Hodgepodge

I haven't done a "What's New" post in a while, not that there's all that much newness springing forth from the corn oven, but there are few pieces of flotsam and jetsam that seem somewhat blogworthy.

• I underwent my official third year review during 07-08 academic calendar. Having met with the tenure committee and the dean, I finally received my official review letter. Excellent marks across the board. In fact, the Dean commented that my teaching evaluations were "quite remarkable" and among the best he'd ever seen. What this means is that if I continue doing what I'm doing, tenure proper will not be a problem.
• The summer has been relatively school free. I committed to teaching a summer session but enrollment has been abysmal across the college and the course didn't receive the necessary students to justify having the course. In fact, I had zero students registered. While the money would have been nice, a commitment free summer has been even nicer.
• I'm working on a couple academic pieces. One is a collaborative rhetorical criticism of Barack Obama's epideictic rhetoric. More specifically, we're arguing that Obama's rhetoric is an excellent example the performative nature of "We the People." Or something like that. We're spending the early part of this week nailing down the theory. Once that's finished, we'll move on to the rhetorical criticism proper. The second piece is a potential book chapter proposal regarding Lost. My idea for this piece is to examine The Island as ethical community. I have the basic idea for the proposal mapped out in my head. As the proposal is due July 31, I need to decide whether I want to submit this proposal or focus on projects I already have in the works.
  
• This summer continues to be the summer of home improvements. Inspired by Big Damn Roof project, we took on the Big Damn Drainage project. When we bought the house a couple years back, we noticed that in one area the yard sloped back toward the house. Negative slope + rain = water in the basement. We have a stone foundation so water in the basement should be expected, but we thought we'd see what we could do to minimize the amount (we never had more than a 1/2" puddle in two separate parts of the basement--nothing major compared to what others deal with in this area). So, with some help from my ultra-knowledgeable father, a man I swear was some kind of construction engineer in another life, we planned and installed an exterior drainage trench/French drain over the course of two days. The worst part of constructing something like this is all the damn shoveling. The rest isn't all that time consuming or difficult. Positive slope + drainage trench + rain = dry basement.
• I ran the local 15 yesterday and improved my time from previous years. Two years ago I ran the race in 1:12, last year in 1:07, and this year in 1:05. That's an average of a 7 minute mile--not bad for a 40 year old. Other than a blister or two, my body is holding up exceptionally well this running season. I backed off on the actual running miles and increased cross training, especially the exercise bike. Three days a week I run for an hour + and three days a week I do most of my mileage on the bike. Since I'm feeling so well, I'm targeting a half marathon at the end of August. If that race goes well, I may shoot for a marathon at the end of October. We'll see how the body holds up.

And that's all the exciting news from the corn furnace. Life is pretty darn quiet around here.

Scootin

A few weeks back, Michael posted some thoughts on his attempts to minimize the rising cost of gasoline. As numerous news stories have pointed out, people are making significant lifestyle changes in order to cope with the new and improved (okay, maybe not so improved) petroleum expenses. My household is fortunate in that our income allows us to absorb increased gas prices without too much trouble. With STK commuting 110 miles a day for 9 months of the year, however, the rise in prices is noticeable.

To help offset some of the added expense, we've made two major adjustments. First, we decided to hold off on purchasing a new car. Our commuter car, a 1995 Honda Civic, has 196,000 miles on the odometer and we'd hoped to replace Old Reliable with a new Civic. Given that the 2008 Civic Sedan only gets 36 MPG--the 1995 Civic still gets 45 MPG--we've decided to hold off on a new purchase for at least six months. I've talked to our Honda service folks and they assure me that, with a little regular maintenance, the '95 Civic will run indefinitely. We're hoping the car will hold out until a new Honda hybrid, based on the profile of the FCX Clarity, gets released in 2009. If Honda hits their financial mark, the new hybrid will come in at around $19000 and that's a realistic price range for our income level.

The second major adjustment also happens to be fun. In April of this year, we made space in the garage for an extremely economical mode of transportation:

I've always wanted a scooter and, at STK's encouragement, I started shopping around for deals and found one at our local Honda dealership. I use the scooter for my short commute to school, to run errands, a trip to the workout club, etc. To date I've covered 150 scoot-around-town miles on 1.5 gallons of gas for an average of . . . 100 MPG. At that rate, the scooter will pay for itself in about five years. Making a significant expenditure may not be the most logical way of combating rising gas prices but it sure is fun.

Not News: Pets and the Presidential Election

This story was on the front page of several news sites. Ugh.

Up on the Rooftop

Given my deep enthusiasm for home repairs, I decided to tackle this project starting tomorrow AM. I'm about as prepared as possible for the project. My father, a man who rivals just about any old construction contractor in terms of home building knowledge, passed along a file containing numerous articles, book chapters, and even VHS videos on how to accomplish the task. After several days of reading, watching, and surfing, I feel confident I can pull off the repair. My bucket of tools is ready, shingles and waterproof membrane are already on the roof, and tomorrow's weather looks ideal (read: nice and cool) for doing some roofing.

Wish me luck. If all goes well, I figure I'll save myself between $500-1000. Not exactly how I want to spend my summer vacation, but a day or two of hard work is well worth the savings. If all goes well, STK and I may take a DIY shot at roofing the garage.

The Fall of the Starbuck's Empire

The news is splashed on almost every major news website I've visited this morning:

Starbucks to Close 600 Stores.

Personally, I don't believe this has anything to do with the recent economic down turn. The struggles of Starbucks rest firmly on the introduction of the company's Pike Place Roast. Positioned as an "everyday" coffee, whatever that means, Pike Place Blend offered the casual coffee drinker a beverage similar to those produced by Dunkin' Doughnuts and McDonalds. Boy, did Starbucks miss the mark on this putrid brew. I've tried the foul concoction on three different occasions (I even added a shot of espresso during one taste test--nothing could salvage that cup of coffee) and I don't see much difference between Pike Place Blend and Folgers. The family and I did a bit of cross country traveling during middle two weeks of June. During that time I visited two or three different Starbucks (Starbucks is often the only coffee in town), ordered my quadruple americano, and offered my opinion to the Barista of the hour. I kept my critique short and too the point: "Pike Place is bad. Really bad." I'm apparently not the only dismayed customer. To add insult to injury, Starbucks stores no longer offer a "bold" (dark roast) option after noon. WTF?

Wake up and smell the coffee, Starbucks. I don't frequent your stores on a regular basis anymore (the closest Starbucks is 50 miles away), but I used to be a regular customer back in the day. Starbucks is still my oasis during my travels throughout the year. Or should I say used to be my coffee oasis. No matter my location--airport, interstate, suburbs, downtown--I knew Starbucks would have a better than average cup of coffee waiting for me. That, I'm afraid, is no longer true.

Where's dilliwag?

Writing and reading! Despite the fact that school technically ended on May 23 (that was the final faculty meeting), I've been pulling together an extended abstract for a conference I'd like to attend. The interdisciplinary conference examines the impact of Barack Obama's entry into the political realm. The proposal I'm submitting uses Obama's campaign oratory to support my contention that rhetoric is, quite literally, a magical endeavor. I've been giving the five page document the final edit this evening; it goes out in tomorrow's mail.

I'm such a dreadfully slow writer, and increasingly disorganized, that I usually can't generate more than one original page a day. Of course, I only have about a two hour window each day to get any real writing done. If I could go back to the days of staying up until 5 AM, I'd probably be far more productive. Having a three year old who wakes up between 6-7 AM kind of puts a kibosh on that kind of writing behavior. So, after dropping TLO off at daycare around 11:30, I head back home, take the dogs for a walk, make some lunch, and adjourn to the computer to eat and write. The first half hour of the writing process is typically a review/rework/edit of my last completed section. Once that ritual is complete, I can spend a couple hours generating new material. And that's about all the time I have to write. If I'm feeling scholarly, I can usually eek out another hour after STK and TLO retire for the evening. That's when I go back, reread my latest work, decide it really isn't all that great, and rewrite the entire section.

Does anyone else agonize to this extent about writing? I enjoy the process, believe it or not, and manage to put out decent work at the end of the day. I've come to the understanding that I'll probably never be a ground breaking rhetorical rock star scholar, but I think I can make some interesting and enlightening contributions to the field. Most days I'm okay with that.

Next week, instead of writing, I'll be attending a seminar on representations of Islam. Should be interesting. I hope to incorporate some of what I learn into my upcoming popular culture class.

