new game

i've had an absolutely HORRENDOUS day. after HOURS of typing a letter to a friend, i had it disappear in the blink of an eye (or more accurately with the click of a mouse). no ones fault but mine-- went to do a final save and then to print. printed a blank page. went back to the doc and sure enough... somehow i got distracted (or drunk...hmmm) enough to save a blank page over what was some of my best writing ever (mentioned before that letters often do catharse some of my better lyrics). makes a good argument for going back to the ink & pad. but i'm finally building up my typing speed...

anyhow, the stuff is lost. and so goeth my positive spirit...

until i started playing a new game i've come up with. ok, 'playing' and 'game' may not be the best adjectives for the activity; what do you think this is, a LETTER? n e who, what i've been doing is choosing one of the interests listed in my profiles section and, staying with the same one all day, viewing every profile/blog site with akin. today's was the MEDIAEVAL BABES, a world/folk group whose name definitely describes their music. the game most certainly helped improve my mood, and i've had a blast visiting all the diff. blogs. i envy those of you who 1.) live in England and particularly IRELAND, and 2.) even more so the ones not only there but all over the world whom have managed to make a living via your artistic passion-- all you painters and especially you WRITERS. (it seems an inordinate number of Mediaeval Babes' listeners earn a living via pen; maybe i needs have one o' their cd's wooing me while i sit here! doubt it would have helped me to save that letter, but migh help eke the caliber of these ramblings nearer those!!! ha!)

ah well, folks, almost time to go slave for some of that green bartering paper. come to think of it, even that aint true; the company has long since given up paper-paying and has gone to electronic means of dispensing compensation!

man, do i hope whoever is at the keyboard there come allocation day has a better one than i did!

why don't i leave ya with a tune from them Babes, and go join the Hermit with a cuppa...



more soon, folks

cygnus

What You Do With It...

Hello again, people...

I had a draft started last night.It mentioned Poe a couple of times. Funny...

I've been holding my peace about where the last 12 years of my life were spent; it's not really important where, but HOW. And with whom.

To demonstrate, I want to share some excerpts from a letter I received via snailmail a few hours ago...

"Job-wise I'm a 2nd shift janitor... Easy work and I have plenty of time for my fitness routine. That last has consisted of a Navy Seal workout for the past 5 weeks. Averaging 10-12 hours anaerobic and 25-30 miles running a week.

Writing a lot, too. Mostly Horror stories. Last one did was 40 typed pages... Trying to write and draw a bit every day. Exersize both hemispheres of the brain, dig?

Speaking of working the brain-- memorized 'The Raven' by Poe. Took two months, but I'm the only one on the unit who can rattle off a 5-page poem from memory on demand.

...a fine thing, but it is now time for me to move on... to more lucrative Philosophic pursuits. I am now embarking upon a Promethian quest to find the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and eat of it. There is something there so empowering and ennobling that an entire monotheistic scare-tactic was invented in order to keep humans at bay. I demand to know what is in that Garden!"

So venture a guess where this man is-- where he is and has been and will be for years.

Military? Hmmm... Nice try, but thank you for playing; next contestant, please.

College? Nah-- already graduated.

Point is, folks, it really don't matter. It's not WHERE this man is, nor for how long; it is HOW he is.

My friend is not in a fun place, but I admire that he does not let that fact hold him down, physically or mentally.

Often we are forced to be at places and around people we really would rather not. Work comes to mind, as does standing in the D.M.V.( or nearly any other) line. Nice when we can share this time with a friend, but more often than not that won't be the case. During those times we can moan and complain, or we can spend our mental energy in a more productive fashion. When we keep our chins up and continue to pursue greatness even in the face of adversity, it can go a long way towards attracting to us those individuals who have achieved phenomenal success say we should be surrounded by-- those more successful than we are.

I'm gonna close by quoting a man oft-quoted by my friend; to use my friend's words, "a greater man than me".

Anton LaVey had three rules of social intercourse:

1. There are those who waste your time. Avoid them.
2.There are those who share your time. Enjoy them.
3. There are those who add to your time. Cherish them.


I cherish the moment when I'll recieve another letter from you, Johnny. Love, and Blessed Be.

More soon, folks...

Cygnus

All Connected...

