Thursday, May 23, 2013

Thoughts, Stories and Other Stuff

Originally I had listed all my reasons for blogging.  It seemed important at the time.  But like a lot of things, time gives clarity so I've decided to dispense with that and get to the real stuff.  That said, I still want to list the reasons so I'm moving them to the bottom of this page.

Organization is as follows:
paragraph or less (listed below)
more than a paragraph (pages)
my other blogs
______________________________________________________________________
Thoughts:

Thursday, June 27, 2013
Last week at the Tiki Hut, Carol posted her Friday's Top 10 things she most often ran out of.  Here is my Top 10.  Please don't come and get me NSA.  I'm building a bomb that will blast me into the future.  I think I will like it there.

10.  fertilizer
9.   gasoline
8.   detonators
7.   pipes
6.   scraps of metal
5.   drums
4.   dynamite
3.   blasting caps
2.   chants

And the number 1 thing I run out of most often?
1.  Mental Health Facilities.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013
No idea where Edward Snowden is now.  I don't really keep up.  I know why he left China.  A Spartacus moment would have been hard to pull off there.  He should stay in Russia.  With funny little glasses, a dull razor and a heavy coat of PreparationH applied to the face of voluteer Russians, many could pass.  Of course other strategies could be employed in Ecuador.  I don't mean this as a put down of Snowden.  I suspect his motives were not as pure as the driven snow but who among us wants to be spied on?

Sunday, June 23, 2013
As goatherd learns by goat, so writer learns by wrote.  This is not the exact quote from John Muir but it is close.  I got to thinking about this quote today when I saw the word used in a blog I was reading.  If any of you have experience with goats, you know there are few places they won't try to investigate and very few things they won't try to eat.  I've seen them on tops of buildings and gnawing at tin cans.  This is a lot like us bloggers.  We don't graze in fenced in pastures but instead tackle the vines and briers on the fence row and all along the roadway.  We make all kinds of mistakes.  Why shouldn't we?  Trying to get at the tender green shoots of vines and briers is a tricky business.

Friday, June 21, 2013
Superman is who I aspire to be; Clark Kent is who I fear I am.  Really though, I just want to fly.  I don't care so much about fighting super villains.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013
If you don't want to be disappointed in what people do, then don't trust your feelings, trust their actions.

Sunday, June 2, 2013
I guess everyone's mind is like this - endlessly wandering - touching on the trivial, the mundane and the profound and giving equal time to each.  Okay, not everyone's mind, this is how mine works, I have no idea how yours works.  Anyway for some reason, maybe because of the blogs I read today, I was thinking about funny epitaphs and it occurred to me that I actually knew a Lester Moore.  He was good guy.  I should look up his tombstone and see what it says.  I'm pretty sure it won't say - no les, no moore.

Saturday, June 1, 2013
It rained today.  I like when it rains - very beautiful, it varnishes the world.  Also, fun to play in, more so if you can go barefoot.  However, Leo hates it.  I opened the door to let him out, he stepped out, whined, turned around and came back in.  This process was repeated several times.  Before long the rain slacked enough for him to venture out onto the deck and into the yard.  I watched.  He only went far enough to go potty.  Then he wanted back in.  Since I moved the litter box into the bathroom he won't use it anymore.  No idea what's up with that.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Attempting to do anything when you are exhausted, other than watch TV, is doomed - maybe not to failure but at least mediocrity.  It is a good time though to watch that thing (e.g. The Artist), you've been putting off.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013
I saw a friend today in the grocery store today.  I had not seen her in quite awhile and as we caught up she asked if I'm still single.  When I said yes, that I didn't think I would ever marry again, she said if something happened to her marriage she wouldn't either.  This is far from the first married person, male or female who has told me that.  I wonder if marriage is really an unnatural state for humans?  Perhaps "unnatural" is not a well chosen word but it will suffice.  We humans get bored even with the people we love.  It might take a long time but we do get bored and a lifetime is a long time.

