I am tired, sore, and generally wrung out -- a somewhat less than optimal combination with which to face the end of Spring Break and the return to work. The reason for this is that despite my on-going attempts to avoid anything resembling actual labor, sometimes things simply must be done. In this case, my wife arranged events with the next-door ( Read more... )

My dad pointed out that I'd forgotten to include what I'd actually said at the baptism in the previous post. This probably reflects my ongoing sense of unease publicly (or even semi-publicly) talking about my religion, but it's part of the story, so here it is. The church provided a list of prompts; me being me, I had to compose a response to all ( Read more... )

My lady and I have continued to attend the church discussed in a couple of previous entries; and meanwhile I've been engaged in an extensive email dialog with the assistant pastor. I cannot fake religion, and therefore felt it best to explicitly out myself as a Very Strange Duck and find out in advance if my approach to Christianity was likely to ( Read more... )

I believe I've reached an understanding of one of the elder child's more irritating verbal patterns. If he wants a thing to be a particular way, he will announce that it is so; and stridently restate his position in face of any and all evidence to the contrary ( Read more... )

It's practically midnight, but on the rare occasions that a poem gets its teeth in me, I am absolutely helpless until it's satisfied ( Read more... )

File this one under, 'How quickly they learn.' In a desperate attempt to get the kids ready for naps sooner than previous Sundays have allowed, we stopped for fast food on the way home after church. I asked the elder kid if he wanted the chicken sandwich or the hamburger, to which he promptly replied, "Want fries ( Read more... )

I'm bucking for a promotion. One of the district Coordinators moved on to bigger and brighter things, and I tossed my hat into the ring as a contender for her old position -- but I'm going at this from what is, to me, an unusual angle.

In the past, I've gone job hunting because I had to get the job. This time, I have one already. This time, it' ( Read more... )

We went back to the same church described in the previous entry last Sunday. A different preacher this week - younger, buffer, with shoulder-length blond hair tied back in a pony-tail. My mental filing cabinet threw out some cards. This one will be bluff and hearty, the cards predicted. He will speak with great conviction and much gesturing of ( Read more... )

My lady has been feeling the desire to be part of a church; possibly because I sent her an article about the benefits of group singing. I can’t really protest this, as I’m strongly committed to my own equivalent (Aikido); but it rings alarm bells in my head. I’ve never yet met a church I agreed with sufficiently to feel comfortable there, and I ( Read more... )

Training Day

At the end of August
It is good, again, to see
People.
To hear voices move in layers.
Serious topics and quiet laughter -
Reconnecting.

It is good, again, to be
A part of things.
A pity, though -
They think we should
Be working.