I am an empath so I care about every living thing on this earth. Especially my family and my dog and cat! I agree that humans are not above other life forms here. It’s our ego that is the problem.
36 rescue cats here, in various indoor/outdoor shelters to protect the local wildlife. (I had to add them up on a piece of paper, as I had lost count a while back.) The most recent one is an elderly boy who had been cruelly abandoned by the couple living 5 doors down, who moved away months before the poor boy showed up on my property, all skin and bones, weak and starving. After opening one can of catfood for him, I had my latest adoption. My goal is to live long enough to care for them until the last one meets his Maker. (I don't much like people ...)
I have two granddaughters. The youngest is an infant, so time will tell how she turns out, but I prefer my dog over the older, rambunctious, loud, demanding preschooler.
No kids, no dog (the dog 'belongs' to the ex), some distant family members that are all jabbed up so I worry, oh yes I do. Closing in on 60. I play trombone and some other horns, a bit of guitar. Do some cad drafting. Make some wine with gleaned fruit, (lots of that here). Luckily the old Volvo quit for good, (about 100 miles from home so the tow was only a few hundred bucks -yay!?). Got me back on the bike which I like, though I cannot find my rain fender. So for the moment I am just here looking at the rain and trying to convince myself to go for a rainy walk. Reasons to brush hair and teeth. Wishing that the puppeteers weren't such asshats, but I suppose they have always been asshats, which is why they are puppeteers, right? Always good to hear from you Lawrence, always.
Lawrence! I totally relate to what you are saying! It’s absolutely amazing!
I turned 60 just a few minutes ago (10:23 PST). Our life on earth is indescribable. So many memories, feelings, and wishes that fade away. And often, it just doesn’t matter anymore.
All that matters is God and everything after decades, falls into place. I’m thankful for every moment I have, good or bad.
Brought a twinkle to my eye. Didn't know you met Ginsberg. I used to like his stuff a lot. Some of it still do. "Kaddish" is simply an epic poem - it contains entire worlds of info about Ginsberg's own family, while he's somehow making it relatable to millions of readers. Great stuff. Basically the longer stuff is good too where he's describing his endless travels across America. Used to read it when I was doing graduate work in Kansas. Well, when one is in a nightmare of the New Normal, always good to reflect on writers of the past. We strive to solidify the images, such as you pointed out, through our words. But all in vain - time slips away. Sooner than it should for soooo many these days.
Yes - 1971 - 2nd year of college - I saw a notice posted on a pole - Allen Ginsberg reading his poetry - in the amphitheater on the Quad tomorrow afternoon. It was basically a simple grass amphitheater with Allen seated at bottom. I was amazed that he was going to be there. A country boy from a farm town was going to have an opportunity to hear him recite his poetry. I had become immersed in counter culture by that time. With poetry as my first love in high school, I quickly fell in love with “radical” poets and writers of the time. I worked my way through some of best of that era. I can’t remember what poem he read that day. I just remember our conversation after. I have a picture of him in a frame looking pretty much the same way he did on that day. So he still inspires me. I have others of course. And my first love is Shakespeare. You will see that influence in what write from time to time. I find modern English to be very limiting and frustrating. The language of Shakespeare conjures up visions and says so much with so little. I try to do the same. I only write when I am inspired to write and when I have something to say. I have no idea were Bones in the Yard can from. It just came out - I didn’t know where it was going until I had finished it. So..
You might be interested in this conversation between Anthony Peake and his guests. (Peake is an interesting guy; I regard him and Gary Lachman as the contemporary versions of the late Colin Wilson):
A very touching essay, and thank you for feeling enough of a connection to all of us readers to share it with us, who then feel a connection to you.
And your dogs!
Today I was outside in the sunny fall weather, feeling a good connection to all of the life in my gardens and surrounding nature. This time of year, much of the life has flown south, burrowed in for the winter, or dying back to the ground after sowing some seeds. It's life, and I shall enjoy it (with my cats) for as long as I can, and then eventually become one with it all.
