Saturday, November 29, 2008

Stay away from me with that thing!

Hey, it's just a scope, right?

Right. A scope with a knife inside!

And another knife to make the holes so the scope can get in.

Still, I don't think I should be waking at night with visions of scalpels dancing in my head, circling 'round my left knee, sharpening themselves against each other and cackling maniacally... should I?

It wasn't too much Thanksgiving turkey or sweet potatoes, either, I'm pretty sure. Guess I'm getting nervous about knee surgery. :(

Or maybe it was the limoncello. Now THAT could be.

Which grew on people, by the way. As did the wild rice casserole. :) Plus, the wild rice passed the true test of every good casserole - it tasted even better the next day, warmed up. :)

So my offerings for Thanksgiving this year were better received than last year's Moroccan carrot soup. And there's enough wild rice casserole left over to freeze and toss into a batch of chicken soup later this winter. Yeah.



Um, back to the circling, laughing knives..

They're set to descend Monday 12/8 at noon. I really am getting nervous. Never had a surgery of any kind before. I suppose it's just the fear of the unknown.

And I know I have to do it. Ran today and it pulled the whole time. It's just been getting worse. :( Oh well, the doctor says the discomfort will be gone immediately (replaced, of course, by swelling, crutches, bandages and post-op pain.)

Got my packet of pre-op instructions in the mail today, and whenever they tell you not to eat or drink after midnight before the surgery, stop all your meds a week before, get a pre-op EKG, wash with antibacterial soap the day of, wear loose fitting clothing, have someone there to drive you home, arrange for crutches when you get there, watch for signs of addiction to the narcotics they'll give you, etc, etc., it does give one pause.

And then there's that thing about the spinal tap...

I thought that was a rock band. Um, guess not.



So here's the "before" picture.



In the "after" picture, there'll probably be one leg missing. :(

Thursday, November 27, 2008

thankful

.


life runs swiftly on
take a day for gratitude
breathe a prayer of thanks


.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Sex, Greed and Apple Pie

... all came together for me yesterday.



And in case you're wondering, no! I mean all of this conceptually...

Although I will admit that the pie part was not conceptual.



Okay, you see, I'm on my way to the Seminary campus to return a couple of library books (that I actually finished. woo! I love recreational reading!), one of which was "Sex and the Soul". And as I'm driving there, I'm listening to an NPR program talking about the financial bailout and all the greed on Wall St.

Then, I get to Sem and, what's this?

A Pie Social for Thanksgiving week? You don't say! ;)

How fortuitous for me that I happen to be on vacation and can get there during the day and I happened to finish up my library books just in time for the pie soci.., I mean before the library closed for the holiday and all...

So I survey the spread and note the preponderance of apple pie. The phrase "as American as apple pie" occurs to me, and I think: yeah, just like greed and sex - part of the American cultural fabric.

Sex

This book I just read was all about how college students today deal with sexuality and spirituality, how they reconcile them (or rather... don't.) It was a fascinating (and sad) research project by Donna Freitas. She surveyed roughly 1,000 college students at various types of universities about their sexual practices and their religious practices and how they dealt with the two. The main question was: "are these two areas of your life integrated, distinct, or at odds?"

The answer is - no, not integrated (except in very rare cases). And the other two options break down cleanly by type of college. For students at Evangelical colleges (like Bethel), sex and religion interact constantly - because they are at war with each other!

For students at all other types of schools: private (like Macalester), Catholic (like Marquette) and public (like UW or U of M), the sex and religion spheres are deliberately kept separate - they have nothing to say to one another, no grounds on which to interact.

At Evangelical colleges the "purity culture" rules the day. Students are encouraged by their peers to NOT have sex, since it is seen as detrimental to relationship (with each other and with God).

At Catholic/private/public colleges the "hookup culture" rules the day. Students are pressured by their peers to have MORE sex, as hookups are seen as potentially opening the door to relationship development.

At Evangelical schools, sex is the enemy of religion and vice versa - it is a battle for purity, for both men and women.

At Catholic/private/public colleges, sex and religion don't mix. There is a sort of dissociative disorder that blocks recognition of one by the other in a person's life.

Interestingly, no interviewee who participated in the "hookup culture" actually LIKED it. Rather, they bemoaned the fact that it even exists, were personally disappointed in themselves and their participation in it, but shrugged and said "what can we do? It's how it is."

Similarly, no one embedded in the "purity culture" thought that it was a realistic or even ultimately a healthy view of sexuality (essentially denying that you are a sexual being for the sake your relationship with God and the larger religious community.) But at the same time, most Evangelical schools have no alternative to offer. Grace on THIS issue is hard to come by.

What both kinds of students have in common is this. They all:

1) invest highly in their spiritual identities (even if unaffiliated)
2) experience sexual desire, and long to act on that desire
3) highly value finding a non-sexual, fulfilling romantic relationship

and

4) don't know how to reconcile items 1-3.

