Update on Noteflix’s international production of “Troubles in the Garden”: Mamzelle Pinkie, having discovered a wormhole, has entered the dimension in which Humans and other dangerous creatures live. She has gone there to report, as a journalist, on the situation on the wing. Oddly, she has landed in an Italian cafe – wherefrom she will have to quickly remove herself before some human thinks she is simply a stuffed toy for sale. (Continued at the end of this post)
- I read that when Rome was ‘Great’…it was said its ‘Greatness’ was in the fact that: “The Empire sits around the Hearth’. The translation of that being the Roman family joined together, at the end of the day and sat around the fireplace and lived and communicated with each other – and from that activity Rome gained its strength. So. I wonder …If we are today’s Rome…Where is our hearth? Do we sit together? Or do we watch our tv shows in separate rooms? Or do we stare into our very, very smart phones and communicate through them? Do we bond on the Twitter-feed? …Are we staring at wondrous flames? Or, are we playing games, sending selfies, asking Siri who played who in what movie? I know we are sitting around…so, I guess are half way there.
- I have been traveling of late and have not had as much time to keep up with ‘The News’ as I usually do. (-ed.note: I have an inclination to be one of those ‘Addicted to the News’ kind of people.) I find, currently, I am generally in a lighter frame of mind because of this change in lifestyle. So. my question to myself – and to the odd reader – is: What is my responsibility to keep up with the goings on of my fellow man? And how much do I have to do it? And am I being ostrich-like if I do not read what is what? And why follow all this stuff about Climate Change, Military Attacks, The Working Poor, School debt…on and on…when I can’t do anything about it anyway…except to carp and be of a heavy spirit? I don’t know what is right, the correct way to go with all the information about our comings and goings – maybe the reader has some wisdom to share on this subject; take the wonder out of my room – and put it in yours.
- I have seen reports of late telling me that Americans are not practicing their religions as much as they used to. It is both a generational thing, along with the more mature of us are dropping out as well. Looking back at our history of the past couple of hundred years I am not impressed with how much our good religiosity has translated into making humans something of which to be proud – and deserving to pass through Peter’s pearly gates. More than that, when I look at our past behavior on many fronts, I wonder if ‘They’ have done any studies on whether or not God has stopped believing in us. It may just be a mood I’m in – but the previous two paragraphs have set me up for this. It has been said, however, “The Moving Finger writes, and having writ – moves on” – and so will I.
- There is a study which claims people over 50 who go to museums several times a year are 14% less likely to die than those who don’t. I am going to a museum tomorrow; not a war or death memorial type of thing – but one that shows people painted in oils, dancing under trees, or riding pretty horses. Get a new lease on life. If my math is correct that visit will increase my chance of living 7% over those of you who are over 50 and who don’t go to a museum. I’ll win.
- I have been reading a lot of travel literature lately, along with some economic dirges. What I’m coming up with all this is: The world is becoming over-run with tourists. Tourists are going to places where people who know anything want to live. …and then they make those places less livable. They come from China, South America, All 50 of the United States, the European Union, Russia, Iceland and even India now. And they all go to all the places everybody else came from. And they fill the museums so much that you can’t get in without waiting in line behind a bunch of people who don’t speak your language. And the price of everything goes up when they descend upon a locale. Some of them arrive on big, environmentally unfriendly boats. And now it is said airplanes are worse for the health of mankind – and a lot of tourists are flying – unchecked – all over the place…And they clog the best places and …and I think we are all tourists, in a way – tourism is some kind of a metaphor for what we believe in. …and I’ll just have to find some place to go where it is nice and nobody else knows about it yet.
I read a quote of Isaac Azimov, where he said: “Writing for me is simply thinking through my fingers.” I hope my fingers start moving with a little more agility – and start coming up with some answers – soon.
Best, -cem
Below: “Troubles…”…cont’d. Mamzelle Pinkie has decided to take in a few sights before she gets down to work. Who can blame her? Meanwhile, as you will see in the next Update, our Hero, the Bluebird of Happiness, is beside himself with worry over his missing love.
