A few pics from AK

http://owlrainfeathers.blogspot.com/2010/11/well-wouldnt-you-know-it.html

Love and the natural world

“No doubt a particular beautiful landscape supports by its peculiar charm a particular moment of love, as do the particular brilliance of a picture, a particular moment of music, a particular elegance of dress or dwelling; but these marvels only frame: if no love had by chance turned them into a momentary resting place, their gathered splendors never would have been able to produce the least movement of love….Venice becomes beautiful only because one loves there, and not the inverse, despite appearances.” Jean-Luc Marion, God without Being

Recent days have found me contemplating the beauty of landscapes. Currently I find myself in Alaska, which certainly lends itself to a greater awareness of the marvels that confront the soul in wild spaces. I feel at times as though my soul has had a certain spaciousness that awaits to be filled by the natural world in its peculiar beauty.

Jean-Luc Marion is a French philosopher, a phenomenologist who has been accused of pushing the boundaries of phenomenology too far. I have been reading his God without Being as I have continued to research grace and the gift. Marion has a good deal to say, theologically, about the gift.

I find that this quote shifts my paradigm: “Venice becomes beautiful only because one loves there, and not the inverse, despite appearances.” Love of the natural world is what fills it with its particular wonder and awe, although it certainly feels as though the natural world fills us with awe. In reality, “these marvels only frame,” they only support the moment of love.

Alaska

Quick blog explaining my whereabouts....well, a blog that links to a blog that explains my whereabouts....
http://owlrainfeathers.blogspot.com/2010/08/alaska.html

Environmental bumper stickers

An interesting bumper sticker I came across:

"Environmental bumper stickers don't mean shit when they are stuck to CARS."

(Thanks to Zach and Amy.)

Catching up with the world

Tamie and I are spending a bit of time in Vermont. One look at the handy road atlas reveals that Vermont is loaded with scenic highways and byways. It is a beautiful area of the country. Of the entire continental U.S., I would say it ranks at the top of my personal scenic charts. I also love the feel of Montana. Vermont has its own style: great cheese; Ben & Jerry's ice cream; it was green before green was cool; life moves at a slow pace; strip malls are kept to a minimum; and the Wal-martization of the world is kept at bay. So, I love the style.

Tamie has a short, humorous post on the subject:
Vermont: So beautiful it's offensive

For now, I'm trying to catch up a bit on the 'ole blogging front. So, more to come. For the moment, I've been enjoying the New England area.

Portland, Maine

No great ideas. Not even any pictures, unfortunately.

I'm just hanging out here in Portland, Maine, scoping out the possibility of Tamie and I moving here to this wonderful little coastal city. I am couchsurfing with a wonderful host, John. He's been great, and today we bicycled around the city. It's only a city of 60,000 or so folk (not including hamsters), but it has a nice, artists/creative community, and the scenery is lovely. Maine has many islands and a beautiful, rugged stone coast. Ferries (the boats, not gay men or the little enchanted girl creatures with wings) shuttle people out to some of these islands, or just take you around for a few hours or a day of taking in the salt air and the inspiring sights.

Try as I might, it's hard to find anyone give the city a negative review, or say anything disparaging about it. It's like pulling teeth. (Or, perhaps, it's a lot like answering that infamous interview question, "Tell us two or three of your weaknesses." You know the one? Where you try to say something "negative" about yourself, but it actually turns into a positive. Like, "Well, ya' know. One of my weaknesses is that I just get so wrapped up in my work that I can get burned out. Yeah. It can be a real draw back, I tell ya.")

So, I dig Portland, and I think moving here is now in the works. The price of living is a bit higher than living in the cornfields of northern Indiana; but, ya know, we expected that sort of thing.

Oh, and by way of a P.S. We camped in the Adirondacks on our way here to Maine. That was good times. And the drive through Vermont was tops. I mean tops. It was gorgeous. Right through central Vermont, through the Green Mountains. Oh yes. Vermont is tops. And New Hampshire has the absolutely best state motto you shall ever hear. "Live free or die."

Amen.

Recap 09

In 2009 I....

