Wednesday, February 28, 2007

And I ain't got nothing but love for you now. (UPDATED'D)

The reactions/responses to the Reader Survey:

Manders:
--You know, I've never seen the Godspell movie all the way through. Hmm... Netflix it is!
--I love Garrison Keillor, but haven't read that one yet.
--Song is noted.

1. Well, as much as my work ethic says otherwise, I would like to finish a book in the next four years. Either the Bible Redux project or Taylor House. I would also like to own my own home, I think, but this is still something I'm chewing on. And I would like to make serious progress toward a healthy and more balanced lifestyle.
2. Will I finish Taylor House? Yes. Will I post it all online? Probably not. At this point, I'm looking at some major revisions of the first ten chapters. I'm gonna have to break from the King model of organic progress and outline the story's basic structure. Also, I have to figure out exactly what kind of book it is.
3. Weekend was good. Sunday School event in which people showed up, which is always a good thing. Also had a SunSco teachers meeting, and the new pastor spoke for a while. He's a decent guy. He likes changing things in the church, which is upseting a few folks (my parents included), but I believe his heart's in the right place.

Kinsey:
--"Ghost World" was good. Saw it in college.
--I've heard of "Black Like Me." I think I need to read that one.
--You and Eisley, I swear. ;- )

1. Anywhere in the world? Wow. It's funny. I was thinking about this a while back, and realized that I'm pretty happy where I am. Granted, it's hot as heck in the summer, so that's not fun. But I like Houston. How sick is that. Chicago's pretty rad, too, though I didn't really soak up enough of the city to have a solid opinion. And I like Kansas City. Maybe I need to expand my horizons before answering this one again.
2. You know, I racked my brain to try and remember a teacher-crush, and I have to admit, I never did. All my teachers were old and/or unattractive, all the way through my schooling.
3. This one's tough. I love his cover of "Hurt." Deeply love it. And I love some songs from his Legend (v.2) album that I was given recently like "Unchained" and "I Hung My Head." But honestly, right now my favorite Cash track is "God's Gonna Cut You Down." It's just got this sharp energy to it, the ringing of a chain gang's hammers.

Kelly:
--Renting The Departed this weekend, I think. That or The Pick of Destiny. Depends on my mood.
--Of Mice and Men is great. "Tell me about the rabbits again." Just kills me.
--I heard an AFI track recently that I liked, but it wasn't that one.

1. My next visit may be this summer, if I'm gonna do that rock festival in Sherman. Otherwise, it may not be until next NYE.
2. Dude, I'm there every year you'll invite me.
3. Study, dude. I'm goofing off online enough for both of us.

Looney:
--Did I tell you I was almost on the high school coaching staff when I taught a few years back?
--Hank Williams and Skynyrd. I expected no less.

T.O.M.:
--I think I remember Jeremiah Johnson. Had a beard, right?
--You know, I'm really not a Hemingway fan. I should probably give him another shot, but Old Man and the Sea and In Love and War were quite enough for me for a while.
--"Oh, black water, keep on rollin, Mississippi moon won't you keep on shinin' on ME...." Good stuff.

1. Just one? That's sick, man. Making me choose. Okay, I'll give you two. One with sentimental value, and one that is just well written.
First, from "Swingers": "She won't call because you left. She's got her own life to deal with and that's in New York. She's a sweet girl and I love her to pieces, but **** her, man. You got to get on with your life. You've got to let go of the past, Mikey, and when you do, the future is beautiful."
Second, from a great little film called "Brick": "Throw one at me if you want, hash head. I've got all five senses and I slept last night, that puts me six up on the lot of you."
2. Okay, I think this is where my geekiness is exposed. I want to learn Latin. No, really.
3. If I had like three minutes and I'm at home, I'd grab my wallet/keys/phone, a pair of jeans and a shirt, my Bible, several big books, and my black hoodie. If Jack Bauer busts through the door and says, "There's no time!" I'd grab whatever reading materials are nearby, and my w/k/p.

Emily:
--I've been meaning to see "Casino Royale." I've heard good things.
--Never read "White Oleander." You know, I tried opening up my reading to more women-centric books, but the first one I read was "She's Come Undone" (technically written by a man, but that's not the point), which I despised. So maybe WO will be my next effort to read more women.
--I love Regina, but haven't heard this track yet. Will look for it.

1. That's a tough one. I had a really good college experience, all told. Some of my favorites: my largest theatrical role, supporting actor in a one-act play; pledging College Players; front row to see Third Day in Raley Chapel; my first kiss; filming my own "OBU experience" video (which I still have); Midnight Breakfast during Finals Week; hearing Marty sing "Round Here" at Oregano's.
2. It really depends on my mood. Most days, I have the morning news playing in the background, but when music is needed, I'll pop in something peppy. Nothing too loud (apartment life, what can I say), but upbeat. Beatles. Newsboys. Barenaked Ladies. TobyMac. It also depends on what artist/album I'm jonesing for at that particular time.
3. It's not "bad" if the girl makes the first move, I don't think. But speaking as a guy who doesn't like to stick his neck out, it's better if the guy does it. Passivity is not a good trait in guys, especially when it comes to dating. However, it's cool if the girl were to lay down some obvious hints (really obvious, please, ladies--we ARE that clueless), and then the guy gets a clue and steps up. I don't know. I'm traditional in that sense.

Trav:
--"Casablanca" is easily the best movie ever made (and I loved Citizen Kane). What so many people forget is that the dialogue is so funny.
--I've been thinking about revisiting some classics like "Lord of the Flies." The last time I read it was in college, when I did a political analysis of it for Dr. Litherland's government class.
--"They Might Be Giants." Perfect. I'll seek this one out.

1. Good question! Here's the dilly-o: In terms of purely shallow, surface comparison, it'd be ScarlettJo in less than a heartbeat. I prefer curvy women. But then again, I have little to nothing in common with her in terms of ideology, philosophy, and personal beliefs. So, to crib the old saying, where would we build our nest? But since I don't know much about Keira's personality and so forth, I'll stick with Scarlett and just use earplugs.
2. During a week like this one, I would totally pick nap. I actually haven't been playing video games very often at all, in the past month. That will probably change in the next few weeks, as baseball starts back up. I'll dust off the ol' MLB06 and see if at least ONE Cubs team can have a winning season.
3. London. Better things to do. Plus, the language thing. I like Rome quite a bit, and the historical spots around the city are rad. But I'd die in a traffic accident within a week there. And honestly, I don't mind rain, and like overcast days, so London would be a fit for me. I don't know if I'd live there forever (socialized medicine SUCKS), but I would love to visit again.

