You can tell she and I share a common spirit, even just in our use of semicolons. She narrates my life, with a slight accent and a better vocabulary than my own. ;-)
But seriously, this part of Jane Eyre really caught my attention - is this Jane's fortune being told, or my own? I find myself in a sort of paradox; I think it'd be great to emulate Mr. Rochester (in personality, if not in circumstances), but I find myself instead sharing traits with Jane, which, while not a bad thing at all, may wind up being barriers to my happiness...
Read on! This is the fortune-teller talking to Jane:
"Your fortune is yet doubtful; when I examined your face, one trait contradicted another. Chance has meted you a measure of happiness; that I know. I knew it before you came here this evening. She has laid it carefully on one side for you; I saw her do it; it depends on yourself to stretch out your hand, and take it up; but whether you will do so, is the problem I study...
"The flame flickers in the eye - the eye shines like dew; it looks soft and full of feeling - it smiles at my jargon - it is susceptible; impression follows impression through its clear sphere; when it ceases to smile it is sad - an unconscious lassitude weighs on the lid, that signifies melancholy resulting from loneliness; it turns from me; it will not suffer further scrutiny; it seems to deny, by a mocking glance, the truth of the discoveries I have already made - to disown the charge both of sensibility and chagrin; its pride and reserve only confirm me in my opinion. The eye is favorable.
"As to the mouth, it delights at times in laughter; it is disposed to impart all that the brain conceives, though, I dare say, it would be silent on much the heart experiences. Mobile and flexible, it was never intended to be compressed in the eternal silence of solitude; it is a mouth which should speak much and smile often, and have human affection for its interlocutor. This feature also is propitious.
"I see no enemy to a fortunate issue but in the brow; and that brow professes to say - 'I can live alone, if self-respect and circumstances require me so to do. I need not sell my soul to buy bliss. I have an inward treasure, born with me, which can keep me alive if all extraneous delights should be withheld, or offered only at a price I cannot afford to give.' The forehead declares, 'Reason sits firm and holds the reigns, and she will not let the feelings burst away and hurry her to wild chasms. The passions may rage furiously, like true heathens, as they are; and the desires may imagine all sorts of vain things: but judgment shall still have the last word in every argument, and the casting vote in every decision. Strong wind, earthquake-shock, and fire may pass by: but I shall follow the guiding of that still small voice which interprets the dictates of conscience.'
"Well said, forehead; your declaration shall be respected."
- the fortune-teller, in Jane Eyre
Friday, March 23
Tuesday, March 20
Jordan the Politico
So I'm usually not much into posting on politics.
However, a friend of mine has been doing a lot of research on upcoming candidates - their past records and their statements about the poor, here and abroad. This deserves some recognition, and so if you haven't read it yet, it's at http://galatians210.blogspot.com/index.html.
However, a friend of mine has been doing a lot of research on upcoming candidates - their past records and their statements about the poor, here and abroad. This deserves some recognition, and so if you haven't read it yet, it's at http://galatians210.blogspot.com/index.html.
Monday, March 19
My state of residence was disarray…
Man, it's hard to feel hopeful and incomplacent at the same time. When I stop goofing around, my life catches up to me and I feel a bit overwhelmed by directionlessness and uselessness. I cry out to God to show me purpose and vision beyond what I see with my everyday eyes. He is a good God, doing more than I could ask or imagine; I know exciting things must be happening somewhere in the world, and if they do turn out to be happening right where I'm living now, I pray for eyes to see them, and the chance to be even a small part of them.
In a similar vein, a friend has said one must wait for a heroic love (in the context of romantic relationships), a love that strongly binds and fiercely defends. This is in opposition to settling for the usual chick-flick-style drama of "boy messes things up, she gets mad, he apologizes, will they / won't they, and then they do." I could not agree more. It's an intimidatingly scary thing, though, both to wait, and also to love like heroes! I am not sure I am ready or able to love heroically, though I pray that I find the courage and strength to do so. I fear I am more the type to love Romantically… passionately, longingly, tragically, sacrificially, and unrequitedly. May God prove my fears, as always, to be unfounded.
In other news, I saw "The Battle of Algiers" over the weekend. (Don't look for it on Fandango, look on Netflix - it was made in 1965.) The review said it is "astonishingly relevant" today, and I suppose you can judge for yourself if you see it. I found it to be true, though… For a movie in French from forty years ago, it's especially surprising. Has America turned into Imperialist France from fifty years ago? I'd say maybe more so than we'd like to admit.
By the 1950s, France had been the colonial power in Algeria for more than a hundred years already. The city of Algiers was divided, though, into the European Quarter and the Islamic Algerian rest of the city. An independence/resistance movement started up and began terrorist activities to kick out the French… the movie tells the tale of the man who ends up leading the resistance movement, and the various criminal tactics they employ, and the escalation that occurs as France decides to send in troops to "interrogate" suspects and destroy the organization. I won't say how it turns out… but I will say that the issues of Muslim/Western culture clashes, the use of torture, the western power just trying to police the city and keep the peace, the facelessness of a terrorist enemy (the actual organization in the movie is mainly 4 guys, but there's 400,000 native Algerians in the city that are all suspects, as each could be carrying bombs or whatnot), and the ease with which both sides slip from their high ideals into prejudice, hatred, and crimes against humanity – all these are definitely "astonishingly relevant." And for a movie made only 4 years after Algeria actually gained its independence… it's amazingly even-handed. It definitely helps explain the current French attitude a little better. I think it should be required viewing for world leaders today.
Not much else is new. I get to go up to the bay area in two weeks! And London in less than 2 months... much craziness.
Wednesday, February 21
localized randomness
Another week gone by...
I was very thankful for the extra day to spend relaxing, courtesy of Washington and Lincoln. It was a beautiful day, and among other activities, I finally got to see "Pan's Labyrinth" (which is kind of like "Narnia" meets "Donnie Darko" meets "Amelie," except in Spanish). Needless to say, I liked it a lot.
Also this last weekend included some quality time spent with Dave G and my fellow claremont folks - and a great Lizst/Mussorgsky piano recital courtesy of Dr. Huang. Good stuff - I've always liked those impressionist composers.
But now, to the true reason for my posting. I believe I can truly say I've left the world a better place, after a realization this morning - namely:
Yoda quotes are the perfect answer to all those questions you never want to hear.
Let me explain, by way of examples. First, a classic -
"Does this make me look fat?"
Previously, there did not exist a good answer to this question, but now, try the following:
"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not."
An incredibly appropriate answer. And, the better you can do the voice, the more likely you are to have completely escaped your untimely death.
Another example, lest you still doubt:
"Shouldn't we stop and ask for directions?"
To which, one need only reply:
"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
And of course there are more:
"Can my mother stay with us for a while?"
"Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. "
"Have you cleaned the bathroom like I asked?"
"Around the survivors a perimeter create."
"Have you thought about where this relationship is headed?"
“Ready are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh. Excitement. Heh. A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless.”
Okay, so maybe that last one was less spot-on. And maybe these are more helpful(?) to guys. But Yoda works for the ladies, too!
"So, tonight, what will I find for dinner?"
"Only what you take with you."
"Have you seen the remote?"
"Lost a planet Master Obi-wan has. How embarrassing."
"Is that a grey hair?"
"When 900 years you reach, look as good, you will not."
"How about those Bears?"
"Blind we are, if creation of this clone army we could not see."
Needless to say, I am honored to be able to bestow this wisdom on you the faithful readers.
Remember the one rule, though, if you are going to try to quote Yoda:
"Do or do not. There is no try."
I was very thankful for the extra day to spend relaxing, courtesy of Washington and Lincoln. It was a beautiful day, and among other activities, I finally got to see "Pan's Labyrinth" (which is kind of like "Narnia" meets "Donnie Darko" meets "Amelie," except in Spanish). Needless to say, I liked it a lot.
Also this last weekend included some quality time spent with Dave G and my fellow claremont folks - and a great Lizst/Mussorgsky piano recital courtesy of Dr. Huang. Good stuff - I've always liked those impressionist composers.
But now, to the true reason for my posting. I believe I can truly say I've left the world a better place, after a realization this morning - namely:
Yoda quotes are the perfect answer to all those questions you never want to hear.
Let me explain, by way of examples. First, a classic -
"Does this make me look fat?"
Previously, there did not exist a good answer to this question, but now, try the following:
"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not."
An incredibly appropriate answer. And, the better you can do the voice, the more likely you are to have completely escaped your untimely death.
Another example, lest you still doubt:
"Shouldn't we stop and ask for directions?"
To which, one need only reply:
"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
And of course there are more:
"Can my mother stay with us for a while?"
"Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. "
"Have you cleaned the bathroom like I asked?"
"Around the survivors a perimeter create."
"Have you thought about where this relationship is headed?"
“Ready are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh. Excitement. Heh. A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless.”
Okay, so maybe that last one was less spot-on. And maybe these are more helpful(?) to guys. But Yoda works for the ladies, too!
"So, tonight, what will I find for dinner?"
"Only what you take with you."
"Have you seen the remote?"
"Lost a planet Master Obi-wan has. How embarrassing."
"Is that a grey hair?"
"When 900 years you reach, look as good, you will not."
"How about those Bears?"
"Blind we are, if creation of this clone army we could not see."
Needless to say, I am honored to be able to bestow this wisdom on you the faithful readers.
Remember the one rule, though, if you are going to try to quote Yoda:
"Do or do not. There is no try."
Tuesday, February 13
Saint Valentine has got to be turning in his grave...
Well, I've been a little subdued lately.
This weekend I went ATV-ing with Jacob, Sarah, and Ryan - it was tons of fun, and my first time out on the sand dunes. It was very exciting and decidedly un-subdued. I came back, though, on Sunday night, already so incredibly sore from the workout that I could barely walk. I'm still a little sore.
Next weekend is a three-day weekend. I'm looking forward to that. Anybody want to do anything?
Not much has been up. No changes here; I long ago discovered I do things at my own pace regardless of holidays, milestones, or social convention. Moreover, I think this stems from a deep desire to do things at God's pace... and I guess he's been slow, lately, too.