Thank you.... I do all of this to help if I can. It's in my nature.... I am a caregiver.... To make the world just a little bit better by your caring, by your work and by your loving is what I have tried to do all my life. Yes and bearing your inner thoughts and feelings is sometimes frightening. I get nervous about it. I think what I have done is good but what will everyone say? Will they like it? I want people like it but in a way I don't care if they like it. That is not point here for me. I try to say what I feel and what I think they feel. I want to put us on the same page because we are on the same page. So with that I will leave you with the last poem from my book of poetry.
Ah... It's so good to see a fellow degenerate uman animal realizing that it's our Thought the root of all violence, torture and death. When we do realize this and reject it we can finally Live a Balanced Dog Life. I wish You a very good death.
Yes... maybe someday or maybe we will extinguish our race before? None of it really matters in the grand scheme of things. As the Taoists say: It is neither good nor bad... it just is.
You have written a beautiful piece Lawrence. I can relate to your thoughts on the passing of time and our experiences. I turned 57 two weeks ago and have been thinking a lot about mortality since my father's death on June 28th this year. I had been thinking about aging (as a girl does) for the past few years. Yet my father's passing, having had him in my life for 56 years years, has had an enormous impact on how I now reflect on life. I don't know that I quite understand all of my thoughts and where they are taking me. Yet I do know that I am working on appreciating the moments I have. Appreciating that I still have my husband, when others I know have lost their spouses. Appreciating that I still have my health and my talents and friends- and some time. Yet we really don't have any idea how much time we have....Boy, I could go on but I have been promising myself some earlier nights- and I need the sleep tonight. Thank you Lawrence :) xo
Thank you Danielle. My best friend and kinda my adopted daughter is near your age. We have been together now since 2003. So I understand your perspective and thinking a bit. Old age and retirement is a dramatic break point in the lives of people who have been busy with family, career and living. I have changed more than Simone in many ways. I am not busy with all the things that used to be the focus my life. When your life is in the rear view mirror and the road ahead may end tomorrow, it is much easier to feel and think about “the big picture” issues of your life and the lives of those you loved who are now gone. I light two candles each night that I call “candles of remembrance” for all the people in my life who I loved and helped me when I was growing up. One day (hopefully) you will get to where I am today. Peace be with you, Danielle.
So rings true....we are distracted by life, but who or what we are as children comes back around in old age...and that we did indeed leave the family that was around us, and finally we are in our right minds again trying to re-connect to the family we left. This thing called living and earning a living are indeed the huge distraction that make us forget what we knew as kids.
Lawrence don't know how to get a hold of you, but unrelated to this stack today is Sun Jan 7...found out this am my friend of 40 years that I spoke with yesterday at 1:30 pm was taken to emergency room not feeling well...her blood pressure was 200 something over 190....she is still there...three dogs at home. My other friend thinks she is gonna drive (they took away her keys) to take her dog to vet (surgery area) tomorrow no idea why....and my other good friend who is interfacing with my attorneys for me called today to say his secretary of years ago just died on the 28th of Dec...he found out on facebook, called the daughter, didn't see obituary, called again...the daughters boyfriend died of a massive stroke night after new years.
Lawrence, you were right...and its accelerating...Lord have mercy....And they all have colds, tested for covid, tested positive, now negative but dying. Shit.
Just horrible Duchess. I so sorry - the creeks of tears are turning into rivers. Like I said in one of my posts. “They have killed the world”. Stay strong. Pray to the Almighty.
Lawrence, I am sorry to keep butting in on wrong posts (but I can't think of another way to get a hold of you). This was disquieting...because they are talking about Covid infection, and recommending jabs...but the jabs depress your immune system so I do not know what to think...could you take a look at this and let me know your thoughts? I think they are pointing to the HIV thingy on the spike protein...and if covid was really a man made infectious but non replicating clone...this is exactly what you have been saying...get a hazmat suit.
