Synapse Clippings
What I Did on My Blog Vacation
Apr/25/2008 09:09 AM | Permalink
As you know, my blog's been down and out for three
months. But, as you might imagine, that hasn't
stopped me from blogging.
How, you say?
Well, the truth is that I've always cross-posted many of my blog entries to other sites, depending upon the content. So, that's what I've been doing quite a bit of these past 90 days.
I'm not going to repost them all here. But I will provide you some links. Actually, some of these entries got a fair amount of comments at other sites, and just reading the dozens and dozens of comments to some of these posts might be worth your while.
I didn't get bitter over Pennsylvania. I got bitter over Texas.
On the heels of the Texas primary, I found myself angry and, yes, bitter about the increasingly disturbing tone of the Clinton campaign. And I blogged about it at MySpace...you can read it here.
Basically, I was asking, way back then, the kinds of questions people in the MSM are only asking about the Clinton campaign now. I'm not nearly as angry about it now as a I was then, because it seems to me that the fundamentals of my questions ("Why is She Still In This Race?") have not changed.
In fact, not only have the fundamentals of my blog stayed the same, but the uphill battle she faced then has turned into an sheer mountain-face rock climb now.
Don't believe me? Ask Chuck Todd.
Let me lift up this quote:
"...The pledged delegate count is basically over. If you could call an election based on the delegate count, and say 'who's gonna have the most delegates at the end of this process,' it now appears as if it going to be impossible for Obama to lose his lead."
'If we called things like this, and we don't call them, we would say 'OK, the pledged delegate count is over.'"
So, I go back to the point I made then, which is even MORE true today: if she was any other candidate, with any other name besides "Clinton" she would have been asked privately to step aside MONTHS ago.
You're right to think I had thoughts on Wright.
But, of course, the Democratic primary race kept right on going, and the world hear about Rev. Jeremiah Wright. What frustrated me most in the early days of that coverage was the clear assumption of the MSM that there was no defendable reason Obama should have stayed at Trinity Church.
Why didn't he just leave?!!! screamed pundit after pundit.
As a pastor myself, I knew exactly why: because people don't always choose their churches based on their pastor. They choose them on friendships, programs, Bible study connections, etc, etc...
And so, I turned the question around, and turned asked "Why did Barak Obama Stay at Trinity Church?" That first link is to Talking Points Memo, but I also reposted this at Daily Kos, and it got a TON of comments there.
After a few more days, I got to thinking about the sound byte of Rev. Wright "damning America." And while I can't condone using that kind of rhetoric --and think it's irresponsible in a YouTube world-- I had to ask the question "What Did Rev. Wright Mean Intend When He 'Damned' America?'" Again, the repost at Daily Kos got a lot of comments too.
Support for Progressive Churches
All this led me to think about how a part of this controversy is that many people to do understand or get that there are "progressive" churches out there. Again, not to defend Rev. Wright's sound-bytes, his church is clearly one that comes from a progressive theological background. However, in the broader culture, there is a lot of assumption that ALL churches are conservative, and perhaps even fundamentalist.
So, I put out a call to progressive people that they should support progressive religion. You can read it here. (Reposted here) It was not as warmly received as my other essays, which does not surprise me in the least, in that many progressive people falsely see the "fight" of modern society to be "ignorant religion" vs. "enlightened reason." So, I was not expecting as many warm fuzzies for this blog, and they didn't come my way.
I will probably follow up on this issue, somewhere down the road....
Rabbis for Obama
In another post, I noted with interest the endorsement of Obama by a Rabbi he knows, and this Rabbi's thoughts about how Obama would relate to the Jewish community.
The Fifth Anniversary of the Iraq War
Somewhere in the midst of all this, our church held a press conference, marking the five-year "Anniversary" of the War in Iraq. The press conference got some nice, er, press. The story ran all that day on KRLD Radio, and the DMN picked up the story the next morning, running some nice quotes from the many ecumenical leaders who came to our church for the press event.
This story from the United Methodist Reporter also ran a few weeks later.
This is a blog entry, posting the complete text of my comments on that day.
What it means to be "lucky" in America.
Somewhere in the midst of all this, the Geraldine Ferrraro comments exploded onto the headlines too. What really stuck with me about what she said was when she called Obama "lucky to be who he is," as if being a black man in America was akin to winning the lottery. I vented my frustration here on a MySpace blog.
The Clinton's as....Um....Who?!!
Finally, you knew it was getting to be silly season in politics when James Carville called Bill Richardson "Judas" during Holy Week. Then, instead of backtracking from the comments, he pretty much said, "No, I really did mean to draw that analogy this week..."
So, I drew the metaphor out to its obvious, and silly conclusions...the Clinton's as Jesus? It was originally posted at Street Prophets, and got reposted at Daily Kos...drawing some really funny comments.
Yes, what it proves more than anything is that we are in the height of "silly season."
General Conference begins
So, that's what I've been writing these past months, while my blog's been broken. That brings us up to the present day, and the start of our United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. It's a once-every-four-years gathering of Methodists from around the globe, and I was quoted about it in the DMN this week, right here.
How, you say?
Well, the truth is that I've always cross-posted many of my blog entries to other sites, depending upon the content. So, that's what I've been doing quite a bit of these past 90 days.
