Saturday, February 28, 2009
on ghetto blasters
Today I saw something I never thought I would see. I had just woken up, was pottering about in my room, (muttering with dismay at the eve-growing pile of laundry - isn't it just supposed to disappear and magically re-appear in my dresser, clean, fresh and ironed??) and I heard some memory-evoking 80s music drifting up to my window from the street below. It was Whiteney Houston's I wanna dance with somebody. Click on the link now and listen to it in the background so you can get the full experience. I started to shift my weight from side to side, slowing introducing ever more complex and exagerrated movements, until I was the literal embodiment of 80s frizzy-hair-pink-stockings-Fame dance style. I peered out the window to discover unto myself the provenace of this heavenly ditty, and saw on the far side of the road an old black man, hunched over, head adorned with a (probably purloined) yellow workman's hard hat, with nothing less than an old school ghetto blaster nestled on his left shoulder, speakers pointing into his ears. He was obviously a Whitney fan too, and I felt a communion between us as we, each in our own way, shuffled to the vibrancy of that now defunct plastic music.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
on the secret life of guitar gods
Here's a blog that guitarists may want to follow. John Mayer is blogging through the recording of his fourth album and it looks like it's going to be really interesting. He's already posted one video of him practicing and thinking about new ideas for riffs and melodies. Partly inspiring, it's also partly depressing, as you watch how he rips on his guitar with ease in a way I never could, and then complains that he's a bit rusty cause he hasn't played for a while. Here's the video.
on doughnuts and wrong numbers
On Monday nights I take a class on Thomas Aquinas at Fordham University, so I travel north up into the Bronx, and it's a brisk, chilly (at least during winter) walk for 15 mins from the train station to the campus. On the walk home last night I fancied I would treat myself at Dunkin Doughnuts and get myself a boston kreme. Spelt with a K.
The girl asked me 'anything else?'
I said 'no thank you'
She said 'it's on the house'
I said 'really?'
She said 'yeah, it's better in your stomach than in the trash!'
I thought 'perhaps not..this is dunkin doughnuts after all'
But never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I happily responded by requesting 4 more of the doughnuts.
Upon reaching the train station and beginning to eat the first one, I realised why they were giving them away, and thought that even for four, the $1 I paid had been one dollar too much.
On a diffferent note, I was at the coffee shop with Nate yesterday - surprise, surprise - and we were discussing the social mores regarding people putting their number on facebook and at what point you're entitled to use that number to call them. This prompted Nate to remember when I put my first US cell phone number on there. He rang me, and got a lady who said it was a wrong number. So he wrote back on my wall that I had put the number up incorrectly. So I rang Nate with my phone, and it indeed showed the number on his screen exactly the same as I had entered it on facebook.
Basically, the number that Virgin had assigned me was already in use, and I could make outgoing calls in which people would see my number, but when they called that number back, it would never come to me, only to this other lady. And boy, did people try and call me.
Understandably, this woman began to be very upset at all the calls she was receiving. (She should have been happy I suppose..my friends are rather nice!) When I rang Virgin, they said that since it was a new phone, maybe it was just taking time for the processing of the account to be finalised, and to try again in a day or two. Which we did, and when Nate rang the woman again, the husband jumped on the phone and blew up: "Listen buddy, I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but you KNOW this is not your friend's number, so stop harassing my wife! Hey man, I've got your number and I can find out where you live, and if you ever ring my wife again, I'm gonna come and find you, and you don't wanna know what I'll do!" Hmm, I almost felt partly responsilble for Nate's apparently imminent demise. We felt much joy in recalling this incident.
The girl asked me 'anything else?'
I said 'no thank you'
She said 'it's on the house'
I said 'really?'
She said 'yeah, it's better in your stomach than in the trash!'
I thought 'perhaps not..this is dunkin doughnuts after all'
But never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I happily responded by requesting 4 more of the doughnuts.
Upon reaching the train station and beginning to eat the first one, I realised why they were giving them away, and thought that even for four, the $1 I paid had been one dollar too much.
