Cabin Fever
Cabin Fever
I note a certain amount of cabin fever has crept into the board lately. Dark days give rise to dark thoughts.
We are past the worst (generally about 15 Feb) and psyches should start to improve with longer days and warming (careful there) weather.
We are past the worst (generally about 15 Feb) and psyches should start to improve with longer days and warming (careful there) weather.
Engineering is the art of making what you want from what you can get at a profit.
How very northern-hemispherist of you!
Besides, you're giving grumpiness a bad name! Nice bright warm spring mornings, with the dew glistening off the deep green blades of pasture, the birds singing sweetly, the crystal clear water babbling in the brook and the little lambs gamboling in the fields. A gentle walk in good company through the waking flora and fauna as they struggle from their winter-wrapped cradles, followed by a gentle soothing wine to round off the bright and reassuring warmth of the golden afternoon. YEEuggg... we might start having positive thoughts that things are OK with the world... and where would that get mankind??!!
Besides, you're giving grumpiness a bad name! Nice bright warm spring mornings, with the dew glistening off the deep green blades of pasture, the birds singing sweetly, the crystal clear water babbling in the brook and the little lambs gamboling in the fields. A gentle walk in good company through the waking flora and fauna as they struggle from their winter-wrapped cradles, followed by a gentle soothing wine to round off the bright and reassuring warmth of the golden afternoon. YEEuggg... we might start having positive thoughts that things are OK with the world... and where would that get mankind??!!
Denn sie sind selber auferstanden,
Aus niedriger Häuser dumpfen Gemächern,
Aus Handwerks – und Gewerbesbanden,
Aus dem Druck von Giebeln und Dächern,
Aus der Straßen quetschender Enge,
Aus der Kirchen ehrwürdiger Nacht
Sind sie alle ans Licht gebracht.
But is it the technology that counts, rather than the nature?
Aus niedriger Häuser dumpfen Gemächern,
Aus Handwerks – und Gewerbesbanden,
Aus dem Druck von Giebeln und Dächern,
Aus der Straßen quetschender Enge,
Aus der Kirchen ehrwürdiger Nacht
Sind sie alle ans Licht gebracht.
But is it the technology that counts, rather than the nature?
A couple of weekends back I was out digging at the Northern Virginia Glacier Field in my driveway, and looked up to see a robin in the tree above me.
Normally the first robin of spring would bring me joy, but this one was huddled up on a branch wondering how long it would be before he would see an earthworm, and grousing about the travel agent that told him about the great deals if you travel before the peak season.
Meanwhile I've put on several pounds as my body convinces itself that it is time for hibernation. I seriously need to get back on the bike.
Normally the first robin of spring would bring me joy, but this one was huddled up on a branch wondering how long it would be before he would see an earthworm, and grousing about the travel agent that told him about the great deals if you travel before the peak season.
Meanwhile I've put on several pounds as my body convinces itself that it is time for hibernation. I seriously need to get back on the bike.
I had to look up the word "gamboling". I asked my six year old what it meant and he didn't know either. He promptly went back to playing "Mater-national" on the PS3.
gamboling: To leap about playfully; frolic
Then, I had to pause and wonder what kind of man would use such a horrible word?
Then, I remembered gamboling about during afternoon tea parties at Great Aunty Ethel's while the growed-ups sat about on folding party chairs sipping and nibbling wearing big hats. I think I am going to need some sort of therapy after this flashback...
Oooh. PS3 is calling...
gamboling: To leap about playfully; frolic
Then, I had to pause and wonder what kind of man would use such a horrible word?
Then, I remembered gamboling about during afternoon tea parties at Great Aunty Ethel's while the growed-ups sat about on folding party chairs sipping and nibbling wearing big hats. I think I am going to need some sort of therapy after this flashback...
Oooh. PS3 is calling...
Ah! You've clearly not spent enough quality time getting cosy with lambs...ladajo wrote: Then, I had to pause and wonder what kind of man would use such a horrible word?
Exactly. Get your shades on, keep in the shadows and away from all those "happy" people. Go back to something sensible indoors like playing with talking cars on a TV screen and keep out of the solar radiation (it is dangerous).ladajo wrote: Then, I remembered gamboling about during afternoon tea parties at Great Aunty Ethel's while the growed-ups sat about on folding party chairs sipping and nibbling wearing big hats. I think I am going to need some sort of therapy after this flashback...
(Gee.... what a lot of **** I come out with. Oh, for some news in the fusion world.....)
I hung up me gumboots a while back.
One of the reasons I like being american now is that they have this thing called the 5th amendment and another thing called Ollie "I can't recall" North.
Sheep, lambs, gumboots, water? nope, sorry, I don't recall. On the other hand, I would like to invoke the 5th. Thanks. Would you have any more coffee? Tah. That'll do.
Gotta run, we just won a new paint job for Lighting!
One of the reasons I like being american now is that they have this thing called the 5th amendment and another thing called Ollie "I can't recall" North.
Sheep, lambs, gumboots, water? nope, sorry, I don't recall. On the other hand, I would like to invoke the 5th. Thanks. Would you have any more coffee? Tah. That'll do.
Gotta run, we just won a new paint job for Lighting!
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'Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesladajo wrote:Then, I remembered gamboling about during afternoon tea parties at Great Aunty Ethel's while the growed-ups sat about on folding party chairs sipping and nibbling wearing big hats. I think I am going to need some sort of therapy after this flashback....
did gyre and gambol on the wabe.
All mimsy were the borogoves
and the mome raths outgrabe.
(adapted)
Tom Ligon wrote:A couple of weekends back I was out digging at the Northern Virginia Glacier Field in my driveway, and looked up to see a robin in the tree above me.
Normally the first robin of spring would bring me joy, but this one was huddled up on a branch wondering how long it would be before he would see an earthworm, and grousing about the travel agent that told him about the great deals if you travel before the peak season.
Meanwhile I've put on several pounds as my body convinces itself that it is time for hibernation. I seriously need to get back on the bike.
This reminds me of the story about the bird that didn't want to fly south for the winter with the other birds. Eventually it became so cold the bird decided it needed to fly south after all. It flew as long as it could till it could finally fly no more, and it landed in a snow covered field believing it was going to freeze to death. As the little bird lay there on the ground freezing, a cow takes a dump right on top of the little bird. The bird is mortified! "Eeeewwww" the bird thinks. But after a while, the bird begins to notice that "at least it's warm. Perhaps if I wait here a while, my strength will recover enough that I can continue on my journey south." As the bird sat there warming in that pile of sh*t, a coyote comes along and pulls him out and eats him.
The moral of the story is:
Not everyone who Sh*ts on you is your enemy, and not everyone who gets you out of Sh*t is you friend.