SHAMBLES

Yes, it is a shambles. When I got up this morning, I looked back at the bed, after spending several hours beneath (partially anyway) the sheets, duvet, and pillows, this was the physical imprint I left behind.

Just looks a great mess. No reference to the coziness, warmth, peace, restfulness that my bed provides. No reference to the faraway places it takes me...oh yes...doesn't look much like a vehicle does it? Yet, this bed has been a launching pad for many journeys - IF ONLY I COULD REMEMBER THEM!

Just one more moment...c'mon...over here...look.

It's a little candle beneath a leaf. When the light hits the edge of the leaf, a magical thing happens. It's as if the light recognizes the leaf, and traces the form, leaving little kisses of light here and drawing a shadow there, it's all play really. But the leaf, without the little candle light beneath was a flat green group of shapes. With the little fluttering light, the leaves came alive. I thought, it would be ever so nice to share this with you.

The Rainy Season

the rainy season now, the wind is here blustery and filled with water

if you are brave enough to walk by a roadway you will come away drenched and muddy

from the passing cars...time to don a trenchcoat before heading out.

Time to blog...where I leave my heart...

This is particularly unflattering photo of me riding a cable car in 2000. That trip I stayed at the Maxwell, another boutique hotel.

There is this hotel in San Francisco…The Rex. I love it there. It’s a Joie de Vive hotel and in the theme of a “library”.

A very old building it has been restored and maintained beautifully. The rooms are perfectly small, with high ceilings and good baths.
It makes you feel as if you had just stepped into the 1940’s. On the bedside table there is a disc player, a couple of jazz cd’s are resting there for you to create your own ambiance.

An amazing “library” lounge on the main floor invites you to wine on the house in the library at 7pm daily for guests to meet and mingle, talk quietly in huge overstuffed library chairs, the old world feel is given depth with antique globes, glass fronted library shelves, soft dark colours and gentle lighting. Or you can just go down on your own to relax.

They have an exquisite restaurant in the hotel with an incredible chef.
Right off Union Square, about 2 blocks only, it is perfect to come home to after a day of full on shopping/exploring.

Haven't been in about a year now...each time I go to SF I seem to come home with more shoes than I left home with...just happens...

I have a strange affinity to the town...the bridge...the island makes my eyes water...Alcatraz, all I see is the human condition and how we treat one another.

And then there is this bread...sourdough that is in neat round balls of warm, nutty, chewy heaven. The way food is prepared here is very very fresh and beautiful.

I hold this town dear to my heart...I leave a little piece of me behind here each time I head north.

the last feather standing

I was at the beach this morning in the wee early hours just past dawn...seeing this feather touched a nerve, so I brought it home with me. It just spoke volumes to me...made me want to write a poem or something...a novel?

...small art

a test, only a test...

It was just that colour...

It was just that tiny bit of colour that caught my eye, flashing and undulating with the movement of the man inside the costume. It was a lovely sight in amongst all that swirling and twirling, that tiny patch of colour.

hosta hostage

Just another capture...

coasting...

seeing more flowers, everywhere...somehow, I feel close to them...not sure why. When I look at them, it makes me calm, so I take a picture and save it to look at.
I have a little group of flower pictures now.

A thousand years, maybe more...

Yes, perhaps it was more. When I looked into his eyes there it was, laid before me, full of uncanny familiarity. In an instant I saw the trees, lombardy poplars standing sway, the fields ripe, and ready for harvest, the stream bubbling and babbling by, the chair rocking by the fire, the man standing atop the hill, waving back at me...and on, and on it went until I had to close my eyes to block the centuries.

Do you see it too?

A berry good year.

I waited and waited. Watching as the little flower faded, dropped it's petals and morphed into a berry...then from pale yellow to pink to glistening red. It was divine and simple...and took a great amount of discipline not to eat it! I was never disciplined. But perhaps, there was never a reason to discipline myself.

Everybody up...everybody down

That's just life.

Please people - why can't you just accept grief and sadness into your life, what are you afraid of?

Loosen up - be sad.

Why are you so worried that you will never be happy again?

Here is a secret....shhhhh....I'm only telling you this because I respect you...ready? O.K. here goes...until you experience the bitter you will never fully recognize the sweet.

You should feel absolutely free to experience sadness, anger, grief as well as exuberant joy, pleasure and humour. It's your right as a human being. It's your right as an individual.

