The Mountain Goats - Get Lonely

“You have to counter the bad shit by making good shit.”

Examine

Socrates said: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” His method of leading people to discovery by asking questions is aptly named the “Socratic Method,” and its popularity led to his execution for corrupting the minds of the youth of Athens in approximately 399 BCE. It’s in the spirit of Socrates’ examined life that I ask you this question:

Where did your faith come from?

Of course, a more Socratic question would be “What is faith?” Luckily, a co-worker of mine took a stab at answering that one on Facebook last Sunday:

“If faith were rational it wouldn’t by definition be faith. Faith is belief in what you cannot see or prove or touch. Faith is walking full speed and face first into the dark.”

After reading her answer, I wondered if I could be the only one who thinks “walking full speed and face first into the dark” is a really bad idea.

Imagine your faith as a favorite old sweater hanging on your closet door knob. Look at it closely and try to remember where you got it. Did you find it on your own, or was it a gift from your parents? If your parents gave it to you, think hard about whether it’s the sort of sweater you would have bought for yourself if given the choice. Do you believe it’s your favorite sweater because the people who gave it to you told you it’s your favorite?

Think about this: What if you’d been born in a another part of the world where the sweaters look completely different? If your parents had given you a different sweater and convinced you it was your favorite, do you think you’d have ever searched for the sweater that’s now hanging on your closet door knob?

Steve Goodman: A Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request

I saw this and thought of you. What do you see see and think of me?

The Yummy List

I’m glad I’m among the privileged many who call Holly a friend, and get this list emailed to me as she publishes it.  The way she writes about the things she sees makes me want to drop everything and go places.

Here’s the camera I’m currently lusting after: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX5.  Small 10.2MP, panorama building, WATERPROOF picture-taking machine.

Here’s the camera I’m currently lusting after: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX5.  Small 10.2MP, panorama building, WATERPROOF picture-taking machine.

I’ve just discovered Gabby’s in Nashville a couple of weeks back.  The burgers are great, but the sweet potato fries are some of the best things I’ve ever ate.  The owners there, and when customers are lined up, he loudly thanks everybody for bothering to line up for burgers and fries.  Here’s a pdf link to their menu (unfortunately their site is in flash).  

I’ve just discovered Gabby’s in Nashville a couple of weeks back.  The burgers are great, but the sweet potato fries are some of the best things I’ve ever ate.  The owners there, and when customers are lined up, he loudly thanks everybody for bothering to line up for burgers and fries.  Here’s a pdf link to their menu (unfortunately their site is in flash).  

I turned off the music because it was crescendoing while I wasn’t.

Damn you Quaker and your fine chocolate/granola goodness!

Damn you Quaker and your fine chocolate/granola goodness!

Just booked tickets to go to the UK and France.  While I’m abroad, I’m going to see the Bayeux Tapestry.  It’ll be strange to see something I’ve only previous read about and seen in books.

Just booked tickets to go to the UK and France.  While I’m abroad, I’m going to see the Bayeux Tapestry.  It’ll be strange to see something I’ve only previous read about and seen in books.