OK, so I got a little heated in light of the VT tragedy. I didn't mean to be insensitive or callous. I'm simply trying to make sense of how this could happen like everyone else. I grabbed on to the gun control issue as a way of coping, of grieving. We have 20,000 laws dealing with guns in our country, so I don't know if one more will make any difference. My entire point, which you can see if you look past the wild ranting of an angry man, is that it's too easy. I don't think hunters and self-defense gun owners would argue that or should they have any trouble with federally mandated waiting periods and more extensive background checks. 90% of global homicide victims die in the United States. (alcohol, tobacco, and firearms website) 9 of 10! It's too easy, that's all I'm saying.
But, I'm not going to talk about this today. No gun control debate this time. Here's an idea: I'm responsible. Through my brother's blog http://www.entertherainbow.blogspot.com I've been reading some discussion as others try and deal with this in their own ways. Some private, personal reflections and some professional editorials. And here's the thought that stuck: I'm responsible. We all are. I asked Lindsey what she thought about the national day of mourning and she said a very wise thing: it's because we all felt this, we all know what sitting in french class is like, the innocense, and we all felt this. We all need to feel this, we need to feel the pain of the victims, their families, AND the survivors. Imagine going back into that classroom this week. There's a girl who was a freshman at Columbine High School when shooters massacred her classmates and now she's a student at Virginia Tech. We need to feel this. We need to feel the darkness in this young man's soul; we need to feel the anger, confusion, maybe illness, in his head that drove him to take so many human lives including his own.
But here's the kicker: We need to feel this not only when it's good, hard-working American college students; not only when it's 32 people and our talking-heads are foaming at the mouth to get some new angle on the story. Everytime one of our human brothers and sisters is killed by, or even affected by, violence, we should feel it. Whether it's a bunch of innocent college French students, a young man on 12 st. gunned down in the streets, a soldier who knew the risks she was taking joining an all-volunteer military, or a native citizen of Sudan executed by their own government's hired-gun...we should feel them all. Deep inside, we should feel them. But, so often, I glance over the headlines of human lives lost, I get impatient with the stories on the news because I wish they would get to the weather already. Two lines come to my head: Jack Johnson "Why don't the newscasters cry when they read about people who die? Least they could be descent enough to put just a tear in their eye..." Our newscasters are paid and trained to deliver the facts without emotion, we want them to, that's their role. It's not our role! We should feel it. Second: Obi Wan Kanobi "I sense a great disturbance in the force." Ben felt the life force created by every living being disturbed whenever evil grew in power and strength. Every time one of our human family is victimized by violence, evil grows in power and strength. We should all be so connected, so filled with the love that God has for creation, that we feel a disturbance in the ties that bind us together every time one of our beloved falls. Every time.
And now, speaking of our human connection, I need to make a commercial. This Friday evening, starting at 5 or 5:30 there is a rally for peace in the Darfur region of Sudan in Mill Creek Park, near the plaza. If you've been glancing over these headlines like I have been, I've done a little research. Darfur is a region in the African country of Sudan. Now, there's been civil war and infighting in Darfur for years, but there's never been anything on the scale of what's going on now. The Sudanese military, alongside the government-funded mercenary militias called Janjaweed, have marched through Darfur, killing over 400,000 people and displacing over a million. I looked up the difference between displaced and refugee. Refugees are people who have crossed a border into another country and the UN has declared them refugees, meaning they were forced out of their own country AND meaning that they have certain rights within the new country. Displaced means that they haven't left the country, usually because the army that displaced them has closed the borders. These are people whose homes are gone, destroyed, and whose ONLY source of survivals needs comes from the very little humanitarian aid that other nations can get in to them. If anyone has seen Hotel Rwanda or The Last King of Scotland (both excellent movies, must sees), This is happening right now in Sudan. We, the US/the UN, didn't do anything in Rwanda and hundreds of thousands of people were slaughtered. We didn't do anything to stop Edi Amin, and hundreds of thousands of people were slaughtered. If we don't do anything now, millions of people are going to die. But, dadgummit, we had to stop Saddam Hussien and his unbelievable access to weapons of mass destruction!
