There has been a lot in the news these days about race, religion and equality. I get it. Things are very bad and we need to change them. But how do we do that? There is a lot of anger, and I never see rage and rioting as answers to the problem. Maybe it's just me, but I don't see the point of stealing everything from a neighborhood store and burning it down to cause change. I am a big proponent of the "change from within" school of thought. To change the way things are run, you must first enter into the system. Standing on the outside throwing rocks is not going to cut it. We must work together to bring about the change we want to see, in our communities and in our world.
I have been thinking about a statement I read that said something about "if someone says they are color-blind then you are invisible to them" I have been thinking about that quote in terms of me and how I view things. It did make me think. I am NOT colorblind. I do see what color you are, just like I notice your hairstyle or your clothes, but NONE of those things dictate how I treat you. The thing that does that is your attitude. If you come at me in anger, I will react accordingly. Simple as that. There is anger on both sides of things these days. There are laws that are supposed to protect people from that, but while you can legislate lifestyle, you cannot legislate hearts or minds. We must begin to change. As a Christian, I find it inconceivable to see the hate spewing from people's mouths who declare themselves to follow Christ's teachings. Really? Did you miss the "Love ye one another" part? It doesn't say "Love ye one another if they look like you." Or "Love ye one another if they agree with you." Nope. Christ spoke of love, of brotherhood and of caring for each other. Maybe some of these "Christians" should read the New Testament again- or at least the first five books.
I don't know how to change the world, to ease the anger and the suffering. I will try to make things in my community better. There is an old saying "Let each man sweep in front of his own doorstep and the whole world will be clean." I think I will start there.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Friday, August 29, 2014
August 29
"Today is Monday
Today is Monday
All the little Brownies
We wish the best to you"
I woke up with that little song in my head. I was never a brownie, but my sister was. The troop had disbanded by the time I was old enough. But my mother was a troop leader and she sang that oce or twice, I suppose. Anyway, it was in my head this morning and with good reason.
It's been ten years since she died. I was going to say "passed on" or "crossed over" but no, it feels right to say she died. It's hard to think about it, but after ten years, it's time to reflect. I decided to write her a letter.
Hi Mom, I miss you and think about you all the time. A lot has happened in the past ten years, so I figure I need to catch you up.
I'm still working at the Library in a job I love. It's pretty good to have a job like that, don't you think? It has given me wonderful friends and great adventures. I also have the best stories about the crazy stuff that goes on, day to day. People say I should write a book, but most people think I am making the stories up. I am not. I don't have a gift for fiction.
I got divorced. I know, you might have been disappointed, but we tried- or I did- to make the marriage go. Some things just don't work. I am happily remarried to Chris, whose last name just happens to be Myers. When I got divorced I swore to Dad that I would not change my name ( I had to go back to court to get my name changed as Alan fought me on it) Dad helped me out and made me swear to remain a Myers. Then I met Chris Myers. You would love him , Mom. I am happy, which was not always the case. I think you'd be great friends with him mom too. She's my bonus!
You would be so proud of Kate. She graduated High School, like she promised you she would. She did it by the skin of her teeth, as that was the year I left her father and we were struggling to make it on our own. She said she kept her promise to you in her mind. She went on to college and has an AA degree from FDIM, in Fashion Merchandising. After as break, she has gone back to school and is studying toward a BA in Business. She is married now, Mom, and expecting her first child any day now. I gave her the blanket you made for her before you got really sick. She and I both cried over it and the letter you sent to her. She will wrap Robert in it and tell stories of Oma and Opa to him. They are naming him after Dad, so I am calling him "Little Bob", at least for now.
I dodged a bullet and had some precancerous lumps removed from my left breast the summer after you were gone. I got lucky and they caught it before they went bad. I keep an eye on things like that these days.
I am involved in my community. I do a lot of work for a non-profit Arts Center up here. I work for my Union and I volunteer for things as the mood strikes me. You taught me to give back and I do as much as I can. It's important to me and I got that from you.
So that's it for now, Mom; the high points of the last ten years. I miss you every day, but I know you and Dad are up there having a blast together. I miss you both, but am happy knowing you are together. Alzheimer's is a terrible thing and I am glad you are not trapped by it anymore. I love you, Mom.
Today is Monday
All the little Brownies
We wish the best to you"
I woke up with that little song in my head. I was never a brownie, but my sister was. The troop had disbanded by the time I was old enough. But my mother was a troop leader and she sang that oce or twice, I suppose. Anyway, it was in my head this morning and with good reason.
