The Clatter
Clung
Clip-on Ties
The Chlorine
Cupboards of
Cupcakes
Tin Snakes
Bell Bottoms
Mop Tops
Tip Toes
Pantyhose
Drip Dry
Sinkhole
Upscale
Downscale
Rags
Towels
Muffin Racks
Spider Bites
Sea Urchins
The List
The Lisp
Opossums
Blossoms
Cardboard
Cabinet
Snacks
Salty
Crusty
Chimney
Trees
Elbows and
Elevators
Torches
Vultures
Backstabbers
Claxon
Ringers
Buzz
Tone
Foul
Spurts
Talc
Gym
Pox
Lax
Flack
Stump
Porch
Chip
Pinch
Skimp
Till
Vial
Zone
Quill
Jar
Sand
Damp
Conch
Fork
Tooth
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Philosophy Update
After reading through the excerpts of my philosophy, I can clearly see the dualism that unite and divide humans and myself. Since this is my blog, I'll just go on about myself.
I like dadaism for self-expression and I like Taoism for self-reflection. I see that a balance of self-expression and self-reflection keep one "healthy." If I express myself too much (like on blogs), I may grow to become egocentric--expressing myself only to admire the sound of my own voice or the style of my own writing. On the other hand, if I become too withdrawn due to my excessive self-reflection, I may lose touch with friends and family. Perhaps I would gain enlightenment but it would be at the expense of living in the modern world. I'm beginning to sound as if I'm advocating the middle ground or the "middle way," which is Taoist.
For me to clearly understand Taoism, I look at the pair of opposites, specifically unity and individuality. Unity could be interpreted as the yin (feminine) and individuality could be interpreted as the yang (masculine). Later on, I will try to express my philosophy through my intepretation of the Tao Te Ching.
I like dadaism for self-expression and I like Taoism for self-reflection. I see that a balance of self-expression and self-reflection keep one "healthy." If I express myself too much (like on blogs), I may grow to become egocentric--expressing myself only to admire the sound of my own voice or the style of my own writing. On the other hand, if I become too withdrawn due to my excessive self-reflection, I may lose touch with friends and family. Perhaps I would gain enlightenment but it would be at the expense of living in the modern world. I'm beginning to sound as if I'm advocating the middle ground or the "middle way," which is Taoist.
For me to clearly understand Taoism, I look at the pair of opposites, specifically unity and individuality. Unity could be interpreted as the yin (feminine) and individuality could be interpreted as the yang (masculine). Later on, I will try to express my philosophy through my intepretation of the Tao Te Ching.
My Philosophy
Before I "discovered" Taoism, I finally wrote down my perceptions on metaphysical issues. I compared what I wrote down to the summaries of all major world religions and found that Taoism was the closest to my personal philosophy. Here are the some of things I wrote back in October of 2004.
Truths
1. All things imaginable have existed, exist, or will exist.
2. All events have happened, are happening, or will happen.
3. Everything imaginable exists.
4. Everything imaginable is possible.
Myths (or I lack faith in...)
"Heaven" in the traditional sense.
Determinism (by an all-controlling God)
"Evil" in the traditional sense.
Beliefs
I believe in God as the source of energy.
I believe in the unity of all humanity through goodness.
I believe that the destruction of life should be avoided at all costs.
I believe that humans are instinctively good because we are born with the same ambition to bring everlasting peace and harmony in the world.
I believe evil is expressed because of people’s frustrations with their limitations.
I believe the ambition of power is the biggest obstacle in obtaining peace and harmony.
I believe in life after death.
UNITY & INDIVIDUALITY
At this moment in time, I see life as the experience of individuality and “the other life” as the experience of unity. When we are born as human beings, we are taken away from the union of mother and child and given our own individuality. It takes years for a child to gain the experience of individuality. It takes even longer for people to gain the experience of total individuality, which can be synonymous with freedom. I believe that as long as we are living, our goal is to become all that we can become as individuals; we should celebrate our own individuality. In addition, we should equally celebrate the individuality of others. This is very difficult for people and societies to do.
I believe the main cause for the struggle for people to celebrate total individuality and freedom is rooted in power. Using a Christian term, I believe that power is the ultimate “sin.” Power corrupts people. The pursuit of power causes mistrust and fear. And the prolonging of mistrust and fear causes hate and destructive conflict.
