My friend Gary sent me a blog post using systems theory to explain the dysfunction of the protestors. Ed Friedman, who has instructed generations of clergy, helped identify how groups of immature people can take an organization hostage while “peace-makers” avoid tough issues. Immaturity is common across the spectrum: individuals who whinge at being constrained; and those who think every moment of discomfort is abuse.
The evidence keeps piling up. After recent Washington Post article about how the president refused to read his daily intelligence briefs, I affirm that all I want for the any executive in public leadership is someone who has some degree of emotional competence in caring for people outside of their network, and does their homework.
We don’t need a whiner in chief. We don’t need someone who needs our attention. We someone who takes governing seriously.
Bless the President
Bless the president;
Somewhere he heard on the TV
light would cure the plague.
Somehow the contagion
could be stopped by a simple spray,
an injection into the blood.
He got the mechanics wrong.
He mistook a surface for the soul.
We did not need to be injected
with light or a fluid
To learn we are radiant
and redeemed.
Within the waves from when time begun,
the waters of the earth,
the lamb’s costly blood, enough
to echo in the words of The Healer:
This was not meant to be magic,
but the ferociously gentle revelation,
that our salvation
is in our solidarity.
Quarantine Diary
I’m fascinated by the idea of military discipline in a life.
I don’t idealize it, especially the punitive, harsh, and exacting control of one person over the other. I admire the focus and the identification of what is important and what is not.
Because I do not often share that focus, and I sometimes wonder if a little more would be more liberating.
I made some phone calls today and scheduled on some of the platforms. Two meetings – one on the PPP, and the other on energy transformation. We’ve had some amazing success: first, Chase has been calling our churches back. And we’ve gotten some good press.
Second, we were able to negotiate free wifi with a new tower in the Bronx. This will give students staying at home one tool to stay on top of classes.
Third, the state pledged $10 million dollars to invest in energy transition, which will give a number of institutions the ability to take the first step and get off of carbon.
And last, the governor said he was willing to work with churches to provide testing. It was a great shout out, because we’ve been telling him we want to help.
I was able to get to the laundromat. It’s closing early these days, but I want to still support our local businesses. I also like that they fold the clothes for me. It’s a small price to pay.
Found a correct size bolt for my iphone tripod. I’m glad I did because I didn’t want to have to get another on the way to becoming an influencer or vlogger.
My brother, his wife and I shared dinner over facebook. He made a lamb ragu; I ate my leftover vindaloo.
Tomorrow my goal is to go for a walk, stretch and swing the kettlebell around. I don’t know what time I will do it, but perhaps I will first imagine myself as a soldier, doing the work to prepare for whatever war awaits.
Quarantine
Third Sunday in Easter. Two services. Sixteen people Zoomed.
A few were regular members for whom this was their first time joining. One, a woman who has been suffering from dementia, looked happy to see faces. I’d spent several hours over the last few weeks trying to connect her to zoom before finally reaching one of her children.
And there she was, brightly smiling. I’d run into her yesterday in front of the church. She said, “I’ll see you tomorrow at church” but I wasn’t sure if she would be hooked up. I was worried she’d actually walk over.
Luis, who has been helping me with the power point we would use for the service, said we avoided a zoombombing attempt. I wonder if it was a parishioner who has been living in Florida and calling from her phone rather than using the app. “It was a lot of numbers” he said. She’d called me five minutes before the service trying to get in.
I forgot the small circular light that allows me to be visible. The computer camera isn’t adequate, but most laptop cameras are now sold out because of the pandemic. There simply aren’t any more $70 Logitech cameras out there, except for the ones being sold for $200 on ebay.
Fucking gougers.
That and hair clippers. Tempted to just shave the head, and stop shaving the beard.
Was going to bring some AAA batteries home, but the remaining sixteen ones in my desk had clearly expired, some kind of fuzz accumulating at the very end. Looked online to purchase some rechargable ones and then proceeded to buy Amazon ones, because they’re cheap, and I felt guilty because it’s Amazon.
My housemates were on a cleaning tear, so the kitchen and shared bathroom got mopped. Because of the virus, I’ve been sending small amounts to the cleaner until this passes.
I’ve been wanting to create a video of making chicken Vindaloo, but I’ve run out of onions. So after my two hour nap, I went to H-Mart, the large Korean Chain which has been taking this seriously for a long time. Everyone who enters is given a spritz of hand sanitizer, a disinfectant wipe and gloves. I didn’t see anyone without a mask.
H-mart has some unusual choices. They have one egg brand that sells brown and blue eggs, and the yoke is one of the deepest amber oranges I’ve ever seen. They have some British and Finnish butters. And of course, they have marinated meats and kim chi. Kim chi has become and essential, in part because I find it livens up eggs and soups. I picked up one quart, along with some mild Korean red pepper and some fermented pepper paste. My plan is to make this Korean dish named Dokk Dori Tang in the near future. It’s essentially a braised chicken stew with potatoes, carrots and peppers.
I filmed my making of the chicken vindaloo, but it will be fundamentally unhelpful. But who actually watches cooking videos to follow?
Some emails about applying for the PPP.
My legs feel tight and achey. I could blame it on the virus, but mainly its because I haven’t been stretching or lifting.
The dishes are finished. Good cooking is mainly about putting everything in place, and then doing the dishes.
Only after you’ve mastered the art of preparation and clean up will cooking seem like a joy.
Quarantine Diary
The sun is out and it is warm and breezy. Families are riding their bikes.
Yesterday I put together a compost bin. The nuts and lugs required grease and muscle, but I used just enough to make it stable. Today I emptied the refrigerator of expired food and placed it in a bowl with the coffee grounds from this morning. I browse the internet for worms.
Went to church and stood in front while people drove by. A few parishioners visited and we all stood apart, with our masks and related quarantine stories. I didn’t know exactly what to say when people asked me what I was doing. But he new heating system is on, it feels comfortable, and people were impressed as they went in . There is no dampness anymore.
I peruse FB. People are disposing of food and killing hogs. A friend of mine is dancing and wearing glitter and bringing joy and health but I waited too long to start with them and my body seems slightly achey.
The beans in the instapot have finished. A sermon must be written for the teleprompter. I read of blood clots and think of survival.
The Divine Latitude 