Ginger:
--I read the book "Children of Men," which was wonderful. I've heard that the storyline was changed vastly for the film, so I'm actually a little hesitant to see it. But I heard it was good.
--Looks like an interesting read.
--Will check it out.

1. Blog motivation? Narcissism. Okay, maybe not TOTALLY, but at least partly. No, the thing is, I need to communicate to somebody. As it happens, I love writing, and every once in a while I write something worth reading. But really, what blogging is for me is a way to connect with people. Those comments are so important to me. It's pathetic, but it's a form of validation for me. I have a need to be listened to, to feel that someone cares about what I think. Some people blog privately, as a way of just getting their thoughts out. That's not me at all. If you all stopped reading, I would probably stop blogging. So, in other words, it's your fault for being so nice; you're only encouraging me.
2. I suppose. Here, I'll hit the 2007 highlights for you: Reading List--Slackie Awards--"I hate that I care about stupid things so much"--Biggest Loser audition--NewGirl pops up again (and just got married! boo!)--iPod shuffleblogging--"Exxon profits are okay by me"--Killer Shrew!--mental weeds--Jack Bauer saved the day, but Aquaman died--an actually "happy" Valentine's--liveblogging "November Rain"--Ash Wednesday--a brief comeback for EmoDave--Reader Quiz!
3. I don't know if I've had a "near death experience," but I've had a couple of close calls in the car that gave me a scare. One time was on the way home from Shawnee to Houston, I was going to fast as I approached the exit lane to get onto 35 South. The lane was only about 14 feet anyway, but I was going too fast, and went up and over the curb between the mainlanes and the turnoff. Thankfully, instead of the normal drop-off that most highways have, there was a gently declining slope of grass, and I rolled to a stop in this grassy triangle between the off-ramp, the main lanes, and the upcoming on-ramp. Got my attention, and elicited a whispered prayer of thanks.

Chris Jones:
--You and Wilco are forever entwined in my head.

1. During my junior year, I became very cynical about religious people. I never doubted the faith of my youth, but I hated church people. And my understanding of the nature of God became something more like that of Zeus. I saw God as an arbitrary deity who didn't care about us as much as we thought, and didn't mind screwing us over once in a while. In my mind, He became peevish and unpredictable. And I hated serving a god like that. Finally, I came to the point where I couldn't deal with that view of God anymore; I was just too friggin depressed. But it was at that point that the light clicked on, and I realized that it was okay not to understand God completely, and that things seemed contradictory only because my view of Him was/is an incomplete and limited one. He showed me that if I sought Him more in Scripture, my understanding of Him would improve--not fully, but a little more. And I also learned that I had to stop hating church people, because I'm just as screwed up as they are, and they need love like I do. And now, I'm a Sunday School teacher. Go figure.
2. No. Mind-altering substances are a no-go. I don't like not feeling in control of myself. That's why I don't drink, either (that, and I don't like the taste). Plus, I think there is a Biblical principle of vigilance and self-control. I have an addictive personality, and that's something I'd have to watch.
3. "Oh, Great Lakes states! Would that I could gather you under my wings, as a mother hen gathers her chicks, but you were unwilling!" My baseball love and family are wrapped around Lake Michigan, but my life is here in the southland. I wouldn't enlist or serve in the military, but I would defend my home here, if I had to. Of course, when the first bombs dropped, I'd probably be rounded up as a sympathizer.

Laura:
--I hope to rent "Stranger than Fiction" soon.
--I read "Me Talk Pretty One Day" in college, but the others sound cool.
--If I had access to MySpace (darn work restrictions!), i would.

1. If I could change, I would learn to be more responsible and efficient. I waste time, I get distracted (I should be working right now, in fact), and I sometimes let people down. But I want to be someone who's on time, has their act together, and can be counted on. I want to be someone who's admirable and trustworthy.
2. a)I'm a decent writer; b)I have a nice voice; c)I have a good head for trivia, though something simple like remembering names and faces is completely impossible for me.
3. I miss having a large group of friends so close by, and so easily finding community. I miss having a clear schedule and feeling like I'm moving toward something. I miss not having to worry about bills or cooking for myself or moving up the professional "totem pole." BUT I don't miss the last two weeks of every semester, when I tried to catch up all that I was behind in and invariably ended up with pneumonia (and once, a visit to the emergency room). I don't miss making almost no money working that crappy cafeteria job, and coming home smelling like garbage every night. And I don't miss hearing about freaking OU football ALL the TIME.

Jeremy:
--Noted.
--I love Eggers, and want to read that one.
--Also noted.

1) The quote really resonated with me. I'm terribly indecisive and afraid of change. I have all sorts of ideas and plans and schemes that keep getting revised and revamped and abandoned. Basically, I'm a talker who can't back it up with action. I'm a dreamer who can't come through with results. I love "Prufrock," and I related to those two middle lines especially. I've thought about changing it--just recently, actually. But somehow, I can't bring myself to do it.
2) I don't think angst and hope are mutually exclusive properties, but I think that one transitions into the other. From angst, there are really two directions you can go: hope, or resignation and fatalism. I have times of angst and insecurity, but the thing is, I have to choose hope. And then I'm okay again.
3) I started this blog in September of 2002. My then-girlfriend was a blogger, and I thought it was a neat thing and wanted to give it a shot. At that time, I was a teaching high-school English at a private Christian school. Well, the teaching job ended after four months, but I kept the blog name. Over a year and a half ago, I was asked to lead a single 20's Bible study at church, so I'm again a "teacher" of sorts. The name stuck. For a while, I toyed with the idea of changing my web handle to "SlackerLitGeek," but in the end, I was comfortable with TeacherDave, and thus remained so.

UPDATE: THREE more!

Sarah: I can always count on you to challenge me.
--I haven't seen "An Inconvenient Truth," but I have to admit I'm curious. I may just check that out.
--"Tortilla Curtain" noted. I'll keep an eye out.
--"That's why they call it the blues..." Yeah, that's a good track.

1. This is actually a tough question. While lions are generally regarded for their sharp teeth and ferocity, they are (under all the hair and noise) big cats. As in "fraidy cat." There's no such thing as a "fraidy bear." That's just silly. No, a bear might not have all the speed and dental hardware that the lion does, but brute strength and relentless agression will win out, and the lion would limp away as quickly as it could. Decision: Bear.

