Old

Old things are better than new things because they've got stories in them, Ethan.

~ Kami Garcia

- - - - -

When I see an old ride, I don't get sad. I think about all of the people who enjoyed the ride and had fun and laughed on it. And then I think about the creepers who rode on it and scared people. And because of the creepers, I'm glad that ride is shut down.

Perspective

Life is about perspective and how you look at something... ultimately you have to zoom out.

~ Whitney Wolfe Herd

- - - - -

This photo makes Lily's leash look like it's a mile long and she is down some cliff that is a mile high. That isn't the case at all. The leash is only a half mile long.

Road

Country roads, take me home

To the place, I belong

~ John Denver

- - - - -

This song was Lily's lullaby when she was a puppy. If I put her to bed, I would sing it to her and she would fall asleep. Even now if I sing it to her, she calms down and starts to get drowsy.

I don't think she goes to sleep so she doesn't have to hear me sing, but she is a clever dog, so maybe. 

Rail

Some folks rail against other folks, because other folks have what some folks would be glad of.

~ Henry Fielding

- - - - - -

If we would just rail together instead of against one another... Wait. I lost track of what I was going to say.

Fog

You never realized how thick your fog was until it lifted.

J. R. Ward

- - - - -

The other day I was a bit down. I spent a lot of time on things that I should have spent just a little time on. I had set a lot of goals and had a lot of tasks on my to-do list the weekend before. I got nearly all of the things done, but hadn't had time to enjoy the accomplishments. I was the only one at home - Leslie was traveling and Lily was at daycare. 

None of that usually brings me down. I wasn't sure what was up.

Then I realized I'd been reading The Alienist. Although I found it to be a good book, it was not a happy book. It was not about happy things. It was not set in a time that was described as particularly happy. 

"Yes," I thought. "This book of gruesome murders is bringing you down. Perhaps you should take a break from it." And so I did. 

I put music on when I went to get Lily. "Laisse tomber les filles" by Frances Gall came on. I don't know the words and I don't know what the words mean and I don't know where I heard this song. What I do know is that it is a good song to listen to when you go pick up your dog. 

Bark

A barking dog is more useful than a sleeping lion. 

~ Washington Irving

- - - - - 

Lily bites, but not hard. And she never barks and bites at the same time. 

(pause)

Can dogs even do that?

(pause)

I know people can, though they really shouldn't.

Gossip

Often those who criticize others reveals what they themselves lack.

~ Shannon Adler

- - - - -

I don't think dogs gossip. I think they just make observations. To gossip you kind of have to live in the past, and I don't think dogs do that. 

Yes, this is me HOPING dogs don't gossip because who knows what Tippy and Lily would say about me?

(pause)

Mostly good things because I try to be mostly good. 

(much longer pause)

I hope they don't gossip.
 

Asparagus

Asparagus inspires gentle thoughts.

~ Charles Lamb

- - - - -

Rutabagas inspire hostility.

Sign

As I went walking I saw a sign there

And on the sign it said "No Trespassing"

But on the other side it didn't say nothing.

That side was made for you and me.

~ Woody Guthrie

- - - - -

Can flatbread even drive? Maybe this is just a creative way of saying "NO PARKING."

Van

The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.

~ G.K. Chesterton

- - - - -

And the person who lives there doesn't see anything except all the traffic because of the travelers and the tourists.
 

Detour

The really happy person is the one who can enjoy the scenery, even when they have to take a detour.

~ Sir James Jeans

- - - - -

I wonder if detours are the roads less traveled. 

If so, does it make a difference?
 

Rooster

Rooster even sings in the morning on which it ends up in the pot.

~ Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

- - - - -

I want to apologize in advance for something I know is going to happen. I don't know to whom it will happen, but I am positive it will happen.

I often type to people: "You rock!" Unfortunately, for whatever reason, I always try to start the word rock with a C instead of an R. And, I do not start to type "crock."

Anyway, if you're the person (or one of the people) who gets a message from me that says, "You cock!" I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. 

(pause)

Of course now that I've written this, I've set myself up to be able to send the message "accidentally" to people. Clever. I'm so very clever.

 

Art

An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.

~ James McNeill Whistler

- - - - -

Just so you know, no one has paid me for this work of art.

yet.
 

Music

If Music is a place, then Jazz is the City, Folk is the Wilderness, Rock is the Road, Classical is a Temple.

~ Vera Nazarin

- - - - -

Polka is my Grandma and Grandpa's House, Opera is the Opera House, and Country is... Country is... 

(pause)

I'll have to get back to you.

Coals

Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else: you are the one who gets burned.

