Civics Class

Here's a follow-up to yesterday's Mooregasbord.

Civics

I found the following paragraph particularly poignant:

But the Constitution doesn't just protect church from state and vice versa. It was also designed to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority - from the indifference with which the majority sometimes wields power.

And that's the crux of the matter, really. The Constitution, particularly the Bill of Rights, was put into place to protect those in the minority from the sometimes-oppressive discourses of the majority. When it comes right down to it, it doesn't matter how many people oppose the removal of the monument.* Ninety-eight percent of U.S. Americans could be opposed to removing the monument and it would still have to go. If Moore or anyone else wants to announcement their Christian beliefs to the world, they have plenty of opportunities. Wear a cross, stick a Jesus fish on your car, erect a prayer altar in your home, put a stone version of the Ten Commandments in your back yard, and attend a candlelight vigil at your local house of worship. If Christianity (or any religion for that matter) offers someone the spiritual solace they need, terrific. I'm thrilled when someone finds a spiritual path that works for them. However, when that other person tries to represent their spiritual path as the path of all citizens, as is the case when a monument is erected on state property, I'll be crying foul.

*Like the author of this op-ed piece, I suspect U.S. Americans would be singing a different tune if I erected a monument that included a pentagram (the five pointed star that represents the five elements of Wiccca: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit), the words of Buddha, or lines from the Tao Te Ching.

DAY OF MINDFULNESS

A week from today, Kathleen and I are getting married. As we both practice an eclectic blend of Buddhism, Taoism, Earth-based spirituality, and New Ageism, we decided to enter our life-partnership during a private ceremony: the only people attending will be Kathleen, myself, and Sandra Marie (a spiritual teacher with whom Kathleen has studied for many years). Our families, as one might expect, weren't thrilled with our decision. Our response was simple: "This is our wedding and we want it to be about the two of us. Besides, none of you follow our spiritual path. You won't even get it. There won't be any 'til death do us part' or "do you take thee" stuff. We're forging a spiritual partnership and, to be quite honest, you aren't part of that." In keeping with the spiritual theme of the weekend, we asked my parents to give us a special wedding gift.* Sunday, the day after our wedding, we're attending a Day of Mindfulness gathering with Thich Nhat Hanh. Thich Nhat Hanh is a well-published and well-traveled Buddhist monk who was once nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. A brief description of the seminar, sponsored by Naropa University, follows:

On this day, Thich Nhat Hanh will teach us about the practice of mindfulness in our daily lives, how to touch that source of peace, solidity, and freedom that is in each one of us. This practice transforms the seeds of suffering that lie deep in our consciousness, allowing us to be an instrument of healing and transformation for our families and our society.

There's more on Mindfulness at the Plum Village website. Plum Village is a Buddhist monastery founded by Thich Nhat Hanh during the early 1980s.

*If we hadn't specified a gift, my parents would have purchased something like a gas grill. I'm a vegetarian.

Mixed Grill

Today's Special: Mooregasbord

Moore's Law
Unholy Commandment
Roy's Rock*

*For the record, Maggie, I'm a deeply spiritual person and I oppose Moore's monument to the Ten Commandments. I would also oppose ANY monument that references ANY spiritual belief system. Religion and government shouldn't mix. No exceptions. The separation of Church and State--it's not just for secularists, anymore.

Spam Your Way Back to the Future

While the article positions this guy as a wackadoo, what if he's telling the truth? In how many episodes of Star Trek has someone said, "We can't tell them we're from the future [insert "another planet" here, as well]. They'll never believe us."

The Time Machine

Fallen

Long before becoming obsessed with female-fronted punk & power pop, I discovered Sarah McLachlan. Although I don't listen to her as often as I once did, I still think she has one of the most amazing voices in the music industry. After a long hiatus, Ms. McLachlan has a new CD coming out this fall. The first single from the album just hit the airwaves in Canada. If you poke around the newsgroup alt.music.s-mclachlan, you may stumble across the single.

