I somehow get the feeling that I am glad that I don't understand any of that.

* nods *

One attribute of a person who is wise is having the ability to understand that knowledge is not wisdom.

I have known some very smart people who were very far from being wise.

I have not met many wise people in my lifetime.

Some people think they are wise which proves that they are not.

Marijuana does not enhance wisdom. Awareness, maybe. Definitely not wisdom. Contrary to the claim of a few, of course.

I am not wise. I would appreciate the gift, but have not yet received it. I'm not humble enough. Vanity still creeps in now and then.

But, I can be witty at times. Wanna see?

Agreed.

I have thought for quite some time that you might possess both but you already knew that and every time that I restate my opinion you think that I am trying to flatter you or something. I'm really not hitting on you not that it would matter. It's just that if you were my daughter I would be proud of your brain power.

Now shall we try to define wisdom?

* purposely avoids the temptation of googling those words *

* thinks about what they probably mean *

* blushes...AGAIN *

Remember.

There could be innocent youngsters googling this stuff.

Or, maybe sheltered old folks!!!

It must be something naughty. I used to like naughty in my younger days. Not so important nowadays.

* sighs *

No, the "she" was not specific...it was a general character...could be any she.

Now I'll have to try to google the silly word because I'm curious.

* goes to google *

* returns *

OOOOOOooohhhh !!!

Taint got nothin' to do with what I first guessed.

Well...

Might be considered a flower, maybe...

Could be a biological term...

Maybe I wasn't so far off after all !!!

I still doubt that I'll be able to remember the spelling in a week or two but I think I might remember the meaning.

* blushes *

* grins *

* ponders the example sentence *

* blushes some more *

Cumulative knowledge. Constant updated learning. Instant access. Use what you want and store the rest. I would be able to beat the computer on the hardest level of Chess !!! I could learn how to hack into places that I'm not supposed to enter !!! I could experience wild pleasures with beautiful young women !!! Well, maybe not that...even a super brain can't make a man desirable But, I probably COULD imagine it !!! (can't find an evil smiley and >:) doesn't seem to be working )

* smiles *

* does an happy Gwampy dance *

Memory on demand. That would be OK. That way I could filter out the bad stuff and only remember pleasure.

* ponders *

That might not be so bad after all !!!

I wonder what would happen if one of the Ancient Ones accidentally dreamed their way into TR? What kind of nightmare world could they create? Whatever it came out as it would be based on fact and actual experiences.

You're going wacky here, Gwampy!!!

Can't say as I've ever heard that term before.

Noun, I assume.

Some kind of flower I'd guess.

Some kind of biological term maybe.

Looks to be Latin based.

Could be a state of mind. "She found herself deeply lost in perineum."

Might just be impulsive spam...totally made up.

* wonders if he'll be able to remember the word next week *

* doubts it *

Maybe I would evolve into one of the Ancient Ones that I created in the Up There thread.

I was thinking the other day... I know... I should avoid thinking, but I couldn't help it... anyway...

Wouldn't it be terrible to be able to remember every single second of your whole existence? I mean, sure, there have been some moments of pleasure that I might like to be able to remember that I only have fuzzy images of. But, being able to remember the surgeon splitting my chest open? Seeing the faces and hearing the voices of some of the intolerable people that I have met over the years? The feelings of regret that I failed that stupid Biology quiz. Lost love. Oral battles with idiots. Chastisements from people placed above me by authority. Etc.

I don't envy the Ancient Ones being able to accumulate countless decades of knowledge. They probably have developed some coping device. Otherwise the pain would cause them to self-destruct. Will-of-the-pattern be damned. So long Ancient One. Am I rambling? You say you haven't read Up There? Sorry. Good exercise for the imagination.

Gotta get ready for work. Only 8 hours today. Been working 12's all month. Good money but not worth it. Wifey got new living room furniture. I got bags under my eyes.

Bye for now,

Love,

Gramps

HEY!

What do you know?

The reply box popped right open!

I didn't have to jump through any hoops to reply!

* ponders *

Maybe it's a trap...just setting me up for the big let down...there still could be a skunk hiding under this wood pile.

* nods *

Best to not get too optimistic until it happens more than once.

* nods again *

* considers trying to insert a smiley *

* reconsiders *

* shakes his head 'no' *

One should not press one's luck.

* nods *

OOOOWWWWWwwwww!!!

(imagine the bulging eyes smiley)

* sighs a big sigh of relief that he never got contacts *

* wonders what horror stories there are for laser surgery *

(imagine the rolling eyes in deep contemplation smiley)

DM is getting frustrating.

I know... it's free... I shouldn't complain... same as dial up.

I'm old.

Bitching is OK when you're old.

(imagine the Big Grin smiley that I can't get to work)

Wait !!!

I see a smiley bar at the bottom of this box !!!

Let's see if it will work...

YYYYEEEEESSSSSSS !!!

* gives his smileys an imaginary hug *

I missed you guys !!!

* considers going back to put smileys in place of or next to parentheses *

NNNAAAAHHHHH... what's done is done.

I sure do enter a lot of lines into one post, eh?

Imagine that I'm online more than once a week and that all of the above lines were spread out in several posts.

Go ahead... it's FUN to imagine stuff !!!

And what better place to exercise your imagination than FIDDLESTICKS !!!

"A bad day in Fiddlesticks is better than a good day in reality." -- GrandpaG original.

I understood. I was trying to be sarcastically cute yet funny. Failed again... as usual.

* stares out at the cyber world through the eyes of his smiley implant *

* keeps changing as the smiley faces take turns *

Sad.

Mad.

Glad.

Bad.

Rad.

What? No plaid?

* tries to insert the eye rolling smiley *

* won't work *

* shrugs *

Nonsense, the guys who supplied the suit are also in the "insurance" business.

