Word

Doing what I do for a living the use and meaning of words is something I end up discussing often (and usually not because I bring it up). Two words I've used lately that caused some discussion are "snarky" and "minion." So, as I like to do every chance I get, I'll share with you the Webster's definition for the two words in the context in which I used them:

Snarky: sarcastic, impertinent, or irreverent in tone or matter
Minion: a servile dependent, follower, or underling

And you have to admit, snarky and minion are cool words, and I bet they aren't as bad as you thought they were. I also love that when you use the word "snarky" you are likely being snarky yourself. Two words often discussed and debated when I was in college were "swanky" and "smarmy." (There must be something about words beginning with s and ending in y.) You know what comes next:

Swanky: characterized by showy display: ostentatious
Smarmy: of low, sleazy taste or quality

For example, we decided that drinking leftover champagne out of Dixie cups in our empty apartment after graduation was swanky. "Smarmy" often applied, and often correctly, to particular persons. "Swanky" has lost some of its charm for me, but I should use "smarmy" more often, because you know many opportunities will present itself.

A blog entry on this topic could go on forever. I will leave you with this advice: look it up; it often doesn't mean what you think it does. I will also leave you with the correct pronunciation of a few words the pronunciation of which has caused actual arguments. You're welcome.

Caramel: car mel before care a mel
Coupon: cooh pon before q pon (I was wrong about this!)
Elementary: element air e before elemen tree
Syrup: sir up before sear up

Let me know if there are others you'd like listed, either for pronunciation or definition. I will do it with a smile.

Church is a Verb

This is a duplicate of a post I wrote for the BishBash 2009 blog, but I thought I would share it here and maybe garner some more comments. Enjoy:

Church is a Verb

In the English language many nouns have been "verbed," or turned into action words. For example, you can Google someone, Xerox a document, friend someone on Myspace, or Facebook someone. All of these words (Google, Xerox, friend, Facebook) were originally nouns that we've turned into verbs. The BishBash Power Sqaud wants to add church to that list.

Instead of church being just a place we go, let's make church a thing we do.

You help at a soup kitchen: you churched. You stood up for a schoolmate being bullied: you churched. You worshipped, you prayed, you performed any act of love: you churched. You can even church at church! Saying "I church" is like saying "I help," "I give," "I love."

The theme for BishBash 2009 is "Church is a Verb." Let us know what you think! Leave us a comment here on the blog or e-mail Sky Lake director Matt Williams at matt(at)skylakecenter.org (replace the "(at)" with an "@," of course). Please share with us any ideas you may have for the day as well.

I church. Do you?
Rethink church.

http://bishbashblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/church-is-verb.html

Status Quo

Tonight I attended a get-together with my church conference's bishop (admittedly mostly to meet with her about the upcoming BishBash on July 25th, but I figured I'd stay for the service). The purpose of the service was for the bishop to discuss the new conference that will be formed in 2010.

For the non-Methodists reading this, and for the Methodists unaware, the United Methodist Church structure begins with the global church and then breaks down into jurisdictions (regions of a country), which is made up of conferences, which is made up of districts, which is made up of local churches. I may have missed a step or two but you get the idea. Currently, upstate New York is split into four conferences, with two bishops serving the four conferences. Those at the top said, "Actually, your area needs only one bishop." So the four conferences got together and decided to become one big conference. Tonight's discussion was about what this means for our current conference, districts, and local churches.

Many meetings have been taking place to work this all out, with one of the first tasks being to establish a vision statement. I received a small part of the new conference's vision statement tonight, with a bullet point reading that the new conference "seeks to become a kingdom community where congregations seek to live together in the way of Jesus, evidenced by the status quo giving way to a revolution of community and neighborliness."

This caught my attention because (1) the church acknowledged that a status quo exists and (2) the word "revolution" was used. As a 28-year-old whippersnapper I feel it's my duty to rage against the status quo. Down with the status quo! But wait, didn't I just a few blog entries ago say I believed in the American Dream and wanted a white picket fence?

Webster's defines status quo as "the existing state of affairs." How do I fit into this? Let's see.

Straight? Check.
Married? Check.
Christian? Check.
Employed by a for-profit business? Check.
Kids? Not yet, but someday.
Home owner? Not yet, but someday.