Ndors

Obama and Clinton finally manage to discuss the end of the primary campaign . . . via text messaging.

BHO: hey
HRC: sup
BHO: pwnd jo
HRC: meh
BHO: j/k LOL
HRC: ur teh suck
BHO: WTF?
HRC: sry, Ill Ndors u
BHO: k
HRC: k
BHO: well... l8rs
HRC: cya

Wish I could take credit for this but all credit is due a poster named mikeguyver at dailykos (see my links).

Crescent

Love this photo.

[UPDATE] Original photo can be accessed here.

Quack

The main stream media mystery of the night that's not really a mystery: Why did the white, non-college educated, voters of West Virginia break overwhelmingly for Clinton? Is Obama out of touch with middle-class, blue collar workers? Is he too elite? Why is nobody talking about the obvious answer: Obama is black. Is it really a big secret that racism is practiced much more openly in Appalachia and the South? Last weekend, I had the great fortune of sitting down with an Obama campaign worker who ran one of the Indiana offices. When I asked why he was headed to campaign in South Dakota and not West Virginia he said, "Why do you think?" My answer: "Predominantly white Southern state?" Bingo. He then regaled us with tales of being greeted in southern Indiana with the N word, bomb threats, and other assorted race based incidents. Oh, and a burning cross. Beautiful. The Obama campaign internals pegged West Virginia as a slaughter from the outset (same with Kentucky, by the way) and decided not to waste resources.

Some of the pundits just won't shut up about this false "White people won't vote for Obama" theme. Just off the top of my head, Obama won Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Washington, Colorado, and Wyoming (and he'll win Oregon and possibly South Dakota and Montana). Barack Obama does not have a problem with white working class voters. His problem with Southern/Appalachian white working class voters has less to do with his policy positions and more with his skin color. When one of the guest pundits offers this position, she or he gets hammered by other guests or the host.

Why look for a complicated answer when the simple one is looking everyone in the face? If it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck.

Wall of Weird

Skull Bong. Proof that you can find almost anything on the internets. Back in the partying days, almost 15 years ago, I could have used this kind of instruction. Actually, I never really got into the drug thing. I will say, though, I probably could have been talked into trying to unearth a skull . . . after a few adult beverages.

13 Skulls. Indiana Jones struggles to solve a modern day mystery. Did stories about these crystal skulls freak anyone out as a kid? I always thought they looked kind of creepy.

Flaming Skull. A possible sequel to Ghost Rider? The first one was entertaining, but not really a "good" movie. Why on earth go for a 2nd film? I can't imagine a sequel would be much better than the original.

Almost a Super Genius

Why couldn't this study have come out prior to March 1968? I was a bottle fed baby every step of the way. I would have been a bona fide genius, rather than borderline, had my mother fed me au naturale. Thanks, Mom.

Do or Do Not

Wishful Thinking

I just stumbled across C-SPAN's coverage of Barack Obama's last major Pennsylvania rally. There's something special about this guy. He really does represent change, something we desperately need in this country. What we do not need is a Democratic candidate who runs Republican ads. Osama bin Laden as part of a Democratic fear appeal? Are you kidding me? Disgusting. My ardent dislike for this Republican in sheep's clothing--since when do Democrats threaten countries with nuclear annihilation?--has evolved into an all consuming loathing. I'd rather eat a bowl of crushed glass than vote for her.

Despite the various polls regarding the Pennsylvania primary, polls that give Clinton a 6-7% lead, I'm going to go out on a limb and call for the upset: Obama 50.5 Clinton 49.5.

Sunday Edition

Ribbon Culture: Charity, Compassion, and Public Awareness. While written from a social research perspective, this looks to be an interesting exploration of rhetoric, identity, and public advocacy. Can't wait to get my hands on it and give it a read.

Speaking of Faith: Thich Nhat Hanh. Speaking of Faith is one of my favorite public radio programs. Unfortunately, it's buried at some obscure time on most NPR stations and, I suspect, most NPR listeners never get a chance to experience this excellent program. This morning's program featured a rebroadcast of a dialogue with Thich Nhat Hanh, the venerable Buddhist monk who has committed his entire life to promoting nonviolence. Please find the time to give this a listen. I believe Thich Nhat Hanh, more than any other person on this planet, has the answers for transforming a world of anger and violence to a world of compassion and peace. The wonderful thing about his message is that he firmly believes that Buddhism exists in harmony with all other religious belief systems. In other words, one doesn't have to be a Buddhist to practice his solutions.

Ever Feel Like You've Been Cheated? A fun, and informative, reflection on punk rock, protest, and performance. Don't miss Part II of the piece. Particularly interesting is the author's assertion that many of the now famous punk musicians had very little connection with the working class youth they supposedly championed. It's all about the performance, eh?

Spring Cleaning

Between Saturday and Sunday, I spent upwards of eight hours cleaning, straightening, organizing, and installing. Eight hours of my life that I'll never get back. Yes, the dirty deeds needed doing. Yes, the garage looks great. No, I don't feel much in the way of a sense of accomplishment. It needed doing and so it got done. After almost two years of living in our house, we finally sorted through boxes of baby clothes/toys, stray scraps from various home repair/improvement projects, and piles of miscellany. We reboxed, restacked, and reshelved. We carried boxes to the basement, lifted others into the rafters, and carted the unwanted to Goodwill. The result is pretty nifty looking garage.

The highlight of the day, however, had to be the installation of our new chandelier. After double checking my mad electrical skills with my father, I turned off the switch to the light, climbed the ladder, removed the rather hideous fixture we've complained about for years, and installed the new piece. Despite a couple of frustrating moments (this task rated a single FRAK! about halfway through--that's pretty low on the scale, actually), STK and I finished up in less than an hour. A special note to Alabama Hick: I didn't wear eye protection!

Here's a glimpse of our handy work.





During next weekend's Big Damn Home Improvement blog post I'll talk about seeding and fertilizing the yard, installing a new light fixture in the front entryway, and planning a bifold door project.

Thaw

It looks like we've finally turned the corner in terms of winter weather. The temperature is reaching the 50 degree mark on a regular basis, the piles of snow are almost melted, and the street sweepers are scouring the residual sand from the gutters. The forecast predicts we'll hit a stretch in the 60s by the end of the week. Time to pack away the long underwear. Woohoo! After a couple of mild winters by Midwest standards, this winter dragged on, and on, and on, and on. The Spring rains, and the predictable complaining about "too much rain," loom on the horizon. Another six to eight weeks, though, and we should be into a five month stretch of very livable weather.

My extended spring break came to an end earlier this week. With an academic conference commencing a couple days before the official start of break, I ended up with a 12 day break. Damn the bad luck. Actually, I'm ready to make the final push toward the end of the semester and get on with summer break. I did quite a bit of traveling this semester--I was gone every other weekend for an eight week stretch and I never really got my head into the teaching game. With several research projects rattling around in my noggin, it's a constant struggle to stay focused in almost any aspect of my life. What I really need is six months to do some serious reading and writing but we all know that's not going to happen. So, I'll keep plugging along late at night, on the weekends, and during my various breaks. Before I know it, a couple of the pieces will coalesce into something tangible.

League of Unextraordinary Gentlemen

In a policy address presented earlier today, John McCain remarked:

We have to strengthen our global alliances as the core of a new global compact -- a League of Democracies -- that can harness the vast influence of the more than one hundred democratic nations around the world to advance our values and defend our shared interests.

Woodrow Wilson is completely behind that idea. Go McCain!

Barack Star!

I never do anything anything halfway. I'm either totally in or totally out. Unfortunately, the same holds true for my support of political candidates (and that's probably why I've avoided getting sucked into mainstream politics the last few elections). Having thrown my full support behind Barack Obama, I spend a great deal of my time reading/watching any and all media reports about the Obama/Clinton contest. When Obama is doing well in the polls, I see a future filled with hope, change, and a return to the basic principles that make the US of A a country to be admired. When he goes through a rough stretch, I literally lose sleep worrying about a dismal future with McCain or Clinton at the helm.

Thankfully, I stumbled across an antidote for the times when the campaign ebbs rather than flows. I guarantee I'll place this several times a week, maybe even several times a day, over the next couple of weeks. This is my naproxen for political aches and pains.

Numerology

80,000+. A rough estimate regarding the number of civilian casualties in Iraq.

