Holy Tired Framents Batman!

I just haven't been motivated to write on the blog lately.

There's not really an over-riding reason why. Just ya know, blah de dah. Sorry to my one long-time reader. Maybe there are even two of you hiding there.

If you're getting this reference you are a winner in my book.  

We were given a new TV back in December (for the record we have been married 10 years and never paid for a TV) - this is our first flat screen and I feel very sleek and futuristic now. Anyway, we don't have cable and for some crazy reason our TV couldn't pick up NBC. No biggie because basically the only thing we watch on broadcast TV is: Castle, the occasional local news at 10 PM and my wife watches Grey's Anatomy. That's it.  Oh, and college football from time to time.

Anyway, my SOULMATE says, we need to re-tune it, to get NBC for the Winter Olympics. I'm like, okay, so I retune the sucker, move the antenna around a bit and get NBC, problem solved. Hubby is a Hero. Do you know how much our family has watched of the Olympics now? That's right, ZERO. Zilch. None thus far. All this is to say, now our tuner has trouble picking up PBS and ABC. GAHAHAAH! Seriously, though, I didn't mind I just think it's funny.

The only sport I am remotely interested in watching would be curling. About ten years ago I watched curling for the first time with a group of friends (oh yeah, we were drinking). It was awesome. Truly, it is a "sport" that should be watched while drinking and while staying ignorant to the rules. I think if I bothered to know more about the sport it would just ruin it.  I just want to senselessly watch it and mindlessly cheer for random countries to glory in curling.

Started writing a few songs on Audacity a few weeks back.  Basically a capella numbers (my voice is the guitar and drums) with layered backup voices. Fun stuff. The wife thinks I am crazy. She has a good point.

I went to a Weezer tribute concert here in town last week. 1 really good band, 1 really awful band and 2 okay bands. Still, fun. One band even played Jamie and Longtime Sunshine. That was cool.  I hadn't see an amateur band in ages so it was kinda weird being able to be think things like, "yikes, that sucked"; "I can sing better than this"; "why can't they find a back-up singer?"; etc.

Also, work is kinda crazy - working on dethroning the powers that be is more fun than I thought. The quote from the Gandhi movie keeps coming into my head every other day:

"...(W)hen you are fighting in a just cause, people seem to pop up – like you (to help)– right out of the pavement."

Working for justice is energizing.

It's Saturday and I got stuff to do, but it's time for a PIC DUMP.  It's been too long and you deserve it.

Might need to be a Ramones fan to like this one

 

 

 

Well, I assumed the human race was doomed, but this is surprising.

 

Drummers don't get any respect.

 

 

 

 

G'night kids and don't forget to take out the trash, there's probably something rotting in there anyhow. 

The Ineffability of Life

It's an experience we've all had. A feeling or thought comes over you but can't find the words that would "do it justice". It might be a spiritual experience or a moment with your lover or child.  This feeling might come when you find yourself in nature, experiencing something of great beauty alone. Or maybe it's even simpler- you find yourself unable to explain why you love a certain song or film or even food. Suddenly, language can seem ill-suited to communicate exactly how you feel. In fact, the act of communication seems to rob the experience of its beauty and pulls you further away from understanding. 

Here's a Daoist take on this ineffable feeling from Zhuangzi:

Duke Huan was reading a book in the hall. Wheelwright Pian, who had been chiseling a wheel in the courtyard below, set down his tools and climbed the stairs to ask Duke Huan, "May I ask what words are in the book Your Grace is reading?"  "The words of sages." the Duke responded.  "Are these sages alive?"  "They are already dead."
 
“That means you are reading the dregs of long gone men, doesn't it?"
 
Duke Huan said, “How does a wheelwright get to have opinions on the books I read? If you can explain yourself, I’ll let it pass otherwise, its death."  Wheelwright Pian said, ‘‘In my case I see things in terms of my own work. When I chisel at a wheel, if I go slow the chisel slides and does not stay put; if I hurry, it jams and doesn't move properly When it is neither too slow nor too fast I can feel it in my hand and respond to it from my heart. My mouth cannot describe it in words but there is something there 1 cannot teach it to my son and my son cannot learn it from me So I have gone on for seventy years, growing old chiseling wheels The men of old died in possession of what could not transmit. So it follows that what you are reading is their dregs."

Here he is, Zhuangzi himself (or at least that's what Google told me). Of course no one really knows what he looked like but this guy looks "with it" enough for me.

It's a wonderful little story (well, besides the fact Pian was threatened with his life for only a passing comment).  I think the metaphor the Wheelwright makes is apt - we often have a hard time teaching someone to do something that is easy for us to do physically.  Without looking at your keyboard, try imagining telling someone who has never typed, which fingers to use to type out a specific sentence. Or try to imagine explaining to a non-bipedal alien how you walk,chew gum and talk all at the same time. You know, you just do it. The larger point is that the written word and the spoken word are more like shadows than we perceive them to be. 

The Dao De Jing teaches that "the way" of the universe itself is ineffable,  as the first chapter states, "The way that can be spoken of  -  Is not the constant way; The name that can be named." To think you know how to define the way means you're already wrong. Daoists are content with this mystery and  like other Eastern philosophies, Daoism stresses contentment over striving. Peacefulness over activity.  There are limits to human knowledge and intuition so we should individually be satisfied with the little that we do have. The desire for more, whether it be for knowledge or wealth leads to destruction.


This feeling of ineffability is (in part) behind why artists create art. Because "I love you" or "That's really pretty" can't cut it; so we create and attempt to transcend normal reality.  We strive for describing this truth and yet, there is a kind of beauty in this paradox. We are trapped inside our brains with no way to directly share our experiences (yet).  No one can fully understand you (if even you can understand yourself). However, these private, indescribable moments can stay with us forever, to be treasured  in our solitude.