So, if you're in the KC area this Friday evening, please come down to the park next to the plaza, to help show support of those brothers and sisters who have lost their lives and lost their homes.
Alright, folks. It's a mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad world. I didn't even talk about our Attorney General saying "I don't remember" 71 times under oath and our president saying "If anything, I'm more confident in him" afterwards. Idiots.
Peace, my friends, B
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
Random Notes
Yesterday was Earth Day, so suck it, Neptune!!
But seriously, I know I'm known to take some lengthy breaks from the blogosphere, but I thought that last one was pretty good! I am a needy, attention-starved, approval-seeking baby child. I need your comments to give my online rantings some kind of validation!
Where are all you people??
BB
But seriously, I know I'm known to take some lengthy breaks from the blogosphere, but I thought that last one was pretty good! I am a needy, attention-starved, approval-seeking baby child. I need your comments to give my online rantings some kind of validation!
Where are all you people??
BB
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
An Unremarkable Sale
As we mourn the loss of 32 people at VTech, I'm thinking about the two instances this year that have brought gun control to the front of my mind. One is, of course, the story of this guy who bought a gun and ammunition in an "unremarkable sale" (according to the owner of the gun store) for 571 bucks and five weeks later killed 31 people and himself. The other is a gun crime that happened in KC to someone I know. That's never happened to me before.
My friends, it's too easy to get a gun. Background checks, criminal records checks, psychological evaluations...nobody actually does them. One of the things Borat showed us about our country is the readiness of gun enthusiasts to talk about killing, ANYTHING, even Jews!! It's too easy. OK, you want to talk to me about the bill of rights, fine. The bill of rights came out of a particular time and place, a time and place with very peculiar circumstances. It was a revolutionary time, it was a scary time, it was war time. AND, people still hunted for food. Hunted for survival. So, the 230 year old "right to bear arms" doesn't make a lot of sense in a time in which people are getting killed in SCHOOLS, children are getting killed in schools, wives/daughters/mothers are being killed in their homes, brothers/fathers/husbands/sons are killing each other on the street over territorial feuds or the color of their clothes. OK, you want to talk to me about the whole "if we strengthen gun control only the criminals will have guns", fine. I'M FINE WITH THAT!! That's what makes them criminals. I want to think that the rest of us are different than criminals, are better than criminals, should live to a higher standard than criminals. Cops and robbers, people. That's they way it's supposed to be. When you're a kid, you don't play robbers and citizens protecting their property. (part of the problem is America's sense of ownership and the right to property, entitlement, but that's another blog for another time) NO, you play cops and robbers. Let the men and women who give their lives to protect us protect us.
it's too easy. It's too easy for a preacher's wife who's fed up with the pressures of being a preacher's wife and the too high expectations of her husband to get a gun and shot him more than once while he was IN BED! (self-defense, my ass) It's too easy for an 18 yr old kid from 12th st. KC to get a gun and blast some other poor kid because he "disrepected" him. It's too easy for a FREAKING 13 YR OLD to shoot up his school with his step-dad's hunting rifle. It's too easy for a disturbed, troubled, desperate young man, to walk into a store, slap down a NON-CITIZEN ID, and, for less than a bicycle, less than a good camera, less than a new set of tires, less than my Missouri taxes, purchase something that was only designed for, who's sole purpose is killing human beings.
I could go right now, drive out to our favorite neighborhood health-benefit-denying superstore, buy some underpants, the new Kings of Leon cd, stop by the McDonalds to get a double cheese burger, maybe a washing machine...AND AN INSTRUMENT OF DEATH AND TORTURE THAT WAS ONLY EVER MEANT TO KILL ANOTHER HUMAN! If that makes sense to you, I'm sorry. And, feel free to explain your position to me, but I will never understand it.
