Quote of the Day

“Oh, George Bush, don't go by the bridge! You'll just make things worse!”
— Katie Fecke (age 4), responding to a news report that President Bush would visit the 35W Mississippi River Bridge site on Saturday.
Courtesy of the folks at Shakesville.

Friday Five: Post-Pilgrimage Edition

This week's theme courtesy of Reverend Mother, who recently returned from a pilgrimage to Iona, "the cradle of Scottish Christianity".

1. Have you ever been on a pilgrimage?
   I believe the closest I've come to a pilgrimage similar to RM's visit to Iona was my visit to the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Golden, CO. The actual shrine is at the top of a hill. There is a path to the shrine, with plaques for the Rosary along the way. So, I very intentionally prayed the Rosary as ascended the hill, stopping to briefly meditate at each plaque.
      Reverend Mother recently posted a poem which, as I read it, suggests that any point in life's path may be a pilgrimage. The difference between a hike up a hill and my ascension of that hill in Golden, CO is intention and focus.
      I talk about my annual pilgrimage to the Walnut Valley Festival. This is not a blatantly religious event. Excepting the first year, when I began each morning in prayer, I have not engaged in obviously religious activities while there. Yet, my journey is intentional: I carefully pack, I plan what music I will listen to enroute, and the week is focused on music and fellowship. Since music is a major aspect of my spirituality, this journey can, and often has, enriched my spiritual life.
      I just finished an article in the July 2007 issue of Shambhalla Sun which suggests the primary difference between normal thought and meditation is a matter of awareness. I suggest the same applies to the difference between a ordinary trip or vacation and pilgrimage.


2. Share a place you've always wanted to visit on pilgrimage.
   Iona seems an excellent destination.


3. What would you make sure to pack in your suitcase or backpack to make the pilgrimage more meaningful? Or does "stuff" just distract from the experience?
   "Stuff" has distracted from the experience. Again, I think intention and awareness plays a large part. I have taken my guitar on retreat at least twice: one time playing music was a part of my prayer; a few years later, playing music distracted, in a sense, from my prayer. Same guitar, possibly even the same songs; the only difference was me, my discipline and intentionality.
      A book I have taken on retreat is the St. Augustine's Book of Prayer. It's extremely Anglo-Catholic, but I like many of the prayers included, it's small (light-weight and easy to pack), and the copy I have originally belonged to Padre – so it has sentimental value.


4. If you could make a pilgrimage with someone (living, dead or fictional) as your guide, who would it be?
   Ummm ... Virgil? Dante? William Blake? I did start a poem, years ago, in which I played guide to Dante.


5. Eventually the pilgrim must return home, but can you suggest any strategies for keeping that deep "mountaintop" perspective in the midst of everyday life?
   Boy, the person who could develop successful strategies for that could make a mint!
      Thing is, we already know the way. Being fully awake to each moment is hard work, so most of us chose to be fully awake for relatively brief periods of time, for retreats or pilgrimages.
      Previous pilgrims, such as Brother Lawrence or Dorothy Day, suggested ways of finding the sacred in the ordinary, in quotidian activity.
      It is humanly possible. Thing is, we're easily distracted (oo, pretty!), and sometimes we're lazy.

Cat Friday

From the archives: the Lady when she was about six months old. Reverend Mommy recently posted some shots which suggested the framing technique used here.

Revenge

Now is the time
this is the place
where her hand counts the cost

Now is the time
this is her hand
placed in her lap

This is the place
now is her hand
where her breath costs

Now her hand is a bird
this is the cage
placed in your heart

Placed among hollow walls
this is the moment
now, when you wonder

The time is shadows
beneath her eyes
her head on your shoulder

Her face is the place
now is the wonder
where the wound rests

She dresses the wound
in its tender place
where time meets time

This is her hand
now is her time
where you finally sleep

Placed in her lap
this is the tender place
Now is the time

Idée d’jour

You can't outhate a fundamentalist. They will always win.
— Yossi Klein Halevi

Jonah Warhol

Inspired by work Ms. Birdie did with a recent photo, I decided to try to spin a recent self-portrait into a "Warhol".

I can say, in all humility, that I think Birdie came closer to the mark than I did.

My Blog Addiction

62%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?
Honestly, not as bad as I thought it might be.

Today's Koan

Does your pain feel pain? Is your fear fearful?

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This koan is adapted from questions asked by Jon Kabat-Zinn in the July 2007 issue of Shambhala Sun. He writes:

Have you ever noticed that your fear is not afraid even when you are terrified? Or that your awareness of depression is not depressed; that your awareness of your bad habits is not a slave to those habits; or perhaps even that your awareness of who you are is not who you think you are?

