Short stories and poems the author wishes to share
The Raliegh Rollers
Syncopate cacophony
Sounding like music.
Bells, bells, bells, one drum.
From tiny squeakers to bass
Harmoniously.
The creativity of the human being is impressive and wonderful. As many as five bells to a person, each ringing at just the right time!
There is a fine line
Separating what is past
From what is future.
That line, very thin,
Is where we live, the present.
There's no time like it.
Working more than one
At any given instant
Finished we move on
Presents have no time,
Only as long as it takes.
No solar measure.
Motion gives us time.
A reference to movement.
Presents make their own.
Haiku allows much to be said with few words. An intellectual exercise for the author and the reader.
Things falling apart?
You simply aren't in sync
With laws of physics
Serendipity rules
And things seem to go your way
When you are in sync
Environment makes all the difference. Change it and the results can be supportive or destructive.
Back from vacation one year, about 1966, I met a newcomer to the Hull Technical Department. He was a strange sort of character, who will remain anonymous even though he's probably dead, or so old it wouldn't make any difference. Let's call him Tom.
He didn't stay in the department long before he transferred to another of the technical departments, eventually he wound up in nuclear engineering, dealing with the reactors and associated problems.
He would wander into our work area from time to time just to shoot the breeze. I'd always ask him, "How's it going?" His reply woulde be, "Fine." then off we'd go into a discussion of some philosophical or technical topic.
That he was in several different departments turned out to be quite normal for him. He was reported to be a member of Mensa and I certainly think it was more than possible. The shipyard, for some reason, attracted some very high caliber people. It may still, but those were special times.
Tom was a strange character. He had a proclivity for moving around. He lived in a lot of different cities before coming to Newport News. In Newport News, he moved lodging often, never staying in one place for more than a couple of months. He'd lived all over town.
Then one day he told me he'd bought a somewhat large sailboat. He didn't sail, but he solved his moving problems. Now he simply cast off his shorelines and moved the boat to a different marina, something he did about as often as he once moved to a new rooming house. At some point he quit the area and went to Wahington, DC.
He came to mind a few days ago while I was writing in my journal. I have no clue as to why.
Obituary
John Anthony Lina
Born December 24, 1939
Left this world on June 20, 2048
Louisville, Kentucky
He was born into this world in Saint Louis Missouri on Christmas
Eve, a Sunday. He participated in life
to the fullest. He was raised Catholic and
eventually recognized that he, as well as everyone, was a collective noun. He went from this world in peace having lived
exactly 40,000 days.
He believed in good nutrition and fitness. He worked successfully as a student, surveyor,
shipbuilder, corporate executive, business owner, representative of France, and
actor, on stage, screen, and voice recording studios. He changed careers as opportunities became
apparent and he enjoyed each to the fullest.
Carola Winker and he were married on September 9, 1961 and remained
married until death did them part.
Together they are the proud parents of three children, Theresa, John,
and Margret. All of whom are
contributing members of society.
He was an educated man, known as an Actor, Raconteur, and
Gourmet.
God, collective noun
Earth is a collective noun
I am one as well
The collective noun has a tendency to over-simplify the real meaning of what is.
Advice is wasted
Unless it is requested
Opinions are worse
Stoicism is sometimes the source of some personal philosophy, even if we aren't intentionally using it. Another way of saying that Stoicism is pragmatic advice.