In Response to Walden

Wisdom need not be calm and even, static.

Human beings, having suffered deeply,

because of themselves and others,

In their very desperation may be acute

to the deeper meaning of things.

3/3/60, by JEC Thomsen

A sense of profound innocence floats among the opaque images of young and old,
who no longer make foot prints.
Yet, we can feel the lasting impressions of their virtues and qualities.
Let these be reminders of the eternal blessing we are all entitled to when we enter this world.
Oh, cherished life! May what gave their lives purpose, live on,
In things we can touch and feel, for that is our priviledge, as humans beings.

--In rememberance of those who died on Friday, December 14, 2012 in Connecticut and in support of those who grieve.

Afternoon on the Palisades

Afternoon on the Palisades.
In the sun, flat walls and
faceted whites.
Glare, glitter and metal,
The frame of a dark wet window,
The nostalgia.
The long straight avenue to the sea
Bends slightly a broad open way,
And the cards steram down to the end.
Gardens of bright color run by,
Mauve, rust, saffron, olive.
Blue triangles of sky seen through windows
over the edges of roofs.
That delicate cloudy color of a good day.
All the lightness and the air.
The cast images on Glass
of unknown figures passing by,
Their worlds held within.


Finn de Wyet (aka Joyce Thomsen), circa 1962

Casting aside what one has done is one thing. It's a whole other thing to look at what one hasn't done. Look forward to reading excerpts here from my upcoming novel--a cross-genre mix of historical fiction, fantasy, and mystery for young adults.

Grog for the blog

Ok, in case you didn't know, a grog is the best cure for the common cold or influenza, and better than all that stuff with gosh-knows what in it. Try it; you'll like it.

Grog Recipe - courtesy Food.com

Grog
By Mille® on February 16, 2002

• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Serves: 4, Yield: 48 ounces
About This Recipe: "Nectar of the pirates!"
Ingredients:
• 4 cups water
• 1 lemons, juice of
• 1/2 cup sugar or 1/2 cup Vermont or Canadian maple syrup
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 16 ounces dark rum
Directions:
1. Bring water to a boil in saucepan.
2. Dissolve sugar in boiling water.
3. Stir in rum and lemon juice.
4. Carefully pour drink into heatproof glasses or mugs containing 1 cinnamon stick each.
5. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 (391 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
% Daily Value
Calories 364.1
Total Carbohydrate 27.8g
© 2011 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. http://www.food.com/19835
Inserted from

Technology Riding More Power Waves Between Netbooks & Tablets

Amazing how technology works. The temptation of portability has been around for at least 15 years now with the introduction of notebooks, but the definition of portability continues to ride a wave of ups and downs. No sooner do I get use to crating my 5-pound laptop around the house and overcome my hardpressed feelings about carrying it on an airplane or to meetings, then the netbook appeared. That allows me some light-weight computing power on the road, keeping the majority of my files on a thumb drive and the minimal apps needed to do stuff I really care about (like writing). What's happening now? They're supposedly phasing netbooks out and phasing in tablets, notably led by the iPad and iPad2. That's fine if you consider typing as texting, but it really doesn't work for the serious types, like me. Yes, you can buy a keyboard, but do you really want to cart that around? No, sir, I don't. If men and women can managed to coexist, why can't we have a world with netbooks and tablets?

Times are changing, or is time changing?

OK, you can rake me over the coals for taking way too long to update my blog, but since the folks who actually read this don't own up to it, I'm not going to spend more than this sentence on an apology. Onwards.

I'm quite caught by this little conundrum: are the times changing (like global warming, it's all happening relative to how we grew up) or is time itself changing? A few milliseconds (in rotation or in travel around the sun) really could make a signficant change in how this planet behaves. Who's to say that 10 of our minutes haven't been stretched or shriveled, imperceptible to us because it's all so "relative"?

There you have it, my thought for this week.

A New Start Day For Royalty

Getting up at 4 a.m. for royalty is no easy feat. The Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge (aka Prince Williams and Catherine, aka Will & Kate) were married today at 6:15 a.m. (ET) with 2 billion people watching from across the globe. This very choreographed event had a few loop holes, which were encouraging to those of us who live for the unknown, unplanned moments.

Here are some of my own observations:

>28,000 tulips planted for the event, bloomed too early.
>Depite forecasts for rainy weather, the sun came out just as Middleton's vehicle pulled up in front of Westminster Abbey.
>The postman, pub owner, and butcher were invited to the wedding; heads of states were not.
>Proof that life goes on in so many different ways. Traveling the long road from that sad, sad day in August 1997, when Princess Diana died, her unseen, staying influence on today: from her life lessons to modernizing the monarchy--wearing more of their feelings on their sleeves and remaining visible to their public. Also, the preparatory time for her son with his future wife (vs. the 13 times Diana met Charles before their wedding day), who began as friends.
>Will not seeing his future wife until she was at the alter.
>The occasion gave me a fresh sense about weddings, as a symbol of new birth, when the bride (egg) is delivered from the father (sperm)to the younger man (a younger sperm).
>They are marrying on her saint's day (Saint Catherine of Siena).
>Catherine is no longer wearing the engagement ring of Princess Diana, but the ring William put on her finger. [She didn't put one on his during the ceremony? Or did I miss that?]
>A new beginning for the monarchy in the 21st century. A sense of foregiveness for their past.
>The "gold" fixed traditions of the monarchy complement the "silver," fluid, ongoing changes of government.
>2 kisses by the royal newlyweds from the balcony of Buckingham Palance.
>Next great occasion of pomp and circumstance: Prince of Wales' coronation.
>Acknowlegment and support sent by wedding guests, also part of Will's search and rescue unit, to the efforts going on in the southern parts of the U.S. (especially Alabama), ravaged two days earlier by tornadoes.

Suggested sources:
>TIME magazine article about Will & Kate [March/April 2011--find date].
>Lifetime movie, "William & Kate," which skirts around all the former boyfriends and girlfriends, and focuses on their relationship's highs and lows.

Ropes!

A curio-ponder: It seems the Aurora Borealis are visual evidence of a direct link between the blue (planet) earth and yellow (star) sun, via magnetic "ropes" that connect through the solar winds to the upper atmosphere.

Much to wonder about here.

Proof of this comes from the legendary NASA itself.

Closing the cracks

Today, I learned that two of my rental properties are within 15 miles of a nuclear power station that IS on a fault line. Soooo, I personally got interested in Dr. Richard Besser's demonstration of HOW to seal a door on Good Morning America (ABC.COM, 3/18/11). (With my luck, something might happen in the once a year appearance to see the properties and how the tenants are doing.) The good doctor used plastic sheeting and duct tape (stretching it across the opening to about 2" around its periphery). Just remember to seal yourself in with everything you need--enough for 3 hours. (No one has mentioned it, but bring something that can serve as a potty seat w/toilet paper.)

I withdraw all my cracks about the useless expense on duct tape in the face of certain death. Besser says you can reduce your exposure to 5 percent by doing this simple thing. (I've also come of age to admit that anything that gives you a shot at staying alive a few extra years cannot be entirely nonsense.)