Fallen (S. McLachlan)

Heaven bent
to take my hand
and lead me through the fire
We've a long awaited answer
to a long and painful fight
Truth be told I've tried my best
but somewhere along the way
I got caught up in all there was to offer
and the cost was so much more than I could bare

Though I've tried,
Fallen
I have sunk so low
I messed up
better I should know
so don't come 'round here
and tell me, "I told you so"

We all came with good intent
and love was raw and young
We believed we could change ourselves
the past could be undone
But we carried on our back the burden
Time always reveals
and the lonely light of morning
in the wound that would not heal
It's the bitter taste of losing everything
that I've held so dear

I've Fallen
I have sunk so low
I messed up
better I should know
So don't come 'round here
and tell me, "I told you so"

Ooooooh

Heaven bent
to take my hand
No where left to turn
I've lost all those i thought were friends
to everyone I know
Oh they turned their heads embarassed
Pretend that they don't see
that it's one mistep, one slip before you know it
and there doesn't seem a way to be redeemed

Though I've tried
Fallen
I have sunk so low
I messed up
better I should know
So don't come 'round here
and tell me, "I told you so"

Oooh
I messed up
better I should know
So don't come 'round here
and tell me, "I told you so"

Help others

The essence of Buddhism is that if you can, help others. If not, then at least refrain from hurting others.

The Dalai Lama

Random Conversation: Suburban Rebel

Derek: Kathleen, he does that because you don't put Clay on his leash. You're ticked at him and you're the one breaking the rules.

Kathleen: I am breaking the rules and I'm not going to follow them.

Derek: You rebel.

Kathleen: That's right.

The Worst

According to Blender magazine, the following are the fifty worst bands of all time.

1. Insane Clown Posse
2. Emerson, Lake and Palmer
3. Michael Bolton
4. Kenny G
5. Starship
6. Kansas
7. Asia
8. Vanilla Ice
9. Lee Greenwood
10. Air Supply
11. Latoya Jackson
12. Tin Machine
13. Mick Jagger
14. Yngwie Malmsteen
15. Yanni
16. Oingo Boingo
17. Benzino
18. Pat Boone
19. Dan Fogelberg
20. Howard Jones
21. The Alan Parsons Project
22. Primus
23. Creed
24. Bad English
25. Jamiroquai
26. Celine Dion
27. Colour Me Bad
28. Crash Test Dummies
29. Skinny Puppy
30. Richard Marx
31. Arrested Development
32. The Hooters
33. Japan
34. Live
35. Paul Oakenfold
36. 98 Degrees
37. The Doors
38. Nelson
39. Bob Geldof
40. Blind Melon
41. Whitesnake
42. Rick Wakeman
43. Mike and the Mechanics
44. Manowar
45. Gipsy Kings
46. The Spin Doctors
47. Goo Goo Dolls
48. Master P
49. Toad the Wet Sprocket
50. Iron Butterfly

You can check comments on numbers 50-41 here. The rest are available in the print magazine. Although not a regular reader, I may have to track down this issue.

Academic Sojourn

Since I mentioned it in my previous post, here's a snippet of my academic writing.

Throughout my academic sojourn I have always self-identified as a rhetorician, a critical scholar committed to understanding the ways in which communication, both discursive and non-discursive, is employed as a means of constructing, negotiating, and transforming ourselves, others, and the world around us. Most of my recent scholarship focuses on constitutive rhetoric, a performative enterprise that accentuates “the constitution of the subject, where the subject is precisely he or she who simultaneously speaks and initiates action in discourse (a subject to a verb) and in the world (a speaker and social agent) (Charland, 1987, p. 133). With an emphasis on Becoming-in-the-world as opposed to Being-in-the-world, constitutive rhetoric is the interweaving of discursive and non-discursive communication in the everyday social practices of “doing, acting, performing, and accomplishing” (Schrag, 1986, p. 19). From this perspective, the collaborative co-construction of the self, other, and concomitant subject positions occurs in the “space of communicative activity” (Langsdorf, 1993, p. 44).

Grrrrrr. w00t!

