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Chronicles

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever were a difficult read for me. I read book one about five years ago. One event in the book disturbed me quite a bit, so I let the series drop and didn't read the next one until now.

The genre is epic fantasy, but it is unlike any other that I have ever read. Thomas Covenant is an anti-hero with leprosy, who alternates between two worlds. Maybe writers need to tell the whole story even though the reader might not think he wants to know the whole story.

Season

The Lenten season is drawing to a close. It has been a good one for me. Any opportunity to gain a little balance in my life is welcomed with open arms. I think of that little monastery on the cold, rugged shores of Lake Superior and wonder how things are going for the monks. Would Lent be the same at the equator?

Spontaneous Generation

When I raced to get my camera, the little buggers booked, as I quietly sneaked around the house, and the storm door closed behind me. The only remains are the snow slide fashioned by three river otters on the island. What did they do besides cavort?

Skip, dance, romp, jig, caper, frisk, play/horse around, gambol, prance, frolic, lark; bounce, trip, leap, jump, bound, spring, hop; roughhouse, rollick all in an afternoon.

Gauges

The 1964 Grand Prix had an incredible gauge that sat on the console between the seats. It was a chrome cone with about a three inch face. This manifold vacuum pressure gauge would give the driver a relative, immediate reading on the fuel economy indicated with the colors red, yellow, and green. Gas was twenty seven cents a gallon, drivers needed to pay attention, and I was fascinated with it.

The feedback was quite the rush as it gave me the sense of a starship captain monitoring his ship. If I was thinking grim thoughts i.e. how is the cold war going to end without destroying the Earth, the gauge was in the red. On happier days, I could be coasting along in the green at the same speed, if I wasn't putting too much pressure on the accelerator. Self induced pressure and tension proved very inefficient, but at least it raised my blood pressure.

Mystery Hearsay

Who, what, where, with what, why, how, when?

(Quis, quid, ubi, quibus, auxiliis, cur, quomodo, quando)

Some say, "Let The Mystery Be"... so today, I'll leave it @ that.

Apple Turnover

The advent of the cell phone age left me two years in the hole. My first one, purchased for Quinlan Island Canoes, made one successful call in two years to the Glen's Market parking lot, well over two miles away. A rookie at the time, I didn't know you could make a return if they didn't work.

The next effort, downsized from the bag phone and the huge antenna, was so small I couldn't hear the ring or know how to answer without glasses. After a series of discontinued units, I moved up to the Android sphere. Pretty good phones but... As John Lennon said so many years ago.." Right to the top Johnny."

Where are we today? iPhone, after a mere four and one half years.

Remote Location

Growing up on a farm in Michigan's Thumb region felt far away from everywhere. St. Patrick's day was always special and ranked right under Christmas in importance, although it was almost a secret holiday since in wasn't advertised. Hope and Bill had already laid a firm foundation of "Pride of progeny" way before our first day at school. The whole family was proud to be connected to Ireland, this little island across the sea that we had never seen.

For years in the UN, many votes would have only two countries aligned together, China and Albania. You might ask yourself, as I often did, what could the little country of Albania have in common with the huge country of China? Well, political philosophy for sure, but I think there is more. Perhaps an appreciation for the isolation of remote locations.

Working Conditions

Many years ago, I worked on an assembly line at Pontiac Motor Division. Every now and than, a supervisor would allow employees to play music. I would bring my cassette player and enough tapes to fill the air for the day. On one of these jobs, I was teamed with a much older, religious man. When the following song played, I wondered if he would object to the lyrics. His comment, " I don't know who that guy is but he sure can play a guitar!" Amen.

Wake

The devastation and tragedy in Japan leave me dumbstruck. Nothing to possibly add here, as I cannot even begin to grasp this massive grief. The human spirit on that embattled island, must be hanging by a thread.

Eve of the Ides...

...breaks clear and cold. The forecast on the iPod Touch is 40 degrees with an extension of the sun clearly visible. I'm pumped already with the extra daylight in store today.

Scan

A cursory scan of some weather patterns in other parts of the country revealed 70 degree weather. Very impressive.

Time Squared

We are approaching the lost hour, not here yet. Let us make the time up.

Time Slides

Backing up- jumping forward, through the continuum, reminds me why, I like sci-fy.

Glow

Last night, at my friends 50th birthday party, I was talking to a lady that I know. As we were talking, I kept thinking to myself, her face has a glow. So... not to sound stupid, I interject nothing about this fact into our conversation. Then, the lady to my right, says my very same thoughts. I'm sideways- with immediate validation. It is not just the fact that I'm drinking beer that I see this, but somebody else sees it too!
At the time, I just happen to be wearing my brother Joe's T-shirt from his 50th birthday celebration. Sometimes he would appear to me as though he had a glow.

Drop Kick Daylight

Time of year again for an almost automatic BBC ( Bad Brain Chemistry ) Day. Grasping for daylight during the winter
hours, I must now face the inevitable. As of tomorrow, time will run amuck, as the mass delusion to save daylight takes effect.
This year, I am trying a new tactic. For the first time ever, I cooked up some spaghetti. It has already passed the taste test as it is edible.

Off to the Green

Bill, "the merry plowboy, would plow the fields by day". Then, "it would come into his mind, that he should runaway." Eileen, his sister, recounts that you could always tell when Bill ran away for the plow horses would be left standing at the property line.
Where to run?
Before the advent of tractors, O'maras, who were neighbors of the Quinlans, could hear Bill singing as he plowed, over two miles away.
What to sing?
With the advent of Hope, the flight pattern changed.
Why not stick around?

Balance of Wheels

Today, nostalgia lifted its happy visage.

Sunday

Good morning, Morning!
Temperature can crystalize.

Voice Dancer

I can't say I even catch all the lyrics, but there is something fascinating about the way Tori Ames changes the expressions on her face, and the intonation of her voice, when she sings them. Then her piano playing coordinates flawlessly for a total effect.

Time Thieves

Visqueen adds a periscope perspective to this window on the world today.

Tertullianus

An old cliche would remind us in life only two things are certain . I finished one of them today, but I dare say, the list is endless. Respice post te, mortalem te esse memento ( Look around you, remember that you are mortal.)