A Great Disturbance in the Force

As someone who counts Obi-wan Kenobi among the people I most admire, I find this "What if" depiction of a Dark Obi-wan deeply disturbing. It's a well done conceptual drawing, that's for sure. Given the tragedy Obi-wan experienced throughout his lifetime, what on earth would ever seduce him to the Dark Side? I'm typically not very interested in such alternate universe tales but this picture has piqued my curiosity.

Instant Asthma

It has been unbelievably cold. I'm not talking cold, but cold that stings your face and literally makes your lungs burn within seconds of walking outside. Everyone seems to be coping well enough. With hats pulled down below the ears and scarves pulled up to cover both the neck and nose, eyes are the only indication that humans inhabit shuffling mounds of clothing. I've given up on trying to dress professory and have settled on function over form. For class today I wore blue jeans, a thermal waffle shirt, and my Columbia guaranteed-to-keep-your-toes-toasty-to-25-below-zero (we're at -17 presently; the high today was -5). That's the first time I haven't worn a collared shirt in the classroom in quite some time.

Tomorrow's forecast predicts a balmy high of 7. I am so ready for spring.

Mice Templar

Mice Templar, Vol 1. Cool review of the book here. In what I find to be the most intriguing paragraph of the review, Glass writes:

In essence, Glass and Oeming’s opening arc dares to ask: What would have happened if everything Luke Skywalker had been told about the Jedi by Obi-Wan Kenobi had been hearsay and fabricated half-truths, and that Kenobi was really a fumbling old quack with delusions of grandeur who pretended to have mystical powers? What would Luke, have evolved into? Would he be prepared for what lay ahead of him? What’s more, would he have been a savior or a destroyer?

I purchased this book during the holidays and devoured it in one sitting. This is an excellent comic book series collected in a hardback format. Mice Templar is a must read.

Wee Three Things

Wil Wheaton was having a horribly day, not unlike a day I had last week (leak story to be posted in the near future). So, he did what many of us should probably do when we're heading for a freak out of the nth magnitude: he stopped and listed things that make him happy. And then he posted a challenge to his readers.

I'm going to assume that many of you reading this are dealing with some degree of holiday stress; why not take a minute - just sixty seconds out of the day - and reflect on three things that make you happy?

As per Wil Wheaton's suggestion, I thought I'd take a 60 second break from Finals Week and offer three things that make me happy. While I'm nowhere near a Level Five Freakout--I'm not even all that stressed out--I thought it definitely couldn't hurt. That and the fact that I haven't blogged in ages. Here's the list.

1. STK & TLO, of course. Despite the frustrations of living with a three year old, the home front is always a good place. I even appreciate our special needs dog, Malcolm. He's a handful but there's something soothing about late night walks with him, even when the thermometer dips into the single digits.

2. Reading, reading, and reading. Comic books, fantasy literature, and even the dense school stuff.

3. My job, of course. Home many other people get to sit around and talk about popular culture for a living? Seriously, I'd do this job for free (but I'd just as soon not let that get out to the administration).

Anyone else game?

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.

Probe This

The latest ridiculous line of Republican attack focuses on the small dollar donors who contributed to Obama's campaign. Well, let me save them some time and energy. I, dilliwag, am one of those donors. Over the course of the primary and general election campaigns, STK and I made a series of $25 & $50 donations. If the GOP would like to double check my credit card receipts, leave a comment and we'll figure something out.

John McCain is experiencing a serious case of donor envy.

Hail the Pumpkin Queen

Gene, we missed the Circleville Pumpkin Show! Again. Dammit! Next year's festivities run October 15th-18th. Mark your calendar.

Oddly enough, the Circleville Pumpkin Show is on my "Must See Before I Die" list (along with say, Machu Picchu and Athens).

Fire and Ice

Considering the campaign nastiness of the last few weeks--I'm looking at you, Team McCain--its nice to see the candidates displaying a sense of humor.

Said Obama: "Contrary to the rumors you have heard, I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton and sent here by my father, Jor-el, to save the planet Earth," a reference to Superman.

and

"What they don't know is that Joe the Plumber recently signed a very lucrative contract with a wealthy couple to handle all the work on all seven of their houses," McCain said, drawing laughter with the reference to his property holdings.

They'll be headlining for the next three weeks, folks. Catch them while you can and don't forget to tip your waitperson.

Sucking Sound

That giant sucking sound you're hearing is the Cubs' season going right down the toilet. That shattering sound is my heart breaking. Again. I'd hate this team if I didn't love them so damn much.

Wait 'til next year!

Uh Oh

I know it's only one game, but it's tough to be optimistic when you've lived the past 27 years as a Cubs fan. I've read all the columns declaring the Cubs favorites to win the Series, but the tricky thing about sports is that the teams actually have to play the games. Zambrano is pitching tonight and he'll toss a gem or give up 8 earned runs. If the Cubs don't win game two, you can bet your bottom dollar that Cubs fans will seek solace in the unofficial team mantra: wait 'til next year.

"as Putin rears his head"

"as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where– where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border" --Sarah Palin

I really don't mean for this blog to become almost all about politics, but I'll be damned if Sarah Palin doesn't make it difficult for me to post about anything else.