Answer is 42

  I

Deep Thought took 7.5 million years to calculate the answer is 42

We said “I do” in 1982, and this year 2024, gets us to the anniversary is 42

Frustrating to see things develop, where the outcome 

should be good, and yet turns bad, don't folks know the answer is 42

Garden harvest has been good for my greens, cherry tomatoes, 

less so for the garlic, despite planting when the answer is 42

Voracious reader, turning pages among various book types, 

trying to escape from a world where the answer is 42

Weather varies in summer, not a surprise, much appreciated 

when the humidity is way down, closer to the answer is 42

Walking streak not as good as my reading streak, also need 

to work on the strength exercises, get back to where I was at 42

  II

Choosing your partner, do you throw caution to the winds, or 

calculate the pros & cons, going when the answer is 42

The bent brown leaf scuttles across the roadway, scratching 

the surface, almost crablike, looking for the answer is 42

He looked for other college presidents to join in writing letters 

to students, sharing advice on whether the answer is 42

Translation matters when working with a derivation of the 

original, or working within the language, where the answer is 42

Household chores have long been divided to share the work, 

and specializations that come naturally, when the answer is 42

“Take the cotton of the mind’s doom-ridden chatter out of your 

ears, hear the booming voice of the heavens” the answer is 42

So Sherlock, listen to “the roar of fate, the ruckus the muse 

makes” when you finally realize the answer is not 42

Credit for the quote to Haleh Liza Gafori’s translation of Rumi in her book “Gold”

For DS

To Do

 I

The higher the humidity goes, the less I want to do.

walking to the pool, too long today, not something to do

Are you one who glances at books sideways, 

looking for hidden words? Is that something for you to do?

Amazing, to see what it is that attracts one's attention, that is 

jumping to the front to command, this is what you need to do

The motor sputtered, refused to start, the vehicle is now

awaiting time, and schedule, for service to do

No one pays attention to what goes on, until it starts 

happening to them, then all else goes aside, something's urgent to do

Walking down the dark slightly sloping aisle, carefully

selecting a seat, settled in, ready to get away from things to do

  II

Standing under a star filled sky, fireflies in the grassy field, 

rising, make their way to treetops, doing what they need to do

The choice is not “Do I fight? or do I give up?” The question to be 

making a real difference in life is, “What can I do?”

“Radical” doesn't always mean being out on the edge, primary meaning is

Being rooted, it should be what drives you to do what you do

When a word is used outside of its original meaning, it may be creative, 

or deviating, be aware of that, recognize what they do

When they recognize you but don't remember your name, 

recalling may be their problem, but is there something you can do 

What you fear is a great example of the power of imagination; 

accepting that concept, choose hope, see how much that can do

So Sherlock, when they hear it through the grapevine, something that is not 

happening, what is it that you really want them to do

Send me on my way

  I

Wooden ladder leans to the house, accessing short roof ledge, 

hawking Romeo to visit Juliet, send me on my way

All 3 cars backed in the driveway, no hurry to get home, 

time blocking ready to leave, send me on my way 

Strolling along the shady side, cooler by 10 to 20 degrees, 

tomahawking the temp, send me on my way

Text on the page just sits, spoken words fill the air we breathe, 

squawking the life we live, send me on my way

The tail of the letter q apparently evolved from the tail of a monkey, 

rollocking play with questions, send me on my way 

What is better, an answer, or a discussion leading to a better question?

sweet talking much more discussion, send me on my way

  II

Doing anything the proper way is best, I go fishing for words, bushwhacking impatient dictionaries, send me on my way

Tiger lillies welcome drivers to Weikert, lining the curving roads, flocking along Buffalo Valley, send me on my way

Life’s issues play in a rainbow of color, the key is managing the gray, peacocking between spaces, send me on my way

My hands were wet when I was at the source of the Nile. Dry now, rocking the source within me, send me on my way

Blue hydrangeas didn't bloom last year, frost caught them just as they were about to, gawking this year's splendor, send me on my way

Sunlight dances on Penn’s Creek, lengthens the glistening flow, cyberstalking the deep, send me on my way

So Sherlock, go make space for the silence to be broken,

knocking down doors, opening windows, send me on my way 

In response to Rusted Roots’ “Send me on my way”   https://youtu.be/IGMabBGydC0 and multiple contemporary events

Cross points

  I

Let me tell you a story. It began simply enough. How do I convey my idea to you? Sign language began to get the point across

We were busy, we still needed to share our story. From a distance, I couldn't see your hand sign but the smoke signal got your point across

So busy, the story was pressing, we didn't want to carry wood to the desert, so we developed a flag and semaphore system to get our point across

We stumbled about our busyness, and in stumbling we fell and discovered sound, “ouch” was a breakthrough to get our point across

Sounds became easier to spread across a distance, we found the echo, and then drum beats to help get our point across

Devices were crafted, and refined, to help carry the sound or the drum beats for greater distances to get our point across

  II

In the telling of our story, through all the developments, time was spent on coding, and decoding, the message to get the point across

What did this hand signal mean? “I don't think it means what you think it does” was a problem to be resolved to get our point across

Coordinating the meaning of this, or that, makes a difference. It takes time to do, and for those who spend the time; they get their point across

The more time coordinating, and preparing, the more it becomes easier to craft the message, and be successful, in getting the point across 

Gather, discuss, decide, produce, rinse and repeat, these are the all important steps to keep the energy focused on the flywheel to get the point across

The energy can become distracted, attention can shift, from focal point to focal point, instead of trusting the process to get the point across

So Sherlock, what comes next? Consider the sun will rise tomorrow. Keep the flywheel spinning so folks can get the next point across.