2. Interesting question, and I want to answer it as best as I can. Between "Divine human" and "human who was divine," what I think you mean is, which came first, the humanity or the divinity? (If that's not your question, ask me again in the comments.) I believe that Jesus--the person, the essence, the soul, the actual reality--was first and always divine. I believe that he "put on" humanity, taking on its nature with some of its limitations and confinements. Some faiths and understandings think that Jesus was "made divine" or was imbued at some point (like the Baptism) with the Spirit of God. My (admittedly incomplete) interpretation of Scripture was that from conception, the baby growing in Mary's womb was divine. Of course, there is a question of whether or not he was all-powerful, omniscient, etc. as a boy. I don't know. Scripture doesn't say, besides the picture of him speaking with the teachers at the temple. But yes, He was God, who walked among us as a man. Fully God, but fully human, experiencing life as we do, yet without sin. That was the point. So He could be our High Priest and our Sacrifice at the same time.

3. Wow. That's a killer. GI problems are the worst. I first thought "vomit" since it's contained over a short period of time, but then you deal with all sorts of heartburn and acidity and stuff. Really, they're both awful, and I don't want to decide anymore. Decision: PUSH.

D.Shook:
--Dude, I loved "Sidekicks." I have some allergy-related asthma problems, so I related to the kid. Plus, at that point (pre-Jack-Bauer), Chuck Norris was the coolest.
--Never heard of the book or music, but I trust your taste on both. So I'll check 'em out.

1. I wish I were more "Lit"erary, but truth be told, most days I play "slacker" more than anything else (especially when it comes to writing). On the upside, that's how I blog so much.

2. Getting an English degree is great, because it exposes you to all kinds of writing styles and subjects. Being exposed to so many ideas really helps you think long and hard about what you believe and live out. You start looking deeper. You don't see the world as a big table of cost vs. profit. You dream more. You aspire. My favorite professor had a pin she wore that said, "Art Saves Lives." That kind of faith, you can't find in other (non-medical) disciplines. The belief that what I'm creating or consuming or discussing will outlast a fiscal year, and that it could change someone's life. (Okay, maybe the religion kids feel that way too. And the Ed majors. Whatever, it was a good line.)

3. No, napping is WHAT Al's presentation is for. (Kidding!) Yes, I read the books you gave me. Thanks very mucho.

Will Sr.
--No recommendations? Spoil-sport!

1. Good question! Well, right now, my favorite passage of Scripture (and one I quote from almost weekly in class) is II Corinthians 5:14-20. Right now, my focus (when I'm keeping in step with the Spirit) is all about WHY we're here and WHAT we're supposed to be doing. This passage lays it plain: our job as Christ-followers is to bear the message of spiritual transformation and reconciliation with God. It's just so energizing for me to read this passage; this transformation happened in me, so that I could go find other people who need transformation and tell them about it. That it's as if God Himself were making his appeal through me, when I'm obedient in communicating His truth. And the last verse--if I had to pick a "life-verse" at this point, this could be it. Christ became our sin offering, and gave us His own righteousness, to put us in right standing with the Father. I can't think of a truth that more powerfully impacts the life of the believer than that.

2. Totally not cool. You don't slag on your teammates. That's dishonorable, and if I were a professional athlete, I would hope I'd never be guilty of that. You do your best, you work with your teammate if you can, but you don't snipe him just to get your name in the paper. That kind of behavior is selfish, thoughtless, and unprofessional.

3. You betcha. Call me up.

===

Thank you to everyone who participated. Hope this wasn't too boring for you.

If you didn't get a chance to take part, drop me some questions and recommendations in the comments, and I'll respond.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Reader Quiz! Reader Quiz!

Or, as it is translated in Latin, commentium boosticus.

I've got a busy week ahead of me, so in lieu of a few days of regular posting, this should keep you busy.

I used this two years ago, but I figure there are enough newbies here that it should be entertaining again.


1) Recommend me: a) a movie b) a book c) a song

2) Ask me any three questions you want and I will do my best to answer them honestly.

3) Rip this off and use it the next time you can't think of anything to post.


Okay, GO.

Frustration and Self-pity.

It's 6:40 p.m. on a Friday night, and I'm at work. I could be here for a few hours more.

I'm incredibly irritated right now.

I got to work today entirely resistant to the prospect, and have remained resistant all day long. I've frittered, I've surfed, I've spaced, I've goofed. And I haven't really worked.

And now it's dinnertime. And I'm still here. And it doesn't look like I will be leaving anytime soon.

I just don't want to work today. At all.

You know what I want? I want one of you beautiful freaks to get online, so I can IM you and we can talk and I can feel actually connected to somebody tonight.

I'm feeling very lonely right now.

====

I had my blasted associate pastor asking me yesterday if there was "anyone in my life right now." I made up some BS answer about being very content with where God has me, and really trying to focus on doing the best I can in my work and in my Sunday School ministry opportunities.

It was at least a partial lie.

Here's the answer, Pastor Scott:

I'd love to have someone in my life, but I can't figure out if the problem is them or me. I know I've got a lot to fix about myself (here comes that ol' "gotta fix myself" excuse), but I don't think that should stop me from trying to meet new people and grow new relationships. The problem is that I'm scared to death of doing that. Stepping out, sticking my neck out, it frightens me. I've been putting on a good show about being cool with my life right now, and it's true that I'm feeling very content most of the time, but as my life and circumstances continue to gel and improve, I find myself wanting all the more to have someone to share it with. And I know that it starts with me, right? Because I'm "the guy" and I'm supposed to "take the initiative." But there aren't any girls in my life that I want to take the initiative with. I suppose I need to expand my circle, but right now, there's just too much going on and too many moving parts and too many confusing feelings and too much of me in my life. I want this to change, because I haven't dated anyone in over four years. I haven't been on a single date. In over four years. Today I idly looked at my horoscope in a newspaper--and I know I shouldn't even give that nonsense any attention, so spare me that sermon--and it said something to the effect of libras becoming luckier in love, and that singles like myself will meet someone soon who will open up new avenues romantically. And I have to tell you, Pastor, I've never wanted a horoscope to be true so much before today. But even as I read it, it seemed like some kind of cruel diabolical joke, as if the Enemy is taunting me with false prophecies. And it just stings all the more, because it seems like that's nothing like my future. Some days, my future looks like an unending schedule of weekends split between family and church, and night after night of Netflix and ice cream (with a side of self-contempt for eating too much ice cream). And unless something radical and frightening happens, and my schedule and system and finally comfortable life somehow shakes and shatters and reassembles itself to leave room for someone else, that's how it looks like it's going to stay. And I'm trying so hard to find contentment in God and to leave this part of my heart up to Him, but it's just getting harder and harder to ignore the gnawing inside. The jealousy that I have for friends getting married and having kids. The bitterness that I feel towards anyone in a relationship. The contempt for the spouters of sayings and platitudes, who tell me to wait just a little bit longer. And it feels so petty and shallow, so ungrateful of me to demand of God, "All these things you've provided is well and good, but you haven't given me this one thing that I want, and I'm furious about it." But that's where I'm at. About 85% of the time, I'm basking in the love of God, and enjoying where my life is heading, but in that last 15% I tumble into restlessness and discontent. I alternate between blaming myself and blaming others. I pay lipservice to faith, but bemoan its futility under my breath. And I spend every day trying to reject the lie that I don't deserve to be happy this way. I know I need to reject this line of reasoning, but it's getting harder. And though I'm still "so young," I feel so friggin old. And I feel unwanted. And that sucks. That's my answer, Pastor. Thank you for asking.


