My thoughts are also turning to some of those hurting.
Nate Livingston's blog is the scene of a lot of dialogue on the Kabaka Oba shooting. There were some commentors who don't care about Oba or the violence in OTR and have a "let it burn" philosophy. I responded over at his site, "To the last Anon, advising people to stay out of OTR and leave it to the "miscreants and the morally destitute"
Wow, you're a fool. Do you really believe you are disconnected from the lives of the poor and the broken? Where do you think your suburban neighbors go to buy drugs and rent flesh? Do you really think the suburban shell can thrive if the city's heart decays?
The drug supply is only there to meet the demand of a suburban market. The guns are only there because of the culture of violence that our nation has embraced.
Take some responsibility. As you're firing up the grill behind your white picket fence you're ignoring your role in healing the city's collective illness."
The Palmers
Amy Palmer's entries are also ones to meditate on. She's posting on her grief and the recent loss of her husband, Mark. I don't really know the Palmer family, but I know a lot of people who love them. I have to say that even as someone who is a stranger in many ways to her, I really feel for what she's going through.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
The birds are up and so am I
It's just past five in the morning (or two am San Francisco time) and I just got out of the shower and am dressed. I forgot my towel, but it wasn't as much of a pain since it's pretty warm right now. (our days are almost hitting 80 degrees)
I mentioned SF because last night I dreamed of our new friends there and I suppose they're dreaming now. I don't recall the content, but I think I'll call a couple of them today and make contact.
I finished my 2005 financials and I have to get 2004, 2003 and 2002 done now and the taxes. This is a hole I'll not soon dig for myself again.
Steve
I mentioned SF because last night I dreamed of our new friends there and I suppose they're dreaming now. I don't recall the content, but I think I'll call a couple of them today and make contact.
I finished my 2005 financials and I have to get 2004, 2003 and 2002 done now and the taxes. This is a hole I'll not soon dig for myself again.
Steve
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
The disease of addiction
Beck and I attended family night tonight at the WRAP House - the residential treatment program that Molly's in - and that was a major theme. A lady spoke about her son Casey, who died because of his Heroine addiction. She said that it's just not treated as a serious disease and implied that this contributed to his death. I agree.
I wonder if the family member I mentioned with the aloholism regards it as an illness. I bet he thinks of himself as a failure because of it. Maybe I'll call him tomorrow.
I wonder if the family member I mentioned with the aloholism regards it as an illness. I bet he thinks of himself as a failure because of it. Maybe I'll call him tomorrow.
Left of Eden
This is my article on the religious left in Cincinnati. I'd welcome any feedback.
Here it is, at Citybeat.
Here it is, at Citybeat.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
House Church installment
It's Tuesday and House Church is here (or at least I am here at HC). I'm live blogging again which helps me focus on what's happening.
"My goal is to raise the bar every time we do it," says Klinefelter, of his Via Crucis project. This is Aaron's experiential way of the cross exhibition where the stations of the cross are done by 14 different artists. There were like 7 churches and many individuals involved in this, by the way, so I'm sure Aaron will cringe as I label it "Aaron's project."
We had a lot of food here tonight, including White Castles. Eric is singing some weird song about eating a lot tonight.
Where did you see god this week?
Leslie: Called some company and was put on hold for awhile and got a very frustrated operator. "I said, god's in control and she said yes he is." (after almost getting nasty with the operator) "I came that close," she said.
Klinefelter: "I certainly noticed god on Sunday night...It was just cool to see so many diff't people come together and, in some shape or form, experiencing Christ's presence." Klinefelter related that the last person there, a fellow named Matthew, heard about the event from a friend who got an email about Via Crucis and he was going to go to a BarBQ and then he found that the people at the BarBQ were going to go to. "...these random connections...just neat...people converging. That was really cool, a god thing."
Eric said it was magic.
