Life, The Interweb and The Toad

"Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve,
Assaying by his devilish art to reach
The organs of her fancy, and with them forge
Illusions, as he list, phantasms and dreams;
Or if, inspiring venom, he might taint
The animal spirits, that from pure blood arise
Like gentle breaths from rivers pure, thence raise
At least distempered, discontented thoughts,
Vain hopes, vain aims, inordinate desires,
Blown up with high conceits ingendering pride."
John Milton (excerpt: Paradise Lost: Book 04)

(Translation: Satan has turned himself into a toad and whispers into Eve's ear, as she sleeps, tempting her to eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge.)

Let me begin today with an apology for rambling a bit (and for mixing my metaphors). I've had some time lately so I've been doing a lot of looking around here in the Interweb. You might say I am an official looker. It's a difficult thing to do, because an official looker has to look at things one likes and things that one would rather not be looking at. It's amazing where some people's heads are at, or where they want you to think they are at. Far from me to judge but if I were to guess motivations I'd say some folks have Mr. Milton's toad whispering in their ear at night. Not a lot, but just a phrase or two each night, every night. Like one of those serial stories where you have to tune in everyday only to find out too late that the ending either sucks or worse, it never ends because it's limitless, like a bad soap opera. One thing exists to prompt another. So this post is dedicated to that as seen on tv site that prompted this post. Just when you think that someone couldn't know you well enough to know that you need something called "Bust UP Cups", there you go. Temptation is in the wind... (and the cheque is in the mail).

This electronic world is not only like eating the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, it's bigger than that. It's like a distorted reflection of life itself, isn't it? And just when you think you're done looking around, bang, they pu-u-u-ull you back in. It gets rather disconcerting sometimes when you sit down at your computer and three days later look up going "Gee, I'm hungry." There should be a twelve-step program. Oh wait. There is.

I don't mean to sound critical because I'm not. Denying the online experience is a good thing would be like saying life itself isn't wonderful. We live with the worthless to enjoy the worthy. Sometimes we just have to look hard to find the latter. John Milton must have known all about that. Blind since 1652, he wrote Paradise Lost by dictating it out loud, while he was often sick and after his second wife, Katherine Woodcock, passed away in 1658.

It may suspiciously sound like the next thing you're going to hear is not to complain about things like how your socks are too tight, that complaining is bad – but it's not. Actually, bitching is not only fun it's extremely necessary (plus, it's the one time in your day that you can be assured no one is listening).

Giving in to temptation often provides sufficient reason to bitch. And the Interweb has lots of temptation for everyone.

Give yourself bonus points if you blame everything on the little toad.

“For we were little Christian children and early learned the value of forbidden fruit” Mark Twain

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Paradise Lost, published in 1667, is considered one of the greatest literary works in the English language. It is the Biblical story of the Fall of Man. In Book 04, Satan, having escaped from hell returns to Earth, is tormented by the beauty of Creation, and discovers Adam and Eve living in perfect harmony in Eden. Hearing them talk about the forbidden Tree of Knowledge, he turns himself into a toad and whispers temptation into the ear of Eve as she sleeps, but he is discovered by guardian angels and, threatened by Gabriel, flees from Eden.