I know I said I'd post less emotastic nonsense, but screw it. I need to get this off my chest.

sackcloth.

I want to Lent-blog. (Lenten-blog? Lincoln log?) Or at least to ruminate decently on Ash Wednesday. But as a gosh-durn Babdisst, I'm not really observant. (In any sense.)

So, at best, I'm going to blog about feeling bad about things, because that's the closest I can come to confession and sorrow, denominationally speaking.

====

I like the idea of the ash tradition. Neat symbolism. Take the dried-up devotion of the past (the palm leaves) and burn it. Mix with the Spirit (oil) and apply directly to the forehead.

So much of my devotion has become dried-up leaves. Branches plucked from the true vine and vainly trying to stay green on their own.

Apart from He, I can do nothing.

I'm tired of having to be strong.

Today, hear what I say/Hands in the air saying have thine own way.

====

Yesterday, a friend was given asylum in this country, because he was in danger of being deported. He had committed a crime a few years back, before he came to faith, and now that crime threatened to cause his deportation. He told me how he has lived with guilt for all this time. How his bones wasted away with grief, and his tears were many, morning and evening.

Yesterday, his appeal was heard. His righteousness shown like the noon day, and the justice of his cause was carried by His God. And my friend experienced relief for the first time in years.

I think that's part of the message of Lent. We bear the sorrow and guilt of our sins, but we don't bear it forever. And one day, we find release. The terror of being sent away haunts us no more, as we are graciously granted asylum in the Kingdom.

Good news. Gospel.

====

(with apologies to DW)

i repent of constantly choosing amusement over enrichment,
of preaching patience and showing short-temperedness.
i repent of refusing to control my tongue or my eyes or my belly.
i repent of resisting the call to my ministry,
of rolling my eyes and sighing when i am needed.
i repent of half-heartedly feeding your sheep.
i repent of wasting so many opportunities, so many goods.
i repent of putting barn-expansion ahead of generosity
and of thinking that one child sponsored out of millions is more than enough charity.
i repent of wasting time.
i repent of wandering eyes, indulgent thoughts, coarse and unseemly words.
i repent of my unfaithful heart.
i repent of asking God "how much is enough for you? how much before you are satisfied?"
i repent of holding back.
i am guilty, and of these things i repent.

====

I have to get work done. I haven't gotten anything done today.

Good night.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Bad timing.

I always mean to do timely, thoughtful posts on days like Ash Wednesday, but somehow always get caught up in the stuff of life, and never get around to it beforehand.

So tonight I ponder, and tomorrow (or Friday) I'll post. Maybe.

In the meantime, my favorite Ash Wednesday post--and possibly one of my top 5 favorite blog posts ever--is here. Read it twice.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Tuesday Catch-All

Blog connectivity has been spotty lately, so I will blog when I can. (The work IT guys can't decide if they want to block Blogger or not. Jerks.)

In the meantime, here's a round-up of stuff going on with me.

===

Yeah, the "November Rain" thing was lame, but thanks for humoring me.

===

For the first time in years, I had a really good Valentine's Day. Angst-free and bitterness-free. It was good. I felt great. So that's pretty awesome. Praise God for that.

===

Saw the movie "Bridge to Terebithia" this weekend. I have to tell you, it was pretty great. Aside from bad theology, I'd highly recommend it. But the weepy among you should be advised to bring tissues. I'll admit that the ending left me wiping my eyes for the last 20 minutes.

===

A few links:

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It's Mardi Gras today, or as I prefer to call it, "Pancake Tuesday." [link h-t: BHT] My package of Bisquick is sitting on my stove right now, at the ready for my return this evening.

===

I'm about 95% sure I'm going to this music festival in June. Those of you in the TX-OK area are welcome to join me. It should be most awesome.

===

I found this poem while going through a box of papers this weekend. I wrote it two years ago, and I don't remember if I posted it here or not. Anyway, here it is.


"in case she wonders"

in case she wonders
tell her that it wasn't her
eyes that pulled me in,
or her near-perfect form
or her charm, or her
wit, that did me in.
in case she wonders,
tell her it was that
moment in the bar,
after the second round
of drinks was served,
that moment when
she caught my stare,
winked, and said with
glass upraised
"here's to the poor
wayfaring stranger."
and you and Nat
laughed, not understanding.
she held my gaze,
and drank her toast,
staring at me over the rim
of her green glass.
it was at that moment,
that very second, that i
realized i would spend
my life trying not
to love her, and failing.
in case she wonders,
tell her that is why
i had to run away.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Blog Experiment #108815

For my 1,200th post, I will attempt to live-blog the song "November Rain" by Guns 'N' Roses.

Here we go.

*Placing the digital needle on the digital record*

Playful intro, followed by an airy ascension of piano and synthesizer. The melody is developed.

Then a random jet flies overhead.

Drums intrude. The music becomes more adamant. The strum of guitar.

Randomly, a flute twitters above the music, as another inexplicable jet passes.

The gravelly voice of Axel is heard. Even in the mid-80's, he needed a lozenge.

Backround singers? What the crap?!?

He feels the same...restrained love? And then follows it up with "Nyaaaaahhhh..."

Suddenly, the drums overtake the strings for dominance.

Personally, I think it's hard to hold a candle in any type of rainstorm--more for the difficulty of keeping it lit in the crosswind, rather than it getting snuffed out by the water. As for the cold, I'd imagine that shivvering probably makes it harder to keep the candle lit, so the cold certainly would have an impact.

Axel starts in on that fast, gutteral whine-rap. I stop listening to what he's actually saying, because it becomes incomprehensible. I think it's something like "Love is always gum and gum is always home and home is always wrong and something's always long today, rockin away..."

Come to think of it, the only phrase in the verse that I really understand is "cold, November rain."

And he's right. Everybody *does* need sometime on their own. I suggest a road trip. That's always a good time.

And now we enter into the THIRD melody change of the song.