It is also your right to feel serene, calm, and unaffected by the world around you. In other words, it's o.k. to be you. I better repeat that, it's o.k. to be you. Hmmmm, still not getting it I see. That is the you that you are, not the you that others conjure up as you...soooooo, when people, any people, tell you to express yourself in a way that you are not feeling, you can justifiably tell them to, well, you know...

So, be happy, be sad, be silly, be yourself. o.k.? o.k. you choose.

oh, little flower, oh little flower

It just kept raining and raining...then, it stopped, still layed in grey for days. Then it happened, the sun peeked out from behind a cloud and I opened the door. There before me...oh little flower, little purple flower.

get to know now.

Treasure within, treasure without.

Without treasure, within treasure.

I'm a treasure, you are a treasure.

We are not lost, just bound up.

Our thoughts bind us to the blind past.

Our thoughts drive us blindly into the mystery of the future.

The preciousness of now is shoved ungracefully, rudely and sometimes belligerently aside, to make room for the past and the future, neither of which exists.

How many nows are there? It is us that needs to choose this, each for ourselves.

The more nows you can pack into your life, the more you will relish life.

Look at a cat, lying in the sun...relishing the now.

SELF HELP BOOKS - PORN

The next thing I would like to blog on is "self help books" I'm looking for a title that reads "How to stop reading Self Help books and start Living" Think I'll find it? Here's my guess, "Not a chance!"

So, if you know my schtick it is SELF HELP PORN.

TOO MUCH, WAY TO MUCH!

I've read so many "self help" books that by now I should be a shrink...I should have letters after my name i.e. Ceri B.A.D.A.S.S. yeah, call me negative Nancy, doubting Debbie, mad Meg or serious Ceri.

What I want to know is this: How many books do I need to read before I can be good, accepted, beautiful, sweet, kind, generous, Mother Theresa, Buddha, or know if I've had a really good orgasm or if I'm living the moment or spending too much time on the past or future? Yeah, I know I never saved for my future and to celebrate, I'm taking a quick course in "shopping cart mechanics"

I think - as I was drifting off to sleep last night - that I had an epiphany, what do I really want? I began by mumbling to myself...why do I like listening to Hey Eugene by Pink Martini?

Why do I like cheeky songs that make me feel rebellious? Love songs that make me remember?

Why am I thinking more and more that I want to escape the city and move into seclusion?

Why do I feel so cranky?

Epiphany - 'cause that's just who I am...live with it.

Oh and "NO MORE SELF HELP BOOKS!"

Porn - still don't get it?

O.K. I'll try to explain...porn is not naked people...no, it's not...porn is what happens when free range thinking becomes trapped in a zone of over zealousness and, addictive behaviour is the result...when rational thinking is tossed over for another hit of what makes you forget...uh huh, you heard me...I said forget.

Know why? I'll tell ya why. 'cause we all have something we need to forget...we all need shelter from the storm of daily discomfort we put ourselves through. Mmmmm yeah, now you are with me, right?

Know how I know? I've been addicted to every form of escapism on the planet at some time in my life...when reality and responsibility are stuffed into a dark closet and the door locked on them. Those days were wonderful...and, being human and excruciatingly honest, I must admit, not entirely over...and, that's how I know. Been there, am there and until my ego is nothing but a shrivelled bit of mushroom manure (hopefully magic mushrooms Alice) will continue to be there.

I even believe that life threatening illness is a form of escapism...more on that later...yawn, I'm tired now...time to crawl into my escape hatch and dream of this and that. (Don't even try to guess)

hello Dutch...

haven't seen you round for a while...be stayin' long? Who ya seen, where ya been?

Yeah you , I mean you...why ya lookin' so scared Dutch? Ahhh, now you're smilin'...somethin' I said funny? ...or is that just nerves, yeah nerves, sooner or later it gets to all of us Dutch, but it looks like it got to you sooner than later. Oh, don't worry Dutch, no one here is lookin' for a small fry like you...nah, you're not the one we're after, we're after the big one Dutch, yeah that's right, the big one. Here, let me light that for ya, Dutch...there now...seen anyone big around here Dutch? Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but if you see anyone big, you'll let me know, right dutch?

Pet Porn - yeah, that's right...pet porn!

Let's not forget our furry friends, you know the ones...the ones that you purchased from a breeder...not the foundling that your soft hearted neighbours picked up.