On a diffferent note, I was at the coffee shop with Nate yesterday - surprise, surprise - and we were discussing the social mores regarding people putting their number on facebook and at what point you're entitled to use that number to call them. This prompted Nate to remember when I put my first US cell phone number on there. He rang me, and got a lady who said it was a wrong number. So he wrote back on my wall that I had put the number up incorrectly. So I rang Nate with my phone, and it indeed showed the number on his screen exactly the same as I had entered it on facebook.
Basically, the number that Virgin had assigned me was already in use, and I could make outgoing calls in which people would see my number, but when they called that number back, it would never come to me, only to this other lady. And boy, did people try and call me.
Understandably, this woman began to be very upset at all the calls she was receiving. (She should have been happy I suppose..my friends are rather nice!) When I rang Virgin, they said that since it was a new phone, maybe it was just taking time for the processing of the account to be finalised, and to try again in a day or two. Which we did, and when Nate rang the woman again, the husband jumped on the phone and blew up: "Listen buddy, I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but you KNOW this is not your friend's number, so stop harassing my wife! Hey man, I've got your number and I can find out where you live, and if you ever ring my wife again, I'm gonna come and find you, and you don't wanna know what I'll do!" Hmm, I almost felt partly responsilble for Nate's apparently imminent demise. We felt much joy in recalling this incident.
Monday, February 23, 2009
on lucky clothing
Played our third basketball game last night. And lost again. I wore the same underwear and shorts in all three games (without washing in between of course), losing two and winning one, so I think it's fair to deduce from these statistics that this clothing arrangement is not lucky. It maybe be however, that the luck emanating from them was not directed toward my and my teams sporting success, but my safety. I'm lucky enough not to have been injured. But perhaps that's due to something else emanating from them other than luck, i.e. an odour. You must be close to someone to foul them, after all.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
on reading calvin
While reading the Calvin material I began thinking about how it might be rather easy for one to develop anithetical feelings toward him, and I was reminded how Barth tried to show his deep appreciation for Schleiermacher, even though he profoundly disagreed with him. And so as I was reading an essay by John Webster on Barth's historical lectures at Gottingen, I cames across this passage which I thought would be pertinent to keep in mind as I read Calvin, or any other theologian from history: (The quotes and page numbers are from Barth's "Protestant Theology")
" 'We hear the voices of the ancients in order to give an answer by our own attitude and decision. But we do that for or against ourselves, not for or against them" (p8). The root of this deferential and patient attitude towards our forebears is, very simply, that 'we are with them in the Church' (p 10) ...There is therefore a unity to the history of theology which the historian may not breach by consigning part of that history to the rubbuish heap: 'over and above the differences, a unity can be seen, a unity of perplexity and disquiet, but also a unity of richness and hope, which in the end binds us to the theologians of the past' (p13). And this means, further, that the historian of the Church must never allow confession of the Church's unity to be eclipsed by hostile judgement. 'Credo unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam [trans. I believe in one, holy, catholic, apostolic church] is the reason for this, and if I am to pay attention to a theologian from the past, whether he is called Schleiermacher or Ritschl or anyone else, then I must be deadly serious about this credo' (p14). In the end, therefore, the historian can only remember that 'I and my theological work are only in the Church on the ground of forgiveness' (p14); that recognition is the ground of charity in historical judgement."
Or, to put it more succintly, we all make mistakes so let's have some grace for Christians of an earlier age who phrased things in ways we might not today!
(N.B. don't take this to mean that I have profound disagreements with Calvin)
" 'We hear the voices of the ancients in order to give an answer by our own attitude and decision. But we do that for or against ourselves, not for or against them" (p8). The root of this deferential and patient attitude towards our forebears is, very simply, that 'we are with them in the Church' (p 10) ...There is therefore a unity to the history of theology which the historian may not breach by consigning part of that history to the rubbuish heap: 'over and above the differences, a unity can be seen, a unity of perplexity and disquiet, but also a unity of richness and hope, which in the end binds us to the theologians of the past' (p13). And this means, further, that the historian of the Church must never allow confession of the Church's unity to be eclipsed by hostile judgement. 'Credo unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam [trans. I believe in one, holy, catholic, apostolic church] is the reason for this, and if I am to pay attention to a theologian from the past, whether he is called Schleiermacher or Ritschl or anyone else, then I must be deadly serious about this credo' (p14). In the end, therefore, the historian can only remember that 'I and my theological work are only in the Church on the ground of forgiveness' (p14); that recognition is the ground of charity in historical judgement."
