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Author Archives: A Pondering Mind
Opinions
“New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common.” ~ John Locke
I heed her advice
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International Community Of Readers
“More and more the writer is aware of an international community of readers for whom dense language use and frequent local references are a hindrance. This seems obvious. I don’t decry it or criticize it – it’s just a fact.” ~ Tim Parks, Novelist
The World We See
“The world we see that seems so insane is the result of a belief system that is not working. To perceive the world differently, we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds.” ~ William James
Expression Of An Opinion
“The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: ifContinue reading “Expression Of An Opinion”
“Who are we to tell anyone what they can or can’t do?” ~John Locke
Looking for a book I’ve been badly wanting to read. Where do I begin?
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Silhouette Photo of a woman looking out the window
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“Art is not the possession of the few who are recognized writers, painters, musicians; it is the authentic expression of any and all individuality.” ~John Dewey
John Dewey – Philosopher, 1859 – 1952
Coffee Menu
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A Question On The Wall
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The wording on the mug says it all
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Children
“There is frequently more to be learned from the unexpected questions of a child than the discourses of men.” ~ John Locke, Philosopher, 1632 – 1704
Reading Books
“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.” ~ Anna Quindlen
Yup I Do
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The Best Experiences
“With books at least, the best experiences are not when you find what you were looking for, but when something quite different finds you, takes you by surprise, shifts your tastes to new territory.” ~ Tim Parks, Novelist
I’ve been to this station in Denver
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Life Quote
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3 For 3
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My Philosophy
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I Second The Motion
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Only Way To Read A Book
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Early Sunsets
With daylight savings time done for the next four months… it won’t stop me from taking my early evening walks…I’ll admit that I enjoy it….even when there is snow and whatnot on the ground…plod on…plod on….
Great Advice
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“When you’re happy you enjoy the music, but when you’re sad you understand the lyrics.” ~Frank Ocean
Soooooo
you can’t have your cake and eat it too … fine … i don’t eat cake… _____________________ just tell it like it is
Human Emotions
“Sorry is the Kool-Aid of human emotions. It’s what you say when you spill a cup of coffee or throw a gutter ball when you’re bowling with the girls in the league. True sorrow is as rare as true love.” ~ Stephen King
Yup
sunday night sitting on the living room couch which is accommodating a retired person like me so…i have no qualms about it…yup
War
“War: a massacre of people who don’t know each other for the profit of people who know each other but don’t massacre each other.” ~ Paul Valery, Poet, 1871 – 1945
Judging People
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Relaxing Photo
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World
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett, Playwright 1849 – 1924
“I stop wanting what I am looking for, looking for it.” ~Antonio Porchia
Okay
nothing said nothing written nothing to read
All Truth
“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” ~ Arthur Schopenhauer
A Syndrome
so I have been self-diagnosed with brain fog syndrome no long term effects the only cure is to wait it out ________________________ just something to write – that’s what I did in my other life
Our Stories
“Our stories come from our lives and from the playwright’s pen, the mind of the actor, the roles we create, the artistry of life itself and the quest for peace.” ~ Maya Angelou
Its time
to put Columbus Day to bed and make the change to indigenous people day. They deserve it.
