The weather is weird
Last week we had lows below zero and highs in the teens and twenties. Everything was covered in snow, and once I get more pictures downloaded you'll see more of the winter wonderland. Over the weekend we had highs in the 60s and the snow melted almost over night. Then we had thunderstorms and tornados and some flooding. Now it's highs of 40 with the promise of snow in the near future. Bizarre.
Life after GOEs is good, though everything I put on hold while taking the exams is now demanding my attention. I've done a lot of field ed stuff this week as well as working on ordination details and doing some of the large amount of pre-reading assigned for J-term classes. I do not understand how a 2 1/2 day class can have more reading than a semester long class. 5 books and a movie are required for one class. Does this fall in the category of intrinsically evil acts? Maybe not, but certainly unrealistic expectations. If I ever run a seminary I will not permit between term assignments and certainly not the reading of more than one book. I don't care if it's grad school. I think it's wrong. Although admittedly I'm really enjoying one of the books I'm reading about community organizing.
posted by Merely Human @ 5:45 PM
5 Comments
5 Comments:
Pre-reading assignments annoyed me as well, but they make more sense for a class that's this short. What's the class?
The middle section of Obama's first book, Dreams from my Father, is all about community organizing in Chicago. And the book is really good. It was written in the mid-90s, when he wasn't thinking (much) about higher offices, so it seems quite an honest book. Inspiring even. Skip some of the duller stuff for class and get to know the man who might be our next president.
You know I bought that book about this time last year because I wanted to know more about him, but with all the other reading I have to do, it's still sitting on my shelf. I've been meaning to write and ask you your opinion on the election this year. I've been very impressed with Obama.
I probably don't think anything really original. On the D side, we've got three terrific candidates. Two would be historic firsts, one has been tireless about advocating things that are both important and overlooked. None is perfect, but who is?
I was pre-disposed to like Obama (and indeed remembered being completely impressed by his convention speech in 2004, though I can't at the moment find any sign that I wrote that, so maybe it's retroactive perspicacity at work) all the more so, I think, for being both Southern and still a Democrat. The redemption of having an African-American as President is a big deal indeed. That he might be a really good one makes it all the better. (And maybe a one-time opportunity, as Hispanics have overtaken blacks as America's largest minority.) On the other hand, first female president. Not exactly a small milestone. On the other other hand (special dispensation for that one), Edwards has been much less cautious and minimalist than the other two in what he actually proposes to do. Symbolism is not enough.
So I'm pleased by the alternatives but haven't settled on one yet. I think it's Edwards who's been saying the Democrats have an embarrassment of riches this year, while the Republicans just have embarrassments.
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