People’s Instinctive Travels and Paths of Rhythm - 1990

I left my Wallet in El Segundo

Nachdem in den vergangenen Tage einige erste Stücke aus der Sammlung auf meinem Schreibtisch relativ formal abgebildet worden, soll es ab und an selbstverständlich etwas mehr Text zu den Stücken geben. WordPress als Bloganbieter macht es einem dabei nicht immer leicht, denn manchmal sind die Server arg beschäftigt. Dazu kommt ganz offensichtlich der Mangel an Digitalisierungstechnik: Die Exemplare werden bisher schlicht hingelegt/-gestellt und abfotografiert und können daher kaum höheren Anforderungen an ein philatelistisches Digitalisat genügen.
Es gibt mittlerweile eine ganze Reihe von exzellenten Philatelie-Blogs (Philablogs). Um die geringen geschriebenen und ungeschriebenen Regeln des Mediums Weblog gebührend auszuschöpfen, werden hier subjektiv als interessant eingeschätzte Belege, Briefmarken, Abstempelungen und Postkarten in geplant hoher Frequenz und tatsächlich vielleicht etwas niedrigerer abgebildet und mit einem Rahmentext versehen. Philatelistische Exaktheit ist dabei nicht immer das Maß der Dinge, sondern die Freude an den Objekten.

An dem unten stehen Umschlag fallen gleich mehrere Punkte ins Auge. Gelaufen ist der Einschreibbrief vermutlich - richtig scharf erkennt man die Stempelung nicht - am 08. Februar 1990 und zwar von Berlin-Marzahn, dem Vorzeigeplattenbaugebiet der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, die flink ihrem Ende entegegenstrebte, aber noch eine Reihe von Briefmarken herausgeben sollte, ins niederbayerische Aiglsbach, einem relativ unspektakulärem kleinem Ort, im Dreieck München, Ingolstadt und Regensburg unweit der Bundesautobahn 93 gelegen. Die Zustelladresse Steinbergstraße ist schon beinahe wieder nach Norden hinaus aus dem Ort Richtung Feld und Forst. Was die mir beiderseits unbekannten Sender und Empfänger angeht, ist aufgrund der Gestaltung der Sendung zu vermuten, dass sich um eine grenzüberschreitende Philatelistenfreundschaft handelte.

Von der schönen ersten Briefmarken-Ausgabe der DDR im Jahre 1990 sind nämlich alle vier Werte verwendet: Die Apfelblüte (Michel-Nr. 3295) zu 5 Pfennig, das blühende Heidekraut (Nr. 3296) zu 10 Pfennig, die Rapsblüte (Nr. 3297) zu 20 Pfennig und schließlich die Rotkleeblüte (Nr. 3298) zu 50 Pfennig. Das verbindende Element und eigenartigerweise Motiv im Januar ist die Honigbiene (Apis mellifica L.). An den Schaltern war der Satz ab 09. Januar 1990 erhältlich und die Auflage lag im Millionenbereich. Die Biene im Anflug auf das Heidekraut wurde gar 32 Millionen mal gedruckt, die anderen Werte zwischen zwei und acht Millionen mal. Der ziemlich bunte Entwurf stammt von Ursula Abramowski-Lautenschläger und lässt ihre Provenienz als Illustratorin gut erahnen: Solche Abbildungen kann man sich auch gut in einem allgemeinen Bienenlehrbuch vorsellen.

Die Frühlingsidylle wurde im Postamt Berlin-Marzahn 7 (1140 Berlin) abgestempelt und während der Umschlag seine Knicke und Risse abbekam, sind die Marken nahezu tadellos erhalten. Mehr lässt sich zum dem Beleg dann aber auch nicht mehr sagen, es sei denn, man erachtet die Angabe der Scott-Zählung (2787-2790) noch aks relevant.

George Michael FREEDOM ‘90

Posted by Viola

No matter what people say about George Michael, he’s talented and I do like his music and the deep meaning of his words.