No problem - I have kind a hurt my back - so bear with me young lady. If we had paper versions on non-slick paper we could use this bozos’ articles in the restroom. I don’t want to go into to detail on this, but these breakthrough infections (in the vaccinated) are a the RESULT of the vaccine. These are happening because of the artificially creating immune responses that are not long lasting. And because of this, variants are allowed to evolve inside vaccinated people. If we had done nothing and just treated the vulnerable with good antivirals, this virus would be history. Herd immunity would have occurred and the virus would be extinct. The variants are evolving to defeat the vaccine induced immunity. The new JN.1 variant has already defeated nearly all but a small amount of the vaccinated folks’ immunity. It is poised to be a killer of the vaccinated. Unvaccinated folks have already been exposed to many of the variants and have developed a very good natural long lasting immunity. But it is being recommended that elderly (like me) take antivirals prophylactically when this killer virus starts. I am planning doing this. So yes the jabs depress the immune system but more importantly they actually permanently change the immune system. So vaccinated or unvaccinated should take ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine if they get a Covid variant. Another “vaccine” is just going get you closer to a nice lined box with a lid.
My husband and I today were just reviewing some of the old issues we cared passionately about, and which now seem like energy wasted as we didn't change anything.
A lot of futility.
Came from me thinking that Millennials have zilch interest in what Boomers think and it's a waste of energy trying to get through to them.
Used to be that the children rebelled from their parents but the grandchildren had a bond with the grandparents.
Now with woke and tech the intergenerational divide doesn't meet at any point.
😢😭 I too just care about and for my dogs. They are old like me. They love me as much as I love them.
I am an empath so I care about every living thing on this earth. Especially my family and my dog and cat! I agree that humans are not above other life forms here. It’s our ego that is the problem.
I might be an empath too? Not sure...
I’m pretty sure you are, just by reading your posts!
OK... I definitely "feel" a lot... I can sense things... I guess?
Yes you do 💕
Yes, I still struggle with granddaughters, but eventually it will be the dog.
Man's best friend, man's only friend.
We have 4 dogs, 3 cats and bird. So it is a bit of zoo.... but I love every one of them...
36 rescue cats here, in various indoor/outdoor shelters to protect the local wildlife. (I had to add them up on a piece of paper, as I had lost count a while back.) The most recent one is an elderly boy who had been cruelly abandoned by the couple living 5 doors down, who moved away months before the poor boy showed up on my property, all skin and bones, weak and starving. After opening one can of catfood for him, I had my latest adoption. My goal is to live long enough to care for them until the last one meets his Maker. (I don't much like people ...)
You and I are cut from the same piece of cloth. Continue your loving - it is all that matters.
I have two granddaughters. The youngest is an infant, so time will tell how she turns out, but I prefer my dog over the older, rambunctious, loud, demanding preschooler.
You make me laugh... dogs are pretty good for sure. And they don't ask for money or the car keys when they get older.
No kids, no dog (the dog 'belongs' to the ex), some distant family members that are all jabbed up so I worry, oh yes I do. Closing in on 60. I play trombone and some other horns, a bit of guitar. Do some cad drafting. Make some wine with gleaned fruit, (lots of that here). Luckily the old Volvo quit for good, (about 100 miles from home so the tow was only a few hundred bucks -yay!?). Got me back on the bike which I like, though I cannot find my rain fender. So for the moment I am just here looking at the rain and trying to convince myself to go for a rainy walk. Reasons to brush hair and teeth. Wishing that the puppeteers weren't such asshats, but I suppose they have always been asshats, which is why they are puppeteers, right? Always good to hear from you Lawrence, always.
And from you too... Jacquelyn. I just happy each day when I wake up! Everything after that is a blessing... and bonus for someone heading for 73.
Lawrence! I totally relate to what you are saying! It’s absolutely amazing!
I turned 60 just a few minutes ago (10:23 PST). Our life on earth is indescribable. So many memories, feelings, and wishes that fade away. And often, it just doesn’t matter anymore.
All that matters is God and everything after decades, falls into place. I’m thankful for every moment I have, good or bad.
Happy, Happy Birthday, Renee Marie! May God continue to bless you.
May God guide you and bless you Moonspinner! ✝️🌞
Brought a twinkle to my eye. Didn't know you met Ginsberg. I used to like his stuff a lot. Some of it still do. "Kaddish" is simply an epic poem - it contains entire worlds of info about Ginsberg's own family, while he's somehow making it relatable to millions of readers. Great stuff. Basically the longer stuff is good too where he's describing his endless travels across America. Used to read it when I was doing graduate work in Kansas. Well, when one is in a nightmare of the New Normal, always good to reflect on writers of the past. We strive to solidify the images, such as you pointed out, through our words. But all in vain - time slips away. Sooner than it should for soooo many these days.
