Spring (false?) Hopes

At the time of this writing (Tuesday 3/7/23) the Kansas City Royals are in first place in the Cactus League Spring Training standings. They are 10-2 and hitting the lights out of the ball.

I shall enjoy this while it lasts because projections for the Royals this year are pretty grim. Most computer models have the Royals finishing with around 90 losses and in last place in a weak division. 

But spring is a time of hope right? Spring training games don't really matter do they? Well, winning is always better than losing and I'll take it right now because when the real games start it might get pretty rough. 

I hope to catch the Royals at least once when they come through Arlington in April. I also hope to catch a game when I'm in KC this summer. Unfortunately there's only one game this summer that works with my KC schedule, a game against the Rockies. But I need to take advantage of any opportunity to catch a game in Kauffman since the Royals are looking to build a new stadium in a few years. 

17 Daves Ago

One of my favorite podcasts is The RobCast hosted by Rob Bell. Above is a photo I took when I saw him a year ago in Dallas. I always find Rob Bell's words encouraging. 

His most recent podcast episode, "That Was 13 Robs Ago," is a nice reminder not to be so hard on our past selves. We are constantly evolving as people and in many ways we are not the same people as we were a week ago, or months or years ago. 

It's healthy to look at our past selves and realize that we have grown since then. Often we have to forgive our past selves and cut them some slack. There other instances where we should embrace that past self as a product of that time, take joy in that past self of that time but realize we have indeed moved on. 

Like everyone I sometimes cringe at who I once was. I think about the things I've said, the beliefs I once held dear or the way I treated people and shudder. I've been blogging here for 17 years and I look back at some of my posts and go ugh! I definitely feel that way when I read some of what I wrote for my high school and college newspapers or old term papers. On the flip side there are times I read something and ask whatever happened to that guy? 

Bell suggests we get into the habit of saying "that was 7 or 12 or 20 me's ago." The number doesn't even really matter. He says have fun with it. Say it in an affectionate matter. Don't wallow in your past deeds. Recognize who you were once were. Acknowledge that you are a different person. That was you in a different context. Sometimes you made mistakes. Sometimes you did good things. 

But the important thing is not to be so hard on yourself for things you did in the past. Ask for forgiveness if necessary. Recapture good things you may have lost in time. But always keep in mind that was 17 Dave's ago. You are a different Dave (fill in the blank) now.

The Cross and The Flame

 

Our church officially dis-affiliates with the UMC at the end of this month. At that time all signage or items with the UMC Cross and Flame logo must go. The church can keep the hymnals. I find all this sad and tragic. And if there was another Wesleyan church near us that had a vibrant youth program we would probably try to find another congregation. 

But here's the thing about this so-called UMC split: is it really a split? I saw on the Wesleyan Covenant Association Website recently that 2,000 churches have already dis-affliated with the UMC and they expect about 2,000 more to go through the process by the end of the year. 

By the end of the year, by the WCA's projections, there will be 4,000 UMC congregations leaving the United Methodist Church. 

So I ask again...is that really a split?

The UMC has over 30,000 congregations in the United States. 4,000 churches would represent less than 13 percent of the UMC. 

4,000 churches leaving a denomination is a serious thing. No one wants to see that kind of division. But that's not that huge of a number in the long scheme of things. That's barely a split in my book. In my eyes a split is 50-50. I might give you 70-30. I might even say 20-25% leaving is a sizable split. But 13%? Debatable. This thing has been completely overblown by those seeking to leave.

And the so-called "Global" Methodist Church? They will be a pretty small denomination of 4,000 congregations. The GMC will be smaller than the denomination I grew up in, The Church of the Nazarene which has 5,155 congregations in the United States alone. 

Of course, number of congregations is one thing, actual numbers of people is a different data point altogether. I'd like to see the numbers of people leaving before declaring a split. 

It's all so sad and ridiculous. It's pretty obvious what this is all about. Politics, race and regionalism. 99% of the churches leaving the UMC are 97% white. The vast majority are in the south. Sure looks like a map of those who voted for Trump if you ask me.

