'You are here to be educated, not to pass exams'.
Prof. Pat Merton

26 Oct. 2006

"Inspiration"

Currently I am reading "The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within" by Stephen Fry. Someday soon I'll write here, my own poetry. Until then I offer thse:

The prompt for today is, where/what in your place do you find inspiration for poetry.
I find ispiration for poetry in every place I'm at. For todays prompt I've choosen 2 poems, 1, to put my life in perspective, and 2, to celebrate my favorite season; autumn.


A Man said to the universe

A man said to the universe:
"Sir, I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
"A sense of obligation."

Stephen Crane

(1871-1900)

#############

Heart of Autumn

Wind finds the northwest gap, fall comes.
Today, under gray cloud-scud and over gray
Wind-flicker of forest, in perfect formation, wild geese
Head for a land of warm water, the boom, the lead pellet.

Some crumple in air, fall. Some stagger, recover control,
Then take the last glide for a far glint of water. None
Knows what has happened. Now, today, watching
How tirelessly V upon V arrows the season's logic,

Do I know my own story? At least they know
When the hour comes for the great wing-beat. Sky-strider,
Star-strider -- they rise, and the imperial utterance,
Which cries out for distance, quivers in the wheeling sky.

That much they know, and in their nature know
The path of pathlessness, with all the joy
Of destiny fulfilling its own name.
I have known time and distance, but not why I am here.

Path of logic, path of folly, all
The same--and I stand, my face lifted now skyward,
Hearing the high beat, my arms outstretched in the tingling
Process of transformation, and soon tough legs,

With folded feet, trail in the surrounding vacuum of passage,
And my heart is impacted with a fierce impulse
To unwordable utterance---
Towar sunset, at a great height.

Robert Penn Warren
(1905-1989)

Yesterday I started vacation! That's a good thing. Friday D. and I will catch the train (we'll try to catch it when it's standing still ;-)) In Brockville, Ont. We will travel to Montréal, change trains and travel to our final destination..Québec City. The time should be about 5 1/2 hrs. It's closer and less expensive than flying to France. I've never been there (QC) and that is where my ancesters settled when they arrived from France. I'm looking forward to practicing and improving..he says hoping ....my french language skills.

We will be gone for 6 days, returning home Thur. 2nd Nov. we get into Brockville around 2015.

Must remember granddaughter, Hailey's 11th birthday is Nov. 1st.

Since we're not flying to France we decided to splurge on our hotel and stay at Le Chateau Frontenac.


It will be a fantastic time, at least "good." I'm looking forward to sumptuous dining and and sightseeing, and of course picture taking.

In the mean time there are plenty of chores to do around here before we leave.
Yesterday I hauled 500 lbs of books (two old encyclopedias), magazines, and assorted junk to the waste site. I think I'll have another load to haul tomorrow.
L.V. Will come over everyday or so while we're gone to feed and talk to the cats.

Today I spent a fair amount of time getting the new Printer, copier, scanner set up. Trying to get all the computer paraphernalia back in the computer room and out of the kitchen. Made good progress today. Oh yes, the old computer went to the dump yesterday also...minus the hard drive.

Cold here all day, high 30's to low 40's. No precip. though. Some of the trees are still decked out in their autumn finery. The two maples, front and back of the house are the last to drop their leaves. In fact the one in the rear is just starting to turn.

Question for today: If you were president of the USA for one day, what would you do?

All the boats are out of the harbor. Guess that means summers done for this year.

Monday, October 23, 2006
One Deep Breath

Mystery (Yugen)

Dormant for awhile
Death yields itself, life reborn.
Unbroken circle

Sunday Scribblings #30-Good.
22 Oct. 2006

Today's prompt is the single word....good. Single word prompts enable us to reach far and wide for an answer, bring as many takes on the clue as there are meanings assigned to the word.
Meg and Laini, you are masters at getting the most out of us. Thanks!

*************

For a number of years there has been an e-mail circulating from time to time listing the many uses for the "F" word.

At Dictionary dot com the list of uses for the word good exceeds those for the "F" word by at least double. Good, by and large is a positive word unless modified by a negative, ie: no-good, or good-for-nothing etc. It can be used as a noun, an interjection, an adverb, or an adjective.

We have so many choices; we can write about any one or more definitions and expand to our hearts content. So many choices, so many choices, so many! I'm finding it hard to choose.

This plethora of choices reminds me of a time, as a young boy, when my aunt Nellie and I went to the corner store. She was going to buy some items she needed to prepare supper, and I went along as the strong arm (I was around 12 years old) to carry the groceries home. To reward me for assisting her, as was her habit on occasions such as this, she would offer to buy a treat, of my choosing, for me. We would enter the store and aunt Nellie would say,"While I pick-up the groceries my pet (she always called me her pet, even into my late teens), you go over to the candy case and pick something out. You may choose anything, but only one thing."





