Trousered Ape

An exercise in presumption.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Pen to paper, scribbling, scribbling,
Setting rhyme to link with rhyme.
Midnight oil burning, burning,
Prodigal of ink and time.

Muse compels me, singing, singing,
Bound to labor as she wishes.
All my service bringing, bringing
Little fame and less of riches.

She comes to me, calling, calling,
For she knows I will not shirk,
Pride and honor glowing, glowing,
Colleague in her handiwork.

Posted by Bob the Ape 8:26 PM

Thursday, February 23, 2012

The son of K T Cat of The Scratching Post, and his family, could use your prayers.

Thanks and God bless you.

Posted by Bob the Ape 7:20 AM

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

This explains a lot of things.

(Hat tip to Tim Blair.)

Posted by Bob the Ape 5:39 PM

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Why, in the days and days of argument over the HHS contraception mandate, haven’t we heard more about the men?

We are told we all must pay for women’s contraception, because women must have contraception for their health, because pregnancy can so often be a bad thing.

Well, when a woman is at risk of getting pregnant, there is usually a man involved: why isn't he paying for it?

And if he won't, when she needs it so badly, why is she letting such a cheap selfish SOB have sex with her?

Posted by Bob the Ape 11:12 PM

Friday, February 17, 2012

On a lighter note, I recently stumbled across this site, which is fascinating in a vaguely steampunkish way. In the words of the author,

George Dawe was an English portrait artist who painted 329 portraits of Russian generals active during Napoleon's invasion of Russia for the Military Gallery of the Winter Palace, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

I'm using digital copies of these paintings as a basis for my own work which involves incorporating my friends, family and even some celebrities into the paintings using photoshop.

He's doing pretty much just celebrities now, and it's interesting to see who works (some surprises there) and who doesn't (not so much). De gustibus non disputandum est (as, my daughters will testify, I say far too often), but for me:

Among the not working: Mr. T, Bob Marley, William Shatner, Elijah Wood, and Elvis.

Among the working: Robert Downey, Jr., Bill Murray (!), Hugh Hefner (!!??), Simon Pegg, and Robert de Niro.

Random notes:

Danny Trejo is the best of them all, the very image of a caudillo.

Of the Great Britons (Sean Connery, Ben Kingsley, Ian McKellan, Alan Rickman, and Patrick Stewart), Alan Rickman comes off best.

Where did he get that image of Russell Crowe?

"Superamit" (Amit Gupta) (who, by the way, could use the intercession of St. Peregrine) has an appealing psycho-Murat look.

Clint Eastwood is remarkably like Vigo from Ghostbusters 2.

Posted by Bob the Ape 6:02 PM

Sunday, February 12, 2012

The estimable dylan, of dark speech upon the harp, recently posted a discourse upon a poetic form called the "ghazal", and included his own experiment therewith.

From Wikipedia (as far as I know, ghazals are not at the center of any current controversies, so the information may tentatively be relied upon):

The ghazal not only has a specific form, but traditionally deals with just one subject: love, specifically an illicit and unattainable love...The ghazal is always written from the point of view of the unrequited lover whose beloved is portrayed as unattainable. Most often either the beloved does not return the poet's love or returns it without sincerity, or else the societal circumstances do not allow it. The lover is aware and resigned to this fate but continues loving nonetheless; the lyrical impetus of the poem derives from this tension.

I can't celebrate unrequited romantic/erotic love, because I don't see the point of it. On the other hand, because it is love, I can't make fun of it either.

But there are other kinds of love...

I wake to life in your dark sheltering womb.
I long to see and love you in the light.

Mother, love me, though I was conceived
In careless coupling, frivolous and light.

Fathered and fatherless - tell me of him.
On whom did your affection briefly light?

Mother, love me, do not cast me out,
Never to know the world, nor see sun's light.

Unloved, unwanted, my life coldly ended,
I wake to greater life in God's own light.

Mother, I will love you, when in time
We joyfully embrace in God's glad light.

Here all love is requited; here, no one
Stumbles alone and blind, where Love is light.

Posted by Bob the Ape 10:17 AM

Thursday, February 02, 2012

I can't remember the last time we contributed to a political campaign. We just gave $100 to Rick Santorum. It's starting to look like he's for real.

UPDATE: Should have provided a link to his donation page.

Also: Hat tip to Pundit & Pundette.

Posted by Bob the Ape 10:45 PM