“LYRICS”:

I won’t let you down
I will not give you up
Gotta have some faith in the sound
It’s the one good thing that i’ve got
I won’t let you down
So please don’t give me up
Because i would really, really love to stick around

Heaven knows i was just a young boy
Didn’t know what i wanted to be
I was every little hungry schoolgirls pride and joy
And i guess it was enough for me
To win the race? A prettier face!
Brand new clothes and a big fat place
On your rock and roll tv
But today the way i play the game is not the same
No way
Think i’m gonna get me some happy
I think there’s something you should know
I think it’s time i told you so
There’s something deep inside of me
There’s someone else i’ve got to be
Take back your picture in a frame
Take back your singing in the rain
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man

All we have to do now
Is take these ties and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that i don’t belong to you
And you don’t belong to me
Freedom
You’ve gotta give for what you rake
Freedom
You’ve gotta give for what you take
Heaven knows we sure had some fun boy

What a kick just a buddy and me
We had every big-shot goodtime band on the run boy
We were living in a fantasy
We won the race
Got out of the place
I went back home got a brand new face
For the boys on mtv
But today the way i play the game has got to change
Oh yeah
Now i’m gonna get myself happy

rubia suicida
rubio suicida era el color de su pelo
como una distracción barata para un nuevo romance
ella sabía que terminaría antes de empezar
algo me dice que falló su plan

quieres maquillarla rubia suicida
devastación de amor, rubia suicida

ella se desnudaba al ritmo, pero sus ropas se quedaban puestas
luz blanca por todos lados
pero no puedo ver nada
que aprieto, un momento triste y loco
gloria para ti, gloria para ti, llévame allí

tengo alguna revelación que poner en tus manos
salvarte de tu miseria como la lluvia a través de la tierra
no ves el color de la decepción está volviendo el mundo contra ti

quieres maquillarla, rubia suicida
devastación de amor, rubia suicida

Date: December 29, 1990

Age: 11

Date: December 31, 1990

Age: 11

“Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace” (1999)

IMDb

Darth Lucas

Devo dizer que fiquei muito mais satisfeito com este filme agora do que da primeira vez que o vi, na altura do seu lançamento. Provavelmente isso acontece porque nessa altura ainda acreditava ingenuamente que pudesse ter com este algo tão excitante como os filmes originais que coloriram parte dos meus sonhos de infância. Também porque a diferença entre este e os antigos era tão grande que não me deixava colocar este no seu devido lugar.

Sobre A Guerra das Estrelas: é impossível para mim ver os filmes antigos friamente como poderia ver um filme sem essa carga de nostalgia. Pensando nisso, penso que este é um complemento das velhas séries. Olhando para trás, vendo este e pensando nos antigos, creio que George Lucas não é um bom realizador, bastante vulgar até, e ele compreendeu isso quando delegou a realização dos episódios 5 e 6. Ele não tem nenhuma abordagem especial, ele faz o que qualquer outro poderia fazer; ele viu os mestres mas não conseguiu extrair o que eles realmente estavam a fazer. Mas ele é um grande contador de histórias, e foi magistral a forma como ele criou esta série.

Ele inventou uma cosmologia e alimentou as mentes secas de uma sociedade sem mitos com histórias que colocavam forças superiores (a Força) a controlar os seres vulgares, algo que os ‘rodeia’ (aqui ele matou a mística com a explicação ridícula dos midclorianos). A forma como as audiências evoluíram para apreciar histórias assim, baseadas no sobrenatural e na ideia de encontrar forças e eventos que nos excedam como humanos provou que Lucas estava certo, e ao mesmo tempo sublinhou o papel que os Star Wars originais tiveram em modelar o pensamento popular dos últimos 30 anos. Indiana Jones, Senhor dos Anéis (repescado para o cinema), Harry Potter e um grande número de séries equivalentes. As pessoas têm a tendência para procurar a religião, e a querer confiar nela. Isso é o que o pensamento positivista ‘causa-efeito’ não previa nem considerava, e as sociedades extremistas de inspiração marxista ajudariam a esconder. Para mim, entender essa tendência para procurar o mito é a chave do sucesso destes filmes.