Saturday, May 25, 2013
Unquestionably, Jeff Probst is a great host for Survivor.  Speaking of which, sometimes I love it, sometimes hate it and sometimes don't bother watching.  There is a terrific podcast interview with Probst by one of those podcast guys (ask in comments and I'll look it up).  It is what prompted me to watch Probst's day time show.  The show was filled with trivialities and the problem is his trivialities are not my trivialities.  He seems never at a loss for something to say but as a TV host, he's a one trick pony.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013
As I was listening to Alison Krauss sing "I'll Fly Away," my thinking was when I fly away, it will be on a winged horse - possibly bio-engineered, possibly robotic, but a winged horse nevertheless.

Thursday, May 23, 2013
I read somewhere, think it was Ben Best's site, that once man has conquered aging, the median life span is expected to be 25,000 years.  Judging by my current progress in Blender that won't be long enough.
______________________________________________________________________
Reasons

I like writing.

Several years ago I became interested in genealogy and put quite a lot of time and effort into it before my interest waned.  The reason I lost interest is I reached a point in my research where there were no more stories - in fact nothing except names and dates and who they married.  How good it would be if I could visit a website and read what my great grand fathers thought about.    Likely it was sex judging from the number of children they produced but still...  It occurred to me the same could be true of my life at some point in time assuming there's anyone around who gives a damn.

The third reason is cryonics.  I'm planning on having my body cryonically preserved if science does not end mortality as we know it before the owl calls my name.  Since the most optimistic estimate I've seen of this is 2040, I'll probably hear the owl.

No one knows how successful a cryonic preservation will be, my body might be lost at some point or I might be revived with only partial awareness of who I am.  Whether for descendants or to fill in the gaps of a damaged memory, this blog should be of some use.


38 comments:

David Jeffreys said...

Hi David,

You commented on my post today, so I checked out your blog and this seems to be a new one; I haven't checked the others yet.

About your mention of Jeff Probst above, I got a similar revelation about Anderson Cooper. He is all business and a pretty good journalist on CNN, so I got all excited about his daytime show thinking that it would be similar to the Charlie Rose show and thought provoking. Instead, just like your comment, there is nothing but trivia and stuff related to celebrities. Give me a break. Didn't bother to continue with that.

David

David Oliver said...

Good name you have there! :)

All my blogs are fairly recent. I'm new at this.

I didn't know Anderson had a daytime show. Of course I'm disappointed to hear what it's about. Thanks for the comment and saving me the time of checking it out.

Daytime TV is a wasteland. It's no wonder lots of people keep their TV's tuned to CNN even if they are running the same news stories over and over.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

It's nice to meet you here and get a glimpse into your mind, David. Thanks for dropping by my blog.

A lifetime IS long. I'm amazed that some people can be together for that long. And we're not yet living for 25,000 years.

xoRobyn

David Oliver said...

I think some people are just not suited for marriage or even cohabitation. I'm sure that's the case with me and my Ex. We get along much better now that we are divorced. But people are different. I can't imagine my parents not being married as both had dependencies only the other could fill.

Hope Mojo is having a better day than Leo. He normally wants to be outside all the time but he's sitting in my lap now as he has been the better part of the day.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Am I really your first follower here? That's exciting. Thanks for the follow, David. I'm glad to reciprocate.

Cheers!
xoRobyn

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

PS I think Mojo's wandering the neighborhood. That rascal. He doesn't like my lap, because I'm very impatient with him. I don't know why he still seems to love me.

David Oliver said...

Maybe he's after some of that chocolate. :)

I know cats are not supposed to have it but I'll give Leo a little bit every once in awhile. It doesn't seem to hurt him and afterward he walks around licking his lips(?) for awhile.

Usually a few minutes is enough for Leo as well. He gets into fights all the time though and this last one must have been rough. He's got lots of patches of fur missing as well as many puncture wounds.

David Oliver said...

Yep, you are number 1! Thank you. :)

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Has Leo brought dead birds into the house? Mojo has several times, a lizard or two too. He can be so naughty, yet so innocent.

Have a good afternoon, David.
xoRobyn

David Oliver said...

