Friday, April 11, 2008
A walk in the park
Now that the weather is mostly nice and usually mid-80's, last Sunday afternoon we made a picnic in Trinity Park.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
the Hillary Game
The Hillary Game, by has-been
Object of the game: To lie as often as you can without being tossed from the game.
Player pieces: Damage control and recovery skill development media card sets. Choose among spin doctors, media outlets, and town halls, or combination of each to perpetuate your lying (s)kills.
Game board: USA state map.
Declaring the winner: Open option to change the rules as you play.
Object of the game: To lie as often as you can without being tossed from the game.
Player pieces: Damage control and recovery skill development media card sets. Choose among spin doctors, media outlets, and town halls, or combination of each to perpetuate your lying (s)kills.
Game board: USA state map.
Declaring the winner: Open option to change the rules as you play.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Aww, the sweet smell of politics
I love politics. It was my college major. Ironically, theology and philosophy was my minor. Nowadays those disciplines all seem to play a crutial role in becoming president of the USA. Even more than politics, I love words.
In the past few months we've seen kitchen sinks thrown about for candidates who were accused of being full of nothing but words, and then a week later the same man was condemned because of someone else's words. It seems that the significance of words vary. According to the messages of some, good words are meaningless and bad combinations of words can hurt you.
I remember sitting in the congregation of Rev. Wright's church for the first time. It was packed and the choir all wore African garb but sang in the traditional black church gospel way. I was comforted by the others around me as they hugged me, grabbed my hands, and gave me warm greetings when they realized it was my first time. It is so easy to feel lost in a large congregation, but this church had a circular design and the pulpit was in the middle of the people.
Rev. Wright approached the pulpit and the very first words that came from his mouth relaxed me. In fact, they brought a smile to my face and immediately settled me. He used simple words and I felt the genuine nature of how he spoke them. It was his honesty in how he spoke that reached me. His words were simple, yes, and they were the first words from his mouth each time he came to the pulpit every Sunday morning.
I was alone in Chicago after being abandoned. It was the aftermath of a failed relationship that left me alone and grieving. I would forget my solitude on Sundays when I walked into the Trinity Church and I easily got lost in the news of the multitude of community programs and outreach spoken about and detailed in the booklet we received - our Sunday bulletin. It was a thick booklet. Half of it was filled with community outreach program information and activities. Reaching out to others was a guided focus and obligation of these Christians. The church is located in the black community, so naturally the outreach was to this community.
For the first time in my life, I was attending a church that actively and effectively served the community in which it resided.
But after a few minutes of flipping through the booklet, Rev Wright would appear at the pulpit with his million dollar smile. It looked warm. It felt warm. He then spoke his typical opening words that never grew old.
I don't know why we haven't had sound bites of that. I can still hear him as he looked around to greet us every Sunday morning. Looking around, smiling, he'd say and then pause with, "I love you."
And I believe him because the expansive church outreach confirms it. And so those simple opening words developed into a sermon of politics, government, God's plan and truths, and the people around me every week. I understood it, I embraced it, and I never lost love for all mankind while listening to it. He led me back to people and never separated me from anyone. He led me back to a community of all people and grounded my walk with the Jesus love concepts.
I miss that church. If you don't understand what he means and how he stands for God, then I offer his words to you, but from me: "I love you." If I had my way then I'd tell you not to ever let anyone tell you that good words are meaningless.
In the past few months we've seen kitchen sinks thrown about for candidates who were accused of being full of nothing but words, and then a week later the same man was condemned because of someone else's words. It seems that the significance of words vary. According to the messages of some, good words are meaningless and bad combinations of words can hurt you.
I remember sitting in the congregation of Rev. Wright's church for the first time. It was packed and the choir all wore African garb but sang in the traditional black church gospel way. I was comforted by the others around me as they hugged me, grabbed my hands, and gave me warm greetings when they realized it was my first time. It is so easy to feel lost in a large congregation, but this church had a circular design and the pulpit was in the middle of the people.
Rev. Wright approached the pulpit and the very first words that came from his mouth relaxed me. In fact, they brought a smile to my face and immediately settled me. He used simple words and I felt the genuine nature of how he spoke them. It was his honesty in how he spoke that reached me. His words were simple, yes, and they were the first words from his mouth each time he came to the pulpit every Sunday morning.
I was alone in Chicago after being abandoned. It was the aftermath of a failed relationship that left me alone and grieving. I would forget my solitude on Sundays when I walked into the Trinity Church and I easily got lost in the news of the multitude of community programs and outreach spoken about and detailed in the booklet we received - our Sunday bulletin. It was a thick booklet. Half of it was filled with community outreach program information and activities. Reaching out to others was a guided focus and obligation of these Christians. The church is located in the black community, so naturally the outreach was to this community.
For the first time in my life, I was attending a church that actively and effectively served the community in which it resided.
But after a few minutes of flipping through the booklet, Rev Wright would appear at the pulpit with his million dollar smile. It looked warm. It felt warm. He then spoke his typical opening words that never grew old.
I don't know why we haven't had sound bites of that. I can still hear him as he looked around to greet us every Sunday morning. Looking around, smiling, he'd say and then pause with, "I love you."