Rest in peace, my friends. May God give us the strength to learn from your sacrifice. B
My friends, it's too easy to get a gun. Background checks, criminal records checks, psychological evaluations...nobody actually does them. One of the things Borat showed us about our country is the readiness of gun enthusiasts to talk about killing, ANYTHING, even Jews!! It's too easy. OK, you want to talk to me about the bill of rights, fine. The bill of rights came out of a particular time and place, a time and place with very peculiar circumstances. It was a revolutionary time, it was a scary time, it was war time. AND, people still hunted for food. Hunted for survival. So, the 230 year old "right to bear arms" doesn't make a lot of sense in a time in which people are getting killed in SCHOOLS, children are getting killed in schools, wives/daughters/mothers are being killed in their homes, brothers/fathers/husbands/sons are killing each other on the street over territorial feuds or the color of their clothes. OK, you want to talk to me about the whole "if we strengthen gun control only the criminals will have guns", fine. I'M FINE WITH THAT!! That's what makes them criminals. I want to think that the rest of us are different than criminals, are better than criminals, should live to a higher standard than criminals. Cops and robbers, people. That's they way it's supposed to be. When you're a kid, you don't play robbers and citizens protecting their property. (part of the problem is America's sense of ownership and the right to property, entitlement, but that's another blog for another time) NO, you play cops and robbers. Let the men and women who give their lives to protect us protect us.
it's too easy. It's too easy for a preacher's wife who's fed up with the pressures of being a preacher's wife and the too high expectations of her husband to get a gun and shot him more than once while he was IN BED! (self-defense, my ass) It's too easy for an 18 yr old kid from 12th st. KC to get a gun and blast some other poor kid because he "disrepected" him. It's too easy for a FREAKING 13 YR OLD to shoot up his school with his step-dad's hunting rifle. It's too easy for a disturbed, troubled, desperate young man, to walk into a store, slap down a NON-CITIZEN ID, and, for less than a bicycle, less than a good camera, less than a new set of tires, less than my Missouri taxes, purchase something that was only designed for, who's sole purpose is killing human beings.
I could go right now, drive out to our favorite neighborhood health-benefit-denying superstore, buy some underpants, the new Kings of Leon cd, stop by the McDonalds to get a double cheese burger, maybe a washing machine...AND AN INSTRUMENT OF DEATH AND TORTURE THAT WAS ONLY EVER MEANT TO KILL ANOTHER HUMAN! If that makes sense to you, I'm sorry. And, feel free to explain your position to me, but I will never understand it.
Rest in peace, my friends. May God give us the strength to learn from your sacrifice. B
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Weight vol. 3
Well, the results are in. At least, some of the results are in. I've been working out 4 days a week, using mainly weight-training stuff I learned from my own personal strength coach, who also happens to be my best friend. I've been progressing nicely, moving up in the weight i lift each week and already seeing results in my arms and chest. I'm not quite as jiggly as I was when I started this whole thing! and, mom you'll be glad to know, I'm getting those scary trap. muscles back.
I've also been trying really hard to eat better. Lots of eggs, whole grain cereal, salad when I can. One Mountain Dew a day. Ice Cream has been replaced by 100% real fruit frozen yogurt bars.
And what does this all mean? I've lost 5 pounds in three weeks...Ta Da! Ok, not huge results. But, it's something. and since I have been focused mainly on weight training and muscle growth, not cardio and weight loss (cardio work is probably my second least favorite thing in the world to do, next only to changing guitar strings) I HAVE been building muscle, which weighs a lot more than fat. So, in the end, I don't know how much weight I'll lose or if I'll meet my 215 goal. But, if i'm bigger, stronger and more solid, I won't care.
Here's the problem. I love eating. It's not just something I do, it's something I love doing. Also, I'm addicted to Mountain Dew, which is just empty unusable calories. So, I do cheat. Not a lot, but it happens.
But the good news: I see results in muscle growth already and I'm down to 233 from 238. Now the danger becomes plateau-ing, where your body catches up to the breaking down of muscles your doing and the results stop. So, that's the next challenge...
