When I was a kid I thought it was important to have three tools on my person every day: A Swiss Army Knife (preferably not its generic equivalent that fell apart), a Zippo lighter and a -- what was it called? It's been so long since I cared about this -- oh, right, a Mag Light flashlight.
I believed, with those devices, one could do pretty much whatever needed to be done and, while I still think these are realy cool, I have none of them any more.
I bring this up because I thought I'd share about one of the tools I've found most useful in my life today. Almost all are virtual.(We are living in an immaterial world and I am an immaterial boy)
Craigslist.org
Things I have aquired on this marvelous site include our awesome tenant, Tony Nauman - we had our pick of awesome applicants in one week! - our leather sofa($300), several ultracheap, nice laptops ($35 to $150) including the one I'm on now and...
- free plants and beautiful stone look pots
- free drywall, like 10 sheets
- a new bike rack for the car
- free bicycles
- cheap, nice used bikes
- our motorcycle
- printers
- our privacy fence ($50 with a gate!)
- The Heineken umbrella in the back
- free paving stones and gravel
- our leather recliner ($50)
- a free camping backpack
- a Sony digital video cam - $125 - this was from a guy who worked 15 years in retail who decided to run off to work on a dude ranch
- a free water bottle with a thermal case
- Jobs - we painted a small house for $1200, we're working tomorow at the vollyball pro exhibition to set up for $14 an hour, Beck pimped Pokemon, I moved furniture, we did landscaping, also.
So, you know I found my 1973 Honda Scrambler Motorcycle on Clist of $200 and bought it from a guy named Steve Miller who purchased it from Clifton resident Paul McCartney -- well several weeks later I saw a 4 mp digicam listed for $15...read about how these finds intersected here.
This week we traded a laptop I scored for little cash for a newer fridge.
I also found rides and contacts along the post-Katrina Gulf Coast. It;s an awesome site.
- Steve
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Saturday, August 26, 2006
First date without the baby, need a date with a plumber
Becky and I went to the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards (CEA) last night at the Corbett (sp?) theater on UC Campus. It was our first date without Uly. My mom, very kindly, agreed to watch him for the evening.
We had a nice time - it was a fun, if predictable, awards show (not predictable as in who won - I'm fairly theater illiterate - but predictable as in the way an awards show goes - cheesy jokes, women in evening gowns, men in tuxes. There was a fellow, an older guy with white hair and a big droopy jacket - from CCM - who was quite funny. One of the women who presented the awards was very funny, flirting on stage with another white haired guy. I heard she was fired mid-show, which would have been silly, if that's what happened.)
We saw many of the usual suspects - James Czar and Sean Mummert, the Citybeat crew. It was all very cool. We rode around campus a bit, too.
This weekend we have a plumbing project to complete. Is anyone handy with pipes? I could use some help.
We had a nice time - it was a fun, if predictable, awards show (not predictable as in who won - I'm fairly theater illiterate - but predictable as in the way an awards show goes - cheesy jokes, women in evening gowns, men in tuxes. There was a fellow, an older guy with white hair and a big droopy jacket - from CCM - who was quite funny. One of the women who presented the awards was very funny, flirting on stage with another white haired guy. I heard she was fired mid-show, which would have been silly, if that's what happened.)
We saw many of the usual suspects - James Czar and Sean Mummert, the Citybeat crew. It was all very cool. We rode around campus a bit, too.
This weekend we have a plumbing project to complete. Is anyone handy with pipes? I could use some help.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Bike riding, radio riding and then some
This was a pretty sweet day today. I rode from Norwood to Covington in about 40 minutes. I was speeding, of course - as much as one can on a bicycle. It was fun to make the trip and I felt great for doing it.
My target was Covington City Hall. I met with their City Manager, Jay Fossett, and, after an interview about the city's new art district, we took a bike ride to check it out. He had a classic, red Huffy cruiser. Normally I hate Huffy and I hate one-speeds, but I have to admit, it was a pretty sweet looking bike. You'll probably see photos of it in next week's Citybeat, along with my story.
Anyway, we had a nice ride and met with a lot of folks who are taking advantage of Covington's tax breaks and grants and building what I think will become a very fine little arts community. I'd invest now if I were you. The property, there, and in Bellvue, is on the way up.
I stopped by the Kenton County Jail and saw Molly. She's finished her Ohio time and still has to serve down in Pee Wee Valley. I shared some birth stories and pictures with her. She's in reasonably good spirits, everything considered. Hannah and Julie over at Citybeat were excited to talk about the baby, too. That's where I went next.
I worked on the arts story there at Mike Breen's desk. He must have the best music collection in the city. If after I die, I come back as a stereo, I hope it's one owned by a music critic at an independent alt weekly.
Speaking of death, I borrowed a documentary on the Mexican Days of the Dead. I think that it would be a cool thing to do at St. E's - maybe to remember Chad and Mark. What do you think? From what I've learned, the festival is a celebration of the lives of loved ones who have passed and an attempt at finding joy in the inevitable.
I also borrowd Murder on the Orient Express and, two things: I never knew Vanessa Redgrave was that hot in her youth (I think she looks like Becky) and I had no idea the ending would suck so much. The murder - they all did it! Don't bother seeing it. If you think I ruined it for you, just be glad you don't have to endure it!
I rode partway home tonight. Mom was here today caring for Uly and helping Beck. Tracy brought us pizza for dinner. It was all pretty awesome. I'll miss all these wonderful dinners by all of you great people. Thanks so much!
Yesterday I got a cheap (used, not cheaply made) CB radio, handheld off Craigslist.
So sweet. A hitchhike-a-matic. The pros call it radio riding and I fantasized about being able to do this when I was running up the Gulf Coast last year. Can't wait to try it out. I still want to do the Chernobyl motorcycle tour, too.
My target was Covington City Hall. I met with their City Manager, Jay Fossett, and, after an interview about the city's new art district, we took a bike ride to check it out. He had a classic, red Huffy cruiser. Normally I hate Huffy and I hate one-speeds, but I have to admit, it was a pretty sweet looking bike. You'll probably see photos of it in next week's Citybeat, along with my story.
Anyway, we had a nice ride and met with a lot of folks who are taking advantage of Covington's tax breaks and grants and building what I think will become a very fine little arts community. I'd invest now if I were you. The property, there, and in Bellvue, is on the way up.
I stopped by the Kenton County Jail and saw Molly. She's finished her Ohio time and still has to serve down in Pee Wee Valley. I shared some birth stories and pictures with her. She's in reasonably good spirits, everything considered. Hannah and Julie over at Citybeat were excited to talk about the baby, too. That's where I went next.
I worked on the arts story there at Mike Breen's desk. He must have the best music collection in the city. If after I die, I come back as a stereo, I hope it's one owned by a music critic at an independent alt weekly.
Speaking of death, I borrowed a documentary on the Mexican Days of the Dead. I think that it would be a cool thing to do at St. E's - maybe to remember Chad and Mark. What do you think? From what I've learned, the festival is a celebration of the lives of loved ones who have passed and an attempt at finding joy in the inevitable.
I also borrowd Murder on the Orient Express and, two things: I never knew Vanessa Redgrave was that hot in her youth (I think she looks like Becky) and I had no idea the ending would suck so much. The murder - they all did it! Don't bother seeing it. If you think I ruined it for you, just be glad you don't have to endure it!
I rode partway home tonight. Mom was here today caring for Uly and helping Beck. Tracy brought us pizza for dinner. It was all pretty awesome. I'll miss all these wonderful dinners by all of you great people. Thanks so much!
Yesterday I got a cheap (used, not cheaply made) CB radio, handheld off Craigslist.
So sweet. A hitchhike-a-matic. The pros call it radio riding and I fantasized about being able to do this when I was running up the Gulf Coast last year. Can't wait to try it out. I still want to do the Chernobyl motorcycle tour, too.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
"I need the lower torso of a dead cow..."
I saw the following ad on the local craigslist and thought, "this will be burning Sara Mahle's eyes soon"
"I need the lower torso of a dead cow for my short film. Back legs and udder a must. It needs to look real. If you have any skills with prop making and would like to shed some expertise on this project please let me know. This film will be submitted as an entry for Steven Spielberg's new reality show "On The Lot". Even if you cannot help out %100 I could use the advice."
- Steve
"I need the lower torso of a dead cow for my short film. Back legs and udder a must. It needs to look real. If you have any skills with prop making and would like to shed some expertise on this project please let me know. This film will be submitted as an entry for Steven Spielberg's new reality show "On The Lot". Even if you cannot help out %100 I could use the advice."
- Steve
Monday, August 14, 2006
Sabotage and sleeping babies
Last week was an inspiring adventure in service education at my church, Vineyard Central.
Sabotage, so named for C.S. Lewis' quote, "Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed, you might say in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in His great campaign of sabotage," ended last week.
It was a three day service project at Vineyard, organized by Jeremiah Griswold. My part was to work with a fellow named Matt Smith, leading a group of six 15 to 17-year-olds in Cincinnati's urban sectors.
I think I'm a relatively secular kind of guy to be doing this sort of thing. Or perhaps I'm just guarded against the cults of belief. You know what I mean by that? Some folks get so enraptured and tied to their own ideas of what God is and what his story is that they become sure that all else is false. God's bigger than that, I think; bigger than the words written by men about him in the Bible (even if some or all were divinely inspired) and bigger than our imaginations. I hate orthodoxy, fundamentalism and fetishization.
Anyway, I put together a track, as I told our students on the third and last day of the trip, that tied together some key issues in service work. I am pro-people of color, pro feminist, pro queer, pro poor and pro Jesus -- and I think that all these things fit together quite nicely.
So, last week started with a trip to Caracole, which I thought (I had heard this from someone) was an AIDS hospice. In actuality it is housing, transitional and otherwise for folks living with AIDS. I, believing myself to be well informed, still thought of this as a death sentence, but the men I met who have been living, in apparent (the word, "apparent," is key) health for more than a decade with it proved me wrong. They spoke to our group about what it's like to live with it and for most of them (and me, too) it was the first meaningful contact with someone with the disease. While we were there we cleaned their blinds and windows and did yard work.
Wednesday was brunch at Our Daily Bread soup kitchen (they actually serve a lot more than soup and I really recommend you go for brunch one morning - 10am to noon, daily) followed by house cleaning at Elementz hip-hop youth center. We watched this video on police abuses of power in Cincinnati.
Thursday, the final day, was spent at the Cincinnati Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center learning about the death penalty and the Biblical justification for being against the war in Iraq and war in general. VC trustee Dave Nixon I heard, in an unrelated Sabotage exercise that week, discussed how Bush announced that he would repay 9-11 with a massive and greater response, and how this was a violation not only of Jesus' teachings, but also the Lex Talionis, which is the oft referenced and poorly understood Bible verse that goes, "an eye for an eye."
Anyway, the IJPC is run by Sister Alice Gerdeman, an amazing, vibrant example of activism in action. Sister Alice spoke with the group about the death penalty and about why she is against it as a Christian (Jesus was a victim, you'll recall) and how the drugs used in executing persons aren't even allowed to be used in euthanizing dogs because they may cause agonizing pain while paralyzing those murdered by the state.
IJPC staffer Kristin Barker spoke about Jesus' crafty opposition to the monoculture of his time. Turn the other cheek, she said, and demonstrated with Matt Smith's help, is not about being a Christian doormat. Let's say a person slaps you with an open hand on your right cheek. An open handed strike was one used against an inferior, she said. If you expose your left cheek to the person you force them to backhand you - a strike reserved for equals - or give up the fight.
She said the thing about when someone demands your tunic, give them your cloak, is about shaming them to see how ridiculous this is. At that time, she said, folks who couldn't pay a debt were literally dressed down by the creditor - the fee when you couldn't pay was your tunic. To give your cloak as well was to stand before them and everyone else stark naked. This shamed those who saw you, but not you and showed how stupid the whole penalty was, she said.
Barker also talked about the verse in which Jesus says, if a soldier tells you to carry his gear a mile, carry it two miles. At that time, soldiers' gear was extremely heavy and troops were not to go any farther than one mile at a time during a normal march. To go further was to be punished - whipped or reprimanded. Soldiers would often demand that a villager carry their gear for them - but no more than a mile, that was the rule, she said. To carry it further than this put the soldier in the position of begging the person to stop who he once ordered to go. And do the lesser becomes the greater and the servant the master.
We took the bus two out of the three days we worked and I made sure that we walked several miles through Over-the-Rhine. I think the kids learned a lot, and so did I.
My leg went to sleep while singing Queen songs and Sympathy for the Devil to Uly tonight. He's a cute little guy.
- Steve
Sabotage, so named for C.S. Lewis' quote, "Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed, you might say in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in His great campaign of sabotage," ended last week.
It was a three day service project at Vineyard, organized by Jeremiah Griswold. My part was to work with a fellow named Matt Smith, leading a group of six 15 to 17-year-olds in Cincinnati's urban sectors.
I think I'm a relatively secular kind of guy to be doing this sort of thing. Or perhaps I'm just guarded against the cults of belief. You know what I mean by that? Some folks get so enraptured and tied to their own ideas of what God is and what his story is that they become sure that all else is false. God's bigger than that, I think; bigger than the words written by men about him in the Bible (even if some or all were divinely inspired) and bigger than our imaginations. I hate orthodoxy, fundamentalism and fetishization.
Anyway, I put together a track, as I told our students on the third and last day of the trip, that tied together some key issues in service work. I am pro-people of color, pro feminist, pro queer, pro poor and pro Jesus -- and I think that all these things fit together quite nicely.
So, last week started with a trip to Caracole, which I thought (I had heard this from someone) was an AIDS hospice. In actuality it is housing, transitional and otherwise for folks living with AIDS. I, believing myself to be well informed, still thought of this as a death sentence, but the men I met who have been living, in apparent (the word, "apparent," is key) health for more than a decade with it proved me wrong. They spoke to our group about what it's like to live with it and for most of them (and me, too) it was the first meaningful contact with someone with the disease. While we were there we cleaned their blinds and windows and did yard work.
