The Arrow's Path

A few weeks back when I was doing the anti-racism training, I accidentally blundered into a wedding reception that was going on in the same building. The building was a seminary with a chapel. And as tempting as it is to chase that white rabbit, so to speak, I'll ignore the possible comedic irony of a wedding and anti-racism training going on at the same time in the same building. I remember commenting that there was dancing at this particular anti-racist wedding (sorry, I had to chase the white rabbit after all) to one of the other Seaburians. It came as quite a shock to her that I do not think I have ever been to a wedding where there was dancing afterwards. Her reaction was just the opposite. She thought I was joking because she had never been to a wedding that had not had dancing. I did not really think much about that particular misadventure again until yesterday when another friend of mine was discussing upcoming nuptials. The same conversation ensued with the same reaction:...

Thanks to Liturgical Music II for help with coming up with the final piece for this week's edition. I apologize for the dubious scan quality...I am having to use a different scanner since the one I usually use is out of commission. Clicking to enlarge helps.

Growing out in the garth (which is Anglo-speak for "yard"), was this beautiful iris. I took a picture of it as it was an almost perfect fleur-de-lis (which is French-speak for "because baguettes and escargo just don't work on heraldic crests").

Man finds python in rental car (Only in Kentucky) Man loses 1.2 billion in cash in office fire (And you thought you were having a bad day) University postpones exams due to World Cup (and yet we don't get Memorial Day off)

We have finally pushed into the final week of the school year. In some ways I ask, "where has it gone?" In other ways I ask, "how can it not be over yet?" I was thinking back to fall term when we had Plunge, the same week the Sox won the World Series. Seems sort of long ago in a galaxy far, far away. And yet in other ways, I realize I have been at Seabury for 2 years. Seems like just yesterday I was getting lost by wandering down all of Seabury's Hobbit holes. Strange how that works. What's really weird is that I won't see one of my roommates until the beginning of spring term next year. I am going to be in England in the fall, and he is going away for field education winter term. Its really weird to think I will come back in January and there will be a whole new group of students I won't know. (And from what the registrar tells me, it might be a sizable class). I went to a Cubs/Braves game yesterday with one of the seniors, and it hit me that this ...

Being the last stretch run of the quarter here at the 'Bury, we have reached what I call Sink or Swim Week. All things considered, I probably have it better than my cousin who shipped off to Army bootcamp this morning. The power finally came back on, which is a good thing. I hate having to sit in my room in the dark at night with nothing to do or read. During these times, and only during these times, does one have an appreciation for those voyeuristic math word problems you had to do in high school: the ones that say something about Sally being stuck in a dark closet with a bureau full of three different colors of socks in the drawer, and you have to calculate the fewest number of socks she can pull out that guarantees she has at least one matching pair. I was always more curious as to who Sally was and why she would keep a bureau full of socks in a dark closet to begin with. It always seemed to me if she was asking a stranger to calculate sock odds in a dark closet, she might as w...

After a nice rainstorm last night, I awoke this morning to realize my alarm clock was not working. Luckily I didn't have a class to go to, so I just assumed the power was out and tried to go back to sleep. Just as I was about to doze back off, I realized that the clock on the microwave in the living room, which I could see from where I was lying, was in fact working. I think our brains are wired so that when something weird presents itself, we have to figure it out. So, I ran through the checklist...clock not working, computer not working, overhead not working. Nothing in either living room or bedroom working except the microwave on the far wall. It is amazing how dependant we are on electricity. No coffee pot, no computer, no TV. Luckily the computers in the lab are working, so I can blogStrange but true...only a partial power outtage. The Seabury Gremlin strikes again.

I was driving home from church on Sunday, and this woman in front of me had the following bumper sticker on her car: "My Tattooist beat up your Tattooist." There was also the name of a tattoo parlor and address from somewhere. I think it read St. Louis, but I was not about to tail gate a woman with that sort of bumper sticker just so I could read the entirety of said bumper sticker. I must admit that was an interesting marketing ploy. I don't know about you, but I don't think I would particularly want to get body art from a thug. I guess I am just not of the feng-shui-skid-row demographic.