How does this relate to individuality? Power is the negative expression of individuality. Instead of celebrating one’s individuality, one is enforcing one’s own individuality. For example, if I take my own beliefs and share them with others, I am celebrating my individuality by saying, “This is my idea. Let me share it with you.” If I take my beliefs and force them upon others, I enforce my individuality by saying, “This is my idea. Follow it because it is good.” That quote sounds a lot like many popular deities.
Even if my idea is good, I cannot force it upon others because then I am corrupted. I can share the idea, and celebrate others’ individuality by letting them decide. If I force anything upon others, such as ideas (mentally) and work (physically), I take away people’s individuality. They lose their own freedoms. In a sense, I become greater than them. I am better, and I deserve more. People start to fear me. Others with the same goal start to mistrust me. A competitive cycle has begun. I want people to unite under me. And that type of unity, submissiveness is never permanent. The only permanent unity is the one experienced after life.
During one’s life, we see many individuals (disguised behind a group of individuals) who want to unite the world. Uniting the world is an inherent goal every individual has, but it can never be obtained by force. Everyone wants to bring harmony and peace to the world, and this can only be achieved by letting other’s be, by celebrating everyone’s individuality. People in power refuse to do this because they will lose their power. World unity can only be achieved if people stop seeking power.
The human species is so removed from nature nowadays that we do not need the desire for power to survive. The greatest threat people have in this world is themselves. We are not going to be dominated by any other species or beings (unless extraterrestrial life exists, but that’s a separate concept). In one outlook, it is depressing to know that the world will never unite peacefully as long as there is a struggle for power. In another outlook, it is uplifting to know that the world will be united without struggle. A war will never bring unity unless the war has convinced every person to give up the struggle.
It is also comforting to know that unity will be experienced upon death, the end of our individuality. We no longer experience the world as an individual, but as a being united with the world. After life, we cannot express ourselves because we do not have ourselves. We are “one with God,” pure energy, merged with the Creator, fused to the universe. This is a peaceful time where we feel the whole universe and understand its existence. Perceptions and conceptions are infinite and shared. It is also constant, without measure of time and space. It is death, and it should not be feared. The fear of death is the chief cause for every individual to submit under people of power.
In conclusion, there are two known experiences: life and death or individuality and unity. All who read this currently experience life or individuality, and fear death. If the reader is forced to read this, I have gained power over them. If the reader is interested in reading this, the reader and I have celebrated our individuality—the reader has decided what to do with the information and I have shared my thoughts. If the reader demands to read this, he has gained power over me.
Truths
1. All things imaginable have existed, exist, or will exist.
2. All events have happened, are happening, or will happen.
3. Everything imaginable exists.
4. Everything imaginable is possible.
Myths (or I lack faith in...)
"Heaven" in the traditional sense.
Determinism (by an all-controlling God)
"Evil" in the traditional sense.
Beliefs
I believe in God as the source of energy.
I believe in the unity of all humanity through goodness.
I believe that the destruction of life should be avoided at all costs.
I believe that humans are instinctively good because we are born with the same ambition to bring everlasting peace and harmony in the world.
I believe evil is expressed because of people’s frustrations with their limitations.
I believe the ambition of power is the biggest obstacle in obtaining peace and harmony.
I believe in life after death.
UNITY & INDIVIDUALITY
At this moment in time, I see life as the experience of individuality and “the other life” as the experience of unity. When we are born as human beings, we are taken away from the union of mother and child and given our own individuality. It takes years for a child to gain the experience of individuality. It takes even longer for people to gain the experience of total individuality, which can be synonymous with freedom. I believe that as long as we are living, our goal is to become all that we can become as individuals; we should celebrate our own individuality. In addition, we should equally celebrate the individuality of others. This is very difficult for people and societies to do.
I believe the main cause for the struggle for people to celebrate total individuality and freedom is rooted in power. Using a Christian term, I believe that power is the ultimate “sin.” Power corrupts people. The pursuit of power causes mistrust and fear. And the prolonging of mistrust and fear causes hate and destructive conflict.
How does this relate to individuality? Power is the negative expression of individuality. Instead of celebrating one’s individuality, one is enforcing one’s own individuality. For example, if I take my own beliefs and share them with others, I am celebrating my individuality by saying, “This is my idea. Let me share it with you.” If I take my beliefs and force them upon others, I enforce my individuality by saying, “This is my idea. Follow it because it is good.” That quote sounds a lot like many popular deities.
