Another Day. . .

The first installment of the fruit of the vine is safely housed at the foot of the staircase while the coffee perks just loudly enough to know that the power is on. There's no no haze skimming the surface of the lake this morning and it's just early enough that the sun is still below the eastern horizon.  Just as most mornings, a breeze is tickling the early autumn foliage enough to prompt a gentle dance, although this morning while the water surface is no mirror, yesterday's baby whitecaps are not evident today and a hawk is surveying the distant shore lazily yet purposefully.

Soon, after light morning nourishment, we will take to the road for a non-vineyard trip to the north where an unusual, yet growing organization was born.  While it is a fascinating cult, as are all other organized religions, that began in the early 19th century and (by their own account) numbers over 6 million members in the United States.

One unique element of the group is a special garment which takes the place of regular underwear. Members begin wearing it during their first visit to their temple, where they receive individual instruction on how the garment should be worn and cared for, and at which time, they undergo a special ceremony.

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Apology. . .

. . . really?. . .

Like the Catholic church in 1992, an overdue, yet impotent apology. . .

(from http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/14/showbiz/lance-armstrong-interview/index.html)
". . . For more than a decade, Armstrong has denied he used performance-enhancing drugs, but he was linked to a doping scandal by nearly a dozen other former cyclists who have admitted to doping. What Armstrong said or did not say to Winfrey could have ramifications. Some media outlets have reported that Armstrong has been strongly considering the possibility of a confession, possibly as a way to stem the tide of fleeing sponsors and as part of a long-term redemptive comeback plan. But such a confession might lend weight to the lawsuits that could await him. . . "


(from http://4thefirsttime.blogspot.com/2007/09/1992-catholic-church-apologizes-to.html
". . . 1992: Catholic Church apologizes to Galileo, who died in 1642
In 1610, Century Italian astronomer/mathematician/inventor Galileo Galilei used a a telescope he built to observe the solar system, and deduced that the planets orbit the sun, not the earth. This contradicted Church teachings, and some of the clergy accused Galileo of heresy. One friar went to the Inquisition, the Church court that investigated charges of heresy, and formally accused Galileo. . . Soon, Galileo wrote up a similar dialogue called "Dialogue on the Two Great Systems of the World." This book talked about the Copernican system. "Dialogue" was an immediate hit with the public, but not, of course, with the Church. The pope suspected that he was the model for Simplicio. He ordered the book banned, and also ordered Galileo to appear before the Inquisition in Rome for the crime of teaching the Copernican theory after being ordered not to do so. Galileo was 68 years old and sick. Threatened with torture, he publicly confessed that he had been wrong to have said that the Earth moves around the Sun. Legend then has it that after his confession, Galileo quietly whispered "And yet, it moves." Unlike many less famous prisoners, Galileo was allowed to live under house arrest. Until his death in 1642, he continued to investigate science, and even published a book on force and motion after he had become blind. . ."

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Inspired. . .

Bernie's Belgian waffles
had their start before the sun
though the latter may be hotter
ample warmth from them I won

Buckwheat brown was their apparel
With pecans adorning all
Homemade apple cider syrup
Was their coat now that it's fall

Now the warmer brother working
all its might to light the hours
I embark on new adventures
Plunging depths and climbing towers

Lack of proper nourishment
Can make one feel a might bit slothful
But I'm armed to meet new challenges
full of Bernie's Belgian waffles

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One perspective . . .

. . . on the meaning of life. . .

(maybe you've heard this one. . . )
On the first day, God created the dog and said, "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."

The dog said, "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?"

And God saw it was good.

On the second day, God created the monkey and said, "Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span."

The monkey said, "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the dog did?"

And God, again saw it was good.

On the third day, God created the cow and said, "You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years."

The cow said, "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"

And God agreed it was good.

On the fourth day, God created humans and said, "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."

But the human said, "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"

"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."

So that is why for our first twenty years, we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years, we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years, we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years, we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

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Two hour aloe baths . . .

. . . run by James . . .

 . . . HE ANSWERS THE TELEPHONE WHEN IT RINGS
DINNER AND CAVIAR
IN THE SUN OR RAIN
THE GLASS AND MIMOSA TREES
MAKE IT ALL THE SAME

FOUR VINTAGE AUTOS
SUMMER HOUSE
AND A PRIVATE PLANE
SO MUCH TO DESIRE
WOULD BE NICE
BUT YOU WON’T HEAR ME COMPLAIN
I’LL KEEP ON WORKING
WORKING THAT’S HOW MY LIFE HAS GOT TO BE
I’LL KEEP ON WORKING
THAT’S HOW IT MUST BE FOR ME
I’LL KEEP ON WORKING
WORKING UNTIL MY WORK’S ALL THROUGH
TO BE WITH YOU
TO BE WITH YOU