Seabury finally has a new website . It looks pretty good, but not all that spectacular. Most of the pictures are of people who have since graduated. At least they got rid of the old website which was just a blog with that horrid picture taken from across the street at Garrett where everything around Seabury looks dead. Progress marches on...

You scored as The Kingdom is mystical communion . The Kingdom is mostly mystical communion. You place a strong emphasis on continuity with those who have gone before you in the faith, and you might see the Kingdom of God as primarily a matter of spirituality. The Kingdom is mystical communion 83% Kingdom as a Christianised Society 75% The Kingdom as Institutional Church 67% The Kingdom as a counter-system 67% The Kingdom is a Future Hope 42% Inner spiritual experience 33% The Kingdom as a political state 33% The Kingdom as Earthly Utopia 33% What is the Kingdom of God? created with QuizFarm.com

I just got back from the three day anti-racism training that you have to take at some point if you are going to be ordained in the Episcopal Church. Several groups do such training. The one I took was called Crossroads and we took it down at LSTC (the Lutheran Seminary in Hyde Park). I think the thing I learned the most about (and I post this in some jest because the subject matter was so intense I have to laugh or go crazy at this point) is ecumenical relations. This training contained some folks from the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago (including Seaburians), The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago (as opposed to a columned- or buttressed-diocese), and the Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Each group sat at their own table, no doubt to further ecumenical inbreeding. We were going around the room the first night to introduce ourselves, where we were from, and why our diocese/archdiocese/synod/klingon high council thought racism was a problem. The Lutherans went first...

In lieu of regular refectory meals on Memorial Day, Seaburians, faculty, and their families are invited to the Cookout on the West Garth at 5:45 PM on Memorial day. Hotdogs, Burgers (both regular and veggie), etc. will be grilled out. Slaw and drinks also provided. If you have a side dish you would like to share, please bring it along. There will be a sign up sheet at the front desk, so we can get an idea of how many people will be coming. If you have any questions, talk to me or Davies.

Stradivarius violin sells for $3.5 million (if only Larry the Stooge had known) Seatbelt saves woman from gunshot (addition to airline safety belt instructions to follow: In the event of a water landing or random bullet through the fuselage...) Chest tattoo spells out woman’s medical wishes (hope she doesn't change her mind)

Note to self: When writing papers, it is best to actually read the directions in the syllabus before writing. 3 pages will not cut it for a 6 to 8 page paper... -The Archer+

The Episcopal News Service now has a page with video interviews of all the candidates for Presiding Bishop. If you have the time, the interviews are well done although a trifle lacking in substance. The candidates (with quotes I have dug up) are: J. Neil Alexander, Bishop of Atlanta “If you must choose between heresy and schism, choose heresy. For heresy is, in the end, just an opinion, and opinions come and go. Schism tears the fabric of the Body of Christ and is irreparable.” -Alexander, remarking on those leaving the Episcopal Church, diocesan newsletter “DioLog”, March 2004. Francisco J. Duque-Gomez, Bishop of Columbia “They [young people] are anxious to experience a Jesus who is closer, more human, more sensitive to the realities they face in their young lives. This influx of young people, and others, demonstrates that, in actuality, it is not our edifices, not our material goods that attracts people to us, it is our effort to keep alive our evangelical zeal … our concern to show...

The Russian Orthodox are having problems as well apparently.

New genus (not species!) of Monkey found Woman collects outhouses as hobby Stilton cheese perfume

I was over helping out my friends at Illinois Doberman Rescue as there are always lots of new arrivals in late spring due to the fact that the "cute Christmas puppy" is not so cute anymore. One of the dogs they had there, apparently a doberman-rottweiler mix, had the most beautiful coat I have ever seen. This picture doesn't do Liberty justice... In other pet rescue news, while I was working )or playing as the case may be) over at IDR, I made an aquaintance over at the Evanston Animal Shelter. So, I am going to attach a link to their shelter here on my blog.

