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Past Musings

This is where I kept my old blogs, but they were getting out of hand so I pulled them.

Items of Interest

Here's another poem I liked:

Linger now with me, thou Beauty,: On the sharp archaic shore.
Surely 'tis a wastrel's duty: And the gods could ask no more.
If thou lingerest when I linger,: If thou tread'st the stones I tread,
Thou wilt stay my spirit's hunger: And dispel the dreams I dread.

Come thou, love, my own, my Only,: Through the battlements of Groan;
Lingering becomes so lonely: When one lingers on one's own.

I have lingered in the cloisters: Of the northern wing at night,
As the sky unclasped its oysters: On the midnight pearls of light.
For the long remorseless shadows: Chilled me with exquisite fear.
I have lingered in cold meadows: Through a month of rain, my dear.

Come, my Love, my sweet, my Only,: Through the parapets of Groan.
Lingering can be very lonely: When one lingers on one's own.

In dark alcoves I have lingered: Conscious of dead dynasties.
I have lingered in blue cellars: And in hollow trunks of trees.

Many a traveler through moonlight: Passing by a winding stair
Or a cold and crumbling archway: Has been shocked to see me there.

I have longed for thee, my Only,: Hark! the footsteps of the Groan!
Lingering is so very lonely: When one lingers all alone.

Will you come with me, and linger?: And discourse with me of those
Secret things the mystic finger: Points to, but will not disclose?
When I'm all alone, my glory,: Always fades, because I find
Being lonely drives the splendor: Of my vision from my mind.

Come, oh, come, my own! my Only!: Through the Gormenghast of Groan.
Lingering has become so lonely: As I linger all alone!

Mervyn Peake

I thought this was hysterical...
The End of the Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe's Cat

On a night quite unenchanting,
When the rain was downward slanting,
I awakened to the ranting
of the man I catch mice for.
Tipsy and a bit unshaven,
In a tone I found quite craven,
Poe was talking to a Raven
Perched above the chamber door.
"Raven's very tasty," thought I,
as I tiptoed o'er the floor,
"There is nothing I like more."

Soft upon the rug I treaded,
Calm and careful as I headed
Towards his roost atop that dreaded
Bust of Pallas I deplore.
While the bard and birdie chattered,
I made sure that nothing clattered,
Creaked or snapped, or fell, or shattered,
As I crossed the corridor;
For Poe's house is crammed with trinkets,
Curios and weird decor,
Bric-a-brac and junk galore.
Still the Raven never fluttered,
Standing stock-still, as he uttered,
In a voice that shrieked and sputtered,
His two cents' worth-
"Nevermore."

While this dirge the birdbrain kept up,
Oh, so silently I crept up;
Then I crouched and quickly leapt up,
Pouncing on the feathered bore.
Soon he was a heap of plumage,
And a little blood and gore-
Only this, and not much more.

"Ooooh!" my pickled poet cried out,
"Pussycat, it's time I dried out!
Never sat I in my hideout
Talking to a bird before;
How I've wallowed in self-pity,
While my gallant, valiant kitty
Put an end to that damned ditty"-
Then I heard him start to snore.
Back atop the door I clambered,
Eyed that statue I abhor,
Jumped-and smashed it on the floor.

...Kyle Phillips

And now, some brilliant quotes....

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"Welcome to Mrs. Bush, and my fellow astronauts." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"Mars is essentially in the same orbit...Mars is somewhat the same distance from the Sun, which is very important. We have seen pictures where there are canals, we believe, and water. If there is water, that means there is oxygen. If oxygen, that means we can breathe." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr., 8/11/94

"The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation's history. I mean in this century's history. But we all lived in this century. I didn't live in this century." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr., 9/15/95

"I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy-but that could change." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr., 5/22/98

"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared'." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr., 12/6/93

"Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr., 11/30/96

"I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"The future will be better tomorrow." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"We're going to have the best educated American people in the world." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr., 9/21/97

"People that are really very weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"I stand by all the misstatements that I've made." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr., to Sam Donaldson, 8/17/93

"We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"Public speaking is very easy." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"I am not part of the problem. I am a Republican" ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"When I have been asked who caused the riots and the killing in LA, my answer has been direct & simple: Who is to blame for the riots? The rioters are to blame. Who is to blame for the killings? The killers are to blame. ...George W. Bush, Jr.

"Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr., 5/20/96

"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr., 9/22/97

"For NASA, space is still a high priority." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr., 9/5/93

"Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr., 9/18/95

"The American people would not want to know of any misquotes that George Bush may or may not make." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"We're all capable of mistakes, but I do not care to enlighten you on the mistakes we may or may not have made." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr

"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"[It's] time for the human race to enter the solar system." ...Governor George W. Bush, Jr.

"I have opinions of my own -- strong opinions -- but I don't always agree with them."-George Bush, US President

"We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"-Lee Iacocca

"Hawaii is a unique state. It is a small state. It is a state that is by itself. It is a -- it is different from the other 49 states. Well, all states are different, but it's got a particularly unique situation."-Dan Quayle, US VP

"What a waste it is to lose one's mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is."-Dan Quayle

"The president has kept all of the promises he intended to keep." -Clinton aide George Stephanopolous speaking on "Larry King Live"

"I was recently on a tour of Latin America, and the only regret I have was that I didn't study Latin harder in school so I could converse with those people." -Former U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle

"They're multi-purpose. Not only do they put the clips on, but they take them off." -Pratt & Whitney spokesperson explaining why the company charged the Air Force nearly $1,000 for an ordinary pair of pliers

