Infamy

65 years ago tomorrow, a very momentous occasion in our Nation's history came to pass. May we never forget the horror or war, nor forsake the pursuit of more effective and humane means to our ends.

Big Wheels

It finally happened this morning at 12:23 GMT; my Honda turned 100,000. I got my trusty lil 1997 Honda Accord SE with 63,678 miles on it in the summer of 04, and proceeded to put over 35,000 miles on commuting to Madera, heading up the Hill and driving to Texas a few times. I have poked and prodded into its innermost parts, mixed our blood together as knuckles scraped greasy metal and ridden in extreme comfort through countless miles of worry-free driving. My Honda is second only to my wife's wedding ring in important purchases over my 25 years, with the Star Trek communicator I got mail-order in fourth grade coming in a close third. All that is to say, in honour of my Honda turning 100 000, I thought I would come up with a nice cliche Top Ten List of Honda memories. And yeah, this list is in order from least to greatest. I wasn't interested in investing the time and/or engergy to figuring out how to make it go from 10 - 1.

1. The trip to Half Dome which started at about 4 am and ended somewhere around 10 pm. We bumped Marc Broussard from the Gate to the Valley Floor.
2. The trip to Half Dome which started about 9 pm and ended about 4 pm. There's nothing quite like explosive decompression to give you good karma for a hiking trip.
3. The 5:30 am dash to Valley Teen Ranch on Ave. 9. The phantom picking trucks in fog perk you up 10x better than Starbucks.
4. Driving back from Sacramento with Christy on her engagement trip . . . only to realize I somehow got mixed up and had been driving on 99 North for 45 minutes. Crap.
5. Replacing the radiator. The hardest part of replacing the radiator, apparently, is getting the company to ship it to you. In my case, this was harder than one might expect.
   
6. The satisfaction of completing a 3 000 mile road trip twice. The Dallas-Fresno commute is a little long, but you can't beat the scenery.
   
7. Discovering the rear defroster. It only took about a year to stumble upon it, but now I turn it on at random intervals and smile.
   
8. Replacing the seals on the spark plug wells. Not only did this DIY save me approximately $600, it was also a total testosterone boost.
9. Dallas-bound, somewhere on I-20, Honda made it to 120 mph (193 kph).
10. The gang-land check exchange in the Wal-Mart parking lot. If I ever find this shmuck who sold me the car, I'm getting the tank of gas he owes me out of him one way or another.
    

It's All Happening . . .

The momment I have waited for over the past 30 months will happen tomorrow morning. You're not as excited as I am, I garauntee.

Mosaic

I just wanted to at least throw the pic up for Michelle. I'll write more about the process and the result soon, but for now I'll let our creation speak for itself.

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts

Friday Night Lights is a very good show. I am not saying that you should start watching by any means; there are plenty of great things you can do with an hour of your life that don't involve watching a television show. If you are looking for a well written and well acted show that will probably either get cancelled or dummed down next season, however, look no further. Catch up on nbc.com.

National Pastime

Cinema is the defining medium of the 20th and 21st centuries. With the possibilities available in presentation, manipulating sound and picture together, I have even heard tell of extending the sensory experience by adding smells to the show. In homage to Film, I have decided to post my top five film momments in history. They are, from 5th to 1st . . .

5. The Cliffs of Insanity sword fight in The Princess Bride.

This is the scene that led me to take fencing at Fresno City. The coordination between the music and the fighting, coupled with the fact that it's actually Cary Elwes and Mandy Patinkin doing all the sword play make it one of the most impressive and enjoyable action sequences of all time for me. So many action sequences in recent movies (as evidenced by the recent Star Wars movies) frame their shots so close and frantic I can't tell who's who and what's what. The far shots of two actors legitimately fencing both physically and verbally set this scene far above others for me.