Wednesday was brunch at Our Daily Bread soup kitchen (they actually serve a lot more than soup and I really recommend you go for brunch one morning - 10am to noon, daily) followed by house cleaning at Elementz hip-hop youth center. We watched this video on police abuses of power in Cincinnati.
Thursday, the final day, was spent at the Cincinnati Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center learning about the death penalty and the Biblical justification for being against the war in Iraq and war in general. VC trustee Dave Nixon I heard, in an unrelated Sabotage exercise that week, discussed how Bush announced that he would repay 9-11 with a massive and greater response, and how this was a violation not only of Jesus' teachings, but also the Lex Talionis, which is the oft referenced and poorly understood Bible verse that goes, "an eye for an eye."
Anyway, the IJPC is run by Sister Alice Gerdeman, an amazing, vibrant example of activism in action. Sister Alice spoke with the group about the death penalty and about why she is against it as a Christian (Jesus was a victim, you'll recall) and how the drugs used in executing persons aren't even allowed to be used in euthanizing dogs because they may cause agonizing pain while paralyzing those murdered by the state.
IJPC staffer Kristin Barker spoke about Jesus' crafty opposition to the monoculture of his time. Turn the other cheek, she said, and demonstrated with Matt Smith's help, is not about being a Christian doormat. Let's say a person slaps you with an open hand on your right cheek. An open handed strike was one used against an inferior, she said. If you expose your left cheek to the person you force them to backhand you - a strike reserved for equals - or give up the fight.
She said the thing about when someone demands your tunic, give them your cloak, is about shaming them to see how ridiculous this is. At that time, she said, folks who couldn't pay a debt were literally dressed down by the creditor - the fee when you couldn't pay was your tunic. To give your cloak as well was to stand before them and everyone else stark naked. This shamed those who saw you, but not you and showed how stupid the whole penalty was, she said.
Barker also talked about the verse in which Jesus says, if a soldier tells you to carry his gear a mile, carry it two miles. At that time, soldiers' gear was extremely heavy and troops were not to go any farther than one mile at a time during a normal march. To go further was to be punished - whipped or reprimanded. Soldiers would often demand that a villager carry their gear for them - but no more than a mile, that was the rule, she said. To carry it further than this put the soldier in the position of begging the person to stop who he once ordered to go. And do the lesser becomes the greater and the servant the master.
We took the bus two out of the three days we worked and I made sure that we walked several miles through Over-the-Rhine. I think the kids learned a lot, and so did I.
My leg went to sleep while singing Queen songs and Sympathy for the Devil to Uly tonight. He's a cute little guy.
- Steve
The time moves so quickly and money even more so
I keep telling myself that, if I can hit the sweet spot of no wasted time, I'll be able to do all the things I need to in a given day - bills, baby, work, cleaning, service, prayer and reflection - and maybe I'll even be able to write about it at the end of the day.
The leader of that pack of wolves that drives me is "bills." I hate that this is, somehow, the slavedriving king of my existance. It really feels like that. Even when I have the money to be caught up, I often get behind because my bills have become lost in a pile and, "how much money do we have in the account?" "Did I record that visa purchase from the other day?"
I really hope to make my next post meaningful, about Sabotage last week.
- Steve
The leader of that pack of wolves that drives me is "bills." I hate that this is, somehow, the slavedriving king of my existance. It really feels like that. Even when I have the money to be caught up, I often get behind because my bills have become lost in a pile and, "how much money do we have in the account?" "Did I record that visa purchase from the other day?"
I really hope to make my next post meaningful, about Sabotage last week.
- Steve
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Meanwhile, in a parallel universe...
Uly's name, had he been a girl, would have been Abby Dolores.
I just found a CD case that I wrote this on, and the words' meanings. Abigail is "A father's joy" and Dolores means, "the lady of sorrows."
I wrote, then, "good symmetry"
Ulysses means wrathful or vengeful and Jonas is dove of peace. Again, good symmetry.
- Steve
I just found a CD case that I wrote this on, and the words' meanings. Abigail is "A father's joy" and Dolores means, "the lady of sorrows."
I wrote, then, "good symmetry"
Ulysses means wrathful or vengeful and Jonas is dove of peace. Again, good symmetry.
- Steve
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
First week of Uly's life, first day of Sabotage
And what an eventful week it's been!
Uly is, according to our observation and that of friends and a nurse, very advanced.
He can turn over from his belly to his back, lift his head and he's very alert - eyes open much of the time, tracking movements and such.
We are so in love with this baby! He's snuggly and amazing. Last night was his first concert, Psalters - they performed at St. E's - and also his first bath. He was so good at both. I've trucked him around using the baby bjorn.
Sandy, Beck's mom, choked on an oyster cracker on Sunday. I had to give her the Heimlich Maneuver. That was my first time and it worked rather well. I mean, she's still with us and all.
The first day of Sabotage, the youth service project around here, was today. My group worked at Caracole, a transitional home for people living with AIDS. More on this project tomorrow.
- Steve
Uly is, according to our observation and that of friends and a nurse, very advanced.
He can turn over from his belly to his back, lift his head and he's very alert - eyes open much of the time, tracking movements and such.
We are so in love with this baby! He's snuggly and amazing. Last night was his first concert, Psalters - they performed at St. E's - and also his first bath. He was so good at both. I've trucked him around using the baby bjorn.
Sandy, Beck's mom, choked on an oyster cracker on Sunday. I had to give her the Heimlich Maneuver. That was my first time and it worked rather well. I mean, she's still with us and all.
The first day of Sabotage, the youth service project around here, was today. My group worked at Caracole, a transitional home for people living with AIDS. More on this project tomorrow.
- Steve
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Sleep, interrupted
The first full day of Uly's life has been mercifully uneventful. He's pretty chill and cries only during a changing or when he's hungry. Most of the time he's slept. The nurse says this may change.
It's 20 'till 5 in the morning and I just changed his diaper. I thought I'd write until I became tired again. I've got to research how to live with cloth diapers (wet pail, I think the process is called), so I may just do that, too. We're using Motherease. They have a one-size-fits all approach using adjustable snaps. We liked the idea so Beck and I ordered a sample. I believe it'll work.
Being awake is a bit painful, but he has a beautiful face and that kind of eases everything.
- Steve
It's 20 'till 5 in the morning and I just changed his diaper. I thought I'd write until I became tired again. I've got to research how to live with cloth diapers (wet pail, I think the process is called), so I may just do that, too. We're using Motherease. They have a one-size-fits all approach using adjustable snaps. We liked the idea so Beck and I ordered a sample. I believe it'll work.
Being awake is a bit painful, but he has a beautiful face and that kind of eases everything.
- Steve
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
He's here!!!
He's here!!! 5:08 am in the freakin' morning, and it's finally time to welcome Ulysses Jonas!!! He was very heavy, weighing in at 9 lbs 1 oz.
The mother is fine and the father is very relieved!
We have plenty of pictures and video of the birth for all to see.
Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers with Becky and Steve.
They love you all very much!!!
-Katie
The mother is fine and the father is very relieved!
We have plenty of pictures and video of the birth for all to see.
Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers with Becky and Steve.
They love you all very much!!!
-Katie
Dr. is coming
Becky's still having some trouble getting Ully out of her right now. She's been pushing for two hours now, so the nurse has called a doctor to drive over here and help with the labor. She's on potosin now, and has tried many positions to no avail. I have seen the very top of his head, but he just seems to want to stay put. Stubborn kid!
We're all getting very tired and anxious!!
We're all getting very tired and anxious!!
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Uly kicks and spins
"he's moving in response to my hand," she says.
Tif tells us the baby is face up. It would be better if he were face down. Tif is turning Beck on her side to try and turn the baby.
Pitosin is now a possibility.
- Steve
Tif tells us the baby is face up. It would be better if he were face down. Tif is turning Beck on her side to try and turn the baby.
Pitosin is now a possibility.
- Steve
Uly's head
11:30pm
The nurse midwife put a couple of fingers in and felt the top of Uly's head. He has hair!
She was 9cm dialated, as I reported earlier.
Tiffany is examining her again. I have a ringside seat. It's a strange view. They have a green-white light she's using to examine her. Tif is using an in-out catheter to drain Beck's bladder. Tif pushes on her belly. "I'm getting all the pee out to give him more room."
The nurse midwife put a couple of fingers in and felt the top of Uly's head. He has hair!
She was 9cm dialated, as I reported earlier.
Tiffany is examining her again. I have a ringside seat. It's a strange view. They have a green-white light she's using to examine her. Tif is using an in-out catheter to drain Beck's bladder. Tif pushes on her belly. "I'm getting all the pee out to give him more room."
Beck's mom arrives, some pinched cord
Sandy just arrived. It's 8:42pm.
Gwen, our nurse midwife, says the cord is being pinched here and there, but it's not a big deal unless it happens consistantly.
Still no pitosin needed. That's great.
Anyway, they're having some nice time together. Baby's heart rate is about 140 per minute. Becks is 60.
- Steve
Gwen, our nurse midwife, says the cord is being pinched here and there, but it's not a big deal unless it happens consistantly.
Still no pitosin needed. That's great.
Anyway, they're having some nice time together. Baby's heart rate is about 140 per minute. Becks is 60.
- Steve
damn that looks like it hurts!
Hello!
Well Becky is having lots of contractions all over the place, and I just feel so honored to be here! She's had some problems with her needle in her arm, and got two different doses of drugs for the pain. I'm so glad that these good people are about to bring a new life into the world. This is gonna be so cool! Please send us all your good vibes for this labor... and impeach Bush.
Love, Katie Freshley
Well Becky is having lots of contractions all over the place, and I just feel so honored to be here! She's had some problems with her needle in her arm, and got two different doses of drugs for the pain. I'm so glad that these good people are about to bring a new life into the world. This is gonna be so cool! Please send us all your good vibes for this labor... and impeach Bush.
Love, Katie Freshley
From our Doula, Les Nixon
this has been a blast so far.becky is a real trooper and we are all so excited.we are getting some good fotos.hopefully it won't be too long now.seeyou later.
- Leslie
- Leslie
6 cm dialated
Tiffany, our nurse, says we don't have to worry unless we see her frazzled.
We just got into a place where we could hook up to the Net and we're in our room, number 6. Becky opted for an epidural after some harsh pain.
more soon
- Steve
We just got into a place where we could hook up to the Net and we're in our room, number 6. Becky opted for an epidural after some harsh pain.
more soon
- Steve
2:06pm, contractions continue
Beck's on the phone with the midwife.
Contractions have been frequent, 3-8 minutes apart, averaging 6 minutes apart.
Some fluid, two discharges.
Leslie Nixon, our doula is here.
I'm betting he comes at 8pm. Sandy, Beck's mom concurs.
If you read this, please don't call, just wait for us to call you or the next entry.
2:12pm
Still on the phone. Yesterday she was 80 percent effaced and 1.5 c dialated.
We're on our way to the hospital to confirm that it was the water. I think we'll be staying!
- Steve
Contractions have been frequent, 3-8 minutes apart, averaging 6 minutes apart.
Some fluid, two discharges.
Leslie Nixon, our doula is here.
I'm betting he comes at 8pm. Sandy, Beck's mom concurs.
If you read this, please don't call, just wait for us to call you or the next entry.
2:12pm
Still on the phone. Yesterday she was 80 percent effaced and 1.5 c dialated.
We're on our way to the hospital to confirm that it was the water. I think we'll be staying!
- Steve
The contractions so far
"I don't know if it was urine or what, but it leaked on the floor...(then something about the losing the mucous plug)"
- Becky, on the phone to her mom
Here's the stats in the baby game:
Contractions, Duration, Frequency, Notes
7:20 am 15sec - bloody show, body purges
7:20-9:30a 30 sec? 5-20 min surges mild intensity
9:30a 45sec 30 min? slight tightening
10am 15sec 30min
10:17am 25sec 17min
10:25am 15 sec 8min irregulor, but ongoing
10:34 15 sec 9min
10:37? 15sec 3min
10:51am 15 sec
Have to go...this proceeded to about ever 5 min since 12:39p It's now 1:56p
Steve
- Becky, on the phone to her mom
Here's the stats in the baby game:
Contractions, Duration, Frequency, Notes
7:20 am 15sec - bloody show, body purges
7:20-9:30a 30 sec? 5-20 min surges mild intensity
9:30a 45sec 30 min? slight tightening
10am 15sec 30min
10:17am 25sec 17min
10:25am 15 sec 8min irregulor, but ongoing
10:34 15 sec 9min
10:37? 15sec 3min
10:51am 15 sec
Have to go...this proceeded to about ever 5 min since 12:39p It's now 1:56p
Steve
Contractions continue, gast tank cleaning and creationist madness
So, I've loaded the bags into the car at this point and went out to get us food from Subway.
Becky's last meal as a pregnant woman is a vegimax patty. Mine was a bmt.
She's having trouble eating and getting dressed because of the contractions.
Dogs are back to the Brown House.
Leslie Nixon, our Doula is coming in half an hour and Katie Freshley, our friend and birth photographer has been alerted and is on call.
I also picked up some Gumout to mix with gravel and clean out the motorcycle's gas tank. Do you think I have time before the hospital to do this? I don't, but I'll proceed as if there is time and stop when I have to. Dogger is panting his head off. Thank God the heat breaks tomorrow.
I'll be bringing the book Cosmos with me in an attempt to convice our Doula that creationism is actually a pagan belief system. I can't stand creationism, but I love our doula!
-Steve
Becky's last meal as a pregnant woman is a vegimax patty. Mine was a bmt.
She's having trouble eating and getting dressed because of the contractions.
Dogs are back to the Brown House.