Albert Einstein - “A human being is a part of the whole, called by us the 'universe', a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.”


Hello again, Folks...

I've been using a lot of the new-found (to me) gizmos from the afore-mentioned posts to not only revamp my site but to tag a lot of people with similar interests with comments. I want to take a moment here to offer thanks:

First and foremost to my technical support staff-- my only (to-date) loyal follower-- my uncle, the notorious Hermit Jim. Without you, so much of this site would be so much less... A heart-felt thank you and much appreciation, Sir Hermit.

And to those whom have paid my comments on and visits to your sites with reciprocate offerings, i also pay hommage (i noticed primarily artists, of many persuasions, are the ones to do this; can't be coincidence). i'd like to fancy myself inclusion in that (artist) category, with writing being my primary modus operandi.

All of us desire to reach a broader ... I loath the term audience, but for sake of speed (and lack of a thesaurus) i'll let it be ... Those of you who post on a regular-- read: daily or near-so-- basis, i will become a "follower"; it is my sincere hope that any who visit this site also take the time to link to yours, thereby achieving the above-listed goal for YOU, as well as me.

After all, what is the internet but a vast NETWORK, oui? And we all know the saying about "who you know".

I hope sincerely it is what we know as well, and that many of you find new fellowship (or is it followship?? ah, never mind...) through your personal means of expressing your creative streaks. it is my desire to help contribute via My Song's humble efforts.

Bill Gates - “There will be a day, not far distant, when you will be able to conduct business, study, explore the world and its cultures, call up any great entertainment, make friends, attend neighborhood markets, and show pictures to distant relatives — without leaving your desk or armchair. It will be more than an object you carry or an appliance you purchase. It will be your passport into a new, mediated way of life.”





More soon, folks...

Cygnus MacLlyr

Bits and Pieces

Hey Folks!
Glad to see ya back:)
Not sure what to write tonight, so I'm gonna add bits and pieces as I surf the web, letting moments of inspiration do the writing for me. Another post-prandial libation or three down the road and things could get very interesting:)

First thing that popped up: can you spot the swan in the following painting? I did right away, but hey--look @ my call sign!ha!!

(Painting by Rebekka Pierre. Visit Her @ Abstract Inner Visionz)




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Hey by golly !!! Only took me about half a hand of time and a small (ok, maybe two).. uh.. "enhanced" soda to import the url! I improve. bit by bit:)
NOW what?!? Hang loose....

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Man it's getting late... or early, depending on perspective. 0342 local, which makes it approx. 0842 Carrauntoohil time...
Good thing I'm off of work menana. One of the best things about ANY job-- the days off!!! Don't gotta shave; can sit around in socks and skivvies (no peeking, ladies!ha!); surf the web. Or SLEEP-- a highly underrated activity, that...

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Still Cruisin'.....

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Man, this is currently WAY too short to sign off now...

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None the less, I shall.

More soon, people. Mayhap "later" (and) "today"...
Blurry terms when you call your personal "night" finis @ 0520...

Back in a few...

Cygnus

Follow The Hand...

Well folks,

I've learned quite a bit tonight, and from the oddest source...
MY OWN BLOG.
Seems I was born in the (Chinese zodiacal) year of the Ram.
Makes sense to me, having been born an Aries... but I understand it doesn't always work out that way-- in fact the chances are inly 1 in 12 (and when we multiply 12 signs by twelve Houses, the odds read more like 144%...)

Another thing I learned by "following the hand"-- i.e. clicking on a phrase when the mitten icon shows (versus the arrow icon)-- is that if your interest is, say, the Mediaeval Babes, and it is linked (underlined) involuntarily, click on it and it will list others on the blogger that have a similar listing in their profiles.

I understand this may be eye-rolling elementary for the majority of you hackers out there; for me it could be a gods-send, a way to connect w/ other like-minded Folk and, minimally, a way to discover who else may be typing similar related topics I may be curious to browse.

Mayhap, yes, even to build a larger following:)

's what it's about, non?

Non, mais it'd still be cool, because it would mean more of those folk who DO share common interests would be (at least semi-) interested in your take on it all.

