24 January 2014

Notes - polite or honest / to share and to be humane / (final) Brothers 12 / (final) Grandma 12

        Nearly noon. You are at Kroger’s on Tylersville waiting for Carol. Diplomat had a little trouble sorting material for presentation today because a few story lines fell in together. Don’t fret over her problems as you are presently. Actually you did not during the actual writing – you let her stay in control to come up with a kid’s excuse of sorts. My background focus on her blog is that she stay in character. You allow her the free will. This is very important in allowing this writing experiment to continue – you give up the world, boy so I can direct. What you are doing, in a sense (literally) is standing in the doorway. – Amorella

         1158 hours. I was hoping not to be that close.

         You are referring to the ‘framework’. Forgetting where you are when in your ‘trance-like automatic writing state’ is a happy happenstance. You would rather focus on the automatic reading while the automatic writing takes place. What do you think of them apples, boy. – Amorella

         1202 hours. Now, to me, this is a new perspective on my situation – it is kind of like killing two birds with one stone.

         No, young man, it is the opposite. – Amorella

         I don’t know how to express the opposite.

         Think on it. – Amorella

         1210 hours.  It doesn’t seem morally right to do so. I think it has to do with plausible arrogance.

         You took the groceries home, stopped at the bank, had lunch at Penn Station; now you are at Kroger’s on Mason-Montgomery picking up items forgotten. Home and out again from more errands.

         1340 hours. I still don’t know how to express the opposite.

         Yes, you do, but not in a polite way. Later, dude. Post as you are near Half Price Books and free wifi. - Amorella


          1517 hours. I was reading about Laurie Santos on Edge-dot-com and her article below does not show a specific.

** **
Laurie Santos: WHAT MAKES HUMANS UNIQUE

"I'm going to talk about some new findings in my field, comparative cognition. I'm interested in what makes humans unique. There are findings that I think are fantastically cool, in that they might be redefining how we think about human nature, but first they're going to pose for us some really interesting new problems.

"I'm doing this, in part, because I think already having redefined human nature in the last couple of years is sort of a tall order, and that scared me, but also because I think that open questions about human nature can actually be more fun and I couldn't help but use this audience to kind of get some feedback on this stuff.

"The findings in comparative cognition I'm going to talk about are often different than the ones you hear comparative cognitive researchers typically talking about. Usually when somebody up here is talking about how animals are redefining human nature, it's cases where we're seeing animals being really similar to humans—elephants who do mirror self-recognition; rodents who have empathy; capuchin monkeys who obey prospect theory—all these cases where we see animals doing something really similar."

LAURIE SANTOS is Associate Professor, Department of Psychology; Director, Comparative Cognition Laboratory, Yale University.

From - Edge #409 - Laurie Santos: What Makes Humans Unique

** **

       Researching I found an early interview online and the one thing she says that separates humans from the rest of the life on Earth is:

. . . if I had to put my money on what was uniquely human I’d go with the kind of motivation to share information with others.”

Recorded on January 26, 2010, the Interviewer Austin Allen. This is from Big Think dot com.
** **

         1520 hours. I am delighted to find this, that one of the things that make humans unique is our motivation to share information with others. This gives credence for my marsupial-humanoids coming to Earth to share information with others. This secures the Merlyn story line with more plausibility. And, also the Dead want to share information with the Living, this demonstrates their humanity in the story also.

         You don’t need to make a case for your Merlyn novels and blog. The point is that you are doing the sharing. – Amorella

         1531 hours. True, but what I share is fiction.

         It is honest fiction I see to that. – Amorella

         You see to its being shared also. The sharing is your rule.

         What better rule is there, boy? You tell me. – Amorella

         You leave me stumped so first I need a definition to know what to think from.

** **
share 1  -

noun

a part or portion of a larger amount that is divided among a number of people, or to which a number of people contribute: under the proposals, investors would pay a greater share of the annual fees required | we gave them all the chance to have a share in the profits.

• one of the equal parts into which a company's capital is divided, entitling the holder to a proportion of the profits: they bought 33 shares of American Standard.

• part proprietorship of property held by joint owners: Jake had a share in a large seagoing vessel.