Not so jiggly, B
I've also been trying really hard to eat better. Lots of eggs, whole grain cereal, salad when I can. One Mountain Dew a day. Ice Cream has been replaced by 100% real fruit frozen yogurt bars.
And what does this all mean? I've lost 5 pounds in three weeks...Ta Da! Ok, not huge results. But, it's something. and since I have been focused mainly on weight training and muscle growth, not cardio and weight loss (cardio work is probably my second least favorite thing in the world to do, next only to changing guitar strings) I HAVE been building muscle, which weighs a lot more than fat. So, in the end, I don't know how much weight I'll lose or if I'll meet my 215 goal. But, if i'm bigger, stronger and more solid, I won't care.
Here's the problem. I love eating. It's not just something I do, it's something I love doing. Also, I'm addicted to Mountain Dew, which is just empty unusable calories. So, I do cheat. Not a lot, but it happens.
But the good news: I see results in muscle growth already and I'm down to 233 from 238. Now the danger becomes plateau-ing, where your body catches up to the breaking down of muscles your doing and the results stop. So, that's the next challenge...
Not so jiggly, B
Monday, April 09, 2007
Next General Conference
Here's an interesting question: Why the HELL are America the Beautiful and My Country tis of Thee is our United Methodist Hymnal? Just a thought...
B
B
Listen all Ya'll it's a Sabatoge
Psychological post for you today, stemming from a convo we had in Pastoral Care...
What kind of self-sabatoging powers does our ego, or super-ego, have over our id?
Case study: A person is so used to being pesimistic, negative, glass-half-empty. This person's comfort zone is the meloncholy (sp?). Can happiness frighten that person so much that some part of that person tries to remedy the situation with self-sabatoge, subconsciously attacking the cause of said happiness? And how, as care-givers (pastoral or otherwise), can we get a person like this to accept happiness, embrace happiness, to know that being happy is ok, is actually preferrable? Especially if the sabatoge is coming from somewhere deep underneath the surface, and, many times, the person is unaware until its too late.
One of my more intellectual questions here on The Bustle. Let me know what you think.
BB
What kind of self-sabatoging powers does our ego, or super-ego, have over our id?
Case study: A person is so used to being pesimistic, negative, glass-half-empty. This person's comfort zone is the meloncholy (sp?). Can happiness frighten that person so much that some part of that person tries to remedy the situation with self-sabatoge, subconsciously attacking the cause of said happiness? And how, as care-givers (pastoral or otherwise), can we get a person like this to accept happiness, embrace happiness, to know that being happy is ok, is actually preferrable? Especially if the sabatoge is coming from somewhere deep underneath the surface, and, many times, the person is unaware until its too late.
One of my more intellectual questions here on The Bustle. Let me know what you think.
BB
Monday, April 02, 2007
Clapton is a god!!!
I have just returned from MY BEST CONCERT EVER!! Eric Clapton is simply breath-taking, awe-striking, dumbfounding, flabbergasting. Just listen: Running on Faith, Layla, Wonderful Tonight, Cocaine, Crossroads and much much much more. The dude played for three hours!!! It's difficult to put into words. Seeing someone who is not only the BEST person alive at what he does, but also loves doing the thing your watching him do more than anything else in the world, it is absolutely transcendental. It takes you to a whole other place.
I've seen Metallica from the front row. I've seen the original Black Sabbath. I've seen Tool, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson I've been to awesome, intimate shows and watched Martin Sexton, Trevor Hall, Robert Randolph, and Splitlip Rayfield from inches away. Nothing compares. NOTHING.
Nothing anyone can ever say is ever going to top this. Watch:
Oh, you went on a cruise? I just saw Eric Clapton play Wonderful Tonight...
You got a promotion, that's great!! I just heard Eric Clapton play Layla...
Wow, you just ran a marathon, impressive. I just saw Eric freakin' Clapton play Cocaine...
You just flew around the world in a hot air balloon, no way..I was there when Eric Clapton and Robert Cray played Crossroads!!!!
I SAW ERIC CLAPTON PLAY LITTLE WING!! Probably one of the top five songs ever written (not to mention Layla, Wonderful Tonight, etc.) played by one of top five guitar players ever...LITTLE WING PEOPLE!