• Started (and stuck with!) a routine of 50 pushups a day in June.
• Launched my Human Narrative Project: to read and review a list of 100 of the best novels.
• Fell in love.
• Began a routine of meditation and contemplative prayer each morning.
• Attended church services more often than I had anticipated.
• Took a seven week road trip out west with Tamie.
• Made a lot of awesome new friends (particularly on said road trip).
• Felt a new appreciation and deep gratitude for life.
• Painted my first two paintings.
• Helped (with Tamie) to start a creative writing class at the county jail.
• Took a chance to leave behind my accounting career.

In 2010 I hope to....

• Rock out 100 pushups a day, for a yearly total of 36,500.
• Read and review 12 enriching novels.
• Continue falling in love.
• Continue to read, practice, and write about the contemplative approach to spirituality.
• See what happens when it comes to church.....
• Visit Alaska.
• Meet more friends.
• Grow in appreciation for life.
• Paint a bit more.
• Continue to watch writing transform lives in the county jail.
• Begin a job that better fits with my personal vision for life.
• Launch a home page where I can organize my writings.
• Start a new Top 100 list for reading/reviewing/blogging.
• Watch the U.S. move toward a more non-interventionist military policy.
• Do more blogging on Paul's New Testament epistles.
• Witness the world come together to advance the cause of environmental sustainability.
• Live in a world that moves closer toward empowering the poor and oppressed.

Next novel---A New Year's Eve event

I will be posting my next novel review of A Thousand Splendid Suns on January 1st at 12:01 am. (This novel, I must say, is both brutal and beautiful. I hope you will have the opportunity to read it.)

Hope to see you here at midnight on the first!

I will probably be toasting the New Year with Tamie's wonderful family here in Winona Lake, Indiana.

Get out of Jail Free Card

Tamie and I are teaching a writing class at the local community jail. Yesterday I taught the class by myself, because Tamie was not feeling well.

Here is the link to my experience yesterday:
http://owlrainfeathers.blogspot.com/2009/07/guest-post-from-jon-about-his-time-at.html

Tamie has been tracking the progress of our interesting experiences on her blog, and she asked me to write a guest post, to summarize the most recent episode.

Land of the Pheasant

I'm off to South Dakota, land of the pheasant, for a family reunion.

Each year, my mother's side of the family all descend upon the family farm on Silver Lake for a party that rivals that of Woodstock.....minus the nudity.

In any event, being as I will be in the middle of South Dakota for a week, I will probably only have limited access to email, but I've got a few scheduled posts, nonetheless, to share with you, my adoring readers. I am going to continue sharing some of my short reflections on the retreat I attended, led by James Finley.

Out to the woods

I am heading up to northern Michigan, Manistee National Forest, this weekend for a few days of solitary camping.....leaving now, back on Tuesday.

Off into the woods for a few days

As of today, Saturday, I'm off into the woods for a few days of camping, reading, writing, etc. I shall return next Thursday, the 4th.....but that will not keep me from posting, of course. I have a scheduled post set to pop up in a few days.

Tea Party

I think these tea parties are idiotic.

In short, it gives people the illusion that they are doing something, when in fact they are just being ignored.

This whole idea that people should protest and shout about how unhappy they are just seems like a completely ineffective way to bring about substantial change. I apply this to protests of all kinds that happen these days. It's nothing like the civil rights protests of the 1960's, for example, where the violence perpetrated on the protesters made the nation take stock of itself. Today's protests are a way to avoid any intellectual or moral responsibility by substituting dialog and real action with a "protest march" that is little more than a gripefest with other malcontents who feel equally unhappy. It isn't revolutionary and it does nothing to reform.

I left a similar comment at our local Tea Party website:
http://kos9-12project.blogspot.com/2009/04/on-april-15th-be-apart-of-kosciusko.html

If you want to see it, you should probably hurry, b/c I'm sure it will be pulled soon.

Indiana today

So, I'm back in Indiana. I arrived back from Germany last night. I know you may think that I am a helpless case, but I realized when I got back how much I missed the American media--watching Sports Center, football (of the American variety), endless sitcoms, movies, and of course coverage of the current election.....and....speaking of the election....goodness gracious! Indiana is a player again! I'm so intrigued. Obama just finished voting in Illinois, and he is on his way to Indianapolis. That's right, my friends, Obama is making his final pitch on the final day in Indiana. He's coming to a state that is staunchly Red Republican, because the campaign thinks he can win it. Amazing. Really. There's a part of me that doesn't even believe that such a thing is possible; mostly it is hard to believe because I live in a very conservative area of Indiana.