I'm not going to repost them all here. But I will provide you some links. Actually, some of these entries got a fair amount of comments at other sites, and just reading the dozens and dozens of comments to some of these posts might be worth your while.
I didn't get bitter over Pennsylvania. I got bitter over Texas.
On the heels of the Texas primary, I found myself angry and, yes, bitter about the increasingly disturbing tone of the Clinton campaign. And I blogged about it at MySpace...you can read it here.
Basically, I was asking, way back then, the kinds of questions people in the MSM are only asking about the Clinton campaign now. I'm not nearly as angry about it now as a I was then, because it seems to me that the fundamentals of my questions ("Why is She Still In This Race?") have not changed.
In fact, not only have the fundamentals of my blog stayed the same, but the uphill battle she faced then has turned into an sheer mountain-face rock climb now.
Don't believe me? Ask Chuck Todd.
Let me lift up this quote:
"...The pledged delegate count is basically over. If you could call an election based on the delegate count, and say 'who's gonna have the most delegates at the end of this process,' it now appears as if it going to be impossible for Obama to lose his lead."
'If we called things like this, and we don't call them, we would say 'OK, the pledged delegate count is over.'"
So, I go back to the point I made then, which is even MORE true today: if she was any other candidate, with any other name besides "Clinton" she would have been asked privately to step aside MONTHS ago.
You're right to think I had thoughts on Wright.
But, of course, the Democratic primary race kept right on going, and the world hear about Rev. Jeremiah Wright. What frustrated me most in the early days of that coverage was the clear assumption of the MSM that there was no defendable reason Obama should have stayed at Trinity Church.
Why didn't he just leave?!!! screamed pundit after pundit.
As a pastor myself, I knew exactly why: because people don't always choose their churches based on their pastor. They choose them on friendships, programs, Bible study connections, etc, etc...
And so, I turned the question around, and turned asked "Why did Barak Obama Stay at Trinity Church?" That first link is to Talking Points Memo, but I also reposted this at Daily Kos, and it got a TON of comments there.
After a few more days, I got to thinking about the sound byte of Rev. Wright "damning America." And while I can't condone using that kind of rhetoric --and think it's irresponsible in a YouTube world-- I had to ask the question "What Did Rev. Wright Mean Intend When He 'Damned' America?'" Again, the repost at Daily Kos got a lot of comments too.
Support for Progressive Churches
All this led me to think about how a part of this controversy is that many people to do understand or get that there are "progressive" churches out there. Again, not to defend Rev. Wright's sound-bytes, his church is clearly one that comes from a progressive theological background. However, in the broader culture, there is a lot of assumption that ALL churches are conservative, and perhaps even fundamentalist.
So, I put out a call to progressive people that they should support progressive religion. You can read it here. (Reposted here) It was not as warmly received as my other essays, which does not surprise me in the least, in that many progressive people falsely see the "fight" of modern society to be "ignorant religion" vs. "enlightened reason." So, I was not expecting as many warm fuzzies for this blog, and they didn't come my way.
I will probably follow up on this issue, somewhere down the road....
Rabbis for Obama
In another post, I noted with interest the endorsement of Obama by a Rabbi he knows, and this Rabbi's thoughts about how Obama would relate to the Jewish community.
The Fifth Anniversary of the Iraq War
Somewhere in the midst of all this, our church held a press conference, marking the five-year "Anniversary" of the War in Iraq. The press conference got some nice, er, press. The story ran all that day on KRLD Radio, and the DMN picked up the story the next morning, running some nice quotes from the many ecumenical leaders who came to our church for the press event.
This story from the United Methodist Reporter also ran a few weeks later.
This is a blog entry, posting the complete text of my comments on that day.
What it means to be "lucky" in America.
Somewhere in the midst of all this, the Geraldine Ferrraro comments exploded onto the headlines too. What really stuck with me about what she said was when she called Obama "lucky to be who he is," as if being a black man in America was akin to winning the lottery. I vented my frustration here on a MySpace blog.
The Clinton's as....Um....Who?!!
Finally, you knew it was getting to be silly season in politics when James Carville called Bill Richardson "Judas" during Holy Week. Then, instead of backtracking from the comments, he pretty much said, "No, I really did mean to draw that analogy this week..."
So, I drew the metaphor out to its obvious, and silly conclusions...the Clinton's as Jesus? It was originally posted at Street Prophets, and got reposted at Daily Kos...drawing some really funny comments.
Yes, what it proves more than anything is that we are in the height of "silly season."
General Conference begins
So, that's what I've been writing these past months, while my blog's been broken. That brings us up to the present day, and the start of our United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. It's a once-every-four-years gathering of Methodists from around the globe, and I was quoted about it in the DMN this week, right here.
|
Connections in 08...Whoa, Mexico...The Most Pathetic
Story Ever....more on Dan....and more prayer needed.
Jan/12/2008 10:20 PM | Permalink
Within the week, we should be announcing a whole slew
of Connections Band shows for the first half of 2008.
