A Truth I believe...

"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'"

-Isaac Asimov from Newsweek - Jan 21st, 1980

May long weekend...

Went to the lake with Katy. I'll probably never live anywhere as beautiful as this again. This place is just so green and lush and burgeoning with life everywhere you look. The ground and the tree trunks are often the same color green because a layer of moss has grown over them and made them a seamless green carpet. The large trees that have died and fallen were left in place and the forest has overtaken them with moss and lichen so completely that the log is nothing more than a large hump in the green ground. It feels like you're walking on 12" of sponge because the ground under you is nothing but layers of mulch under moss. Everything around you seems more interconnected than anywhere else I've been. You feel as though you are standing within a giant organism. No wonder the hippies loved it out here. You really do see the Earth as an organism here.

I'll always love my time here.

On kindness to waiters...

“A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, or to others, is not a nice person”

-Dave Barry

Seven Blunders of the World

1. Wealth without work

2. Pleasure without conscience

3. Knowledge without character

4. Commerce without morality

5. Science without humanity

6. Worship without sacrifice

7. Politics without principle


—Mahatma Gandhi

Steal from all that speaks to your soul...

"Nothing is original.  Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination.  Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows.  Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul.  If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic.  Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent.  And don't bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it.  In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: 'It's not where you take things from - it's where you take them to."

-Jim Jarmusch

My, how things have changed...

Darth Vader as High Art

Artist Unknown

Image by Limpfish

Sunday's random wisdom says:

"Everything worth knowing leaves bruises."

Ping Pong Ninjas

Dear mom,