Well, let me tell you, I didn't have to be coaxed or told a second time. I bee-lined it to the candy case and its child enticing nectar. The varieties were endless to my eyes: bubble-gum cigars, candy buttons, chocolate cigarettes, Clark bars, Necco wafers, Oh! Henery bars, tootsie rolls, Zagnut bars, atomic fire balls, Big League chewing gum, Black Jack gum, Bit-O-Honey, and on and on. I was over come by indecision, I couldn't pick just one. Each item silently said to me"pick me, pick me, I'm the best."

So, in the end, I'd leave without a treat...unable to choose.



On the walk back to aunt Nellie's house she would casually say, "oh well my pet, you'll have to settle for some of the molasses cookies (my favorite) that I baked this morning." Those cookies and a glass of cold milk were real GOOD!

************

Thanks to Dorriny for pointing me to this memmory.

D., Happy Birthday on your special day!!!!

Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kiss but in the cup
And I'll not look for wine.
The thirst that from the soul doth rise
Doth ask a drink devine;
But might I of Jove's nectar sup,
I would not change for thine.

I sent thee late a rosey wreath,
Not so much honoring thee
As giving it hope that there
It could not withered be;
But thou thereon didst only breath,
And sent'st it back to me;
Since when it grows, and smells, I swear,
Not of itself but thee!

Ben Johnson
(1572-1637)

Je t'aime ma cher

Bonne anniversaire

rel

Anatomy of
day off after on-call night
Renew my spirit

I got some much needed rest by sleeping in for two hours; got up at 0530.
Toilet
Reheat coffee in microwave
Turn computer onCheck e-mail
Browse favorite blogs
It's walk/gym day (ran yesterday)
breakfast
Blog post
Shower
Meet D. in Canton for lunch
St. Lawrence University book store.........

The 4 stages of life.........

E-mail from Uncle David.

I'm still at bottle number 2 (LOL). Where are you?

I walked past the cemetery, and fortunately I was nearing the completion of my exercise, allowing me to dally and take some photos.

Completed my Wednesday strength training routine.

Did my meditation and stretching.

In the house to shower shave and dress for lunch. Drove to Canton....Traffic was ridiculously congested. Yes...but only 7 minutes! Late that is.

Gourmet lunch at Pizza Hut ;-) I did have a wine with our pizza. D. had Pepsi, (back to work you know)...we aren't in France..Oh poo:-(

On to the bookstore.

Finish the blog to post today.

Lastly for today,
What if...
you were stranded on an island with one possession; what would it be and why?

Simple Pleasures:

A walk in the rain
red,yellow, orange, vivid
beauty magnified

Sunday Scribbling #29 Oct. 15, 2006
1. What would you do if you could freeze time?

2. What super power would you pull out of the grab bag?


If my muse gave me the "power" to freeze time, I would be very frightened. "Please," I would say, "take this power and return it to Pandora's box from where it came."

Pondering the ways in which one may use this power, I came to the realization that to freeze time would be a catastrophe. Neither I nor anyone could use this awesome power without, even inadvertently, causing pain and suffering for someone, somewhere in the world.

At best, "time" is a nebulous concept. I choose to accept time as a gift. We are given time to experience life in this plain. It's our choice to waste some or all of it, or to use it to observe the ebb and flow of life and death, the seasons, day and night, dawn and dusk, each and all wonderments unto themselves.

But if I were to use the power to freeze time, I would usurp this gift from every individual depriving them of their right to choose.

The fact that many things occur yearly or only once in a lifetime is what makes them special. If I decide to make one of those special occsions the freezing point; Let's say, Christmas. Then everyday would be Christmas and become mundane and no longer special. There would be no other days to compare it to, and the sameness would become intolerably boring.

Perhaps at the moment I decide to stop time there is a sad painful tragedy happening somewhere in the world. (I know, what are the chances?) Although unintentional,--- I just wanted to enjoy my son's wedding a little longer,--- I would have extended someones pain and suffering longer than necessary.

The fleetingness of moments is what makes them special. At 61, I wouldn't give up any second lived to date...to have suspended time at any point along the continuum would have cost me a loss of some other moment.

I love each season, but autumn is my favorite and I think because it is so fleeting. One should not delay an opportunity to let their senses drink in the beauty of autumn's vivid curtain call. The next rain, the next gust of wind and autumn is replaced by the next miracle season...earth's cleanser, winter.

No thank you, no suspender of time am I. Rather, a savorer of each moment and episode of life I encounter. The only place to freeze time is in our memories, and even there they alter with "time."






