hooooo!

what's that sound? oh my god! that's hacksaw jim duggan's drunken slur!

the south is going to (fail to) rise again on thursday night, april 29 at the irish american in malden. proceeds from this event will support triangle, so dust off your 2 x 4, grow out your mullet and meet me there!

tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. email me for more ridicule and details.

crazy magnet

one of the priviledges of pastoral ministry is checking up on friends who are ill. yesterday evening when i was surprised by the following exchange at an assisted living facility in danvers.

unknown elderly gentleman (eg): "you better wear the green tomorrow!"

g13: "i'm not irish,* so why should i?"

eg: "because bad things happen to those who don't!"

g13: "like what?"

eg: "like getting your head chopped off."


* though i just might be korean

on soybean and subversion

after church last week i was talking to my colleague about my soybean bible experience. in the midst of the conversation i admitted that "15-20% of the faculty and students at soybean seemed to loathe me." menasco quickly noted that 15-20% is a significant number, but it's a figure that i've grown accustomed to and, to be honest, pretty comfortable with. i continued by affirming that i am "thankful for, and humbled by, the insightful professors and friends who revealed a subversive grid within my own tradition."

that grid - which consists of castelein's conception of jacob as a model for ministry, neal's teaching on the ladder of descent, birdie's emphasis on constant prayer & worship & lowery's reticence in regards to inerrancy as well as many other strands - has deeply informed, if not directed, the path of the loyal radical that i am trying to walk.

overheard

in a moving piece in the april atlantic, jonathan rauch recounts the challenges he faced caring for his aging father and argues that since elder care plays such an essential part in most of our lives that "we should all be given time off work at age 40 to take a course on elder care."

i think rauch has pointed out a great unmet need in our society that our faith communities are well positioned to address. maybe a megachurch can start an "enjoying geriatrics" program or something.