Thinking of you wpainterw Bill
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Originally Posted by wpainterw 
Hi Mera!
An invitation to the Hotel Byron! Rather odd fellow. His books were so popular that even first editions are not rare. Keats' first volume is on the other hand very rare since nearly everyone hated it, even the publisher who offered to buy all the copies back. To me, Byron is interesting primarily because of his eccentric relatives. One is said to have reclined on the floor to conduct cockroach races on his bare chest, Another in a rage killed his coachman and drove the carriage back home, perhaps with the corpse sitting beside him. Rather histrionic one might say! Overdoing it.Strange family. Even my family seems conventional compared to his. Have little fondness for cockroaches no matter how fast they travel.
Bill.
An invitation to the Hotel Byron! Rather odd fellow. His books were so popular that even first editions are not rare. Keats' first volume is on the other hand very rare since nearly everyone hated it, even the publisher who offered to buy all the copies back. To me, Byron is interesting primarily because of his eccentric relatives. One is said to have reclined on the floor to conduct cockroach races on his bare chest, Another in a rage killed his coachman and drove the carriage back home, perhaps with the corpse sitting beside him. Rather histrionic one might say! Overdoing it.Strange family. Even my family seems conventional compared to his. Have little fondness for cockroaches no matter how fast they travel.
Bill.
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Mera, I completely agree with you. I try to avoid **** roaches (interesting bit of computer "editing"!) as well as boa constrictors, octopi, giant squid, pythons and electric eels. I much prefer panda bears, koala bears, rabbits and have been heavily addicted to dogs for 87 years. Cats are of course inscrutable but I love them too,
Bill
Bill
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Dear Mera:
I have ordered and look forward to reading "Love's Executioner" where a psychiatrist recounts patients facing death. I am very fond of Dylan Thomas' elegy on his father's blindness, actually (many misconstrue it as dealing with impending death): 'Rage! Rage! Against the Dying of the Light". In an unexpected light hearted way I have acquired a cemetery lot and have designed a tombstone. I have the ashes of three English Setters on my bedroom bookshelf. Some of these will be buried in our back garden. As for my wife and me, we hope to have a New Orleans marching band to and from and maybe a horse drawn vehicle with glass windows. A first class bomb shelter if Putin gets out of hand preempting our Commander in Chief!
Bill
I have ordered and look forward to reading "Love's Executioner" where a psychiatrist recounts patients facing death. I am very fond of Dylan Thomas' elegy on his father's blindness, actually (many misconstrue it as dealing with impending death): 'Rage! Rage! Against the Dying of the Light". In an unexpected light hearted way I have acquired a cemetery lot and have designed a tombstone. I have the ashes of three English Setters on my bedroom bookshelf. Some of these will be buried in our back garden. As for my wife and me, we hope to have a New Orleans marching band to and from and maybe a horse drawn vehicle with glass windows. A first class bomb shelter if Putin gets out of hand preempting our Commander in Chief!
Bill
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Nothing wrong with a little planning Bill. And nothing wrong with speaking about death or our fears surrounding it. We live in a culture where it is often not spoken about, but it is, unfortunately (or fortunately?) a natural part of the life cycle.
It is not exactly a cheery topic, but again, inevitable, and if it is something you think about or worry about (as one is apt to do in many circumstances, though I am sure even more so as you age) it is good to talk about it. I think you will love the book and his thoughts on "existence pain" He follows one patient all the way to his death from cancer, I won't give too much away, but it is a grand story of redemption and peace.
On the other end of the spectrum we have the experiences and newness of babies and children. Today I am taking the group of refugees I help to the beach. The babies have never seen the sea (the mothers have, in a horrific way on their torturous and terrifying trip over). They want to bring the children to play in the sand and water. I cannot wait to see their faces. It reminded me of this video. Unfortunately it is all in Italian, but the title is "The first time, the world discovered by children" and is short video clips of children doing something for the first time." I think the video is self-explanatory. Each scene opens with the name and age of a child and says "she has never played the piano" or whatever it is that the child has never done before. Very tender and sweet. I remember one time at the grocery store my son asked what a coconut was. I explained to him it was a strange looking fruit with liquid and a chewy fruit inside, we picked it up and looked at it and he asked if we could buy one and try it. It was expensive, but I thought of this video and said "ok" We brought it home and got out a screwdriver and hammer, set up the table outside, the kids were so excited! We opened it and tasted it and it was just magical to see their faces. Enjoy this video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx-4rva2_ZQ
It is not exactly a cheery topic, but again, inevitable, and if it is something you think about or worry about (as one is apt to do in many circumstances, though I am sure even more so as you age) it is good to talk about it. I think you will love the book and his thoughts on "existence pain" He follows one patient all the way to his death from cancer, I won't give too much away, but it is a grand story of redemption and peace.