• [ in sing. ] the allotted or due amount of something that a person expects to have or to do, or that is expected to be accepted or done by them: she's done more than her fair share of globe-trotting.

verb [ with obj. ]

have a portion of (something) with another or others: he shared the pie with her | all members of the band equally share the band's profits.

• give a portion of (something) to another or others: money raised will be shared between the two charities.

• use, occupy, or enjoy (something) jointly with another or others: they once shared a house in the Hamptons | [ no obj. ] : there weren't enough plates, so we had to share | (as adj. shared) : a shared bottle of wine.

• possess (a view or quality) in common with others: other countries don't share our reluctance to eat goat meat.

• [ no obj. ] (share in) (of a number of people or organizations) have a part in (something, esp. an activity): the companies would share in the development of three oil platforms.

• tell someone about (something), esp. something personal: she had never shared the secret with anyone before.

ORIGIN Old English scearu‘division, part into which something may be divided,’ of Germanic origin; related to Dutch schare and German Schar ‘troop, multitude,’ also to shear. The verb dates from the late 16th cent.

Selected from Oxford-American Mac software
** **

         1543 hours. All that and the only element that relates is “tell someone something personal”. The definition is an example of why I have difficulty understanding the ‘rule’. I am limited in my sense of language and its meaning and purpose. Definitions allow for and account for a manipulation of language’s basic purpose, which is to communicate, to share. The irony here is that you say my work is an “honest fiction”. There’s the rub, Amorella. This is one of the reasons I am not happy on this planet, the manipulation of language. Being humane according to the Oxford-American is:

** **
humane – adjective

1 having or showing compassion or benevolence: regulations ensuring the humane treatment of animals.

• inflicting the minimum of pain: humane methods of killing.

ORIGIN late Middle English: the earlier form of human, restricted to the senses above in the 18th cent.

Oxford-American software
** **

         Manipulating language does not show compassion or benevolence nor does it inflict and minimum of pain on human beings. It is dishonest.

         You are entitled to your opinion. – Amorella

         Do you want to be like Superman and fly for truth and justice and the American way? – Amorella

         No. I always like Superman, I think he was my first fictional (comic book) hero. I feel our species can be better than what we are. We can be better than the physical nature that evolved us here.

         You are arrogant. – Amorella

         I am what I am just like everyone else in our species.

         Post. - Amorella


         2058 hours. I have cleaned up Brothers 12. I still like the sense of it – a diversion into the real world with slightly darkened humor.

         Add and post. – Amorella

***

(final) Brothers 12 ©2014, rho, GMG.One

Late afternoon and Richard sat in the winter blue wingback living room chair, looking on the west wall at a thin black-framed historic portrait of the Stoner Inn on South State. I continually forget, he thought, how much this small village was a part of the Underground Railway. In the 1850’s, George Stoner used to smuggle slaves in the back of his stagecoach to the Inn where they stayed in the basement until they could move north to Canada.  Bishop William Hanby was a conductor on the old Underground. Here I sit in comfort a few blocks away from the present location of Hanby House.

Mother used to volunteer to take children around the place after she retired. Richard’s frown turned to a scowl and he thought; we are all slaves of different sorts today. No more Ohio River to cross, no more underground railway out. Where would we go to be free other than in our heads? Grandma used to say that we kids should study hard and learn what is important in the world, that way no one can ever take it from you. Grandma was born just above the Delaware County line in 1888, the year of the Great Blizzard.

Richard's mind was forming on the family genealogy, both the Greystone's and wife Cyndi's, the Bleacher's. Shoot, he thought, all eight of our grandparents, both sides, were born and raised in Delaware County. Riverton used to end at the county line, now the city stretches up several miles, almost to Freeman Road in Genoa Township. He glanced at his watch and asked, "When is Robert getting home?" No response. This left him with a disagreeable opinion, I thought they were in the kitchen. They are always in the kitchen. He got up from the semi-comfortable wingback chair. His tone sat unchecked as he said, "Cyndi! Connie!" followed with a grumbling mutter, "Where the hell are you two?"

            "What do you mean, where are you two? We are not your children to boss around, buddy boy," snapped Cyndi from the open basement door.

            Richard stood awkwardly at the kitchen entrance, "I didn't say you were. Why didn't you answer?"

            "We were in the basement,” said Connie clearly perturbed.

            Richard responded unkindly, "What were you doing down there?"

            "None of your damn business, Richard," rebutted Connie. "None of your damn business." Cyndi's rejoinder sat silently on her face.

            Richard toned down, "I thought you were both in the kitchen."

            "Why, because we're women?" snapped Cyndi.

            Richard calmly stated, "You are always in the kitchen."

            "If we are in the kitchen we are working; we are not sitting on our duffs playing chess or writing," responded Connie.

            "Or playing with our computer toys." Cyndi paused, "You'd think you and your brother would do more around the house. We give you lists and you never do them."

            Connie commented, "Rarely, you rarely do them, Richie and neither does Robert, but rarely."

            "Rob isn't here to defend himself," scolded Richard.

            "Robbie's at that medical conference," piped Connie.

            "Why? He's retired."

            Cyndi responded more kindly, "He's still interested in surgery, Richie."

            The tone stood like Richard, sulking but defiant. "You're saying I'm not interested in anything?"

            Connie responded positively without thinking, "You like your history."

            "You don't need to side with the old goat," said Cyndi angered.

            "I'm not, but he does like history and both like writing poetry." Her eyes threaded a protective look at her sister.

            Cyndi declared, "We are not always in the kitchen, Richard." Her voice choked, "We work hard to keep everything in order."

            Connie, unconsciously caught in her sister's emotion, railed, "And provide happiness."

            A consolatory tone rose in Richard's voice, "You just didn't answer. I didn't know where you were."

            "Why didn't you just get up and come looking?" asked Connie somewhat exasperated.

`            "Did you think we were upstairs ironing clothes?" added Cyndi.

            "I just wondered where you were." He paused like he was going to apologize but did not. He thought, Why didn't you say something if you could hear me?" I wouldn't have muttered. Losing the battle, Richard sat down quietly fuming.

            Within the moment Robert entered the side door and strolling into the kitchen he greeted the house with, "Hello, everybody! I'm home. It was a great conference. Very exciting work on invasive aortic valve surgery. Only a three to four inch incision." Silence. Robert walked into the living room. Connie and Cyndi were sitting on the separate ends of the couch waiting for Richard to speak first. Richard sat stubbornly ridged glaring at the dark framed portrait of the old Stoner House on the wall. "What's the argument, Richie, are the girls getting your goat?”

***



          You decided in the quiet of the evening to continue on with your review of Grandma 12 and you made a few minor changes. Drop it in, post, and relax. Call it a night, boy. Snow and cold wind will greet the day according to your forecasters. – Amorella

         2134 hours. I enjoyed Grandma 12. It was fun to write because I had to look up some legendary facts. Sometimes I don’t agree with you though. I think some legends have a fact or two in them, or a belief enough for it to effect a change in the culture and territory that gave it birth. I ‘accidently’ touched (though it was not allowed) the Queen’s coronation chair in Westminster and saw where the stone was placed beneath. When I was writing I thought on this – that I had touched the chair that had touched the Stone of Destiny – and this ‘fact’ made the writing from my fingertips more real in my mind. The fingertips give me an added sense of reality within though I ‘know’ legend is what it is. The touching gives me a plausibility I would have not had without the touch. The touch is an empathetic construction in my mind that travels to my heart, which is full of the fiction that I am. (2144)

         This you write as though you were swearing on the Bible itself, boy. So odd you are, being a true agnostic and all. – Amorella

         I have no excuse but my humanity. It is humiliating to be a part of a species so well constructed in heartansoulanmind and so imperfectly self-existing in the real world at the same time.

         The heartansoulanmind are imperfect too boy. You know better than to spout such words from your heart from where comes your anger. – Amorella

         (2150) I have no good reason to be angry yet I am. There seems to be an injustice in being alive and conscious of how I am and how I greet the world that was here before me and will be here after me.

