Thursday, April 22, 2010
Earth Day 2010
Evidentally the local schools gave it no mention at all; I'll call tomorrow and see (we do pay taxes to the school district). Amy Goodman led off well from Bolivia on "Democracy Now," and WPR and PBS did some nice work. As for Otter Creek, the newly formed Otter Creek Otters (Jessie & I) did some ditch cleanup work, and got One Eyed Ed's (Jessie's Father) motorcycle accident site (where he essentially died) ready for some landscaping. As usual, the bulk of the trash was cans (beer/lite and pop), and there was less of it this year. A trip to Tonya's greenhouses, afterwards witnessed the offer to make her a honarary member of the OCOs, and a request that she prepare to help us with Ed's Memorial Oasis. A call to the town chairman afterwards elicited a quiet but respectful response. May Gaylord Nelson and Rachel Carlson rest in peace, as this poor, bewildered planet rockets on into an expanding universe.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Impermanence
A key concept of Buddhism, in which we are admonished to be able to treat our present moment as our last, to be ready to go without regret. It has, of course, parallels in all spiritual/religious teachings. a Buddhist teacher of earlier decade suggested that this aspect of life was crucial to liveliness, that change was essential to life. An even earlier teacher warned that one's passage from impermance was as if (we when pass) we are hurtled into outer space without our baggage, our ego, body or past; we are suddenly orphans of the cosmos, with nothing to rely upon.
Another version of this to me represents a twisted scenario of anthropomorphism, since its story assumes that we want to hold on to this lifetime, our present ego, learning and acomplishments, etc. tenaciously expending our consciousness trying to hold on to the "unholdable." Isn't this just the reverse side of a coin? Indeed much of religious/spiritual thought and writing seems to be an indulgence with this legacy of anthropomorphism.
Another version in Zen Buddhism is that of "transitoryness," c h a n g e is the constant that can be relied upon, "Here today, gone tomorrow." When I was a child there was a saying about "Not taking it with you." But the deeper matter is that when you go you cannot take you with you, in the sense that ego pictures possession and identity. Back in the 1940s a novel by Aldous Huxley called "After Many a Summer Dies the Swan" about William Randolph Hearst drammatized this dilemma.
Another version of this to me represents a twisted scenario of anthropomorphism, since its story assumes that we want to hold on to this lifetime, our present ego, learning and acomplishments, etc. tenaciously expending our consciousness trying to hold on to the "unholdable." Isn't this just the reverse side of a coin? Indeed much of religious/spiritual thought and writing seems to be an indulgence with this legacy of anthropomorphism.
Another version in Zen Buddhism is that of "transitoryness," c h a n g e is the constant that can be relied upon, "Here today, gone tomorrow." When I was a child there was a saying about "Not taking it with you." But the deeper matter is that when you go you cannot take you with you, in the sense that ego pictures possession and identity. Back in the 1940s a novel by Aldous Huxley called "After Many a Summer Dies the Swan" about William Randolph Hearst drammatized this dilemma.
Infrastructure
This might have been my first post for the Blog, since it is of primary importance to most any endeavor. One of the first stories I remembered as a child was the one cautioning about building on sand, the importance of a good foundation whatever the structure was to be. Now-a-days, infrastructues are seldom if ever mentioned ... the are assumed as is much else. Except when a bridge goes down, as it did in Minneapolis a few years ago. I was heartened, and almost dumbfounded to hear a program on Wisconsin Public Radio on the subject last week. Voila.
Someone commented a few years ago, perhaps when Bill Clinton was President, that the boomer generation was particularly re-miss when it came to infrastructure focus. About that time I called Senator Wellstone's office in Minneapolis and suggested that the good Senator would do well keep his sights and actions more focused there. The young voice taking messages asked: "What is infrastructure?" I gave her a few examples and suggested she check any dictionary about the word. I never heard from Mr. Wellstone, he died not long after that.
Growing up in the depression it was utterly mandatory to pay attention to the foundations of things, the "nitty gritty," the reasons why things worked or didn't. To make assumptions about whether something was "grounded" or not was just not a good thing to do There wasn't the slack around, and maybe that is a problem in some regards. But my feeling is that with the growing number of so-called "natural disasters" and the disasters caused by humankind's proclivity to manufacture problems for itself (eg.building standards, techniques & inspections) including so-called terroist actions, we had better turn our sights to what supports us, what ever that is.
The second definition is extremely important: "The basic facilities, and installations needed for the growth and functioning of a country, community, or organization," The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language.