You can test out any of these propositions for yourself any time you like simply by investigating awareness—by becoming aware of awareness itself. It is easy, but we hardly ever think to do it because awareness, like the present moment itself, is virtually a hidden dimension in our lives, embedded everywhere and therefore not so noticeable anywhere.

Madona & Child

I created this from a picture taken sometime around 1982. The subject is Lissa and her son Blake. I played in Photoshop, incorporating ideas gleaned from Reverend Mommy and Birdie.

Ideé d’jour

... transcendent goals like peace and justice are always made possible, or rendered impossible, by the patterns of the human heart.
— Krista Tippett, in her new book, Speaking of Faith (Viking, New York, 2007)
I strongly recommend Ms. Tippett's radio program of the same name, available on-line at SpeakingOfFaith.org.

Idée d’jour

There are no holy places and no holy people, only holy moments, only moments of wisdom.
— Jack Kornfield

Friday Five: Floods & Droughts

This week's theme suggested by Sally.

1. Have you experienced living through an extreme weather event – what was it and how did you cope?
   The first thing that comes to mind is the year the creek flooded less than a block from the rental house we lived in, sometime between 1963 and '65. The water came up to our front steps, and Cousin Jenni went swimming in a one-piece bathing suit. My poem "Year of the Flood" memorializes my memories of that time.
      Coping was not an issue, not that I can recall. Houses on the north side of the street (closest to the creek) received significant water damage. We were on the south side of the street; as I say, the water didn't come higher than the porch.


2. How important is it that we wake up to issues such as global warming?
   Very important. Whether or not we can turn back the damage done is certainly a question, but I think we owe it to ourselves, and to our heirs, to try.
      There is a quote, supposedly from Native American tradition, to the effect that we have the world, its environment and resources on loan from the next generation.
      In this sense, then, we are renters. We are leasing these resources from the next generation. In which case, one could argue that we have been very poor tenants indeed.
      No matter that the damage began innocently, with hopeful naivite about progress and comfort. Nature has given us any number of warnings of the wounds inflicted - beginning with various forms of cancer. Yet, we persisted on our path of progress with a sense of manifest destiny. Some of us persisted with the notion that there would be no reckoning, no balance due; and that, if there were, someone else would pay it.
      It's well past time to treat our little corner of creation as we would hope a guest would treat our home.


3. The Christian message needs to include stewardship of the earths resources agree/ disagree?
   It seems to me the issue of stewardship is a profound opportunity for evangelism. I would argue that the task for Christians is more in action than in words. Or, as St. Francis reportedly said, "Preach at all times. When necessary, use words."
      We preach through our vote, and through letters to Congress. We preach through church-based recycling programs. We preach through living the smallest carbon footprint possible. We intentionally struggle with decisions between attending our local church, regardless of comfort or denomination; or attending the church we called to be part of, even if the commute is 8-10 miles away from our house.
      Here's another example: the Cathedral most often uses plastic plates and eating utensils. Plastic stays in the landfills forever, effectively. There are some biodegradable alternatives to styrofoam, but I don't know whether plates are made from any of these materials. I have been told, from a trusted source, that biodegradable detergent is the best alternative.

On a happier note:

4. What is your favourite season and why?
   Spring. In Oklahoma, the temperature tends to be very temperate, between 65 and 71 degrees. A variety of colors come into the world. Also, predominantly low humidity.
      Second favorite is Autumn, for much the same reason. The only draw back to spring and autumn is that these seem to be seasons with significant triggers for my allergies.


5. Describe your perfect vacation weather....
   As described above.

Idée d’jour

The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, "The children are now working as if I did not exist."
— Maria Montessori, educator (1870-1952)

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Today's quote is dedicated to Pam.

Movie Review: Babe, Pig in the City

In brief: don't bother

I rented "Pig in the City" on the basis of someone saying they preferred it to the first movie.  The person in question definitely does not have the same taste as me.

I often choose which movies I’d like to watch based on teasers and previews.  If I don’t like the teaser, which is supposedly been edited and produced to display the best qualities of a movie, then odds are good I won’t like the movie.  The teasers for "Pig in the City" made it look like an episode of "Lancelot Link".

I was 15 when Lancelot Link aired. It was a spy show spoof done with chimpanzees. I think I got through a few minutes of one episode before I dismissed it as a one-note gag. Sure, there were some puns and slapstick, but the main gag seemed to be in the chimps performing human functions. The same applies to this film; the only difference is in the number and variety of animal species involved.

The story here is even more thread-bare and unbelievable than the first movie. Babe flies to a generic American city (a combination of L.A., Seattle, and others) to save the farm. She ends up a dingy hotel which accepts animals (via the backdoor). Infinite complications ensue, which include an animal taking advantage of Babe's naivité.

The film includes a pair of slapstick set pieces. The second set piece not only feels long, but seems demeaning to the actress playing Mrs. Hogget. Much of the intended humor derives from her size and weight.