Rusty and I have been meeting, our clergy core group
has been meeting, we've been polling the whole band,
and talking with potential venues. I
can
tell you that the plans include the Chicago/Eagles
show several times, along with the JT/Carole King
show. The wildcard has been trying to fit in a
Fogelberg Tribute show...but it looks like we've got
that worked too...just may be later into the Spring
than those of you reading might hope.
Soon, we should also have a new band website, and lots more info Keep a close eye out...
Speaking of band websites, did you catch the little changes I've made here? Over the Christmas break, I went a little insane with the scanner. And I've really found out how to mess around with Photoshop Elements.
That combination leads to new pics on almost every page of ericfolkerth.com. (If you can't see them, refresh your browser...)
Hope you like it.
Wow, has it been a rough week for Tony Romo. The first playoff game is tomorrow, but all anyone can talk about this week is his trip to Mexico with Jessica Simpson.
Personally? I think it was a stupidly timed trip. And I wonder if he just doesn't "get" how much the leering press follows her around. It was probably poor judgment.
But I do have a question: If Jason Witten drops a key pass tomorrow, are we going to blame it on his being along for the trip too? (Doubtful...)
Well, the playoffs make me think of the blog I wrote about a year ago. Might be a good time to revisit it again.
As for the game?
There's a part of me that thinks that if they can't win this one, then we're gonna start calling Romo the Dirk of the Dallas Cowboys. Actually, after the season they've had, I'm sure that comparison will be drawn.
But, to me, Romo's really not the real key. TO is.
If Owens is really as iffy as he looks this week...look out.
If he's fine --if the Cowboys are just hiding him to hold their cards close (wouldn't be the first time...)-- I'll go with Dallas; and might even argue they'll win big.
So, it all hinges on TO, and not only his own play, but how his presence changes the whole strategy of an opposing defense...opening up all sorts of options for his teammates.
If the Giants don't have to worry about him?
It could get ugly.
I think this is probably one of the most pathetic stories I've ever heard.
The mother later apologized and Club Libby Lu withdrew the prize. But what a pathetic thing!
And what about that poor kid? She's on TV for the big announcement...she gets a couple of days to believe that she's going to the greatest show of all-time. (Work with me here...I'm putting myself in her shoes...)
Then, the tickets are gone, and she's got to live with the fact that her Mom is to blame. (Or....do you think her Mom's even told her the truth? Maybe not. But when she finally finds out at age twenty? Ouch...)
I know some are criticizing the company for not "fact-checking" the essays. But who would believe that someone would lie about a fictitious war hero to win concert tickets for their kid?
Pitiful.
Nice message from Jean Fogelberg, Dan's wife, on the main website a few weeks back:
Dear friends, I'm so grateful to all of you who wrote to Dan through The Living Legacy website with your stories of how his music touched your lives; with your uplifting words of encouragement; with your declarations of admiration and friendship.
Dan was a strong and private man, but even the mountain must tremble, and during the toughest times he gained solace and comfort from reading your letters and learning that his music had been a source of light in your lives.
Greatest of all though, was the feeling you gave him that his time here had served a purpose.
I hope you will find some peace in knowing that the joy and comfort you found in his music winged it's way back to him through your words, prayers, and good wishes.
Thank you,
Jean Fogelberg
"There is no darkness in this place that we're bound
Love is the only thing that matters" ~ DF
Speaking of Dan, the true story of one of his most famous songs, "Same Old Lange Syne," has recently come to light. The woman in song has come forward to tell her tale. Her name is Jill Greulich, and a Peoria reporter tracked her down and got her to open up.
Some question the timing of this, implying that she's trying to take advantage of Dan's death by coming forth now. But from what I can tell, the basic facts were always common knowledge in Dan's hometown. And, the guy who broke the story is a local reporter who's written several items on Dan in the past months.
It's nicely written. Read it here.
To me? It makes the song even more poignant than it was before.
Man are the P1s having a cow about the departure of Greg Williams from the Ticket. As Unfair Park reports, he has technically "resigned," although I don't think anybody's really buying it. Here's their blog about it.
My sense is that none of us will ever know what really happened behind the scenes. Nor should we. Drug addiction is a terrible thing, and it is public knowledge that this latest episode was a relapse of some sort.
Drug addiction puts tremendous pressure on co-workers, friends, family. Sometimes, "tough love"is thing to do is to help the person understand just how far they've fallen. Maybe Greg needed that. Or, maybe he did get sober, and there was just too much water under the bridge to go back to the way things were. We'll never really know.
Or, let me put it this way: I hope we never know. It's really none of my business. Or your's.
Whatever this situation, I hope and pray he's on the road to recovery. And I hope and pray all those still on the air can continue forward best they can.
When you're talking about drug addiction, I have a lot of sympathy for everyone, can't blame anyone for their feelings, and just hope everybody finds the way to get the personal healing they need.
One final update on this. Connor's Army did finally reach their goal of $10,000 raised for cancer research in 2007. Congratulations to my friend, Gene.
I am very proud of him.
But speaking of cancer...
It's such an up-and-down fight sometimes...steps backwards and steps forwards....
Kathleen Baskin-Ball has announced that she is back in chemo because her cancer has returned. Her husband Bill, also a very good friend, is posting updates at her MySpace page.
I am terribly sad to hear this, and am in prayer for her constantly. I hope you will be too.
