Actual conversation my cousin and I had this evening:
Sarah: Hey, you want to go to Mexico?
Me: Sure, why not.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Snapshots of a Western summer
This church is in Guadalupe, Arizona. The town has canceled their contract with the Sheriff's office because they sent so many immigration round-ups through town ... which begs the question: Does anyone come to help when they call 911?
A view of Phoenix from Camelback Mountain.
A view of Phoenix from Camelback Mountain.
Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
I bought this CD a few days ago and I've absolutely fallen in love with it. I've been a fan since their early Yellow/Parachutes days and this album is a return to that mellow, soulful sound [edit: I think the word I'm looking for is not so much soulful but melodic - but describing music with words never quite hits the mark]. It's definitely a departure from X&Y - which I liked but it seemed, for the most part, about trying to create a whole album of songs similar to the massively successful Clocks. I highly recommend this new album. It also has the best album art I've seen in awhile. Some favorite tracks:
Lost
Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love
Violet Hill
Viva La Vida
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Oh Mr. Dobson, please stop talking
James Dobson has put on a classic display of an evangelical leader who has decided that he is the moral compass by which the United States should measure itself. He was the main story on CNN, criticizing Obama for his interpretation of the Bible. Obama basically said that the Bible was not the most practical document by which to decide how to rule a country. He noted that Leviticus is very law-oriented but then you have the Sermon on the Mount.
I would hope that most Christians understand the Old Covenant basis of the Old Testament vs. the New Covenant formed on the basis of mercy through Christ in the New Testament. Which is not to say that the Old Testament is irrelevant - it's not - rather the Old Testament is the essential history and backstory on what it is that Christ later accomplished with His death on the cross. Painfully short summary on that but I could go on for days about the links between Old and New Testament - so amazing and encouraging ... and I digress.
I always have trouble when religious leaders try to interject that there is a Biblical way to do politics or government or universal health care. Jesus wasn't a politician. His one comment about government was in Romans 13:1-7. His basic message is to submit to the authorities because, even if they do not acknowledge it, they are there because God has willed it to be so. Pay your taxes, obey the laws and if you don't obey the laws, you're going to get punished and that is just. Let me know your thoughts if you have heard it interpreted or expounded upon in another way.
Regardless of the veracity of Obama's interpretation of the Bible, the manner in which Dobson responded was completely lacking in grace. I'm getting more and more upset with the whole tone of Focus on the Family in regards to politics. I went to a rally for for the family that he put on. I wanted to leave half way through. It was a rally full of hate for homosexuals, not full of the awareness that we are all sinners in the hands of angry yet incomprehensibly merciful God. In situations like that, I really find it easier to love murders and prostitutes rather than arrogant Christians.
Dobson, like so many other christian leaders, has made himself a judge. That is a dangerous thing and wholly un-Biblical. Please, Mr. Dobson, find a way to inject your comments with more grace.
1 Corinthians 13:1-2
"If I speak in the tongues of men and angels,
but have not love,
I have become sounding brass or a tinkling symbol.
And if I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing."
I would hope that most Christians understand the Old Covenant basis of the Old Testament vs. the New Covenant formed on the basis of mercy through Christ in the New Testament. Which is not to say that the Old Testament is irrelevant - it's not - rather the Old Testament is the essential history and backstory on what it is that Christ later accomplished with His death on the cross. Painfully short summary on that but I could go on for days about the links between Old and New Testament - so amazing and encouraging ... and I digress.
I always have trouble when religious leaders try to interject that there is a Biblical way to do politics or government or universal health care. Jesus wasn't a politician. His one comment about government was in Romans 13:1-7. His basic message is to submit to the authorities because, even if they do not acknowledge it, they are there because God has willed it to be so. Pay your taxes, obey the laws and if you don't obey the laws, you're going to get punished and that is just. Let me know your thoughts if you have heard it interpreted or expounded upon in another way.
Regardless of the veracity of Obama's interpretation of the Bible, the manner in which Dobson responded was completely lacking in grace. I'm getting more and more upset with the whole tone of Focus on the Family in regards to politics. I went to a rally for for the family that he put on. I wanted to leave half way through. It was a rally full of hate for homosexuals, not full of the awareness that we are all sinners in the hands of angry yet incomprehensibly merciful God. In situations like that, I really find it easier to love murders and prostitutes rather than arrogant Christians.
Dobson, like so many other christian leaders, has made himself a judge. That is a dangerous thing and wholly un-Biblical. Please, Mr. Dobson, find a way to inject your comments with more grace.