I
just go with the flow its a great feeling
The Key To Life
“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”Continue reading “The Key To Life”
Gloomy
day good for puttering around apartment good for kicking back relax good for taking a siesta good for doing anything a person chooses to do
Jack Kerouac
Finishing up Jack Kerouac’s novel: The Town and The City. Its the second time I have read it, and its an interesting read. The beginning of the book, he mentions the city I was born and raised in, the city I reside in now, and the river which is only two blocks away. When IContinue reading “Jack Kerouac”
Greed Is A Bottomless Pit
“Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction.” ~ Erich Fromm
October
now its October the days are getting shorter the air a tad cooler …. the leaves slowly turning their collective colors soon to be naked indicating winter is on its way
“Put down the pen someone else gave you. No one ever drafted a life worth living on borrowed ink.” ~ Jack Kerouac
Calm State Of Mind
alone at his favorite outdoor table while quietly thinking … blocking out the sounds of the traffic and people passing by … completely focused on the other world that he knows will never happen
One Sentence Story
the thought police are doing a number on the old professor’s head
Sundays
are for kicking back relaxing reading writing crosswords sports on the boob tube or… just being a lazy ass…
Interesting People
When I venture out for a walk, I sometimes meet some interesting people…from all walks of life. They could be dog walkers…people going or returning from an errand…the homeless… some of them I’ve gotten to know over the past few years…sometimes I’ll give them a dollar or two, as I know how it is toContinue reading “Interesting People”
“Stories only happen to those who are able to tell them.” ~Paul Auster
What is
what is reality what is real what is fake what is true not even going to try and figure it out just crawl back into my niche and live
The Creative Center Of A Writer’s Life
“Reading is the creative center of a writer’s life. I take a book with me everywhere I go, and find there are all sorts of opportunities to dip in. The trick is to teach yourself to read in small sips as well as in long swallows. Waiting rooms were made for books— of course! ButContinue reading “The Creative Center Of A Writer’s Life”
summer
came to an end at 3:21 pm past history in a flash like it was all a blur that was real
Walking Aimlessly
early morning coffee in hand pounding the pavement saying hi to everyone yet no plan as to where he is going
Knowing…Not Knowing
We have to cross the boundary between knowing and not knowing many times before we achieve understanding. ~David Hawkins
The Sound Of Water
Anyone who has become entranced by the sound of water drops in the darkness of a ruin can attest to the extraordinary capacity of the ear to carve a volume into the void of darkness. The space traced by the ear becomes a cavity sculpted in the interior of the mind. ~Steven Holl
“Man is the only creature that refuses to be what he is.” ~Albert Camus
Never complain. Never Explain. ~Katharine Hepburn
The Greatest Achievement
“The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.” ~ James Allen, Writer, 1864 – 1912
Being An Intellectual
“Being an intellectual creates a lot of questions and no answers. You can fill your life up with ideas and still go home lonely. All you really have that really matters are feelings. That’s what music is to me.” – Janis Joplin”
lost and found
its a perfect day to take a stroll, when a young female stops a few feet away. she has a dumbfounded look on her face… he stops dead in his tracks … excuse me… you look like you are lost… she replied… i am lost … do you need help… since you say that youContinue reading “lost and found”
“We relish news of our heroes, forgetting that we are extraordinary to somebody too.” ~ Helen Hayes
America…
“America… just a nation of two hundred million used car salesmen with all the money we need to buy guns and no qualms about killing anybody else in the world who tries to make us uncomfortable.” ~ Hunter S. Thompson
“The most beautiful curve on a woman’s body is her smile.” ~Bob Marley
A Writer’s Life
“Reading is the creative center of a writer’s life. I take a book with me everywhere I go, and find there are all sorts of opportunities to dip in. The trick is to teach yourself to read in small sips as well as in long swallows. Waiting rooms were made for books— of course! ButContinue reading “A Writer’s Life”
its been
so long since i used an alarm clock … probably wouldn’t know how to set one and even if i did … well
Strangers In The Park
Sitting on a park bench, reading one of his favorite authors, he noticed out of the corner of his eye, an acquaintance that he hasn’t seen in ages. He remembered her name, but as far some of the particulars go, they just passed right by him. He finally looked up, and said hello, and sheContinue reading “Strangers In The Park”
Why Me
It is one of those days, when nothing seems to go right for a number of reasons. So what were the things that ended up ruining the neighbor’s day. He looks out the window and sees that his car stolen…no milk in the fridge for his cereal…coffee maker shit the bed…later in the day…he burntContinue reading “Why Me”
People Are Strange
“People are strange: They are constantly angered by trivial things, but on a major matter like totally wasting their lives, they hardly seem to notice.” ~ Charles Bukowsk, Poet, 1920 – 1994
A Much Needed Change
With all the bullshit going with the Delta virus flaring up in his state, Jim decided to pack his bags, jump in his car, and head out of state. After driving north for the past four hours, he decided to keep going in the same direction. Eventually, he got on Interstate 95 North, and sawContinue reading “A Much Needed Change”
The Mind Loves The Unknown
“The mind loves the unknown. It loves images whose meaning is unknown, since the meaning of the mind itself is unknown.” ~ Rene Magritte, Artist, 1898 – 1967
Not What She expected
A rural upbringing, she decided to move to a big city. The realtor won her over with all the good things and the closeness to some of the best restaurants, cinemas, etc., etc…so she agreed to take the one bedroom apartment, which was on 12th floor. What she didn’t expect, was the littered sidewalks, trafficContinue reading “Not What She expected”
“Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.” ~Francis Bacon
A Sight For Sore Eyes
Saturday morning, he goes down to his favorite bakery to buy a couple of bran muffins and a coffee to go. As he is waiting for his order to be finished, he hears the bell atop the door ring, and what he sees is his ex-girlfriend from a few years back. It immediately brought backContinue reading “A Sight For Sore Eyes”
remember
the television show Route 66 starring Martin Milner… George Maharis…Glenn Corbett
“Those who fear the facts will forever try to discredit the fact-finders.” ~ Denis Diderot
Denis Diderot, Philosopher, 1713 – 1784
remember
when hamburgers cost 15 cents
Independent Thinkers
“A society with too few independent thinkers is vulnerable to control by disturbed and opportunistic leaders. A society which wants to create and maintain a free and democratic social system must create responsible independence of thought among its young.” ~ John Dewey, Philosopher, 1859 – 1952
Monday Evening 8:54 p.m.
