Wednesday thoughts

I need to write more.  I suppose it's hard for me to get back into the craft of my writing, I need to focus on it more.  It is my creative outlet and my doctor said one of the things I need to do to get healthy ( besides the constant Kaiser-song of 30 minutes of exercise per day) is to do something for me. That's hard for me to do, but here goes nothing.

I was reading about how Ben Affleck  did not want the Show "who do you think you are" to reveal an ancestor had held slaves.  As if somehow, this is HIS fault?  As if someone will think less of him because of what an ancestor did?  It's nonsense.  I know there will be that whole "your ancestors made money from slavery" argument, but it really is a moot point.   In looking at MY family tree, it appears that my ancestors had slaves as well.  Am I happy about it?  No.   Was it wrong?  Yes.  Am I surprised, given that this branch of the family tree were QUAKERS and I thought they were more altruistic than that?  You BET I am.  But do I feel guilty?  No.  I can only feel guilt for things I am responsible for.   It does not change who I am and how I treat people.  We cannot change what was, it should inform us so we may change what  is and what will be.

I was reading about a minister who was removed from a college for teaching something that wasn't  strict fundamentalist doctrine.  The article talked about the belief that everything is already planned out, that God has our whole lives written down and we merely act them out according to his plan.  This minister was removed for the stating his idea that God responds out of love to us and our requests.  I'm gonna get theological now, so those of you who want to may skip to the next paragraph.  I think God gave us free will and choice and that he loves us and let's us do what we are going to do.  Otherwise the whole argument that he sent Jesus to absolve us of our sins is kind of silly.  If we are already pre-programmed to do whatever it is we are going to do, why bother at all?  I know, it's a little early for Christian theology.

I see that my friend, playwright Henry Ong was inducted into the Anthony Trollope Society.  He wrote a play based on the novel "Rachel Ray" not the television chef with the annoying voice, but the novel by Trollope.  It will be performed on Friday.   Henry is an amazingly gifted writer and one of the silliest people I have ever had the good fortune to work with.  I swear I didn't think there was a serious bone in his body.  I never got into Trollope, but have reserved a book on cd to see if I like him.  I love books on cd and ever sine my local radio station removed my favorite dj and put in some guy who guffaws at his own rather juvenile jokes instead of playing music in the morning, I have stopped listening to morning drive-time radio and moved on to books on tape and my own cd collection.  I am also waiting for two new cds from two of my favorites; America and Jeff Larson.  I love Jeff and am looking forward to the new cd, which I will probably review in GREAT DETAIL when it arrives.  I enjoy the process of writing a well reasoned review.