his name was written on it
It followed him around from town to town
It’d bring him down
took him for a good long ride
took him for a good look around -- Reg Mombassa: Black dog
‘Black dog’ is a powerfully expressive metaphor that appears to require no explanation. The combination of ‘blackness’ with the negative connotations of ‘dog’, noun and verb, seems an eminently apt description of depression: an ever-present companion, lurking in the shadows just out of sight, growling, vaguely menacing, always on the alert; sinister and unpredictable, capable of overwhelming you at any moment. Further, the ‘dark hound’ is an archetypal object of fear, with a long tradition in folklore and myth. Black dogs in dreams are interpreted negatively, often representing death; from all over the world come tales of nightmares caused by oppressive black dogs crushing the sleeper’s chest. Winston Churchill famously referred to his gloomy periods as his ‘black dog.’ -- ‘Black dog’ as a metaphor for depression: a brief history, by Paul Foley
Those who know me say I've a touch of the manic-depressive about me, but only a touch. My highs and lows can alternate, to be sure, but nothing of a clinical sort as Churchill experienced. My lows come, usually, accompanied by writer's block. Whether it is cause and effect, or the effect is the cause, is arguable but pointless.
You will have noticed, faithful readers, that I haven't had a major piece of my own for a while, not since I broke the story of the Newsweek PATCON cover-up -- a classic case of writer's block. This comes at a very convenient time for Eric Holder, the FBI and ATF, not to mention the White House, and a very inconvenient time for me.
Tomorrow I go to DC for the hearing. I will be, among other things, presenting some influential congresscritters with PATCON documents. I have thousands of pages of documents, a half dozen major stories, and I can't seem to squeeze out a damn paragraph.
I'd shoot the black dog if could, but I can't. He comes and goes without warning.
Anyway, keep me in your prayers.
I'm headed to Mordor-on-the-Potomac tomorrow, and hopefully I'll leave the black dog at the county line.
26 comments:
Any normal person who lifts the lid to this sewer of nastiness that the criminal element in government cooks up, must suffer from the "black dog". We would not be normal if we did not!
Hang in there, Mike. Know that the 3% are watching closely. You are doing a fine job exposing their awful deeds.
KPN3%
Praying for you Mike in your divinely appointed struggle. Nothing has been given to you by God in this life that you cannot accomplish with His help.
Godspeed and watch yer six.
Of course daily prayers for your continue. You know that the 'black dog' has lived with me for decades, and if I had to deal with some of the filth that you wade through each day, I'd have become a shadowy hooded creature dwelling in the swamps of darkness long before now, rather like Gollum... perhaps sniping an occasional passer-by just for the meat.
But pray we must and pray we shall; or as Sharpton would say, pray we much and must we shall and pray.
After slaughtering 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the goddess Asherah, Elijah fled from the retribution Queen Jezebel:
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. 1 Kings 19:3-5
Great victories are often followed by periods of despair, even by the very great.
You have done a great deed and The Lord will surely uphold you now, even though you believe your strength is gone.
MALTHUS
"‘Black dog’ is a powerfully expressive metaphor that appears to require no explanation."
Oh, I don't know. I'd never heard the term before and had to read deeper in to learn my first impression of an intestinal ailment was off the mark. Of course, the only time I've heard of it being black was when the kid brother ate a whole pack of Oreos the night before...
Start freestyle-listing facts in no particular order--I bet the proper entry point, fill-in and structure will come--perhaps in a way you hadn't anticipated.
One thing I'm certain of--after the struggle, the result will be brilliant.
God Speed Mr. Mike
Interesting traction on Gunwalker over at PJ Media this am.
Gunwalker: Justice Dept. Violated US Laws Beyond Those Being Investigated
"I know, because I was the principal drafter of some of the legislation"
http://pjmedia.com/blog/gunwalker-justice-dept-violated-us-laws/?singlepage=true
Prayers out, Mike.
I agree with Drew. When we see terrible things, we pay a price. But we ask not for lighter burdens; rather, for stronger backs.
Prayers your way, sir. (PS - don't tell Brigid about the negative connotations of the black dog!)
What time does it begin and where can we watch it live?
It may well be that you have pieces mulling around in that brain of yours so they remain yet to be written, but I will say this; you are doing juuuuuust fine, Sir.
I have a sneaking suspicion that, after Thursday, there is not enough concrete in Three Gorges to hold back the flood of words trapped within your mind this day.
Yes the black dog, it runs in some families and some find ways to cage the beast most of the time. Listening to, as I recall, Savage one evening, he mentioned the help niacin can provide for that barking, snarling menace. I tried it and I found it efficacious. Along with vitamin B complex for dreams in color, I'm nearly set except for the obligatory daily vigorous walk. I keep the dog at home! Knowing where I'll spend eternity and the sacrifice that He took on for me, a filthy sinner, and I'm good to go - or stay around for awhile, to see how this whole sordid mess turns out! Mike, whatever you do back in the District of Corruption, please don't drink any water from the Potomac.
God bless you Mike and your supporters anxiously await word from your trek to Mordor-on-the-Potomac.
Use the mean part of the black dog in you, go for the ones who get U.S. under this dam "Black Dog" feeling.