Accepting my apology and explanation for refusing his offered gift of time alteration, My muse offers the choice of any power in his grab bag. I choose the magicians wand. I will use it to abate anger, hatred, avarice, revenge, greed and power mongering. In their place instilling kindness, understanding, compromise and the deep desire for peace and equality for all of mankind.

Friday 13th Oct. 2006.

Anyone out there suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia?

Wow, say that 5 times fast. Cripes, I can't say it once lol.

The thirteenth or not, it's still friday and I'm not on call ...that's a good thing.

Today is Pea's birthday. She's having quite a celebration and everybody is invited. Stop over and leave her a greeting. Help her make this her best ever. Remember to say, rel sent you. Pea is pretty much responsible for my current foray into the blog world. Thanks Pea!

Poetry Thursday 12 Oct. 2006

Read a media publication, and what you get is not always what is!

MY MADONNA

I hailed me a woman from the street,
Shameless, but oh, so fair!
I bade her sit in the model's seat
And I painted her sitting there.

I hid all trace of her heart unclean;
I painted a babe at her breast;
I painted her as she might have been
If the Worst had been the Best.

She laughed at my picture and went away
Then came with a knowing nod,
A connoisseur, and I heard him say;
"'Tis Mary, the Mother of God."

So I painted a halo round her hair,
And I sold her and took my fee,
And she hangs in the church of Saint Hilaire,
Where you and all may see.

Robert W. Service

Upper garage door.


A reasonable question was raised in the comments to yesterday's post about the 2nd story door on my garage. There was some miscommunication between myself and the contractor as to the placement of the "man" door on the ground level. So at first glance the upper door looks off-center, but in reality is centered. Originally there was to be a hoist extending out above the upper door for the purpose of raising large or bulky items up to the 2nd story. With the inclusion of a wide open stair case inside, it was decide to exclude the hoist. So why was the larger than average door left? The 2nd floor was and is a gym. During the finishing process it was decided to finish it in such a way as to meet code for an apartment. It was wired to code and so can easily be converted to an apartment with the installation of partitioning walls. This was done too for resale value purposes in the future. The door was left so that in the event that an apartment was constructed a landing/porch and stairs could be built to accomadate an outside entrance to the apartment. In the mean time, there is a squat machine in front of the door inside precluding anyone inadvertently opening and exiting from the second floor.

The garage is 1800 sq. feet of space (2 floors) as is our house, below.
Below photo taken in Nov. 2003.

Columbus Day Weekend



This weekend past, we here in The US commemorated Columbus Day while our friends to the north in Canada celebrated Thanksgiving.
Although I was on call Fri., Sat., & Sun The Gods were kind to me and I had two epidurals and 1 c-section. All on Sunday and during daylight hours. That coupled with the fact that two of our three children came home for the weekend made for a terrific holiday. The weather was perfect "indian summer" and conducive to fall clean up chores.

As with most things, many hands make light work. J. brought his girlfriend home to "Meet the Parents" and what a delightful young woman she is. Very down to earth, she asked how can I help to D. who was neck high in flower bed cleaning.



While the girls weed wacked the flower beds, J. and I "swept" and power washed the garage. The 2nd story houses my gym.



Monday after our daughter left to return to Albany, D. and I did a marathon fall chore clean up. As well, I installed a new carpet on the closed in porch. I travelled around the neighborhood just before supper to snap some of the local color. The two spectacular maples in our yard are just starting to turn. They are usually some of the last trees in the village to turn and to drop their leaves.




"The night was clear and the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumbling down"

LLOYD PRICE lyrics - "Stagger Lee"

Sunday scribbling 8 Oct. 2006

A short essay written by my Dad some time before 1978. This is for the assignment re; people watching for Sunday Scribbling.

Countdown

A young lad eight or ten years of age, sturdy and handsome, stopped his bike across from my porch the other day on his way out of the park. Still straddling the crossbar, he planted his feet solidly, looked straight ahead and stated his case.

"I'm gonna count to ten," he hollered, "then I'm goin' home."

He didn't seem to be talking to me, so I didn't answer. He counted in a loud voice, conscientiously, not stopping at ten but giving whoever he was shouting to the benefit of the doubt by continuing to twenty. He waited , silently, then hollered again.

" I'm goin' home."

He said someone's name, too, but I couldn't make it out. There was no one in the street as far as I could see, but then I realized he was orating for the benefit of some kids in the park playground, which was almost a block behind him.

Threatening to go home three or four more times without moving a wheel, he started counting again. I watched the group of kids in the playground but they didn't seem to be aware of his existence. All of this time he never turned around.