Patricia, a neighbor, said that her dad passed away several years ago. He taught philosophy of education, existentialism and was a deacon at his church. After he died she wondered if god really existed. Patricia saw a van hit a little girl and her dad appeared all of a sudden asking her why she was crying. He had two lawn chairs. He said, "Don't cry. She's with us." She tells us that her father said that there was nothing to fear in the Lord's hands. "He was telling me he was still alive, with god...this was strange..." She said on another evening she was laying in bed and a beam of light came in her window and Jesus Christ appeared with her dad - they passed their hands over her body. "All of a sudden I opened my eyes and I saw Christ there beside me...I could feel him taking his hand...I could feel them touching my life."
"He will embrace you if you ask him to," she said.
A new person, Maria just joined us. She was curating during Via Crucis.
Liz: Really bad about waking in the morning. "It's on the border between laughable and ridiculous." This week, she's gotten up on time every day (two days).
Picturing God's Kingdom
That's the discussion theme this week. I didn't read this time. I don't very often, so I'm seldom well prepared and make up for my lack of knowledge with my wits.
So what are the meanings behind parables and myths in the bible? Leslie said that there were some references – like salt losing its saltiness – that confused her. This made her want to read more.
Angela mentions that some biblical stories seem hard to understand because we have become so separated from the earth.
How do we pass on stories to people (children) whose lives are divorced from nature.
“The kingdom of god is like a microchip,” Angela jokes.
What are the times when you were able to convey some small part of what god is?
Angela says that she's communicated god by not mentioning god or Jesus, loaded words, she says. In stories.
Maybe (this is me speaking now) there are just a few roads to failure – that it won't work – but a multitude of ways that it can work – when it's supposed to. The “it” I'm talking about is a relationship or a project or a journey – anything that leads us to crisis.
Aaron described hermeneutics - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeneutics -as the way to understand this stuff.
Russ says people often get caught up in the Christian affectations and need to focus on their attitude and behavior. “The congregation is very important, but when those individuals walk away they had better act as they've been taught...”
-30-
"My goal is to raise the bar every time we do it," says Klinefelter, of his Via Crucis project. This is Aaron's experiential way of the cross exhibition where the stations of the cross are done by 14 different artists. There were like 7 churches and many individuals involved in this, by the way, so I'm sure Aaron will cringe as I label it "Aaron's project."
We had a lot of food here tonight, including White Castles. Eric is singing some weird song about eating a lot tonight.
Where did you see god this week?
Leslie: Called some company and was put on hold for awhile and got a very frustrated operator. "I said, god's in control and she said yes he is." (after almost getting nasty with the operator) "I came that close," she said.
Klinefelter: "I certainly noticed god on Sunday night...It was just cool to see so many diff't people come together and, in some shape or form, experiencing Christ's presence." Klinefelter related that the last person there, a fellow named Matthew, heard about the event from a friend who got an email about Via Crucis and he was going to go to a BarBQ and then he found that the people at the BarBQ were going to go to. "...these random connections...just neat...people converging. That was really cool, a god thing."
Eric said it was magic.
Patricia, a neighbor, said that her dad passed away several years ago. He taught philosophy of education, existentialism and was a deacon at his church. After he died she wondered if god really existed. Patricia saw a van hit a little girl and her dad appeared all of a sudden asking her why she was crying. He had two lawn chairs. He said, "Don't cry. She's with us." She tells us that her father said that there was nothing to fear in the Lord's hands. "He was telling me he was still alive, with god...this was strange..." She said on another evening she was laying in bed and a beam of light came in her window and Jesus Christ appeared with her dad - they passed their hands over her body. "All of a sudden I opened my eyes and I saw Christ there beside me...I could feel him taking his hand...I could feel them touching my life."
"He will embrace you if you ask him to," she said.
A new person, Maria just joined us. She was curating during Via Crucis.
Liz: Really bad about waking in the morning. "It's on the border between laughable and ridiculous." This week, she's gotten up on time every day (two days).
