Euro Marriage?

Since my post on the relationship of government to marriage, I find that the topic has hit "Dear Abby", so it must be mainstream now. ;)

A few days ago she posted a column in which she talked about the European manner of going to the courthouse for a licensed civil union, and then going to church for a religious ceremony. I hadn't realized I was soooo Continental in my thinking. :P

Anyway, in that column, she got support from religious folk, from "mainliners" to "Bible-believers", and in the column from the previous day, she got support from the, um ... how does it go again? ... the "GLBT community".

Hm. Maybe this is an issue where there really CAN be common ground, instead of angry shouting and sign-waving.

Old Guys In The Locker Room

... talking about technology and Thomas Friedman.  At least it wasn't about aches and pains.  :)

I'm sitting on the bench in front of the fan after my 4 mile run (!) and this old guy who's putting on his coat strikes up a conversation:

You look exhausted.

Do I? 4 miles will do that to you.

That's what you wanted, right?

Yup, I like to feel exhausted - in a good way.

Hey, what's that thing clipped to your shorts?

Oh, that's my iPod Shuffle. Music player.

Who makes it?

Apple.

Where'd you get it?

Best Buy.

How much?

'bout 50 bucks.

How's it work?

Well, I won't bore you with the rest. This is boring enough as it is. :) But this guy, a nice-looking, soft-spoken fellow in his 80s, peppered me with questions and was clearly trying to get his head around the latest technology. 

So we chatted for some time about how it all works, about his granddaughter who tries to teach him how to use his computer, about how he forgets everything when she leaves, etc., etc.

Then another old guy who I had talked to last week, who was about the same vintage as the first, came in just as I was saying "getting comfortable with technology and the internet will expand your view of the world dramatically."  So the new old guy pipes up with:

Yeah, that's what Tom Friedman was saying in his book, "Flat". Technology levels the playing field around the world.  

And I affirmed that by talking about my screen-sharing meeting with India every Wednesday morning, and the first old guy just stared at us, open-mouthed.

By that time I was cooled off and dressed, and was ready to head out and go back to work. But I wondered if the first old guy was ever going to learn how to use his computer. 

Maybe if I see him again... I'll offer to drop by once a week and help.

Lent, Pornography and Stephen Colbert

(Ash) Wednesday I offered up a comment on a post in one of my favorite blogs (linked to in my favorites list on right.)  The blogger took my comment and others, and further elaborated on the purpose of Lent, connecting it to some other notions as well.  Rather than reframe his ideas, I refer the curious reader to them, here.  

Fascinating.

Ashes, ashes...

...we all fall down.

Figuratively. Ethically, morally...

Ash Wednesday yesterday was again a reminder of my need for penitence, for contrition. "A broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise", says my patron saint, King David.

I've had the broken part, all right. I remember very well how that feels. The contrition part seems to come and go, ebb and flow, wax and wane. It takes an Ash Wednesday, a season of Lent, to remind me that contrition needs to be a regular focus, lest we (lest I) become complacent in my sinful condition.

I needed to hear the prophet Joel thundering in 2:13:

"Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity."

I needed to hear David's contrition in Psalm 51 again, the rending of his heart over its deplorable condition. I needed to sing out loud God's promise through Jeremiah in 31:33-34:

"I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. ... For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

And I needed to see in the mirror the image of a man visibly marked with God's call to repentance (and my assent to it.)

May God make this season of Lent fruitful for growth of character, beginning with contrition over the weakness of that same character.

Amen.

Can I get a witness?

Nature, confused

You know... it's still February. It's cold.

But there is life in the front garden, and it is determined to stick its nose out and see what's up.



What's up is that this week it was still -10 degrees at night. And only a couple of days ago I was blowing the drive. There are still piles of snow at the end of it, and a couple of inches sitting on the deck.



Jeepers, plants. What's the hurry? You have all Spring.

No pictures

...so the man said.

Last night at the Dakota, the proprietor introduced the evening's act, and made a point of asking for no recording and no pictures. "Just sit back and savor the experience", he said.