I have a car, an IRA, department store credit cards, a Crock-Pot, a gym membership, and a college degree. And I'm okay with all of this. But as much as I fit the status quo I just as much believe it should be shaken up, redefined. How do I rage against the status quo?

From the inside out, I think. I'm not sure what this means, yet. Use my Crock-Pot for charity fund-raisers? Use my gym membership to help me run a marathon to bring awareness to a cause? Use the mobility and flexibility of my current job for a for-profit company to also volunteer, or write a book? Is this enough? Being a part of the status quo is only negative if the status quo is. Goal: help make the status quo Good. Probably from the inside out.

What should our trivia name be?

A few weeks ago my brother introduced me to a text messaging service known as ChaCha. Maybe you already know about it. Maybe I'm way behind on the times. Maybe I'm the person who rented a movie that came out three years ago and now wants to discuss it with you as if it were new (I stole this from Jim Gaffigan). Either way, I'm going to talk about ChaCha, or 242-242.

It's simple. If you have a question and are not near a computer or a reference section but you do have your cell phone, text 242-242 with your question, and they will text back an answer. I know texting Googl (466-453) offer sports scores, weather, phone numbers, etc., but I don't think it answers questions directly. Even if it does, I will not cheat on ChaCha because of last night, so I'm not even going to check Googl.

During a discussion - not during trivia because we don't cheat unless everyone else does - the question came up of whether Mike Arcuri or Richard Hannah won the U.S. House seat in NY. I texted ChaCha, who told me that Mike Arcuri had won. Good to know. We then were trying to decide on a trivia name, and, as you may be able to tell by this blog entry's title, I decided to ask ChaCha. The answer? Flonkerton.

Perfect.

Thinking for oneself

Unlike in most situations, when with family I try to avoid talking politics. But without fail every time my extended family gets together I am approached with a political subject. This past Saturday at my grandfather's eightieth birthday my uncle sat next to me and asked me who I voted for. This was one of my quieter uncles, so I was suprised he brought the subject up, this on top of the surprise that I was asked the question at all; it's been pretty clear ever since I figured out how to think for myself what side of the line I stand on. Granted this thinking-for-myself task took me a little longer to figure out than maybe more normal, balanced people, but nonetheless I figured it out, then there was no looking back.

I realized quickly that my uncle asked the question simply as an excuse for him to share his voting story. He told me that his pastor told his congregation to vote the Bible. Even though he goes to a Methodist church, the "Methodist" pastors in Alfred/Andover/Wellsville area of New York emulate Franklin Graham more than either of the Wesley brothers. For example, my aunt who goes to Andover United Methodist will not touch a Harry Potter book because her PASTOR told her that J. K. Rowling is a witch. Yes - a Methodist pastor. Anyway, I replied to my uncle, "So you voted for John McCain because he has now declared himself pro-life." My uncle said yes. I replied again saying I'm glad that he voted and that he had a clear reason why. I believe it to be wholly misguided reason, but a reason nonetheless. I continued (of course), saying, "I believe I voted the Bible too. And I voted for the other guy." We ended the conversation at that. He wouldn't have tried to fight me on it anyway.

My lifelong Republican grandma sitting across from me, who happens to now have no hearing, said to my uncle, "You voted for Obama? Me too! He's our guy." On the subject, but the wrong assumption. I thought it was funny.

So my uncle voted the way his pastor told him to. "On the Bible." How the people voting for John McCain so arrogantly and self-righteously claimed the Bible and God as theirs and their candidate's is endlessly frustrating to me, as I'm sure you can tell if you ever read anything I've ever written before. Especially that it was a Methodist pastor who told the congregation to vote for the candidate who represents the privileged, the wealthy, the social darwinistic, the war advocates, the gun lovers, the death penalty supporters, the privatizers, the Haves - the people and beliefs Jesus preached against. One issue - abortion - and they think they are on God's side. It doesn't work that way; God doesn't vote. As loudly as I declare that I vote based on my Christianity, I will never tell you God is on my side. I will never believe you when you tell me God isn't on my side. You and I have no absolute knowlege of God, and if you think you do I strongly suggest you read the Bible and reassess the situation. (Read the Bible yourself. Do not simply rely on what your pastor tells you it says and means. Please.) It's called faith, and I vote the way I feel will move the world more toward the ideal world Jesus talked about. And how dare you put God in a box, especially one shaped like an elephant.

