What I’m Doing…and stuff…

I’ve been out of the blog world a bit these days. It’s been unintentional…I just feel like I haven’t really had that much to say. I’m in a weird place–strangely.  I don’t know what to say about it actually. So here’s life right now–in some small dim snapshot.
Bummers
* Impending financial ruin
* The continued recognition of [...]

Thoughts from the Hassadim…

God is both Person and Nonperson for the Hasid. God becomes Person by assuming intellect and emotions in order to become known to man. However, that is NOT God per say, but an emmanation of God.  God is Absolute and unrelating Infinite (Ain Sof) before the contradiction of God’s Light, or what is known. God’s Light [...]

Two events: past and future, community

Today, through a mutual friend, I ended up randomly meeting up with two beautiful people.  Tamara Park, author of “Sacred Encounters” and one of her traveling companions.  I have not read the book but now want to.  It bills itself as a bit of a travel journal as she treks through terrain between Rome to Jerusalem, [...]

A Thought

The death of metaphysics, the end of an objective “out-there-ness” that we could analyze the “right-here-ness” with, has left us with the realization that all we have are stories, ideologies, and myths.  And even that is its own story, ideology, and myth.  “The knife that Nietzsche slew God with is the same one that he [...]

Portland’s Ethos?

my brother-in-law and i were debating the movie “sicko,” that we both actually enjoyed.  the topic under the microscope was how to impliment the ideas.  he urged for sweeping medical reform.  “change the system!”  i pushed back and advocated that individuals take responsibility for their neighbors, for their communities, then ultimately for the world.  i [...]

Passion

It’s interesting because I know of some people who probably feel the exact opposite as what I’m about to say…but I’ll say it anyway.
Life is meaningless without a shot of passion.
—–
When I was a kid I remember idolizing certain bands. I won’t bother telling you which ones because you’d laugh (as I am,  just remembering [...]

Taking the Leap

Simone de Beauvoire, the famous French existentialist, described a series of human reactions to “the anguish of freedom”.  What she means is that when faced by a panorama of choice, overwhelming option, humans have a tendency towards certain actions, because this is a very confusing place to be.  Without getting into detail she isolates five [...]

Portland…New York but with nice people

“I visited Portland in May and I fell in love with the city. It’s everything great about New York, but the people are very nice and approachable. Also there’s the mountains. I’m very interested in what seems to be a thriving community of Christians. It seems like the community has and gives a lot of [...]