Consulting the Oracle
10lbs. even
This post is titled Consulting the Oracle, pictured here, my 10lb dictionary. Opened to a random entry and reported to you on the day, a time-honored tradition of mine.
This will also be a break from The Spell to give updates for Strange and Unusual Places.
But first…
The Oracle Report:
distress (di stress’), n. 1. great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; acute physical or mental suffering; affliction; trouble…
and this is just the beginning; with no fewer than nine iterations of the root word itself and a good part of a column devoted to compounds, this word covers a lot of ground, none of it good. There seems to be some danger in even questioning why exactly distress decided to make an appearance this particular day. Whoever conjured the word must have been having some trouble because they declared it a NOUN for kites sake, which makes it a THING!
But we all know words have only the power we decide to give them. Right?
Finally, after a long litany of words one cares not to actually experience, we are given a ray of hope at the end with a single antonym: —Ant. 1. comfort.
Even lexicographers (five syllables folks!) have a sense of humor.
So you see Nature does indeed always prevail and will always seek a balance; besides, nowadays it’s easy to use distress in a sentence. We won’t loiter here any longer.
Exceedingly dull and practically useless updates:
With 300 views, 7 subscribers and less traffic than a Sunday afternoon at the post office, Strange and Unusual Places ain’t settin’ the world afire. But that’s OK because ya’ have to start somewhere and being in the mix is the objective, not overnight success. You, the subscriber, represent all the incentive needed to continue here. Of course, we want to cast our spell as widely as possible; it’s about the farm, so getting paid for output is input, which is balance; that’s how it works. But the casting originates here; the spell, if any, resides with you the reader.
The current stats would shrivel the nerves of any budding entrepreneur, so goes the prospects for anyone daring enough to throw themselves at the Arts expecting to earn a living. Slow and steady wins the race and that makes it a more realistic approach.
You might have discovered by now this is not a scholarly work. You’re dealing with a hardware guy, a Stoneman (time to do some re-reading?). If you want advice regarding anything digital, you’ll be better served consulting an acorn. Seasons come and go quicker than my keyboard skills and the web? well…
Got a couple of Likes from notable folks for a Comment and can jump on board a Follow list that includes Elon Musk, if that’s really him - (ain’t clickin’ ta’ find out). The truth is most of it just baffles me and any little triumph over the ethereal world of codes and icons is just, well, agonizing. So there you go.
If you want to know how to start a fire in a cookstove, haft a celt, rive a shake or even characterize a trans-Atlantic cable you’re in the right place.
unencumbered by the thought process… Click and Clack, the Tappet Bros.
Guess we’ll leave the Comment option open for now in case anybody wants to chime in. If you’re so inclined, you might explore some here in Substack. Maybe check out Notes; you might understand it better than me; seems Restacks work well in favor of wee writers. If you have the app, you are savvier than this writer, let me know how it works for you, or just voice your complaints.
There might be more wisdom in a bong than anything here, wouldn’t know.
And remember: so long as The Sleeping Dog (good title, what say?) remains sleeping, all is well in the world.
Five more chapters waiting in drafts so stay tuned. Trying to establish a pattern that looks like a new post weekly (Friday or Saturday). The Oracle Report and Updates are fill in posts and community stuff. The Spell of Ai is the meat and potatoes. Also, request WIPO and Strange and Unusual Places if you want weird technologies stuff. And be on the lookout for a VERY strange segment titled Personal Traits.