Basically, the book ends without solutions. It leaves us (and the students) in tension. All students agree that once married integration is more likely. The hard part is to integrate sexuality & religion... while sexually mature and unmarried. How to do that is unknown.

Greed

It seems there is as much bemoaning in the press these days of Wall Street's "culture of greed" as there is of colleges' "hookup culture". What struck me yesterday is that the bemoaning is very one-sided.

We the people, in order to form a more perfect conscience, pretty much blame Big Finance (specifically) and Wall Street (generally) for the greed part. But we very conveniently forget that the "hookup" of borrowers and lenders is entirely consensual.

The borrowers are very interested in the lifestyle their peers are leading, and want what they have. Lenders merely take advantage of the borrowers' desire. Borrowers will go to bed with whichever lender most enhances their self-esteem and status by putting themselves in homes and cars that they can't afford.

We the people... are our own worst enemy. Greed 'R' Us, baby.

The borrowing populace complaining about the greed on Wall Street kind of reminds me of the girl who eagerly had unprotected sex with the highly desirable boy on whom she had an awful crush. She had a wonderful time and felt great about it - until she missed her period.

Then she has the audacity to blame the boy for getting her pregnant and "ruining her college and career" plans, when it was entirely consensual on both sides. She wanted him just as much as he did her. They both had options, one of which was to NOT "do this deal".

It's like the old Prairie Home Companion skit that had a Norwegian Lutheran pastor counseling a young college girl on her unplanned pregnancy: "Vell den, Yenny, if ya didn't vant to go to Minneapolis... den vy did ya get on da train?"

Borrowers don't expect an unplanned preg... I mean foreclosure, either. But if you leverage yourself right to the edge, and then unemployment strikes unexpectedly (as it did with me last year), there you sit facing the loss of your house, staring at bankruptcy because of your indebtedness.

Oops. Maybe I should have thought about that when his hot breath was on my neck and his whispers were urging me:

"no money down"
"introductory rate"
"interest only loan"
"a three year balloon"
"real estate appreciates"

Mmmhmm. Sure.

Except he didn't stick around for breakfast. Just came and went. :(



So, social commentator, did you go back for a second slice of pie?

Yes. Pecan just wasn't enough. Not with key lime also on the table.

Pecan: hearty, familiar, comforting.
Key Lime: creamy, exotic, refreshing.
Who can choose?

But I did stop at two.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Saturday is...

... concert day! :)

Or at least it was this last weekend.

Two really good ones, too. And verrrrrry different.

First up was an afternoon show at Benson Great Hall on the Bethel campus, of a 60+ voice audition-only male chorus, the Great Northern Union. Holy moly, were they good!




The material was a mix of folk songs (sea shanties, Irish & Sottish tunes), glee club and barbershop, sacred music and gospel, and some pop tunes. Their dynamic range was astounding and they had several smaller ensembles and quartets that also sang. Great, great, stuff. We'll definitely be going back again to more next year.

Next up was a very different group at a very different venue. Calexico at The Fine Line! We had seats at a table on the main floor, and now and then had to ask "standers" to move out of the table area and onto the main floor, but otherwise it was worth the extra cost.



Interesting arrangement. You pay $30 a person above your ticket to sit at a table, but then the $30 becomes a pre-paid food and bar tab you draw down during the evening. So, you just plan to eat out and a have a couple of drinks and you're good. Nice deal. The food was excellent, and large portions, so next time maybe we'll stick with appetizers or split an entree. :)



The opener was a Canadian band called The Acorn. Not bad. Nothing unique, but nothing disappointing, either.



But the headliner! Oh, were they good. Calexico's material is reminiscent of Blood, Sweat & Tears, plus the Tiajuana Brass, plus the Doobie Brothers, kind of that 70s brass/rock sound.

Then mix in the style of music that you hear on the soundtracks of Clint Eastwood and late 50's spaghetti westerns - a lonesome trail sound mixed with a Latin tinge, where the bad guys are saying "head for the border, we'll meet up in Ogales tonight and divide the loot" as they head out across the empty desert and sagebrush...

Plus you add the airy, breathy singing of Iron & Wine and the eerie feel of the Twin Peaks soundtrack, and ... it's infectious and irresistable! :) It's easy to sit and listen to, but you also want to move to it. (or at least several women did near our table. It was a bit distracting. Pleasant, yes, but... not what you came for, you know?)

Going to a couple of good concerts was nice relaxation after working hard to finish my Exegetical paper for BT501 before the deadline, and wrapping up my sermon notes for Sunday morning as well.

And today... vacation! Yay! I love taking off Thanksgiving week.

It worked out nicely that the batch of limoncello I had going downstairs (infusing lemon zest into Everclear and sugar syrup) was ready to strain and bottle today. Just in time to take to Grandma & Grandpa's on Wednesday night. :)

Didn't it turn out pretty??

It is soooo good. Mmmm.