All that, and that I am an Aries (that much I knew:)) born in my very own year!!!( That is news to me). And that is one of those topics whereupon, with further research, I'll be able to demonstrate to you faithful followers how Magic IS such an integral part of my being.

For the night, though, I'm gonna log off and see if anymore Metallica fans are as beautiful as Rosie...

More Soon, Folks

and Thanks to Mannanan and Ayla the Fire Goddess for the knowledge...

Cygnus

Too Much Input...

Look here people...
Its not that I'm short of ideas for tonight's post; quite the contrary-- I have SO MANY that way too much research needs be done B4 I can produce anything linking my thought pattern to some similance of coherency (is that a word?... as a writer, if I type it, it IS.)

I have a lot of Irish Genealogical digging to do, but good to know I am at least a bit ahead o' the "game" (dontcha hate that term?....... I do).
Anyhow, I'm suffering from a bit of info overload, and need to cull. And you know what Cygnus does in those sit-e-ations?!?

That's right--- INSERTS A POEM!!!!

Now hang on, folk-- especially you of a sea bent, you salty dawg, you...
Not more o' that sappy sh*t you might usually find here. Until I can sort out the whole Carlisle-McLaury rigamarole [I swear, some days I don't know whether to buy myself a beer or beat myself up] -- or at least 'till the morrow, whichever comes first ( and my euros are on the morrow, my friends...)-- I leave you with this.
Love ya. Hope you enjoy:)


LEAGUES APART (by James McLaury)

"Land ho! Off the starb'ard bow!"
from the watchman comes the shout.
Hands drunk and sober come about;
hands cracked and calloused shade their brow

and spot to leeward, starb'ard, out
across the diamond-sparkled sea
just inside a league and three
an island rise-- majestic; stout.

"Reef main and jib, and come to port
three clicks! weigh anchor 'round the back!
Afore night falls and tide goes slack
we'll dance reels 'round a fire ashore!"

Hands move for'ard, others aft;
hands--elsewhere uncoordinated
here confident-- negotiated
reef half a fathom 'neath her draft.

So long before the stars come out
and crown both isle and tropic sea
the crew, bayed safely in the lee,
reel 'round bonfire, and drink, and shout.



Thanks for all your support, folks (do I sound like Bartyles and Me here,People?:) :)
More Soon
Cygnus

(I'm Having) A Bit O' The Irish Sorrows...

I'm just wondering, folks, if any of you have seen Caer Ibormeith of late...

I heard her calling me again just this night. Y'see, there I was minding my own, looking for the swan that was to adorn this very site (and yes, I recognize the irony-- bear with me and you may,too), when of a sudden Celtic Woman began singing The Voice.



I dropped the mouse. I sat there in thrall. Here was a most hauntingly ethereal voice from a beautiful woman singing words that tore at my soul and left me crying like a teenage girl who has just realized Leonardo DeCaprio has no clue of her existence; tears of longing creating a trail straight to my heart I wonder why no woman will follow.

WHERE IS SHE?

Caer I., whose name translates to Yew Berry, is another of those children from Irish Mythology. She was a vision in a dream of Oengus'. Her beauty was such that he traveled the length and breadth of fair Eirrean in search of her, wasting away with longing to the point of near death. Eventually he finds her,but of course (this is Irish folklore, remember?) she is cursed. She and her 150 maidens must spend every other year in the form of (anyone care to venture a guess here?)...SWANS.

Did I mention that whilst all of this singing (Celtic Woman's) and crying (mine) was going on, I happened to be at a point in my search for the afore-mentioned photo, that had me gawking in awe at a sketch titled "Playing with the Swans" ?

You may tell me that magic wasn't at work; I'll never believe ya.

And you may tell Yew Berry that I'm looking, and waiting, and near the point of...

Y'see, I know she is out there. I know as well as Oengus that she doesn't exist only in my dreams. I know some day she'll show up as magically as all these related themes showed up at the very moment I sat down to type her out of my head and heart and give her existence here in writ. I know her voice cries out some nights as loudly as my own-- it's as if those nights I hear that voice as it carries from the waters of the Shannon and across the Atlantic to my bent ears here in l'il ol' Texas.

On second thought, you needn't tell her.

She knows. She's read the tales and believes in Magic, too...

More Soon, Folks.

Cygnus