XBox disappointments

Grrrrrr. there are a few things I like to do to unwind, and though I don't really feel entitled or like I've been denied some right of mind, it still disappoints me when they don't pan out. Call me a selfish sellout if you want, but I really was looking forward to picking up a nice bright, shiny XBox 360, the new game console that supposedly was launched by Microsoft earlier this week. I even preordered one about a month before the launch date, which probably classifies me as a little obsessive at the least. here's the kicker, though: About 70 more obsessive people than me paid deposits ealier than I did, and about fifty of those were too late to get machines...only about 20 available. There is a huge shortage of the machines, and if you haven't already ordered one by now, the earliest you can get one is probably February. At least that's what EBGames online reports, and most places like amazon, and BestBuy.com aren't taking orders anymore. Some freaks are already selling the machines they bought yesterday to people with even more discretionary money and less patience and self control than I have (and le me be clear that these are not my strong suits) via ebay. Current selling average for the $400 seems to be close to double the retail price. Double! I mean, granted, february is a long time away, but buying one for double the price is about the same as renting one for a couple hundred bucks a month. that's crazy.

I dpn't know how many were available here in Little Rock, but it seems like maybe a couple of hundred. If there had been enough, they'd have sold several thousand. Eventually they probably will anyways, but It'll taste more bitter.

C'mon Microsoft. Most folks already hate you, but we buy your crap anyways. Or at least we would if you would let us.

Why can't apple make a game console? Something like an ibox or something.

Living in a HUT

This past weekend we took some of our 8th and 9th grade kids (and lots of parents!) to HUT, on a retreat oriented around being conscious of poverty issues around the world. HUT is a mock global village, with living environments from southeast Asia, Latin America, Haiti, Appalacian America, and East Africa. The retreat basically involves a lot of situational role play, and experience in different kinds of work projects.

For the most part, it is amazing how unaware of both our wwealth and of global poverty. It's impossible to get into our American heads how extremely different our situation is from the rest of the world around us. The way we define things like "adequate" and "comfortable" is somewhat ridiculous. I can't even put this thought in concrete examples, becaues it sounds silly to say things like "I think that soft couches are important for me, but really it is nice to have a house.

HUT is kind of a silly thing because it tries to simulate things that are so out of our minds that we can't really even process them. It's not even really just a matter of selfishness (though it's pretty close) but just a matter of understanding reality. I really am blind to world poverty. I can't see it, can't process it as reality.

Okay, I've got to go, but There's more about this to come.

reboot

Sometimes things just get crammed, and instead of piking up the old thread, it's just better to start another.

Okay T-Rev, this is for you.

I've been on the go like crazy over the past month, buying a house in the process and getting moved in. A remarkable amount of work went into pulling down the freaking wallpaper, but now it's all painted up and ready to go.

I've also been working my tail off trying to keep up with grad school homwework and general work, but it's all been really fun. I've enjoyed the greek, learned a whole lot about the medieval church, and after tomorrow will have a functioning hot tub at my cozy home. So life is good.


And I'm thinking a lot about the incarnation and the trinity.

ouch

Last night I scrimaged with my new soccer team for the first time, and I woke up this mornign with the stiffest neck ever. I've applied ice-hot, swalled some Ibuprofin, and rubbed it down as well as I can, but still the stiffness remains. But oh, was it worth it!

Despite being out of breath about two minutes into the scrimage, and sucking some serious wind for the remainder, I had a blast. It was just excitiing to be in that kind of a competitive forum again, to be able to run and play and strive. It was serious good times, and I squeezed in a goal to end the game, and that sealed the fun up nicely for me. You would have been proud Hobbes, even thought you'd probably make me run ten miles today so that I wouldn't be such a slacker next time around. Of course, I also botched a couple of chances, but felt like on the whole I got some good work in, and really just enjoyed geting to meet some new teammates. I'm sure the adventures will steadily increase for some time. Let's just hope the pain in my neck takes a different path.

Vonnegut and Bama

Last night I finished Kurt Vonnegut's novel Slaughterhouse 5, a really funny anti-war polemic about the Dresden bombing in WWII. It's a really witty book with some pretty stout power behind it. Vonnegut uses the same kind of repeition that I like in Chuck Palahniuk's novels.

