Daily Grouch: Why does every morning commute make me feel like I'm an extra in "Mad Max"?
Most odd thing seen today: A young man sedately pedaling his bicycle no hands, listening to his Ipod and texting on his cell phone. Now that is multi-tasking!
Most odd thing seen in 2008: A teenage girl pushing a baby stroller with a dachshund sitting where a toddler is usually seen. The dachshund may have been a toddler measured in dog years.
So what is this alchemy lives! about? Simply this: my boss (and we all have one at some level) who apparently thinks that I am an alchemist feels that I must take a situation reminiscent of lead and transmute it into the equivalent of gold. And, if I don't produce the gold soon, well, dark and unpleasant things may happen. My only hope: spin this out until some variable changes which provides the solution to produce the gold.
Most odd thing seen today: A young man sedately pedaling his bicycle no hands, listening to his Ipod and texting on his cell phone. Now that is multi-tasking!
Most odd thing seen in 2008: A teenage girl pushing a baby stroller with a dachshund sitting where a toddler is usually seen. The dachshund may have been a toddler measured in dog years.
So what is this alchemy lives! about? Simply this: my boss (and we all have one at some level) who apparently thinks that I am an alchemist feels that I must take a situation reminiscent of lead and transmute it into the equivalent of gold. And, if I don't produce the gold soon, well, dark and unpleasant things may happen. My only hope: spin this out until some variable changes which provides the solution to produce the gold.
Which reminds me of a story:
Once upon a time in China, there lived an Emperor who owned a majestic white stallion, the finest beast in all his Kingdom. One night, a thief tried to slip in and steal the horse, but was captured by the palace guards and thrown into the dungeon.
The next morning, he was dragged before the Emperor's court. "How dare you," bellowed the Emperor, "lay hand on my royal steed! Jailer, put this thief to death!"
Immediately, the thief bowed deeply. "Your judgement is peerless and wise O Emperor," he calmly replied, "but my life is of little value. I should offer you a gift before I depart. Your mount is quite a fine one, but if your eminence would spare my life for just a year and a day, I swear to you I can teach that horse to sing hymns!"
The court burst in to laughter at that, but the Emperor was intrigued. After all, you didn't get to his high position by turning down freely offered gifts, no matter how far-fetched they seem. To the surprise of all, the Emperor quickly accepted the offer.
As they were leaving the chambers, the jailer whispered to the thief, "You are a fool!"
"I am a fool?" replied the thief, smiling broadly. "Much can happen in a year and a day. The Emperor may die. The horse may die. I may die... and maybe the horse will learn to sing!"
Once upon a time in China, there lived an Emperor who owned a majestic white stallion, the finest beast in all his Kingdom. One night, a thief tried to slip in and steal the horse, but was captured by the palace guards and thrown into the dungeon.
The next morning, he was dragged before the Emperor's court. "How dare you," bellowed the Emperor, "lay hand on my royal steed! Jailer, put this thief to death!"
Immediately, the thief bowed deeply. "Your judgement is peerless and wise O Emperor," he calmly replied, "but my life is of little value. I should offer you a gift before I depart. Your mount is quite a fine one, but if your eminence would spare my life for just a year and a day, I swear to you I can teach that horse to sing hymns!"
The court burst in to laughter at that, but the Emperor was intrigued. After all, you didn't get to his high position by turning down freely offered gifts, no matter how far-fetched they seem. To the surprise of all, the Emperor quickly accepted the offer.
As they were leaving the chambers, the jailer whispered to the thief, "You are a fool!"
"I am a fool?" replied the thief, smiling broadly. "Much can happen in a year and a day. The Emperor may die. The horse may die. I may die... and maybe the horse will learn to sing!"
So, to all of those work-a-day alchemists out there, laboring without resources to turn nothing into something or else!; remember that the horse may yet sing.
Posts
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I couldn't edit my comment so I deleted it. I like the story about the horse. He isn't such a fool after all because it would be easy to teach a horse to "sing" by moving his lips and a helper with a nice voice could throw his voice to provide the words!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the alchemy...
I must admit I have text messaged while riding my bike but my gloves make it impossible to do so I have to take one off first. Don't worry I never do it while I am on the road, only the bike way (and I make sure to wait for other bike riders to be heading right at me).
ReplyDelete