Há 10 anos Lucas pensou que era a altura de voltar. Ele tinha muitos espaços na história para preencher, muitas promessas nos filmes antigos, toda uma galáxia de eventos por contar. Isso é rico, ele criou o universo dele, e quis explorá-lo mais. Mas o problema é que não foi suficientemente competente para o fazer. Aqui ele já não tem o ponto de vista inovador que tinha em 1977, quando os seus efeitos eram revolucionários, eles ainda me impressionaram quando eu vi os filmes pela primeira vez, no final dos anos 80. Aqui esses efeitos têm apenas uma qualidade média no meio do que tem sido feito ultimamente (para o que a investigação de Lucas pós-Guerra das Estrelas contribuiu muito). Assim, porque não temos esse lado inovador, e a história já é conhecida (quem conhece os velhos filmes sabe o que esperar deste), a magia desapareceu parcialmente, e as falhas de Lucas-realizador notam-se, vivas como nunca. Claro que há um conjunto de fãs absolutos que não abandonam o barco e votarão cegamente negativo neste comentário por culpa dos ‘insultos’ às suas crenças, mas mesmo esses penalizaram estes novos filmes (6.4 no IMDb, quando escrevo).

É uma história bonita, essa da Guerra das Estrelas, mas Lucas, ou desgastado e sem novas ideias, ou influenciado por caçadores de prémios ao redor dele (ou ambos os casos), estragou isto. É como se Lucas se tivesse tornado Anakin: ele era um rapaz curioso inteligente e brilhante, protegido pela Força e que supostamente traria pás e prosperidade à República, mas no final mudou para o lado negro.

A minha opinião: 3/5

Este comentário no IMDb

WAIT

by Paul Bishop — August 31, 1990

I wish I knew where to begin
To write my feelings down
My thoughts are spinning in my head
My nerves are all unwound
My heart is beating, oh, so fast
I cannot catch my breath
What is her decision?
Has she chosen yet?

I hope she understands what I
Have told her face to face
That I am here with open arms
If she can’t run the race
And so I wait expectantly
For her to return
My dry throat is rasping
Teardrops sting and burn

Where are you now?
Can you hear my heart?
It’s crying out to you
But we’re so far apart
Do you know how much I care?
How long must I wait?
Love is in the garden of my heart
But you must unlock the gate

I’m waiting here for her
What else can I do?
But hope and pray that she may
Choose a love that’s true
And if I must wait long
I will make it through
And hope for the day that she will say
“Darling, I love you.”

HURT

by Paul Bishop — November 10, 1990L

Love is a rose.  As beautiful as it looks, one must be careful in handling it lest he be pricked by a sharp thorn.  Why does love hurt sometimes?  They say, “You always hurt the ones you love.”  Why?

I do not wish to hurt anyone, but I myself feel hurt.  Why would someone assume that I didn’t want to go out with her?  We’d already been on two dates.  Then there was a six-week period of unanswered phone calls and then two months of silence on both sides.  Where was she and why hadn’t she called?

Why is there no real explanation for the silence?  How could you have assumed such a thing?  I was torn over whether to let you go on or to call and continue as it were.  Then I finally decided to forget you, and two months pass after which you suddenly reappear and wish to have things as before.  No!  That cannot happen.

We can be good friends, and that’s about as far as I am willing to let things go.  My future plans did not involve you and to try to work a relationship into a tight schedule is hard to do, and unfair to me.  What may have been could still be if circumstances were different, and I did take the initiative to try and continue.  Now I do not have the interest, except as a friend, but even I don’t spend a lot of time with my friends, and I don’t like treating any unequally.  That’s what I feel I’m doing when you ask me to go out somewhere with you.  I do not even know you as well.  I’ve tried but there are always lulls in the conversation.  I write better than I speak, so let me say it here:

I don’t want to go out with you.

CONFIDE IN ME

by Paul Bishop — December 18, 1990

Look into my eyes.  Why can’t you meet them?
Don’t be afraid.  You will not see accusation staring at you.
My love is not like that.

Look into my eyes.  They are not judging you.
Don’t turn away.  You needn’t go through this alone.
I am there beside you.

Look into my eyes.  See the tears forming there?
Don’t feel unloved.  You know that I care.
Take hold of my hand.