And so good FOR you. :P

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Justice

Warning! Soapbox ahead. :)

(and ha - it's not from preaching this morning, either. ;) it's from watching protesters on the street in Seattle and seeing all the "God talk" going on around the issue, with everybody claiming God for their side of the debate.)

Justice is a term that is used quite a bit in religious circles these days to emphasize God's concern for the poor and oppressed. There's even classes for it, to help people know practical ways to do justice right where they live.

Common Bible verses cited for this mandate are: Deuteronomy 24:17 "Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge", Psalm 140:12 "I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy", and Micah 6:8 "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Justice is also a major theme in the prophet Isaiah, both in scolding the people of God when they don't do justice

Isaiah 1:15-17

15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even if you offer many prayers,
I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood;

16 wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds
out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong,

17 learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.




and in the example that God will set when sending the Messiah:

Isaiah 42

1 "Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him
and he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.

3 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;

4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope."




So, okay. You get the picture. God is a God of justice, and expects the same from us.

The problem is that Justice cuts both ways. It is NOT biased, it is even-handed, sometimes even negative.

Check these verses out:

Leviticus 19:15 "Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly."

2 Thessalonians 1:5-8 "This is proof that God is right in his judgment. He wants you to be counted worthy of his kingdom for which you are suffering. God will do what is right. He will give trouble to those who trouble you. And he will give rest to you who are troubled and to us also when the Lord Jesus appears with burning fire from heaven with his powerful angels. Then he will punish those who do not know God and who do not obey the Good News about our Lord Jesus Christ."

And of course there's all those verses about the last being first and the first last. God's justice is not partial. Sometimes it's counter-intuitive. He balances things out... His way.

Oh, we prefer to have God be "just", all right, but ONLY IN THE WAYS we want justice to be done.

Watching the protesters in Seattle (both sides!) use the Bible to justify their view of what's just, it made me think:

Some God-followers believe that God executes justice only like this:

condemnation
casting away
destruction
punishment
retribution
anger
exclusivity

Some God-followers believe that God provides justice only like this:

forgiveness
caring for
salvation
mercy
comfort
love
acceptance

In the Bible, both sets of descriptors are true. Except we don't like it like that. We prefer one set over the other. We want God's justice to be like our preferred version.

Like Mark Twain said: "It's not the parts of the Bible I don't understand that bother me - it's the parts that I DO understand."

When we appeal to the Bible for justice, we really should appeal to ALL of what's said about it, not read selectively from one perspective or the other to suit ourselves.

God is not in the business of accommodating our preferences for a supreme being. God is who God is. We really have nothing to say.

God's justice is positive AND negative. It is:

love AND anger
mercy AND vengeance
comfort AND retribution
salvation AND destruction
caring for AND casting away
forgiveness AND condemnation
open acceptance AND jealous exclusivity
the revealing of truth AND the sending of deception
comforting the oppressed AND punishing the oppressor

There is plenty of Biblical support for all of these. There's just not a taste for all of it in us.

And the protesters on both sides of Proposition 8 showed it. I have this uncomfortable feeling that if God had chosen to intervene that day, what I would have seen was both sides of the street covered with people prostrate and hiding their faces, hearing God say

"Be silent! You call this a cry for justice? None of you are truly eager for justice, though you claim to be. You want to be proven right, and your enemies to be proven wrong. Your cries for justice are hollow and full of self. Listen! Let Me tell you what justice is..."

And someday, that's indeed what we will hear. We will hear God tell us about justice. Only it will be when our lives are in review, with God looking to see what kind of justice we really did... when we were given the chance. (Matthew 25:31-46)

God help us be just... like You.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Seattle (updated)

On one level it's "All Space Needle, All The Time."  :)

























Day and night.

























On another level, it's San Fransisco North, complete with hills, fog, fish market, street entertainment, coffee shops, liberals and conservatives mixing it up in public... fun!









Both D and I had been to Seattle as grade schoolers (separately, of course) for one day of a tediously long Western family trip, remembering little about Seattle, really, and a lot more about the car breaking down in the desert...  Apparently a lot of other Boomers had, too, at least from conversations on the elevator.  Must have been the thing to do from '62-'66, you know: head West so your radiator could boil over and you could watch Dad splutter and Mom snip.  :P

So, we're riding the airport shuttle to the hotel when the dispatcher comes on the radio and tells the driver "hey, there's a protest march going on by the Sheraton - they're blocking the streets, you can't get to the hotel."  Protesters? Cool!  What about?




Well, here's the weird part.  They were protesting about some other state's problems.  Huh?  Why in Washington are you trying to mobilize people to overturn California's Prop 8?  You can't even vote there!  Nor can the crowd.  It seemed... pointless?  Talked to my friend Scott about it this afternoon while listening to SQ play at Potbelly's, and he thought the same thing. Why there?

Hm, I suppose it was a show of solidarity, but still - the signs made one think that the ballot initiative had happened in Seattle, not 700 miles south.  





