me: [answers phone] Hello?Of course, that's only funny out of context, but I'm totally willing to exploit that. We were in a group of youngish Friends having a snack at the Gypsy Den (Santa Ana) after Quaker Meeting.
JR: Hey John!
me: Hey, what's up?
JR: [awkward pause] Well, is there any chance my wife is there?
me: [awkward pause] Er, yeah. [another awkward pause] Did you want to talk to her?
JR: Er, yeah, if that's ok.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Uncomfortable (in Retrospect)
Cycling Humor
LB's first ride on Saturday inspired some humor:
Of course the entire experience let me use an old standby before the ride:
me: How are you legs feeling?
LB: My leg's are fine, but my butt is killing me!
me: Don't worry, that goes away pretty quickly. Probably by Wednesday.
me: By the way, I've always wanted to say this in a socially acceptable way: Don't worry, a couple of rides and we'll toughen that ass right up!
Of course the entire experience let me use an old standby before the ride:
me: Put the Chamois Butt'r on the chamois on your shorts, then put more on your crotch. Believe me you want to avoid the chafing.
[LB retreats to bathroom to follow instructions, then returns]
LB: Well that was an interesting experience.
me: I once answered the phone when I was in the middle of doing that, but didn't have the courage to answer "So what's up?" with "Nothing much, just lubing up my crotch."
Friday, February 2, 2007
Uncomfortable
I realized that losing weight would have side-effects, but my loud-on-the-phone, married, cubicle neighbor insists on telling me that I'm "getting hot," and now I have the "total package."
Thaaaanks.
Awkward silence.
Back to work.
Thaaaanks.
Awkward silence.
Back to work.
How Can I Keep From Singing?
In light of my recent experience with LDS singing, I was pleasantly surprised this past Sunday to experience some singing at the Rise of Meeting. So I posed this question to the OCFM mailing list:
It feels a little overly dogmatic about not "programming" worship.
I really enjoyed the singing at the rise of meeting this past week. I know that there's a monthly group that sings before meeting, but I was wondering what the historical discussion has been about including a song at the end of Meeting for Worship.I thought I was being fairly clear that I was looking for an overview of the past discussion on this issue, but got at least one fairly negative response to my "advocacy."
I've recently been reminded by my friends of other traditions how powerful and comforting song can be, even if it was just singing "As We Leave This Friendly Place" as we head for refreshments, as I remember doing at other Meetings I've attended (no hymn book required).
It feels a little overly dogmatic about not "programming" worship.
Italian Borders
Had lots of fun this weekend with friends. Spectacular multi-course Italian dinner on Saturday. Forgot to get business cards for the restaurant as suggested to my by GF. Sigh. Speaking of GF, I had to flake on him due to the march and dinner moving my plans earlier in the day. Sorry dude.
History section: Lewis and Clark for Dummies? Really?! For dummies?!
Relationship section: What's less appropriate than reading dating books when one's with a gal? I've never read "The Rules," but that moment seemed like a great time to browse it and read the rules out loud. Rule #23: Never date a married man. Really? Rule 23? 23?! Were there really 22 other rules more important than that one?! She hands me "How to Pick Up Girls," a clear message that things are going well. I acknowledge the crackling energy between us by pointing out the Doris Kearns Goodwin book, "Team of Rivals." I defy you to find a more sexually charged object than a historian's take on Abe Lincoln's war cabinet. :-)
Recent Releases: I had to pose pretending to read this LL Cool J book for the better part of a minute before she would turn around and see me with it. Long way to go for a joke. Oh, the joke? Here's the cover:
Bookstores are a great place for me to hang out with friends and make snarky comments. I'm not sure if that translates well to a new friend, but I managed to be entertained. Managed to elicit a giggle-fest with this quick joke. That's a good sign, right? I probably wandered off to explore shelves on my own a few times, but I hate hovering, so that worked out.
Hello, my name is John and I love taking long walks in the bookstore.
Managed to get the second giggle-fest with my in-person recounting of this story.