I had time to read while not on ATVs this weekend (Jacob's family only owns two, so we couldn't all be out at once) and so I'm a little further in Eldest, and also in "Of God and Men" by A.W. Tozer. Tozer is very convicting and, unfortunately, bad trends he observed back in the 1950s have not reversed themselves since...
"Americans are not naturally an unenthusiastic people... We walk faster, drive faster, earn more, spend more and run a higher blood pressure than any other people in the world.
In only one field of human interest are we slow and apathetic: that is the field of personal religion... So we find this strange and contradictory situation: a world of noisy, headlong religious activity carried on without moral energy or spiritual fervor.
The flush and excitement of the soul in love must be sought in the New Testament or in the biographies of the saints; we look for them in vain among the professed followers of Christ in our day."
Also, I had a great time driving to San Diego and back with Ryan. On the way there, we listened to John Cleese read The Screwtape Letters (yay books on tape!) and I was reminded again of how incredible that book is. On the way back, we had a very timely discussion on the prospect of being single Christian guys and how difficult and awesome that can be. It was a Good time.
Words to the wise in this crazy season:
1. Don't complain about the lack of available "good" members of the opposite gender. You are always wrong, and you just end up seeming bitter and thoughtless. Especially when you complain to members of the opposite gender who happen to be single.
2. Be honest with God and yourself, even if that involves yelling. He will understand.
3. Read 1 Cor. 13:4-8 and remember that it's talking about love for everyone, charity (agape).
4. Remember you are never alone, always loved, and eternally embraced.
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." - 1 Cor. 13:12.
"If your patient is aware that horrors may be in store for him, and is praying for the virtues wherewith to meet them, and meanwhile, concerning himself with the present, because there and there alone all duty, all grace, all knowledge, and all pleasure dwell - his state is very undesirable and should be attacked at once. Here again, our philological arm has done good work: try the word "complacency" on him. But of course, it is most likely that he is living in the present for none of these reasons but simply because his health is good and he is enjoying his work. The phenomenon would then be merely natural. All the same, I should break it up if I were you. No natural phenomenon is really in our favor; and anyway, why should the creature be happy?
Your affectionate uncle,
Screwtape"
This weekend I went ATV-ing with Jacob, Sarah, and Ryan - it was tons of fun, and my first time out on the sand dunes. It was very exciting and decidedly un-subdued. I came back, though, on Sunday night, already so incredibly sore from the workout that I could barely walk. I'm still a little sore.
Next weekend is a three-day weekend. I'm looking forward to that. Anybody want to do anything?
Not much has been up. No changes here; I long ago discovered I do things at my own pace regardless of holidays, milestones, or social convention. Moreover, I think this stems from a deep desire to do things at God's pace... and I guess he's been slow, lately, too.
I had time to read while not on ATVs this weekend (Jacob's family only owns two, so we couldn't all be out at once) and so I'm a little further in Eldest, and also in "Of God and Men" by A.W. Tozer. Tozer is very convicting and, unfortunately, bad trends he observed back in the 1950s have not reversed themselves since...
"Americans are not naturally an unenthusiastic people... We walk faster, drive faster, earn more, spend more and run a higher blood pressure than any other people in the world.
In only one field of human interest are we slow and apathetic: that is the field of personal religion... So we find this strange and contradictory situation: a world of noisy, headlong religious activity carried on without moral energy or spiritual fervor.
The flush and excitement of the soul in love must be sought in the New Testament or in the biographies of the saints; we look for them in vain among the professed followers of Christ in our day."
Also, I had a great time driving to San Diego and back with Ryan. On the way there, we listened to John Cleese read The Screwtape Letters (yay books on tape!) and I was reminded again of how incredible that book is. On the way back, we had a very timely discussion on the prospect of being single Christian guys and how difficult and awesome that can be. It was a Good time.
Words to the wise in this crazy season:
1. Don't complain about the lack of available "good" members of the opposite gender. You are always wrong, and you just end up seeming bitter and thoughtless. Especially when you complain to members of the opposite gender who happen to be single.
2. Be honest with God and yourself, even if that involves yelling. He will understand.
3. Read 1 Cor. 13:4-8 and remember that it's talking about love for everyone, charity (agape).
4. Remember you are never alone, always loved, and eternally embraced.
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." - 1 Cor. 13:12.
"If your patient is aware that horrors may be in store for him, and is praying for the virtues wherewith to meet them, and meanwhile, concerning himself with the present, because there and there alone all duty, all grace, all knowledge, and all pleasure dwell - his state is very undesirable and should be attacked at once. Here again, our philological arm has done good work: try the word "complacency" on him. But of course, it is most likely that he is living in the present for none of these reasons but simply because his health is good and he is enjoying his work. The phenomenon would then be merely natural. All the same, I should break it up if I were you. No natural phenomenon is really in our favor; and anyway, why should the creature be happy?
Your affectionate uncle,
Screwtape"
Tuesday, February 6
Self explanatory?
No, I don't have a cat. Nor am I suddenly a cat person. But cats do seem to lend themselves to photography and amusing captions, which I can appreciate.
Tuesday, January 23
on life, and sketchiness.
So here's the deal. I love God. And Jesus.
And I strive to be last.
As a result, I weird people out. Jesus says this is a normal reaction; I tend to agree.
I am the odd one out. I am the sketchy one; I have no circle of friends, no girlfriend, no easy quick answer for why I'm here or where I'm going. I don't belong here.
Alone in LA, I am not busy. I honestly do have time for you; very rarely is anybody interrupting me. After many long years that were not like this, I am happy to be at such a place. If you want to talk, or need a ride, or anything, really - I will do my best.
I like life. I like sunrises and sunsets; clouds, trees, and birds. God's given me bouquets the size of fields, paintings the size of the sky, and music from oceans and crickets and everything in-between. I often get the feeling that something happens for the sole reason that I would see it and praise God and just stand in awe. I try to make sure as many people as possible get chances to do the same; it's a standing offer for anyone who'd like to just sit or walk or run with me and just take it all in.
I like people. This is probably the weirdest thing about me. People who have mocked me, deserted me, been callous towards me - I can actually be happy for them when good things come their way. I can hold a grudge with the best of them, don't get me wrong - but praise God that he's helped me avoid keeping any good record of wrongs. And how much more so for my friends - I am fiercely loyal. You probably know this already.
God has led me down an odd path. I find myself an unplanned and unfunded missionary; a broken and frail bastion of strength; a lazy and undisciplined persevere-r; a sarcastic and cynical optimist; and a lonely and independent member of the Body. He's shown me that you don't have to travel overseas to be completely out of your culture and comfort zone. And he's shown me that for those he loves, everything can still sometimes fall apart. Martyrs and saints were only doing what didn't come naturally... sometimes the greatest blessing God gives you involves taking away everything else he's given you up to this point.
So what can I say? I'm me. No, I don't have it all together; sometimes I need to just spend an afternoon reading Calvin and Hobbes, or Calvin, and Hobbes. No, I don't keep up appearances; I may feel kinda bad about heading to church in jeans and a t-shirt, but I know God sees hearts. Nope, I don't stay emotionally unattached, that's no way to live. As a good friend and I were talking about just last night, God did not say anything anywhere about 'helping those who help themselves' - rather, he came for the sick, not the well. So yep, I am dorky/sketchy/messy/awkward/broken, and I heartily recommend it. Praise God for anything that keeps you leaning on His love and that helps you see it more clearly.
And I strive to be last.
As a result, I weird people out. Jesus says this is a normal reaction; I tend to agree.
I am the odd one out. I am the sketchy one; I have no circle of friends, no girlfriend, no easy quick answer for why I'm here or where I'm going. I don't belong here.
Alone in LA, I am not busy. I honestly do have time for you; very rarely is anybody interrupting me. After many long years that were not like this, I am happy to be at such a place. If you want to talk, or need a ride, or anything, really - I will do my best.
I like life. I like sunrises and sunsets; clouds, trees, and birds. God's given me bouquets the size of fields, paintings the size of the sky, and music from oceans and crickets and everything in-between. I often get the feeling that something happens for the sole reason that I would see it and praise God and just stand in awe. I try to make sure as many people as possible get chances to do the same; it's a standing offer for anyone who'd like to just sit or walk or run with me and just take it all in.
I like people. This is probably the weirdest thing about me. People who have mocked me, deserted me, been callous towards me - I can actually be happy for them when good things come their way. I can hold a grudge with the best of them, don't get me wrong - but praise God that he's helped me avoid keeping any good record of wrongs. And how much more so for my friends - I am fiercely loyal. You probably know this already.
God has led me down an odd path. I find myself an unplanned and unfunded missionary; a broken and frail bastion of strength; a lazy and undisciplined persevere-r; a sarcastic and cynical optimist; and a lonely and independent member of the Body. He's shown me that you don't have to travel overseas to be completely out of your culture and comfort zone. And he's shown me that for those he loves, everything can still sometimes fall apart. Martyrs and saints were only doing what didn't come naturally... sometimes the greatest blessing God gives you involves taking away everything else he's given you up to this point.
So what can I say? I'm me. No, I don't have it all together; sometimes I need to just spend an afternoon reading Calvin and Hobbes, or Calvin, and Hobbes. No, I don't keep up appearances; I may feel kinda bad about heading to church in jeans and a t-shirt, but I know God sees hearts. Nope, I don't stay emotionally unattached, that's no way to live. As a good friend and I were talking about just last night, God did not say anything anywhere about 'helping those who help themselves' - rather, he came for the sick, not the well. So yep, I am dorky/sketchy/messy/awkward/broken, and I heartily recommend it. Praise God for anything that keeps you leaning on His love and that helps you see it more clearly.
Monday, January 8
Yay for 2007!
So it's a new year. Last year, I summed things up with a dichotomy of two songs: this year I'll do the same – in my worse moments I feel exactly in resonance with "Perfect Situation" by Weezer, but mostly I feel like "Lead of Love" by Caedmon's Call (lyrics to both follow).
Obligatory photos of Hawaii:
Fig. 1: The view from the rim of Diamond Head Crater - that's Honolulu out there with all the tall buildings. It's a very vertical city.