4000. The number of US casualties as of yesterday.

140. The number of Tibetan demonstrators killed by the Chinese government during the latest round of protests.

10. The number of questions presented to the Dalai Lama in 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama.

14. The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet: Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.

Welcome to the Concrete Jungle

1) Approached by panhandlers at every opportunity. I remembered to put on the Leave Me the Frak Alone scowl and most panhandlers left me the frak alone. Most. One adventurous old guy, missing most of his teeth, got right up in my face with his little paper cup and asked for change. I laughed and gave him what change I had.

2) Received offer of oral sex from a women I can only describe as a hippie hooker. She didn't say a word but looked at me, nodded, and made an unmistakable gesture involving her hand and mouth.

3) Witnessed an alternacouple--a goth and punk--sitting quietly in a Japanese garden.

4) Gagged from the aromatic experience of riding the bus.

5) Asked, "Wanna score some weed?" seconds after entering a city park. I must give off an obvious addict/alcoholic vibe.

6) Ordered a "Heart of Darkness" dark roast coffee at an independent coffee house.

7) Heard three, maybe four, languages spoken while I waited to cross a street.

8) Paid $9 for a coffee and bottled water.

9) Noticed four Starbucks within less than a block of my current location.

10) Encountered more tattoos and piercings during a four hour excursion than I do in four months back at home.

I really miss living in the city.

It Was Forty Years Ago Today . . .

I turned 40 years old today. That doesn't seem possible, but it's the honest to goodness truth. Everyone keeps asking if I'm okay, if I'm depressed, if I feel like I'm middle aged. Honestly, I still don't feel like I'm a day over 26. My health is excellent, although I do mend a bit slower, and my mind is even excellenter (I find I can grasp far deeper philosophical/theoretical ideas than I could at 26). So, 40 years old an no major complaints. Can't beat that with a stick.

The day progressed like almost any other and that's the way I like it with birthdays. Birthdays just aren't that big a deal to me. I got TLO off to daycare, did some teaching, went for a 4 mile run, and came home to a birthday dinner. We feasted on Boca burgers, onion rings, french fries, and raw carrots dipped in wasabi mustard. *slurp* That is, without a doubt, my favorite meal. We finished off the birthday feast with a dark chocolate cake slathered in cream cheese frosting, vanilla ice cream, and cool whip.

STK's card was a winner, as usual. She always manages to find just the right quirky card for me. The cover of the card features a quote by Malcolm Crowley that reads: "They tell me you'll lose your mind when you grow older. What they don't tell you is that you won't miss it very much."

Inside the card is a personal note from STK: "Happy Birthday! Hopefully, you won't lose your mind. If you do, I got your back. Welcome to the 40s." Thank goodness for that. In all seriousness, the only reservation or fear I have about getting old is the possibility of losing my mental faculties. I realize I'll slow down physically, that I'll eventually die. Not a problem. Losing my mind, however, is a fate worse than death. In fact, I've asked STK to find some way to help me slip from this mortal coil if I ever lose the use of my mind. She does, indeed, have my back.

STk has informed me that I'm to purchase a new pair of black, steel-toe Doc Marten boots as a birthday gift. I've had my eye on a particular pair since last summer--my everyday Docs are completely thrashed--and it's time to take the plunge.

Is there anything more exciting than buying new boots?

Political Silly Season Continues

Sometime in the last day or so, someone circulated a picture of Barack Obama in traditional Somali dress. The Obama camp immediately wagged a finger at the Clinton campaign for underhanded tactics and the Clinton camp launched an attack at the Obama campaign for trying to manufacture a crisis. The Clinton camp stated:

If Barack Obama’s campaign wants to suggest that a photo of him wearing traditional Somali clothing is divisive, they should be ashamed. Hillary Clinton has worn the traditional clothing of countries she has visited and had those photos published widely. This is nothing more than an obvious and transparent attempt to distract from the serious issues confronting our country today and to attempt to create the very divisions they claim to decry. We will not be distracted.

Under normal circumstances, I'd agree with the Clinton campaign. The photo itself is rather innocuous and couldn't possibly be divisive, right? Wrong. In and of itself, the photograph is nothing unique. As the Clinton spokesperson pointed out, many politicians don traditional ethnic and cultural apparel as a sign of respect for the people they encounter. The current photograph of Obama, however, is circulating on the heels of the infamous Obama is a Radical Muslim! emails. Despite repeated refutations, people still continue to position Barack Obama as a Muslim. And while this shouldn't be a problem in a country that celebrates freedom of religion, the word "Muslim" still conjures the specter of terrorism. Taken in this light, the Clinton campaign's dismissal of the photo as not being a matter of significance is completely and utterly disingenuous. There are those who, when seeing Obama in this style of dress, will believe the Obama is a Muslim! myth. Given Clinton's attack oratory of the last few days--so much for the gracious Clinton seen at the debate--I'd be willing to bet my next donation to the Obama campaign that the photo did, indeed, originate from within the Clinton campaign.

For the record, Barack Obama is a Christian.

By the way, the latest SUSA poll--the most accurate pollster of this election cycle--has Obama with the lead in Texas, 49-45%. No wonder the Clinton campaign is resorting to fear mongering propaganda.

Higher What?

The University of Colorado Regents pick a Republican activist, an activist who doesn't have a graduate degree, as President of the university. Huh? How does someone with absolutely no advanced education relate to an institution where many of the employees, and clients, are required to have a graduate degree? Lest one thinks this is a regular practice in higher education: A 2005 survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education found that fewer than 1 percent of college presidents and chancellors held only a bachelor's degree. More than 83 percent held a doctorate. At my college, the President's qualifications and experience include a Ph.D., ten years of teaching experience as a faculty professor, and several years as a dean. This is a President, mind you, who has been the most successful fund raiser in the history of the college.

CU's choice, Benson, might not be able to relate to faculty or graduate students, but I bet he can raise money for the school! As far as I can tell, this seems to be the impetus for this decision. One more instance of the shift toward viewing higher education as a business rather than the pursuit of knowledge. Are colleges and universities supposed to be places of learning or diploma mills?

I also suspect the Ward Churchill scandal had something to do with this selection. When I visited my folks in Colorado last week, my dad commented on the fact that CU needed a good conservative to straighten out the liberal mess that is CSU. I believe his words were: "higher education doesn't need a bunch of liberal radicals running the show." ugh. So, as a result of the over exaggerated Ward Churchill scandal, we see a public institution making a decision based on political party (Benson is a Republican activist; all Republican regents voted for Benson while all Democratic regents voted against). Did CU wind up with the best candidate or the best Republican candidate?

Refreshed

I spent the last few days at the Western States Communication Association conference in Denver, my old stomping grounds. Over the last several years, I've become dismayed with academic conferences in my field, particularly NCA. NCA is expensive, swarming with people, and those in attendance either have huge egos or drink too much (or both). If you're not from a R1 institution, you don't amount to squat. Even though I don't care for NCA, I typically attend. It's a great way to connect with friends scattered hither and yon, check out the new wares of publishers, and spend some time in the big city. The last two years, however, the cost to my mental wellbeing hasn't been worth the price of admission. I return home, dejected that I'm not one of the academic cool kids and that my path through higher education isn't seen as valuable as others. Who wants to hang with the guy from the liberal arts college who publishes once every 18 months? I realize most of my consternation is in my own head but I'll be damned if I don't need therapy after getting back from the national conference.

Western States, a smaller regional conference, was an entirely different experience. I spent time with friends, attended a couple excellent panels, presented some of my recent writing, and had an excellent time. A longtime mentor validated my career path and life choices, several former colleagues from my ABD/adjunct days let me know how much my presence is missed, and numerous graduate students and soon-to-be graduating undergrads made a point to tell me that I'd inspired them to pursue graduate studies or become a Speech Communication major.* A friend and I commiserated, over a leisurely three hour dinner, about the challenges of parenting, teaching, and writing. It's nice to know I'm not the only parent who can't wait to drop my kid off at daycare and get to work. We even talked about collaborating on some work (nothing related to kids, thank you very much).

While I still need therapy--I suspect that will be the case throughout my adult life to a greater or lesser degree--I returned home from this conference rejuvenated and revitalized. I can't wait to work on some of the projects I discussed with colleagues.

*My BA/MA alma matter hosted the convention. I bathed in the comfortable glow of green and gold.

Yes We Can

If you're participating in a Democratic caucus or voting in a Democratic primary tomorrow, or in the coming weeks, please give Barack Obama some thought. We desperately need a change of the guard in Washington and I believe he represents the best chance for that change.

Can we replace confrontation with cooperation, animosity with accordance, and ennui with exuberance?

