Finish this sentence....

[Doreen Peri]

Finish this sentence...

If you can't say anything nice, ____________________.

[stilltrucking]

Sometimes I am speechless, nothing to say.
But I will play

give no thought to your speech. Kind of a paraphrase of something Jesus said I think about being called up before the man. And of course Zen is big on spontaneous sometimes work but then again I wonder.

Maybe it is not always the best thing to do.

At the end in an afterword to Zen and THe Art of Motorcycle maintence he describes the murder of his son outside a Zen center. His son said something to the two "black men" who were robbing him. No one could here what was said but at that point the man stabbed him in the heart killing him instantly. I have often wondered why the author had to identify the assailant as black?

ZATOM, I been picking at that thing, listened to the book on tape version, than went back and read the passages in the book that I remembered.


It is a dam good question doreen. If you can't say anthing nice, then shrug your shoulders like George W. Bush.

Yeah I like that answer better

sorry for the ramble but it is a good question cause I have said things that have cost me blood and broken bones. What was that about sticks and stones.

If you can't say anything nice, chill out, be careful of self righteous anger.

Where the heck is Hank Williams Senior when I need him?

[Arcadia]

say it anyway, (so I´m near 3).
To stay silent is also a way to say something too. A little empathy may help (but it´s not in your control zone sometimes if the other consider it something rude or a constructive criticism..!)

[jimboloco]

like at my grandmother's funeral reception
when my aggie uncle kept bugging me about the Vietnam War
i finally said something relativerly nice
"they'd have been better off if we'd left them alone"
so my cracker uncle yelled at me
"i have more intelligence in one cell on my ass than you have in your whole body!"
in front of everyone
the whole louisiana clan, plus my older sister
so i stewed and said "war wimps!"
and that shut him up
what the fuck
If you can't say anything nice, be present with the flow, but don't get fired., so use stealth if necessary.
My co-worker Betty and I trade insults all day. She'll say, when are you working next? i'll say, Friday, then she'll say Oh Lord I'm gonna call in, and i'll say, coming from you that's a compliment, and she;ll say, it hasn't been a pleasure, so i put on a face mask and kiss her on the cheek, a 70 year old 6foot 2 inch lean and muscular black lady.she is more my family by far than those assholes in lousyana.
my sister is a progressive too
and my brother lives with a black lady
besides
i am the only person from all my relatives to "serve" in the military
except for my gay nephew also from shreveport
so the older clan can have their southern gothic aingst
yes am pissed
it depends upon the situation
i suppose having a calm demeanor and skillful acerbic wit would be best
so hopefully i will be able to say something nice
cheney is someone i don't like
so i stay away from him and the prez when they cone into town
cause ya know i would be tempted to hurl invectives
the fucking moronic manipulating basturds.

[jimboloco]

somenody once said i am arrogant
that pissed me off
but i kept my kool
because i know it isn't so
she must be wanting to push my button
shouldn't this column be in the creative complaints section?\expletive deleted

[stilltrucking]

Sometimes silence is eloquent.

she must be wanting to push my button

You think so? I remember hearing Stephen Gaskin say "I don't punch anybody's ticket" It took me a long time to figure out what he meant.


I remember that thread jimbo
what I ask you is >>>>>>>>>>
Do you remember what you said to her?
That drew that responce to you?




In fartship or friendship
whatever you want to call it.
jt

[mtmynd]

"if you can't say anything nice...." laugh.

[jimboloco]

i don't think i addressed her directly before that
it must have been in response to my saying "bigot"
which was rather arrogant


where is imus when we need him?

we contain multitudes

so it is true that my feelings can be hurt
even now
and really a part of my practice is to not deliberately offend

off to get the grandson
then thhe stepson and tai chi
confucious say
filial piety
daughter off a schmuck's back
water off a ducks back
bring some water for the prodigal daughter
i can always say something nice
sugar and spice
flatulent amiability
looking deeply into the other
redemption songs

[mousey1]

If you can't say anything nice...

and you can't remain quiet

at least make what you say

funny.

That is if you can at all manage it!

That's my motto.

I really think though that one should just slink away. Who really needs to hear what you have to say! Nobody that's who. But we're all so bloody human and wanting to be heard all the time that we determine to say our piece. Stubborn fools we are. And I? I should really learn to speak for myself alone instead of in the 'we' mode...anyone listening would think I had a mouse in my pocket...which I don't.

and with that mousey1 slunk back into the crowd...melding...blending...away...

[stilltrucking]

funny is good sometimes

but then again I been told I got a sick sense of humor and
lives have been lost at the turn of a joke.

I don't know how to say this without sounding like a Jesus freak but there is a bit in the bible that says you don't have to lose no sleep over what to say.

Best to try and listen to what people say, to really listen with a hearing heart, then it all seems so natural. Speak or be silent.



mousey1 said

And I? I should really learn to speak for myself alone instead of in the 'we' mode...anyone listening would think I had a mouse in my pocket...which I don't.

That 'we' that group mind, so malleable. I was born and raised in Mobtown. I think I was born to follow.

I wonder where mars/marksman45 is, wise young one
I used to think he was so much older.
He knew what enculturation is. How we get molded into John Q Public.

just rambling fool doreen
just say high jack

[hester_prynne]

If you can't say something nice, say something funny.....

H

[stilltrucking]

I have had mixed results, made some bad jokes. Or maybe bad timing, but you are probably right. I know people who just instinctively seem to say the right thing, a light word.
It is sweet to leave them laughing when you go. I have had good luck with neo nazis doing that.

But man I told a joke on litkicks that brought the roof down on my head. I could not think of anything to say. So I tried a joke.

I used to have a book called The Humor of Christ, carried it around for so many miles it disintergrated. Quaker propaganda I guess, I like the the guys name who wrote it. Elton Trueblood.

Irony.

I don't know maybe I don't have enough iron in my diet.