Still smarting ...

Yes, I'm still thinking about what I posted yesterday. I couldn't help but wonder ...

"If someone were to 'leaf' through my blog, ending with yesterday's installment, how would it sit in the context of other posts - the ones about acquiring new geek gear, et al?"

I was briefly tempted to go back and Watergate all the incriminating stuff, but realised deleting would not be a true solution.

When all is said and done, I suppose each of us are all in progress. Hopefully each able to muster up the courage to act on any one in a series of convictions along our path.

I hope that I was fairly transparent in yesterday's post - heck, I enjoy the stuff too - as much (and sometimes more than) the next person. But that's not really the point, is it? Nor is it the point that someone else in line spent more than I did. Someone else's participation - whether intentional or not - does not absolve me from the responsibility of my own action.

In other conversations I have heard people use the argument "Look whose talking! (S)He's no better. Look at what (s)he has done! Look at his/her life!" As if another person's guilt absolves us of our own. No, it just makes the problem twice as bad. Guilt of the other does not absolve self, it just provides a guilty companion.

Peace

$9.69

$9.69
$9.69

Ladies and gentlemen ... friends ... I am ashamed. I am ashamed to admit that is what I paid for 2 cups of coffee yesterday. A friend asked me, yesterday, to stop and buy he and his coworker two beverages from S*a*b*c*'s - and I did it.

I've been there before, and I even admit to enjoying some of their products. As I left their establishment, nearly $10 lighter, with two MEDIUM sized cups of warm, frothy goodness I had an epiphany. It was as though I could see the light glimmering along the razor's edge of my conscience.

In a world where children are sold into slavery, women are shipped around the world in cargo containers as human commodities, there are people gulping down oblivion at $5 a cup. I have been one. It was small comfort that a man, in line ahead of me, was a worse offender than I. He paid in the neighbourhood of $75.00 for a dozen coffees for he and his film crew buds.

I do not claim the corporation with the green, circular logo, contributes to these societal abominations - not directly. But they, and all the corporations like them, contribute in as much as they proliferate unbridled consumerism. And shame on you and I (yes, shame on me, personally) for having contributed to that, and allowing it to happen by buying their product. Shame on us for throwing our money toward this Washington state conglomerate, rather than striving to end ... global hunger ... for one.

I wonder what would happen if each of those patrons traded in their $5 cup, for one that cost $1.50 and donated the difference (at the end of a month) to a shelter for the homeless, or for abused women. Just a thought.

A Favourite Commercial

One of my favourite commercials of all time is the "new" Tide to Go commercial. I laugh every time I see it. Occasionally it comes to mind, and I find myself chuckling. Good job Tide marketing guys.

Good News!!!

Hi Everyone;

Today I have some good news ... and no bad! This morning I met my manager, at work, to take my turn at leading the hospital's chapel service.

She informed me that she received approval to extend my contract! From September to June I will be working 3 days a week, as a chaplain.

Yay!!!

Geek Nirvana ...

A few weeks ago, I wrote to say that I acquired a new laptop computer. I still love it, and it's working great. In the interim, I have also found gainful employment for the summer. (Yay for cool jobs!).

Well today, I made a frivolous purchase. The one thing I've missed about having a laptop is that the monitor is just a little ... well ... little. I still have an external keyboard and mouse (bluetooth) so I decided I'd buy an external monitor. The plan is that while I'm at home, I can simply close my laptop, and use it as though it were a desktop computer. When I have a class, or want to go "on the road", I can disconnect the speakers and monitor (everything else is wireless), and off I go.

The wild thing is that - WITH MY WIFE PRESENT - I bought a 22" Wide Screen LCD Monitor. It has both digital and analog inputs. It rocks!!! Any my wife was there when I bought it - that's the best part!

Radical and Dangerous Thoughts …

Today’s post comes with a big ol’ warning, folks, please proceed with CAUTION! When I began this blog, I posted with a disclaimer – almost a badge of honour – to the effect that the thoughts I post here are my own, and are not representative of those with whom I associate. This freethinking “badge of honour” was quickly followed by relatively conscious (and maybe inconspicuous?) efforts to remain anonymous – naturally to protect those with whom I associate who might disagree with my contentiousness (insert nudge and wink here).

This week I finished the in class work for a course in Pauline Literature (the letters of St. Paul). I took it because it looked somewhat interesting, and because it completed my obligations in the Biblical Department.