Yes. We. Can.

We'd Like to Announce an Endorsement

If you can't decide who you should support in the the upcoming SuperTsunamiTorrentialDownpourHurricaneWintryMix Tuesday, let me direct you to Barack Obama's latest endorsement.

Wil Wheaton Chooses Change!

Time to transfer to the USS Obama, Trek fans. All trek and political kidding aside, Wil's an engaging writer and you should be reading his blog . . . regardless of your political affiliation.

He's Baaaaaaaack

Looks like my I Won't Vote HRC safety net is almost in position.

Nader Explores Presidential Run.

He's rested and ready for action.

SOTU: dilliwag edition

Good evening my fellow Americans.

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah surge is working blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah stand strong in war on terror blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah not a recession blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah al Queda must be defeated blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah call on Congress to support stimulus package blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah land of the free, home of the brave.

God bless America.

I didn't watch a single second. How'd I do?

ABC

You know, I've been trying to keep an open mind about the Democratic campaign for delegates and the eventual Presidential nomination. While I openly support Obama, Edwards has always been second choice, and Clinton a distant third. Truth be told, the difference between the three in terms of policy is minuscule. So, I thought to myself, I'll be the good liberal voter and support anyone who takes on the Republican machine. About a week ago, I changed my position. As of today, I'll support Anyone But Clinton. I'm not going to enumerate the various shenanigans pulled by the Clinton campaign as the press has done a decent job in the last couple days of shining some light on the subject. The latest move--the attempt to have Michigan and Florida delegates counted when the states broke the rules of the DNC--is absolutely slimey. When the DNC penalized Michigan and Florida, Edwards and Obama removed their names from the Michigan primary and refused to campaign in either state. Democratic unity and all that, right? Wrong. Hillary Clinton is now calling for the delegates to count (she's the only candidate who stands to benefit significantly from the move).

Do we really need more politics as usual? This whole move smacks of something Karl Rove would cook up. If Clinton wins the nomination, it's my belief she'll lose the general election to [Insert Republican Candidate Here]. Is there any Democrat more loathed by the Right than Hillary Clinton? Is there any Democrat more loathed by the Left?

I heard Nader is thinking about making another run. If Clinton wins the nomination, Nader can count me a supporter.

[Updated] Another excellent NYTimes Opinion piece about the Clintons and campaign strategy.

Return of the Feast

Feast #177

Appetizer--How many times per day do you usually laugh? A half dozen, maybe? Not enough, lately, that's for sure.

Soup--What do your sunglasses look like? Which pair? One, two (olve green, though), three, or four (black frames)?

Salad--You win a free trip to anywhere on your continent, but you have to travel by train. Where do you go?
Seattle, the land of rain and coffee.

Main Course--Name one thing you consider a great quality about living in your town/city. Zero traffic. Non. Nada. Zilch. 5 PM rush hour means we might have to wait for four or five cars to pass through a four way stop. Less than a minute delay, tops.

Dessert--If the sky could be another color, what color do you think would look best? The reddish pinkish orangish color we see from photos on Mars.

Lost

Find out Which Lost Character Are You at LiquidGeneration.com!

Hmmm . . . oddly enough, I think this might be appropriate. If you haven't watched the show, Locke is an interesting character. To say the least.

Persons of the Year

I've been meaning to comment on Time magazine's choice for Person of the Year. In case you missed it, the folks at Time went with Vladimir Putin (Al Gore was runner up). Vladimir Putin? Huh? Boy, do I think they missed the boat.

The choice for persons of the year was unanimous here at Rhetorical Imprints. 2007 was the year of the Poptarts: Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Paris Hilton. How many times did these three paragons of excess, overindulgence, and personal spectacle grace the literal and figurative covers of our favorite mediated sources? Have three individuals ever provided, albeit inadvertently, so many life lessons? It's like these three set out to produce public services announcements regarding poor parenting skills, drunk driving/addiction, and the consequences of spoiling children. And the most important lesson of all: don't party in public without wearing underpants.

Could any professional writer produce a more poignant morality play?

Hope

My argument, however, is that we have no choice. You don’t need a poll to know that the vast majority of Americans–Republican, Democrat, and independent–are weary of the dead zone that politics has become, in which narrow interests vie for advantage and ideological minorities seek to impose their own versions of absolute truth. Whether we’re from red states or blue states, we feel in our gut the lack of honesty, rigor, and common sense in our policy debates, and dislike what appears to be a continuous menu of false or cramped choices. Religious or secular, black, white, or brown, we sense– correctly–that the nation’s most significant challenges are being ignored, and that if we don’t change course soon, we may be the first generation in a very long time that leaves behind a weaker and more fractured America than the one we inherited. Perhaps more than any other time in our recent history, we need a new kind of politics, one that can excavate and build upon those shared understandings that pull us together as Americans.

Roughly one year ago, I read these words written by Barack Obama and thought to myself, "If this guy decides to run for President, I might just buck my trend of voting for third party candidates." About six weeks ago, I agreed to caucus for Barack Obama. I don't agree with all his policy positions and would probably find a better match in an idealist like Dennis Kucinich, but Obama seems the best electable option. So, I talked him up to folks I encountered, allowed the campaign to plant a sign on our corner lot (that was actually more STK's doing than mine), and marked the caucus on the calendar. Tonight, I did my civic duty and stood with Barack Obama. In fact, I even approached a couple other caucus goers who supported non-viable candidates and invited them to join the Obama camp. At least one of those folks shifted allegiances to Obama. As STK said earlier this evening, "Nice work, d. You did your duty."

I watched Obama's acceptance speech tonight and I have to say, I haven't been this excited about a candidate in, well, ever. When I listen to him speak, I hear a genuineness that doesn't seem present in the other front runners. I think some of that sincerity is the result of naivety; Obama clearly thinks he can take on the Washington establishment and make significant changes. I suspect he hasn't been around long enough to realize that much of what he wants to accomplish will be met with resistance at every turn, even from his own party. Even so, I find his "audacity of hope" compelling. I'm tired of Washington business as usual and from where I'm standing, Barack Obama presents the best opportunity to actually see some change.

I am an Obama supporter and I approve this message.

Holiday Redux

Three weeks, three "official" holiday parties, 2000 miles, and three holiday celebrations with friends and family. And people wonder why I'm not all "JingleBellsDashingThroughTheSnowJoyToTheWorld" about the holiday season? Personally, I find it all a bit exhausting. It's always a treat to see friends and family, bask in the hustle and bustle of the big city, and get away from home for a bit, of course, but I'm glad it's all over and that I'm back in the middle of almost nowhere (although the Presidential candidates seem to think we live somewhere--nearly all of them have been through our neck of the woods the last couple weeks).

The holiday booty proved predictable--probably because I send out the same list every single year--but right on the money for my tastes. Highlights include Fahrenheit, Kaladi Coffee for a year (1 lb a month), some Aveda product (clove shampoo), a couple Barnes and Noble gift cards, and a black sweater vest. I'm on the prowl for a skinny black tie.

Throughout the holiday sojourn, the weather wizard tried to complicate matters. We left town ahead of a winter storm and while we managed to dodge the snow we spent the better part of nine hours driving through heavy fog and drizzle. Brilliant sunshine illuminated the second leg of the journey providing a beautiful view of the mountains as we approached the front range. Alas, the sunshine proved fleeting and substantial amounts of snow (8" on two different occasions) complicated travel plans slightly. The snow did provide the opportunity to do some shoveling for both my in-laws and my 'rents, thus paying forward the shoveling done by DrOneDink and AlabamaHick (they shoveled our sidewalk while we were away). While I was hoping for one of those 65 degree Colorado Christmases that turn up now and again, a white Christmas was unavoidable.

The drive back from Colorado seemed shorter this time around, largely due to my discovery of Nebraska's most excellent Public Radio network. With slight adjustments to the dial, NPR comes in loud and clear across the entire state. STK and TLO spent most of the trip in the back of the Element, dozing and watching Star Wars DVDs, while I just kept on truckin'.

A viewing of Stardust ushered in the New Year. Of all the nights on the calendar, I avoid doing anything on New Years Eve or, as I like to call it, Amateur Night. On New Years Eve, almost everyone thinks they can drink like a pro. The result is a bunch of goofy, buzzed or falling down drunk folks who aren't all that entertaining . . . unless you're also loaded, of course. Not that exciting for us sober folk. I also get tired of everyone turning to me and saying, "Hey, Derek can drive us home. He doesn't drink." Uh, no. You are responsible for your own behaviors. Assign a designated driver, call a cab, walk, or take a bus. I am not spending my evening chauffeuring drunks. The best way to avoid the entire mess is to stay home. Thankfully, STK and I are on the same page.