Fig. 2: It rained a bit while we were there, but the wedding itself was nice and clear, and it just meant there were lots of rainbows around.
Fig. 3: This is Manoa Falls, which Jon, Cathy, Sharon, Ed and I hiked to... in the rain. We got soaked, but it was tons of fun. This close, it was hard to tell whether the drops falling on us were from the rain, or the waterfall. :-)
So I gotta ask if anybody else out there has seen District B13 - it's a french action film... with a soundtrack that includes angry french rap, and the sport parkour... it's a great movie. :-)
Lastly... my two songs from 2006:
First, Weezer - such an impassioned song...
"What's the deal, with my brain?
Why am I so obviously insane?
In a perfect situation, I let love down the drain.
There's the pitch, slow and straight,
All I have to do is swing and I'm a hero... but I'm a zero.
Hungry nights, once again, now it's getting unbelievable
Because I could not have it better, but I just can't get no play
from the girls all around, as they search the night for someone to hold on to.
I just pass through.
Singin' Oh ohhh, oh ohhh, oh ohhh, oooohhhh
Get your hands off the girl, can't you see that she belongs to me?
And I don't appreciate this excess company.
Though I can't satisfy all the needs she has and so she starts to wander...
Can you blame her?
Singin' Oh ohhh, oh ohhh, oh ohhh, oooohhhh
Tell me there's a logic out there
Leading me to better prepare
For the day when something really special might come
Tell me there's some hope for me
I don't want to be lonely
For the rest of my days on the earth.
Woooaaaaa!
Singin' Oh ohhh, oh ohhh, oh ohhh, oooohhhh" - "Perfect Situation" - Weezer
And in my better moments, Caedmon's Call:
"Looking back at the road so far
The journey's left its share of scars
Mostly from leaving the narrow and straight.
Looking back it is clear to me
That man is more than the sum of his genes
And how You make good of this mess I've made
Is a profound mystery.
Looking back you know you had to bring me through
All that I was
So afraid of
Though I questioned the sky
Now I see why
I had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view
Looking back, I see the lead of love.
Looking back I can finally see
My failures bring humility -
Brings me to my knees
Helps me see my need for thee.
Looking back you know you had to bring me through
All that I was, so afraid of,
Though I questioned the sky
Now I see why
I had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view
Looking back, I see the lead of love." - "Lead of Love" - Caedmon's Call
Here's to 2007 - may it be a better year than 2006 in all regards, for all of us! :-)
A lot has happened since I last posted, but now I find myself back in Pasadena, still workin' hard and trying to find things to do with my evenings/weekends. I had a good talk with Rob last night, and it was a good reminder that our first goal is just to know Christ so we can show him to others, wherever we are – discerning if he wants us to change our circumstances to do so is a secondary thing.
I was home for Christmas, which was really nice and relaxing. There was much good food, WAY too much chocolate, and I was beginning to feel like a real full-fledged adult part of the family, which is kinda new.
Then, I went to Hawaii! The main purpose was to see Michy and Brian wed, but I had a couple days on either side of that happy event in which to see the various parts of Oahu. I'd never been, before. It was also very relaxing, when the sea was being nice, and I got to snorkel and hike and see lots of old friends who had also traveled out there for the wedding. Shout outs to Lizard, Daniel, River, Cathy, and One, whom I was happy to see especially since they've been more than a thousand miles away from me for way more than a year. One of the highlights of the wedding (besides the fact that Michy and Brian are married!) was getting to be a part of a quartet toasting the groom - we sang "Brian" (to the tune of "My Girl") (at One's request here reprinted):
"He's got Linux, installed on his PC,
and when I need a cord, he's got six there for me.
I guess you'd say his pockets are full today!
Brian, Brian, Brian, talkin' bout Brian... Brian!
He's got so much memory, the geeks envy him
And Michelle thinks he's pretty, though his hair got a trim
I guess he'd say, "Green's a great shirt for today!"
Brian, Brian, Brian, talkin' bout Brian... Brian!
He likes root beer, and double espressos
And he'll stick with Michelle, through the highs and the lows
I guess she'd say, "What can make me feel this way?"
Brian, Brian, Brian, talkin' bout Brian... Brian!"
Obligatory photos of Hawaii:
Fig. 1: The view from the rim of Diamond Head Crater - that's Honolulu out there with all the tall buildings. It's a very vertical city.
Fig. 2: It rained a bit while we were there, but the wedding itself was nice and clear, and it just meant there were lots of rainbows around.
Fig. 3: This is Manoa Falls, which Jon, Cathy, Sharon, Ed and I hiked to... in the rain. We got soaked, but it was tons of fun. This close, it was hard to tell whether the drops falling on us were from the rain, or the waterfall. :-)So I gotta ask if anybody else out there has seen District B13 - it's a french action film... with a soundtrack that includes angry french rap, and the sport parkour... it's a great movie. :-)
Lastly... my two songs from 2006:
First, Weezer - such an impassioned song...
"What's the deal, with my brain?
Why am I so obviously insane?
In a perfect situation, I let love down the drain.
There's the pitch, slow and straight,
All I have to do is swing and I'm a hero... but I'm a zero.
Hungry nights, once again, now it's getting unbelievable
Because I could not have it better, but I just can't get no play
from the girls all around, as they search the night for someone to hold on to.
I just pass through.
Singin' Oh ohhh, oh ohhh, oh ohhh, oooohhhh
Get your hands off the girl, can't you see that she belongs to me?
And I don't appreciate this excess company.
Though I can't satisfy all the needs she has and so she starts to wander...
Can you blame her?
Singin' Oh ohhh, oh ohhh, oh ohhh, oooohhhh
Tell me there's a logic out there
Leading me to better prepare
For the day when something really special might come
Tell me there's some hope for me
I don't want to be lonely
For the rest of my days on the earth.
Woooaaaaa!
Singin' Oh ohhh, oh ohhh, oh ohhh, oooohhhh" - "Perfect Situation" - Weezer
And in my better moments, Caedmon's Call:
"Looking back at the road so far
The journey's left its share of scars
Mostly from leaving the narrow and straight.
Looking back it is clear to me
That man is more than the sum of his genes
And how You make good of this mess I've made
Is a profound mystery.
Looking back you know you had to bring me through
All that I was
So afraid of
Though I questioned the sky
Now I see why
I had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view
Looking back, I see the lead of love.
Looking back I can finally see
My failures bring humility -
Brings me to my knees
Helps me see my need for thee.
Looking back you know you had to bring me through
All that I was, so afraid of,
Though I questioned the sky
Now I see why
I had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view
Looking back, I see the lead of love." - "Lead of Love" - Caedmon's Call
Here's to 2007 - may it be a better year than 2006 in all regards, for all of us! :-)
Thursday, December 21
Parrots of Destruction!
it's been a crazy week.
So, I was out in Claremont last weekend, to celebrate their end of the semester. I got to eat dinner with Buck, Heather, Mina, and Philip and Dave G. We saw Eragon, too, which was... well, not Narnia. Nor LOTR. But also not bad.
Saturday morning found me wandering the streets of C-town when suddenly I was intrigued by a very loud and slightly-familiar noise... lots of parrots! Yep! Wild Parrots of Claremont, baby! And there were literally several hundred of them in a park near Foothill. They were making a TON of noise, and were in the process of kicking out (yep, kicking out) the local crows. Did I mention there were HUNDREDS OF PARROTS ALONG FOOTHILL BLVD IN CLAREMONT? It was crazy. Here are some photos:
Fig. 1: Every tree around the border of the soccer field looked like this... I should stress that it was noisy and that there was a ridiculous number of birds.
Fig 2: Here is one caught by himself... there is a crow further down the line he proceeded to chase off. It was quite the turf war.
Fig 3: It was seriously like something out of "Birds."
In other news, my sister is in Germany! For pretty much the month of December. She is visiting her german boyfriend Sascha - here is the little town where he grew up, and my sister, who is definitely enjoying herself. I am very happy for her! She's quite the sister.
Fig 4: Jilly, and Biberach. I saw the photo and thought, dang! she is living the dream.
Fig. 5: His front door... his family has been really welcoming and they stuck a photo of Jill and Sascha on the door for when they arrived. So cute.
Speaking of cute, this... is a Mini Cooper... belonging to a friend I know at Mudd. It was pranked... and I have to say, that, for being a 3M and not an Avery product, those Post-Its really do make a nice addition to an already stylish car:
Fig 6: The most colorful Mini in the world... note the checkered roof, even. I was not a part of this prank but I heartily applaud whomever it was who had WAY too much time on their hands. :-)
I haven't had much time even to think, this week. Tomorrow I fly north to the Bay Area, and I'm looking forward to seeing my family. And on Wednesday I'm flying out to Hawai'i for Michy and Brian's wedding! I am psyched for them, and excited to get to tour around Oahu with some good friends. I'm sure I will have many more photos and tales to tell when I return in the New Year! Meanwhile, to anybody reading this, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
Remember:
"No one is a failure who has friends."
and
"This is Love, that a man should lay down his life for his friends." From before he was born down here, Jesus' life was all about us... making it so that rather than being mere servants of God, we could be able to call him Father.
We are loved. Whether it's through the waves on the beaches in Hawai'i, through crowds of colorful parrots, or through the Christmas story itself... let yourself be reminded that God is the giver of all good things, and that he's madly in love with you.
So, I was out in Claremont last weekend, to celebrate their end of the semester. I got to eat dinner with Buck, Heather, Mina, and Philip and Dave G. We saw Eragon, too, which was... well, not Narnia. Nor LOTR. But also not bad.
Saturday morning found me wandering the streets of C-town when suddenly I was intrigued by a very loud and slightly-familiar noise... lots of parrots! Yep! Wild Parrots of Claremont, baby! And there were literally several hundred of them in a park near Foothill. They were making a TON of noise, and were in the process of kicking out (yep, kicking out) the local crows. Did I mention there were HUNDREDS OF PARROTS ALONG FOOTHILL BLVD IN CLAREMONT? It was crazy. Here are some photos:
Fig. 1: Every tree around the border of the soccer field looked like this... I should stress that it was noisy and that there was a ridiculous number of birds.