We did.

Wish I had photos to post, but... they sound better than they look. :)

After 37 years together as The Manhattan Transfer, they're not young and glam any more (especially not from 10 feet away like we were), but their sound! Oh, my. As good as ever. No dip in the quality of their performance, definitely. They can still bring it.

Hm.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?



Probably not. ;)

Cleansing

...myself. Of toxins.

For a week now, I've been using this product called a "whole body cleanse". Based on my reactions to it, I think it's not so much a whole body thing as it is focused on certain systems. ;)

It has creepy stuff in it like milk thistle, marshmallow root and slippery elm bark. Eww. Then again, it also has more tried and true stuff in it like oat bran, cellulose and pectin. Those I do know about. It's those psyllium husks that make me suspicious.

The whole notion of scrubbing the toxins from your system with this stuff is probably just a big load of hooey, but I do sort of feel better. :) It may be too early to tell, though. I have another week to go.

Boy, wouldn't it be nice if they made a "whole heart cleanse", or a "whole mind cleanse"?

I could use both of those, too. Toxins. Such toxins I have. Oy!

Cross or burn?

Saw "The International" last night, with Clive Owen and Naomi Watts.  I liked it a lot.  For an action picture, the screenplay dialogue was well written with several memorable lines/scenes. 

Like this exchange:  

"C'mon!  Knowing the truth demands responsibility!"

"Exactly.  That's why we dread it."

Yeah.  I get that one.

Another that particularly stuck in my head was this:

"Sometimes you have to know which bridges to cross...

and which ones to burn."

"I'm the one you burn."

Hm.

Anyone else smelling smoke here?

Snow!

I'd almost forgotten.

The snowbanks had all but disappeared, and there was so much bare frozen tundra around here, I thought it was nearly Springtime. Hahaha. Silly me.

At about 5AM I heard the sound of the snowplow going down the street. Then it came back about 90 minutes later, and when I heard it, I thought... uh, oh. Hm.

Sure enough, 4 fresh inches. And of course the snowplows doubled (and tripled) that height at the base of the drive. But still, it seemed good to get the snowthrower fired up again. I'm sure I'll have more than one more day to use it, too, before Winter really leaves. March is the second snowiest month around here, they say.

They also say that the early signs of Spring are here, too. And I heard some this morning while shoveling. The cardinal pair across the street were calling to each other, and the crows were circling above, making a racket.

Crows. Grrr.... Where's my bb gun?

Going Away Party

I'm throwing a going away party
A party for a dream of mine;
So put me somewhere off in a corner
With a glass and a bottle of your party wine

Don't worry, it won't be a loud party
I'm feeling too low to get too high;
It's just a sad going away party
For a dream I am telling goodbye.

I'm throwing a going away party
A party for a dream of mine;
Nobody's coming but a heartache
And some tears may drop in now most anytime.

Don't worry it won't be a loud party -
Dreams don't make noise when they die;
And so since it's a going away party
Go away... and let me cry.

It's just a going away party
For a dream I am telling goodbye.



----- As sung by Willie Nelson, with Asleep At The Wheel and Manhattan Transfer (seeing them on Monday night!)

Kwellerama

The Benster put on another great show last night, at his home-away-from-home venue, The Varsity.






He said about a dozen words from the stage all night, some of which were: "Wasn't I just here?"






Um, yeah, man. In October.










He is such a good entertainer, even though he hardly says a word. None of this narcissistic drivel: "Hellooooo Minneapoliiiiiis! (pause for yelling) How y'all doing out there? (pause again for more yelling) How about those Watson Twins? (even more yelling) Are you ready for some good music?" (still more yelling)

Just good music. :)



And good company: SQ, K, ST, D&S, along with assorted others.

Amongst the company, there was pretty much universal agreement that the opening act, The Watson Twins, were nothing but ordinary. I think they should stick to doing backing vocals for Jenny Lewis.