With the holiday season in the year view mirror, I'm turning my attention to the upcoming spring semester. I'm on mini sabbatical until January 31st and have a list of academic projects in my queue: 3rd year review personal statement, conference paper, course syllabi. A busy January for sure, but I get to work completely on my own schedule. Huzzah!

Flaming Yams

A delicious recipe enjoyed during this year's Joulupukki celebration hosted at our home.
---
2 Cans Yams in Light Syrup
1 Jar Marshmallow Fluff
1 Stick Butter
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

*Drain yams; retain syrup.

*Place yams in 9 x 9 baking dish.

*In a saucepan combine retained light syrup, butter, and brown sugar. Heat until butter and sugar are melted. Pour mixture over yams.

*Top with generous layer of marshmallow fluff.

*Broil until marshmallow fluff bursts into flame.
---
Smoke filled the kitchen and four adults scrambled around trying to decide how best to put out the fire--a lid smothered the flames nicely. Despite the "Holy Crap the Kitchen is on Fire!" moment, the holiday meal turned out just fine. Good times.

A Tale of Two Xmas Cards

The new thing in higher education holiday celebrations appears to be the e-card. I've received two in the last couple weeks. Truth be told, I find the e-card an excellent alternative to the paper holiday card. Considering how many holiday cards get sent out by institutions on an annual basis, the e-card is a winner all the way round. Fewer trees meet their doom passing on a greeting that quickly gets tossed in the circular file, although it should go in the recycling bin, and the low cost delivery system that is email probably saves schools a goodly amount of money.

Keeping all this in mind, I welcomed the two cards I received. I opened one, viewed/listened with pleasure, and felt a bit of holiday cheer emanate from my usually bah humbugish bones. When I opened the second I felt, well, like I'd been asked to pay for the card I received. One card seemed to advance the spirit of giving; one card seemed to promote the spirit of getting.

Magical Christmas.

Forever Green.

Which school would you rather attend?

Weekly Reader: Frankenstein, Forbidden Planet, and Fire from the Sky

A while back, I saved these links as a draft and never got around to posting. Now that the semester is essentially over (I have a few tests to grade but should have those finished by tomorrow afternoon . . . and I'm grading at a very leisurely pace), I hope to have some extra blogging time.

Frankenstein. The Prometheus myth has to be one of the most prevalent cultural narratives, doesn't it? When humans play with the fire of the gods, someone always gets burned.

Forbidden Planet Soundtrack? Excellent stuff. Forbidden Planet is one of my favorite classic science fiction films.

Fire from the Sky. Interesting piece about ethics in wartime. What does the firebombing of civilian population centers say about the Allies?

Light Up and Be Cool

Despite what almost everyone and their mother says these days, smoking is cool.

Smoking in the Movies

You might get cancer, but you'll look damn cool in the process. Have I mentioned how much I miss smoking?

Just a Goth Darn Minute

Amusing and surprisingly accurate.

Gobble Gobble!

It's been so long since I've made an entry that I wonder if I have a single reader who even checks my dusty little corner of cyberspace. If you're out there, I hope you're running an RSS feed and don't waste your time checking the page on a regular basis. I'm not sure why I can't seem to manage to update on a regular basis. At the end of the day, with school, family, and other obligations, blogging just drifts to the end of the "To Do" list.

Life has been very good of late. The school semester continues to fly by and, after the end of Thanksgiving break, only two full weeks of classes remain. Tons of grading looms on the horizon, but I just don't get freaked out about that anymore. Considering that I used to have 230 students every semester, 60 seems entirely manageable. I have to bite my tongue not to laugh out loud when I hear some of my colleagues complain about grading 60 papers or exams over a ten day period. I'll take that any day.

The other bit of exciting school news, I suppose, is that I finally received an "affirmative" on the long in development Battlestar Galactica essay and, barring an "I hate it" from the editor, should have another publication under my belt come next fall. The deadline for the completed draft is still ten days away and I have the difficult part of the essay finished. Another five or six pages to go, which I should finish this weekend, and I'll spend the next week or so tinkering, editing, rewriting.

Writing should be no problem this weekend as the house is completely quiet. To celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary STK's parents decided to take the family on a dream vacation to Ireland. Despite my warnings that I cannot take time off during the school year, they booked the trip during the school year. As such, I'm the only one of the family--STK's parents, offspring (STK, siblings, and spouses), grand offspring (TLO and his two cousins)--who is not enjoying the streets of Dublin and the rolling countryside of Ireland proper. Yes, I'm a bit miffed that I'm the one who got stiffed in the entire affair. And her parents wonder why I'm not all that hip to family events. Had this been my parents, and my parents would never fork out the cash to fly everyone out of the country, they would have picked a time when everyone could go. I will always be something of an outsider with STK's family. Some of that is my fault (I won't conform to family expectations) and some of it is there's (I'm not the person they would have picked for STK's partner). It is what it is. Anyway, I've been playing bachelor since Thanksgiving morning. It didn't take long to get back into my preferred sleeping habits; I stayed up until 3:30 am and slept until 10:30 am. I wish I could do that every day.

I spent Thanksgiving driving to an airport, helping STK get TLO loaded into a plane, and driving home. Driving to the airport we spotted a flock of 16 wild turkeys having their own Thanksgiving meal in a recently harvested corn field. I believe my response was, "Run, you fools, run! It's Thanksgiving Day and you're strolling around a field a 1/2 mile from town?! Run! Be free!" Later in the evening I had the not-so-traditional holiday repast with Dr. OneDink and the Alabama Hick. Most items on the menu, while based on a traditional holiday dish, had some slight modification. We ate Quorn cutlets (vegetarian meat like product), yam sautée (boiled in apple juice), cheese potatoes (baked potato slices with a tidbit of cheese), etc. As far as Thanksgiving dinners go, it was delicious and moderately healthy. We did have steamed broccoli/carrots/cauliflower, stuffing, and pumpkin pie so it wasn't a completely alternative meal. I went home feeling full, but not stuffed. I'm very thankful Dr. OneDink and Alabama Hick invited me into their home.

I leave you today with what is most definitely my favorite scene from any movie dealing with Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving, gobble gobble, and all that.

Writers Unite!

I'll try to make substantive comments about the hollywood writers strike soon. In the meantime, check out the following link for up-to-date news regarding strike doings.

United Hollywood.

Like my support matters much, or at all, but I'm all for the writers. I can read, write, and watch DVDs (a bit ironic, given the major issues of the strike) until the writers get a fairer piece of the new media pie.

Spirituality

I believe there is an important distinction to be made between religion and spirituality. Religion I take to be concerned with belief in the claims to salvation of one faith tradition or another--an aspect of which is acceptance of some form of meta-physical or philosophical reality, including perhaps an idea of heaven or hell. Connected with this are religious teachings or dogma, ritual, prayers and so on. Spirituality I take to be concerned with those qualities of the human spirit--such as love and compassion, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, contentment, a sense of responsibility, a sense of harmony, which bring happiness to both self and others.

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

More Word Games

Scientolotot: another name for Suri, the Scientological offspring of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

Pools of Sorrow, Waves of Joy

With the exception of The Music Man, a film my family forced me to watch over, and over, and over again, I have a soft spot for musicals. The cinematic release of Grease remains a personal highlight of the 70s and repeat viewings of The Wall, Quadrophenia, and Tommy offer a glimpse into my teen mind during the 1980s. Fashion a movie around rock and roll numbers and I'm all yours.

With that in mind, I've been counting the days since learning about Julie Taymor's Across the Universe. Today, after a horribly long wait, the Beatles fan finally saw the film . . . and loved it. The narrative itself--the traditional boy meets girl love story--is nothing new and this seems to be the major criticism from many of the professional critics. The strength of this film is the musical numbers and the emotion packed within. This isn't a thinking movie, but a feeling movie. Maybe it's my fascination with the social upheaval of the 1960s, but the use of the reimagined Beatles classics to capture the spirit of a turbulent period really struck a chord with me. In fact, the film moved me to tears on multiple occasions. I teared up in deep sadness, in fury, and in happiness. I enjoy a wide variety of movies and have dozens of favorites, but few have the ability to make feel this deeply. I enjoyed this movie so much, that I'll probably try to see it again during the coming week. For the record: I haven't seen a film multiple times since Revenge of the Sith. The soundtrack will be purchased, as will the DVD when released.

