Good day fellows and fellas, feckless and fruitless, fornicators and obfuscators, all are welcome here, it’s an honour to have you. Please though wipe your feet and your hate, my floors are already in shambles.
First question, from where does the expression, “works like a charm”, originate? Outside of the Harry Potter universe, charms are completely ineffective so… it didn’t work then? From personal experience, I do know that charm itself works though so perhaps they meant, “works like charm”, and we broken-telephoned our interpretation? One assumes it came from a time when belief in such things was prevalent but alas, sure seems silly in modern times. Then again, of the multitude of archaic beliefs still maintained by the “general” populace perhaps this one ranks rather low priority-wise.
Who here scuba dives? I was having a discussion with a friend the other day and he said he would be interested in doing so. I was in vehement non-agreement, though admittedly my vaguely crippling fear of being devoured by a shark or some other such creature may have played more a role than I was willing to admit. Still, it’s an agreement sharks and I maintain, I don’t go into their house and they stay well away from mine. And thus far the Shark Pact of 1988 has worked just fine. For instance, neither of us has yet to consume even the tiniest shred of the other. Peace on the rise, or in this case dives- and/or lack thereof.
And finally, not a question merely an observation. I came to the realization not overly long ago that there are no intrinsically good or bad feelings. Each has its value and we never know what “positive” or “negative” outcomes may arise from situations of their seeming reverse. In fact, many of the more difficult experiences of past days have led to some of the most exceptional. So whatever you’re fighting, keep swinging, we’ve no idea where or what that next blow may land. Please don’t actually fight anyone other than perhaps your own demons, my pacifist nature doesn’t extend so far as to preclude that at least.
That’s all the inane queries and dime-store philosophizing for now. Let’s revert to the regular bastion of poor rhyme and ill-metered time. See what I mean? That sentence scans worse than busted microfiche and you’ve forgotten your glasses to boot.
“A Sop’s Fable”, January 3, 2022.
Once upon a remote time
And very far away
Soft tinkling of distant chime
Which slowly did allay
Basest war and epic peace
And the fight for them both
Instead renewed long-held lease
As had the raven quoth
Cessation of fair and foul
Left gaping crevice wide
Smothered within cosmic cowl
Where little would reside
In hostility’s absence
We prayed that grace had won
Yet the meagre, false pretence
Was razed as combust sun
Why it is that we cannot
Trade gross anguish and joy
Worthless stone for gold ingot
Forever linked but coy
If then our eternal fate’s
Perpetual distress
Unclench palm and let slip hate
Mend just the one abscess.
That’s the unfortunate truth, the only person we can prevent from spewing hatred and discord is ourselves. And for me personally, I’m hardly perfect, there are moments, even recent ones I regret. But learn from each, do your best, don’t beat yourself up and always be open to the learned improvement. What more can we do? So today, even though I feel less than loving, I still commit myself to kindness to everyone. Those who disagree with me, those I disagree with, those who wish me dead and worse. I still wish you happiness, still wish you joy and still wish you blessed. I just hope no one tries to nail me to anything for saying so.
Much love to you all, even if you don’t feel it for yourself, you ARE loved, you ARE valued and respected and noticed and relevant and all the other things. Whether you can say it you yourself or others, I love you. Hopefully, that can suffice for now.
This entire post has completely got away from me but allow me to please close just by saying let’s be kind. It’s right there in Humankind, after all. Thank you!
Happy Trails and Waggy Tails, my friends,
Alex Blaikie
Dread Poets Sobriety 
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