Friday, September 30, 2005

vocational invocation

May the god of merchants and travelers smile upon me.


Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
"...nothing but trees, trees, a roaring sea of trees. It was paradise."
--Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums


Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
"I felt like lying down by the side of the trail and remembering it all. The woods do that to you, they always look familiar, long lost... like a piece of forgotten song drifting across the water, most of all like golden eternities of past childhood or past manhood and all the living and the dying and the heartbreak that went on a million years ago.
--Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

Thursday, September 29, 2005

FIL update:

A few weeks back we had a scare caused by Blood thinning medicine and Hemorrhoids. (I will let you draw your own conclusions). It looks as if the hospital is going to stop giving him dialysis and force him to take a bus to the clinic. FIL can not even walk. I am not sure how he is going to pull this off.

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Mistaken Identity-

The small boy points at the statue of Buddha and says: “Look its grandpa”
His mother slaps the back of his head.

Monday, September 26, 2005

New World ODOR

What is that smell coming out of the white house press conference?

The bench-

I watch the man on the park bench sleep, It takes 5 long minutes for the cigarette to fall from his fingers. It takes 30 seconds for his mind to register the burning on his chest.
It was worth the wait.

Saturday, September 24, 2005

Calm and Rage


Calm and Rage
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
"Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light." - Dylan Thomas

The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

A family is a place where minds come in contact with one another. If these minds love one another the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden. But if these minds get out of harmony with one another it is like a storm that plays havoc with the garden.
Buddha

The Rainbow Girls


The Rainbow Girls
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
They war loving, they love laughing, they laugh weeping, they weep smelling, they smell smiling, they smile hating, they hate thinking, they think feeling, they feel tempting, they tempt daring, they dare waiting, they wait taking, they take thanking, they thank seeking, as born for lorn in lore of love to live and wive by wile.
Finnegans Wake142.30-143.2

mq

Hadn't he seven dams to wive
him? And every dam had her seven crutches. And every crutch
had its seven hues.
Finnegans Wake 215.15

The meteor pulp
of him, the seamless rainbowpeel. Aggala !!!!
Finnegans Wake 475.12-13

Look


Look
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
Once in a while you get shown the light in the stangest of places if you look at it right.
Scarlet Begonias
Robert Hunter (Garcia and the Greatful Dead)

All the colors and a touch of . . .

Every silver lining has a touch of grey.
Jerry Garcia- Robert Hunter- Grateful Dead

The Fall


The Fall
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
Truth is something you stumble into when you think you're going someplace else.
Jerry Garcia

"Teach us delight in simple things, and mirth that has no bitter springs."
~ Rudyard Kipling

The Quest


The Quest
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
Truth is something you stumble into when you think you're going someplace else.
Jerry Garcia

"Teach us delight in simple things, and mirth that has no bitter springs."
~ Rudyard Kipling
MQ

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Lame fiction and other lame people

Some people say L. Ron Hubbard was a hack. How many other science fiction writers made a story so believable that a religion sprung up around it?

Pilgrims Progress

In the never ending drive to pave the planet I think they forgot to add a parking lot for this place.

builder


builder
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
The aim of life is self-development. To realize one's nature perfectly - that is what each of us is here for.

- Oscar Wilde

end of the night


end of the night
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
"It is not necessary that you leave the house. Remain at your table and listen. Do not even listen, only wait. Do not even wait, be wholly still and alone. The world will present itself to you for its unmasking, it can do no other, in ecstasy it will writhe at your feet" - Franz Kafka

Monday, September 19, 2005

Geography is not just for breakfast anymore.

He fought in the Iraq war. He made it to Baghdad but not to Iraq.
??????

pulling


pulling
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
"Merrily, merrily shall I live now
Under the blossom that hangs on the bough."
~ William Shakespeare, The Tempest (Ariel at V, i)

Bloom


Bloom
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
He bent down to regard a lean file of spearmint growing by the wall. Make a summerhouse here. Scarlet runners. Virginia creepers. Want to manure the whole place over, scabby soil. A coat of liver of sulphur. All soil like that without dung. Household slops. Loam, what is this that is? The hens in the next garden: their droppings are very good top dressing. Best of all though are the cattle, especially when they are fed on those oilcakes. Mulch of dung. Best thing to clean ladies' kid gloves. Dirty cleans. Ashes too. Reclaim the whole place. Grow peas in that corner there. Lettuce. Always have fresh greens then. Still gardens have their drawbacks. That bee or bluebottle here Whitmonday.
James Joyce-- Ulysses
“calypso chapter”

Just a few- Ulysses


Just a few- Ulysses
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
The last word in stolentelling!
FW (424.35)

I want to give a picture of Dublin so complete that if the city suddenly disappeared from the earth it could be reconstructed out of my book.
--About Ulysses

Our national epic has yet to be written, Dr. Sigerson says. We are becoming important, it seems.
James Joyce- Ulysses

Ulysses on the USS Kitty Hawk


Ulysses on the USS Kitty Hawk
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
Found this on the inside cover one of my copies of Ulysses. Something romantic about Ulysses riding the high seas. I wonder if he read it?