To get a taste of the film, check out all the cool videos on Yahoo.com.

Word Games

As we wrapped up a unit on the rhetoric of food, my students engaged in a rousing debate regarding the meanings of "supper" and "dinner." I grew up, in the Midwest, calling the evening meal "supper." Today, however, I refer to the evening meal as "dinner." As far as I can tell, I don't treat the meal any differently today than I did back in the supper days. Is there a difference? If so, what?

Mr. Coffee is Dead

Despite my best efforts at keeping him alive--I made significant repairs a few weeks back--my trusty Mr. Coffee grinder is dead.

After almost ten years of faithful service, the last six years of so providing fresh ground coffee in my school office, Mr. Coffee has been replaced. Oh, I'll no doubt take him home and see if I can patch him up yet again, but he'll be put on emeritus status and will only tackle the duties of grinding the occasional flavored bean.

Farewell, Mr. Coffee. You served me well.

Told You So

I've been ranting, maybe even whining, for several months about the possibility of Hillary Clinton being named the Democratic Presidential nominee. I've said to STK, on numerous occasions, that a Clinton candidacy will bring out the Swiftboat For Truth folks in droves. Guess what:

Paul's anti-Clinton effort is getting help from two technical producers who set up the Web site for Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the 2004 campaign that went after Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry by raising questions about his decorated military service in Vietnam.

Mark my words: a Clinton candidacy = Republican victory. I have nothing against her, personally, and would love to see a woman President. I'm not a huge fan of her politics as she's way to moderate for my liking. The biggest problem, however, is the vehemence with which conservatives seem to dislike her (or her husband, actually). You want to give the Republicans something to get fired up about, give 'em Hillary. Disaster in the making.

Geek Update

• Ordered DVR service for the homestead. Due to demand, I'm told it will be 2-3 weeks before we actually receive the DVR.
  
• Purchased Transformers DVD.
• Located Battle droids to replace battle droid with missing head. Threw in a Justice League Unlimited Batman just for good measure. How did I NOT know about the Justice League Unlimited Kyle Rayner?! That's on the list for next month.
  
• Swindled Fatal Revenant for $10 thanks to my B & N membership. I'm hoping I'll sit down and start reading the book tomorrow night. I need to finish Eragon first.
• Watched the first three episodes of Jekyll, the BBC's contemporary update on the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story. Freakin' fantastic is all I can say. I haven't been this thrilled about three hours of television since discovering Farscape.
  

St. John Paul's Fire?

While discussing the rhetoric of postmodern theology with one of my students, I offered Flaming Pope John Paul II as Exhibit A. The student laughed and said, "Yeah, right. That's just silly."

I smiled and responded, "I know it seems silly, but think about it. Listen to how people are discussing the photograph. These people are putting forth the argument that this is Pope John Paul II. What does that mean? This photograph has great significance to those featured in the article and, I'll bet, any number of Catholic readers."

Again, my student sounded skeptical: "You can't be serious."

"I am. Dead serious," I replied very matter of factly.

The student looked at the picture on my computer screen, then turned back to me. "You think Pope John Paul is appearing in fire?"

"Me?" I laughed. "Of course not. Actually, I'm pretty sure he's not, but I'm going to leave a little wiggle room in case I'm wrong. The point isn't whether the Pope is on some kind of fiery pilgrimage or not. The point is that believers are starting to use this photograph as a kind of symbol of their faith. We're seeing the meaning negotiated right before our eyes!"

I don't think the student bought into my argument, an argument I think has a great deal of merit. Said student wasn't nearly as excited about the photograph, either. Does the photograph capture a moment of the divine made mundanely manifest? I have no clue. At least three people, as noted in the article, believe the dead Pope made an earthly appearance. Thousands of people flocked to websites to see the photograph.

The photograph and the comments in the article suggest three things to me. First, the flaming Pope serves as "evidence" for the holiness of John Paul II. Performing his faith through a lifetime of service, he has transcended death. Second, his reappearance signifies the presence of something greater, namely God. Sirius Black and John Paul II aside, few individuals possesses the ability to communicate by way of fire. As a "Servant of God," flaming John Paul II implicates a special place next God for those who serve. Not everyone who passes on to heaven returns to Earth in the form of an apparition; those deemed Holy servants, or even saintly, return to continue their work. Finally, the appearance John Paul II at a service commemorating his death puts the presence of God smack dab in the middle of Earthly affairs. Through the photograph, the metaphysically transcendent announces, "I am present." The photograph, and subsequent interpretation, brings followers closer to God.

That's what I'm reading, at least. I'm pulling some of these ideas together for a potential article regarding the rhetoric of divine presence in everyday life. Whether it's a bonfire apparition, a likeness seen in the knot of a tree, or a face burned on a tortilla, the rhetorical performance of "pilgrim" or "follower" attaches meaning to what could very well be random occurrences. There's a piece of me that wonders, however, "Could this be the voice of the divine speaking?"

Sweep?

Watching the Rockies on their recent amazing run is kind of like having your best friend win the lottery. It's cool and all, but it would be better if you (or the Cubs in this case) were the one winning. As a former inhabitant of Denver, at least I can say I've been following the Rockies since they arrived on the scene. I've been to tons of games, even in the seasons when they were absolutely awful, and I even have a Colorado Rockies wind breaker and hat around here somewhere. I have a feeling that's not the case for most of the present CR fans. Colorado sports fans, with the exception of Bronco fans (they're just plain nuts), are the biggest bunch of bandwagon jumpers you'll ever meet.

Speaking of bandwagons: you'd better jump on board with the Denver Nuggets before the regular season starts. Once the Nuggets start the regular season, and their inevitable drive toward the Western Conference Finals, latecomers will not be allowed.

The Feast

Friday's Feast, October 5th, 2007

Appetizer--On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you look forward to your birthday?
3. I'm not that into birthdays. It's nice having and ice cream, who doesn't like that, but a birthday isn't really that big of a deal. What are we celebrating, the fact that we managed to make it another year? Weird.

Soup--What is one word you don’t like the sound, spelling, or meaning of?
Ocassion. Er, occassion. Um, occasion. ::sighs:: I don't know why, but I spell that word wrong every. Damn. Time.

Salad--Do you wear sunglasses when you’re outside? If so, what does your current pair look like?
If I'm outside, I have sunglasses. It doesn't matter if it's rain, sunshine, or snow, I always wear sunglasses. I wear them just to be cool (although not as cool Cory Hart who wore his sunglasses at night). My eyes are hyper sensitive to light. Walking out into the sunshine, without sunglasses, results in instant headache.

I have four pairs that I use on a regular basis. These are my current favs. That's a great site for clothing, apparel, and whatnot. Top notch product and service. I've purchased dozens of items from Sierra Trading Post--jackets, shoes, sunglasses--and not once have I had anything I would even remotely categorize as a bad transaction.

Main Course--If you were to write a book, to whom would you dedicate it?
My first book, and really do think there's a book in my future, will be dedicated to STK.

Dessert--Name a beverage that you enjoy.
Anyone who knows me will know that I'm a huge coffee geek. Coffee, coffee, and more coffee, please.

Why? Why? Why?

Cubs get a two run homer in the top of the second. Lilly gives up a 3 run blast in the bottom of the second. A triple scores another run. Cubs down 4-2. Why am I Cub fan? What did I do to deserve this?

UPDATED: Bottom of the 4th
WTF is Pinella thinking?! Why did he let Lilly continue to pitch when he was obviously struggling in the 2nd and 3rd? Two more runs in. Pinella is supposed to be one of the premiere managers? Screw that. He's doing a terrible job of managing his starting pitchers. This is exactly why I don't watch games during the regular season. I live and die by this team. It's much easier to look at a box score and think, "Too bad the Cubs dropped one. Glad I didn't watch the game." I then move on with my day without another thought. Tonight, I'm agonizing over the game.

Patriotism, Poptarts, and Pop Flies

Patriotism. I love the fact that Obama has decided to quit wearing the flag pin. I'm sure I'm not the only person who sees this symbol as representing a particular type of patriotism, the type espoused by our current administration. The idea that one needs to wear a pin to remember 9-11 (who can forget?), or prove to an intelligent, discerning audience that you understand U.S. American values, is absurd. Any predictions regarding how long it will be before someone questions Obama's authenticity as a patriotic American? If, or should it be when, this happens, I believe I'll start wearing a flag pin painted black.