Picturing God's Kingdom
That's the discussion theme this week. I didn't read this time. I don't very often, so I'm seldom well prepared and make up for my lack of knowledge with my wits.
So what are the meanings behind parables and myths in the bible? Leslie said that there were some references – like salt losing its saltiness – that confused her. This made her want to read more.
Angela mentions that some biblical stories seem hard to understand because we have become so separated from the earth.
How do we pass on stories to people (children) whose lives are divorced from nature.
“The kingdom of god is like a microchip,” Angela jokes.
What are the times when you were able to convey some small part of what god is?
Angela says that she's communicated god by not mentioning god or Jesus, loaded words, she says. In stories.
Maybe (this is me speaking now) there are just a few roads to failure – that it won't work – but a multitude of ways that it can work – when it's supposed to. The “it” I'm talking about is a relationship or a project or a journey – anything that leads us to crisis.
Aaron described hermeneutics - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeneutics -as the way to understand this stuff.
Russ says people often get caught up in the Christian affectations and need to focus on their attitude and behavior. “The congregation is very important, but when those individuals walk away they had better act as they've been taught...”
-30-
Exquisite pain, minor resolution and the bag 'o' religious gear
I just got over a three day headache today. In and out it crashed like waves, exposing jagged rocks, like they talked about in the book, Misery. I woke up at three AM this morning, it was sharp then and inescapable through sleep and I wrote a bit and surfed the Net. I was able to tone down the pain around six and as I was going to sleep I wondered if I could reimagine the pain and choose the way my brain interpreted the signals from my straining blood vessels. Could I choose to believe it was pleasure? If I did, would it become that? Like a cool breeze passing over my face instead of a slow electric draw, clenching my skull? I described it, at another time as being exquisite pain. I'll let you read that if you ask.
Minor resolution
An important phone call came today from the person I conflicted with last week. I wrote about it and they responded on this blog a couple of days ago. This person said they wanted, as I do, to have space but retain civility so this doesn't affect our mutual friends. I respect this person for that. We agreed to disagree.
Religious gear
I've gathered all my churchy stuff into my zipper bag - The bible, the qoran and a couple of analytical texts are all together for tonight at house church and elsewhere.
- Steve
Minor resolution
An important phone call came today from the person I conflicted with last week. I wrote about it and they responded on this blog a couple of days ago. This person said they wanted, as I do, to have space but retain civility so this doesn't affect our mutual friends. I respect this person for that. We agreed to disagree.
Religious gear
I've gathered all my churchy stuff into my zipper bag - The bible, the qoran and a couple of analytical texts are all together for tonight at house church and elsewhere.
- Steve
Bush is a shameful, terrible president
and I hope he is impeached. He deserves prison.
I heard him on the radio and it makes me sick to listen to his voice.
I just don't think this can be said too often. I just hope the movement reaches a critical mass.
I heard him on the radio and it makes me sick to listen to his voice.
I just don't think this can be said too often. I just hope the movement reaches a critical mass.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
How we felt when we saw the baby
I wanted to jump back to the day last week when we went for the sonogram:
It was a really emotional time. I spoke with Matt Murray today at St. E's and he told me that, a lot like the way we were sorta cool and collected before the wedding and then, at the event, just in awe of the mystical/emotional/amazing gravity of it all, that the birth would be the same way.
I think he's right. The sonogram made me cry and Beck, too. It was really moving to see our son's face for the first time. The ultrasound has a very scifi kind of feel, revealing the outer shape of the baby and slices of his flesh and beneath the skin. I imagined that this was the way a fourth dimensional being would see us - like a god's eye view.
Anyway, it was pretty incredible. We saw our son for the first time. The name Abby Delores doesn't work anymore, of course.
It was a really emotional time. I spoke with Matt Murray today at St. E's and he told me that, a lot like the way we were sorta cool and collected before the wedding and then, at the event, just in awe of the mystical/emotional/amazing gravity of it all, that the birth would be the same way.