Look into my eyes.  They hold no secrets.
Don’t give up hope.  There is always a better day.
My eyes show I believe what I say…

Confide in me.

SAILING AWAY

by Paul Bishop — July 8, 1990

Sailing away on the sea of love
An eagle soaring above me
Tranquillity like the peaceful dove
Pleasant feelings surround me

Moving over the quiet waves
My first mate raises the sail
The winds of change beckon me
Compass, do not fail

Nearer and nearer to my first love
An island oasis in the sunshine
There she waits in a sheltered cove
Where there is no time

And we will sail away
Love and sail away
Together
Into another day

IF

by Paul Bishop — March 9, 1990

If a thousand words were filling my heart
What would I choose to say to you?
Words cannot express,
What is meant by my caress

If I say what I feel when I feel it must be said
Why am I quiet when I’m with you?
Silence is made of purest gold,
Your beauty brings riches untold

If I hold your hand when we walk
Can you feel my deepest thoughts?
I’m silently asking you,
Can you sense my love so true?

If I could sing this song to you
Could you hear beyond the simple chords
Harmonies of ecstasy,
And whisperings of love?

HEART TO HEART

by Paul Bishop — February 13, 1990

If Valentine’s Day is for honoring your current flame, then certainly I have nothing to celebrate.  In the romantic sense of the word ‘love’, I have had nothing but feelings unrealized, unspoken to others, tearing at my heart, breaking me into a thousand pieces and gluing all back together with the words I had wanted to say.  “Infatuation,” they say, “Passing fancy.”  How can they tell me how I love if they are not me?  It seems they were right anyway.

For others, romantic love means happiness of having another at their side, peace when someone is there, and togetherness.  For me: sadness, despair, and loneliness.  Well-meaning words are useless when wasted in the mind instead of being used for the audience for whom the speech was created.

Expression of love is the hardest thing for me to do. One reason is that I cannot because I know not.  Secondly, I know not because I cannot.  What kind of predicament is this?

TESTIFY

by Paul Bishop — August 11, 1990

People sitting in the church
Don’t know which way to turn
They need a lot of help from above
But they’ve never had the chance to learn

So stand up and testify, testify
Let your voice be heard
Through your testimony
The people hear God’s Word

People out there in the world
Their lives are so appalling
The obstacles are all around
No one to catch the falling

If they would only listen
To a hope that’s pure and true
And believe in God Almighty
Through the words He gives to you

So stand up and testify, testify
Let your voice be heard
Through your testimony
The people hear God’s Word

And if you are hurt, remember
It’s the cause for which you suffer
That Jesus is the Lord of all
Above Him there’s no other

Through your words and actions
People may begin to understand
And they reach out of their sorrow
To God’s holy helping hand

So stand up and testify, testify
Let your voice be heard
Through your testimony
The people hear God’s Word

And in the forever after
Before God you kneel down
If one has believed through you
You’ll have a soulwinner’s crown

So stand up and testify, testify
Let your voice be heard
Through your testimony
The people hear God’s word

SPARK

by Paul Bishop — September 17, 1990

I sit by the bonfire and watch the sparks fly
Little orange specks rising to the sky
I watch them as they fade to black
And feel the ashes as they float back
With a hiss and a pop they leave the fire
The intense heat current forces them higher
The burning flecks that glow so bright
Quickly die to become one with the night

To what ambition are the sparks bent
Of reaching the heavens in vain attempt
To soar above and rise so far
Vaguely hoping to become a star?
But away from the fire, the air is cold
The spark is suddenly not quite as bold
And losing strength given by the warmth below
It moves aimlessly and ceases to glow

How many people are like those flecks of fire
They to which higher levels aspire
But have no definite plans in place
Or the ability to keep the pace
Required to maintain the upward motion
Made by those with more than a notion
To acquire that level of personal excellence
And rise up the ladder of eminence

From a spark to a flame, from flame to fire
My belief has taken me higher
The dim glow that once was my name
Has arisen to a flickering flame
From my lowly position of demerit
To a cleansed soul by the Holy Spirit
Jesus has taken my life in hand
And now brightly for him I stand

In Him my ambition is filled
My talents to use His kingdom to build
To revere my Saviour and offer Him praise
To serve Him by faith to the end of days
A flame which for the Lord does shine
Toward His love for others to find
The Christ, for He is the light
A saving beacon in the night

IN HIDING

by Paul Bishop — November 1, 1990

Where can I go to get away from You?  There is no place to go where You will not be, for no matter where I am, memories of You come with me.  And I can never stay; I must return for I feel so guilty.

