© 2000 by Zedwaldo

Issue # 42 ~ Thursday, 4 May, 2000

"Always laugh... it might be funny!" --Zedwaldo

[aRCHIVE of qUOTES]

Zeditorial

"Priorities"

About three years ago I had this idea to produce a quarterly magazine called, "Zedwaldo Digest."  A little more than a year ago, I started writing this Online version.  If you do the math, you will note that I haven't been faithful to the weekly part of my motto. In the earlier issues, I only wrote as the urge prompted.  And there were gaps.  Somewhere in the teens (as in issues number 15, 16, 17...) I made a personal promise to myself to write something for my Online Magazine each week, as an exercise in character.  So far, I have mostly done well by that mark.  I wanted to post my efforts by Wednesday, but I kept missing my deadline, so Thursday sort of adopted the time slot.  I still make an effort to finish as much as possible by Wednesday evening, but sometimes I make it in by the skin of my teeth on Thursday.  The last two issues had a footprint in Friday, and for that I apologize.  I realize that there are a few of you out there who remain loyal readers, and some of you may actually understand that this is really a regular publication.  I humbly thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Of course, I'm not one of the major conglomerates of the industry, but I hope that I serve a purpose somewhere in some corner of Cyberspace.  <wink>

If I were being paid to write this, would I change anything?  I would hope not.  Perhaps if I were working for someone else, I would have to stay within the guidelines of the editor... but then, I am the editor!  :o)  But, since this isn't my job, and I'm not set for life with piles of money, I will have to consider my priorities.  

The reason that I began writing this Digest was to learn how to present myself on the Internet and to turn some of my computer activities into some kind of useful purpose.  Yes, and to have fun as well.  When I began to find friends in the Chat Rooms, and with the Instant Messengers (like ICQ), I began getting forwarded Emails and Links to URL's that were sometimes cute, sometimes funny, sometimes useful... You get the idea.  It occurred to me that I could post a page on my website (where I was learning), listing the more interesting links and jokes and other stuff.  I wanted to do more than just hit my forwarding button.  I also had a message that I wanted to share with my friends.  Naturally, I wrote personal Emails, but as my list of worldwide friends grew, it became a chore to keep up.  So I thought, why not just write a little letter that covers what I am thinking of this week and mass-mail it?  You know, kind of like those Christmas letters that you get from relatives, that have been photo-copied, then your name had been written in at the top.  The more I thought about that idea, the more I didn't like it.  So I took my thoughts and wrote them into a "Zeditorial" and then ICQ'd or Emailed the link to you, my friends.  This way you could be forewarned that I had been thinking and writing again, and if you wanted to, you could go out into Cyberspace and take a peek at what in the world I was rambling about.  Cool, eh?  If you wanted to hear my blather, you could go check it out, and if you weren't in the mood for it, you could leave it alone.  

Now, after a year of sorts, my rambling comments have become a regular feature.  I pledge to continue assembling the best (and worst) of what I have been concerned with during the week and post it right here.  I also promise to keep everything limited and uplifting.  No public flaming, or inappropriate language.  No browbeating or bigotry here folks.  Just good clean fun and a positive message to bring a smile into your week.  Clean and simple.  Brought to you by your friend, Zedwaldo.

Shall I offer an apology for the poem this time?  I know that it is not as short or as uplifting as most of the poems that I write, but it does offer a moral of sorts.  Almost every bit of the poems that I write has something to do with issues that are swirling through my mind.  At times, issues and ideas seem unresolved, and I must meditate upon them until I get a clear picture of the whys and wherefores.  Recently I have been relearning the lesson of the consequences one must face when they put off doing things that they know (deep down inside) must be done.  Problems just won't go away... they come back, bigger and meaner.  Last week I wrote a short little verse that alluded to that concept, but I have been troubled about that poem for the last few days... it seemed like unfinished business.  So I let the thoughts back in and put my mind to work on that idea until the poem just rewrote itself.  So now you know where that poem came from.  No apology needed.

;-)

Poetry

Shallow be Fallow

That shallow grave...
where I buried my worries,
soon crusted over and
then came the snow flurries.

Yes, my Winter set in;
The problems lay fallow.
I turned on the heat
as the wind did howl so.

My concerns were all gone,
out of sight, out of my mind.
It was easy then to smile,
easy to see, though blind.

But not far away...
close to my back door,
lay the seeds germinating,
of old troubles galore.

While cozy in my bed,
and lying there all warm,
my rotting, festering notions
played dice with the worm.

Now Springtime is here;
and the flowers call to bees.
The birds sing their songs;
and the leaves return to trees.

I unlock my back door,
that I may inhale fresh air.
But something is wrong;
my nostrils begin to flare.

The stench is unbelievable;
to my horror the ground moves!
Something is breaking through
the cracks and the grooves.

A monster has now risen;
it’s evil and it’s mean.
I shudder and I realize
my pants are no longer clean.

It reaches for my head
and pulls my body under;
Tearing off my appendages
and ripping me asunder.

And now I lie here in
that same shallow grave;
which I dug last year,
thinking a trouble to save.

Copyright © 2000 E.D.Griswold (aka Zedwaldo), all rights reserved.

Check out my poetry connection:
                      Poetry House of Zedwaldo

;-)

JOKES?

JOKE-LINK of the Month:

Heard a good one lately?  Clue me in, throw me a bone.  I'll take suggestions.  Write one yourself and Email it to me.  If I like it, I may feature it here.

Links and URL's

Crowdburst... Huh?  ...what is this?  http://www.crowdburst.com/  

...and here's another "What-zis" site:  http://www.thirdage.com/  (clue: it's a place where you can get free Email, do online personals, chat, homepages and read all about the latest scoop on the 'net)

(Pssssst....)   Wanna see something really scary?  Then go to hell.com

The Naked Truth on vacation (and online):  http://www.netguide.com/Snapshot/Archive?guide=travel&id=774 

And in the interest of fairness... here's a partial list of my competitors...
And if I put myself out of business, I only have one person to blame!

This one appears to be daily:  http://www.salon.com/ 
Cheeky and hip (but not for kids):  http://www.theonion.com/  (18 & older please)
Jam-packed stuff here (another daily):  http://www.feedmag.com/ 
This one is not for guys:  http://www.chickclick.com/ 

;-)

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