T'ai Chi and patriotism

The man in the picture is holding a ball, a beach ball, I would guess, or maybe a big golden orb made out of nerf material (does anyone remember nerf balls?). If you look to the man's right (left side of the photo) you will see the woman behind him is holding a much smaller ball.

As for myself, I have dropped the ball. It was too much trying to concentrate on it and type at the same time.

Outside is a thunderstorm and here in this blog entry is a question: have you meditated lately on what patriotism is all about??? I mean today is the Fourth and it would be a good say for such a meditation. You can ask yourself the question:
so you support EVERYTHING your country does? Is it necessary to give your country blanket permission to do whatever it feels it needs to do in order to think of yourself, to be thought of, as a patriot???

Here are some quotations from the recently deceased patriot William Sloane Coffin:

Christians forget that it was the Devil who tempted Jesus with unbounded wealth and power. And it is the Devil in every American that makes us feel good about being so powerful.

When there's doubt, there's more considered faith. Likewise, when citizens doubt, patriotism
becomes more informed.

It's wonderful to love one's country, but faith is for God. National unity too is wonderful--but
not in cruelty and folly.

The other day I read words of Alexander Hamilton more pertinent perhaps to our time than
to his: "To be more safe the nations at length become willing to run the risk of being less free."
Today our danger may lie in becoming more concerned with defense than with having things
worth defending.

How do you love America? Don't say, "My country, right or wrong." That's like saying, "My grandmother, drunk or sober;" it doesn't get you anywhere. Don't just salute the flag, don't burn it either. Wash it. Make it clean.

There are three kinds of patriots, two bad, one good. The bad ones are the uincritical lovers and the loveless critics. Good patriots carry on a lover's quarrel with their country, a reflection of God's lover's quarrel with all the world.

The United States doesn't have to lead the world; it has first to join it. Then, with greater humility, it can play a wiser leadership role.

No further comment.
---Harriet.

T'ai Chi and idiocy

The photo is not of me. It was a T'ai Chi demonstration at the ribbon-cutting ceremony
for the new Health Equity building.

I am already feeling like the village idiot again, one reason I stopped doing the blog thing.

I can give lessons in idiocy to anyone who needs them. At a cost of merely $99.99 per CD/DVD
set, YOU can experience:
Lesson number one: how to get fat.
Lesson number two: how to write bad poetry.
Lesson number three: how to lose friends.

I'm going to post a poem which is an answer to all the poems I posted yesterday. Note that it's a villanelle, a rather bland one, but it follows the rules.

The Poet Judges Herself

I’m a girl who needs to be ashamed
for writing down exactly what I feel.
I am the poet who deserves the blame.

Accuse me: I think writing is a game.
I am a bad exploiter of what’s real.
I’m a girl who needs to be ashamed.

At this rate I will not win cash or fame.
With what kind of demons do I deal?
I am the poet who deserves the blame.

In my quest to be concrete I’ve named
details that I had no right to steal.
I am a girl who needs to be ashamed.

Caesar said he conquered; I just came
and saw and lacked respect to pray, to kneel.
I am the poet who deserves the blame.

It’s not a case of someone being framed.
I really eat the truth at every meal.
I am a girl who needs to be ashamed.
I am the poet who deserves the blame.

---Harriet.