         Such is your own mystery. There are few humans that deep down do not understand this truth-in-being. Add the story and post. – Amorella

         I do not like myself to have uttered these words in my mind and heart but I cannot erase them.

         Nor would I ask you to do so. – Amorella

***

(final) Grandma’s Story 12 ©2014, rho for GMG.One

Grandma comfortably sat cross-legged on a sand dune and began to speak as the large yellow sun rose to her back. This story takes place about twenty six hundred years ago and this particular setting requires an ancient watery trade route between Egypt and ancient Ireland. But first, the two young people involved are the legendary Princess Teah Tephi of Egypt and Prince Eireamhon of Ireland.

Eireamhon called Teah his princess. Supposedly, Teah Tephi was really the daughter of the last king of Judah, Zedekiah. Zedekiah had allied himself with the Egyptian Pharaoh Apries. Many Hebrews went with King Zedekiah to Egypt but eventually the Hebrews were sent to exile in Babylonia.

The story told is that a Pharaoh Apries hid Zedekiah's daughter Teah Tephi, and she kept a title of princess to the pharaoh for her protection. Whether she was truly a daughter of Zedekiah, only her mother and old Grandma know.

When Teah left Egypt, she brought a few small stones from her original home in Judah and locks of hair from her family to keep her company. Though Teah was told her father had been driven into exile, she came to believe her father had died in the desert or drowned.

The stories always made Teah suspicious and this is one of the reasons she didn't mind leaving Egypt one for Ireland. She felt as princess she could always return to Egypt if she so desired and that not even her husband Prince Eireamhon was going to stop her from doing so.

On the boat that followed the trade routes of those days. Teah said to her Prince Eireamhon, “I brought my Judah with me,” and she showed her husband three small rocks. Her eyes widened with enthusiasm, “I will keep these. These will bring us luck.”

The prince continued smiling, but secretly felt the Irish will think her a fool for bringing these stones from her homeland, or worse, they will secretly treat the gift as an insult to our own Irish stones. Prince Eireamhon politely suggested, “Put them in a sheltered place so they will not be lost.”

Eireamhon wants me to hide them, thought Teah suspiciously. I can tell when he is lying. He is trying to show himself to be more clever than me.

Once the two arrived at Tara, not to far from present Dublin, Princess Teah was presented to the High King and she said,  “I have a present for you from my own country of Judah,” she said. “This small stone is from the stone pillow upon whose head, Jacob, our ancient patriarch, rested at Bethel. Jacob was the grandson of our first patriarch, Abraham. It was at Bethel while resting on the stone pillow Jacob had his visions of angels.”

The High King appeared interested because Ireland too had its ancient stones. He asked, “How big of a stone is this piece broken from?”

She stretched her arms to measure its size, about twenty-six inches. She moved her hands in to sixteen inches, and then raised her right hand above the other about eleven inches. Then she added, “It weighed over three hundred pounds.” And this is a small piece of it."

The king cautiously continued, “Does this stone have power?”

            “Since Jacob dreamed of angels while sleeping on it,” said Teah shrewedly, “it is surely possible an angel’s touch is still within the stone.” She paused dramatically and added, “no one knows for sure.”

            The king responded, “Perhaps we should construct a replica of the stone pillow and strike the small stone to it so that the angel may move from the small piece to the larger one.”

            “This is an excellent idea,” chimed the Princess.

            When the replica of the reddish stone was complete as carved, Princess Teah saw to it that it appeared so very much like the original she once saw in Judah. In great secret ceremony, the king struck the larger stone with Teah's stone chip. “As it was a pillow witnessed by Angels,” the king decreed, “it will rest under the high king’s throne for his own good fortune.”

            Stories create their own traditions, smiled Grandma. The replica sitting under the High King of Ireland's throne eventually found its way to the Scottish kings where it became known as the "Stone of Destiny". More time passed and in 1952 Queen Elizabeth was crowned in a chair with the same stone underneath. Unlike the English the Scots don't believe this story, and I doubt the Irish do either. Some stories are beyond belief. Only Grandma Earth knows the truth, I’ll tell you. The truth is inside one’s own mystery.

People can spend their lives considering stories and things,
And thus so miss the sweet songs the little bird sings.


***

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