Friday Five: Reverendmother's Swan Song

This week's Friday Five is reverendmother's last, and so it's about goodbyes and endings:

1. Best ending of a movie/book/TV show
I can't think of endings that stand out--usually, a good story has a good ending. In recent memory, I liked how the Harry Potter series was wrapped up. I don't watch TV shows much at all these days, but one ending that I really enjoyed from years past was the series finale to Star Trek: The Next Generation. As for movies, probably Being There--the ending was great, as was the beginning and middle.

2. Worst ending of a movie/book/TV show
Again, if I didn't like the beginning and middle, I typically didn't make it through to the end. I remember not particularly liking the end of Seinfeld, but it wasn't that bad.

3. Tell about a memorable goodbye you've experienced.
That would probably be my last trip to India, when family from various corners of the world gathered at our parents' flat to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. It was the last chance we had to spend time with my dad, as he died a few months later.

4. Is it true that "all good things must come to an end"?
Most good things end, and there's a melancholy period that follows (e.g., experiencing Harry Potter withdrawal). But many of them spawn new beginnings.

5. "Everything I ever let go of has claw marks on it." --Anne Lamott. Discuss.
I don't tend to hang on to most things that strongly, for better or worse. Change has been part of my life for long enough that it doesn't make sense to get too attached to anything.

Bonus: "It isn't over until the fat lady sings." I've never loved this expression. So propose an alternative: "It isn't over until ____________________"
Being the politically incorrect nonconformist that I am, I happen to like this expression, so I can't really think of a better one. Until the ...cookie crumbles? ...universe collapses into a supermega black hole? ...God decides he's had enough amusement for awhile, wipes out all of creation, and starts over?

The Death of Hope

Christine at Abbey of the Arts has another poetry invitation, so I decided to participate. I did want to comment on the poem, though, and rather than cluttering up her blog, I thought I'd do it here.

First of all, I'm not a poet, but enjoy reading poetry (in much the same way that I enjoy music but lack any semblance of musical talent). Being a writer of prose has led me to really appreciate one particular form of poetry: the sonnet. It's no coincidence that one of my all-time favorite novels is The Golden Gate, by Vikram Seth. I think his accomplishment is unparalleled; since I can't read Russian, I can't comment on Pushkin's similar achievement.

Recently, I read Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, and one of the characters uses the sonnet as a metaphor for human existence:

Mrs Whatisit: A sonnet is a very strict form of poetry is it not? There are fourteen lines, I believe, all in iambic pentameter. That's a very strict rhythm or meter, yes? And each line has to end with a rigid rhyme pattern. And if the poet does not do it exactly this way, it is not a sonnet, is it?

Calvin: You mean you're comparing our lives to a sonnet? A strict form, but freedom within it?

Mrs Whatsit: Yes. You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you.

Anyway, the theme for this poetry invitation is "Requiem for a Sunflower." Let's just say that the timing is perfect, as morale around here has not been particularly high these days. And here's my attempt:

A time, an eon: long ago you shone
As if the sun in glory bright and fair
Had from the grasp of sky become undone.
And those that passed you by still stopped to stare

At beauty never seen upon this earth.
But now, your body torn and wracked with pain
Lies still and cold. Where once was joy and mirth
Now just a shell, devoid of hope, remains.

Hope is dead, and soon will be interred
In winter's chill embrace. And so the end
Of time begins. But yet a seed, a glimpse, a word
Remains. If only light would shine to send

A ray of hope beyond the grave. And then
I wonder...will you really rise again?

And the winner is...

...the game of Twenty20 cricket. My initial skepticism for this new format has been blown away today. In a perfect end to the tournament, the final match saw brilliant performances from both teams. Ultimately, it came down to who handled the pressure better:

One thing that has always impressed me about international cricket, regardless of who's playing, is the spirit of the game. It hasn't always been pretty, but this "gentleman's game" has somehow endured through the centuries. The players from both teams congratulate each other at the end of each match, and it's not just a mere formality. You can also see this when a player is injured on the field; the first person to rush to his assistance is often a member of the opposing team.