Honestly I don't think Leo ever kills anything. The only reason mice don't come into the house is that he plays with 'em. One did come in and was in a corner about a foot up on the wall so I said, "Leo catch that mouse." He reached up as if I had asked somebody to pass me a glass of water, grasped the mouse in his paw, looked at it, then set it down on floor. Of course then he proceeded to chase it around, sometimes batting it back and forth between his paws. Finally it got away. I saw it next day once but no sign of it since.

As far as pest control goes, you've definitely got the superior cat.

Carol Kilgore said...

We people can be a strange bunch :)

David Oliver said...

And I hope that never changes! I can't imagine anything more boring than living in a world where everyone thinks, looks and acts the same.
This reminds me of a story. I came from a large family - four brothers and a sister. On holidays we would all get together, have a huge meal and then gather in the living room. Usually there were two or three conversations going on at a time and it was noisy. Occasionally though the conversation would lull; I guess everyone was full and satisfied just to be there.
During one of these times, one of my brothers let out a yell that would wake the dead. Of course there were other screams then because we all thought something was horribly wrong. Then my brother began laughing.
It is one of my fondest memories of those get togethers.

Thanks for the comment and the following!

Andrew Leon said...

Our litter box lives in the bathroom, but I almost have to hold my cat's paw for him to use it. Seriously, he asks to go out and asks to go out and asks to go out, but, when I go turn the light on in the bathroom and stand at the door, he goes and uses the box.

Is this your main blog? You have a lot listed; I just want to make sure I stumbled onto the correct one.

David Oliver said...

Yes Andrew, I consider this my main blog. The others are focused on some specific aspect of my life. Cat Tales, for example, exists only to tell how I went from a farm boy who thought of animals as only servants of man, to the belief that they can be our friends as well and quite often, really great friends at that.

Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I was an instant fan of your blog.

Andrew Leon said...

Well, I'm glad to hear it. I rather like it myself.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Aw, Leo's a softy. On the other hand, I can't believe I'm living with a cold-blooded killer.

xoRobyn

David Oliver said...

Sometime when you've got a little free time (like any of us ever have that), read what the mice have done to me in the past on my blog - Cat Tales. After that, you'll hug your little killer tightly and be ever so grateful he's got the instinct.

By the way, your sig(nature) is a really nice touch. :)

Carol Kilgore said...

Well, since I'm not a man, I wouldn't know. But it's cool watching him fly :)

David Oliver said...

Yes, it is. :)

For several years I played online RP games. In the early ones, our characters were earth bound. Eventually, we could levitate. Then we could fly. Sort of. But never could we soar like eagles, swoop and dive, or make ourselves vertical in the air. Still it was better than plodding along a dusty road or even riding our trusty steed.

But we still dream - our inner child. Yeah he's there or she's there. We just keep them hid away all the time. Except sometimes when we get old enough that we no longer care what people think of us, we set 'em free. And then we daydream, play pretend and it is every bit as much fun as any show on TV. At least for awhile until our children say, "oh Dad, get real!"

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Hi David,
Free time or not, Mojo and I just perused Cat Tails. We're both struck by how innocent yet determined Precious appears, and by the audacity of her peace offering. Eww. Mojo says he would never offer me a headless mouse, and I'm snuggling him for making that promise.
Thank you.
xo =)

David Oliver said...

Hi Robyn,
I had a feeling you might be underestimating Mojo's sensitivity. I'm glad you've come to an understanding. :)

Precious was/is a he. My oldest son hates my cat names and offers this one as proof that I should let someone else (him, for example) name my cats. But I was thinking that Precious was like the "one ring," not in sense of sweet and cuddly.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Sorry for being biased, David, in assuming Precious was a female. I hope I didn't confuse him. It is a great name. xo

David Oliver said...

No worries Robyn. Doubt there's any chance of confusing him as I'm confident he's Leo's papa.

Carol Kilgore said...

Great analogy! And goats really are like that :)

David Oliver said...

Thanks. :)
When I created this blog I never envisioned goats being mentioned - ever - which kinda proves the point.

Should Fish More said...

David
I hope you continue 'blogging' as we call it. I'm relatively new at it also. I do it mainly so the kids, 600 miles away, can see what their dad/grandpa is thinking and up to. Also, it gives me something to do over the second cup of coffee in the morning.