Soon, we should also have a new band website, and lots more info Keep a close eye out...
Speaking of band websites, did you catch the little changes I've made here? Over the Christmas break, I went a little insane with the scanner. And I've really found out how to mess around with Photoshop Elements.
That combination leads to new pics on almost every page of ericfolkerth.com. (If you can't see them, refresh your browser...)
Hope you like it.
Wow, has it been a rough week for Tony Romo. The first playoff game is tomorrow, but all anyone can talk about this week is his trip to Mexico with Jessica Simpson.
Personally? I think it was a stupidly timed trip. And I wonder if he just doesn't "get" how much the leering press follows her around. It was probably poor judgment.
But I do have a question: If Jason Witten drops a key pass tomorrow, are we going to blame it on his being along for the trip too? (Doubtful...)
Well, the playoffs make me think of the blog I wrote about a year ago. Might be a good time to revisit it again.
As for the game?
There's a part of me that thinks that if they can't win this one, then we're gonna start calling Romo the Dirk of the Dallas Cowboys. Actually, after the season they've had, I'm sure that comparison will be drawn.
But, to me, Romo's really not the real key. TO is.
If Owens is really as iffy as he looks this week...look out.
If he's fine --if the Cowboys are just hiding him to hold their cards close (wouldn't be the first time...)-- I'll go with Dallas; and might even argue they'll win big.
So, it all hinges on TO, and not only his own play, but how his presence changes the whole strategy of an opposing defense...opening up all sorts of options for his teammates.
If the Giants don't have to worry about him?
It could get ugly.
I think this is probably one of the most pathetic stories I've ever heard.
The mother later apologized and Club Libby Lu withdrew the prize. But what a pathetic thing!
And what about that poor kid? She's on TV for the big announcement...she gets a couple of days to believe that she's going to the greatest show of all-time. (Work with me here...I'm putting myself in her shoes...)
Then, the tickets are gone, and she's got to live with the fact that her Mom is to blame. (Or....do you think her Mom's even told her the truth? Maybe not. But when she finally finds out at age twenty? Ouch...)
I know some are criticizing the company for not "fact-checking" the essays. But who would believe that someone would lie about a fictitious war hero to win concert tickets for their kid?
Pitiful.
Nice message from Jean Fogelberg, Dan's wife, on the main website a few weeks back:
Dear friends, I'm so grateful to all of you who wrote to Dan through The Living Legacy website with your stories of how his music touched your lives; with your uplifting words of encouragement; with your declarations of admiration and friendship.
Dan was a strong and private man, but even the mountain must tremble, and during the toughest times he gained solace and comfort from reading your letters and learning that his music had been a source of light in your lives.
Greatest of all though, was the feeling you gave him that his time here had served a purpose.
I hope you will find some peace in knowing that the joy and comfort you found in his music winged it's way back to him through your words, prayers, and good wishes.
Thank you,
Jean Fogelberg
"There is no darkness in this place that we're bound
Love is the only thing that matters" ~ DF
Speaking of Dan, the true story of one of his most famous songs, "Same Old Lange Syne," has recently come to light. The woman in song has come forward to tell her tale. Her name is Jill Greulich, and a Peoria reporter tracked her down and got her to open up.
Some question the timing of this, implying that she's trying to take advantage of Dan's death by coming forth now. But from what I can tell, the basic facts were always common knowledge in Dan's hometown. And, the guy who broke the story is a local reporter who's written several items on Dan in the past months.
It's nicely written. Read it here.
To me? It makes the song even more poignant than it was before.
Man are the P1s having a cow about the departure of Greg Williams from the Ticket. As Unfair Park reports, he has technically "resigned," although I don't think anybody's really buying it. Here's their blog about it.
My sense is that none of us will ever know what really happened behind the scenes. Nor should we. Drug addiction is a terrible thing, and it is public knowledge that this latest episode was a relapse of some sort.
Drug addiction puts tremendous pressure on co-workers, friends, family. Sometimes, "tough love"is thing to do is to help the person understand just how far they've fallen. Maybe Greg needed that. Or, maybe he did get sober, and there was just too much water under the bridge to go back to the way things were. We'll never really know.
Or, let me put it this way: I hope we never know. It's really none of my business. Or your's.
Whatever this situation, I hope and pray he's on the road to recovery. And I hope and pray all those still on the air can continue forward best they can.
When you're talking about drug addiction, I have a lot of sympathy for everyone, can't blame anyone for their feelings, and just hope everybody finds the way to get the personal healing they need.
One final update on this. Connor's Army did finally reach their goal of $10,000 raised for cancer research in 2007. Congratulations to my friend, Gene.
I am very proud of him.
But speaking of cancer...
It's such an up-and-down fight sometimes...steps backwards and steps forwards....
Kathleen Baskin-Ball has announced that she is back in chemo because her cancer has returned. Her husband Bill, also a very good friend, is posting updates at her MySpace page.
I am terribly sad to hear this, and am in prayer for her constantly. I hope you will be too.
More on Dan...Otis Redding at Stax....Connor's
Army....Going Greet at Church...And Miss Maria
Mis-hears the News...
