WW: Holy shirt

(So I'm not sure whether to pass this monastic tee shirt into the rag bag or mass-produce them for sale to teenagers.)

Appearing also on My Corner of the World.

Good Song: Dek Bovinoj

In keeping with our general July theme ("what the heck") here on the Ring, today I'm sharing something awesome, just because it is.

This time it's Pablo Busto's Esperanto counting song, Dek bovinoj ("Ten Cows"). After the lyrics below I've translated the last two verses (the first ten being largely self-explanatory).

As profound as the song and performance are, I think the embedded video, produced for the children's show Aventuroj de Uliso, also adds weighty philosophical dimension, so I suggest you watch along.

All in all, an entertaining 3 minutes, even if it doesn't have much to do with Zen.

Or does it?

Dek bovinoj
de Pablo Busto

Unu bovino muĝas,
muuu

Du bovinoj muĝas,
mu mu

Tri bovinoj muĝas,
mu mu mu

Kvar bovinoj muĝas,
mu mu mu mu

Kvin bovinoj,
mu mu mu mu mu

Ses bovinoj,
mu mu mu mu mu mu

Sep bovinoj,
mu mu mu mu mu mu mu

Ok bovinoj,
mu mu mu mu mu mu mu mu

Naŭ bovinoj,
mu mu mu mu mu mu mu mu mu

Dek bovinoj,
mu mu mu mu mu mu mu mu mu, mu

Ni bovinoj ŝatas muĝi
kaj manĝadi freŝan herbon.
Ni tre ŝatas la kamparon
kaj ripozi longan tempon.

Ni bovinoj estas grandaj
kaj produktas multan lakton.
Nia kapo havas kornojn,
kaj la buŝo grandan langon.

Translation of last two verses:

Us cows like to moo
and eat fresh grass.
We really like the country
and resting for a long time.

Us cows are big
and we make lots of milk.
Our heads have horns
and our mouths have big tongues.

WW: In the monks' graveyard

Appearing also on My Corner of the World.

Rock Groups 2023

And here we are again, with another Rock Group roll. Those joining us in progress can get filled in here; note as well the rules, such as they are.

For the rest, let us simply observe that 2023 marks the tenth July I've dropped this bomb.

Also, please note that there is now a group called Enumclaw. I'm not saying they got their name from Rock Groups 2018 – timing seems a little tight – but see Rock Groups 2018. Savour also the Washington locations in this video.

And with that, we process to...

Rock Groups 2023

Red Right Return

Longbow

Baron von Turducken and the Knights of Day

Solid

Dot and the Flying Monkeys (grrrl punk)

Bloodstone

Radio Free America (political rock)

Hungry Ghost

Mugato

Splat

Riboflavin (psy-electronica)

Earwig

Link Simmons and the Skeleton Men

Tinker's Daughter (roots country)

Triceratops

P22

Zaibatsu

30 Meter Band (vibes jazz)

Nazi GI (film buff-approved metal band)

Auntie Freeze

The Algorithm

Ten-Penny Nail

The Mac-Paps (political punk)

747

Spyder 500

Abacus

AFK (chipstyle, MIDI)

Possible Possum

SST

MT Space (synth rock)


(Photo courtesy of Rawpixel.com and a generous photographer.)

WW: Max

Appearing also on My Corner of the World.

Good Video: Hidden In Plain Sight

So it's July again, the month when the Internet takes a vacation and I can post stuff that's just cool and not necessarily about enlightenment.

Except this kind of is, if you want it to be.

Anybody my age or older was raised on Warner Brothers cartoons; among other things, their vaudeville tropes are almost entirely responsible for our knowing anything about that art form, whose popularity peaked when our grandparents were in high school. Yet somehow, a very important facet of those gems of animation's golden age remains occult, in spite of the fact that it's been right in our faces for decades.

I found this video fascinating, and if Looney Tunes was a cherished part of your childhood, you will, too. One thing is certain: I'll never look at them the same way again.

Oh, and the Zen angle? It's about clear-seeing. And being present. And appreciating the fulness of unrequested blessings.

And not making everything so goddam serious.

So prepare to be floored by something you've seen a hundred times.

And Happy July.

WW: Pump on the fork

(When outfitting my bike for trekking seven years ago, I gave the lugs on the seat tube and down tube to water bottles. With none on the top tube, there was no obvious place to mount the pump. Since I'm loathe to cram one more thing into my rack trunk, and not currently mounting paniers, I just bolted it to the front fork.

Sounds pretty boring, eh? I thought so too, until it got so much commentary from other bikers. Now I can't instal any paniers up there, or I'll miss out on all those conversations.)

Appearing also on My Corner of the World.