And I believe him because the expansive church outreach confirms it. And so those simple opening words developed into a sermon of politics, government, God's plan and truths, and the people around me every week. I understood it, I embraced it, and I never lost love for all mankind while listening to it. He led me back to people and never separated me from anyone. He led me back to a community of all people and grounded my walk with the Jesus love concepts.
I miss that church. If you don't understand what he means and how he stands for God, then I offer his words to you, but from me: "I love you." If I had my way then I'd tell you not to ever let anyone tell you that good words are meaningless.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
If I have my way....
I was wondering how long I would have to shut this blog down if I have my way. After all, I imagine that I am among 10 million other Americans vying for a representative spot in the Democratic Party this year and if I make it, my snide remarks about another prominent party member would be viewed as inappropriate.
I have moved into the next phase as a party volunteer already. I'm required to sign a confidentiality statement this week. I snickered as I read that notice just after reading that 900,000 Americans are on the FBI watch list. I snickered as I wondered, "Who's watching the FBI? Is it Bush? Could it be McCarthy Jr.? What do we really know?"
To avoid a dive into the paranoia, I quickly decided not to care. I don't think I'm up for that free trip to a camp in Cuba yet. There's several there and even one for the little kids. I heard the water sports were great...something called waterboarding or something. That sounds like it kicks surfing in the butt big time.
At any rate, I will not set my sights too high. My best bet is to continue to try and sift thru the Texas ballots and make copies under heavily supervised conditions. Closer to home we're making a block club and having a block party to encourage interaction and ward off insecurities that some of our neighbors are beginning to feel.
In 2008, the new black is NIMFY, (Not in my front yard). I never thought about devoting myself as a community organizer, and I never knew there was such a career. I just knew that there were people who did local stuff here and there. I won't wait to be named anything. I live here. I pay taxes here. My son lives and plays here. We are who we say we are because we make it, believe it, and then live it.
Care to join us?
Obama '08 ... We are the people we've been waiting for.... hail yeah!
I have moved into the next phase as a party volunteer already. I'm required to sign a confidentiality statement this week. I snickered as I read that notice just after reading that 900,000 Americans are on the FBI watch list. I snickered as I wondered, "Who's watching the FBI? Is it Bush? Could it be McCarthy Jr.? What do we really know?"
To avoid a dive into the paranoia, I quickly decided not to care. I don't think I'm up for that free trip to a camp in Cuba yet. There's several there and even one for the little kids. I heard the water sports were great...something called waterboarding or something. That sounds like it kicks surfing in the butt big time.
At any rate, I will not set my sights too high. My best bet is to continue to try and sift thru the Texas ballots and make copies under heavily supervised conditions. Closer to home we're making a block club and having a block party to encourage interaction and ward off insecurities that some of our neighbors are beginning to feel.
In 2008, the new black is NIMFY, (Not in my front yard). I never thought about devoting myself as a community organizer, and I never knew there was such a career. I just knew that there were people who did local stuff here and there. I won't wait to be named anything. I live here. I pay taxes here. My son lives and plays here. We are who we say we are because we make it, believe it, and then live it.
Care to join us?
Obama '08 ... We are the people we've been waiting for.... hail yeah!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
In Crook county, Wyoming, the candidates both received 50% of the vote.
Here's the next-day online headline results after the BIG Obama Wyoming caucus win. Is someone cooking fish at MSNBC? Also, no story could be found at all after flipping through half of one the the largest newspapers in Texas even though months ago they endorsed Obama. Hmmmm.
MSNBC: What women want. Hillary clintons appeal to female baby boomers
and then underneath that story is Obama had star power but minor role in Senate
CNN: Obama takes Wyoming caucus
Fox News Obama Regains Momentum, Illinois senator trounces Clinton in Wyoming caucuses on the road to critical contests
• CAMPAIGN WIRE: Obama Says He Won't Be Clinton's VP
Obama told KTVQ in Billings, Mont., Friday: “You won’t see me as a vice presidential candidate.”
“I’m running for president,” he told the television station. “We have won twice as many states as Senator Clinton, and have a higher popular vote, and I think we can maintain our delegate count — but you know, what I’m really focused on right now, because all that stuff is premature, is winning this nomination and changing the country.”
Here's the next-day online headline results after the BIG Obama Wyoming caucus win. Is someone cooking fish at MSNBC? Also, no story could be found at all after flipping through half of one the the largest newspapers in Texas even though months ago they endorsed Obama. Hmmmm.
MSNBC: What women want. Hillary clintons appeal to female baby boomers
and then underneath that story is Obama had star power but minor role in Senate
CNN: Obama takes Wyoming caucus
Fox News Obama Regains Momentum, Illinois senator trounces Clinton in Wyoming caucuses on the road to critical contests
• CAMPAIGN WIRE: Obama Says He Won't Be Clinton's VP
Obama told KTVQ in Billings, Mont., Friday: “You won’t see me as a vice presidential candidate.”
“I’m running for president,” he told the television station. “We have won twice as many states as Senator Clinton, and have a higher popular vote, and I think we can maintain our delegate count — but you know, what I’m really focused on right now, because all that stuff is premature, is winning this nomination and changing the country.”
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