It's been ten years since she died. I was going to say "passed on" or "crossed over" but no, it feels right to say she died. It's hard to think about it, but after ten years, it's time to reflect. I decided to write her a letter.
Hi Mom, I miss you and think about you all the time. A lot has happened in the past ten years, so I figure I need to catch you up.
I'm still working at the Library in a job I love. It's pretty good to have a job like that, don't you think? It has given me wonderful friends and great adventures. I also have the best stories about the crazy stuff that goes on, day to day. People say I should write a book, but most people think I am making the stories up. I am not. I don't have a gift for fiction.
I got divorced. I know, you might have been disappointed, but we tried- or I did- to make the marriage go. Some things just don't work. I am happily remarried to Chris, whose last name just happens to be Myers. When I got divorced I swore to Dad that I would not change my name ( I had to go back to court to get my name changed as Alan fought me on it) Dad helped me out and made me swear to remain a Myers. Then I met Chris Myers. You would love him , Mom. I am happy, which was not always the case. I think you'd be great friends with him mom too. She's my bonus!
You would be so proud of Kate. She graduated High School, like she promised you she would. She did it by the skin of her teeth, as that was the year I left her father and we were struggling to make it on our own. She said she kept her promise to you in her mind. She went on to college and has an AA degree from FDIM, in Fashion Merchandising. After as break, she has gone back to school and is studying toward a BA in Business. She is married now, Mom, and expecting her first child any day now. I gave her the blanket you made for her before you got really sick. She and I both cried over it and the letter you sent to her. She will wrap Robert in it and tell stories of Oma and Opa to him. They are naming him after Dad, so I am calling him "Little Bob", at least for now.
I dodged a bullet and had some precancerous lumps removed from my left breast the summer after you were gone. I got lucky and they caught it before they went bad. I keep an eye on things like that these days.
I am involved in my community. I do a lot of work for a non-profit Arts Center up here. I work for my Union and I volunteer for things as the mood strikes me. You taught me to give back and I do as much as I can. It's important to me and I got that from you.
So that's it for now, Mom; the high points of the last ten years. I miss you every day, but I know you and Dad are up there having a blast together. I miss you both, but am happy knowing you are together. Alzheimer's is a terrible thing and I am glad you are not trapped by it anymore. I love you, Mom.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Review- Jeff Larson Close Circle
Let me start out by saying that Jeff is one of my favorite Indie artists. His music never fails to lift my spirits; it causes me to think and to look at the world in a new light. That being said, I pre-ordered his latest CD "Close Circle" with great anticipation.
I was not disappointed. As I said in a brief Amazon review, if you buy this for the first cut alone, you will have gotten your money's worth. "Rescue" is a song that resonates with me. The recording, like every recording on this cd is crystal clear. I love being able to hear each instrument, no murky mix here. I won't go through each song but the tings Ilove about this cd are in no particular order:
Jeddrah. If you have ever heard her sing you know why. I love her voice. She blends so beautifully on close harmony. I wish she sang on every cut!
Mandolins. I love the sound and the use of the mandolin on a number of the cuts adds a depth to the song, giving it a classic folk feel that I seldom hear anymore.
Different musical styles. This is not a straight folky effort. I love "Always the Mystery" for it's Spanish guitar sound. I love the groove in "How long running'.
Drumming. I love the tone of the drums. Again, a clean clear recording, no mud!
Lyrics and vocals. Can you separate the dancer from the dance? Me either. As a "word" person, I love Jeff's use of language and the delivery in his vocals. He has a voice that is easy on the ears, but interesting enough to keep you engaged.
This is a good one. I have been listening to it all week in my car and I HAVE reached my saturation point. I will go back to it again and again in the coming weeks.
I was not disappointed. As I said in a brief Amazon review, if you buy this for the first cut alone, you will have gotten your money's worth. "Rescue" is a song that resonates with me. The recording, like every recording on this cd is crystal clear. I love being able to hear each instrument, no murky mix here. I won't go through each song but the tings Ilove about this cd are in no particular order:
Jeddrah. If you have ever heard her sing you know why. I love her voice. She blends so beautifully on close harmony. I wish she sang on every cut!
Mandolins. I love the sound and the use of the mandolin on a number of the cuts adds a depth to the song, giving it a classic folk feel that I seldom hear anymore.
Different musical styles. This is not a straight folky effort. I love "Always the Mystery" for it's Spanish guitar sound. I love the groove in "How long running'.
Drumming. I love the tone of the drums. Again, a clean clear recording, no mud!
