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Musings on anything. |
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My blog was filled up. I'm too lazy to clean it out. So I started a new one. |
| I just watched Phenomenon (1996) for the first time. The movie shows John Travolta's nice guy/small town person from his point of view before finally revealing he has a brain tumor. Suddenly we have explanations for the flashes of light, his telekinesis. his speed learning, etc. But before we get logic involved, we start thinking what if I suddenly had great insights and wisdom and could learn things we always wanted to know. I started thinking about what I would want. I'd learn to play the piano; it would be slow at first because you don't play with just head knowledge. I'd have to practice a lot to keep up with what I knew. I would like to read fast, maybe not 2 or more books a day, but maybe 4 or 5 a week. I'd read the Bible every week, even if I had a good memory like he did. I'd learn to drive a stick shift and work on cars, just for fun. Maybe even small engines, like lawn mowers. I would get the hang of navigating smart phones, and FitBit or facsimiles, and commuters, and video games. I'd read the insurance policies and my investment papers and understand them. I could file my legal papers without hiring a lawyer. I could even figure out dental and prescription coverage for the best rates. I might do a lot more DIY projects and repairs. As a result of all that reading, I'd know more history, civics, government and languages. Jeopardy would become too easy after a few months. World classics would take only a fraction of the time they used to take me (and still do). In the story, his big ideas and skills could be carried on by scientists for the future of mankind: solar energy, organic fertilizers, etc. I'm afraid my interests would be mostly for my own enjoyment and not others. But it would be fun to have greater brain power without having a disease to do it. |
| Merry Christmas to all. I hope you had a great day, wherever you were, at work or at home or elsewhere. When I say "Merry Christmas", it is meant in a general way to uplift someone's spirits. If I have a little joy and happiness in my heart, why not share it, if only for a moment? From me, it can be to a Christians, Jew, Moslim, Hindu, agnostic, or others. It is a special time for me, and I'd like to share it. I don't demand that you share my beliefs or customs to share in my happiness. I wish every reader the best in all of life. Live well. May peace on earth become a reality to us all. |
| Christmas stories lean more on legend and pictures than Biblical account. For instance, the Bible does not say "3" wise men, just that they brought 3 kinds of gifts. Mary may have walked all the way; there is no donkey mentioned. There was no singing according to the Bible, and the wise men came much later, when the baby was older and they actually had a house, not a stable. And the stable itself might have been a cave used for animals, which was common then. The hymn I'm printing here is an example, although excellent in many ways, and makes us nostalgic and comforted because of its familiarity. We don't know that it was midnight or if the skies were clear. There is no mention of music, much less gold harps. Yet much of the song rings true. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth, To touch their harps of gold: "Peace on the earth, good will to men," From heaven's all-gracious King. The world in solemn stillness lay, To hear the angels sing. Still through the cloven skies they come With peaceful wings unfurled, And still their heav'nly music floats O'er all the weary world: Above its sad and lowly plains, They bend on hov'ring wing, And ever o'er its Bable sounds The blessed angels sing. Yet with the woes of sin and strife, The world has suffered long, Beneath the angel strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong; And man, at war with man, hears not, The love song which they bring; O hush the noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing! All ye, beneath life's crushing load, Whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way, With painful steps and slow, Look now! for gland and golden hours, Come swiftly on the wing; O rest beside the weary road, And hear the angels sing! Foe lo! the days are hastening on, By prophet bards foretold, When with the ever circling years, Comes around the age of gold; When peace shall over all the earth, Its ancient splendors fling, And the whole world give back the song, Which now the angels sing. There's the contrast of beautiful music, peace, and awe with the noise and strife of men. That beautiful moment of good news and hope has been followed by thousands of "years of wrong". Humans toil and are crushed by the load of life's burdens, and time keeps going by. Yet we still have that hope of the "age of gold" when all unite in peace and join in that angelic message. The lyrics were written by Edmund Sears in 1849. There was a revolution in Europe and the U.S. was at war with Mexico. This weighed heavily upon him as he listened to the Christmas greetings and music. The tune was probably different the first time it was performed, and only later picked up the tune we all know. |
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I marvel at the things I'll be able to tell my grandkids about someday. Life is accelerating - or maybe it just feels that way!
I completely sympathize with your desire to declutter. I have more stuff than you can shake a stick at that didn't actually belong to just my wife or myself throughout the house.