Notes - a family day

         You had a good drive to pick up Uncle John and then you met Gayle, Ralph, Mary Lou and Dwight at Ruby Tuesday off Sawmill Road near Chuck E. Cheese. Everyone had a good lunch and the sisters paid for Uncle John’s lunch. He will be ninety next Monday. He served in Europe mostly in Britain and Holland after the Battle of the Bulge and towards the end of World War II. He was not involved in any active combat.

         After the birthday luncheon you took Uncle John back to his apartment at the Methodist Retirement Community in Dublin; called Kim for an okay then drove up to see Kim, Paul, Owen and Brennan. You visited an hour or so then took Kim with you to see the progress on their house, drove her home and headed back. Amy brought over supper from the leftovers last night and also a theatre card at the Regal for a free movie for all the help you have provided for them. You had the supper and watched last week’s “24” and NBC News. And, here you are. Carol is upstairs reading.

         2125 hours. We had a good day. I always enjoy seeing Uncle John and it was doubly good when Kim and Paul were free (last minute) to have our company for an hour or so. Amy was bringing supper over as we drove in the driveway – perfect timing. We could not ask for better neighbors these last twenty-two years. We have always been friends and supportive of one another.

         You have an appointment for the Toyota tomorrow morning at nine for its ten thousand mile maintenance, oil change and tire rotation, all free for twenty-five thousand miles. Paul and Kim both suggested that you buy another hybrid; you think you may but not until this Fall or next Spring.

         2133 hours. I assume that if we do we will be looking mostly at the Honda Accord Hybrid or the Camry Hybrid but Paul thought we ought to look into a Nissan Leaf if you are going to use it mostly around the Cincinnati area. This was a new suggestion, which makes some sense – the Avalon for travel and the Leaf for local. They also said the electric requirements now are that all new houses garages have an electric outlet at each car stall and one more near the garage door – new requirement. I think that is interesting.

         We can work at Joseph Toyota in the morning while you are waiting on the car. Post. - Amorella

Notes - Class of 1960 in 2014 photo / spiritedness / processing / Shipansoul ?

         You were in the tub relaxing and the idea hit that ‘a thought, a pure thought does not exist. A thought must be dressed in clothing in words. A thought, by definition cannot be naked, at least not in this world.’ Your point being that an original thought is always disguised in something it is not. Do you accept this for what it is? – Amorella

         I do not accept this as a question.

         What would be the purpose of a naked thought? – Amorella

         The purpose is to better define the original Lightning in the Thunder myth.

         Growth and maturity is its intent. – Amorella

         But in a nearby past post you say passion greases the Lightning. Does this mean that passion greases growth and maturity because sometimes passion destroys growth and maturity. I need to define passion here.

** **

passion – noun

1 strong and barely controllable emotion: a man of impetuous passion.

• a state or outburst of strong emotion: oratory in which he gradually works himself up into a passion.

• intense sexual love: their all-consuming passion for each other | she nurses a passion for Thomas.

• an intense desire or enthusiasm for something: the English have a passion for gardens.

• a thing arousing enthusiasm: modern furniture is a particular passion of Bill's.

2 (the Passion) the suffering and death of Jesus: meditations on the Passion of Christ.

• a narrative of the Passion from any of the Gospels.

• a musical setting of any of the narratives of the Passion: an aria from Bach's St. Matthew Passion.

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French, from late Latin passio(n-) (chiefly a term in Christian theology), from Latin pati ‘suffer.’

Selected from the Oxford-American software

** **

         You and Carol have been working in the yard; you have a small bit of trimming on the southwest quad so it will match Tim and Amy’s whose yard is dressed to the nines for tonight’s party.

         1045 hours. Checking my email I received this photo of our Class of 1960 Picnic.2014 from Jean. I have some dear old friends in here.

Westerville High School Class of 1960 – Spring Picnic 2014

         You showed this photo to Carol who identified four or five. She knows more but not everyone attended. Next year is the fifty-fifth reunion; you are hoping more will attend for that one.         - Amorella

         1057 hours. I’m sure everyone pictured has a novel or two or a work of art in them whether they choose to share it or not. Most if not all came from four or five generations of Ohio born family stock. That’s the way it was in the quiet peaceful village of Westerville, Ohio. Shoot, when my grandfather was young North American Natives still lived upstream near Alum Creek. I used to have a painting that he gave me of one of them. I may still have that someplace. I should, but who knows where. I would have never thrown it away.

         Post. - Amorella

         1106 hours. What about the word ‘passion’?

