My Thousand Words

Introduction to One Thousand Words

I thought it would be interesting to collect everything mentioned here; and of course, ask the question - if you had a thousand words, what would you collect?

Introduction to My Thousand Words

But after some thinking, here are my selections. Note that my criteria was for things that are personally significant. It's hard to argue with the power and appropriateness of the Gettysburg Address, or the Lord's Prayer. But, for this, I wanted to grab things that were perhaps a little off the beaten path, a little more personal.

And if you want to stop reading personal thoughts (maybe because you've been surfing the Net, and have seen how many people are putting diaries and other things up on the web these days), you'll want to stop reading now. As for why I put personal stuff up, you may want to read the introduction to The Warpfish Chronicles

Odds are very good that, if you had asked me five years ago, I would have chosen different things. Five years from now, I'll probably choose different things. Life changes, and, how I feel about it will change as well. But, for what it's worth, for now, these are my thousand words.

Note: Yes, I'm aware using excerpts may be considered cheating, but, it allows me to cram more stuff in. (8-)

Live long and prosper.

-- Vulcan Farwell, Star Trek

And I still read lots of Science Fiction. (8-)

I have taken all knowledge to be my province.

-- Francis Bacon

I also liked playing the Shadowrun RPG, where I first saw this quote. (8-)

Old age hath yet his honour and his toil.
Death closes all; but something ere the end,
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks;
The long day wanes; the slow moon climbs; the deep
Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends.
'T is not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down;
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
We are not now the strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,--
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will,
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

-- Excerpt from Ulysses, Alfred Lord Tennyson

As for the poem itself -- even though I'm only 28, I feel like I did all my amazing stuff in High School and at the start of University. I was one of those kids that did everything, who would run in the halls from meeting to meeting at lunch, and still managed to get excellent grades. I was going to change the world. But, as Univesity wore on, and as I burned out, my grades dropped, I stopped doing stuff, and I didn't change the world.

Now, I work a normal job, I spend time with my friends, (who I regard in awe most of time) and I have my hobbies. I'm certainly not the person I was in High School, with youth on my side. But, I think I've become a better person, a stronger person. I may not do as much stuff, and the fire doesn't burn as brightly, but it's more focused. I've become tempered by patience and experience, and picking battles that truly matter. And, I'm still too stubborn to surrender.

Thought that God had failed me
Thought that my prayers were useless
Thought that He would never give a chance for me to praise Him
Thought the book had finished
Thought the game had ended
Thought the song was done and I would never sing another
Thought my faith was misplaced
Thought my back was broken
Broken by a weight I was never fit to carry
Thought I was destined, destined to be nothing
Then one night I want to Morningside and you were waiting.

-- Excerpt from Then I Met You, The Proclaimers

I pretty well hit bottom in 1990-1991. Another bit of teenage roadkill on the highway of life. But, when you hit bottom, the only way to go is up.

To all my friends during those years, after all this time, I still have no idea how you put up with me, especially Dana, Steve and Laura. Thank you. My love to you all.

Insisting on perfect safety is for people without the balls to live in the
real world.

-- Mary Shafer Iliff

This post came about in response to a thread concerning why we send humans into space. The aftermath of Challenger was still fresh in the minds of those involved or interested in the space program. This was her response to somebody who basically said the danger was too great, the risk was too great, we shouldn't send humans up into space anymore.

She's no longer posting actively on USENET anymore, a victim of the growing tide of USENET silliness. (The same reason myself, and a whole bunch of other people don't post on USENET anymore.)

That's a shame, because it means I don't get to read stuff this good as often anymore.

Risk is a part of life. We all have to deal with it, and we can't let ourselves get paralyzed by it. Even when we want to be paralyzed by it.

I didn't come across this quote originally -- my first encounter with USENET was still two years in the future when this was written. But, when I read the post, on some system long forgotten, it made sense. It still does. In the narrow sense, of how we must reach into space, and the broader sense, of how we must live life, no matter how scared we get. (And I'll be the first to admit that I like cowering in a hole as much as the next person. (8-) )

I believe I've passed the age, of consciousness and righteous rage,
I've found that just surviving is a noble fight.
I once believed in causes too, I had my pointless point of view,
And life went on no matter who was wrong or right.

-- Excerpt from Angry Young Man, Billy Joel

Then I paid attention to this song lyric for the very first time.

In order to take care of those you love, and the world around you, you have to take care of yourself first. It's amazing how hard that lesson is.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives
do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them
be afraid.

-- John 14:27 (NIV)

It wasn't the exact moment that I started having faith again, but, like all roads, you have to lay a foundation.

I feel wonderful, because I see the lovelight in your eyes
And the wonder of it all, is that you just don't realize,
How much I love you.

-- Excerpt from Wonderful Tonight, Eric Clapton

There are just some people in your life that will always be special to you, no matter what happens or when.

The waitress is practing politics, as the businessmen slowly get stoned
They're sharing a drink they call lonliness, but it's better than
drinking alone

Sing us a song, you're the Piano Man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody,
And you've got us feeling alright.

-- Excerpt from Piano Man, Billy Joel

My tastes in music have scattered across the spectrum, but, Piano Man was the start. It helped that the lyrics of the song sang to me, ever since I had first heard them. Back then, there were dark days when playing the piano, filling the air with music, was my only solace.

Another symptom of a twisted teenager High School experience.

Most of my quotes, and a lot of this file, is music based. Music is one of the few overriding themes in my life.

I swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors,
and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfil my
duties as a Canadian citizen.

-- Canadian Oath of Citizenship

And Canada gave me the opportunity to learn, to grow, to take advantage of my skills and build the good life I now have.

To me, Canada is my home, and the place that I would defend with my life itself. I never took the Oath of Citizenship; being born here, I was a Canadian citizen from birth, one of the best gifts I have received.

I know there are people who take Canadian citizenship for granted, and I will never understand them.

And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works ye mighty and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away

-- Excerpt from Ozymandias, Percy Bysshe Shelly

There are people out there who believe somebody is worse than they are. But, time makes everybody equal, in the end.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.

-- Excerpt from Richard Cory, Edwin Arlington Robinson

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

-- Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening, Robert Frost

I do know I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep. I think everybody does.

Sunset and evening star,
  And one clear call for me!
And may there by no moaning of the bar,
  When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
  Too full for sound and foam,
What that which drew from out the boundless deep
  Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
  And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
  When I embark;

For tho' from out of bourne of Time and place
  The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my pilot face to face
  When I have crost the bar.

-- Crossing the Bar, Alfred Lord Tennyson

Tennyson asked that this poem appear at the end of any collection of his works. I'm hoping he won't mind that I've used it at the end here.

If you've made it to the end, thank you for reading this. May your pilot, whoever he/she/it may be, guide you and keep you safe from harm.