Late last week, there was a surge in searches for the graphic representation of Swastika so much so it showed up on Google Trends. TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington wrote a post on it here and mentioned it in a tweet here. It was Arrington’s tweet that I responded to, admittedly less calmly than I do with strangers, and it got me the following response from Michael Arrington:

I was also promptly blocked from following TechCrunch’s tweets, which is really no loss since being more ‘global’ in my outlook, I rarely read the Valley-centric site.

Meanwhile the ongoing conversation on Arrington’s post got hotter until Arrington came out to say that the meaning of the Swastika had been changed by World War II so the rest of us should just ‘get over it’. Expectedly that piece of advice went down like a lead balloon with many of TechCrunch’s readers – including many westerners who have travelled to and worked in other cultures – and the discussion there on got hotter and hotter.

Like much else, this is a multi-faceted controversy. I have taken a whole week to write about this for one reason - I want to have a reasoned approach to debate, and sometimes it is best to let things cool down a bit.

About the Swastika

I do not consider the Swastika a Hindu religious symbol but as identities go, it is a part of my complex, multi-layered, multi-faceted identity. However, I do know that the Swastika does not need me or a billion other Indians and Chinese to defend its honour, so to speak. Many have written about it with more genuine and simply more authority than the gentlemen telling us to ‘get over it’.

That is, of course, my rational mind at work. But if you, like me, lived in Europe, the frequent doses of revisionism would get your otherwise placid and rational goat too.

Prince Harry wears a Swastika on his armband for a fancy dress party – arguably in bad taste for the second in line to a European throne – and alarmists in the European Union rush to seek a ban on the Swastika. The ban was narrowly avoided due to opposition from Britain and other states.

As revisionism goes, Neha raised a pertinent point in her comment on TechCrunch’s post:

“Just because the KKK burned men on stakes - do you get all worked up about someone Googling for the crucifix?”

Worth a pause for thought, isn’t it?

Since we are all so tetchy, isn’t it time to make a tough choice?

Should we stop discussing the meaning of any and all religious or cultural symbols altogether? Or should we seek not to display our ignorance in such full bloom and instead seek a constructive dialogue that enhances our awareness?

What will it be?

About Arrington and 'normal'

Leaving aside the debate about "normal" on the web, the more pertinent point is Arrington's advice (or whatever you wish to call it) to ‘get over it’.

It is unclear what we need to get over.

Should we get over a few thousand years of history and culture for a few years of war?

Why should a few billion - that is billion with a 'B' - people, whose culture and values are embodied in the symbol, give it up for a madman's antics?

Over on the TechCrunch post, B. Shantanu made the point whether it is not time now to re-assess the understanding of the Swastika in an increasingly globalised world. Arrington did not respond but one of the commenters, who identifies himself as Frank Church on TechCrunch’s post, said:

“Sure, Mike will just change the opinion of every uneducated and unthoughtful person in the western world, and, “reassert the original meaning and significance of the symbol”. You are also part of the Tard-wagon? If consumer perception were easily manipulated, advertising spend would be lots smaller than $200B+. Moron.”

Notwithstanding the unwarranted epithet at the end of that point – after all, this is not a discussion about breeding – this commenter has a point. Perhaps we are giving Michael Arrington too much importance. After all, he just writes a Valley rag about Valley businesses that even some stalwarts of the Valley do not read (I have received some Tweets to the effect but it would be churlish to stick them here). To him, it is his bread and butter. To the rest of us, it is a drop of information in the enormous ocean of knowledge that we need to survive in a growingly complex and truly globalised world.

The world that no longer brooks quietly any arbitrary revision of its heritage.

John Maynard Keynes famously said:

“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, Sir?”

That Hitler’s misuse of the Swastika changed the western view of the Swastika is a fact. Some changed their mind after World War II.

But globalisation of the world economy and the shifting sands of the balance of power is also a fact. Time to change our minds again?

About Google and corporate censorship

Subsequently, Google apologised to its users for the 'mistake'. Google’s apology says:

“We have an automated system to identify and remove inappropriate or offensive material in Hot Trends. In rare cases, when such material is missed, we manually remove these results from our Hot Trends list. We apologize to any users who were offended by this situation.”

So, let me understand this. After Arrington, now Google is the arbiter of ‘inappropriate’ and ‘offensive’ on the web. Right?

Pardon me for asking the obvious but isn’t the entire premise of Google’s business is that the search is ‘automated’? Did Google not want us to believe that “the algorithm rules, ok?”? So does it or does it not?

If the algorithm does rule, I suppose this means that I can now not discuss Swastika in my private emails on Gmail either because it would bring up ‘inappropriate’ materials up in the ads on the sidebar.

If it does not, I assume it would be one of those ‘rare cases’ of Google manually removing those results. Would it not? Does that not mean that the emails are no longer private? Is that technically not snooping? If not, what is the term for it?

Either way, Google’s credibility is in question.

Google faced considerable flak when it decided to censor materials in exchange for getting entry into China. They defended it saying that some access is better than no access. They also tried to convince us – and nobody is really convinced - that this was in step with their ‘don’t be evil’ policy.

With India and Indians, Google has a different struggle at hand.

India is one of the very few countries where Orkut, not Facebook, is the social networking site of choice. It is unclear how much money, if any, Orkut makes for Google. But what it does do for Google is get a captive next-generation audience to its products and services. That is nothing to sneeze at, not in an increasingly globalised world, which may not be on Arrington’s Valley centric radar but definitely is on Google’s global radar.

Tell us, Google, do you really think it is worth it?

End piece

The brouhaha however confirms a few things for me.

In a world, where a generation is growing up with the internet as their virtual sixth sense, discretion is not a better part of valour; it is an essential value that needs to be evoked every now and then. It remains important that readers are able to separate “journalism” from “commentary”. The former should be value-free reportage seeking as much balance as possible, the latter nothing but a value-based comment.

The controversy also shows that the web will shape the dialogue on cultural hegemonies. It will be an ugly sausage-making process, and we shall all be witness to and active participants in it.

And last but not the least, anybody, who says ‘I don’t do politics’ better revise their cliché quickly.

Modern business and globalisation is nothing, but politics. The sooner we recognise that, the sooner we will likely understand the dynamics, the better equipped we will be to strategise to win in the ever-changing world.

Context makes a big difference, too: there's me at home, me at work, me at church, me in court, me online, me when I'm on my own - all quite different people in some respects. I'm sure there must be many other 'me's that don't come to mind right now.

