The Blog of the Ancient Mariner | Jeff Boulware | Activity https://www.iowa-mariner.com/members/jboulware/activity/ Activity feed for Jeff Boulware. Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:30:25 -0500 https://buddypress.org/?v=10.6.0 en-US 30 hourly 2 57700352a8277b3deb539f53af87ce54 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/before-zoro-there-was-zoroaster/#comment-392769 Sun, 01 Jun 2025 23:48:38 -0500 Is all this to say that there is always something before? Atman is Brahman

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Before Zoro there was Zoroaster Attracted to rediscovering ancient Kyrgyzstan religions by a friend mariner visited while vacationing, he discovered that Judaism and Christianity didn’t […] ]]> 8ba38be86b8cbb0c2d21cf8a8c573f0e Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/same-o-same-o/#comment-390987 Fri, 02 May 2025 20:52:57 -0500 Ah, “narcissistic emperors”. I understand that’s what separates us from the early Romans–we’ve come a long way! I also get that you are saying we haven’t.

Playfully, I’ve had some solace wondering what will happen when the MAGAites realize their Emperor has no clothes.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Same-o, Same-o Hello Readers – The reason all the honkies are getting behind Trump and his non-white deportation program (citizen or not)  and the idea of paying only honky women […] ]]> d477b577d20a4bf0f04af768923eb212 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/first-sign-of-positive-movement/#comment-389257 Wed, 26 Mar 2025 01:21:33 -0500 Dear Mariner,
None of your followers have a nephew’s perspective like me. When I was about 8-10 years old, you taught me the way that each Chess character moved–e.g. Pawn = 1 square forward. The Knight, always two squares linearly, then one square linearly or diagonally.
All this to say, I appreciate you Uncle Ed.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, First sign of positive movement Recent news sources covered some new political action that may be the first positive sign of a transition out of the conflagration everyone experiences […] ]]> bbe18fa866b94f1e1263113847a3ec2b Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/listen-to-the-rhythm-of-the-falling-rain/#comment-381744 Tue, 01 Oct 2024 21:04:45 -0500 It was a delightful post and I will try to keep that in mind the next time rain disturbs my orderly life.
P.S. All posts received.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain Remember that old song from the sixties? It came to mind as mariner sat by the window the other day watching it rain. The song spoke of romantic […] ]]> d574d46458c9275e9ca6e82e0be2507c Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/communal-life-survives/#comment-377203 Wed, 06 Dec 2023 21:05:51 -0600 This sounds wonderful. I’m so happy the town is coming together to enhance and sustain the community. Maybe this is the beginning of a rebirth for the town.

Season’s Greetings!

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Communal life survives The holiday season has begun and the town is enjoying itself with many appropriately focused activities. The willingness to volunteer is widespread. The churches, […] ]]> f0d525b909372e8e8e763591732121a5 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/maybe-tomorrow/#comment-375807 Fri, 19 May 2023 23:51:44 -0500 Horticultural management is strenuous so please stay hydrated and please do not let the grass grow higher than 4 inches.

A friend of mine once suggested that car horns should be manufactured such that no two were the same and any two honked at the same time would create a harmony. Lawnmowers next?

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Maybe tomorrow This Spring, mariner planned to move his vegetable garden to another spot in the backyard. He reasoned that March would have enough good days to build new raised beds and […] ]]> a84283571da576b52835227879a3726c Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/maybe-tomorrow/#comment-375806 Fri, 19 May 2023 23:35:52 -0500 I don’t have a plot to plant in; I wish I had your raised bed maintenance blues. On the upside, there are now five tree beds on my block, though they are “managed” by the local BID Business Improvement District.
Keep gardening Mariner!

Raised bed and plotless,

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Maybe tomorrow This Spring, mariner planned to move his vegetable garden to another spot in the backyard. He reasoned that March would have enough good days to build new raised beds and […] ]]> c19cb3d9d1a42c942267cd93b45f54e2 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/5000-2/#comment-375550 Sun, 26 Mar 2023 21:16:06 -0500 I appreciate the last panel, concise and incisive.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Mariner’s comics – Ancient Mariner ]]> a98c49665a363d623caf50b0809ce2cd Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/the-election/#comment-375250 Fri, 18 Nov 2022 23:54:28 -0600 Greetings Mariner,

Madam Speaker Pelosi seems to agree with you! It’s time to Come About!

