pastor Martin Niemöller
Anyway, so ends my rant.
Much Love,
Chris
Ginger forwarded my response to Marianne. Marianne replied via Ginger. Look what I started.
From Ginger;
Had to share her point of view.. See in MS your neighbors are miles from you.. Not in a standard neighborhood such as we are used to here in civilization! But she has her point too!
She's a great gal..
Forwarded from Marianne;
This is a felon finder an not everyone on it is a sex offender. I have kindappers and attempted murderers near me and that is info I like to know. Isn't it nice to be prepared for what lies in your surroundings instead of someone trying to harm you or your family and saying "Oh I wish I had known that person lived so close so I could have paid better attention to my surroundings".
igilantianism is not what I was thinking of in anyway when I forwarded this info, but the peace of mind we can all have knowing who surrounds us. And in no place on that site does it state being a tool for vigilatianism...I am all for people deserving a 2nd chance but think it best to be aware of my surroundings.
Disenfranchised? Are you kidding me? He is comparing the Jews to FELONS? Felons had a choice in what they did. The Jews were victims...
Feel free to pass this along...
I replied directly to Marianne this time and sent cc: to Ginger.
Marianne I appreciate your commentary. The right to express one's opinion is the cornerstone of society. The point that I make is not the direct relationship between Jews and felons. The relationship I define is that of once we make it acceptable to strip the rights of one group, it doesn't sting so much for the next. The "so long as it's not me," attitude is what I abhor. Those are identical stepping stones the Nazi's took in Germany; they started small with people society didn't like and slowly chipped away. Did you know that beyond the Jews, millions more regular Germans found the same fate, before them? The pattern was always the same too, you have to be registered and thus tracked. This is the same situation most gun owners fear with registering fire arms
The last line of that poem says, "When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out." reads the same as, "He who surrenders liberty in the name of security will have neither." (Benjamin Franklin). Once you strip liberty from one party, you unknowingly take it from yourself. In a world where our freedoms are chipped away at everyday, we have to fight for what what freedom still exists. Once it's gone it's not like they'll just give it back. A police state is not what the United States of America was built on. If I recall correctly it was "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." At least that's what it said on the Declaration of Independence.
One last thing regarding your comment on people saying if only they knew more about their surroundings; when my daughter was molested it was by a person who was on no such registry. Yeah the guy is one big piece of shit and life will deliver to him what he has earned. I get to hear about it every time he's released or gets sent back to prison and just as I respect you and your freedom to speak your mind regardless of actions or opinion, I will not impose myself or be grateful for another trampling on another's Forth Amendment Rights.
Yes we are guaranteed the life, liberty and the pursuits of happiness, but no one has the right to do so at the expense of another. Everyone has that right.
OK so I screwed up on my pronoun usage, but meh. . . points been made. I'm curious for what's next.
Ginger replies to her cc:
As prepared as we can make ourselves (with or without those sights) we can still fall victim to those awful things we try so hard to stay away from.
Are you a Republican? You seem to fit the part.. I can say I am more of a Libertarian... Not totally Republican .. Not totally Democratic and I really enjoy your input Chris!
Thanks for sharing..
Much admiration..
Ginger
My response to Ginger:
I'm neither Republican nor Democrat, Libertarian or anything else. I vote my conscience. So far I have argued against all sides. The Republicans want to keep their guns, but trash the Bill of Rights to make sure we're all sane and the state has the advantage. The Democrats seem to want to preserve the rights of the individual while leveling the playing field, which involves some losing their rights. Then there's the whole patronizing the Jesus fan base they do, I think it's all bullshit really. The only truth left to our system is what we started with.
Though perhaps similar to the core Libertarian ideals of Anarcho-Communism (seriously that's where that started) I would consider myself more a Prescriptive Constitutionalist as identified by philosopher Wil Waluchow, "the idea … that government can and should be legally limited in its powers, and that its authority depends on its observing these limitations. This idea brings with it a host of vexing questions of interest not only to legal scholars, but to anyone keen to explore the legal and philosophical foundations of the state."
I do enjoy Waluchow, but I mostly prefer John Locke and his Second Treatise of Government. Much early colonial and revolutionary though was based on this man's writing. The Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence are both direct manifestation of his book and both actually contain much reference to it.
