A Voice in the Wilderness

Nothing goes on forever. Not falls, not you, not I, not love, not life. Entropy consumes everything. We all hit bottom, sooner or later.

"There are only two possibilities. If you hit bottom, then you are dead. If you did not hit bottom, you are still falling and all of this is a dream. Unless .. you are in-between."
"Between what?"
"Between moments."
"Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Always running out of time. Yours is almost used up. You're between seconds, lost in the infinite possibilities between tick and tock. Tick, you're alive. Tock.. Well, it was a good life, but a short one. Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick--"

"You're closer now, aren't you. Yes, I see you are. But closer to tick or closer to tock? I don't know. Only time will tell. And here, between the moments, we have all the time in the world."

"You can't turn away from death simply because you're afraid of what might happen without you. That's not enough! You're not embracing life. You're fleeing death. And so you're caught in between, unable to go forward or backward. Your friends need what you can be when you are no longer afraid, when you know who you are and why you are and what you want, when you are no longer looking for reasons to live, but can simply be."

"You must let go. Surrender yourself to death. The death of flesh, the death of fear. Step into the abyss, and let go."

"What does the candle represent?""Life.""Whose life?""All life, every life. We're all born as molecules in the hearts of a billion stars, molecules that do not understand politics, policies and differences. In a billion years we, foolish molecules forget who we are and where we came from. Desperate acts of ego. We give ourselves names, fight over lines on maps. And pretend our light is better than everyone else's. The flame reminds us of the piece of those stars that live inside us. A spark that tells us: you should know better. The flame also reminds us that life is precious, as each flame is unique. When it goes out, it's gone forever. And there will never be another quite like it."

Bluebird flying high, Tell me what you sing. If you could talk to me, What news would you bring Of voices in the sky?
Nightingale hovering high, Harmonize the wind. Darkness your symphony, I can hear you sing Of voices in the sky.
Just what is happening to me? I lie awake with the sound of the sea Calling to me.
Old man passing by, Tell me what you sing. Though your voice be faint, I am listening. Voices in the sky.
Children with a skipping rope, Tell me what you sing. Play time is nearly gone, The bell's about to ring. Voices in the sky.
Just what is happening to me? I lie awake with the sound of the sea Calling to me.
Bluebird flying high, Tell me what you sing. If you could talk to me What news would you bring Of voices in the sky? Voices in the sky.
Voices in the sky. Voices in the sky - Justin Hayward, "In Search of th Lost Chord", 1968

The Long Twilight Struggle

It might be helpful for you to know that you are not alone. And that in the long, twilight struggle, which lies ahead of us, there is the possibility of hope. - Draal
A man (or woman) is in a deep pit with steep slippery sides and he's struggling to get out.Along comes a doctor and the man yells up "hay doc, can you help me I'm stuck in this hole", so the doc writes out a prescription, tosses it into the hole and walks on.A bit later a priest comes by and the man yells up "Hay can you help me, I'm stuck in this hole", the priest writes him a prayer, tosses it into the hole and walks on.Later on his freind Joe comes by and the man yells up "Hay Joe can you help me I'm stuck in this hole" and Joe jumps down into the hole.The man looks at Joe and says "What the hell did you do that for, now we're both stuck down here"Joe looks to his freind and says "I know, but I've been down here before and I know a way out."
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Well dear reader you've stumbled this quasi-mystical journal enties. This particular town lies somewhere near Mumbo Jumbo, a little to the east of Gibberish and just to the north of Gobbledigook. This whole thing you know is "a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury, signifying nothing"

What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals!- William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act II Scene II

Being as I am the somewhat sedentary creature, part-time non-believer and " social leper" it is explained very easily (at least to me) by The Moody Blues. Yes I know eventually they say "I'm Just a Singer in a rock and roll band" BUT
"Go Now"
[The Days of Future Past - "Night is White Satin"]
"Long Summer Days"
"Please Think About It"
"Gimmie a Little Something"
"Simple Game"
"King and Queen"
"What Am I Doing Here"
In Search of the Lost Chord [ISOTLC]
On The Threshold of a Dream [OTTOAD]
To Our Children's Chidren's Children [TOCCC]
A Question of Balance[QOB]
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour [EGBDF]
Seventh Sojourn [SS]
Kick Off Your Muddy Boots (Graeme Edge Band) [KOYMB]
From Mighty Oaks (Ray Thomas) [FMO]
Blue Jays (Justin Hayward & John Lodge) [BJ]
Hopes Wishes and Dreams (Ray Thomas) [HWD]
The Promise (Michael Pinder) [P]
Paradise Ballroom (Graeme Edge Band) [PB]
Natural Avenue (John Lodge) [NA]
Songwriter (Justin Hayward) [Sg]
Octave [Oc]
"Forever Autum" (Justin Hayward, "War of the Worlds")
Long Distance Voyager [LDV]