         Passion in context with this post is enthusiastic spiritedness. - Amorella

         Afternoon. Carol is finishing sweeping the kitchen after the living and dining rooms. You have been out trimming bushes and raking the front yard. While online you found an article that relates to how human beings process information.

** **

Contact: Stuart Forsyth

University of Glasgow

Sound and vision: Visual cortex processes auditory information too

Scientists studying brain process involved in sight have found the visual cortex also uses information gleaned from the ears as well as the eyes when viewing the world.

They suggest this auditory input enables the visual system to predict incoming information and could confer a survival advantage.

Professor Lars Muckli, of the Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of Glasgow, who led the research, said: "Sounds create visual imagery, mental images, and automatic projections.

"So, for example, if you are in a street and you hear the sound of an approaching motorbike, you expect to see a motorbike coming around the corner. If it turned out to be a horse, you'd be very surprised."

The study, published in the journal Current Biology, involved conducting five different experiments using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to examine the activity in the early visual cortex in 10 volunteer subjects.

In one experiment they asked the blindfolded volunteers to listen to three different natural sounds – birdsong, traffic noise and a talking crowd.

Using a special algorithm that can identify unique patterns in brain activity, the researchers were able to discriminate between the different sounds being processed in early visual cortex activity.

A second experiment revealed even imagined images, in the absence of both sight and sound, evoked activity in the early visual cortex.

Lars Muckli said: "This research enhances our basic understanding of how interconnected different regions of the brain are. The early visual cortex hasn't previously been known to process auditory information, and while there is some anatomical evidence of interconnectedness in monkeys, our study is the first to clearly show a relationship in humans.

"In future we will test how this auditory information supports visual processing, but the assumption is it provides predictions to help the visual system to focus on surprising events which would confer a survival advantage.

"This might provide insights into mental health conditions such as schizophrenia or autism and help us understand how sensory perceptions differ in these individuals."

The project was part of a five-year study funded by a €1.5m European Research Council consolidator grant entitled 'Brain reading of contextual feedback and predictions', and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

The researchers will explore more sounds to find out how precise predictive coding in the brain can be.

From EurekAlert! [-dot-com]

** **

         1418 hours. I dropped a bold on the type and am wondering, since I have done a lot of imagination in my life, what kind of early visual cortex I have. In the books I have imagined most every scene in its happening. One would think I would remember more, but I don’t.

         You have one more piece of work to do in the yard, spread out the last bag of mulch. Why don’t you go and be done with it. It is occupying too much mental space for no good reason. – Amorella

         1445 hours. I completed the work. I could paint the mailbox stand but I’ll wait until next week. Seems like I just did that a couple of years ago – too much bird poop erosion.

         Post. – Amorella

         You are home from Katelyn’s graduation party – a good time had by all. Now you can change clothes and relax and take out the trash for tomorrow. Later, dude. – Amorella

         1938 hours. Katelyn is going to go to Ohio State is, at present anyway, wanting to be an English major – good for her, just like her father. It is exciting to be young and eager and mostly ready to take on adult-like freedoms and responsibilities. Katelyn’s older sister Lauren and brother Ben are also at the party. It is not often they are all home at the same time. I loved my students; they always kept me young; online on Facebook many still do. Carol and I have been very fortunate and I am grateful for it. 

         Dusk and you have not taken the trash out because the party is continuing with games in the front yard. Post, and we’ll let tonight go unless you have the inclination to complete ‘Pouch 21’. – Amorella

         2101 hours. It is almost dark. We are having a very pleasant evening with many of the windows up full for screen use and fans – just like the old days in the forties, fifties and early sixties before we had even window air conditioning units.

Notes - 'Dead', 'Brothers' and 'Grandma' completed - ch. 21

         Mid-morning. You are at Pine Hill Lakes by the earth dam waiting for Carol who is on her walk. You raked the southwest quad and may touch up the front. Carol has been cleaning windows and most are up to let in the cooler breeze. It is a very pleasant Spring day. Let’s continue chapter twenty-one. – Amorella

         0959 hours. I’m ready but wondering how this is going to be, particularly tone wise.

         1240 hours. I have worked on this off and on. Here is my first sample – the segment of The Dead.

***

Chapter Twenty-one

Translucence

            This is the Supervisor, Caretaker of the Dead. These books cause a transmigration of words from the Dead into those reading within Dreamtime. The enlightenment occurs in the deconstruction of entanglement within spiritual thought. The Humanity, the Light, untangles many spiritual dimensions of mind to a singular focus: reasonable thought.

The Dead - 21 – 780 w

            Some events are built in. The Lightning that becomes the Beginning of All Things continues through these Merlyn books. The Thunder follows naturally.  – the Supervisor

            Merlyn rolls his spectral eyes up and back into his spectral head only to discover he is about to have a discussion with Glevema and Panagiotakis, here in his own sanctuary.