Fig 2: Here is one caught by himself... there is a crow further down the line he proceeded to chase off. It was quite the turf war.
Fig 3: It was seriously like something out of "Birds."In other news, my sister is in Germany! For pretty much the month of December. She is visiting her german boyfriend Sascha - here is the little town where he grew up, and my sister, who is definitely enjoying herself. I am very happy for her! She's quite the sister.
Fig 4: Jilly, and Biberach. I saw the photo and thought, dang! she is living the dream.
Fig. 5: His front door... his family has been really welcoming and they stuck a photo of Jill and Sascha on the door for when they arrived. So cute.Speaking of cute, this... is a Mini Cooper... belonging to a friend I know at Mudd. It was pranked... and I have to say, that, for being a 3M and not an Avery product, those Post-Its really do make a nice addition to an already stylish car:
Fig 6: The most colorful Mini in the world... note the checkered roof, even. I was not a part of this prank but I heartily applaud whomever it was who had WAY too much time on their hands. :-)I haven't had much time even to think, this week. Tomorrow I fly north to the Bay Area, and I'm looking forward to seeing my family. And on Wednesday I'm flying out to Hawai'i for Michy and Brian's wedding! I am psyched for them, and excited to get to tour around Oahu with some good friends. I'm sure I will have many more photos and tales to tell when I return in the New Year! Meanwhile, to anybody reading this, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
Remember:
"No one is a failure who has friends."
and
"This is Love, that a man should lay down his life for his friends." From before he was born down here, Jesus' life was all about us... making it so that rather than being mere servants of God, we could be able to call him Father.
We are loved. Whether it's through the waves on the beaches in Hawai'i, through crowds of colorful parrots, or through the Christmas story itself... let yourself be reminded that God is the giver of all good things, and that he's madly in love with you.
Thursday, December 14
work-stuff
Things have been interesting lately. Several observations of late:
I have done more christmas shopping this year than ever before. This is a good thing. I am truly thankful for the chance to give cool things to my friends.
For the first time, I was not carded for alcohol... sigh.
I'm currently working on my third alcoholic beverage in as many weeks - this has got to be some sort of record for me. :-) Also: beer and taquitos, baby. Oh yeah.
Brenhaug's bachelor party was last weekend. Poor guy, going and getting married like that... thankfully I get to go to Hawaii (in 2 weeks!) and go to the wedding - Michy and Brian are great, individually, and together.
Work has had a "secret santa" thing over the last week - it's been crazy-fun. In addition to tons of chocolate, I received a snow-globe with like ten puppies around it ( =overload of cuteness), a glass chess set, and a "The Office" calendar. I think everybody who participated felt as loved as I did - and it felt really good to give, as well.
Speaking of work, here's a photo taken by our Safety Coordinator, who was documenting the state of things in lab and decided that Lizbeth and myself were also worthy of record. Anyhow, I thought it captured us quite well:
(Fig. 1: Liz shows me how to run the DMA, or "Dynamic Mechanical Analysis" machine. Oh, it's as exciting as it sounds, trust me.)
I have done more christmas shopping this year than ever before. This is a good thing. I am truly thankful for the chance to give cool things to my friends.
For the first time, I was not carded for alcohol... sigh.
I'm currently working on my third alcoholic beverage in as many weeks - this has got to be some sort of record for me. :-) Also: beer and taquitos, baby. Oh yeah.
Brenhaug's bachelor party was last weekend. Poor guy, going and getting married like that... thankfully I get to go to Hawaii (in 2 weeks!) and go to the wedding - Michy and Brian are great, individually, and together.
Work has had a "secret santa" thing over the last week - it's been crazy-fun. In addition to tons of chocolate, I received a snow-globe with like ten puppies around it ( =overload of cuteness), a glass chess set, and a "The Office" calendar. I think everybody who participated felt as loved as I did - and it felt really good to give, as well.
Speaking of work, here's a photo taken by our Safety Coordinator, who was documenting the state of things in lab and decided that Lizbeth and myself were also worthy of record. Anyhow, I thought it captured us quite well:
(Fig. 1: Liz shows me how to run the DMA, or "Dynamic Mechanical Analysis" machine. Oh, it's as exciting as it sounds, trust me.)
Wednesday, December 13
Love...
Love advice from the Jordy:
"I've had a lot of conversations that did not go as I would have liked... but only very few that I really regret having."
***
"I have felt various levels of attachment to multiple females at once, before... I dunno about polygamy, though... I'm still looking for even one."
***
"If you have good reason why God may be opposed to such a match-up... then your choice has already been made for you."
***
"I suppose you could say that real love may make one do silly or preposterous things... but not unwise things."
***
"You (hopefully?) have a very different road ahead of you than my own. :-)"
***
"Wait until you find somebody that your heart and brain can agree on."
***
All of those are things I've said, on different occasions. Some thoughts from wiser folk than I:
"Anything worth doing is worth doing badly." - G.K. Chesterton
"Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained." - C.S. Lewis
"And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her." - Genesis 29:20
"Open rebuke is better than secret love." - Proverbs 27:5
(This follows the Scripture not because it is greater but because this is long, and because it's, well, very apt.)
"Danny and I spent another late night over pancakes,
Talkin' 'bout soccer
And how every man's just the same.
We made speculation
On the who's and the when's of our futures -
And how everyone's lonely
But still we just couldn't complain.
And how we just hate being alone
Could I have missed my only chance
And now I'm just wasting my time
By looking around -
But you know I know better,
I'm not gonna worry 'bout nothing
Cause if the birds and the flowers survive
Then I'll make it okay.
Given a chance and a rock
see which one breaks a window
And see which one keeps me up all night and into the day.
Because I'm so scared of being alone
That I forget what house I live in -
It's not my job to wait by the phone
For her to call...
Well this day's been crazy
But everything's happened on schedule
from the rain and the cold
To the drink that I spilled on my shirt
'Cause You knew how You'd save me
before I fell dead in the garden
And You knew this day
long before You made me out of dirt.
You know the plans that You have for me
And You can't plan the end and not plan the means
And so I suppose I just need some peace
Just to get me to sleep."
- "Table for Two"
"I've had a lot of conversations that did not go as I would have liked... but only very few that I really regret having."
***
"I have felt various levels of attachment to multiple females at once, before... I dunno about polygamy, though... I'm still looking for even one."
***
"If you have good reason why God may be opposed to such a match-up... then your choice has already been made for you."
***
"I suppose you could say that real love may make one do silly or preposterous things... but not unwise things."
***
"You (hopefully?) have a very different road ahead of you than my own. :-)"
***
"Wait until you find somebody that your heart and brain can agree on."
***
All of those are things I've said, on different occasions. Some thoughts from wiser folk than I:
"Anything worth doing is worth doing badly." - G.K. Chesterton
"Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained." - C.S. Lewis
"And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her." - Genesis 29:20
"Open rebuke is better than secret love." - Proverbs 27:5
(This follows the Scripture not because it is greater but because this is long, and because it's, well, very apt.)
"Danny and I spent another late night over pancakes,
Talkin' 'bout soccer
And how every man's just the same.
We made speculation
On the who's and the when's of our futures -
And how everyone's lonely
But still we just couldn't complain.
And how we just hate being alone
Could I have missed my only chance
And now I'm just wasting my time
By looking around -
But you know I know better,
I'm not gonna worry 'bout nothing
Cause if the birds and the flowers survive
Then I'll make it okay.
Given a chance and a rock
see which one breaks a window
And see which one keeps me up all night and into the day.
Because I'm so scared of being alone
That I forget what house I live in -
It's not my job to wait by the phone
For her to call...
Well this day's been crazy
But everything's happened on schedule
from the rain and the cold
To the drink that I spilled on my shirt
'Cause You knew how You'd save me
before I fell dead in the garden
And You knew this day
long before You made me out of dirt.
You know the plans that You have for me
And You can't plan the end and not plan the means
And so I suppose I just need some peace
Just to get me to sleep."
- "Table for Two"
Saturday, December 9
Rain!!!
It is raining in SoCal! Woot!
And, I got to drive home in it, from a great party down at the Brocks' place in Long Beach. It was overall a very fun evening involving many old and a couple new friends, Taboo, chocolate-dipped fruit, a couple different kinds of cheese, and some apple cider. On the way home, I benefited from my "Night-Driving" playlist... the first song up was a perfect one for the first rainy day in a long while... and a good example of why you should carry around an umbrella.
"Bus stop, wet day, she's there, I say,
'please share my umbrella.'
Bus stop, bus go, she stays, love grows
under my umbrella.
All that summer we enjoyed it
Wind and rain... and shine
That umbrella, we employed it
By August she was mine
Every morning I would see her waiting at the stop
Sometimes she'd shop and she would show me what she bought
All the people stared as if we were both quite insane
Someday my name and hers are going to be the same
That's the way the whole thing started
Silly, but it's true;
Thinking of a sweet romance
Beginning in a queue.
Came the sun, the ice was melting
No more sheltering, now
Nice to think that that umbrella
Led me to a vow." - The Hollies, "Bus Stop"
Good ol' sentimental Hollies. :-) Also, I've found that it's a great feeling when a Linkin Park song starts up and it's in time with your windshield wipers. It worked out well.
Anyhow, other recent events include Brenhaug's bachelor party, my acquisition of some new Legos, and some major Christmas shopping (during which I ran into an old friend from high school, even - it's funny when the clerk at Borders comments on a book you're purchasing from the "religion" section... and he's met the author... and he's a theology student at Fuller... and a guy who went to your high school whom you haven't seen in 6 years). It's been good times. But for now, I'm tired.
Buying gifts is fun. I worry that I may have inherited my grandmother's addiction to buying stuff for other people. :-)
And, I got to drive home in it, from a great party down at the Brocks' place in Long Beach. It was overall a very fun evening involving many old and a couple new friends, Taboo, chocolate-dipped fruit, a couple different kinds of cheese, and some apple cider. On the way home, I benefited from my "Night-Driving" playlist... the first song up was a perfect one for the first rainy day in a long while... and a good example of why you should carry around an umbrella.