The other feature of this protest that struck me is how peaceful and civil it was, despite the strong feelings on both sides.  :)  




I suppose the mounted police helped in that regard...




Plus, it was pretty entertaining - in an off-kilter way. ;)



Okay, the "genderless interpretive dance" (I think?) actually took place at the Space Needle, accompanied by the ubiquitous group of Andean musicians who seem to be everywhere these days,



but it seemed a fitting part of the whole day's atmosphere. ;)

Anyway, at the protest people were having intense conversations, but they actually seemed to be exchanging ideas and trying to understand each other.  Gee, wouldn't that be nice?

The next day in the local paper, there was a quote from an organizer saying that "persuasion is impossible without civility.  If we can move anybody past anger and have a respectful conversation, then you can plant the seed of change."  

Hear, hear.  Agree with you or not, I'm all for respectful conversation about it.  I'd kind of like to put down all the signs, stop shouting, and just talk about this over coffee.  A large breve' with sugar-free caramel for me, please.

Moving on, then...

Ostensibly I was there for a conference, and yes I actually went! Some of the workshops were small (30) and pertinent, others enormous (1,000) and largely irrelevant. But they all count for continuing ed. credits, right? And after all, that was the point.




After the meetings, though, the Pike Place market was pretty cool.



Packed with people and commotion, smelling of fish, flowers & fruit.





There were interesting vendors, too - everything from candle rings from peppers, to engraved pacific ocean rocks, to salmon jerky! Mmmm.







And there was other cool stuff to see as we poked around on the wharf, like an outdoor carousel, the original Starbucks location, and the lights of the ferry as it pulled out after dark. Nice.





It would've been even nicer if my meniscus tear hadn't decided to be offended by my walking up and down the hills. Ow, ow, ow. For once it was actually a relief to sit down in the meetings and rest up for walking around at night.

I guess I do need the surgery. :( Actually getting it scheduled is becoming a challenge. Medical records, insurance pre-authorizations, calendar conflicts. I hope I can get it done before Christmas.

Fortunately the distance from downtown to the Space Needle was covered by the elevated monorail (vintage 1962 - oooh, right out of The Jetsons!)



And in the area of the Space Needle, there was a science museum



and a music museum, co-housed in a building designed by Frank Geary. Except not in his usual white or chrome. This one was more like Frank Geary meets Nickelodeon. :)




When not painfully recreating or dutifully listening, there was studying to be done - for both of us. But the setting was nice. :)



The hotel was a Dale Chihuly showcase.



Love his stuff, and it made the hotel a little more comfortable. Beats "reviewing the scholarly literature" (prep for my exegetical paper in Hermeneutics) in cramped airplane seats with a busted tray table. :(

All told, though, a nice time. And equally nice to be back.

And oh... I think I've discovered a new retirement career. I want to be one of these guys. :P

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Words

Nice to be back home. :)

Even though it is coming back to my last paper of the term, due in 3 days. Gee, it might be good if I started it!

So when I get a chance I'll be putting up something descriptive about the trip to Seattle, but until then, just this little shortie about a great opinion piece I saw in USAToday:


Words matter.

I love words when they're used well - and used for good, not for ill.



Words can hurt, words can heal.

Words can tear down, words can build up.

Words can disappoint, words can bring hope.

Words can confuse and words can make clear.



When we use words, how we use them matters.

The way our leaders use words matters a great deal.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Music Reviews: Gnarls Barkley, Fleet Foxes, Stereolab, Keane

Before I head out for Seattle tomorrow (to a work-related conference, but with D coming along, so a little bit of recreation in there as well), I thought it best to kick out one more edition of the music reviews. The next couple of them will be devoted to new music (released within the last year) both by familiar groups and ones new to me.

Gnarls Barkley - "The Odd Couple": Not sure the sequel is up to the level of their first effort. There's no smash hit on it like "Crazy", no hot covers... yes they sound the same, the lyrics are more introspective, maybe a more consistent sound, but it's just kind of... I don't know, middling, I guess. Favorites: A Little Better, Blind Mary, Surprise, Going On, Charity Case.

Fleet Foxes - self-titled CD, and the "Sun Giant" EP: This one came recommended to me by someone who knows my musical tastes well - thanks for the tip! Good call. :) They're reminiscent of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in their harmonies (even some later Beach Boys influence can be heard in there), but are definitely part of the currently hot neo-folk movement. Favorites: Gosh, they're all good! It's hard to pick out only a couple, but if you want to download a sampling, I'd suggest Sun It Rises and Your Protector.

Stereolab - "Chemical Chords": Picked this one up at the concert last month. Oooh. So good. And such a consistent sound over the years. Modern electronics, airy female vocals (sometimes in French), retro-60's feel (a'la Strawberry Alarm Clock, except with a girl singer). Wonderful for studying. :) But picking out individual songs is a challenge. They're sort of... nondescript? I guess a sample to download should include Cellulose Sunshine (think "Incense & Peppermints"), Three Women and Silver Sands.

