Cool Way to End the Year

I just got the following message in my e-mail today. (I used the moniker "America's Visitor" in my newsletters when I walked the country.)

dear dennis,
i am looking for dennis r plummer, who i met almost 20 years ago, at the oregon coast. At the time i was living with my girlfriend in neskowin not far from lincoln city. one rainy day a guy named dennis plummer was passing through our town and took shelter at a bus stop. we started talking to each other and i offered him to stay with us over thanks giving, it must have been the year 1991.
My name is (schappo) and if you are the american visitor who walked through the u.s. it would be great if you would answer my mail.
yours schappo

As I remember it, it was one of my best Thanksgiving celebrations and I have often shared the memory with others. I hope to be in touch with Schappo.

Neskowin, Oregon.

One of My Favorite Places

Please watch this video. $1 will be donated to Health Care for the Homeless for each unique view.

Then Again

Someone once told me that they think sex is only penetration. What do you think?

Scripture...The Way You Like It

Read an Advent book over Christmas break. Found this scary twist in the translation of a famous passage:

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to men with whom God is pleased.

I suppose those last five words make a whole lot of justification possible.

Comment

This came from Eric in response to Bass Ackwards, and I didn't want it to get buried in the comments.

"When I was in ministry I was really supportive of a book called "I Kissed Dating Goodbye." It was a really good book in a lot of ways, though I think it's a bit totalitarian and redcuctionist in its thinking. But it had a lot of good points.

"But I have to say, I have had several friends from Africa and the Middle East who were in arranged marriages, and they all said the same thing: American's have it all wrong. Love is a decision, not a feeling, and the feeling always comes if you make the decision first to really love and honor the other person. I have to wonder how much of what we call "love" is really a product of our social indoctrination and filters."

That reminds me of the anonymous comment someone posted to this blog back in October. The person said that his/her marriage was arranged, that love and adoration came second.

Perhaps our dating services should evolve into marriage services.

It snowed this week on the Sandia mountains. Amazing how with just two inches of snow, the mountains look closer!

"They are closer," said my older brother.

(How the mts. look when two inches closer.)

Bass Ackwards

I was reared to believe that you first find out if you are compatible with someone emotionally and intellectually, then you advance to having sex together. A friend told me the other day that our culture has sex first and then figures out if they emotionally connect and need each other.

I suppose that it is more time efficient. Problem is that I find sex to be emotional.

I dreamed that I escaped life's responsibilities by having a stroke. (Not a pleasant way to do that, but escape nonetheless.)

Since dreams are a form of escape, does escaping from escape make it reality?

USD

I made a deposit today at the bank by using the drive-thru window. While waiting for the deposit slip to come back, I noticed this sign on the machine:

"Backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.

The U.S.A. national debt (as of 9:44 PM GMT) was $9,170,647,233,269.71.

Is that the "credit" backing my deposit?

And exactly what is the "faith of the government"?

Rest of Week and End

Friday was an uneventful day. Spent Saturday shopping. Had breakfast and a good conversation with a friend this morning. Hosting a holiday concert in the shelter this afternoon.

Otherwise, all is quiet on the southwestern front.

Ahhhhhhh...

Took the day off from work yesterday and enjoyed a perfect day.

Haircut and cleaning my car in the AM. Then off to Santa Fe with a friend. Hung out all afternoon at the Tea House (awesome place) and went to a concert by Krishna Das in the evening. My mind and soul were completely soothed.

I know some people who doubt the existence of God. But I never knew that there is also a wind controversy. Especially not to the point where folks are compelled to post their beliefs along the freeway!

Care to Join Me?

A friend gave me two $100 tickets for a fancy reception tonight. Since I don't have a date, I will only use one, but I am determined to have fun anyway.

(Image Source: Sam Brown.)

True to Form

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am focusing on filling my time with interesting activity. I attending a public lecture on George Orwell Thursday evening. Friday morning, I left the house at 7:30 AM and went hiking in the fog of Otero canyon. Friday evening I joined two friends for a tea tasting at a local tea shop. Saturday was filled with attending a federal grant workshop.

Today, Sunday, I shared an early morning breakfast and conversation with my landlord, went to church, met a friend for brunch, went to a crystal shop and am now typing at another local coffee shop.