The question, then, that I find myself pondering is this: where, in all this, is the "Real Me"? Is there such a thing? Are they all the Real Me? I've mentioned elsewhere that I often feel I don't 'fit in'. Is that because I'm being the wrong me? Or because I've lost track of who I really am - if I ever knew.

I do recall this subject coming up around the dinner table with friends once, and I thought it was interesting that Rachael seemed not to have any of these questions. Rachael is Rachael and remains so regardless of context. At the time we concluded that this might be a male/female difference, but I've since spoken to a couple of people who would disagree. Yes, some girls have thoughts like these, too.

The friend I was corresponding with recently came out with this:

It seems that at some time the brain (human) suddenly expanded and the two lobes had problems connecting all the different functions. One seems to act like a telescope whilst the other is a microscope. Great from a species point of view, (especially a tribal one), where the different views can give us finally a good answer, however, for some poor individuals the effect is confusion and a destabalising inability to focus.

Hence who am I and to whom?

The internal communication can sometimes be like a aural conversation... some people hear voices....

[Some people] soak up info excellently and don't suffer the destabalising influence of the two halves trying to make a decision with a multiplicity of views.

I think you have a fiesta in your head as to conversations but just enjoy the party spirit, whilst I (at times) slump in the corner and try to focus on one poor guest instead of enjoying the general atmosphere.

(Edited slightly to remove personal stuff)

I like that. There's a party in my head and everyone's invited!

Rather than naming one person you want to be like, take my seven categories from my Drive Within post for example. Social, Spiritual, Physical, Career, etc. Before I mentioned attaining a vague unattainable goal, so that you may explore and grow. Those should be your end goal by the time you die. An Identity should be who you are right now. This idea can be applied to the seven categories again.

Take the seven categories and place in them one name of someone you admire or aspire to be.

Just for example:

Physical: Leonidas
Social: Hugh Hefner * extravagance, widely known, crazy parties, not just the scantily clad woman :) *
Relationship/Sexual: Don Juan
Intellectual: Benjamin Franklin
Etc.

Next break these people/characters into three or four aspects of what them the people they are.

Leonidas - Warrior, Physically fit, Honor bound
Hefner - Business man, lover of women, well known for what he does
Don Juan - Suave, well known for what he does, roguish
Ben Franklin - Inventor, diplomat, publicist, and many many more

Now take those aspects and put them in one list combining similar or repeat attributes, and get rid of the names. You now have a core list of attributes you can begin to work into your personality/life/goal list.

I encourage you to put your own personal twist on each so you are not simply ripping off someone else's work or real personality. Creativity is key. In fact "creative" should be added to your attribute list as the first, middle, and last attribute to stress its importance.

4 days ago, I was sitting and thinking about writing a post about Identity- the eternal question - 'WHO AM I?' I realised that when I tried to answer the questions, I ended up with qualifiers - my name, my region and country of birth, my status in relationships (daughter, sister, friend, girlfriend, teacher, boss...) the list goes on. When I tried to describe myself, again I realised that many opposing traits were present within me - I was easygoing but could really be stubborn sometimes, I was vocal about many things, and equally silent on others...This dichotomy restricted me from describing myself in just one way...

So, I was at a place where reading a book called 'Mystic's Musings' sounded interesting. The book was gifted last year by a friend, as a result of a long discussion on Buddhism and Hinduism. As I read it, I saw an image of SadhGuru in the hills, and longed for some time away - From the city and my cellphone. I just wanted to be by myself. I had met a girl who had gone to a camp in Ooty, and thought about asking her about it. Then, I realised, Be realistic. You can't just run away from your life to discover yourself.

Next morning, I wake up and read the newspaper. Normally, I don't check the workshops section. But that day I did, for some reason. There was an announcement of Sadhguru's 'Inner Engineering' program. How bizarre... So I decided, Why not, let's see what it is.

As I arrived at the venue, I had a glimpse of a familiar face in the crowd. But I thought of focusing on what was happening instead. When there was a break, we were asked to hand in our guest cards to the volunteers. Would you believe it !?! The girl whom I had intended to ask about the camp in Ooty, was standing right behind me in a line of the volunteers behind a desk. The familiar face turned out to be another person I had met, the night before she was leaving for that camp. Bizarre!!!!

I am still trying to understand what happened. For now, I look forward to my 3rd day of Isha yoga. Did I tell you before that I've been wanting to do yoga for some time. Two birds with one stone! Yea!

I'm addressing you as Britain, although you may not remember who that is. You may think of yourself as English, Scottish, or Welsh, depending where your schizophrenia is heading today. Anyway, just to seize the faintly possible chance that you still remember yourself, I'm writing to you.

You aren't what you used to be. No, I'm not referring to your colonialism or to your world power status. The former wasn't as cool as the Queen Mum thought it was, and the latter comes and goes. I'm not referring to your economic situation either. Booms come and go, too. I'm referring to something that is missing in your BBC Radio Four's morning opener - that medley of songs that used to include "Rule, Britannia". Even when only played out for some fishing boats in the Irish Sea and around Dogger, it was still cool, and there was no reason to dump it.

Last year, I had the dubious pleasure to stay on Heathrow Airport for a few hours. No, I'm not talking about your chaotic new terminal. Chaos comes and goes, and if everything goes wrong, you can even tear it down. I'm talking about the smoking ban that is in force all over Heathrow Airport. If I wanted to smoke a cigarette there, I would have to walk some five kilometres - out of the airport, that is.
Don't get me wrong: I can live without a cigarette, even after a long flight, and another flight ahead. My point is that this health fascism doesn't look reasonable, and even less so in a country that used to be relaxed about small or meaningless issues. What made you so hysterical? Maybe you should check your diet.

Talking about hysterics, your good old aunt BBC... ahem... frowned on one of her listeners a year or two ago. You know, when you ran your Freeeeee-Alan-Johnston campaign. The listener they bashed had had the nerves to complain about the disproportionate share of airtime that the kidnapping of Mr Johnston in Gaza got. The BBC's staff got that listener on the phone and gave him  what I would call "a serious dressing-down" in the BBC's outsourced Over-to-You programme. They made him look pretty bad there. The only problem: he was absolutely right, and his stance, though politically not correct and possibly cold hearted, is one that I (and maybe many listeners) share, and didn't dare to voice. The BBC staff however, in the name of corporate warm-heartedness and "He-is-our-colleague-and-we-are-so-worried" refused to take such evil listeners serious. Now they are whining because less people are taking them serious.
If you want to be trusted, be cool - don't try that "bbc-and-listeners-all-one-caring-family" thing ever again, not even if you think that some criminals' actions demand it.

