Wind Blows Deeply

Oi. Me needs some sleep, ya?

So Friday, early to bed. Saturday, later to rise. Chores. Meddachschlop. Dinner with friends. Taking tickets at the Rider game … and sweet seats at the 50 yard line … and they won! Artichoke dip, virgin bellinis, and great coffee in the company of good friends. Late to bed. No sound sleep to speak of. Morning run. Fresh coffee. Church. Waffles for dinner. Boating leading to a wet bum for several hours. BBQ/picnic. Laughter and stories and laughter and community. Sleepiness. Msg: call your mother. Sleep?

When I complain about sleep these days it feels quite different than when I complained about sleep in university or in high school. I jokingly mention that I feel old (not as old as some folks out there mind you!). You know you’re old when letting your head hit the pillow at 9:30 is not outrageous in the least or staying up past 10:30 makes for a very difficult next day.

So when I’ve been up until at least 11 every night, and slight more than 4 hours of shut-eye on Tuesday, and rather amazed at my level of functioning at present. I’ve tried to force myself to stay awake this evening (hence a post at 11:15) … being oncall, I find it worse to be awoken and have to snap my brain into action in a split second than to delay bedtime by an hour or two.

And it won’t settle down anytime soon. Fortunately I got through a few meetings and such earlier in the week. Now to get back to conference planning … and maybe even some company this weekend! Oh, make that company AND going to my first ever ‘Rider game (I get to take tickets!). This means I get to go to the game for free. The free-ness appeals to my menno side.

Speaking of menno; I had meant to start the Menno Monthly Magazine. Of course, it would be free. It would feature such things as recipes for borscht and zwiebach and rollkuchen, articles on various bits of Anabaptist theology, a decent section of births and deaths (you have to play the Menno game after all), and paramont to it all, the sections intended for male and female readers would be clearly separated and identified as such … no need for any confusion here. If you consider yourself to be a potential reader of such a fine publication, please let me know. I aim to please and entertain — no one should have to resort to the evils of playing cards, listening to music, or (heaven forbid) dancing!!! ;)

On my way through the OT prophets, I’ve been stuck in Zephaniah for some time now. My recent hang up is Zeph 3:9 …

For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech,
that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord.

I’ve read a variety of commentaries with a close eye on the author’s theological viewpoint. (If anyone actually comments on this post, I am sure your theological viewpoint will also be evident.) The commentaries I’ve looked at don’t really help my cause. I think what I need is a good discussion; the sort that happen at odd hours of the day when good company comes together.

I suppose my ponderings at present stem from the fact that I had to go look up Arminianism versus Calvinism (pre/post-TULIP) the other day. [While those terms sound familiar, I would have been stuck to have had to discuss either in any detail.] Joel 2:32, Gen 4:26, Ps 22:27 … they all dance around the idea in Zeph 3:9 and I think are often cross-referenced. Maybe I should draw my line in the sand and declare myself on one side or the other. As I try to place my own theology in a nutshell, and in lieu of good company gathered in my livingroom, your own thoughts and insights are most welcomed.

While my thoughts on singleness arise from many sources, one of them is SATC. I’ve only enjoyed it since reruns began, never really having had watched while it was on the first time around. Actually, I think what really and truly hooked me was this paper by Sally‘s friend Tonya. (For her PhD, she is studying those larger than life sculptures you catch a glimpse of while driving across Canada.)

Enough of the introduction. In SATC episode 19, “The Chicken Dance“, Miranda comments “Everyone says that as soon as you get a place of your own, someone will propose, I thought it would be to me.” A number of aunts, likely well intentioned, informed me at the last family Christmas gathering: Oh, so you own your own place now. You know, owning your own place is a sure way to find yourself a man. Normally, you could be engaged within the year.

It’s nearing a year and one month. So much for that urban myth.

Which got me thinking; is it even an urban myth? Normally, my internet sleuthing skills are much more fruitful. What did I find? Well this at boundless, this at the NY Times, this self-applied experience thanks to a self-help book, this bizarre entry at Wikipedia … and no mention by Jan of the prerequisite home but she did offer this.

So I guess that’s about it. Owning real estate does not give way to real diamonds in a mere twelve months after all. The urban myth of SATC and frustratingly intrusive aunts is just that: a myth.

Still, seeing as I never really did have a house warming, you realize you’re going to have to all come over now — right?