I think he's right. The sonogram made me cry and Beck, too. It was really moving to see our son's face for the first time. The ultrasound has a very scifi kind of feel, revealing the outer shape of the baby and slices of his flesh and beneath the skin. I imagined that this was the way a fourth dimensional being would see us - like a god's eye view.
Anyway, it was pretty incredible. We saw our son for the first time. The name Abby Delores doesn't work anymore, of course.
The past week and the next
Yeah, I'm really tired right now, so my titles aren't that creative. I'll work on it in the near future.
Today is Sunday and I'm at the Brown House. It's sunny, but kinda cold. The house is alive with people. That's really cool to see.
The SPJ Convention
The Society of Professional Journalists annual Region Four Convention was yesterday. Beck and I went to the reception on Friday night at the Freedom Center. It was our first time there and it was very nice. I've heard a bit of criticism about it and, while it was video heavy, I did learn some things. We just checked it out as a sideline to our event, so I'd like to make a day of it and really explore their exhibits. I was glad to see that the Center connected the struggle of blacks to queer liberation and women's lib.
Saturday was the convention. I moderated a panel on Media Reform and Indie Media. It went pretty well. Always get speakers that are more competant than yourself, is my motto. John Fox, editor of Citybeat, George Nemeth of Brewed Fresh Daily and Sara Mahle from Media Bridges spoke on my panel.
Beck attended too and said she thought the discussion was really good. We attended a presentation by a writer from the New York Times on covering disasters, too. It was pretty moving - photos and stories from the first few days in post-Katrina New Orleans.
Kari Wethington and Andrew Warner did some podcasting for SPJ. I'll post the links when they're up.
Willing to put up with less these days
I don't want to say that we have less patience because of the baby coming, but we certainly have a lower bullshit threshold.
We're trying to use barriers wisely and kindly against people with recurring issues who are not addressing their problems. I had an argument with a friend that made me feel really bad a couple of days ago and I realized that it's just not where I want to be; not for myself, Becky or the baby. So I'm going to cool it with a couple of relationships that have been earmarked with anger. I just don't have the time for people who aren't willing to work on their issues.
Have you ever felt like you were in some kind of Groundhog Day (the movie) cycle with someone where it kept going sour on a cyclical basis? That's how I've felt.
Speeders
The bastards speeding down my street piss me off more and more the closer I get to having my baby breathe the air. Yeah, I need to find a solution to these issues. The city responded quickly to my call a couple of weeks ago and put speed limit signs on the street. It's a start.
The new week
Here's some stuff I need to complete this week:
Financial Record roundup and year-end books
Taxes
Getting rid of the blue couch (wanna buy it?)
Finishing the drywall repair in the hallway
Laying down the stone in the backyard
Work on the dining guide stories
That's all for now. Steve.
Today is Sunday and I'm at the Brown House. It's sunny, but kinda cold. The house is alive with people. That's really cool to see.
The SPJ Convention
The Society of Professional Journalists annual Region Four Convention was yesterday. Beck and I went to the reception on Friday night at the Freedom Center. It was our first time there and it was very nice. I've heard a bit of criticism about it and, while it was video heavy, I did learn some things. We just checked it out as a sideline to our event, so I'd like to make a day of it and really explore their exhibits. I was glad to see that the Center connected the struggle of blacks to queer liberation and women's lib.
Saturday was the convention. I moderated a panel on Media Reform and Indie Media. It went pretty well. Always get speakers that are more competant than yourself, is my motto. John Fox, editor of Citybeat, George Nemeth of Brewed Fresh Daily and Sara Mahle from Media Bridges spoke on my panel.
Beck attended too and said she thought the discussion was really good. We attended a presentation by a writer from the New York Times on covering disasters, too. It was pretty moving - photos and stories from the first few days in post-Katrina New Orleans.
Kari Wethington and Andrew Warner did some podcasting for SPJ. I'll post the links when they're up.
