Oh... its time for lunch... well lead the way!
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Wednesday Ditzy Cam
As I am on vacation (and Ditzy is being well cared for), here is a pic from my collection...
Oh... its time for lunch... well lead the way!
Oh... its time for lunch... well lead the way!
Airbus A320 Comin' Out of the Sky...
I'm off for a 2-week vacation to San Francisco. I was treated to a window seat and a lovely view.
What a sight… the sun was setting, and my window was facing almost directly west. The ground was mostly obscured with a thin covering of clouds, but looking directly westward, a ribbon of rivers, ponds, and lakes reflected the orange sunlight, looking like pieces of gold amidst a fog... dozens of small suns lining the ground. I was reminded of what my friend Jyothy said about Hinduism and their many gods… that these gods are like fonts of water reflecting the sunlight that is God, and though they shine with God’s brilliance, they are merely illusions…reflections of Him.
What a sight… the sun was setting, and my window was facing almost directly west. The ground was mostly obscured with a thin covering of clouds, but looking directly westward, a ribbon of rivers, ponds, and lakes reflected the orange sunlight, looking like pieces of gold amidst a fog... dozens of small suns lining the ground. I was reminded of what my friend Jyothy said about Hinduism and their many gods… that these gods are like fonts of water reflecting the sunlight that is God, and though they shine with God’s brilliance, they are merely illusions…reflections of Him.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Amidst all my junk...
So anyway I'm making my last-minute preparations for my trip to SF, and I'm shuffling papers, sorting mail, etc... and recently I just purchased a copy of "The Message //Remix"... it's a new translation of the Bible using modern, very readable language. So my copy is sitting on the coffee table, and, while sorting mail, I placed some items on top of it...
...now when I was a child I went to a Baptist Church in town, and I could just hear Mr. Vaught, my 4th grade Sunday School teacher, saying "that is no way to treat a Bible! You Never lay anything on top of your Bible. It's a letter to you from God... how would you treat a letter from your president?" (well, politics aside of what I think of our current president, the idea is that you'd frame it and hang it up for everyone to see...)
...so for years, when I cleaned my room, I never set anything on top of my Bible... but today, I just looked at it, and it was okay...
...it's not a sign of disrespect to me anymore... A real sign of disrespect would be to ignore what it has to say. And if i were ignoring it, it wouldn't be on my coffee table amidst all my junk...
...now when I was a child I went to a Baptist Church in town, and I could just hear Mr. Vaught, my 4th grade Sunday School teacher, saying "that is no way to treat a Bible! You Never lay anything on top of your Bible. It's a letter to you from God... how would you treat a letter from your president?" (well, politics aside of what I think of our current president, the idea is that you'd frame it and hang it up for everyone to see...)
...so for years, when I cleaned my room, I never set anything on top of my Bible... but today, I just looked at it, and it was okay...
...it's not a sign of disrespect to me anymore... A real sign of disrespect would be to ignore what it has to say. And if i were ignoring it, it wouldn't be on my coffee table amidst all my junk...
All Things bright & Beautiful...
So I decided to go check out the new wing of the Franklin Park Mall...
As some of you know, a new Borders bookstore at the mall has replaced the local one, Thackerays, which closed its doors in early April.
On my drive to the mall, I passed by what is left of Westgate Plaza, a place that has suffered from businesses relocating to the nearby mall.
What once was Thackeray's at Westgate
Some places, like Boogie Records, have been replaced by a similar store, like the Allied Record Exchange...
...while other stores, like this former Dillards Home Store, sit vacant.
Just up the road...
It has been a few years since FoodTown, after opening this brand new sotre in 1997, went out of business. Home Depot, in the far right, is still in business. Their store, built in 1998 sits on the site of a former apartment complex. Home Depot, at that time, claimed that the room was needed to accomodate parking.
Yet another casualty, Showcase Cinema on Secor Rd. ...both this cinema, the Franklin Mall Cinema, and the Franklin Park Cinema in front of Target on Monroe St. have been closed to make way for the new Franklin Park Mall Cinema.
It's not that the neighborhood has gone downhill, or these businesses were losing money...
...as the types of cars parked outside these businesses profess, such as this Porsche...
The place has just gotten a little rusty. Its Newness has worn off...
A few miles northwest, and I reached my destination:
...The Westfield Shoppingtown at Franklin Park. I parked just outside the new Borders bookstore.
This place has "newness" written all over it. From the shiny mirror-like polish on the marble floors to the open, airy 21st century architecture...
The place is alive and bustling with people.
I sat down for a bite to eat at the Food Court, right next to this wonderfully extravagant fireplace...