"Bus stop, wet day, she's there, I say,
'please share my umbrella.'
Bus stop, bus go, she stays, love grows
under my umbrella.
All that summer we enjoyed it
Wind and rain... and shine
That umbrella, we employed it
By August she was mine
Every morning I would see her waiting at the stop
Sometimes she'd shop and she would show me what she bought
All the people stared as if we were both quite insane
Someday my name and hers are going to be the same
That's the way the whole thing started
Silly, but it's true;
Thinking of a sweet romance
Beginning in a queue.
Came the sun, the ice was melting
No more sheltering, now
Nice to think that that umbrella
Led me to a vow." - The Hollies, "Bus Stop"
Good ol' sentimental Hollies. :-) Also, I've found that it's a great feeling when a Linkin Park song starts up and it's in time with your windshield wipers. It worked out well.
Anyhow, other recent events include Brenhaug's bachelor party, my acquisition of some new Legos, and some major Christmas shopping (during which I ran into an old friend from high school, even - it's funny when the clerk at Borders comments on a book you're purchasing from the "religion" section... and he's met the author... and he's a theology student at Fuller... and a guy who went to your high school whom you haven't seen in 6 years). It's been good times. But for now, I'm tired.
Buying gifts is fun. I worry that I may have inherited my grandmother's addiction to buying stuff for other people. :-)
Tuesday, November 28
some photos, etc.
So I decided it was about time to offload some pictures from my camera/phone. :-)
First off, Happy Belated Birthday to Martha, who is at the top, here:
And Renee, bottom-middle, has a birthday on this Friday... but shhh.
Next, some photos of my apartment, and my incredibly clean room! I am so proud of my room - thank you to my parents who were visiting and caused the massive pre-visit cleanup. It feels much nicer to live in my own room now. This first photo is my living room - it's an old photo, from before I really moved much of my stuff in...
Next, my newly-organized dresser-top of cool stuff:
Also visible from this angle...
But not this one. :-)
Lastly, some photos of clouds recently - Pasadena can be pretty, I suppose.
And congrats to these two, who are now engaged! Yay!
First off, Happy Belated Birthday to Martha, who is at the top, here:
And Renee, bottom-middle, has a birthday on this Friday... but shhh.Next, some photos of my apartment, and my incredibly clean room! I am so proud of my room - thank you to my parents who were visiting and caused the massive pre-visit cleanup. It feels much nicer to live in my own room now. This first photo is my living room - it's an old photo, from before I really moved much of my stuff in...
Next, my newly-organized dresser-top of cool stuff:
Also visible from this angle...
But not this one. :-)
Lastly, some photos of clouds recently - Pasadena can be pretty, I suppose.
And congrats to these two, who are now engaged! Yay!
Tuesday, November 21
My feminine side, and more lyrics
I'm not very macho:
I've been involved in baking adventures both of the last two weekends...
I put up a collage on my wall of various cards and postcards I've received over the last year, each one from a different person, and it's by my door so I'll see them as I head out of my room each morning...
At the moment, I'm listening to "I'm Just a Girl" by No Doubt...
I've spent the evening cooking, cleaning, and folding clothes...
I have a fuzzy green sweater that is the softest sweater in the world, and I'm hoping the weather gets cooler so I can wear it...
Buying my own food is fun - it's Eggnog season again! Also, I've discovered that getting a loaf of raisin bread is worth it because when it's just me around the house, I'll toast it and eat it, whereas a normal loaf of bread lasts me long past when the bread goes stale. And what's up with me finally liking vanilla yogurt? did they just recently put flavoring in it so that it tastes good, or what? Lastly, three words: Heath Klondike Bars.
Anyhow.
My family arrives tomorrow from NorCal! Yay!
So Greg corrected me - in the last post, I mentioned him saying he was born to be in his mid-twenties - really, he believes he will be hitting his stride in his late twenties. So he has a ways to go, yet.
A friend of mine voiced the opinion that if Greg was born to be in his late twenties, perhaps I was born to be eight (playing with Lego, etc). :-) It may be so, and if so, I am long past my prime... but at least I still get to play with Lego. Besides, as C.S. Lewis said, "When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." There are far worse fates than being perpetually an eight-year-old.
And Caedmon's Call still rocks. In the spirit of Thanksgiving:
"You know I ran across an old box of letters
While I was bagging up some clothes for Goodwill
But you know I had to laugh that the same old struggles
That plagued me then are plaguing me still
I know the road is long from the ground to glory
But a boy can hope he's getting some place
But you see, I'm running from the very clothes I'm wearing
And dressed like this I'm fit for the chase
I've been involved in baking adventures both of the last two weekends...
I put up a collage on my wall of various cards and postcards I've received over the last year, each one from a different person, and it's by my door so I'll see them as I head out of my room each morning...
At the moment, I'm listening to "I'm Just a Girl" by No Doubt...
I've spent the evening cooking, cleaning, and folding clothes...
I have a fuzzy green sweater that is the softest sweater in the world, and I'm hoping the weather gets cooler so I can wear it...
Buying my own food is fun - it's Eggnog season again! Also, I've discovered that getting a loaf of raisin bread is worth it because when it's just me around the house, I'll toast it and eat it, whereas a normal loaf of bread lasts me long past when the bread goes stale. And what's up with me finally liking vanilla yogurt? did they just recently put flavoring in it so that it tastes good, or what? Lastly, three words: Heath Klondike Bars.
Anyhow.
My family arrives tomorrow from NorCal! Yay!
So Greg corrected me - in the last post, I mentioned him saying he was born to be in his mid-twenties - really, he believes he will be hitting his stride in his late twenties. So he has a ways to go, yet.
A friend of mine voiced the opinion that if Greg was born to be in his late twenties, perhaps I was born to be eight (playing with Lego, etc). :-) It may be so, and if so, I am long past my prime... but at least I still get to play with Lego. Besides, as C.S. Lewis said, "When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." There are far worse fates than being perpetually an eight-year-old.
And Caedmon's Call still rocks. In the spirit of Thanksgiving:
"You know I ran across an old box of letters
While I was bagging up some clothes for Goodwill
But you know I had to laugh that the same old struggles
That plagued me then are plaguing me still
I know the road is long from the ground to glory
But a boy can hope he's getting some place
But you see, I'm running from the very clothes I'm wearing
And dressed like this I'm fit for the chase
'Cause no, there is none righteous
Not one who understands
There is none who see God
No not one, I said no, not one
So I am thankful that I'm incapable
Of doing any good on my own
'Cause we're all stillborn and dead in our transgressions
We're shackled up to the sin we hold so dear
So what part can I play in the work of redemption
I can't refuse, I cannot add a thing
'Cause I am just like Lazarus and I can hear your voice
I stand and rub my eyes and walk to You
Because I have no choice
I am thankful that I'm incapable
Of doing any good on my own
I'm so thankful that I'm incapable
Of doing any good on my own
'Cause by grace I have been saved
Through faith that's not my own
It is a gift of God and not by works
Lest anyone should boast"
Monday, November 20
Blog-time again
I had another lovely weekend. I got to hang out with folks from work on Friday evening, and then Saturday was Greg's slightly late birthday party, and in the evening I had fun at Claremont, and then Sunday was nice and relaxing and I went with Josiah and Bart to see the new Bond film.
Where to start?
I hear the very beginning is a good place to start. About ten of us went to El Toritos after work on Friday - it'd been a long time since I just sat around a table with people having margaritas. One of them brought a friend, and since we were seated at the end of the rectangular table, I got to meet this new person. It brought into sharper relief the degree of introversion amongst my friends - she was definitely an extrovert and we traded questions back and forth - it's not often I really get grilled about who I am (besides maybe just stuff about work).
Anyhow, one of her questions was, "so, do you meditate?" My rather clumsy answer was, "well, I'm Christian, so I pray, which I guess is similar." I'm curious as to how my readers would answer that, though.
I kept thinking about the similarities and differences there. I mean, I know prayer and meditation have many differences, the chief one being that one is directed to God, and the other is just inward. But I think it's kinda silly that to most Americans, "prayer" connotes this rather formulaic and powerless thing, while "meditation" is this deep spiritual experience that really lets you get in touch with yourself and in touch with reality. Obviously, to me and hopefully to you, too, prayer is where that truly happens - where I get reminded of the reality of God and see myself rightly. It doesn't involve going into some sort of trance, and may or may not have incense or repeated phrases, which is nice, because it means that even while I'm at work, say, I can talk to Jesus while I'm cleaning glassware, and it's a refreshing time. But I really want to fight this stereotype that monks from Japan or China or Tibet have these super-spiritual experiences and uber-holy lifestyles, while Christians just have wordy and shallow prayers where nothing really happens.
And of course, the footnote to this discussion is that yes, such a stereotype does exist, no, it is not true of real prayer, but also yes, it does represent a major failing of "American Christianity" that so many of our prayers are mainly meaningless, unspiritual, and done without appropriate deference to the fact that, in prayer, you are TALKING WITH GOD.
On an entirely different note, Greg is 25! He was born to be in his mid-twenties, or so he says. :-) It was a fun celebration on Saturday; it was a large crowd that went to see "Little Miss Sunshine" with him and hang out before and afterwards. I got to see Brian and Michy, Lexie, Thomas, David D, and many others.
On Sunday evening, Bart and Josiah and I went to see Casino Royale. I'm not sure what I was expecting... but it was good. I was worried that it might be stupid like the last few Bond movies, but it wasn't. I'll admit this new guy they have playing Bond is not a "pretty-boy" sort of debonair... but he's definitely believable as Bond. Plus: Aston Martins!
My family is coming down to SoCal for Thanksgiving! I am excited about that. It'll be good.
I have much to be thankful for, as always.
To close: Caedmon's Call rocks!
"Sometimes I fear maybe I'm not chosen
You've hardened my heart like Pharaoh
And that would explain why life is so hard for me.