If two countries who have fought several wars in the last 50 years can exhibit a spirit of friendship amidst all the rivalry on the cricket field, why can't we see this elsewhere? It should also make us think about the boundaries we create in our own lives: between races, denominations, religions, and social classes.

Maybe, some day, the game of cricket will truly be universal.

Getting closer

Today, the UM church that we've been "visiting" had a class for new members and those interested in the church. It was enlightening, and refreshing to see a church where members take the initiative in various ministries, and the pastor steps out of the way and lets them do it. There were quite a few things discussed that resonated with me, but it comes down to the focus of the church (as it probably is with most UM churches) on community. Yes, evangelization is part of the mission, but it's channeled through serving the community.

We're moving slowly, but I feel like we're close to home. A key part of the decision rests on whether M feels comfortable; so far, she's been in two Sunday school sessions and is participating actively, from what we can tell. Things could change in a few weeks, but we'll have to deal with that if it happens.

Meanwhile, there will probably be at least one more post here about cricket, as I look forward to tomorrow's final showdown: India vs. Pakistan. That's a battle that has a very long (and violent) history, so I hope everything will go well, no matter who wins.

Friday Five: De-cluttering edition

It's been a while since I've played the RevGals' Friday Five. This week is about cleaning out closets and getting rid of "stuff," something we've been trying to do. So here goes:

1. Are you a hoarder or a minimalist?
As Grandpa Simpson said, a little from column A, a little from column B. In general, I don't like keeping old stuff around. On the other hand, I have a couple of shelves in the basement full of computer parts that I haven't had the time to deal with.

2. Name one important object (could be an heirloom) that you will never part with.
There probably are a few (not heirlooms, though), but one that comes to mind at the moment is my cricket bat.

3. What is the oldest item in your closet? Does it still fit???
Hard to say...probably a ratty old T-shirt that I got with a copy of Linux in 2000. Yes, I still wear it.

4.Yard sales- love 'em or hate 'em?
I'm indifferent, but D and M both love them.

5. Name a recycling habit you really want to get into.
We're lucky to live in a city that leads Wisconsin in recycling efforts. We could do more about recycling food waste (e.g., composting)--D has been wanting a composter for a while.

Twenty20

Yesterday was a big day in the cricketing world. India's Yuvraj Singh set a record for the fastest 50 in the history of the one-day game, while also hitting six 6s off one over. In baseball terms, it would be like one batter hitting six home runs off six consecutive pitches (which, of course, would be impossible with the current rules of the game). If your only exposure to cricket was a little guy named Jiminy, you can skip the video below :) Those of you who know the game may even have a few problems keeping things straight, due to all the instant replays!

On a deeper level, this tournament made me think about the history of the game as I knew it. When I started watching and playing cricket as a kid, the five-day game had just started losing its appeal. One-day cricket was becoming popular, and was heavily promoted by television networks. It was a great way to spend a day off, and many felt that it was a more exciting form of the game. Some purists, however, felt that the game had lost some of its essence.

Now the game has been reduced from the standard 50 overs a side to 20 (hence the name); instead of one match in a day, there are now as many as three (thanks to floodlights). The excitement and tension levels are intense, but much of the grace and character of the game have disappeared, with matches often being reduced to mere slugfests. Of course, television networks are making even more money per day than they used to.

I still remember a line from a Star Trek (TNG) episode where a character is talking to Wesley Crusher about the decline of baseball. He relives games in his head by remembering statistics, and tells Wesley:

"Once, centuries ago, it was the beloved national pastime of the Americas, Wesley. Abandoned by a society that prized fast food and faster games. Lost to impatience."

Recently, mompriest had a hilarious (and thought-provoking) video, Drive-Through Church on her blog. It made me think about the ways our relationship with God has been reduced to sound bites, instant gratification, and fitting him into gaps in our overscheduled lives. I'm often as guilty of this as anyone, in spite of my intentions to do better.

A few millenia from now, will someone be remarking about Christianity as we know it: "It was abandoned by a society that prized quick, easy solutions and instant gratification"?