About cold-heartedness, more generally-speaking: I think that your heart's temperature is the problem now. You have become too warm-hearted. Well - not really. A warm heart doesn't try to shine and bedazzle others - even strangers - all the time. A real warm heart is laid-back, moderately interested in other peoples' lives, talking about the weather and making unacceptable jokes about Allah, Jesus, Jahwe, and Buddha. Agreed, one look at demographics shows that this is less easy than it was when Monty Python made the Life of Brian movie. But I think the REAL shit became evident for all the world when that royal kindergarden nanny died in a car crash in Paris, eleven years ago. No - not when she died, really, but when you all went silly about it and almost beheaded your Queen for not impersonating the howling nuisance that you had become. Once you started hanging it all out, your hearts started turning cold, boring, and uptight (see Heathrow and its smoking ban).

At the same time, many of your own people don't find it cool to refer to themselves as British anymore. Probably because too many immigrants consider themselves British, huh? Now, many of you are just English, Scottish, Welsh.
Who cut your balls off? The Blair government? To make you more "European"?

Don't get me wrong - Britain at the heart of the EU would be great, if Britain still remained Britain there. But to be honest, although I'm a commie, I would vote Tory in the next possible election if I was British. You need to rekindle your cool soul, and maybe Mr Cameron is just the right guy to do it. I see nobody at Labour who could do that at all. I doubt that anyone of Labour wants to do that anyway. They'll rather ban Land of Hope and Glory at the next Last Night of the Proms.

Truly yours,
a concerned Kraut

Until I saw this news article, I had no idea that Mia Tyler existed. Captivated by the title of a plus-sized model who wanted to commit suicide, I decided to give the article a looksy. Apparently Aerosmith's Steve Tyler has another little girl besides actress Liv Tyler (who is one of my favorite actresses) and she's coming out with a book called Creating Myself: How I Learned That Beauty Comes in All Shapes, Sizes, and Packages, Including Me. I'm sort of bummed that it doesn't come out until August 26 because it's on my must-read list.

Mia with her dad, Aerosmith's front man Steve Tyler

Mia and I have a lot in common--we're both models, daughters of famous rock stars, plus-sized, blue-eyed, writers, think Liv Tyler is cool, and former self-injurers. OK, so I'm not really a model or the daughter of a famous rock star, but the other stuff is true. When I look at photographs of this woman, I can't believe that she would see herself as anything but beautiful. Yet I know her struggle all too well.

I remember staring at my fat bulges in hatred as I willfully cut myself, scarring my body forever. Like Mia, I remember thinking I would be better off dead because no one could love this ugly girl. Unlike Mia, my hope didn't (and doesn't) come from a phone call from MTV asking me to be a VJ (although being a MTV VJ would be pretty fly), it comes from God.

I've mentioned before that I thought God hated me for being fat, and defiling this temple I carry around planet earth. It's OK if other people do things to defile their temples like smoke or drink or clog their arteries or whatever, but not me. I am completely devoid of grace on this one. Or so I thought. If I'm honest, I still wrestle with it in my mind. I'm working through it.

Mia and I have one more thing in common--we're both beautiful. Really.

Way over there most of the time.

As a fetishist... as a bit of a deviant... the buck doesn't stop there. I've said it before and I'll say it again- I'm looking for that brutal prince. Nice guys finish last- unless balanced with the proper degree of douchebaggery.

"Fucked up is the new awesome."

Indeed. But not new for me.

I give so many people more credit than they deserve. I rarely catagorize someone as a lost cause. It just doesn't work for me. Ah yes, I'm emotionally masochistic. However, I'm well aware of it, and not as vulnerable as one would think.

"It's only being used if you are not aware of what's going on." I recently told a friend.

I firmly believe that.

Everytime I go into any relationship or dating situation- I am in constant observation mode.

I deal with bullshit, yes. But I also put my foot down.

I am frighteningly perceptive and intuitive. What you see on the outside.. is only a small bit of the collection of rabbit holes in my mind. If I've fucked up socially or otherwise, I am my worst enemy. I bounce back, despite celebrity style escapades.

I've become so used to things being this way, that when a genuinely nice guy comes into the picture that treats me pseudo conventional good-esque, it boggles me. Like this week with the dark horse... and what's worse, is I also find myself most attracted to the ones who are not local.

Single life is amazing. I wouldn't have it any other way in some ways. I truly enjoy this cat and mouse game. But when the day comes around when...

I want to be ready. Who knows when that will be. Only time will tell right?

Once again, the rugged, tough band of men cower behind their Master...but can you blame them when you have a crazed demonic coming straight for you. It would difficult for me to stand my ground in that situation. However, even though the disciples shrink back from this man, Jesus does not. He is the one standing his ground, ready for confrontation with the demoniac.

What the Man has Lost

When we talk about the Gadarenean demoniac, we are really talking about a man who has lost everything because of the powers of darkness. Hypothetically, he has lost his job (who would hire a crazed demon possessed man), his friends, his family; if he had a wife, she has probably gone to her mother's, and any children he may have had. Scripturally, though, we do know he has lost his house (v.27), he has lost his mind (v.29, 35), control over his body (v.29), his clothes (v.27), his voice (v.28, these are the demons speaking for him), his purpose (his will is now overruled by the demons). But over all of these things, this man has lost his identity (v.30). When Jesus asked him his name, he does not say "Joseph" or "Benjamin;" his name is "Legion." This is one of the earliest cases of identity theft.

What the Man Gains When he Meets Jesus

The bleak situation gets better though. Because when this man finally gets in contact with Jesus, everything he has lost, he is able to get back. The hypotheticals that he may have lost (job, family, friends) he can get those back. He can go back to his "own house" (v.39). He is "in his right mind" (v.35). He is in control (no longer the demons) because he is doing what he wants, and that is sit at the feet of Jesus. It is with his voice that he asks to be with Jesus (v.38). And Jesus gives him a purpose in life when he tells him to "tell what great things God has done for you" (v.39).

There is one last thing, though, and if you have been reading carefully, you have noticed it. We never know the man's name. Before, when demons dwelt within him, his name was lost to the demons. But now, what about his name? It is not there. Or is it? I think the Lord restores this man's identity to him because this man is now identified with the Lord. He is a part of the kingdom of the Son, no longer a slave in the kingdom of darkness. And surely it is with great enthusiasm that he "proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus (God) had done for him." That is his new identity.