The story as such starts with The Days of Future Passed - this being YESTERDAY - and as such you don't really need to hear it. The start proper is "Departure" the first track of ISOTLC so being the departure of the new adventure then there's the wild ride (See Saw) and discovery (Dr. Livingstone I Presume). You can (I hope) see where this is going. Each track is a self contained part of the whole - so you can play something from another album as a "prediction of the future" or as a "guide". So you progess through ISOTL to "Lovely to See You" on OTTOAD - like meeting someone who says "Wonderful day for passing my way....Lovely to see you AGAIN my freind. Walk along with me to the next bend" Then you get those "Dear Diary" days - "Dear Dairy, what a day It's been, it's been just klike a dream, woke up too late wasn't where I should have been. For goodness sake what's happening to me" Crystal clear - to me anyway. You dear reader are more than likely lost in the dark forest of confusion."So many people by the score - rushing around so senslessly. They don't notice people like me."Never comes the day for my love and me, he says. I feel her gently sighing as the evening slips away. If only you knew what's inside of me now, you wouldn't want to know me somehow. Are You Sitting Comfortable? A fleet of golden galleons on a crystal sea.[Story to invoke medieval times]
WITH THE EYES OF A CHILD" Listen hear the sound, the child awakes....wonder all around, the child awakes""Hark listen here he comes....turning, spinning, catherine wheeling, forever changing....speeding through a charcoal sky, observe the truth....travelling eternity road, what will you find there, carrying your heavy load, searching to find some piece of mind." On and on...track by track...album by album...the story continues...until you get to "I'm Just a Singer in a Rock and Roll Band" [SS]. Phew what a ride you think - BUT Kick off Your Muddy Boots and ride shotgun on the 4:42. And if Mighty Oaks grow from small acorns - what do you get from mighty oaks?? An acorn of course. Remember me my freind (circular you see - you are the one saying "Lovely to see you AGAIN my freind." [OTTOAD] - there you are again ON THE THRESHOLD OF A DREAM " I dreamed last night I was hearing, hearing your voice....and the things you said well they left me, left me no choice...and you told me we had the power...and you told me this was the hour....well I dreamed last night you were calling, calling my name...you were locked inside of your secrets calling my name" See through Hopes, Wishes and Dreams to THE SEED (The Promise). There's a Natural Avenue to go to. Have a Ball - a Paradise Ballroom, you are Cindarella (or male equivalent) Write some Songs - then become the Long Distance Voyager "Won't you take me back to school, I need to learn the golden rule" (like going back to the start) "In my world it's heaven and earth when you're close to me. I could see that moment of truth when you spoke to me. In my world it's never to late we can both be free."

The Days of Future Past

The beginning is a very delicate time. Thus spake Princess Irulan in David Lynch's Film Dune. She went on to say "Know then that this is the ten thousand one ninety one..." Well in my case it's two thousand and four, though in the dim and distant past I was able to recite that film word for word from start to finish. Of course David Lynch was not the first one to tackle the mighty tome. Alejandro Jodorowsky attempted to make this in the 70s by getting three different artists to design each of the worlds. Chris Foss did some artwork, some of which was featured in his book 21st Century Foss. The second person to design art for this unseen film, was of course H.R. Giger. Who became well famous for his creation of the creature seen in Ridley Scott's Alien. The last person was French. His name was Jean Giraud, better known by his nom-de-plume as Moebius. Responsible for Blueberry and Arzach the man who rode a stone pterodactyl. I am a keen collector (or hoarder) of science fiction art portfolios. And I was leafing thru one of them - Sentinel by Syd Mead and I got to thinking that I really wish the future (i.e. now, today) was like one of Syds illustrations. That, to me is how the future should be like. Reality bites, or should that be sucks. Whatever. I am sure that you will discover that I am not in the same league as Syd or Chris (Foss) as this will demonstrate. Not convinced then Click Me or perhaps Deviant will sway your vote. And what do I do when I'm not fart arsing about behind a computer.

Invisibility

Today I'm going to discuss Invisibilty Things which are there but often either not seen or overlooked. Take for example people who wear high visibility coats. Of course they are everywhere but you don't really see them - your brain tunes them out. Thus when a lorry rolls up to a theater and two guys rob the place blind and load up a grand piano into the back of the lorry not only do they get away with it they go unnoticed even though they are wearing high visibility clothing.I was looking forward to Saturday because it was the day I was looking forward to going out and photographing Man Hole Covers. These are things on the pavement that you tend to walk over every day but yet do not notice, thus they tend to become invisible.In just two hours I photographed 41 different types.Garton & King Drains Sewers of the World Unite Manhole Covers I bet you never knew that man hole covers could be so interesting and at least it's nice to know that I am not alone.It might be helpful for you to know that you are not alone. And that in the long, twilight struggle, which lies ahead of us, there is the possibility of hope. - DraalNow I lost my train of thought. Ah yes drain cover people.Aga - those nice homely cooker makers also do drain covers under the guise of Brickhouse and Glynwed Ductile.Cannop Foundry Thomas Dudley as you can see are still going. Hmm...so enough of that.What's on my CD?? Oh - decent music.Mudlark by Leo Kottke is a new acquisition. Jackie McAuley is another one. Here's my recommendation tho Orpheus. A Chicago based outfit who don't quite pull of psychedelic, but their first album recorded in 1969 is superb. Akarma now these guys know good music - they reissued a whole host of late 60s to mid 70s groups that hardly anyone has heard of. Obscure or what - but some of it is just magic.Dukes of the Stratosphere Psonic Psunspot oh if only this had been recorded in the 60s and not the 80s it would have been true psychedelia."I can't find the time to tell you" - Bruce Arnold, Orpheus (1969)

Watching an Erection

Steady now this isn't what you think. Up at the crack (!) of dawn to watch people in high visibility jackets milling around watching a crane with a 90m boom lift a new bridge over a railway into place. I brought a chair so I was able to sit down and observe. There were dogs, children and assorted grown-ups. Some digi pictures and a 61MB wobbly video later and the hour hand gone and the bridge was in position.

Here's a picture - but please wait two hours from time of this post before clicking otherwise it won't appear.

http://gallery53177.fotopic.net/p13346555.html

Be seeing you