Lyrics and vocals. Can you separate the dancer from the dance? Me either. As a "word" person, I love Jeff's use of language and the delivery in his vocals. He has a voice that is easy on the ears, but interesting enough to keep you engaged.
This is a good one. I have been listening to it all week in my car and I HAVE reached my saturation point. I will go back to it again and again in the coming weeks.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Faith
Questions of faith have been rolling around in my head a lot recently. What DO I believe? That whole "flying spaghetti monster" thing? I don't really know.
I have been listening to the Jim Butcher series, the latest book is "Skin Game". In it, Harry is forced to help an arch enemy steal the Holy Grail from Hades ( the god, not the place- although they do enter the Underworld) The book has a lot more Christian theology in in than I remember in the last books. It never occurred to me how much Butcher leans on the imagery and stories that relate to the Christian faith. He has had, at least this far into the book, a discussion with Michael Carpenter, a retired Knight of the Cross, about the nature of his faith in himself and therefore his faith in the world. It got me thinking, again, about the nature of MY faith and how it informs my behavior.
I am NOT going to get into what I believe. Suffice it to say, I consider myself to be "plain-wrap Christian" meaning I believe in God and Jesus as the son of God, but don't follow any particular brand. As a kid I went to a church where the minister was Hell-fire and brimstone Baptist. YIKES. That's a good one. SCARE people into behaving. I could never reconcile the loving God they said sent his only son down to help us,with the same one that would smite you down with a bolt of lightening if you got out of line. It just never made any sense and I realized that I didn't really get all that much out of organized religion. Do I pray? Daily, sometimes constantly. It helps.
Faith is not just about religion, it's more about trust than anything else. When you give yourself over to faith in anything, you are entering into a contract of trust. That includes having faith you will make the next light, not just a nebulous belief in a power greater than yourself.
I have been listening to the Jim Butcher series, the latest book is "Skin Game". In it, Harry is forced to help an arch enemy steal the Holy Grail from Hades ( the god, not the place- although they do enter the Underworld) The book has a lot more Christian theology in in than I remember in the last books. It never occurred to me how much Butcher leans on the imagery and stories that relate to the Christian faith. He has had, at least this far into the book, a discussion with Michael Carpenter, a retired Knight of the Cross, about the nature of his faith in himself and therefore his faith in the world. It got me thinking, again, about the nature of MY faith and how it informs my behavior.
I am NOT going to get into what I believe. Suffice it to say, I consider myself to be "plain-wrap Christian" meaning I believe in God and Jesus as the son of God, but don't follow any particular brand. As a kid I went to a church where the minister was Hell-fire and brimstone Baptist. YIKES. That's a good one. SCARE people into behaving. I could never reconcile the loving God they said sent his only son down to help us,with the same one that would smite you down with a bolt of lightening if you got out of line. It just never made any sense and I realized that I didn't really get all that much out of organized religion. Do I pray? Daily, sometimes constantly. It helps.
Faith is not just about religion, it's more about trust than anything else. When you give yourself over to faith in anything, you are entering into a contract of trust. That includes having faith you will make the next light, not just a nebulous belief in a power greater than yourself.
Social Media
I have a twitter account. I know I am on the tail end of the trend, coming late to the party, but I think I could really get into "tweeting" It's funny really, but I do tend to think in small snarky sentences that would be perfect for Twitter, so here goes.
"I really want to replace the water in the cooler with vodka and see if it improves anything." #monday is hard
" Is the term "fashion forward" fashion-speak for REALLY UGLY DRESS?" #theemporerisstillnaked
"breathe.think.breathe.begin" #zenthoughts
I get it, I suppose. Twitter is the electronic version of haiku, or of things that used to be uttered sotto voce, now broadcast over the ether. I might try it, if I remember to do it. But like this blog, it will take some time. It would be pathetic to sign on and only have one follower, wouldn't it?
"I really want to replace the water in the cooler with vodka and see if it improves anything." #monday is hard
" Is the term "fashion forward" fashion-speak for REALLY UGLY DRESS?" #theemporerisstillnaked
"breathe.think.breathe.begin" #zenthoughts
I get it, I suppose. Twitter is the electronic version of haiku, or of things that used to be uttered sotto voce, now broadcast over the ether. I might try it, if I remember to do it. But like this blog, it will take some time. It would be pathetic to sign on and only have one follower, wouldn't it?
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Stuff I am thinking about
I have not kept up with my writing. I have been "overbooking" myself and I need to slow down and take some time to reconnect with the craft of writing something every day. It's hard sometimes to get what I am thinking out in a clear concise manner. I mean, I KNOW what I want to say, but sometimes the final product is not as eloquent as I would have wished or that it would have been if I started writing when I started thinking about what to write.
