John's Dura Mater Blog

"It is to the development, identification, and general prevalence of that fervid comradeship (the adhesive love, at least rivaling the amative love hitherto possessing imaginative literature, if not going beyond it), that I look for the counterbalance and offset of our materialistic and vulgar American democracy, and for the spiritualization thereof. " -Walt Whitman from Democratic Vistas (1865)

-Speak No Evil, photograph by Ancil Nance ©2002 Click photo to enlarge

"Consider how lucky you are that life has been good for you so far; Alternatively, if life hasn’t been good to you so far (which given your current circumstances seems more likely) consider how lucky you are that it won’t be troubling you much longer." -from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe (2005) by Douglas Adams Garth J ennings , Director

"Surplus wealth is a sacred trust which its possessor is bound to administer in his lifetime for the good of the community." -Andrew Carnegie

In freedom did I conceive thee. In freedom did I purpose thee; in living freedom created thy soul. Live in me. Son of Man Bow thou not beneath the tyranny of man, nor place upon thy neck the yoke of thine own wayward thoughts and fashionings. Son of Man Keep thy soul. Free thyself through thoughts that lead to burning truths; through deeds that liberate true power; through love that lifts to higher realms of worth. Free thy soul. Son of Man Live thy life creatively and thou shalt find me living in thee; living through thee; living with thee; living in endless love. Live in Me. Son of Man Live in J oy! -An American anthem Music by J ohn Parker Lyrics by David Lantz Published by Shawnee Press

..."I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst. And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life. You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry - you will someday. " -Lester Burnham's ending monologue from American Beauty (1999) by Alan Ball Sam Mendes - Director

Marlene McGuirk Tate Kiziah Edwards (nee Boren) Photograph by: John G. McGuirk (1935-1970) Click photo to enlarge

Le Sirenuse Hotel - Positano, Italy Photograph by: Tom Wentling Click photo to enlarge

Oh Lydia, oh Lydia, say, have you met Lydia? Lydia The Tattooed Lady. She has eyes that folks adore so, and a torso even more so. Lydia, oh Lydia, that encyclo-pidia. Oh Lydia The Queen of Tattoo. On her back is The Battle of Waterloo. Beside it, The Wreck of the Hesperus too. And proudly above waves the red, white, and blue. You can learn a lot from Lydia! La-la-la...la-la-la. La-la-la...la-la-la. When her robe is unfurled she will show you the world, if you step up and tell her where. For a dime you can see Kankakee or Paree, or Washington crossing The Delaware. La-la-la...la-la-la. La-la-la...la-la-la. Oh Lydia, oh Lydia, say, have you met Lydia? Lydia The Tattooed Lady. When her muscles start relaxin', up the hill comes Andrew Jackson. Lydia, oh Lydia, that encyclo-pidia. Oh Lydia The Queen of them all. For two bits she will do a mazurka in jazz, with a view of Niagara that nobody has. And on a clear day you can see Alcatraz. You can learn a lot from Lydia! La-la-la...la-l

"To pay attention to this and ignore that is to the inner life what choice of action is to the outer. In both cases, a man is responsible for his choice and must accept the consequences, whatever they may be. " -W.H. Auden

"You will not live forever—No you will not, for a ceiling of clouds hovers in the sky. You are not as brave as you once thought. Sounds of death echo in your chest. You feel the bite of pain, the taste of it running through you. Following the telling to friends comes a silence of felt goodbyes. You come to know the welling of tears. Your children are stronger than you thought and closer to your skin. The beauty of animals birds on telephone lines, dogs who look into your eyes, all bring you peace. You want no more confusion than what already rises in your head and heart. You watch television less, will never read all those books, much less the ones you have. Songs can move you now, so that you want to hold onto the words like the hands of children. Your own hands look good to you. old and familiar as water. You read your lover's skin like a road map into yourself. All touch is precious now. There are echoes in the words thrown before you. When they take your picture now you we

..."(i do not know what it is about you that closes and opens;only something in me understands the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses) nobody;not even the rain,has such small hands" -From 100 Selected Poems by e.e. cummings

"It is not necessary that you leave the house. Remain at your table and listen. Do not even listen, only wait. Do not even wait, be wholly still and alone. The world will present itself to you for its unmasking; it can do no other; in ecstasy it will writhe at your feet." - Franz Kafka

"Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. " -The scriptural basis for Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman (1941)

"This is one race of people for whom psychoanalysis is of no use whatsoever." - Sigmund Freud speaking of the Irish

"For half a century photography has been the 'art form' of the untalented. Obviously some pictures are more satisfactory than others, but where is credit due? To the designer of the camera? To the finger on the button? To the law of averages?" -Gore Vidal

"I have a fine sense of the ridiculous, but no sense of humour." From Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (act I) by Edward Albee

I lit my love and watched it burn; asking nothing in return except the lessons I would learn holding crazy faith. I've been touched by that bright fire down to the root of my desire, while the smoke it rises higher on crazy faith. 'Am I a fool for hanging on?' 'Would I be a fool to be long gone?' 'When is daylight gone to dawn on my crazy faith?' The questions will not let me sleep; The answer's buried way too deep at the bottom of a lovers' leap made by crazy faith. Love your losing; lose your love. Let the hawk fly from the glove and do not search the skies above; search your crazy faith. Love is lightning; love is ice. It only strikes the lucky twice: once, so you will know the price; and once for crazy faith. You're not asking if I love this man... I know you don't; you don't believe you can. Yet I've seen love open like a dancer's fan. It's crazy I know; but my faith says so- it tells me. by Allison Krauss and Union

You and me, We're the kind of people other people Would like to be. Wand'ring free, We present the kind of picture People are glad to see. And we don't care that tomorrow Comes with no guarantee; We've each other for company. And come what may, You and me, we'll stay together Year after year, Won't we, my dear? That's why we're you and me. You and Me From Victor/Victoria Music by Henry Mancini Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse