Franklin: A Middle English term from the feudal system indicating a free, land-owning gentleman.
Leif: from Norse, "Beloved, descendant."
Benjamin: from Hebrew, "son of my right hand."
Additionally, do you see what happens when you think about a name too much??
I give much thought to the happiness of my children, and what I should do in any number of situations, to do right by them; and then, I dare to dream that they would value the love of their father above all else, as a result! In Frankie's case, an honest oversight leads to a double-whammy of happiness, when he's older enough to understand it, and if that's his gig, baby!
I saw him this morning, his first year on earth having been completed! He woke up, stood up, saw me, smiled, and spoke with effort, if not ability! And then held up his arms to me, to claim his due!! I was the first thing I wanted him to see, on this particular day of the year, 2 years running.
He sprawled onto the bed, between me and his big sister, and we softly sung happy birthday to him while we tickled his nose, made funny faces, and other tomfoolery suitable of a birthday party. He loves to laugh. He laid on my arm in a way Abigail never did... but never wanted to, either. He sprawled on me; he was totally comfortable, and started to snooze back to sleep. He throws his arm up sometimes; and when he does, I am reminded of my own father, dozing in bed on a sunday morning.
Moving with confidence; mimicking behaviour and showing a taste for rythym!! I don't care about the age he is... its my SON!! If it takes him 20 years to play any instrument well, I'd be there every day to help him become that which he wants to be, or I'd leave him alone as alone would do, if that's his gig, baby.
How great a day could a man ask for? How much more can he give to his son, on his birthday, but that he wished their moments together would be remembered in eternity? How about a secret, deep, burning passion to communicate to "my son, I love you"; so deep that I will bury the meaning in his name, for him to discover and to KNOW it to be true, because his father always showed him.
And I, foolishly being surprised that having always showed him, as I always wanted to do, that he loves me for it, even at 1; and me, betting on him "getting it" about his name, is a pretty safe bet.
Pictures on the way.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
I Wonder if Leech and Lechery are somehow related...?
I am willing to go on the record and say that I think Chuck Bursell (Watch 100 Huntley Street, if you dare... MWAHAHAHA) is an ass beyond comprehension. I regard him as I would regard a mosquito with pretensions of spiritual powers; that he dare open his mouth and speak in direct contradiction of himself, to browbeat people like you and I into accepting whatever it is he has to say, is intolerable to me. We mildly call this a "guilt trip"; This man extorts you, and when he succeeds he makes you agree with him.
He looks like Walter Matthau- but yesterday he sounded like Hitler. I cannot be certain of the last part of his couple of minutes; after he blasted Dr. Spock, he proceeded to denounce self-expression and self-determination as the ultimate evil values of all time, and then... I just kinda... shrugged. In the face of eternity, what's 60 seconds of this guy's hot air, hey?
"Oh well... its PAID TV programming, who am I to stop it, really... and Gee, I wonder who paid for it?" At the time, Iggy Pop was just saying, "Well, that's like hyp-no-tizin' chickens...", in my ears, at 90 decibels.
Seriously; just becuz this guy's got the balls to be that bold-faced a bluffer, it's a small comfort: his pants are down... and he's the mosquito.
He looks like Walter Matthau- but yesterday he sounded like Hitler. I cannot be certain of the last part of his couple of minutes; after he blasted Dr. Spock, he proceeded to denounce self-expression and self-determination as the ultimate evil values of all time, and then... I just kinda... shrugged. In the face of eternity, what's 60 seconds of this guy's hot air, hey?
"Oh well... its PAID TV programming, who am I to stop it, really... and Gee, I wonder who paid for it?" At the time, Iggy Pop was just saying, "Well, that's like hyp-no-tizin' chickens...", in my ears, at 90 decibels.
Seriously; just becuz this guy's got the balls to be that bold-faced a bluffer, it's a small comfort: his pants are down... and he's the mosquito.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Just In Time
Here's an opportune moment, deserving of a goodly squeeze of the proverbial, 2-thumbed fist.
On the left-hand side at present is the following news article. It won't be visible there (perhaps) by the time you read this, but click that link and follow.
Understand me, now; I cannot begin to explain to any of you (who read this) what this story means to me, although not perhaps in the way that many of you are perhaps wondering with all this setup. I am not gay- but I am intimately aware of this issue, and how long it has been going on in the good ol' C-o-E. There was a time (12 years!) that I took the podium (May, 1995) before that same General Synod, and spoke with conviction against the same motion, one of many participants in a lengthy debate.
To simply say that I would do differently, now, knowing what I do, believing what I do, understanding what I do, isn't even close to sufficient; but maybe not in the way that you think I mean, either.
