Tuesday, March 30, 2010

slacking off....

Someone reminded me today that I haven't been blogging for a while. Truth is, I forget about it and need someone to remind me. So, I'm going to catch up with a series of really short blogs--very few words each.

Here's the first:

Life is so beautiful, it sometimes aches.
Take the deepest breath you can...really deep, until it almost hurts....
Then let it out as slowly as you can.
That is Life, flowing in and out each time we breathe.
Beautiful....sometimes it aches....keep breathing....

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Time to go....

I heard on the radio and read in a newspaper about a guy in Texas who killed his neighbor's buffalo herd. The buffaloes, 41 of them as I remember, broke through a fence and went onto another person's property. He shot them. Each of them and all of them. 41 of them. Shot them dead. Dead as 41 furry doornails.

Under Texas state law, as I understand it, the guy who slaughtered the buffaloes may have been within his rights in the so-called state of Texas.

I don't know about you, but I somehow think such an egregious act of violence against innocent animals deserves some legal punishment. Maybe I'm just a buffalo lover, I don't know--but it doesn't seem right to me that Texas would allow people to do such things. What if kids wander onto his property--41 kids on a field trip to see the buffaloes and discovered them dead--does he have the right to shoot the kids?

Well, it is Texas. Who knows?

I've decided it is time to expel Texas from the union. It was bad enough that Texas gave us George W. and cowboy hats, but allowing the massacre of buffaloes is the last straw.

I almost wish they'd lost that war with Mexico and none of us remembered the Alamo. Then they wouldn't have been around in the US to stink things up.

(I would have missed LBJ though....)

During the health care bill debate, a congressman from Texas yelled out "Baby Killer" to another congressman supporting the bill. He later apologized and said he meant "the bill" was a baby killer, not his colleague in the House of Representatives. Yeah, right....

Plus the Texas Board of Education is re-writing the history taught in Texas public schools. It is the only reason I can think of to support private schools exclusively.

Plus the governor of Texas actually suggested that Texas succeed from the Union. (You can look it up on Google...it is true....)

So I say, let them go and God bless them. 49 states are enough. Everyone I know who 'used to live in Texas' hates it. I was only there for a few days and I hated it. I had to rent a car to go somewhere from the Houston airport and the only models available were pick-up trucks and Cadillacs. I took a truck. Where is Santa Anna when we need him?

Besides, the Dallas Cowboys would be a soccer team and the San Antonio Spurs (the most hated sports team in my life--even more than Virginia Tech or Notre Dame!) wouldn't exist.

Phil Graham, a former US Senator from Texas, once said, on the floor of the Senate in a gun control debate, "I have more guns than I need, but not as many guns as I want...." Something in that makes me know Phil and I have very little in common.

So, though LBJ would be a loss, along with Molly Imus, let's let Texas go and either become a sovereign nation or surrender to Mexico as they should have at the Alamo. Either way, I'll be happy....

so, here's what happened...

I was driving home and there is a group that gathers in front of the Cheshire Town Hall sometimes to wave signs and yell. The signs mostly say things about killing Chris Dodd and impeaching President Obama and getting rid of the government and excommunicating anyone who doesn't agree.

Most of the people are my age or older, but there are a few younger people. They want you to honk if you want government to disappear. I was stuck at the light and one of the younger ones (by that I mean 40+) crossed oncoming traffic and knocked on my window and when I rolled it down asked me why I hadn't honked.

I told him politely--or as politely as one can be in that situation--that I didn't agree with what they were saying, that I'd vote for Chris Dodd if he were running, I love our President, I believe that government is 'my friend' and that he should go home to his family.

He said, "You socialist!" and turned away.

I yelled, 'look out', because he was about to get hit by a truck. He survived and I wondered if he would have done the same for me.

This is why I wrote that tirade about socialism recently.

Just thought I'd explain.

I actually wish I lived in one of the European nations that has a political party called Christian Socialist. I'd join it.

Of course the younger man who owes me his life wishes I lived in a European country as well so there'd be one less of us to excommunicate from the Republic.

However, since a "republic" implies a government, he's probably against it....

And since I live in the US, I'll remain a democrat....

Friday, March 19, 2010

A Democratic/Socialist Manifesto

Every one's writing manifestos these days. The Tea-Party people have one. (Here's all I WILL say about the Tea Party Movement--Oh, Lordy, I have lots more to say, but will limit it to this--the Boston Tea Party was about the oppression of a foreign government...it wasn't about "our government"....'our government' is what we've got, get used to it, I have, and work positively FOR it, not AGAINST it. It is the only government we've got.....)

So, someone said to me the other day, "Obama is a 'socialist'."