I am still thinking sadly about Robin Williams. Depression is so often an invisible disease. Robin Williams made so many of us laugh, it's hard to imagine how sad he must have been inside. He sought help, but sometimes it's just not enough. That idiot "newscaster" from Faux News who judged him as being a "coward" has NO idea what the man was going through. How dare he make such a judgement. One person I know on Facebook had the unmitigated gall to state that he "knew" that Williams killed himself over Obama's political agenda in regard to the military. WHA????? Yeah, that's right, he was so despondent about the treatment of our troops that he killed himself in protest. This guy is a serious nut job. I really should remove him from my list. I knew him a long time ago, but I think the hair-gel and the spray-tan has finally gotten to his brain. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed back in the day, but this takes the cake.
Lauren Bacall died yesterday. I loved her in "To Have and Have Not" "You know how to whistle, don't you Steve? Just put your lips together and blow" She and Bogey named their son "Steven" I wonder if that's a coincidence ;) She was a class act with, from all accounts, a wicked sense of humor.
Maybe this weekend, I will watch a few films from these actors. I could watch "To Have and Have not" again. I don't think I ever saw "Dead Poets Society" Maybe I should.
I am still thinking sadly about Robin Williams. Depression is so often an invisible disease. Robin Williams made so many of us laugh, it's hard to imagine how sad he must have been inside. He sought help, but sometimes it's just not enough. That idiot "newscaster" from Faux News who judged him as being a "coward" has NO idea what the man was going through. How dare he make such a judgement. One person I know on Facebook had the unmitigated gall to state that he "knew" that Williams killed himself over Obama's political agenda in regard to the military. WHA????? Yeah, that's right, he was so despondent about the treatment of our troops that he killed himself in protest. This guy is a serious nut job. I really should remove him from my list. I knew him a long time ago, but I think the hair-gel and the spray-tan has finally gotten to his brain. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed back in the day, but this takes the cake.
Lauren Bacall died yesterday. I loved her in "To Have and Have Not" "You know how to whistle, don't you Steve? Just put your lips together and blow" She and Bogey named their son "Steven" I wonder if that's a coincidence ;) She was a class act with, from all accounts, a wicked sense of humor.
Maybe this weekend, I will watch a few films from these actors. I could watch "To Have and Have not" again. I don't think I ever saw "Dead Poets Society" Maybe I should.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Robin Williams
Robin Williams died this morning. I didn't know him personally, but his art was such a part of my life, I feel as if I have lost a friend.
Just this afternoon, I found myself saying "shucks and wazoo" a line from the classic sitcom "Mork and Mindy" I took up the expression in an effort to stop swearing, when I realized that saying "Holy Fuck" was not appropriate in a business setting. I loved Mork and Mindy- the early shows anyway. I think the show "jumped the shark" when they added Jonathan Winters as baby Mirth. I know Williams was a huge fan of Winters, but it just didn't work.
I saw Williams several times in stand-up and other "concert type" performances. One of the very best was a "Survival Sunday" show I was working at the Hollywood Bowl as part of an anti- nuke show. He and John Ritter took the stage and did 20 minutes of pure improv, with the audience calling out scenarios. I never realized what a true comic genius Ritter was as he and Williams played off one another, each trying to make the other laugh. The audience was howling and we would have kept them all night, but there were other acts lined up and sadly they left the stage.
But Williams was more than a comic actor. The film "Good Morning Viet Nam" showed his range in an extraordinary way. In the scene where the cafe blows up and the screen fills with his face, you see the horror of war reflected in his eyes. It remains a very powerful image in my mind.
I hear that he was struggling with depression and had had the disease for many years. We can never know the true depths of his anguish. My heart goes out to his children and his wife, ours is a small loss, theirs is huge hole that can never be filled.
So, thank you, Robin Williams, for making me laugh when I needed it most. I hope your soul is at peace on the other side.
Just this afternoon, I found myself saying "shucks and wazoo" a line from the classic sitcom "Mork and Mindy" I took up the expression in an effort to stop swearing, when I realized that saying "Holy Fuck" was not appropriate in a business setting. I loved Mork and Mindy- the early shows anyway. I think the show "jumped the shark" when they added Jonathan Winters as baby Mirth. I know Williams was a huge fan of Winters, but it just didn't work.