IT’S OFF TO IBIZA NOW
FOR A WEEKEND FLING
TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THESE THINGS
ITALIAN DESIGNER NAMES
IN MY SLEEVES AND CUFFS
IN SPITE OF SUCH EASY MEANS
LIFE CAN BE SO TOUGH


FOUR VINTAGE AUTOS
SUMMER HOUSE
AND A PRIVATE PLANE
SO MUCH TO DESIRE
WOULD BE NICE
BUT YOU WON’T HEAR ME COMPLAIN
I’LL KEEP ON WORKING
WORKING THAT’S HOW MY LIFE HAS GOT TO BE
I’LL KEEP ON WORKING
THAT’S HOW IT MUST BE FOR ME
I’LL KEEP ON WORKING
WORKING UNTIL MY WORK’S ALL THROUGH
TO BE WITH YOU
TO BE WITH YOU

BUT ONE MAN’S TREASURE
IS NOT TO ALL THE SAME
THESE THINGS OF VALUE
LIKE PRIZES IN SOME GAME

DO YOU THINK THE MEASURE OF
ANY MAN SHOULD BE
HOW MUCH AND HOW MANY THINGS
HE HAS MATERIALLY
WHAT PRICE FOR YOUR SANITY
HOW MUCH WILL YOU PAY
WILL THESE THINGS BE HERE AWHILE
WILL THEY FADE AWAY

FOUR VINTAGE AUTOS
SUMMER HOUSE
AND A PRIVATE PLANE
SO MUCH TO DESIRE
WOULD BE NICE
BUT YOU WON’T HEAR ME COMPLAIN
I’LL KEEP ON WORKING
WORKING THAT’S HOW MY LIFE HAS GOT TO BE
I’LL KEEP ON WORKING
THAT’S HOW IT MUST BE FOR ME
I’LL KEEP ON WORKING
WORKING UNTIL MY WORK’S ALL THROUGH
TO BE WITH YOU
TO BE WITH YOU


WORKING
©1998 Raymond M. Jozwiak





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You were . . .

. . . always in the right place . . .

 

You were always
In the right place
At the right time
When I needed
You to be there
In the rain or shine
And I don't believe
I ever heard
A word of complaint
Sometimes there was not
A word at all
You were always
There to give me
The direction true
Now it's time I
Must be there
For you.

In a world where
There is danger
And uncertainty
You were there to
Give me comfort
And security
You were like the sun
Upon which could be
Counted to rise
Like the rain you gave
What made me grow
And though now things
Seem confusing
I can't make you see
I'll be here 'cause
You were there
For me.



LVJ
©2010 Raymond M. Jozwiak



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Usually. . .

. . . the usual. Or will it be?

(from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45834574/ns/technology_and_science-space/)

By Charles Q. Choi

". . . On Dec. 21, 2012, many doomsday believers fear the apocalypse — anything from a rogue planet smashing into us to our world spinning end over end. However, the world should expect nothing more next year than the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, NASA says. Many people point to the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar on Dec. 21, 2012 as evidence of the coming apocalypse, but astronomers have been quick to stress that there is nothing to be concerned about.  According to the ancient Mayan calendar, next year's winter solstice marks the end of a 144,000-day cycle. This cycle, which begins at the mythical Maya creation date, has already been repeated 12 times. The 13th will end in 2012, capping a full 5,200-year Mayan cycle of creation.  This date has long been shrouded in mystery, with many claiming that it will bring destruction to our planet. [End of the World? Top Doomsday Fears] 

Rogue planet Nibiru? One fear is that a rogue planet that has been dubbed "Nibiru" or "Planet X" is supposedly aimed at Earth. Self-proclaimed Nibiru expert Nancy Lieder, who says she is in contact with the aliens from Zeta Reticuli, first said Nibiru would cause widespread disaster in May 2003, only to change it to There is, however, no evidence that Nibiru is real. "Nibiru is ridiculous because it doesn't exist — it never existed as anything other than a figment of the imagination by pseudo-scientists who don't seem bothered by a complete lack of evidence," astronomer Don Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near-Earth Object program office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., told SPACE.com.

There is no basis for the claim that it might be lurking behind the sun, as it could not have hidden from observation until now, Yeomans said. If such a planet was headed toward Earth by Dec. 21, 2012, it would already be visible to the naked eye.

Cosmic alignments? There are also concerns that planets or stars might line up in ways that will transform Earth. For instance, some theorists claim that from our point of view, the sun will cross in front of the plane of our galaxy on Dec. 21. However, the sun already does this twice a year, Yeomans said. In fact, the sun will eventually cross the plane of our galaxy. However, the sun is about 67 light-years from the galactic plane, so it should take several million years to do so, Yeomans said. Even then, when our solar system finally does cross the plane, nothing special will occur, he added. [10 Failed Doomsday Predictions]

Some also claim that gravitational effects from planets lining up with each other will somehow affect Earth. However, there is no planetary alignment due on Dec. 21, 2012, "and if there were, it wouldn't cause any problems," Yeomans said. 

 



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