For the first time since Monday or Tuesday, I actually found time to sit down and work on my dissertation. I've been struggling with a two page section on postmodern rhetorical criticism. How do you describe a methodology for a philosophical position that has "question everything" as its primary tenet? Maybe I'll post the section when I finally work it out.

Getting frustrated over that particular section yet again, I turned to wrapping up the rest of Chapter One. Just as I'd finished laying out the content of Chapter Four, my computer crashed. As the PC rebooted, I offered words of great praise to the academic Gods and Goddesses: please let there be a backup file. My pleas fell on deaf ears. The existing backup file didn't include a significant portion of my recent work. Looks like I'll be reworking that entire section tomorrow. Grrrrr. How I resisted the temptation to throw my PC out the office window is beyond me.

If anything, this recent problem has motivated me to increase my timetable for a new PC. I'm looking at a system with the following configuration:

AMD Athlon 2500+ Barton Core
512 DDR 333 RAM
80 GB 7200 RPM HD
ATI Radeon 9500 Pro 128 MB DDR Video Card

I'll probably order the PC through ABS Computer. I priced all the components and I'd only save a few bucks if I built the system myself. It's not a top-of-the-line machine, but the motherboard will allow for future upgrades of the CPU. It's a definite improvement over my almost three-year-old system (1 GB, 256 RAM, 20 GB HD, Radeon 7200 32 MB). I'll sleep on it a couple days and make a decision. As Kathleen reminded me tonight, "We've known for some time that you'd need a new computer. Now is as good a time as any." With any luck, the new machine will arrive in time for the release of Jedi Academy! w00t!

Today's Spam

Is it just me or does the amount of spam seem to be increasing? The following are examples of spam I received recently. The phrase preceding the colon is the email subject; the phrase following is the first line of the spam.

What are you up to: Want to quickly and safely increase your penis size?

Need a hug: Generic Viagra!

You are the one and only: Generic Viagra!

apskxxm Fatten up that hott ddogg kkqshh: Enlarge your penis guaranteed

WS It Haarrd - Wow!dlwwd: Real Viagra at unreal prices

I waatch.that_waist.liineftsop: Online pharmacy free next day shipping

nmi)Get)inside)a lady)with it harddnnfl: Real Viagra at unreal prices

KKIs it ttoo small for love?coluyy: Enhance your manhood

Utu Faattten up that member ekx: Enhance your manhood

mggk Shed unwanted kilo'st: Online pharmacy

Thank goodness I use a free email account for all my internet purchase. The spammers haven't found my home accounts . . . yet.

Harry Potter Withdrawals?

Mike, a long-time friend of almost twenty-five years, has a handful of remedies for treating those nasty Harry Potter withdrawals.

Like many of you, I waited anxiously for "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". Now that it's out and I've read it, I know it'll be another 2 years (or 3? 4? even more?) until we get another installment. In other words, I'm having Harry Potter withdrawals.

If you are having similar issues, let me recommend two fantasy book series that you may enjoy.

The first is the "Mancer" series by Don Callander. I've had these books for several years and read them several times. The first book, "Pyromancer", tells the story of young Douglas Brightglade, a lad who becomes apprenticed to a wizard and studies pyromancy (the magic of fire). He becomes involved in a battle to save World from the power of the evil ice wizard Frigeon. Along the way he meets other interesting characters, human and otherwise. Further adventures of Douglas and his friends are told in the other three books of the series, namely "Aquamancer", "Geomancer", and "Aeromancer".

These books are simple and light-hearted with, in the words of one reviewer, aspects of a fairy tale. The characters are likeable, even if some of the dialogue is a little contrived at times. The plots have occasional interesting twists, though there is never really any doubt that the good guys are going to win. In fact, the surprise is more in how they win than in the fact that they do. There are some interesting concepts here too, like the idea of defeating the bad guy by turning him back to good. All in all, it's a fun series to read but lacks the depth--and especially the angst, thank heavens!--of the Harry Potter books.