A bit later, while loading music into iTunes, I asked a fairly impertinent question about LDS, but got a serious, experience-based answer. Usually it's bad to rehash impertinence, but I'd be interested in discussing the topic more at some future date.
"My place has lots of people playing XBox. Do you mind if we walk around Borders?"I'm very suspicious of our mutual friends, now. Is this suggestion from the book on me? Would they even know that bookstores are like my Kryptonite? I've gushed over their library enough that they must suspect. That Jana is definitely devious enough to make such a suggestion, but perhaps I'm just not crediting chance or creativity enough. It is almost the perfect activity for me. I also didn't have to show how weak my XBox kung-fu is. We must have browsed most of the store including a brief stop by the magazine rack. Lindsey Lohan was on the cover of three different magazines. I remember when I couldn't differentiate her from the three or four of her contempories. A sad day now that that's no longer true.
History section: Lewis and Clark for Dummies? Really?! For dummies?!
Relationship section: What's less appropriate than reading dating books when one's with a gal? I've never read "The Rules," but that moment seemed like a great time to browse it and read the rules out loud. Rule #23: Never date a married man. Really? Rule 23? 23?! Were there really 22 other rules more important than that one?! She hands me "How to Pick Up Girls," a clear message that things are going well. I acknowledge the crackling energy between us by pointing out the Doris Kearns Goodwin book, "Team of Rivals." I defy you to find a more sexually charged object than a historian's take on Abe Lincoln's war cabinet. :-)
Recent Releases: I had to pose pretending to read this LL Cool J book for the better part of a minute before she would turn around and see me with it. Long way to go for a joke. Oh, the joke? Here's the cover:
Bookstores are a great place for me to hang out with friends and make snarky comments. I'm not sure if that translates well to a new friend, but I managed to be entertained. Managed to elicit a giggle-fest with this quick joke. That's a good sign, right? I probably wandered off to explore shelves on my own a few times, but I hate hovering, so that worked out.
Hello, my name is John and I love taking long walks in the bookstore.
Managed to get the second giggle-fest with my in-person recounting of this story.
A bit later, while loading music into iTunes, I asked a fairly impertinent question about LDS, but got a serious, experience-based answer. Usually it's bad to rehash impertinence, but I'd be interested in discussing the topic more at some future date.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Words I Love
Efficacy
If you hear me use "efficacy" in a sentence, there's a 57% chance I've been maneuvering the conversation towards a situation where I could use it for at least 3 minutes.
Obfuscate
Just because I love the word doesn't mean that I want to obfuscate all the time, though there was a time in my life... One of those cool words which doesn't quite have a simple synonym, but has a beautifully clear antonym: clarify. I like the way it rolls off my tongue...
If you hear me use "efficacy" in a sentence, there's a 57% chance I've been maneuvering the conversation towards a situation where I could use it for at least 3 minutes.
Obfuscate
Just because I love the word doesn't mean that I want to obfuscate all the time, though there was a time in my life... One of those cool words which doesn't quite have a simple synonym, but has a beautifully clear antonym: clarify. I like the way it rolls off my tongue...
Like Riding a Bike
Meant to share this thought over a week ago at Meeting, but didn't get a chance with all the ministry going on. The thought's been bouncing around my head all week and with a repeat performance during my ride on Saturday, I felt compelled to discuss this at Meeting this past Sunday. Here's my best attempt at re-creating the thought.
When I first started to cycling for fitness, I had a lot of fun, but there were a lot of distractions like saddle-soreness, endless gear to buy, hands going numb during rides, other riders, worrying that I looked ridiculous, etc. Recently, most of those distractions have dropped away, leaving how I happen to feel on a given day, plus something unexpected. When I'm on the bike, I can feel the texture of the road, the wind in my face, my legs falling into a rhythm, my breathing becoming deeper, more rhythmic, and for brief periods of time, my sense of self fading away. It's as if there is no bike, no actual physical presence, just the act of riding, the feel of the wind, road, and pedaling without me actually being there. I'm doing a bad job of describing the feeling, but that's as close as I can get. Cycling has become a little bit about chasing this feeling of connectedness and transcendence.
