we gripped life in our
hands tightly and knew it was
only a moment

(photo courtesy ride the machine)

prelude to a farewell

i’ve been mulling this over for a while now. in fact I’ve probably been putting it off. but the reality has caught up with me and it’s time i finally pull the plug on this show and send everybody home.

almost 3 years ago I began this little experiment. the idea was fairly simple. a post each day sharing a haiku. a meditation on the day. it became a kind of creative healing. a place to play and park so many of the thoughts that go rolling around inside my brain. this endeavor kept me active and more engaged with the world around me as i looked for new inspiration.

but time has caught up and shifted me now to a different place. the purpose has, i believe largely been fulfilled. i had wanted to share some things and the way i see the world. and i’ve done that. and sure, i could keep it up i suppose, but now it’s time for other projects.

thanks to all of you who joined me on the journey and who are reading this now. thanks for your comments of encouragement. it means a lot. i plan to leave the blog up indefinitely (that is to say as long as blogger allows) and invite you to visit the archives. if there are any missing links or files related to earlier posts, and you would like some more info or the original file, just shoot me a comment and i’ll be happy to respond as i am able.

and finally for those of you who were always wondering or never thought to ask, here is a little insight on the origins of the name “toastrobot”. back at the beginning of this as i was trying to think of a name, i was looking for something that sounded like two opposing ideas, like “iron butterfly”. i love robots, especially the shiny metal toy variety. and the contrast of a warm piece of toast appealed to me. like something fresh. add to it that my motorbike is commonly referred to as a “toaster” and it just seemed to work. anyway, it’s certainly taken on its own life and given me some in return.

so there you have it. may you continue to be blessed as i have been blessed.

mattb

 

the images we
record get tucked away like

files of memory

  we ride on waves of

magnetic invisible

  messages we hear

favorite things 18

the days around here are finally beginning to warm, and of course the baseball season is now in full swing. which for us means a lot more time spent outside. last night as the sun began its descent we barbecued nathan's hot dogs while my son aaron and i played catch on the lawn. in the background we could hear the sights and sounds of another game being played by our local team far away in the land of their birth. there in new york it was cold and wet, and i smiled as some of the remaining sunlight still touched my cheek.
since we're well inside the broadcast area, my little transistor radio works well. this one is a repro we picked up years ago based on a design from the 50's. like most of my favorite things what i love about it is the simplicity and reliability. unlike so many of the complicated digital whatsits of today, this device only does one thing and needs no online tutorials to operate (that is unless you were born after 1985) the cost to operate this little marvel amounts to less than a couple dollars a year. and for now the airwaves remain free.
there's something very calming about listening to the ballgame on the radio on the porch or while working in the back yard. for a time you can imagine that life is still simpler, like the design of this transistor. but then your line of thought drifts forward as you remember that this gadget heralded a coming future, where we could not only take the broadcasted programming to the beach with us, but one day become the broadcasters ourselves.

the home of the wolf
is a castle wall between

world of man and wild

dedicating my thoughts today to the relaxing and meditative cool blue of the floating sea...