Respectfully,
Jeff Boulware

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, The Election First and foremost to celebrate is the election of the first Zer to Congress. At the age of 25 Maxwell Frost was elected to represent the 10th Congressional District in […] ]]> e12137f8ae0c97274bd54cb798236de3 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/is-it-the-tower-of-babel-all-over-again/#comment-374166 Thu, 21 Apr 2022 01:35:13 -0500 I’m familiar with the tower of Babel story, but why did god confuse their language when they were building a tower toward “him”? I absolutely agree that the gods of social media have come down and confused many things for many people.

I coordinate programs for people 60 and better and most of them aren’t on social media so maybe I work in a…[Read more]

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Is it the Tower of Babel all over again? Genesis 11:1 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. […] ]]> b6bdc816bb785b854f15517f0c91eee2 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/china-is-an-enigma/#comment-373588 Sat, 05 Feb 2022 06:02:25 -0600 There is no elasticity in authoritarian nations. That’s why those of us who bend and sway were concerned about the last administration here in the US.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, China is an Enigma Vaguely, mariner remembers a children’s story about an ogre that was so big no matter what he did, it caused a disaster. A sneeze would wipe out several homes; a s […] ]]> 006a6027fe8da9e215d4a0679a800a73 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/wife-versus-smart-tv/#comment-372205 Thu, 02 Sep 2021 10:29:10 -0500 This was such a funny article and an increbible journey. Keep submitting Marty–it could be your next GIG.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Wife versus smart TV Mariner often publishes the fine poetry his gifted wife produces. He has always claimed she should make a living as a poet. But now, his wife is showing that she is […] ]]> 61cb0d4a22a31aed228a574dd829cb1a Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/you-are-supposed-to-go-first/#comment-371635 Fri, 11 Jun 2021 05:07:43 -0500 This was a heartwarming post and I love the poem.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, You are supposed to go first No one denies the confrontational identity politics that prevails today; no one denies the emotional disruption of fifteen months in virtual isolation; no one […] ]]> 35c9977b060c231a7200f797cc86b217 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment https://www.iowa-mariner.com/what-kind-of-a-person-are-you/#comment-370880 Tue, 09 Mar 2021 23:00:01 -0600 I think I’m a “why” person. When I first started at my last job I was obsessed with understanding how my responsibilities and tasks fit into the larger picture. I may have a little “how” blood in me as well. I’m definitely a squiggly line guy!

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, What kind of a person are you? When mariner was young his father was attending seminary. His father was entertained by pop psychology, a term that implied, through simplistic […] ]]> 7b848c61425c33ff545a1e15a929966a Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment http://www.iowa-mariner.com/life-today-is-not-your-fathers-life/#comment-94655 Wed, 13 Nov 2019 04:25:44 -0600 Dear Mariner,
I met with my friend tonight for our Tuesday sewing session and Ric Burns episode of the Documentary New York. I have watched this documentary many times, but my friend has not.
The Tuesday evening sewing session started with artistic intent, but tonight I brought a laundry bag that was becoming undone at the seems on the side and…[Read more]

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Life Today is not your Father’s Life In a recent post mariner cited many daily tasks that, in earlier times, were not automated as they are today; the reader may remember the reference t […] ]]> d5e8a454c9650247831522ba2a50c6af Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment http://www.iowa-mariner.com/mariner-concedes/#comment-91392 Wed, 09 Oct 2019 03:10:09 -0500 Thank you for making Monday interesting again.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Mariner concedes Writing and thinking, in whatever confused state, remain the defenses against mariner becoming a premature zombie. For his own wellbeing, mariner must continue to express […] ]]> 8136a4bc2df09aaa20a693371f3da2f2 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment http://www.iowa-mariner.com/it-is-time-2/#comment-91382 Sun, 29 Sep 2019 21:36:56 -0500 I thought this post was going to be about the impeachment proceedings. I hope you don’t hang up the cleats, but if you do please know that I’ve really appreciated your insight and the wisdom you’ve shared through this blog.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, It is Time Subtle changes cannot be ignored. For example, some of my family and friends think I’m crazy; some mollycoddle me; my associates in life consider me eccentric. The sensual A […] ]]> 4bb61e35b2e143f6872cade8d5f2c479 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment http://www.iowa-mariner.com/no-news-is-no-news/#comment-91250 Thu, 09 May 2019 03:50:00 -0500 I am for your new news, Uncle. Revolution?!