~ Buddha

- - - - -

Maybe. But if you make me angry and I'm wearing my "hot coal proof" mittens, watch out.
 

Ears

The ear is the avenue to the heart.

~ Voltaire

- - - - -

Lily is pretty good at listening sometimes. Sometimes not. 

(pause)

I imagine that she would say the same thing about me.

 

Exploit

The corporation, like the psychopathic personality it resembles, is programmed to exploit others for profit.

~ Joel Bakan

- - - - -

One day I was watching the show Severance. If you want to know what it is about I suggest you watch it. Basically, it is about bad work conditions. I think there's more to it than that, which is why I recommend that you watch it for yourself.

Anyway, I watched an episode over lunch one day when I was working from home. Then I got on a Zoom meeting with my colleagues. I haven't gone through the severance process like on TV, and don't think it is a good idea.

Some days, though... well, you know what I mean. Unless you've gone through the severance process. Then you do not at all.

Day

Seize the day, take hold of it, and make it whatever you want.

~ Jessica Sorenson

- - - - -

I like this idea. But maybe, just maybe, if you want a sandwich, just make a sandwich. Don't make the whole day a sandwich or that might be a wasted day.

Attention

To pay attention. This is our endless and proper work.

~ Mary Oliver

- - - - -

There are quiet moments of beauty in every single day. I believe that. If you slow down and pay attention, you will find surprises and gifts and peace. Like if you find a wallet full of a lot of money and no identification. It's all about paying attention in those quiet moments. 

Price

We shall go wild with fireworks... and they will plunge into the sky and shatter the darkness.

~ Natuki Takaya

- - - - -

Dear Paul,

You might not be so poor if you didn't sell your fireworks at a loss.

Love, Michelle.

Colors

The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.

~ Marcus Aurelius

- - - - -

The clothes become dyed with the color of the tomatoes you roll around in.

Gladwell

Truly successful decision-making relies on a balance between deliberate and instinctive thinking.

~ Malcolm Gladwell

- - - - -

My decision to label this doll of Aurora's as Malcolm Gladwell is truly successful.

Libraries

The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man.

~ T. S. Eliot

- - - - -

Once upon a time there was an original Hawaii-Five-0 show. They used to say, "Book 'em, Dano" on that show. What if instead of arresting people we "booked them" and gave them books? 

(pause)

That might not work if they were being arrested for stealing books from the library. Give me a little time to think this through.

Mothers

 

Tired

Tired, tired with nothing, tired with everything, tired with the world's weight he had never chosen to bear.

~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

- - - - -
 Now I understand where the phrase "dog tired" comes from. I used to think it came from sled dogs since they are the tires of a sled. Like, "Hi, Jake. I see your sled is dog-tired for the big trip."

Labels

Labels can only confine.

~ Colin Wright

- - - - -

Plus labels can be wrong. Like the label on this photo. Maybe all labels are wrong because they are static and we are dynamic.  Well, I am dynamic. I can't speak for the rest of you.

Bird

God loved the birds and invented trees. Man loved the birds and invented cages.

~ Jacques Deval

- - - - -

 

Mr. Bird loved his little red house when he bought it, but times change. He's really outgrown the place. 

Alice

Tell the negative committee that meets inside your head to sit down and shut up.

~ Ann B. Davis

- - - - -

Ann B. Davis played Alice on The Brady Bunch. I think she would have been good to play grandmother in a movie. Alice and my grandmother did not have the same personality, but I think Ann B. Davis could have pulled it off.

Also, This quote reminds me of my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Richardson. Her way of cultivating order in the classrooms was, "SIT DOWN. SHUT UP. KEEP STILL."

It worked. She scared me a little. Sometimes a lot.

Alley

Always follow your dreams, even if they lead you down a few dark alleys.

~ Teresa Mummert

- - - - -

I watched the movie Nightmare Alley a few weeks ago. I liked it. I am weirdly drawn to popular culture pieces that involve carnivals during the Great Depression. 

(pause)

Which is a pretty narrow genre, I realize.

What?

 Remember all men would be tyrants if could.

~ Abigail Adams

- - - - -

I do not understand why this exists. 

I guess it's cause I'm not as smart as the men.

See tomorrow's blog post entitled: "Sarcasm"

Nest

Success is full of promise till one gets it, and then it seems like a nest from which the bird has flown.

~ Henry Ward Beecher

- - - - -

A nest egg is an egg - real or otherwise - put into a nest to encourage a hen to keep laying. I learned that just a bit ago. I know we usually think of it in terms of savings for the future, but it was a real thing (probably still is).

My point is, I would not want to be responsible for putting the nest egg in this nest.