Slash begins his famous guitar solo. You know, it's not particularly spectacular as far as guitar solos go. I'll take "Freebird" over this any day of the week. Finally, toward the end, he throws in a few trills that impress, but Axel walks all over the end of it to talk about how *he* needs time on his own. I think he's gotten enough of it, don't you?

And then we enter into Guitar Solo B. I find myself trying to listen more to what's going on in the background.

"I know that you can love me when there's no one left to blame." What?

I think all three melody lines are trying to battle it out for supremacy at this point.

Aaaand silence... Everybody takes a breath. The quiet before the storm.

Uh-oh. Here comes the big final build-up. Piano. Strings. Guitar. Militant drums.

And now Guitar Solo C! The only truly awesome part of this song. And AGAIN Axel stomps overtop of it with his dead-cat vocals. If I were Slash, I'd be administering some November PAIN right about now. But then again, I don't think Slash is into violence. Or bad jokes.

Garbled background vocals. I think they're saying, "Don't you think that you need some pie?! Don't you think that you want some pie?! Don't you think that you'd love some pie?! Everybody gonna want a slice! Everybody gonna want a slice!"

Then it slows down again. Electronic sounds. Axel's feedback. Fin.

=====

Okay, maybe that wasn't as fun as I thought it would be. Oh well. They can't all be gems, huh?

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

If you can't love the blog you want, love the blog you're with.

[Opening Music: "Because" (a capella), The Beatles]

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Happy Valentine's Day, PBB readers. It's a special day today here at PBB. Why? Because I refuse to post something whiny and bitter today. Nope, it isn't gonna happen. Angst-free Valentine's PBB, brought to you by the Wisconsin Dairy Farmers Association and the Ad Council.

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It's cold this morning.

I know, all of you north of, say, Dallas are sending me hateful thoughts right now. I'll rephrase. It's pleasantly cool. Highs only reaching the 40's. This Friday, there's the slimmest of chances that we'll get a snow flurry or two. Better late than never, I say.

I like winter temperatures. Much better than the scalding, sweltering, Saharan heat of Houston summers.

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Want a bit of LinkyLove on this day of days? Sure you do.
  • For you "Lost"-ies, two items--1) An interview with two of the show's creators, including some vague spoilers about questions being answered and when; and 2) this mindtrip of a catch. Turns out there was an audio message back-masked under the Karl brainwashing scene. It's the voice of a woman saying, "Only fools are enslaved by time and space." Check out the video; this isn't one of those imagined "Paul is dead" moments. It's very clearly an implanted audio clip of a woman saying those words. Which, coupled with the character reading Stephen Hawking's book in a recent episode, fuels the fire of my suspicion that the "mystery" of the island has to do with a bendy space-time/parallel-universe-type twist. Either way, I'm all for it, dude. Bring it on. [h-t: Pop Candy]
  • Speaking of J.J. Abrams, looks like he's in talks to produce and/or direct a screen version of "The Dark Tower." I'm somewhat apprehensive (the story's just so big), but Abrams is the only person I can think of who could really pull it off. [h-t: Pop Candy]
  • Pitchers and catchers report for duty TODAY, so to whet your baseball appetites, here are two articles, one from Jayson Stark and the other from Gene Wojciechowski, on the greatest team in the world.
  • Having a years-long period of bad luck? I hear a statue of Rocky Balboa will clear that right up. [h-t: Pop Candy]
  • Houston readers will appreciate this.
  • Haven't seen the Oscar nominees for Best Picture yet? If you live near one of these AMC theatres, you can see all five in a row on February 24, at a bargain price.

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Plans for the evening? I was torn as to what to do, but right now I'm thinking I'll go home, cook a pot of tasty chili, put my feet up, and watch some recorded-TV/MST3K/"Lost" as I drink non-diet root beer and eat non-diet Keebler fudge-swirl cookies. Maybe I'll read a bit, too. I just started a new Coupland, "Miss Wyoming." A pretty laid-back Valentine's, all-in-all.

And frankly, that sounds are pretty awesome.

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I think that's all I've got. Have a great evening, gang.

=====

[ending music: "Brilliant Mistake," Elvis Costello]

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Fan Fiction

It was the worst day of CTU Agent Jack Bauer's life--again.

After disarming four of five suitcase nukes, he boards a military helicopter to fly him from one side of Los Angeles to the other, since (for the first time in years) he can't drive that same distance in a matter of mere minutes. Suddenly, the co-pilot turns around and--GASP!--it's the terrorist leader Jack has spent all day torturing people to find. The three soldiers in the back of the chopper with him--DOUBLE GASP!--all terrorists, who point their machine guns at him.

The madman shouts, gun in hand, "Very well, Agent Bauer, we come to the endgame. You happen to be sitting in front of the last nuclear device, which is set to go off in a matter of minutes. We are going to fly into the highest building in the city as the bomb is about to go off, so as to make a grand statement about the decadence of Western civilization. Or I'll drop it on the Staples Center, since I hate the Lakers. Either way, your puny way of life will be crushed at its very core!!!"

Just then, Jack flies into action, disarming all three captors holding him at gunpoint, and throwing each of them off the helicopter and on to the suburbs of Los Angeles, two hundred feet below. And even though the terrorist leader starts firing his pistol, Jack manages to not get shot, because he's faster than a speeding bullet! He knocks out the pilot and the terrorist with an unopened can of Coke, pushes the pilot out of the cockpit and onto the rush-hour traffic down below. Just as the helicopter is about to crash as well, Jack pulls up on the stick and turns the whirlybird west, towards the ocean.

There are only mere minutes left before the nuclear device explodes. Chloe O'Brien, ace computer whiz from CTU, calls him on his cellphone. He quickly explains to her what just happened.

"But Jack, what are you planning to do?"

"MY BEST BET IS TO PUT THIS THING IN THE WATER! THAT SHOULD LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CASUALTIES!"

"But Jack, can't you land it and try to disarm it?"

"THERE'S NO TIME!!!"

"What about you? What's going to happen to you, Jack? I can't lose you again! I...love you!"

"I LOVE YOU TOO, CHLOE. THOUGH OUR RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN STRICTLY PROFESSIONAL FOR MANY YEARS, I HAVE ALWAYS HARBORED A SECRET LOVE FOR YOU THAT HAS BLOSSOMED ALL THE MORE AS YOU HAVE COME INTO YOUR OWN AS A TOP AGENT AND A TRUE PATRIOT. IF ONLY I COULD DO THINGS OVER AGAIN; SO MANY THINGS WOULD BE DIFFERENT. SADLY, THERE IS NO GOING BACK NOW. IF THERE WERE ANY WAY I COULD SURVIVE THIS IMPENDING CRASH, I PROMISE YOU THAT I WOULD SWEEP YOU UP IN MY ARMS AND SAY ALL THE THINGS THAT OUR TWO HEARTS HAVE SCARCELY HAD COURAGE TO FEEL FOR LO THESE MANY--"

"Jack, the bomb's about to blow!"

