The Enormous Hammer of Skull-Splitting Mirth

Well, it looks like everything worked out in the end- we'll be closing on a house in Enfield at the middle of this month, and I'll get to work painting and cleaning the place up. We're all set with everything except the mortgage company's appraisal, but that shouldn't be a big deal. In other world news, things go on pretty much as they always have. It's going to be a breath of fresh air to do work on the house, as my job requires lots of mental work, but not a lot of getting up and moving around, which tends to be a grind. But that's better than not working- did that too at one point- the hours were good, but the pay was lousy.
I just came across an interesting quote from Henry Rollins, the crazy-looking brick outhouse of a performance artist, also lead man for Black Flag and the Rollins band- I'm a big fan of both-
"The average is the borderline that keeps mere men in their place. Those who step over the line are heroes by the very act. Go."
Though I'm not sure I agree 100%, I think to a large extent he's right. You can go in two directions, but we can try to go beyond and do more. It's inspiring to think that the potential for greatness exists in all of us, even though I'll admit that I don't always use all eight cylinders in day to day life. But there is always that kind of highest ideal for me- thinking Man, guided by reason and compassion, building the world he wants around him.

Bodhidharma's Twilight Crossing- Zen Poem #8

There hangs a

bamboo moon over the

mountains- they say

Old Man Bodhidharma came

from India to China

on

the back of a tiger- silent

Illumination, royal and stately progress neither

hurried nor slow,

though

they appear to exist, they

are empty, the

Sages laugh-

At us, at you, at me; let's

laugh together- no holiness,

No "I have no idea!"

when faced with the world.