Hobo Jungle

[MartyE]

Marty, you do realize those are live candles, right?

I do. It always intrigued me. I can only imagine what that looks like in person with the flickering flames. I suspect you have to keep the tree pretty fresh? How many sets of candles do you go through?

[Tramp]

Yes, the tree must be cut within a couple weeks and then it gets fed water every day. And those suckers drink about a pint a day. Poor fellow does know he's dead yet.


Murph, you asked about my changes in life. Have you read at least some of quantumrun356.com? It been an odd feeling to finally have people buy my art after 45 years of rejection. Having always been poor, it was also odd to finally be I suppose you could say a multi-millionaire. I've never had much use for wealthy people, which was less a prejudice than a matter of repeatedly being ***** over by them in a number of ways. But besides ordering what I actually want to eat in restaurants, leaving HUGE tips (which I learned quickly doesn't work) and turning up the heat to a comfortable temperature, nothing has changed. Do you guys know about Daisy's weaving business? Look up Amanda Green weaving and be AMAZED!. So, I invested in three looms on lots of yarn! I've also been investing in old cars and supporting living arts by buying the work I think deserves it. Probably over 100k in art. Daisy said I MUST stop. AND! My next show at the begging of one of my gallery dealers will be Eric Green Lite, as I call it. Kind of odd again because I've never listened to anyone about much. And then there is this:

My interpretation of the 10 commandments. (II had a little help.) If you remember: the original tablet was shattered, so the commandments we now have are unlikely exactly those of God. See what you think of these. Please share if you want.
I. Money should never be your God. God is only love.
2 You should not use God for gain. Evil is the ability to deny truth in order to serve the self. The DEVIL!
3 Do not use the name of God to start wars, to make money, to make yourself feel important or superior, etc. God is only love in any form and for all living things.
4 Appreciate the incredible beauty around you, the beauty and truth of nature. At least once a week for a full day! Do only that. Be outside of yourself, your worries, your regrets, your fears. Leave them for the overwhelming beauty that God has created for you to enjoy and wonder at.
5. Honor thy father and mother. (I took care of my mother for 33 years. It really was a total pain in the ***. I created a 356 and drove it across America for the memory of my father who died penniless and forgotten, BUT not by me). If you go against your parents it only hurts you spiritually in the end.
6. Do not murder. The end never justifies the means. Killing for others is just as evil. Soldiers work for the devil. All of them, no matter how they hide behind God. You cannot hide behind God!
7. Do not steal. Give! Share! Be generous.
8. You should only orgasm with the one you love. But that could be God. But sex without true love is horribly damaging.
9 Do not lie or be unfair. Admit your mistakes. It is not only simpler, you will find it leads to better understanding. Learn to communicate with yourself, others, and God.
10. Don’t be greedy. Look around you! If you have God you will not need anything else. A rich person NEVER knows who loves him or her. I asked God: "Why do you love me?" The answer: "Why do you love me so much." I cried at the truth of it.

[healey36]

"I tried to find him on the Christian cross, but He was not there; I went to the Temple of the Hindus and to the old pagodas, but I could not find a trace of Him anywhere.

"I searched on the mountains and in the valleys but neither in the heights nor in the depths was I able to find Him. I went to the Caaba in Mecca, but He was not there either.

"I questioned the scholars and philosophers, but He was beyond their understanding.

"I then looked into my heart and it was there where He dwelled that I saw Him; He was nowhere else to be found."

Jelaluddin Rumi

[Rufus T. Firefly]

"I then looked into my heart and it was there where He dwelled that I saw Him; He was nowhere else to be found.

I can work with that.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

"I then looked into my heart and it was there where He dwelled that I saw Him; He was nowhere else to be found.

I can work with that.

I don't know about "nowhere else," but inside me, yes, I have found Him there, even before this week. At least, I believe so, I feel so, and I surely hope so.

For me, religion is not a box or a cell. It has been a gift, a place to start trying to figure it all out, as best I could, in my individual life and in the life of some other people in my life.

My wife is in the ground, now, placed there on Friday. The grave has a stone bearing both our names. I am in our home. I am trying to find myself, now. I don't know exactly where to look to find that. But I do feel that Thursday and Friday's procedures and rituals, involved in the overall funeral, including Mass, did give me something. I have no words for what that something is or might be. Some things in life do not require words because words are only symbols of what we are trying to say and explain to ourselves and to others.

The ice and frozen snow outside my window, as I type this, seem to fit some of where I find myself today.

[Roy]

Hi, Murph. I've heard it's good to have chicken soup at times like these. I'd make you some, but I've never made chicken anything. Also, you're several thousand miles away. You'd be much better off, buying some from a favorite restaurant.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Hi, Murph. I've heard it's good to have chicken soup at times like these. I'd make you some, but I've never made chicken anything. Also, you're several thousand miles away. You'd be much better off, buying some from a favorite restaurant.