Poptarts. So, Britney's MTV comeback was a bomb, eh? Tell that to the media's favorite poptart--her new single is number 3 on the charts. Who needs kids when you're loved by your adoring fans? BTW, anyone who criticizes her post-child appearance (I heard one of my students refer to her as "fat") needs a reality check.*

Pop Flies. That's how I felt about last night's game between the Cubs and Diamondbacks. From the moment Arizona scored the initial run, I felt like I was watching a towering infield pop fly. It took a while, but I knew the ball would be caught for an out. And the Cubs did lose last night, 3-1. Pinella is taking a ton of heat for pulling Zambrano after 84 pitches in what looked like a move to help the starter stay fresh for his next start. The bullpen blew the game, but the Cubs have an ace ready for Sunday's game 4. If the Cubs get to game four. Did Pinella forget that the first round of the playoffs is a best of 5 series? Gotta win one to make it to game 4, Lou. In Pinella's defense, the Cubs have a decent bullpen and that move would have worked on many an evening. Alas, it didn't work last night. Hope springs eternal for tonight's game. Go Cubbies!

To bring the Cubs a little luck, I thought I'd resurrect one of my favorite Harry Caray moments. Back in the day when the Cubs really sucked, Harry used to make up songs on the spot. Here's one of my favorites (I can't believe I remember the words--this is from 20+ years ago). The lyrics are sung to the tune of The Ballad of Davy Crockett.

Jody. Jody Davis.
Hits the ball high and far.
Jody, Jody Davis.
He's a Cubs baseball star.

*When I heard the comment in class, I turned to the student in question and said, "You realize you just insulted almost every woman in this room, right? You have a very distorted perception of feminine beauty."

Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Holy Cow!

I've spent the last few weeks biting my tongue, biding my time, waiting for the announcement: the Cubs are in the playoffs! After 27 years of being a Cub fan, you learn to keep your expectations in check. Time after time, this team has broken my heart; unfortunately, I have a very long memory. I can remember, with a great deal of clarity, the exact moment Steve Garvey smashed my dreams. I still dislike that guy with a passion. Don't even talk to me about Leon Durham. Remember Greg Maddux, the great young Cubs pitcher who defected to Atlanta? I cursed the day he returned to the Cubs a couple years back. In fact, Maddux still retains the number 3 position in my Top Ten Hated Athletes list.

So, I spent the last two weeks holding my breath, waiting for the Cubs to clinch the division. I kept my excitement to myself, fearing that any kind of open enthusiasm would invoke some long forgotten baseball hex. When I tried to share the briefest flicker of hope with another Cubs fan, I was met with a rebuke. She said, "Sshhhh. Don't talk about it. Just don't." And you know what happened that very night? The Cubs lost their second game in a row and went on to be swept by the Marlins. That was my fault, I just know it.

I posted back on April 2 that this is the Cubs year. Is it? Probably not. They'll break my heart for the umpteenth year . . . and I'll be pulling for them every last second of the disaster. Who knows, maybe they'll surprise me this year.

Go Cubs!

Empty

Empty and calm and devoid of self
Is the nature of all things.
No individual being
In reality exists.

There is no end or beginning,
Nor any middle course.
All is an illusion,
As in a vision or a dream.

All beings in the world
Are beyond the realm of words.
Their ultimate nature, pure and true,
Is like the infinity of space.

-Prajnaparamita

Conversational Realities: Slut Roommate

Overheard while walking across campus.

Person #1: You lost?
Person #2: I'm just waiting for my slut of a roommate.

Life, The Universe, and Everything

Life. Oddly enough, I've had this conversation with several colleagues. Some [professors think college is about producing a product, a skill set that increase a person's chance of success in the workplace. I, on the other hand, am all about raising the big questions regarding life. What's our purpose? Who are we? What does it mean to be an ethical human being? How do we co-constitute the answers to all these questions by way of rhetoric? Most of my classes, but not all, reflect my personal bias. In the course of engaging these questions, I'd like to think that students become better writers, improved speakers, and proficient critical thinkers. My main goal, however, is to encourage students to become increasingly self-reflective about their own place in the universe. If I'm just handing them a toolbox consisting of how to impress in that interview, how to influence patrons/customers, and how to persuade coworkers that a plan is the best choice, then I'm doing something wrong.

The Universe. Amazing. I'm still baffled as to how astronomers are able to make these kinds of observations. Baffled, but amazed. I guess I'm still a photograph-from-the-rover kind of guy.

And Everything. Everything is change; change is everything.

Performing Pareidolia

I submitted the following abstract as part of a potential panel for an upcoming conference.

Pareidolia and the Space of Communicative Praxis: Performing Mystery in the Presence of the Metaphysically Transcendent Other.

This essay examines communication regarding pareidolia--the act of perceiving a distinguishable pattern or likeness, typically a thing or person, in a random image--as a means by which the self performs the extraordinary and unknowable in the midst of the everyday mundane. Negotiating the always already subject positions of both self and other within the communal moment of the communicative encounter, a moment Calvin Schrag describes as the space of communicative praxis, embodied human agents cooperatively reify and subvert cultural institutions and discernments. An analysis of the communicative discourse and action surrounding perceived encounters with the metaphysically transcendent other via pareidolia--the likeness of Jesus on a tortilla, a demonic visage in the smoke of the World Trade Center, or a Virgin Mary formed from chocolate drippings--offers an opportunity to explore how the self resists the hegemonic discourses of science and attempts to reclaim a sense of the mystical, the magical, and the mysterious.

I'm also reworking the Battlestar Galactica abstract/proposal for the umpteenth time. The question of the hour: to what convention should I submit my BSG work? Should I submit to the RSA convention in Seattle or the PCA convention in San Francisco?

Feast-o-licious

Friday's Feast for Friday, 7 September 2007:

Appetizer--Using only one word, how does grocery shopping make you feel?
Hungry.

Soup--What is your favorite part about the season of Autumn?
Autumn is, by far, the most amazing season here in the Corn Furnace. The temperatures are just right (70s) and the air is filled with the scent of decaying leaves. Mmmmm.

Salad--Have you ever had any bad experiences online?
I once had a used bookstore try to scam me out of some money. I ordered the book and, three days later, the company closed shop. Thankfully, I ordered the book via Alibris.com and received a total reimbursement.

Main Course--Name three things that make you happy daily.
Coffee, STK, TLO

Dessert--What one household cleansing or organizing item would you not want to be without?
My computer. I can't imagine keeping lecture notes, class assignments, and research organized in any other way.

More of the Same

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise.

::bangs head on desk::

Airing Out

Where does the time go? I think to myself, almost every day, "I need to write a blog post about X, Y, or Z" and then it doesn't happen. I swear I need another four hours in the day. Random stuff bouncing around in my head follows.

• The school avoided major flood damage and sand bagging was not required. It was a close call, though, as water was a foot or two from the top of the dike. Small parts of the campus did flood--a couple athletic fields--but major structures were spared. We drove through this area yesterday afternoon, an area we pass through at least once a month, and the amount of flood damage blew my mind. I had no idea the major flooding was occurring just 45 miles to the northeast.
• I had an odd dream a couple nights back, odd in content and odd in that I remembered the dream. I'm not one who typically remembers dreams. Although I'm not positive about the exact context, I believe the dream occurred during my late 20s. I'm single, completely lacking in any dating confidence, and terrified to even approach a woman I deem attractive. That's a pretty accurate description from back then. I was pathetic, actually, and went through one phase where I didn't date for three years. In the dream, I muster up the courage to ask Katie Sackhoff out on a date (she wasn't a television star in the dream, just a person. Or maybe she was Katie Sackhoff playing the role of a regular person. Confusing.). She says, "Yes" but I keep wondering if she's really interested in me or just being nice. The End. Obviously, some of my "Am I good enough" issues are bubbling in the back of my mind. That's STK's analysis, actually.I've spent more time wondering why it was Katie Sackhoff in my dream. Katie Sackhoff isn't an actress to whom I've devoted much time, if any. I don't think I've ever given it much thought as to whether I consider her attractive or not. STK assured me that Sackhoff is my type and that kicked off a discussion as to whether I even have a type.
  
• I've received several communiques from Iraq--a handful of emails and a phone call--and A is doing well. He can't really say too much about what he's actually doing, but he assures me he's safe and hasn't seen anything to threatening. Let's hope that continues.
  
