Yummy!

Yesterday’s two interviews went exceptionally well. As I said yesterday, I expected the second guy to be good looking. He was gorgeous and had the bluest eyes.

The highlight of my day though was dinner. I started out with a nice Prosecco Bollicini and an insalate Tricolore (Baby arugula, Radicchio, and Endive with olive oil and balsamic). Then with my meal of risotto frutti di mare, I had Vermentino Banfi La Pettegoia, a wonderful Tuscan white wine. For dessert I had the Tiramisu with an aperitif of lemoncello. I haven’t had a meal this good since I was in Italy itself.

A Room with a View

As I said yesterday, I’m in Boston for work until Thursday. I’m staying in Cambridge, and I have a beautiful view from my 7th floor room. My room overlooks the Charles River, and it also as a view of downtown Boston. The Charles River is my favorite view because of the boats going down the river and the hot men running or bicycling by the river. The last time I was in Boston for any length of time for 10-12 years ago when I was in graduate school and came to Boston for dissertation research. Back then I also stayed in Cambridge near the Charles River, though I was closer to Harvard then. Also, it was February and the river was frozen over. I remember just how cold it was that year.

Today, I have an interview scheduled with a prominent business man in Boston who is an alumni of the university where I work. I then have another interview this evening with a young teacher who is also an alumni. I was able to look the younger guy up in the yearbooks and back when he graduated a few years ago, he was quite good looking. I hope both of these interviews go well.  Then on Thursday, I will head home, though I may do a little sightseeing before I go.

Boston

Boston 

Aaron Smith

 I’ve been meaning to tell

you how the sky is pink

here sometimes like the roof

of a mouth that’s about to chomp

down on the crooked steel teeth

of the city,

I remember the desperate 

things we did

                and that I stumble

down sidewalks listening

to the buzz of street lamps

at dusk and the crush

of leaves on the pavement,

Without you here I’m viciously lonely

and I can’t remember 

the last time I felt holy,

the last time I offered

myself as sanctuary

*

I watched two men 

press hard into

each other, their bodies

caught in the club’s

bass drum swell,

and I couldn’t remember

when I knew I’d never

be beautiful, but it must 

have been quick

and subtle, the way

the holy ghost can pass

in and out of a room.

I want so desperately

to be finished with desire,

the rushing wind, the still

small voice.

I will be in Boston most of this week for work, and I thought this was an appropriate poem to use. The imagery in this poem is quite interesting to me, especially the last stanza about the two men and the poets perception of self beauty, or lack there of.

Memorial Day

Let us never forget the sacrifices of the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.

A Quiet Place

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. (KJV) ( Mark 6:31 ) 

This is always a busy time of year with graduations, visiting family, and working hard. We get focused, hustling and bustling about with little time for eating that we exhaust ourselves. It's important to go off to a quiet place to recharge yourself and rest awhile. Such a time is necessary to find rest in Jesus. When you sneak away, bring a verse with you to meditate and mull over. Perhaps it's only 15 minutes, but the peace you will find is like none other. Come and find rest in Him. 

Moment of Zen: Snuggling

Pretty Picture

Sometimes, we just need a pretty picture to get us through the day. I have a dental appointment this afternoon, and a doctor’s appointment tomorrow afternoon. I’m not looking forward to either one. So, I just need a pretty picture to get me through the day, and the picture above is just pretty to me. It remind me of a dear friend I lost, but instead of crying now when I think of him, I have fond memories. I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Tired

I don’t mind being a perpetual student. I like learning new things, and I am constantly learning new things in my museum studies class. I enjoy the class, the readings, and the museum visits. My teaching class, however, is a different story. While I am learning a few new things, most of the reading and work is tedious. I guess they want to see just how willing we are to work. Thank goodness, it’s only a three week class. I don’t think I could take much more of it. Currently, we are in week two, and it has gotten even more tedious. I have taken classes on teaching before, but none of them taught me how to conduct an online class. In a way, I guess this class is good for me, but I just wish it wasn’t so...tedious.

Fire and Sleet and Candlelight

Fire and Sleet and Candlelight

 by Elinor Wylie

For this you’ve striven

    Daring, to fail:

Your sky is riven

    Like a tearing veil.

 

For this, you’ve wasted

    Wings of your youth;

Divined, and tasted

    Bitter springs of truth.

 

From sand unslakèd

    Twisted strong cords,

And wandered naked

    Among trysted swords.

 

There’s a word unspoken,

    A knot untied.