Leslie Nixon, our Doula is coming in half an hour and Katie Freshley, our friend and birth photographer has been alerted and is on call.
I also picked up some Gumout to mix with gravel and clean out the motorcycle's gas tank. Do you think I have time before the hospital to do this? I don't, but I'll proceed as if there is time and stop when I have to. Dogger is panting his head off. Thank God the heat breaks tomorrow.
I'll be bringing the book Cosmos with me in an attempt to convice our Doula that creationism is actually a pagan belief system. I can't stand creationism, but I love our doula!
-Steve
So cool
Ok, so maybe it will be today.
Against my wife's better judgement, I am liveblogging about this.
We *think* the water broke and she's been having irregular contractions since 7:20am
For my part, I am drinking Corona and rode 10 miles with Thurman, from home to Mariemont and back.
Sweet!
Against my wife's better judgement, I am liveblogging about this.
We *think* the water broke and she's been having irregular contractions since 7:20am
For my part, I am drinking Corona and rode 10 miles with Thurman, from home to Mariemont and back.
Sweet!
Monday, July 31, 2006
Uly's due Tuesday!
...but I bet he's late!
We saw Lilo and Stitch tonight at Mom's. Beck and I recently purchased a plush Stitch doll that we will soon vivisect and transform into the Dread Cthulhu! (Pics, will of course, be posted.)
- Steve
We saw Lilo and Stitch tonight at Mom's. Beck and I recently purchased a plush Stitch doll that we will soon vivisect and transform into the Dread Cthulhu! (Pics, will of course, be posted.)
- Steve
Saturday, July 29, 2006
How providence has conspired to get my Scrambler rolling
I really felt that way today.
To preface, I'll tell you that it was two days before I saw the ad posted that my mind started turning towards getting a motorcycle. I wanted to spend $400 or less and then, there she was - The 1973 Honda Scrambler. I was the first to get to the guy's home and buy it.
So, since then, my gas tank has made its way to Center City Collision, Kevin's shop and he's undenting the can and repainting it as original. (Sweet!) He's a good friend and a badass pastor, btw. Props to you, bro.
I put a damaged camera for sale on Craigslist yesterday. Here's the ad:
5.0MP, 3x optical zoom and 32MB of internal memory (you can also add a memory card for even more space, but the internal mem will allow you to take up to 20 photos at a time.
Takes sharp, hi def pictures and it comes with the easyshare loading dock, manual & software installing cd.
The one issue the camera has does not interfere with taking photos - the directional thumbpad (like the thing you use to move mario around on a Nintendo) is not working. It was dropped and a connection was probably loosened.
Because of this, you cannot delete pictures while in the field and you can only view the last photo taken. This doesn't stop it from taking beautiful pictures still & the easyshare software is so easy to use & makes storing, dowloading & sharing photos a breeze. The camera looks new except for a few light scratches.
Please email me any questions. I'm willing to take $50 cash or a trade. An old mountain bike? Electronics? Make me an offer I can't refuse.
So, a couple of people respond including this guy, Mike, who wants to trade an old Ross mountain bike. I've never heard of ross, but what the hell? It's a cheap bike for a broken camera, huh?
We're all set to do this and the camera mysteriously stops working. Sucks and I can't get it to power back on at all. So I call him and say, at least it wasn't you calling me tomorrow thinking you got screwed, and he agrees, and we start to talk what else I've got for trade, because he really wants to unload this bike. He takes care of his mom who is very ill and needs to take care of himself and can't risk an accident, he says.
Anyway we get to talking about trades and craigslist sales and I mention the Scrambler. "A CL350, right, he says?" and I'm like, yeah, that's right. Anyway, dig it: He's had several similar Hondas and is Mr. motorcycle guru and tells me all these great tips to get the old girl running. Way cool! Plus, he says, he has other stuff to sell or trade and he still wants the camera, even if it is broken. He's looking for stuff to tinker with things.
(He knows Linux and how to make wifi work with too, but that's another story.)
Anyway, I traded my 1gig ipod shuffle and the broken camera for a sweet Ross bike - circa 1985 but in better shape than my Raleigh. It's nimble and quick, too. He also threw in two OEM Honda saddlebags for the bike and his and her helmets with plexiglass visors. And a Honda motorcycle jacket and a Harley D. rainsuit!!
Awesome deal.
Anyway, he says I can de-rust the tank by putting in gravel and something else (I have to call him cause I can't recall what the mystery goo is.) and then rinse with gasoline. A gas and mystery goo mix can clean the carb all at once, he says. No rebuild needed. And, silicone in the handlebars will dull the high speed vibes typical when taking Scramblers to highway speeds.
Anyway, I'm very excited.
Later, I had a wonderful dinner date with my dear wife. I love her so.
- Steve
To preface, I'll tell you that it was two days before I saw the ad posted that my mind started turning towards getting a motorcycle. I wanted to spend $400 or less and then, there she was - The 1973 Honda Scrambler. I was the first to get to the guy's home and buy it.
So, since then, my gas tank has made its way to Center City Collision, Kevin's shop and he's undenting the can and repainting it as original. (Sweet!) He's a good friend and a badass pastor, btw. Props to you, bro.
I put a damaged camera for sale on Craigslist yesterday. Here's the ad:
5.0MP, 3x optical zoom and 32MB of internal memory (you can also add a memory card for even more space, but the internal mem will allow you to take up to 20 photos at a time.
Takes sharp, hi def pictures and it comes with the easyshare loading dock, manual & software installing cd.
The one issue the camera has does not interfere with taking photos - the directional thumbpad (like the thing you use to move mario around on a Nintendo) is not working. It was dropped and a connection was probably loosened.
Because of this, you cannot delete pictures while in the field and you can only view the last photo taken. This doesn't stop it from taking beautiful pictures still & the easyshare software is so easy to use & makes storing, dowloading & sharing photos a breeze. The camera looks new except for a few light scratches.
Please email me any questions. I'm willing to take $50 cash or a trade. An old mountain bike? Electronics? Make me an offer I can't refuse.
So, a couple of people respond including this guy, Mike, who wants to trade an old Ross mountain bike. I've never heard of ross, but what the hell? It's a cheap bike for a broken camera, huh?
We're all set to do this and the camera mysteriously stops working. Sucks and I can't get it to power back on at all. So I call him and say, at least it wasn't you calling me tomorrow thinking you got screwed, and he agrees, and we start to talk what else I've got for trade, because he really wants to unload this bike. He takes care of his mom who is very ill and needs to take care of himself and can't risk an accident, he says.
Anyway we get to talking about trades and craigslist sales and I mention the Scrambler. "A CL350, right, he says?" and I'm like, yeah, that's right. Anyway, dig it: He's had several similar Hondas and is Mr. motorcycle guru and tells me all these great tips to get the old girl running. Way cool! Plus, he says, he has other stuff to sell or trade and he still wants the camera, even if it is broken. He's looking for stuff to tinker with things.
(He knows Linux and how to make wifi work with too, but that's another story.)
Anyway, I traded my 1gig ipod shuffle and the broken camera for a sweet Ross bike - circa 1985 but in better shape than my Raleigh. It's nimble and quick, too. He also threw in two OEM Honda saddlebags for the bike and his and her helmets with plexiglass visors. And a Honda motorcycle jacket and a Harley D. rainsuit!!
Awesome deal.
Anyway, he says I can de-rust the tank by putting in gravel and something else (I have to call him cause I can't recall what the mystery goo is.) and then rinse with gasoline. A gas and mystery goo mix can clean the carb all at once, he says. No rebuild needed. And, silicone in the handlebars will dull the high speed vibes typical when taking Scramblers to highway speeds.
Anyway, I'm very excited.
Later, I had a wonderful dinner date with my dear wife. I love her so.
- Steve
The cold shower after the ride
...feels great.
Issac Rains (9-years-old and a family friend) and I rode 5 miles at the Lunken Airport Bike Trail today.
Issac did fine and I borrowed my friend, Laura Oster's recumbent Bike E. A great ride over all, but murder up hills! I had to walk it up one of them.
I rode 23 miles this week all together. Right on!
Becky and I are working to pay off any old debt or at least figure out where we are with it. My hope is that we can be, with the exception of student loans and the house payment, debt free in one year.
- Steve
Issac Rains (9-years-old and a family friend) and I rode 5 miles at the Lunken Airport Bike Trail today.
Issac did fine and I borrowed my friend, Laura Oster's recumbent Bike E. A great ride over all, but murder up hills! I had to walk it up one of them.
I rode 23 miles this week all together. Right on!
Becky and I are working to pay off any old debt or at least figure out where we are with it. My hope is that we can be, with the exception of student loans and the house payment, debt free in one year.
- Steve
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Meanwhile in the Free World...
I have to say that I'm impressed at Lopez Obrador's response to the recent Mexican elections.
You can read his July 16 speech at the second information assembly in Mexico City's Zocalo here: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/07/21/18290426.php
He is doing now what Al Gore should have done in 2000 (and, arguably, what John Kerry should have done in
'04) - he's contesting the election results and defending the sanctity of the ballot box. It's a humbling thing for the mighty United States to be shown the way by an impoverished state such as Mexico.
There's an excellent podcast discussion of the election at Here On Earth: http://wpr.org/hereonearth/archive_060724k.cfm
In this program, host Jean Feraca discusses the similarities and differences this has with the allegations of American election fraud.
+A common thread of disaster+
Kevin Sites blog entry on the Israeli assault on Tyre, Lebanon - http://hotzone.yahoo.com/b/hotzone/blogs7920
- is a shocking, disturbing portrayal of war's cost. The dust covering the faces in these photos gives the
subjects a gustly pale.
It's worth reminding ourselves that this terrible mess - war crimes and misdemeanors and all - is nothing new.
Check out Goya's 19th Century documentary masterpiece, The Disasters of War - http://goya.unizar.es/infogoya/Work/Desastres.html - and Vietnam Inc. - http://www.musarium.com/stories/vietnaminc/index.html
- Steve
You can read his July 16 speech at the second information assembly in Mexico City's Zocalo here: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/07/21/18290426.php
He is doing now what Al Gore should have done in 2000 (and, arguably, what John Kerry should have done in
'04) - he's contesting the election results and defending the sanctity of the ballot box. It's a humbling thing for the mighty United States to be shown the way by an impoverished state such as Mexico.
There's an excellent podcast discussion of the election at Here On Earth: http://wpr.org/hereonearth/archive_060724k.cfm
In this program, host Jean Feraca discusses the similarities and differences this has with the allegations of American election fraud.
+A common thread of disaster+
Kevin Sites blog entry on the Israeli assault on Tyre, Lebanon - http://hotzone.yahoo.com/b/hotzone/blogs7920
- is a shocking, disturbing portrayal of war's cost. The dust covering the faces in these photos gives the
subjects a gustly pale.
It's worth reminding ourselves that this terrible mess - war crimes and misdemeanors and all - is nothing new.
Check out Goya's 19th Century documentary masterpiece, The Disasters of War - http://goya.unizar.es/infogoya/Work/Desastres.html - and Vietnam Inc. - http://www.musarium.com/stories/vietnaminc/index.html
- Steve
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
I'm angry at you because of the part of me that you represent
Jung teaches us that the images of loved ones or rocks or anything in out dreams are archtypes, projections of ourselves in our unconscious mind.
I believe (though I don't know that the good doctor went this far) that our everyday, waking experiences hold the same symbolism. I had, recently, a tense moment with a loved one and perhaps this person's behaviors irritated me so because of I saw this behavior in myself.
Not rocket science, really, but worth reminding myself about this.
Maybe everything everything carries this symbolism. Maybe portents and signs, the shreiks of devils and the whispers of angels are a deafening chorus, surrounding us. And we simply choose, often, not to hear it.
I believe (though I don't know that the good doctor went this far) that our everyday, waking experiences hold the same symbolism. I had, recently, a tense moment with a loved one and perhaps this person's behaviors irritated me so because of I saw this behavior in myself.
Not rocket science, really, but worth reminding myself about this.
Maybe everything everything carries this symbolism. Maybe portents and signs, the shreiks of devils and the whispers of angels are a deafening chorus, surrounding us. And we simply choose, often, not to hear it.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Danger baby, Motorbike Zen and the last week of pregnancy
We think it may be. The due date is August 1 and we're anxiously awaiting our first meeting with the boy.
I have a new project, borne out of discussions with overprotective friends, worried about all the things Beck and I might do with the baby (like take him on the bus or take him on the bicycle using a child safety seat) that they certainly would not and consider dangerous. Danger Baby. We'll be photoshopping and staging seemily dangerous photos of our son in all manner of peril.
Baby with knives, baby bungee jumping, baby climbing the Empire State Building. Look for our new Danger Baby Web site coming this fall.
The Motorsickle
I removed and drained the gas tank tank today. It was, surprisingly, not bolted down - it just sits there, wedged on top, partially beneath the seat. I disconnected the petcock valve (pictured)
That's not mine, but it's a similar petcock valve. This shifts the fuel off and switches between the main and reserve tanks (These are really the same thing, it's just that switching to reserve siphons gas from a lower level of the tank). Motorcycles (many of them) don't have gas gauges and what you do is, you just run out of gas from the main tank and then switch to the reserve, which gives you about 40 miles of road to find a gas station.
I'm trying to do this operation on the bike with a lot of love. I find machines respond well when you don't half ass it.
- Steve
I have a new project, borne out of discussions with overprotective friends, worried about all the things Beck and I might do with the baby (like take him on the bus or take him on the bicycle using a child safety seat) that they certainly would not and consider dangerous. Danger Baby. We'll be photoshopping and staging seemily dangerous photos of our son in all manner of peril.
Baby with knives, baby bungee jumping, baby climbing the Empire State Building. Look for our new Danger Baby Web site coming this fall.
