Rory’s S’mores

Another Guy Called Bloke Production!

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At what point in our lives do you think we think we are good enough?

Speaking only for myself… never! I wake every day knowing there are goals to achieve and improvements to make.

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In life, what do you consider beautiful?

Cats, poetry, art of various forms, nature (flowers, sunsets, birds, butterflies, etc.), and of course my family.

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Do you think that when we dream, we can dream within a dream? But if you don’t dream, why do you think that is?

Yes, definitely. I have dreamt about dreaming.

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How do you manage your stress or do you not suffer from stress?

It varies. I don’t handle stress well at all, so I try to eliminate it at the source ~ this is why I gave up dating, where others persevere through unpleasantness. I can’t tolerate the bad. It literally makes me sick. But some things can’t be helped; stuff appears out of the blue. I will get physically ill and have to deal with that. I’ll get migraines and take medicine. My sleep will suffer. Etc. I severely manage down interactions with people so that my stress is minimized.

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Are there things or maybe just one thing you wish to achieve before you die?

I did want to have success as a writer, but I don’t see that happening. I’m not talented enough, nor do I have the patience to endlessly slog away on a novel anymore when I can get instant feedback via short blog posts.

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Some experience many things during their lifetimes, but do you think there is something that everyone should experience at least once?

No.

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Are you afriad to be different? To stand out from the crowd, to push away your peers if needs be and say “I am ME!”

No. I’m more afraid of being one of them, though generally I blend in wherever I go, at least superficially. I realize that sounds contradictory, but it’s not. I blend in just enough so that no one notices/bothers me, and then I get away as fast as I can to be apart from them.

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Which do you think is easier ‘to hate or to love?’

To hate obviously. Humans are all about forming groups and excluding other humans in order to hate and possibly kill them.

FPQ18: A-hole Artists

This week’s provocative question was spurred by the recent headlines about R. Kelly and Michael Jackson. A Lifetime docuseries, “Surviving R. Kelly,” along with Kelly’s bizarre interview with Gayle King of CBS News, has sparked renewed interest in allegations of sexual abuse, manipulation, and inappropriate encounters with girls and young women. And HBO’s documentary about Michael Jackson, “Leaving Neverland,” which focuses on his alleged sexual abuses of young boys, has also put his inappropriate sexual proclivities under the spotlight.

As a result of the highly inappropriate behavior of these two artists, many radio stations have ceased playing their recordings and people are removing their songs from their personal playlists.

So, my question this week is about whether or not you think it’s possible to separate the art from the artist.

“When you learn about highly regarded artists being accused of inappropriate sexual behavior, especially with minors, can you separate the artists from their art, or would you refuse to listen to, watch, or read the artists’ works?”

Great question! First, I want to say that I am not convinced of MJ’s guilt by the conflicting testimony of people motivated by profit, especially given the fact that he’s no longer around to defend himself. But that’s a side issue to the question. My basic answer is that I do not separate the art from the artist. But in reality I am a bit more nuanced.

For example, I am disgusted with Woody Allen, from what I’ve read about him. He may not be a criminal, but he’s icky. And I don’t want to financially support that, no matter how “great” an artist he may be. So, I would not spend money on him. But if someone else had one of his films that I know I like (I only enjoy the ones where he isn’t a main character), I might re-watch.

Another example is Mel Gibson. He doesn’t fall into the above categories; he’s merely an anti-semite. Yes, I know he “apologized.” I think very little of apologies, especially from men after they’ve been caught doing something wrong. It’s easy for me not to spend money on any MG film, since I never liked him in the first place. The rest of you can wrestle with your consciences.

But what about the musical artists Fandango mentioned specifically? Okay. I don’t listen to R. Kelly, so he’s irrelevant to me. I do listen to old MJ songs sometimes, though I’m not a superfan. I will continue listening to them. I don’t see the big deal ~ he’s dead. I’m not enriching him.

What we need here is an example of a live artist I liked, who totally disappointed me, in order to discover what I would do. Luckily, we have such an example: Sean Penn. I loved him in several movies, such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Carlito’s Way. Then he became a traitor, so I quit liking him, and I will never see another one of his films.

NB: I don’t really want to debate the traitor thing. I respect that people have other views. This isn’t Facebook and I don’t intend to host a flamewar. I have no problem deleting nasty comments. Thanks for understanding. 🙂

Monday Night Share

Heyyy! It’s me! With my nighttime post.