Some of us go you a "Black Dog" moment and raise you "Bad Ass Grizzley Bear" "your in messing with my Constitution".
Mike,
I'm not a physician or anything, but I HAVE dealt with depression since childhood.
A couple of avenues from a physiological stand-point --
Check levels of Vitamin D and adjust accordingly -- Vit D appears to be an important hormone for regulation of many systems, including brain function
Omega 3 supplementation -- Much of our food is rich in Omega 6, but for peak physiological functions there needs to be a good balance between Omega 3 and Omega 6; supplementation with fish oil or grass-fed beef and pastured chicken (whose flesh has a better balance of these chemicals) can also help to improve physiological regulation
From a therapeutic standpoint, there are things you can do to help yourself, but one that is not often suggested is Gardening -- for aesthetics or food production, some very recent research seems to indicate that growing things can aid in mitigation of mental health issues.
Take care, Mike -- we need you, healthy and fit-to-go.
God bless.
"...when I would do good, evil is present with me." Romans 7:21
"Beware of dogs..." Philippians 3:2
"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21
Never forget this is a spiritual battle against principalities, powers, rulers, and wickedness - but our armor is strong. Ephesians 6
III N TN
Can't blame you if you are feeling overwhelmed by it all at times Mr. Mike.
I imagine your feeling a little like Alice down the rabbit hole and Atlas rolled into one sometimes.
Often wonder what it is you know but can not say.
Ugly indeed it probably is.
That it has come to this.
It must soil you some way to go into that den of corruption. To walk among these traitors and thieves and have to go along with the theater of the ludicrous.
I'd be wondering at moments how I got into this if I was you.
In for a penny in for a pound is how I would screw up the courage.
One thing you have that no one or nothing can take from you is your integrity. And everlasting respect you have earned well from folks like me.
It is what separates you from the barbarians in that cesspool on the Potomac.
God Bless you
For what it is worth, nothing is lost with this reader of your posts.
Thanks
I am and will be praying for you, Mike. I believe God is watching over you and multiplying the force of your words and deeds in the cause of freedom.
MALTHUS is right; many a man has suffered a "dark night of the soul" after a great victory.
May the LORD of hosts bless you in your journey to Mordor-on-the-Potomac.
It could be worse, your black dog could have a touch of the old Tennessee Leg Hound in him.
God put you at the right time and place. Stop thinking about the correct words he will give them to you.
Just a thought Mr. Mike:
Might be it is time to let it all hang out. Saying maybe it isn't writers block, but you have always been careful to back up your revelations with facts and corroborating evidence. Are you tired or worn out from it all?
You are the only one playing fair here. That has got to wear a fellow out. Just asking to plant a seed. Maybe it is is time to divulge everything. Let the chips fall where they may.
The caveat for the reader is that it is what it is, take it as you may. Might there are others who pick up on your expose, run with it, it might resolve you of a lot of the burden you carry.
People know the truth when they see it. Like you say, the truth has a certain sanitizing effect. It is easy to loose the forest for the tree's without realizing it.
Can't speak for others, but I do not think you have lied or embellished in your writing to date. Do you think you have something you have to prove in your bonafieds of your narrative of the treachery of our government?
Personally I do not think so. I'm an adult, I can separate the chaff from the wheat.
You have to be making more than a few more than a little nervous with what you are privy too. After all these years, who knows what you have gleaned that is the crux of everything.
Let it all hang out.
Maybe a gestalt of sorts is what is required for yourself. If your burdened by what you know and or suspect, why not share it all. It could be akin to a cleansing overdue?
Just saying.
No flies on you pal.
Don't let the writer's block thing get to you, Mike. When it's time, you'll be back in the swing. In the interim, merely look back on what you've done thus far and know that you'd make our 18th-century Revolution Generation proud.
Just think Valley Forge Mike and stay strong !
Take heart, Sir! The Black Dog is not always an omen of disaster.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Dog_(song)
The other day I thought about saying how cool it is that you have all these cultural references that you use.
Like when you posted the music video to Subterranean Homesick Blues.
I had, not too long before that, learned some things about the Weather Underground, so I got the point.
And I think you have good articulation, too.
Speaking of the Weather Underground, I was wondering if, back when you were a Commie, did anyone ever point out the fact that, for all their talk against racism, their terms "Black Liberation struggle", "Black Proletarian Colony", and "black masses" are, themselves, racist?
And note to Bill Ayers: Whatever you think of Imperialism, not only is Capitalism not unique to Imperialism, but it is, in fact, your very collectivist ideology which has made Imperialism possible throughout history, since without the central planning of the money supply governments cannot finance their wars beyond what their citizens allow.
Further, Bill Ayers, your economic philosophy was disproven in 1921:
Why You've Never Heard of the Great Depression of 1920 | Thomas E. Woods, Jr.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czcUmnsprQI
Fortunately I've never suffered from depression, but I have faced times when I just couldn't write. I always found that those were the times I hadn't thought the matter through. I needed to do some thinking before I tried to put words on paper (or screen). It can't hurt to try, Mike. Think through what you want to say, and then the words will come.
Have a great time! Say hi to Eric and Butch for us!
You are and always have been only the vessel on this thing Mike. The words will come.
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