Really?

In that case...

* dons the cement swimsuit *

* dives in *

If you can't trust people in the "insurance" industry, who CAN you trust?

* sinks *

BBLLLUUUUBBBBBB !!!!

* tries to call for help with lungs full of water *

BBBBLLLLUUUUUUUBBBBBB !!!!!

* drowns *

* learns a hard lesson about trust *

No, silly.

I meant the part that says...

Oh.

Wait.

You weren't being serious.

You were...

Never mind.

I get it.

I'm old and slow but I do catch on eventually some times.

On a good day.

(DM is acting up and won't let me get a smiley so insert the one of your choice.)

* rolls eyes *

Couldn't swimming in a cement suit be... uuuhhhmmm... rather ... uuhhmmm... dangerous?

* rolls eyes some more *

* ponders *

* flames are smothered *

* so is the body *

* reads his siggy *

* sighs in relief *

At least I won't have to see the end of all time as we know it.

* closes his empty eyelids *

* takes a nap *

* snores *

* passes Gwampy gas in his sleep *

* sighs *

* smiles *

Gradhrt looked around the gathering of Guardians that he was about to address. They waited in eager anticipation. Yes. All had indeed selected this group. There could be no other explanation for the perfection. Their personalities and abilities had proven to be exactly what this task had required. All of the Ancient Ones with their memories linked could not have done better. It was common knowledge among the ancient ones that All had more ability in one blink of an eye than all of them combined had in all of their lifetimes of memory. The Creator. The Force. God. All. Whatever name was placed on him he deserved awe and respect if not worship. For perhaps the billionth time Gradhrt pondered if All considered himself male or female. Perhaps he was actually just like the Ancient Ones...both yet neither. It really didn't matter. All could be whatever he/she wanted to be.

The preparations were complete. The links were all repaired. Each of the volcanoes had been test fired individually. The "Tree" was renovated and ready for the new age. All that was left was for the inhabitants to complete their "Last Battle" ritual. Then all 27 volcanoes could be fired simultaneously in coordination with the other strategic sights scattered about the surface of this planet to begin the reorientation of the poles. Just as a rotated chicken on a spit cooks better, and planet that is rotated occasionally ages more evenly. Since they could not change on their own, it was up to the Ancient Ones to help them along every few thousand years. This reorientation also help stabilize and renew their momentum and reduced the tendency to "wobble". This was part of All's Pattern. All gave the orders and the Ancient Ones helped get them executed. These Guardians deserved a pat on the back for their efforts.

"Welcome!", he started. The Guardians could not help themselves. They burst into applause and cheers. Gradhrt tried his best to smile at them. After an adequate period of time he waved his arms to calm them. They responded perfectly, of course. "There are not adequate words to describe the... PRIDE... that I feel concerning the work that you have done here. I have been through countless numbers of projects like this and I can truthfully say that your efforts rank among the upper percentile. Give yourselves a hand." They did. When they were done he continued. "Every task has been completed flawlessly and timely. Your teamwork is exemplary. There has been very little questioning or complaining which is refreshing indeed. It has been a pleasure working with you. All must be pleased." The place erupted. Guardians jumped up and down and patted each other in celebration. Some wept openly. When things calmed down sufficiently he continued.

"I have a short story to tell you about another... UNNAMED... experience that I remember vividly. I won't tell you if it took place on this planet or another because it really doesn't matter. What does matter is the contrast to what you have done here. That race was TOTALLY opposite to you. When it came time for their renewal they faced it like cowards. Fear of change gripped them. They fought to keep things as they had been. Instead of working to aid All they did everything in their power to resist the inevitable. They couldn't comprehend the necessity of change. The end of their age meant the end of their world and they were NOT going to accept it! Rather than try to see the grand scheme of things they could see nothing but their own interests. Even though they had been given centuries to prepare physically and mentally they were far from prepared when the end of their days neared. They clung to their pitiful useless existence to the last strand even though the Pattern was dissolving around them. I speak of this race not to chastise them for being different but to praise you for being different from them. Yes. You have a right to be proud."

Gradhrt shuddered. What a mess that "Earth 2012" project had been.

Wedgie? Is that what I remember from junior high? Nerds wore their pants in a constant wedgie like Steve Erkel.

* gasps then groans from the strain of the not-as-bad-as-it-used-to-be wedgie *

* spreads arms out in an attempt to fly *

* instead of putting it out the rushing air fans the fire *

* sizzles on the way down to the inevitable thump *

The northern Michigan mushrooms are going to disappear...we're getting frost every night. We already had a week of summer a few weeks ago so now we're in fall heading back for winter. Or, maybe the earth is getting ready to do it's 2012 thingy !!!

(imagine the old board emoticon of the bulging eyes)

I made it through a whole week of not going to work and the world did not come to an end.

After a few minutes of being back there tomorrow afternoon it will be as if I had never been gone.

Time off always passes far too quickly.

I had an acceptable Easter weekend and I hope that you did too.

It's getting cold in northern Michigan again as was expected when all of that strange March heat first invaded our frigid land.

Bye for now...gotta find a good cheap used car for my sixteen year old grandson.

LOL.

That was a joke...there's no such thing as a good cheap used car...he'll learn just as we all have.

* doesn't speak young hip people language *

* is left completely in the dark *

Like a mushroom.

A little dampness helps the growth.

And some manure.

* ducks and waits to be dumped upon *

That's the way...

Uhh Huh... Uhh Huh...

I like it...

Uhh Huh... Uhh Huh...

There must be a lot of people out there who enjoy gross/stupid stuff because it wouldn't exist without ratings.

* gets an idea to start a new gross/stupid thread *

* remembers the First Fool of Fiddlesticks thread *

* reconsiders *