This is in the same genus and species of those who say "Obama wasn't born in the US" or "Obama is a Muslim". He was born in Hawaii--which, so far as I know, is still a state--the westernmost state until a 8.6 earthquake breaks of parts of California and they float over near Japan. And, he is a Baptist. I wish he were an Episcopalian--I think he'd be happier with us except for the singing. And he is a socialist is the same way that Bill Gates is a middle class citizen.

What I say to people who tell me "Obama is a 'socialist'" is two fold:
*he is actually a moderate Democrat, AND
*I wish he were a socialist.....

I am a Democratic Socialist. I am astounded by how many people are so upset about 'the government'--actually, they usually pronounce it 'the GUV-MENT'. All I can imagine about that is that they never studied Civics.

Civics used to be taught in junior high and high school. In college it is called "Political Science". Now, I'm told, they teach "Social Studies". Civics taught you to not only 'trust' the government, but to love it. Either people have forgotten that or they had 'social studies' instead of civics.

I love the government.

I told someone that the other day and they laughed. Then I found out he was on Social Security and Medicare and lived in a city with a government that did all sorts of things he could never do for himself. Imagine that--he'd give up all that because he hates the 'guv-ment'.

Like everyone else at this time of year, I complain about my taxes. I'd like to pay less, obviously, but in the last analysis, I'd be glad to pay 'more' for more services of things I can't do for myself.

The Government picks up my trash every Wednesday. I'd have no idea what to do with it. The Government also recycles my trash that can be recycled saving me countless hassles doing it myself.

The Government plows the street I live on. I couldn't do that for myself.

The Government educates children--God help me if I got sent a dozen kids to teach!!!

The Government protects me and my family and my country through the armed services. I don't even own a gun and have no idea what a terrorist might be. God bless the government for doing that for me. And God bless those who protect me and make me safe.

The Government runs libraries for me. I can't afford many books and don't own many, but my Government gives me a place to find them.

The Government builds roads and bridges--I'd never get across a stream, much less the East River or the Hudson or the CT river if I had to figure out how to do that on my own.

In a few months I'll begin getting checks from Social Security at 63. OK, the government did try to convince me to wait until I was 70, but I want my money back soon. Where would I get that money without the Government? I will also, in a few years, be eligible for Medicare. (I know I said I wouldn't say anything else about the Tea Party idiots, but I lied. What amazes me is that a lot of the people who hate socialism get Social Security and are on Medicare. Those are 'socialistic' programs without compare!!!)

The Government keeps me from taking untested drugs, eating tainted food, having to control the environment all by myself and having to maintain national parks on my days off.

The Guv-ment also gives me police protection and does a great job of catching bad guys as well as white-collar bad guys. I couldn't do that for myself.

State Universities, by the way, are Guv-ment programs. I went to one along with lots of other people. I'm glad I didn't have to invent, build and fund a University just for me.....

I don't know a person who would say, with a straight face, "I LOVE my health insurance company". Most people I know hate their insurance company and feel over charged and under served. And many of those people get all crazy if someone suggests the Guv-ment is going to control their health care. The government ALREADY controls health care in a myriad of ways. What makes people think the government wouldn't do at least as 'awful' job as the private insurance companies (limited by 'guv-ment' already) that they hate? And those millions of people (is it 32 million, something like that?) who have no health care in the richest country the world has ever had...I don't hear them complaining about 'guv-ment' interference in their health care. In fact, they'd appreciate that and be healthier for it.

My neighbor told me that 'development' in Cheshire is pretty well done because of wet-land laws and other regulations. Hey, the 'guv-ment' did that and it is a good, by God, thing....

Every time I take the train to NYC to see Mimi or to Baltimore to see Josh/Cathy/the 3 girls, I need to thank the 'guv-ment' for subsidizing my journey. And every time I get on an airplane, trusting I am safe, I need to thank the government for that. Just like I know that baby aspirin I take at night and the toothpaste I use and the water I drink from my tap is safe--I couldn't do that for myself...the 'guv-ment' does that for me. God bless them.

I would gladly pay more taxes to have more Government assistance in the things I need and have to have for my connivance and safety. If there were no 'guv-ment', which many people seem to be suggesting their shouldn't be, it would be chaos, a nightmare, nature writ in tooth and claw.

I AM a Democrat--a 'yellow dog' one....I'd vote for a 'yellow dog' if it was on the Democratic line rather than Mother Teresa as a Republican.

AND, I am a socialist.

I became a socialist who loves and trusts the government with parents who were committed Republicans, by studying Civics.

I'd pay more taxes gladly to get Civics back into the public school curriculum.

This is my manifesto--everyone should have one....Ponder that, and write your own....

How can I say goodbye?

I dropped by the church this afternoon--Friday--though it is my day off...just to check in and say hi and be there. Just that.

