JERKWATER TRAIN

“Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of shedding tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlaying our hard hearts. I was better after I cried than before—more sorry, more aware of my ingratitude, more gentle altogether. If I had cried before, I should have had Joe with me then.” There is much sadness in me, but I don't cry, not outwardly. I often cry inwardly - and that is the hardest crying of all. For I was taught as a child not to cry. With the passage of time, and with no tears to wash away the pain, my heart had hardened and rusted inside. But the above paragraph of tenderness made my eyes mist--if only a little. "No varnish can hide the true grain of the wood; and the more varnish you put on the more the grain will varnish itself." "So, throughout life, our worst weaknesses and meannesses are usually committed for the sake of the people who we most despise." "I really do not even now see what I could have done sav...

I saw these guys in concert back in the eighties. America's greatest music was in the eighties. Of course, I am biased because my brain was being formed at that time  as a young chap, and the melodies were weaved in it; and whenever I hear that music, I am stirred by emotions.

At some point in my sleep last night, ellipses silhouetted against my moonlit bedroom's window and tazed me (as in 'Tazered') on the forehead, “We're being lengthened and shortened and misused.” I woke up, and decided: the ellipsis would be avenged and justice restored. Proper usage of the ellipsis … 1) We use an ellipsis ( … ) to indicate the deletion of one or more words in texts. Be careful, however, not to distort the meaning of the sentence by deleting words. 2) Spacing Requirements: Leave one space on both sides of an ellipsis: I … would be very happy if my friends use the ellipses correctly. ... 3) The ellipsis has 3 dots—not 5, nor 10, nor 20—like so ... 4) If the words that precede an ellipsis form a grammatically complete sentence, then place a period, a space, and then the ellipsis: I wish I could go to Spain. … I am using [The Associated Press Stylebook] conventions. You may, however, use the ellipsis without any spacing like so...Or like this......

I find myself often going to great lengths to jerry rig (do  makeshift repairs)  things in my house. MacGyver was the ultimate jerry rigger. Here is more about "jerry rig":  http://www.dailywritingtips.com/i-said-jerry-rig/

Zachary Khalil Khelah finds Philosophy extremely engaging, and so I dedicated this stanza to him. O happy race of men If love who rules the sky Could rule your hearts as well - The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius (AD 480-524)

Saudi Arabia, a police state with over 35,000 political prisoners, ruled by  draconian Sharia , is still, largely, tribal and illiterate; their educational system is rooted in the seventh century - where school children are taught superstitions and lies -, and therefore, a revolution is a will-o'-the-wisp. Not only there is, still, plenty of money to buy obedience but also lots of sticks to scare the population. Another dimension is the mosque, which is loyal to the untouchable royal family. ... And most Saudis are devout Muslims and are opposed to the "filthy" Western ideals. The educated, liberal elite, sadly, doesn't have much support among many Saudis. The tribes are the key to any successful revolt against the house of Saud. The house of Saud is doomed, but not yet - not in the foreseeable future. Things are bad in SA, but not THAT bad. People need to get hungry before a significant uprising sparks the fire of change. ... Most people in the Central...

Dear Anita: The words I write here will not mend your bereaved heart of a loss so profound and a wound so fresh and deep and throbbing. But it’s all I know how to do, however fruitless, in consoling your anguished soul and tender emotions. I hope you and your children will find, in time, some comfort and strength in the memories of your beloved departed husband. Yours sincerely, Ken K