Jesus is asking us this question today. "What is you name?" If we are enslaved to the things of this world, in love with our idols, refusing to give them up, then we answer, not with our voice, but with the voice of a demoniac "Legion" for our idols are many. But if we are slaves of righteousness, seeking everyday to put away dumb idols and "be with Him," then we can answer the same question "Child" for we that is what we are - children of the King.

A Note on Hearing

We can must be careful not to separate this story from the context. Remember what has been discussed throughout Luke 8 thus far: hearing the Word and doing it. Notice who it is who is hearing the word in this story: Demons. Many demons hear the voice of the Lord and do what he says - they leave the man. Even the demonic forces recognize who the Lord is and do what he says. Likewise, we must recognize the Lordship of Jesus and listen to his word, putting it into practice every single day. Even the demons believe and shutter; how much more should the Christian (indeed, all mankind) believe, hear, and obey.

Btw, this is one big wafer! I was raised with quarter-coin sized communion wafers and never imagined we were talking about a pancake-sized thing to swallow, maybe this is what started the "show to it my non-Catholic friend" chain of events in the first place.

UPDATE - Melanie Kroll, who worked from NY for 1-800-FLOWERS dot com, was fired when threats were sent from her computer to PZ Myers in MN. Turns out her husband did it, and his rambling online confession sums up why we all are in danger from the adamant ignorance that religious literalism feeds:

I wonder if that university where mr. myers is employed excepts [sic] any money from the state? And I wonder if the good people of this state know that they are paying good, hard earned tax dollars on such a disturbing creature as mr. myers. . .However, I think it is his duty to repair the damage that he and his associates have achieved through their concerted and organized campaign to punish both Melanie Kroll, and 1-800-flowers, who were completely blameless in this matter.

However, this whole incident has caused someone who had nothing to do with the email to mr.myers,.a wonderful, sweet person who would never threaten anyone terrible troubles. Great harm has been done to this wonderful lady, without proof or a question asked, you just accuse, and assume. Wow and I thought you liberal folks were supposed to be the open minded ones. . .

UPDATE TOO - Professor who threatened desecration claims to have consecrated Hosts
Morris, MN, Jul 16, 2008 / 01:11 pm (Catholic News Agency)

. . .“I just felt security at the Republican National Convention ought to look at him and his followers,” Foley told CNA in a phone interview . . . “What I think he has done, he’s loaded a cyberpistol and he’s cocked it and he’s left it on the table. He may have set something in motion that no one can stop. It was irresponsible, a hell of a thing to do.”

Foley explained that he thought Myers should not be able to incite such acts with “impunity,” saying that he was especially disturbed by the comments posted on Myers’ blog. . . .
He also objected to Myers’ recent description of Catholic League President Bill Donohue as “braying,” which Foley, a self-described Irish Catholic, claimed was “a great insult for the Irish.”

. . .Foley said he thinks Myers’ actions have ended his career.
“Who can listen to him lecture on science without thinking ‘Polly wants a cracker’?” he asked.

Jonathan has been working at Franklin University in their Financial Aid department for a couple of years now.  He is a Computer system analsyst (I think that's what they call it).  He is a fix-it person who is often asked to find a solution for something that isn't working.  And he also works on applying a software programs developed by a company to the specific needs of the university.  He lives in Westerville.  He has done a lot of re-modeling on his house- including remodeling one bathroom entirely and adding a whole new bathroom in his finished basement.  Jon has a square foot garden plot in his yard.  He makes compost from grass clippings and other yard material.  His garden really works and he grows tomatoes and greens of various kinds.  We talk about things like gardening, computers, golf, sports, relationships.  Over the past couple of years I've enjoyed talking with Jon about personnel issues at the places he has worked.  For a short time he tried doing some independent consulting work (but through a company that loosely tied various consultants together).  He did well with the work I think, but the structure of the company was so loose that it just wasn't a good match.  I think he has found a good work-community at Franklin and I know he respects his boss a lot.  He is active in a church, and has made a lot of friends since moving to Westerville.  Jon does a lot of reading too.  That is another thing we talk about.  He is coming for a visit in late September and I hope we can do some hiking and maybe some fishing too.

Charles (III) is moving to the countryside outside of Marion, Ohio.  He won a bid on a 3 bedroom home that was auctioned off at what I think must have been a Sherrif's sale.  The house was very reasonably priced but needs a lot of work.  He is doing most of the work himself; some with Jonathan's help.  We are very happy that Charles was able to purchase this house because it is only 5 miles from where we works.  He is a History teacher at Pleasant High School (where he attended through the 11th grade).  He starts his 2nd year in that position this Fall.  I am very impressed with Charles' dedication to his calling as a teacher and I find it to be a very valuable life in lots of ways.  He has been very active in the lives of his students through being assistant soccer coach, helping with the school musical last year, attending a lot of school functions.  He told me that he knows that means a lot to the students for a teacher to "be there" for their activities.  It makes me think about how important it is for me to show up at community events and youth activities from time to time (something I have not always done a lot of).  Charles drove with me from Ohio to Alaska.  We had a great adventure and no real troubles of any kind.  I'm sure that will be a life-long memory for both of us.

Sarah just graduated from Otterbein college where she experienced great success in her academics and in the general life of the college and Westerville community.  She became active in Church of the Messiah United Methodist Church and in a lot of other campus activities.  At the moment she is in New York City for training through the United Methodist Church U.S.-2 missionary program.  Later this summer she will begin her assignment at an inter-faith urban ministry in Salt Lake City called Crossroads.  This is hard on a Dad.  How will I make sure she is safe all the time when I don't know what she is doing, when she will get home every day, etc, etc.??  Sarah has a great mind and uses it.  She asks hard questions and is not satisfied with answers that don't hold up to honest consideration.  At the same time she is a person of great faith and hope in our God who can never be fully comprehended.  I have read many essays and papers Sarah has written.  She seems to combine a great depth of soul searching with an innocence of truly wanting to know God.  That often makes her an open book and of course that makes me worry that she will mostly get her heart broken all the time.  We have had some very meaningful conversations about all kinds of things (faith, theology, relationships, leadership, servanthood).