I am confounded, befuddled, confused and bewildered by how I can possibly 'say good-bye' to this place and these people who have been a part of my life for so long, so fully and have healed me and made me whole in so many ways....

I'm down to 42 days and 6 Sundays and I'm terrified, frustrated, almost crazy with proleptic grief.

It has finally 'hit me' that this is for real--this isn't just another one of my schemes or ideas or plans. This is going to happen.

Maybe I'll drive down on Friday afternoon and sit in the parking lot of St. John's for a few months.

Maybe I'll just go crazy.

All will be well, I know that from the depths of my being.

Right now, I can't imagine that or deal with it.

How can I ever say 'good bye'?

one of those things to ponder....

So, I called a friend who is as big a WVU basketball fan as I am. ("Danger/danger" if you don't care about basketball skip to the last couple of paragraphs for this will be tedious for a while.)

Dashawn Butler is a basketball player for WVU. He is a wondrous athlete and a extremely good basketball player. In fact, in the over 100 years of WVU basketball, only 2 players have scored more points than him--Jerry West (the icon of West Virginia and the player who is depicted on the NBA logo) and Hot Rod Huntley, who not only played as a pro but was the only white man ever to be a team member of the Harlem Globetrotters! He was a 'hot rod' and became a well known basketball 'color' commentator. Jerry West (called 'Zeak from Cabin Creek" played basketball in high school for East Bank High School. After he led them to the state championship two years in a row, they renamed the town "West Bank" for a while.) I grew up trying to do the tricks Hot Rod did or be the cool customer Jerry West was. When Dashawn was asked about being third in scoring to the two of them, he said (historically accurately) "Both of them did it in 3 years in many fewer games. I'm just a guy who got to play a lot more. They are great, I'm lucky."

Quite a statement for a basketball star in 2010. After WVU won the Big East Tournament on a last second shot by Dashawn, his coach, Bob Huggins, told the interviewer that Dashawn is the most 'complete' player he's ever coached (this is a guy who has won more games as a college coach than any active coaches besides the coaches of Duke, Sryacuse and UConn) "but," he continued, a little teary--not like Bob at all!--"he is a much better person than he is a basketball player...."

I just get misty writing this stuff. Dashawn is all that an more. A genuinely wonderful young man of 22 or so.

I've been worried that he might not play pro ball--not that it would ruin his life--but I hoped it for him. But I knew he reminded me of someone who had a long and productive professional career, but I couldn't remembe who.

Then I did: it was Michael Cooper, a 6'7 guard for the LA Lakers (my favorite pro team since Jerry West played for them and was their general manager for years....). Like Michael Cooper, Dashawn is a 6'7 guard who plays tenacious defense, rebounds, can shoot a 3 or drive the lane, is quicker than he is fast and, by pro standards, is quite thin. When I remembered that Dashawn was like Michael Cooper, I called my friend to tell him.

(OK, here's where non-basketball folks can come back....)

My friend answered the phone and I said, "Michael Cooper. That's who Dashawn is like. He CAN play pro ball...."

After a pause, my friend said, "do you know I almost broke my neck trying to get to the phone and all you have to say is 'Michael Cooper'?"

Well, that was pretty much the end of that. But here's what I've pondered since:
*all I did was make a phone call
*what I had to say, I thought, would be interesting to my friend here in the midst of March Madness--WVU won by 29 in the first round, by the way....
*I never told him he needed to almost break his neck to get to the phone--he has an answering service, let it pick up for goodness sake!

What I've pondered under my castor oil tree is this: how many times, in much more serious situations, do I blame others for my inconvenience, annoyance, near mishaps, etc., etc.....?

A lot I believe....and all they were trying to do was to be helpful or tell me something they thought I'd want to here or simply be a part of my life. And I blame them for my misery.

I should make a list and go apologize for all the times I can remember that I blamed someone else for my discomfort, confusion, pain, bad day.....

That might be worth pondering.....

Thursday, March 18, 2010

What I won't miss....

I spent a couple of hours today out on the back steps and in the church trying to think of what I won't miss when I leave St. John's.

I came up with almost nothing.

I think I won't miss messing with the diocese and bishops so much--but that's just me and my resentment of authority.

I think I won't miss the stuff about taking care of the buildings--but I don't do that anyway, other people handle that stuff.

I think I won't miss the requests I get to do something or the other because I'm Rector of the big down-town church. But since I ignore most of that anyway, how can I 'not miss it' too much?

Truth is there is nothing much I 'won't miss' about being Rector of St. John's. Almost everything about being Rector of St. John's is stuff I will miss and miss desperately.

So, 'poor me', I guess. I am going to miss all this...all this...so damn much....

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About Me

some ponderings by an aging white man who is an Episcopal priest in Connecticut. Now retired but still working and still wondering what it all means...all of it.