You Are an Orange Margarita At first glance, you are very unique - but deep down you are still quite a traditionalist.A margarita may be "too fancy" for you, but you'll never turn a free one down. What Flavor Margarita Are You?

Enjoying my Spring Break III...er, Reading Week...I trekked back down to the South Side for my first baseball game of the year. The Sox were playing the "We can't figure out what city we live in" Angels. Freddy Garcia (5-1) pitched a gem of a game, striking out six (the first of which is pictured) and retiring the last 16 men he faced. Jim Thome hit a 3-run blast. It was a lot of fun if you were a Sox fan. There was also quite possibly the best catch I have ever seen live. The Sox ripped off Tim Salmon of a homerun...what a beautiful thing. I was afraid it was going to rain, as it had been cloudy all day and the weatherman said patchy thunderstorms for the evening. But, yet again, the weatherman screwed up and still gets to keep his job. The temperature was warm and nary a drop of rain fell. Oddly, the woman sitting next to me was determined to convince me that I look like Sox first baseman Paul Konerko. Of course, this was after she had six beers. From my calculations, t...

I was at the grocery store yesterday picking up some munchies for reading week. It was a beautiful spring day: the birds were chirping, the weirdo power walkers were out doing their thing. You know it's spring when the Middle Life Crisis toys come out. No, not those 50 year old geeks who fly RC planes, I mean real toys: sports cars. As I was walking back to my car through the parking lot, all the sports cars were out. 'Vettes, Convertibles, you know...all those cars that are completely wasted on men who have beer bellies and bald spots and yet, ironically, who are the only people who can afford them. In any event, I was fascinated by the penchant of humans to attach letters and numbers to their automobiles. You know, cars with titles like Jaguar XK . XK ...do letters like that have a meaning? Is there some sort of Rosetta Stone for Car-roglyphics? Inquiring minds want to know, so the Archer went home to do some investigative reporting. I surfed around the web, the information s...

Several dioceses in ECUSA were electing bishops today, and here are the results: California: Mark Andrus on the 3rd ballot Northern California: Barry Beisner on the 4th Ballot Eastern Michigan: Todd Ousley on the 5th Ballot Tennessee: Insufficient for Election , a source tells me the search process will begin all over again.

Amazingly, I have one more class across the street at Garrett. We (Seabury) started earlier and go later...that's real scheduling talent. I have finally decided I hate the quarter system. Back to back winter and spring terms is just a little much. But, in all seriousness, the "Pastor as Counselor" class was really great. It was well worth missing my spring break for it. I intend on taking another class with Dr. Hogue next year if I can swing it. If anybody is considering taking one as an elective, it has Archer approval, and, let's face it, that's the most important recommendation ever .

You will need to proceed in the following order: 1. Take some classes in Scriptural exegesis. 2. Click to enlarge. 3. Groan. 4. (optional) Throw tomatoes. If you make it to option 4, please only throw virtual tomatoes. -The Management

Here's a fun little number about a character whose Cherokee name is "Hemp-carrier." Makes one wonder how he got that name, but he's going to need it if he ends up with 7 wives... -The Archer + 95. Hemp-carrier On the southern slope of the ridge, along the trail from Robbinsville to Valley river, in Cherokee county, North Carolina, are the remains of a number of stone cairns. The piles are leveled now, but thirty years ago the stones were still heaped up into pyramids, to which every Cherokee who passed added a stone. According to the tradition these piles marked the graves of a number of women and children of the tribe who were surprised and killed on the spot by a raiding party of the Iroquois shortly before the final peace between the two Nations. As soon as the news was brought to the settlements on Hiwassee and Cheowa a party was made under Tâle'tanigi'skï, "Hemp-carrier," to follow and take vengeance on the enemy. Among others of the party was t...