Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Round Universe

Was noticing the other day, how a metal framework looked curved out of the corner of my eye. My very rounded eyeball, that is. This set me to pondering.

Our universe seems filled with round shapes. Planets, stars, asteroids, all spherical. Spiraling galaxies, going round and round, tracing some kind of circle.

Nature spins, whorls, coruscates, branches out in increasing diameters. There is so much that is round, and so little that is a naturally occuring square or parallelogram. Sharply-angled lines, boxes, geometric shapes seem to be an artificial imprint of humankind. We impose our gridded-out sense of order, to keep track of things. To make the universe hold still, show a count, display a picture. Even though we are ourselves a product of the universe, replete with all of our curved and rounded bodily surfaces. We square off everything to get a better grip on things. Which makes me wonder a few things.

Would we be better off with round houses? Circular rooms, that overlap perhaps? Round cars? Round TV's, computers, chairs, etc.

Are we a product of universal entropy, the final "running down", and our lines and squares and angles yet another manifestation of finality, entropy, and ultimately, an ending of things?
With the common state of matter existing energetically in a circular, rounded shape of being, should some of our philosophies and institutions better reflect this, to better insure our survival as a species?
Heady stuff, to be sure. Like the thought experiments we used to do as schoolkids, IE maybe our universe is a speck orbiting an atom in a giants universe, or vise versa. - maybe our solar system/galaxy/universe is a particle contained in a drop of water, that is falling as rain. or is in water being drunk or digested by a giant being. Silly, perhaps. Also, in a way, illuminating.

Which brings me round to light. Is light not a particle, or a wave, but a "something spinning in a circle so fast, it gives off a glow? What is the glow made of? Who knows. It makes my head spin (in a circle) thinking about it.
But our universe does seem to be made with roundness in mind. Perhaps we should incorporate more roundness into our devices - maybe they would mesh better with the external enviornment.
I'm sure I'm not the first one to think of this - but it does give me pause.
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Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Homeownership

Lessons learned from owning a home,
Include various remodeling skills;
Plumbing, laying tile, electrical code,
Roofing, painting, landscaping thrills.
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One ability no one warned me about,
One neccesary quality to survive and thrive,
Is a very thick hide, ignorance of doubt,
Ability to press onward despite jeers and gibes.
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For no matter what one says or does,
Someone is always complaining,
Criticizing, laughing as if it was
Any of their business pertaining.
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Every time I decide to go out into my yard,
Criticized or jabbed by some neighborhood retard.
Wish that they would be similarly jarred,
Cut down derisively, hoist by their own petard!
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Sometimes I almost don't hear anything at all,
Other times it seems to be a chorous of negativity.
It really is a shame.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

The Iowa State Fair is Coming!

Pickups are lining the space along the fence now.
Rides are being erected, cranes dotting skyline.
Front Gates are barricaded shut now, no more pre-fair gawkers allowed.
Animals can be heard, lowing, mooing, bleating.
Sound systems tested, heard in ones' living room.
Ready or not, here it comes - the food, the noise, the hustle and bustle.
Worst of all, the endless traffic.
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Aug. 6th

Neighborhood quietude beautific, peaceful.
Sunday afternoon sunshine dapples quiet streets;
Children play in roadways, parents casually watchful.
Fairgrounds silent after weekend horse trainer meet.
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Silence soon shattered by frenetic increase
Traffic, activity pick up, campers begin streaming
Into lots, along with many pickups, without surcease.
Agricultural trailers, combines, grain bins massing ...
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Sky glider rides soon take flight,
Food vendors pile in, lining the avenues;
Trailers of every description fight
For any free space to unload their purviews.
In preparation, state fairgrounds fill up in a jiffy,
When the hordes arrive, it all must look spiffy!
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Aug. 7th

The fair is here, the fair is now,
Come on out and see the butter cow.
Shaun Johnson in creamy yellow,
Other famous faces, also with a dairy glow.
Horses, pigs, sheep, and camels,
Variety of types of four-footed mammals.
Food stands galore, loaded with greasy goodies,
Dessert counters to top off high-calorie feasts.
Gawk at displays as you avoid travelling beasts,
Take in a free show, or artwork display at least.
Thrill to the rides, cruise the sky glider,
Enjoy people watching, can be even wilder.
Indulge yourself in fairs' sensory overload,
Before returning, satiated, to your humble abode!

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Like it or not, the fair is here. May as well enjoy it.

Avoid Nuclear War

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