            Within the doorway to his hut Merlyn envisions his oak billiard table rising from the central stone boulder just as he had risen from his stony sleep of the Dead. Merlyn moves slowly upward, gaining confidence. He glances down from the height of the giant oak to the billiard table below to see two balls on the green with an oak cue stick lying on the table near the white cue ball mark, and on the other cue mark sets the black 8 ball.

            Merlyn spirit blinks registering, I am the stick, Takis is the white cue ball and Mother is the black 8. The spirit, the great ghost, observes the pockets shift-in-meaning. One pocket connects to the heart, another to the soul, and a third to the mind; the other three are random existential nightmares. My cue tip needs to strike old Takis and send him to lightly kiss Mother and send her towards the far right corner, estimated Merlyn.

I can only hope to drive Mother into heart's pocket for her truthfully honest response to my question.

            Chance is not always what it seems – all roads lead to multiple place settings. – the Supervisor

            Semi-conscious, Merlyn strikes the cue ball with the stick, which, as the physics-in-his-head would have it, taps the 8 ball further and harder to the left than he anticipated.

            The white ball almost scratches at the far corner pocket and in Merlyn's mind the 8 ball rolls to the left corner pocket and drops in. 'Not good,' concludes Merlyn, 'A faery's trick.' strikes at his heart.

            Merlyn no more believes in faery tricks than he does in Angels. He laments this freedom without choice – the Supervisor

            "I should have let the Takis cue ball randomly run the table,” grumbles Merlyn. The Victorian styled oak billiard table folds through mist and into the sanctuary’s central stone bolder. Merlyn stands with Mother three arm's length away, boldly staring.

             Mother asks, "Do you think I did not see through your tactics of using my grandfather to soften my soul?"

            "I was aiming at your heart, dear Mother of all mothers. I see I missed my mark. “Why now, dear Mother, for the Second Rebellion?”

            The soul tends to show an armor of indifference, thinks Mother while considering a response to Merlyn's initial question. "Nuclear weaponry," declares Mother, and all those dead from murdering in political and religious conflicts and two major wars during the first half of the twentieth century.”

            She continues, “Even my first friends among the Dead, the marsupial humanoid Dead, pleaded for a short-ordered Second Rebellion to address the parental anxieties of both species for their living children. They were the turning point.”

            So, you see, some events take place because of the heartsansoulsanminds of others beyond the scope of most of the Living who think, like those who did not recognise even friendly bacteria, that if you don’t see or detect something it doesn’t exist and thus can have no effect on the living. – the Supervisor

            "The Living do not know about the marsupial humanoids other than my fictional stories, Mother."

            "You were sorted out, Merlyn. I assume you are up to the job," replies Mother rather huffily. "Once the marsupial humanoids actually landed on Earth and tragically died in secret attempt to present themselves in July, 1947; their species’ Dead decided it was time to re-introduce themselves to Mother’s Mother.

            The reasonableness of Eisenhower’s Farewell Speech became the trigger -- the madness of a world of industrial-military complexes would eventually create a horrific global social circumstance in which humanity both collectively and individually would have no choice but to shut itself off soulanmind-wise, Merlyn.

            This is something you can certainly understand and sell to the Living; work alone cannot make you free." She pauses for understanding, and adds "Merlyn, how would we many Dead grow and flourish under such heartless conditions of power and consequence?

            Free or not a reckoning will come, ruminates Merlyn, as surely as I, one of the Dead, 

walk. The Second Rebellion ended while I have been Here, in two places at once, among 

the Living and among the Dead. I, Merlyn, do not know how or why this came to be. But who 

really knows the why's of any thing. Freedom, what is freedom without the fullness of 

humanity in one's heartansoulanmind?

***

         You are enjoying the weather and happy to have completed one segment. However, I see you are uneasy about how this will play because although you mentioned the wars of the last century you did not mention the need for a healthy and fulfilling childhood into a mature growth of adult humanity for the good of humanity. – Amorella

         1316 hours. That’s because it has been attempted before without the result intended. You can’t preach. Even Jesus preached and in two thousand years we are better in terms of knowledge and science but heartsansoulsanminds listen to a different order if they listen at all. At the moment I think of each as a kitten, stubborn and independent and wanting what sheorhe wants. I would rather think of the heart and soul and mind as cats than dogs, doing whatever their master’s bidding or following the pack.

         You raise something that needs addressed. We’ll do that in “The Brothers” segment. Later, dude. Post. - Amorella

         1615 hours. I completed “The Brothers – 21”.

