But it ain't all buttons and charts, little albatross.

Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris.

 

Today, Ash Wednesday, marks forty-seven days before the day of Easter, the Sunday perorating the season of Lent.  Now, those with rolling eyes, I can biblically discuss the whipsaw of good and evil forces that you are to repent for committing this past year, and cater my words and thoughts to the rights and orthodox of the situation, but I won’t.  No I will refrain because the rituals and reasoning of “it is what you are suppose to do because that is the way it is and has been done” are what draws many away regardless of the purpose and intent of the message.  I only ask that you give pause to such actions and try to learn of the root behind the practice, if to serve no other purpose then to enlighten yourself.

 

It may be simple to dismiss trivial objects in life, but like proponents of string theory I like to interconnect physical forms and metaphors that surround us.  So innocent is the lowly ash, but from it so much history and praise is given.  Important to the mythical firebird, the Phoenix, from them he gains rebirth.  Lore of this mighty bird, stem from mythology of the Egyptians, Phoenicians, and Greeks.  A myriad of peoples recognize the presence of forms of reincarnation, whether taken from the literal meaning “to make flesh again”, to prolong life or as a means of ascension after life.  Though they do not call it by the same name, the hope of something following the end is the common motif.

 

Such love and passion the Phoenix is given through the years, incarnations of its powers are passed in our culture and media.  In Medieval, dominated by Christian figures, this bird can be seen depicted along with Jesus.  The BBC television series ‘Doctor Who’ depicts the Time Lord with the ability to heal after a fatal wound by igniting his body, usually to reveal a younger self.  Jean Grey from the Marvel Universe and depending on what incarnation thereof, is miraculously reborn and alive after death cause by, depending on the verse, the suppressed identity of the Phoenix.  I am interested to watch this next episode of Lost to see how John Locke comes back to life.  If there is fire and ashes then the symbolism of the Phoenix was in the minds of the writers.  The depiction of this great bird continues to amaze, no matter the forum.

 

Surviving thousands of years, the stories and histories of an animal that, based on a lack of scientific evidence, never even existed.  Truly it is amazing and I will never understand the people that continue to say, “History is boring and stupid.”  History is in everything and even though the types of study that are most apparent in our school system focuses on our country, does not mean you are not allowed relate those events to parts of history that interest you.  Where does the problem lie?  It is in the tautological bases of a silver platter knowledge society. “Just tell me what I absolutely need to know to get by, nothing more and less if you can.”  And maybe some people are happy with that, or at least think they are happy going through the rhythms for the sake of “that is the way is was and shall be” while others blissfully flee.  Empower yourself, ask why.  Make illogical connections for the sake of doing so.  Ars gratia artis

 

This particular Blog is the start of a special series that I am calling Birds in Our Lives, with reflections on aspects and connotation of real and mythological birds.  Birds have fascinated man since the dawning of our time, first and foremost with the simple appearance they give to flight.  We now understand the complexity of such acts, still the joy and desire taunts us as we fixate on their flight.  From the tiny Ruby Throated Hummingbird that daintily zips from one hovered position to the next, to the aerial gliding of such birds as the Turkey Vulture, Snowy Owl, and the Great Albatross.

 

With love from Lodi,

 

Ben Hable

 

Thought is just ranting, if no one is there to listen.

 

 

 

Interesting tidbits below:

 

Word of the Blog – Brought to you by Dictionary.com:

Pleonasm (noun) – The use of more words than are necessary to express an idea; redundancy 

“There exists a plethora of words and phrases that suggest, that, many people try to sound smart by making an effort of lengthening there speech and effectively anything they say becomes a pleonasm and everything they say is just a redundancy of what they first spoke and further explanation of that which already was explained is not only unnecessary but truly inappropriate. Rather, speak little, bore people less.”

 

Ash Wednesday:

The practice of placing ashes on the forehead is taken from a tradition of throwing ashes over your head in a sign of repentance.  Therefore after receiving the ashes you should make a commitment to repent in the form of self denial.  They never explain well, why you give up something for lent and that is why so many don’t even make an attempt.  Self denial, such a simple form of inner strength, yet so few can master it.  In reality you are asked to do a few very simple things; fast on Fridays, and give up something that brings pleasure or at an even greater cost something that you believe is an interregnal part of your day.  The practice of self denial can be used to strengthen willpower and mental endurance, two things that I believe are the only ‘true cure’ to conquer emotional and psychological problems rather than a chemical ‘fix’. (I apologize for offending anyone, my belief is that prescription drugs can help but should only be a temporary stepping stone to a long term solution.  Vitamins and minerals especially if acquired through a proper diet, are not drugs and should be used to correct the body to the proper chemical balance.)  In this society of recreation and leisure, self denial appears too onerous of a task to fulfill.

