never-ending gallery

[Geoffrey]

thank you for that fast reply, lisa.

some days ago my daughter, a policewoman, contracted the virus. she is experiencing breathing difficulties, her husband likewise - and they have three young children at home. i am therefore acutely aware of how important it is to be understanding, and to help people as much as possible while staying safe.

there is currently some talk about the internet crashing, due to more people being online causing overloaded bandwidths. i hope this doesn't happen, and don't believe it will, but one never knows. if it does break down we'll all lose touch with one another for a while, but life will go on - and we will come though this awful pandemic. meanwhile i will keep posting as usual

[its4inthemorning]

Lisa, I post this with all good intentions and not to demean your feelings, but I personally do not feel we should hide bad things and bad people of the past.

The logical follow-up to hiding bad things if forgetting them. There will always be crazies who might somehow interpret Geoffrey's drawing as a call to don their brown shirts, but that likelihood is slim and dwarfed by all those who will use it to reinforce in their minds the idea that evil exists, and that we must always be vigilant. Human nature--both good and bad--only changes at a glacial pace, and as much as we would like to be living in Kumbaya times, we are not.

All of you, please take care of yourselves!

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[LisaLCFan]

I never, for one moment, suggested that "we should hide bad things and bad people of the past." Rather, I was simply suggesting that perhaps there is an appropriate -- and an inappropriate -- time and place for all things. Nothing more!

[Geoffrey]

i did not intend to provoke a strong reaction, but it's very nice - makes me feel almost relevant. this thread would hold little interest without input from others. know that i appreciate everything anyone writes. stay safe
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couple more pages from a grubby little notebook:

too much time on one's hands and too much wine in the bloodstream.
i'll be glad when i'm allowed outside again

from about a month ago. this is s.b., a syrian gentleman who runs a local exotic cafe. he promised a free meal if i did a straight portrait. "no fancy 'artistic' stuff", he said. paid me with a delicious chicken biryani with naan bread and mango chutney, followed by banana fritters with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream - plus a black coffee

[Geoffrey]

we kill the flame!

[Geoffrey]

i'm pretty certain the person making the road signs where i live is a cohen fan

[solongleonard]

what on earth makes you say that? and, as you were obviously close enough to take her photograph why didn't you just ask her? yours is a crippling social inhibition indeed.

what time precisely do you land at Ghent airport for the Lennie Fan Bash, as we regulars never call it ? Please don't be late as the Geoffrey tribute band, The Flying Dentists, wil be the first up.

I am running a little stall at the Event. It shall be called "Get your Portrait Done by Me, Geezer". Yes, it's an attractive name for my tempeoremporium but it's my art that counts. Mr Cohen would sometimes say to me, SoLong we adore you in this community. You draw my face and it is quite good sometimes. He was generous in his praise, but I confess that my top ranking may have been achieved simply because no one else draws him.

[Geoffrey]

solongleonard wrote:
>what on earth makes you say that? . . .

there's not going to be any more 'meet-ups', my son. it's over, just like roy orbison said. even charles has been given a dose of corona. luckily i'm living in western norway, where the folks are notorious for not sharing anything they've got, not even a virus - so i'm safe. i wouldn't want to be in the middle of london right now, i can tell you that much. you are going to be missed. lol

[LisaLCFan]

i'm pretty certain the person making the road signs where i live is a cohen fan ...

I love it, and indeed, the resemblance to Leonard is astonishing!

I'm also rather partial to this crosswalk sign, which I saw a few years ago in my nation's capital, Ottawa:

[solongleonard]

Charles finally gets the Corowna.

This lunchtime just fell asleep. I have had quite enough of today. The latest crazy news -Johnson has decided we all have. to stand outside the nearest pub for 15 minutes each evening. Apparently “it will build Community Spirit at this difficult time”. He is mad

[Geoffrey]

lisa, thank you for showing me the john cleese sign, and thank you michael for the corowna joke. one cannot have too much humour during these dark days
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[its4inthemorning]

Geoffrey's on a roll with his sketches. Lisa finds a Minister of Silly Walks photo. And Solongleonard comes up with the Corowna joke (I just told it to my my dear wife and she actually spit out her drink in laughter).

Thanks for making my day brighter! Regretfully I've nothing to share today. And I'm not even from western Norway.

4

[Geoffrey]

its4inthemorning wrote:
>Geoffrey's on a roll with his sketches. Lisa finds a Minister of Silly Walks photo. And Solongleonard comes up with the Corowna joke (I just told it to my my dear wife and she actually spit out her drink in laughter).
>
>Thanks for making my day brighter! Regretfully I've nothing to share today. And I'm not even from western Norway.
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hello curt, kind of you to call by. having something special to share is not really essential, you know. as far as i'm concerned it's enough just to say a few words, and the words you wrote above were well worth reading. since this virus brought my social life to an end, and as i possess no television, i have been able to fill my time doing things at home, hence the 'roll' you mentioned. yes, lisa and solongleonard are two quite different characters, and yet they always seem very comfortable with one another

received a message today from someone asking to purchase my notebook, so that was a surprise. there are some unusual people around.

queen victoria didn't smoke, but i think leonard cohen's father enjoyed doing so. perhaps cigarettes came to canada during victoria's reign, which was why leonard said his father with all his tobacco loved her.

lovely to learn that your wife had a sudden outburst of laughter, and i trust you quickly filled her glass again

[its4inthemorning]

It is always amazing what one can find on the internet just casually browsing around. Here is a video of a seven-year old drummer (he is now a bit older) playing a Beatles song, one with rather complex drumming I would say. He is quite talented. Why is it that I always seek examples of people doing things that I cannot?

https://youtu.be/rxNjhDQ4e_I?t=3

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[Geoffrey]

It is always amazing what one can find on the internet just casually browsing around. Here is a video of a seven-year old drummer (he is now a bit older) playing a Beatles song, one with rather complex drumming I would say. He is quite talented. Why is it that I always seek examples of people doing things that I cannot?

https://youtu.be/rxNjhDQ4e_I?t=3

4

hei curt. thank you for the video. encouraging to see youngsters enjoying themselves, all filled with so much potential - pure treasure.

it's always more interesting and educational to see examples of people doing things that we have yet to master. the most important pursuit is to be ourselves, discard all negativity and not allow anyone to discourage our attempts at anything new. there is not a lot a person cannot achieve if the enthusiasm is truly there
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selfie from five minutes ago

"touch me with your naked hand, or touch me with your glove"