"I want to give a picture of Dublin so complete that if the city suddenly disappeared from the earth it could be reconstructed out of my book."
--About Ulysses

Sunday, September 18, 2005

School Boy

Mquest Jr's first day of school was just fine. No separation problems, fighting or bad behavior. However, he was returned to us with a different set of clothes on. It seems he took a tip from the cat and used the sandbox to relieve himself.

Thursday, September 15, 2005

First Day of Preschool


First Day of Preschool
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
William Blake--- The School Boy

I love to rise in a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the sky-lark sings with me.
O! what sweet company.

But to go to school in a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn.
The little ones spend the day,
In sighing and dismay.

Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour,
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learnings bower,
Worn thro' with the dreary shower.

How can the bird that is born for joy,
Sit in a cage and sing.
How can a child when fears annoy.
But droop his tender wing.
And forget his youthful spring.

O! father & mother. if buds are nip'd,
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip'd
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care's dismay.

How shall the summer arise in joy.
Or the summer fruits appear.
Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy
Or bless the mellowing year.
When the blasts of winter appear.

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Platform, guides and rules for becoming world leader #125

Giving people the right to vote makes them think they actually have power. Keep the illusion alive.

Platform, guides and rules for becoming world leader #124

Always release the bad news on Fridays. By Monday it is old news and no one will care.

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Crazy Talk

With the hands free device it is hard to tell who is talking on the phone and those that are talking to imaginary friends.
I always assume that they are mentally imbalanced with boring imaginary friends.

Word visuals (for a reason to poke your eyes out)

Black socks and flip flops

Monday, September 12, 2005

American Beauty-

The beauty of American politics is that one does not have to be born into the correct family to become a politician . All one needs is the correct amount of cash to buy himself a seat on the gravy train.

Platform, guides and rules for becoming world leader #123

When everyone is away on vacation one can pass laws and promote people with out challenge.

Platform, guides and rules for becoming world leader #122

Limit the body count numbers by keeping the media out of the way.

Platform, guides and rules for becoming world leader #121

No citizen shall be charged with being a terrorist until we remove their citizenship.

working on mower


working on mower
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Play Time


Play Time
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Cracker Jack Kid


Cracker Jack Kid
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Finnegans Wake


Finnegans Wake
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Wake the beer and dream of The Wake

Why not-- the mind will not focus on the words anyway---

"Why. . . .Awful Grimmest Sunshat Cromwelly. Looted."
James Joyce
Finnegans Wake
P9.2

Finnegans Wake Cover With Bottle
Low light 15 second exposure with bottle/book/package removed at various times.

Finnegans Wake and a good friend

Finnegans Wake and a good friend

Why not-- the mind will not focus on the words anyway---

"Why. . . .Awful Grimmest Sunshat Cromwelly. Looted."
James Joyce
Finnegans Wake
P9.2

Finnegans Wake Cover With Bottle
Low light 15 second exposure with bottle/book/package removed at various times.

Sunday, September 11, 2005

Overheard:

“I am handing out grenades and going home with the pins.”

Rescue Workers


Rescue Workers
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Searching through the rubble


Searching through the rubble
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Jungle


Jungle
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Habanero


Habanero
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
Habanero From My Garden-

Lovers may be - and indeed generally are - enemies, but they never can be friends, because there must always be a spice of jealousy and a something of Self in all their speculations.
Lord Byron

I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation.
George Bernard Shaw

Pepper Parade


Pepper Parade
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Pepper Bowl


Pepper Bowl
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
See notes on picture.

Mquest Jr and family ride a train

Last Friday we took a short trip on a train to San Juan Capistrano ate breakfast and returned home in a span of three hours. Mquest Jr. had the time of his life. I have put up a ton of pictures up and Flickr click on one of the pictures to go to flicker and see the rest.