And I am sad that Esau hated
Crying against what's fated
Saying father please, is there any left for me
(chorus)
Cast down my doubts, please prove me wrong
'Cause these demons can be so headstrong
Make my walls fall, please prove me wrong
'Cause this resentment's been building
Burn them up with your fire so strong
If you can before I baal, please prove me wrong.
I fear maybe this is all just a game
Our friends and our families all play too -
Harness the young and give some comfort to the old
Don't let my doubts prove true
Draw me close and hold me near to you
Keep me still until the day you...
Cast down my doubts, please prove me wrong"
Derek Webb has done some music on his own, now, but vintage Caedmon's Call will always be close to my heart. :-)
Where to start?
I hear the very beginning is a good place to start. About ten of us went to El Toritos after work on Friday - it'd been a long time since I just sat around a table with people having margaritas. One of them brought a friend, and since we were seated at the end of the rectangular table, I got to meet this new person. It brought into sharper relief the degree of introversion amongst my friends - she was definitely an extrovert and we traded questions back and forth - it's not often I really get grilled about who I am (besides maybe just stuff about work).
Anyhow, one of her questions was, "so, do you meditate?" My rather clumsy answer was, "well, I'm Christian, so I pray, which I guess is similar." I'm curious as to how my readers would answer that, though.
I kept thinking about the similarities and differences there. I mean, I know prayer and meditation have many differences, the chief one being that one is directed to God, and the other is just inward. But I think it's kinda silly that to most Americans, "prayer" connotes this rather formulaic and powerless thing, while "meditation" is this deep spiritual experience that really lets you get in touch with yourself and in touch with reality. Obviously, to me and hopefully to you, too, prayer is where that truly happens - where I get reminded of the reality of God and see myself rightly. It doesn't involve going into some sort of trance, and may or may not have incense or repeated phrases, which is nice, because it means that even while I'm at work, say, I can talk to Jesus while I'm cleaning glassware, and it's a refreshing time. But I really want to fight this stereotype that monks from Japan or China or Tibet have these super-spiritual experiences and uber-holy lifestyles, while Christians just have wordy and shallow prayers where nothing really happens.
And of course, the footnote to this discussion is that yes, such a stereotype does exist, no, it is not true of real prayer, but also yes, it does represent a major failing of "American Christianity" that so many of our prayers are mainly meaningless, unspiritual, and done without appropriate deference to the fact that, in prayer, you are TALKING WITH GOD.
On an entirely different note, Greg is 25! He was born to be in his mid-twenties, or so he says. :-) It was a fun celebration on Saturday; it was a large crowd that went to see "Little Miss Sunshine" with him and hang out before and afterwards. I got to see Brian and Michy, Lexie, Thomas, David D, and many others.
On Sunday evening, Bart and Josiah and I went to see Casino Royale. I'm not sure what I was expecting... but it was good. I was worried that it might be stupid like the last few Bond movies, but it wasn't. I'll admit this new guy they have playing Bond is not a "pretty-boy" sort of debonair... but he's definitely believable as Bond. Plus: Aston Martins!
My family is coming down to SoCal for Thanksgiving! I am excited about that. It'll be good.
I have much to be thankful for, as always.
To close: Caedmon's Call rocks!
"Sometimes I fear maybe I'm not chosen
You've hardened my heart like Pharaoh
And that would explain why life is so hard for me.
And I am sad that Esau hated
Crying against what's fated
Saying father please, is there any left for me
(chorus)
Cast down my doubts, please prove me wrong
'Cause these demons can be so headstrong
Make my walls fall, please prove me wrong
'Cause this resentment's been building
Burn them up with your fire so strong
If you can before I baal, please prove me wrong.
I fear maybe this is all just a game
Our friends and our families all play too -
Harness the young and give some comfort to the old
Don't let my doubts prove true
Draw me close and hold me near to you
Keep me still until the day you...
Cast down my doubts, please prove me wrong"
Derek Webb has done some music on his own, now, but vintage Caedmon's Call will always be close to my heart. :-)
Tuesday, November 14
Molasses
Cookies!
I baked them this weekend. That's right. Molasses cookies. Made by me. And they were yummy. So there. :-)
Also, Bart and Buck and myself have sort of established a dinner-on-Sunday thing which has been pretty darn awesome.
And the entropy of my Lego collection continues to decrease. It's so relaxing! And it's a nice change from the usual pattern in my life, in which everything I try to do fails and falls apart.
God is good. It's funny how it's gotten so that even in my (thankfully-getting-rarer, and no, I'm not in one now) tired and depressed states I can still be very theologically correct and really in a good place about things. God gives us no guarantees except life, love, and his presence with us - I wind up sad only when I get unsatisfied with that. But it's all on his terms, and rightfully so. I've done too many things on my own to be surprised each time it flops. And I've gotten used to falling on my face, back (as Audio Adrenaline might put it) "to the place I should have started from."
People may remind me that I deserve good things; but I don't. People may say it's just a season of my life - but history is full of examples of people who wound up far worse off than I am on my worst day, and suffered prison and death - and they were just as loved by God as I, and God was no less faithful to them - even Jesus prayed that his cup might pass from him.
So I guess what I'm saying is, I'm glad for what God has given me, and I am thankful that he's brought me to a place where my mental response to the thought "God, what do you think you're doing, have you forgotten about me?" quickly comes back "Of course he loves me - Jesus, keep the Devil out of my life." Because, let's face it, I'm an idiot, slow like molasses, and I stick my foot in my mouth all the time (metaphorically speaking)... I screw things up enough without much in the way of satan's help. But God's in the business of straightening crooked things, and making things right that are broken and marred.
"God loves broken hearts
and faith like a child
so now here I come
with just a broken heart
and faith like a child."
Even the smallest good thing in my life, from molasses cookies to Lego to sunsets to the Supertones to Bart and Buck and all my friends - all are exactly where, when, and why God's seen fit to put them in my life, and He works it so that I am healthier, more myself, and closer to Him as a result. (Bart and Buck are both blessings that are admittedly not so small in relation to me.) :-)
I look forward to hopefully being a similar blessing in your life soon!
I baked them this weekend. That's right. Molasses cookies. Made by me. And they were yummy. So there. :-)
Also, Bart and Buck and myself have sort of established a dinner-on-Sunday thing which has been pretty darn awesome.
And the entropy of my Lego collection continues to decrease. It's so relaxing! And it's a nice change from the usual pattern in my life, in which everything I try to do fails and falls apart.
God is good. It's funny how it's gotten so that even in my (thankfully-getting-rarer, and no, I'm not in one now) tired and depressed states I can still be very theologically correct and really in a good place about things. God gives us no guarantees except life, love, and his presence with us - I wind up sad only when I get unsatisfied with that. But it's all on his terms, and rightfully so. I've done too many things on my own to be surprised each time it flops. And I've gotten used to falling on my face, back (as Audio Adrenaline might put it) "to the place I should have started from."
People may remind me that I deserve good things; but I don't. People may say it's just a season of my life - but history is full of examples of people who wound up far worse off than I am on my worst day, and suffered prison and death - and they were just as loved by God as I, and God was no less faithful to them - even Jesus prayed that his cup might pass from him.
So I guess what I'm saying is, I'm glad for what God has given me, and I am thankful that he's brought me to a place where my mental response to the thought "God, what do you think you're doing, have you forgotten about me?" quickly comes back "Of course he loves me - Jesus, keep the Devil out of my life." Because, let's face it, I'm an idiot, slow like molasses, and I stick my foot in my mouth all the time (metaphorically speaking)... I screw things up enough without much in the way of satan's help. But God's in the business of straightening crooked things, and making things right that are broken and marred.
"God loves broken hearts
and faith like a child
so now here I come
with just a broken heart
and faith like a child."
Even the smallest good thing in my life, from molasses cookies to Lego to sunsets to the Supertones to Bart and Buck and all my friends - all are exactly where, when, and why God's seen fit to put them in my life, and He works it so that I am healthier, more myself, and closer to Him as a result. (Bart and Buck are both blessings that are admittedly not so small in relation to me.) :-)
I look forward to hopefully being a similar blessing in your life soon!
Tuesday, November 7
Day and Night
The other day I made playlists for my iPod, entitled "Daytime Driving" and "Night Driving." I've been driving in both conditions and sorted out some of my songs accordingly. Buck asked the valid question, "What makes a song a night-driving song versus a daytime-driving song?" and I've been thinking about that. I have always just kinda known. :-)
The easiest way to explain is with examples. So here are some highlights from my Daytime and Nighttime playlists. Perhaps you will recognize the songs, perhaps not. I usually leave these lists on 'shuffle' so these aren't necessarily in listening-order:
Daytime Driving:
Listen to the Music - Doobie Brothers
It's a Beautiful Life - Ace of Base
Daring Daylight Escape - Caedmon's Call
Solidarity - Five Iron Frenzy
Holiday - Green Day
Doctor My Eyes - Jackson Browne
Just a Girl - No Doubt
Story in Your Eyes - Moody Blues
Take Me to Your Leader - Newsboys
Dune Buggy - Presidents of the USA
Someday - Sugar Ray
Beautiful Day - U2
Compare the above list with
Nighttime Driving:
Ride - Cary Brothers
Overkill - Colin Hay
Hitch a Ride - Boston
Clocks - Coldplay
Heaven - Delirious?
Life is a Highway - Rascal Flatts
Somebody's Watching - Chris Rice
Fade to Grey - Jars of Clay
Perfect Situation - Weezer
Elle G. - Newsboys
Damien - DMX
Hemmorhage - Fuel
On Fire - Switchfoot
1000 Miles an Hour - Ok Go
23 - Jimmy Eat World
Winding Road - Bonnie Summerville
The night songs aren't necessarily slower... they seem more reflective in tone, though. If anybody can find a pattern, let me know. And yes, they're all good songs, so there's that. :-)
Now you're all going to have to find excuses to hang around me in the day or night and drive places. :-)
The easiest way to explain is with examples. So here are some highlights from my Daytime and Nighttime playlists. Perhaps you will recognize the songs, perhaps not. I usually leave these lists on 'shuffle' so these aren't necessarily in listening-order:
Daytime Driving:
Listen to the Music - Doobie Brothers
It's a Beautiful Life - Ace of Base
Daring Daylight Escape - Caedmon's Call
Solidarity - Five Iron Frenzy
Holiday - Green Day
Doctor My Eyes - Jackson Browne
Just a Girl - No Doubt
Story in Your Eyes - Moody Blues
Take Me to Your Leader - Newsboys
Dune Buggy - Presidents of the USA
Someday - Sugar Ray
Beautiful Day - U2
Compare the above list with
Nighttime Driving:
Ride - Cary Brothers
Overkill - Colin Hay
Hitch a Ride - Boston
Clocks - Coldplay
Heaven - Delirious?
