WATER ON THE FLAME

WATER ON THE FLAME


I have often thought that life gives us the opportunity to seek purpose and fun, and mixed in the journey from start to finish, is a welcome call of relief from the constant expression of darkness.  Buried my head and looking down, I am making my world smaller by staying in more.  And not reading about Syria and death and decay of the outer constellations of the moon and stars.  Pouring water on the flame of unlimited dimensions, media conduct and the massive display of tentacles of observation and the slight play of knowing everything about your neighbor, has no real power over me these days.  

Spending most of my day reviewing where and what my efforts have brought to me and my friends.  And that is the easy part.  Friends come and go.  And am wary about the people that start with Facebook, look over my profile and credentials and then add me to their list of wanna-be-sources of human contact.  And that is where it comes to be a topic for this blog today.  Water On The Flame.  More smoke.  Less mirrors and Reflection.

There is no one thing I hope to accomplish by writing this blog.  Dashed Dreams and Schemes, and it is already a property of diminishing returns, that our days are numbered, and age-related events can be found in the yearbook and in the reviews of yesterday’s news.  Listen to the sound of movement.  Time displaces me with so much more than was possible

 on the day I was born.  

Wasted wrote a song about it.  Flame on Water.  As it is, I still like Coldplay and ‘ careful where you stand.’  Simple as that, it is important to explore our options.  Heap praise on your Cousin and her beauty and her new dress.  Appearance is important if you plan to be footloose and everywhere at once, on Facebook.  

No real value in comparing now to yesterday. What I think is important at the moment is counter-flow and the diffusion of flames. Limited Knowledge.  Who is to say thermodynamic equilibrium isn’t important?  Balancing darkness and light.  Making your way in a cold and lonely moment, to find relief by going to Facebook and asking, "What’s up?"

 

Due to the brevity of a blog, everything needs to be put into context.  Not in a hurry, but spell it out.  What is important here?  Facebook and getting out more.  Offering up tidbits of your life, so that others can join you and intensify the meaning of life in the next 25 minutes of their day.  For me its all a lot of grease and oil and the added chance of a flair-up.  Social ambition and mental decay. 

 

And at the moment I am having a hard time getting the pilot light to work on my old hot water heater.  Am afraid to ask for help.  Calling the plumber just adds to the cost of life, and as it is, I am being frugal in 2013.  Want to spend my money on going to baseball games, and if my team does well, I might be able to take in The Super Bowl.  And just saying that, makes me feel better.  Go Hawks.

Now I am at the end.  Flame is quivering and soon will go out.  Passion and desire and the thought of you is growing cold.  Coldplay.  Wasted.  Rolling Stones.  And some will say, "No problem." Buy a new one.  Water Heater.  And if not that,  Go to facebook and discover what your friends are listening to.  And with that, I cast water on the flame and wait for smoke and fire and heat, and the casual feeling of love that comes, when I think of you.  Mistress of the Fire.  And The Covenant of Love. 

SIGN OF A BIGGER PROBLEM

SIGN OF A BIGGER PROBLEM



End of the week and I ask myself, "Is there a problem?"  And console myself with lowering expectations, and going easy on the drive to overachieve.  Reading headlines and the next day, no sign of any real involvement raised just yesterday, and brings me to the point of taking a deep breath, relaxing my foot on the gas pedal and slowing down some.  Comes to the point of just knowing, Cruise Control.  And had a M-cruz with a brown painted HUMBEE in the background, asking:  "Want to be my friend." 



And before I had a chance to think it through, hit the run button, that said, "not now."  And that got me to thinking.  Defensive Reaction.  Too much going on all the time, and not keeping track of it all in my collective memory bank.  Not bankrupt.  But running low on tolerance to invite a stranger into my home, without first having a dance and getting a first kiss.  If its not personal, then why bother.  And that brought me exactly to where I want to be.  Not now, doesn’t mean never.  It only means, on hold:  investigation pending.  And that brings me square to square with my blog title for today:  Signs of a Bigger Problem.



I think this is a blog about reluctance.  Am reluctant to treat everything the same.  And that means, I must seek an alliance for the separation of on-coming traffic that might become an incident or problem later.  Later.  Not now.  And so why is this taking space in my head.  Why am I thinking about you, after five minutes have passed and I have already forgotten the name or the general impression of the person in front of me.



 And I tell stories.  Want to suggest that I am over-active.  Like to dance and kiss and experience the personal and interpersonal life.  Yet, it is becoming an reoccurring dream for me, and I think this is the sign of a bigger problem.  Social Media.  Never thought I would say it.  Too much and too many.  A bundle of potential problems gathering.  And why is this a problem now?  My basic reluctance to face the issues of modern life?  Of meeting a stranger .  " Yo Darling.  What’s up?"   It should be that simple.  But for me.  All I can say is, "not now."