Yes - 1971 - 2nd year of college - I saw a notice posted on a pole - Allen Ginsberg reading his poetry - in the amphitheater on the Quad tomorrow afternoon. It was basically a simple grass amphitheater with Allen seated at bottom. I was amazed that he was going to be there. A country boy from a farm town was going to have an opportunity to hear him recite his poetry. I had become immersed in counter culture by that time. With poetry as my first love in high school, I quickly fell in love with “radical” poets and writers of the time. I worked my way through some of best of that era. I can’t remember what poem he read that day. I just remember our conversation after. I have a picture of him in a frame looking pretty much the same way he did on that day. So he still inspires me. I have others of course. And my first love is Shakespeare. You will see that influence in what write from time to time. I find modern English to be very limiting and frustrating. The language of Shakespeare conjures up visions and says so much with so little. I try to do the same. I only write when I am inspired to write and when I have something to say. I have no idea were Bones in the Yard can from. It just came out - I didn’t know where it was going until I had finished it. So..
You might be interested in this conversation between Anthony Peake and his guests. (Peake is an interesting guy; I regard him and Gary Lachman as the contemporary versions of the late Colin Wilson):
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=51286eK0BDM
Thanks... I will check it out.
A very touching essay, and thank you for feeling enough of a connection to all of us readers to share it with us, who then feel a connection to you.
And your dogs!
Today I was outside in the sunny fall weather, feeling a good connection to all of the life in my gardens and surrounding nature. This time of year, much of the life has flown south, burrowed in for the winter, or dying back to the ground after sowing some seeds. It's life, and I shall enjoy it (with my cats) for as long as I can, and then eventually become one with it all.
Thank you.... I do all of this to help if I can. It's in my nature.... I am a caregiver.... To make the world just a little bit better by your caring, by your work and by your loving is what I have tried to do all my life. Yes and bearing your inner thoughts and feelings is sometimes frightening. I get nervous about it. I think what I have done is good but what will everyone say? Will they like it? I want people like it but in a way I don't care if they like it. That is not point here for me. I try to say what I feel and what I think they feel. I want to put us on the same page because we are on the same page. So with that I will leave you with the last poem from my book of poetry.
"Earth Songs"
We are all going the same place
Just at different times.
The trees are announcing
The coming of fall today
With a sprinkle of leaves
That no one seems to notice.
A whisper from them
Hidden in the music of the wind
Their way of telling us
Change is about to begin.
We are all searching
For love and loyalty.
It’s all amusing
And slightly confusing
That some people
Are crippled before their time
By self-inflicted maladies
And unrestricted tragedies.
We all want talk about things
With people who are gone
Like with old Uncle Charlie
Or nice Grandma May.
We try to imagine
What they would say.
Here we are a million miles
From everything
In a time of insanity
And depravity
Listening to the trees
Sing to us their wind songs
Listening to the birds
Sing to us their nest songs
Listening to the wind
Sing to us their earth songs.
That's so beautiful - thank you !!
My pleasure... it seemed like you would like that one... it's one of my favorites.
Indeed imagining conversations with those who have passed on.
Poignant poem.
Thank you Lawrence.
Ah... It's so good to see a fellow degenerate uman animal realizing that it's our Thought the root of all violence, torture and death. When we do realize this and reject it we can finally Live a Balanced Dog Life. I wish You a very good death.
Yes... maybe someday or maybe we will extinguish our race before? None of it really matters in the grand scheme of things. As the Taoists say: It is neither good nor bad... it just is.
