Local

Yesterday, I slid into the neighboring town to pick up some breakfast. Some years back, a good friend of mine clued me in on the ordering scheme. "The best meal isn't even on the menu. Get local #2."

Apparently, if you know the code, you can get more than enough to eat for four dollars.

I have always wondered if this could be considered a case of insider trading. In other words, do tourists get the same deal, if they don't know the code?

Today, with a hand full of quarters, and a cleansing agent, I'm up at the laundry mat getting three weeks of laundry cleaned. Since I live here, I wonder if I could consider myself local #1? I have all the machines to myself!

Unlikely Hero

Growing up established a number of caveats for me to internalize. Two that quickly come to mind are "Heroes have feet of clay" and "All cats are grey in the dark." I didn't like the feet of clay proposal as JFK was my hero, in fact still is in spite of the prohibition. Not a perfect human being, but definitely a leader.

Now, a person that I really admire comes out of the financial community. "Whoa!" you say, "After all the pain they have collectively caused the country, are you stupid?"

A little while back Warren Buffett gave thirty five billion dollars away to charity. Not only incredible, but he did it with a sense of humor. When he was asked in the Time Magazine interview why he wanted to make a lot of money he replied that he wanted to be independent.

Now that sounds to me like a perfect motive. Most capitalists get caught up in the illusion that money has value in and of itself, but I don't think Warren falls into this camp. My guess would be that he knows the only difference between the richest man in the world and the poorest is one day without food and water. Our county has a huge debt problem that could be partially helped if the rich weren't given so many tax breaks. Recently when talking about the unfairness of tax policy in the U.S. he pointed out that his secretary paid a higher percentage of tax on her income than he did on his. The man is clear sighted and fair even when it would cost him. To me this echoes, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

Post Script

Week Two finished with a flourish, equipment wise. Saturday saw me picking up some gear to complete the term. What you're looking at is a Mini Mac that I have hooked up to my HDTV. I call it "Apple TV" which technically isn't true, but as you can see, I have stretched the truth to make it fit the location. The pursuit of this theme fit very nicely into the winter weather.

Accidental Meditation

For a time in the 70's, I was trying to learn how to meditate. One of my reasons for this was that I thought it would relax me, or at least provide a mental retreat . I would read Alan Watts books by the score, but even with a little education, the technique eluded me. My inner voice screamed, "You're trying too hard!" and it seemed to make me understand.

In the middle of last week, without purpose or design, I dropped into un self consciousness for some time. When I returned, the experience made me wonder if I should start writing everything down. Regular habits were automatically off the hook. "For the mind was conscious, but conscious of nothing." I hope it happens again as chance is partly accident, but I won't start writing everything down if it does.

Snow Day

The academic mill is shut down. The snow plows are running. When I get the snow off my car, and escape the driveway, "The probability of buffoonery" will skyrocket.

64 Dollar Question

Time magazine is full of statistics. Seems to be the quick read that attempts to gain insight into what is happening on the planet. One of these stats stated that the average adult in the U.S. has $69 dollars in his wallet. No way I say! How could this even be measured with any accuracy? Not to say that I've never reached that height, but my own cash carrying capacity fluctuates wildly. Cynical as I was, my own look revealed $69.

Living Geometry

“He drew a circle that shut me out-
Heretic , rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle and took him In !"

Outwitted by Edwin Markham

prognostic

I haven't washed my Alabama sweatshirt since Christmas in hopes of a favorable turnout in the game between LSU and Alabama. This morning a different idea flashed across my brain. It has been said that the universe doesn't really care if there is dirty water or champagne running through the ditches so I decided to test the water. I took the bright red sweatshirt to the laundry mat and cleaned that little bugger up. Herein comes the prediction. Alabama will reverse its fortune and defeat LSU today.

Sound Equipment

It was a good day at the stove with nine pounds of spaghetti fired up. This might appear excessive, save for a procrastination payoff. Music is the key here as even a know nothing cook needs to feed himself. The Whirlitzer is not mine, but it happens to be a pretty fine machine.

Appearances

I exploited a freezing crack in the weather to picture a miniature mobile desktop with a wireless keyboard. Most would know this as a iPad leaned against a keyboard case, but that is not the way that it appears to me. As King Brian said to Darby O'Gill when he was is in the bag, "He does see me, he sees me as a rabbit."

Q & A

My neighbor has a metal roof. All last winter, I wondered why he was up on his roof chipping ice. Now that I have one the answer is clear. Ice still builds up.

If the temperature is warm enough, snow can hang suspended, as if defying gravity. You don't see that everyday. I wonder now how long it will hang there?

Response

Beginning with the advent season, some of the responses were changed in mass to more closely reflect the original translation from Latin into English. My response, since I didn't have glasses to read the q cards, was nothing. When I did think about it later, my reaction was, "Well, if you are trying to get to the exact meaning here, and we are making a change, why don't we just use Latin?" To me it is more authentic and meaningful to say, "Et cum spiritu tuo" than "And also with you." Besides, it feels like a chant.

There are further applications for everyday. When someone says, "Merry Christmas , have a nice day, Happy New Year, or have a good one", if you respond with the expected, then it sounds like you are saying "Me too". which is lame. Rather, if you respond, "And the Spirit with you (et cum spiritu tuo) then it feels like a real response.

Twenty Twelve

On New Years Eve, the waitress came back all excited, "Your total bill is $20.12. I thought you would want to know." Two quick decisions on my part before I get too excited. Is it an omen, and is it a good one? As a late teen, in more ways than one, I took up studying stoics. Their philosophy seemed a perfect balance for a manic depressant like myself. They believed that an event wasn't good or bad but rather your interpretation of it determined its nature. Pragmatism had me in its grip as I made my snap decision. Yes it was an omen and a good one!

Skiffle

Skiffle was the big music movement in England just before the Beatles made their mark.

On the contemporary American scene was rockabilly and a bit of rock and roll.

Watch

Storm watch is on. The first one of the new year. Snowy beginning but I believe it will be a good one.

Early

When the woodcutter awoke, he was dumb founded. It was 2012 and fire gnomes had spirited away the wood pile. Aghast, he stared at the multitude of rabbit tracks leading into the trees on the forests edge. Gnomes have a twisted sense of humor. They believe their movements can be disguised, if they wear different feet.