The Fox & the Crow ~ by Aesop

The Fox & the Crow ~ by Aesop

- From the U.S. Library of Congress -
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One bright morning as the Fox was following his sharp nose through the wood in search of a bite to eat, he saw a Crow on the limb of a tree overhead. This was by no means the first Crow the Fox had ever seen. What caught his attention this time and made him stop for a second look, was that the lucky Crow held a bit of cheese in her beak.

"No need to search any farther," thought sly Master Fox. "Here is a dainty bite for my breakfast."

Up he trotted to the foot of the tree in which the Crow was sitting, and looking up admiringly, he cried, "Good-morning, beautiful creature!"

The Crow, her head cocked on one side, watched the Fox suspiciously. But she kept her beak tightly closed on the cheese and did not return his greeting.

"What a charming creature she is!" said the Fox. "How her feathers shine! What a beautiful form and what splendid wings! Such a wonderful Bird should have a very lovely voice, since everything else about her is so perfect. Could she sing just one song, I know I should hail her Queen of Birds."

Listening to these flattering words, the Crow forgot all her suspicion, and also her breakfast. She wanted very much to be called Queen of Birds. So she opened her beak wide to utter her loudest caw, and down fell the cheese straight into the Fox's open mouth.

"Thank you," said Master Fox sweetly, as he walked off. "Though it is cracked, you have a voice sure enough. But where are your wits?"
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    The flatterer lives at the expense of those who will listen to him. 🤔🥴

 

Rawri and iHermosa ~ by TPO

Rawri and iHermosa *

~ by TPO ~

* Source: tumblr.com

Allo , la police! - de TPO

Allo , la police! 

- de TPO -

[ La langue de Molière n'est pas facile ! ]

Wires Crossed ! ~ by TPO

Wires Crossed ! 

~ by TPO ~

Better Times Will Come ! ~ Eric Bibb

Better Times Will Come !

~ Eric Bibb (1951 - ) ~

"Unholy Rifles" - by TPO

Unholy Rifles -- 

The Sepoy Rebellion *

- by TPO -

Tensions between the British East India Company and their Indian soldiers, the Sepoys, came to a head when the British introduced the Enfield Rifle.  This new gun required soldiers to use their  teeth to tear out expended gunpowder cartridges.  Unfortunately for the Sepoys, the Enfield also required that the cartridges be lubricated with pork or beef fat.  In India, a land of Hindus and Muslims and endless religious tensions, this proved problematic.  Every Sepoy soldier faced a sacrilegious situation whenever it was time to reload.  

By the time the British realized their mistake, it was too late.  Word had already spread from the Sepoy soldiers to the Indian people, and the nation had erupted in widespread rebellion. 
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* Source - Michael Hirshon (www.tumblr.com)

Kublai Khan and The Kamikaze ~ by TPO

Kublai Khan and The Kamikaze *

~ by TPO~

The Japanese damaged Kublai Khan's pride when they repeatedly refused to pay him tribute.  Full of wrath, the mighty conqueror amassed an enormous fleet of hundreds of ships and thousands of soldiers to sail across the sea and teach them a lesson.  He watched as colossal storms -- what the Japanese called the Kamikaze, or Divine Wind -- devastated his ships and saved Japan from his fury.  His soulution?  Build an even larger fleet.

The relatively puny Japanese army breathed a sigh of relief as the Divine Wind returned to finish off the second fleet !
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 * Source -- Michael Hirshon (www.tumblr.com)
 

Things I Do in My Retirement ~ by Hénock Gugsa

Things I Do in My Retirement 

~ by Hénock Gugsa ~
[ How do I spend my time in retirement? ]

Well, I don't want to give you a cliche-ridden response that is lacking in seriousness or weight.  So, here is my response with some background info and description of where I am mentally on the whole topic ....

First off, when I was wading into my middle-age, I never thought that retirement was far off.  I kind of made up my mind that early retirement was the best route for me because  already time was not a slow vehicle anymore.  I should wring every bit of joy out of whatever time is allotted to me.  Also, I realized that I should not dwell too much either on the past or the future.  So, live in the now!

In fact, now, during my retirement, I have found to my pleasant surprise that living is not just "time spent" or something you while away.  It is actually some thing that you hold on to for dear life.

Retirement does not have to be a jail term or sentence that is imposed on you.  From my vantage point,  retirement is actually a life without strict bounds of duties, responsibilities, and dependencies. I am enjoying a vacation without end.  It has been an open-ended period of leisure.

I don't set any schedules or strict goals on my time .... Everything is fluid and flexible although I have a macro-vision or a general idea of the things I would like to do.  So, I try to have unpredictability and spontaneity in my life.  Fortunately, I'm also well-grounded enough not to fall under any attack of boredom (l'ennui).  I love technology and I try to keep up with the latest advances that affect daily life. 

Speaking specifics ....

1) - I read a lot, mostly on-line articles of all sorts.  

2) - I am on social media -- Facebook, YouTube, etc.

3) - I listen to RFI (Radio France International), and a variety of podcasts.

4) - I write or post items that interest me in my own blog.

5) - I go for walks.

6) - I socialize with old friends.

7) - Examples of spontaneous things I've done during my retirement :  getting tattoos, traveling inside and outside the U.S., supporting a political candidate (Elizabeth Warren)

8) - I make sure I get at least seven hours of sleep daily, more if naps force their way into the other things I do.  Actually, I love naps and I am a good practitioner !
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That's it ... so far, all is well !  

An Amazing Checkers Champ ~ by TPO

An Amazing Checkers Champ 

~ by TPO ~

Sur la question du karma [On Karma] - par Hénock Gugsa

Sur la question du karma [On Karma] 

- par Hénock Gugsa -

J'ai tendence à croire que mes émotions ou mes forts sentiments au sujet de justice influence des résultats que je désire.  Je sais que ça semble incrédiblement irréaliste ou délirant.  J'ai dèja des instances dans ma vie dont je suis convaincu que des choses se passent finalement comme je les désirais.  

Par exemple, quand j'étais un enfant de onze ans, un homme militaire (un brute) m'a frappé sur la tête très fort .  Il n'avait aucune bonne raison de le faire, il était vraiment cruel.  Six mois plus tard, cet homme a reçu neuf balles dans le cul pendant un coup d'État militaire.  Apres ça, il n'a jamais été capable de remarcher.  Mon père m'a dit que probablement j'étais la raison de cette débâcle, il m'a dit bravo !  Peut-être tu souhaites annuler cette histoire comme une fantasie.   Je m'en fiche.
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What I understand of  "Karma" good or bad is : Whatever we put out in the Universe is what comes back to us.

If what we want is Happiness, Peace, Friendship, Love ...
then we should BE Happy, 

[we should be] Peaceful, 

[we should be] Loving, 

and [we should be] a Friend.