I am so sad that I missed this debate on the pros/cons of technology entitled, "If the proposition of technology is to simplify our lives, it is failing"...
http://www.economist.com/debate/index.cfm?action=hall&debate_id=5
The person's thoughts they highlight say this:
"Ultimately technology will allow us to live longer, healthier, pro-active lives and give us the tools we need to help sustain our communities. Yup. Simplicity has to go, but it seems like a fair trade."
I disagree, lady.
More to come from me...later...when I have drunk less wine.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
novel update #3
hit another wall.
have been writing, but its all shit.
perhaps this is the cycle, when its good, its good. when its bad its bad.
next time i hit a stride, i should not sleep till its finished.
a stride is far from here.
i dont have much left, but i just cant seem to get it going.
the begining is done.
the end is done.
the middle is coming together.
and thats about it.
i have it mapped out.
i need 3 chapters
roughly 20 typed pages.
much much harder than it sounds.
have been writing, but its all shit.
perhaps this is the cycle, when its good, its good. when its bad its bad.
next time i hit a stride, i should not sleep till its finished.
a stride is far from here.
i dont have much left, but i just cant seem to get it going.
the begining is done.
the end is done.
the middle is coming together.
and thats about it.
i have it mapped out.
i need 3 chapters
roughly 20 typed pages.
much much harder than it sounds.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
the conservative family and the politic
One of my family members is notorious for anti-Obama forwards. This week, one finally bothered me enough to send a Reply-All email to my extended family, and I thought you all might appreciate the exchange. If I get any replies, I may post those, as well:
The Forward
"This was sent by a friend. I believe it does make us
think...a whole lot. Hope it makes you think also.
According to The Book of Revelations the anti-christ is:The anti-christ will be a man, in his
40s, of MUSLIM descent, who will deceive the nations with persuasive language,
and have a MASSIVE Christ-like appeal....the prophecy says that people will
flock to him and he will promise false hope and world peace, and when he is in
power, will destroy everything.. Is it OBAMA??I STRONGLY URGE each one of you to repost this as many times as you can! Each
opportunity that you have to send it to a friend or media outlet...do it!If you
think I am crazy..Im sorry but I refuse to take a chance on the "unknown"
candidate"The Response
Hi family,
This email did make me think, and I wanted to share a few of those thoughts with you all, and I'm certainly interested in your thoughts, as well...
I think this election year is a great opportunity, first and foremost, for a conversation about who we are and where we are going as a country, and to not let the media dictate to us what we should think. What's great about our democracy is that it was founded and sustained by free people who think for themselves and seek a common ground in the midst of diversity, and we have the privilege of carrying on that tradition.
As for myself, I am supporting Obama. I don't believe that I have been deceived, nor do I believe I am giving naive support to an "unknown candidate". I don't think he fits the description of the Anti-Christ found in Revelation anymore than George W Bush does, and that's because I don't find the description from Grandma's email anywhere in the Bible when I read it. I'm not sure what is implied by calling him an "unknown candidate"; It can't be because we don't know about his past-- he has been very honest and transparent about his past; And it can't be because "there is no substance behind his rhetoric" as the media would like us to believe-- he actually has some very detailed policy plans available for viewing on "The Internets".
I have much respect for the work John McCain has done as a US Senator (and that's probably because I don't view his "lack of conservatism" as a bad thing :) ...), but I worry that his presidency would carry over too many of the Bush Administration policies that have severely damaged us as a nation over the past eight years. I realize I probably just opened myself to a tit-for-tat fight about which party has done the most damage, and I certainly recognize that neither party is God's Party, but I think at this point in our history we could collectively use a season of self-reflection and self-correction. Like Lent or something.