Willing to put up with less these days
I don't want to say that we have less patience because of the baby coming, but we certainly have a lower bullshit threshold.
We're trying to use barriers wisely and kindly against people with recurring issues who are not addressing their problems. I had an argument with a friend that made me feel really bad a couple of days ago and I realized that it's just not where I want to be; not for myself, Becky or the baby. So I'm going to cool it with a couple of relationships that have been earmarked with anger. I just don't have the time for people who aren't willing to work on their issues.
Have you ever felt like you were in some kind of Groundhog Day (the movie) cycle with someone where it kept going sour on a cyclical basis? That's how I've felt.
Speeders
The bastards speeding down my street piss me off more and more the closer I get to having my baby breathe the air. Yeah, I need to find a solution to these issues. The city responded quickly to my call a couple of weeks ago and put speed limit signs on the street. It's a start.
The new week
Here's some stuff I need to complete this week:
Financial Record roundup and year-end books
Taxes
Getting rid of the blue couch (wanna buy it?)
Finishing the drywall repair in the hallway
Laying down the stone in the backyard
Work on the dining guide stories
That's all for now. Steve.
Friday, April 07, 2006
It's a boy.
So the name Abby Delores is scrapped. That's ok. The important thing is that it's healthy and looks cute. He's presently 1 lb, 10 oz and we're very excited.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
The Gospel of Judas
NPR reports that National Geographic has discovered a gospel of Judas.
Read the report here - it's very interesting.
This was discovered in '83 and is going to be released soon. I'd be interested to know what people think about it and other Apocrypha. I'm curious to read it. I'm always more anxious to see the suppressed stuff than the mainstream, of course.
My story on the Religious Left, tentatively entitled "Left of Eden" comes out next week in Citybeat, btw.
Read the report here - it's very interesting.
This was discovered in '83 and is going to be released soon. I'd be interested to know what people think about it and other Apocrypha. I'm curious to read it. I'm always more anxious to see the suppressed stuff than the mainstream, of course.
My story on the Religious Left, tentatively entitled "Left of Eden" comes out next week in Citybeat, btw.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
I need vegetables ~ Ghosts in the Machine
Leafy green ones would do really well for me.
My cuticles are red and broken because I've neglected to eat my daily allotment over the past week. I went to Findlay Market today to get some and wouldn't you know they had no (bananas...yes we have no bananas today) or other fruit or vegetables! Arrgh! Kenny Havens told me that, despite the fact that the market is open seven days, you still have only the weekends - Friday through Sunday.
Also, Becky thinks we have a ghost. I know we have the dog, Ghost, but she means a spectre.
We've been hearing loud, clear footsteps in the house at 6am, midnight and then 1:30 am – it sounds like cloppity-clop – like a person in loose shoes – and it's not our tenant.
I'm still seeking material explanations on this and will keep you posted.
I also made my way to a Catholic supply store today – St. Francis Bookstore, I think it's called. They have a lot of stuff – Catholic gear – very inexpensive. I picked up a new Jerusalem Cross for $6.50 – you may recall that I lost mine, the one I've had for ten years or so, during me expedition to the Camp Katrina. They also had some really cool crosses for the wall. I saw some that folks around Vineyard would dig.
Beck's talking with everyone here at house church about the ghost. I think the consensus is that our new leather couch is haunted. We bought a big ass leather couch – hunter green and over stuffed. So thick it blocks my wifi connection! This replaces the wool sectional/hair magnet we've had for some time. If you've had the misfortune of sleeping on this blue wool retro piece, you'll understand when I say that we were ready for something more comfortable.
The blue bomber has been in my family for 35 years or so – my grandma bought it at a yard sale and had it recovered in 1972. The couch was built sometime in the 50's. Ghost slept on it for a long time and left a lot of hair to clean.
Tuesday Housechurch
Sunny day. Beautiful out and darn nice inside.