Yours is the one that yaps and yips incessantly during ....well...all the time. Piddles on your rugs, in your shoes (after chewing them) costs thousands at the vets, fits in your purse, you wear him like an accessory, that one...you leave your kid with a sitter but pop the puppy in your bag and carry him everywhere.

That's pet porn...

FOOD PORN - pimp my dinner

I almost forgot!

Food Porn - yipes - here we go, dress for dinner set the table, eat el fresco, pimp my dinner, so, you will starve unless your food looks a certain way?

It's the Presidential economics building, built in waste (waist) scheme...go shopping, get the big gulp or for those with more delicate tendancies, the more you pay for a dine out experience the less you get...and it isn't even good for you.

For example, 4 oz of protien with a steamed pea pod and a miniature carrot on the side...isn't good nutrition, no matter how pretty it looks. How 'bout a bowl of stir fried veggies and a small bowl of brown rice washed down with water from a tap...yeah, water comes out of the tap in your kitchen and you can actually drink it...you are just used to someone else turning on the tap and putting plastic around your water before you drink it.

Sheesh people!

House Porn

Uh oh...we're addicted again...yup, as an addictive society we've become addicted to "house porn".

What's house porn? It's the need to have the most beautiful, up to the minute, better than the "Jones's" super, duper, big gulp, spike heeled, nip'd, tuck'd, lotsa make-up and jewelry, watch HGTVbuy the glossy mag, pay the highest price, build palatially, 7 car garage, pool and cabana boy, stretch your budget...roof over your head. Gotta have it, can't live without it, it's more important than my kids, I'll work till I drop for it, place to put my things. Ever watch Colin and Justin? Perfect examples of House Porn Pimps...just look again, you'll see what I mean!

Stuff porn - so much stuff that we need to rent storage unit(s) to house our stuff...that no-one will buy from you because they have the same "stuff" that they need to store and cannot bring themselves to give away as they know how much they paid for it.

Car porn - that's an easy one...ego, ego, ego...on for lumps of rubber with air inside.

Holiday porn - going away to.....why? to get away from the mansion with the "full-0-bills" mailbox? You mean the mansion that you have exactly the way you said you want it, isn't nice enough for you to enjoy on a few days off work (that you go to daily to pay for it)? What?

Call me really, really slow, but I d o n ' t g e t i t!

Lay me down on the cold ground...

No dress rehearsal, this is our life.
feverish dream
you are ahead by a century
and disappointing you is getting me down
there in the morning shroud
rain fell through the night
hornet stung me
a serious dream
tonight we smoke them out
I pray that you will pick me up
and enfold me in your warm arms
A world made of angry people
Sunshine
I need oxygen

Forgive you? Yes. Forget you? No.

You are everything beautiful to me.

You rock my world.

You give me shelter.

You saved me.

So, goodbye if you must leave and my love is with you always. Happy trails and puppy dog tails to you my friend, my dear, dear friend.

It was absolutely stupendous.

just a little bit o this and a little bit o that

So, if you like trees, like I do, you can forgive that these trees are not naturally occurring, rather deliberately planted to create an imposing approach to the manor.

Here is a question: Do you think that the gardener planting these as saplings, had any idea how they would grow to be so very tall? ...so stately and dramatic?

Old Red Eye is Dead

First, click on the image to enlarge, then notice how the pupil dilates ever so slightly : )
So, there I was alone in a strange city. I was dead tired and had really scrambled to get myself out of the hotel bed that morning. The snow had cleared and the sun shone painfully into our eyes as we drove down the highway to work.
People, swarming around, I'd just finished a 15 minute schmooz and was gathering wind for the next onslaught. I raised my gaze and saw a man walking in our direction. As he closed in he locked his gaze on mine and continued forward. He was huge, it was like a building moving towards me, something made me think familiarity, Tony Soprano, no, more familiar....he stopped about 24" in front of me..."Hi," simply put. "Hi," I got out and started to shake my head from side to side, "I don't believe it." I ran up and squeezed him as hard as I could, conscious that my arms just made it slightly past his. He squeezed back.
"C'mon, I'll introduce you to my son."
I followed him.
There, sitting on a bench, a tiny figure, wheat blonde, with piercing blue eyes.
"This is my son." I could hear the pride in his voice.
I crouched down to his level as he sat, "Oh look at those blue eyes of yours," I was incredulous, "just like your daddy's." I said looking backwards and catching the eyes of the man.
The tyke began to mumble nervously. "What's your name?"
"Patwick."
At that I stuck out my hand to shake his, "Well, I'm very happy to meet you Patrick, my name's Brenda." This as I took his tiny, soft hand in mine.
"Where is the rest of your brood?" this to the big man.
"Well, we had a kind of blowout and I put her on a plane back east to her parents." shaking his head, he had a stunned look on his face.
"Oh, it'll all work out, just give people time, you'll see."
"Uh, no, I don't think so." and his gaze turned "far-away"
I knew that look...from long ago, he was emotionally pained.
"Sooo, what brings you here?" trying to snap him out of it.
"We are looking for a new razor for me." I smiled, he did look a bit ragged at the jawline.
"Well, I have to get back, so you will drop by and see me?"
He hugged me again, and I rubbed the little one on the back.
"You made my day." I said as I backed away, "I don't want to leave you here!"
"It's o.k., I'll call you."
"Awesome."
"You didn't recognize me and you haven't changed a bit, you're still the same."
"Well, you're being kind as usual."