About the pro-life stance: (1) John McCain for the majority of his career has been pro-choice. He pandered to the conservative base, as he had to, to get the presidential nomination. (2) Even if he became president, he wouldn't have fought to have Roe v. Wade overturned. I believe him to be a rational (for the most part) man who believes in separation of church and state and the Constitution. He knows it would have been a wasted effort to to try to please a loud but small part of his base, a part that won't be satisfied until the Constitution is thrown out the window and we become the exact religious despots our country fought against to become a free country. And yes, I feel comfortable speaking for John McCain on this issue. This is the "wholly misguided" I mentioned previously. Those who believed John McCain was going to outlaw abortion were misguided. They based their vote on this, and it makes me a little sad.

Now I'll share my view on abortion, which I don't often share (with anyone besides my husband since the subject has come up so often recently). I know, me not sharing an opinion? Crazy. Well, I'm going to do it now.

You'd probably guess and guess right where I stand on whether or not Roe v. Wade should be overturned. I do not believe abortion should be illegal. I am, however, pro-life. I would not have an abortion, regardless of the way the baby were conceived; only if my and the baby's death were certain, or the death of all babies I were carrying if carrying more than one were certain would I consider it. I have many reasons for being pro-life, which I'll share if you ask me, especially if abortion is something you're considering. However, I feel that this is a decision to be made for oneself. It is between a woman, her doctor, the father if applicable and then only partly, and her God. I would never, never support a law that made abortion illegal. I would never tell a woman her decision regarding this was wrong. I do not feel like less of a Christian for believing this.

What perhaps disappoints me the most is that my uncle would have voted for anyone his pastor had told him to. A pastor could argue just as well (if not better) for Barack Obama or Ralph Nader. My uncle made a decision, but he didn't really make the decision himself, just like my aunt didn't judge Harry Potter for herself. I'm sure it's much easier to just do as you're told and never have to make any decisions, but it's disheartening to say the least, and absolutely frightening to say the most.

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Matthew 22: 36-40 (NIV)


The Mormon Church, a church that claims the Christian faith and is based in Utah, spent $20 million advertising dollars in California to abolish the constitutional right for gay men and women to get married. In early polling and trends in California, Proposition 8 - a proposition to amend the California Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman - had no chance of passing. Even the state's Republican governor has spoken out against Prop 8. It wasn't until the Mormon Church became involved that the tide turned. Why? Misleading advertising. I'm not sure if misleading is the right word. Innaccurate would be better.

Now. The Mormon Church has every right to speak for or against any issue it so desires. In fact, I wish more churches would open their status-quo, too polite, weak mouths and take a stance against the injustices Jesus preached against instead of being an advocate for them, or worse - being quiet bystanders. The churches who currently speak out resemble far more the pharisees than Christ.

So many churches are afraid to lose their tax-exempt status by taking a stance. Besides that I think being Christ-like is worth losing tax-exempt status, speaking is protected by the First Amendment. Unlike what Mormon advertising for Prop 8 said, no person, organization, or church would lose the right to free speech if the proposition were not passed. Where the church can get in trouble is when it spends its tax-exempt money to support an overtly political person or law. And even though I feel the Mormon Church did just this by spending their $20 million on Prop 8, it is very unlikely they will lose their tax-exempt status because the law is so loose. Though I completely disagree with them on this issue and think it's very wrong that they used lies to persuade the public, I, in a very general way, admire the church for taking a risk.

I can't even blame the entire vote on the Mormon Church. The Californians who allowed themselves to be scared and misled by the church are just as much or more to blame. Part of the blame belongs to the church because as self-proclaimed followers of Christ the church has placed itself at a higher standard/scrutiny than just "regular folk" who don't invoke Christ's name. In Christ's name the church should be working for social justice, not against it. Shame on you Mormon Church. (If you declared yourselves Paulians instead of Christians I may have less disappointment in you, but even Paul talked about love and equality.) The voters share the blame because (1) a minute or two of real research would have disproven the Mormon ads' claims, (2) a brief moment of common sense would have disproven the Mormon ads' claims, and (3) in their hearts they know this proposition is wrong. Shame on you California voters, for believing that sex education would be taught in kindergarten, that homosexuality would be forced on your children, and that churches would lose their right to free speech.

