I'll not love again

[Violet]

.. I'm sorry, I keep messing up on where you're from exactly.. Western Canada.. where precisely, Casey?.. let's get this straightened out.. (even if you've told me already)..

.. well, I think this espresso pronunciation issue comes down to the fact that after something's been mispronounced en masse for a very long time.. well, it becomes accepted usage.. it happens all the time, as that's how languages evolve and change.. ask Mr. Webster.. he'd know.. While on this topic, I've heard that Canadian French is really an archaic form of French as compared to that spoken in France, since those speaking it have somehow stuck to that version of the language they started out with, not allowing for the kind of free flowing change that occurred in France since that time.. I'm not sure why this would be.. you'd think Canadian French would have it's own manner of changes.. anyway, it's what I once heard.. perhaps you know more about this than I do.. or Cate, maybe... or someone else from those upper regions..

.. well, you say expresso, and I say espresso.. you say tomato.. and I, of course, being the anglophile that I am, say tom-ah-to.. (not really, but.. well, that's how the song goes)..

okay, well.. ta ta, for now,
v i o l e t...

[imaginary friend]

Hey Casey-Babe,

Are ya sure you're from Western Canada? I'm a Western Canadian, and we most certainly do not pronounce it eXpresso!!

Humph!

Your bird photos are terrific. They seem so other-worldly – especially the vultures...

[Casey Butler]

Sorry for being unclear... :-)

What I meant was: I phoenetically spelled my wife's pronunciation as she was the one who talked to the salesgirl at the bike shop.

My wife admits she pronounced it "expresso" when she told me the story. She knows she's seen it written as "espresso" but admits she has always pronounced it "expresso". She's not sure how she would write it if she had to - at least not today.. LOL

She admitted all this without torture, BTW.

Elizabeth was born in Edmonton, then lived in Calgary, which her family moved from when she was in sixth grade, living in Ottawa until she went off to university to become a teacher.

I was born and raised in Aurora, Colorado, on the east side of Denver. A 1/4 Swedish and 3/4 Irish Jew. I quit school in the ninth grade... etc...

My report of what the salesgirl said wasn't the most accurate... So I figured I'd better quote my hearsay: When asked what happened the salesgirl said: "The Espresso machine blew up." E asked, "Was anyone injured?" The salesgirl said, "Yes, he was in the hospital but he's out now. It blew up like a bomb, it flew across the room landed in his lap."

Ouch! :-)

Casey

[Judy]

Just been reading the last x pages of this thread (grandchildren still sleeping) and can't stop laughing ... !!!!

[Cate]

I did a quick survey this morning consisting primarily (ok only) of my husband and myself. He says espresso, while I say expresso (like an express train with an o on the end), I shall now have to go spend some time at a coffee shop and listen.

Casey - I can not imagine sleeping until 10:30, once the sun is up my body thinks it should be up, even when it stays awake until the wee morning hours (last night I was up until 2:30 - this morning awake at 5:45 tried to go back to sleep but it was of no use - plus my hubby's up then so it's nice to see him before he goes to work)

[Violet]

Just been reading the last x pages of this thread (grandchildren still sleeping) and can't stop laughing ... !!!!

.. well, Judy, along with being something of a punster, I think God may also have a healthy dose of black humor (close to the color of exploding espresso, I would think).. or at least the God of this particular threadom..

.. and Casey.. nothing new here on my end of things.. although I just came across a very small, coin sized, I'd say, crescent moon made out of yellow foam.. it came from a box containing a new salad spinner (don't get me started on spinning.. please)... this bit of foam had something to do with the packaging, obviously, but all I noticed was its sweet little crescent moon shape.. I just thought I should mention it.. oh, and one more thing.. this yellow hazard tape popped into my mind yesterday while I was waiting for a subway train.. I was noticing the rather wide bright yellow line painted at the edge of the subway platform.. and I thought of your hazard tape.. and I thought of those unfortunate times when people have been, well, pushed in front of moving subway cars.. and I thought that paying attention to such possibilities might not be such a bad idea.. I realized it might be best to stand by one of those hefty steel columns lining the edge of the subway platform -- the ones with about a thousand layers of shiny lumpy paint on them -- since at least you could sort of grab hold of one if.. well, if the unthinkable happens.. in the unlikely event I mean..