Politics should be more about a philosophy rather than an unwavering value. Things done in the name of "values" in this country is part of what cripples us. Things we do in other countries under the same banner only aggravates the condition. Obviously from this whole conversation you can see that we don't share the same brands; it works the same everywhere. Capitalism is great, Communism is evil is what I was taught growing up and yet our system has been left in the dust by a communist country who owns more of the United States that most care to admit.
As of 18 Jun 2008 at 09:14:18 PM GMT the U.S. national debt is $9,398,060,704,952.96. Almost a third of that is held by China. Our system has put us in a position that another country could literally ruin us without firing a shot. All they have to do is call on that debt. Seriously it is the equivalent to being delinquent on your power bill. They can turn off the lights at anytime.
All this politicking, all this learning to hate thy neighbor. . . none of it helps us and only serves as a smoke screen to our greater domestic problems. This Byzantine system we live in only serves to limit and segregate society. Political affiliations are a fine example; we are encouraged to cluster and foster an us versus them attitude. If we can put a finger on it, if we can label it, we can control it. The bullride is over; the west was won. We've tamed that beast and yet we're mostly still living in these false realities. It's time to evolve and elevate ourselves above this linear thinking and look outwards at what we as individuals can truly do to change. . . shit, anything. No politician is going to do that for us. No regulatory agency is going to make life better. No law is going to make you safer. It's a group of individuals working to clean up their own little corner of the world that incites change.
Sent by Ginger;
I typed in my address 1st and then I tried just the road I live on and got more results when I just put in my road.
Forwarded from Marianne;
This is VERY interesting! See who your neighbors are. After you type in your address, it pinpoints all the people close to your home that have been convicted of ANY felonies. Then you just click on the red pins/balloons on the map and it gives you the offenders name, age, and felony offense. Better to know than not.
http://www.felonspy.com/search.html
My Response:
Ginger (and everyone else);
The link is a nice graphic, but you still get better results by checking the states online sex offender registry. The unfortunate sides of both is that offenders don't always register as they're required to and that otherwise harmless behavior could cause one to be placed on there (think the kids in Farmington who were sending pictures of their own genitals to each other before you reply). Honestly I believe a large reason such criminals exist is because they have failed to socialize and see people as persons rather than objects.
To sum it all up, the list isn't all that accurate and really only promotes a form of vigilante justice which in some cases may be entirely unwarranted. If the individual is so concerned about the guy next door, how about we educate our children on what behaviors to avoid rather than living in fear. This is just another example of how our own government promotes a fear based society rather than one of individual and national growth.
Go outside, get to know your neighbors. When you see them, smile and say hi. Don't let the phrase, "How ya doin?" be used as a passing salutation. Most say it without realizing they've made an invitation for you to talk; use it. In turn don't offer some disgenuine reply; you've been asked a question, answer it!
Now I should offer the disclaimer that no I am not on there nor do I affiliate anyone who is. The reason though such things piss me off is that one; we have a criminal justice system that we pay for. Two; it is not necessarily applied correctly (again the kids in Farmington). Three; lists are never good. Sure today it's sex offenders and tomorrow it's all felons, then the mentally ill, the handicapped, the illegal immigrants...does any of this get your attention? It's all been done before. Next it was the Jews. It's about time YOU speak up for ANY of the disfranchised, because if YOU don't, who will? We're all in this together, and those don't see that will be left behind.
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
-Pastor Martin Niemöller
Anyway, so ends my rant.
Much Love,
Chris
Ginger forwarded my response to Marianne. Marianne replied via Ginger. Look what I started.
From Ginger;
Had to share her point of view.. See in MS your neighbors are miles from you.. Not in a standard neighborhood such as we are used to here in civilization! But she has her point too!
She's a great gal..
Forwarded from Marianne;
This is a felon finder an not everyone on it is a sex offender. I have kindappers and attempted murderers near me and that is info I like to know. Isn't it nice to be prepared for what lies in your surroundings instead of someone trying to harm you or your family and saying "Oh I wish I had known that person lived so close so I could have paid better attention to my surroundings".
igilantianism is not what I was thinking of in anyway when I forwarded this info, but the peace of mind we can all have knowing who surrounds us. And in no place on that site does it state being a tool for vigilatianism...I am all for people deserving a 2nd chance but think it best to be aware of my surroundings.
Disenfranchised? Are you kidding me? He is comparing the Jews to FELONS? Felons had a choice in what they did. The Jews were victims...
Feel free to pass this along...
I replied directly to Marianne this time and sent cc: to Ginger.