Second and more highly recommended is a series by Philip Pullman called "His Dark Materials". I first became aware of this series at a University of Utah bookstore display intended to offer, you guessed it, help for those suffering from Harry Potter withdrawal. Incidentally, this display also recommended "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Chronicles of Narnia", both of which I heartily endorse. Unfortunately, it also recommended the "Artemis Fowl" and the "A Series of Unfortunate Events" books. Although I have never read these series, I am assured by my wife (among other people) that they can be safely ignored. One review I read on the former series seems to sum it up: "If you read the Harry Potter books thinking that Draco Malfoy should have been the hero, you'll love Artemis Fowl."

The three books in "His Dark Materials" are "The Golden Compass", "The Subtle Knife", and "The Amber Spyglass". This story, spread over all three books, tells of the adventures of two young people, Lyra Silvertongue and Will Parry, who come together from two different worlds to help each other accomplish a mission that neither one fully understands. The two young people are almost continually in danger, and though there are several memorable supporting characters, they have to rely mostly on themselves and on each other. As they face nigh-impossible odds, the fate of countless worlds hangs in the balance.

I thought the author did a good job developing the characters in this series, especially Lyra and Will. Lyra is adventurous, curious, headstrong, and imaginative (and occasionally prone to making up stories). Will is quiet, determined, introspective, responsible, and practical. Both are caring, loyal, and exceptionally brave. Better yet, they inspire goodness and bravery in those who come to know and love them. Even two of the significant villains of the piece are moved to self-sacrifice by their feelings for Will and (more importantly) Lyra. True, these two have their shortcomings, but they learn from their mistakes--are you listening, Harry?--and become better people for their experiences. In short, they are good, likeable characters, and easy to cheer for. (Unlike, for example, the above-mentioned Artemis Fowl.) The supporting cast are also complex and well thought out. Of particular interest here are such characters as Texan aeronaut Lee Scoresby, a bear named Iorek Byrnison, witch queen Serafina Pekkala, university researcher Dr. Mary Malone, society lady Mrs. Coulter, and Lyra's Uncle, Lord Asriel.

"His Dark Materials" is a deep and very complex story. It involves all sorts of things that science fiction and fantasy fans will love: magic talismans, enchanted weapons, windows between worlds, theoretical physics, Victorian-era technology ("The Golden Compass" especially has an Imperial London feel to it), theological mysteries, parallel universes, witch clans, armored bears, non-human civilizations, arctic exploration, adventures at sea, heroic rescues, unexpected betrayal, devious villains who appear to be good guys, loyal friends, and heroes who put themselves in harm's way so that the right can prevail. Above all there is the quest (a central element of almost any good fantasy story) that draws in Lyra and Will for seemingly different reasons. The plot is intricately woven and hard to follow at times, but the resolution is satisfactory and leaves the reader (okay, me) wishing there could be another book in the series.

So there you have it. I give the "Mancer" series by Don Callander a B and "His Dark Materials" by Philip Pullman a solid A. And if you haven't read "The Chronicles of Narnia", what's wrong with you? Read it! Yes, I admit it's a little slow sometimes, but C.S. Lewis was a Brit, so what do you expect?

Anyway, I wish you all happy reading. And if any of you have read anything good in this vein lately, let me know. I'll be needing something new to read...in twelve weeks or so.

--M

Take This Pledge and Shove It

Several months ago, a group of Colorado legislators introduced a bill making the Pledge of Allegience mandatory in Colorado public schools. In short, the bill required each student, with a few exceptions (religious beliefs, non-U.S. citizens), to stand at the beginning of each day and recite the pledge. Legislators who supported the bill claimed that reciting the Pledge would help students develop a sense of patriotism. When the bill was introduced, I immediately phoned my state Representative and asked that he vote against such a ridiculous proposition. Considering the conservative makeup of the Colorado state legislature, however, nobody was suprised when the bill passed both houses. As such, Colorado students were to begin reciting the mandatory pledge this week. Thankfully, the ACLU intervened on behalf of teachers and students opposed to the forced recitation of the Pledge.