In conclusion: I'm sorry I rented this movie. Hopefully, the next film in my Netflix que will make up for it.

The Russian Agent

The Russian agent stepped out
from behind the blue sky curtain.
He held the gun firmly in his hand.
The oak wardrobe stood in the corner.

Downstairs, the guests were chatting.
The prime minister was already sleeping
in the library. Champagne
and triple-aged scotch.

Stars over the patio.
Horse-shaped hedges reared
in half-moon shadow.
The senator’s wife laugh
echoed across the yard.

The Russian agent heard fireworks.
The wife heard a shot.
The hedges heard a starting pistol.
Drinks were spilled.

The oak wardrobe stood in the corner.

Idée d’jour

Think sideways!
— Edward de Bono

Mowing Music

This is what I listened to on my iPod while mowing the lawn this morning:

• Suzy Thompson, "Mean Old Bed Bug Blues" and the title track from Adam and Eve Had the Blues
  I learned of Suzy Thompson through Sing Out! magazine. Her music seems very much in the tradition of the jug band revival of the early 60s. She's got a dynamite voice, and plays a mean fiddle
• Pink, "Dear Mr. President"
  I haven't heard any of Pink's music aside from this track, which I gather is unlike most of her style. Happily, this is a topical song with a shelf life of only a few more months.
• Gnarls Barkley, "Crazy"
  I learned of this track through Entertainment Weekly's "Down-load This" feature. It combines some rap and soul elements, hearkening back to the best of Marvin Gaye.
• The Shins, "Phantom Limb"
  Another song featured in EW's "Down-load This". The tune seems to echo elements of "Power Pop" as practiced by Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello back in the 80s.
• The Bird and The Bee, "I'm a Broken Heart"
  The arrangement owes much to the Beach Boys, circa "Pet Sounds". The happiness of the melody belies the melancholy of the theme: "I try to make the best at happiness / I'm a broken heart ... / My love is bleeding..."
• The Good, The Bad, and the Queen, "Kingdom of Doom"
  A pit of dark pop that reminds me of Costello, circa Armed Forces or Imperial Bedroom
• Borne, "The Guide"
  iTunes has a weekly free tune of the week. "Kingdom of Doom" was one, this is another. It reminds me a bit of Styx; it's not awful, but it isn't great either. I don't mind keeping it on my iPod - it's OK background for mowing. But I'm not interested in hearing more.
• Amy Winehouse, "Rehab"
  I've recommended Ms. Winehouse before. She's got a real good sense of 60s soul, right there with the Supremes. She might not be in Aretha's territory, but a couple of You Tube clips of her singing with just a guitar have convinced me she's the real deal. The production on this album is great, but she shines even without the production.
• Dar Williams, "The Christians and the Pagans"
  I forget where I read about this tune, but it sounded like fun. Dar Williams has gotten a lot of press, in places I respect, as an alt-folk artist. While the song is just as much fun as I thought it would be, Dar Williams is an acquired taste I don't yet have.
• Jonathan Byrd, "The Cocaine Kid"
  A talking blues that reminds me of Dylan in the "Freewheeling Days". The words and the rhymes role out of this guy at a furious pace.
• Johnny Proctor, "All Creatures of Our God & King"
  Another Beach Boys tribute. Mr. Proctor used multi-tracking to harmonize with himself ala "In My Room". A fun and sweet take on one of my favorite hymns.
• The Sevens, Pearl O' Shaughnessy's (et al, medley)
  I think this came from a Sing Out CD. Just a bouncy medley of Irish jigs
• Marvin Gaye, "What's Going On"
  Speaking of soul, Marvin is where it's at. It wouldn't be hard to draw a line from "Rehab" to this, but "What's Going On" has more in common with Barkley's "Crazy". Both songs have some interesting production values - e.g., the party chatter at the opening of "What's Going On", the strings in "Crazy". "What's Going On" is blatantly topical - it's almost impossible to listen to the lyrics without thinking of the late 60s - but it still holds up. You can enjoy it, in other words, without a history lesson. "Crazy" may not be topical in the same way, but it can lead one to reflect on the dichotomy of sane/crazy in new ways. It could be a love song, or it could be addressed more universally.

One day I might arrange these songs in a different order; there are times the play list is bit jarring. But I like all but one ("The Guide") almost equally. On the whole, it is a play list that is just plain fun.

Idée d’jour

Words may express it,
Words cannot hold it:
The way of letters leaves no trace,
Yet the teaching is revealed.
— Dogen

Ideé d’jour

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?
— T. S. Eliot (1888-1965)

Ideé d’jour

I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him.
— Booker T. Washington (1856-1915)

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Do I belittle my own soul when I say I hate B*sh? Does the person in question qualify as a "man"? Would Will Rogers have liked him?