Loving man.  Wacky Wife. My life and times, going up in smoke.    Perpetual war and fighting.  Not on my watch.  All of this has limits.  Stop before we create a monster.  And mother is telling the press and assorted media people;
"You must be mistaken. 
My child would not do something like this." 



Not suggesting I am in denial.  More like the sequel has a sequel.  Nobody is safe.  Short of becoming an issue, I must clear my mind.  Hit the not now button and step back.  Have done that.  Wish at time that I was adopted and all my sins be forgiven.  Not that this is a confession, but just saying,
"Signs of a Bigger Problem." 



Could be disruptive and anti-social behavior, or it could be the start of Alzheimer’s, where forgetting is my reprieve and a way to avoid that head on crash coming at me.  But its only one day in a string of many.  Kicking and Screaming.  Not usually my way.  I like to be the silent assassin.  Slaying Dragons and then putting to sleep any thoughts of wrong doing.  Loving Man.  Wacky Wife.  Who says things like this.  Best kept private.  Sequel and Replay. 





And then I remember, In the beginning my thoughts of you went on and on.  Always looking for that special one.  Strangers were never strangers for long.  Dance and Kiss .  Black Book.  So what has changed?  Is it me?  Or society?  I wonder.

A SPIRALING ESCALATION

A SPIRALING ESCALATION

Not sure what I expect to accomplish by such a title:  Spiraling Escalation, and it does sound like a hospital procedure to me.  If we can get past the blood and guts of hospital life, we will find a bit of science in the story-line we print and serve up, breakfast at the dinner table and digital repeat.  It all comes in Super Sized Portions, and is too much for me to figure out, how all of this is good for me.  Just as we suspect, it is another early morning blog, and he is expanding on the idea of understanding in a rapidly changing world.  Hence he decides on the title  A Spiraling Escalation.  

 

Hint and tiny clue to what this day will be all about, will not be found here.  Is an attempt to get a blog out into the open, and entertain as best we can, with hospital precision and Super Bugs causing havoc in the operating room, and to top all that, a fly in the ointment when it comes to story-line and making sense to a global audience that has no clue, what he is up to.  Takes real effort to find the plot or subplot in all this.  Have you had breakfast, and do you have the energy for this?  Just wondering.

Takes effort to get things right.  This is the underlying narrative of his blog work.  Simple enough for beginners, but does it have enough blood and guts for the hard-core reader among us.  One needs to be careful.  Held together by a narrative thread that weaves its way into existence.  Enough to ask, " Silk or Cotton."  But the truth is his blogs are a tapestry of unbelievable dimensions.  Powerful enough to get you to the bottom-line, but then you ask:  "Is that all there is?"  

 

Have learned the hard way that a continuous program of starting over takes its toll over time.  Why bother?  Just give up.  Go away.  Is only a blog, and it took up a good part of my day.  Oh the things said and it was like a spiraling escalation of things I didn’t really need to know.  And yes, that is how I feel about going to google news, and even when its free, I have to ask myself:  "Is This Really News?  Am I okay with all of this?  Oh Really."  

 

And that gets me to where I want to start.  Am in a community of digital sharing.  Concussions and football.  Baseball and Steroids and hitting the ball a long ways.  And then one of us fails the drug test and it has us all wondering, "Is This The Way To Go?"  Raised expectations.  Always scrambling to keep up.  Hard to come up with a compelling title for a blog or a headline for the news banner.  Blood and Guts.  Have we had a enough?  I wonder.

What does it take to get through my day, with or without blogging.  More difficult when I am not engaged in word-smithing, but in the end it all ends up on the assembly line:  Book.  Word Play.  Film and more blood and guts and loud music.  This is a never-ending story he likes to tell, and when push comes to shove, is a spiraling escalation I just can not afford.  

 

Can’t afford to go to the hospital.  Can’t imagine getting a Super Bug that takes my kidney away.  Dysfunction in the way things are, and I do ask myself.  "Is This All There Is?"  So I take a few days off.  Ponder the big questions in this life I am living.  And then begin the rebuilding process.  Seek foundation and resolution.  Come to the conclusion that  Hollywood is right.  We all love a good romance and aluring visual.  Beautiful People kissing on the big screen.  Stoney Blogger making out and doing the best he can.  Smoke and Mirrors and Haze.  Blue Smoke in Flashing Lights, and we can only assume.  Help is on its’ way.  