I struggled to complete this but a friend sent me a text that gave me the spark to do so. Thank you!

Do the right thing

   I

When Dad was 18, he enlisted as a US Marine, serving and surviving 3 World War II Pacific island battles to do the right thing

When I was eighteen, I got a draft number for the Vietnam war, that I hoped would not call for me, unless it was the right thing

Now 50 years ago from that Vietnam conflict, when those that did serve returned, they did not get the recognition that should have been the right thing

War was hell and being home in the US wasn't much easier; anti-war protests, race riots, gas shortages, all trying to do the right thing

The news headlines were big, dramatic, chaos seemed to reign, and yet many of us survived those days, times trying to do the right thing

I had trained for a few years with a rifle drill team. I was captivated by their precision, cadence, moving in unison doing the right thing

  II

Looking back, that was likely a reach for stability in the midst of the chaos around; along with lessons from Coach Wooden to do the right thing

UCLA was THE team, consistent, dominant on the college basketball court. Coach melded great talent in his system for success doing the right thing

I still take my new shoes, and re-do the laces just like I had read about as one of the lessons Coach Wooden taught in prep to do the right thing

To play the game Coach started with the basics. If the shoes were tied properly, no need to lose time during a game doing the right thing

A simple thing, shoe laces, but tied properly, they stayed tied. When time was critical, using time wisely paid off doing the right thing

88 game win streak, 10 national championships, 7 consecutive, a set of records unmatched today, doing the right thing

So check Sherlock’s shoes when you can. You should see the right lace goes over the left, a reminder to always do the right thing

Starting over

 I

Awakened by his performing a great cover of “Starting over”

I've heard the song before, but not in this way, I'm starting over

Settling in, back from our trip to the “pearl of Africa”, with only 

One house to reside in/worry about now that we're starting over

Twenty-eight year residence in the past, paperwork filings

Confirmed the closing, discharges, and details of starting over

Finished reading “The Ocean at the End of the Lane”

And realized it is all about memories, water, and starting over

As we search for good things in our past to share, 

Isn't that what we end up doing? Starting over

Recollection of a specific instance, you "fill in the blank",

It changes us, recognized or not, and we're starting over

  II

Water is critical to life, we can't go many days without it

Thirst quenched, rehydrated, our body is starting over

Water can flow in a stream, river, and progressively

Larger bodies of water, each time it seems to be starting over

Can you stop the stream? Try, and you'll get left behind. 

Catch up, and you are really in a new place, starting over

Your body sweats expending effort in the catching up

Sweat may drench your clothes, weighing down starting over

Cold water, kept in a jug in the fridge is refreshing 

Hot or cold, water is life, enabling starting over

Don't live in the past, there is a happy place to be

When the sun rises tomorrow, and your life is starting over

Sherlock: remember the jar of Maraschino cherries next to the water jug

They remind us to celebrate the small moments starting over

Referential inspirations:

• The cover of Chris Stapleton, “Starting over” was performed by State Rep Jeff Roy at the opening of the SAFE Coalition performance space    https://youtu.be/_4fD7XAd72w?si=UWh7b-y0z-Sf51Vg 
• Pádraig Ó Tuama - Poetry Unbound.   https://onbeing.org/programs/thomas-lux-refrigerator-1957/#transcript 
• Ocean at the end of the Lane, Neil Gaiman.   https://www.neilgaiman.com/works/Books/The+Ocean+at+the+End+of+the+Lane/ 

Lessons from dust

Travel can be fraught with peril or challenges. One prepares with preparation, research, packing, and the hope that such will enable a successful journey whether for business or pleasure. One also asks for blessing from the almighty. Trepidation about the potential for peril brings to mind: “All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.”

While we ultimately go to one place, the modern airport is a mixer. Folks arriving, going to their destination; others arrive to transfer to their destination, or take the next step to their destination. Walking through this airport, I notice my shoes are still colored with the red road dust we picked up on our travels. Only 4% of the roads in Uganda are paved hence our accumulation of dust. “All are from the dust, and all return to dust.”