So strange...I finally turned my back and retraced my steps.
When I returned, "Who was that Bren?"
"My second husband." I croaked.

BLUEDOM

It's just the way I feel today...expectant.

Going Somewhere

When I looked out over the sheltered valley and traced the river's way, I couldn't help but notice how the roads and train tracks, followed the same twists and curves.
All of the millions of years the water took to find that way...and our temporary exsistance is influenced by the way of the river. All the years of humanity, and of animals too I suspect are influenced by water, we all gravitate to the waters edge. None of us can exsist without water this is true, but there is something more, another connection with water that brings to mind a master, or mistress. If water brings a message each time we see it in it's natural state, can it tell of what our future holds, bliss and serenity, or disaster and strife? Can we read water? Can we listen to water?
Aboriginal people have remnants of this gift, some more than others.
We need to listen...to the water...now...go listen...

Salad on the roof

was it spring, early summer? I can't recall, but when I look'd up I saw salad growing from the roof. How splendid. To reach up and pick your greens!

Learn to Love?

Is this something you teach yourself?

To gravitate towards...strong positive feelings...rising emotions? The abandonment of sensibility?

All I am left with is gladness that I can have deep appretiation for certain "ones" and a deeper appreciation for certain "others".

I am no longer hoping for passion, for touch, for the flutter in the pit of my stomache at the thought of another.

As for Beauty and Love - it's all in a droplet of dew on the petal of a newly opened bloom, or a single stroke of a freshly loaded brush onto a bare canvas, or the sound of the cat purring contentedly next to my ear, or notes strung together in harmony, or a voice that embodies a vision within it, a poem, that is my universe.

3 am

A SCOTTISH LOVE POEM

A'coorse ah love ye darlin'
Ye're a bloody tap notch burd.
An' when ah say ye're gorgeous
Ah mean iv'ry single word.
Ah don't mind a bit o flab.
It means that whin ah'm ready
There's something therr tae grab.
So yer belly isny flat nae merr
Ah tell ye, ah don't cerr.
So long as when ah cuddle ye
I cin get mah erms roon 'therr.
Nae wummin wha is your age
Hiz nice roon' perky breasts.
They jist gave in tae gravity
Bit ah know ye did yer best.
Ah'm tellin ye the truth noo
Ah nivir tell ye lies
Ah think its very sexy
Thit ye've goat dimples oan yer thighs.
Ah swerr oan mah grannies grave noo
The moment thit we met.
Ah thocht ye wiz as guid as
Ah wiz ivir goanie get.
Nae maitter whit ye looks like
Ah'll aywiz love ye dear.
Noo shut up while the fitba's oan
An' fetch anither beer.

Mighty Mouse or Mole if you prefer.

Mighty Mouse, my hero, it appears not. My day has not been saved. Rather straddling the edge of midnight and tomorrow and living in the moment is really really uncomfortable!

Caught between math and madness.

Hidden beauty sleeps beneath the sadness.