As a Christian I take to heart what Jesus said when he said the greatest commandments are to love your God and love your neighbor as you would be loved. The greatest commandments trump all others, negating any sentiment that does not align with them. We teach the golden rule but don't live it. I am guilty of this too, but I like to think that I at least try, and at the very least don't openly defy it.

Since no law can be based on solely the Bible or any religious text due to separation of church and state, Prop 8 will likely not make it past the courts. God willing. California judges now must uphold the discrimination, but maybe the amendment itself can overturned by a higher court. I'm not a lawyer so I'm not sure. I do know that the amendment can be amended by voters. I think it's worth a try.

And now that you've read all of this, here's commentary on the subject from Keith Olbermann of MSNBC (his is better than mine - that's why he's at the end).

The Male Cougar

I'm not talking about the animal, but I'm guessing most people reading this don't think of a large cat when they hear the word "cougar." I am of course referring to older women who date/seek younger men. Famous cougars include Mrs. Robinson, Demi Moore, Linda Hogan, and me - if being four years older than your husband counts.

Despite that the term is derogatory and sexist, I'm going to talk about it anyway. Just for fun. The important questions: What is the age difference requirement for a cougar? Can cougars be hot, or can only unattainable older women be hot? Are cougars looking only for a boy toy? I will not actually be answering or discussing any of these questions; I just want you to think about them.

My friends and I used to go to a more "upscale" bar when we were 22-23 because we knew older men and women there would buy us drinks. Good drinks. So the boys looked for the cougars, and the girls looked for, well, the male cougar. (Most of the time we simply met nice people who appreciated our situation in life.)

Like the term "male slut," why is the word "male" in front of it? Men can just be plain old sluts; no adjective is necessary. Men can be plain old cougars too. But does a term exist for "male cougars"? I, of course, did some research.

I've heard a tom (which is the actual term for the male cat), a dingo, a silver fox, a manther, an elephant seal, a liger, Daddy, a bobcat, a "creepy old guy," and "man." Or, a Redenbacher.

I, Too, Sing America

Yes. We. DID!

I am so, so happy that Barack Obama won the election. It hits me at moments and I get goosebumps. President Barack Obama. This moment was a long time coming and I am so excited to be a part of it. I'm proud of America. I'm proud to be American. Now let's get to work.

Watching the news this morning, because you know I am, I kept thinking the statement "I, too, am America." I did a quick Google search and figured out why it was in my head - it's from a Langston Hughes poem titled "I, Too, Sing America." I cannot recommend enough that you read Langston Hughes, often. For today I'll share with you "I, Too, Sing America."


I, Too, Sing America

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

Exit Polls

What is an exit poll? Basically, when someone - standing 100 feet away from the polling place - asks you who you voted for. You tell them, he or she tallies it. Such polls are used most often by newspapers and television broadcasters so that they can report results before official results.

In 2004 exit polls showed Kerry leading most of the night. Well, we know how that turned out. The rumor is that news and media outlets will be citing exit polls sparingly this year, and not calling states based on it. We'll see. You know I'll be watching.

Don't forget to vote. TODAY. For Barack Obama. We need a new direction.

Nathan Bedford Forrest

Nathan Bedford Forrest may be known as a Confederate Cavalry leader during the U.S. Civil War, but he is better known as the alleged founder of the Ku Klux Klan, serving as its first grand wizard.

Floridians last night voted on whether to change the name of Nathan B. Forrest High School in Jacksonville. The result? Forrest High remains Forrest High.

Ridiculous and sad.

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE TODAY!
(for Barack Obama, of course)

Barack Obama's Grandmother Passes Away

Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandmother, died of cancer today. That sucks. My prayers are with the family.

That's all.