 

KSR Again

 

I must admit that as soon as I was done with the last book I was reading I already had a Kim Stanley Robinson book picked out. I have a couple of his works on my tsundoku but I try to space (no pun intended) them out in my reading schedule. He is one of the most transformative influences on my thinking and I always feel my view of the world enhanced after reading one of his works. I still have a lot of his works to read and I'm guessing that when I exhaust those I will re-read many of them. I've already re-read "The Years of Rice and Salt."

Last night I picked up and started Red Moon, published in 2018. And after one page I was hooked and I felt my brain expanding. His works never cease to blow my mind.

Decemberists Deep Dive

 

After I went through the entire Wynton Marsalis discography I had decided to leap into the Joshua Redman catalog. But after three of his records I decided to pause. I needed something other than jazz for a minute. So I haphazardly put on the first Decemberists album and there and then decided to give all their work a go. 

I love The Decemberists. A friend told me me about them about 12 years ago. I was sorry to be late to their party because they are fantastic. They have become one of my favorite bands. They only have eight studio albums and I've listened to all of them many times, just not chronologically. It only took me a few days to go through all of them again in order and they are all great. Seriously, there is not a weak link in their catalog. 

If someone asked me to list my favorite I would have a difficult time because they're all so good and their style does change subtly and not so subtly over the two decades they've been releasing music into the world. They are consistent in their excellence. Seriously, just now I was going through their album tracks deciding which one or two albums I would put on the top of my list. And I just can't do it. They are all that good. I love them all.

The Letter of Marque

 

The Aubrey-Maturin Series is just greatness. Each volume continues from the last yet possesses its own distinct narrative. The Letter of Marque is perfect historical fiction that simply transports you to another era in such convincing terms. This is number 12 in the 20 volume series so I have a ways to go although I’ve picked up the pace in recent years. I already have the next two in the series on my nightstand. But I like to allow each one to breathe a bit before starting back in. I started in 2003, so it’s been a fun ride. 

The Powder Blues

 I am very happy that the Royals are bringing back the powder blue road unis this year. They look great and I'm happy they used George Brett in their announcement. George Brett has always been my favorite player of all time. But I do have to admit, I was shocked how old he looked in this photo. Means I'm getting old as well! But when I think of number 5, I still have him frozen in time at his peak in the early 80's.

Battlestar Galactica 1978

I've recently started re-watching Battlestar Galactica, the 1978 version. I didn't watch this when it first came out although I remember it being a big deal. I remember having a cardboard mock-up of the cockpit of a Colonial Viper that I got as a prize from a cereal box. I also recall my Dad saying Battlestar Galactica was a knock off of Star Wars.

The show only lasted one season although they made another attempt in 1980. But it played quite a bit in syndication. That's the context where I watched it. It would come on TV on Saturday or Sunday afternoons and I would catch it when I could. So I never watched the show linearly in episode order. And I never saw the pilot three part movie. But I really liked the show and it wasn't hard to keep up with the overall story since they ended every episode with the same epilogue.  

I never got into the SyFy reboot. I watched a few episodes and just couldn't get interested. But recently, as I get closer to turning 50, I began thinking of my childhood. And I saw Galactica was streaming free on the Tubi app. So, I decided to give it a whirl after all these years.

I'm now on episode 18...just seven episodes to go. 

Overall I've enjoyed the experience. Many of the special fx hold up nicely after 40 years. Some effects look ridiculous by today's standards, but most hold up surprisingly well. The show can be exceedingly cheesy even by 70's standards. And there are some strange continuity issues. Some characters and relationships fall off the map and are never pursued. Dynamics change quickly without a set-up. Sometimes the acting can be terrible. The Cylons aren't very terrifying.

But it is good fun. There's some interesting and exciting action. If you can wade through the corny parts you'll find it enjoyable.