BORROMEAN RINGS

The Borromean rings, also called the Borromean links (Livingston 1993, p. 10) are three mutually interlocked rings (left figure), named after the Italian Renaissance family who used them on their coat of arms. The configuration of rings is also known as a "Ballantine," and a brand of beer (right figure; Falstaff Brewing Corporation) has been brewed under this name. In the Borromean rings, no two rings are linked, so if any one of the rings is cut, all three rings fall apart. Any number of rings can be linked in an analogous manner (Steinhaus 1999, Wells 1991).
The Borromean rings are a prime link. They have link symbol 06-0302, braid word , and are also the simplest Brunnian link.
It turns out that rigid Borromean rings composed of real (finite thickness) tubes cannot be physically constructed using three circular rings of either equal or differing radii. However, they can be made from three congruent elliptical rings.
refer: no two rings are linked, so if any one of the rings is cut, all three rings fall apart
note: the point at which the three rings cross, becomes it's own entity - THE SWEET SPOT.

yin yang

god leaving an early morning message...a treat for the day, a temple bell, full of clarity...a jawstick lit in recognition, the thin stream of smoke pulled skyward by the universe as a nod of thanks...this filled my heart to full.

on the subject of love

love
love [luv]n (plural loves) 1. very strong affection: an intense feeling of tender affection and compassion Young children need unconditional love. 2. passionate attraction and desire: a passionate feeling of romantic desire and sexual attraction 3. somebody much loved: somebody who is loved romantically He was her first real love. 4. romantic affair: a romantic affair, possibly sexual 5. strong liking: strong liking for or pleasure gained from something his love of music 6. something eliciting enthusiasm: something that elicits deep interest and enthusiasm in somebody Music was his greatest love but he also liked ballet. 7. beloved: used as an affectionate word to somebody loved 8. U.K. term of friendly address: used as a friendly term of address, usually to a woman (informal) Here’s your change, love. 9. christianity God’s love for humanity: the mercy, grace, and charity shown by God to humanity 10. christianity worship of God: the worship and adoration of God 11. sports game score of zero: a score of zero in sports and games, for example, tennis, squash, and whist
v (past loved, past participle loved, present participle lov·ing, 3rd person present singular loves) 1. vti feel tender affection for: to feel tender affection for somebody, for example, a close relative or friend, or for something such as a place, an ideal, or an animal 2. vti feel desire for: to feel romantic and sexual desire and longing for somebody 3. vt like very much: to like something or like doing something very much I love watching old movies on TV. 4. vt show kindness to: to feel and show kindness and charity to somebody love one another and love your neighbor 5. vt have sexual intercourse with: to have sexual intercourse with somebody (dated)
[Old English lufian , from lufu “love” (source of the noun). Ultimately from an Indo-European word meaning “to love,” which is also the ancestor of English libido, belief, and leave2 “absence.”]
See Usage note at enamored.Word Key: Synonymslove, liking, affection, fondness, passion, infatuation, crush, CORE MEANING: a strong positive feeling toward somebody or somethinglove used to describe a very strong, positive feeling toward somebody or something. It is used especially to talk about strong romantic or sexual feelings between people; liking used to talk about positive feelings toward somebody or something. These feelings are not as strong as those suggested by love; affection used to describe warm friendly caring feelings between people. It can also be used to talk about a liking for something such as a place; fondness used in a similar way to affection to talk about feelings between people. It can also be used to describe a strong liking or preference for something; passion used to describe an exceptionally intense love for somebody, usually of a strong sexual nature. It can also be used to refer to a strong liking or enthusiasm for something, sometimes of an excessive nature; infatuation used to describe an intense but short-lived and often unrealistic love for somebody, usually of a romantic or sexual nature; crush used to describe somebody’s strong feeling of attraction toward a person with whom he or she is not having a relationship. It is used especially to talk about teenagers and young peopleEncarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Is that what I think love is....no, these are words they only represent pixels on a screen.
I'm still looking for love's meaning. My suspicions are that it has something to do with how you feel about yourself - more than what you pour onto or into others, concepts or things.
But cannot say for certain, as I say, I'm still looking for loves meaning.

Thought #6

The thought that I could turn my head, lay my ear upon your chest and hear your heartbeat, extraordinary warmth and delight fill me.

lantern's lit

there is a gypsy in my midst...

I shall stop sucking my thumb

and follow this

heart tugging

fiddling sound...

blind justice

If you didn't see it, it never happened....

Palaygeriatricism..play...jer...is...m.

Eats shoots and leaves

or...

EATS, SHOOTS, AND LEAVES

never tell

some things are best left unsaid
shhhhhh..............

Captain's Captive

I'm always behind this wild, protective cover. It protects me from modern, quarrelsome... entities.

the art of silence

I had a dream that I could not explain but the next night the dream took on a twist that shocked me and sent shivers up my spine.

