January 2012
Baby mildly jaundiced, so here I am rocking her in my lap on bright back porch, sipping coffee, reading the news and chatting with the eldest.
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Auto-correct just tried to change my “In Friendship” closing to “In Dubai.” Different meanings methinks.
The Story Behind Gmail's Logo
One guy, the night before, fine results. http://dlvr.it/17Zrnl
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Laura’s first half day.
Things to remember:
almost cat-like cry first few minutes;
-surprise of a girl;
-the second last-minute arrival of our midwife back from warm-weather vacation;
-the luck of Martin and the boys being with willing friends when the call came.
http://dlvr.it/16mjnD
Baby just raised one eyebrow independently—she has a unique family talent.
Today’s the day!
Theo calls this “The Constitution, by James Madison.” The Iroquois Confederacy sit at the roots, while the Bill of Rights sits as a tree house at top.
http://dlvr.it/16QpWk
Third medical office waiting room in a day. I now know where Elton John, Hall and Oates, and George Michaels have gone to die.
Quarter to midnight but I’m sleepy so will turn the SOPA dimmed lights back in over at Quakerquaker.
Would have been more constructive if person who wrote broadside on lack of yearly meeting vitality & accountability had bothered to sign it.
No matter how many times I correct him, the 6yo insists my laptop has a touch screen. In a few years it will probably seem quaint it didn’t.
How Maple Shade NJ helped radicalize Martin Luther...
http://dlvr.it/15X2hz
Tim O’Reilly argues that anti-piracy laws are bad industrial policy.
Tim O’Reilly originally shared this post:
How PIPA and SOPA Violate White House Principles Supporting Free Speech and Innovation | Electronic Frontier Foundation http://dlvr.it/15T7yS
Another cold wintry afternoon at Jumpzone.
http://dlvr.it/15KSH7
Just finished re-watching “The Birds.” Funny how I had totally forgotten the scariest scenes.
A second blackout in a week, even the Hammonton horizon looks dark!
For those following along, new baby most likely the week after next, around the 24th or so. We’re as relaxed/ready as might be expected…
Micah Bales: Abolishing the Laity
I think that Friends sometimes fail to recognize what an awesome responsibility is implied by our understanding of spiritual equality. We can be glib in our assertion that every believer is called to a particular ministry. Yet this insistence that all Christians are called to some form of ministry and leadership is deeply radical - and at odds with the way that most of the Church does business.
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Johan Maurer: Conversations and churches built...
As we considered our friends’ arguments that God is within and that churches are essentially crutches for weak people with inadequate internal guidance, we realized there was another missing dimension in our friends’ experience: multi-generational churches.
Tags: quaker community http://dlvr.it/150pXb
JumpZone kid fun, 1/11/12 (4 photos)
http://dlvr.it/14rXtn
What might it mean that one of the best-selling new novels (“The Marriage Plot” by “Virgin Suicides” author Jeffrey Eugenides) revolves around a Quaker plot line? And apparently, it’s not alone, as a Quaker theme is in another current book.
Jeffrey Eugenides « Commentary Magazine
http://dlvr.it/14rXtc
This author’s description of his denomination’s impending demographic collapse us pretty close to where I think Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is headed (a large percentage of our meetings will be shuttered in the next 20 years). I like how he compares this to the organic cycle of a crop—meetings revived by a generation forty years ago are coming to the end of a natural life span....
Bridge Film Festival to live stream presentation...
For the past three years films have been submitted and judged on-line by our distinguished judges. The results were announced on-line. This year, the BFF is producing its own “Academy Awards,” simply called the Judges’ Choice Awards.
Tags: Quaker video youth education http://dlvr.it/14WvfG
Brad Ogilvie: What I get from other faith messages
At the same time, it is services like this that I have an opportunity to reflect on my own beliefs, and to not simply follow the flock.
Tags: quaker baltimore universalism http://dlvr.it/14WC1g
Rick Siefert: The Guest in the Tree
I guess that was a bonding of sorts. Barefooted and a little worse for wear from his climb up and down the tree, he made his way to the media waiting at our gate. There, from our side of the fence, he proceeded to lecture the reporters on the state of the planet. It went on and on. Such is the state of the planet.
Tags: quaker oregon liberal occupy http://dlvr.it/14QrQb
Barbara Smith: Needing to "explain" your plain
So now I understand why I have been feeling obligated to have a ready explanation for my appearance - because it is unheard of in my world to do something like this because you are following your heart, let alone following the leading of Jesus, unless you can then “explain” it - in terms of theology, or the rules of your denomination, or whatever.
Tags: plain outreach philadelphia...
Seeker stories: the first from a new blog from FGC
Was I was actively “seeking” anything? I’m not sure I was. But shortly afterwards I found my way to a couple of Meetings… I’ve sometimes wondered if what I was looking for was the silence – the peculiar experience of silence as shared by a community.
Tags: quaker comvincement fgc http://dlvr.it/14QXLZ
Back from the car wash. Installing a new baby seat and doing final review of name possibilities.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/article?a=890762&f=24 http://dlvr.it/147Fdn
The latest word poetry from @jonwatts +Jon Watts to come to video. “Together We Compose This Bloody, Bleeding, Beating Drum” Video Song http://dlvr.it/141qLG
Julie had more tests this afternoon and baby’s staying in for the weekend. Next shot: Monday’s ultrasound.
Downstairs doing laundry. Gave DW Julie the phone to call if necc because I’m playing new Blondie album and this is a crank-up listen.
Hystery: Friends sticking together
There is nothing we can do about the tensions and the schisms that rocked the Quaker world in the days of our ancestors. It is sad to think about their communities blown apart by dissent and anger. But perhaps we can learn to focus on the energy and light that was generated as a result of those explosions.
Tags: Quaker liberal community http://dlvr.it/13kDQJ
Cherice Bock shares Northwest YM's "Peace Month"...
“This is our 3rd annual Peace Month, and our theme this year is “SPICE: the Friends Testimonies” (Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality). “
http://dlvr.it/13Wpzf
Jeanne B packs it in
I’ve been hanging onto my Meeting because it’s been all I’ve had, spiritually, all I’ve known for the better part of the last twenty years. It saved my life and helped me meet the love of my life. I was hoping to find another spiritual community where I felt at home before I left the only real spiritual home I had.But I won’t wait any longer; I need to make room in my...
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Gregory’s belated birthday party http://dlvr.it/13Ftnq
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Barbara Smith: Self-image, simplicity and change
I was struck by the commonality of the experience of trying to change, as adults, the image we project to the public (and maybe to ourselves!). It challenges me to think about the concept of “self-image”, what is that, and why does it seem to stand in the way of what we feel we are led to do?
Tags: quaker Philadelphia plain http://dlvr.it/13FT8X
NYT: changing the corporate culture at IBM
http://dlvr.it/136CXK
Discovering that eight is the perfect age for “I haven’t done ___ since last year!” jokes.
Patricia Barber: Primitive Christianity Revived -...
I think it’s safe to say that if George Fox or William Penn came to my house looking to see how their vision of Quakerism as primitive Christianity revived was progressing, they would be pretty disappointed. They would find a well-intentioned, averagely good person who is completely committed to recreating the Kingdom of God on earth, as long as it doesn’t impinge too much on her...