Electoral College Map

For the most recent electoral college map, visit here:
http://www.electoral-vote.com/

For some printable maps to color in as the states are called, visit here:
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/maps/pdf/us_nl.pdf
http://www.abcteach.com/maps/usa.htm

Why blue should be your favorite crayon:

Iverson for Billups, McDyess, and Samb

In more sports news, the Detroit Pistons are trading Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and Cheikh Samb to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Allen Iverson.

Everyone TOMORROW needs to go trade George Bush for BARACK OBAMA. Do not forget to VOTE!

Phil Fulmer to resign

Phillip Fulmer, head coach of the Tenessee Volunteers, will announce his resignation today at 5:00 p.m. EST according to ESPN.

Don't forget to vote for BARACK OBAMA on Tuesday November 4.
Seriously. It's time for a real change.


Watch CBS Videos Online

(Do you get what I'm doing yet?)

Where do I vote?

If you'd like to know where you go to vote for Barack Obama, visit:
http://vote411.org/
http://maps.google.com/vote

Vote411 worked better for me. I recommend it.

For those of you in NY, check here for your voting info, including your voter registration status:
https://voterlookup.elections.state.ny.us/votersearch.aspx

Everyone else: http://www.canivote.org/

Oh, Democracy.

I just spent an hour talking politics at the mechanic's. As we sat watching the CBS Early Show, Harry Smith and the compulsory political experts interchanging red and blue states on the big floor map to show the current poll trends, my waiting-room mate said, "That's scary." Knowing better, I still asked, "That John McCain has a chance to win?" My fellow car owner replied, "No - that Barack Obama may become president." I could have just nodded and kept my mouth shut, but when presented this option I rarely take it. This instance was no different.

I replied, "Well, I instead am really excited for an Obama presidency." My friend told me I was young and brainwashed. I replied that I think I'm pretty well informed and in control of my brain, thanks. He said McCain was too liberal for him. I said I wish Obama were more liberal. We realized then we were not going to agree on much:

He wants to kill all of the terrorists; I want to try to change their hearts. He wants to intimidate countries into producing more oil; I want to find energy alternatives. (He then asked me what kind of car I drove, and was happy to find out - after my declaration of desire for less dependency on oil - that I drove a 42-mile-to-the-gallon Toyota Tercel. He respected me for this. I respected him for respecting me. We all know I could be much better in this regard, but I'll take the kudos anyway; I don't often warrant them.) He wants a strong military force throughout the world; I want that money spent on education and non-military humanitarian efforts. He believes government shouldn't take any of his money; I'm okay with paying taxes that go to beneficial programs. He says tomato; I say tomato.

However, we did agree that "the system" is flawed. I did say, though, that I'll take a flawed system if it means people who really need help get it, even if ten people who don't really need it also get helped. He disagreed.

You can't change people's mind-sets until you change society's mind-set, and making the rich richer and poor poorer isn't going to do this. (We agreed on this too, but then disagreed over who would help decrease the gap and make the system better.) The system obviously needs to change, and both candidates will try - I just think McCain will change it for the worse by making it harder for everyone to get help and Barack will change it for the better by making it easier for everyone to get help. Yes, "everyone" includes the moochers, but when it is easier to mooch than to work, why not mooch? If you make it easier for those who work to get help (maybe even more help than the moochers get!), won't that provide at least a little more incentive to join the working class?

I choose to believe Obama when he tells me he wants the American Dream to be reality again. I don't care if the American Dream is unhip, I still want my version to come true. I like believing that it can, for anyone. I even like white picket fences . . . and the right to use them for picket signs.

Besides the brainwashing bit, no personal attacks were made this morning in the mechanic's waiting room. Nobody yelled. Nobody really even called the other person wrong. Joe the Plumber and Betty Bleeding Heart left as friends. Really.

Mason-Dixon Poll

For the latest Mason-Dixon Poll results, see: http://www.mason-dixon.com/public/index.cfm.

Don't forget to vote for BARACK OBAMA on NOVEMBER 4.
You already know why you should.

NYC Marathon Results

For the results of the New York City Marathon, visit here: http://www.nycmarathon.org/results/index.php

And don't forget to vote for Barack Obama THIS TUESDAY!
http://maps.google.com/vote

(You can vote for whoever you want. Just base your decision on whether you want to start climbing out of the hole or if you'd rather dig it deeper.)