Burning away on a bed of ice.
After eating, I wandered up the escalator leading to the top of the mall.
where they have built the new Franklin Park Mall Cinema De Lux.
This cinema has everything, 16 screens, ATM-style ticket terminals, an arcade...
...even a bar, er... I mean lounge.
I visited many of the new shops... Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Borders, but this one really surprised me...
Dick's Sporting Goods... They're new in this section of town. The other stores in the area are over in North Toledo and out in Holland.
...and this store is HUGE!. Granted, they do carry many items the other sporting goods stores around the area do not, but they are also at least 3 times the size in square footage of any other sporting goods store in town.
...and the activity at the mall... people everywhere, children running through stores and down halways, people talking on cell phones, oblivious to others as they meander through the crowds chatting away. The "newness" was definitely drawing the people out of their homes... and the money out of their wallets...
...it's an interesting condition in our culture how we so readily discard what we already have in favor for All Things Bright and Beautiful. But, in contrast, the way we treat the rusted and homely is far more telling of cultural values. We need to stop this cycle of neglect and waste. It is a plague on our society.
As some of you know, a new Borders bookstore at the mall has replaced the local one, Thackerays, which closed its doors in early April.
On my drive to the mall, I passed by what is left of Westgate Plaza, a place that has suffered from businesses relocating to the nearby mall.
What once was Thackeray's at Westgate
Some places, like Boogie Records, have been replaced by a similar store, like the Allied Record Exchange...
...while other stores, like this former Dillards Home Store, sit vacant.
Just up the road...
It has been a few years since FoodTown, after opening this brand new sotre in 1997, went out of business. Home Depot, in the far right, is still in business. Their store, built in 1998 sits on the site of a former apartment complex. Home Depot, at that time, claimed that the room was needed to accomodate parking.
Yet another casualty, Showcase Cinema on Secor Rd. ...both this cinema, the Franklin Mall Cinema, and the Franklin Park Cinema in front of Target on Monroe St. have been closed to make way for the new Franklin Park Mall Cinema.
It's not that the neighborhood has gone downhill, or these businesses were losing money...
...as the types of cars parked outside these businesses profess, such as this Porsche...
The place has just gotten a little rusty. Its Newness has worn off...
A few miles northwest, and I reached my destination:
...The Westfield Shoppingtown at Franklin Park. I parked just outside the new Borders bookstore.
This place has "newness" written all over it. From the shiny mirror-like polish on the marble floors to the open, airy 21st century architecture...
The place is alive and bustling with people.
I sat down for a bite to eat at the Food Court, right next to this wonderfully extravagant fireplace...
Burning away on a bed of ice.
After eating, I wandered up the escalator leading to the top of the mall.
where they have built the new Franklin Park Mall Cinema De Lux.
This cinema has everything, 16 screens, ATM-style ticket terminals, an arcade...
...even a bar, er... I mean lounge.
I visited many of the new shops... Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Borders, but this one really surprised me...
Dick's Sporting Goods... They're new in this section of town. The other stores in the area are over in North Toledo and out in Holland.
...and this store is HUGE!. Granted, they do carry many items the other sporting goods stores around the area do not, but they are also at least 3 times the size in square footage of any other sporting goods store in town.
...and the activity at the mall... people everywhere, children running through stores and down halways, people talking on cell phones, oblivious to others as they meander through the crowds chatting away. The "newness" was definitely drawing the people out of their homes... and the money out of their wallets...
...it's an interesting condition in our culture how we so readily discard what we already have in favor for All Things Bright and Beautiful. But, in contrast, the way we treat the rusted and homely is far more telling of cultural values. We need to stop this cycle of neglect and waste. It is a plague on our society.
Friday, May 13, 2005
Another Ampitheater for Toledo?!
If you've been following the news here in Toledo, our Mayor Jack Ford want to divert $1 million from the city park fund to build an ampitheater on the riverfront downtown.
Here is an artist sketch hosted online by The Toledo Blade...
Maybe someone should have told him that there is an ampitheater on the waterfront downtown right between the steam plant and COSI... it's mostly ignored and left unused...
Here is the view from the front of COSi looking toward the river. In the center is the stage and a fountain.
Looking toward the steam plant... it's really a cozy, well maintained place. Too bad no one has events here.
But this isn't the only ampitheater in town... Ottawa Park has a rather nice one too...
The Glyn Smith Ampitheater in Ottawa Park... dedicated on July 24, 2002.
It's a nice quiet place... perfect for a wonderful summers evening listening to the band play, or a student theater production...
But it too sits unused...