Whatever is broken

    The earth may hide.

 

The road was jagged

    Over sharp stones:

Your body’s too ragged

    To cover your bones.

 

The wind scatters

    Tears upon dust;

Your soul’s in tatters

    Where the spears thrust.

 

Your race is ended—

    See, it is run:

Nothing is mended

    Under the sun.

 

Straight as an arrow

    You fall to a sleep

Not too narrow

    And not too deep.

Ohio

I slept much of yesterday, trying to recover from my whirlwind travels. It was a good trip though. The ladies at my conference were very nice (I was one of about a half dozen men there), and my paper was well received. I was worried it might not be “scholarly” enough, but apparently it was.

Saturday, I got to meet one of my blog followers in Columbus. That was a real treat. He was a very nice guy. We went to lunch and he took me to the Wexner Museum. I was glad not to be alone. First, I never would have found the  place since my GPS took me to the hospital. Second, I’m not a big fan of contemporary art, and was happy to have someone to discuss it with. I can’t thank him enough for showing me around.

By the way, Ohio University in Athens is a beautiful campus. Ohio State University is a huge campus. Both though have some cute boys. It’s refreshing to see them run around without their shirts. You rarely see that in Vermont.

God is at Work

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. (KJV) ( Ecclesiastes 3:11 ) 

Jesus is the main character in a story still being told. God’s great work began at creation and continues until the end of time as we know it. Moments of our lives can feel so far from the masterpiece we are promised. Be encouraged, even if you don’t understand it, God’s story is still being told. God is making something beautiful out of you! 

Moment of Zen: Infinity

Long Days

I’m exhausted. Yesterday’s trip here was filled with delays. My second plane was delayed nearly an hour, and then when I got to the conference they couldn’t print my parking permit. Ugh! It was just one thing after another.

Today, I present my paper. It’s not until the very last session of the day, so I have lots of time to fret. I also have to be back at the registration lobby at 7:30 am to get my parking permit. Long day.

Crazy Week

This crazy week is starting to come to an end. I fly to Columbus, Ohio, today and drive to Ohio University, which is about an hour and a half away to attend a conference. I’m going to be pushing it a little to get checked in and make it to the dinner. I will miss the wine reception. I’d really wanted to go see the museum where the wine reception was being held. This is a women’s history conference, so I will be one of a few men, if I’m not the only one in attendance. I’m pretty sure that by perusing the program, I am the only man presenting a paper. I hope they go easy on me. At least I’m gay, that should give me some brownie points with all the feminist.

[Sonnets are full of love, and this my tome]

[Sonnets are full of love, and this my tome]

 

by Christina Rossetti

Sonnets are full of love, and this my tome

      Has many sonnets: so here now shall be

   One sonnet more, a love sonnet, from me

To her whose heart is my heart’s quiet home,

   To my first Love, my Mother, on whose knee

I learnt love-lore that is not troublesome;

   Whose service is my special dignity,

And she my loadstar while I go and come.

And so because you love me, and because

   I love you, Mother, I have woven a wreath

      Of rhymes wherewith to crown your honoured name:

      In you not fourscore years can dim the flame

Of love, whose blessed glow transcends the laws

   Of time and change and mortal life and death.

Plunge Ahead

A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. (KJV) ( Proverbs 14:16 ) 

Do you ever get frustrated when your lack of self-control plunges you into danger? Hindsight comes and you kick yourself for being foolish. How do wise people avoid danger? They are aware of their triggers that cause a moment of weakness, such as a being angry. Often they avoid putting themselves in situations that would tempt their recklessness, as a recovering alcoholic avoids bars. Finally, they limit exposure to friends who encourage unwise choices. Which areas in life do you struggle with self-control? 

Moment of Zen: That Kiss

Yesterday & Today

I had a bad headache yesterday. Hopefully, it will be better today, since I have an interview today. I hate having headaches. I had to go home from work early yesterday. Hopefully, today is a better day and my interview goes well. Wish me luck.

Interview

After God only knows how many applications I’ve sent out, I finally got called for an interview. It’s a Skype interview Friday with a military college in the Southwest. I just sent the application last week, so I’m hoping that with them moving on it so quickly, it means they are really interested. It would be back to teaching which I’m okay with, and it would also be a permanent job.