Or, to put it more succintly, we all make mistakes so let's have some grace for Christians of an earlier age who phrased things in ways we might not today!
(N.B. don't take this to mean that I have profound disagreements with Calvin)
Monday, February 16, 2009
what year is it?
It seems the Roman Catholic church has been quietly reintroducing forms of penance long thought abandoned - in particular, indulgences. Websites and church bulletins for various parishes in New York have been offering them, though people often don't even know what they are! This has been reported in a New York Times article here.
Here's a quote, for those not au fait with indugences.
"According to church teaching, even after sinners are absolved in the confessional and say their Our Fathers or Hail Marys as penance, they still face punishment after death, in Purgatory, before they can enter heaven. In exchange for certain prayers, devotions or pilgrimages in special years, a Catholic can receive an indulgence, which reduces or erases that punishment instantly, with no formal ceremony or sacrament.
There are partial indulgences, which reduce purgatorial time by a certain number of days or years, and plenary indulgences, which eliminate all of it, until another sin is committed. You can get one for yourself, or for someone who is dead. You cannot buy one — the church outlawed the sale of indulgences in 1567 — but charitable contributions, combined with other acts, can help you earn one. There is a limit of one plenary indulgence per sinner per day."
I feel like I'm back in the Middle Ages. Next thing you know, they'll be reforming the Knights Templar. (though conspiracy theorists will tell you they are alive and well as an underground secret society!)
Here's a quote, for those not au fait with indugences.
"According to church teaching, even after sinners are absolved in the confessional and say their Our Fathers or Hail Marys as penance, they still face punishment after death, in Purgatory, before they can enter heaven. In exchange for certain prayers, devotions or pilgrimages in special years, a Catholic can receive an indulgence, which reduces or erases that punishment instantly, with no formal ceremony or sacrament.
There are partial indulgences, which reduce purgatorial time by a certain number of days or years, and plenary indulgences, which eliminate all of it, until another sin is committed. You can get one for yourself, or for someone who is dead. You cannot buy one — the church outlawed the sale of indulgences in 1567 — but charitable contributions, combined with other acts, can help you earn one. There is a limit of one plenary indulgence per sinner per day."
I feel like I'm back in the Middle Ages. Next thing you know, they'll be reforming the Knights Templar. (though conspiracy theorists will tell you they are alive and well as an underground secret society!)
Saturday, February 14, 2009
where's joaquin?
Some would have the mistaken impression that all I do is watch youtube videos all day. It's just that alot of my reading for class at the moment is background information before I get into the meat of Calvin, Auquinas, Agustine, et. al. Posts, analysis, and quotations of them - all that will come in good time. For now, some of the pleasurable moments of my day come from the latest youtube shenanigans, including this 10 min clip of Joaquin Phoenix's latest appearance on the David Letterman show...joaquin like you've never seen him before.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Monday, February 09, 2009
more pain
Ok, so the basketball practice was fun, but I was VERY rusty. In fact I think I only hit one jump shot from maybe 8 or 9 that I took during the pratice game, and I also missed several lay-ups. So I committed myself to some serious practice sessions, going back to the basics, taking lots of free-throws and trying to get my eye back in.
On Sunday nights the gym is open for recreational use from 5.30pm til midnight, so I thought it would be quiet from 11pm on. When I got there it was kinda busy, but they were just starting a full-court game and needed 1 extra player...good timing! So I had a good 45 minute run out. Only problem is that I'm still breaking my running shoes in.
This is what happens when you play with new shoes.
Pete - sorry for ruining the birthday socks. I'm sure you understand!