I can't help but draw a parallel between my experience on the bicycle and my experience in Quaker "Meeting for Worship." Since I was raised in the Quaker tradition, the prospect of sitting quietly in a room for an hour wasn't that foreign an idea. However, consideration and practice are two different things, and I was living with a 20 year gap in practice. The silent worship was difficult during those first few meetings. I didn't have an adult history of meditative practice, or any basis for knowing what I should be doing during that time. I was uncomfortable sitting in a single place for an extended period of time, distracted by the noise from the street, and fell into the habit of clock-watching.
Over time, I've managed to get to a place where I can still my body, quiet my mind, not have a thought agenda, and sit in "expectant waiting" and "worshipful silence." Most times, I can feel the street noise wash over and through me, as if I'm sand on a beach and the noise is the waves of the ocean. I can sense the passing of time, but am usually surprised by the end of silent meeting. And at times, my sense of self and individuality fades a little bit. I have this incredible feeling of connectedness that I want to continue. And in that state, I can let thoughts swim into focus as a meditative subject. Others might call that prayer, and that's fine with me to. The act is more important to me than the terminology.
Had a chance last night to briefly touch on the difficulties of silent worship with new friends outside the Quaker tradition, and found it difficult to condense this thought down to a 20 second blurb. They were discussing visiting the Meeting the next time there's an "Introduction to Quakerism" class. Hope they might stumble across this at some point. Or be pointed. Hint, hint.
Found this account by pilgrimgirl to be very enlightening on how to adjust one's own tradition to the Quaker one. But it might not fill the hour! :-)
When I first started to cycling for fitness, I had a lot of fun, but there were a lot of distractions like saddle-soreness, endless gear to buy, hands going numb during rides, other riders, worrying that I looked ridiculous, etc. Recently, most of those distractions have dropped away, leaving how I happen to feel on a given day, plus something unexpected. When I'm on the bike, I can feel the texture of the road, the wind in my face, my legs falling into a rhythm, my breathing becoming deeper, more rhythmic, and for brief periods of time, my sense of self fading away. It's as if there is no bike, no actual physical presence, just the act of riding, the feel of the wind, road, and pedaling without me actually being there. I'm doing a bad job of describing the feeling, but that's as close as I can get. Cycling has become a little bit about chasing this feeling of connectedness and transcendence.
I can't help but draw a parallel between my experience on the bicycle and my experience in Quaker "Meeting for Worship." Since I was raised in the Quaker tradition, the prospect of sitting quietly in a room for an hour wasn't that foreign an idea. However, consideration and practice are two different things, and I was living with a 20 year gap in practice. The silent worship was difficult during those first few meetings. I didn't have an adult history of meditative practice, or any basis for knowing what I should be doing during that time. I was uncomfortable sitting in a single place for an extended period of time, distracted by the noise from the street, and fell into the habit of clock-watching.
Over time, I've managed to get to a place where I can still my body, quiet my mind, not have a thought agenda, and sit in "expectant waiting" and "worshipful silence." Most times, I can feel the street noise wash over and through me, as if I'm sand on a beach and the noise is the waves of the ocean. I can sense the passing of time, but am usually surprised by the end of silent meeting. And at times, my sense of self and individuality fades a little bit. I have this incredible feeling of connectedness that I want to continue. And in that state, I can let thoughts swim into focus as a meditative subject. Others might call that prayer, and that's fine with me to. The act is more important to me than the terminology.
Had a chance last night to briefly touch on the difficulties of silent worship with new friends outside the Quaker tradition, and found it difficult to condense this thought down to a 20 second blurb. They were discussing visiting the Meeting the next time there's an "Introduction to Quakerism" class. Hope they might stumble across this at some point. Or be pointed. Hint, hint.
Found this account by pilgrimgirl to be very enlightening on how to adjust one's own tradition to the Quaker one. But it might not fill the hour! :-)
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