The Motorsickle
I removed and drained the gas tank tank today. It was, surprisingly, not bolted down - it just sits there, wedged on top, partially beneath the seat. I disconnected the petcock valve (pictured)
That's not mine, but it's a similar petcock valve. This shifts the fuel off and switches between the main and reserve tanks (These are really the same thing, it's just that switching to reserve siphons gas from a lower level of the tank). Motorcycles (many of them) don't have gas gauges and what you do is, you just run out of gas from the main tank and then switch to the reserve, which gives you about 40 miles of road to find a gas station.
I'm trying to do this operation on the bike with a lot of love. I find machines respond well when you don't half ass it.
- Steve
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
On the mend - also, anyone have a tarp?
So, after Friday's foot surgery I was once finally able to ride a bike again last night and tgoday. I missed being on two wheels. Heck, I missed being on two feet!
Long and short: I dropped a wooden privacy fence panel on my foot a month ago (!!) and, unbeknownst to me, a piece or pieces of wood became stuck in my foot.
Two weeks ago, painful wound sorta on the mend, I picked at my foot and out came a top-of-Lincoln's-head-on-a-penny size chuck 'o' pine. I heal some more, but my scar is more like a drum than a healing scar - the membrane has a litte cave behind it. What's that wedging it open? More wood or fibrous scar tissue. A utility-knife-session later I still don't know, but there's an end-of-my-little-finger sized lump there, on top of my foot.
One foot doctor won't touch it. Too deep and if he messes up, I'm messed up. Second doctor sticks me like he's kitting with three shots of lydacane and cuts a trench on top of my foot, digging out all the fibrous tissue he can. Seven stitches later, he still doesn't know if there's a foreign body in there.
Weekend finds me in bed, on my back, foot in the air. Hurt like hell and I couldn't walk. I can now (yeah!) On Friday it's back to Doc number 2, who will check me out and maybe go back in. I hope not.
The antibiotic spiked my blood pressure, too and I had to knock it off.
Also, anyone have a tarp I can borrow? My motorcycle is in the rain.
- Steve
Long and short: I dropped a wooden privacy fence panel on my foot a month ago (!!) and, unbeknownst to me, a piece or pieces of wood became stuck in my foot.
Two weeks ago, painful wound sorta on the mend, I picked at my foot and out came a top-of-Lincoln's-head-on-a-penny size chuck 'o' pine. I heal some more, but my scar is more like a drum than a healing scar - the membrane has a litte cave behind it. What's that wedging it open? More wood or fibrous scar tissue. A utility-knife-session later I still don't know, but there's an end-of-my-little-finger sized lump there, on top of my foot.
One foot doctor won't touch it. Too deep and if he messes up, I'm messed up. Second doctor sticks me like he's kitting with three shots of lydacane and cuts a trench on top of my foot, digging out all the fibrous tissue he can. Seven stitches later, he still doesn't know if there's a foreign body in there.
Weekend finds me in bed, on my back, foot in the air. Hurt like hell and I couldn't walk. I can now (yeah!) On Friday it's back to Doc number 2, who will check me out and maybe go back in. I hope not.
The antibiotic spiked my blood pressure, too and I had to knock it off.
Also, anyone have a tarp I can borrow? My motorcycle is in the rain.
- Steve
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Some thoughts this morning...
I think, following up on a post I wrote some weeks back, about some folks having an inability to imagine any (positive at least) future, that realizing that a positive outcome, that things will go well in the future may be about realizing that it's not *you* who will have to live the future - at least not the present tense you.
Raising a child is conceivable now (pun intented) whereas it wasn't a year ago. Past me, the me of several years ago couldn't have handled owning a house or working as a freelancer. Present me can. It's not the me of today who has to figure out how to live in SF. The present me only has to prepare the way for the future me, who'll have the skills to do what has to be done.
It's a lot easier to swallow that way, isn't it?
+Biking+
I rode 19 miles so far this week. To and from downtown on Monday (7m round trip) and all the way from Norwood to my mom's house yesterday (12.5 miles). I travelled the 12.5 miles in about two hours or at an average of 6mph - not crazy fast, but steady and I was able to move up the hills without stopping. I usually have to walk up the steep hills like Gilbert and through Eden Park, at least part way, but this time I moved with relative ease.
- Steve
Raising a child is conceivable now (pun intented) whereas it wasn't a year ago. Past me, the me of several years ago couldn't have handled owning a house or working as a freelancer. Present me can. It's not the me of today who has to figure out how to live in SF. The present me only has to prepare the way for the future me, who'll have the skills to do what has to be done.
It's a lot easier to swallow that way, isn't it?
+Biking+
I rode 19 miles so far this week. To and from downtown on Monday (7m round trip) and all the way from Norwood to my mom's house yesterday (12.5 miles). I travelled the 12.5 miles in about two hours or at an average of 6mph - not crazy fast, but steady and I was able to move up the hills without stopping. I usually have to walk up the steep hills like Gilbert and through Eden Park, at least part way, but this time I moved with relative ease.
- Steve
Monday, July 10, 2006
What Materazzi said to Zidane (allegedly)
According to Wiki News it was an anti Muslim slur - Zidane is Muslim.
Headbutting incident
He was sent off for violent conduct after headbutting Italy's goalscorer, Marco Materazzi, in the chest in the 110th minute. The game ended in a 1-1 draw and Italy won the championship after a penalty kick shootout.
Both Zidane and Materazzi refused to comment on the incident. Zidane's agent Alain Migliaccio said, "[Zidane] told me Materazzi said something very serious to him but he wouldn't tell me what."[13] Reportedly, the deaf forensic lip-reader Jessica Rees was employed to analyze the video sequences with the help of an Italian translator. According to these reports, Materazzi spoke in Italian - a language understood by Zidane due to his time spent with Juventus F.C. - and first told him: "Hold on, wait, that one's not for a nigger like you." As the players walked forward, Materazzi allegedly said: "We all know you are the son of a terrorist whore." Then, just before the headbutt, he was seen saying: "So just fuck off." [14] [15] According to Brazilian TV Rede Globo, a lip-reader claimed that Materazzi twice called Zidane's sister a prostitute.[16] Earlier claims about Materazzi having called his opponent a "dirty terrorist" have been denied by Materazzi, who reportedly said: "It is absolutely not true, I did not call him a terrorist. I'm ignorant. I don't even know what the word means." [17][13]
On July 10, 2006, Zidane was awarded the Golden Ball for the best player in the 2006 World Cup. The winner was selected in a poll of journalists covering the tournament which began half time of the championship game, prior to the headbutting incident. Zidane won the contest with 2012 points, ahead of second place finisher Fabio Cannavaro, who polled 1977 points. Although the polling continued until midnight, most votes were cast prior to the headbutting incident.[18][19]
Headbutting incident
He was sent off for violent conduct after headbutting Italy's goalscorer, Marco Materazzi, in the chest in the 110th minute. The game ended in a 1-1 draw and Italy won the championship after a penalty kick shootout.
Both Zidane and Materazzi refused to comment on the incident. Zidane's agent Alain Migliaccio said, "[Zidane] told me Materazzi said something very serious to him but he wouldn't tell me what."[13] Reportedly, the deaf forensic lip-reader Jessica Rees was employed to analyze the video sequences with the help of an Italian translator. According to these reports, Materazzi spoke in Italian - a language understood by Zidane due to his time spent with Juventus F.C. - and first told him: "Hold on, wait, that one's not for a nigger like you." As the players walked forward, Materazzi allegedly said: "We all know you are the son of a terrorist whore." Then, just before the headbutt, he was seen saying: "So just fuck off." [14] [15] According to Brazilian TV Rede Globo, a lip-reader claimed that Materazzi twice called Zidane's sister a prostitute.[16] Earlier claims about Materazzi having called his opponent a "dirty terrorist" have been denied by Materazzi, who reportedly said: "It is absolutely not true, I did not call him a terrorist. I'm ignorant. I don't even know what the word means." [17][13]
On July 10, 2006, Zidane was awarded the Golden Ball for the best player in the 2006 World Cup. The winner was selected in a poll of journalists covering the tournament which began half time of the championship game, prior to the headbutting incident. Zidane won the contest with 2012 points, ahead of second place finisher Fabio Cannavaro, who polled 1977 points. Although the polling continued until midnight, most votes were cast prior to the headbutting incident.[18][19]
Sunday, July 09, 2006
A three-integer system?
I've been reading a book on mathematics and have been trying to get a new grasp on numbers. I know math and some algebra and physics, of course, but all that really means is that I know how to drive this car called, "math."
I don't know how to take it apart and put it back together again. I'm an operator, not an architect.
In pursuit of this goal I'm trying to learn a three or six integer system, rather than our ten integer system (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, 10,11 and so on)
A three integer system would count like this:
1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 20, 21, 22, 100, 101, 102, 110...and so on.
The math would give different results, but, fundamentally, I believe, reduce to the same thing in binary code.
So that's what I'm on to now. Different counting. Has anyone reading this tried that?
- Steve
I don't know how to take it apart and put it back together again. I'm an operator, not an architect.
In pursuit of this goal I'm trying to learn a three or six integer system, rather than our ten integer system (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, 10,11 and so on)
A three integer system would count like this:
1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 20, 21, 22, 100, 101, 102, 110...and so on.
The math would give different results, but, fundamentally, I believe, reduce to the same thing in binary code.
So that's what I'm on to now. Different counting. Has anyone reading this tried that?
- Steve
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Motorcycle Diary, Installment two
This is a much better pic of the bike (from a Honda Advertisement)
I also found the uber-alliance cool site about an electric conversion Scrambler.
Motorcycle Diary, installment one
Ok, so we've had the Scrambler now for about two weeks and she finally turned over today.
The bike is a 1973 Honda CL350 Scrambler with 25,000 miles.
It's in good shape for a 33 year old bike, though it didn't run when we bought it. The owner cited bad gas in the engine, turned to varnish and gumming up the works. I began to clean it yesterday and today, with some help from Rich, I got the throttle unstuck.
She turned over and roared loudly. It'll be a whle before she purrs, but it's really thrilling to hear the engine for the first time.
The electrical system and starter seem to be in good shape. I'll follow with pix and descriptions of the probable carb rebuild we'll be doing.
- Steve
"Did you call this number?" Some annoying things about caller ID
This morning at 7:45 (!!?) some cat calls us up asking if we called his phone.
Whacked Caller ID Dude (WCID): "Uh...oh, I'm sorry."
Me: "That's ok, hello." (I think I was pretty congenial for quarter till 8)
WCID: "Yes, did you call this phone?"
Me: "I haven't called anyone this morning."
WCID: "No, this was last - yesterday."
Me: "I call a lot of people. Who is this?"
WCID: "My name is Joe Cossick (sp?)"
Me: "Uh huh, yeah, I don't know you."
WCID: "This number was on my caller ID. Did you call my phone."
Me: "This is silly. Goodbye" CLICK
Dude needs better things to do with his time.
- Steve
Whacked Caller ID Dude (WCID): "Uh...oh, I'm sorry."
Me: "That's ok, hello." (I think I was pretty congenial for quarter till 8)
WCID: "Yes, did you call this phone?"
Me: "I haven't called anyone this morning."
WCID: "No, this was last - yesterday."
Me: "I call a lot of people. Who is this?"
WCID: "My name is Joe Cossick (sp?)"
Me: "Uh huh, yeah, I don't know you."
WCID: "This number was on my caller ID. Did you call my phone."
Me: "This is silly. Goodbye" CLICK
Dude needs better things to do with his time.
- Steve
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
AMC 2006: Truth to power, then what?
The Allied Media Conference had its second keynote on Friday evening. (We had the keynote address that morning, so having two keynote is a little weird, but, okay...) The theme was “From Truth to Power: because being right is not enough.” The panelists, author Jeff Chang, Radio Rootz founder Deepa Fernandes and cinematographer Jackie Salloum focused on indie media's role is organizing for social justice.
Solloum spoke about her film, Sling Shot: Hip-Hop, a documentary about her trip to Gaza to meet the first Hip-Hop MCs in the region. Twenty minutes away, in Palestine, the Palestinean MCs were unaware their counterparts. Her film chronicles the lives of the Palestinean performers as they go to their first show – they look extremely American in numbered sports jerseys and shorts – and the context in which they live, in a country divided by a separation wall, stopped by Israeli soldiers demanding ID.
“Who controls our news, how powerful that is in the very fight for our lives,” Fernandes says. “We need to build a social movement with that at the center...How do we go beyond just speaking to ourselves? How do we get out there?”
She remarks that there is a revolutionary, ground-level media movement spreading in Venezuala. She says there is media-centered organizing going on in Venezuala's poorest neighborhoods.
She continues, speaking about the coup that temporarily deposed Hugo Chavez, saying that during the coup in the 1990s, the state television showed cooking shows and other light fare. This reminded me of how Cincinnati's local mainstream media betrayed the city by running regular programming during the riots. It disgusted me to see sit-coms running as conflict raced through the streets.
She says that the poor worked to get the street level news out by using cell phones, pirate radio and text messaging.
“People realized that controlling the media was at the center of winning a greater battle,” Fernandes says.
Chang says that many people he meets across the country are angered at the way Hip-Hop is portrayed by mainstream media.
“People feel very disempowered...isolated,” he says.
As a kid growing up in Hawaii he heard Rapper's Delight and describes the experience as empowering and as a revela tion. It connected him to the lives of inner city black kids he'd never seen. That's part of Hip-Hop's transactional cultural exchange.
Chang says, just as Hip-Hop's roots have grown and empowered listeners, its commercial branches have become twisted and gnarled.
“We have people like 50 Cent selling his get rich or die philosophy...he's the McDonalds of Hip-Hop...people (have been) turned into consumers...if you're down with 50 you wear a certain type of clothes.”
Chang says media like that has caused the people of the United States have become culturally isolated and to have lost their imagination.
“What does it look like if we win,” he asks. He says that, through Hip-Hop, we won – a marginalized art form became mainstream, but, almost overnight, it was also lost, and mainstreamed, co-opted.