Someone commented a few years ago, perhaps when Bill Clinton was President, that the boomer generation was particularly re-miss when it came to infrastructure focus. About that time I called Senator Wellstone's office in Minneapolis and suggested that the good Senator would do well keep his sights and actions more focused there. The young voice taking messages asked: "What is infrastructure?" I gave her a few examples and suggested she check any dictionary about the word. I never heard from Mr. Wellstone, he died not long after that.
Growing up in the depression it was utterly mandatory to pay attention to the foundations of things, the "nitty gritty," the reasons why things worked or didn't. To make assumptions about whether something was "grounded" or not was just not a good thing to do There wasn't the slack around, and maybe that is a problem in some regards. But my feeling is that with the growing number of so-called "natural disasters" and the disasters caused by humankind's proclivity to manufacture problems for itself (eg.building standards, techniques & inspections) including so-called terroist actions, we had better turn our sights to what supports us, what ever that is.
The second definition is extremely important: "The basic facilities, and installations needed for the growth and functioning of a country, community, or organization," The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
BIG NOTHING
The "Big Nothing" is what persons, cultures and civilizations tend to or seek to forget. It is at times on purpose, most often it is a kind of necessary abnesia. Utah Phillips, radical folk singer & raconteur, said that "Long memory is the most radical thing in America." It took Howard Zinn to point out the convenient deletions in American history with his landmark & best selling "People's History of the United States." What is it about this time which not only encourages but rewards abnesia?
As a person who has lived a long and active life, who spend years at sea, and in travels, in several occupations, etc., I seldom get a question about anything, almost never. Could this be considered deference or manners? I doubt it. It has in part to do with the almost complete lack of curiosity in our society. Thus conversation is filled either with facts or trivia, or media updates. What could be a bridge to ones own memory and sharing of that memory is a kind of dead end.
So, if one is to share one's life and memories, it takes intervention into the "big nothing," and can be nothing short of the interruption of nothingness. Continuity which is the ideal of conversational sharing is made extremely unlikely, and thus one's attempt to share thoughts and memories in spite of this becomes an existential exercise ... often very uncomfortable. Some of the Stories which will be a part of this blog will cover ground in this area, and some will use fiction and fictious names to do this.
For those of you who have read about the origins of this blog you will know where some of my people curiousity came from. But it was also through my immediate and extended family, later by mentors, teachers, coaches and the like. For the twenty or thirty years my memory tells me that conversational life was an interesting free for all, and that one was challenged to question, comment, find out about the people who surrounded you, t h e w o r l d. An elderly Indian man (from India) showed up at the local playground and sat at a picnic bench. At first people wondered who he was waiting for, what was the deal? But he was just there waiting for anyone with a question or comment to share, and before long he was at times surrounded by an unlikely little crowd of neighborhood urchins. Sometimes when he was pleased with the questions and answers he would deputize one of us to go to the store and get some gum drops, or chewing gum or something to share. Today I suspect that the playground personnel would call the authorities and have the man's background check run. He remains one of the most fascinating people of my childhood. Should anyone else be interested, wonder what subjects were discussed?
As a person who has lived a long and active life, who spend years at sea, and in travels, in several occupations, etc., I seldom get a question about anything, almost never. Could this be considered deference or manners? I doubt it. It has in part to do with the almost complete lack of curiosity in our society. Thus conversation is filled either with facts or trivia, or media updates. What could be a bridge to ones own memory and sharing of that memory is a kind of dead end.
So, if one is to share one's life and memories, it takes intervention into the "big nothing," and can be nothing short of the interruption of nothingness. Continuity which is the ideal of conversational sharing is made extremely unlikely, and thus one's attempt to share thoughts and memories in spite of this becomes an existential exercise ... often very uncomfortable. Some of the Stories which will be a part of this blog will cover ground in this area, and some will use fiction and fictious names to do this.
For those of you who have read about the origins of this blog you will know where some of my people curiousity came from. But it was also through my immediate and extended family, later by mentors, teachers, coaches and the like. For the twenty or thirty years my memory tells me that conversational life was an interesting free for all, and that one was challenged to question, comment, find out about the people who surrounded you, t h e w o r l d. An elderly Indian man (from India) showed up at the local playground and sat at a picnic bench. At first people wondered who he was waiting for, what was the deal? But he was just there waiting for anyone with a question or comment to share, and before long he was at times surrounded by an unlikely little crowd of neighborhood urchins. Sometimes when he was pleased with the questions and answers he would deputize one of us to go to the store and get some gum drops, or chewing gum or something to share. Today I suspect that the playground personnel would call the authorities and have the man's background check run. He remains one of the most fascinating people of my childhood. Should anyone else be interested, wonder what subjects were discussed?