I saw Williams several times in stand-up and other "concert type" performances. One of the very best was a "Survival Sunday" show I was working at the Hollywood Bowl as part of an anti- nuke show. He and John Ritter took the stage and did 20 minutes of pure improv, with the audience calling out scenarios. I never realized what a true comic genius Ritter was as he and Williams played off one another, each trying to make the other laugh. The audience was howling and we would have kept them all night, but there were other acts lined up and sadly they left the stage.
But Williams was more than a comic actor. The film "Good Morning Viet Nam" showed his range in an extraordinary way. In the scene where the cafe blows up and the screen fills with his face, you see the horror of war reflected in his eyes. It remains a very powerful image in my mind.
I hear that he was struggling with depression and had had the disease for many years. We can never know the true depths of his anguish. My heart goes out to his children and his wife, ours is a small loss, theirs is huge hole that can never be filled.
So, thank you, Robin Williams, for making me laugh when I needed it most. I hope your soul is at peace on the other side.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Arts
I've been a little busy, actually OUT THERE enjoying art in it's many forms ( in addition to baking cookies) So here is a short review of things I have done:
The Laguna Arts Festival, including the Pageant of the Masters. This is always fun for me. We start at the Sawdust Festival, which has the same old stuff every year and every year I look at some and it and think "I could probably do that" I wonder if I really COULD do that. I would have to make the time and frankly NOW is not filled with blank time to create anything. We go on to the Art Affair and enjoy a meal. The art there is also interesting, but you do see the same artists every year. I look at the photographs and wonder if they work with film or digital media. Interesting stuff. The Pageant itself is always fun for me, as I try to figure out how they ae going to replicate the art I see in the book. I always buy the book. This year is was "The Art Detective" and it was supposed to be about works of art that were discovered in an odd manner or lost. There weren't enough of them, so they added books by Dashiel Hammett and James M. Cain. It was a stretch.
Abbamemnon. No that's not a typo. It's a mash-up of the play Agamemnon and the music of Abba. The theater troupe, known as "The Troubies" always puts on a fun show, but this year trying to make a comedy out of a Greek tragedy, they had their work cut out for them. It was VERY entertaining, but definitely NOT as funny as the Shakespeare mash-ups I have seen them do it the past. The consensus is that Shakespeare lends itself much more to comedy. This was a very limited run and they are off to Laugna with the MUCH funnier Midsummer Saturday Night Fever Dream.
Baseball! I was lucky enough to go to a baseball game last evening and sit in "Dugout seats" If you know me, you know I love baseball. This was wonderful. Some people I know from work had an extra ticket and I was in the right place at the right time and they asked me to go. I love baseball. Even if my Dodgers lost ( ah well) it was fun to be out in the park and see the game REALLY close up!
This week I am back to Meeting, meeting, meeting, so it was nice to have some fun things sandwiched in.
My review of Jeff Larson's new cd is forthcoming.
The Laguna Arts Festival, including the Pageant of the Masters. This is always fun for me. We start at the Sawdust Festival, which has the same old stuff every year and every year I look at some and it and think "I could probably do that" I wonder if I really COULD do that. I would have to make the time and frankly NOW is not filled with blank time to create anything. We go on to the Art Affair and enjoy a meal. The art there is also interesting, but you do see the same artists every year. I look at the photographs and wonder if they work with film or digital media. Interesting stuff. The Pageant itself is always fun for me, as I try to figure out how they ae going to replicate the art I see in the book. I always buy the book. This year is was "The Art Detective" and it was supposed to be about works of art that were discovered in an odd manner or lost. There weren't enough of them, so they added books by Dashiel Hammett and James M. Cain. It was a stretch.
Abbamemnon. No that's not a typo. It's a mash-up of the play Agamemnon and the music of Abba. The theater troupe, known as "The Troubies" always puts on a fun show, but this year trying to make a comedy out of a Greek tragedy, they had their work cut out for them. It was VERY entertaining, but definitely NOT as funny as the Shakespeare mash-ups I have seen them do it the past. The consensus is that Shakespeare lends itself much more to comedy. This was a very limited run and they are off to Laugna with the MUCH funnier Midsummer Saturday Night Fever Dream.
Baseball! I was lucky enough to go to a baseball game last evening and sit in "Dugout seats" If you know me, you know I love baseball. This was wonderful. Some people I know from work had an extra ticket and I was in the right place at the right time and they asked me to go. I love baseball. Even if my Dodgers lost ( ah well) it was fun to be out in the park and see the game REALLY close up!
This week I am back to Meeting, meeting, meeting, so it was nice to have some fun things sandwiched in.
My review of Jeff Larson's new cd is forthcoming.
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