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, No News is No News Frequently Mariner is asked to respond to Donald this and Donald that. Mariner does not follow Donald. Mariner spends most of his news gathering time catching up on the […] ]]> 8ed25dcbd1fee4c340170cdf454ff151 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment http://www.iowa-mariner.com/dry-rot/#comment-90846 Tue, 04 Apr 2017 06:59:26 -0500 I appreciate this post because it is a practical warning and a call to action. I like how you describe that everything seems normal on the outside, but dry rot is insidious–it hides on the inside. Thanks.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Dry Rot Do you know what dry rot is? Have you ever seen old wood that looks like wood but is hollow because there is no pith left? Have you ever lifted what seemed to be a piece of cloth […] ]]> 26ff1734d514ba7f6c6a223465969651 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment http://www.iowa-mariner.com/for-richer-for-poorer/#comment-90836 Thu, 16 Feb 2017 15:22:38 -0600 This is why I voted for Bernie in the primary. I’m not sure he could have changed much, but he was shedding light on the issue. He called it a political revolution and if inequality continues to grow, eventually there will be revolution. The video mention the Arab spring as one such example.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, For Richer, For Poorer Recently, the liberal economists and the conservative economists began expressing growing concern about the same thing: inequality. Virtually every validated and […] ]]> f0c40580b45d72f6edb7a1ac2ca656dc Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment http://www.iowa-mariner.com/the-move-from-past-to-future/#comment-90794 Sun, 06 Nov 2016 04:21:34 -0600 Was there any doubt about the state of the Republic before Trump rose to Republican nominee? Even with right wingers like Perot, Pat Buchanan or the nationalistic furor behind Ronald Reagan, I never feared for the continuation of our republic. Now I’m concerned. When Hillary wins the electoral votes deciding the election, Trump is going to…[Read more]

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, The Move from Past to Future The mariner apologizes to readers who are confused by his mixing metaphors incoherently. It was stated in the last post that as President, Hillary will become […] ]]> b9bb729105fd566c11db2266f238ce46 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment http://www.iowa-mariner.com/spirit-driven-profit/#comment-90792 Sun, 30 Oct 2016 23:28:18 -0500 Many people including myself laugh at and mock “The Donald”, but the similarities to “The Adolph” and even closer to our epoch and home McCarthyism, is cause for alarm. I agree; don’t vote for Trump, because just as he subverted the Republican Party, so too will he subvert our Democracy.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, Spirit-Driven Profit The last post about a nail driven by spirit likely was an odd one to the reader. Mariner hopes it loosened the brain a bit to conjure new and unexplored ways of […] ]]> c76d5d8a4ead8ab16ccd32e6cb56cd7b Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment http://www.iowa-mariner.com/if-a-nail-were-driven-by-spirit/#comment-90790 Thu, 27 Oct 2016 06:08:52 -0500 So many ways I can reply to this interesting musing, First, I do not anthropomorphize. Second, I have elevated empathy to a new apathy. Example: I’m descending the stairs to the subway station and a woman is walking with her two-year old abreast across the entire stairwell and I hear the subway coming and I’m getting frustrated and press myself…[Read more]

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, If a Nail were driven by Spirit This is a test. Have you ever had empathy for a small stone? When Mariner was in his pubescent years, he once replaced a stone atop a pile of dirt from […] ]]> 2dad21dc7ab514c75777e178ad3e99b2 Jeff Boulware posted a new activity comment http://www.iowa-mariner.com/the-greatest-sin-is-prejudice/#comment-90682 Sun, 17 Jul 2016 01:06:17 -0500 I was recently reminded that “everyone has a story so consider that before you judge” I’m paraphrasing, but your charge to practice empathy is the same message. Thank you for making the theological secular.

In reply to - skipper wrote a new post, The Greatest Sin is Prejudice For Christians specifically but referenced similarly in virtually every religion, there are two Great Commandments in the New Testament. One is about loving […] ]]>