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Music
First recollections of music was with my Grandparents, the Roberts. Grandfather spoke of the "music of the Gods," and played a windup gramaphone with everything from opera selections to symphonies, plus singers of the twenties and early thirties. He wanted me to know that music listening should be a conscious act, not just something in the background. And then there were the popularized "classics" that my parents listened to (Freddie Martin, I think), and my mother's time at the spinet. Soon I would be trying to pick things out on that piano, and then found myself taking lessons on the accordian. We had music at school too, of course, chorus and the infamous harmonica orchestra in grammar school.
Later I would take piano lessons from an excellent neighborhood teacher, and I had the good sense to sneak into her yard and listen to her and her husband play beautiful duets for piano and violin. Luckily my school arranged for us to go the symphony orchestra rehearsals, and I became more and more interested in music, including jazz, mostly through a local musician, Eddie Hatten. I learned to play rhythm piano, and played with groups in high school (New Orleans, Dixieland). Meanwhile, my focus was primarily upon small group music, I could always understand the harmonics and such better than large bands and symphony orchestras.
So to this day chamber music is number one. And Mozart and Schubert (for example) are of more interest, as are small jazz groups. I truly feel deeply unhappy for people who are unable to have experiences in music which can reach deeply into their inner selves, persons who seem treat music as something in the background, a kind of muzak.
Example of what I suggest for listening? J.S, Bach's Partita d-Moll BWV 1004 for Violin Solo & Chorale, especially cuts 9 - 11: Giga, Den Tod ... & Ciaccona (plus other cuts for those who especially like chorale music), This music was composed by Bach while away from home making music for a living, and his wife died in his absence. This music was composed in the time after her death in the memory of her and their family. Recording: Mortimur, The Hilliard Ensemble, Christoph Poppen, ECM New Series 1765, 289461895-2. Some musicologists consider this to be the most beautiful musical theme in all of music.
It is difficult for me to imagine life without music. It is one of the things which makes existence work, to be a part of the whole of humanity. There are a lot of divisions in music, and it is amazing how few people in our society have heard music from Muslim countries, from Africa and Asia. When you listen to Amy Goodman's "Democracy Now" you hear music from around the globe, depending on the culture of content within the newscast. And on community radio in our region you hear indigenous music as well. A world of music, and next I'm going to take on i-toons
Later I would take piano lessons from an excellent neighborhood teacher, and I had the good sense to sneak into her yard and listen to her and her husband play beautiful duets for piano and violin. Luckily my school arranged for us to go the symphony orchestra rehearsals, and I became more and more interested in music, including jazz, mostly through a local musician, Eddie Hatten. I learned to play rhythm piano, and played with groups in high school (New Orleans, Dixieland). Meanwhile, my focus was primarily upon small group music, I could always understand the harmonics and such better than large bands and symphony orchestras.
So to this day chamber music is number one. And Mozart and Schubert (for example) are of more interest, as are small jazz groups. I truly feel deeply unhappy for people who are unable to have experiences in music which can reach deeply into their inner selves, persons who seem treat music as something in the background, a kind of muzak.
Example of what I suggest for listening? J.S, Bach's Partita d-Moll BWV 1004 for Violin Solo & Chorale, especially cuts 9 - 11: Giga, Den Tod ... & Ciaccona (plus other cuts for those who especially like chorale music), This music was composed by Bach while away from home making music for a living, and his wife died in his absence. This music was composed in the time after her death in the memory of her and their family. Recording: Mortimur, The Hilliard Ensemble, Christoph Poppen, ECM New Series 1765, 289461895-2. Some musicologists consider this to be the most beautiful musical theme in all of music.
It is difficult for me to imagine life without music. It is one of the things which makes existence work, to be a part of the whole of humanity. There are a lot of divisions in music, and it is amazing how few people in our society have heard music from Muslim countries, from Africa and Asia. When you listen to Amy Goodman's "Democracy Now" you hear music from around the globe, depending on the culture of content within the newscast. And on community radio in our region you hear indigenous music as well. A world of music, and next I'm going to take on i-toons
time
"Now" or the next five minutes? vs. the 7 generations, long view, forward and back. Or the "now" within the 7 generations, the sense of the present within the longer view. The "Be Here Now" title, Ram Dass, the insistence that when you carry water you carry water, when you chop wood, yes, you chop wood. My complications are many, especially with the nervous, self driven who want it all in the next five minutes or less people.
Grandfather Roberts did not go by the clock, when we worked in the garden often times Grandmother had to call us to dinner.
