Mindful Speech

I may use the following as a talking point the next time I discuss communication ethics in Public Address.

Skillful speech not only means that we pay attention to the words we speak and to their tone but also requires that our words reflect compassion and concern for others and that they help and heal, rather than wound and destroy.

-Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness"

Civic Dullard, er, Duty?

The fact that elected officials scored a pathetic 44% on a "test measuring civic knowledge" is frightening. The people who constitute our civic structure can't even manage a passing grade? We have no hope as a country.

For the record, I scored a 30/33 (90.91%). You can take the test here. Not bad for a guy who took high school civics from a teacher who spent more time drawing up basketball plays than actually teaching civics. In all fairness to that slacker teacher (nice guy--he attended my church and I was friends with his daughter--but a burned out teacher), I gained much of my civics knowledge while studying for my Political Science minor way back when.

Death and My Television

I am, officially, the television kiss of death. If I start watching a show on a regular basis, it's bound to get canceled in the first couple seasons. Case in point: two of my favorite shows this year are Eli Stone and My Own Worst Enemy. Guess which shows got the axe this week?

I'm mystified as to how a sucktackular crapfest like Heroes can stay on the air while a witty and original program like Eli Stone gets blasted [1]. Eli Stone wasn't a perfect show, by any stretch, but it was whimsical and fun. People have no taste. Period. I know I'm a cynic in this regard, and probably an elitist, but if ratings continue to be the only measure for whether a show is a success then we're in for some pretty lean times in terms of quality. For whatever reason, people seem more drawn to the mindless clutter of Dancing with a Washed Up Star or the repetitive programming of CSI: Bismarck. Shall we start a betting pool on the demise of Chuck?

[1] I know I'm risking my geek cred with this comment. I have tried, REALLY HARD, to appreciate Heroes the last two seasons. I've come to the realization that there isn't much to appreciate. The writers have relied on comic book cliches (nobody dies, I'm your father, I've lost my powers/I have them back, the pursuit of power corrupts) to the point that the entire show is one giant cliche. And not a well written cliche, either. Every time Peter Petrelli does that damn cross jaw look, I want to freakin scream.

Slim

Will I ever be able to read/hear a reference to Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass without hearing J's voice saying, "Slim? Slim Whitman?"

I CELEBRATE myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me, as good belongs
to you.

I mean, really, it's been something like 24 years since that happened. Memory is a funny thing. I can barely remember what I had for lunch yesterday but I can remember a mundane, 10 second moment from way back when? It still cracks me up when I think about it.

Breaking the Code

I received an ambiguously worded email from a student earlier today. The email, and I'm paraphrasing here, said something like "Do you have time to meet tomorrow? I'd like to go over a few things." Kind of cryptic, right? Not really. I guarantee this students wants to:

A) complain about a grade

or

B) request extra credit.

Count on it. You can also count on the fact that Option A will not result in a changed grade (unless I've made an error of some kind) and Option B will not result in any additional work for extra credit. Credit is awarded for doing the work the first time around; there are no do overs in college.

Speaking of students, I finally got caught up on all my grading. I fell behind right before fall break which means I've had my nose buried in tests, reflection papers, and think pieces for the better part of three weeks. Thank goodness my head is above water again.

It's a Trap!

Frak! I just got rick roll'd by a Star Trek geek who claimed to have a link to the new ST trailer. I just couldn't stop myself from clicking on the link. Bastard.

Mist

Body impermanent like spring mist;
mind insubstantial like empty sky;
thoughts unestablished like breezes in space.
Think about these three points over and over.

-Adept Godrakpa, "Hermit of Go Cliffs"

Last Word. At Least For a While

After mhoram and I exchanged some words regarding Proposition 8, I thought I'd spend some time composing a treatise on the difference between personal conviction and the public good and how their are times when the latter needs to trump the former. But then I realized that the argument isn't all that unique, that mhoram is a smart guy, and that he's heard me spout my line of reasoning before. So, I'm going to just leave it alone.

I'm also going to see if I can depoliticize my life for a bit. Since July, I've been doing a considerable amount of academic writing around the election. Couple that with my own personal interest in political change and you wind up with a political blog. That's not really what I intended for this space when I started out. Time to lighten the blog up a little bit.

To All the Haters Out There

As excited as I am about President-elect Obama, I'm horribly disappointed in the outcome of CA Proposition 8. I am particularly disturbed by the amounts of money poured into the contest by the LDS and Catholic churches. I'm sure their contributions to the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign were absolutely by the book and completely legal. What disturbs me, however, is the arrogant religious position that somehow their God should be the moral arbiter for the rest of us, that their God has the True position on the definition of marriage. The implication is that those of us who follow a different conception of the divine, or none at all, are somehow misguided or mislead.

Thank goodness for the judicial system. I'm sure, after all the lawsuits sort out, that the ban will be found unconstitutional. In the mean time, I have a suggestion for all churches concerning same sex marriage. Make all the frakkin policies you wish about the sacrament of marriage and leave the legal dimension of marriage to the states. I don't tell you what to do within the confines of your hallowed halls; quit trying to tell "the people," and me, that we have to live by your religious code. I have my own spiritual code and, as the sign above relates, my notion of divinity doesn't exclude anyone.

Change Has Come to America

Thank you, America, for restoring my faith in "we the people." As President elect Obama reminded us tonight, this election was only the first step. Together, as a people, we can change the course of our country.

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can.

Tonight, for the first time in years, I might actually get a good night's sleep.