But, with grabbing a sandwich at the nearby Potbelly's, a fine show with friends, and some generous martini pours by Dennis the Varsity bartender, it was a swell evening all 'round. :)

A win, a loss, and mixed emotions

The basketball team I went to see got a nice win. :)

My kid, on the other hand, took a tough loss. :(

Fortunately, we were nearby and could help him out. But boy, what an up & down Valentine's Day weekend. Not the best start, anyway.

Driving down Saturday, J2 calls with a disabled vehicle. He was on his way north to go to a friend's party (one of the college kids we had over for dinner Friday night. Actually, he was going to be a surprise guest at our dinner, but that didn't happen) when the engine blew.

Apparently the timing belt slipped at highway speed, and... the engine is toast. :( $3,000 of repairs on a vehicle only worth $3,200. So, it's destined for Rawhide Boys' Ranch as a donation. Gosh, did that bring back memories of being twenty-something and having a car die with no money to replace it. Ugh. Been there, kid. This stuff happens.

At least it died where we could pick him up. We had some hard conversations on the way to where we were staying, and wound up hauling him around with us all weekend, too. Fortunately our hosts were gracious and adapted, letting him crash there along with us. And now he's home for a couple of days, to borrow one of our vehicles for a few weeks while he tries to figure out what to do with himself. Tough season of life he's in right now... :(

But that experience notwithstanding, the rest of the long weekend (thanks to President's Day off) was more uplifting. Saw lots of old friends, ate, drank, played cards, talked... really fun. And we received advice & encouragement as well as gave some. :) Emotional conversations, yes, but good ones. Finished up Monday morning with breakfast with our hosts at a neat little cafe' in Highland Park.



Very picturesque, and typical of the community. A nice place.

But Saturday night's game (the whole reason for the trip) was swell. :) So while D visited with girlfriends, and J2 slept (and slept. and slept. Poor kid.), I got there early, eager for a pleasant distraction.



So I had lots of time to find my seat and watch the crowd file in.



Nice seat. I had a good view of the action...



and of the crowd. :)



It was a giveaway night. They had a fun halftime show. Plus, they won handily. So, not only did I see everything I wanted to see...

but the win (and the excitement of mingling with the crowd) helped.

It wasn't such a bad Valentine's Day after all.

be mine

variété

.


passion de l'heure
tous les divers intérêts
quelle dois-je choisir

.






.

passion of the hour
varied interests all intense
what to indulge next

.

Independent Study

This is an interesting process, designing your own class. :)

Just finished writing my first draft of a syllabus. I really had no idea of how to do this, but fortunately the prof who will be "overseeing" me gave me a guide for how to be sure I have enough hours in terms of reading and writing to qualify for a full four credits.

So, for what I will call TS670: Change in God, I assigned myself 5 books, and 6 papers. I'll write an 800 word book review paper on each text, and then a comprehensive 1300 word paper at the end, trying to tie them all together. That'll be the fun part!

And yeah, I do mean fun. It really should be interesting, at least to me. The premise of the class is to take a look a some contemporary theologians' views on the positions long held (for the 1,200 years from Augustine through the full development of Calvinism) on two key aspects of God's nature: immutability and impassibility. These say that God is unchanging and unaffected.

I'll be reading books by Korean, German, Brazilian and American theologians who stress God's relationality, both with humankind and among the persons of the Trinity. My initial thought is that the idea of God "relating" (and "loving") both within and beyond the Godhead has implications. Significant ones.

Relating to another being, and especially loving another being, implies caring about that person. If you really care about someone, you invest yourself in them emotionally, and allow yourself to be affected by them - not only by their personal ups and downs, but also by their reactions to you.

And if the relationship is an engaged and mutual one, that person you care about will not only affect you, but you will react to what they do or say - you will adapt to their exercise of independent will, as you interact in a caring relationship.

What all of this says about God being unchangeable and unaffected... is what I plan to learn.

If the prof (and the dean) approve. :)

moon

.


shadows on night snow
squinting at the southern sky
never seen the like


.

Get the government out

... of the marriage business. Please.