The Pledge

If the legislators, and people of Colorado who supported this bill, really want to instill a sense of patriotism and love of country in the State's young people, why do it through the Pledge of Allegience? The constitutionality of the bill aside, how does a mindless act, the repetitive chanting of a Pledge, increase anyone's patriotism? If the conservative legislature was truly committed to teach our children about the merits of the U.S. system of government, they'd concentrate on improving Civics, U.S. History, and U.S. Government classes.* The danger in such an approach, however, is that students might learn they have the rights of Free Speech, Freedom of Religion, and the like. Students might learn they have the right to dissent (peacefully) and question the actions of their leaders. Students should learn to love the U.S. through an understanding of the rights and protections afforded by the Constitution, not through the mandated recitation of a Pledge.

*Believe it or not, U.S. History was NOT required in my high school.

Tao

From Chapter One of the The Tao Te Ching

To conduct one's life according to the Tao,
is to conduct one's life without regrets;
to realize that potential within oneself
which is of benefit to all.

Specters of the Past

For the past five years, I’ve associated with the same group of people: Joe, Mary, and Keli. While the core of our friendship group has remained stable, the periphery has been in a constant state of flux. Significant others have come and gone, the excitement of a perspective romantic partner always replaced by the pain of a break-up or divorce. Oddly enough, each of us ended a long-term relationship within the last two years. Through a combination of phone calls, emails, coffee, and cigarettes (three of us have quit smoking within the last year), we navigated a storm of infidelity, mental illness, abuse, and irreconcilable differences . Mary and I were the first to make it through the maelstrom of relationship unhappiness, followed closely by Keli. Joe, recently divorced, is right behind. Looking back, I think our collective story is probably worthy of a novel. And one with a happy ending, too. With the addition of Charles, Mary’s fiancé, and Kathleen, my fiancé, the core of our friendship group has grown and stabilized.

Friday night, three of us (Mary, Joe, and myself) bumped into each other at our favorite Goth/Industrial club. Keli spent another Friday night working at the bookstore, of course. While we used to meet at the club every Friday, it’s been months since more than two of us have been out on a given night. In a strange convergence of events, the specters of our respective pasts also made an appearance. Joe’s ex-wife and her new boyfriend arrived early in the evening. Mary’s ex-boyfriend entered a few minutes later. Despite all the healing done, forgiveness granted, and time passed, there was still a palpable sense of discomfort in the air. Trying to add a little levity to the situation, I turned to Joe and Mary and said, “Well, if you-know-who [my former partner] made an appearance, I think we’d have one of our weirdest club nights ever.” Both laughed and nodded in agreement.

As one might expect, she did make an appearance of sorts. Late in the evening Mary approached me and said, “I just ran into a guy who’s still in touch with you-know-who. They email each other on a regular basis. Check this out . . . ” My ex-partner recently had a nervous breakdown, dropped out of her Ph.D. program (dissertation phase), and moved home to her parents’ to convalesce. While Kathleen expressed relief at knowing she’s hundreds of miles away, I felt relieved, angered, and saddened: relieved that I don’t have worry about running into her (she can be extremely volatile), angered by the fact she dropped out of school (I made a lot of sacrifices to help her get through her program), and saddened by her inability of find some peace of mind. Of the three, I think the third is the thing that bothers me most. No matter how much self-inflicted pain she experiences, she can’t admit she has psychological problems that need long-term treatment. I tried getting through to her, as did Mary, other friends, family members, and mental health professionals. She ignored each and every one us. Instead of accepting that her problems are of her own making, she’ll continue to blame everything on a world allied against her.

Sometime during the evening out, Joe made an astute observation regarding our group. He commented on how each of us had experienced a great deal of pain and how we’d each admitted our mistakes, learned from them, and made significant changes in our lives. He also commented that for having been through so much, we’re an exceedingly happy lot. Of all his remarks, however, one stands out. He said, “It’s taken us a long time to weed out all the riffraff. Finally, after five years, we’re all relatively happy and drama free. I think we should keep it this way for a while.” I couldn’t agree more.

Mixed Grill

Today's Specials:

Preventing Dissent*
Foucault Makes Me Hot**
Bogus Trendspotting
Spirituality and Daily Life
Dog Days of Summer

*Make sure you read the article by Krugman. The discussion thread has some great responses, too.