On Sunday nights the gym is open for recreational use from 5.30pm til midnight, so I thought it would be quiet from 11pm on. When I got there it was kinda busy, but they were just starting a full-court game and needed 1 extra player...good timing! So I had a good 45 minute run out. Only problem is that I'm still breaking my running shoes in.
This is what happens when you play with new shoes.
Pete - sorry for ruining the birthday socks. I'm sure you understand!
Friday, February 06, 2009
feel the pain
While only undergradutes can join and play for the official Columbia basketball team, the university also caters for what are called 'intramural' teams - i.e. other undergrads, plus grad students can form social teams and play in a league. Normally people divide by department; the law school will have a team, and the MBA kids, and the medicine students etc. So, Union has a basketball team, which I've joined because I really need the exercise and the agression outlet!
We had a practice at 8am this morning, played full court for two hours, and now I'm sore all over. I always feel it in my lower back for some reason. I think I might lie down for an hour or so, then go to my fav coffee shop and read for a couple hours. It's a tough life huh?? :-)
We had a practice at 8am this morning, played full court for two hours, and now I'm sore all over. I always feel it in my lower back for some reason. I think I might lie down for an hour or so, then go to my fav coffee shop and read for a couple hours. It's a tough life huh?? :-)
'sanctify them in your truth'
It is often wondered whether theology is of any use - isn't it just semantics and hair-splitting? "Let's just get on with living" people can be heard to say. I recently read a delightful article in the Irish Theological Quarterley called 'Theology as a Road to Sanctification?' in which the author discusses various parts of Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, particularly those in which the vocation of the theologian is considered. She writes:
"One is reminded of where Thomas wrote of sacra doctrina that it ‘bears, as it were, the stamp of the divine knowledge which is one and simple, yet extends to everything.’ Hence, God ‘teaches knowledge’ and it seems that the knowledge that is taught is a sacra doctrina. This is verified as Thomas continues his consideration of the acquisition of knowledge and explains the close relationship between that which is understood and the one doing the understanding. God, when God moves the intellect, ‘impresses on the student the likeness of the thing understood.’ The effect is not that the student comes to comprehend God, but that God might be better understood, and that the student might become holy."
In short, the process in which God acts to move the intellect to understand is one of sanctification, and thus theology is a holy exercise. Which is not to say that everything calling itelf 'theology' is thereby holy, but that the giving over of one's intellect into submission to sacred truth is not an unnecessary, superfluous act. It directs one's mind and action to that end for which we are created, and toward which we are being saved.
I was then reading St. Athanasius' work De incarnatione verbi dei, or 'On the incarnation of the word of God'. The introduction, surprisignly, was written by C.S. Lewis of all people, and he commends the study of such theological works with this beautiful image:
"For my own part I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that 'nothing happens' when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand."
So, everyone take a pipe to your next home group or bible study!
Sanctifica eos in veritate; sermo tuus veritas est.
"One is reminded of where Thomas wrote of sacra doctrina that it ‘bears, as it were, the stamp of the divine knowledge which is one and simple, yet extends to everything.’ Hence, God ‘teaches knowledge’ and it seems that the knowledge that is taught is a sacra doctrina. This is verified as Thomas continues his consideration of the acquisition of knowledge and explains the close relationship between that which is understood and the one doing the understanding. God, when God moves the intellect, ‘impresses on the student the likeness of the thing understood.’ The effect is not that the student comes to comprehend God, but that God might be better understood, and that the student might become holy."
In short, the process in which God acts to move the intellect to understand is one of sanctification, and thus theology is a holy exercise. Which is not to say that everything calling itelf 'theology' is thereby holy, but that the giving over of one's intellect into submission to sacred truth is not an unnecessary, superfluous act. It directs one's mind and action to that end for which we are created, and toward which we are being saved.
I was then reading St. Athanasius' work De incarnatione verbi dei, or 'On the incarnation of the word of God'. The introduction, surprisignly, was written by C.S. Lewis of all people, and he commends the study of such theological works with this beautiful image:
"For my own part I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that 'nothing happens' when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand."
So, everyone take a pipe to your next home group or bible study!
Sanctifica eos in veritate; sermo tuus veritas est.
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