I dreamed about having a tumour removed successfully from my brain.
I was at home following the operation and relaxing in my pjs.
My house was on a hill and a balcony atop one layer of the structure afforded a breathtaking view of the surrounds. I had gazed out over the water and through the trees on so many occasions that the impression became almost routine. I suppose that my absence for a few days had imposed another perspective. Regardless, this day as I stared out, the giant fir tree that towered above both me and the very highest peak of my house took on a lopsided appearance. Having been trimmed back on the road side, it seemed to lean away from the road and into the house. Still in my pjs, I shuffled down to the shed by the gatehouse and yarded the long handled pruning sheers, back up to the house and through it until I was stationed on the balcony once again.
Knowing how unsteady I was, I carefully lifted the heavy implement over the rail and leaned on it for balance, it took me a minute to secure the offending branch in the teeth of the sheer and, pulling back on the spring hinged handle, was able to neatly clip it away. PERFECT! I sighed...this was proof to me that I would be able to function normally after the operation. I dragged the tool, heavy now, back over the rail and laid it gingerly on the decking.
When I straighted up to gloat at the achievment, my stomach flipped and nausea over took me.
The tree, now recovered in shape, was floating above and moving away from me. Higher and higher into the sky it drove upward like a toy rocket, in a steady, slow, movement. Silently.
I reached for the phone still gazing at the tree as it grew smaller. I dialed Mum.
Mum yelled, "You idiot! You've cut the damned thing off at the ground!" I hung up the phone.
Went back to the balcony.

A hum began, louder and louder until I had to cover my ears as my eyes scanned the scene.
Again, my stomach flipped, for there, in front of me, lowering gracefully onto the road was THE SPACE SHUTTLE! This really was too much, but there it was. Huge and loud and rumbling and coming to a full silent halt.

I uncovered my ears and stared. I heard sirens. A truck came first and a tent was erected right there on the road.

As I stared at the Shuttle I saw that a figure was slumped over the steering wheel. I thought, I didn't even know the Shuttle had a steering wheel. The next thing the figure was being pulled from the craft and carted on an emergency gurney to the tent.

I shuffled to the door and down the long drive. I was still in my pj's and when I passed through the tent flap, I faced my neurosurgeon. He was already making the first drill into the man's skull. "Will he be o.k?"
The surgeon looked at me and smiled, "Oh yes, he is going to be just fine."

I shuffled back up the drive and into my house, I called Mum.

"You won't believe this," I said, breathless, "the Space Shuttle just landed on the road in front of my house!"

I heard her let out a breath of exasperation, "Well, where else should it land?... it had to land somewhere!"

"At the airport," I yelled, "where airplanes are supposed to land!"

"Oh, don't be so stupid!" there, she slammed the phone down in my ear.

At that, I woke up. I had a terrible headache. I read in my e-news that the space shuttle had landed successfully...no mention was made of anyone with a brain injury or ailment. There had been no sightings of rocketing trees either.

QUANTUM expressionism

Today, I began studying again after a fairly long...sabatical is incorrect, rather delinquency.
Strange, as I rather enjoy studying, even that's a lie. I enjoy learning to do things that will make my life easier is more like.
Also, I like to know what I'm talking about, coming from a place of ignorance is not comfortable. So, when asked for an opinion or recommendation, I need to feel confident that I'm in a good place to give advice from.
I hate it when people yak off at the mouth and expect you to swoon at their brilliance. I don't ever want to be considered that person. And yet, I fear that I've already stepped over that line, more than a couple of times. That's just honesty speaking now.
When I think of it though, you really have to be careful when coaching, teaching, mentoring, whatever the heck you want to call it...because, consequences of leading people down the wrong path can be deadly.
When I think of the advice I've handed off so easily over the years, I cringe.
I hope people listen, but make up their own minds about things, carve their own path through the jungle.
Imagine living in the stone age for example. Did those innocent folk have "experts" to hand them manuals on how to do "life"? well I don't know of course,(not that old, just nearly) but if my suspicians are correct, the answer is no.
In my imagination, I picture an early male standing up and grunting away loudly, arms flapping, getting louder, and one of the group sauntering up and cuffing him upside the head, at which point the ambitious fellow would retreat, sitting back down, grunting in a softer tone before finally stopping, perhaps to watch a shooting star. I bet he even emmits a little quivering, high pitched croon while he watches it fall into the horizon.
Hey, I really like this guy, I think I'll name him UNO.