**I once asked my friend Amy, a student of Foucaultian philosophy, if she'd tutor me in Foucault's theories. Her response: "Of course. Foucault makes me hot."

True Character

I've just about had my fill of "Blackout" news. If I hear one more story about neighbors sitting on their front porch, basking in the light of candles and neighborly love, I think I'll vomit. When CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News resort to 24-hour-coverage of a blackout, you know it's a slow news week. I read an amusing quote while working out yesterday. Praising the reactions of those affected, President Bush stated:

The people of New York City and New York state and people of the Northeast and Midwest who were affected by last night's blackout kept their calm, were decent to their neighbors, really showed the rest of the country and the world the true character of the American people.

The true character of American people? Personally, I'd like to believe most human beings would step and help one another. I don't think the U.S. has the market cornered in that regard. Here's what the people of New York, Detroit, and Cleveland, and the surrounding areas should be asking.

*Why was it impossible to purchase anything?
*Why weren't retailers prepared to do business without a computer or cash register?
*Did anyone attempt to calculate discounts and sales tax using a battery powered calculator or ::gasp:: by using long-hand addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division?

What does it say about American character when the President applauds us for not flipping out in the dark? If you were afffected by the blackout, give yourself a pat on the back. You didn't loot the local convenience store and you didn't resort to hurting each other. Hooray! Think about this: for U.S. citizens, a blackout is a major inconvenience. For many people of our world, living without electricity, clean drinking water, and indoor plumbing is the normal state-of-affairs.

Mixed Grill

Several worthwhile reads:

Spam
Iraq: Civilian Death Toll
Dogs
One Hot Microbe
Mmmmmm Vanilla

Bon appetit!

Random Conversation

The following conversation occured at a local Saks 5th Avenue. The stranger is a late thirtysomething woman.

Stranger (approaches nervously): Excuse me, sir. This might seem like an odd question . . .

D: Okay.

Stranger: How do you get your hair to stand up like that?**

D: Uh, I use a product from the ICE line. It's kind of like hair glue. I use it in the morning and my hair stays up all day. You can get it at Ulta.

Strange: Thanks.

D: Sure. ::thinks to self:: What the fuck was that all about?

**Picture of my hair available on request. Shoot me an email.

New Music Monday

Yesterday, I received a package containing three CDs I special ordered. More and more, I'm finding myself drawn to music that's fairly obscure, at least to the Denver metro area CD merchants. Thank goodness for the internet. I received the following CDs:

The Skirts - Take Off
One Man Army - Rumors and Headlines
The Downbeat 5 - Ism

Today, I received notification from a local CD store that another special order had arrived.

The Epoxies - The Epoxies

You gotta love new music in your life.

19th Century Rebels

Introduced to the Transcendentalists some twenty years ago in Ms. Schulz's American Literature class, I remember feeling a sense of kinship. Something about their writings said, "We're like you. You're not alone." Whether it was their critique of Enlightenment thought, particularly the fanatical obedience to the masters of logic and the scientific method, or their rejection of 19th century Christian ideology, the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau resonated with me. Looking back on my 15-year-old self, I suspect it had little to do with the reasons my 35-year-old self just identified. In 1983, I cared little about critiquing Enlightenment thought or religious ideology. Instead, I was drawn to Emerson's attitudes regarding Self-Reliance and Thoreau's beliefs regarding Civil Disobedience. Truthfully, I know didn't fully grasp what either author was trying to convey. What I did understand, however, was that the Transcendentalists were the intellectual and theological rebels of their time. They listened to the unique whisper of their inner voice rather than the hive-like drone of the masses. As Emerson wrote:

"What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think. This rule, equally arduous in actual and in intellectual life, may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness. It is the harder, because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it. It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude."

Today, I have a much better grasp of the "independence of solitude." Although one is likely to be branded a geek, nerd, dork, bookworm, rabble-rouser, or trouble-maker, there's a great degree of freedom that comes from following your own path. When I listen to my inner voice, and act accordingly, I know I'm doing what's right . . . for me.