"OH. RIGHT. SORRY."

Jack realizes he's now a mile and a half off-shore. He lets go of the controls and runs to the back of the chopper, which is starting to careen downward. The terrorist leader wakes up. "Holy crap!" he yells, uncharacteristically. Jack dives out of the chopper (somehow missing the tail blades), and into the water. The chopper sails onward for several hundred yards before landing in the water with a massive explosion. Seconds later, a larger, more ominous blast is seen, vaporizing the water for miles. Jack, impervious to nuclear blasts, walks back to "shore" on dry land.

Meanwhile, along the ocean floor, Aquaman, King of Atlantis, is approaching Los Angeles for his yearly vacation. Suddenly, he feels the vibration of an explosion above him. He swims upward to investigate, and the second blast knocks him back downward against the rock of the continental shelf.

And Aquaman died.

Leaves on trees.

Walking down the long sidewalk from the train platform and skybridge to my office building, I watched as a gust of wind shook a multitude of leaves from the trees. They cascaded down across my path, left to right. I looked up and saw that the trees were still trying to denude themselves in preparation for the harshness of winter.

Climate in Houston is always a funny thing. Winter is never really winter, and spring flirts with cold briefly before giving way to summer. Summer in Houston is unmistakable. And lasts for about 9 months. Okay, maybe not, but it feels that way.

But I have to wonder what the weather is like from the tree's perspective. After the sweltering late summer and the rainy inconsistency of what must have seemed like an overlong fall, the transient chill in the air must be convincing the sad, old trees that winter is coming. More cold, grey days to endure.

There is a cool snap coming this week, to be sure. But in a month, it'll warm up again. It's already mid-February. Once we get past our Valentine's frost (almost a tradition around these parts), the sun will return and things will get warmer.

Poor, sad tree, convinced that nothing but cold, lonely winter is in its future. It doesn't realize that a new burst of life and growth and blossoming spring is just around the corner.

But trees don't use calendars, and have little sense of the future. Their perspective is limited to only what they're feeling at the moment. They're funny that way.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Shuffleblog Mini 2.0

[Disclaimer: I may have skipped a track or two, for the sake of more interesting blogging. Believe me, you're glad I did.]

You know the tune. Here we go.

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1) "Oh, Darling!" by The Beatles.

Of course. This Wednesday is Valentine's Day. I don't really have any plans. I haven't had any plans for this day in a while. I may go to the movies. The Hugh Grant flick looks somewhat amusing (it has to be better than "Daredevil," right?). Or maybe I'll get some takeout, go home, watch both halves of "Kill Bill" (with a "Lost" intermission) and call it a night. Valentine's with Uma? Doesn't sound so bad. As long as you're not named "Bill."

My goal for the week: not to get bogged down by the hype. To "rejoice with those who rejoice." To trust that my God will supply all my needs, and I just have to wait for His good timing. One day, I'll have a February 14th that's friggin' awesome. I believe that.

And if my defenses slip a little and I indulge in some half-price chocolate this weekend, oh well.

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2) "Two of Us" by The Beatles

Really? Ugh. I need more diverse music.

This song was on a mixtape someone gave me once. I kept it for a little while after our relationship ended (along with other tapes and a few other items). Finally, I realized that I'd never heal if I kept hanging on to that stuff. Like the line from the Waterdeep song, "Hush": "On the inside, even they won't let go of the dead and cling to what's alive..."

So I chucked the box that held all the handmade knicks and knacks, and the mix tapes. I miss the mixtapes. There were some really good tracks on there. Like Ben Folds' "Kate," her mix tape's a masterpiece.

Every once in a while, I'll hear a song on a commercial or in a movie, and I'll instantly remember it from one of those tapes. There's a track in the movie "Sidewalks of New York" that I loved. I sat through the rest of the TV broadcast of the movie, just to see the end-credits and try to remember what the band name was. (Funny, I can't recall it now, or even what the song sounded like. But I remember liking it quite a bit.)

That's another annoying thing about being single: I don't have anybody to surprise with mixtapes.

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3) "Mrs. Robinson," The Lemonheads

I remember this guy from OBU named Chris Wheeler who had one of the most joyful, infectious, outgoing personalities I've ever seen. He almost always had a smile on his face, and a high-five or hug for anyone who needed it. I didn't know him personally, but you couldn't miss him. He was one of those recognizable figures at OBU, like Tommy. James Pendergrass. Upchurch. Hutch. Your mom. (Just kidding.)

Anyway. Wheeler. I remember one time during one of the CAB (Campus Activity Board) shows, one of the bands played this song, and Wheeler was one of a half-dozen people on the front row of Raley who started jumping around and waving their arms like crazy teenagers during Beatlemania. He just flailed. It was hilarious. Another great CAB moment from Wheeler (there were many) was when he provided the "beatbox" for a rendition of Ben Harper's "Steal My Kisses."

I think one of my small regrets from OBU was that I never was the kind of guy that people remember like that. Not that I think no one remembers me, but I never was that kind of "big name" that everyone knew. It's vanity, of course. But I was kind of that guy in high school, since I was involved in EVERYTHING. Not so much in college. And I think it would have been cool to have that kind of reputation and recognition. To have people tell stories after I had graduated about "this crazy Dave guy that everybody knew and liked."

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Weeds. (UPDATED)

This is something I've been kicking around for a few days in my head, and you may have seen it in before in comments on other sites. But here it is.

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My mother had a garden when I was in high school. It only lasted one year, but we ate fresh green onions and cherry tomatoes, so she was very proud of it.

That summer, I was given weed duty. I had to go pull weeds on a semi-regular basis. Remember, this is Texas in July. It got hot. It was bad enough with the lawn. The weeds were just too much. At least that's how it felt. I hated doing it. I still hate weeding. Annoys me. That's one of the benefits of apartment life, I find.

Anyway.

This past weekend, I heard a speaker talk about how our actions are often the result of our beliefs, and that our beliefs are born of our thoughts. The process being, a thought left alone is cemented as belief, and beliefs over time produce action.