I am unreservedly admitting that my whole answer to this, and other problems in the Anglican Church of Canada (or worldwide), was a whole-hearted SHRUG... what does it matter? (If there ever was a time I identified with John Galt, holy shit, it's now!)
I believe now (and I believed it then, the truth be told; I didn't realize the implications) that there's an awfully big contradiction somewhere, and over time I began to see why I believed it so strongly; for starters, I didn't think it was appropriate, somehow, for fear and intimidation to be the motivating factor behind any action (especially, one would think, in a CHURCH) but yet the only recourse for either side of the issue was ... lobbying. $$$ means hearts, hearts mean votes. Fear doesn't appeal to your intellect. Or does it??
I find it morally reprehensible, telling people what they should believe- and don't think about it, because its for your own good, or else. But yet, that's the solution for the divided church, isn't it? Allow me to point out to you- read those words again and understand, I recognized that whatever it was that I found reprehensible about the other side, my own side was just as guilty of it.
But that is just the beginning.... isn't that the problem of the church, this last century or so?? Such is your fate when you have nagging doubt, and an inquisitive mind, condemned to find out where your faulty premises are. Dry humor, yes; true for me? YES. Am I happier now, knowing it? Hell Ya!
From time to time, I dare to hope and dream that I will be part of a generation which will be remembered as more than a footnote in the pages of history. The youngest of our generation, those (now) young adults who were young kids when Pearl Jam released "Ten".... they're the ones who tell you, when confronted with an obvious flashly, promise the moon advertisement, "That's just marketing!" (and, here's a funny co-inky-dink, I heard that claimed by Terry O'Reilly, and THEN it happened to me, this past week).
Damn right it is, kids!! Damned, if its not! They already know when they're being fleeced, or fattened!!
Critical thinkers, emerging as if by chance; "we" were named "Generation-X" for recognizing no future, having no vision, being nihilistic and so forth... and brother, if you were to ask me what THAT (roll your eyes, like you're 60) means, I'd say, you'd better start reading Stranger In A Strange Land.
On the left-hand side at present is the following news article. It won't be visible there (perhaps) by the time you read this, but click that link and follow.
Understand me, now; I cannot begin to explain to any of you (who read this) what this story means to me, although not perhaps in the way that many of you are perhaps wondering with all this setup. I am not gay- but I am intimately aware of this issue, and how long it has been going on in the good ol' C-o-E. There was a time (12 years!) that I took the podium (May, 1995) before that same General Synod, and spoke with conviction against the same motion, one of many participants in a lengthy debate.
To simply say that I would do differently, now, knowing what I do, believing what I do, understanding what I do, isn't even close to sufficient; but maybe not in the way that you think I mean, either.
I am unreservedly admitting that my whole answer to this, and other problems in the Anglican Church of Canada (or worldwide), was a whole-hearted SHRUG... what does it matter? (If there ever was a time I identified with John Galt, holy shit, it's now!)
I believe now (and I believed it then, the truth be told; I didn't realize the implications) that there's an awfully big contradiction somewhere, and over time I began to see why I believed it so strongly; for starters, I didn't think it was appropriate, somehow, for fear and intimidation to be the motivating factor behind any action (especially, one would think, in a CHURCH) but yet the only recourse for either side of the issue was ... lobbying. $$$ means hearts, hearts mean votes. Fear doesn't appeal to your intellect. Or does it??
I find it morally reprehensible, telling people what they should believe- and don't think about it, because its for your own good, or else. But yet, that's the solution for the divided church, isn't it? Allow me to point out to you- read those words again and understand, I recognized that whatever it was that I found reprehensible about the other side, my own side was just as guilty of it.
But that is just the beginning.... isn't that the problem of the church, this last century or so?? Such is your fate when you have nagging doubt, and an inquisitive mind, condemned to find out where your faulty premises are. Dry humor, yes; true for me? YES. Am I happier now, knowing it? Hell Ya!
From time to time, I dare to hope and dream that I will be part of a generation which will be remembered as more than a footnote in the pages of history. The youngest of our generation, those (now) young adults who were young kids when Pearl Jam released "Ten".... they're the ones who tell you, when confronted with an obvious flashly, promise the moon advertisement, "That's just marketing!" (and, here's a funny co-inky-dink, I heard that claimed by Terry O'Reilly, and THEN it happened to me, this past week).
Damn right it is, kids!! Damned, if its not! They already know when they're being fleeced, or fattened!!
Critical thinkers, emerging as if by chance; "we" were named "Generation-X" for recognizing no future, having no vision, being nihilistic and so forth... and brother, if you were to ask me what THAT (roll your eyes, like you're 60) means, I'd say, you'd better start reading Stranger In A Strange Land.
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