Eric said he wasn't able to make rent this month and is feeling kind of screwed by this guy her's working for. Eric says he's being payed too little and the boss is in obvious financial trouble. It sounds like he's being taken advantage of by this guy.
Eric says he's had discussions about faith with this guy and that's made it hard for him to insist on being treated better by this boss.
Folks here advised him to insist on payment before proceeding with the work relationship. That's my feeling, too.
Bill, this new Brown House resident from Oregon, is here tonight. He has hair like my neighbor Josh. Ringlets of hair. Julie introduced Bill and everybody said hi.
Our ultrasound is tomorrow morning. We'll find out if this is a she or he.
Julie's lesson
Julies says that people have said they wanted structured teachings in HC and she's got this packet on Mark that we're going over tonight.
Julie says that Mark wrote for a gentile audience and may be a source for other Gospels.
“He came in an unexpected way,” she says. “He came as a suffering servant.”
She read from another text, “Try to love the questions themselves...live the questions...perhaps you may...live into the answer.”
Christ is seen as this divine answer man, but he asked just as many questions, she says.
Julie says it's easy to become a prisoner to legalistic ways and the law.
“It's too one dimensional for Christ,” she says. “It also leaves us out of the picture, which makes us laborers instead of co-laborers with God.”
'What if you have to live into the questions?” she asks.
Lesson one was Exodus 20:8-11
This was about keeping the Sabbath holy by not working and focusing on God.
So Mark's Gospel talks about the apostles technically breaking the Sabbath by gathering food. Somebody questions this and Jesus tells them that the Sabbath was made to serve God, not for God's people to serve the Sabbath. The main idea seems to be, if you're doing good on the Sabbath, it's cool.
She says the truth of how we are supposed to act on the Sabbath has changed from the Pharisees to the time of Jesus. Jesus in this passage seems to be denying that you can do nothing on the Sabbath and that, really, you're either doing evil or good.
The theme, consensus says, is that the Sabbath is set aside to honor God.
Russ is sitting next to me. His glasses make him look like that sports announcer Harry Kari (sp?)
Becky says that maybe Jesus was saying, “Don't get caught up in the semantics of the Sabbath.”
Julie reads from Tilden Edwards, who wrote that we as a society have moved away from draconian laws that prosecuted people for going on a recreational walk. The author says that, with this needed freedom, we've also lost some valuable rhythm to our lives... “a cathedral in time.”
Leslie says her family tried to observe the Sabbath by resting. Russ says nothing was open on the Sabbath. He says one drugstore was open in his little town, but nothing was operating except th pharmacy. Russ says this made Sunday a natural day for visits with friends and relatives.
“We were dull and boring,” Leslie whispers my way.
Worshipping on Sunday morning is a time out of time, Julie says, a connection across space with others worshipping on that day and across time with the entire history (and future?) of the church.
Beck says that Sundays for us are observed (I wouldn't have said that, though I think she's right by default) – this community has influenced us to hang about, talk, chill, eat on that day and that's become a part of our regular rhythm.
Say, I realized, I could podcast this HC – would anyone like me to do that? Would that be obtrusive?
(To be read in the voice of Patti Smith, breathless and halting like in the song Rock'n'Roll Nigger: I jump in my mind to that Mexican restaurant on 24th St, midway between Mission and Florida Streets in San Francisco -- the rhythm quickens now, beats folding ito each other --- and it was night and Beck and I were there, eating much too much after that long, 23 mile ride around the peninsula , eating much too much for our bellies at that late hour, later still by the jetlag, and we didn't finish and this kid comes up asking us for what's left on our plates so properly, saying, “I don't mean to be obtrusive, but may I finish that? If you're just going to throw it away? I hope I'm not being obtrusive.” And I'd never heard it said without an “un” on the front and that just shows you how little I, fed, cared about it, compared to a squatter kid with an empty belly.
But then, I had the money to by the food and he didn't. That's why he had to worry about it and I didn't.)