Life is a Highway - Rascal Flatts
Somebody's Watching - Chris Rice
Fade to Grey - Jars of Clay
Perfect Situation - Weezer
Elle G. - Newsboys
Damien - DMX
Hemmorhage - Fuel
On Fire - Switchfoot
1000 Miles an Hour - Ok Go
23 - Jimmy Eat World
Winding Road - Bonnie Summerville
The night songs aren't necessarily slower... they seem more reflective in tone, though. If anybody can find a pattern, let me know. And yes, they're all good songs, so there's that. :-)
Now you're all going to have to find excuses to hang around me in the day or night and drive places. :-)
Friday, November 3
Nightmare
For your perusal - an essay (not by me):
Nightmare
A SUNSET of copper and gold had just broken down and gone
to pieces in the west, and grey colours were crawling over
everything in earth and heaven; also a wind was growing,
a wind that laid a cold finger upon flesh and spirit.
The bushes at the back of my garden began to whisper
like conspirators; and then to wave like wild hands in signal.
I was trying to read by the last light that died on the lawn
a long poem of the decadent period, a poem about the old gods
of Babylon and Egypt, about their blazing and obscene temples,
their cruel and colossal faces.
"Or didst thou love the God of Flies who plagued
the Hebrews and was splashed
With wine unto the waist, or Pasht who had green
beryls for her eyes?"
I read this poem because I had to review it for the Daily News; still it
was genuine poetry of its kind. It really gave out an atmosphere, a fragrant and suffocating smoke that seemed really to come from the Bondage of Egypt or the Burden of Tyre. There is not much in common (thank God)between my garden with the grey-green English sky-line beyond it, and these mad visions of painted palaces, huge, headless idols and monstrous solitudes of red or golden sand. Nevertheless (as I confessed to myself)I can fancy in such a stormy twilight some such smell of death and fear. The ruined sunset really looks like one of their ruined temples:
a shattered heap of gold and green marble. A black flapping thing detaches itself from one of the sombre trees and flutters to another. I know not if it is owl or flittermouse; I could fancy it was a black cherub, an infernal cherub of darkness, not with the wings of a bird and the head of a baby, but with the head of a goblin and the wings of a bat. I think, if there were light enough, I could sit here and write some very creditable creepy tale, about how I went up the crooked road
beyond the church and met Something-say a dog, a dog with one eye. Then I should meet a horse, perhaps, a horse without a rider; the horse also would have one eye. Then the inhuman silence would be broken; I should meet a man (need I say, a one-eyed man?) who would ask me the way to my own house. Or perhaps tell me that it was burnt to the ground. I think I could tell a very cosy little tale along some such lines.
Or I might dream of climbing for ever the tall dark trees above me. They are so tall that I feel as if I should find at their tops the nests of the angels; but in this mood they would be dark and dreadful angels; angels of death.
* * * *
Only, you see, this mood is all bosh. I do not believe it in the least. That one-eyed universe, with its one-eyed men and beasts, was only created with one universal wink. At the top of the tragic trees I should not find the Angel's Nest. I should only find the Mare's Nest; the dreamy and divine nest is not there.
In the Mare's Nest I shall discover that dim, enormous opalescent egg from which is hatched the Nightmare. For there is nothing so delightful as a nightmare-when you know it is a nightmare.
That is the essential. That is the stern condition laid upon all artists touching this luxury of fear. The terror must be fundamentally frivolous. Sanity may play with insanity; but insanity must not be allowed to play with sanity.
Let such poets as the one I was reading in the garden, by all means, be free to imagine what outrageous deities and violent landscapes they like. By all means let them wander freely amid their opium pinnacles and perspectives. But these huge gods, these high cities, are toys; they must never for an instant be allowed to be anything else. Man, a gigantic child, must play with Babylon and Nineveh, with Isis and with Ashtaroth. By all means let him dream of the Bondage of Egypt, so long as he is free from it. By all means let him take up the Burden of Tyre, so long as he can
take it lightly. But the old gods must be his dolls, not his idols. His central sanctities, his true possessions, should be Christian and simple. And just as a child would cherish most a wooden horse or a sword that is a mere cross of wood, so man, the great child, must cherish most the old plain things of poetry and piety; that horse of wood that was the epic end of Ilium, or that cross of wood that redeemed and conquered the world.
* * * *
In one of Stevenson's letters there is a characteristically humorous
remark about the appalling impression produced on him in childhood
by the beasts with many eyes in the Book of Revelations: "If that
was heaven, what in the name of Davy Jones was hell like?"
Now in sober truth there is a magnificent idea in these monsters
of the Apocalypse. It is, I suppose, the idea that beings
really more beautiful or more universal than we are might appear
to us frightful and even confused. Especially they might
seem to have senses at once more multiplex and more staring;
an idea very imaginatively seized in the multitude of eyes.
I like those monsters beneath the throne very much.
It is when one of them goes wandering in deserts and finds a throne
for himself that evil faiths begin, and there is (literally) the
devil to pay-to pay in dancing girls or human sacrifice.
As long as those misshapen elemental powers are around the throne,
remember that the thing that they worship is the likeness
of the appearance of a man.
That is, I fancy, the true doctrine on the subject of Tales
of Terror and such things, which unless a man of letters do well
and truly believe, without doubt he will end by blowing his brains
out or by writing badly. Man, the central pillar of the world
must be upright and straight; around him all the trees and beasts
and elements and devils may crook and curl like smoke if they choose.
All really imaginative literature is only the contrast between
the weird curves of Nature and the straightness of the soul.
Man may behold what ugliness he likes if he is sure that he will
not worship it; but there are some so weak that they will
worship a thing only because it is ugly. These must be chained
to the beautiful. It is not always wrong even to go, like Dante,
to the brink of the lowest promontory and look down at hell.
It is when you look up at hell that a serious miscalculation has
probably been made.
* * * *
Therefore I see no wrong in riding with the Nightmare to-night;
she whinnies to me from the rocking tree-tops and the roaring wind;
I will catch her and ride her through the awful air.
Woods and weeds are alike tugging at the roots in the rising tempest,
as if all wished to fly with us over the moon, like that wild,
amorous cow whose child was the Moon-Calf. We will rise to
that mad infinite where there is neither up nor down, the high
topsy-turveydom of the heavens. I will ride on the Nightmare;
but she shall not ride on me.
--G.K.Chesterton
Needless to say, I love this guy. Perhaps I will post more of his writings - they are also free online at Project Gutenberg.
Nightmare
A SUNSET of copper and gold had just broken down and gone
to pieces in the west, and grey colours were crawling over
everything in earth and heaven; also a wind was growing,
a wind that laid a cold finger upon flesh and spirit.
The bushes at the back of my garden began to whisper
like conspirators; and then to wave like wild hands in signal.
I was trying to read by the last light that died on the lawn
a long poem of the decadent period, a poem about the old gods
of Babylon and Egypt, about their blazing and obscene temples,
their cruel and colossal faces.
"Or didst thou love the God of Flies who plagued
the Hebrews and was splashed
With wine unto the waist, or Pasht who had green
beryls for her eyes?"
I read this poem because I had to review it for the Daily News; still it
was genuine poetry of its kind. It really gave out an atmosphere, a fragrant and suffocating smoke that seemed really to come from the Bondage of Egypt or the Burden of Tyre. There is not much in common (thank God)between my garden with the grey-green English sky-line beyond it, and these mad visions of painted palaces, huge, headless idols and monstrous solitudes of red or golden sand. Nevertheless (as I confessed to myself)I can fancy in such a stormy twilight some such smell of death and fear. The ruined sunset really looks like one of their ruined temples:
a shattered heap of gold and green marble. A black flapping thing detaches itself from one of the sombre trees and flutters to another. I know not if it is owl or flittermouse; I could fancy it was a black cherub, an infernal cherub of darkness, not with the wings of a bird and the head of a baby, but with the head of a goblin and the wings of a bat. I think, if there were light enough, I could sit here and write some very creditable creepy tale, about how I went up the crooked road
beyond the church and met Something-say a dog, a dog with one eye. Then I should meet a horse, perhaps, a horse without a rider; the horse also would have one eye. Then the inhuman silence would be broken; I should meet a man (need I say, a one-eyed man?) who would ask me the way to my own house. Or perhaps tell me that it was burnt to the ground. I think I could tell a very cosy little tale along some such lines.
Or I might dream of climbing for ever the tall dark trees above me. They are so tall that I feel as if I should find at their tops the nests of the angels; but in this mood they would be dark and dreadful angels; angels of death.
* * * *
Only, you see, this mood is all bosh. I do not believe it in the least. That one-eyed universe, with its one-eyed men and beasts, was only created with one universal wink. At the top of the tragic trees I should not find the Angel's Nest. I should only find the Mare's Nest; the dreamy and divine nest is not there.
In the Mare's Nest I shall discover that dim, enormous opalescent egg from which is hatched the Nightmare. For there is nothing so delightful as a nightmare-when you know it is a nightmare.
That is the essential. That is the stern condition laid upon all artists touching this luxury of fear. The terror must be fundamentally frivolous. Sanity may play with insanity; but insanity must not be allowed to play with sanity.
