The Clean Carthusian Billy Goat

Our lives are not our own,
Only our free will.
Our entire existence is
Suspended in space before God,
a swirling Yin-Yang
- Ice and Fire,
stone and blades of grass,
matter and nothingness,
Female and Male -
in one moment.
In that infinite duration
Humanity comes into being,
Consummates,
And another miracle is born,
Another vessel of perfection,
Like a droplet of pure thought, a baby.
Experience creates innocence.
Imperfection withers away to dust.
In one absolute moment
God blesses everyone,
and the Blessed Son of God said
"I died for everybody,"
In a dream of ancestors.
The greatest way to thank Him is to live pure.
Born again before we started,
Into fire we are departed,
Nothing left but the smallest ashes,
Smell of life and vision flashing.
All that remains are only memories,
and a dancing candle flame under historical papers.
From the tops of highest mountains
Life descends like water from a fountain.
Take what you like of idea.
Leave the rest to the courageous.

Best Comics

Best American Comics
1. Elfquest
2. Omega Men
3. Alpha Flight
4. The New Teen Titans
5. The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers
6. Fat Freddy's Cat
7. Robert Crumb Head Comix
8. Captain America (Schaumberg 1940's bondage covers)
9. Pre 1969 X-Men

Some of the United States has caught up to Shonen Jump. Stan Lee got involved with the world's leading selling magazine and launched a feature there. The manga Bleach has almost caught up with the animated series. That hopefuly means universal demuxing of the late Karakura Town battle installments will be available, for those without CCCP. Unfortunately the June-July issue is out right now, so there won't be anything brand new until late August. For readers of action graphics it's a great time to catch up on the last year though.

Glazed Panel Wall

One of the old houses on Montague Street in historic Baton Rouge underwent significant remodeling after the determination that restoration of the building to a historical state would be cost ineffective. The designer tore out the walls of the vestibule and the front boudoirs, leaving the support beams and a big open room. The plans also led to the removal of the attic flooring. The architect opted to use attractive wood to cover the aluminum roof, and create an open loft within the spacious front room. Inside that area I helped a master crafter and artist install a work of utility and beauty he created.

E. Greene, a good friend and the former next door neighbor of legendary local political analyst John McGuinness, crafted a privacy screen for future occupants of the house. We moved in the latticework of white and beige buffed birch that stood over six feet high. The lattice contained slightly transparent stained plexiglass squares in a myriad of colors. He chose not to use glass because of the modular nature of the wall. It looked grand inside the aged structure.

I was unable to take pictures. Just as in the cases of the many other private homes of great beauty I have been inside I was only able to walk away with my memories. They do last forever, though. The gratification of seeing that piece of art in place in my mind's eye returns to my thoughts from time to time.