0839 hours. Gaius Julius Caesar
(July, 100BC - 15 March 44 BC) Caesar was my first great military hero. My
second greatest military hero was Dwight David Eisenhower (14 October 1890-28
March 1969). May they both rest in peace.
You dropped the above on your Facebook page
earlier and have been thinking about how one cannot define herorhimself without
first defining what it is to be human. - Amorella
The
commonality within our species is born within us. What we do individually with this
commonality is who we are as individuals. Given this, it appears to me that 99
percent of us is alike, maybe more, but certainly not less. From this
perspective, in my mind at least (and this doesn't mean much as I am just
thinking aloud here) our uniqueness as individuals is quite small in the larger
scheme of our species yet, we tend to blow it out of proportion (going back to
the small pebble in the sandal analogy). Not much we can do about this. I'm as
guilty as everyone else. Perhaps when Dead we can 'see' this view more easily.
I find it humbling. We are not much, but we do have a common core of nobility
about us. We are born with a sense of dignity that matures with us. That's it.
Thoughts roll in and roll out like the tides. They sometimes t erode the mind
for no earthly reason or any other reason for that matter.
(0944)
You
had your late morning nap and you did your exercises. Doug sent you an unusual
cloud phenomenon, that is, unless it is part of a contrail. It makes you think
of 'Signs from God', which of course is what the article is about. I would like
you to drop this. - Amorella
But we both agreed to stay away from religion because I
don't want to go there, or politics either. I am tired of both.
Boy, we are talking about cloud formations
here. You have used such things in your stories you have photos of clouds in
the blog. - Amorella
I know, but . . .
But what? - Amorella
Nothing.
Drop
in the article and the photo and then I will comment. If you don't like it or
disagree, or think it is too close to politics or religion you are always free
to take it out. Say, aren't you supposedly and transcendental existentialist?
What is that? A philosophy? Does it in any way flavor politics or religion? -
Amorella
You really know how to disarm a person.
Strange as it seems with all the pride and arrogance
in politics and religions in general that there wouldn't be any pride and
arrogance in being a transcendental existentialist. - Amorella
I get your point, Amorella. Damned if I do, damned if I
don't.
There is a point of humanity you don't talk about often. What do you think? - Amorella
There is a point of humanity you don't talk about often. What do you think? - Amorella
I
think the article is a good example of such a personal aspect of being human:
My Title: "Damned If You Do and Damned If You Don't."
***
Did 'Cloud
Angel' Appear After Pope's Selection?
Experts may
have a more earthly explanation
BY Valerie Conners
(WPTV/Facebook)
Some South
Florida residents thought they witnessed a miraculous sign from above on
Wednesday, when a cloud bearing a striking resemblance to an angel appeared
shortly after a new pope was selected at the Vatican, according to WPTV in Florida. Many grabbed cameras to document the visage, snapping shots of the
pink-hued cloud, which many WPTV viewers believed was a message from God.
Still, some
experts think there's a more earthly explanation for the cloud phenomenon. NBC News spoke with Ian Loxley, photo gallery editor for the Cloud Appreciation Society, who explained, "It could be Cirrus if high enough;
however, it appears to be lower than the background Altocumulus which is the
teaser. My best shot would be a virga remnant from an aircraft contrail."
So, why do
people think they saw an otherworldly shape in the cloud? As Alan Boyle,
science editor for NBC News explains humans experience a type of pattern recognition known as pareidolia (a Greek word
meaning "wrong shape"), meaning we are so prone to recognizing faces
and other human patterns, that we often associate them to inanimate objects.
Consider for a moment folks who see the face of Jesus in a piece of burnt
toast, or even the "Man in the Moon."
As for whether the cloud is a virga
remnant or a sign of God's approval of a pope's selection -- well, we'll leave
that to the eye of the beholder.
From: http://weather.aol.com
***
You see, not much else to be said. Being
human and fighting between heart and soul and mind is what the above is about.
Good example whether one is spiritual, religious, agnostic or atheist. When the
four walk out the door after the discussion/argument, who has won or lost? Or,
do I have the wrong question here? Perhaps, who is who would be better put
rather than won or lost. What do you think? - Amorella
You ran errands and had a late lunch at Smashburgers.
Presently you are at the far north end of Pine Hill Lakes Park facing northwest
toward the many groupings of flowers that are in process of springing forth. -
Amorella
I think the question is the wrong one on the
'angelic-like cloud'. "Damn if you do feel one way or the other about the meaning of the cloud."
