Geographically seeking...

I am totally wondering: Who is regularly reading me from North Bay/Sudbury? I'm greatly flattered, but who are you? Let me know! It's weirding me out!

Incompetent ninnies (mutter, mutter....)

You know, sometimes I think I fundamentally believe incompentency is the biggest vice you could possibly have. Unfortunately, my sister has been the victim of identity theft, all the more improbable as she hasn't lived in the country for several years. I suppose if the corporations had bothered to actually talk to a real person, or done some more work, they would have noticed the fact that she doesn't live in Canada. It's been mind-bogglingly ridiculous talking to various service representatives and other people who just talk at you, don't know how to solve the problem, and don't know who is actually responsible for anything. They, of course, in turn, are not responsible for anything either, and wash their hands of all potential problems.
Perhaps it's because it's in the nature of my job to actually take responsibility, to actually know what's going on, to not be an incompetent loser, to see people that I work for as (oh my gosh, wait for it!) people, to not lose people through the cracks, that completely doesn't allow me to see how other industries can allow that to happen to individuals. Maybe I'm just upset, because that pisses me off that someone would mess with my sister.

SLKT IV

Talking to some Briercrest grads about the nature of worship, some of which was cool, though not very 'new' ideas, such as the notion of worship being beyond music, beyond services, beyond how we feel or what we do, but actually holistic and integral to life. However, another interesting point was that about the aesthetics of worship: Is it important? To whom (or Whom)? What are the driving forces for aesthetics in worship?

SLKT III

Slipping on the skin of a different culture is incredibly difficult; likely one of the most challenging things one can do, as it is impossible, as a snake can, to shed our skins for another.
One story to illustrate the point: Woman falls down, thinks she broke her arm. Ponders about it for several days, despite the nurse begging her to come and get it looked at and cared for. Decides not to come for care. Decides, instead, to SNORT, not eat, 40 Tylenol #1s. Realizes that this doesn't work too well, and finally shows up five days later, wondering how the arm can be fixed....
Several things that I can't wrap my mind around, among many: a) when one is in pain, doesn't one get bothered by this? b) when one is in pain, doesn't one usually seek comfort or care from other human beings? c) when one is offered care and comfort by another human, especially if they have experience in a similar-type pain, doesn't one usually defer to that knowledge? d) doesn't anybody take medication the way the doctor prescribes it anymore? Where on earth does the idea of snorting prescription medication come from? (I know, I know; ppl have been doing that to Oxy for years now) e) when one breaks a limb, isn't it usually intuitive to get that fixed pronto?
It just makes me shake my head, as it completely defies me as to understand this scenario...

North American ethnocentrism

To harp some more about the role of Asians in North Americans in society: I am surprised at myself, and society in general, at how shocking it is that some yellow dude went and shot a whole bunch of people; mainly because it's not -culturally- expected. Generally, we're a pretty invisible lot; we serve as the 'model minority': we work hard, keep our heads low and disappear, pretty much.
The other, more shocking, though not surprising, thing, is how self-absorbed and ethnocentric we are as North Americans. Vigils, candlelight services, television memorials, large murals for people to write their feelings on, loads of flowers and teddy bears - all for 32 unfortunate people who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sure, outpouring of collective grief in mourning is important for healing, but what of the hundreds of children who die because of AIDS? The millions who live in slavery? The thousands who die of preventable causes; famine, unclean water, natural disasters, poverty? What of the 23 Christian Iraqis who were selectively shot, after being pulled from a bus, yesterday in Bagdhad? What of the renewed fighting in Mogadishu, causing hundreds to flee the city into who knows what kind of refugee limbo and leaving over 100 dead? What of Hussein Celil, sentenced to life in a Chinese prison? Why do we not mourn these, also dearly loved, also dearly missed? Why do we wallow in our own self-absorption, thinking that the most terrible things happen to -us-, when, in fact, they don't, and, even more arrogantly, expect the world to mourn deeply with us?

SLKT II

Sometimes I think the number one reason why I come up here is the yogurt. Seriously. I haven't been able to find it anywhere else but here, but it is WICKED! Went to the supermarket yesterday and bought two huge tubs, which will easily be eaten well before the end of next week...

SLKT I

You know what I love about small town airports? I love how there is absolutely no security check; no x-rays, no taking off of shoes, no walking through metal detectors, no nothing.... just check in and fly.... admittedly, you're flying in tiny little 10 person planes, so it's awfully low cost-benefit ratio if you're trying to terrorize a plane, but it's still nice to just check in and go on your way...

Bad things come in 3's (with regrets to Anne)

1. My accountant dropped the bomb as to how much tax I had to pay this year, which was mind-numbing, and higher than last year... booooo! I suppose I could console myself that I'm helping subsidize several obese, smoking, diabetic men get their bypass surgeries or knee replacements, or the governor general's trip to some far off place, but it doesn't help much... not much at all....
2. A KOREAN guy was responsible for the shooting spree in Virginia.... oh, for crying out loud: how embarassing!!!!
3. Actually, life isn't really that bad.... we live in a beautiful world, yeah we do, yeah we do...

Bwa ha haaaaa, the POWER (insert lightning bolt here)!!!!