4. Retrieving the Idol in Raiders of the Lost Arc.

The quenisetial Indiana Jones momment. After navagating his way past the steaming Amazon rain forest, trecherous local guides and a lethal Incan temple, he finally arives at the altar. Hunching over the altar with the sand bag . . . sweating . . . taking out a handful of sand . . . weighing it . . . taking out a pinch. The switch and roll. The smile, the hat cock. All hell breaking loose. This is what being Indiana Jones is all about. Harrison Ford's character was, and in many ways still is, the epitome of masculinity for me. He is the avatar of confidence under pressure, ingenuity, a passion for his work, and plain dumb luck. Of all the fantastic scenes in the trillogy, this is the one which stands out among the others; perhaps it's because it is the first scene in the series or perhaps its because he dives out of the temple, narrowly avoiding being crushed by a boulder, only to find himself face to face with a crowd of angry Hovitos. Either way, it's a great scene.


3. THE scene from The Usual Suspects.

If you haven't seen this movie, STOP READING RIGHT NOW and skip to number 2. If you're still with me, lets agree that this is just a fantastic end to a great movie. When Agent Kujon starts putting the pieces together and it cuts to the limp, the first time I saw it my scalp tingled. Let's be honest and up front about two things: 1. As the anti-Santa, Kaiser Sose is cooler than any of us ever will be and 2. This scene is magical. Limp . . . limp . . . limp . . . straiter . . . straiter . . . confident stride. Damn. That is a man of will.


2. Russel Crow removing his helmet in Gladiator.

When he delivers the 'Husband to a murdered wife, father to a murdered son' line I'm fairly convinced that Joaquin Phoenix actually wets himself on the soundstage. Talk about tingling scalps, that scene is palpable. I was going to put another scene in from this film as well, but had to self censor and say that there can only be one top 5 scene per movie; it merits mentioning, however, because it was also masterful. The 'busy little bee' scene caused me to loose sleep for about a week after I saw it. Tingly in all the wrong ways.


1. Wendy Peffercorn!

From one of my favourite movies, this is far and away the best scene in any movie I have seen. All the way from 'Shut up! I got a lot on my mind!' to 'Guys, he planned that!' Just priceless. The entire movie is full of great characters, but Squints is by far my favourite and by far the coolest of the Sandlot gang. I may be a tad bit biased since I was an emaciated child with glasses as well, but let us examin the facts. While the Jet did steal home in a Major League game, it was for the Dodgers and he had a creepy child molestor mustache. Squints married Wendy Peffercorn. They had nine kids. I rest my case.


These are my top 5. What are some that I missed?

This Is What I Was Talking About

It's a bit past 'gamboling' but it's something to shoot for . . .

Unacceptable

The brawl between Miami and Florida International University last Saturday was unacceptable, as were the sadly unsurprising comments made by Lamar Thomas. It's not O.K. that men were on the field, swinging their helmets and stomping people like it was LA, 1992. One game suspension against a winless opponent? Laughable. This was assault, as plain as the chin on Leno’s face, and the people responsible should be brought up on charges by the D.A. Is that unreasonable?

I thought Ultimate Fighting Championship was cool. Then I saw a match. The shameless beating of any helpless individual is inexcusable and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Is there any doubt that if this had been caught on tape outside a 7-11 that these men would be in County right now, trying to get someone to post their bail? It’s disappointing how unsurprising the Haynesworth episode was, and in Miami as well as the NCAA’s unsubstantial sanctions, we have a clear and present example of why.

Born a Gamboling Man?

This may come as a complete shock to some of yall, but I am not a dancer. This has not always been true, for I remember in 6th grade when I danced the Salsa with our student teacher in front of the whole school. I have also danced vicariously before, entranced by a scene of innocence and joy. I was visiting a friend of mine's church in Austin, and a small group of 5-7 year-old girls had formed a circle and were simply dancing together during the music in the service. About half way through the set, an elderly lady who looked to be mid-60's got up and danced with them; they were all simple hand movements and smiles and sways, and I was with them in their circle. While there have been some notable exceptions (high school proms, anyone?), I pretty much lost my groove somewhere between that cafeteria stage in 6th grade and puberty. The resurgent dancing shows have not stirred my recumbent inner-Shakira, but an envy for the freedom my youth still remembers has gurgled up the surface this afternoon.