"Things are more like they are now than they ever were before." -Former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower

"The police are not here to create disorder. They're here to preserve disorder." -Former Chicago Mayor Daley during the infamous 1968 Democratic Party Convention

"I'm not going to have some reporters pawing through our papers. We are the president." -Hilary Clinton commenting on the release of subpoenaed documents

And for anyone who may need one:

Application to Live in New Jersey

Name: _____________________________

Nickname: _____________________________

Address: _____________________________

Exit # (NJ Turnpike):_______

Exit # (Garden State Parkway):_______

Ethnic Background: ___Italian ___Sicilian ___Jewish ___Irish ___Polish

Profession: ___Mechanic ___Truckdriver ___Meatpacker ___Dockworker___Hairdresser ___Avon Sales Lady ___Waitress @ Bennigan's

Backyard Smells Like:___Sewage ___Sulfur ___Garbage ___All 3

# of Muscle Shirts Owned:___5-10 ___10-15 ___15-20 ___20 and above

# of Bon Jovi Tour Shirts Owned:___5-10 ___10-15 ___15-20 ___20 and above

# of Bon Jovi Shirts That are Also Muscle Shirts: ___5-10 ___10-15 ___15-20 ___20 and above

Brand of Jeans Preferred: ___Sergio Valente ___Jordache ___Sassoon ___Z.Cavaricci

Percentage of Wardrobe Which is Skintight:___100% ___95-100% ___90-95% ___85-90%

# of Gold Chains Owned:___10-15 ___15-20 ___20-25 ___25 and above

# of Gold Chains Worn at One Time:___5-10 ___10-15 ___15-20 ___20 and above

Approximate Value of All Jewelry:___$ 5-$10 ___$10-$15 ___$15-$20 ___Stolen

Number of Applications of Obsession/Polo/Drakar Before Going Out:___10-15 ___15-25 ___25 and above

Hair Height (must be completed by applicants seeking residency in Bayonne):___6-8 inches ___8-12 inches ___1-2 feet ___More than 2 feet

Hair Products Used:___Hair Spray ___Styling Gel ___Mousse ___Extra Hold Styling Gel___Bondo ___Spackle ___40 Weight Oil ___Krazy Glue

Automobile Owned:___IROC Z ___Firebird ___Camaro ___Mustang ___Thunderbird

(You got a problem with this?)

Number of Inches Car is Off the Ground:___6-8 inches ___4-6 inches ___2-4 inches ___Under 2 inches

Paraphernalia:___Gold chain around license plate___Neon lights around license plate

___Neon lights under car___Chippendales/Playboy air freshener hanging from rear view mirror

___Garter hanging from rear view mirror ___Chrome hubcaps___Stick-on window tinting

___Stick-on paint splash stickers ___Fuzzy dice TATTOO

___Crown deodorizer on dash or in rear window

Favorite Music:___Techno___Rap ___Bon Jovi___Bruce Springsteen

Favorite Actor/Actress:___Joe Pesci___Robert DeNiro___Al Pacino___Marisa Tomei___Annette Funicello

Favorite Movie:___The Godfather___The Godfather Part II___The Godfather Part III ___Goodfellas___My Cousin Vinnie

# of Religious Statues at Grandparents House:___5-10 ___10-15 ___15-20 ___20 and above

# of Relatives Named "Sal"___5-10 ___10-15 ___15-20 ___20 and above

# of Relatives Named "Cookie"___5-10 ___10-15 ___15-20 ___20 and above

# of Relatives Named "Vinnie"___5-10 ___10-15 ___15-20 ___20 and above

Favorite International Destination:___Asbury Park___Seaside Heights___Wildwood___Hoboken___Bayonne___Great Adventure___Secaucus Outlets

Favorite Driving Technique: ___Tailgating___Attacking stop signs___Doing 106 mph on the right shoulder of the Parkway

Nerd Stuff

I've been a fan of fantasy and science fiction for as long as I can remember. A few of the authors I like are Ellison, Brin, Bradbury, Herbert, Niven and Pournelle, Tanith Lee, Burroughs, Barker, Feist, Tolkien, Vance, Eddings, Weiss and Hickman, Moorcock, Brust, Martin and Lovecraft. I'm also a Star Trek fan (mostly of the original series). I attended many of the first Trek conventions in New York City back in the 1970's, as well as a plethora of other science fiction and fantasy conventions. I was also active in the Society for Creative Anachronism for many years. My favorite SF TV series is Firefly, which also spawned a movie called Serenity.

I got into "gaming" back in the 1970's. Since then I've played numerous role playing games, including some live role playing. I still like Dungeons and Dragons, Traveller, Runequest, Call of Cthulhu, Tekumel, Gamma World/Metamorphosis Alpha, Stormbringer and Fading Suns. I'd also like to get my hands on a copy of the short-lived Dune rpg.

And of course, I got into computer gaming. I've played in MMORPG's, play by post and play by email, and plenty of solo pc games. Among my favorites are Master of Magic and Master of Orion, Civilization and Alpha Centauri, and the Baldur's Gate, Fallout and Neverwinter Nights series. I prefer turn-based games, as I don't like to sit poised over the keyboard afraid to take my eyes from the monitor for even a second.

My favorite site for online roleplaying is called Rondak's Portal.
You might want to check it out.

Here's a link to the page I set up for my online Traveller campaign. The game itself was conducted on Rondak's Portal, but has since fallen victim to my busy schedule. Go To My Traveller Campaign

Nerd Stuff Illustrations

Here are some graphics that relate to my nerd interests. Hope you enjoy them.

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