Dec/22/2007 11:00 AM | Permalink
Many of you have stumbled on my blogs about Dan
Fogelberg, especially
this second one.
Thanks to everyone for your kind comments. It has
done my heart good to know that I was not alone in
all my thoughts about Dan's passing.
Some of you who have watched the Dan Fogelberg Tribute Show Videos have noted that one appears to be missing. For reasons that I don't understand, Clip 4 was deleted. It may have had some glitch in it.
I uploaded it again yesterday, and again it was deleted by last night. So, "take three," and let's hope this one holds. It's actually got some of my favorite songs: To The Morning, Stars, Run for the Roses, and Leader of the Band...check it out. (And let's hope this version doesn't get deleted again!) You can also see them at my MySpace page, under "videos."
Got a nice email from a guy named Tim, who runs the Stax Records blog. He was writing about this entry, and was very kind in his assessment of my assessment of Memphis. He reminds us all that currently the Stax Museum is hosting a tribute to Otis Redding, featuring pictures from his family's private collection. This would certainly be worth the trip, if you're anywhere near Memphis. Learn about it here.
An update on Connor's Army. You may remember this blog entry about my old friend, Gene Connor, and his one-person crusade to raise money for cancer research by riding 2,000 miles this year. Gene's December blog entry says this:
"This was absolutely the worst ride I have ever had.
Average speed was 14.9 and I usually average 19-20 on the same ride, top speed downhill was 32 and my best has been 45, my ride time was 55:36 and its usually 36:00-38:00.
Yet when I stepped off my bike I was crying with happiness.
Why?
Because I did it. Today I reached my 2,000 commuting mile goal."
They are just shy of their $10,000 goal. But, there are still ten days left in this year, and you can still join them. I hope you'll consider it as a holiday gift to honor a friend.
Gene has announced big plans for 2010... a Coast-to-Coast ride with the goal of raising $50,000!!! Stay tuned...I know he'll be able to do it!
A nice story in today's DMN about United Methodist Churches purchasing green energy. Basically, 180-plus UM Churches in North Texas banded together and when they , ahem, renewed their bulk contract for energy purchasing, they required all bids to have a 10 percent "green" allotment. The story, by fine DMN reporter, Sam Hodges, says that this appears to the first time any church group has done this. It makes sense. Environmentalism is a value held dear by many people of faith: why not use our collective clout to affect change? Very proud of us all...
But, wait, there's more! Because there's a quote from your's truly at the of the story. Our church made the choice to opt-in for a little more, such that we'll purchase 100 percent green energy. The premium on that was a small 3.5 percent increase over the basic price, and we saw that as a "no brainer." Very proud of our church too...
Funny story from Maria...
She really does listen to what's going on in the news. We must keep this in mind. The other day, she asked Dennise why "knee boarding" was illegal. Knee boarding, of course, is something you do on the lake....you sit on your knees, on a little float-board, and a boat drags you around. It's like water skiing, only without the skis and quite as much falling down.
Maria says, "I don't understand it, my friend Brittany does it all the time, and we did it as summer camp too...why is it illegal?"
To which Dennise said, "It's not, honey, where did you get that idea?"
To which Maria says, "Well, it's all over the TV...you know...how knee boarding is considered torture..."
"That's waterboarding, honey. It's totally different...."
And then, of course, we had to explain the unexplainable to a ten-year-old: what waterboarding is, and why anyone in our country would defend it for any reason.
She was greatly relieved to find that the kids at summer camp weren't engaging in torture. She was a little more troubled about why our government seems to be.
Aren't we all?
Some of you who have watched the Dan Fogelberg Tribute Show Videos have noted that one appears to be missing. For reasons that I don't understand, Clip 4 was deleted. It may have had some glitch in it.
I uploaded it again yesterday, and again it was deleted by last night. So, "take three," and let's hope this one holds. It's actually got some of my favorite songs: To The Morning, Stars, Run for the Roses, and Leader of the Band...check it out. (And let's hope this version doesn't get deleted again!) You can also see them at my MySpace page, under "videos."
Got a nice email from a guy named Tim, who runs the Stax Records blog. He was writing about this entry, and was very kind in his assessment of my assessment of Memphis. He reminds us all that currently the Stax Museum is hosting a tribute to Otis Redding, featuring pictures from his family's private collection. This would certainly be worth the trip, if you're anywhere near Memphis. Learn about it here.
An update on Connor's Army. You may remember this blog entry about my old friend, Gene Connor, and his one-person crusade to raise money for cancer research by riding 2,000 miles this year. Gene's December blog entry says this:
"This was absolutely the worst ride I have ever had.
Average speed was 14.9 and I usually average 19-20 on the same ride, top speed downhill was 32 and my best has been 45, my ride time was 55:36 and its usually 36:00-38:00.
Yet when I stepped off my bike I was crying with happiness.
Why?
Because I did it. Today I reached my 2,000 commuting mile goal."
They are just shy of their $10,000 goal. But, there are still ten days left in this year, and you can still join them. I hope you'll consider it as a holiday gift to honor a friend.
Gene has announced big plans for 2010... a Coast-to-Coast ride with the goal of raising $50,000!!! Stay tuned...I know he'll be able to do it!