Keane - "Perfect Symmetry": Don't judge the whole CD by the opening track "Spiralling". It's just weird; a throwback to disco and not very well done. But the rest of the album is what you might expect from Keane: piano-driven alt-pop with sensitive lyrics and emo undertones, crafted to help them succeed Coldplay and Death Cab for Cutie as the next big thing. 

Well... maybe it works and maybe it doesn't, but I still like their music. :) Favorites: the title track, plus The Lovers Are Losing, Again & Again, Black Burning Heart, Playing Along, Love Is The End.

So, review done... and after dinner and cards tonight with some college kids we know, in the morning we're off to the glorious (and damp) Pacific Northwest. It's supposed to be 55 and sunny on Sunday, though, so maybe pictures from the Space Needle will turn out. If so, they'll get posted, you can bet. :) 

Ta ta for now; see you late next week!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Wonder and Dismay

...together. It's an odd combination.

This morning it was prompted by waking to newly fallen snow.



The thoughts alternate back and forth, like this:

"Oh, my!"

"It's too soon!"

"Look how much fell..."

"It can't last."

"Looks fluffy." :)

"I'll bet it's wet, though." :(

"So beautiful on the trees - I love it like that."

"There's still leaves to rake underneath!"

And so it goes. Thrilled with the fresh newness of the white surprise in the yard and on the deck, but not in the least bit ready for the long siege of winter to begin constraining my movements.



Still, I suppose, here it is, double digit dates in November; one has to expect this now, but be confident it will melt. It's not quite time to put away that lawnmower yet; one more pass around the yard, I bet.

But, just as in this season of politics, maybe it is time to acknowledge that there is a change coming. Might as well start getting used to it, and adapting. ;) So as a sort of "compromise position", I think I'll get the shovel out and put it on the deck. I still want to grill out! :)





Oh, and... with all this dull duochromatic white over brown outside, I thought about digging up some other color combinations. Ones I like a little better. :)

So here's a little something I "stumbled upon" while trolling the web. It lets you find images according to color. Oh, the possibilities for screensavers in my favorite shades! For example, here's one I found there with one of my best loved color combinations:





Awww... yeah. That's what I like. :)

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Publishing?

Ran across an article in the newspaper Sunday that discussed Amazon's new Kindle product, a handheld reader onto which you download books. The purchase price of the electronic books is a lot cheaper than buying the paper version, and you can carry many more with you as you travel around. At least that's the selling point for justifying the big initial cost of the device.

Personally, I don't read fast enough to plow through books that quickly. If I carry one book along when I go somewhere (like to a concert!), that's enough. Plus, I enjoy having them on my shelves, like a collection of friends and acquaintances. :)

I group them by general subject matter. These are my "theology friends", and these are my "mystery pals", and on this shelf are my "poetry lovers". Over here are my "sociology buddies", etc.

Yes, I suppose I could group them by spine color or something, but then it would seem odd to also think of them as my "black friends", my "white pals", my "brown lovers", and my "yellow buddies". I'm still trying to get past categorizations like that. :P

But the really interesting part of this article was the self-publishing feature they now offer on Amazon. Authors can upload electronic versions of their work, establish a purchase price, and get it out there for consumption. It's like the self-publishing that goes on in the Indie music industry. Cool.

So, I think I may compile some haiku that I've written and set them up there. I think I have a whole book's worth. ;) But I have to narrow the topic, and pick a catchy title as well as a good selection of keywords.

Right now i think...

love poetry! :)



And how about this for a working title:

"Haiku in Love: Romance, Love & Longing in Seventeen Syllables"

Hm! Hmmm...

mmhmm. ;)

Maybe in time for Christmas!

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Two weeks left

...to finish my last assignment in BT501 - Hermeneutics. Got a B+ on my first assignment, turned in the 2nd yesterday, a fairly easy paper of personal reflections on how the class material has impacted my life - most of which I took from blog posts previously made here.

See? I try out my ideas on you first. :) Don't you feel special?

Now I have until the 23rd to finish my "scholarly" exegesis paper on 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (assigned by random draw.)

This one will be a doozy. I have about an inch of research papers to read and interact with, as well as with the text itself, plus Biblical encyclopedias and dictionaries.

What complicates it more is: the Evangelical church we go to asked if I (along with two other people) would help out in handling 1/3 of the sermon for Sunday the 23rd. Hm. Sure, I guess.

Gosh, I haven't gotten into the pulpit to "preach" for oh.. maybe four years. Why am I called on now, I wonder? Hm.

Well whatever the reason, I'll give it a go. And in this case, the passage was also given to me: The Gospel of John, Ch. 10. I get the first 6 verses to address.

But I think I may just... use analogies and tell stories. :) As I recall, Jesus told a few of those. They call them parables. ;)

So I have a bit of prep to do, and some serious immersion in the Scripture between now and then. Good thing I'd planned on taking a few days of vacation right before the 23rd.