.. anyway, that's about all I've got on my end.. not much brewing, I'm afraid.. just a little subway paranoia and a little foam crescent moon.. oh, and that salad spinner.. (.. spinning, as I once read, and as I've said elsewhere on this forum, has to do with some manner of inter-dimensional transport.. although I think Cate and I were spinning on the ceiling once too.. eating pineapple upside down cake, as I recall.. I wonder what thread that was..)..

okay, Casey..
ever yours in wonderment,
v i o l e t (flower).. drinking something Japanese this time called kukicha tea.. it's made out of the twigs from the green tea plant.. an acquired taste, no doubt, but I like it a lot..
.. oh, and thanks for the info. on you and E's places of origin, etc... oh, and I'm glad to hear that the poor bicycle store owner is out of the hospital already.. will he continue to serve espresso, do you think?.. how does he pronounce it, by the way?.. wait a minute, did the actual machine land in his lap??.. or just the liquid from the explosion.. (?)...

[Casey Butler]

Cate - this morning I got up at 11:15 AM (so it was still technically morning but McDonalds ignores that). Several times in my life I've had to get up early due to economic pressure. But when I'm self-employed I just naturally devolve into being a night person who requires 8 - 10 hours of sleep. I just can't espress enough my appreciation for your sharing your pronunciation of espresso with me though.

Violet:

...will he continue to serve espresso, do you think?..

I think he might, but only with one of those hefty thickly painted steel columns between his desk and the new Espresso machine.

Which brings to mind, why wasn't I offered espresso when I bought my basket? Then I might have spelled it correctly. The basket cost $35.00. Maybe he could see I'd never be a customer for one of his bikes, which are the really expensive carbon mountain bikes with tires that would fit my old '65 VW. Maybe instead of the steel pole he'd be better off just providing a lowly water cooler alongside the new Espresso machine - for to offer the basket cases like me.

Hot in Hurricane today, and a cloudless sky. BUT I looked up towards Zion and saw clouds up on Kolob Terrace being highlighted... Had to go back and get the camera again (I'm learning, but I'm a slow study) so the ray-like cloud wisps when I took the picture had gotten blown eastward a bit so were not so striking as when I didn't have the camera.



This is my kind of sign on a hot day in Hurricane, however, 'cause up there where the clouds are now the altitude varies between 7,000 and 9,000 feet. When it's 100 degrees (F) down here it's 70 up there. We are going to drive up there and see what there is to see. At Lava Point Lookout in Zion sometimes people get to see the Condors they released up there. E has yet to see them, but maybe today will be our lucky day.

Oh! And I finally got the Turkey Vulture video I took uploaded to YouTube. All in all it's pretty boring and very long, but it does have vultures in it. Just in case seeing them move adds something valuble to the interpretation... (I will keep future videos [if any] shorter).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he-Rm3Op5kY

Casey

[Violet]

Hey Casey,

.. pretty country out there.. those mesas are something..

.. as for your video.. it was nice to see Mr. Darcy.. he seemed appropriately perplexed by those turkey vultures..

I think a water cooler for the basket cases is the very least the bicycle store owner could provide.. maybe now he will.. (I have a feeling he's been.. well, humbled..)..

I don't know, Casey.. I'm beginning to think a sign list might be in order.. I mean.. things are getting a bit complicated..

.. let's see now.. I think things really got started with the Starling clusters.. I guess I should look up Starlings..

.. okay, so.. (here's the start of our list)..

1) Starlings.. (oh, and here's what I found)..

STARLING: The word means small star. This common bird resembles a blackbird, but has triangular wings. Branwen was a Welsh Princess, mistreated by her Irish husband. She trained a Starling to take a message to her brother Bran in Wales. There followed a great war between Wales and Ireland in which Bran and all but seven of his men were killed. The Starling is associated with warriors due to its aggressive manner with other birds.

.. I don’t think my dankish-darkish Irish thread lover, Georges, will be too happy with this particular tale.. gee.. and I thought Starlings to be such sweet little things.. but no, they are warriors, it seems.. notice, Casey, how all but seven of Bran's men were killed.. (and seven of our turkey vultures took off, as I recall).. hmm.. but having just dipped my toe into the expansive pool of symbolism that emanates out from the number seven.. I’m afraid I’ll have to step back a bit, and give all of this some more thought..

.. it’s really to notice things, almost not thinking too much about them, I think.. subtle connections get made.. synchronicities happen.. (espresso machines explode)..

Anyway, I’ll have to continue with the list as I have the time.. right now it’s rather late.. okay.. I’ll mention just one thing associated with the number seven that happened to catch my eye, probably because I’ve termed you my messenger of God.. so here goes..

SEVEN LAST WORDS: The Seven Last Words are the last utterance of Christ on the cross... The words are "My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" ...recorded in Mark 15:34, and Matt. 27:46. Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins (Hendrickson, 1987)

.. I guess we all experience this moment of doubt.. but so often for me the worst moments of despair seem to be followed by.. no, not resurrection.. well, not literally, at least.. but by a bout of creative output, for example.. I suppose it really is that darkness before the dawn, so to speak..