So, I am apparently cross-appointed to two universities now; isn't that crazy? Who would've figured that any university at all would've wanted me in the first place? Though, really, there's no power, clout, nothing... I don't even have a little paper card proving this fact... sigh.... still have to argue with nurses that yes, indeed, I am not a medical student...

The REAL UFC

While on the topic of international conflict, one of my friends pointed out, when he was a child, his playmates determined that grown-ups should deal with international conflict the same way they would in the schoolyard: the leader of country A should challenge the leader of country B to a fight. Clean fighting, no below-the-belt, boxing ring-type matches. That way, if presidents and kings wanted to fight with one another, they could do so directly, and not send their minions in to do the job for them.
Now THAT would be something that I'd want to watch: Can you imagine pudgy Kim Jong-Il taking on George Bush? I think Bush could take him, even though he's the older man. Or Ahmadinejad taking on Tony Blair? Blair could TOTALLY take him. It would change the nature of our conflicts, for sure: no president wants to look foolish alone, so conflict would cease, if we did it the good old way, and had the leaders deal directly with the leaders, mano a mano....

Facebook

So I -finally- got a page on Facebook, after much harassment. However, I stripped it down to the bare bones, and, basically, there's nothing on it, except to say to come by and check out my blog. I figure, I have a hard enough time keeping up with this blog, which isn't anything fancy (since I can't figure out how to put pictures and diagrams up or anything)... how am I supposed to keep up with pokes, walls, messages, mini-feeds, etc etc etc??
At any rate, at least I'm there, so if you really want to be my friend, you are perfectly welcome to request it.... now whether I actually get online to check to see that or not, is a completely other matter....

Isn't She Beautiful? - a reprise

So, a friend's friend's blog had this wonderfully written piece that I wanted to share here... It was an 'oh yes!' moment for me in reading that, in thinking in my heart, 'oh, she is so horrid and so callous and cold, but I am still crazy about her, cause I still believe in the ability for her to get up and change the world'... Here's the site: http://riellymclaren.blogspot.com/2007/01/isnt-she-beautiful.html .... of course, if you're too lazy to click on the link, here's the entry:

I'm sure I've excited some of you. A strange, but telling title for a blog.

I know many of you have been interested in the fruit of my love life as a single guy. Are you curious to know the "she" that is so beautiful? I am aware of your keen interest in finding me the right lady. Your thoughts and attempts have been flattering and appreciated; however, you can rest now.

Search no more. You'd be glad to know that she is indeed very beautiful. Sadly, I didn't always notice her that way. I admit I was a little blind to her; though she was right under my nose all along. I was just caught up in "doing" the things of life, and as such, it prevented me from seeing her. I am just so glad that God opened my eyes to just how beautiful she actually is.

So who is she? I'm sure you are dying to know.

As a matter of fact, I almost considered her ugly before! Not ugly asethetically, she kept up her physical appearance fairly well. On the outside she could be noticeable a times: elegant, polished, witty, and articulate; but inside, oh inside! I percieved to be so ugly. I thought I knew her, she made me angry at times...her behaviour was atrocious! I was just waiting for her to say something embarassing. Have you ever known someone like that? They can seem so beautiful on the outside, but as soon as they open their mouth, it's like they were just beaten with an ugly stick?

What's even worse, people would talk about the horrible things she did before I met her. Her former loves, her failures, her deciet. I would be appalled and speechless, especially when they would ask why I still keep company with her...

I wondered why I kept company with her.

I used to think she was ugly; but isn't she beautiful?

Yesterday night I was just sitting there and admiring her. She smiled at me.

She smiled at my beating heart. My heart, because it was her own.

Many others were admiring her...I wasn't jealous. We all knew her reputation, but admired her nonetheless. We could all sympathize with the ugliness. I, of all people, could sympathize with her.

We saw her beauty, and saw that there is none like her. God made her, and loves her, even when she did go her own way. There was always a part of her that was beautiful, and longed to be everything God made her to be, even when her hands and feet rebelled and left home.

Her beauty is real. She is beautiful. I just had to look.

I saw her in Africa, where she journyed away from video cameras...
she was beautiful.
I saw her in a crack house, where she replaced drugs for jealous love...
she was beautiful.
I saw her in a broken church, where she stopped pretending...
she was beautiful.
I saw her in a mosque, where she openly shared humility, and vulnerability...
she was beautiful.
I saw her in a broken marriage, where she said 'I'm sorry'...
she was beautiful.
I saw her in a seminary, where she wrestled with mystery...
she was beautiful.
And I saw her in a broken heart, where she offered true love...
she was beautiful.

I began to see her everywhere, because she is everywhere.

Isn't she beautiful?
Why is she beautiful?
Because she bleeds divine blood, and bled she has.

FFT

Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house
To put his nest on high,
To be delivered from the hand of calamity!
You have devised a shameful thing for your house
By cutting off many peoples;
So you are sinning against yourself.
Surely the stone will cry out from the wall,
And the rafter will answer it from the framework.

Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain
to set his nest on high,
to escape the clutches of ruin!
You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,
shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
The stones of the wall will cry out,
and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.

Habakkuk 2: 9-11