An update

well, i am now back home in winthrop,wa. or as back home as home can get.

my parents are selling our home and moving down closer to town where the snow reaches 4 feet instead of a near record 7 up at the northern end of our valley where our home is now.

rather then rent out a place while the new house is remodeled they decided to stay true to their ll beanish roots and camp all summer on the property. yes, they are old and hard core. the conclusion to all of this is that im going to be housesitting most of the summer, up north, where everything is better.

graduated, yes thats me.

working at futher establishing an orchard for my father for the last month I am now debt free and considering options. teaching overseas is likely.

i am working a carpentry job until the fall to get on my feet. And climbing mount rainer this weekend.

life is decent and filled with good things.

Reality

An excellent expression of dreams coming to terms with death and vanity.

A Dream Within A Dream

Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep--while I weep!
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?

-Edgar Allan Poe

The 23 year

It is curious that you go through an entire year before it is counted in you favor. I am now 23. And I have not just "turned" 23 but have experienced 23 years. There is certain maturity built into the classification of age and I find I rather like it. Well, this was fitting, strangely and to a degree.

How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth,
Stolen on his wing my three-and-twentieth year!
My hasting days fly on with full career,
But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th.

Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth
That I to manhood am arrived so near;
And inward ripeness doth much less appear,
That some more timely happy spirits endu'th.

Yet, be it less or more, or soon or slow,
It shall be still in strictest measure even
To that same lot, however mean or high,

Toward which Time leads me, and the will of Heaven.
All is, if I have grace to use it so,
As ever in my great Taskmaster's eye.

- John Milton

Huckabee

To add to the general disapproval: A few thoughts on Huckabee

The President has been criticized, or worse, for being a simpleton. Opponents of Huckabee have classified him in the same way. President Bush may have simplistic solutions at times, for example “stay the course”, but this does not mean that he thinks everything is simple. He clearly surrounded himself with advisers of different angles from the start of his presidency. Huckabee is a candidate who looks at everything from one direction. He was at a time obese. He lost the weight and wrote a book. Which could be summed up in the combination of: exercise more and eat less. Of course if someone wants to loss weight and follows this formula in the right proportions they loss weight. No need for diet pills and Adkins. It is simple: control yourself and get discipline. Just do dieting the “good” way. And here in lies the rub. Huckabee can only outline the “good” way. This is also his appeal. He plays the guitar and sings caring songs. He does not conclude that the problems faced can be solved with a simplistic formula but rather the message of "good". Huckabee shows in his leadership a lack of ability to execute justice. If the main function of government is "to punish the evil doers" I do not see him as a candidate who can govern, much less uphold the conservative ideals.

He can inspire. For he built himself from scratch into a Tele-Evangelist. But a candidate needs to do more than inspire the populous to speak with "God bless you" at the end of every sentence.

A New Means in a New Media

A Harvard grad discontented with the state of intellectual fermentation has come out with a new idea... a you-tube for intellectuals. Just opened today the site will attempt to give interviews with top thinkers and leaders. Organized into national topics these are arranged around bigger issues. And hence the incredibly brilliant title, www.bigthink.com. You would think that if the man was truly committed to extending the interplay of ideas he would have taken a bigger step beyond American consumerism than to simply add "think" to the given American "bigness". But, after walking for fifteen minutes and proposing "evasiveissues.com" as a suitable alternative I admitted to myself that I was simply listening to NPR while in an unstable state over the holidays. Laying the sorry British imitation aside, I readily accepted the site. This initial acceptance was further strengthened when recalling that I could remember the address and had visited it without a paper clipping. Well I briefly visited the site, it looked legitimate, and thought of posting the word in light of the recent deficit of posts.

A Definition

Victory: The state of being successfull/overcoming an obstacle which hinders your path to righteousness.
-Marshall

Victory: The state where upon the powerful, the strong, the wise--in common phrase the "real" man obtains defeat.
-Chad

THUS...
Victory: Defeat ?
-Marshall

Paris -

Yes, I have now been to that restless city, yes I have been to France!