Let such poets as the one I was reading in the garden, by all means, be free to imagine what outrageous deities and violent landscapes they like. By all means let them wander freely amid their opium pinnacles and perspectives. But these huge gods, these high cities, are toys; they must never for an instant be allowed to be anything else. Man, a gigantic child, must play with Babylon and Nineveh, with Isis and with Ashtaroth. By all means let him dream of the Bondage of Egypt, so long as he is free from it. By all means let him take up the Burden of Tyre, so long as he can
take it lightly. But the old gods must be his dolls, not his idols. His central sanctities, his true possessions, should be Christian and simple. And just as a child would cherish most a wooden horse or a sword that is a mere cross of wood, so man, the great child, must cherish most the old plain things of poetry and piety; that horse of wood that was the epic end of Ilium, or that cross of wood that redeemed and conquered the world.
* * * *
In one of Stevenson's letters there is a characteristically humorous
remark about the appalling impression produced on him in childhood
by the beasts with many eyes in the Book of Revelations: "If that
was heaven, what in the name of Davy Jones was hell like?"
Now in sober truth there is a magnificent idea in these monsters
of the Apocalypse. It is, I suppose, the idea that beings
really more beautiful or more universal than we are might appear
to us frightful and even confused. Especially they might
seem to have senses at once more multiplex and more staring;
an idea very imaginatively seized in the multitude of eyes.
I like those monsters beneath the throne very much.
It is when one of them goes wandering in deserts and finds a throne
for himself that evil faiths begin, and there is (literally) the
devil to pay-to pay in dancing girls or human sacrifice.
As long as those misshapen elemental powers are around the throne,
remember that the thing that they worship is the likeness
of the appearance of a man.
That is, I fancy, the true doctrine on the subject of Tales
of Terror and such things, which unless a man of letters do well
and truly believe, without doubt he will end by blowing his brains
out or by writing badly. Man, the central pillar of the world
must be upright and straight; around him all the trees and beasts
and elements and devils may crook and curl like smoke if they choose.
All really imaginative literature is only the contrast between
the weird curves of Nature and the straightness of the soul.
Man may behold what ugliness he likes if he is sure that he will
not worship it; but there are some so weak that they will
worship a thing only because it is ugly. These must be chained
to the beautiful. It is not always wrong even to go, like Dante,
to the brink of the lowest promontory and look down at hell.
It is when you look up at hell that a serious miscalculation has
probably been made.
* * * *
Therefore I see no wrong in riding with the Nightmare to-night;
she whinnies to me from the rocking tree-tops and the roaring wind;
I will catch her and ride her through the awful air.
Woods and weeds are alike tugging at the roots in the rising tempest,
as if all wished to fly with us over the moon, like that wild,
amorous cow whose child was the Moon-Calf. We will rise to
that mad infinite where there is neither up nor down, the high
topsy-turveydom of the heavens. I will ride on the Nightmare;
but she shall not ride on me.
--G.K.Chesterton
Needless to say, I love this guy. Perhaps I will post more of his writings - they are also free online at Project Gutenberg.
Saturday, October 28
College pays off
My boss had a picnic today at his house, for people from the department and their families. It was a lot of fun - it was nice to see people in some of their usual context, rather than just at work.
Around the table I was at for dinner, we had myself and Tim (probably the only other Californian there, he graduated from Oxy a while back); Khanh and her sister Hannah, who both grew up in Vietnam; Ben and his wife Veronique, who moved here from Belgium just a few weeks ago; Handy, who grew up in Indonesia; and Srikant, my supervisor, who is from India of course. So much fun!
My time at college paid off - I beat Srikant at a game of ping-pong. We'll see whether or not that was the right thing to do, I suppose... ;-)
Claremont folks need to hurry up and graduate so they can have weekends free sometime. :-)
Around the table I was at for dinner, we had myself and Tim (probably the only other Californian there, he graduated from Oxy a while back); Khanh and her sister Hannah, who both grew up in Vietnam; Ben and his wife Veronique, who moved here from Belgium just a few weeks ago; Handy, who grew up in Indonesia; and Srikant, my supervisor, who is from India of course. So much fun!
My time at college paid off - I beat Srikant at a game of ping-pong. We'll see whether or not that was the right thing to do, I suppose... ;-)
Claremont folks need to hurry up and graduate so they can have weekends free sometime. :-)
Monday, October 23
Assortedness...
That's the problem with posting once a week... each time, I end up with five completely different things to share, and have to stick them all in one post.
This last week:
I've discovered that "Quantum Leap" was another good thing that came out of the '80s... somehow I missed it the first time around.
We made some more good progress on my project at work! Always a good feeling.
I played with Lego again! This time, with Ben S., Bart, Josiah, Tessa, Matthew J., and even Colleen and Kristin. Check out our table o'creations:
Josiah apparently grew up with a careful and well-thought-out approach to Legos... he showed me the brilliant idea of dumping the Legos on a towel on the floor, making cleanup much easier, and allowing for more piece-finding surface area. Yay Josiah!
And, Ben C's birthday was Saturday - it was a grand gathering of graceful glad girls and boisterous boys. Lots of fun was had by all, and at least 3 people were showered. Including Mina, for the first time. He had it coming. :-) I was excited to be around for the party. Yay Claremont!
Lastly, this is a well-written article on the "New Atheism." http://www.wired.com/news/wiredmag/0,71985-0.html?tw=rss.index
I have a lot I could say about this. First, read it, it's good stuff, I promise.
I like what he has to say about "certainty." The fundamentalist christians have it... and yet their faith seems shallow, Pharisaical, and sensationalist. The "New Atheists" have it... and they come off as lovers of themselves: arrogant, boring, and falsely intellectual. Both rub the author the wrong way... and rightly so! Insincere faith and sincere error are both somehow nauseating to anyone who has given their spirituality a second glance. To both we must say, "look harder! If you believe, why? If not, why? Can you honestly be a whole person, and wholly satisfied, where you are?"
Faith is weak in those who need certainties. The Christians who read this may say, "what?" at this point. But God is not insecure. He's not in the business of giving out proof any more than he already has. And the whole idea of a Christian's walk with God is the process of becoming more confident that God IS, as we lean upon his love and the things he says, and as we get to know him and love him better... but I don't think God ever lets us be certain. He is always faithful; he'll never forsake us, and this cosmic war has a definite way it will end, but he wants people who will love him and trust him even when things look darkest.
So you will go through dark times - if you are blessed.
And if you have never questioned your faith, if you have never once thought, "do I know that?", and if you have never realized that every single day you must make the choice, saying, "there is no way I can know for sure I am right, or that things will turn out peachy, but I will lean on what I think is true of You" - then you are missing out.
The true Christian has tasted and seen that when you lean on God and Jesus, things do happen, and there is a peace there that is beyond any understanding. The Atheist makes the choice that what is true is that there is no God... and I imagine he is rarely surprised to find God absent from his life. The agnostic, though, never knows the fullness or emptiness of either. Similarly, some modern christians never really go out on a limb to take God at his word, and they wonder why their persecution takes the form of ridicule, and why Christianity has such a bad name despite figures like MLK Jr., Ma Teresa, and Bono being so widely respected.
Whew.
I've had plenty of other thoughts fluttering through my head lately - about blessings and cursings, about social justice at IV: Claremont, and about whether or not my cell phone is broken. (call, people!) :-)
Much love to you all! Love above all - it's what atheists forget about, it's what agnostics have trouble accepting, and it's what every person has been given freely by God.
This last week:
I've discovered that "Quantum Leap" was another good thing that came out of the '80s... somehow I missed it the first time around.
We made some more good progress on my project at work! Always a good feeling.
I played with Lego again! This time, with Ben S., Bart, Josiah, Tessa, Matthew J., and even Colleen and Kristin. Check out our table o'creations:
Josiah apparently grew up with a careful and well-thought-out approach to Legos... he showed me the brilliant idea of dumping the Legos on a towel on the floor, making cleanup much easier, and allowing for more piece-finding surface area. Yay Josiah!
And, Ben C's birthday was Saturday - it was a grand gathering of graceful glad girls and boisterous boys. Lots of fun was had by all, and at least 3 people were showered. Including Mina, for the first time. He had it coming. :-) I was excited to be around for the party. Yay Claremont!
Lastly, this is a well-written article on the "New Atheism." http://www.wired.com/news/wiredmag/0,71985-0.html?tw=rss.index
I have a lot I could say about this. First, read it, it's good stuff, I promise.
I like what he has to say about "certainty." The fundamentalist christians have it... and yet their faith seems shallow, Pharisaical, and sensationalist. The "New Atheists" have it... and they come off as lovers of themselves: arrogant, boring, and falsely intellectual. Both rub the author the wrong way... and rightly so! Insincere faith and sincere error are both somehow nauseating to anyone who has given their spirituality a second glance. To both we must say, "look harder! If you believe, why? If not, why? Can you honestly be a whole person, and wholly satisfied, where you are?"
Faith is weak in those who need certainties. The Christians who read this may say, "what?" at this point. But God is not insecure. He's not in the business of giving out proof any more than he already has. And the whole idea of a Christian's walk with God is the process of becoming more confident that God IS, as we lean upon his love and the things he says, and as we get to know him and love him better... but I don't think God ever lets us be certain. He is always faithful; he'll never forsake us, and this cosmic war has a definite way it will end, but he wants people who will love him and trust him even when things look darkest.
So you will go through dark times - if you are blessed.
And if you have never questioned your faith, if you have never once thought, "do I know that?", and if you have never realized that every single day you must make the choice, saying, "there is no way I can know for sure I am right, or that things will turn out peachy, but I will lean on what I think is true of You" - then you are missing out.
The true Christian has tasted and seen that when you lean on God and Jesus, things do happen, and there is a peace there that is beyond any understanding. The Atheist makes the choice that what is true is that there is no God... and I imagine he is rarely surprised to find God absent from his life. The agnostic, though, never knows the fullness or emptiness of either. Similarly, some modern christians never really go out on a limb to take God at his word, and they wonder why their persecution takes the form of ridicule, and why Christianity has such a bad name despite figures like MLK Jr., Ma Teresa, and Bono being so widely respected.
Whew.
I've had plenty of other thoughts fluttering through my head lately - about blessings and cursings, about social justice at IV: Claremont, and about whether or not my cell phone is broken. (call, people!) :-)
Much love to you all! Love above all - it's what atheists forget about, it's what agnostics have trouble accepting, and it's what every person has been given freely by God.
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