A nice story in today's DMN about United Methodist Churches purchasing green energy. Basically, 180-plus UM Churches in North Texas banded together and when they , ahem, renewed their bulk contract for energy purchasing, they required all bids to have a 10 percent "green" allotment. The story, by fine DMN reporter, Sam Hodges, says that this appears to the first time any church group has done this. It makes sense. Environmentalism is a value held dear by many people of faith: why not use our collective clout to affect change? Very proud of us all...
But, wait, there's more! Because there's a quote from your's truly at the of the story. Our church made the choice to opt-in for a little more, such that we'll purchase 100 percent green energy. The premium on that was a small 3.5 percent increase over the basic price, and we saw that as a "no brainer." Very proud of our church too...
Funny story from Maria...
She really does listen to what's going on in the news. We must keep this in mind. The other day, she asked Dennise why "knee boarding" was illegal. Knee boarding, of course, is something you do on the lake....you sit on your knees, on a little float-board, and a boat drags you around. It's like water skiing, only without the skis and quite as much falling down.
Maria says, "I don't understand it, my friend Brittany does it all the time, and we did it as summer camp too...why is it illegal?"
To which Dennise said, "It's not, honey, where did you get that idea?"
To which Maria says, "Well, it's all over the TV...you know...how knee boarding is considered torture..."
"That's waterboarding, honey. It's totally different...."
And then, of course, we had to explain the unexplainable to a ten-year-old: what waterboarding is, and why anyone in our country would defend it for any reason.
She was greatly relieved to find that the kids at summer camp weren't engaging in torture. She was a little more troubled about why our government seems to be.
Aren't we all?
Hawks, A Not-Too-Swift Bet, and the Fleeting Nature
of Celebrity
Nov/16/2007 09:39 PM | Permalink
Yesterday morning, I was getting out of the car after
taking Maria to school. I looked up, and there in the
top of our front yard tree was a hawk. Just sitting
there. I noted that he was surrounded by smaller
birds, sort of pelting him. I'd seen that before,
back when I'd written about hawks. Might be a nice
time to
re-read this.
The night before, I also saw an owl in a tree down at the creek.
Neither of them need the money, but I'm pretty sure that T. Boone Pickens owes John Kerry a million bucks.
If you have a girl Maria's age, there is no way you do not know the name "Hannah Montana." Think of her as The Beatles for girls, age 8-14. I am not talking about talent of the star. I am talking about the adoration of the fans. Hannah Montana is as hot a celebrity as there is, or ever has been, for girls this age.
Hannah Montana was in concert in Fort Worth Wednesday night. We were not fortunate enough to remember to buy tickets in the first fifteen minutes, so we had no chance of going. Apparently, we could have bought a scalped ticket for a thousand bucks each.
Celebrity is a funny thing. Who you are really shapes who you see as a celebrity, and who you don't. For example, I was reading the paper this morning, and found this small item about how Troy Aikman had taken his daughters to the Hannah Montana show.
So, while we were at dinner tonight, I mentioned to Dennise, "Hey...did you hear that Troy Aikman took his kids to see Hannah Montana?"
To which Maria broke in and asked, "Who's Troy Aikman?"
The night before, I also saw an owl in a tree down at the creek.
Neither of them need the money, but I'm pretty sure that T. Boone Pickens owes John Kerry a million bucks.
If you have a girl Maria's age, there is no way you do not know the name "Hannah Montana." Think of her as The Beatles for girls, age 8-14. I am not talking about talent of the star. I am talking about the adoration of the fans. Hannah Montana is as hot a celebrity as there is, or ever has been, for girls this age.
Hannah Montana was in concert in Fort Worth Wednesday night. We were not fortunate enough to remember to buy tickets in the first fifteen minutes, so we had no chance of going. Apparently, we could have bought a scalped ticket for a thousand bucks each.
Celebrity is a funny thing. Who you are really shapes who you see as a celebrity, and who you don't. For example, I was reading the paper this morning, and found this small item about how Troy Aikman had taken his daughters to the Hannah Montana show.
So, while we were at dinner tonight, I mentioned to Dennise, "Hey...did you hear that Troy Aikman took his kids to see Hannah Montana?"
To which Maria broke in and asked, "Who's Troy Aikman?"
Greenberg Redux, Iconoclasts, Big O' Hybrids, and 30
Days every week
Nov/12/2007 07:39 AM | Permalink
It's the time of year to start thinking about Greenberg Turkeys, and to re-read this. There is probably still time to get you one before Thanksgiving. Or, failing that, Christmas.
I am so pleased there was an election where I didn't personally know a single person running for anything. That used to be common. Not anymore.
I have noticed that FX is running reruns of 30 Days. I'm excited about this, because if you haven't seen this show, you should. Here's what I said about it, back in the day. Hope they put out some more episodes.
I'm also really getting in to a great show on the Sundance Channel, called "Iconoclasts." Since this show is in its third season now, it's a bit of a "Columbus Discovery"* for me; but maybe you haven't heard of it either.
What the show does is to pair two persons who are famous or successful in two very different fields of endeavor. And yet, what the show uncovers almost every time, are surprising amounts of connection and similarity between values and core beliefs.