I'll stop now, but I really would be interested in hearing perspectives from you all, since I think "seeking to understand" is just as important, if not more so, than "seeking to be understood", and who better to seek understanding with than family!?! I'll end with a prayer from our Book of Common Prayer:
"Oh God, you have bound us together in common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Much love,
Andrew
cat woes
Molly has a tendency to lie around on whatever I happen to need at any particular moment: my purse, my makeup bag, my jeans, the newspaper, my coat, my slippers, the corner of the bed where I want to put my feet, my chest when I'm trying to type something on the computer. right now she's lying on the legal pad that has my to-do, packing list, and other work-related items that I should be working on right now. so you get a blog!
I was going to upload a Molly-pic to embellish this post, then I realized that I am on my work computer. sigh.
I was going to upload a Molly-pic to embellish this post, then I realized that I am on my work computer. sigh.
friday in a nutshell
story of my life. airport.
what is it about Miller Lite out of a can that can be so white trash at times, and so magical at others? Last night was magical Miller Lite time. It was 70 degrees in South Carolina yesterday, and it only went down to 60ish last night, so we porch nighted it at the Marriott. I'm taking Porch night on the road bitches!
Evan and i decided to exploit the promoter's credit card and ordered the following things via overpriced roomservice
Shrimp Cocktail....(5 shrimp)...$11.
Tylonol Extra strength....(actualy i dont remember how much that cost, but i remember Evan seeing the bill and laughing)
Breakfast in Bed this morning....$35
almost rented a movie last night, but had a few too many to stay awake and watch it, so we went to bed.
Oh and we both stole a pillow. Thats not a first for me, this time it was really out of necessity. You see, i stole a pillow from a Hampton Inn back a few months ago, and now its in rotation in the McCoy home. I needed another comfy hotel pillow to even it out. If you really think about it, I almost had to take it. seriously, think about it.
Went to sleep, not drunk, definately not sober, at 330ish, room service knocked at 715.
I was in my underware, and the room was pitch black. Realizing that i was in no condition to answer the door, i frantically, and with eyes watering, head pounding, mind cursing the night before, rummaged through my bag to find a pair of shorts. Which i found, and put on backward.
Opened the door, and it was a dude around my age. had i known that, there is no way i would have put pants on. Im sure he would have been cool.
hung with a dude who was the youth pastor at Saddleback church, for years. Cool dude. if you dont know much bout Saddleback, here is the low down. Big ass churh, 30k people ish. Rick warren. Purpose driven everything.
and i called the youth pastor a bitch last night, just to see how he would react. It wasnt so outlandish as it sounds, he was having a beer (this is pre porchnight) and he made fun of my shirt.
so i said something to the effect of "shut up bitch"
and there was a pause.
pause.
then he laughed and "good gamed" me, if ya know what i mean.
speaking of getting made fun of. it happens alot on this tour. bastards.
im the youngest, because everyone else is late 20s early 30s. so i kind of get the little brother pick on. im cool with it though. bastards.
I wore a shirt last night to the show that was a little "unB.McCoylike" to wear. i knew it, but i didnt think it looked bad. The gereral opinion was that i looked like a combination of a Kohls model/employee and someone who looked like a college frat boy who now works at someplace like Cerner.
live and learn.
thats it, i dont believe i can ramble much longer, way bored in the airport, and that makes for blogging about recent events.
so that was my friday in a nutshell.
what is it about Miller Lite out of a can that can be so white trash at times, and so magical at others? Last night was magical Miller Lite time. It was 70 degrees in South Carolina yesterday, and it only went down to 60ish last night, so we porch nighted it at the Marriott. I'm taking Porch night on the road bitches!
Evan and i decided to exploit the promoter's credit card and ordered the following things via overpriced roomservice
Shrimp Cocktail....(5 shrimp)...$11.
Tylonol Extra strength....(actualy i dont remember how much that cost, but i remember Evan seeing the bill and laughing)
Breakfast in Bed this morning....$35
almost rented a movie last night, but had a few too many to stay awake and watch it, so we went to bed.