I've noticed that I really value the times when I feel like my relationship with my grown children means we share ourselves and listen to each other in ways that really hear and respect where we are coming from.  Just like when they were small, they still say things that just stick with me and make me get tears in my eyes.  Once, one of them referred to an area of life that was very painful for them.  And I remember hearing the phrase: "What I've been learning is that people like me..." and they went on with their sentence.  I find it very powerful to hear a grown child share with me about who they have come to know themselves to be.

For me and Karen- we are again serving a smaller church in a smaller town, but this time we are far away from everyone.  So far I am feeling generally good about it.  I don't mean to be naive since it's only been for a short time, but I think I can feel fulfilled in this kind of ministry again.  Our children will soon be spread out from throughout Ohio and all the way to Utah.  We are here in Homer, Alaska.

In just a few weeks, everybody will be somewhere.

Status of the case

UCF announced Wednesday that it had dismissed the complaint Cook filed against the Catholic Campus Ministry, which sponsors a weekly service in the Student Union. Cook had alleged personal abuse, hazing and alcohol-policy violations, claiming he was grabbed and that the sacramental wine offered during the service should not have been allowed. School officials didn't find enough evidence to pursue his complaint.

Furbush said the Senate will have a special hearing to consider Cook's impeachment.

Once upon a time, not so long ago in the sunny state of Florida, Catholic governor Jeb Bush was cheered and officially supported up to the US Congress rather than impeached, for using his secular state agency powers to interfere with the rule of law, up to and including his nearly-executed plan to literally kidnap Terri Schiavo and hold her life hostage in the name of religion.

(This is a scary story parents, don't tell it to the kids at bedtime!)

The rationale was that his religion deemed her physically "alive" which trumped her own civil rights to her own body and her husband's court-approved role as her Decider, thus all the usual secular constraints of state, federal and Constitutional law against such religious overreach, must be bent to serve the Governor's Catholic-coached convictions.

The letter of the law was of no concern. Law enforcement typically loyal to its chain of command, obeyed the authority currently giving the orders, thus death threats to Michael Schiavo and to at least one judge upholding the Schiavos' privacy rights, didn't arouse much official concern.

And never mind the personal torment of all the innocent individuals with dying family members at that hospice with Schiavo, unable to be with them in peace due to the unconscionable, overtly political disruptions being orchestrated for the news cameras that spring. Their faith and family privacy rights weren't worthy of the slightest note by either Church or State.

. . .the power of story that never-never leaves my own mind, is the cultural ravaging of Terri Schiavo, that eerily media-perfect symbol of helpless, infantalized girl-womanhood. [Catholic] men — her father and husband and some exceedingly creepy spokesmonk in a rope-belted robe and sandals — fought publicly and pretty coarsely against each other and the paternalistic courts (and Governor) to control her very life and death. . .

In the next chapter though, when the plot shifts to spiriting a wafer believed to be flesh OUT of church control, rather than kidnapping an unarguably flesh-and-blood person with full civil rights to get her INTO church control, the Church calls only the former a hate crime, and calls on secular government mechanisms to serve up a legalistic blood sacrifice or two. All because there was a brief scene among Catholics in a church, where the letter of its Law wasn't quite followed and they chose to make a big honkin' showdown out of it. Downright medieval? You decide.

UCF Senate acts to impeach student over Mass incident

Luis Zaragoza | Sentinel Staff Writer
July 17, 2008

The University of Central Florida student who grabbed media attention after taking off from a Mass on campus with a sacred Communion wafer -- a move that outraged Roman Catholics across the country -- is in trouble with his colleagues in the student Senate.

A Senate panel voted 5-2 Wednesday to start the impeachment process against Webster Cook for allegedly violating ethics rules during a confrontation with the service's organizers.

Cook did not speak during a Senate committee hearing Wednesday and would not comment afterward.

But his friend and fellow senator, Benjamin Collard, said Cook thinks he hasn't done anything wrong.

"He feels he's not being treated fairly," said Collard, who voted against starting the impeachment process.

Anthony Furbush, the senator calling for Cook's impeachment, said publicity from the incident is disrupting student-government business. He hopes Cook will "just resign to save us time. But I don't think he will."

[JJ's note - see more Snooking around on this case here and here.]

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There's a communication barrier separating Koreans and Westerners that goes well beyond language. It's a gulf that lies at the core of how we view the world, and often prevents any kind of mutual understanding. For the majority of us Westerners logic forms the basis of our understanding. If it doesn't stand up to reason than it's hard to justify. In Korea, as the recent beef protests have shown, emotion stands in logic's place.

I realize this is a generalization, and that a closer look will reveal a far more complex reality than the one described here. But from an outside perspective it seems to me a fair analyses. I also do not intend to make any judgement here. Logic in many ways has made, at least America, a colder place, having crowded out our hearts. In Korea, emotion, that han and jung that Koreans so often point to, is what makes the place so appealing, and so frustrating.

Look at the disparity between how Westerners, both in Korean and abroad, view current events and how Koreans see things. It's like they talk around each other, rarely if ever connecting, even when speaking the same language, whether Korean or English. One side is trying to apply logic while the other is speaking from the heart. It's not that one is right and the other wrong. It's that they just don't connect. 

I got a comment once on an earlier blog asking if anyone could explain the recent protests over US beef. Personally, I think it was pure emotion. There's a tradition in Korea called hanpuri, a communal catharsis where spectators and performers join in a releasing of pent up emotions. That's what I think the protests were. But it goes beyond beef. Emotion dictates politics, the media, academia. The whole Dokdo dispute with Japan just thrives on emotion. Or take North Korea's Arirang Games, a massive display of propaganda and choreography aimed at overwhelming the spectator with emotion. The more there is, the more righteous the cause. 

Not to say that emotion plays no part in the US. A recent study showed that most Americans chose their presidential pick not based on policy issues or the like, but purely on chemistry. Did they like, or dislike, the candidate. Emotions can dictate even the most rational of minds.

So, into that age old debate begun millennia ago in ancient Greece between faith and reason I would like to add another category, emotion. Maybe it lies somewhere in between.

Well I guess today was one of my "good" days.

I was invited to a wedding this afternoon.

And even though I correctly assumed that there would be a professional photographer and video guy covering this event..

My instincts still told me that I needed to pull out the ol' Digital SLR and bring it along.

Well I'm sure glad I listened to Mr. Intuition today.

Because along comes a truly exotic young lady named Zarina who had traveled all the way from a remote and isolated little city in Central Kazakhstan to attend this wedding.

And of course as fate would have it.. she was exceedingly pleasant to socialize with even if she was a little on the shy side of the equation.