QUESTIONS from Melanie:

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?  If you don’t think Heaven nor God exists, you might want answer by saying something outrageous, just for fun!

“MEOW”

 What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

The fact that Game of Thrones will soon be over and gone forever.

 What do you think about when you’re alone in your car?

 That I should do my will and health directive thingie.

How would you rate your memory? 

Vastly variable. Sometimes I can remember trivia from ages ago; other times I can’t remember something important from last week. At work, I write everything down, which helps immensely, but otherwise it’s just like whatever. Have I mentioned I make a zillion lists? This is why. In general, if I don’t care about something, I’m not too likely to remember it.

And lastly:

What’s one song that always cheers you up, no matter how blue you’re feeling?

Sorry, can’t choose only one!

Thought Provokers

Another Guy Called Bloke Production!

Wait! Lemme put my thinking cat on…

What is one life lesson that you have had to learn the hard way?

Trim your thinking cat’s claws before you place him on your head (ouch!).

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What can you do today that you were not capable of a year ago?

Being a grandma! (Gbaby born June 2018.)

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What is the difference between living and existing?

Ten million dollars.

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If the average human lifespan was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?

I’d be dead.

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If the average human lifespan was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?

I’d still be dead.

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Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?

The first one of course. The right things are so subjective.

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What impact do you want to leave on the world?

None.

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What impact do you want to leave on the world?

Okay fine, winning the Mega Billions and saving all the cats.

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To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?

Not a lot.

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Beyond the titles that others have given you, who are you?

A mystery wrapped in a riddle and covered in cat hairs.

FPQ 17: Misty Memories

So, I decided to ask a question about human memory, which has been shown to be incredibly unreliable. With that in mind, here is this week’s provocative question:

“How do you know which of your memories are genuine and which have been altered over time or even made up?”

We don’t. We’ve all read a novel or three where it turns out that every memory the protagonist thought was real had been implanted for some nefarious purpose. Or in the case of The Key to Midnight, real memories were erased in order to save a person from being murdered. (Shock! When I looked up this book just now to make sure I remembered it accurately, it turned out that yes I did, but the author was using a ‘nym. It was actually written by the horror writer Dean Koontz!)

But in reality, most of us are not so special that gobblement operatives are screwing with our minds. More than, you know, shoveling subliminal political messages at us on Facebook and stuff obviously. I think we can rest assured that we’ve not been whisked off to a medical lab in the middle of the night by agents in black suits and our heads flooded full of fake thoughts.

Many of our so-called real memories can be at least somewhat verified by photographic evidence and the accounts of other people who were present. We can usually nail down dates and locations of events ~ though not always, as Fandango points out, which gave him the idea for his post. And there’s also the problem of many similar events blurring together over time. Or something that sounds so real it feels like it must have happened, but was only discussed vividly and repeatedly.

My parents are gone, so now I’m the only one to tell my daughters stories about the past. I hope they’re correct, but there really is no one around to check me. There are things I was told and never questioned, but sometimes I wonder about them now. It doesn’t really matter though… soon all this will be swept away like it never was.

Of course, there’s a world of difference in trying to be honest and accurate, but getting a few details wrong or even an entire setting because your memory went blip, and deliberately gaslighting or being deceptive with the goal of hurting a person for your own benefit, whatever that benefit may be, financial or otherwise. Those things have been done to me and I don’t forgive the people who did them.

Reckoning

Follow the birds,

The laughing ravens

On velvet wings.

As the clouds let loose

Their final reckoning,

Expect no chivalry;

The trial is over

And love won’t save you–

It’s much too fragile.

You should have chosen

Honor,

As they told you.

Keepsakes

I believe in science

But also secret signs:

The iridescent bubbles,

The magic of the numbers.

Everything has meaning

When you’re learning

How a heart breaks

For the first time

(And the last time).

Everything’s a keepsake

When you filter for your tears;

Every song’s an elegy,

Written for the disappeared.

I find comfort in the torment

Of another haunted melody.

The Friday Four

A Guy Called Bloke Production

1] If you are in a bad mood, do you prefer to be left alone or have someone to cheer you up?

Left alone.

2] What’s the one thing that people always misunderstand about you?

I write fiction: I’m not my characters, nor do I secretly wish to be them.

3] What do you think about when you’re by yourself?

Prioritizing all the things I have to do.