The Voice of God

The Voice of God

 

 by Crystal Williams

          Poem for Aretha Franklin

when she opens her mouth

our world swells like dawn on the pond

when the sun licks the water & the jay garbles,

the whole quiet thing coming into tune,

the gnats, frogs, the dandelion pollen, the

pebbles & leaves & the whole world of us

sitting at the throat of the jay

dancing in the throat of the jay

all of us on the lip of the jay

singing doowop, doowop, do.

 

 

About This Poem

 

“Many years ago I heard someone describe Aretha Franklin’s voice as the voice of God, which was an amazing thing to say. This meditation is my attempt at understanding why that statement struck me as profoundly true. In the end, Aretha’s voice is an aggregation of the choruses of the natural world—all of their harmony, complexity, and distinctiveness—and it is as close to the divine as I can imagine.”

—Crystal Williams

Normal

This week should largely be back to normal. Last week was quite a whirlwind with the director job candidates on campus for interviews. The search committee will meet today and make their recommendations to the president and provost who will then decide who is ultimately chosen.we have one candidate that seems highly qualified so I am hoping they do the sensible thing and hire him.

This weekend was also a bit of a whirlwind. I went down to Springfield, Massachusetts, to see the Dr. Seuss Museum, which was fantastic and fun, even if it was filled with children. Also, if you’re ever in Springfield, there is a great Italian restaurant called the Red Rose that had the tenderest, most succulent veal piccata I’ve ever eaten. After Springfield, we headed up to Northampton where we stayed the night. We stayed in the beautiful Hotel Northampton, and ate at its Wiggin’s Tavern. I had the salmon over rice pilaf and rainbow carrots. The waitress told us the rainbow carrots were in honor of pride.

Saturday had been Northampton’s Pride celebration so we went to a Pride after party which was supposed to have the drag queen Sherry Vine. Less than two dozen people showed up. The drag show was so bad that everybody left. We didn’t even stick around for Sherry Vine because we were the only two left in the bar. It was a really sad experience. I felt bad for Sherry Vine because no one was there to see her after we left, but I also didn’t want to be the only two people in the audience. I doubt she would have performed for just two people anyway.

Sunday brunch was at Sylvester’s in Northampton. Sylvester’s is a restaurant housed in Sylvester Graham’s House. Sylvester Graham if you didn’t know invented the Graham cracker. I had the Sylvester’s Special which was eggs, bacon, home fries, and toast. It was good but the eggs and home fries needed salt. And then we headed home.

Be Content

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (KJV) (Philippians 4:11)

Could you learn to be content without a new car, iPhone, or house?  If we let them, our desires begin to control us with a never ending thirst that can't be quenched.  It is a daily struggle to consistently trust that God will provide for our needs as He has promised.  We can learn to be content when we rely on God's promises daily.  When you find yourself wanting something today, try practicing contentment with what you have. 

Moment of Zen: Scruffy

Last One

Today’s candidate is more of a mystery to me. I don’t know as much about him as I did the other two. It’s going to be a marathon day for him. The search committee has packed a lot into these interviews, including dinner tonight.

Also, I’m hoping to go away this weekend. I’m supposed to go to Springfield, Massachusetts, to the Dr. Seuss Museum for my museum studies class. I have to visit at least one children’s museum. If all goes well, I’ll also be going to Noho Pride in Northampton, Massachusetts. A friend and I are supposed to go, if she’s feelin well. I hope she is. Noho Pride should be fun. The drag queen Sherry Vine will be headlining the night.

Another Candidate

Today is the internal candidate. While I like him personally, I don’t want him as my boss. I just don’t think he’s ready. I favor the first candidate. It’s just a wait and see game at this point. 

Still I Rise

Still I Rise

Maya Angelou, 1928 - 2014

 You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I’ll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling down like teardrops,

Weakened by my soulful cries?

Does my haughtiness offend you?

Don’t you take it awful hard

‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines

Diggin’ in my own backyard.

You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness,

But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?

Does it come as a surprise

That I dance like I’ve got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame

I rise

Up from a past that’s rooted in pain

I rise

I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise

I rise.

"Still I Rise" is a powerful, empowering poem all about the struggle to overcome prejudice and injustice. It is one of Maya Angelou's most popular poems.

When read by those who understand the meaning of repeated wrongdoing, the poem becomes a kind of anthem, a beacon of hope for the oppressed and downtrodden.

It is a reminder of the abuse of power by those who sit in government, the judiciary, in the military and in the police force. For members of the public, for society, it sends out the clear, repeated message of hope. No matter the circumstances, there must always be hope to cling on to.