Inner Music, a.k.a. Band Meme

I've unwittingly been a denizen of the dungeons at Bloggingham Palace, no wonder I've been feeling a tad clammy. Wherefore my punishment? It seems I missed doing a meme doled out by the Queen of Memes, Mimi Lenox. It's been a few dozen years since she issued this particular royal meme decree (two months, actually) but I hope that this belated compliance on my part will be enough to free me from the dungeon, lovely stalactites and stalagmites it may have.

So what is this meme all about? Create a fictional band and album by visiting the following sites:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first article title on the page is the name of your band

2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.

3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post the result as a comment in this post. Also, pass it along in your own journal because it’s more amusing that way.

Given the instructions, I came up with this:


The name of the band, "Nautilida," comes from something like a mollusk. Pretty ocean thingy. You see them on beaches everywhere.

The full quote that arose with Instruction #2: "Very little is needed to make a happy life," by Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.

Photo credit for the "album" design goes to someone called Death and Gravity, for the image called "Solitude."

Nautilidus, or the nautilus shell as I recall, is an embodiment of the golden mean number, which in turn represents nature's intrinsic beauty. That's math, so I don't fully understand what it means (numbers and I don't get along). But I do recall that the golden mean number occurs naturally elsewhere in nature and in works of art and architecture.

I agree with Marcus Aurelius; he hit the nail on the head with his statement. We don't really need vast amounts of belongings or possessions or whatever else to make us happy. Sure, things or relationships or achievements can make us feel good, they can bring pleasure. But do they bring joy? What we have now, at this moment, is more than enough to bring happiness. Or if not happiness, then inner peace, which is even better in my opinion.

The picture "Solitude" is probably not something that many of us would equate with happiness. I mean, it doesn't have smiling faces or flowers or teddy bears or parties. But maybe the guy in the picture, his pensive demeanor and his solitude notwithstanding, is nonetheless happy. One can experience joy even in solitude. Maybe he's listening to a song, recalling a positive memory, or maybe he's just had great sex. Just because he doesn't have a goofy grin on his face and just because he isn't jumping around and screaming maniacally doesn't mean he isn't happy. Expressions of happiness can be subtle. I just wish we could see his eyes; they are a terrific indication of a person's state of being, I believe.

Or maybe he's feeling really shitty and wondering how he can make things better. I can certainly relate. Maybe you can too.

"Make a happy life." Easy to say, hard to do. Or is it? In spite of all the problems we encounter on a daily basis, I believe it's possible. Happiness comes from within, when we allow ourselves to enjoy what we have right now. Past and future don't exist. No mental trash about what was, what could have been, or what will be. Relish the moment, accept it and the happiness that comes with it, whether you're making a blog post or taking out the trash or listening to a dog's incessant woof-woof-woof or playing hide-and-seek with the moon that's peeking coquettishly behind the clouds or tenderly holding the hand of someone you love. Or when you're simply looking at a nautilus shell, even if you don't have a half-assed clue about the golden mean number, and don't care.