Did I despise it? Oh very much so; as there own writer puts it;

"Yes, I've been to Paris: It's a mixture of everything found in all the Providences. It's a chaos, a restless throng in which everyone is looking for pleasure and hardly anyone ever finds it..."
- Voltaire

Still in doubt?

"....in every province the chief occupations, in order of importance, are love-making, malicious gossip and talking nonsense."

But in all its despicable nonsensicalness, the charm caught me. Yes after just two weeks I might be overheard uttering, "Paris, that city of activity, that city of life, one can not help...". No I cannot bear to hear it. The French are all to arrogant to be the patrons of a loved city. If one loved Paris one would be captured by Paris. An unacceptable defeat for an American man. Really they are the French.

A man in the midst of snobs

Well I´ve been in France.

Not alot more to say when the keyboqrd zorks like this I ,eqn reqlly it is auite qbnoxious:

No Its been a great trip and I shall post more in a few weeks.

Fertility

Rolling forth through hills of contemplation
Earthen hills with golden aspiration.
Springing forth thoughts of youth, time bearing
Hither they be gray or Boring.

Well, It's been a while and I have some excellent post ideas to form, however they were shrugged off for this. A friend of mine from Gunnison days died this past week in a ski groomer accident. A good guy, we went on a canyoneering trip and just got along well. He was a guy, as my friend Annie put it, that made you feel important, always. I wrote this for his family.


Ballad of a Crying Man

Reclining back in leather couches, ten men, there were,
With blubber pouches.
Discussing what and this or that; the problems past,
Gone in generations.
“Here it is! The idle youth, off to travel, spend their father’s,
Good earned fruit.”
Another raised his glass to that, “Squanderers ALL! If not for us,
Drunk, down, to the dregs, be’ our great nation”.
Clamorous grunts were raised, to adamant affirmation. But, just then,
A quiet voice, did I dare raise amidst the rubble,
“Knew I once a man, one of the worst offenders of what you say.”
Grumbling murmurs accompanied me along the way,
“Traveler”, competing with, “A ski bum cook, or of the like;
Putting them to work be’d my delight”.

But carried I, on with my cry;

What gives life and what makes right,
Is it what you suggest? But might?
This man I knew he lived his life,
For others good and their delight.

A man content with humble praise,
His friends regarded, from day to day.
Filled? Were his chests with paper honors?
Filled! Was his chest with love, honorable.

Stand you important, here today?
This man, for others lived; their
Importance; day to day. Flowing
Goodness, lived, in “simple” ways.

You’ve made you life in pride and strife.
Exemplified the pride of Life.
Greatness have you gained tonight?
This man, his pride was heart and light.

Stopped of a sudden, with wild eye, did I. Shifting glances, lighted seats,
Hearts subdued in quiet peace.
And for that day I’d like to think, a manliness of truth,
Their paths they did pursue.
But if not, it’s a small matter, because a friend has great effect
On but a few of friends and brothers.
And if this done in right ways for consistent days, his life has meaning,
Greatness; surpassing man made praise.

An Age Unprecedented

Land upon an empty rain
Salted hearts for lack of reign.

Divine Reason

This came as a bit of…illumination for my thick skull,
“such readers as draw their principles of judgement rather from books than from reason.”
- Samuel Johnson
What attitude do we and our educational institutes attempt to create in us? Too obtain the learning of what to think by, reason, and wealth of resources of which to employ this on or to obtain certain knowledge in order to think correctly. Or am I setting up a false argument?

Merry Christmas

I was thinking about Philippians and things good and high today, being the celebrated day of my Saviors birth. Back a while I worked for an atheist and still do a bit here and there, when home, for some getting by money; he wished me a Merry Christmas when we finished looking at a job yesterday. I was considering afterwards, where would this world be without thoughts as good and as high as Christ born for men to at least wrestle with, even if they want to continue in unbelief.