My Father too could get lost in a task that truly interested him; but the clock was always present, nearby. He and my Mother encouraged us to be "on time," to be cognizant of other people's needs, for you to be there when you had agreed to be. Otherwise someone might be inconvenienced, their sense of time violated.
At sea different clocks, not a repetition of twelves but on a twenty four hour basis. Watches (eg. 4 hours at the wheel, on the bridge) based upon revolving schedules. People who reminded me of the beginnings of time, of the relationships between authorities like "the Church," calendars and the like. Who controlled time in the past, who will in the future? Richard Jones had an interest in these things, & the perceptions of them. His was a philosophic interest
Later while in Venice, California I was able to see and feel the way different subcultures dealt with time: including the "time- lessness" of the drug culture, the so-called "manana attitude" (attributed to Mexican-Americans). postponement culture (why do something today when you can very well do it tomorrow -- sometimes attributed to Blacks), etc. Drugs and alcohol definitely played a part in all of this.
My interest in cosmology, another aspect of the "long view" of time ... eg. our universe being 10 billion years old, vs. the Biblical version (how has time changed due to science?). How long it takes for the light of the sun or from other planets to reach us. What is sidereal time? What about time signatures in music, "music of the spheres." Also, astrology.
The fragmentation of time now, the disturbing discontinuities which are largely assumed. Breaks in space and time. People seemingly unconcerned about the time frames of others, not that interested in whether they match up or not.
Grandfather Roberts did not go by the clock, when we worked in the garden often times Grandmother had to call us to dinner.
My Father too could get lost in a task that truly interested him; but the clock was always present, nearby. He and my Mother encouraged us to be "on time," to be cognizant of other people's needs, for you to be there when you had agreed to be. Otherwise someone might be inconvenienced, their sense of time violated.
At sea different clocks, not a repetition of twelves but on a twenty four hour basis. Watches (eg. 4 hours at the wheel, on the bridge) based upon revolving schedules. People who reminded me of the beginnings of time, of the relationships between authorities like "the Church," calendars and the like. Who controlled time in the past, who will in the future? Richard Jones had an interest in these things, & the perceptions of them. His was a philosophic interest
Later while in Venice, California I was able to see and feel the way different subcultures dealt with time: including the "time- lessness" of the drug culture, the so-called "manana attitude" (attributed to Mexican-Americans). postponement culture (why do something today when you can very well do it tomorrow -- sometimes attributed to Blacks), etc. Drugs and alcohol definitely played a part in all of this.
My interest in cosmology, another aspect of the "long view" of time ... eg. our universe being 10 billion years old, vs. the Biblical version (how has time changed due to science?). How long it takes for the light of the sun or from other planets to reach us. What is sidereal time? What about time signatures in music, "music of the spheres." Also, astrology.
The fragmentation of time now, the disturbing discontinuities which are largely assumed. Breaks in space and time. People seemingly unconcerned about the time frames of others, not that interested in whether they match up or not.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Generations
Many years ago studying philosophy at the University of Barcelona the professor quoted the famous Spanish philosopher, Ortega y Gasset as saying that if you didn't understand generations you probably wouldn't understand much of anything. It was many years later that I found William Strauss & Neil Howe's work "Generations; The History of America's Future 1584 to 2069." The title is a complete misnomer because the study of generations is universal, and Ortega is sited as an authority in this very volume.
Well, I've lived long enough to know from first hand the wisdom and problems of generation study. My Grandfather was born in the 1880s, my Father in 1911, and I feel that the descriptions given of their generations run very true, not only to the men (and women) involved, and their influence on me; but also the description of my generation (The Silent), and the generation of my children (the Thirteenth) and others. There are many complexities here, and I suggest they are worth the effort. The book's jacket says "that (it) changes forever your view of our national legacy ... and our destiny." More important is the personal insights it offers for understanding oneself, ones peers, predecessors and the people to follow. Give it a try for your generation and the Boomers and see what you think. More on this subject later on. & you can find a good summary of it in Wikipedia.
Well, I've lived long enough to know from first hand the wisdom and problems of generation study. My Grandfather was born in the 1880s, my Father in 1911, and I feel that the descriptions given of their generations run very true, not only to the men (and women) involved, and their influence on me; but also the description of my generation (The Silent), and the generation of my children (the Thirteenth) and others. There are many complexities here, and I suggest they are worth the effort. The book's jacket says "that (it) changes forever your view of our national legacy ... and our destiny." More important is the personal insights it offers for understanding oneself, ones peers, predecessors and the people to follow. Give it a try for your generation and the Boomers and see what you think. More on this subject later on. & you can find a good summary of it in Wikipedia.
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