It started with 'The Chatto book of the Devil' and continues with 'Papal sin'. I've been dipping my toes in matters diabolic and focusing my Semi-Buddhist eyes on the nature of Evil. Anyway, all this thought on the diabolic and on Evil has lead me to a thought that could get me sent to Hell's less pleasant suburbs. Maybe it's just the Buddhist bifocals, but I'm slowly stepping further and further off the RC path and onto a very agnostic one. I guess I have two questions that are connected in some way. Does Satan/Lucifer/the Devil exist; Does Evil exist? The Devil is, according to what I have been reading lately, a rebellious prince of angels who lead a group of angels against God's general Michael and his angelic army.
As you might expect, Michael and the 'good guys' win and Lucifer and his army are cast down to rule in Hell's persecuting domain. Since then, the Devil has been tempting humanity and then enslaving them in Hell if they go along with his dark designs. This temptation doesn't seem to work on the most pious of self-mortificating and self-denying saints, who end up trouncing the imps, demons, or Satan himself every time. It started with J.C. and has been happening ever since. Those who end up selling their souls and falling for Satan's lures get their treasures in this life, but punishment in the next one.
I've been getting heavily into Buddhism, and the view there is that good/bad happens based on the choices we make. Can you see the parallels already? Of course, there are just as many differences as there are similarities, but let's keep focusing on Evil. The major evil here is Ignorance. Remain willfully ignorant and bad things are going to keep happening. It's how we act and react. There are devils and demons, but no chiefs or princes among them. They live in severe ignorance, expiating their bad karma and causing continued suffering to both themselves and to everyone around them. Unlike Xianity, this stay in Hell isn't permanent, and another chance is always on the horizon. Also, the stay in Heaven isn't permanent, but this isn't about the good choices, is it?
Here's another question, summoned up by those pesky Semi-Buddhist eyes: Is the Devil working for God by tempting and punishing those who don't make the right choices? Hundreds of thousands of years worth of community service? Hmmm. It is worth at least wasting a few synapses thinking about this. Anyway, I'll get back to reading 'Papal sin' and get back to you soon enough. BYE.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Some art from the Wry Zone
A style I've been working with for the last four years
A variation of the styleWednesday, July 15, 2009
Resolution?
It would be a more pleasant day if the weather was cooperating. It rained through most of yesterday and all through the night (granted, I slept through it, so I'm not really sure). The sound of rain pattering against the roof of the shed woke me up. The dreams I was having were incomprehensible, so I was glad to wake up. Someday I am going to share some of the nightly meanders I've had. Not a recurring dream in the bunch, although I've had recurring themes and images. I haven't read a whole lot of insightful material lately, but I'm trying to dive into 'Te-Tao-Ching', so I might have something later. Keep'em crossed! As far as music is concerned, I'm listening to the Grateful Dead and will be following that up with Ravi Shankar. Child of the 80's fully entrenched in 60's music? Meh. It was what I was raised on.
Moving along, my computer seems to like the new video card. I'm not totally sure I like the resolution the computer is set at, but it was the best and clearest setting available. Going with the flow. I installed 'Sims 3' and have been playing it. Everything seems to working well and I haven't had a crash in the last two days. My sims also look very well defined and the bushes and trees behave more realistically. They actually sway and move in the breeze, which looks pretty creepy for the moment. This is probably the newest thing I've come across. I won't bore you with further details of Sims 3. I've got a blog running on the website custom-made for blathering about the game.
Windows has this cool feature where one can check the 'reliability' of one's computer. I keep checking it every morning to see if there's something I missed. The last two days, as I've already said, there hasn't been a crash, freeze, or anything else to mar my PC's operations. I guess, if this good behaviour keeps up, I'll do a lot more gaming and a lot less typing. Maybe. I mean, I've got one more chapter to type up and that will be the end of that project. I'm thinking about getting back to typing out older diaries. We shall see. C'est tout. BYE.
Moving along, my computer seems to like the new video card. I'm not totally sure I like the resolution the computer is set at, but it was the best and clearest setting available. Going with the flow. I installed 'Sims 3' and have been playing it. Everything seems to working well and I haven't had a crash in the last two days. My sims also look very well defined and the bushes and trees behave more realistically. They actually sway and move in the breeze, which looks pretty creepy for the moment. This is probably the newest thing I've come across. I won't bore you with further details of Sims 3. I've got a blog running on the website custom-made for blathering about the game.
Windows has this cool feature where one can check the 'reliability' of one's computer. I keep checking it every morning to see if there's something I missed. The last two days, as I've already said, there hasn't been a crash, freeze, or anything else to mar my PC's operations. I guess, if this good behaviour keeps up, I'll do a lot more gaming and a lot less typing. Maybe. I mean, I've got one more chapter to type up and that will be the end of that project. I'm thinking about getting back to typing out older diaries. We shall see. C'est tout. BYE.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Miscommunication = Frustration
The hardware is not to blame. Microsoft Vista is wholly to blame for the mess. It's an easy charge to make and most people would not blame me for making it. I apologize for not having a whole lot to say this month, but not having a working computer really screws things up. I would love to know what possesses the computer programmers to mess up so royally! Why can't these people talk to each other once in a while and iron out the bugs? My computer's fallen pretty hard against one of these dreaded bugs and I'm getting really ticked off about it. A slave to frustration, I'm entertaining visions of travelling to Microsoft's head office with a rubber mallet and the will to use it! If I wasn't so cheap and couldn't find ways to calm down and find other ways to channel my frustration, I might go and board a plane. Geez!
