Colloquium

In Life & Culture

When Jesus Twiddles His Thumbs

Note: The first part of this story about the social function is totally true and happened a few years ago. The Flash Forward section is an addendum and reflection. I really don’t talk to pictures on the wall. Ahem …

He was drunk.

In the Presbyterian Church no less. You know the one. Swanky, elegant, rich old-money-in-the-middle-of-town-prestigious-kinda-church. And in the sacred basement that night?

Speed-dating. Round tables. Too much perfume. And a perky little woman with an annoying bell. I was game. After all, what could go wrong in a church?

Here are the rules: There are twelve white linened tables with burning candles and refreshments. You choose one and sit down. Male across from female. When the bell rings, you’re off! Introductions and more sweaty palms. I so hate that. The bell rings again and you rotate to the next waiting gentleman caller.

In Photo Hunt

Photo Hunt: Row

In Friday's Feast

Friday’s Feast #155

Appetizer What is your favorite kind of pie? Peach. Still warm from the oven. Soup Name something that made you smile this week. A photo of me with my boys…

In Photo Hunt

Photo Hunt: Funky

In Friday's Feast

Friday’s Feast #154

Appetizer On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how polite are you? 8. Soup What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud? A…

In Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Definitions of Words You Thought You Understood

1. Cannibal: Someone who is fed up with people.
2. Chickens: The only animals you most often eat before they are born and after they are dead. ((Folks also eat ostrich eggs and meat.))
3. Committee: A body that keeps minutes and wastes hours.

In Life & Culture

Phenomenon (Part 2)

As I mentioned previously, on July 15, 2007, I was honored to spend the day with Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway at the Master Class in Napa. The way such a class works is this: The first portion of the class is a general lecture and group warm-up. Those desiring to be “participants” submit a professional-quality recording in advance and Sir James selects four players to whom he will give instruction while the audience members — “auditors” — watch and learn.

JHSEsq attended the Master Class in Napa with Sir James Galway

Based upon the various videotapes of other classes that I have watched, as well as interviews, information posted on his website and the e-mails that Sir James sends to our discussion group, I knew that the opportunity to attend the class represented a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn from a world-class flutist who has no equal.

In Life & Culture

Phenomenon (Part 1)

“It was a dark and stormy night” here in Northern California. The drive from Lodi to San Rafael in the late afternoon wasn’t bad, but the drive back home to Lodi was miserable because of the steady, hard downpour which made it extremely difficult to see and fairly treacherous since portions of the freeway were beginning to develop standing water since so much water was coming down quickly. In short, it was a miserable trip.

In Photo Hunt

Photo Hunt: Creative

Last Sunday I had the extreme honor and privilege of attending Sir James Galway’s Flute Master Class in Napa. I spent the entire day just a few feet from the master himself!

The teens were in another room being taught by Sir James’ wife, Lady Jeanne. At the end of the class, they performed for the adults and then Sir James joined them for one number. Watching those youngsters play so beautifully with the world’s best living flutist, beaming as they did so, was very moving. But for all of us, the day was an opportunity to learn from the undisputed master of the instrument and create memories that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.

Incidentally, Sir James is known as “the man with the golden flute.” He brought several with him and allowed students to play them. In this photo, he is playing on of his gold Nagaharas.

In Friday's Feast

Friday’s Feast #153

Appetizer

JHSEsq blogs at Colloquium
Describe a toy you remember from your childhood.

My Lucy doll and I were inseparable. I still have her, too.

In Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Facts About the Life Experiences of This Year’s College Freshmen

School will be starting again soon, so here are some facts about the life experiences of young people entering college this fall, most of whom were born in 1988. They…

In Life & Culture

Do You Identify With and Relate to Martha or Mary? (Part Two)

If you get too caught up in the mechanics of doing something, you lose the simple joy of the experience.

Have you ever gone to an amusement park with someone who was enthralled with the way the park was laid out, entranced by the technology of the rides, obsessed with the way in which crowd control measures are implemented?

I have. It’s not a fun experience for us “average Joes” who just want to scream when the roller coaster dips, make Dumbo go up and down or the teacup spin faster, or snap a photo or two of the parade down Main Street.

In Life & Culture

Monday Candle Moment: Remembering Those Who Mourn

This past week, two deaths came to my attention.

They occurred under distinctly different circumstances and at opposite ends of the spectrum of life, but both had the same result: Loved ones were left behind to mourn and those folks are the focus of this article. We all need to light a candle for them today.

In Colloquium on Writing

A Noun or a Pronoun, But Not Both, Please!

Since I broached the topic of pet peeves last week . . . A couple of days ago, I had a fairly appalling experience. A well-educated, articulate member of my…

In Photo Hunt

Photo Hunt: Tiny

This week’s theme: Tiny

In Friday's Feast

Friday’s Feast #152

Appetizer

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest) how much do enjoy watching sports on television?

6.

I watch very few sporting events . . . I really enjoy ice skating and basketball. I will watch a few other Olympic events, just for fun, if I happen to have a few free moments.

In Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen of the Words Added to the Dictionary

crunk DVR flex-cuff ginormous gray literature hardscape IED microgreen perfect storm RPG smackdown speed dating sudoku [tags]Thursday Thirteen[/tags]

In Life & Culture

Monday Candle Moment: Knowing Our Own Worth

I have a very good friend of more than thirty years who is single (divorced). She recently went through an unfortunate break-up with a guy she really cared about and…

In Colloquium on Writing

Don’t Call Me “Jane”

We all make mistakes. But if you want me to answer you, don’t ever call me “Jane.” And if you address or refer to me as such in any written…

In Photo Hunt

Photo Hunt: Shadow

In this 1984 photo of my parents helping their first grandchild learn to walk, he appears fascinated with the shadows on the sidewalk in front of them.

It reminded me of this poem by Robert Louis Stevenson from “A Child’s Garden of Verses” (I still have my copy from childhood . . . do you?):

In Friday's Feast

Friday’s Feast #151

Appetizer

What is your favorite fruit?

Oh, I can’t pick just one. I love bananas, oranges, peaches, apricots, grapes, plums, watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries . . . ((Living here in California, we are blessed with many varieties of fresh fruit all year long. I grew up with peach, orange, lemon and apricot trees in the backyard. Plus, Lodi is wine country so we always enjoy luscious, delicious grapes.))

In Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Reasons Why Dogs Are Easier to Raise Than Children

Dogs are easier to raise than children because they:

1. Eat less than teen-agers;
2. Don’t ask for money all the time;
3. Don’t ask for the car keys all the time;
4. Are easier to potty train;
5. Normally come when called;

In Life & Culture

Every Day is New

“Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing yet had been done.”

~ C.S. Lewis ~

Why do we have to start from scratch every morning in exercising our faith? That’s the question this quote made me ponder.

Two thoughts keep coming to me. The first is a cliche, but true: Every day is a blank slate. And that cuts both ways.

In Life & Culture

Death Reunites Long-Time Friends

Two weeks ago, I wrote here about my friend who was nearing the end of her days here on earth. She did cross over into eternity last Saturday, June 30, 2007, and this past Saturday I attended the memorial service held in her honor.

I knew the woman in question for about as long as I can remember — at least since seventh grade — but we were never real close friends. We hung out in the same circle of friends, but did not seek each other out individually. Whenever “the gang” was gathered together, we were both there. And we kept up to date on each other’s lives via the other members of our group with whom we both interacted individually. We were always happy to see each other, though. Friendships often work this way.