You have written a beautiful piece Lawrence. I can relate to your thoughts on the passing of time and our experiences. I turned 57 two weeks ago and have been thinking a lot about mortality since my father's death on June 28th this year. I had been thinking about aging (as a girl does) for the past few years. Yet my father's passing, having had him in my life for 56 years years, has had an enormous impact on how I now reflect on life. I don't know that I quite understand all of my thoughts and where they are taking me. Yet I do know that I am working on appreciating the moments I have. Appreciating that I still have my husband, when others I know have lost their spouses. Appreciating that I still have my health and my talents and friends- and some time. Yet we really don't have any idea how much time we have....Boy, I could go on but I have been promising myself some earlier nights- and I need the sleep tonight. Thank you Lawrence :) xo
Thank you Danielle. My best friend and kinda my adopted daughter is near your age. We have been together now since 2003. So I understand your perspective and thinking a bit. Old age and retirement is a dramatic break point in the lives of people who have been busy with family, career and living. I have changed more than Simone in many ways. I am not busy with all the things that used to be the focus my life. When your life is in the rear view mirror and the road ahead may end tomorrow, it is much easier to feel and think about “the big picture” issues of your life and the lives of those you loved who are now gone. I light two candles each night that I call “candles of remembrance” for all the people in my life who I loved and helped me when I was growing up. One day (hopefully) you will get to where I am today. Peace be with you, Danielle.
Thank you Lawrence. Wishing you peace as well, and joy in your years going forward.
So rings true....we are distracted by life, but who or what we are as children comes back around in old age...and that we did indeed leave the family that was around us, and finally we are in our right minds again trying to re-connect to the family we left. This thing called living and earning a living are indeed the huge distraction that make us forget what we knew as kids.
Yup
Lawrence don't know how to get a hold of you, but unrelated to this stack today is Sun Jan 7...found out this am my friend of 40 years that I spoke with yesterday at 1:30 pm was taken to emergency room not feeling well...her blood pressure was 200 something over 190....she is still there...three dogs at home. My other friend thinks she is gonna drive (they took away her keys) to take her dog to vet (surgery area) tomorrow no idea why....and my other good friend who is interfacing with my attorneys for me called today to say his secretary of years ago just died on the 28th of Dec...he found out on facebook, called the daughter, didn't see obituary, called again...the daughters boyfriend died of a massive stroke night after new years.
Lawrence, you were right...and its accelerating...Lord have mercy....And they all have colds, tested for covid, tested positive, now negative but dying. Shit.
Just horrible Duchess. I so sorry - the creeks of tears are turning into rivers. Like I said in one of my posts. “They have killed the world”. Stay strong. Pray to the Almighty.
Lawrence, I am sorry to keep butting in on wrong posts (but I can't think of another way to get a hold of you). This was disquieting...because they are talking about Covid infection, and recommending jabs...but the jabs depress your immune system so I do not know what to think...could you take a look at this and let me know your thoughts? I think they are pointing to the HIV thingy on the spike protein...and if covid was really a man made infectious but non replicating clone...this is exactly what you have been saying...get a hazmat suit.
https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2022/11/07/COVID-Reinfections-And-Immunity/
No problem - I have kind a hurt my back - so bear with me young lady. If we had paper versions on non-slick paper we could use this bozos’ articles in the restroom. I don’t want to go into to detail on this, but these breakthrough infections (in the vaccinated) are a the RESULT of the vaccine. These are happening because of the artificially creating immune responses that are not long lasting. And because of this, variants are allowed to evolve inside vaccinated people. If we had done nothing and just treated the vulnerable with good antivirals, this virus would be history. Herd immunity would have occurred and the virus would be extinct. The variants are evolving to defeat the vaccine induced immunity. The new JN.1 variant has already defeated nearly all but a small amount of the vaccinated folks’ immunity. It is poised to be a killer of the vaccinated. Unvaccinated folks have already been exposed to many of the variants and have developed a very good natural long lasting immunity. But it is being recommended that elderly (like me) take antivirals prophylactically when this killer virus starts. I am planning doing this. So yes the jabs depress the immune system but more importantly they actually permanently change the immune system. So vaccinated or unvaccinated should take ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine if they get a Covid variant. Another “vaccine” is just going get you closer to a nice lined box with a lid.
Thank you Lawrence...I am sorry you hurt your back...do take it easy please.
If you need help, shout...I'll take my two cats and come help you.
All right!
My husband and I today were just reviewing some of the old issues we cared passionately about, and which now seem like energy wasted as we didn't change anything.
A lot of futility.
Came from me thinking that Millennials have zilch interest in what Boomers think and it's a waste of energy trying to get through to them.
Used to be that the children rebelled from their parents but the grandchildren had a bond with the grandparents.
Now with woke and tech the intergenerational divide doesn't meet at any point.
What your Viet Nam vet said can never be recovered from.