Schmemann

I've been reading Fr. Alexander Schmemann's journals of late and found them to be endlessly fascinating. I came across his entry for November 3, 1976, and found it interesting:

Carter has won the election. Spent most of the night watching returns. it seems to me that all those who voted for Carter were those who want a change; all those who really have a poor life within the system (blacks); those who want a guaranteed well-being (unions); those who believe in those guarantees and changes and professionally advocate them (intellectuals); and finally those who look at everything through colored glasses (utopians)! Carter's majority was quite minute; he actually received only a quarter of the votes of people who have the right to vote. It remains to follow his career. How does the messiah act once he gets power?

How little things change, I thought. Change? Hope? Messianism? Utopian Socialism? Nothing new here, folks, move along.

I was also struck by what he writes later in that same entry:

People, Christians too...see in everything a problem that must be solved. God, when creating the world, did not solve problems or pose them. He created what He would call "very good." God created the world, but the devil transformed the world and man and life into a "problem." And a legion of specialists solve it. That is why in the world it is so dark, so cold, so joyless.

I'm officially becoming a catechumen of the Orthodox Church this Sunday. I'm excited at the notion of being given this title, this responsibility. It will officially make me part of the liturgy. It is exciting to think of this - that I will be mentioned by name by the Priest, that all of the hosts of heaven will pray for me, that I be "united to the one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church" and be granted "a good defense before the dread judgment seat of Christ." I should stop now, lest I seem self-absorbed, but it really is very humbling and sobering to think that I am entering into this ancient and mystical thing.

"O Lover of Mankind, glory to thee!"

Who's driving?

Strange and disturbing story out of western NC.

When I first read this story this morning I just knew that someone would latch onto an explanation that had something to do with racism, and whaddya know, I was proven right:

Political science professor Chris Cooper said the dead bear "sends a pretty disturbing message. Obviously it sounds like it may have some racial implications and at the very least its somebody sending the wrong message and taking this hot political season the wrong way."

Racial implications, you say? Well, it is a black bear. This from a professor at at state college. Egads. Do I really want to work with people like this for the rest of my life? You know, it could be a statement about the economy. The dead bear covered in Obama signs could signify that the bear market is the fault of Obama's work with ACORN, or that Obama's policies will bring about such an economic downturn. Always jumping immediately to the racism whenever there is a perceived criticism of Obama.

Meanwhile, my uncle was heckled by passing high school students this afternoon because he has a McCain sign in his front yard.

I think I may try early voting tomorrow.

Musings

"The Seraph could not touch the fire's coal with his fingers, but just brought it close to Isaiah's mouth: the Seraph did not hold it, Isaiah did not consume it, but us our Lord has allowed to do both." - St. Ephrem the Syrian

I was reading St. Symeon the New Theologian last week and I was struck by his sense of wonderment and terror when describing the Incarnation and the presence of Christ's body and blood in the Eucharist. "This is the mystery, all full of holy terror which I hesitate even to write, and tremble in recounting." How can I partake of this, which is full of "holy terror?" Paul, writing to the Corinthians, describes how many who have partaken of this mystery have become weak, ill, or "fallen asleep" (i.e. died) because they ate and drank in an unworthy manner. No mere remembrance or memorial is this, that has the power to bring sickness and death.

There was a street preacher at UNCG today. I had gone up there to check out some books. A young black man, dressed in what I would describe as stereotypical 19th century preacher wear; black slacks, a white button-up shirt, and suspenders. He looked like he belonged in a primitive Baptist church. It was truly surreal. A crowd of students had gathered around him and were shouting insults and catcalls. It was a sort of party atmosphere; every pronouncement was met with laughter and mockery. It did not greatly help his cause that he was not very eloquent, or that he had a message which offered no hope, only condemnation - a gospel of anxiety.

I'm growing so weary of hearing world leaders and political pundits chalk up our recent financial and economic woes to the failure of "extreme" capitalism. That has very little to do with it, if anything. In fact, it was misguided idealism that brought it about, a desire to circumvent capitalism in the name of a utopian social vision. Correcting what was brought about by state intervention with still more state intervention does not bode well for the future.

Scooter rally last night. I heard a rumor from several individuals that a local scooter shop is closing for good. Can't say I really mind, considering the store in question is simply terrible and run by a terrible businessman. However, it does bug me because now there will be no one in this area selling Vespa brand products. Sure, I'm not fond of the new Vespas; they're fuel injected (no carburetor on a scooter just seems wrong), and they're so complex that an average Joe such as myself can't open them up and do work on them like I do on my Stella. Just last night I opened up the headset on Estelle and tightened some of the leads on her headlight wiring. She's just so basic, and dare I say primitive, that I can fiddle around and bolt things on to my heart's content. But, they're Vespas, and I still have a certain longing and fondness for them. The modern Vespa is a subject that I'm clearly torn on, and perhaps one day I'll break down and buy one, but for now I'm firmly wedded to a world of 2 stroke engines and carburetors.

In this area, unfortunately, there is less of a market for the Vespa; they're expensive bikes, retailing for almost 1K more than a Stella and 2K more than the more common Kymcos. They're not greatly economical bikes compared to their cheaper counterparts. The Vespa has gone from an economical vehicle once marketed to American farmers though the Sears catalog to an expensive, metrosexual, metropolitan (all things metro), urban elite vehicle.

Mullet Jazz

I work as a waiter in an Italian bistro that plays Smooth Jazz all day and all night, much to my consternation. This is a good example of what I have to listen to. This video is also notable for its brilliant representation of a late 80s/early 90s aesthetic I consider to be absolutely hilarious. And the animated cat dancing alongside the performers? I imagine that it's post Paula Abdul's "Opposites Attract," when that sort of thing was considered very correct for music video makers to include in their work. Notice that this "Jazz" is being performed by really, really white guys with mullets? And the only black guy, or guy who sounds black, is the vocalist, but he's represented by an animated cat. I just find that interesting.