This got me thinking about weeds. When weeds are small, they're easy to pull. They're not strong enough to take root, and they haven't really attacked the healthy plant. However, the longer you leave a weed alone, the firmer it anchors itself, and the more it starts to threaten the health of the nearby plants. Then, if you really let it go, it becomes one of those scary killer weeds with the bristly stalk that's about the diameter of a quarter, and that sucker not only takes a lot of effort to dislodge, but it ends up ripping a huge hole in your garden, uprooting the healthy plants nearby (the ones that it hasn't already drained the life out of).

You can see where I'm going with this, right? Well, I never claimed to be particularly original.

Negative thoughts, sinful and tempting thoughts, wrong perceptions or attitudes, wrong views of self or others or God--these are our weeds. And we can either pull them early and easily, or we can pull them late, and risk ripping up whatever good things are developing in our lives.

Here's what occurred to me: there's a trade-off involved. The smaller the weed, the easier to pull, but you have to work twice as hard to catch them early. If you're lazier, you wait much longer before addressing the issue, but you risk more difficulty and damage. You also risk only pulling up the top part of the weed, and leaving the root there to sprout later and do more damage (in other words, addressing the behaviors but not the cause).

So if we are to root out the sin in our lives, the negativity, the fear and hatred and anger that creep up, we have to do so by constantly being on the lookout. By rejecting these thoughts, and making them captive to Christ, by replacing lies and untruth with Truth. This is a constant process, not something we do in waves, every few weeks or months.

And that's the hard part. Not knowing what the weeds are. Not knowing what to do. Just putting in the time and effort and diligence to do it.

That's where I'm at right now. I don't spend enough time pulling weeds.

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UPDATE: You know, as I reread this, I was struck with how incredibly works-based and graceless it sounded.

So here's the other side of the coin: I'm not going to be able to pull all the weeds fast enough. I'm just not. I'm not that good. I'm not that strong. There are going to be times when I will work so hard at tending to the "weeds" I see, that I forget to water and feed the good plants that are growing. When I will run myself into the ground trying to do so much, that I don't allow growth to occur at all.

Okay, okay, enough analogy...

The garden--my heart, my mind--is God's. It is covered by His grace. And when I falter and fail (which is hourly), His grace is sufficient in my weakness.

No one can make themselves perfect through an act of will or determination. Ben Franklin couldn't do it. I can't do it. You can't do it. We are broken. Always were, always are. Even at our best, we're still broken and in need of salvation.

What I think I was getting at is that there still has to be some effort on my end of it. Pursuing the knowledge of and relationship with the Holy God means that I can give no place in my life to falsehood and evil. I have to "take thoughts captive"--that's not just a passive idea; it implies that I am hunting them down, doesn't it?

So the weeding analogy isn't about becoming perfect by my own strength--it's about constantly submitting myself to Christ, and daily putting to death my own sinful nature and agenda for the sake of His righteousness. Weeding in that context means finding every thought, every notion, that runs counter to the work of Christ in my life, and applying Scripture to it, so that the destructive can die and the life-giving can grow.

The danger is that we can become so works-focused in how we see the Christian journey that we think that our garden is for the purpose of killing weeds instead of growing fruit. That's the real purpose: growth. Relationship. The Destroyer sows weeds in our life to try to stop that growth. Our job is to guard the work of God in our lives, to cultivate disciplines and habits that produce growth, so that we may experience life with God as best as we can on earth.

I don't want you to be confused or discouraged by the first half of this post. I may end up pulling it down completely, because it started saying something I didn't really intend for it to.

But the fact is, we all have a weed problem. Works is not the answer. Lack of works is not the answer. Following Christ is the answer. And following Christ means combining obedience with faith, works with grace, so that we don't swing to either extreme and miss the point.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

It's a two-liter day.

I've been hitting the bottle pretty heavily. This much Diet Coke has to be bad for me.

1) I can't get the "Killer Shrew" song out of my head now. For those curious, it comes from a "Mystery Science Theater 3000" episode of the same name. Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo decide to write a theme for the film. It's catchy. Too catchy.

2) According to my "Superman-a-Day" calendar (which is about six kinds of AWESOME), it's "Waitangi Day" in New Zealand. So, Happy Waitangi Day to any of you righteous New Zealanders out there.

Suddenly I want to go rent Whale Rider or something. Maybe I'll just watch Lord of the Rings tonight.

3) Had a good meeting with my singles' minister and my new class coordinator person last night (at Chuy's! yum!). We talked for about two hours on what the class needs, how we can work to make that happen, and how I can modify my teaching style and approach to better serve the group. And we ate good food. Happy evening, all told.

4) I really want a Chipotle burrito right now, even though I shouldn't have it. (There's a reason I haven't posted my latest update to the diet blog.) I'm trying to justify getting it in my mind, because I'm really hungry and I want something tasty that I won't have to cook.

5) I've only got enough in me for five points today. Just call me J. Calvin, I guess.

Monday, February 05, 2007

"Killer Shrew, Killer Shrew!"

"K-I-Double-L-E-R Shrew!"

1) That's for you, Will.

2) Thanks for your comments on the gas post. Like I said, it's a complicated issue. My main point was that the average joe/jane on the street isn't thinking about environmental impact in anything but the most simplistic of terms. Most people are more interested in lower gas prices, and it was that kind of short-sighted reaction to the profit news that invoked my ire. Though I do maintain that my Chick-Fil-A analogy is more correct. Switching from oil to wind power isn't a simple upgrade for a company, as improving the quality of cooking oil would be. Such a change would cause a massive overhaul in infrastructure and process, and billions of dollars of equipment would be eventually made obsolete and have to be replaced. Hence the chicken-to-burgers idea. It's that radical of a change. (Incidentally, Trav, I look forward to one day hearing that you are involved in the creation of a new gyrowhatsywhosit.)

This is not to say that ExxonMobil couldn't or shouldn't rise to the forefront of alternative energy technology. A forward-thinking entrepreneur would grab on to that. But to be surprised or disappointed that they do not is, well, silly.

A final word: I find it troubling that quite a few of the more vocal proponents of global warming are now saying that anyone who disagrees should be silenced in the public square, that they shouldn't be allowed to present dissenting arguments. Now, I'm not going to argue for or against the idea of global warming, because frankly, I don't know enough about it to have a solid opinion one way or the other. But I DO know a little more about stifling dissent, and I disagree with the attitude that anyone who disagrees with the "scientific community" should be shouted-down, silenced, and stifled. That kind of thinking would have kept Galileo and Columbus on the fringes. For a group of people so vocal about knowledge and discovery, that attitude seems downright medieval. C'mon people--remember, INclusion!

3) The big game. Meh. I was somewhat cheering for the Bears, due to Chicago loyalty (pitchers and catchers report in 10 days!) and the fact that I'm sick of the over-exposed Manning. But I am happy that Tony Dungy won. So there's that.