...in all fairness I should mention that there was a Saturday concert series here last year, but when I went to the nearby Toledo District Police Community services Center and the Ottawa Park Nature Center to enquire about a 2005 summer events schedule, there was no information to be had...
What a shame. The Toledo Zoo has a beautiful ampitheater. They host regular concerts, including a Sunday Night Summer Concert Series.... and people come...
How many productions, concerts, etc. could Toledo have if they took a fraction of this $1 million and decided to use the spaces we already have? Neither of these ampitheaters has anything worng with them...
We need to stop wanting all things bright and new for the sake of the brightness and newness.. and start wanting the wonderful things we already have but take for granted.
Here is an artist sketch hosted online by The Toledo Blade...
Maybe someone should have told him that there is an ampitheater on the waterfront downtown right between the steam plant and COSI... it's mostly ignored and left unused...
Here is the view from the front of COSi looking toward the river. In the center is the stage and a fountain.
Looking toward the steam plant... it's really a cozy, well maintained place. Too bad no one has events here.
But this isn't the only ampitheater in town... Ottawa Park has a rather nice one too...
The Glyn Smith Ampitheater in Ottawa Park... dedicated on July 24, 2002.
It's a nice quiet place... perfect for a wonderful summers evening listening to the band play, or a student theater production...
But it too sits unused...
...in all fairness I should mention that there was a Saturday concert series here last year, but when I went to the nearby Toledo District Police Community services Center and the Ottawa Park Nature Center to enquire about a 2005 summer events schedule, there was no information to be had...
What a shame. The Toledo Zoo has a beautiful ampitheater. They host regular concerts, including a Sunday Night Summer Concert Series.... and people come...
How many productions, concerts, etc. could Toledo have if they took a fraction of this $1 million and decided to use the spaces we already have? Neither of these ampitheaters has anything worng with them...
We need to stop wanting all things bright and new for the sake of the brightness and newness.. and start wanting the wonderful things we already have but take for granted.
End of an Era...
So I just received an list-email for Lisa Hunter's upcoming shows... she's a rather talented acoustic singer/songwriter that used to perform over at Sufficient Grounds in the late 90s... I would be up there doing my homework or just hanging out with some friends and she was one of the best acts they had there.... sometimes I find her still performing in Ann Arbor from her upcoming events emails... anyway, this email reads...
"Hello Folks:
I've got a special show coming up on Saturday, May 21st- my last show in Michigan before I move to Boulder, Colorado. I would love to see you, so please be there! I'll be sending another email with more details, but for now, I wanted to make sure that you save the date:
"Hello Folks:
I've got a special show coming up on Saturday, May 21st- my last show in Michigan before I move to Boulder, Colorado. I would love to see you, so please be there! I'll be sending another email with more details, but for now, I wanted to make sure that you save the date:
Espresso Royale
214 S Main St.
Ann Arbor
734-668-1838
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 9-11 PM
LISA"
...I won't be able to go to hear her one last time... instead I'll be out in San Francisco to go see my friends. Anyway, I wish her the best of luck.
If you haven't heard her music before, I have a link to some of it on the bottom right column.
Bye Lisa, thanks for the music!
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Wednesday Ditzy Cam
Yep, he's sleeping his day away again. And after a catnap, it's time for a bath...
Some privacy please?! Cat grooming here!
Some privacy please?! Cat grooming here!
Defying the Pigeonhole principle... again...
So we're doing an Enneagram test with my church. I did the survey in about 15 minutes (100 or so A or B questions) and turned it in... I will find out in a few weeks what my 'type' is, a number from 1-9... I've taken the Kiersey/Jung/Briggs test before, but they usually come out tied between two or more categories...
...I couldn't wait to find out, so I found an online test at similarminds.com... I took the advanced test with 130 questions, and here is the breakdown of my answers...
Take Free Enneagram Personality Test
...so I tied on types 3 and 9, and types 7 & 8 are very close as well... the only thing I'm certain of is that I'm not a type 5...
I'll miss the workshop on May 21st that we're having, so I wanted to read more about what these 4 enneagram types represent. So last night I visited the new Borders over at Franklin Park and I found a book titled "The Enneagram : A Christian Perspective"
by Richard Rohr... in it, as I read each type, I found aspects that defined me rather well, while others didn't sound like me at all.
I always do this on these tests! No one category ever fits! It's some of one, some of another... more of a smorgasboard than a #4 combo meal... but no one single category ever seems predominant...
...so I wonder what this all proves? Were there easy answers for growth and self-awareness to be found if you perfectly match one type? Are the results of the test I took online different from the one I turned in?