Reading and 'riting and 'rithmetic

Singing Owl has a couple of posts about Christian books, one of which has some interesting recommendations. I haven't been blogging much, but I have been reading (blogs and books, that is). I recently finished the Harry Potter series, and there's now a huge void in my life. Okay, that's overdramatizing a bit, but I do miss Harry and friends.

Meanwhile, I've grown closer to accepting my inevitable return to corporate employment. I feel fortunate that God is leaving both doors open in a sense, and it's up to me to make a choice (there's that whole free will vs. predestination thing again). However, it comes down to doing the math: over the seven years that I've been self-employed, our health insurance costs have outpaced revenue growth several times over, so we've been steadily losing more money each year.

I will miss the flexibility of self-employment but I'm now focusing on the long-term goal: getting serious about writing. It may be harder to do once I'm back in an 8-to-5 job; on the other hand, maybe a fixed schedule will give me a little more structure in my time off as well. I don't particularly enjoy the idea of seeing a job simply as a paycheck, but that will have to do, at least for now. Unfortunately, it seems like the jobs that I would enjoy the most also happen to pay the least.

I still don't know where I will end up but am thankful that I have opportunities.

Short on words

Not much to say today, so I'll point you to a photo essay instead, on Mumbai Magic. For those of you who've never visited the city, here's a chance to take in a few of the sights without the smells and noise!

In remembrance

I'm not good at attaching meaning to specific dates; in fact, if I'm not at the computer, I usually have trouble remembering what day and date it is. Today is an exception.

I've seen a fair amount of discussion about remembering the events that took place six years ago. There's a group of people--some of them personally connected to the tragedy, and others who aren't--who say it's time to move on. They wanted an end to the memorial services today, and to look to the future instead of the past. Although I can sympathize with some of these feelings, it made me wonder if grief has an expiration date, and who decides when it's no longer fit to be kept on the shelf.

Six years ago, my parents celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary, and family from across the globe coordinated their schedules to meet at their home. It was the last time my siblings and I saw my dad; he died a few months later with my mom and oldest sister by his side. I know that my mom still remembers that day well; for me, it was long-distance grieving that didn't quite feel real at the time.

Six years ago (and just over a couple of months before September 11), I made a decision that still hangs over our family like a dark cloud. As a result, M came into this world through violent surgical delivery instead of a peaceful homebirth. Although I would like to move on, I was not the victim (at least, physically); and so, I know that forgiveness and healing may take a long time.

For those who lost loved ones in the tragic events six years ago, I pray that you will find peace and healing some day. But for now, may you find comfort.

Free writing

In the writing workshop I attended last week, we had a few "free writing" exercises; one of them consisted of looking at a photograph and then writing continuously for 5 minutes afterward, on whatever the photo inspired. It was a lot of fun. And so, when I saw Christine's post at Abbey of the Arts, I had to give it a shot, even though I don't normally write poetry (I guess it shows).

Anyway, I encourage whoever reads this to visit Christine's blog and try it as well. There's even a prize to be won!

Still here...sort of

My blogging break seems to have stretched longer than I anticipated. I've missed reading many, many posts among all my blogging friends (and hope to catch up soon). Meanwhile, I have been:

• Conditioning myself to make the difficult journey back into corporate employment. I seem to have picked a road, though I'm still unsure where it will lead. I had a job interview this week, at the company where I had my first job. Full circle...?
• Finishing a rush project, working on another, and waiting for a third to come back from the client. Of course, the moment I started job hunting in earnest, I figured project work would come in :)
• Struggling with the two teams of wild horses above, pulling me apart in opposing directions.
• Attending a church both D and I like (M has reserved judgement until Sunday school starts). D commented on the fact that we may very well end up in the same church tradition where she started (United Methodist). Another full circle...?
• Reading Harry Potter, and enjoying the experience (I'm currently on #6).
• Realizing that I should start writing again, attending a short workshop on writing for children, and trying to figure out how I can make time to write.
• Surviving...