Despite the fact that it was (ugh) Prince, the half-time show was entertaining. A good production. One of the interesting consequences of the Janet Jackson event was that the halftime shows have gotten a little bit classier, which is a welcome change. That fateful year, I was a little more offended/irritated by the "Hot in Herrre" dancers and the massive amount of booty grinding (Google-term, Ding!) that was pervasive in the show. At least for the past few years, there hasn't been a lot of that.

But the commercials. I felt totally cheated this year. I had already seen what seems like half of them, on TV or at the movies. And the new ones, by and large, were forgettable and stupid. My favorite is still the Coke "video game" spot, which I'd seen a few times at the local cineplex.

4) Speaking of "big game," I was going to do a satirical post entitled "The Big Game" that would apply many of the current political opinions about the Iraq War to the context of the Super Bowl ("I cheer for the players, but I wish they didn't have to hit each other," "the whole sham is put on by the Coach and his Big Beer cronies" and so forth). But really, I'm just not feeling it. Plus, as clever as I think myself, I would only be adding fuel to the ire. And I'm trying to go "lower ire" in 2007. At least for a little while.

So you're spared my half-hearted attempts at Swiftian prose. Maybe I'll do it next year, around this time. Hopefully circumstances will have changed enough that I won't have to. But then again, this is politics, and nothing changes but ball possession. (And you can take that to mean whatever you wish, but I was going for a sports metaphor rather than some sort of Freudian chauvenist slight. FYI.)

5) On tap this week... In real life, I have a meeting with the Singles minister at church and the lady he's brought in to be my class coordinator. It will be a transition, having to delegate things now. Also, I have to write a character reference letter for a friend's immigration hearing tonight, on the off-chance I'm unable to be there in person. I'm trying not to think too much about the possible outcomes of the hearing, if I can help it. The fact that I have a hand in trying to keep someone from being deported is starting to weigh a bit heavily on me...

In blog life, I'd like to start writing a little higher quality material (the desire of all half-hearted slacking bloggers). And I may start throwing in a short piece now and again in a new humorous series of posts. Plus, I'm going to pick up the Sermon on the Mount Series that I started two years ago and stopped after the second post. I start teaching on Matthew 5 this Sunday, so that's where a lot of my thoughts and reading will be over the next month or so.

6) Speaking of reading, I'm almost done with "Never Let Me Go," which is pretty good. I'll be going off-shelf for a little while to (re)read and hopefully this time finish "The Cost of Discipleship" by Bonhoeffer, and read a book on Matthew 5 called "Beatitude." Hopefully, in addition to these, I'll be able to start the next book on the "to-be-read" shelf. 2007 has gotten off to a slow start, reading-wise, and I'm a little concerned that I won't get through this year's list now. Especially being so front-loaded with heavy reading.

7) Minor realization this weekend: When you realize you're starting to fall for someone, but would only pursue a relationship with them if their circumstances were different, or if you could change how they think and feel about certain things, then you're not really falling for that person, just what you can make of them. And that's not love of any sort.

Plus, if they are already in a relationship, you shouldn't be wasting your time even thinking such thoughts. *Smack*

8) I need to get out more.

9) Nine days until VD (Valentine's Day). Got any plans with a special someone? Want any?

10) I just wanted to have a "10" on here, but I don't have anything else to say. Thank you goodnight.

Friday, February 02, 2007

All these bureaucrats give me gas.

(A Reactionary Opinionblog by TeacherDave.)

The big news on my TV screen in the last two days has been the "record profit" scored by ExxonMobil this week. $39.5 billion. Not too shabby for a multinational oil conglomerate with over 84,000 employees. The largest corporation in America, whose effective income tax rate in the first quarter of 2006 was 47.4%, according to Yahoo Business (a higher rate than 2005).

But watch the news broadcasts. The profit of this business is always couched with the "high energy prices" that consumers are "upset" about paying. And the idiotic "man on the street" interviews that follow invariably have some guy saying, "Well, I just don't think it's right that they make so much money when our gas prices have gotten so high!"

Have they? Let's look at the tape. According to Gas Buddy, the national average for a gallon of regular gas in the U.S. is only about 15 cents or so higher than it was two years ago. Yes, there were some big spikes this year, but it's gotten back to normal. And when ExxonMobil was suffering Q4 losses, they didn't spike the prices to offset. In fact, that was the lowest point for gas prices last year. Doesn't make sense if they're dirty moneygrubbers, does it?

Of course, no one wants to pay two bucks plus a gallon, but compared to our European friends, we're getting off easy. (Incidentally, the cause of about half of their gas price, on average? Taxes.)

So how do American politicians respond to the good news for a top American employer and industrial giant, who feeds in millions each year into the tax coffers?

Presidential-frontrunner Hillary Clinton wants to punish ExxonMobil by "closing a tax loophole" and using that money to fund Biofuel research. Because let's face it, 47% just isn't enough of a cut. Clinton is proving herself to be more of an Old-World-style leader than we thought.

Obviously, the Exxon CEO thinks this is a bad idea. I agree.

This type of stuff just gets under my skin. The media presentation and the knee-jerk bureaucratic response smacks of the ridiculous "Damn-the-man-ism" that has infected so much of the American public. It's short-sighted, selfish, and anti-capitalistic. More importantly, it's bad for our economy, which makes it bad for every Joe Schmo who gets pissed when a LEGITIMATE business providing a USEFUL SERVICE is profitable after spending its MILLIONS/BILLIONS in investments, taxes, and payroll.

So, if you find yourself feeling petty and insulted because some folks are doing well in business, please do yourself a favor and grab a slice of perspective.

===

I don't know. There's also the environmental issues, and I know several of you are really concerned about those. That's fine, I get that. The very idea of ExxonMobil's existence may be offensive to you. I can't help you with that (not that you'd want my help!).

But if you're an average joe like me (debateable, I know, but bear with me), it's childish and short-sighted to be bitter against people who're just doing their job well. Quit whining about profitable businesses providing your gas at globally-cheap prices. And PLEASE don't say that they should take some of their (EARNED) profits to make gas cheaper. That's like saying the kid at McDonalds should take his paycheck and split the cost of my BigMac with me, just to be "fair."

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The most laughable part of the news report I heard yesterday was when the talking heads said that ExxonMobil wasn't using very much of their revenue at all to research alternative energy sources--as if that was surprising.

Really? Do you expect them to drop a ton of cash on that?

That's like poo-pooing Chick-Fil-A for not doing more to promote hamburger consumption. Give me a break.