Like the author says, "We'll leave it in the eye of the beholder."
Don't you really think that's a cop-out? -
Amorella
It avoids the politics of the religion or both. I don't
get why churches in the United States have American flags in them if we have
separation of church and state. What if the state houses and White House had
religious flags flying or standing by the podium or in the corner somewhere?
Why are you changing the subject? - Amorella
People are supposed to be free-minded, to think what
they want; but not really. And, if one doesn't think like most everyone else or
at least a 'group' of others then sheorhe is ostracized one way or another.
Isn't this true of your marsupial-humanoids
also. Friendly, Hartolite and Yermey are independent and off on their own, with
Ship's help of course. Grandma's Stories are the same, people off in their own
mind-set of one cultural/personal self-identity growth or stagnation. Rob and
Rich are attempting to find culturally accepted ways of concluding their
individual lives. The Dead are continuing or not continuing their growth or
stagnation of human spirit within their own individual and cultural aspects,
are they not? - Amorella
It is all in how they see the "pink cloud"? Is
that what you are saying?
No. A cloud is a cloud and human beings are
human beings. - Amorella
1524
hours. Is the argument on who is damned
and who is not?
Hardly. - Amorella
The cloud is a cloud because it is an observed reality,
and human beings are human beings because they are an observed reality.
How can a human being separate herorhis
observation from herorhis self?
Sheorhe has to observe herorhis humanity in relationship
to the detached reality of being, of existing.
How can this be accomplished? - Amorella
Well, in here, I guess by separating the heart and soul
and mind as all three are not physical, that is, none of the three can be
observed directly in real time, by anyone, including the 'owner' if you will of
a heart and soul and mind.
How is it possible to accomplish this
observation of one's own heart and soul and mind? - Amorella
I don't know, Amorella. I am using fiction show examples
of heartansoulanmind in thought, I guess.
Examples of what you consider to be your heart
and soul and mind? - Amorella
I have observed other human beings my whole life but the
fiction is a mix, it is not autobiographical. As you said the other day, the
work comes from ghosts from the past and present, from being touched, if you
will, by other human spirits. I am continually 'haunted' by my past and present
sense of being.
** **
haunted
adjective
1 a
haunted house: possessed,
cursed; ghostly, eerie; informal spooky,
scary.
2 her
haunted eyes: tormented,
anguished, troubled, tortured, worried, disturbed.
verb
1 a
ghost haunts this house: appear
in, materialize in;
visit.
2 he
haunts street markets: frequent,
patronize, visit regularly; loiter in, linger in; informal
hang out in.
3 the
sight haunted me for years: torment,
disturb, trouble, worry, plague, burden, beset,
beleaguer; prey on, weigh on, gnaw at, nag at, weigh heavily on, obsess; informal
bug.
noun
a favorite haunt of artists:
hangout, stomping
ground, stamping ground, meeting place; territory, domain, resort, retreat,
spot.
From Oxford-American Mac software
** **
Carol is on page 330 of American Wife. -
Amorella
So?
What are you on? - Amorella
Good one. What am I on? [alcohol? drugs?] I am on/in my dark humor, Amorella. Very tricky. Okay, I
have my doubts but I am open to possibilities; to be more exact I am open to
probabilities.
What are the probabilities that there are
connections between clouds and human beings? - Amorella
More than a 99 % chance there is no connection other
than an observed connection.
What are the probabilities that people
struggle within their own human spirit, (call it what you will) heart and soul
and mind? - Amorella
There is a hundred percent chance people struggle. The
answer is within us first, not the cloud.
You have no doubts on the one hundred
percent? - Amorella
This,
to me, is a very, very tricky question. I will have to think on it.
Carol just finished a chapter so it is time to go. -
Amorella
Coincidence, Amorella, don't try to make any
more of it.
Post when convenient, boy. - Amorella
1748 hours. I have no doubt, 100% of 'normally classifed' human beings suffer from an imbalance of heart, soul and mind, i.e. the human spirit suffers from imbalance some of the time [no reference to the physical human body or brain as I treat the brain and mind as separate in terms of the human spirit].
2153 hours. I completed Brothers
14. I thought about making it longer but I didn't know what else to say, so I
stopped. I wanted it to be light but not racy. I wanted it realistic but not too
suggestive.
Now that you have thought/said it you want
to erase it. - Amorella
I don't really know how it is among these four. I assume
everything is on the up and up.