On the other end of the spectrum we have the experiences and newness of babies and children. Today I am taking the group of refugees I help to the beach. The babies have never seen the sea (the mothers have, in a horrific way on their torturous and terrifying trip over). They want to bring the children to play in the sand and water. I cannot wait to see their faces. It reminded me of this video. Unfortunately it is all in Italian, but the title is "The first time, the world discovered by children" and is short video clips of children doing something for the first time." I think the video is self-explanatory. Each scene opens with the name and age of a child and says "she has never played the piano" or whatever it is that the child has never done before. Very tender and sweet. I remember one time at the grocery store my son asked what a coconut was. I explained to him it was a strange looking fruit with liquid and a chewy fruit inside, we picked it up and looked at it and he asked if we could buy one and try it. It was expensive, but I thought of this video and said "ok" We brought it home and got out a screwdriver and hammer, set up the table outside, the kids were so excited! We opened it and tasted it and it was just magical to see their faces. Enjoy this video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx-4rva2_ZQ
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Here you go Bill (and anyone else interested) here is a video tour of my little garden. It is long, I didn't realise it got so long! But you can see what grows in Italy. This has really and truly one of my very favorite sober activities. I love spending time out in the yard working. If I ever have a craving (thankfully few and far between these days) I head out there and start digging around, finding a project or two to distract me. I also love mowing the grass, I find it so relaxing. I actually love anything that "crosses the ground " in that way- vacuuming, mopping, raking leaves, mowing the grass. I think the fact that you move forward and then see your progress (dirt being sucked up in your path, cleaned, leaves being moved, grass cut down.... is soothing in some way. Very strange I know, but those are cleaning activities I find very relaxing and don't mind doing. Ironing on the other hand... I hate!
https://scontent-mxp1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...05&oe=59747B7C
https://scontent-mxp1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...05&oe=59747B7C
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Originally Posted by Opivotal
The video isn't working for me, Mera. 
https://scontent-mxp1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...1b&oe=5974EBFC
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Originally Posted by Opivotal
The video isn't working for me, Mera.
Our garden is lovely. Lots of lilies about to come out. Big white ones. Very fragrant,
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I hope you're in better spirits today, Bill. I just saw this thread; only a couple days ago I got back from a long camping trip & vacation and I've yet to get completely caught up.
Interestingly I met a fellow that I know from another forum. He's 80 years old and fitter than I am despite being just over half his age. He formally retired almost 20 years ago but now works seasonally in a field he's passionate about. His vast knowledge and experience makes a world of difference to the project and it's safe to say that the place wouldn't function nearly so well without him. It seems that keeping passion in his life is what's keeping him so "young" for his age.
You are very much like him in many ways, W. Your wealth of experience and hard-won wisdom enrich this forum more than you probably know. I can't claim any wisdom on again, save having survived for almost 50 years, but the older I get the more it seems that service to others is a major thing that keeps me going. The world is presently a very strange and scary place, and now more than it ever it needs wisdom and love.
Interestingly I met a fellow that I know from another forum. He's 80 years old and fitter than I am despite being just over half his age. He formally retired almost 20 years ago but now works seasonally in a field he's passionate about. His vast knowledge and experience makes a world of difference to the project and it's safe to say that the place wouldn't function nearly so well without him. It seems that keeping passion in his life is what's keeping him so "young" for his age.
You are very much like him in many ways, W. Your wealth of experience and hard-won wisdom enrich this forum more than you probably know. I can't claim any wisdom on again, save having survived for almost 50 years, but the older I get the more it seems that service to others is a major thing that keeps me going. The world is presently a very strange and scary place, and now more than it ever it needs wisdom and love.
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Myth of...Thanks for your kind comments. We appear to live now in a hostile, greedy, self centered world. A guaranteed source of much unhappiness. So many sadly learn that "getting", "career", money, possessions, "self", "selfies" lead to frustration and unhappiness. This has been known for thousands of years. But the trend to "self" continues...The "still, sad music of humanity" (Wordsworth)
Bill
Bill
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