Well, as much as I despise RWA's, they already have earned their just punishment, being that they are damned to be who they are. What a sad lot...

This, from Peck's best seller, "The Road Less Travelled" ~1979:

...What are these tools, those techniques of suffering, these means of experiencing the pain of problems constructively that I call discipline? There are four:

- Delaying of Gratification

- Acceptance of Responsibility

- Dedication to Truth

- Balancing

As will be evident, these are not complex tools...almost all children are adept in their use by the age of ten. Yet presidents and kings will often forget to use them, to their own downfall. The problem lies not in the complexity of these tools, but in the will to use them. For they are tools by which pain is confronted rather than avoided, and if one seeks to avoid legitimate suffering, then one will avoid the use of these tools...

...if our lives are to be healthy and our spirits are to grow [we must be] dedicated to truth. Superficially, this should be obvious. For truth is reality. That which is false is unreal... The less clearly we see the reality of the world- the more our minds are befuddled by falsehood, misperceptions, and illusions- the less able we will be to...make wise decisions...

...many do not want to make the effort...their [worldview is] narrow and misleading/ By the end of middle age, most people have given up... They feel certain that their...Weltanschauung is correct (indeed, even sacrosanct), and they are no longer interested in new information.

----

Now, since I have to go to work (I'm already late!) I will leave it to those who are more astute and articulate than I to make the connections and comments. The book may be an old chestnut, but it is still a good and relevant read, especially today. Thank you all, and thank you, M. Scott!

Do be well.

You know, our friend PeaShooter reminds me of that dog of Loony Tunes fame... you know the one that Foghorn Leghorn tormented mercilessly? Always yappin' until he runs out of leash and chokes on his collar.

http://www.nonstick.com/sounds/Barnyard_Dog/ltdg_013.wav

It's past time that ol' Foggie yanks our friend up by the tail to administer his trademark ass-whuppin' with a handy fence picket.

As said best by our hero...

http://www.nonstick.com/sounds/Foghorn_Leghorn/ltfl_046.wav

Th-Th-Th-That's all, Folks!

Oh.. PS:

http://www.nonstick.com/sounds/Foghorn_Leghorn/ltfl_050.wav

LET'S _ALL_ BE COMPOSERS!

"A Composer is a guy who goes around forcing his will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians.

Want to be a composer? You don't even have to be able to write it down. The stuff that gets written down is only a recipe, remember?...If you can _think_ design, you can _execute_ design- it's only a bunch of air molecules, who's gonna check up on you?

JUST FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS:

[1] Declare your _intention_ to create a 'composition.'

[2] _Start_ a piece at _some time_.

[3] Cause _something to happen over a period of time_

(it doesn't matter what happens in your 'time hole'-we have critics to tell is whether it's any good or not, so we won't have to worry about that part).

[4] _End the piece at some time_ (or keep it going, telling the audience that it is a 'work in progress').

[5] Get a part-time job so you can continue to do stuff like this.

-Frank Zappa, _The Real Frank Zappa Book_ Poseidon, 1989

Now mind you, FZ is a hero of mine- mostly for his compositional abilities. Although the above quotation makes him comes off something of a philistine, he did count Edgar Varese among his early influences. He did not, however, suffer fools gladly, and would happily point out various occurences of Musical Masturbation.

By the way- the full text of his keynote address to the ASUC (American Society of University Composers) is alone worth the price of this very good book. I'd share that too, but I am too lazy to type it all out.

Why did I choose to share this? I dunno, but I think Frank would have some interesting things to say about the matter.

In any case, do be well, all!