 

Not sure if this is all logical.  Chaos seems to be produced organically.  Dilated Pupils.  A shot of this and that administered in the emergency room.  And it brings to the moment of truth.  Blood and Guts.  And loud music.  Is this enough to get me through breakfast and close to lunch?  What is entertaining about all this, is when I decide I need to be more healthy, give up some of my impulses and Super Sized Drinks, and yes.  Stop Smoking.  And if I do that, will things become better.  Reduction of the spiraling escalation of the harmful side of how I live.  

 

Under The Lights.  In Hollywood.  With the glare of the lights and continuous repeat of the story-line.  Pure entertainment and reading blogs.  And I wonder.  If I moved to Oklahoma, will I be okay?  I wonder. 

BASIC SERVICE PACKAGE

  

BASIC SERVICE PACKAGE

Another blog inspired by contemporary society.  USA-related, but within the parameters established by universal presence.  Reading headlines and suddently U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke planted a seed and here I am, bringing the fruit of his comments to you.  Had something to do with the potential of innovation to lift living standards.  Graduation.  Jobs for our youth.  And baseball.  So we throw in a Yogi Berra quote just for good luck.

"Is it true, then, as baseball player Yogi Berra said, that the future ain't what it used to be?,"

Keywords for me in all of this were:  Innovation and "…ain’t what it used to be."    Used-to-Be.  And brings to mind that a novel approach might be necessary to get me through the next 48 hours.  Blending of the old and new.  Is that not what Chairman Ben Bernanke is suggesting?  Not sure, but now I want to tell you a story.  Wrote a blog about Friday Night and Weekends recently.  Now its Monday and I would like to continue on.  Needless to say, I like going out on Friday Night, after a busy week, because you never know.  Never know how it might turn out, and surprise and just having fun is my motivation.  

Blending the old and new, if and when the right situation comes along, and things are interesting, but mostly done in a non-serious way,   ‘ …casual Friday’, I call it.  Have been warned lately about cell phone thefts, and how that is happening more often than one suspects.  So instead of handing out my phone, expecting you to bookmark or transfer my number to your digital phone/address book, I give you my business card.  

It reads:  

Basic Service Package

    Guy

phone:   1-800-123-4567

Come Monday morning and the phone rings.  Happened to be in a good mood,  and answered it before it went to recorded phone message.

"How may I help you?"

"Is this the BSP Guy?", a friendly voice asks.

And quickly I had to come up with something interesting to say.

"BS-Pak.  Basic Service Package."  

"How may I help you?’

 

And before you know it, I am making a commitment to make a house call later on in the afternoon. 

Have time on my hand before my afternoon commitment.  Have time to blog about The Basic Service Package.  Innovation.  Job Works.  Using one’s imagination to discover what happens next.  And so I was talking to this friendly person on the phone, trying to recall who this might be that I met on Friday Night, and if this was business or personal, or a little of both.  Was talking and mentioned that I was using an old business model once made popular by Sears and Roebuck, and by their main competitor, JC Penny’s.  Put your wares on the table and let the customer pick through it and find something they are interested in.  Now flash forward.  Amazon.com.  Modern Packaging.  Visual Basic.  

 

All comes down to what Yogi Berra said.

The future ain't what it used to be?

 

And what I learned from all of this is to be yourself, and not assume you know what the other person needs.  Ask.

 "How May I Help You?"  

And see what happens.  So I did all that.  Gave out my business card.  Waited for the phone to ring.  And when she or he said, "Do You Make House Calls?", it was decided.  I would just come over.  We would sit and talk.  My basic fee includes travel time, and so the starting point for turning the meter on is the place we met on Friday Night.  Travel time and conversation and before you know it we have a deal. 

"I like this."  S/he said.  Turns out the Standard Basic Package works best like this.  You tell me what you want or are willing to pay for.  If I can’t provide the service during the initial meeting, I will find somebody who can.  Visual Packaging.  What is pleasing to the customer.  What you want depends on so many variables.  When you see it, you will buy it.  Sears and Roebuck.  JC Pennys.  Worked way back then, and what needs to be done today, to make the customer happy.  Just ask.

  

And that’s my blog for today.  Going out soon.  Making a House Call.  Will let you know later how it all works out.  Not sure its all that simple , but seems logical.  Show up.  See what happens.  And be happy.  Life is what you make it.  Just show up.