Oh and we both stole a pillow. Thats not a first for me, this time it was really out of necessity. You see, i stole a pillow from a Hampton Inn back a few months ago, and now its in rotation in the McCoy home. I needed another comfy hotel pillow to even it out. If you really think about it, I almost had to take it. seriously, think about it.
Went to sleep, not drunk, definately not sober, at 330ish, room service knocked at 715.
I was in my underware, and the room was pitch black. Realizing that i was in no condition to answer the door, i frantically, and with eyes watering, head pounding, mind cursing the night before, rummaged through my bag to find a pair of shorts. Which i found, and put on backward.
Opened the door, and it was a dude around my age. had i known that, there is no way i would have put pants on. Im sure he would have been cool.
hung with a dude who was the youth pastor at Saddleback church, for years. Cool dude. if you dont know much bout Saddleback, here is the low down. Big ass churh, 30k people ish. Rick warren. Purpose driven everything.
and i called the youth pastor a bitch last night, just to see how he would react. It wasnt so outlandish as it sounds, he was having a beer (this is pre porchnight) and he made fun of my shirt.
so i said something to the effect of "shut up bitch"
and there was a pause.
pause.
then he laughed and "good gamed" me, if ya know what i mean.
speaking of getting made fun of. it happens alot on this tour. bastards.
im the youngest, because everyone else is late 20s early 30s. so i kind of get the little brother pick on. im cool with it though. bastards.
I wore a shirt last night to the show that was a little "unB.McCoylike" to wear. i knew it, but i didnt think it looked bad. The gereral opinion was that i looked like a combination of a Kohls model/employee and someone who looked like a college frat boy who now works at someplace like Cerner.
live and learn.
thats it, i dont believe i can ramble much longer, way bored in the airport, and that makes for blogging about recent events.
so that was my friday in a nutshell.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
it's a problem...
...when you're in a meeting, and you're so tired that you know your eyes are visibly rolling back in your head, and there are only like 5 people in the room so you know everyone can see....
*sigh*
I'm leaving for India in 4 days!! gahhhh
*sigh*
I'm leaving for India in 4 days!! gahhhh
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
happy oscar romero day
It helps, now and then, to step back and take the long view.
The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that should be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.
It may incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and die worker.
We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future that is not our own.
http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/romero.html
The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that should be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.
It may incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and die worker.
We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future that is not our own.
http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/romero.html
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
I'm not blameless. I know this to my core. There is stuff in my life. lots of stuff. its there, whatever.
I hear things that make me want to go insane.
anger problem.
I can not throw the first stone at anyone. Remember that, B.
I have fucked up many times. i have hurt many people. I will hurt people in the future. i would like to think that i wont, but i will.
When i am wronged, i dont handle it very well.
anger problem.
I have a hard time forgiving. I have an even harder time moving on. Parent issues?
Everyone has their thing right? the thing that makes their blood boil. the thing that (in the words of the late and amazing Kurt Vonnegut) even if someone had a gun to your head you wouldnt forgive. I have those things. mine are specific. Only a handful of people have reached such a place with me. Things are happening that wont be undone. This is sad. no its not, fuck it.
Perhaps its me. I can be hard to talk to, i suppose. Intimidating a bit. Of course, one would think that with age comes maturity, but one would be wrong.
So it goes.
My eyesight is getting worse. I just looked at the clock with first my right eye closed, then my left. The Right eye doesnt work as well. i suppose that balances me out because the left ear isnt worth a shit.
Even Steven.
I wrote a song a while ago called "welcome to my home." most of you havent heard it. a few of you heard it once or twice, but wouldnt remember it. There is a verse in it that rings true tonight as sleep is the last thing on my mind. I will write it later.
Apathy.
thoughts, thoughts, thoughts. lies lies lies, fuck fuck fuck. Am i on drugs? no. i am feeling too many pure emotions. not pure in the good sense, but pure in the sense of reality. With drugs, you feel all kinds of things, but they arent real. thats why so many people like drugs. they make the real world go away.
inticing.