Even if my idea is good, I cannot force it upon others because then I am corrupted. I can share the idea, and celebrate others’ individuality by letting them decide. If I force anything upon others, such as ideas (mentally) and work (physically), I take away people’s individuality. They lose their own freedoms. In a sense, I become greater than them. I am better, and I deserve more. People start to fear me. Others with the same goal start to mistrust me. A competitive cycle has begun. I want people to unite under me. And that type of unity, submissiveness is never permanent. The only permanent unity is the one experienced after life.
During one’s life, we see many individuals (disguised behind a group of individuals) who want to unite the world. Uniting the world is an inherent goal every individual has, but it can never be obtained by force. Everyone wants to bring harmony and peace to the world, and this can only be achieved by letting other’s be, by celebrating everyone’s individuality. People in power refuse to do this because they will lose their power. World unity can only be achieved if people stop seeking power.
The human species is so removed from nature nowadays that we do not need the desire for power to survive. The greatest threat people have in this world is themselves. We are not going to be dominated by any other species or beings (unless extraterrestrial life exists, but that’s a separate concept). In one outlook, it is depressing to know that the world will never unite peacefully as long as there is a struggle for power. In another outlook, it is uplifting to know that the world will be united without struggle. A war will never bring unity unless the war has convinced every person to give up the struggle.
It is also comforting to know that unity will be experienced upon death, the end of our individuality. We no longer experience the world as an individual, but as a being united with the world. After life, we cannot express ourselves because we do not have ourselves. We are “one with God,” pure energy, merged with the Creator, fused to the universe. This is a peaceful time where we feel the whole universe and understand its existence. Perceptions and conceptions are infinite and shared. It is also constant, without measure of time and space. It is death, and it should not be feared. The fear of death is the chief cause for every individual to submit under people of power.
In conclusion, there are two known experiences: life and death or individuality and unity. All who read this currently experience life or individuality, and fear death. If the reader is forced to read this, I have gained power over them. If the reader is interested in reading this, the reader and I have celebrated our individuality—the reader has decided what to do with the information and I have shared my thoughts. If the reader demands to read this, he has gained power over me.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Waldo & Carmen Santiago Are Here
Accident, Maryland
Ache, Pennsylvania
Acidalia, New York
Africa, Ohio
Arctic Springs, Indiana
Asia, Tennessee
Bacon, Delaware
Bacon, Texas
Bad Axe, Michigan
Beefhide, Kentucky
Beersville, Pennsylvania
Ben Hur, Arkansas
Bias, West Virginia
Big Indian, New York
Big Patch, Wisconsin
Black Betsy, West Virginia
Blackland, Mississippi
Bone Lick, West Virginia
Boring, Maryland
Boring, Oregon
Boy, Texas
Bread Loaf, Vermont
Brewer, Maine
Bush Patch, Pennsylvania
Buttonwillow, California
Buttzville, New Jersey
Buttzville, North Dakota
Cheat Neck, West Virginia
Cheesequake, New Jersey
Chicken, Alaska
Chicken, Kentucky
Christian Center, Missouri
Christmas, Arizona
Christmas, Florida
Christmas, Michigan
Christmas, Mississippi
Chocolate Bayou, Texas
City, Minnesota
City Limits, Utah
Climax Springs, Missouri
Clitherall, Minnesota
Cow Town, Arizona
Cow Town, Kansas
Crapo, Maryland
Crapo Farm, Michigan
Cream, Wisconsin
Deadhorse, Alaska
Devils Garden, Florida
Dinosaur City, Arizona
Dogwalk, Kentucky
Dollar, Tennessee
Dooms, Virginia
Dull, Ohio
Dull, Tennessee
Dull Center, Wyoming