Chang says that media activists need to consider what it will look like if we win and how we can keep a win from being co-opted.
Solloum spoke about her film, Sling Shot: Hip-Hop, a documentary about her trip to Gaza to meet the first Hip-Hop MCs in the region. Twenty minutes away, in Palestine, the Palestinean MCs were unaware their counterparts. Her film chronicles the lives of the Palestinean performers as they go to their first show – they look extremely American in numbered sports jerseys and shorts – and the context in which they live, in a country divided by a separation wall, stopped by Israeli soldiers demanding ID.
“Who controls our news, how powerful that is in the very fight for our lives,” Fernandes says. “We need to build a social movement with that at the center...How do we go beyond just speaking to ourselves? How do we get out there?”
She remarks that there is a revolutionary, ground-level media movement spreading in Venezuala. She says there is media-centered organizing going on in Venezuala's poorest neighborhoods.
She continues, speaking about the coup that temporarily deposed Hugo Chavez, saying that during the coup in the 1990s, the state television showed cooking shows and other light fare. This reminded me of how Cincinnati's local mainstream media betrayed the city by running regular programming during the riots. It disgusted me to see sit-coms running as conflict raced through the streets.
She says that the poor worked to get the street level news out by using cell phones, pirate radio and text messaging.
“People realized that controlling the media was at the center of winning a greater battle,” Fernandes says.
Chang says that many people he meets across the country are angered at the way Hip-Hop is portrayed by mainstream media.
“People feel very disempowered...isolated,” he says.
As a kid growing up in Hawaii he heard Rapper's Delight and describes the experience as empowering and as a revela tion. It connected him to the lives of inner city black kids he'd never seen. That's part of Hip-Hop's transactional cultural exchange.
Chang says, just as Hip-Hop's roots have grown and empowered listeners, its commercial branches have become twisted and gnarled.
“We have people like 50 Cent selling his get rich or die philosophy...he's the McDonalds of Hip-Hop...people (have been) turned into consumers...if you're down with 50 you wear a certain type of clothes.”
Chang says media like that has caused the people of the United States have become culturally isolated and to have lost their imagination.
“What does it look like if we win,” he asks. He says that, through Hip-Hop, we won – a marginalized art form became mainstream, but, almost overnight, it was also lost, and mainstreamed, co-opted.
Chang says that media activists need to consider what it will look like if we win and how we can keep a win from being co-opted.
AMC 2006: Reaching Kids
Cincinnati's Gavin Leonard was part of the panel discussion, Reaching Kids: Youth-Driven Programming. Leonard is the director of Elementz, a hip-hop youth arts center in the West End.
Leonard operated the Copwatch program from 2001-2003, which recruited members of the public to monitor and record malfeasance by local police. Copwatch transformed into Elementz, which opened in 2005, Leonard says, as a way to build trust and relationships with area youth.
“Our goal is to work with young people who either live in or come to Downtown,” Leonard says.
Hip-hop dance class, DJ classes and graffiti art are some of the classes that are available at Elementz.
Leonard says Elementz budget is tripling and is proud that the organization has crossed over from talking about what young people might need, to actually meeting them as peers.
A lot of people want to address the issues of kids, he says, but, “most of these people aren't really connected to what young people are doing."
“The thing you have to assume is that young people probably don't trust you and don't trust your programs,” Leonard says. “Respect is the concept we work from. Respect yourself, respect others and respect the space.”
Leonard says that surveying the youth in the Downtown basin was important to developing the program. His team would walk the community, speak to kids at local schools and even ride the bus and solicit opinions on what the program might look like. The idea was to be responsive to the needs of local youth, he says.
Continuing that line of feedback communication is critically important to the program's success. Elementz also has young people on its advisory board, he says.
“You've really got to work from where people are at, not where you're at,” Leonard says.
That could mean going, geographically to where young people are, he says, giving, obversely, the example of groups trying to address the problem of high school drop outs at high schools, instead of on the streets, where you're more likely to find drop-outs. Working from the perspective of the people that you're serving is another example, he says, using their music, culture and lingo, not your own.
Leonard, who is white, works with kids who are almost entirely African-American. He says it's important to address a certain level of racism, classism and sexism. Also, part of Elementz organizational plan is his exit strategy as executive director.
One man in the audience mentioned that the race issue – white or privledged black program coordinators working with young people of color - is often the elephant in the room that no one talks about. He said that black kids he's worked with have often resented taking direction from whites and have felt a cultural disconnect.
Leonard operated the Copwatch program from 2001-2003, which recruited members of the public to monitor and record malfeasance by local police. Copwatch transformed into Elementz, which opened in 2005, Leonard says, as a way to build trust and relationships with area youth.
“Our goal is to work with young people who either live in or come to Downtown,” Leonard says.
Hip-hop dance class, DJ classes and graffiti art are some of the classes that are available at Elementz.
Leonard says Elementz budget is tripling and is proud that the organization has crossed over from talking about what young people might need, to actually meeting them as peers.
A lot of people want to address the issues of kids, he says, but, “most of these people aren't really connected to what young people are doing."
“The thing you have to assume is that young people probably don't trust you and don't trust your programs,” Leonard says. “Respect is the concept we work from. Respect yourself, respect others and respect the space.”
Leonard says that surveying the youth in the Downtown basin was important to developing the program. His team would walk the community, speak to kids at local schools and even ride the bus and solicit opinions on what the program might look like. The idea was to be responsive to the needs of local youth, he says.
Continuing that line of feedback communication is critically important to the program's success. Elementz also has young people on its advisory board, he says.
“You've really got to work from where people are at, not where you're at,” Leonard says.
That could mean going, geographically to where young people are, he says, giving, obversely, the example of groups trying to address the problem of high school drop outs at high schools, instead of on the streets, where you're more likely to find drop-outs. Working from the perspective of the people that you're serving is another example, he says, using their music, culture and lingo, not your own.
Leonard, who is white, works with kids who are almost entirely African-American. He says it's important to address a certain level of racism, classism and sexism. Also, part of Elementz organizational plan is his exit strategy as executive director.
One man in the audience mentioned that the race issue – white or privledged black program coordinators working with young people of color - is often the elephant in the room that no one talks about. He said that black kids he's worked with have often resented taking direction from whites and have felt a cultural disconnect.
AMC 2006: DIY Publishing
Coverage from sessions at the 2006 Allied Media Conference
Representatives from the newspapers Critical Moment, out of Detroit and the NYC Indypendent presented a session on the basics of publishing a newspaper.
Arun Gupta of the Indypendent describes five areas of focus when starting a publication: target audience, content and design, financing, distribution, and structure.
I've been developing a Wiki book on DIY publishing since last year. You can read and contribute to the book here.
“Is it for the general public or is it for activists,” Gupta asks. It could have a niche focus, such as queer or environmental issues. He says, insofar as content, the Indy is reader driven, not writer driven – this means that, “...you're always asking...what is the audience looking for?”
“Design cannot be emphasized enough,” Gupta says. He says that four-color process helps the paper be visually appealing and that clear images and words help the reader – or potential reader – know what's inside, quickly.
Gupta says he prefers photos for the cover rather than graphics. A clean, clear image helps, he says.
Gupta mentions that the Indypendent has recently launched a new publication, IndyKids. He says you have to decide if you're going to have a newsy publication or cultural, with a first person point of view (POV) or a more traditional style.
Gupta says that you should publish articles that have a shelf life that is 1.5 times as long as your distribution cycle. (eg: A monthly paper should run articles that are good for six weeks.)
Donations were discussed as a major revenue stream for small, upstart papers. Gupta suggests that people wanting to use this sort of revenue stream should study direct mail solicitations. He says 1-2 percent is considered an excellent return on a direct mail solicitation, though, once when the Indypendent had Naomi Klein write an appeal letter for them, they had a 12 percent return – more than $10,000 from 3,000 solicitations sent.
Posters – a US map of our domestic weapons of mass destruction – and t-shirts have also been major revenue streams. 5,000 posters sold delivered $30,000 in revenue, Gupta says.
Free versus paid subscriptions: Both have their advantages, he says. Free distribution means the Indypendent reaches a wide audience. “We didn't want to be gettoized,” Gupta says.
On structure of the organization, Gupta says you must have clearly defined roles.
Max Sussman says that his publication is two-and-a-half years old. They publish every two months and Critical Moment is free.
Sussman says his project has an open submissions policy. He describes the process of collecting content as a kind of mixed bag – some is assigned by the collectives – they have two, one in Detroit and another in Ann Arbor – and other content comes in unsolicited.
“One of the things we've started to do more recently is to put on more events,” Sussman says. “We think that really increases our visibility.”
Sussman says they've hosted speaking engagements with featured writers. Music show fundraisers are also helpful, he says. “We do dance parties,” Gupta adds.
Sussman says they raise money through ads, primarily, but are developing plans for donor streams. The paper carries an ongoing, 20 percent debt, he says, that's shouldered by cash infusions from members of the collective.
“Our ads go through our editorial policy,” Sussman says. If an ad is outside of their values or if ads are blatently offensive, without a purpose, they ask the advertiser to redesign the ad. He gives as an example an ad that read something like, “Fuck the War – Shop at my store,” saying that the Critical Moment collective objected on the basis that 1) shopping at this proprietor's store clearly would not end the war and 2) that the large word “FUCK” was used without a real purpose – just for shock value.
Gupta says the Indypendent does not use a union print shop because of the costs involved. He says that his team has threatened to drop their printer to negotiate a better deal.
Ad sales is a major hurdle for Critical Moment. Sussman says the paper has no paid ad reps at this time and garnering advertising is a difficult task. Gupta says that they try and focus their ad sales on indie culture producers in New York such as poetry and music events. One member of the audience suggested publishers focus on wealthy non-profits towards the end of their fiscal season.
Both newspapers operate as collectives – this means there's a lot of work that is shared and members wear many hats.
Sussman says they judge their success as a publication by how many copies are left at newsstands at the end of a cycle. Gupta also discusses a story that they ran on an Iraq War vet who became homeless. The Indypendent broke the story and it was later picked up by major dailies and CBS.
“They're never going to credit you,” NYC says. “But they use the same sources...”
Representatives from the newspapers Critical Moment, out of Detroit and the NYC Indypendent presented a session on the basics of publishing a newspaper.
Arun Gupta of the Indypendent describes five areas of focus when starting a publication: target audience, content and design, financing, distribution, and structure.
I've been developing a Wiki book on DIY publishing since last year. You can read and contribute to the book here.
“Is it for the general public or is it for activists,” Gupta asks. It could have a niche focus, such as queer or environmental issues. He says, insofar as content, the Indy is reader driven, not writer driven – this means that, “...you're always asking...what is the audience looking for?”
“Design cannot be emphasized enough,” Gupta says. He says that four-color process helps the paper be visually appealing and that clear images and words help the reader – or potential reader – know what's inside, quickly.
Gupta says he prefers photos for the cover rather than graphics. A clean, clear image helps, he says.
Gupta mentions that the Indypendent has recently launched a new publication, IndyKids. He says you have to decide if you're going to have a newsy publication or cultural, with a first person point of view (POV) or a more traditional style.
Gupta says that you should publish articles that have a shelf life that is 1.5 times as long as your distribution cycle. (eg: A monthly paper should run articles that are good for six weeks.)
Donations were discussed as a major revenue stream for small, upstart papers. Gupta suggests that people wanting to use this sort of revenue stream should study direct mail solicitations. He says 1-2 percent is considered an excellent return on a direct mail solicitation, though, once when the Indypendent had Naomi Klein write an appeal letter for them, they had a 12 percent return – more than $10,000 from 3,000 solicitations sent.
Posters – a US map of our domestic weapons of mass destruction – and t-shirts have also been major revenue streams. 5,000 posters sold delivered $30,000 in revenue, Gupta says.
Free versus paid subscriptions: Both have their advantages, he says. Free distribution means the Indypendent reaches a wide audience. “We didn't want to be gettoized,” Gupta says.
On structure of the organization, Gupta says you must have clearly defined roles.
Max Sussman says that his publication is two-and-a-half years old. They publish every two months and Critical Moment is free.
Sussman says his project has an open submissions policy. He describes the process of collecting content as a kind of mixed bag – some is assigned by the collectives – they have two, one in Detroit and another in Ann Arbor – and other content comes in unsolicited.
“One of the things we've started to do more recently is to put on more events,” Sussman says. “We think that really increases our visibility.”
Sussman says they've hosted speaking engagements with featured writers. Music show fundraisers are also helpful, he says. “We do dance parties,” Gupta adds.
Sussman says they raise money through ads, primarily, but are developing plans for donor streams. The paper carries an ongoing, 20 percent debt, he says, that's shouldered by cash infusions from members of the collective.
“Our ads go through our editorial policy,” Sussman says. If an ad is outside of their values or if ads are blatently offensive, without a purpose, they ask the advertiser to redesign the ad. He gives as an example an ad that read something like, “Fuck the War – Shop at my store,” saying that the Critical Moment collective objected on the basis that 1) shopping at this proprietor's store clearly would not end the war and 2) that the large word “FUCK” was used without a real purpose – just for shock value.
Gupta says the Indypendent does not use a union print shop because of the costs involved. He says that his team has threatened to drop their printer to negotiate a better deal.
Ad sales is a major hurdle for Critical Moment. Sussman says the paper has no paid ad reps at this time and garnering advertising is a difficult task. Gupta says that they try and focus their ad sales on indie culture producers in New York such as poetry and music events. One member of the audience suggested publishers focus on wealthy non-profits towards the end of their fiscal season.
Both newspapers operate as collectives – this means there's a lot of work that is shared and members wear many hats.
Sussman says they judge their success as a publication by how many copies are left at newsstands at the end of a cycle. Gupta also discusses a story that they ran on an Iraq War vet who became homeless. The Indypendent broke the story and it was later picked up by major dailies and CBS.