In other news, I keep being drawn to various news sources (www.al.com) for whatever scrap news I read on the upcoming college football season. It makes me nervous to read some of this stuff, just because I can feel the emotional pull of it. I think Bama will be fine, but you just never know until the ball gets kicked over the field that first time. I think that Croyle staying healthy could give us a great chance at the west title, but that less is pinned on him than it was last year, regardless. the new O-line makes me a bit nervous...so much of what they do changes the game, and I think I'd almost rather have a rock solid O-line than just about anything else. All in all, though, I think they'll be fine, if they can use those early games and get some quick experience. South Carolina will open conference play for us, and that's usch a wild card with spurrior out there. Still, I can't imagine that they'll be ready yet, with all the off the field problems.

Of course, I'm reasonably confident that Arkansas is going to suck, and that makes me feel better. At least in sports the tendency to define ourselves against others can probably go unchecked.

laundry

this morning I woke up, and before sauntering in to the office, continued the work on the laundry which my wife very graciously began yesterday. (the laundry is normally my job). This brings up a couple of thoughts.

first of all, it is amazing how much laundry the two of us go through in a week. I mean, incredible. It really does ofer support to the future picture of humanity found in shows like star trek, where everybody basically wears a uniform all day. I could really go for a common human uniform, provided it allows for freedom of movement and comfort in both warm in cool temperatures. I think if one type of clothing were appropriate for work, play, hanging around the house, and school, It would cut down on the laundry task for my household considerably.

I remember in jr high we had these pe uniforms, and nobody would wash them (at least the guys) for like several months at a time. Most of the time when I think of this, I think about how gross this is. but now, I'm inclined to think about how many loads of laundry that eventually saved. I'm glad I did it.

back in the saddle again

Okay, that's it folks, the wild ride we call summer is drawing to a close, and that means my life becomes somewhat normal again. Bring on the routines! all the normal backdrops that put my life in context have been sorely missed, and I'm ready for their return.

One of those routines is blogging, so here I will continue to raise my ebenezer, and delightfully think with my fingers.

A couple of days ago I listened to the Nirvana Nevermind album in its entirity, with a great deal of inentionality...not doing anything else but listening. I think I want to do it again, but with a pecil in myhand or keyboard under my fingers, just to think through the music. so much anger, confusion in that music. and it's a part of me? What an ineresting person I am. I fascinate myself.

I think I'm regaining curiosity about a lof of differnt things, these days. I find myself glued to my fishtank, or to a chair where I can watch a line of ants for a while, just filled with fascination. and I hope it won't offend any of my dear students ho read this, but Ihave to say that one reason I love my job is because I get to "watch" adolescents grow, change, talk with their friends, eat, play, and just live. I really think that teenagers are fascinating beings, just so darn interesting. the way they think intrigues me, and just the way that they behave...how terrific!

Sweet Home Indeed

I hope you've all had a terrific holiday, mine was wonderfully exhausting, leaving me with the type of tiredness that signals fulfilling experience. It feels good to have given of yourself and feel like your heart and sweat have been invested in something worthwhile.

We took about twenty-five kids, most of them 14-15 years old with a few younger and older students along as well, down to Birmingham Alabama to work with Habitat for Humanity. The experience left us all worn out, but with a powerful memory. Habitat is an organization that works with folks who need affordable housing but don't have a lot to work with. It helps arrange for no-interest mortgages on houses built by volunteers to be sold for no profit. I only knew the organization by reputation before hand, but working with them was such a powerful experience that I would heartily contribute to the rumor that has built that rep. Habitat is an impressive program...if you get a chance, get involved!

I was extremely proud of our kids who went along...they worked very hard and were just a blast to hang out with. If any of you guys that went want to recount some of your thoughts or stories here, feel free.

Cracking into Kierkegaard these days.(I kept being pointed in that direction by Bonhoeffer) His personality comes out so much clearer than other philosophers/writers of his day, at least in my limited experience. I think we would have been buddies. He really does crack me up, too. More on that later, but some thoughts from the more academically minded that wander this way would be appreciated. Dante, I'm particularly curious about your thoughts on the Dane.