For example, Alicia Keys is paired with Ruby Dee. Jon Krakauer is paired with Sean Penn. OK, obvious connections there. So how about Mike Myers and Deepak Chopra?
That episode was really great, in that they both seem to agree that deep-level spirituality is intimately connected with our sense of humor. The ability to understand the deepest truths of human existence, and the ability to laugh at ourselves and our situation, share commonalities. I have intuited this for a long time, but it was nice to hear others express it.
This is very good news about the GM plant in Arlington. And another good reason to re-read this. This is apparently the first time a full-size SUV will be available as a hybrid.
Excellent.
Connections Band should be announcing several new shows for 2008 soon...stay tuned.
*Columbus Discovery defined: When I stumble on some new cultural phenomenon that is new to me, but has been known by others for some time. These can be musicians (often are), artists, TV shows, fads, etc... Something that entered the cultural zietgiest some time ago, only I never knew it. So, like Columbus, I am ignorant enough to say "Hey, I just discovered this!"
But, unlike Columbus, I have an inner voice reminding me that it was around a long time before I finally paid attention.
The World Series, MySpace Music, Tex-Mex Food, and
Marie Osmond
Oct/26/2007 10:09 AM | Permalink
A new blog category debuts today:
Synapse Clippings.
It's a place to capture quick-hit thoughts that don't
deserve long entries of their own...kinda like most
blogs read.
I'd like to thank the NFL scheduling gods for placing the Cowboys bye-week in a position where we can actually get news about the World Series in our local Dallas paper.
Speaking of the World Series, was anybody else touched by the kid from Odessa who got to throw out the first pitch last night?
Here's how the Boston Globe describe it:
""It's amazing," exclaimed Andrew Madden, a 13-year-old Odessa, Texas, native who emerged from the walkway outside the Red Sox clubhouse yesterday afternoon and saw Fenway Park in person for the first time. "The Green Monster is awesome."
So was his entire day. The youngster threw out the first pitch last night before Game 2 of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies. Former Sox right fielder Dwight Evans escorted him.
Madden is a heart transplant recipient who fell in love with the Red Sox during the 2004 playoffs and has been a fan since. He and his surgeon, Kristine Guleserian, a Boston native, created a bond while Madden waited for a new heart. They followed the '07 Red Sox closely, and Guleserian promised Madden that she would bring him to a game at Fenway if the team made the postseason."
Nice
But speaking of the Series again, what was Rudy thinking?!!
He could maybe get away with that if this was Texas. But picking the hated Sox as a New Yorker?
Come on, even I know that's bad.
And speaking of New York, you may remember my blog about Tex-Mex. Well, it appears that even the food writer for the New York Times is hooked. And it appears that he has the good taste to suggest Herrera's as one of the archetypal restaurants. Read it here.
I like the part where the government of Mexico tried to retrain fifty Tex-Mex chefs as to what is actually "Mexican" and what is not.
Know what? We get it. It's NOT Mexican, it's Tex-Mex. That was my point.
This is perhaps the most pitiful headline I've ever read.
Why is this so hard to believe? She's absolutely right: on a good day, the air in LA is horrible. How much worse with fires raging all around? I remember several years ago when fires in central Mexico choked us here in Dallas for a week.
Two from the category of "quirky covers you can find on MySpace"...
First there's Belle Rumore, an all woman band of voilin players who do a really fun cover of Chicago's 25 or 6 to 4.
Speaking of Chicago's music and MySpace, here's their bass player, Jason Scheff, doing an amazing acapella "Stairway to Heaven."
Jason is the high harmony guy for Chicago so it's no wonder he can pull this off. (A shout out to his brother, Darin, who I've known for many years now, via the fact that his company hosts this website...)
One more note about Jason...
This past year, he completed 21-years with Chicago. That's now officially longer than Peter Cetera, the man he replaced, was ever with the band. Give you some perspective, huh?
Speaking of Chicago members and MySpace, I meant to tell you all about getting an email from Robert Lamm. Lamm wrote a MySpace blog called "Good Ideas." You can read it here. The gist of it was to suggest that we can all make the world a better place through the choices we make. As an example, he lifted up mosquito nets for Africa. Well, as you may remember, one of our most successful Connections Band shows was at Walnut Hill UMC last year, where the beneficiary was "Nothing But Nets," a non-profit dedicated to providing mosquito nets for Africa.
So, I wrote Robert Lamm to tell him that, in a way he couldn't possibly know, his music had actually been helping on this very issue, in that we raised $4,000 for this very cause by playing his music in a free concert.
A few days later, I got this one line response:
"Thanks for the update, and for getting involved in a real way with the Nothing But Nets effort. Keep on rockin', my friend!
RL"
Awesome.
Robert Lamm knows about Connections.
Wow.
For those who doubt the whole MySpace thing, I will observe that it's an amazing site precisely because a guy like me can communicate with folks like Jason Scheff and Robert Lamm. That don't happen everyday, and it's pretty cool when it does.
And speaking of Connections' artists, James Taylor's new CD, "One Man Band," is now out.
(Is this a play on "One Man Dog?")
Finally, speaking of Taylor, and to end where we began (with the World Series), I hope you got to see JT doing the National Anthem last night:
"James Taylor was positively beaming as he stood behind home plate at Fenway Park early Thursday afternoon.