“They're never going to credit you,” NYC says. “But they use the same sources...”
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Blogging suspended til I get home
Damn. Damn. Damn.
I dropped my shiny new three pound vaio laptop right on the wifi. and the wifi is out. Sucks. Though I suppose it's a blessing that I lost no data (my story is on it and I can continue writing. But no more live blogging for a bit.
Steve
I dropped my shiny new three pound vaio laptop right on the wifi. and the wifi is out. Sucks. Though I suppose it's a blessing that I lost no data (my story is on it and I can continue writing. But no more live blogging for a bit.
Steve
Friday, June 23, 2006
AMC 2006: Marketing, minors and the military
Coverage from sessions at the 2006 Allied Media Conference
I caught just the tail end of this fascinating session.
The Pittsburgh Organizing Group (POG) presented information on how the US Military hooks new recruits.
I found out about JAMRS, (Joint Advertising Marketing and Research Studies) the Department of Defense marketing database used to collect information on potential recruits.The Army has also released a free, high quality video game – it cost the US $16 million to produce – that glorifies combat and ignores the costs of war.
“There's no reality here,” POG member Bridget Colvin says.
She also presented information on myfuture.com which offers a free career aptitude test to students and then, after the test there is an inducement for students to take the ASVAB, Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. This tests only a student's current proficiencies, not what they're interested in exploring or what they might be good at with training.
Colvin also presented several other examples of pseudo-news stories that ended with requests for personal information, for information on friends and promoted the fitness, opportunities for travel and adventure and college money that can be gained through the military.
There were also reports among the audience of military marketing at movie theaters, offering free itunes songs and DVDs for kids willing to watch military promotional films.
I reported on the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center's Counter-Recruitment drives in Cincinnati earlier this year. Similar
“There is no job worse than the military,” Jeremy Shenk member says. “The pay sucks, you're on call 24-hours a day, they can shoot you – technically – if you try and quit.”
“We're anti-militarism,” Colvin says. “How voluntary is an army where you don't have all the information before you join.”
One of the POG members mentioned, after the session, the the Justice Department has bee spying on them as POG is considered a threat to national security.
I caught just the tail end of this fascinating session.
The Pittsburgh Organizing Group (POG) presented information on how the US Military hooks new recruits.
I found out about JAMRS, (Joint Advertising Marketing and Research Studies) the Department of Defense marketing database used to collect information on potential recruits.The Army has also released a free, high quality video game – it cost the US $16 million to produce – that glorifies combat and ignores the costs of war.
“There's no reality here,” POG member Bridget Colvin says.
She also presented information on myfuture.com which offers a free career aptitude test to students and then, after the test there is an inducement for students to take the ASVAB, Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. This tests only a student's current proficiencies, not what they're interested in exploring or what they might be good at with training.
Colvin also presented several other examples of pseudo-news stories that ended with requests for personal information, for information on friends and promoted the fitness, opportunities for travel and adventure and college money that can be gained through the military.
There were also reports among the audience of military marketing at movie theaters, offering free itunes songs and DVDs for kids willing to watch military promotional films.
I reported on the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center's Counter-Recruitment drives in Cincinnati earlier this year. Similar
“There is no job worse than the military,” Jeremy Shenk member says. “The pay sucks, you're on call 24-hours a day, they can shoot you – technically – if you try and quit.”
“We're anti-militarism,” Colvin says. “How voluntary is an army where you don't have all the information before you join.”
One of the POG members mentioned, after the session, the the Justice Department has bee spying on them as POG is considered a threat to national security.
AMC 2006: Unplug Clear Channel
Ongoing coverage of the 2006 Allied Media Conference
Clear Channel was the subject of the lunchtime keynote. The conference was starting to fill in at this point – I'd guess that there are about 350 people here now. The attendance typically crests at 800. I know this because this is the fourth time I've been to this Con. This is also the 8th year for the event, which always been here in Bowling Green. It's moving to Detroit next year, which makes me a little sad – I'm saying goodbye to this sleepy little town, but also very excited at getting to know the Motor City, Patti Smith's Dead City.
Taishi Duchicela of Oakland's Youth Media Council presented her arguments that Clear Channel has wrecked local Hip Hop radio stations in the Bay Area, by holding pro-war rallies (as they have in Cincinnati and elsewhere), dropping almost all local musician, and promoting ultra-right politics.
“All they talk about is war and immigration and they are very, very vulgar,” she says, adding that the make money off of Hip-Hop to pay for their racist, sexist agenda.
“That, to us is not right,” Duchicela says.
She plays audio clips from Clear Channel broadcasts, including one broadcaster suggesting that aborting black babies would help ease crime in the U.S.
The YMC's response has been to develop an organizing campaign, Unplug Clear Channel. They have protested in front Bay Area radio stations and have challenged broadcast licenses.
“We own the airwaves...we also have a say in what kind of programming goes out over those airwaves,” she says.
Clear Channel, she says, has been very reluctant to speak with the YMC. She says her organization is developing a list of standards that they believe radio stations and steering document describing what they believe a model station should look like.
Part of the struggle is getting people to care about media policy and to communicate, especially to young people, why it's important.
Pop Culture, Hip-Hop and Media Literacy
Bowling Green State University Professor Awad Ibrahim played a Jennifer Lopez video and asked the audience in this session to dissect the messages the music and images conveyed. He said, as a teacher, his job was to try and speak with his students about pop culture and their music – even if he finds it repugnant.
The song and the video presented was “Love Don't Cost a Thing,” a piece filled with contributions – the vocal about her “love” was punctuated with close ups of her body. The vocals also regarded female empowerment which, apparently, JLO gets by taking off her clothes. It's a song that says that money doesn't matter while showing Lopez driving a sports car, living in a mansion, etc.
“The visual aspect hits the boys more than the girls,” Ibrahim says. “It's really interesting when you enter the space of gender. The boys do not see anything except her butt.”
He asks the audience to listen to the music separately from listening to the video to show the divide between one message and the other.
This session continues the day's theme of scholarly deconstruction. Ibrahim stresses that it's important not to judge the students' taste.
Clear Channel was the subject of the lunchtime keynote. The conference was starting to fill in at this point – I'd guess that there are about 350 people here now. The attendance typically crests at 800. I know this because this is the fourth time I've been to this Con. This is also the 8th year for the event, which always been here in Bowling Green. It's moving to Detroit next year, which makes me a little sad – I'm saying goodbye to this sleepy little town, but also very excited at getting to know the Motor City, Patti Smith's Dead City.
Taishi Duchicela of Oakland's Youth Media Council presented her arguments that Clear Channel has wrecked local Hip Hop radio stations in the Bay Area, by holding pro-war rallies (as they have in Cincinnati and elsewhere), dropping almost all local musician, and promoting ultra-right politics.
“All they talk about is war and immigration and they are very, very vulgar,” she says, adding that the make money off of Hip-Hop to pay for their racist, sexist agenda.
“That, to us is not right,” Duchicela says.
She plays audio clips from Clear Channel broadcasts, including one broadcaster suggesting that aborting black babies would help ease crime in the U.S.
The YMC's response has been to develop an organizing campaign, Unplug Clear Channel. They have protested in front Bay Area radio stations and have challenged broadcast licenses.
“We own the airwaves...we also have a say in what kind of programming goes out over those airwaves,” she says.
Clear Channel, she says, has been very reluctant to speak with the YMC. She says her organization is developing a list of standards that they believe radio stations and steering document describing what they believe a model station should look like.
Part of the struggle is getting people to care about media policy and to communicate, especially to young people, why it's important.
Pop Culture, Hip-Hop and Media Literacy
Bowling Green State University Professor Awad Ibrahim played a Jennifer Lopez video and asked the audience in this session to dissect the messages the music and images conveyed. He said, as a teacher, his job was to try and speak with his students about pop culture and their music – even if he finds it repugnant.
The song and the video presented was “Love Don't Cost a Thing,” a piece filled with contributions – the vocal about her “love” was punctuated with close ups of her body. The vocals also regarded female empowerment which, apparently, JLO gets by taking off her clothes. It's a song that says that money doesn't matter while showing Lopez driving a sports car, living in a mansion, etc.
“The visual aspect hits the boys more than the girls,” Ibrahim says. “It's really interesting when you enter the space of gender. The boys do not see anything except her butt.”
He asks the audience to listen to the music separately from listening to the video to show the divide between one message and the other.
This session continues the day's theme of scholarly deconstruction. Ibrahim stresses that it's important not to judge the students' taste.
Allied Media Conference: Preach to the choir, not the kids
It's the first full day of sessions at the Allied Media Conference and there are 3-5 different sessions going on at any given time. There's a lot to choose from.
ACME's (Action Coalition for Media Education)Bob McCannon discussed media literacy and education in his session, “Process is more important than content.” McCannon says that the fastest way to alienate students, or the public for that matter, is to tell them how much their media sucks – that it's sexually exploitative, materialistic, crass, fluff-rich and content-poor. He said that makes his students feel guilty at best, angry at worst. Either way, it's a turn-off.
McCannon, who teaches college courses on media,says introducing critical thinking exercises is key to getting people to become educated about what they're being sold. And by, “sold,” I mean the concrete, as in the material goods that are being marketed in their media and metaphorically, as in, “the bill of goods they're trying to sell,” as in the brand identities that they're selling.
In this session, McCannon shows a film clip from a Sean Connery movie in which he plays a Vietnam vet who is a drunk, has post-traumatic stress syndrome and is redeemed by a scholarly, inner-city black kid. He says these elements – all visible in a 14 second clip – are counter to most of the images that are conveyed by the pop-media-industrial complex. 14 seconds, he says, is far longer than the attention span that's ingrained by MTV's .5 second scenes.
Several marketing examples were presented for discussion:
Seventeen Magazine – One cover advertised ways to boost sex appeal and asked, “Does your personality SUCK?” - covering the bases of both depression and obsession with body image. The magaine's covers are decided by formula, he says, as is the content – stories are decided on the basis of who is advertising. More clothing ads equals more stories on clothing.
President Bush on stage with a Bush impersonator – McCannon says this was an engineered by the administration to make Bush look softer and more like a regular guy.
“We never say the media are mad and we never say the media are good...the media are always good and bad,” McCannon says.
ACME's (Action Coalition for Media Education)Bob McCannon discussed media literacy and education in his session, “Process is more important than content.” McCannon says that the fastest way to alienate students, or the public for that matter, is to tell them how much their media sucks – that it's sexually exploitative, materialistic, crass, fluff-rich and content-poor. He said that makes his students feel guilty at best, angry at worst. Either way, it's a turn-off.
McCannon, who teaches college courses on media,says introducing critical thinking exercises is key to getting people to become educated about what they're being sold. And by, “sold,” I mean the concrete, as in the material goods that are being marketed in their media and metaphorically, as in, “the bill of goods they're trying to sell,” as in the brand identities that they're selling.
In this session, McCannon shows a film clip from a Sean Connery movie in which he plays a Vietnam vet who is a drunk, has post-traumatic stress syndrome and is redeemed by a scholarly, inner-city black kid. He says these elements – all visible in a 14 second clip – are counter to most of the images that are conveyed by the pop-media-industrial complex. 14 seconds, he says, is far longer than the attention span that's ingrained by MTV's .5 second scenes.
Several marketing examples were presented for discussion:
Seventeen Magazine – One cover advertised ways to boost sex appeal and asked, “Does your personality SUCK?” - covering the bases of both depression and obsession with body image. The magaine's covers are decided by formula, he says, as is the content – stories are decided on the basis of who is advertising. More clothing ads equals more stories on clothing.
President Bush on stage with a Bush impersonator – McCannon says this was an engineered by the administration to make Bush look softer and more like a regular guy.
“We never say the media are mad and we never say the media are good...the media are always good and bad,” McCannon says.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Allied Media Conference Trip: Evening, day one
Well, we made it to the conference after a harrowing journey; the winds drove the rain in sheets, making it almost impossible to see at times. We also passed three tractor trailers in a row that were blown over by the force. It was incredible and kind of scary.
Anyway, we made it and I got a shower at the Unitarian Church and am leeching wifi at Panera in downtown Bowling Green.
- Steve
Anyway, we made it and I got a shower at the Unitarian Church and am leeching wifi at Panera in downtown Bowling Green.
- Steve
Allied Media Conference Trip: Noon, day one
Still in Columbus and I'll be departing for Bowling Green at around 3p.m.
Aaron MacCaughey, of the Columbus based band Sheldon Marsh drove by, saw me and picked me up. No, he whttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8072549asn't looking for the city's ugliest streetwalker, we knew each other already. Aaron is part of the Landing Place community in Columbus.
Landing Place or "LP" is a small, Christian (I'm starting to prefer Xtian as shorthand) community where about 40 people get together weekly for small house churching. A smaller set of LP folks live communally. My wife, Becky, and I are members of the Vineyard Central community in Cincinnati, which is a similar kind of church.
Aaron and I met up with Jason Gilliland, the band's drummer. They were discussing how much they hate the band lingo that's so prevalent today - "BGV" for Backgrounnd Vocalist or "VOX." Aaron is the band's VOX, "and BGVs, too," Jason says.
Aaron MacCaughey, of the Columbus based band Sheldon Marsh drove by, saw me and picked me up. No, he whttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8072549asn't looking for the city's ugliest streetwalker, we knew each other already. Aaron is part of the Landing Place community in Columbus.
Landing Place or "LP" is a small, Christian (I'm starting to prefer Xtian as shorthand) community where about 40 people get together weekly for small house churching. A smaller set of LP folks live communally. My wife, Becky, and I are members of the Vineyard Central community in Cincinnati, which is a similar kind of church.
Aaron and I met up with Jason Gilliland, the band's drummer. They were discussing how much they hate the band lingo that's so prevalent today - "BGV" for Backgrounnd Vocalist or "VOX." Aaron is the band's VOX, "and BGVs, too," Jason says.