The Snowden thing is interesting; while I somewhat admire the specific act, trying to open a window to a locked and sealed room where the wizard of oz is sitting, I also imagine he's got feet of clay. Who among us at his age didn't? I doubt he's in the same 'moral' league as Daniel Berrigan, who seemed to have no motive other than truth.

We seem to insist that people fit neatly into packages, that a priest be above reproach in all aspects of their lives, that a sports 'hero' be a saint off the field, etc. We're all Caesar's Wife in that respect. I've told my kids that I, like everyone, have foibles, they roll their eyes. "We know, dad. Believe us."

David Oliver said...

Mike,
It has been good so far except for a bump or two. I have a hard time evaluating my thoughts as how others will view what I say.

As for Snowden, our views about him must be very similar. The first thing that made an impression on me after hearing what he had done was the huge photo of himself on his website. It's definitely a "look at me world" thing to do.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

For June 1st, I loved your aside about rain - "It varnishes the world". It made me pause for a moment. What does snow do? What does cloud do? What does frost do? What does moonlight do? Perhaps moonlight is a photographer's assistant - turning the world into a black and white negative version of itself, eliminating familiar colours. Have a nice day - as American waitresses might say.

David Oliver said...

Mr. Pudding, thank you for your comment. It is especially welcome as my thoughts on nature are generally greeted with contempt. Of course that has not stopped me from posting those thoughts as you can clearly see. Are you up for a challenge? I usually view any challenge as an opportunity to fail but that's just me. I'm guessing you have a different view. Hoping that you do and considering you have shown an affinity for such things with the photographer's assistant thingy, what say you do a post about the effects of snow, clouds and frost on our psyche?

David Oliver said...

Mike,
Upon re-reading your post I realize I completely ignored at least one of the points you made. Yes, I think you are absolutely right - most of the time people do not fit neatly into a package and yes, when I was Snowden's age, I cared about popularity.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Okay sir, I am up for the challenge but just this once...In the next couple of days my reflections will be reflected in my blog as if varnished by the rain...And your challenge is to access a faster computer connection so that you can see my Malta and Gozo film - not all catacombs... but the catacombs are a metaphor for the labyrynthine avenues of the human mind.

David Oliver said...

Excellent! I eagerly await your post(s).
Speaking of awaiting things, events, etc., I will have to await advancements in technology, for my internet connection to improve. In the meantime, I can usually watch a video if I pause and wait, pause and wait. Since this is important to you I will oblige. I'm intrigued with this idea of the catacombs being a metaphor for the human mind. I should say intrigued and scared - not to death exactly - but certainly frightened of what I will find.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Oh good. I hope you and your little ones (Precious, etc.) are having a great week, David!

xoRobyn

David Oliver said...

Thanks Robyn! We're all good. Hope you and yours are as well. :)

Andrew Leon said...

I don't want to be Superman. I've never wanted to be Superman. And, actually, I think Clark Kent is pretty cool, though I've never wanted to be him, either.
Not that I want to not fly; I wouldn't turn that down. It's also not what I'd choose.

(Just so you know, we don't get updates in our feeds when you update the same post. We're only notified when you post a new post.)

David Oliver said...

Despite the fact that my oldest son likes to quote that thing from some movie about we are not a unique flower, blah, blah, blah, you have shown today that he is wrong. He will hate that so much but will likely agree with you. This means he is still wrong about something and ruins his record of being right for 38 years. Oh my!

I will happily change the "men" to "I" or some suitable language.

About the updates...
I wasn't sure how they worked. Now that I know it is fine. There is really no need for folks to visit my blog every time I have a new thought. I am sure that would get very tiresome, very fast.

Carol Kilgore said...

LOL! Fun and inventive ... and gutsy :)
Happy Weekend!

David Oliver said...

Thanks Carol!
Got to thinking I would run a little test just to see what the gov't is up to. Always interested in killing two birds with one stone (not really folks, I like birds) but metaphorically speaking, wanted to try and make it fun at the same time.

Thanks for telling me you liked it. :)

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