I know how I'll be spending them now.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Twilight Sleep

Went to the orthopedist today so that he could push on the place where the MRI says I have a torn meniscus. "Does this hurt?"

YES THAT HURTS!!!!! OW OW OW OW OW

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

Yeah, sure. You just love to do that to patients, you big meanie. :( That's why you check the MRI before you look at my knee, so you'll know just where to press to apply maximum torture. You ought to go do some pro-bono work at Guantanamo.

So after I got over wanting to kill him, we talked about it for a while. Surgery is in order, he says. "Your present discomfort will disappear immediately, and there should be no reason you are not back to running like before within 3-4 weeks, and on an exercise bike in one."

My choices amount to basically two: when I have it done, and under how much anesthetic. Well, sooner than later, for sure, especially since, after Seattle the 15th-19th, I'm not traveling anywhere for several weeks. So, right after I get back, I guess.

As to the degree of numbing, apparently it can range from complete general anesthetic (with the breathing tube and the whole bit) to only local in the knee so that I'm alert and watching him cut me up on the 80" flat screen in-room monitor.

Ewww. I don't like either one. Is there an in-between, doc?

"Yes, we refer to it as twilight sleep. You are partially sedated intravenously, and given a lower spinal injection to numb everything below the waist."

Oh.

Everything?

I, um... oh.

Well?

I guess that's okay. The feeling all comes back, right?

"Gee, we certainly hope so." he says with a wink. That's not funny!

Apparently Dr. Feelgood stands there with a bag of joy juice, a pump and a dial attached to the IV, and tries to get you to a point of "titration", where you are "out of it" but not "out".

Sort of like nitrous oxide at the dentist, I suppose. "Are you feeling anything yet?", the technician asks you sweetly.

Oh, gosh no, not hardly yet. Crank that baby up some more, hey?



So... should be fun. :) Wonder if there's a hangover?

Oh yeah, I suppose that's called a sore & swollen knee afterwards, complete with compression bandage, ice and painkillers. Hmmmm.. Now depending on the painkiller...

Ah yes, the typical reaction of a guy who pretty much came of age in 1970. They didn't call it acid rock for nothing, man. Far out.

Reminds me of Steppenwolf: "Why don't you come with me, little girl, on a magic carpet ride..." Joy juice followed by painkillers? Oh yeah. Sign me up. :P

Friday, November 07, 2008

Music Reviews: Pacha Massive, Au, Ray LaMontagne, Melpo Mene, Kings of Convenience

Okay, election's over, everybody. Time to either calm down or buck up, depending on your persuasion. Back to normal, people. We have a country to run here.

So back to normal for me, too - with a music review. It's been a while. I've been... distracted.

This is a great set of CDs, all of which I recommend with a thumbs up. I feel really fortunate to have had the chance to come across them. :)

Pacha Massive - "All Good Things": I would call this Latin electronic music. Not hip-hop or reggaeton, I don't think... but not traditional or salsa either. Where there are lyrics, they are skimpy enough for me to put in the studying playlist, plus they shift back and forth from English to Spanish within the same song, so.. well, it's interesting. :) Favorites to sample: the title track, Cruisin', Don't Let Go, Drive, Pachagueando.

Au - "Verbs": This one seems to be in the tradition of Stereolab, Air, Cibo Matto, etc.. If there's one standout track it would be "rr vs. d", and that alone is worth a download. If you like that, you'll probably like the rest. Like I do. :)

Ray LaMontagne - "Gossip In The Grain": His "You Are The Best" is... well, it just is. :) You can imagine Ray Charles singing it - with the backup singers and blues feel - it's great. This guy's voice is perfect for blues, whether uptempo or slow. All tracks are good, but I especially like You Are The Best and Let It Be Me. Aww... yeah. :) And Winter Birds is a stunning piece that combines the best of Dylan's Lay Lady lay and Iron & Wine's Love And Some Verses. Beautiful and haunting.

Melpo Mene - "Bring The Lions Out": Great lovemaking CD. :) (not that I necessarily *know* about such a thing personally, but... I can at least imagine that it would be, given the right conditions.) ;)

Favorites: all are good - it's kind of an entire piece. If you were using it for atmosphere as noted aove... you wouldn't focus on any one track. But maybe I Adore You stands out a bit in that department. :) Great electronic chill music and easy breathy vocals. Tender and persistent. Marvelous.

Kings of Convenience - "Quiet is the New Loud", and "Versus": Versus is a CD of remixes of the songs on "QitNL", done by people like Ladytron and Four Tet. And as usual, most of them don't seem... necessary. :P

"QitNL" is a gorgeous CD, in the same vein as their more recent release. I really don't know of any better acoustic/vocal chill music, unless it's Melpo Mene above. Favorites: all really, but The Weight Of My Words, and Failure, rise to the top. :)

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Reconciliation

It was kind of on my mind today, for several reasons.

One was that, following the election and the concession/acceptance speeches last night, I am hopeful that there can be reconciliation between the political left and right under Obama's leadership, as well as some degree of racial reconciliation in the country.