The WTF Department

Child: Mommy, can I have a GI Joe for my birthday?

Mom: GI Joe? He's a wimp! He couldn't fight his way out of Grenada. Wouldn't you prefer the new George W. Bush: Elite Force Aviator? He's an army of one!

Child: Oh, boy!

George W. Bush: Elite Force Aviator

The Lovers' Knot

I presented the following blessing at Margie and Dan's wedding reception (July 25, 2003). As I presented the blessing extemporaneously, the text is not an exact transcript of my words. It's close, but not identical.

When I received Margie and Dan’s wedding invitation, my attention was drawn to the lovers’ knot gracing the top and bottom of the card. The lovers’ knot, a Celtic knot that looks like intertwined figure eights, symbolizes two together as one. When I researched the meaning of the lovers' knot, I discovered that different meanings are attributed to different knots. The trinity knot, for example, is thought to represent the Holy Trinity (Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit). Spirals, on the other hand, symbolize personal spirit or the circle of life. I also discovered that there’s absolutely NO archaeological evidence to support the meanings we attribute to Celtic knot work. We don’t know what the ancient Celts were trying to communicate through their art. There’s a beauty in that, I think. Celtic knot work is ancient form of art that takes on new meaning in contemporary society.

Marriage is similar to knot work: marriage has different meanings for each us. Recalling Jesus’ first miracle, performed at a wedding in Cana, Christian marriage is a holy covenant of love, mutual respect, personal commitment, and shared fidelity. Taoism, a Chinese mystical philosophy, equates marriage with a spiritual union that sees perfect beauty, feels perfect happiness, and recognizes the perfect unity of all things. Practitioners of Goddess spirituality describe a life-partnership as a magickal union based on the principles of immanent value, openness, interconnectedness, individuality, and equality.

Regardless of the spiritual path you follow, whether you’re Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Taoist, Buddhist, Wiccan, Agnostic, or Atheist, your ideas, beliefs, and attitudes regarding marriage contribute to the meaning of Dan and Margie’s union. You’ve become part of their life-partnership, of their lovers’ knot. Tonight, I’m honored that Margie and Dan asked me to make my contribution to their lovers’ knot by way of a formal blessing.

May the blessings of Earth be with you. May mountains of health, prosperity, and family always keep you stable.

May the blessings of Air be with you. May the winds of communication, knowledge, and mindfulness always keep you aloft.

May the blessings of Fire be with you. May the flames of passion, creativity, and devotion always keep you warm.

May the blessings of Water be with you. May the currents of compassion, respect, and kindness always keep you afloat.

May the blessings of Spirit be with you. May the presence of magick, love, and the divine always keep you centered.

Random Conversation

Derek: What's up with Java*?

Kathleen: He's being a freak!

Derek: A freak of nature?

Kathleen: Like me.

*Java is our cantankerous black cat.

Heroes for Hire

After last week's post regarding worst comic book costumes, and the subsequent comments regarding Power Man and Iron Fist, I decided to do a little Heroes for Hire research. Ultimately, I wound up buying most of Heroes for Hire v. 2 on ebay. Derek's #1 rule of Ebay comic book buying: Never pay more than a $1 per comic.

With issues 1-16 on their way, I'll need to find issues 17-19 to complete the set.

Long Live Lonetree!

During my AD&D years, I played a number of characters: a dwarven fighter, a half-elven cavalier, a human monk, a magic-user (briefly), and a druid. Lonetree the Druid, a neutral good, half-elven druid, was by far my longest running, and favorite, AD&D character. Over the course of several years, Lonetree advanced through his order and assumed the title of Great Druid (that's the day he retired). Going through my regular blog-reading routine, I stumbled across an AD&D character test (Thanks Tiffany. My results: Lawful Good Half Elf Ranger Druid. Imagine that.

I Am A: Lawful Good Half-Elf Ranger Druid


Alignment:
Lawful Good characters are the epitome of all that is just and good. They believe in order and governments that work for the benefit of all, and generally do not mind doing direct work to further their beliefs.