.. so perhaps we’re swimming in darkness now.. and we’re not sure of what it all means.. like a machine run on steam, this whole mess of a planet could explode at any minute.. but before that happens, we might decide to send out some Starlings so to get us some aid.. So maybe that’s what we’re doing.. looking to the universe for some manner of guidance.. or at the very least, some very good joke material..

nighty night, C..
v i o l e t (flower)..
.. oh yeah, Condors.. I hope you and E spot one..

.. oh, by the way, two of your cloud wisps form a cross, I see.. I just noticed this, looking back over your post.. oh, and the others are beginning to look like angels to me.. your fleet it seems has arrived.. arms outstretched.. coming down from the upper right.. with the cross preceding them, it seems.. do you see?.. (this last one's quite a bit more subjective.. maybe it's time I go to sleep..).. oh, let me just paste your picture in here first.. then I'm off to the clouds..

[Casey Butler]

If Jesus had spoken King James English, I suppose "My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" would be his last seven words. But since the text indicates his last four words were "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?", the previous three words spoken in the same language would be needed to determine Jesus' actual last seven words.

I'm neither theologian nor linguist, though.

I apologize for the joking. It's a defensive mechanism of mine. I don't understand much of what you write to me, except I think I see humor there sometimes. Some of my attempts at humor are attempts to respond in kind.

I like what you've noted about bouts of creative output being manifested from the "darkness before the dawn". It seems that's kind of why the planet could explode any minute. People in creative bouts write things down in darkness, then defend their words in light. Any misunderstandings recorded become the foundation for the next "bout of creative output" coming out of its corresponding dark period. If only the clarity bestowed during darkness could be unerring clarity. Instead, be it poetry or whatever, consciously or unconciously, the writer becomes the promotor of the necessary inerrancy of his or her own creative bouts.

Which is why - at this point - I could never write a book, or a song, or even sustain a Web site promoting creative output bestowed during my darkness before the dawn. Any book would have to be the foundation for the next book or I would look the fool for contradicting myself in the first book - even if I saw contrary signs in the sky. Perhaps especially if I saw contrary signs in the sky.

I don't think I'm telling you anything you don't know, but I don't know that. And then there's E... :-)

As for the Starlings, I think the Pelicans straightened that out. No matter what kind of Birds they are, if they just float around and do nothing they're blocking our view of the Sun.

And guess what?



For your morning tea break. I'll have a full report later. :-)

Casey

{edited to add "at this point", since I tried for sure)

[Casey Butler]

First, we finally spotted the California Condors that were released in Zion & environs. I got a great view through the binoculars as one flew right towards us. E saw them as good as she can see. Then they landed on the tree and never moved again while we were up there. The tree was a long way off so that rear view flight picture is the best one I could get. I have another of a wing disappearing behind a rock face, but I'll spare you that. Each condor was tagged on the wing, one with #87, the other I can't read.

A big thrill, since we've been looking for a while not quite believing they were really there. A couple of more photos:





As far as signs, it was a beautiful day up in Zion today. Nothing specific jumps out. We found a red bandana neatly folded on the road (did I mention that the trip where we got the cloud eye photo, we found a toy car on the other side of the road about six inches long, dog driving, ears flying back, and it barks when the wheels move).

There is currently a wildfire burning on the other side of the Pine Mountains, west of Zion where we were. The smoke drifting southwards made for nice lighting when the sun set. I almost got the required airplane backed by the moon shot, but not quite. Saw a lot of horses - even a Strawberry Roan.

A few photos from the day:







And a little Sissel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM4QnFPh3Xg

Casey

[Violet]

Hi Casey.. you've given me a lot here.. though I'm heading upstate, and so will respond a bit more comprehensively later.. but please don't apologize for the yucks.. you noticed correctly, I am quite the yuckster myself.. and often, when I'm engaged in even the most earnest of activities.. (such as decoding signs from God).. well, this other side steps in.. but if God can't appreciate that, well.. gee, I'm not sure I should be condemning God here.. at least not this early in the morning..

.. oh, your line about the massive New York subway column installed next to the bicycle shop's new espresso machine is priceless.. (!)..

.. oh, and I'm so glad about the Condors.. it's rainy here, and just as I was writing that a man walked by my window sporting a black umbrella.. (he had a cigarette in his mouth).. the umbrella, out of the corner of my eye, looked a bit like your shot of the Condor.. its wings, no doubt.. just thought I'd mention..

