The Portrait of Zool

Is that the truth?

These are all really great! The Shoemaker's Poem: I love this. In fact, I think in MY next attempt at cleverness, I'll let the critique-Elves finish the comments on this poem! (How clever is that? ) Very well done. Very thought provoking about one's own situation and complicity. The Dilemma (the song) Great song! It even includes the requisite "Baby"! The first two stanzas are a microcosm of revolution and eventual human subservience in the name of 'What's best for them.' The next two stanzas flip the coin around illustrating powerlessness and futlity, especially as expressed in the lines; "Don't talk of social remedy When one day all will die" As if since our selves and actions will not last an eternity then there is no reason to do anything. Again, very well done. Benedict This is great. Interesting synthesis of the 'egg' concept and what I take to mean man's inhumanity to man, given dimension with a spiritual twist by placing the trinity as man's saviour, as detailed in the first three stanzas. Finally, in the last stanza, it is shown that for the 'yolk' to be scooped out and put in another 'egg' is an act of courage - of stepping up and submitting to the higher authority, presumably to avoid the self-destructive tendencies shown in the first stanza. Again again, very well done Rez. ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know.

Rice is one of California's top products, though I don't know why the Japanese may have tagged onto the rice thing. Myabe it is a synonym for abundance?? Also, anyone wanna take bets on when we will all be speaking something called "Ori-Euro"? That's just a Zool thought. Edited by: Zool47 at: 8/3/02 7:24:48 am

It's a high quality soy sauce. Kimlan brand soy sauce is also very good.

Wyvern's mouth drops open at the sight of one Lady Celles storming off. "Maybe the other one..." he thought quickly, but as he turned in that direction he was again perturbed as he watched her melt into a blob of paint on the floor. The blob quickly flowed up the hallway and out of sight, in the direction of Zool's distinct but distant laughter. "What was that about?" Wyv wondered as he shook his head. "Oh well, at least I got the geld," he said as he stuck his hand in his pocket. But instead of the lovely clink of geld coin he felt something wet and sticky. Pulling out his claw he saw it was covered in a geld colored paint. Realizing he had neither geld, hug, nor smooch, and now Lady Celles was actually mad at him, his face clouded up and his lip began to tremble again... ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know. Edited by: Zool47 at: 8/2/02 4:37:41 am

Inexplicably hanging next to Wyvern's door (he does get around, doesn't he?) Zool holds up his hand suddenly as Lady Celles resignedly starts back to get the geld. Giving a wink to the curious Celles he reaches into the rendition of his pocket and pulls out a stack of perfectly painted geld. Counting out 275.63 of the artfully fake coins, he then slipped them into a velvet bag tied with a little siver cord which he then gave to Blob. Blob is a co-creation of Lumpenproletariet's magic and chromo-Zool paint, the medium of Zool's magical portrait. Being a creation of and propogated by both the two and three dimensional world's, he has the ability to move between both, and being made of paint can change his appearence at will. Taking the form of a boxer pup, Blob took the sack in his teeth and carried it to the bottom of Wyvern's door. He only managed to slide it halfway under before it was ripped from his teeth and the clink of geld coins could be heard from the other side. Instantly there was a rumbling and the door flew open. "THIS IS 0.01 GELD SHORT!" shouted a perturbed Wyvern. Then his scheming eyes narrowed as his reptillian brain began to count the alternatives. "But, being the generous almost dragon that I am, I could overlook this for an extra smootch... Wha!" Standing before him were two Lady Celles. He knew one had to be real, but had no idea one was just a Blob... ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know. Edited by: Zool47 at: 8/2/02 4:31:35 am

Zool stands up and lifts his rice bowl to the heavens. "I LOVE RIIIIICE!" he proclaims to the sky in his thundercat voice. "I like mine with a little Tamari... Maybe a few vegies thrown in. Oh yes, that's very nice."

Sounds like the lyrics to a gutsy rock song! ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know.

I enjoyed reading this. ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know.

Indeed. Very good. ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know.

I think this is your best of your most recent. A bit inscrutable, but that helps to make it more of what the reader wants.

Is the only alternative to being coddled being depressed? Great theme. Very universal, very timeless. Take the lesson and run.

You need to move to a better neighborhood. Shao lin temple a comune? I don't think the purpose was equal distribution of wealth, nor do I believe they were very democratic - but I suppose they were non-capitolist. ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know.