How big is Uganda? As a native Rhode Islander, I always find it interesting to put things in perspective. How big is Uganda compared to RI? 100, yes, one more than 99, and not just a round number. 100 RIs would fit within Uganda. 11 Massachusetts would fit. So that may help explain how we spent 20 days there and really did not see it all, no matter how much dust we collected. “All are from the dust, and all return to dust.”

Uganda is one of the poorest countries in Africa. The country has been struggling to properly utilize their resources. 60% of the population live on an average $1.25/day. When one finds out that there is also 40% unemployment, that helps to explain. Each community has a street market. Street vendors sell many of the same items; mattresses, food & produce, hand crafted wooden furniture, welded steel gates & doors. All of these are also cleaned daily to wipe away the dust. “All are from the dust, and all return to dust.”

Uganda is referred to as the “pearl of Africa.” Interesting image. Oysters make pearls. I quote: “The formation of a natural pearl inside an oyster begins when a foreign substance slips into the oyster between the mantle and the shell, which irritates the mantle. It's kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster's natural reaction is to cover up that irritant by encapsulating the interloper, thereby protecting itself. The mantle covers the irritant with layers of the same nacre substance that is used to create the shell, and these concentric layers of nacre will eventually form a pearl”. To continue the analogy, the continent has provided Uganda with a varied landscape, from the savanna, across rivers and valleys to mountains. With resources (minerals in the ground), and wild animals (in natural environments). A speck of sand (or dust) can not create a pearl. That item can be expelled by the oyster. Dust however is accumulated by all visitors. “All are from the dust, and all return to dust.”

One of the key resources available are the wildlife; giraffe, elephant, water buffalo, warthogs, chimpanzees, the mountain gorilla and a variety of antelope to name only a few. Viewing these majestic animals in their habitat is an amazing experience. They live off the land, or each other, that most of the time is pleasant and peaceful. They have life's basic needs to be busy about; food, shelter, caring for each other, and their young. Fortunate to be only a few feet away from a rather large alpha male silverback gorilla, we both took a deep breath, and listened to the jungle. “All are from the dust, and all return to dust.”

Our travels, approximately 1800 miles over 20 days, provided me with a deeper understanding of how Uganda is “the pearl of Africa.” The people are so much like us. They desire similar things, a good home, opportunity for their children, they enjoy dancing, and singing, etc. Their opportunity by being born in Uganda rather than elsewhere presents a challenge for them. However, their spirit is good. They take things in due course. The sun will rise tomorrow. “All are from the dust, and all return to dust.”

While traveling, I was surprised to find internet access much more prevalent than I expected. In a lull moment catching up on world news, an article in The Guardian caught my attention. It talked of the art curator who cleans Michelangelo’s David and who is quoted as saying about her work: “You know when you clean a bathroom, you clean and clean and think you’ve done a great job but then you spot some dust and wonder ‘where did that come from?’,” Cecilie Hollberg said on Monday. “This is what it’s like. Dust is everywhere.” “All are from the dust, and all return to dust.”

In summary, when you happen to travel, prepare & prepare, trust the process, look out for one another, there will be bumps in the road, this too shall pass, be watchful, the world around us is a wonderful thing. Be curious. Take some time to process it all. Approach life with the dust pan, gathering dust, and then moving to catch the next line, now smaller, then the next line, still smaller. Repeat and repeat. “All are from the dust, and all return to dust.”

Advice from the curbside

 I

The Christmas tree carefully took time to put up, to decorate, and far less time to remove all the ornaments, strings of lights, and put the tree on the curb

Middle aged honey bees work from the top down secreting wax from their abdomens to build the combs of the hive. Yes, they don't need the curb 

The youthful bees fly all over to collect the pollen to make honey, they have the energy for that. Smarts come with time staying above the curb

Real estate appraisers take the measures of each room, and walls, inside and out, to make their assessment of the residences appeal from the curb

The Peregrine 1 moon shot will run out of fuel before it can power its landing on the moon. The team will maximize testing opportunities as it flies well out of sight of the curb

Recognition of the two circles overlapping, mingling, in ways I would uncover from the breadcrumbs of the table of their conversation while sitting there on the old stone curb

  II

Be prepared for whatever life throws at you, whether dressing for the changing weather, or patiently waiting your turn, applaud their effort when you stand on the curb 

Follow curiosity where it can take you, willingly explore with the eyes of a 3 year old, flop to make a snow angel, and step back to check it out from the curb

Be helpful and leave a rake in its proper place, definitely avoid stepping on the tines to try and pick it up, it can quickly leave you down and out on the curb

Balance is what you do when walking along the edge of a narrow surface, prioritize is what you do to accomplish goals so you won't be left behind on the curb

Mind the words you say but don't be afraid to say what you mean, to add value, to help someone, to share the lessons you acquired walking along the curb 

Ben advocated religiously for work, folks remember “Industry need not wish” and should know he continued that sentence with “and he who lives upon hope will die fasting” upon the curb

So Sherlock, continue your work, taking the measure of the times, building from the top down, and bottom up, sharing the content in context, with the folks along the curb