.. that's it.. for now, at least..
.. had very very black Irish Breakfast tea this morning.. the loose kind..
v i o l e t (flower)..

[Cate]

Violet it's not 'loose' it's just free from constraints

this morning I slept late and then poured chocolate milk instead of white milk into my cup - plain old twinnings earl grey, also free from constraint (until I shoved it into a silver ball).
It tasted fine btw - although I wouldn't do again, a little vanilla is a racy as I'll get with a nice tea.

Casey - I loved the picture of the moon with the bird flying

[Casey Butler]

Hi Cate... That bird with the moon is species Piper Cub, genus Aircraft. I can't tell you how many times the Turkey Vultures there flew in front of the moon when I was looking for the condors with the binoculars. They seem to instinctively know, however, when you switch from binoculars to a camera, and start flying lower.

Violet, any Three Stooges watcher knows how to spell "yuk", I'll just continue my work under the illusion that by "yucks" you meant "yuks".

I'm trying to be thorough...

You've taken me by surprise putting so much store in things like yellow tape and espresso machines, umbrellas and jet contrails forming crosses. It's risky business interpretation-wise to even notice what material wonders people and corporations and their exhaust might cause, since all these things are at least one step removed from what we might call Nature. Even condors with tags on their wings inserted into a strange land by curious scientists bent on their survival in the face of civilization's advance I think are a little questionable as to their usefullness as "signs from God".

That's just my opinion, though. It is interesting reading where you take these things.

I'm off to work... :-)

Casey

[Violet]

.. well, Casey, Merriam-Webster says we're both right with regard to the spelling of yuks/yucks.. still, yuks is the first spelling cited, so I have to give you that.. In the interest of full disclosure, however, my mother would never let me and my brothers watch The Three Stooges, given the Stooges' tendency to hit each other over the head 'n stuff -- behavior she felt we would try out on each other, it seems.. whereas with cartoons, she felt we'd know that that sort of rough housing wasn't "real".. still, my brothers still acted Stooge-like.. and I certainly was on the receiving end of that a good deal of the time.. Anyway, the moral of the story is that watching the Stooges will not mess up your kids.. rest assured, they're already messed up.. and at the very least, a thorough gleaning of the Stooges would probably have most avoiding this particular spelling conflict, even many years later.. [this is a smiley moment, no doubt.. but as many know here, I try to keep such usage down]..

.. anyway, I wanted to explain more my method, or proabably lack thereof, relative to this budding sign interpretation activity of ours.. let's start with the King James version of the bible vs. the material you cited.. what I wanted to say is that it's not so much about the accuracy of source.. now, I don't mean in relation to the King James version.. hopefully the material I posted is accurate on that count.. no, what I mean is, we could research and cross reference ad infinitum and never get to the absolute "truth" of something.. but there is a kind of truth being imparted in this more "loose tea," or less constrained, as Cate would have it, form of free association.. so that if this particular google entry got my attention, then I'm looking at why that might be.. not whether those exact words were ever uttered (unless, of course, the REASON it got my attention in the first place was this issue of authenticity).. or, to give another example, if that jet plane left marks that look like wispy clouds.. that in turn look like angels, maybe.. or a cross.. it's just a means of triggering ideas and imagery in the mind that may or may not get us to someplace interesting.. and that may or may not link up to some larger picture we're beginning to create.. they don't have to be "real" clouds for this to happen.. even those numbers those birds are tagged with.. such numbers might be something to pay attention to as well.. and so there's no reason to exclude anything, in other words.. I mean, even a fake is authentically a fake, if you know what I mean.. it's all material that's either getting our attention in some way, or not..

.. of course, as to what our greater purpose is.. well that we should save for another day..

.. anyway, I probably could say all this more convincingly, or more clearly.. but that too would be on a clearer day.. (mind wise, I mean).. today, I'm a bit tuckered.. or is that tukered?..

.. okay.. 'til later.. (hi Cate)..
v i o l e t... (oh, I'm in the land of no youtube, I'm afraid.. damnable dial-up internet connection)..

.. by the way, does Sissel do the old standard, On a Clear Day?.. (my Dad used to sing that to me)..

.. oh Cate.. I can't fathom Earl Grey made with chocolate milk.. bergamot (the stuff that makes the Earl's tea special) is an acquired taste to begin with.. then again, I do see all kinds of fragrant chocolates these days.. hmm.. I'll get back to you on this..

[imaginary friend]

Casey, they are not signs from God, silly. They are signs from Leonard.

Cate, did you mention constraints?

XO to the 3 of you,

Sheila