It turned out that this sublimely beautiful girl is also exceptionally talented and disciplined since she already speaks fluent English..

Oh and get this..

Because Zarina is about a third Asian with her nationality..

She has selected Mandarin Chinese to be ONE of her university majors and has set a goal to be completely fluent in it within 4 years which totally blew my mind.

Oh yeah.. her other major is going to be in Economics.

Can somebody say.. "These women are from a different planet?"

Oh an one more thing..

She's only 19.......

Gee maybe there's IS something in the drinking water here.

Soooooooo..

After some more small talk Zarina wanted to know what I did so I told her about my little hobby involving photography and this blog.

As you can probably guess she was genuinely interested because from her perspective I'm sure that bumping into some American guy living out here who does this in his spare time is more then a little unusual.

Naturally I politely asked to take some photos of her..

And after a few seconds of thinking...

She let a shy but lovely little smile slip out..

And softly said yes..

What does all this have to do with my mother in law and her birthday....well, she is one who is real, vulnerable, and authentic.  Today is her birthday and she is having a tough day and it has nothing to do with being a year older because, quite honestly....I think she really, truly is "over all that" nonsense.  There were bigger issues on her mind.  As she ate lunch with us she was free to be herself, free to not have to act like a super, spiritual giant that has everything under control.  That freed her up to "loosen up", laugh with her family and allow her own children to encourage her to help her get through the day.  She may have some tough circumstances right now, but she knows her God, she knows who she is, and who she belongs to and that is enough for her.  She knows Grace Himself intimately.....she loves Grace and Grace knows and loves her.  She knows she is secure in Grace and knows that Grace will provide for her.  She knows that Grace is in control of her circumstances and the people around her.  She even knows that Grace will thoroughly work all things together for her good and His Glory. 

Now that's my mother in law.  Just by being in her presence, she makes me want to be better - to be the best person that I can be - to desire to be all that God intends for me to be.  Yes, I know some of you may be flipping out that someone can actually say they have a mother in law like that.  Well, you see, I prayed for a long time for a "wonderful, spirit filled mother in LOVE" and she was worth the wait!  Even when I struggle and fall back in my legalistic ideas of living, she speaks grace to me and loves me just the way that I am and accepts me as one of her own - no rules, no expectations (maybe except to love her son-ha-ha), no requirements.  She just loves.

You may be wondering who my mother in law is.  Well, because of who she is and her humility she would not want her name mentioned in something like this.  If you know her you would agree with me.  She would only want your prayers and for you to come and get to know this man who changed her life - Grace Himself - Jesus Christ.  She would tell you that when you experience Him and hear what He has to say about you - you would fall in love with Him immediately.  So, what are you waiting for...."Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

So....to a wonderful, spirit filled "Mother In Love".....Happy Birthday!  If I could turn out to be just half of what you and my own mother are like.....wow.....that would be awesome!  I am so blessed!

Dana

Nine months in and I just celebrated my anniversery with my wife, and the anniversery of when we met in person. We've been married two years and I did a lot of thinking about that and what marriage has taught me these last two years, and in particular the last nine months. This last month has continued me on that path of being open and vulnerable with her, without expectation....just letting her in and also letting myself in. Seems to me that you can't really know yourself or love yourself until you let yourself in to you...and if that sounds like a paradox, its really not...we build so many shields to other people that we end up putting ourselves outside the shield as well. No one wants to feel again the shame or humiliation for something done in the past, and yet to really be with yourself is to sometimes feel those feelings again so you can really let go of them, instead of holding them in you.

So in opening up to Lupa, I have had to open up to myself...and really that process has been occurring for the last nine months, not just with her, but with other people. Sometimes I've shut it down, not really able to handle that vulnerability...It takes work, a lot of effort, and there's also selectivity, because not just anyone fits the bill in terms of being open with someone...and it takes honesty, which isn't a quality I've ever had an easy relationship with. When you are used to hiding from yourself so that you hide from others, it takes work to stop hiding. For me, a victory is when I can choose not to act on impulse, but can stop, really look at it and then bring it up to myself and Lupa. No easy thing to do, but when it happens, I do feel better for it.

I think what I've really learned about love is that the initial period of being "in love" may seem like the best time to people, but what's really the best time is finding that intimacy, that belief in each other, and in yourself, when you've been in a relationship for a while. That requires a lot of communication, but also openness with someone. At the same time I have to admit I can really appreciate my intuition on who I can be open with...it's not for everyone that I could be so open with. Openness with yourself or someone else takes time...it has to happen at the pace that you're comfortable with, even in the other person wants you to open up at a different pace. But as a person opens and really lets someone in, as well as hirself, it does make for an opportunity to really discover the self and share it.

In thinking about the last nine months of love work and what has been asked of me in this work...As each layer has come away, as each moment has revealed to me what I need to sit with, as each person has come into my life or already been there, or left, I find learning opportunities...desire, intimacy, friendship, openness...and really a challenge to myself is what will you do with all that you've learned...How will you use it, now that you've experienced it...what meaning will these last nine months and the next three months have in the book of your life.

The answer is being written, found, chosen, lived, slowly but surely.

I, for one, hope they never discover who he really is for sure.  I prefer to keep the mystique of it all.  I also can't imagine the fines he would face if they ever discovered who he really is.

I think it's more important to take a lot at what this man has been able to do.  It's FREAKIN' BANANAS!!!  There has never been a graffiti artist that has "gotten up" in the kind of places Banksy has over and over again without ever being discovered.  The man is a GOD.  There isn't another person in the history of the world that his done what he has done.  Banksy is also a conscious artist.  He's not just doing "throw ups."  He paints thought provoking messages that raise questions about ourselves, society, politics, art, and much more.  He's a REVOLUTIONARY.

I could go on forever.  There will be a movie and a documentary about this man in our life-time.  No doubt about it.

For now, lets pay homage to the greatest ever!

***Banksy’s largest piece ever!***

Banksy strikes again in LA?

Banksy strikes in LA again!

Damien Hirst & Banksy painting goes for $1.8 million

George Michael wants Banksy to graffiti his house for 2 million

Reading Buying In, I am reminded of the empowerment of the iPod. Rob Walker offers that the mp3 player is one of today’s great identity tools, and he quotes a Sussex Professor who explains “people define their own narrative through their music collection.”

Having been thinking about brands and individuality a bit lately, my next logical thought was about brand playlists. I found myself racing through a list of my favourite companies and thinking…

What would [insert brand here] have on their iPod?