 

EARS ONLY

EARS ONLY

Saturday morning and I am looking forward to horse racing and the Preakness, the second leg of the triple crown, and for those who could care less, is a follow-up to the Kentucky Derby, which was run in early May.  As a general rule I don’t bet on the horses.  But like boxing and cage fighting and baseball and hockey, and I do pretend that I spend all my day at the track or near places my mother would never approve of.  

 

Truth is I am drinking tea, getting ready for my day, watching the sun come up, and for the official record, am harmless.  Up early.  Quickly assembling a blog for Saturday, realizing that most people have a life and maybe a hangover or other commitments and may not even read any of this until Monday or next week.  And with that, I blog.  Today’s contribution:  Ears Only

Out of the Box.  Lately, late at night I have tuned in to a questionable broadcast site,  justin.tv, and hence like insomnia and sleep apnea and
video games, is effecting the quality of my thoughts.  And the by-product of all this, are my blogs, which reflect the odd nature of my existence, exacerbated by too much time on my hands and very little money.  Can we say, " Retired.  Baby Boomer. Economic Sanctions."  

And this is my lead in for why I am writing a blog about Ears Only.  Starts with a couple of movies I recently watched on Hacker TV.  Let me name drop.   Movies that inspired this blog.   The Numbers Station.  And.   The Company You Keep.   If anybody needs more information, Google will catch you up to speed and tell you all you need to know.  Hint:  Very Little.  Thank You, very much.  

And one more influence that is my feeble justification for this blog, is a book I am reading or have near by, in the event that I can’t think of anything to blog about.  Title and Credits:   Top Secret.   Author :  Bob Burton.  Citadel Press.  Subject content:  Dictionary of Espionage and Intelligence.  And just to note, Bob Burton, the author is listed on the cover of this book as America’s Foremost Counter-intelligence Expert.  Author Burton is also a bounty hunter.  Writes about things we don’t really need to know much about, a lot like the blogs I write.  Having said that, find it interesting that Author Burton has posed as a priest, a rabbi and even once, as a good humor man.  Laugh or Cry.  All of this has prompted me to title this blog:  Ears Only.  Which implies that this material is so sensitive it should never be entered into print.

To put this all into perspective on an early morning Saturday, I often wake up, put on my headset, so that I can listen to music or a baseball game or something, while enjoying the first spark of daylight and the sun coming over those mountains to my east.  Close your eyes and just listen.  This might be the instructions for a Blog that contains questionable material that should perhaps never have been entered in print in the first place.  But its too late to reinvent the wheel.  

And all I really want to say in today’s blog is that I am over-dosing in CIA and Terrorist Movies, served up on hacker tv.  Makes me want to retire.  Get out of the business.  But as you know.  There are some lines of work you never retire from.  Reinforces the trippy paranoia scheme.  And it all is a continuation of the Oscars Movie Awards where ARGO   and  Zero Dark 30 put a somewhat positive spin on things like Ears Only and CIA and Water-boarding.  

And now this week, I have watched two more movies that will influence me for a few more weeks or months.  The Company You Keep.   And.  The Numbers Station.  Not suggesting you need to see any of these movies.  Just giving background information why this Blog even appears in print, when as the title suggest:  Ears Only.

 I am almost done now.  Ears Only.  Officially this never appears in print.  And with that I will just wrap it up by mentioning things that having nothing to do with real life, and certainly is no big secret.  Do think there is too much emphasis on all things dark and secret and evil.  Often think we should let the boys do their work, stop talking about it so much, and stop thinking in letter-bursts like CIA, FBI and IBM.  

 

And here comes the best part.  Rabbit Ears.  And here is me trying to relate to a world that has passed me by.  A movie about the Weatherman Underground Movement of the 1960’s.  Zero Dark 30.  A movie version of how we got rid of Bin Laden.  And so much more.  Old news.  And that’s how it is.  If somebody allows a movie to be made on the subject, it must be old news, obsolete and a lot like me.  Retired.  And that is the part that challenges me.  How to write a blog and say something that appeals to Young People.  

And for the official record, that is the least of my problems.  Blogging is for Print People.  Ears Only is for the listening crowd.  And at the end of the day, I am thinking most are too tired to make much sense of this.  And to actually have a discussion on the merits of old news, I find almost impossible. 

  

Having said that, I remember an experience on the playground when I was in the 3rd grade.  The boys off at one end of the asphalt playground playing dice, and the girls whispering to each other, all the news of the day, valuable secrets of life, and passing on the news gathered from big sister and others, to their friends.  Ears Only.  A special form of broadcasting, and all I can think of as I end this blog.  The movies I watched on Hacker TV and the trailing issue, Radio or TV.  What should be the source of society’s information.  

Radio.  TV.  Or this Blog?