(Conversion Confusion, this is actually the second post in this thread) Perfection in the mind... But it is a perfect sky, isn't it?

(Conversion Confusion, this is actually the second post in this thread) Pack up all your things We're gonna be leavin' Sooner than I thought, take the things you bought, - clouds are gathering. Say goodbye to all your friends We're gonna be sorry. - For a while that's how it goes but then again who knows about the rain. Chorus I'm steppin' out, I'm movin' on, I'm gonna see the world, Like a rollin' stone, I'm gonna be somebody - Ooh I'm steppin' out. Did you hear what he said? He said they sold me down the river - They thought I thought I was a fool, They said the rain would fall What did they know? Then I saw your face, And the song that you were singin', - Though I thought I knew the words, The tune was quite absurd and out of key. Doo dah dah dee. Repeat chorus. Great theme - What are we searching for when we step out? "I find myself in a different place." ties it all together. Steppin' Out, from Out Of The Blue, by the Electric Light Orchestra. ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know.

Good to see you back Lumpy. Good to see you involved in such involving work! ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know.

Ah yes. I am reminded of the legend of the Werechicken, specifically. Beware the cluck of the chicken at midnight... MuaHahahahahahaha! ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know.

Ha! Chickens are funny! VERY funny... ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know.

Central to your point ( which I otherwise agree with) is how you define what is 'right'. Through the perspective of love being the impetus of creation and acceptance, then right becomes an organic definition equating to the highest good, manifested through seeking the largest expression of the self. For instance, A seed knows innately what is best for it. It will wait till the right temperature before sprouting. When it breaks through the ground it will seek the sun, just as the roots will seek moisture. It's ultimate expression is a plant - a healthy plant. Plants are an essential part of the ecosystem - life on this planet would stop without them. Therefore, what the plant does for itself benefits all. Just what it is for a person, beyond physical health, is in part individual but at the same time must involve some universal values, like compassion, acceptance, etc.. Through the expanded (divine) consciousness accessed by seeing the divine in others, one does what is best for others by doing what is best for oneself! So, the ignorant person does what he thinks is best for himself at the expense of others and ultimately cheats himself. The enlightened does what is best for himself and knows it is for the best. Anyway it is fine for one to express their opinion on how wonderful it would be to be together. Just respect the decisions the other makes for her/his self.

Heh heh heh... I enlisted, and I turned out *twitch* just fine.

Love in any form is but an impure form of true love. What I mean here is that most people's love (especially first love) is merely an attachment to a fantasy of caring from another. When this attachment is threatened, great hurt and anger usually results, thus the current divorce rate. How would one know true love? When with your true love you can both be yourselves, and both accept the other unreservedly... When your true love tells you he/she is leaving - you let them go, and you truly wish them the best... When your true love hurts you - you do not respond by hurting them... When bad things happen to you - you react without malice and step back to choose a new course based on carring for yourself, acting out of SELF love... True love is a universal creative/accepting impulse. True love in a person is the wisdom to balance care, acceptance and support for another with care, acceptance and support for yourself. It is the field from which creation and growth springs. That is why one cannot love another unless one loves oneself. love cannot be held to a single form, but must be as spontaneous as the people nurturing it, or it dies, and something ugly will take it's place. By 'single form' I do not mean monogamous relationship, I mean attachment to an emotional state (expectation). Not very poetic, but as accurate as I can do right now. ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know.

Well then - get a job. ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know.

Respect?

All righty then... Peace is for the dead? *Zool defensively bobs and weaves, reflecting that some probably didn't have enough crap in their lives to appreciate peace yet.* Wow, what a group. People are inherently evil. Peace is for the dead. Lets look at the implications and alternatives people. Must we always call the negative extreme law simply because of the existance of a variety of experience? Give me a break. Give us a break. Give yourselves a break. D -->D"> Edited by: Zool47 at: 7/11/02 2:36:16 pm

Some people just push our buttons - and then we find we need them to show us our buttons, or we'll go on blissfully thinking we are buttonless. Eventually we can smile at imperfection, and become satisfied with peace. ~Zool~ Ancient, The Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Bard of Terra, Patron Saint of Aspiring Bards. Master of Magic and Mayhem, The Moonlit Realm Elder than dirt, more foolish than a jester, able to trip over the smallest logic in a single step. It's... Oh, you know.