Anyway, without my computer, I haven't played Sims 3 all that much, so I've been typing and writing. I've already mentioned this, so I won't go any farther with it. My computer came back from Staples the other day and (quelle surprise!) the buggers didn't find anything wrong. I get it hooked back up and the damn mess crashes on me! Staples didn't tell me they wiped the PC clean, however. I found that out when I started it up. I had been expecting this, and told them they could do it if absolutely necessary. Apparently this is how Staples 'fixed' whatever problems my computer had. It fixed nothing! Well, my computer is running all right this second, but Sims 3 isn't loaded and I'm not going anything heavy-duty with it. I suspect there would be some problems if I did install Sims 3.
Another problem is that my video card is horribly lacking. Nothing that a visit to a computer store won't fix. This PC is mainly for gaming (other things might happen down the line) so I need a really good video card. Something that can more than handle Sims 3 and games to come that need that added oomph. Above all, I'm irritated that Vista doesn't like to behave with my computer all of a sudden. I've had this PC for a little over a year, and only now are there problems. Something to do with Service Pack 2, I'm lead to understand. If there's anyone out there with some advice, I would be greatly appreciative. Thank you. BYE.
Anyway, without my computer, I haven't played Sims 3 all that much, so I've been typing and writing. I've already mentioned this, so I won't go any farther with it. My computer came back from Staples the other day and (quelle surprise!) the buggers didn't find anything wrong. I get it hooked back up and the damn mess crashes on me! Staples didn't tell me they wiped the PC clean, however. I found that out when I started it up. I had been expecting this, and told them they could do it if absolutely necessary. Apparently this is how Staples 'fixed' whatever problems my computer had. It fixed nothing! Well, my computer is running all right this second, but Sims 3 isn't loaded and I'm not going anything heavy-duty with it. I suspect there would be some problems if I did install Sims 3.
Another problem is that my video card is horribly lacking. Nothing that a visit to a computer store won't fix. This PC is mainly for gaming (other things might happen down the line) so I need a really good video card. Something that can more than handle Sims 3 and games to come that need that added oomph. Above all, I'm irritated that Vista doesn't like to behave with my computer all of a sudden. I've had this PC for a little over a year, and only now are there problems. Something to do with Service Pack 2, I'm lead to understand. If there's anyone out there with some advice, I would be greatly appreciative. Thank you. BYE.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
On the Literary Front #5
Apologies for the lengthy absence. My computer's been giving me grief so I sent it to the shop. Something to do with Vista not liking me or something like that. Anyway, without my computer and my beloved Sims to keep my fingers busy, I've been doing a lot of writing and typing. The writing is mostly in my diary and the typing is at my laptop, where dormant stories are getting looked at and updated. I'm presently working on a book about two sisters, which makes sense considering I have a sister. The plot's different from the one I'm living, and I'm finding it a nice change to type rather than plan out what my Sims are going to do from one hour to the next.
Instead, it's what my characters are doing from one scene to the next. I was able to get a chapter and a half typed out over the last few days and I'm feeling really good about all the work I've been able to do. Perhaps, when my computer gets back, I'll fall back into playing God and plotting my Sims' futures. That or I'll spend my summer typing and writing. I suppose I could do both, but one cannot worship two masters. I think, in the grand scheme of things, I would rather be in service to the Muse than to the Game. The Muse is more tempermental, but it doesn't make my computer crash nearly as much.
Oh, and I have to get my hands on a new video card for my computer. I think that's what's causing all the strife. Sims 3 is just too much for my 'high-end' computer. That's why I like my laptop. Sims 2 was too much for it, so all I can do with it now is play Pinball and type my brains out! And that's what I'm gonna do this summer. That and apartment hunt. That's showing some promise as well. I've got some apartments to check out tomorrow. Wish me luck! BYE.
Instead, it's what my characters are doing from one scene to the next. I was able to get a chapter and a half typed out over the last few days and I'm feeling really good about all the work I've been able to do. Perhaps, when my computer gets back, I'll fall back into playing God and plotting my Sims' futures. That or I'll spend my summer typing and writing. I suppose I could do both, but one cannot worship two masters. I think, in the grand scheme of things, I would rather be in service to the Muse than to the Game. The Muse is more tempermental, but it doesn't make my computer crash nearly as much.
Oh, and I have to get my hands on a new video card for my computer. I think that's what's causing all the strife. Sims 3 is just too much for my 'high-end' computer. That's why I like my laptop. Sims 2 was too much for it, so all I can do with it now is play Pinball and type my brains out! And that's what I'm gonna do this summer. That and apartment hunt. That's showing some promise as well. I've got some apartments to check out tomorrow. Wish me luck! BYE.
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