the smoke from the west coast wildfires is really bad here in my part of the state…wore a mask while I took a walk… you can actually smell it too… shortly after 7:00..the sun was a ball of red as it was behind the smoke…its supposed to be a little better tomorrow…as I’ve had enoughContinue reading “Monday Evening 8:54 p.m.”
Monday Morning 9:13 a.m.
the air stinks from the wildfires out west…cut my walk short…can see the smoke on the horizon
sunday afternoon 4:44 p.m.
since its Sunday not much if anything is happening in my neck of the woods …that’s fine with me
sunday morning 10:07 a.m.
while spinning using the in stride cycle xl …i started a new book…. Invisible by Paul Auster… one of my favorite writers
11:54 a.m.
approaching noontime on the east coast the day is about to begin the second half
Six Words
wearing a mask again. staying safe.
Life Is Too Short
“I don’t care what people think about me. Never did, never will. Life is too short to be worrying about that shit.” ~ Amy Winehouse, Singer-songwriter, Born: September 14, 1983 – Died: July 23, 2011
thursday 3:41 p.m.
what to think…say…write…will it make sense…what to make of it…it looks and sounds daft to me
trifecta
coffee…couch…resting
Noble And Beautiful
“When you do something noble and beautiful and nobody noticed, do not be sad. For the sun every morning is a beautiful spectacle and yet most of the audience still sleeps.” ~ John Lennon
10:38 a.m.
all is well in the neighborhood love it
early morning
in the early morning hour of 4:30… its still dark and yet the early birds are chirping and tweeting… no other sounds are heard its a thing of beauty listening and also relaxing
Wake Up, America
“Wake up, America. The insurance companies took over health care. Wake up, America. The pharmaceutical companies took over drug pricing. Wake up, America. The speculators took over Wall Street. Wake up, America. They want to take your Social Security. Wake up, America. Multinational corporations took over our trade policies, factories are closing, good paying jobsContinue reading “Wake Up, America”
Dreaming
“Death is a sleep that ends our dreaming. Oh, that we may be allowed to wake before death wakes us.” ~ Petrarch, Poet, 1304 – 1374
Helping Others
“It is easy to sit up and take notice, What is difficult is getting up and taking action.” ~ Honore de Balzac
Dedication To A Friend
A few months back, I contemplated whether to continue blogging, or throw in the towel and call it a day. One of the first to email me, to say she would miss the things I post, and what not. Another follower from my local area, more or less said the same thing. Anyways, after aContinue reading “Dedication To A Friend”
Six Words
more rain later. bring it on.
yup
morning coffee will make the lousy weather a bit more tolerable
6:39 a.m.
dark. dreary. rainy. lightning. thundering start to the morning
so
went to the store as I needed to get a few things…when it was time for me to do what shoppers normally do at the register…the cashier had the personality of a sloth… when I was done, I was just shaking my head in wonder as to why they hire people like her…yikes
question
why don’t houses of worship have bedroom and living room sets
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