Nice you should say that. A couple friends and neighbors did bring chicken soup to the house (!), this week, and I had frozen some in our freezer from a restaurant that my wife and I favored for years. So, I am going to take your suggestion seriously and thaw some of it out. Thank you for the outreach, Roy. Every contact with every person who cares enough to reach for me counts deeply with me. Thank you, again.

[MartyE]

I had been raised catholic but in the last 10 years of my life I question a lot about religion. While the natural progression of life doesn't bother me, it's the senseless ills that do and makes me wonder why.

I envy those that find comfort in religion in a way. Right now at this time in my life I just ain't getting it for myself.

Murph I am glad that the services gave you something. It certainly is a comfort to know that in times of need it's there.

Enjoy you chicken soup. One of my favorites on a cold day with lots of veggies and noodles.

[webenda]

"I then looked into my heart and it was there where He dwelled that I saw Him; He was nowhere else to be found.

I can work with that.

I don't know about "nowhere else," but inside me, yes, I have found Him there, even before this week. At least, I believe so, I feel so, and I surely hope so.

For me, religion is not a box or a cell. It has been a gift, a place to start trying to figure it all out, as best I could, in my individual life and in the life of some other people in my life.

My wife is in the ground, now, placed there on Friday. The grave has a stone bearing both our names. I am in our home. I am trying to find myself, now. I don't know exactly where to look to find that. But I do feel that Thursday and Friday's procedures and rituals, involved in the overall funeral, including Mass, did give me something. I have no words for what that something is or might be. Some things in life do not require words because words are only symbols of what we are trying to say and explain to ourselves and to others.

The ice and frozen snow outside my window, as I type this, seem to fit some of where I find myself today.

I know the terrible loneliness that is coming upon you, Murph. I know the uncontrollable crying that totally debilitates you. Hang in there. I know how slowly it takes to get better. I am crying for your loss as I type. I don't know if we will ever "get over" the loss of our wives but the time between crying events does get longer with time.

I do have a piece of advice for you. If you start crying while driving alone, pull over and stop. You can't see to drive through the flood of tears.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Wayne, I take what you have said here as a blessing. I am glad for your outreach to me, here.

One of our older cousins, who was present in the house, sitting in the living room , while Ginny was dying, said to me, after I had escorted Virginia's body down the stairs from our second-floor bedroom and out to the waiting Coroner's vehicle , "One step at a time , Frank. Take it one step at a time."

Simple as that advice may sound, it helped calm me so I could focus. It has helped me to keep it in mind every day, now, along this new road of loss.

I was ready to collapse but the advice helped me to hold-on.

The house is empty, now, empty of who we were as one. Only things remain. And my emptied self.

I had held her until she died, both of us on the floor next to our bed, from which she had fallen, in front of me, just as I entered the room in reply to her calling out to me.

I honestly am not sure what is next.

Thank you, all, for permitting me to speak about this on MTJ . It helps, somehow.
Murph

[MurphOnMillerAve]

MartyE, Thank you for your very pleasant thoughts on my loss of my wife. Your kindness in reaching out to me is appreciated.

We construct our lives using words. So, any outreach of them to me at this time is cherished.
Thank you, again, sincerely.
Murph

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I honestly am not sure what is next.

Tomorrow is what's next. You go forward. The resiliency of the human frame is remarkable.

Thank you, all, for permitting me to speak about this on MTJ . It helps, somehow.

We're all here for you.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I honestly am not sure what is next.

Tomorrow is what's next. You go forward. The resiliency of the human frame is remarkable.

Thank you, all, for permitting me to speak about this on MTJ . It helps, somehow.

We're all here for you.

Thank you, Rufus.
And Thank You for the card. Thank you, very much.
Frank

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Roger, Thank you for what you said on this forum about my loss. And Thank You, most sincerely, for the card from you folks.
Frank

[robert.]

Wayne, I take what you have said here as a blessing. I am glad for your outreach to me, here.

One of our older cousins, who was present in the house, sitting in the living room , while Ginny was dying, said to me, after I had escorted Virginia's body down the stairs from our second-floor bedroom and out to the waiting Coroner's vehicle , "One step at a time , Frank. Take it one step at a time."

Simple as that advice may sound, it helped calm me so I could focus. It has helped me to keep it in mind every day, now, along this new road of loss.

I was ready to collapse but the advice helped me to hold-on.

The house is empty, now, empty of who we were as one. Only things remain. And my emptied self.

I had held her until she died, both of us on the floor next to our bed, from which she had fallen, in front of me, just as I entered the room in reply to her calling out to me.

I honestly am not sure what is next.

Thank you, all, for permitting me to speak about this on MTJ . It helps, somehow.
Murph

That’s a touching tribute to the love you had for your wife. This world needs for men to care for their ladies that way.