But another reason is that over lunch today I went to Assumption parish downtown to take part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

I was glad I got there early; it was pretty crowded. I have to think that a lot of people were there to confess that they voted against their consciences yesterday! ;)

That's a sin I managed to avoid. I did vote my conscience yesterday, and not the way you all think, I'm guessing. :)

But even without a miscast vote to repent of, I still had plenty of business to conduct with God. :( It had been a while, and after my retreat weekend and all of my soul-searching that happened there... it was time.

Reconciliation is really a wonderful thing. I wish Evangelicals had a process for it. We always say that "we don't need to confess to a priest", but the reality is - we do not confess to one another, either. We don't confess to another soul; at least not the deep, dark stuff.

The Catholic church has a mechanism for it. And again today, it was wonderfully healing. Just because it's a process doesn't mean it has no life. It has plenty of life and restorative grace, at least in my book.

Plus, it allows us to practice routinely what we otherwise would avoid doing: "Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed." (James 5:16)

So today, after some tears and a humbled heart, I feel much more "whole and healed."

And if I may ask... how is it with your heart?

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Tailgating at the polls

:) Fun!


It was a gorgeous day today - high 60's, sunny, fall color still abounding. A lovely day to extend my lunch hour and have my sandwich (peanut butter with bacon salt on whole wheat) and a Miller Chill outside the community center, yakking it up with the neighbors.



Just like I thought voting day should be!



So after I did my own civic duty, I went outside and set up shop with my concert poster clipped to a lawn chair, bowls of red and blue tootsie pops at the ready, my cooler & sandwich in hand. Bring it on, I'm ready to tailgate!



I was close to the Community Center, sort of in between the two precincts that were voting there. Several people asked my "how do I know which precinct I'm in?", and of course, I knew. (since I had to ask the same question myself.) So that produced some conversations (and customers for the red or blue pops.)

People came and went, quickly, though. I would time them coming in from the parking lot until they got back. The longest was 10 minutes. Most were 5-7. Lines? What lines?



Met some new people. A 40ish guy named Bob and I chewed the fat for a half-hour or so. Met a thirty-something guy named Bill who lives a few blocks from me on my running path. He moved from Oregon where there are no polling places at all. None. All there is done by mail. So he appreciated the community nature of what was going on.

Then there was Trish, a late-20s mom of a preschooler, and Sandy & Laurie, a couple of fun-loving seniors. And it went on and on like that from 11:30 to 1:30.

Not a lot of evidence of youth vote, but as D reminded me... they're asleep at this time of day! They'll come later. Still, a college age couple with facial piercing and spiky hair stopped and took a pic of my poster, jealous that I got tickets and they didn't. :P

Aww... have a tootsie. You'll feel better about it.

My "customers" ranged from 3 to 73, from punks to geriatrics, from businessmen on cell phones to moms & kids in minivans. It was a swell time, and it felt festive! The candy helped.

Sandy caught on to my candy methodology. She says "you're counting these afterwards, aren't you? You know how many were in the bowls to start with. You sneaky boy..."

Well... maybe. I'll never tell. ;)

Anyway, it was fun to go shopping for Halloween candy at 75% off, and spend 6 bucks for a few hundred of these things. Republican red, Democrat blue, and for the Third Party voters... chocolate. :) The orange ones I kept. They're in my lounge as added decor.



And based on my highly unscientific method of tootsie pop exit polling... the blues won the day here.

Monday, November 03, 2008

Meniscus Tear

Stupid bathroom door. :(

You'll recall that the last time I was in KC, my left knee was struck by the edge of a door that opened unexpectedly. Workers Compensation. X-rays had been clear, but it was sore and just didn't feel... right.

MRI results came back and there is a tear in the meniscus (though not in the ligaments), and some minor swelling and cartilage damage. I can still run on it (as I did today), which is good. But it won't heal very well that way.

So, next stop is the orthopedist for a 2nd opinion, and, if indicated, arthroscopic surgery to repair the tear and clean up the cartilage. Fortunately it's a quick recovery time and then it's back to normal.

I knew there was something wrong inside. I could feel it. Now I know that hitting the door actually did some damage, and it isn't just an aging thing.

There's some consolation in that, anyhow.

I guess.

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Thanks, I needed that.

I was kinda down this last week, after coming back from my retreat weekend. :( Just one too many issues in the heart to deal with.

So I was not in the best frame of mind for coming up on a birthday and thinking about embarking on another year of life like this last one. (well... it could have been worse, I guess. I was employed!)