They are currently speculating that if Indiana goes to Obama, then the election is over. Indiana finishes their voting first. Indiana always votes Republican; typically they are the first to light up Red. So, whatever happens here will help get an early and significant idea of how the race is going to shape up.

In other news, I had a great trip. It was tons of fun. I will post more pictures and do a bit more blogging as I go along. Right now there are some black squirrels scurrying about in my yard, and I've got to do some unpacking and work out. The work outs have been on hold, apart from some friendly push up competitions with our couchsurfing hosts in Vienna.

Climb Every Mountain

A report on the early stages of my Germany trip.

http://2micetravels.blogspot.com/2008/10/ch-1-climb-every-mountain.html

Note: I (Erdman) am referred to as MV.

mia

For the last several days I have been in the process of preparing my new house (I use the term "new" rather loosely) for the move.

I purchased a small, old house in a very ideal location, and there is much work to be done. I have never done construction, but I have some good friends who have expertise in fix-it-up work.

The two main rooms that we are working on are the living room and a side bedroom. In the side bedroom all things have been ripped down; at one point we could see up through to the roof! There was paneling and a cheap, lowered ceiling that were all ripped out of both rooms.

Lots of demolition. But, as the Good Book says, "There is a time to build up, and a time to tear down." Our time to build up has arrived. Today we work on drywall and patching work.

I never realized that construction was so much fun! (Matt, why didn't you tell me??!!) It's hard work, but very rewarding to see some of the old crap get broken down and taken out. We are transforming a house that had seen a bit of decay and lots of neglect over the years into something new and beautiful again.

Also of interest to me is the people who are helping me. Without their insights and spare hands, I wouldn't even begin. I have obviously very grateful; however, more than just thankfulness is the sense that my house is not just my house. That is, if there are people give their time and knowledge to make this project happen, then it isn't just my project and it isn't just my house.

I think of the old days (and the Amish of the present day) when members of a rural community would all converge on a property for a barn raising. The barn raising involves the whole community who, within a mere day, can construct an entire barn--no small task! But if it is your fellow friends and family whose time and labor have constructed the barn, then there is a sense in which it is both your barn and also a barn that belongs to your friends a family. So, in this sense there is individual rights and individual ownership, but there is still a strong sense that a person is not an island to himself but a part of a greater whole upon which he is dependent and into which he will invest his energies to help the community prosper. (From a philosophical perspective this is some of how the discussion proceeds as it relates to the economy of the gift.)

This sense of dependency is what we have no need of in America. Imagine if I had decided to pursue the accounting/business profession with all of my energy. At this point in life if I were buying a house, I would not waste time purchasing a fixer upper, and any needed repair work would be done by a hired professional, perhaps someone that I knew had a good professional reputation but certainly not a friend. My money would buy work needed to be done, I would have not part in it, and once the transaction is completed I would have no need for the workers and the workers would have no need for me. This is capitalism that creates distance.

In my current situation there is a reciprocity at work: I receive the gift of others and in turn I reciprocate this to others who might need something similar in the future. If one does not need to receive a gift, then one is less likely to give. Mutual dependency creates a sense of responsibility. It also connects us in a deeper way. In current American society, we have lost this. It is part of a larger way of life in which we have lost connectedness with each other and have become fragmented and isolated.

On another miscellaneous note....I told my family and friends that I was not doing Xmas this year. I got some cheers and some jeers. One of my brothers said I was right on and that Xmas was a crock. The other brother said was going to get me a gift, anyway; on Friday I received a FedEx from him that contained a lump of coal. (Actually, it was charcoal briquets that I will use this summer for cookout on the deck that I need to build!)

Photos will follow showing the various steps of de/re/construction. I am keeping something of a photo journal of this whole process.

Well, I must get back to work.

TTYL

Black Hills

Here are a few videos and pictures of my three day hike in the Black Hills. I went with my brother and his wife and we spent our time in the Black Elk Wilderness.










Family Resemblance?



The following two photos are of the sunset at Harney's Peak:




This picture brought to my mind Exodus 13:21



A few more pics of me:



The following is a video clip from the Black Hills. In this clip I am at the top of Harney Peak.

