It doesn't matter if you're solid or hollow. It's still painful.

Courtesy of my good friend Andy (aka Chartreuse Menagerie).

Sunshine and babies make the heart glad

I spent this past weekend visiting my girlfriend Olivia's family in the east-bay of Northern California. We had a great time and I felt at home with her family right away. It didn't take long for the kidding to begin; both her Step-Dad and brother Shawn located a weakness in the "new guy" immediately: he's a Seattle Mariners fan. Living in the Bay Area, naturally they are fans of the Oakland A's who beat (or more appropriately crushed and slaughtered) my beloved M's 19 out of 21 games last year (or something ridiculous like that). That's alright. Maybe I'm naive, but you know what they say about paybacks . . .

It was also a great visit because Shawn and his wife Misty were bringing their newborn son Christian back home for the first time. As you can see from the picture (not my favorite picture, but it will have to do), he's a pretty cute little guy. And he's got a personality to boot - not fussy and whiny (or doesn't seem to be at this point), but happy and content most of the time. Babies seem to have a disarming presence about them. In the midst of family squabbles and conflict, all the trouble doesn't seem quite as severe or important with a little bundle of joy around.

And of course, it was also sunny and in the upper 70s. I didn't realize how badly I missed the sun until I saw it again for a sustained amount of time. As our return flight descended upon the Seattle gloom-weather, it was hard not to reminisce about back-yard barbeques amongst Orange and Lemon trees with Richie Masadas cupping his hands and yelling (as only Richie can do), "Je-SUS!" to howls of joyful laughter. It was a good weekend.

12 Things I wish I knew as a convert

I'm not sure if 'Orthodox humor' is any funnier than the typical 'Christian humor,' but I stumbled across this recently and found it to be pretty amusing and insightful.

1. Take a Long Time.
2. Catechumens are Expected to Learn.
3. After your Baptism/Chrismation, Add Regular Confession and Communion to Rule #2.
4. The Grass is Never Greener; or, Never Know Too Many Priests.
5. Don’t be a weirdo.
6. Worry About Yourself.
7. You Aren’t a Monk, You Aren’t a Priest, Don’t Plan on Being One.
8. No One has Screwed Your Life up More Than You: Listen to Others First.
9. Don’t Play House.
10. Don’t Look Back; Don’t Look Back in Anger.
11. Don’t Write or Speak About Your Conversion Publicly.
12. Whether Cradle or Convert, We Must All Convert Everyday.

The entire post can be read here.

Best served with slippers and a glass of warm milk

I recently viewed the concert DVD Jeff Tweedy: Sunken Treasure Live from the Pacific Northwest, which chronicles the Wilco front-man's solo tour from Seattle through its various stops on down to San Francisco. The show was notable for me, most obviously because of my love of the folkie-troubadour-Americana vibe a la Dylan, Guthrie and Van Ronk.

The organic elements of acoustic guitar, voice and harmonica give the spotlight to Tweedy's greatest strength: the songs themselves. Not gifted with the strongest voice or the boldest guitar chops, Tweedy crafts songs that are insightful, poignant, and uplifting while simultaneously twinged with a melancholy that borders on despair. Several of the tunes and interviews on the DVD bear spiritual insights worth listening to; unfortunately (for me) they lean towards territory that is at best cynical and at worst blasphemous.

The only other real downside is, throughout the film Tweedy is sporting perhaps the most horrific-looking beard in the history of mankind (its scraggly and spotty appearance actually manages to distract from the music on several occasions).

Most importantly, watching the DVD filled me with a sense of nostalgia and wonder recalling one of the first dates I had with Olivia -- at the Seattle show! And we kissed afterwards! Good times.

Hmm . . . I could get used to this

This past week I began to work from home. I now get paid to sit at a desk in my bedroom and counsel people over the phone. Initially it was a bit strange, but by the second day I was getting used to it. Hey, I can take a shower on my first break! and other such exciting discoveries have been the theme of recent days.

If there is going to be a problem, it will be in how I choose to spend my free time. By the end of my shift I am more than ready to leave the house, the only problem being that it is the time of the evening when friends/family are already home having wrapped up their day and are getting ready to turn in. I'll have to make some further adjustments, but for now I am basking in the glory of working in my pj's.