On the radio the other day I heard a program about culture wars. The premise was "in what areas would you be willing to compromise in order to de-escalate the culture wars?" Put another way, where could you personally declare (and live by) a cultural cease-fire, between you and those with whom you disagree?

Back before the Presidential election, I lamented the lack of civility in areas of debate on "moral issues" (as so defined by either the political right or left.) Both sides continued to scream at each other with what seemed like "religious fervor" (even if the religious part was a lot more ideology than faith.)

The two issues I wrestled with most in my own mind, heart, and soul were the issues of marriage "rights" and reproductive "rights" (both so-called). Eventually (roughly the day before Voting Day), I came to a position on both which I could support from the viewpoint of both others' civil rights and my moral conscience.

The position I came to was... get the government out of both topics. The state should take no position on either. Stop both defining marriage and regulating it. Stop both funding, and deciding the legality of, abortion - period. Leave both up to individuals, organizations and communities to decide.

Force no one to go against their conscience by either facilitating or restricting access to either marriage or abortion. Simply get out, deregulate, and leave both issues to private individuals, businesses and institutions to take positions on the issues (and deal with the consequences of their decisions.)

*****

(Now the rest of this post is on marriage, but for those of you who are rabidly either pro-life or pro-choice and can't wait... I will simply offer this on the subject of when life begins, for you to chew on:

DNA is unique from the moment of conception, and is present in the embryo. No doubt. But DNA is also present in my fingernail clippings and the chest hair I find in the tub after my shower, not to mention in mummies 3000 years old.

So does the presence of DNA necessarily imply that the being which it identifies is... alive? Unique, yes. But living? Not necessarily.

The bigger metaphysical question on abortion, I think, is this: "precisely when does the eternal soul become joined to the mortal body?" And if you can answer that definitively, you are better than all the theologians of the last 2000 years put together. 

This is not a simple question, and Christianity is still divided on the issue.  I can argue for soul-life at conception, viability, first breath, and the "age of accountability" equally easily, and all are supportable from Scripture.  By the way, Ps. 139 does not cut it as the definitive proof text here.  It's arguably about God's omniscience, providence and foreknowledge, not about soul-life.)

*****

So on the radio I hear of a movement to press for separation of church and state on the subject of marriage. Hm. That's sort of what I came to last Fall. The main idea is this:

Let religious institutions decide who can have a marriage ceremony, and let the state simply recognize whatever legal partnerships adults care to establish, much as the state now recognizes partnerships in various business ventures. Treat civil unions as miniature business ventures, focusing on the combining of property and estates.

Searching on it a bit, I came across this blog post on the subject, one more succinct than I usually am. :P There is also a petition drive going around, but I think it's poorly worded, so I won't post it here.

Seems to me that this is the way to go. Leave marriages in the purview of religious institutions, stop the state from intruding on their doctrine and convictions, and let the state focus on civil unions, where any two adults can voluntarily establish (and control by pre-nuptial agreements if needed) common property, dependency, inheritance and tax rights.

Then we can get on to other matters and move forward less divided.

Sweet! (potato)

The African sweet potato & peanut soup went over very well. :)

Everyone wanted the recipe, which was a challenge because I took three different versions off the internet, picked and chose what sounded good from one or the other, and sort of did this on the fly...

But here's what I ended up sending out by email to the guests after:



Here is the African sweet potato & peanut soup recipe from today as best as I can reconstruct what I did. :) Glad you liked it! (and glad there's a little left over for me...)