Cuneiform Erdman

Erdman rides on

Son, run to first base like you've got a bear on your back

Cycling on the back roads and corn fields of Indiana is always something of a communion with the beasts; the young deer flex and try on their developed new muscle as they playfully bound along the road and flash their white tails before disappearing into the chest-high corn stalks. The cattle give me a brief look of curiosity as they raise their heads and chew...well, chew whatever it is they chew...I also collect insects on my helmet, glasses, and sometimes carry a few irritating buggers in my eye lids until I can blink them away.

And, of course, there are the dogs....

2/3 of the way and I know they are ready for me. Eight fresh legs ready to pounce upon their prey. It is a prime location for the mangy beasts: the last in a series of three hills that progressively climbs higher and higher. There is no "running start" in this game. The stupid canine are my antagonists. They are the villains in the narrative of this particular cycling route. But I like this route, and my course changes not an inch for these hairy fools.

The darkness is closing in on this evening, but I have motivation. The sound of Rossini's "Feeeeegarooooo" is ringing in my ears as the ballad nears it's conclusion. Another motivation? Ah, yes, I must also ride for my life.

Suddenly the hounds are upon me.

It seems a bit early this time. But never mind, the fatigue is gone and I am pushing up the hill. I am gaining speed and summoning all my powers - we need energy and force. More. Faster. We need power.

Ha! The fool broke too early and came too strong. I'm by him. He is gone.

And all that at the outset of the hill. No other beast in sight. The partner in crime is probably out eating his own vomit or chasing the scent of some possum or rabbit - too absorbed in the distractions of the day-to-day farm life that occupies the attention of an animal so historically despised and scorned. The dog: An animal subject to ridicule; the object of cursing in the ancient world. "You dog!" they would say with particular contempt towards a particularly heinous example of a human being. The soldier might curse and spit the name of his enemies who have ravished the land, "Dirty dogs...filthy beasts...."

Then in an instant the hound emerges from the darkness at full speed, and I sense my doom. I had relaxed even just a bit and so it is now the ride of my life. The creature broke late. One early. One late. Damn those crafty canine!

But I am near the top of the hill! If I can just make it over I'll be home free with gravity pulling me to top speed. If I can only make it!

I summon all my powers.

The dog is literally at my heels. The chase is on. I'm over the hill, but all four of my adversary's fresh legs are now at top speed. So, I fumble to shift, nearly catching my fingers as they slip past the gear controls and into the gap between the tire and the breaks. Pull back. I quickly get my hands back into position as I ride for all I'm worth.

It's over now. And all in only a matter of seconds.

It is perhaps the closest encounter yet with my foes. Hero and villains. Destiny pairs them together, but destiny leaves only one side to ride away with the sweet lady of victory. And so I extend my arm in triumph. First back to acknowledge the efforts of the defeated, and then upward - and now onward.

Erdman rides on. Into the night.

Mt. Rushmore

All states flags are displayed at Mt. Rushmore, along with a dedication plate.




Below's a pic of George W...he, he, the first one....It looks like one of those rip-away affects, but this is the actual picture taken through two rocks. I was close to the faces and took a click of George through an opening in between some rock. I thought it was a cool effect.


Below is Gutzon Borglum, the genius behind Mt. Rushmore:


Some of the high-tech equipment used to carve out the Rusmore monument:



Internet connections have been few and far between on my mini-sabbatical to the remote midwest. Currently I am furiously blogging away on a wireless connection at Starbucks here in Davenport - and this despite the fact that the good folk at Starbucks claim that they have no wireless internet connection. This is, of course, better than the McDonald's and Burger King in Huron who claimed that they had a wireless connection that was non-connectable.

Fast thoughts on Rushmore:
- Struck by irony as I viewed the faces with the other tourists.
- Felt very patriotic and nationalistic.
- Mt. Rushmore is an incredible, massive work of art.
- Borglum, its creator (see above), was a motivated, patriotic, energetic genius. (Like Hesiak!)
- Irony: Major national monument carved into sacred Indian grounds stolen away from the Indians by the US (pale face).
- Perhaps this irony and many like it are at the heart of our American heritage.
- US = A nation whose ideals are sound and just and good.
- US = Rarely fully lives up to said ideals.
- US = Often forced into pragmatic (see "lesser of two evils") means to accomplish just/good ends.
- Melting pot = a collage of ideals.
- The ultimate product is a strange brew, indeed.
- Prez. faces carved into stolen Indian land is as ironic as the fact that "French Fries" are an American food.