Darkness

I know there's light out there, but

I seem to live in darkness here.

I drown myself in gloom,

And do I even care?

 

Leave the truth on the shelf:

I'm lying to myself.

I say that I'm O.K.

Believe it if you dare.

 

When you read my mind,

You know my thoughts and then

You can tell just anyone you please.

Nothing is the same,

Once people know my shame,

I'll go into hiding.

 

What if I run away?

I'll leave behind the life that I know, but

There's no safe place to go.

They'll find me now wherever I am.

They'll follow me there, and

They'll follow me back (again).

Where can I go?

Where can I go?

 

---

 

My friends want to protect me,

And to keep me from all consequence.

They say it's safe in here,

But do I even care?

I want to go outside.

I want to see the world.

I want to live my life,

Though I know life's not fair.

 

When the day is done,

I need to rest, but now

I can see how much is left to do.

No one helps me out

With my unending task.

I'll never be finished.

 

What if I run away?

I'll leave behind the life that I know, but

There's no safe place to go.

They'll find me now wherever I am.

They'll follow me there, and

They'll follow me back (again).

Where can I go?

Where can I go?

 

---

 

In the light of day,

What can I say? I can't

Ever seem to make up a good excuse.

All I do is lie,

To justify myself.

And no one believes me!

 

What if I run away?

I'll leave behind the life that I know, but

There's no safe place to go.

They'll find me now wherever I am.

They'll follow me there, and

They'll follow me back (again).

Where can I go?

Where can I go?

 

Purple Frogs

I search the world for purple frogs.

They bring me such delight!

I love their croaking, smooth and clear,

Their colours bold and bright.

The way they swim around the bog,

And lay their eggs at night,

Their mating dance while people sleep,

Is such an awesome sight!

 

The purple frogs are edible,

And this is my advice:

If you can capture purple frogs,

They bring a handsome price.

When cooking purple frogs in stew,

I season them with spice.

Their smoky taste, with vegetables,

Makes dinner very nice.

 

I teach the purple frogs to speak,

And I have always found,

That once they learn our English words,

Their thoughts are most profound.

This world has many governments,

Some good, some inept, some harsh;

But soon with the help of the purple frogs,

They'll all be ruled from the marsh!

 

This is written in the common meter, so it can be sung to any number of existing tunes. Nonetheless, I intend to write original music for it at some point. Ad interim, I saw no reason not to go ahead and post the lyrics. Enjoy, or whatever.

Voices

Why're you always asking who I'm talking to?
I thought it was apparent, I wasn't talking to you.
You ain't got no business, asking about what I said.
It wasn't meant for you but for the voices in my head.

Voices in my head, voices in my head,
When I hear them talk to me, I've never been mislead.
Voices in my head, right between my ears,
They have kept me company for many many years.

People often interrupt the voices in my head.
So then they have to say again, whatever they just said.
I know the people mean no harm, they're simply unaware,
But to the voices in my head, it really seems unfair.

Voices in my head, voices in my head,
When I hear them talk to me, I've never been mislead.
Voices in my head, voices in my mind,
They tell me things, and then I find,
That I'm the only one they told,
The only one of all mankind,
The only one who stayed enrolled,
The only one who can still hear the voices in my head.

[whispered] The voices in my head, say that I'm inbred,
[whispered] 'Cause both my grandparents also heard voices in their head.

I am always talking to the voices in my head.
If I don't keep them listening, they talk to me instead,
And once they start to argue, I can't hear myself think.
If I don't keep them quiet, they drive me to the brink.

The voices in my head, voices in my head,
When I hear them talk to me, I've never been mislead.
Voices in my head, right between my ears,
They have kept me company for many many years.
Voices in my head, voices in my mind,
They tell me things, and then I find,
That I'm the only one they told,
The only one of all mankind,
The only one who stayed enrolled,
The only one who can still hear
The voices in my head.
The voices in my head.
The voices in my head.

Bubble Wrap

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

Pinch it once, it goes snap.

Again and again, pop-pop-popping,

Once you start, there's no stopping.

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

You agree? Stomp and clap!

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

Ev'ry time I get a package, [I]

Tear into it like a savage,

Ripping tape and shredding cardboard,

Cutting boxes, plunging inward,

Take the product out the carton,

Gotta see what it was packed in,

Hoping for some mindless pleasure.

Did my goods come wrapped in treasure?

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

Pinch it once, it goes snap.

Again and again, pop-pop-popping,

Once you start, there's no stopping.

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

You agree? Stomp and clap!

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

[I]

Just can't seem to get enough of

This fantastic packing stuff of

Legend. You know, it's my fav'rite,

I just love it, gotta have it,

Love to pop it, have to pop it.

Once I'm popping, I can't stop it,

Oh, it's gone now, what an outrage!

How long till I get a package?

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

Pinch it once, it goes snap.

Again and again, pop-pop-popping,

Once you start, there's no stopping.

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

You agree? Stomp and clap!

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

Pop pop pop pop pop pop pop.

Pinch and pop till I can't stop.

Pop pop pop pop pop pop pop.

 

Pop and pop and pop and pop.

Pop pop pop pop, Hop on Pop.

 

"We / like to hop on top of pop."

Hop hop hop hop, Hop on Pop.

 

"You / must not hop on top of pop."

Pop pop pop pop pop pop pop.

 

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

Pinch it once, it goes snap.

Again and again, pop-pop-popping,

Once you start, there's no stopping.

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

You agree? Stomp and clap!

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

I like [beat] bubble wrap.

I like [beat] bubble wrap!

Toothbrush Holder

This is a photo that I took while experimenting with aperture settings -- four otherwise identical photos (using a tripod) with four different settings. The shot turned out not to show off the effect very well, probably because a lot of the stuff in the shot is about the same distance from the camera as the main subject. I'll select a scene where that's not the case next time. So I cropped away the rest of the shot, and here's the toothbrush holder.

I suppose my sense of humor is a bit odd, but this toothbrush holder (which belongs to my sister, who got it because she likes turtles) has always tickled me. Clearly the design of this holder was based on the kind of toothbrushes that used to exist when I was a kid, the kind with the thin straight flat handles. But by the time this particular toothbrush holder was actually made and sold, those were a thing of the past; all the toothbrushes I've seen in the last fifteen years have contour-molded handles like the ones shown, so they don't fit. To me, this is a perfect example of product design not being revisited as it should be when the passage of time changes the circumstances in which it is to be used.

No matter; Sarah uses the toothbrush holder anyway, because she likes turtles. (And no, I didn't pose the one that's leaning against the wall. It's always like that.)

A is for apple

A is for apple, B is for ball, C is for caterpillar sitting on a wall.
D is for doggy chewing on a bone, E is for eggnog that you drink all alone.
F is for farctate, G is for Grog, H is for helicopter flying in the fog.
I is for Igloo, J is for Jam, K for kalamari, and L is for lamb.
M is for mnemonic, N for networking, O is for a few people running everything.
P is for pituitary, the size of a pea, Q is for quaffing, R for rascally.
S is for slapstick, comedy that's dumb, T is for tungsten, U for ultimatum.
W is for Wabbit, X for XYZZY, Y is for yoghurt, Z for Zenity.
Now I know my ABC vocabulary. Next time maybe you will sing the song with me.