Imagine

When we work together.

There are many things that should be of only historic interest.

• Political conflict
• Religious conflict
• Racial conflict
• Social conflict

There seems to be a common thread there. Conflict is important in storytelling, but it’s a lot less interesting to actually live it. (Remember the curse about living in “interesting” times?)

Generally speaking, we don’t really want to live in our stories.

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Today is a day of signs. Sunday Sign Day!

Here’s a really cute little accident of mutual spelling:

My favorite linguistic coincidence!

Here’s another one. It’s not as meaningful as the one above, but if you’ve ever been stuck by rose thorns or chased by bees…

Why I don’t like vegetables!

Poisonous mushrooms are totally organic… just sayin’.

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I can’t take credit for the mutual spelling gags, but I can take full credit for this bit of Wyrd play:

Always good to remember that what seems transparent to some is opaque to others. Mostly I just like the similarity between “Duh!” and “Huh!”

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Here are some signs that hung in my cube for many years:

Those are four traits I dedicated myself to as a worker and tried to instill in others. And, to be honest, they are traits by which I judge others. I think they’re that important.

Speaking of work, here’s an oldie (not mine) I’ve always loved (and believed):

I’ve seen versions that replace Technician with Craftsman.

Of course, being a programmer, this one hung prominently at the entrance to my cube:

I got a lot of joy over the years watching people walk up and read it. A few would do a take and then break into a grin. Most would look puzzled and walk away. None of the puzzled ones ever asked.

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It’s a simple Sunday, so I’ll end with a few bits that didn’t quite make it to the point of “painting” signs for them.

“It’s wise to accept the probable reality of things that are probably real.”

The world makes a lot more sense when you do. The Earth really is round (and really is roughly five billion years old) and really is not the center of anything plus it really is getting warmer. Accept it.

Also, we really shouldn’t keep whales in zoos. They really don’t like it. Free the whales! (I saw Blackfish recently. You really should, too. And really stop going to Sea World! Really!)

“An ellipse is a schizo circle. At least it’s confused about its center.”

I am not above the occasional geometry joke.

Back when I was thinking of getting into making 3D animations, I planned to include in the titles: “Starring Geo Metry! Costarring Trig O’Nometry! With special appearances by Math & Color! Screenplay by Imagination! Directed by LOM!”

(Little Old Me. 🙂 )

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Now the circle closes to return to more serious and social bits of pith. There’s an old saying that I think holds some degree of truth:

“Anyone who isn’t a liberal when they’re young has no heart. Anyone who isn’t a conservative when they’re older has no head.”

One does begin to see the value of at least some conservative values as one ages. I confess I don’t quite understand young conservatives; youth should be idealistic. Old liberals make more sense to me (Feel the Bern!), but I do have mixed feelings about that kind of idealism.

As Bernie would say: “Why not?” but on the other hand, “Seriously? How??”

Lastly, I’ve mentioned Leon Wieseltier’s appearance on The Colber(t) Repor(t) many times here. I’m particularly enamored of his response to Stephen’s challenge to sum up his critique of modern society in ten words:

“Too much digital; not enough critical thinking; more physical reality.”

That’s pretty awesome (and I couldn’t agree more). But for all its brilliance it’s not a Haiku.

So I made it one:

Too much digital;
Critical thinking absent;
Reality lost!

The last line does play a little loose with Wieseltier’s final clause, but the third line of a Haiku should contain irony or, at least, some sort of counterpoint.

And on that note, time for the Sunday morning shows discuss what happened in South Carolina (GOP) and Nevada (Dems) last night!

Watch out for falling signs!