1 Corinthians 13:1-2
"If I speak in the tongues of men and angels,
but have not love,
I have become sounding brass or a tinkling symbol.
And if I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing."
Monday, June 23, 2008
I want to learn Korean ... and German and French and Chinese ... and maybe Italian
I might buy every Rosetta Stone program known to man. There are 30 of them. Maybe by the time I'm 80 ...
The Arizona Republic is running a weeklong series on sustainability and it is awesome. Online doesn't do it justice because of all the pop out boxes with carbon cutting facts. In it I learned that if you keep your blinds closed your house uses less energy because the temperature is kept fairly constant. Hmm... I think I will amend my prior resolution to stating that I will attempt to utilize natural light but not to the point that I keep all my blinds open and thus put further stress on my thermostat.
The Arizona Republic is running a weeklong series on sustainability and it is awesome. Online doesn't do it justice because of all the pop out boxes with carbon cutting facts. In it I learned that if you keep your blinds closed your house uses less energy because the temperature is kept fairly constant. Hmm... I think I will amend my prior resolution to stating that I will attempt to utilize natural light but not to the point that I keep all my blinds open and thus put further stress on my thermostat.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Recycle, it's not that hard
As time passes I realize more and more how much college has changed me. When I first moved in with my cousin in Arizona I asked where the recycle bin was. The response - we don't have one. What?! Her condo complex just didn't have recycle bins. Coming from uber-green Chapel Hill, this was quite a shock.
So, much to the bemusement of my co-workers, I bring my recycling to put in the bins at work. But now that recycling takes a bit of effort, I took some time to find out how I can do more to cut down my carbon footprint. I calculated it online and by driving a fuel efficient car and recycling everything my footprint is already lower than the average. But here is my very simple game plan for cutting down even further:
-Cut down on consumption in general.
A lot of people are looking for green products, green clothing. But the most eco-friendly item is no item at all.
-Keep the lights off unless absolutely necessary.
This will make a big difference for me because I'm a notorious night owl meaning I use a lot of electricity when I'm up at all hours. The sun gets up at about 5:15am here and sets around 8:30pm. That's more than enough light to get most of my work done in. I'm waking up early to get some of my reading done early and opening the windows for natural light throughout the day.
-No more straws.
This one might seem really silly but I could cut down a lot on my trash if I just didn't get straws or caps with my drinks. Sounds silly but it's crazy enough to help a little, right?
Ok, so this post might sound like an infomercial for being eco-friendly but seriously if you're not at least recycling all your paper, plastic and glass then you're probably being a bit lazy about it. But wait, some of you say, what about the water resources used in recycling - that's non-renewable. I've considered it but I feel like there is still a net positive outcome based upon the amount of space saved by recycling instead of just throwing things away.
If anything, blame California. We had programs in elementary school telling us to reduce, recycle, reuse. I drank the green kool aid and it's tasty.
So, much to the bemusement of my co-workers, I bring my recycling to put in the bins at work. But now that recycling takes a bit of effort, I took some time to find out how I can do more to cut down my carbon footprint. I calculated it online and by driving a fuel efficient car and recycling everything my footprint is already lower than the average. But here is my very simple game plan for cutting down even further:
-Cut down on consumption in general.
A lot of people are looking for green products, green clothing. But the most eco-friendly item is no item at all.
-Keep the lights off unless absolutely necessary.
This will make a big difference for me because I'm a notorious night owl meaning I use a lot of electricity when I'm up at all hours. The sun gets up at about 5:15am here and sets around 8:30pm. That's more than enough light to get most of my work done in. I'm waking up early to get some of my reading done early and opening the windows for natural light throughout the day.
-No more straws.
This one might seem really silly but I could cut down a lot on my trash if I just didn't get straws or caps with my drinks. Sounds silly but it's crazy enough to help a little, right?
Ok, so this post might sound like an infomercial for being eco-friendly but seriously if you're not at least recycling all your paper, plastic and glass then you're probably being a bit lazy about it. But wait, some of you say, what about the water resources used in recycling - that's non-renewable. I've considered it but I feel like there is still a net positive outcome based upon the amount of space saved by recycling instead of just throwing things away.
If anything, blame California. We had programs in elementary school telling us to reduce, recycle, reuse. I drank the green kool aid and it's tasty.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
It's too darn HOT
Actually, it hasn't been that hot at all yet. Right around the 100s which isn't too bad. Maybe I'll get a tan ... but this is me we're talking about so I'll probably just continue to uphold my reputation as perma-white.
