Head-dibs

I just love this picture: boy and plane, off the ground.

Actually, it’s an ad-duck-tion. I missed the perfect opportunity to say, “and they’re in a row, too!” Silly goose. 

  “Everything we do has a toll attached to it. Waiting around is a tax on traveling. Rumors and gossip are the taxes that come from acquiring a public persona. Disagreements and occasional frustration are taxes placed on even the happiest of relationships. Theft is a tax on abundance and having things that other people want. Stress and problems are tariffs that come attached to success. And on and on and on. There are many forms of taxes in life. You can argue with them, you can go to great—but ultimately futile—lengths to evade them, or you can simply pay them and enjoy the fruits of what you get to keep.” (Ryan Holiday)

  The Technological advances of virtual reality is astounding. I remember standing at a console at the 1982 World’s Fair in Louisville, Kentucky fascinated by this TV screen that you could touch and manipulate what was on the screen. In the days of Pong and Space Invaders, this was the future. By the way, I am writing this on my phone using the on-screen keyboard and talk-to-text. The same device I use to make calls, read books, play video games—just like you. The future is here. But the future is not new. 400 years before Jesus, a virtual society was built using dialogue. Each and every piece and person clearly seen in the mind of those having the conversation. That conversation was written in the form of “The Republic.”   Using only words, Socrates and his friends developed a state, built its defenses, then identified and educated its warriors. They decided the focus of education, its content, style and tested the results. Next, they determined who should be in charge of the...

Brother Sun, and Sister Moon sister star shine day and night see them shine, beautiful radiant splendor of light Brother Sun, and sister moon heaven and earth proclaim God's glory all praise be Yours, most High God. Brother wind, and brother air fair in storm, all weather's wounds colored flowers and healing herbs heavenly grace flows through you Brother sun, and sister moon heaven and earth, proclaim God's glory all praise be Yours Most High God. So rejoice, for the heavens and earth are filled with God's glory. (Lyrics by John Michael Talbot)

Early in Book 2 of Plato’s “Republic,” the discussion turns into the story of a man named Gyges who finds a ring that makes him invisible. Using the powers of the ring, he reports to the court of his king, seduces the queen “and with her help conspired against the king and slew him, and took the kingdom.” What would happen if there were two rings, one worn by an unjust man and the other by a just man? The story attempts to make the case that a just man will act unjustly if given the opportunity to think he is doing right, if only by himself. But what if he doesn’t? What if there was no ring, and what if there was a perfectly unjust man and a perfectly just man and both had everything they needed in life? The unjust man must cover his steps in order to be distinguished and succeed. In the eyes of others, he appears to be just. But what about the just man, who appears to be unjust?    “They will tell you that the just man who is thought unjust will be scourged, racked, bound-wil...

 “The best thing for being sad," replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.” ― T.H. White, The Once and Future King

 Welcome, April! New month, new layout. Now that I’ve made a weekly calendar, I have to decide how to use it! Not my style, but I’ll try it anyway.