Marianne I appreciate your commentary. The right to express one's opinion is the cornerstone of society. The point that I make is not the direct relationship between Jews and felons. The relationship I define is that of once we make it acceptable to strip the rights of one group, it doesn't sting so much for the next. The "so long as it's not me," attitude is what I abhor. Those are identical stepping stones the Nazi's took in Germany; they started small with people society didn't like and slowly chipped away. Did you know that beyond the Jews, millions more regular Germans found the same fate, before them? The pattern was always the same too, you have to be registered and thus tracked. This is the same situation most gun owners fear with registering fire arms
The last line of that poem says, "When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out." reads the same as, "He who surrenders liberty in the name of security will have neither." (Benjamin Franklin). Once you strip liberty from one party, you unknowingly take it from yourself. In a world where our freedoms are chipped away at everyday, we have to fight for what what freedom still exists. Once it's gone it's not like they'll just give it back. A police state is not what the United States of America was built on. If I recall correctly it was "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." At least that's what it said on the Declaration of Independence.
One last thing regarding your comment on people saying if only they knew more about their surroundings; when my daughter was molested it was by a person who was on no such registry. Yeah the guy is one big piece of shit and life will deliver to him what he has earned. I get to hear about it every time he's released or gets sent back to prison and just as I respect you and your freedom to speak your mind regardless of actions or opinion, I will not impose myself or be grateful for another trampling on another's Forth Amendment Rights.
Yes we are guaranteed the life, liberty and the pursuits of happiness, but no one has the right to do so at the expense of another. Everyone has that right.
OK so I screwed up on my pronoun usage, but meh. . . points been made. I'm curious for what's next.
Ginger replies to her cc:
As prepared as we can make ourselves (with or without those sights) we can still fall victim to those awful things we try so hard to stay away from.
Are you a Republican? You seem to fit the part.. I can say I am more of a Libertarian... Not totally Republican .. Not totally Democratic and I really enjoy your input Chris!
Thanks for sharing..
Much admiration..
Ginger
My response to Ginger:
I'm neither Republican nor Democrat, Libertarian or anything else. I vote my conscience. So far I have argued against all sides. The Republicans want to keep their guns, but trash the Bill of Rights to make sure we're all sane and the state has the advantage. The Democrats seem to want to preserve the rights of the individual while leveling the playing field, which involves some losing their rights. Then there's the whole patronizing the Jesus fan base they do, I think it's all bullshit really. The only truth left to our system is what we started with.
Though perhaps similar to the core Libertarian ideals of Anarcho-Communism (seriously that's where that started) I would consider myself more a Prescriptive Constitutionalist as identified by philosopher Wil Waluchow, "the idea … that government can and should be legally limited in its powers, and that its authority depends on its observing these limitations. This idea brings with it a host of vexing questions of interest not only to legal scholars, but to anyone keen to explore the legal and philosophical foundations of the state."
I do enjoy Waluchow, but I mostly prefer John Locke and his Second Treatise of Government. Much early colonial and revolutionary though was based on this man's writing. The Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence are both direct manifestation of his book and both actually contain much reference to it.
Politics should be more about a philosophy rather than an unwavering value. Things done in the name of "values" in this country is part of what cripples us. Things we do in other countries under the same banner only aggravates the condition. Obviously from this whole conversation you can see that we don't share the same brands; it works the same everywhere. Capitalism is great, Communism is evil is what I was taught growing up and yet our system has been left in the dust by a communist country who owns more of the United States that most care to admit.
As of 18 Jun 2008 at 09:14:18 PM GMT the U.S. national debt is $9,398,060,704,952.96. Almost a third of that is held by China. Our system has put us in a position that another country could literally ruin us without firing a shot. All they have to do is call on that debt. Seriously it is the equivalent to being delinquent on your power bill. They can turn off the lights at anytime.
All this politicking, all this learning to hate thy neighbor. . . none of it helps us and only serves as a smoke screen to our greater domestic problems. This Byzantine system we live in only serves to limit and segregate society. Political affiliations are a fine example; we are encouraged to cluster and foster an us versus them attitude. If we can put a finger on it, if we can label it, we can control it. The bullride is over; the west was won. We've tamed that beast and yet we're mostly still living in these false realities. It's time to evolve and elevate ourselves above this linear thinking and look outwards at what we as individuals can truly do to change. . . shit, anything. No politician is going to do that for us. No regulatory agency is going to make life better. No law is going to make you safer. It's a group of individuals working to clean up their own little corner of the world that incites change.
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