Trimming Ivy

An old man steps out his front door
Only one day in each year.
Every day outside he calls his day of labor
And the sun rises in expectation.

The wall of the man’s house is lush
Ivy that creeps up sheer
Red brick heights. Annual ambush
Comes and the ivy hovers in anticipation.

On the step, the man and morning sun stand,
Encouraging the ivy’s fear,
Saw, snips and stair in hand,
Ready to insult the variegation.

The leaves desperately cling to the wall
As hands sweat, cut, and shear.
Half done, the man’s feet slip and fall.
Ivy and old man rest in amputation.

Rial

I guess I'm going to tell you how I've been thinking that voting decisions in the US seem to be made for two basic reasons (that are not unconnected). The first reason is "What's best for me" and the second is "what's best for everyone." There is an argument to be made for either side and they're certainly not mutually exclusive. The person who gives the first reason may be thinking "what's best for me and my family, which I consider to be indicative of what is best for America at large." On the other hand, I might give the second reason and my expression of that is "my vote should be used for everyone, and especially those who don't have the option of voting and therefore don't have the option of choosing themselves or everyone."

It bothered me when I was getting dinner at a restaurant near me because the owner assumed we (my roommate and I) were voting for Obama... we're young, not the worst assumption ever, but he was criticizing us saying "you'll understand when you own your own business."

I have so many problems with that statement.

He assumed that everyone makes their decision based on the first option and that somehow his representation of his own interests is more valid than my representation of my interests, which bothered me even though I did not mainly have personal interests at heart when I voted. He also assumed that Obama would be worse for small businesses and he assumed that someday I would have my own small business, which I really don't want to (unless it's a bookshop or something).

That experience aside, the saddest thing about being a college student who wants to vote "for the greater good" is that the people who should most be voting for themselves are college students. Finally given the opportunity to vote, we almost never vote based on our own interests, which makes us the least represented citizens during policy-making including younger kids because parents often vote based on the interests of their children.

7am at the Depot

I overhear Kyle and Devin talking as they walk in my direction.
"Baklava," Devin says.
"You wear pastry on your face?" Kyle asks.
"No, ba-kla-va..."
"Yeah, pastry," Kyle repeats.
"No, you wear it when you go snowmobiling."
Back and forth a couple more times and then I butt in.

"Balaclava," I say.
"What?" says Devin.
"The hood thing," I say, "it's a balaclava. Baklava is a pastry."
"But it goes all over your face," Devin says.
"Yeah, like a ski-mask..." I say.
"Yeah..."
"Balaclava," I repeat. "Baklava is pastry. Turkish, I think."

"Yes," says Kyle, pointing emphatically.
"I'm gonna look this up," Devin says.

Five minutes later, I walk up to the desk where they both work.
"What did you call it, again? Baklavalavala?"
"Balaklava."

"I've always just known it as Baklava. I swear, everyone in Wisconsin calls it a Baklava."
He looks it up.
"See?" says Kyle.
"Damn," Devin says. He picks up the phone on his desk and dials a number in an area code I don't recognize.
"Who you calling?" I ask.
"My mom..." He stares straight ahead. "Hey mom, you just made me look like an idiot at work. Yeah, you call the thing you wear when you're snowmobiling a baklava, right? Yeah, turns out that's a pastry. Balaclava, that's what it's called. Yeah, because of you I told everyone at work I wear a pastry on my face. Yeah, thanks." Hangs up. "Damn woman."
"What did she say?" Kyle asks.
"She just laughed at me...thinks it's hilarious..."

END

Mysterious Currency

I studied Emily Dickinson a while ago and I just came across Sappho for the first time. I usually write fiction, but I decided to take a stab at combining their styles. The subject of the poem could be Dickinson, Sappho, or the object of the speaker's love. I sort of intended all three.

sacred—terrific—she moves
with lines and across—
alighting and departing
gentle ripples
weight of seven hearts and seven minds—
wind fumbles
but she is grace and terror

Diablo

I'm currently reading The Transmigration of Timothy Archer by Philip K. Dick. I'm not too far into it, but I already feel that I'll be recommending it, just as I did with the only other of his books that I've read: The Man in the High Castle.

Here's a passage that I just read. Timothy Archer's son has just committed suicide and he's discussing a new idea he's had about the nature of Satan:

"I see the legend of Satan in a new way. Satan desired to know God as fully as possible. The fullest knowledge would come if he became God, was himself God. He strove for this and achieved it, knowing that the punishment would be permanent exile from God. But he did it anyhow, because the memory of knowing God, really knowing him as no else ever had or would, justified to him his eternal punishment. Now, who would you say truly loved God out of everyone who ever existed? Satan willingly accepted eternal punishment and exile just to know God-by becoming God-for an instant. Futher, it occurs to me, Satan truly knew God, but perhaps God did not know or understand Satan; had He understood him He would not have punished him. That is why it is said that Satan rebelled-which means Satan was outside of God's control, outside God's domain, as if in another universe. But Satan did I think welcome his punishment, for it was his proof to himself that he knew and loved God. Otherwise he might have done what he did for the reward... had there been a reward. 'Better to rule in hell than to serve in heaven' is an issue, here, but not the true one: which is the ultimate goal and search to know and be: fully and really to know God, in comparison to which all else is really very little."

Archer goes on to propose that "in a sense, human beings can redeem Satan by wresting this knowledge from him."

I can't help but wonder what legitimacy there is to this argument. For the most part Philip K. Dick presents interesting ideas to me without actually changing what I believe directly. This, however, feels different. I am presented with a direct challenge about the way I think about God. Should I keep my mind open to the possibility of God being limited by the actions of another. Not to say that God is not aware of Lucifer's motivations, but rather that his judgment can be forced. Can God's grace extend beyond the theological boundaries we have constructed from scripture, no matter what our interpretation?

Euro

As of 6 days ago I have a new niece. I am an uncle for the fifth time. It feels a little different because my brother is the closest in age to me. Also, because I only have one brother and he just had his first, she is my first niece or nephew that bears the family name.

I like the name Eloise. It was a name that I thought about naming my own daughter someday, but I guess that won't happen. I'm not disappointed.

Also, I'm in no rush. I'm planning on grad school and that sort of plan seems to get trumped by little ones. My brother's pulling it off, I guess, but I am not he.

Penny

I named my bike Penny. I admit naming your possessions is lame, but that hasn't stopped me with my computer, my phone, my previous phone, and I think that's about it.

I think I name things that seem to have personality. For example, Penny is flawed, but not unreliable. She doesn't like being locked up and she is most herself when she is at high speeds. She likes roads, but not the city. On the other hand, Nelly, my computer, is completely schizophrenic.

I think I'm going to write a story called "World of Pennies."

It won't have anything to do with my bike.