Allied Media Conference Trip: Morning, day one
It's a steamy Columbus morniing and I'm here, on a friend's porch, blogging during my 5-hour layover. I didn't fly, but hitched a ride with Media Bridges Educational Coordinator Sara Mahle.
While here, I've been learning to use Skype's free telephone service and have been dialing up friends using my laptop. Pretty cool - I can sniff out open wifi and phone home, all without a lot of hassle. The service is surprisingly good - better than my last cellphone, which I threw into the river in 2001. All calls are free through December, 2006 and it's a mighty good hook, I must say.
The Allied Media Conference kicks off tonight and I'll be blogging from the field.
While here, I've been learning to use Skype's free telephone service and have been dialing up friends using my laptop. Pretty cool - I can sniff out open wifi and phone home, all without a lot of hassle. The service is surprisingly good - better than my last cellphone, which I threw into the river in 2001. All calls are free through December, 2006 and it's a mighty good hook, I must say.
The Allied Media Conference kicks off tonight and I'll be blogging from the field.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Media: First, kill all the adverbs
This 2001 snippit from Fresh Air's linguist Geoff Nunberg hammers home the manipulative toungue twists in our media.
As he says in his report, "Don't romance me, just pour the drink."
As he says in his report, "Don't romance me, just pour the drink."
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Gay rights: Modern day slavery
This is the civil rights issue of our day.
I urge you to read Citybeat Editor John Fox's condemnation of gay discrimination, my piece, called Josh's Two Moms and this compelling story of a gay man learning to accept himself as he is.
Also, I believe that, if you take an honest inventory of yourself and the gays and lesbians you know, you'll recognize that the bile conservatives hold for them does not bear the weight of experience. They were born this way, just as you were born heterosexual. You didn't make a choice to be fascinated with the opposite sex or to fall for your spouse, you just were, are and did.
That gays are destroying straight marriage is a cheshire cat, a straw man, born to fall. It's not the truth.
Moreover, they should be welcomed into the body of Christ. We, as a church, should invite gays and lesbians, letting them know that they're welcome for communion, too, and that Vineyard will be a place of non-discrimination. Different ideas? That's great, argue them - in a polite way - but recognize that Jesus loves gays just as much as he does you.
And, if after all this, you still believe what they're doing is wrong, that's okay - if it is a sin, it's no different from any other sin, and you tolerate and love all those other sinners, right? That's all they want - to be let alone to live without a hassle. (I'll step off my soap box now)
This is gay pride month. The Pride parade, which is family friendly, is on Sunday, June 11th. The Rally and Parade begin in Clifton's Burnet Woods at 11am. The Rally preceeds the Parade which steps off promptly at 1pm and finishes at Hoffner Park - that's on Hamilton Avenue in Northside, just south of Chase.
Take your spouse and your kids. It's a great, free festival and you dont have to be gay to attend.
I urge you to read Citybeat Editor John Fox's condemnation of gay discrimination, my piece, called Josh's Two Moms and this compelling story of a gay man learning to accept himself as he is.
Also, I believe that, if you take an honest inventory of yourself and the gays and lesbians you know, you'll recognize that the bile conservatives hold for them does not bear the weight of experience. They were born this way, just as you were born heterosexual. You didn't make a choice to be fascinated with the opposite sex or to fall for your spouse, you just were, are and did.
That gays are destroying straight marriage is a cheshire cat, a straw man, born to fall. It's not the truth.
Moreover, they should be welcomed into the body of Christ. We, as a church, should invite gays and lesbians, letting them know that they're welcome for communion, too, and that Vineyard will be a place of non-discrimination. Different ideas? That's great, argue them - in a polite way - but recognize that Jesus loves gays just as much as he does you.
And, if after all this, you still believe what they're doing is wrong, that's okay - if it is a sin, it's no different from any other sin, and you tolerate and love all those other sinners, right? That's all they want - to be let alone to live without a hassle. (I'll step off my soap box now)
This is gay pride month. The Pride parade, which is family friendly, is on Sunday, June 11th. The Rally and Parade begin in Clifton's Burnet Woods at 11am. The Rally preceeds the Parade which steps off promptly at 1pm and finishes at Hoffner Park - that's on Hamilton Avenue in Northside, just south of Chase.
Take your spouse and your kids. It's a great, free festival and you dont have to be gay to attend.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
May the night call down peace
That's a line from our closing prayer at housechurch. It's taken on new significance these days for me and Becky. The days and the work are long, though the rewards and opportunities are plentiful. I long for the night as I haven't before and welcome the silence and the dark.
As a kid, it was different; At that time I'd sleep with the radio on to drown out the thoughts I didn't want to think. I did that for a long time - til I was maybe twenty, I think.
As I sorted out my issues and healed, there was less and less to drown out. I'm glad for that.
An aquaintance of mine, Joan, died this week, I just found out from Jason. She may have been murdered. It's under investigation, Jason tells me. She wasn't very old, maybe 30.
Jason is coming in for the funeral. Good to see him, but so sad is the circumstance.
As a kid, it was different; At that time I'd sleep with the radio on to drown out the thoughts I didn't want to think. I did that for a long time - til I was maybe twenty, I think.
As I sorted out my issues and healed, there was less and less to drown out. I'm glad for that.
An aquaintance of mine, Joan, died this week, I just found out from Jason. She may have been murdered. It's under investigation, Jason tells me. She wasn't very old, maybe 30.
Jason is coming in for the funeral. Good to see him, but so sad is the circumstance.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
On being an anarchist
Below is my line by line refutation of some annoying comments sent to me in a chain letter.
I'm a stranger, I am no American.
I recognize that my feelings are something outside of myself that I'll never truly understand.
I will not own a firearm. It's good for nothing but killing and I'll have nothing to do with it.
Minorities are traditionally victimized in this world and their rights must be defended or no one has any.
I believe the world is one of plurality, not some immaculate monoculture. Speak to me in whatever toungue you have and we'll learn from each other.
God is personal and it's important not to foist our beliefs on others or idoloze our beliefs in thinking that they are perfect and the only way. It's when we do this that we are the most wrong.
I'm trying to give up on the idea of heroes and look for the good in all.
I recognize that the rich are so at the expense of the poor.
There is no America. Only a collective delusion. No nations, no borders, no flags.. I refute their legitimacy, their necessity and their existance. One world, one people.
I think you should worry about your own house, not Jackson's.
I think the cops have no right to shoot anyone. Which part of "thou shalt not kill" is misunderstood?
I believe we should all give up our cars. Then there will be no more traffic stops. And I'll be damned if some Nazi is going to demand my papers when I'm on foot.
I want to be recognized through my relationships, not a picture. God has nothing to do with money and the voting process is flawed, not the voters.
Illegal is a matter of perception. Flags are symbols of a society I don't recognize. I won't worship cloth.
I guess that makes me an anarchist. Maybe you're one, too.
I'm a stranger, I am no American.
I recognize that my feelings are something outside of myself that I'll never truly understand.
I will not own a firearm. It's good for nothing but killing and I'll have nothing to do with it.
Minorities are traditionally victimized in this world and their rights must be defended or no one has any.
I believe the world is one of plurality, not some immaculate monoculture. Speak to me in whatever toungue you have and we'll learn from each other.
God is personal and it's important not to foist our beliefs on others or idoloze our beliefs in thinking that they are perfect and the only way. It's when we do this that we are the most wrong.
I'm trying to give up on the idea of heroes and look for the good in all.
I recognize that the rich are so at the expense of the poor.
There is no America. Only a collective delusion. No nations, no borders, no flags.. I refute their legitimacy, their necessity and their existance. One world, one people.
I think you should worry about your own house, not Jackson's.
I think the cops have no right to shoot anyone. Which part of "thou shalt not kill" is misunderstood?
I believe we should all give up our cars. Then there will be no more traffic stops. And I'll be damned if some Nazi is going to demand my papers when I'm on foot.
I want to be recognized through my relationships, not a picture. God has nothing to do with money and the voting process is flawed, not the voters.
Illegal is a matter of perception. Flags are symbols of a society I don't recognize. I won't worship cloth.
I guess that makes me an anarchist. Maybe you're one, too.
Abu Ghraib images
Here is, in case we've forgotten, some images of our atrocities in Iraq.
Journalist Russ Kick hosts these and many other examples of suppressed and hard-to-find data at his site, The Memory Hole.
Journalist Russ Kick hosts these and many other examples of suppressed and hard-to-find data at his site, The Memory Hole.
Is the US Military targeting civilians?
Have you read about this?
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060603/NEWS07/606030335/1009
If they are, there really is no difference between what we're doing and 911.
I'm really troubled by two things in particular:
Where is this video of the slain children?
Why is there not more independent investigation?
I'll echo what Hannah over at the Citybeat blog has to say on the matter:
I happened to catch a piece of morning deejay commentary on my way to work. Granted, it was 97.3 - not exactly high-brow political discussion, but I literally trembled at their dangerously one-sided take on this issue. They thought it in poor taste to so much as investigate soldiers' misuse of power in wartime (I personally don't want dust-settled mentality to rob offenders of the punishment they deserve - I say what better time than the present?). The radio personalities are also afraid that "these types of witch hunts" cause soldiers to hesitate before they shoot. Imagine that - a given choice to kill or not to kill. That's a luxury not afforded to unarmed civilians. I'm at a loss.
2:22 PM
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060603/NEWS07/606030335/1009
If they are, there really is no difference between what we're doing and 911.
I'm really troubled by two things in particular:
Where is this video of the slain children?
Why is there not more independent investigation?
I'll echo what Hannah over at the Citybeat blog has to say on the matter:
I happened to catch a piece of morning deejay commentary on my way to work. Granted, it was 97.3 - not exactly high-brow political discussion, but I literally trembled at their dangerously one-sided take on this issue. They thought it in poor taste to so much as investigate soldiers' misuse of power in wartime (I personally don't want dust-settled mentality to rob offenders of the punishment they deserve - I say what better time than the present?). The radio personalities are also afraid that "these types of witch hunts" cause soldiers to hesitate before they shoot. Imagine that - a given choice to kill or not to kill. That's a luxury not afforded to unarmed civilians. I'm at a loss.
2:22 PM
Friday, June 02, 2006
Another story in the can; new laptop
So I just finished my story on gay families - or non-traditional families or families with same-sex couples at head of household.
Whatever you call them, they - the lesbian couple I interviewed - they're parents to a little boy named Josh a just want to be moms and, god bless them, to be left alone.
I'll link to it when it's up at Citybeat.
Also I've got a new computer (new to me, anyway)
It's a Sony Vaio sub notebook that I picked up on Craigslist It's only 3 lbs and has a 600mhz Celeron and a 10gig hard drive on board. Perfect for on the go Net and word processing and it was only $150! awesome!
Steve
Whatever you call them, they - the lesbian couple I interviewed - they're parents to a little boy named Josh a just want to be moms and, god bless them, to be left alone.
I'll link to it when it's up at Citybeat.
Also I've got a new computer (new to me, anyway)
It's a Sony Vaio sub notebook that I picked up on Craigslist It's only 3 lbs and has a 600mhz Celeron and a 10gig hard drive on board. Perfect for on the go Net and word processing and it was only $150! awesome!
Steve
Thursday, May 25, 2006
What are you reading?
I devour books. I dive in through their shimmering surface and stay under as long as I can.
In the past couple of weeks I've completed:
John Christopher's Tripods Books 1-4
I've read and reread this series since I was very young - maybe 20 times. I just picked up a full set to share with our kid on the way.
I've read parts of Einstein's Dreams - this was the book that Becky and I read together in the dawn of our life together and of the day, on my old rooftop.
and Prisoners of Age
We found this book at an Alcatraz Prison photo exhibit.
So what are you reading these days?
In the past couple of weeks I've completed:
John Christopher's Tripods Books 1-4
I've read and reread this series since I was very young - maybe 20 times. I just picked up a full set to share with our kid on the way.
I've read parts of Einstein's Dreams - this was the book that Becky and I read together in the dawn of our life together and of the day, on my old rooftop.
and Prisoners of Age
We found this book at an Alcatraz Prison photo exhibit.
So what are you reading these days?
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Hung with Mom tonight
Becky and I hung out with my Mom this evening. No TV - just talking and that was really nice.
As some of you may know, we gave up our television set about four years ago and have no regrets. We often watch it at Mom's, so this was a nice change.
My Mom had her DNA sampled and is getting it tested for geneology research. It was interesting to speak with her about it.
Beck and I spoke about the possibilities of giving up our car and going all bike and bus. Maybe next April. We'll see. It'd be nice to have one for occaisional use, but I suspect, like a TV, that the only way to sharply curb our dependence is to eliminate it completely from our lives.
I don't want to be a slave to some damn car. I want to be off the oil habit.
As some of you may know, we gave up our television set about four years ago and have no regrets. We often watch it at Mom's, so this was a nice change.
My Mom had her DNA sampled and is getting it tested for geneology research. It was interesting to speak with her about it.
Beck and I spoke about the possibilities of giving up our car and going all bike and bus. Maybe next April. We'll see. It'd be nice to have one for occaisional use, but I suspect, like a TV, that the only way to sharply curb our dependence is to eliminate it completely from our lives.
I don't want to be a slave to some damn car. I want to be off the oil habit.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Paint on my hands = Instant Gratification
Today we followed through with a neighborhood service project, painting over graffiti and picking up litter.
I worked with Jeremiah Griswold, a Norwood native, and we painted over three graffiti tags here on Norwood. Aaron Klinefelter came along, too, removing a tag from marble with acetone.
On the whole, it was a pretty rewarding experience. Painting over blight is an instant gratification as service work goes. I felt good about it and it was short and sweet.
I enjoyed getting to know Jeremiah, too. He's a youth pastor from Mason (I think) and wants to do an outreach to the kids in Norwood. He's married and has three kids. Former sk8r, btw.