Two neighborhood dogs came over to investigate and get in on the action, so the lad got off his bike and rolled in the grass while they licked his face, but he soon remembered his wheel and started the countdown again. This time there was a note of desperation. Still no response.

Finally he rode away, leaving a trail of invisible tears.

It was bound to happen sooner or later. I've been tagged by "overactive imgination" to do a meme stating 5 weird/odd things about myself. Just doing this seems weird enough. lol ;-)

1. Probably the weirdest thing about me (my opinon only) is the fact that I get up at 0330 every morning, Monday through Friday, to accomadate my exercise work out. I started working out regularly about 14 years ago. Before, the problem was that there was too often an excuse to skip a work-out when I'd get home after work; the kids game, a board mtg., on call, too tired from call the night before and on and on. I started working out in the early AM after my youngest started college and voila....I've missed only a handful of workouts in 14 years.

2. I just turned 61 y.o. but act and feel like I'm 29. It's as much mental as physical, but it does require staying in shape. (Not everybody finds this odd but some do.)

3. On a regular basis I'll burst into spontaneous song at work in the operating room. Frequently it's a Dean Martin song or a Christmas carole. Oh, btw, this morning while out running there was a full moon: "when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore". How'd that sound? ;-) Once a co-worker said to me "rel it's only July and your singing Christmas caroles, what are you going to do when December rolls around?" I replied, "sing louder."

3b. I frequently sing to my patients as I'm administering their anesthetic. Or sometimes I'll play a CD via headphones for them. Either Mozart or Phill Collins. Their own if they bring something in.

4.I'm an inveterate procrastinator, too frequently waiting 'til the last minute to do important things; then rushing like mad to get it done and even incurr a penalty. (ie: travel arrangements..tickets, hotel resevations etc.)

5. Snakes scare the shit out of me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (that's not really weird is it?)

That's my side of the story. I'm sure you could get additional tips from others. lol;-)

I'm supposed to tag 5 more folks, but I've seen this one done by many of my regular blogmates already.
But, hey, feel free.

To commemorate our birthday "54" adventure, my friend and partner penned this poem and graciously consented to let me post it here for Poetry Thursday.
In observance of his 54th, my 61st, and his sons 29th birthdays Don organized an excursion which led us up and down 3.3 mile (6.6 mi.) St. Regis mt., followed immediately by a 48 mile bicycle ride to Potsdam. The total milage being just over 54 miles. The weather: 54 degrees. rainy, drizzly, to overcast.....just perfect.

ANNUAL AFFAIRS

Few will climb this trail that wends
Tower welcomes us as old friends

Mountains are shrouded in a mist
Leaves blushing red after frost kissed

Run on. Mortality be cursed
Drinking life with a healthy thirst

Friends joined together for a run
A day for peace, kinship and fun

Our birthdays come but once a year
We celebrate with naught to fear

Don Potter
October 2, 2006

This Erma Bombeck column, originally appeared in 1971, Titled:
I've Always Loved You Best

I dedicate this post to my children and to a fellow blogger: http://jellyheadrambles.blogspot.com/

It is normal for children to want assurance that they are loved. Having all the warmth of the former Berlin Wall, I have always admired women who can reach out to pat their children and not have them flinch.

Feeling more comfortable on paper, I wrote this for each of my children.

To the first born......
I've always loved you best because you were our first miracle. You were the genesis of a marriage, the fulfillment of young love, the promise of our infinity.

You sustained us through the hamburger years. The first apartment furnished in Early Poverty... our first mode of transportation (1955 feet)... the 7-inch TV set we paid on for 36 months.

You wore new, had unused grandparents and more clothes than a Barbie doll. You were the "original model" for unsure parents trying to work the bugs out. You got the strained lamb, open pins and three-hour naps.

You were the beginning.

To the middle child...
I've always loved you the best because you drew the dumb spot in the family and it made you stronger for it.

You cried less, had more patience, wore faded and never in your life did anything "first," but it only made you more special. You are the one we relaxed with and realized a dog could kiss you and you wouldn't get sick. You could cross the street by yourself long before you were old enough to get married, and the world wouldn't come to an end if you went to bed with dirty feet.

You were the continuance.

To the baby...
I've always loved you the best because endings generally are sad and you are such a joy. You readily accepted milk stained bibs. The lower bunk. The cracked baseball bat. The baby book, barren but for a recipe for graham pie crust that someone jammed between the pages.

You are the one we held onto so tightly. For, you see, you are the link with the past that gives a reason to tommorow. You darken our hair, quicken our steps, square our shoulders, restore our vision, and give us humor that security and maturity can't give us.

When your hairline takes on the shape of Lake Erie and your children tower over you, you will still be "the baby."

You were the culmination.

Woman are meant to be loved, not to be understood.

--Oscar Wilde