It’s a fun exercise that I think I may spend some time with. For the first example I thought I’d stay on hype and look at the brand of the day. The Dark Knight opens today to oceans of positive noise. However, not being a huge Batman fan, I’d be hard pressed to do this musical dive justice. Luckily my friend Liam, of PopGunning fame, is a Batman super-nerd and ex-music-critic.

So I asked Liam if he’d play mix maker – tasking him with the question – if TDK was a person, what would his iPod look like? (Liam assures us TDK is male). Here’s what he assembled:

The Dark Knight's iPod

Some people might say this is a silly example because movies already have soundtracks. Well, yes, but brands aren’t who they say the are. They’re who we say they are. So big thanks to Liam for the bad-ass unofficial TDK soundtrack.

Next Friday: What’s on [insert brand here]’s iPod? … any requests? anybody want to take a shot at one?

-----

Liam held a little TDK anticipation party in his backyard last weekend complete with homemade screen (photo), vintage previews, clips from all the past Batmans and a full showing of Batman Begins. You can't buy free-marketing like that.

...we develop a functional self-image, even if it is a negative one. The little boy paints his red wagon a speckled gray with whatever Father left in the can after putting a new coat on the backyard fence. “Look what I did!” he says, hoping for affirmation of the wonderful impact his presence has on the world. The angry father shames him: “What do you think you’re doing? You’ve ruined it.” The boy forms an identity: My impact is awful; I foul good things up. I am a fouler. And he forms a commitment never to be in a place where he can foul things up again. Years later, his colleagues wonder why he turned down an attractive promotion. The answer lies in his identity, an identity he received from the impact he had on the most important person in his world and his fear of ever being in such a place again.

I'm reminded that so much of what our sons will come to know and believe about themselves is passed, or bestowed, to them from their father. I spent some time a few days ago apologizing to Cooper for expecting perfection from him. We had been watching "Disney's The Kid" together and the scene where Rusty's father is yelling at him and telling him he was killing his mother really stuck with me. As the story unfolded, you could see that a vow had been made at that moment by an 8 year old little boy..."I will NEVER cry again". And for 32 years, until his 40th birthday, he hadn't. That's the power a father possesses.

I so want to affirm Cooper, to let him know how much I delight in him and that his father's heart is filled with love for him. Yet too many times what I bestow to him is that he's not good enough and he'll never get it right - that I expect him to screw up. And so when my sin is unmasked, I must go to him and ask for forgiveness and make sure he understands the truth - he is incredible, I am so proud of him, and I am crazy in love with him. As I write these words, tears are streaming down my face. I have still never heard these words from my own dad. Yes, I imagine it is true but it was never bestowed to me as part of my identity...to know in my innermost being that I am the apple of my dad's eye! I was left with the task of finding that part of my identity on my own, and for the better part of 30 years I've been looking for ways to feel that I matter to those that mean the most to me. This is so crucial to us as fathers...we must not miss this role we have!

This is one of the driving forces behind The Father's Heart Weekend. If I'm not intentional in taking these moments with my son, they won't happen on their own. Time goes by too fast and the demands of life are too draining. I must do this for my son and I must do it now.

Why does this bug me?  It comes from my experience of growing up here in the U.S. as an Asian person.  When you're a child of color and you're only surrounded by images of white people, that tends to mess with your brain and psyche.  You feel excluded and marginalized.  It negates your sense of self.

Asians who grew up in Asia don't have this problem.  They were surrounded by positive images of Asians all through their childhood and they carry that confidence with them when they come to the U.S.

When I'm in Korea, I don't feel this problem because there are tons of positive images of Koreans everywhere.  Part of my psyche is at peace and I don't think about these minority issues.

Slowly but surely the landscape of American pop imagery is changing and we're seeing more and more Asians and people of color in the media and entertainment.  In the meantime, I and other people of color have to grin and bear it.

Is there a unique way of how we see things? And the things that we see? I believe there is.

It has been some time that I have been on Flickr; suffice to say I have many buddies there who are excellent photographers. During my Flickr Life, I have learnt a lot about photography, much more than I would have learnt in a formal setting.

When I think back
On all the crap I learned in high school
It's a wonder
I can think at all
And though my lack of education
Hasn't hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall

And nearly as long as I have been on Flickr, I have had a RSS reader. And I have a feed that updates all photographs from my buddies on Flickr. Since I started, with about 7 - 8 contacts, I have 97 contacts. You can imagine that the feed gets updated very fast and becomes voluminous. Sometimes I have more than 300 posts (photographs) unread (unseen).

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colours
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama, don't take my Kodachrome away

All things become interesting after a while and you hope to read everything that you add to your feed. The feeds just pile up and you wonder if you are asking too much of yourself or you aren't reading enough.

If you took all the girls I knew
When I was single
Brought them all together for one night
I know they'd never match
My sweet imagination
And everything looks better in black and white

Coming back, is there a unique way of how we see things? And the things that we see? I believe there is. And I have learnt it because of my feed reader and my Flickr contacts. With more than 300 posts piling up. I usually quickly skim through all of them. The finger on the down arrow key works with the speed of sight (light?). As i scroll quickly, my eyes are fixed on the area where the photograph is to appear; adjusting for orientation of landscape, portrait, oddly cropped, and badly cropped photos

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colours
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama, don't take my Kodachrome away

I can almost always identify the photographer without having seen the name of the photographer in the feed. Perhaps it is a style issue. I doubt it. Many photographers I know vary their styles. I think it is just the way people see things, what they see, subjects, and their point of view. Many of the photographers take photos of flowers, for example. I can, yet, (almost always) identify who it would be.

Is it about signatures?

Do we always know what we sign? Do we know that we sign?

Text in Italics, Kodachrome, by Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel.

"Samid means 'the steadfast.' 'the persevering.' It is the name coined during the 1978 Baghdad Conference for the one and a half million Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. . . . We, who had been living under occupation for ten years, were now called on to be samidin and urged to adopt the stance of sumud: to stay put, to cling to our homes and land by all means available."