After some cursory introspection, I'm reasonably sure that the only thing that keeps me from dancing more around other people is my pride, and that's a horrible reason to do (or not do) anything. So consider this your memo: I hereby resolve engage in dance-like movements more often around my friends; so go ahead and take those few short seconds to determine whether I'm dancing or actually having a seizure before you call the paramedics.

Dante's Oversite

Dante got it all wrong with his nine layers of hell. There are 11. Level 10 is euphemistically called Nevada. Level 11 is called Lubbock, TX and the Dark Prince's Throne Room is located at Jones SBC Stadium. I have disliked Tech since 2002 when I was adopted into the Fightin' Texas Aggie Family, but after four years of being subjected to their arrogant shenanegens, I really do hope that their football program fades back into obscurity and they start loosing to Rice and Texas State. I hate Tech with the burning passion of a thousand imploding suns, and to make matters worse . . . they keep kickin our ass.

You've Got a Friend

I've got to start out by lauding the virtues of Google Image. Where else could I have found this picture of Kirk hugging Spock? Priceless.

This past Thursday, one of the kids that I tutor gave me a hug. I had just finished my four hour shift and was thinking about what I was going to do that night, how things had gone that evening at work, and a million other trivial things that would and should quickly evaporate as quickly as the vapor in my car's exhaust. And then, there was a Jordan hugging my leg and saying 'Thanks, Micah. Have a good night.' This event would not leave me quite so quickly. It was an unexpected and uninhibited expression of spontaneous emotion that so many of us never experience in the giving or receiving, and it has stuck with me over the weekend.

This event was brought into even more relief Friday morning. I run my dog every M/W/F morning and every morning I see two men in their mid 60's walking and talking together. I often wondered how long they have known each other, what their lives are like, and who I'll walk with every morning when I am 64. This Friday I saw them meet on the street to begin their walk for the first time, and as one approached the other they both smiled, shook hands and warmly embraced. Thier expression of affection, while much less unexpected, was no less uninhibited thank Jordan's impromptu embrace the prior evening. Suffer the little children in all of us to embrace each other.

So get out there, people, and give some love. Expected or unexpected. Just don't call me to post bail if you get carried away.

99 Problems . . .

For all of the complaining I've done about the addition of our newest family member, I must admit that I have become attached to Reba. Yes, she's inconvenient. Yes, she gets into things. Yes, she's a sock pirate. But she is also exceptionally intelligent, affectionate and I suspect she has hypnotic powers. There have been several instances in the short month that we have had her in which a group of people will find themselves watching her, slackjawed with wonder, while she chews on a rawhide bone. Hypnotic. I held out as long as I could, but in the end her wrinkly forhead and goofy antics won me over and now I'm stuck loving and caring for this dog potentially for the next 10-15 years.

A Penny Saved . . .

This weekend, my best friend James and I saved me another bundle of cash by installing a new radiator in my Honda. Testosterone boost . . . check.

Next weekend? His radiator and maybe my breaks.

The word of the day is: Theophany.

the‧oph‧a‧ny  /θiˈɒfəni/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[thee-of-uh-nee]
–noun, plural -nies.
1. A manifestation or appearance of God or a god to a person.

This word has appeared in my life at this time, much like a manifestation of God to a person. Miraculously, without explanation or clear implication. I thought I would share it, as well as this stunning picture of the Salamander. This particular one is a Eurycea guttolineata, or Three-lined Salamander, from the state of Virginia. God appears to us all in many ways. These penumbral theophanies are not God, but they are a way to see what He is doing around us.

FYI

Read this on YahooNews and thought it was interesting. We'll see if anything shakes loose from it, but it does seem curious that while we're paying more than ever before because of 'higher costs,' they're making twice as much money as they did last year. Things that make you say 'huh.'