Preparing to rehearse the national anthem, Taylor, born in Boston and a loyal Red Sox fan, submitted his list of elements closely tied to New Englanders.
"We identify ourselves by a number of things," Taylor said. "Maple sugar, lobsters, the leaves turning, the Boston Tea Party and the Sox. It's part of our blood.""
Read the whole story here.
You can find the video on this page (October 25th entry)
This gives me chills...
Fenway Park...the Big Green Monster...the Red Sox in the series...a kid from Odessa throwing out the first pitch...James Taylor, playing his Olson and singing the National Anthem...
Could it be cooler?
Go Sox!
I'd like to thank the NFL scheduling gods for placing the Cowboys bye-week in a position where we can actually get news about the World Series in our local Dallas paper.
Speaking of the World Series, was anybody else touched by the kid from Odessa who got to throw out the first pitch last night?
Here's how the Boston Globe describe it:
""It's amazing," exclaimed Andrew Madden, a 13-year-old Odessa, Texas, native who emerged from the walkway outside the Red Sox clubhouse yesterday afternoon and saw Fenway Park in person for the first time. "The Green Monster is awesome."
So was his entire day. The youngster threw out the first pitch last night before Game 2 of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies. Former Sox right fielder Dwight Evans escorted him.
Madden is a heart transplant recipient who fell in love with the Red Sox during the 2004 playoffs and has been a fan since. He and his surgeon, Kristine Guleserian, a Boston native, created a bond while Madden waited for a new heart. They followed the '07 Red Sox closely, and Guleserian promised Madden that she would bring him to a game at Fenway if the team made the postseason."
Nice
But speaking of the Series again, what was Rudy thinking?!!
He could maybe get away with that if this was Texas. But picking the hated Sox as a New Yorker?
Come on, even I know that's bad.
And speaking of New York, you may remember my blog about Tex-Mex. Well, it appears that even the food writer for the New York Times is hooked. And it appears that he has the good taste to suggest Herrera's as one of the archetypal restaurants. Read it here.
I like the part where the government of Mexico tried to retrain fifty Tex-Mex chefs as to what is actually "Mexican" and what is not.
Know what? We get it. It's NOT Mexican, it's Tex-Mex. That was my point.
This is perhaps the most pitiful headline I've ever read.
Why is this so hard to believe? She's absolutely right: on a good day, the air in LA is horrible. How much worse with fires raging all around? I remember several years ago when fires in central Mexico choked us here in Dallas for a week.
Two from the category of "quirky covers you can find on MySpace"...
First there's Belle Rumore, an all woman band of voilin players who do a really fun cover of Chicago's 25 or 6 to 4.
Speaking of Chicago's music and MySpace, here's their bass player, Jason Scheff, doing an amazing acapella "Stairway to Heaven."
Jason is the high harmony guy for Chicago so it's no wonder he can pull this off. (A shout out to his brother, Darin, who I've known for many years now, via the fact that his company hosts this website...)
One more note about Jason...
This past year, he completed 21-years with Chicago. That's now officially longer than Peter Cetera, the man he replaced, was ever with the band. Give you some perspective, huh?
Speaking of Chicago members and MySpace, I meant to tell you all about getting an email from Robert Lamm. Lamm wrote a MySpace blog called "Good Ideas." You can read it here. The gist of it was to suggest that we can all make the world a better place through the choices we make. As an example, he lifted up mosquito nets for Africa. Well, as you may remember, one of our most successful Connections Band shows was at Walnut Hill UMC last year, where the beneficiary was "Nothing But Nets," a non-profit dedicated to providing mosquito nets for Africa.
So, I wrote Robert Lamm to tell him that, in a way he couldn't possibly know, his music had actually been helping on this very issue, in that we raised $4,000 for this very cause by playing his music in a free concert.
A few days later, I got this one line response:
"Thanks for the update, and for getting involved in a real way with the Nothing But Nets effort. Keep on rockin', my friend!
RL"
Awesome.
Robert Lamm knows about Connections.
Wow.
For those who doubt the whole MySpace thing, I will observe that it's an amazing site precisely because a guy like me can communicate with folks like Jason Scheff and Robert Lamm. That don't happen everyday, and it's pretty cool when it does.
And speaking of Connections' artists, James Taylor's new CD, "One Man Band," is now out.
(Is this a play on "One Man Dog?")
Finally, speaking of Taylor, and to end where we began (with the World Series), I hope you got to see JT doing the National Anthem last night:
"James Taylor was positively beaming as he stood behind home plate at Fenway Park early Thursday afternoon.
Preparing to rehearse the national anthem, Taylor, born in Boston and a loyal Red Sox fan, submitted his list of elements closely tied to New Englanders.
"We identify ourselves by a number of things," Taylor said. "Maple sugar, lobsters, the leaves turning, the Boston Tea Party and the Sox. It's part of our blood.""
Read the whole story here.
You can find the video on this page (October 25th entry)
This gives me chills...
Fenway Park...the Big Green Monster...the Red Sox in the series...a kid from Odessa throwing out the first pitch...James Taylor, playing his Olson and singing the National Anthem...
Could it be cooler?
Go Sox!