         By all means, drop it in and post. – Amorella

***

The Brothers 21 – 732 w

            Richard and Robert are sitting in the morning shade on a bench in Riverton watching people and traffic move through the busy Uptown intersection of State and College. Richard always likes this corner because he can see a slice of his favorite boyhood places, the weathered State Movie Theatre marquee across street. Robert has never been a movie fan, fancies Richard.

            Genetics and robotics are necessary as well as compatible in basic survival. Both come at a price, survival. The species’ survival is little different than the individual’s survival in these Merlyn books. The physical is more easily recognized than the spiritual; both have their merits and their cancers.  A domesticated cat’s priorities on survival have a different focus than a domesticated dog’s. Human beings are neither cats nor dogs. Looking in the mirror most people can sense of the differences in the three species, don’t you think? – the Supervisor

            Interrupting from his own focus on the old State marquee, Rob taps his brother's shoulder, and replies, "Talking and thinking are two different things. I have a new poem Dickie,” and he pulls it out of his back pocket. “It is about Lillian Gish the movie star. The poem is about her unforgettable faces on film. She died in 1993, Dickie." He points to the paper, "read this first. We can meet the girls at the empty table across the street."

            Richard reads,

*

L I L L I A N       G I S H

                        News: senseless beyond the deadline,

                        prisoner to a here and now,

                        reports any hearsay, the current heresies.

                        She: its quick legend in catchwords,

                        memorable as a persistent comet is memorable,

                        Old light of whom reaches us years later.

                        She is Beatrice: graceful frames of spirit;

                        comet to fixed star; sister to star

                        forms through whom travelers know --

                        earth as Diana, child of wild things,

                        gathering broken blossoms with voice of arms

                        in the first light a chaste lover brings;

                        fire as Athena, eyes flashing with battle-charm,

                        holds our souls, fragile as daylight, through the night,

                        breaking the dark air of harm;

                        water as Venus, love's strong voice of light,

                        laughing with the long hair of waves gently bearing

                        the sea-worn swells of doubt from every lover's eyes;

                        air as Mary, sensuous truth as heroine,

                        whose dark lips of pure fire melt that elemental

                        cold of pretense in the frightened soul of hope.

                        Child to woman to spirit of silent grace,

                        from way down east rising with the northern sun,

                        always new, the unforgettable faces of Lillian Gish.

•

and replies after critiquing carefully. "This poem shows a most basic form of consciousness. I like the existential tone.” Richard acknowledges, “I am thinking on minimal consciousness, if there is such an animal.”

            "We hope no less in the operating room," chuckles Rob, then thinking literally, he says, "If a minimally conscious animal is what you want, you want a jellyfish,"

             Richard smiles, "Here come the girls from the bakery. I'm ready for coffee with cream and a cream-filled doughnut."

            The most basic form of spiritual consciousness is human consciousness, reflects Richard quietly. Let's say minimal consciousness is a quantum state. The classical bit is stored as a one or a zero but a quantum bit is stored as a zero and a one event at the same time. The event is in two places at once. This is similar to the condition of Schrödinger's Cat in quantum mechanics, continues Richard. This spiritual consciousness both exists and does not exist at the same time. This then is the grammar in the heartansoulanmind, it is not necessarily words in a linear string; it may always be between the lines. If the heartansoulanmind functions between the lines, how can this be so?

           

            People ask themselves quiet questions from time to time as if each question continues in present tense as if there is no consideration in the thought setting for a past or future. A true question, like a true statement, can stand on its own. Life’s distractions do not get in the way because they are not noted where it counts most in the mind and in a place close to the heart where zero’s and one’s count little, if at all. – the Supervisor

            "We got you two the cream-filled Schneider’s doughnuts you like," comments Connie.

***

         1845 hours. I can putter around for hours and this is what I have been doing. It took me awhile but I think ‘the Supervisor’ is very much like ‘the Soki’ in tone and style is in the first three books. This shows a particular consistency that I am relieved to see.

         Consistency is important because it gives one a credibility. – Amorella

         1852 hours. You are the brush and the brush stroke. Thank you, Amorella.

         It would have helped had you not had to look up the Soki’s name in book one. – Amorella

         1854 hours. I feel bad about this. At Smashburgers for lunch the girl at the register asked my name and I had to think on it because I was not expecting the question. Finally in frustration (and probably embarrassment) Carol said, “Rich.” At that moment it still had not registered and I thought, ‘Yeah, that’s about right’ (in the pause) - then, I said, “Rich.” Carol laughed about this at various times throughout lunch. She asked, “What were you thinking?” and the like. Actually, it was a shock. It didn’t dawn on me. Why she was asking me my name? I didn’t know who she was.