But Friday night, D surprised me with tickets to The Producers at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, and it was a swell time together. :) Happy Birthday me! The orange roughy was done nicely, the Hogue Gewurztraminer paired well with both that and the appetizer (brie/spanakopita/artichoke dip/fruit). And the carrot cake for two at intermission... ooof. Plus the show was marvelous. Thanks, dear. I loved the whole night. :D

Then last night, book in hand for in between sets, I went to the Swing State Voter Awareness Tour of the Beastie Boys and Ben Harper. Woah. I, um... was sort of ready for this, but... not completely. ;)

The "not completely" part mostly involved the openers, Tenacious D. Holy moly. Jack Black and some guy doing "mock rock", and Yikes! Pretty, um... crazy stuff. Well, more on that concert in the Appendix to this post, for those of you who are interested.

This morning I got to do some dramatic reading in church, which is always fun. I like using my voice to create an effect. Sometimes it actually accomplishes something (but not always what I want it to!)

And tomorrow night, I take an introductory class on "how to play blues piano" (a skill I'd like to acquire, against the time when my voice finally gives out.)

So I wound up having a verrrry artsy long birthday weekend.

And a better attitude going into this week. :)

Plus, I actually found a neighbor who is going to tailgate with me at the polls on Tuesday! Yay! I'll have my red and blue Tootsie Pops ready to give out to the kiddies tagging along with Mom as she votes.

It'll sort of be my exit polling strategy. :P

Appendix: Beastie Boys, etal.

This was quite the concert. The first thing I want to mention is how impressed I was at the non-commercial nature of this thing. They really were focusing on turning out the vote.

How could I tell? There was NOT ONE merchandise table in the house! Not one. There were only a couple of tables and they were literature tables (how to register, where to vote, voter guides, posters, etc.)

Remarkable. Even the Steven Curtis Chapman concert last year, supposedly non-promotional, had merchandise tables. This is the first show of any kind I've been to where they weren't selling something!

Amazing.

Now, I should say that the lack of political neutrality was palpable. It wasn't even cleverly disguised. But more on that later, in the editorial comments section. You know there'll be one of those. ;)

Before I get to that, some comments on the venue and the artists.


Nice arena, this. :) It's part of the whole Xcel Energy Center complex.



And it was pretty packed.



Both upstairs and down.



But I was not cowed by the crowds, no sir, not me. I was prepared for my view to be blocked by the "stand and pulse your body" crowd. I brought my trusty book. :) It was particularly helpful in between sets. (but yes, I admit it... I read some during the performances, too. Especially when I couldn't follow the lyrics. Which was... fairly often.) :P



When Tenacious D was on stage, Jack Black was his manic self. Everything you'd expect from him, plus.. talent! I mean, he's really good. Rude, crude and lascivious, but... good. Their act was very tongue in cheek, along the lines of This Is Spinal Tap, but with a lot more crudity. The energy and talent level made it tolerable. Barely.

I do think there is a fascination among youth in general (I know I had it) with off-color humor and shock words. For most people it wears off as they grow up. It's kind of like the fascination with illegal drugs. That was in evidence, too, last night. And each generation thinks that they're the first to discover the power of sex, drugs & music. Um... sorry. Your parents and grandparents did it, too. Get over it.



Ben Harper was the one I really came to see, and he did not disappoint. What a guitarist! I didn't know. I like him for his neo-soul vocals, the ballads like "Forever" and "Walk Away". Wow - he was hot. For part of his set he sat down, laid his guitar flat and played it with a bottle slide. Sounded like an autoharp on steroids.



And then the Beastie Boys came out, and things turned up another notch. I really do not like rap - at all. Unless there's some singing interspersed. But you could hardly help yourself with these guys, their beats were so infectious. :) I found myself moving to the music like everybody else.



The light shows were amazing. Made me wish I would have had a chance to see the pioneers of arena rock in their day, like Zep, or the Stones. Did they have the massive lights? Ah well. So I grew up in rural Remoteville, Wisconsin with no chance to see concerts (unless it was Stan Wolowitz and the Polka Chips. Now, THEY put on a show!) ;)



But the thing that probably struck me more than anything else about the evening was this:

I've been in arenas full of the religious right, and arenas full of the liberal left, all full of energy, enthusiasm, loud voices and even louder music. I won't say that the tone was the same; nor was the cause. But what I will say is that the process was the same.

In all those cases, the people on the stage were "preaching to the converted". Everyone who came was already convinced. No one's mind was changed.

In all those cases, the speakers/performers talked about changing things for the better, and about working together to do so. But at the same time, there was little compassion (on either side) for those who saw things differently. And no one ever offered that "Gee, it's possible that we might be wrong. We could learn from our opponents."

Nope. They were all convinced of the correctness of their position, whether liberal or conservative, religious or irreligious. Every speaker or performer, and I dare say most of the hearers, were solidly on the proper side.

It was a stunning contrast to think back on seeing the same dynamic occur with a totally different sociopolitical segment, and it made me afraid that the divisions in this country are too deep to mend. How far are we, really, from being Palestine and Israel, or Northern Ireland, or Sudan or Kurdistan?

And I thought of the small tear in my bedspread, running right along a seam. If you stitch it before it grows, it will hold better, and last longer. But if you let it go untended, if you don't "manage at the seams", then pretty soon...

:(
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