Deep Blue

Jack London is a paragon of American literature. He is “the pioneer spirit”-made-flesh. His words resonate for me tonight:

I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out
in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom
of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time.

This calls up in my mind James Wright, another American writer (in this case poet) who made a lasting impression with these words. In a way they are a confirmation of London’s words, from one who seemingly took the different path.

Lying in a Hammock at William Duffy’s Farm in Pine Island, Minnesota

Over my head, I see the bronze butterfly
Asleep on the black trunk,
Blowing like a leaf in green shadow.
Down the ravine behind the empty house,
The cowbells follow one another
Into the distances of the afternoon.
To my right,
In a field of sunlight between two pines,
The droppings of last year’s horses
Blaze up into golden stones.
I lean back, as the evening darkens and comes on.
A chicken hawk floats over, looking for home.
I have wasted my life.

- The Branch Will Not Break, 1963

A student of Tendai, a philosophical school of Buddhism, came to the Zen abode of Gasan as a pupil. When he was departing a few years later, Gasan warned him: “Studying the truth speculatively is useful as a way of collecting preaching material. But remember that unless you meditate constantly your light of truth may go out.”

“When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.” - Shunryu Suzuki

Speaking of fire…

You’ve honored me, many of you, with wishes for a happy birthday. I will have to reflect upon my luck in knowing all of you tomorrow morning.

In return, I offer wise words from one of my favorite Mind[s] on Fire.

A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.

Mr. Paine both challenges and consoles us today, given that ’tis the season of the U.S.’s Declaration of Independence, the original American Suicide Pact. Benjamin Franklin supposedly said on the day of its signature “We must all hang together, or we surely will all hang separately”. True words from a true wordsmith.

And to give credit where due to another wordsmith par excellence, I believe Paine’s words are as true now as they were when he wrote them, in “The Crisis” (aka “The American Crisis”).

THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.

- Thomas Paine

Whitman (see post below) had my mind ranging through the American Wild.

This is the American Wild that I was shown by my parents, of course.

Which leads me to Pirsig. You see, it’s all connected.

But you know that.

Take a look at that smile riding in back.

Robert Pirsig was indeed a Father to be respected.

He set aside his life to show his son the American Wild, this despite slowly losing his own mind at the time.

That gives a new meaning to ”Quality Time”.

Oh, by the way, just in case anyone is discouraged today: despite literally battling his mental illness to write a book about the experience(s) of the trip, Pirsig completed his book. He then received 120 rejections, and one acceptance, for his Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

One of the greatest modern books I have ever read.

And now you can too. Enjoy. If you read the book I’ve posted here, please also buy it, out of respect.

Thou art that which asserts that everything you think you are, and everything you think you perceive, are undivided.

- Robert Pirsig

Today, it’s Whitman who sings to us, from the American Wild.

I SING the Body electric;
The armies of those I love engirth me, and I engirth them;
They will not let me off till I go with them, respond to them,
And discorrupt them, and charge them full with the charge of the Soul.
Was it doubted that those who corrupt their own bodies conceal themselves;
And if those who defile the living are as bad as they who defile the dead?
And if the body does not do as much as the Soul?
And if the body were not the Soul, what is the Soul?

- Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

In thinking about Watt this morning (the post below), I am reminded of a conversation with a new friend of mine, wherein we discussed Viktor Frankl.

“What is to give light must endure burning.”

Uri, vinciri, verberari, ferroque necari, Viktor, wherever you are.

You truly were properly named.

Today is the fourth anniversary of Buzzin’ Fly. Ben Watt is not only one of my favorite lyricists, musicians, and DJs, he is also an inspiration. His is a story of blood, sweat and tears, literally. But it is also a story of joy. I go tonight to see and hear his joy.

I look forward to seeing him in action.  I hope Tracey participates as well, as I have always wanted to hear her sing in person. Hers is a truly gorgeous voice, and she knows how to use it.

Keep dancing.

Update: What an excellent event. Three DJs on two SL1200MK5s, two DVJ-1000s, and one heavily used mixing/effects board (I think it was a DJM-800).

They sounded great, built a relentless groove, and moved the crowd without fail.

A good time, to be sure.

More pictures here.

Interesting results from my Samsung phone’s camera: like photos from a Lomo!

First, the historical basis for Bruce’s aphorism:

Nan-in, a Japanese Zen master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. After he asked Nan-in about Zen, the professor spoke to Nan-in ceaselessly, for some time. Nan-in therefore prepared tea for the two of them. Nan-in poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself.

“It is overfull. No more will go in!”

“Like this cup,” Nan-in said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

Now, Bruce asks of us to be both the cup and the water.

Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless – like water.
Now, you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup.
You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle.
You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Now water can flow, or it can crash!
Be water, my friend.

Now, realize that these words above do not capture the full impact of Bruce’s water,

and go here.

As some of you know, Brunel is a hero of mine. Tonight is a perfect time to relate some of the reasons why.

“Many of [Brunel’s] greatest creations still exist (Clifton Suspension Bridge, Tamar Bridge, the Great Britain, etc.), and are aesthetically pleasing as well as practical and long lasting. The Great Eastern is perhaps his greatest work.” (attr. School of Computing, University of Dundee).

My favorite anecdote about Brunel was that his propeller design for the Great Britain steamship were compared to a “near-perfect” CAD propeller design, “and the extraordinary thing is that a modern propeller, designed by a computer, in the 21st century, is only 5% more efficient than the propeller on the Great Britain.” - Jeremy Clarkson.

The mind. Unleashed.

Also, for any of those working with me in my current endeavor, Brunel offers his words of defiance to the spiritually small and politically tyrannical.

Specifically, this quote was directed at the idea of government prescribing regulations for bridge design in 1847: “In other words, embarrass and shackle the progress of improvements of tomorrow by recording and registering as law the prejudices and errors of today.”