Race:
Half-Elves are a cross between a human and an elf. They are smaller, like their elven ancestors, but have a much shorter lifespan. They are sometimes looked down upon as half-breeds, but this is rare. They have both the curious drive of humans and the patience of elves.


Primary Class:
Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.


Secondary Class:
Druids are a special variety of Cleric who serves the Earth, and can call upon the power in the earth to accomplish their goals. They tend to be somewhat fanatical about defending natural settings.


Deity:
Mielikki is the Neutral Good goddess of the forest and autumn. She is also known as the Lady of the Forest, and is the Patron of Rangers. Her followers are devoted to nature, and believe in the positive and outreaching elements of it. They use light armor, and a variety of weapons suitable for hunting, which they are quite skilled at. Mielikki's symbol is a unicorn head.


Find out What D&D Character Are You?, courtesy ofNeppyMan (e-mail)

Random Conversation

Derek: You're a freak of nature.

Kathleen: That's right.

200 Greatest Popular Culture Icons

A couple days ago, Mike emailed and asked my opinion about VH1's Greatest Pop Culture Icons list. Here's what I think.

I'm assuming the 200 are ordered by status as a pop culture icon. According to VH1, each icon must pass one or more of the following criteria:

Do they pass the one-name test?
Can you dress up as them for Halloween?
Did they blaze a trail in pop culture?
Did they create a signature character in pop culture?
Can you quote them, or their character, in 10 seconds or less?
Did society imitate their sense of fashion? Hairstyle?
Did “SNL” create a sketch satirizing them?
Did someone write a song about them?
Was or is there merchandising or paraphernalia that bears their image?
Can they be connected to Kevin Bacon?

With that in mind, I have a few thoughts.

My first observation is that the list is overloaded with recent pop culture icons. Can we really say that the likes of Justin Timberlake, James Gandolfini (as Tony Soprano), Helle Barry, Reese Witherspoon, Ben Affleck (::gags::), Martha Stewart, The Osbournes (as amusing as I find their show), Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Eminem (how do they justify ranking him higher than Johnny Carson?!) have achieved the status of icons? That being said, the producers of the show are not stupid. I'm sure they sprinkled recent stars throughout the list in order to keep the attention of younger viewers. Am I supposed to believe that Tom Cruise is a greater icon than The Beatles? Please.

A few names on the last that I find absolutely baffling:

The Rock--Where's Hulk Hogan?
Cartman--Give me a break. Cartman's character is definitely rude and obnoxious. Is that one of the criteria?
Macaulay Culkin--WTF?! I think I'd put him up there with Leif Garrett.
Dr. Phil--the guy has been around for five years or so. How can he be one of the top 200 icons of all time?!
Venus/Serena Williams--Great tennis players but most people won't know who they are.
P. Diddy--another person most U.S. Americans won't recognize.
Pamela Anderson--Aarrrgghhhhh!
Friend's Cast @ 11--you have to be kidding.

Here are a few that I think should be included (apologies if I missed them on the list):

James Bond
Charlie Chaplin
Jack Benny
Errol Flynn
Bettie Paige
Richard Nixon
Larry Bird
Little Richard
The Carpenters
David Letterman
Ed Sullivan
The Sesame Street gang (particularly Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Oscar, Bert & Ernie)
Jim Henson
Captain Kangaroo

I'm sure there are others but these are the first to sping to mind. Here's a challenge: name 10 women who should have been included on the list.

Random Conversation

Derek: You know me, I don't mind being the center of attention. I kind of like it.

Kathleen: You're always the center of my attention.

Derek: Bonus points for that comment.

Kathleen: I thought so.

Worst Costumes

Gene sent me a link to the following site. What were these artists thinking?

Worst Superhero Costumes

The fact that I'm familiar with each of the characters listed is even scarier than the costumes themselves. Yes, I still read comic books.

Derek's Current Comic Book Favorites
1. Green Lantern
2. Iron Man
3. Avengers
4. Justice Society of America
5. Star Wars: Republic
6. Justice League of America
7. JSA: All Stars (limited series)
8. Outsiders
9. Star Wars: Empire
10. The Power Company