"Sometimes, when I am walking in the hills, say Batn el-Hawa –- unselfconsciously enjoying the touch of the hard land under my feet, the smell of thyme and the hills and trees around me –- I find myself looking at an olive tree, and as I am looking at it, it transforms itself before my eyes into a symbol of the samidin, of our struggle, of our loss. And at that very moment, I am robbed of the tree; instead, there is a hollow space into which anger and pain flow.
"I have often been baffled by this –- the way the tree-turned-symbol is contrasted in my mind with the sight of red, newly turned soil, barbed wire, bulldozers tearing at the soft pastel hills –- all the signs that a new Jewish settlement is in the making. This must be the beginning of pornography; the pains of a people have become my own personal, private ones. And the beauty of the hills and the olives have become symbols of my people. It is not any symbolism, but national symbolism that makes you into a land pornographer. It is the identification of the land with your people and through that with yourself. That is what the Gush Emunim people do –- and it is their united aggression that has awoken in me or, rather, rammed into me the same kind of national possessiveness. And with it, the flip side of their gloating –- the fury and the grief, and the image of an uprooted olive as a symbol of our oppression" (Shehadeh, 87-88).

What's in a name?  That which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet.
-- Juliet, Romeo and Juliet, (II.ii.1-2)

I read a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I've never been able to believe it. I don't believe a rose would be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.
-- Anne Shirley, Anne of Green Gables

This week's Friday Five at the RevGals is about names and blogs and other fun stuff.  I haven't played in a while, so I thought I'd play this week.

1. So how did you come up with your blogging name? And/or the name of your blog?

On this blog, I've had two blogging names, hedwyg and warriormare.  Hedwyg has a silly story - Hedwig is a nickname that my ex used to call all girls/women he knew who had my (real) first name.  I'd actually never heard it before, back in the early '90s, but then Hedwig became popular as Harry's owl in the Harry Potter series.  When I chose a gmail address years ago, I knew it had to be Hedwig, but that was already taken, so I substituted the Y and presto!  Instant internet identity!  :-)  I looked up Hedwyg on a baby name web site recently, and learned that it means warrior, which was really interesting to me given that second handle.

The warriormare identity came to me from this Diesel Sweeties comic strip, which had been featured on boingboing.  I laughed so hard at that comic strip, and later decided that there's no reason a mare can't have a spear... and there's no reason a woman can't be a warrior.

The title of this blog came from its original purpose, which was to be a spiritual discipline of practicing gratitude, intentionally, every day.  I was going through a lot of very stressful, very annoying, very frustrating stuff, and was feeling myself begin the slide into a depression.  But after I started this blog, well, I found reasons not to be depressed.  I took control of as much of the stressful, annoying, frustrating stuff as I could, and I found ways to have the stuff I couldn't control taken care of (including just letting go of it).  I've kept the title, even though the blog has gone in some different directions, because it still reminds me to seek out the things of beauty, the things that give me joy, the things that feed me, the things I am grateful for.

2. Are there any code names or secret identities in your blog? Any stories there?

I used to use code names for my family members, in a previous incarnation.  Now I generally don't, though I try to refer to folks through the relationships and not their names, just to respect their privacy.  But before, my daughter's secret identity was Ladybug, and my son's was Bear... just because these had always been nicknames I'd used for them (among many, many others!).

3. What are some blog titles that you just love? For their cleverness, drama, or sheer, crazy fun?

I love My Manner of Life, because there is wording in some document or other about people whose manner of life could cause strain to the Anglican Communion.  I'm wondering who in the entire world has ever existed - with the possible, but not probable, exception of Jesus himself - whose manner of life wouldn't cause strain to somebody.

I think the new blog Crowded Handbasket has a great name, too.  My fiance - who is every bit as irreverent as I am - and I often talk about how we're both going to end up in hell.  And then we'll say, Handbasket for two, non-smoking please! I know asking for non-smoking in hell might be pushing it, but I figure hey, why not ask and see what happens.  :-)

And I also love mamabishop, which is written by the Rt. Rev. Carol Gallagher, who was our Bishop Suffragan here in Southern Virginia.  Mamabishop describes her identity - a mother and a bishop - but it also is a way of looking at the world that I wish more bishops carried.  Jesus talked about God loving us and caring for us as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and I think we could use more bishops who gathered us under their wings.  I will never forget the first time I saw Bishop Carol, at the ordination of two friends to the transitional deaconate, where she preached an amazing sermon.  After she'd removed her vestments for the reception, Carol was wearing her episcopal purple shirt, a black broomstick skirt, black sandals, and sunglasses atop her head.  And I thought, wow, I love this woman!  :-)

4. What three blogs are you devoted to? Other than the RevGalBlogPals of course!

This is tough - only three?!?  There are many I read regularly, but for the top three, I guess I'll choose the ICHC family of blogs, then MadPriest at Of course I could be wrong... (with a hat tip to the whole crazy, wonderful family that posts at Of course I could be on vacation... when MadPriest is away), and BoingBoing, where I get all kinds of wonderfully geeky techy copyrighty fun news.

5. Who introduced you to the world of blogging and why?

I think the first blogger I read who blogged regularly was RealLivePreacher, more than five years ago.  His writing is so honest, so authentic, so open, and I have admired him so greatly this whole time.  Then I fell in with the whole community of Godbloggers, Episcobloggers, and RevGalbloggers, and I'm just not going to leave!  I've found so much support, so much honesty (even when that's hard), so much caring and love and generosity and joy.  It's been great.

Of course, one of the ways my fiance and I got to know each other was through the blogs we've written over time.  This is my third blog, after two different ones named for the river stone that is such a key part of my spiritual identity, and at all three, my beloved and I have found insights about each other and our worlds, things we've shared in common and ways we complement each other, and connection from 700 miles apart.

Bonus!  Have you ever met any of your blogging friends? Where are some of the places you've met these fun folks?

Yeppers!  I wasn't able to make it to The Big Event or to the Festival of Homies, but I've had some one-on-one blogmeets.  Of course, I've met my fiance, who blogs at CanAm Ramblings now, and I've met DaddyRob of DaddyRoBlog.  I met Ann+ of One Wild and Precious Life back in 1999, but that was long before either of us had a blog.  Just this spring I met Rev Sharon of Another Loose Canon for the first time, and I've also met Richard of Grim Richard's Irregulars, since he was a high school friend of my ex-husband.  And, of course, I've met Carol Gallagher of mamabishop.

And a second bonus for Songbird, on the idea of your daughter's new identity...

Why not give her an identity as a fellow bird, to connect her with the theme of the blog, but also to give her wings and watch her fly.  Ask her what her favorite birds are, and what kind of bird she would want to be if she could be a bird for a day.  She might be a gaudy peacock or a bright cardinal or a humble sparrow.  She might be a mighty eagle or a talkative parrot or a singing canary.  Anyway, just a thought.