But, I have to say it wasn't all good. As is known to happen from time to time, something pissed me off. No one stood up! I know. I stood up as soon as Slowhand took the stage and was prepared to stand the entire time. But, Lindsey and I were the only ones in our section that were standing. So, to be "polite" we had to sit down. Then I looked around. No one in the upper deck was standing. No one I could see in the lower deck was standing. A few full torsos were visible from the floor seats, but-listen to this-there were people sitting down IN THE FRONT ROW! I wanted to scream but no one would've heard me. That's Eric Clapton up there people; he doesn't have to earn our ovations. He's Eric Clapton, he's a living legend, he's probably the greatest guitar player living in the world today, and he's playing for US...Oh, you don't know this song? You really want to hear Tears in Heaven? Get off your lazy ass and get on your feet, that's ERIC CLAPTON!! Eric Clapton, from the Yardbirds, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos, THAT Eric Clapton.
I finally couldn't contain myself anymore and I stood. I stood from Little Wing, the sixth song, to Crossroads, the last. I turned to my fellow concert goers and said something like that's Eric F~~~ing CLAPTON! Five or six people stood, but no more. I just don't understand it, Kansas City. I am ashamed, tonight, to call myself a Kansas Citian.
WE SAW ERIC CLAPTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BB
I've seen Metallica from the front row. I've seen the original Black Sabbath. I've seen Tool, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson I've been to awesome, intimate shows and watched Martin Sexton, Trevor Hall, Robert Randolph, and Splitlip Rayfield from inches away. Nothing compares. NOTHING.
Nothing anyone can ever say is ever going to top this. Watch:
Oh, you went on a cruise? I just saw Eric Clapton play Wonderful Tonight...
You got a promotion, that's great!! I just heard Eric Clapton play Layla...
Wow, you just ran a marathon, impressive. I just saw Eric freakin' Clapton play Cocaine...
You just flew around the world in a hot air balloon, no way..I was there when Eric Clapton and Robert Cray played Crossroads!!!!
I SAW ERIC CLAPTON PLAY LITTLE WING!! Probably one of the top five songs ever written (not to mention Layla, Wonderful Tonight, etc.) played by one of top five guitar players ever...LITTLE WING PEOPLE!
But, I have to say it wasn't all good. As is known to happen from time to time, something pissed me off. No one stood up! I know. I stood up as soon as Slowhand took the stage and was prepared to stand the entire time. But, Lindsey and I were the only ones in our section that were standing. So, to be "polite" we had to sit down. Then I looked around. No one in the upper deck was standing. No one I could see in the lower deck was standing. A few full torsos were visible from the floor seats, but-listen to this-there were people sitting down IN THE FRONT ROW! I wanted to scream but no one would've heard me. That's Eric Clapton up there people; he doesn't have to earn our ovations. He's Eric Clapton, he's a living legend, he's probably the greatest guitar player living in the world today, and he's playing for US...Oh, you don't know this song? You really want to hear Tears in Heaven? Get off your lazy ass and get on your feet, that's ERIC CLAPTON!! Eric Clapton, from the Yardbirds, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos, THAT Eric Clapton.
I finally couldn't contain myself anymore and I stood. I stood from Little Wing, the sixth song, to Crossroads, the last. I turned to my fellow concert goers and said something like that's Eric F~~~ing CLAPTON! Five or six people stood, but no more. I just don't understand it, Kansas City. I am ashamed, tonight, to call myself a Kansas Citian.
WE SAW ERIC CLAPTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BB
hahahahahahahahaha!!!!
Tonight, my faithful friends and neighbors, I'm going to see Eric Freakin' Clapton!!! Just wanted any body that drops by the Bustle this evening to know how much cooler I am than you....
Expect a detailed and flabbergasted description of the show tomorrow.
I Shot the Sheriff, B
Expect a detailed and flabbergasted description of the show tomorrow.
I Shot the Sheriff, B
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