I enjoyed the course, and almost wished it had run for an entire semester so that I could do more background reading (like I’ve ever had the time to do more background reading). The prof challenged us to look at Paul and his writing in new ways. To consider how those society (including the church) considers as ‘other’ would react to texts the church has traditionally considered liberating.

On my way downtown, this morning, I had an epiphany. Two weeks of this class, and three years of influence from other classes, profs, and students, have helped me begin to realise how SOME (heavily emphasis on the word some) can find institutionalised religion (namely the church) to be an obstacle to God. I’ve begun to consider the rare times when I’ve felt this in my own life, and I am hardly representative of the marginalised. I began to consider when and how our understanding of scripture and our practice have driven people away from God rather than to Him.

I can almost hear the conservative voices of some of my family, and friends cry out “Does this mean that we exchange TRUTH for warm cuddlies and molly coddling?” Well, no, because I don’t think that lying to people is a loving thing to do either. I know a few people who would argue that TRUTH can be divisive, and cite scripture that talks about the world hating these TRUTH tellers for the sake of the name of Jesus. (Probably the same voices crying out the first question.) Yes, scripture does say that but I don’t think it means that simply by offending people, and being intentionally hurtful in delivery, that that means that we are doing the will of God. This leads me to the question “Can a person be correct, in the particular, but be wrong in the global sense?” (That is right with the message but wrong with the delivery.) I would think the answer is yes. It’s the difference between speaking the truth in self-righteousness, and doing so in love (Ephesians 4:15; 1 John 3:18).

So, what does all this realisation and self-awareness stuff mean? I don’t know yet, at least not the full impact. Does it mean I hate the church, that I’m chuckin’ it all to go grow fair trade coffee or hemp products somewhere? Probably not. At the moment, I think it means that I’m more aware of the fact that other people may not get the warm fuzzies from the same stuff I do – that they may even be offended by it. Hopefully, this will affect the way that I interact with people. Well, I’m off to put on a pair of work socks and sandals, sit down with an herbal tea, and listen to the CBC for a while.

I'm going legit!

So, I'm loving my new laptop - a 13" MacBook, with a pair of 1.85 Ghz processors. It's great - with wireless internet access, built in Bluetooth access, etc. It's fast and powerful, it's beautiful (IMHO), and it's small enough to be portable. I can even sit outside, on my balcony, and enjoy the temperate weather we've been having lately.

I've also gone legit with all my software. I don't mean to make all sound like I have access to thousands of dollars worth of illegal software.

I've made a decision of conscious, though. I took a trip down to the school bookstore yesterday, and bought the educational version of Microsoft Office. I have to admit that it's pretty sweet. For a student, it even comes with a layout which makes your typed notes look like they were taken on old school binder paper - and you can also do voice recordings - of lectures, etc.

It's also nice to know that I'm the registered, licensed, owner of this version of this software. Sometimes it feels good to do the right thing.

Great News ...

I've just come back from a meeting at Scarborough Grace hospital, where I've been offered a 2 month contract to work as a chaplain.

At this point, I don't know whether it will be extended into the fall. Although that would be nice - right now I am greatful for the experience and the pay.

Father's Day BBQ

So, last night we had a BBQ - not the kind of our own making. At about 1 a.m. we were woken by fire alarm bells.

Apparently some wizard saw fit to light fire to the pile of abandoned furniture behind our building. The furniture had been left behind after a recent move out.

The flames reached high enough, & hot enough , to melt 2 or 3 of the protective panels on the balcony above.

Although Sharon and I did not get much sleep, little Kayleigh slumbered through in innocent oblivion.

Last Weekend ...

I meant to mention ... I spent last weekend on the back of a motorcycle. A 250 cc Suzuki Marauder to be exact (see picture). It's something I've always wanted to learn how to do (ride a motorbike).

It's a lot tougher than it looks (that may be obvious to some). They all have manual transmissions, which complicate things even more.

After dumping the bike several times, add in sun burn and heat stroke, it took me 2 or 3 days to recover. Suffice it to say that I did not pass the road test at the end of the course - BUT - I didn't particularly expect to. Having never been on the back of a motorbike before, I learned alot, enough to possibly pass it on another attempt, should I so choose.

That didn't last long ...

Okay, I can hear it now ...