And yes, that is a picture of a viscious eye-gouge. Eesh.

Wierded Out

I was flipping through the Genesis last night in my Biblical Interpretation class, and I came across Genesis 6. I know that I’ve read the story before, but I don’t think that I’ve ever been as struck by it as I was last night in class. What the hell are the Nephilim?! In the context of the story, it sounds like they are the product of a sexual union between women and ‘the Sons of God,’ but who were they? I have absolutely no answers to these questions. I know that the Nephilim are referenced again in Numbers 13.33 when the girly men who went with Caleb gave their daunting report of Canaan, but even there the description is vague.

I have heard that the word Nephilim is derived from the Hebrew word for ‘fallen,’ and people take that to understand that they are fallen angels. If I am reading the text right in Genesis, however, the Nephilim refer to the offspring of these Sons of God that are running amok before the flood. If you have any idea what the heck these Giant people are about, I’d love to hear it.

What's In a Cross?

Right, so what was Christ really talking about when he told his disciples to shoulder their crosses? I heard this from a professor of mine in my Church and God’s Mission class, and I thought it was interesting so I’m passing it along. Just food for thought. Even though Christ had told the disciples about his coming death, even if they had accepted the fact he would suffer for all mankind, the thought of him doing it on a cross would have been obscure at best. Crosses were reserved for Roman punishment, punishment for rebellion against the Empire. If anyone were to kill Jesus, it would most likely be the Jews; the religious elite were directly challenged by his teaching and it threatened their very way of life. If Christ’s death was on the disciples’ minds, it would have probably been the traditional Jewish method of stoning him to death.

So what is the significance of taking up a cross and following Christ? The cross bearing march to the place of execution was the last act of the Roman Empire humbling rebels before they were finally brought to an end. It was the last forced act of submission before being put to death, and it was lead by the Roman centurion. Christ sets himself up as the Centurion, leading the death march. With the disciples taking up their crosses in their last act of submission before being fully losing their lives in Christ, how does this change or amplify our understanding of the passage? Interesting thought, huh?

The Weight

In Matthew 16, when Jesus told his disciples that to follow him they would need to take up their cross . . . what would that have meant to them? How would they have understood his command? What would it have been calling them towards? I will post again soon about my thoughts on the subject, but would love to hear your input.

Higher Education

When I made the jump from High School to College, I remember being really depressed. After finishing my first semester, I realized I had just covered more material in 6 months than I would have all year in a High School course. What had I been doing with my life for the past four years? Piles of busy work was my conclusion. In College, however, I knew I had arrived at accademic freedom. Freed from the shackles of primary education,I was now learning at an incredible rate, at least as fast as any human brain could hope to assimilate information. Now that I'm in grad school and going through whole text books in about a week, I realize I screwed around just as much in College as I did in High School. This realization is both comforting and again depressing to me. It means that 1) I’m smarter than I’ve ever given myself credit for and 2) Another four years of education in undergrad was spent not applying myself to actually learning scholastic material. The consequentialism of these assertions remains to be seen.

The pile of books in the picture are the books that I have finished in the first half of the semester. I give a solemn nod to the conifers that gave their lives for my continuing education and endeavour to not let them down this time. I will give their pulp efficacy!

Stoat Mania

I’ve wanted a ferret for as long as I can remember. In High School I decorated my binder with ferret pictures. I used to run around the house with a towel wrapped around my head and pretend I was a ferret, ferreting out snacks and shiny objects. Ok, so I made up the last part, but I really have always been passionate about ferrets. Relatively speaking, anyhow. While other people wanted cats and dogs and birds and other mundane pets, I always thought ferrets would be cool. It’s not like I have 17 ferrets living in my apartment or anything. And yes, I know they’re smelly and attention craving and conniving and sneaky, but so am I, so I think we’d get along just great. If you have a ferret, or know someone that does, let me know. I am subjecting my ferrets-make-great-pets bubble to the blogging community to either be reinforced or burst.