And how many people are unique individuals that cannot be pigeonholed into 1 of 9 types? Or 1 of 16 personality types? Is there a danger of boiling down someone into a single type at the cost of ignoring the lesser aspects in favor of the predominant?
Now for the philosophical rant:
...basically, this is compunded with my lashing out against positivist quantification. Potential, reality, quality cannot be quantified, categorized, or measured. Some aspects can, but they can never truly capture the whole essence... specialization comes at the cost of losing the forest for the trees... everything is connected. You cannot reduce to the basic parts, reductionism, and claim complete knowledge without knowing the interrelatedness of the parts, how they were assembled, or why they were created... sure, you can have some understanding, but never complete understanding...
okay... I think I've answered my own question: This test is a tool to help understand yourself, not a test made up to define you. I just need to remember that...
...I couldn't wait to find out, so I found an online test at similarminds.com... I took the advanced test with 130 questions, and here is the breakdown of my answers...
| Enneagram Test Results
|
...so I tied on types 3 and 9, and types 7 & 8 are very close as well... the only thing I'm certain of is that I'm not a type 5...
I'll miss the workshop on May 21st that we're having, so I wanted to read more about what these 4 enneagram types represent. So last night I visited the new Borders over at Franklin Park and I found a book titled "The Enneagram : A Christian Perspective"
by Richard Rohr... in it, as I read each type, I found aspects that defined me rather well, while others didn't sound like me at all.
I always do this on these tests! No one category ever fits! It's some of one, some of another... more of a smorgasboard than a #4 combo meal... but no one single category ever seems predominant...
...so I wonder what this all proves? Were there easy answers for growth and self-awareness to be found if you perfectly match one type? Are the results of the test I took online different from the one I turned in?
And how many people are unique individuals that cannot be pigeonholed into 1 of 9 types? Or 1 of 16 personality types? Is there a danger of boiling down someone into a single type at the cost of ignoring the lesser aspects in favor of the predominant?
Now for the philosophical rant:
...basically, this is compunded with my lashing out against positivist quantification. Potential, reality, quality cannot be quantified, categorized, or measured. Some aspects can, but they can never truly capture the whole essence... specialization comes at the cost of losing the forest for the trees... everything is connected. You cannot reduce to the basic parts, reductionism, and claim complete knowledge without knowing the interrelatedness of the parts, how they were assembled, or why they were created... sure, you can have some understanding, but never complete understanding...
okay... I think I've answered my own question: This test is a tool to help understand yourself, not a test made up to define you. I just need to remember that...
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Ditzy Gets Some Action!
Wednesday Ditzy-Cam
So here is Ditzy enjoying the sun with his pal Scratches.
I went into the kitchen to make lunch and feed Ditzy. While he was eating, along came one of the dozen or so squirrels looking for a handout. This happens every day. He drives my poor cat crazy.
This guy was coming right up to the glass. Ditzy was going nuts!
This squirrel was asking for it.... so I slowly opened the door, little by little. The squirrel didn't budge! He just came closer....
...and waiting, oh so patiently, was Ditzy.
Soon I had the door opened just wide enough. Ditzy pounced. The squirrel just stared in disbelief. I could just picture him thinking "Wait! This isn't supposed to happen!"
Ditzy smacked the squirrel on the top of his head. If he still had front claws, he'd been eating squirrel for lunch and not Meow Mix.
The squirrel ran around in a circle then bolted for the nearest tree. Ditzy followed him, then, relishing his freedom in the outdoors casually made his way around to his favorite spot...
...the catnip plant.
Yep, life was good for kitty today. He taught that uppity squirrel a lesson, and even got himself some kitty-crack.
So here is Ditzy enjoying the sun with his pal Scratches.
I went into the kitchen to make lunch and feed Ditzy. While he was eating, along came one of the dozen or so squirrels looking for a handout. This happens every day. He drives my poor cat crazy.
This guy was coming right up to the glass. Ditzy was going nuts!
This squirrel was asking for it.... so I slowly opened the door, little by little. The squirrel didn't budge! He just came closer....
...and waiting, oh so patiently, was Ditzy.
Soon I had the door opened just wide enough. Ditzy pounced. The squirrel just stared in disbelief. I could just picture him thinking "Wait! This isn't supposed to happen!"
Ditzy smacked the squirrel on the top of his head. If he still had front claws, he'd been eating squirrel for lunch and not Meow Mix.
The squirrel ran around in a circle then bolted for the nearest tree. Ditzy followed him, then, relishing his freedom in the outdoors casually made his way around to his favorite spot...
...the catnip plant.
Yep, life was good for kitty today. He taught that uppity squirrel a lesson, and even got himself some kitty-crack.
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