So I’ve tried to run even further, but by the time I get to where I think I’m going, I’ve fallen so many times and hurt from all my injuries that I automatically turn to You for healing.

Somewhere, there must be a place where I can escape without running, some place where I can disappear without a trace, and be alone.

But I realize that there is no place except in Your love, for there is no security, not even in myself.

RESOLUTIONS

by Paul Bishop — December 31, 1990

If God has allotted in my life
Breath for one more year,
There are several things I would change
In my existence here.

First I would begin
By trying to be more humble
Giving loudly praise I receive to my God
Not even keeping for myself a mumble.

Then I would add to the measure
A bridle for my speech
So only words that are nicely said
Other ears will reach.

To this, a gentle temperance
When my patience is at a loss
To calmly believe all will be well
When my life is tempest-tossed.

A large portion of bravery
To help me make a stand
And speak of God’s great love for me
To others throughout the land.

Give to me a seeking mind
For the truths I need to learn
To know the Lord in a closer way
Is that for which my heart does burn

Please grant me more compassion
For the downtrodden that I meet
And with God’s help to explain the way
Of life found at Christ’s feet.

HARD QUESTIONS

by Paul Bishop — July 16, 1990

How can you answer when the question tears your heart out
And you’re on the spot with no words in your mind?
If you’ve no answer and the person looks at you with expectation in his eyes
Suddenly you mumble some meaningless, catch-all phrase
A pat answer that just came to you
The person looks hopeful and you know he’s heard your words
But now you’re the one with the questions in your mind

If God is so Almighty…

Why am I…

What does it mean to…

And the list goes on and on

There is no easy answer, but there is one explanation in which there is hope:
God has given everyone a brain with the capability to make choices
And He has also given us the opportunity to make these choices
God also has a will and a purpose for each person in this world
And one of the major choices is to decide whether or not to follow His will

If this involves hardship, then God offers the ability to cope:
Choose it

If this will involves loss of personal pride, then God offers humbleness and a worthy sum of self-esteem:
Choose them as appropriate

If this will involves a hard choice, God offers a discerning nature to pick a solution:
It may not always be an ideal choice,

But remember that God is the Almighty and in His Book He says
“Lean not on thine own understanding.”
“All thing work together for good for those who love God.”

Hard questions
No easy answers
But there is God.

BROTHER’S KEEPER

by Paul Bishop — February 5, 1990

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” was the murderer’s cry
The question still remains after millennia have gone by
What defines ‘my brother’ upon this little earth?
Does it refer to the sibling my parents had in birth?
No, he is just an ordinary person walking upon life’s street
Perchance I saw him in my town, one of those I meet
What defines a ‘keeper’ in this context?  Is it one who merely keeps?
No! One who helps and holds and comforts, caring when one weeps
This is the question we must ask ourselves today:
Are we keepers of the people that we meet each day?
Do we extend the hand of Christ to people we see cry?
Or do we drop our eyes and quickly shuffle by?
Do we speak our part when something helpful could be said?
Or do we cast out all relevant thoughts and quietly turn our head?
Do we portray a consistent image of Lordship to those who seek?
Or are we a stumbling block, our bones with ‘Christian Arthritis’ creak?
Are we keepers of our own faith?  If this answer be “no”,
Then how can we explain to others the way that they must follow?
We must be our brother’s keepers, as Jesus Himself would be
And through our guided efforts, others the Lord will see

IF NOT IN YOU

by Paul Bishop — August 10, 1990

If not in you, then in who
Will your friends find love that’s truly shown
An unending love that’s grown
If not in you, then in who
Will a friend find a helping hand to hold
A warm hand when the world is cold
If not in you

If not in you, then with who
Can a friend confide his deepest feeling
When others can’t provide the healing
If not with you, then with who
Can a friend stand to face the pain
When teardrops fall like pouring rain
If not with you

And if you cannot comprehend
What I say to you, my friend
Just think of all the friends you have
And their love which does not end
It’s the faith that you have in them
That makes my words so true
Your friends are the very best gift
That God can give to you!