2 14oz cans vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 large can (32 oz?) yams
1 small can sweet green chiles
1 bell pepper, diced (your choice of color! I used red and orange - pretty.)
2 medium shallots (or 1 lg onion) chopped
1 16 oz bag carrots, chopped
1 bunch green onions
2 cloves crushed garlic (or the equivalent in some other form - I like the frozen garlic cubes from Trader Joe's!)
1 cup peanut butter (I used Skippy crunchy)
1/2 cup salted peanuts, finely chopped (Planters or some such)
seasonings (there are lots of options here. Some recipes called for hot sauces, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, turmeric, etc. I just used 1 tsp. each of: pumpkin pie spice, ground ginger, and a curry powder blend, plus some salt and pepper as desired)


Chop the green onions, separating the while and green parts. Reserve some green for garnish, along with the chopped peanuts. In a large stock pot, sauté the shallots, onions, garlic and bell peppers for about 10 min. Add in the carrots, continue another 5 min. or so, then add seasonings, green chilies, and diced tomatoes. Continue on heat, stirring often for another 5 min.

Add vegetable broth and yams, bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until vegetables are getting soft. With a potato masher, mash the yams and carrots thoroughly. (Other options here are also an immersion blender, if you're lucky enough to have one! ..or transferring contents to a blender or food processor to puree the whole lot and return to pot. I prefer a little chunkier texure, so the hand mashing suits me.)

After mashing/blending/pureeing, continue heating, testing for the right amount of salt & pepper, adjusting spices as needed. If you prefer the soup a little thinner, add a bit of water or cream (although this last one will definitely take it out of the vegan category...)

Serve hot in bowls with reserved green onions and chopped peanuts as garnish, with perhaps red pepper flakes or hot sauce as options for your wilder guests. Can easily make ahead and store in fridge overnight (I did!)



It was great to have this soup again. Glad I could figure out how. :)

Salmonella

... it's not just for carnivores anymore.

Now that it's in peanut paste, vegans can have it, too!

But - that doesn't deter me from making a vegan African peanut & sweet potato soup today. Mmm... I had it once before, some years ago, and haven't forgotten the experience. :) I doubt that I'll be able to duplicate it, but it'll be nice to try.

Our church is organizing some informal lunch gatherings at people's houses, and kind of randomly assigning people to hosts. We are hosting one tomorrow, and both D and I are making a soup for it. One traditional and one exotic. Guess whose is whose? ;) So with two cooks needing to take over the kitchen, I will go first.

And no, no industrial PCA peanut paste in my recipe. Just old reliable Skippy and Planters consumer goods.

Now... where's my ginger?

peculiar

.


obfuscatory
confusing to most people
inexplicable


.


Okay, I know the previous two haiku must have seemed random.

Like most people who fiddle with creativity, whether in words or music or painting, sometimes the muse comes from deep within and other times it comes through the events of daily life.

So, monasticism and bacon. They're not, um.. together.

Necessarily.

Although they could be. If you worked it just right.

bacon ambience

.


sizzle of the grease
fragrance of the crisping pig
perfect morning start


.

monastics

.


asceticism
self denying discipline
pure simplicity


.

Push & Pull part 2

Since posting part 1 (which at the time I didn't think about as part 1), a friend sent a copy of an on-line devotional, this edition dealing with how to handle change. I thought it was pretty insightful, and so I post it here as is, with no further comment.

*****

“And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins." Mark 2:22


Managing Change

Today’s passage and key verse remind us that we really can’t move onto something new without letting go of what is old. As we are in a new year, many of us think about change. And for many people facing difficult financial or relationship situations, change is upon them – some of the old is gone and it’s time to face the new.

William Bridges, in his book, Managing Transitions, has a few tips as we navigate through times of change. He would characterize times of change as a time of loss. Even good changes mean something from the past is lost. In fact, Anatole France, a French writer, puts it this way, “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind is part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another.”

When we recognize that change can signify loss, Bridges gives a few pieces of advice:

*Identify what you are losing or what has been lost – be specific

*Accept the reality and importance of losses, even subjective ones

*Don’t be surprised at emotional “over reaction” during this time

*Acknowledge the loss openly

*Take a piece of the “old” way with you if possible



I’ve always liked Marilyn Ferguson’s quote as it applies to this subject - “It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it’s that place in between that we fear ....It’s like being between trapezes. It’s Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. There’s nothing to hold on to.” Isn’t that so true!