Cathedral in time, Julie continues. “I think that finding a rhythm is important,” Julie says. “...whatever you're doing to honor God.”
My cuticles are red and broken because I've neglected to eat my daily allotment over the past week. I went to Findlay Market today to get some and wouldn't you know they had no (bananas...yes we have no bananas today) or other fruit or vegetables! Arrgh! Kenny Havens told me that, despite the fact that the market is open seven days, you still have only the weekends - Friday through Sunday.
Also, Becky thinks we have a ghost. I know we have the dog, Ghost, but she means a spectre.
We've been hearing loud, clear footsteps in the house at 6am, midnight and then 1:30 am – it sounds like cloppity-clop – like a person in loose shoes – and it's not our tenant.
I'm still seeking material explanations on this and will keep you posted.
I also made my way to a Catholic supply store today – St. Francis Bookstore, I think it's called. They have a lot of stuff – Catholic gear – very inexpensive. I picked up a new Jerusalem Cross for $6.50 – you may recall that I lost mine, the one I've had for ten years or so, during me expedition to the Camp Katrina. They also had some really cool crosses for the wall. I saw some that folks around Vineyard would dig.
Beck's talking with everyone here at house church about the ghost. I think the consensus is that our new leather couch is haunted. We bought a big ass leather couch – hunter green and over stuffed. So thick it blocks my wifi connection! This replaces the wool sectional/hair magnet we've had for some time. If you've had the misfortune of sleeping on this blue wool retro piece, you'll understand when I say that we were ready for something more comfortable.
The blue bomber has been in my family for 35 years or so – my grandma bought it at a yard sale and had it recovered in 1972. The couch was built sometime in the 50's. Ghost slept on it for a long time and left a lot of hair to clean.
Tuesday Housechurch
Sunny day. Beautiful out and darn nice inside.
Eric said he wasn't able to make rent this month and is feeling kind of screwed by this guy her's working for. Eric says he's being payed too little and the boss is in obvious financial trouble. It sounds like he's being taken advantage of by this guy.
Eric says he's had discussions about faith with this guy and that's made it hard for him to insist on being treated better by this boss.
Folks here advised him to insist on payment before proceeding with the work relationship. That's my feeling, too.
Bill, this new Brown House resident from Oregon, is here tonight. He has hair like my neighbor Josh. Ringlets of hair. Julie introduced Bill and everybody said hi.
Our ultrasound is tomorrow morning. We'll find out if this is a she or he.
Julie's lesson
Julies says that people have said they wanted structured teachings in HC and she's got this packet on Mark that we're going over tonight.
Julie says that Mark wrote for a gentile audience and may be a source for other Gospels.
“He came in an unexpected way,” she says. “He came as a suffering servant.”
She read from another text, “Try to love the questions themselves...live the questions...perhaps you may...live into the answer.”
Christ is seen as this divine answer man, but he asked just as many questions, she says.
Julie says it's easy to become a prisoner to legalistic ways and the law.
“It's too one dimensional for Christ,” she says. “It also leaves us out of the picture, which makes us laborers instead of co-laborers with God.”
'What if you have to live into the questions?” she asks.
Lesson one was Exodus 20:8-11
This was about keeping the Sabbath holy by not working and focusing on God.
So Mark's Gospel talks about the apostles technically breaking the Sabbath by gathering food. Somebody questions this and Jesus tells them that the Sabbath was made to serve God, not for God's people to serve the Sabbath. The main idea seems to be, if you're doing good on the Sabbath, it's cool.
She says the truth of how we are supposed to act on the Sabbath has changed from the Pharisees to the time of Jesus. Jesus in this passage seems to be denying that you can do nothing on the Sabbath and that, really, you're either doing evil or good.
The theme, consensus says, is that the Sabbath is set aside to honor God.
Russ is sitting next to me. His glasses make him look like that sports announcer Harry Kari (sp?)