I worked with Jeremiah Griswold, a Norwood native, and we painted over three graffiti tags here on Norwood. Aaron Klinefelter came along, too, removing a tag from marble with acetone.
On the whole, it was a pretty rewarding experience. Painting over blight is an instant gratification as service work goes. I felt good about it and it was short and sweet.
I enjoyed getting to know Jeremiah, too. He's a youth pastor from Mason (I think) and wants to do an outreach to the kids in Norwood. He's married and has three kids. Former sk8r, btw.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Friday night at the Brown House
What a fun day this has been!
I started off with a bit of desk work at home - honestly I slacked on most of it, but I was off to a meeting with Tim Swallow of Cincy World Cinema. We had lunch at Andy's Mediterannean Grill and a great conversation to boot.
I rode my bike from Norwood down to Eden park and then jetted down to Citybeat after lunch. There really are few things better than racing down a long hill in the Spring, sun beaming, bike moving so fast that the frame shakes.
Citybeat was all about developing the Summer Hot Guide listings - events for the hundred hot days of summer, which I took home to develop this weekend.
Tonight was dinner at the Brown House with the Rains, Bill, Angela and her sister Phyllis. And now Beck and I are watching School of Rock with Bill, Kevin and Izaac.
Steve
I started off with a bit of desk work at home - honestly I slacked on most of it, but I was off to a meeting with Tim Swallow of Cincy World Cinema. We had lunch at Andy's Mediterannean Grill and a great conversation to boot.
I rode my bike from Norwood down to Eden park and then jetted down to Citybeat after lunch. There really are few things better than racing down a long hill in the Spring, sun beaming, bike moving so fast that the frame shakes.
Citybeat was all about developing the Summer Hot Guide listings - events for the hundred hot days of summer, which I took home to develop this weekend.
Tonight was dinner at the Brown House with the Rains, Bill, Angela and her sister Phyllis. And now Beck and I are watching School of Rock with Bill, Kevin and Izaac.
Steve
Thursday, May 18, 2006
It seeks to destroy
The disease seeks to make monsters of us, too
It seeks to make complicit those it cannot make monsters
It seeks to alienate all the rest
And I don't know if the last step may be inevitable
It seeks to make complicit those it cannot make monsters
It seeks to alienate all the rest
And I don't know if the last step may be inevitable
serendipity is the opposite of control
Ok, so I was planning on writing about how I bought professional grade paintbrushes for once in my life and, as a result of having the right tools, I've learned the art of ninja-painting. Working without a net -- I painted - no, I cut in, at the edge of the molding, over a carpet - without a dropcloth or paint guide. And it looks really good...
But, that's not where today's rabbit trail led me. Bread crumbs and all to that actor goofin' on Morpheus as in, "What is the (problem)? Control." And, yeah, that's just what it is.
You see Cameron called me today. Cameron, whose name has never graced this page before, is a friend of sorts of Molly. Quick update in case I didn't blog on this before -- Molly used again about a month ago, was discovered or admitted to it(depending on the version you believe) and was booted from the program. Unofficially.
They called the cops.
So she ran. Or rode, rather, away on her bike and ended up here and there for a couple of weeks before, thanks be to God, she was finally arrested. And she'd been using H twice a day. And she has a heart problem. And her disease led her to try and drag Rich down too...
Anyway, Cameron is this guy. They dated or something, years ago and he has a thing for her and he sent her a cell phone when she was in the program that she later was booted from -- you follow so far? Cell phones aren't allowed, but, "I have to have it," she says - it's a phone from this guy and she needs it to call her fiance, Rich, to feel sane and so on. Of course this thing isn't about her many layers of poison, it's about the onion that belongs to me, so I'll jet through the backdrop and get to the drama part of our show.
Ok, so Cameron gives her the phone. He sends her money when she's on the streets. He asks her to come on down to New Orleans to be with him and Beck and I tell her - or told her, I should say - just how fucking awful a set of choices this really is - and yet she does it anyway and now she's been locked up a week and Cameron calls here. He's asking if we're holding some money for her and I tell him no and he asks if we ever did and I say yes. (I'm not very forthcoming with him)
And I told him in the very shortest way I could spin on the fly, about how she was here, stopped by, I mean, on Election Day - May 2 and how I asked her how much she had on her - we didn't know, mind you, that she'd been tapping her rig again (as they say in the parlance of the streets - or at least my reasonable fascimile) and she tells us, "$70" and I tell her she should leave $60 here and she agrees, admitting that she feels safer without it. And she does this, but comes back two days later saying she wants it all and I told her no and she cursed and got angry and said she couldn't trust me and Becky any more. She later apologized for this. And I was proud that we had stood our ground, and hadn't enabled her.
Back to the call. Cameron asks what we did with the cash and that it was his and I'm like, all of a sudden,just jumping him with how cruddy an idea it is to give a junkie a cell that she used to call her dealer and cash to buy dope and he says to me, "No offense, but I didn't call here to get a lecture," and I'm patting myself on the back for not begining with, "Look, Motherf..." because that's just how white I am and I tell him, "I'm not saying you caused her relapse! I'm telling you what you need to know if you don't want to enable" and he's like, "Look, she was going to get the money one way or another" and I peg him as defensive when it's really me and I can hear the Julius, later, in my head as I replay this conversation asking me, "Does he look like a bitch? Then why are you tryin' to f him like one? Say what one more time!"
Yeah.
I tell him how I'm damn near a pro at rehab and how we may never talk again and...We conclude the call and said little else. And I pat myself on the back for not saying MF! Because, of course, Cameron was right. Yeah, he's limerant obsessive and codependent as all get out and probably sick a few dozen other ways, but I didn't fool him. Of course I was saying that she's in jail now because he fed the addiction's fire. And I'm mad, not for Molly's sake or for his, but for my own selfish motives. I wanted to fix that addiction because then it would prove that I'm smarter than that deamon and I wanted to be that arnarchist/sub pro rehab tech who can fix it all and shit. You down with what I mean? Because to fix it is to thumb my nose at death and remain in control. Control is what it's about and, at least in this case, I was the one who was sick and it's there for me to see. That's why I was rash and didn't handle it better.
And, no, I'm not beating up on myself, it's just that I recognized this and needed to write it down. It was the same control/rashness I had the other day, when things didn't go the way I wanted to on a personal/business call and I say,"We'll have to talk about this later," bitterly, to punt the ball I can't seem to kick. And then, I had hang time and made a choice to get angry - and after this infinite pause I slammed my fist down in anger...because I couldn't control that situation.
Before I finished writing this, Mary Faith calls and after grinning (I can hear this through the phone) about Becky and the baby (an I am, too, at this point) she tells me...about Haloween some years ago...and Stella was born and Stellas father left the hospital to go to his friends house and announce the birth of his daughter and a man opens the door and is wearing a pumpkin on his head (a real one, she says) and Stella's father blurts out the good news to this, the first person he sees and the man removes the pumpkin and it's Stella's uncle who dad hasn't seen in some time, And it's wonderful. And so, you can see that serendipity is the opposite of control. ;)
But, that's not where today's rabbit trail led me. Bread crumbs and all to that actor goofin' on Morpheus as in, "What is the (problem)? Control." And, yeah, that's just what it is.
You see Cameron called me today. Cameron, whose name has never graced this page before, is a friend of sorts of Molly. Quick update in case I didn't blog on this before -- Molly used again about a month ago, was discovered or admitted to it(depending on the version you believe) and was booted from the program. Unofficially.
They called the cops.
So she ran. Or rode, rather, away on her bike and ended up here and there for a couple of weeks before, thanks be to God, she was finally arrested. And she'd been using H twice a day. And she has a heart problem. And her disease led her to try and drag Rich down too...
Anyway, Cameron is this guy. They dated or something, years ago and he has a thing for her and he sent her a cell phone when she was in the program that she later was booted from -- you follow so far? Cell phones aren't allowed, but, "I have to have it," she says - it's a phone from this guy and she needs it to call her fiance, Rich, to feel sane and so on. Of course this thing isn't about her many layers of poison, it's about the onion that belongs to me, so I'll jet through the backdrop and get to the drama part of our show.
Ok, so Cameron gives her the phone. He sends her money when she's on the streets. He asks her to come on down to New Orleans to be with him and Beck and I tell her - or told her, I should say - just how fucking awful a set of choices this really is - and yet she does it anyway and now she's been locked up a week and Cameron calls here. He's asking if we're holding some money for her and I tell him no and he asks if we ever did and I say yes. (I'm not very forthcoming with him)
And I told him in the very shortest way I could spin on the fly, about how she was here, stopped by, I mean, on Election Day - May 2 and how I asked her how much she had on her - we didn't know, mind you, that she'd been tapping her rig again (as they say in the parlance of the streets - or at least my reasonable fascimile) and she tells us, "$70" and I tell her she should leave $60 here and she agrees, admitting that she feels safer without it. And she does this, but comes back two days later saying she wants it all and I told her no and she cursed and got angry and said she couldn't trust me and Becky any more. She later apologized for this. And I was proud that we had stood our ground, and hadn't enabled her.
Back to the call. Cameron asks what we did with the cash and that it was his and I'm like, all of a sudden,just jumping him with how cruddy an idea it is to give a junkie a cell that she used to call her dealer and cash to buy dope and he says to me, "No offense, but I didn't call here to get a lecture," and I'm patting myself on the back for not begining with, "Look, Motherf..." because that's just how white I am and I tell him, "I'm not saying you caused her relapse! I'm telling you what you need to know if you don't want to enable" and he's like, "Look, she was going to get the money one way or another" and I peg him as defensive when it's really me and I can hear the Julius, later, in my head as I replay this conversation asking me, "Does he look like a bitch? Then why are you tryin' to f him like one? Say what one more time!"
Yeah.
I tell him how I'm damn near a pro at rehab and how we may never talk again and...We conclude the call and said little else. And I pat myself on the back for not saying MF! Because, of course, Cameron was right. Yeah, he's limerant obsessive and codependent as all get out and probably sick a few dozen other ways, but I didn't fool him. Of course I was saying that she's in jail now because he fed the addiction's fire. And I'm mad, not for Molly's sake or for his, but for my own selfish motives. I wanted to fix that addiction because then it would prove that I'm smarter than that deamon and I wanted to be that arnarchist/sub pro rehab tech who can fix it all and shit. You down with what I mean? Because to fix it is to thumb my nose at death and remain in control. Control is what it's about and, at least in this case, I was the one who was sick and it's there for me to see. That's why I was rash and didn't handle it better.
And, no, I'm not beating up on myself, it's just that I recognized this and needed to write it down. It was the same control/rashness I had the other day, when things didn't go the way I wanted to on a personal/business call and I say,"We'll have to talk about this later," bitterly, to punt the ball I can't seem to kick. And then, I had hang time and made a choice to get angry - and after this infinite pause I slammed my fist down in anger...because I couldn't control that situation.
Before I finished writing this, Mary Faith calls and after grinning (I can hear this through the phone) about Becky and the baby (an I am, too, at this point) she tells me...about Haloween some years ago...and Stella was born and Stellas father left the hospital to go to his friends house and announce the birth of his daughter and a man opens the door and is wearing a pumpkin on his head (a real one, she says) and Stella's father blurts out the good news to this, the first person he sees and the man removes the pumpkin and it's Stella's uncle who dad hasn't seen in some time, And it's wonderful. And so, you can see that serendipity is the opposite of control. ;)
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Sappy Cards
Sappy Cards are just too cool. We found them at the Allied Media Conference?
Anyone want to go to the AMC in June?
Anyone want to go to the AMC in June?
Lazy Saturday
Becky and I took today off.
We spent much of the morning with Aaron Klinefelter, hangnig and talking (Aaron and Beck did this) and playing Grand Theft Auto Vice City. (me)
Klinefelter came over and had Saag Paneer with us - Indian spinich/cream sauce and rice with cheese. This time we made it fast with milk and cheddar cheese and the texture was thick and the taste mild. (Those of you who have eaten at our house know it's normally very spicy, though not at at Ken Oster level.)
We slept during the afternoon and I read The City of Gold and Lead.
Carolee's here now and we're hanging out again, drinking Mango Lassi which Beck and I made this evening.
We spent much of the morning with Aaron Klinefelter, hangnig and talking (Aaron and Beck did this) and playing Grand Theft Auto Vice City. (me)
Klinefelter came over and had Saag Paneer with us - Indian spinich/cream sauce and rice with cheese. This time we made it fast with milk and cheddar cheese and the texture was thick and the taste mild. (Those of you who have eaten at our house know it's normally very spicy, though not at at Ken Oster level.)
We slept during the afternoon and I read The City of Gold and Lead.
Carolee's here now and we're hanging out again, drinking Mango Lassi which Beck and I made this evening.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
The fruits of my labor
I'm working on my assignmnt for Citybeat today on my frony porch, on my laptop, in bare feet. That's what keeps me freelancing, right there.
I had a dream last night that there were high chain link fences all around the city and I was outside and had to present an ID to get back in. Not much more to that. Just kind of 1984ish.
I just called and complained about the driving of a company truck down my street. The speed limit is 25 and it's not at all uncommon to see trucks plowing down the street at up to 40mph! Today a guy in a company truck, from the company down the street, decides to drive backwards, fast, for like a quarter block. Simply unacceptable. I called. The boss thanked me. We'll see what good it does.
I had a dream last night that there were high chain link fences all around the city and I was outside and had to present an ID to get back in. Not much more to that. Just kind of 1984ish.
I just called and complained about the driving of a company truck down my street. The speed limit is 25 and it's not at all uncommon to see trucks plowing down the street at up to 40mph! Today a guy in a company truck, from the company down the street, decides to drive backwards, fast, for like a quarter block. Simply unacceptable. I called. The boss thanked me. We'll see what good it does.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Meditations on loss
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.
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.
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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