I was reading Milton on this morn;


That glorious Form, that Light unsufferale,
And that far-beaming blaze of Majesty,
Wherewith he wont at Heav'n's high Council-Table,
To sit the midst of Trinal Unity,
He laid aside; and here with us to be,
Forsook the Courts of everlasting Day,
And chose with us a darksome House of mortal Clay.


It does my soul well to remember a childlike faith on the Day the Savior twas born.

O, GLORIOUS, IS WILL

Cast the dye, I’ll take my lot,
Today,
Among the working men this way,
Not for bread or a chalet.
For, today I’ve made the Day.
Far from great I sit this date,
Victory, not, in heights and lights,
But over my simple delights.
Passion conquered, treaded down.
Victory! With battle axe I do resound,
For what are danger, death, and toil,
I bring my battle axe to soil,
What ever comes across my path.
For, I weld the Battle Axe.

O sharpened steel, O glistening blade,
With you who can draw the shade?
Wallow not in yellow mire,
Burn will I in fiercest fire.
Let me stand with men of old,
Slay the dragons, take the gold.
Or point my mighty stag,
Toward home. For here I stand,
I’ll take the day.
For wit have I, and blood to pay.


- C. R. Honsinger

Christians on Mars

“Pride cometh before the Fall”

Now I have heard preached not long ago that the teachings of the apostle Paul as to eternal rewards were not to be taken as such. Or if one was to push after a crown in heaven he would, upon reaching the holy city of God, fall down and lay those crowns at the feet of Christ Jesus. Therefore the giving of rewards is a sort of dog treat to get us to come upon which we will realize the glory of God in full. Thus the real spiritual truth is not one of striving for ourselves but for Jesus. Now, certainly we are not about ourselves or should live for our self enjoyment but for our risen Lord. However to then nullify the just and promised rewards that Christ has offered is a rash conclusion. Further this very nearly calls into every man’s heart (excuse the christianesse) a most hideous temptress. She who knocks at the core of our desires to go and taste the delights of dominion, house, fields, manors, vineyards, palaces; she who calls us to take a position. For what has a man to pride himself in, but position, within this soiled world? Position means all, but all is vanity.

Nothing you know or do will remain, all of your toil with which you labored under the sun will given to another. The place that you make will come to nothing and you shall die. And so what has that royal philosopher to offer us as young men but to, “walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes” and to “know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment”. It follows that we then find our toil that meets our desires and, if wise, avoid the pits of folly. The fear of God keeps our path strait, our toil joyous, and the step of our gait light. But for the Christian is this it, is that all? Reading Ephesians, with Saint Paul exhorting you to put on the armor and, if you are a man, a deep Norse cry fills your silent tongue followed by a swinging battle axe and rallying grunts exclaiming that now is the time for all demon head. When those thoughts fill the lofty regions of our cerebral tubing, it makes you consider. How does the correspondence work between the two; Christ and working Joe, Paul and Solomon, for it just doesn’t seem to come together.

Now let us consider Paul’s appraisal of himself. He certainly thought something of himself. How else would Christians want to imitate him as he imitated Christ if he did not have something of substance? He thought himself worthy of praise, but he did not value himself by the worlds standards, he was a pilgrim, and prided himself according to heaven. He prided himself according to the standing of his heart. As he wanted to be known to the Corinthians conscience’s so he was commending himself, giving “you cause to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who pride themselves on a man’s position and not on his heart” (2 Cor. 12). We should therefore not hold to our futile worldly positions but seek placement of our heart under Christ in eternity so that we may live out our days with peace here on earth. For we are now in the glorious time when a Savior rules all and we will either be dealt the iron rod or a gracious circumcision of heart. What then should a man do but enjoy himself on the few days he has here on earth? Live, Live that which is found in Christ.