4] What are three things you value most about a person?

Kindness, sense of humor, creativity.

Bonus Series 1 Question

If heaven is real and you died tomorrow, would you get in?

Not according to the posted rules.

Share Bear 🐻

Sparks has another installment of Share Your World for us today.

^^^ There’s a lil taste of SoCal for anyone who might be wondering about the glam life I lead out here on the Left Coast.

QUESTIONS:

What, in your opinion, is the point to life?

– There is no point. What I mean by this is that I don’t believe we will be rewarded or punished by a supernatural force who is keeping track of our good and bad deeds on a holy spreadsheet. If something is good, then we should do it because it’s good, not for points. Live a good life now, and don’t do bad things. Why not? Because they’re bad. If you’re an adult, you shouldn’t need a cookie for not being bad. Mmm cookies! Maybe cookies are the point? Note to self: more research needed.

What was your most recent lie?  You don’t have to get really specific obviously.

– I’ve quit lying. No, that’s not a lie! The reason I used to lie so much was due to my upfucked romantic situations. Some of the lies were told because I legit perceived some men as threatening, physically or emotionally. Some were simply told out of convenience. Some to spare guys’ feelings, rightly or wrongly. But all that is over. What a blessed relief!

What country do you consider the strangest?   (it’s all In fun folks, ALL countries may seem strange to outsiders)

– The USA. I’m saying this both because I’m unfamiliar with other countries and cuz I do think we’re a bit weird here. Take our politics. Please! Take it away, far away. And we’re so bizarre about sex, both fetishizing it and acting so damn Puritanical about it. I mean, we love our skimpily dressed stars, but GOD FORBID one of them breastfeeds her baby in public. Ewwww boobs. Gross! Put that thing away. Do it in the bathroom.

What’s your funniest story involving a car?

– Hard to choose. How about the time I was driving my daughter home from a trip to register for something or other at UCSD, was trying to find a place for lunch off the freeway, ended up in the wrong lane, and got trapped into the visitors’ line at the marine base. Once in the line, you were not allowed to escape. And it was a long damn line. We almost starved to DEATH! When we got up to the front, I explained that we only wanted lunch and the nice marine dude said this happens and told me how to turn around and leave. So embarrassing. We found a Hawaiian barbecue place around 2pm and decided it was the best food ever, but it really wasn’t. When I had it again another time, I realized it was only bland chicken and macaroni salad.

GRATITUDE

Do you have something you’re very thankful for or that showed immense kindness toward yourself or someone?

– Heat. It’s been really cold here. I’m extremely grateful to whoever discovered fire, and I’m betting it was a woman. Why do we assume it was a man? We’re the ones who are always freezing! 🥶

Song Lyric Sunday: Music

I was just talking about “Gold” with a friend the other week because I never realized John Stewart was singing Kanan. I thought he was driving over canyons, from the Valley to Hollywood (Laurel Canyon, Coldwater Canyon, etc.). But nope it’s Kanan, and this great video illustrates that as well. Love Stevie Nicks helping out too. John wrote the song in 1979; Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham recorded it with him. John died in 2007, RIP.

Jim has music for one of the set of prompt words today. 🎶

When the lights go down in the California town
People are in for the evening
I jump into my car and I throw in my guitar
My heart beatin’ time with my breathin’
Drivin’ over Kanan, singin’ to my soul
There’s people out there turnin’ music into gold

Well my buddy Jim Bass past he’s a-workin’ pumpin gas
And he makes two fifty for an hour
He’s got rhythm in his hands as he’s tappin’ on the cans
Sings rock and roll in the shower
Drivin’ over Kanan, singin’ to my soul
There’s people out there turnin’ music into gold

Ah the California girls are the greatest in the world
Each one’s a song in the making
Singin’ back to me I can hear the melody
The story is there for the takin’
Drivin’ over Kanan, singin’ to my soul
There’s people out there turnin’ music into gold

Drivin’ over Kanan, singin’ to my soul
There’s people out there turnin’ music into gold

When the lights go down in the California town
People are in for the evening
I jump into my car and I throw in my guitar
My heart beatin’ time with my breathin’
Drivin’ over Kanan, singin’ to my soul
There’s people out there turnin’ music into gold

Flyin’ over Kanan, singin’ to my soul
People out there turnin’ music into gold
People out there turnin’ music into gold
People out there turnin’ music into gold