So if not in you, then in who
Can they depend when their world seems to end
And they can’t go on without a friend
If not with you, then with who
Will they find the right direction to go
And forever your friends will know
That they can rely on you

And now the time is nearly here
That we must say goodbye, my friends
I wish you every happiness
As down the road of life you wend
And even if we are somewhere
Many miles apart
I will not forget you
For you’re always in my heart

You’re always in my heart

LIVING ON

by Paul Bishop — August 1990

I am thankful that I have never had to deal with death in a close relationship.
I don’t think I would ever have the ability to deal with it.
Let me rephrase that: there is no absolute way of dealing with it.
You learn to let go of the hurt and let the healing process begin in the heart and mind.
These two parts of the human psyche can be extremely damaged in the traumatic experience of death, but with the passage of time, only the memories remain.
As painful and vivid as they can be, they are only reminders of the relationship which has ended in this world.
The relationship will always exist in the heart.
And, if in my heart, then I shall always remember the love which that friend gave to me.
That love will make the healing process so much easier.

NIGHTMARE

by Paul Bishop — September 11, 1990

The bed was soft and warm
The calm before the storm
He said his prayers kneeling by his cot
A bunch of little ‘forget-them-nots’

He lay in his bed and fell asleep
Into a slumber, deep, deep, deep
In his little dreamtime land
Running barefoot across the sand

Collecting rocks and colored shells
Skipping gaily through the swells
Seagulls whirling in the sky
Tiny crabs scurry by

Hazy clouds hung suspended
As the peaceful day had ended
The clouds are overcast and gray
It is much darker than a normal day

But the little boy doesn’t seem to notice
As he wades in the water and picks a lotus
What was once a gentle breeze
Is now whipping waves out on the seas

The clouds open and the rain starts to pour
Making small rivulets on the shore
The boy was too far out in the crests
The waves beat upon his frail, weak chest

He called for help but no-one came
The roaring wind had stolen the name
He slipped into the undertow
And could not stay against the flow

Down, down, and up with a gasp
Once…
Twice…
AWAKE!

FIVE LITTLE MEN

by Paul Bishop — September 13, 1990

There are five little men living in my head
One is called Fear, another is Dread
The third and fourth are Insecurity and Torment
Number five is Mind, and all have been sent
To occupy my brain and rule my heart
They act together to pull me apart
I am their slave, bound in the chain
Reliving the negative past again

Mind remembers all bad events
Insecurity creeps in and never relents
Then comes Dread to say “You will fail!”
Fear then enters, my nerves to assail
This ends with Torment, who assaults the Mind
And the cycle repeats with memories less kind

Thus I fell in a well of despair
Down in the depths, deep as the five dare
Whenever I felt small and Insecure
I would eat, that was my cure
Not being able to stop, always gaining weight
Dreading the fat, induced by self-hate
Fearing the consequences of being obese
Like the possibility that my heart would cease

Tormented by guilt and a yo-yoing diet
My internal voices would never be quiet

But there came a day when I crawled from the hole
Recollected my strength and fought for control
What I did first was take over Mind
And forced it to remember memories kind
Insecurity then lost its weakening hold
Fell out of rank and was replaced by Bold
Dread was upset and ran to hide
It was sought and destroyed by Pride
Fear diminished and was drowned by a wave
Made by the power of the entity Brave

The other four fallen, Torment was cruel
And tried to re-establish its oppressive rule
But the battle was fought, down to the crease
And Torment died, slain by Peace

These new four, working with me
Redirected Mind’s memory, and I was free

So now in my hands, my own fate I hold
Helped by new Mind, Peace, Brave, and Bold
I’ve fought the battle and turned the tide
I am my own, and I have Pride