K. im off. what an interesting night. if you read this and it borders between a Kurt Vonnegut novel and a Wes Anderson film, its because i have watched the Darjeeling Limited a few times lately, and im in the middle of a Vonnegut book called Hocus Pocus.
between that and the figurative sodomy by someone you thought you knew that only gets worse as each new phone call comes in makes things a bit uncomfortable.
oh yea here's that song lyric.
Apologies. and other empty words
refuse to sleep at night- tomorrow almost right..
cheers mates.
b
I hear things that make me want to go insane.
anger problem.
I can not throw the first stone at anyone. Remember that, B.
I have fucked up many times. i have hurt many people. I will hurt people in the future. i would like to think that i wont, but i will.
When i am wronged, i dont handle it very well.
anger problem.
I have a hard time forgiving. I have an even harder time moving on. Parent issues?
Everyone has their thing right? the thing that makes their blood boil. the thing that (in the words of the late and amazing Kurt Vonnegut) even if someone had a gun to your head you wouldnt forgive. I have those things. mine are specific. Only a handful of people have reached such a place with me. Things are happening that wont be undone. This is sad. no its not, fuck it.
Perhaps its me. I can be hard to talk to, i suppose. Intimidating a bit. Of course, one would think that with age comes maturity, but one would be wrong.
So it goes.
My eyesight is getting worse. I just looked at the clock with first my right eye closed, then my left. The Right eye doesnt work as well. i suppose that balances me out because the left ear isnt worth a shit.
Even Steven.
I wrote a song a while ago called "welcome to my home." most of you havent heard it. a few of you heard it once or twice, but wouldnt remember it. There is a verse in it that rings true tonight as sleep is the last thing on my mind. I will write it later.
Apathy.
thoughts, thoughts, thoughts. lies lies lies, fuck fuck fuck. Am i on drugs? no. i am feeling too many pure emotions. not pure in the good sense, but pure in the sense of reality. With drugs, you feel all kinds of things, but they arent real. thats why so many people like drugs. they make the real world go away.
inticing.
K. im off. what an interesting night. if you read this and it borders between a Kurt Vonnegut novel and a Wes Anderson film, its because i have watched the Darjeeling Limited a few times lately, and im in the middle of a Vonnegut book called Hocus Pocus.
between that and the figurative sodomy by someone you thought you knew that only gets worse as each new phone call comes in makes things a bit uncomfortable.
oh yea here's that song lyric.
Apologies. and other empty words
refuse to sleep at night- tomorrow almost right..
cheers mates.
b
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Relationships
So...if everyone is just bouncing around in the world dealing with their shit...an everything they do or say to someone else affects that person in ways the first person can't understand or may never see the consequences of...we should go out of our way to be nice to everyone. Unexpected kindness is good. Unexpected shittiness is not good. This is truth, my friends.
The Dalai Lama is resigning...and the city is robbing us. China has blocked youtube from its citizens.
The Dalai Lama is resigning...and the city is robbing us. China has blocked youtube from its citizens.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Keepin the dream alive EDIT
evidently the reason Buckley got so popular out of nowhere is because some guy sang it on American Idol last week or something.
shit.
shit.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Keepin the dream alive...
guess what the number one song on itunes is today. (at least this morning)
Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley.
God be praised..
Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley.
God be praised..
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Thoughts of a tired man in a busy airport
While sitting in the Atlanta airport waiting for a plane home, i picked up the local paper and read an interesting tidbit on the Stimulus package.
The IRS is mailing us all letters telling us about how much money will we be receiving this year. 130 million households. 32 cents a letter. = $42 million. Silly Bush.
here's a good quote.
"There are countless better uses for $42 Million than a self-congratulatory mailer that gives the president a pat on the back for an idea that wasn't even his," - Sen. Charles Schumer.
All that is to say. I think i'm over the political talks, and here's why.