You have no reason not to think so. As such
you are doing some secret fictionalizing with these characters that is not and
has not being going on in their fictional lives. - Amorella
I'll just let the characters be themselves and keep
myself out of it.
Good. Let the characters be themselves,
that's the best way. Let them be free to be themselves. They like to drink beer
and play cards.
I noticed that. I don't like to do either one.
Drop in and post. - Amorella
***
The Brothers 14 © rho, draft
Late
August, early morning and Orion is up in the southeast sky. By afternoon football
and band practices have begun in Riverton. While Richard thinks on why the New
Year doesn’t begin in September like it should Robert is sitting on the deck
beside him looking off into the clump of trees on the back of his corner lot at
Main and West Street.
“I
like the trees,” said Robert. “A couple in the middle are already turning.”
Richard
smiled contentedly, “Buckeyes, no doubt."
“I’ve
a poem.”
Ignoring
the statement Richard asked, “You started reading my book yet?"
"I
finished the first chapter.”
“What
do you think?” asked Richard enthusiastically.
“Who
is Grandma Earth exactly?”
“She
. . . I’m not sure exactly. She introduces the stories.”
“Is
she Mother Nature? That’s what I thought at first, but your side notes say she
is the black actress in Gone With The
Wind.”
“Hattie
McDaniel. That's right, I mentally modeled the character of Grandma after her.
I didn't know it was a margin note.”
“It
is a draft, Richie. Whatever happened to Hattie McDaniel?”
“I
don’t know. Her caring portrayal in the film is what I wanted to express.”
“Grandma
as Mother Nature doesn’t give a damn. Look at all the natural disasters.
Millions of people killed.”
“She’s
indifferent, just like we are.”
“Speak
for yourself, Richie.”
“She’s
indifferent just as I am. I made her up. What else would you expect her to be
besides myself?”
“You
once said Grandma was modeled on the commercial face of Aunt Jemima."
“People
know about Aunt Jemima. She is still on the box. Most readers wouldn’t know the
name Hattie McDaniel, and I didn’t know how to reference Gone With The Wind in context with Aunt Jemima.”
“Aunt
Jemima’s supposed to be a cook too isn’t she?”
“I
imagine so, Rob,” replied Richard in a ruffled tone.
Robert
spoke lazily, “The whole chapter is a bit unorthodox, but I realize you are
writing for a very limited audience.”
Richard suddenly asks, “Do you
want to fly out to Vegas again this fall or wait until spring?”
"The last time the four
of us went to Vegas you spent most of our last free day playing nickel slots
Richie.”
“That's because early on I
lost a hundred dollars playing quarter slots. It wasn’t nearly as much fun as
nickel slots." He paused, "where are Cyndi and Connie?"
“We’re coming!” shouted the
sisters. “We’ve whipped up a special treat,” added the younger. "What have
you two talking about?" asked the older as they came into the room.
"I hope it's double
chocolate and caramel brownies," replied Richard.
"We made a fruit
bowl," smiled Cyndi. "It's a lot healthier than brownies."
"But not nearly as
good," replied Robert. The brothers laughed.
The girls sat somber-like for
a moment, then Connie noted, "You two should be more health-minded."
Out of the blue Connie
commented, "I'm not going to Vegas again unless we rent a car and drive to
the Grand Canyon or one of the other national parks."
Cyndi added, "Richie lost
over two hundred dollars playing those dumb quarter slots."
"I thought you lost a
hundred," said Robert.
"Why did you tell him
that Richie?"
"I figured it out,"
said Cyndi happily, "when he started playing the nickel slots."
"Jeez, Richie, you should
be more honest," piped Robert in a poker face.
"Richie's better at
fiction," snapped Cyndi. "Isn't that right, Connie."
"Not always. Why, again,
I did I marry you Rob, and not Richie? Seems to me you had a pretty good line,"
giggled Connie.
"Better than my
brother's," intimated Robert coyly.
The four sat in a comfortable
silence, each with a small family smile relaxing on their faces. Finally,
Connie spoke just above a whisper, "We each know who we are and who the
other is not."
Uncharacteristically, Robert
broke out into a knowing laughter first. The rest followed suit. Richard turned
off the television and Robert got out the card table. Connie pulled the deck of
cards from the top right desk drawer. Cyndi put the fruit bowl away and picked
up some beer and chips from the kitchen. The rest of the afternoon at the
corner house was fun and games.
709 words
***
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