It's official, after merely three days of Greek I dropped it. I learned a lot, I gained a deeper appreciation of the need for the language, as a scolar - but - I wasn't picking it up fast enough. That became evident after the first quiz, held on the second day of class.

This likely means that I will still take it, but at a later date, over the course of two full semesters (like it's usually done) - not half of one seemster. In the meantime, I still have my textbooks, and I can try to do some of the memorisation, and grammatical work before enrolling in it again, for credit.

In the meantime, I've signed up for another course which starts in a couple of weeks. It will give me a single Biblical credit (rather than the two I would have gotten for Greek).

Summer Classes

In a little over a week - next Monday to be exact - I'm starting summer school. I'm enrolled for 2 credits of Greek, at Knox College, which is the Presbyterian seminary affiliated with U of T.

How do you say feta with a Scottish accent?

A Grumpy Little Camper

Okay ... I was reticent to change to this new and improved Blogger format. I'm even less impressed by the fact that I have to create a new web based email address with Gmail to do it.

Couldn't access my blog w/o doing so. Couldn't figure out how to cancel my Blog account w/o doing so.

Now I wind up w/ yet another web based email account that I don't need ... except for my Blog. I'm tempted to cancel the dumb thing just on principle.

Okay ... I think I'm finished my tantrum. I'll try to place nice with the other kids now. I promise.

A New Gimp Stick!!!

That's right - things are moving in the right direction. Lost the crutches in favour of a cane. Who thought I'd be happy to use a cane at under 40?

Polished off my last paper of the semester today. I have a bit of paperwork left to do to finish up my internship stuff, other than that, I'm pretty much done! Yippeeee!

A new addiction

I've discovered "Facebook". It bills itself as a "social utility that connects you with the people around you". If you've ever heard the term "6 Degrees of Separation" you'll get the hint of Facebook pretty quick.

An update on "Gimpy"

Went to the orthopedic surgeon today, at the hospital. I was issued a removable hard plastic and metal removable cast for my ankle. Apparently, while the break is minor, I did a "really good job" on the tendons and musculature in my left ankle.

In all this , I must give a nod to Sharon , whose picked up the role of Florence Nigthingale quite quickly. I'm really quite impressed.

Falling of the Wagon ...

Well not quite - but I bet it got your attention!!! Would you believe my mother-in-law's front stoop? Yep, went for a tumble today, and broke my ankle.

I went on line today, to try and find some fancy picture to include with my posting, but they were all too dramatic. As the local medicine man explained, while it is broken, it is not a severe break. There is a small bone in one part of my ankle, which ought to be attached, and has broken. There is also some really good spraining of stuff. It involves tension bandages and crutches, for the next couple weeks, and a date with my local orthapaedic surgeon (- just to make sure).

For those of you who may be concerned, and here is the good (or the bad news) they say it won't adversely affect my canting.

Touching base

Well, friends;
Reading Week begins on Feb 18th. Which makes next week - the week before Reading Week - probably the most stressful time of the academic year.

I've been musing about why profs seem hellbent on assigning everything the week before Reading Week. (Yes, I think that seminary profs can be hell bent.) One friend posited that it was so that profs could mark during Reading Week. So, why not call it "Marking Week"?

Another friend suggested it's done because no one uses Reading Week to actually READ or be productive (wherein "Going forth and multiplying" does not qualify as being productive). So, if students aren't going to study, during Reading Week, why not have assignments due the week before.

In a programme which involves practicums, field placements, and chapel team assignments which often run concurrently to academics I would contend that the current method is neither productive, nor does it provide training in good time management skills (as I sit blogging - the irony is not lost folks).

When all kvetching is said and done - I must tip my hat to my friend M. While I hunker under a part time work load (two credits plus a bit of a third which is a carry over), as well as a part time field placement, my good pal M is taking SIX credits, plus student council stuff. For a lady who is pretty much 30 yrs older than I - I am impressed!!!! CHEERS!!

More tweed and elbow patches ...

Today I heard on a mysteriously unnamed radio station that folk legend Denny Doherty died today, at his home in Mississauga, Ontario. Originally hailing from Nova Scotia, his claim to fame was as a part of the folk group The Mamas and the Papas - one of my favourite groups.

Something I've learned about myself

Well, friends ... I've learned a little something about myself over the last few weeks.