• Interlibrary loan emailed today and let me know that my request--Rebirth of Dialogue: Socrates, Bakhtin, and The Rhetorical Tradition--awaited pick-up. I gave a cheer when the email arrived in my Inbox. Geek time! Excellent!
  

Why I Love Fandom: Reason #323

Where else would someone get excited about a comic book cover and exclaim:

OMG, naked flaming Faith! *faint*

You can see the faint inspiring comic book cover at this location. As it's a comic book cover, we're talking Safe For Work.

Doing the Tango

I've added And Tango Makes Three to my Barnes and Noble wish list. Any book that hits the "most challenged" list is a "must have" for our family library.

Here's one of the comments from the B&N reviews:

What is our world coming to? Children in preschool are not ready to tackle this subject yet. How would you all feel if we brought in a story straight from the Bible? Now let's talk tolerance. I am a teacher, a mother and a liberal, but not this liberal.

Um, aren't preschoolers tackling the subject of families on a regular basis? If preschoolers are ready for a story with a mommy and daddy, they're ready for this book. In fact, if we're ever going to see true tolerance--acceptance would be even better--for anything other than the "traditional" heterosexual model of parenting, books like this are a must.

Suntory Time

Bill Murray is one of my favorite comedic actors. Stripes, Ghostbusters, What About Bob, and Groundhog day are films I've watched over and over and over. I absolutely love Lost in Translation and I'm probably the only person on the planet who thinks Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is comedy brilliance ("We'll send him a red cap and Speedo.")

I have to say, Murray's latest escapade gave me a good chuckle.

Drunk Driving Swedish Golf Cart.

At least it wasn't a car, right?

Deluge

I have never seen so much rain. Since Thursday or Friday, we've been hit with rain every single day. I'm not talking a Colorado rainstorm that drops a quarter of an inch in fifteen minutes, but honest to goodness Midwest downpours that last for hours. Weather reports put our monthly rainfall total at 12 inches, three-quarters of that total in the last few days. Even when it's not raining, the humidity doesn't drop much below 90 percent; one step outside and it's like you just walked out of the shower.

To top it all off, the river that runs through town is at flood stage and threatening part of campus. I received an email this afternoon asking school employees to watch for an announcement regarding the possibility of sandbag work Thursday and Friday. Now that's something that doesn't appear in your Inbox every day. If we receive much rain tonight, and radar suggests there's more headed this way, I could be hip deep in river water, sand, and burlap by tomorrow afternoon.

Feast 156

Feast One Hundred & Fifty Six
August 17th, 2007

Appetizer--Describe your laundry routine. Do you have a certain day when you do it all, or do you just wash whatever you need for the next day?
Wash running clothes--shorts, shirts, socks, various ankle/knee braces--a couple times a week. For general washing, clothes are sorted into whites, darks, and blacks. Dress clothes are sorted in a similar fashion and washed separately from jeans, t-shirts, etc.

Soup--In your opinion, what age will you be when you’ll consider yourself to truly be old?
70? I don't know. I'll be forty in a few months and still don't feel anything like "old". Old is a state of mind, I suspect.

Salad--What is one of your goals? Is it short-term, long-term, or both?
Short term: clean up a couple small debts, new laptop for STK. Long term: tenure.

Main Course--Name something unbelievable you’ve seen or read lately.
In the unbelievable--"I'm amazed!" category: It's a comet! Wait, it's a star!

In the unbelievable--are you freaking kidding me?!--category: Pentagon Spends $998,798 to Ship Two Washers.

Dessert--On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how happy are you today?
5. Not enough sleep ::grumble::

Letting Go

During my high school and college years, I earned much needed money as a lifeguard, instructor, and swim team coach. One of the most stressed lessons during Water Safety Instructor training was one of the most difficult to swallow: if the rescue gets too difficult or looks too dangerous, let the victim drown. That's good advice, really. One drowning is better than two.

Tonight, I can't help but think that same icy logic applies to the Utah mining situation. My heart aches for the lost miners and their respective friends and families, but are their lives worth the loss of others?

Rescue Disaster

Realistically, the statistical probability that the lost miners are still alive is slim to none. If/when the mine authorities decide to call off the recovery operation, they will no doubt be demonized by some factions for leaving the lost miners to their fate. I'd argue, however, that their current responsibility is to the living rather than the might be living. That position brings no amount of solace to those who face the loss of a loved one, I'm sure, but when does one say "Enough. It's time to say goodbye"?

Best of Intentions

Despite my desire to do some serious blogging during the recent Colorado getaway--we arrived back at the Fortress of Little to No Solitude around 6 PM--I obviously wasn't up to the task. What started as a "last hurrah" before the start of school mutated into something much less celebratory. Rather than spending time strolling through the Denver Botanic Gardens or the newly expanded/remodeled art museum, our time consisted of hospital visits and convalescence.

Just before leaving for our trip, we learned that STK's grandmother had encountered some health difficulties requiring a hospital stay. Somewhere on the plains of Nebraska the cell phone rang and we received awful news: pancreatic cancer. She's lived a good long life but it's still difficult to see a loved one facing a terminal illness. While in Denver, STK visited her grandmother daily. The final farewell from the hospital proved particularly difficult as we realize we may not see Grandma J when we return for the holidays.

As we said our goodbyes Tuesday afternoon, our trip took another wrong turn at Albuquerque. Early Tuesday morning, I awoke at the horrifying hour of 6 AM to go for a 10 mile run (I've been training for a half marathon at the end of the month). At about 2.5 miles I noticed I wasn't running particularly well. I typically don't run all that well in the mornings so I'm used to a few extra aches and pains for the first fifteen minutes or so. No matter how hard I tried to push my lethargy aside, I couldn't do it. I hit the five mile mark and quit. This is extremely unusual behavior for me; when I set out to run, I typically set a target: five miles, forty-five minutes, etc. Sprained ankle, heat, stomach cramps--nothing stops me from completing a run. A week ago Tuesday I packed it in, walked home, and felt off the entire morning. I ate breakfast and my bagel just sat in my stomach. And sat. And sat. My condition worsened at the hospital. I finally pulled STK aside and said, "I hate to do this, but I don't feel so great."

We hopped in the car and started the hour drive to my parents. And that's when the bug hit in full force. By the time we reached my parents, I collapsed in the spare bedroom and shivered uncontrollably. With the assistance of copious amounts of ibuprofen, I managed to keep my temperature at 102.5. Tuesday was shot, Wednesday was a day of sleep and the intermittent foray out into the world to try and spend time with my family. While I didn't have vertigo and wasn't sick to my stomach, I couldn't eat anything. Food sat in my stomach like an indigestible croquet ball. I swear I could feel the damn thing just sitting there. Anything more exotic than toast or Malt O Meal resulted in stomach cramps and other effects that I'd rather not reveal on a public blog. Let's just say that at one point we had several scented candles burning in the spare bedroom. By Friday, when the rest of the family arrived (Aunt J, Uncle G, Cousin K, Cousin-in-Law T), I was finally well enough to interact with the living. I didn't feel terrific--far from the top of my game, in fact--but I could hang out.

Friday and Saturday were spent catching up, laughing, and reminiscing, the usual family stuff. Given the cramped quarters of my parents' spacious abode (eight people living under the same rough), a good time was had by all. I think.

Despite the detours and speed bumps, the trip was worth the effort and there were many most excellent moments. A leisurely dinner with all of our Denver alternafriends was definitely one of the hight lights, as was our last minute descent into the Denver goth scene for a couple hours of dancing. While at my parents, I managed to spend a couple hours with J, a friend from high school. No matter how much time slips by, that friendship will always be one of those that survives. If you're reading, J, thanks for the Hendrix! Excellent stuff for the journey home. I even hugged my father as we said goodbye (we never hug) . . . and he returned the hug. That moment has been 20+ years in the making. We might not see eye to eye on a great many things, but seem to be able to enjoy each other's company as more time goes by. As much as I hate to admit it, that's probably a result of my maturity more than anything else.

And that brings us to the point where I need a vacation to recover from my vacation. And that isn't going to happen. As STK commences the 2007-2008 school year tomorrow (teacher in-service and what not through the end of the week), I'm back on primary care patrol with TLO. My mornings will once again be filled with talk of "bulldozers," "ghosts," and "milk!" and filled with images of Handy Manny, Elmo, and Caillou.

What the heck happened to my summer?

Mmmmm.

Kaladi Bros Coffee. Einstein Bros fruit & nut power bagel. Heaven.