Another W & P Update

Well, after the debacle of discovering I had been reading an abridged edition, I started War and Peace again. This time I went with the Maude translation. And yesterday I finished Book One which my Kindle tells me means I'm about 10% through. Still a long way to go...probably about 900 pages to go! But I will celebrate my achievement nonetheless. One hundred pages of Russian literature is nothing to dismiss. And I am actually enjoying the process now. Translation makes such a difference. Not only was the Kropotkin version an abridgement, it was far less readable than Tolstoy's approved translation by the Maudes. I'm actually reading more than the 2-5 pages a day I originally set out to read in my long-term fashion. Shouldn't surprise me too much, I really liked Anna Karenina and Tolstoy's short stories. He's an amazing author.

KC Blues

 

Ran across the photo on Facebook. The city is lit up in white and blue to celebrate the opening of the new KCI airport this week. They often light up the city for different occasions. Red for the Chiefs and so on. But blue, blue looks really good on this town. I hope the Royals can do something again someday soon to light up KC in such nice blues. 

The Egyptian Restaurant

 

 

We took the kids, the other day, to the original Campisi's Pizza joint over on Mockingbird. This is where all the Dallas mobsters ate. Sinatra supposedly ate here once. According to legend, Jack Ruby dined here the night before he shot Oswald. When the Campisi family moved in they couldn't afford to take down the original Egyptian Lounge sign of the place that used to be at the location. They did change the lounge lettering to "restaurant." It's been there since. It's a cool place. Very dark when you enter. This also the place where in the back room they gave SMU football players envelopes of cash in the 1980's.

 

 

New KCI

Kansas City is replacing their old airport with a brand new airport this week. A friend of mine was showing me some photos of the new terminal. I like this ceiling installation. Nice reminder of the prominent place KC has in the history of jazz, particularly with the saxophone. 

Not Always Well

 We sang “It Is Well” yesterday at church. One of my favorite hymns. However, there is some irony here. As a musician when I saw a song with five flats I have to admit, not all was well with my soul! 

Mix

 Nothing particular special of this photo of downtown Dallas. Main Street. I just like the mix of buildings built in the late 19th century, early 20th, mid-century, late 20th and early 21st century.

Shofar so good

 

 

So there's been this non-stop revival service happening at Asbury University the past couple of weeks. Meanwhile in downtown Dallas the other day...we got shofars and threatening posters. 

Watching

The giant eyeball in the courtyard of The Joule. 

 

Worst. Person. Ever.

I can’t possibly recommend this book because the main character truly is one of the worst persons ever. Douglas Coupland is capable of extremely poignant philosophical works like Life After God and Girlfriend in a Coma. Then he writes outrageously funny comedic tales like JPod. Worst. Person. Ever. is of the latter. Insanely funny tale about the erosion of civilized society. Reminded me very much of Vonnegut.  Brilliant yet vile, I’m not going to recommend this. But I enjoyed it immensely. 

Dealey Plaza

About a week ago we were toolin around downtown Dallas on a beautiful Saturday. We soon found ourselves in Dealey Plaza. It had been years since we had stopped and walked around here. We usually just drive right on past. The kids had never been here. We are bad Dallasites. So we walked around and listened to the conspiracy theorists that still hang around the Grassy Knoll. We meditated at the JFK memorial.

 

Afternoons

My daughter comes over from the junior high next door to the high school for two elective classes in the afternoon. Sometimes we run into each other. Always good to see her!
 

Another W&P Update

Just a few days ago I posted how I was going to have to start reading War and Peace all over again due to my discovery that I was actually reading an abridged edition. Depressing thought since I was already 175 pages in over a three month period (since I only read a few pages a day).

But surprisingly I've actually enjoyed getting back into it. Granted I'm only six short chapters in. I find the Maude translation far easier to digest than the Kropotkin abridgment. Of course it may also be easier because this is my second go around and I'm having an easier time keeping track of all the characters. 

Well, who knows...it might all melt into confusion again in the near future. But I'm going to enjoy the enjoyment of reading the Maude translation compared to Princess Alexandra's while I can.