Train Ride- out the window


Train Ride- out the window
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Train Ride-- Out the window


Train Ride-- Out the window
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

waiting for food


waiting for food
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
Grandpa explains trains and how they work.

Cacti Face


Cacti Face
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
Found in front of the mission.

rails


rails
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Waiting


Waiting
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
Waiting for the train to take us home.

train leaving the station


train leaving the station
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
Our trip is over it is time to go home.

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Clean Up/ Preschool

At the last moment we found a preschool. It is one of the parent participation type preschools held at a local Methodist church. Today I have to go help clean up the school and get things ready for the new school year. Somehow my wife was able to get out of the cleanup duty.
I hope the Methodist are clean people so I do not have to spend my entire day cleaning up their crap.
(It does seem like a nice school)

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Death

I have tracked down the time and place of the death of Common Sense.
I am happy to report that the ACLU will not be charged with her death.

Daisy Cutters and other tools

She wants to have a little girl. She tells me they will be best friends. I think she misunderstands parenting.

Night


Night
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
William Blake
Night

The sun descending in the west,
The evening star does shine;
The birds are silent in their nest,
And I must seek for mine.
The moon, like a flower,
In heaven's high bower,
With silent delight
Sits and smiles on the night.

Farewell, green fields and happy groves,
Where flocks have took delight.
Where lambs have nibbled, silent moves
The feet of angels bright;
Unseen they pour blessing,
And joy without ceasing,
On each bud and blossom,
And each sleeping bosom.

They look in every thoughtless nest,
Where birds are covered warm;
They visit caves of every beast,
To keep them all from harm.
If they see any weeping
That should have been sleeping,
They pour sleep on their head,
And sit down by their bed.

When wolves and tigers howl for prey,
They pitying stand and weep;
Seeking to drive their thirst away,
And keep them from the sheep.
But if they rush dreadful,
The angels, most heedful,
Receive each mild spirit,
New worlds to inherit.

And there the lion's ruddy eyes
Shall flow with tears of gold,
And pitying the tender cries,
And walking round the fold,
Saying, "Wrath, by His meekness,
And, by His health, sickness
Is driven away
From our immortal day.

"And now beside thee, bleating lamb,
I can lie down and sleep;
Or think on Him who bore thy name,
Graze after thee and weep.
For, washed in life's river,
My bright mane for ever
Shall shine like the gold
As I guard o'er the fold."

Flat people


Flat people
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
They can not make good characters yet they sell them?

Perhaps Disney should start going to their own store to buy believable, realistic, non- flat characters for its movies.

Zoot


Zoot
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
I drive by this Zoot Suit store all the time. I have always wondered what it looks like inside.

Someday I will go inside and I will know.

Zoot


Zoot
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
I drive by this Zoot Suit store all the time. I have always wondered what it looks like inside.

Someday I will go inside and I will know.

Make Pizza not war


Make Pizza not war
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
With all the money flowing into the liberal think tanks Mquest Blog has decided to jump on the band wagon and open up shop.
After much thought we came up with a slogan for world peace.
“Make Pizza Not War”

(where do we send our consultation bill?)

The Tyger


The Tyger
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
"Tyger! Tyger! burning bright,
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare sieze the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?"

~ William Blake, 1757 - 1827~

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

A pep talk against liars

Let us never forget or forgive the post 9/11 lies.

Scooby Snack


Scooby Snack
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

puppet world


puppet world
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Motivational speech a moment of clarity:

Just now I felt motivated to post something. Then I realized that it was caffeine that wanted to say something,

Pizza


Pizza
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.
Pizza created and eaten on 9/5/05 at the Mquest household.

After the flood a reenactment


After the flood a reenactment
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Home Improvement-- a cut above the rest

My Dad always said “measure twice cut once.”

I am more of the school of thought that one should measure once and cut 42 times.

dark rider


dark rider
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

dock


dock
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Monday, September 05, 2005

And we slid into the next week

FIL Update
Late Friday night FIL was transferred out of the hospital and into a rehab place.
On Sunday he was able to walk about 40 feet during a rehab session.
Late Sunday he began to bleed and was transferred back to the hospital.
At the hospital they did a Colonoscopy and have decided to do a second one.
One step foreword and one step back.

Humor at the age of three-

“It's not Spiderman it's daddy”- Mquest Jr
“It's not Spiderman it's mommy”- Mquest Jr
He finds the above statements to be the funnest thing in the world.

Penguin Parade


Penguin Parade
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.

Over Lords and Under Dogs


Over Lords and Under Dogs
Originally uploaded by mquest foto.