I've become addicted to talk radio ... but not just to talk radio ... Oh No ... I listen to CBC Radio 1. As a kid I remember my folks (especially my dad and paternal grandmother) listening to CBC Radio. Turning the radio off just before the hourly news was akin to intentionallly giving my grandmother a stroke. I could watch them grow blanched and clammy should they miss their fix.

As a teen, I roomed with some friends in Muskoka, for a year. CBC Radio played endlessly in the garage. When I say endlessly, I mean literally endlessly. I could get up at 2 a.m., go down to the garage and Andy Barrie or someone would be broadcasting to the barn cat who lived in the garage.

Now why is this Blog worthy, you may ask? Coming to the realisation of my CBC addiction has changed my perception about myself - a change that may mean that my self perception is finally catching up with reality.

In my radically conservative teens, I thought CBC and their ilk were far too left leaning. They were clearly the kind of people who would unseat good, conservative, normal Canadians - our culture was clearly at risk. I would imagine English profs from York, in tweed jackets (yes - with elbow patches and pipes), and burned out hippies sitting around a radio that was blaring CBC radio. All the while this imagined audience would pat themselves on the back for being free thinking liberals (as though being free thinking and being liberal were somehow magically conjoined).

Fast forward twenty something years. My wife is off to work, and I've just dropped my daughter off at daycare. As I prepare for my day, I'm sitting in my 'den', clad in my plaid flannel shirt and jeans, listening to CBC Radio on my computer. I am now in the latter half of my thirties. As I stoicly sip my morning coffee, I have to face the fact - I am definitely NOT the radical fringe element that I used to be (completely forgetting about being urban - whatever that is). Maybe I never was 'radical fringe'.

To make things worse ... CBC publishes Podcasts - electronic versions of their broadcasts, in a downloadable digital format. Just what I need to feed my addiction. Another couple of weeks and they'll figure out a way for me to mainline this stuff straight into my cerebral cortex.

Thoughts are plethora this morning ...

Maybe I've had too much caffeine this morning, maybe it's because it's the first day of classes for the semester (more on this in a minute), but my mind is revving like a hyper little hamster, all cranked out on sugar nibblies, on his exercise wheel.

Some of the threads are as follows:

1. What's with this new version of blogger? Every time I log in I keep being enticed to switch to an upgrade. Is it not enough that I bare my meager thoughts to the digital world, for all to read, without having these e-sirens enticing me to upgrade them somehow? Does this somehow infer, that my old, un-upgraded blog-thoughts are somehow inferior? Why do I need to set up a Google account to legitimise the airing of my dirty, digital laundry? I wonder if there are any of 'my readers' who have tried this new upgraded version? Can anyone provide comments or feedback? They'd be welcome. Does this Google account replace my Blogger account? And finally, why can't I just read the dang instructions, where these would all likely be answered?
   
2. As I alluded to earlier - today is a much anticipated day in my little world - the return to the classroom. While I have technically been pursuing academia consistently, without significant break, since September '05 most of it has been in the practical arena since this past April. Today, for the first time since April, I will return to the classroom. For those who have been asking - I have 7 credits left, which I expect to finish by Christmas '07. This means I will be part time, for the rest of my programme. Largely, this is because I haven't been taking a full course load of 5 credits per semester, but just maintaining a full time status with 4 credits per semester. With doing daddy daycare 4 credits a semester was quite sufficient. This is the first time I won't be studying AND taking care of our daughter, so I am going to try to set two days aside, per week, to spend on campus studying. This also means that I'm looking for part time employment, or possibly even full time employment that would offer flexible hours, and we'll see how this meshes with my study plans.
   

Well, I should probably log off now - don't want to overwhelm everyone so soon after a long absence. Have a good day, and see you all next time.

Happy New Years Everyone!

Hi everyone! I just thought I'd make an opportunity to wish everyone all the best of the New Year.

Now, I've never been much of a one to make New Year's resolutions. I quit smoking in September, one year. I suppose the closest I've come, in recent years, has been to apply to university a couple years ago, toward the end of February.

The one thing I would say about New Year's Resolutions is that it takes a positive step beyond 'wishing' a Happy New Year into existence, for one's self (and maybe for others). Making a New Year's resolution goes beyond wishing, and takes a certain amount of action - and also responsibility - for one's own life.

In these days (and maybe in any day) who can fault someone for actually taking a considered and positive action toward improving their own lives, and thereby, the lives of those their lives touch.