         That pretty much concludes how it is in your head, and how it has been from time to time since you gained a self-consciousness, somewhere around the age of three. That’s how I see it. – Amorella

         1904 hours. How I have survived so long I have no idea.

         Let’s work on ‘Grandma’s Story’ – wait, here comes Carol from her reading – time for supper. Post. - Amorella

         2155 hours. I have completed Grandma’s Story.

         Add and post, boy. All for tonight. – Amorella

***

Grandma's Story 21 - 737 w

            Once in Scotland Criteria and Renaldo are delighted to find Merlyn has chosen to lead themto a mostly unobserved grassy path where they walk the horses through an awkward quietness for most of the afternoon. As they come upon a rise Merlyn says, "This travel has been for the comfort of Lady Criteria. We are about to enter the grounds where I have royal guests.

            Ever so politely Criteria asks, "How did you guess my royalty early on, Merlyn?"

            “The voice, m’Lady, "undresses the disguise. I know these things, as did my predecessor Taliesin-the-Bard.

            “I cannot tell where you are from Merlyn,” declares Criteria in a flirtatious mood.

            “I set my dialect to match your own m’Lady, it is my stock and trade.”

            In undisguised resentment Renaldo interrupts, “Remember we are here Merlyn, on behalf of Rome to transcribe and collect stories for the Bishop.”           

            "I am not one for those with titles, Renaldo," quips Merlyn. "My interest here is building blood and stories. You see the three ladies standing by the pond. They are of the House of Avallon, you two shall meet these sisters first."

            Hesitant, Criteria responds, "My uncle is a King in Greece. However, my work is also common within the Church of Rome. These three Ladies will provoke a lot of interest."

            "Royal blood rises or falls together," comments Merlyn directly. Shortly we will be done with this, he thinks.

            What Merlyn thinks is not what is always or even nearly so. Many thoughts of people are off the top of the head, so to speak, not down closer to the powers of reasoning for purposes presently unknown. Merlyn makes considerations and deduces imaginary consequences to add to the reasonable ones in case of error. Logic and reason are not magic but they are better than superstition alone, so thinks Merlyn. – the Supervisor

            Should I begin with Holy Island or Merlyn, thinks Criteria with Merlyn and Renaldo at her side upon approaching the three women of Avallon. Queen, Igraine, smiling, extends her hand and in kindly tone says, "I am glad Merlyn invited you, Prince Criterion of Greece."

            Having forgot who she really was, Criteria stood momentarily startled.

            "Please meet my sisters,” adds Igraine, “Morgause and Viviane."

            "Did you ever meet the Bishop of Rome, himself, Prince Criterion?" questions Morgause.

            Criteria shows the sisters her signatory ring, "I am sure in ways unknown that we are cousins, but first you need know this is but a disguise for Rome and safer travel. No one knows of my womanhood save Renaldo my priestly companion and now Merlyn, of course."

            Upon the further introduction Queen Igraine modestly whispers though all nearby ears hear, "Your secret is frozen within us. What secret is in this man-form you take that you the woman now know?"

*

            First, laughter, then the quiet talk, concluded Merlyn as the women’s chatting meanders into the great house for further discussion which leads to the following. 

            “You work openly within Columba’s league,” suggests Criteria.

            “We are Greek also,” replies Igraine to her younger sister, “Our line flows from Abraham and Sarah up through Paris, son of Priam of Troy on, up through the Franks.”

            “I know you have Greek blood through your ancestor, Princess Argotta,” notes Criteria. “Indeed, we are no doubt cousins, but the Church has heard rumor that you have another notable bloodline  –  Joseph of Arimathea. I am sure there is a story in this.”

            In response Morgause whispers, “James, the brother of Jesus, or so we have been told."

            Queen Igraine coldly eyes Merlyn and sarcastically responds, “We use the Dead as they use us."

            Criteria says, “Merlyn told me he has a plan.”

            Upon entering the scene once again Vivian laughs, “Merlyn always has a plan.” “He thinks the spirits will be here when he tells his story.”

            Criteria reflects a mute surprise, saying, “Merlyn didn’t tell us he has a story to tell.”

*

            Later, standing as slowly moving stone in front of the small audience, Merlyn with his prophetic eyes rolling into the top of his head, utters an unscheduled prescient of words he could not, in those days of life otherwise come to whisper, as a life-in-death, in letters alone.

In these books Grandma shows the gift of gab,

From Merlyn’s crystals to send this private confab;

The Dead speak short; the Dead speak true,

This fiction, my earthy children, is set on you.

***