I've finished my first week interning. I had my first story in The Arizona Republic on Friday. Front page of the business section, not bad. It might be silly but my heart skips a beat when I see my byline in the paper. Maybe the feeling will go away as time goes on but I love it. I love seeing something that I wrote and reported in print. To look around the coffee shop and see others reading what I wrote. It was about gas prices so it was pretty routine, nothing groundbreaking but still it was mine. To say I'm enjoying my time at the Republic and at the Reynolds Center would be a gross understatement.
http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2008/06/06/20080606biz-priceygas0606.html
The story that I'm working on now will run this Saturday. It is a warm and fuzzy piece but sometimes I feel more pressure with these stories. Such pieces are about people, real living breathing people and I want so much to do justice to their lives and to their personalities. Numbers are cold and unfeeling. 0.5% is never going to read my story and be disappointed in my characterization of him as one half of one percent.
The odd trade-off is that I write and rewrite so much during the day that I'm too exhausted to keep up my writing personally. I'm not writing the next "Great American Novel!" or anything grand. But I do miss the achey knuckles and inky index finger that signify a rather productive writing session. My journal is filled with descriptions of things as 'great,' 'awesome' and 'fun.' Blah. I have become linguistically challenged.
On the other hand, I have taken the time to catch up on some films. Some would say that movies, television offer nothing to the soul but a bit of time to be numb. Nay, nay I say(!) - and not just because one of my dearest friends is an aspiring screenwriter/director. Cinema can still be an art form.
One of my recent favorites is "Paris, je t'aime" (Paris, I love you). It consists of 18 five minute films by different directors about love in Paris. No, not the kind of love in a Reese Witherspoon film (although I love those too!) but different sorts of love in all stages - from first bud to the final, fallen petal. I highly recommend the movie. In five minutes the directors and actors truly show their skill in connecting with audiences and making a very moving point. It isn't all happily-ever-afters but a slice of life in the city. It is a wonderful concept and well executed. I hear they are making one called "New York, I love you" but I worry that it will not have any of the sweetness or grace of this film. I feel like this is a singular achievement but I would be very pleased if I were wrong and "New York, I love you" turned out to be similarly accomplished.
A bit more transcribing to do before I can sleep.
I've finished my first week interning. I had my first story in The Arizona Republic on Friday. Front page of the business section, not bad. It might be silly but my heart skips a beat when I see my byline in the paper. Maybe the feeling will go away as time goes on but I love it. I love seeing something that I wrote and reported in print. To look around the coffee shop and see others reading what I wrote. It was about gas prices so it was pretty routine, nothing groundbreaking but still it was mine. To say I'm enjoying my time at the Republic and at the Reynolds Center would be a gross understatement.
http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2008/06/06/20080606biz-priceygas0606.html
The story that I'm working on now will run this Saturday. It is a warm and fuzzy piece but sometimes I feel more pressure with these stories. Such pieces are about people, real living breathing people and I want so much to do justice to their lives and to their personalities. Numbers are cold and unfeeling. 0.5% is never going to read my story and be disappointed in my characterization of him as one half of one percent.
The odd trade-off is that I write and rewrite so much during the day that I'm too exhausted to keep up my writing personally. I'm not writing the next "Great American Novel!" or anything grand. But I do miss the achey knuckles and inky index finger that signify a rather productive writing session. My journal is filled with descriptions of things as 'great,' 'awesome' and 'fun.' Blah. I have become linguistically challenged.
On the other hand, I have taken the time to catch up on some films. Some would say that movies, television offer nothing to the soul but a bit of time to be numb. Nay, nay I say(!) - and not just because one of my dearest friends is an aspiring screenwriter/director. Cinema can still be an art form.
One of my recent favorites is "Paris, je t'aime" (Paris, I love you). It consists of 18 five minute films by different directors about love in Paris. No, not the kind of love in a Reese Witherspoon film (although I love those too!) but different sorts of love in all stages - from first bud to the final, fallen petal. I highly recommend the movie. In five minutes the directors and actors truly show their skill in connecting with audiences and making a very moving point. It isn't all happily-ever-afters but a slice of life in the city. It is a wonderful concept and well executed. I hear they are making one called "New York, I love you" but I worry that it will not have any of the sweetness or grace of this film. I feel like this is a singular achievement but I would be very pleased if I were wrong and "New York, I love you" turned out to be similarly accomplished.
A bit more transcribing to do before I can sleep.
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