I'm not a huge fan of arguing. Now this may come as a surprise, but it's true. I think that among friends, its better to have positive community rather than arguing about shit that isnt that big of a deal. "Not that big of a deal!?" Well, maybe thats not the right term, but if you look at what arguing really is, its people who are trying to prove their point, and/or want the other person to change their mind about something.
I'm not really talking about our small community specifically. We dont really argue. We bitch about stuff. I like that.
I guess I'm just talking about the principle of it in general. Nothing really specific.
So there's that.
I went for a long time liking airports.
then i starting hating them. tons.
but sitting here today, i think i am starting to see what i originally liked about traveling. Sort of, not really at all actually.
The more i think about it, the more its really more of a mobile Wal-Mart. For every clean and well kempt person, there is an army of the opposite. Now, you dont see the traditional Mickey Mouse (i just used the Mickey Mouse club song in my head to spell out Mickey.) shirt from 1989 and stretchy pants with the best BK shoes in airports like you do in Wal-Mart. Maybe what makes it so much more tolerable in airports is that i dont see what these people are eating to sustain the life they live. The worst ever is watching some people go through the check out line at the ole' Supercenter, and then you realize why they live like they do.
jeez. i need to quit. Not enough sleep and strange airport smells and people make B. McCoy say things that arent nice about Our Lord's people.
i could probably start up another topic,(i have time) but i dont want to drain myself dry of blog things.
cheer's mates.
The IRS is mailing us all letters telling us about how much money will we be receiving this year. 130 million households. 32 cents a letter. = $42 million. Silly Bush.
here's a good quote.
"There are countless better uses for $42 Million than a self-congratulatory mailer that gives the president a pat on the back for an idea that wasn't even his," - Sen. Charles Schumer.
All that is to say. I think i'm over the political talks, and here's why.
I'm not a huge fan of arguing. Now this may come as a surprise, but it's true. I think that among friends, its better to have positive community rather than arguing about shit that isnt that big of a deal. "Not that big of a deal!?" Well, maybe thats not the right term, but if you look at what arguing really is, its people who are trying to prove their point, and/or want the other person to change their mind about something.
I'm not really talking about our small community specifically. We dont really argue. We bitch about stuff. I like that.
I guess I'm just talking about the principle of it in general. Nothing really specific.
So there's that.
I went for a long time liking airports.
then i starting hating them. tons.
but sitting here today, i think i am starting to see what i originally liked about traveling. Sort of, not really at all actually.
The more i think about it, the more its really more of a mobile Wal-Mart. For every clean and well kempt person, there is an army of the opposite. Now, you dont see the traditional Mickey Mouse (i just used the Mickey Mouse club song in my head to spell out Mickey.) shirt from 1989 and stretchy pants with the best BK shoes in airports like you do in Wal-Mart. Maybe what makes it so much more tolerable in airports is that i dont see what these people are eating to sustain the life they live. The worst ever is watching some people go through the check out line at the ole' Supercenter, and then you realize why they live like they do.
jeez. i need to quit. Not enough sleep and strange airport smells and people make B. McCoy say things that arent nice about Our Lord's people.
i could probably start up another topic,(i have time) but i dont want to drain myself dry of blog things.
cheer's mates.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Kansas City
An excerpt from Gone Mild:
A wise friend of mine explained Kansas City's penchant for non-accomplishment in the light of history. "Kansas City was settled", he pointed out, "by people who left the East on their way to California. When they got to Kansas City and looked out over the vast prairie separating them from the Promised Land, they said, 'Aww, what the heck? This is good enough.' We are the offspring of people who had a grand plan, but only followed it half the distance."
A wise friend of mine explained Kansas City's penchant for non-accomplishment in the light of history. "Kansas City was settled", he pointed out, "by people who left the East on their way to California. When they got to Kansas City and looked out over the vast prairie separating them from the Promised Land, they said, 'Aww, what the heck? This is good enough.' We are the offspring of people who had a grand plan, but only followed it half the distance."
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
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