Bohemian Service

Shall I do service here today
Here a thought to thus express,
'My life is such a littering mess',
But here today meet I again

Miltonic form in humble rags
Starry heaven framed this gaze
Moved with fear to till thee grain
Strait eternal graced to mortal,

If love I not; tis I be humbled.

Yea mystic mountains
What dost one say
When all is poetray

Revelation: Water shall grow ye crops

I visited an oracle the other day. Years of awkwardness need not be more, he seemed to say. Gain understanding ye dim wit. Thus too has art and cadence and thought. Society, a complicated affair, I thought and left. Can this too be know how, simple as that?

The Potion

For a change of tone from the mouthy jumble of the last post; I attended an Opera tonight. The Elixir of Love surpassed my expectations for a college production. As might be reasoned from the title the plot line followed a boy overcome with a girl, Adina, and unable to win her as she falls for a smooth commanding officer. At this point the “doctor” with the love elixir comes in. He downs the elixir and, believing that all women will fall for him, takes the engaged Adina from the officer, and in an embrace of love the Opera ends. Now, our man is the typical Stu (the man who lacks all the basic knowledge of how to win a women and in his impropriety displays this passionate simplicity disastrously), and this Stu like most is turned away. Thus the Stu turns to the elixir and is saved. In the act of taking the elixir however he gains confidence. It is in this confidence that he takes her heart. For as soon as she finds he doesn’t need her, finds him desireless, she is pulled to him. I want it to be made known thitherto that when crumbling at the feet of that beauty: I will remember the elixir and with confidence—she shall come to me.

Truth

The current notion of tolerance originated or at least was advanced into a broadly held idea by the enlightenment thinkers, the philosophes. Voltaire, for one, reasoned that given that our knowledge is limited we can never claim an absolute truth but need to rather have a degree of “tolerance” where we admit we know nothing. It was from this that the phases we are likely familiar with originated; arguments such as, “How can you be so narrow minded” or “How can your religion be the right one?” These arguments are making the presupposition that this knowledge can never be understood.

However, Voltaire, made the argument that one could know the boundaries of the unknown or as a modern man put it, "we are certain about what we cannot know in subatomic physics, and can even measure precisely the "tolerance" within which our knowledge is bounded." Henceforth, following this reasoning, our sensual knowledge can only go so far after which we must concede our uncertainty of the deeper matter. Thus, it follows, that we can never have “absolute” knowledge, but that the knowledge that we do have should account for uncertainty with a degree of tolerance. Now this idea which originated among the philosophes should not be accepted as reasonable.

For if I am certain that my boundaries for this 'zone of uncertainty' are correct, then I am claiming that the "thinking" within my head is able to know a correct notion about something. For my mind to be able to have this knowledge of 'something' it must be real, be true, even if this 'something' contains aspects that I can not understand.

When I grant that my observations about the boundaries which set up 'a zone of uncertainty' are correct then it follows that my thinking that made correlated these observations is true. For what is not true, cannot be correct, what is correct is true. The vagueness that liberalism sets around the idea of truth fades when dealing with things material.

If truth exists and can be understood by the mind I cannot rule out the possibility of a truth which holds all other truths absolutely together. If our minds simply took in information and organized the material the truth would not have to originate anywhere. However the ability to reason through observations, to proceed to understanding these observations; leaves open the question of source. Strait forward life could have evolved from nothing theoretically (not with our world, which evidently displays design). However the only way a scientist could ever claim life did not come from the divine would be though reason. Do you see the fallacy here? If a man claims to be correct by observation he is claiming that there is such a thing as being correct and that he can obtain the knowledge of the correct. Where did this ability to be correct come from then? It could not have evolved because this reason steps out side of the created and criticizes observations. Something evolved could never step outside of the evolved, be able to weigh what it stepped outside of, and come up with a correct notion.

Reason therefore had to have a source. As I said before the idea of some thing being correct or true is one in the same. Reason and its ability to decipher the truth then came from somewhere. How could this source of reason not be ultimate, or the absolute truth?