Becky says that maybe Jesus was saying, “Don't get caught up in the semantics of the Sabbath.”
Julie reads from Tilden Edwards, who wrote that we as a society have moved away from draconian laws that prosecuted people for going on a recreational walk. The author says that, with this needed freedom, we've also lost some valuable rhythm to our lives... “a cathedral in time.”
Leslie says her family tried to observe the Sabbath by resting. Russ says nothing was open on the Sabbath. He says one drugstore was open in his little town, but nothing was operating except th pharmacy. Russ says this made Sunday a natural day for visits with friends and relatives.
“We were dull and boring,” Leslie whispers my way.
Worshipping on Sunday morning is a time out of time, Julie says, a connection across space with others worshipping on that day and across time with the entire history (and future?) of the church.
Beck says that Sundays for us are observed (I wouldn't have said that, though I think she's right by default) – this community has influenced us to hang about, talk, chill, eat on that day and that's become a part of our regular rhythm.
Say, I realized, I could podcast this HC – would anyone like me to do that? Would that be obtrusive?
(To be read in the voice of Patti Smith, breathless and halting like in the song Rock'n'Roll Nigger: I jump in my mind to that Mexican restaurant on 24th St, midway between Mission and Florida Streets in San Francisco -- the rhythm quickens now, beats folding ito each other --- and it was night and Beck and I were there, eating much too much after that long, 23 mile ride around the peninsula , eating much too much for our bellies at that late hour, later still by the jetlag, and we didn't finish and this kid comes up asking us for what's left on our plates so properly, saying, “I don't mean to be obtrusive, but may I finish that? If you're just going to throw it away? I hope I'm not being obtrusive.” And I'd never heard it said without an “un” on the front and that just shows you how little I, fed, cared about it, compared to a squatter kid with an empty belly.
But then, I had the money to by the food and he didn't. That's why he had to worry about it and I didn't.)
Cathedral in time, Julie continues. “I think that finding a rhythm is important,” Julie says. “...whatever you're doing to honor God.”
Monday, April 03, 2006
Back in Business
My old beater laptop rides again. My secondary system, a 366mhz P2 IBM Thinkpad - which is very well built system that I highly recommend - lost contact with the world a couple of weeks ago when the computer's wifi card died.
I purchased another - a D-Link (it was cheap, but I hate this company) - and the new card wouldn't work. I decided to do a complete wipe of the drive to see if that was then problem, downloaded a pirate copy of Windows 98 from Bittorrent and reinstalled. Still no luck with the wifi card.
It turns out that the folks at D-Link branded this card as being compatible with Win 98 - and it is, but only if you go through a rather extreme proceedure in MS DOS mode that involves renaming a root file. Shysters is my name for the D-Link people. It works really well now, but only if you're a geek willing to put in the time. And, while I feel a sense of accomplishment about it, there's no excuse for that company's shoddy excuse for a Win 98 driver.
I also downloaded Open Office, Firefox and Audacity, which are all freeware and open source. If I knew how to make Linux work with this wifi card I'd be all over it. I might even swap my trusty mac osx desktop for Linux one day.
I purchased another - a D-Link (it was cheap, but I hate this company) - and the new card wouldn't work. I decided to do a complete wipe of the drive to see if that was then problem, downloaded a pirate copy of Windows 98 from Bittorrent and reinstalled. Still no luck with the wifi card.
It turns out that the folks at D-Link branded this card as being compatible with Win 98 - and it is, but only if you go through a rather extreme proceedure in MS DOS mode that involves renaming a root file. Shysters is my name for the D-Link people. It works really well now, but only if you're a geek willing to put in the time. And, while I feel a sense of accomplishment about it, there's no excuse for that company's shoddy excuse for a Win 98 driver.
I also downloaded Open Office, Firefox and Audacity, which are all freeware and open source. If I knew how to make Linux work with this wifi card I'd be all over it. I might even swap my trusty mac osx desktop for Linux one day.
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