If

Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.
-Oscar Wilde
"The Picture of Dorian Gray"

PHOTO: A writer near the Acropolis,
Athens, Greece; September 14, 2004
Photography by Michael J Armijo


A dear friend, Hanne Reid, of Vancouver shared a poem (by Rudyard Kipling) that was read during a memorial service for a man who died much too young. I was touched by the words and thought I would share them with you on my blog today.

The poem also made me think of that old classic song
by BREAD of the same name:
"IF"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6VsmMN13Y0

IF
by Rudyard Kipling


If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposter's just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Twenty-five years ago today:

February 19, 1985
Tuesday

My roommate, Marty, did not come home tonight--which is okay and fine with me. It's as if I have no roommate. I should have set this up a long time ago.

I worked out at the gym to make up for my slacking off yesterday.

I watched Part III of "The Hollywood Wives". It was really quite good.

I lunched with Dale Orlando at the Dim Sum Chinese food joint. Dale gave me his code number for "The Connector" and I called the service again--just to listen to the intrigue and desires. When you call you can get random guys who will talk to you. I briefly spoke to Bill via "The Connector" of Sacramento (at 916-921-2111). I also met Seth of San Francisco via "The Connector". Seth said he is six foot two inches tall and good-looking (believe or not-to-believe?). "The Connector" line is so funny.

Dale and I discussed our Las Vegas plans a bit. We are going on March 14th, Wednesday evening.
"Michael, you say 'that came out of left field' a lot."
"Oh yeah? Well, you say 'Tell me' a lot."
"Do I?"
"You mean you never noticed? You also say the phrases 'No Biggie' and 'For Some Reason' a lot, too."
"Do I? I never knew that!"
Now I have put a complex curse upon him. He will be listening to himself from now on. I'm sure of it.

My brother, John, and Sherri are engaged to wed now. I wonder if it will be a big wedding. It's no biggie (as Dale would say) as it's as if they are already married.

I wrote a postcard to Jim Koran in Los Angeles. The card depicted a BART train and I also sent the 'brown bikini shorts' card. I hope he will "like".

There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is NOT being talked about.
-Oscar Wilde
"The Picture of Dorian Gray"