Responsibilty--For Real??

I'm looking at the MSNBC breaking news, about President Obama declaring that "the buck stops with me" to fix the awful AIG mess. I just gave a lecture this last week at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa about this very issue--the concept of taking responsibility, even when the mess you're left with isn't your fault. The conundrum of "responsiblity vs. blame" is a tough pill to swallow for a lot of people, I think. When I discussed my book, "The Lyncher in Me" and the idea of shouldering responsibility for past familial sins, some still question the veracity and the sincerity of my actions. I still believe, in all good conscience, that we as a people can move forward only if we're willing to shoulder the responsibility for bettering our world, whether it we created the mess or not, whether anyone else appears willing to step forward.

I absolutely am in awe of our president's willingness to do just that. Whether or not we agree with the steps he's taking, the very fact that he steps up and says, "It is I" when the rats scurry all around him (stating, "I screwed up" after the Daschle crumble is an example) has to shine a beacon of bright, elixor-producing light on a country that has been so used to minimizing, deflecting, pompous cowboy posturing for so long. A wonderul, admirable example of maturity and integrity that I can show my sons.

Where, oh where, has my little blog gone?

It's been so long since I've made an entry and I'm realizing that with Facebook and e-mails and life in general it's pretty hard to keep on top of recording my life in one more medium. Suffice to say that life continues to move at a healthy clip. Since my last entry, our president continues to move the country toward (hopefully) recovery. It's a scary road ahead, but one in which I feel, without a doubt, the drivers of the plan are focused on what is best for the majority, not only the chosen few.

Winter continues to hold us in its grip; this weekend we had snow and sunshine, all in the space of a few hours. At the same time, the crocuses (croci?) are popping up, buds are showing their...buds and baseball season is on the horizon. I leave for Guatemala in 2 weeks and I haven't got a thing to wear.

Life goes on.

Man, oh man, I love my president

I swear to the Lord, I still can't see, why Democracy means, everybody but me.

--Langston Hughes

If there is no struggle, there is no progress.

--Frederick Douglass

I am what time, circumstance, history, have made of me, certainly, but I am also, much more than that. So are we all.

--James A. Baldwin

There been times that I thought I wouldn't last for longNow think I'm able to carry on It's been a long, along time coming but I knowA change gon' come, oh yes it will!

--Sam Cooke

Trapped in the snow!!

I'm looking at my last entry--from December 5th--and I'm just now realizing it's been an entire month since my last entry. That's not to say that nothing has happened in the last 30 days; I just haven't found the time to sit down and write about any of it. So here's the last few weeks, in a nutshell:

1. There has been more Obama on the news than there has been Bush, which is always a good thing. Less Bush. WAY less Bush.

2. We've been going through a hellalot firewood at our house. Winter's here and it's been oh, so cold. All those fallen trees over the last couple years on our property--I now recognize and appreciate the sacrifice those frail alders made to keep us warm. Thank you alders! Your burnage keeps our cockles toasty.

3. We had an early release from school this year, the second time in 2 years. Snowfall in the Pacific Northwest = immobility and panic and so schools must close. This means, for us, two more days on top of the usual 2 weeks of cabin fever. A tree came down over a line and threw sparks, smoke and flame for a day or so while those of us trapped behind it huddled in fear and helplessness. Guess there's nothing to do then but sled and drink wine, which we did. Not too bad, but I'm realizing as I'm surrounded by bickering boys who by now are sick of one another (a trait I must admit I share) that I understand the true story of the Donner party. It wasn't hunger that did them in. I think if more research is done, we would find that the ones who went first were the loudest, most unshutuppable ones.

4. Oh, and we saw the fabulous, divine Dina Martina (http://www.dinamartina.com/). THANK GODDESS. A year without Dina is like a year with out you-know-who. You do know who, don't you??

Intelligence in Texas?

Yes, there is. No offense to Texans, of course; I have known many smart people from the Lone Star State. My best friend Constance is living in Texas (though she's not from there) and she's quite smart. On a recent layover through Dallas, though, I looked over to a familiar looking gentleman who was sitting alone, reading a copy of Atlantic Monthly. I didn't want to "out him" as being a celebrity-ish guy in a common area, so instead of loudly asking him if he was THE Ronald Reagan, Jr., I just asked quietly if he was "Ron." After comfirming that he indeed was, we went on to have a great conversation about Prop 8, gay rights and the supreme court before I had mercy on him and let him get back to his reading. An interesting, warm and friendly guy, not the least bit put off by my wanting to give thanks for being a sound, articulate person on the airwaves.

We had a great Thanksgiving, speaking of Thanks. Good food, family and, the next day, lots of holiday lights made their ways up onto the eaves of our house. We dug out all of our blue LED bulbs that we picked up for 1/2 price last year and, after picking up a 13 foot tree for our living room, decked the whole thing out in atomic glare bulbs. If you've never seen LED bulbs, gaze with caution, my friends. Our living room now looks like the inner core of a nuclear power plant and I imagine that the skylights our house can be seen from the space station. We were watching "The Amazing Race" (goodbye Toni and Dallas--I'm sad to see you go. Especially you, Dallas...) and by the end of the hour my eyes were burning. I couldn't tell if it was the long day, the stress of a high-octane tv show or the seared retinas I was suffering due to the lazer lights. Oh well. At least we're using 80% less electricity.

No Trouble Whatsoever

Last night, we coordinated a great babysitter for the boys and headed into the city to see Ray Lamontagne's final show of his tour, at McCaw Hall in Seattle. Simply put, it was an amazing show, and even though his set was shorter than I thought it would be, I have no complaints at all. The numbers were tight, not a lot of filler so even though he was only on stage for about an hour and 15, he probably hit about 20 songs in that time. No doubt about it, the guy's got amazing pipes. Interestingly, the stage set up was pretty non pretentious and simple. One can see that there's not a lot of ego happening with him, since he sets up the stage to put himself off to one side, showing himself as the lead singer of the band, rather than the front man. The sound in the hall was incredible and even the warm up singer, Leona Naess, was remarkable. A great night; I don't even care that I'm dead tired here at work this morning.

Novemeber 5, 2008: The Dawning of a New Era

I see trees of green, red roses too

I see them bloom for me and you

And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white

The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night

And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky

Are also on the faces of people going by

I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do

They're really saying I love you.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow

They'll learn much more than I'll never know

And I think to myself what a wonderful world

Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world.