 

Why Fish:

Fish was considered the poormans’ source of protein, it is a lowly meal not meant for taste but for health and energy.  However, with today’s culinary advances this seems to bring in question the relevance of a poormans’ meal.  Anyone can grow vegetables and catch fish for little to no money, the spirit of the fast is eating the most modest meal you can.  I’m thinking old fashion rolled oats (I just do not have easy access for Quaker wins my support), apples from the tree you found, water (or wintergreen tea if you picked the leaves yourself), and some baked bluegill (the most abundant fish in Wisconsin plus there probably is a lake near you).  Actually I would eat that everyday if I could get enough fishing in, mmmh bluegill.

 

Practice makes perfect, repetition makes tradition:

It should be noted that many societies suffer from “going through the motions”, whether it be in religion or politics.  From the polytheist, most notably the religions of the Greek Gods and Hinduism, to the ceremonies of today’s political elite, traditions hold its grip on society.  Using the Greeks as an example, even non-devotees and atheists would perform rituals and avoid superstitious behavior in the off chance that they were wrong in their beliefs.  Fear of something greater always loomed and practices passed down continue to this present day.

 

Phoenix Wiki page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(mythology)

The Precursor of Idealogy and Confounding Thought

For some time now, I’ve wished to write and characterize my thoughts that occur through out my weeks, but I only briefly did this in Myspace Blogs.  Let us forever call those the Dark Blogs of Insult to Humanity Through the Rantings of Insanity, and with the moving universe I am moving past them and tread to new ideals and situational thought drive by and to inspire.  There are so many ways to use the blogosphere and I chose this path so that you may get glimpses of irrelevant matter, which I believe defines a person better than major events.  Think of it this way, when someone notices the obscure, takes note, keep remembrance of it then there must be some greater underlying sudo-psychological draw that one places an importance in thereof.

I also want to explore writing and improving the use of my own grammar.  Recently I added the Merriam-Webster Word of the Day and Dictionary.com Word of the Day to my iGoogle homepage, and would like to make an effort to use them to burnish my blogs and hopefully increase my dabbling in the word of Scrabble and Up Words.  I remember of many times in school, they exclaim to write as you would speak; I disagree and propose to write as you would like to speak.  Pompous and high horsed as it may seem, but when others scold me for speaking above them I can not help but feel sorrow for the continued downturn of speaking properly and stunting ones advance of language.  No model of perfection, do I see in myself but if nothing less then the fact that I try, then all the spoils of success become steadfast to my apprehension.  The simplest of facts to why William Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers, whose works will stand against the test of time, can be established that; though listening with care you still forego understand his words, but a feeling and understanding of the situation envelops you, casting a sensation for his work.  Pity those who can not feel this, they are more lowly then the peasants of Shakespeare’s time, who found much to adore and laugh about during times of plague and pestilence.

Variation of topics on this blog are a must, but you may find reoccurring elements connected to events of certain matter.  One example I will give reflects a commonality to past oral conversation taking place soon after traveling for work, markedly this past time when I was on my continued quest to read one of various philosophical religious text.  This one being a work of Friedrich Nietzsche who, by proclaiming “God is dead”, is considered an atheist, but perhaps a thinker thinks just to think and unless expressively stated one can only assume the worse of him… etc to the end of time Angels trumpet and the sky burns.  But honestly it is important to think of the alternative to strengthen your beliefs and convictions and just by stating that the organization of religion of Europe in his time set in motion the cathedrals becoming the burial tomb of him “that which none is greater” (Kirkegaard) does not constitute, in entirety, his belief structure.  His true disdain was the unexamined self of blind followers and robotic preaching.

Perhaps I am wrong, perhaps I am not, that is why I seek and so this blog begins with a madman who lit a lantern in the bright morning hours.  Did he lose his way like a child?  Becoming lost, maybe the only way to find your way again.

With love from Lodi,

Ben Hable

Thought is just ranting, if no one is there to listen.

 

Interesting tidbits below:

Word of the Blog – Brought to you by Dictionary.com:

Gerund - A form of a verb that ends in -ing and operates as a noun in a sentence: “Thinking can be painful.”

Nietzsche’s Parable of the Madman:

http://www.historyguide.org/europe/madman.html