As we go through times of change as followers of Christ, know that you are never alone and you always have hope. In fact, a final tip from Bridges states “know that endings can help us focus on what really matters.” 

For Christians, jobs may end, human relationships may be different, financial balances may decline, but as we follow Christ, what matters is that we love Him and turn to Him for our hope.


Reflection

Is God pouring new wine into new wineskins for you? Are you facing a time of change and transition? Review some of the observations of William Bridges and see which ones are true for you. Then talk to God and tell Him exactly how you feel. Meditate on Deuteronomy 31:8 – “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."



Today’s Devotional was written by Cathy Bergland for Woodridge Church, Copyright 2009

Music Reviews: Ratatat, Weezer, The Verve, Ben Kweller

Second part of the set - now it's the boys' turn.

Ratatat - "LP3": Obvious by the title that this is their third album, and the one I like the best. Their style has matured, and gotten pretty consistent. They are electronic music with a nod toward classical forms: stating themes, moving on from them, returning to them later, doing variations on them, etc.

But they also lift from middle-eastern and latin music, too. This is great study music, keeps you wide awake, but doesn't jar you like the missed (or extra) beats of Massive Attack do. Great stuff. Favorites: Mirando, Imperials, Dura, Mumtaz Khan, Mi Viejo.

Weezer - "Make Believe": How come I've never heard anything by these guys before? They're good! Now I have to find more of their stuff. Fortunately the library is flush. :) Each CD has a waiting list, though. Guess other people like them, too.

And I can see why. The songs are catchy, the vocals are full, the playing is strong. Really, really like this CD. Favorites: Beverly Hills, This Is Such A Pity, Hold Me, We Are All On Drugs, Haunt You Every Day, The Other Way, Lucky Man.

The Verve - "Urban Hymns": Again, where the heck have I been? This is the last CD before their breakup, and now my friend SQ tells me they've gotten back together again for another one. Jeepers, a band has a decent career, breaks up, and reassembles again before I even know about them. Pay attention, mister!

So, this CD has a pretty laid-back but full sound, with cello and violin rounding out the guitars. The songs aren't all that compelling, nor is the singing, but the album hangs together stylistically and thematically. The title is apt; the songs are generally richly orchestrated and lack prominent solos. Maybe it's a bit of an acquired taste, I don't know. But it's not bad. Favorites: Bitter Sweet Symphony, Space and Time, The Drugs Don't Work.

Ben Kweller - "Changing Horses": Courtesy of SQ, this newest of Kweller's efforts keeps up the trend I observed in his last concert - developing his country style, which is a great direction for him. I've talked about his music here before, so won't repeat myself, but.. I can't wait to see him again on the 17th at the Varsity! (along with the whole three-track bunch) Favorites: Fight, Wantin' Her Again, On Her Own, Homeward Bound.

250 Miles

... on this pair of running shoes, since I began running (reluctantly!) in August of '07. :) In my first 3 1/2 months of it, I put on 37 miles, and happily knocked off for the winter.



That is, until my doctor scolded me in mid-winter about my bloodwork readings going the wrong way. So, a year ago I laced 'em up again (yuk!) and plodded on (indoors.) Well, as the year went by, it got easier and less painful, and the miles started to add up, so that, even with nearly 2 months of layoff pre-and post knee surgery, I still put on 200 miles in 12 months.

So just before leaving for KC, I crossed the 250 mile marker, and now am on pace for, oh.. 25 miles a month or so? About 300 miles this year, or at least I hope so. Twice a week, give or take, and stretching it a lap every time, so that maybe I can run a 10K in May, goaded politely by my buddy SQ. If I can manage that, then maybe I can work on speed instead of distance.

And, as long as the knee holds up, who knows? Another lap here, another lap there, pretty soon you're talking a 1/2 marathon.

(notice YOU'RE talking 1/2 marathon. Not me; not yet. As of today it's still just a concept. Today's run of 3 1/2 miles is still a far cry from 10K. One milestone at a time.)

But 500 miles on these shoes by my next birthday... is at least possible. Maybe even likely. :)