Dwarf, Kentucky
Elysian Fields, Texas
Experiment, Arkansas
Experiment, Pennsylvania
Fagg, Virginia
Faker, Texas
Ferry Landing, Virginia
Finger, North Carolina
Finger, Tennessee
Fish, Georgia
Flippin, Kentucky
Flippin, Tennessee
Fruit, Illinois
Funk, Ohio
Funkhouser, Illinois
Funkstown, Maryland
Gospel Grove, Indiana
Grainola, Oklahoma
Gravity, Iowa
Gravity, Pennsylvania
Greasy Creek, Kentucky
Gun Barrel City, Texas
Gunbarrel, Colorado
Handshoe, Kentucky
Handsom, Virginia
Happyland, Connecticut
Hard Cash, Georgia
Hard Cash, Mississippi
Head of Grassy, Kentucky
Heads, Mississippi
Hell, Michigan
Hell Gate, New York
Hempfield, Pennsylvania
Hippo, Kentucky
Homosassa, Florida
Horseheads, New York
Hot Coffee, Mississippi
Hot Spot, Kentucky
Hothouse, North Carolina
Humansville, Missouri
Intelligence, North Carolina
Intercourse, Alabama
Intercourse, Pennsylvania
Japan, Pennsylvania
Japan, Missouri
Jelly Roll, Minnesota
Jeremiah, Kentucky
John Allen, Texas
John Day, Oregon
John Sevier, Tennessee
Joker, West Virginia
Joinerville, Texas
Justin, Texas
Kill Buck, New York
Kneeland, California
Lace, Illinois
Latex, Texas
Lesbas, Kentucky
Lesbia, New Mexico
Magic, Idaho
Magic City, Texas
Matthew, Kentucky
Matthew, Washington
Meat Camp, North Carolina
Money, Mississippi
Monkeys Eyebrow, Kentucky
Mouthcard, Kentucky
Mouth of Wilson, Virginia
Mud Lick, Kentucky
Neck City, Missouri
New Addition, Maryland
New Design, Virginia
New Empire, Nevada
New Jerusalem, Pennsylvania
New Russia, New Jersey
Nova, Ohio
Peoples, Kentucky
Pickleville, Utah
Pickpocket Woods, NH
Plastic, Colorado
Porkey, Pennsylvania
Red Buttes, Wyoming
Rosenberg, Texas
Rudeville, New Jersey
Scarface, California
Short Pump, Virginia
Skinem, Tennessee
Slim Butte, South Dakota
Smeltz, Oregon
Snapfinger, Georgia
Sober, Pennsylvania
Spiceland, Indiana
Strange Creek, West Virginia
Stop, Georgia
Sweet Grass, Montana
Telephone, Texas
Telescope, Pennsylvania
Test, New Jersey
The Colony, Texas
Timothy, Tennessee
Tina, Kentucky
Tina, Missouri
Trippville, Wisconsin
Tuba City, Arizona
Whiteland, Indiana
Witch Lake, Michigan
Wizard Wells, Texas
Worms, Nebraska
Worstville, Ohio
Zero, Mississippi
Ache, Pennsylvania
Acidalia, New York
Africa, Ohio
Arctic Springs, Indiana
Asia, Tennessee
Bacon, Delaware
Bacon, Texas
Bad Axe, Michigan
Beefhide, Kentucky
Beersville, Pennsylvania
Ben Hur, Arkansas
Bias, West Virginia
Big Indian, New York
Big Patch, Wisconsin
Black Betsy, West Virginia
Blackland, Mississippi
Bone Lick, West Virginia
Boring, Maryland
Boring, Oregon
Boy, Texas
Bread Loaf, Vermont
Brewer, Maine
Bush Patch, Pennsylvania
Buttonwillow, California
Buttzville, New Jersey
Buttzville, North Dakota
Cheat Neck, West Virginia
Cheesequake, New Jersey
Chicken, Alaska
Chicken, Kentucky
Christian Center, Missouri
Christmas, Arizona
Christmas, Florida
Christmas, Michigan
Christmas, Mississippi
Chocolate Bayou, Texas
City, Minnesota
City Limits, Utah
Climax Springs, Missouri
Clitherall, Minnesota
Cow Town, Arizona
Cow Town, Kansas
Crapo, Maryland
Crapo Farm, Michigan
Cream, Wisconsin
Deadhorse, Alaska
Devils Garden, Florida
Dinosaur City, Arizona
Dogwalk, Kentucky
Dollar, Tennessee
Dooms, Virginia
Dull, Ohio
Dull, Tennessee
Dull Center, Wyoming
Dwarf, Kentucky
Elysian Fields, Texas
Experiment, Arkansas
Experiment, Pennsylvania
Fagg, Virginia
Faker, Texas
Ferry Landing, Virginia
Finger, North Carolina
Finger, Tennessee
Fish, Georgia
Flippin, Kentucky
Flippin, Tennessee
Fruit, Illinois
Funk, Ohio
Funkhouser, Illinois
Funkstown, Maryland
Gospel Grove, Indiana
Grainola, Oklahoma
Gravity, Iowa
Gravity, Pennsylvania
Greasy Creek, Kentucky
Gun Barrel City, Texas
Gunbarrel, Colorado
Handshoe, Kentucky
Handsom, Virginia
Happyland, Connecticut
Hard Cash, Georgia
Hard Cash, Mississippi
Head of Grassy, Kentucky
Heads, Mississippi
Hell, Michigan
Hell Gate, New York
Hempfield, Pennsylvania
Hippo, Kentucky
Homosassa, Florida
Horseheads, New York
Hot Coffee, Mississippi
Hot Spot, Kentucky
Hothouse, North Carolina
Humansville, Missouri
Intelligence, North Carolina
Intercourse, Alabama
Intercourse, Pennsylvania
Japan, Pennsylvania
Japan, Missouri
Jelly Roll, Minnesota
Jeremiah, Kentucky
John Allen, Texas
John Day, Oregon
John Sevier, Tennessee
Joker, West Virginia
Joinerville, Texas
Justin, Texas
Kill Buck, New York
Kneeland, California
Lace, Illinois
Latex, Texas
Lesbas, Kentucky
Lesbia, New Mexico
Magic, Idaho
Magic City, Texas
Matthew, Kentucky
Matthew, Washington
Meat Camp, North Carolina
Money, Mississippi
Monkeys Eyebrow, Kentucky
Mouthcard, Kentucky
Mouth of Wilson, Virginia
Mud Lick, Kentucky
Neck City, Missouri
New Addition, Maryland
New Design, Virginia
New Empire, Nevada
New Jerusalem, Pennsylvania
New Russia, New Jersey
Nova, Ohio
Peoples, Kentucky
Pickleville, Utah
Pickpocket Woods, NH
Plastic, Colorado
Porkey, Pennsylvania
Red Buttes, Wyoming
Rosenberg, Texas
Rudeville, New Jersey
Scarface, California
Short Pump, Virginia
Skinem, Tennessee
Slim Butte, South Dakota
Smeltz, Oregon
Snapfinger, Georgia
Sober, Pennsylvania
Spiceland, Indiana
Strange Creek, West Virginia
Stop, Georgia
Sweet Grass, Montana
Telephone, Texas
Telescope, Pennsylvania
Test, New Jersey
The Colony, Texas
Timothy, Tennessee
Tina, Kentucky
Tina, Missouri
Trippville, Wisconsin
Tuba City, Arizona
Whiteland, Indiana
Witch Lake, Michigan
Wizard Wells, Texas
Worms, Nebraska
Worstville, Ohio
Zero, Mississippi
Thursday, March 02, 2006
The Cup Runneth Over
Shall I compare thee to a pint of ice cream?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Chocolate chips do not shake the darling buds of May,
And ice cream’s eaten too quick a date:
Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his cream complexion melted;
And every fair from fair sometimes declines,
By Ben and Jerry’s changing course untrimmed;
But thy eternal pint shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;
Nor shall death brag thou eat’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou hungers;
So long as men can eat, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
Here comes a charming tale about two separate souls that find each other in a bowl of pea soup. Not only was the toaster turned to burn, but the microwave oven door was left all the way open. In a matter of minutes, the kitchen will perform a 360-degree somersault in the living room. The other rooms should back away because some water might spill out of the sink. And we don’t want water spilling into a special kind of room, do we?
Are you thirsty? Well, let’s have a drink then!
The water sparkles in the light like a diamond hanging from a chandelier. There is nothing that replenishes the body faster then 100% pure cool refreshing water. Water is for the body. Light is for the soul. With water and light, everything grows.
Do you doubt me?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Chocolate chips do not shake the darling buds of May,
And ice cream’s eaten too quick a date:
Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his cream complexion melted;
And every fair from fair sometimes declines,
By Ben and Jerry’s changing course untrimmed;
But thy eternal pint shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;
Nor shall death brag thou eat’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou hungers;
So long as men can eat, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
Here comes a charming tale about two separate souls that find each other in a bowl of pea soup. Not only was the toaster turned to burn, but the microwave oven door was left all the way open. In a matter of minutes, the kitchen will perform a 360-degree somersault in the living room. The other rooms should back away because some water might spill out of the sink. And we don’t want water spilling into a special kind of room, do we?
Are you thirsty? Well, let’s have a drink then!
The water sparkles in the light like a diamond hanging from a chandelier. There is nothing that replenishes the body faster then 100% pure cool refreshing water. Water is for the body. Light is for the soul. With water and light, everything grows.
Do you doubt me?
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