My life has never really followed a conventional path--a fact that I'm sure has kept my parents up late into the night worrying. I've always felt a bit different, a bit too self-conscious or reflective, as if I were observing a life rather than living one. Perhaps that's why I've always had a thing for adventurous life choices (and why I don't mind moving back and forth across the country).

Over at Kelley Eskridge's blog, I came across a web-comic that captures how I feel entirely! Apologies for the NSFW language:

From XKCD.

Your result for The What Middle Earth race do you belong to Test...

Wizard

You scored 0% Size & Strength, 94% Morality, 47% Aggression, and 76% Intelligence.

Take The What Middle Earth race do you belong to Test at HelloQuizzy

Every few years, a novel comes along that causes a stir within the (sometimes too-heavily defended) walls of the speculative fiction/fantasy/sf world. Buzz builds and word of mouth spreads like wildfire. Generally, I'm suspicious of such hype, oftentimes feeling let down as I eagerly buy the latest "sweetness" and discover that it just wasn't to my taste.

Not so with Acacia, the first fantasy novel from historical fiction author, David Anthony Durham (although to be truthful, I waited about 6 months after this book's release to even touch it). The novel centers around the royal family of Acacia, a kingdom that stretches across the length of the Known World. All is not well in the grand kingdom, which harbors a secret that gnaws away at its core like tree-rot, and the current ruler, Leodan Akaran, struggles with the burden of that secret.

When tragedy strikes and the hidden enemies of Acacian hegemony rise up, Leodan and his family are thrust into a conflict that shakes the very structure of the Known World!

Durham's crisp and confident prose carry the story along its epic path, and his work as an author of historical fiction has helped him build a compelling and altogether three-dimensional world! Acacia shares a certain kind of kinship with Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series--both tell an epic story that transcends the boundaries of a single kingdom and both reveal the stark, almost savage reality that exists beneath the pageantry of noble life and kingly rule.

If Acacia stumbles at all it is, ironically, because of its greatest strength: The epic breadth of its narrative. As we follow Leodan and his children across the long stretch of years, there are narrative gaps that are sometimes filled in with back-story and reflection by the viewpoint characters. However, I often found myself interested in reading more about what happened during that gap.

Even so, I found Acacia to be a compelling and altogether praiseworthy read. It is another testament to the skill and style of a new crop of fantasists! It does, without a doubt, live up to the hype!   

One of my many avocations is singing. Because I'm a tenor and by pure genetic accident can produce high male tones with general accuracy, I've had the chance to sing with choirs that, from a musicianship perspective, I had no business being a part of. One of those choirs was Seattle Pro Musica, one of the premiere non-professional choral groups in the Pacific Northwest. Led by Karen P. Thomas, one of the most gifted choral directors and musicians I've ever worked with (and a darn fine person, as well), SPM always attempted challenging and dynamic music sometimes a little outside the mainstream choral fare.

That's pretty much how I was first introduced to Balkan Music (see, I get to the point eventually!). All of the music from the Balkan region has an earthy, powerful, and evocative core, but none more so than that of Balkan women's music. The sound of Balkan Women's choral music is radically different from that produced by traditional European Bel Canto singing. It is much more "forward" sounding, almost shot out of the body like a high-intensity laser beam--all the better to be heard as these women worked, and mourned, and celebrated along the mountains of their native land, passing the song from one to the other. Balkan women singers also harness the power of their "chest voice" to produce a unique intonation. Add to that non-European, eastern intervals and harmonic aesthetics, and you have a beautiful, haunting, and totally captivating sound.

To give you an example, I present the Yale Women's Slavic Chorus singing Shto Mi E Milo. When I first sang this song with Seattle Pro Musica, I was blown away by the absolutely addictive cadence and the catchy melody. I haven't stopped singing it since!

The first time I stumbled upon this YouTube video, I was immediately captivated by this group's talent and obvious love of the music itself.

Here's another one, the song Ergen Deda sung by the fabulous Yale Women's Slavic Chorus:

 and by a traditional Bulgarian Women's Choir (this one's a little fuzzy in the beginning):

I just can't seem to get enough of that full-bodied sound coming from traditional Balkan singers.

No, that's not just a familiar command from the baldest man ever to captain the Enterprise--that's also what I finally decided to do with Debbie! Over the course of our relationship, I've come to know a woman of unparalleled beauty, wit, and intelligence. Not only does she make me laugh, but she also makes me think--and she challenges me to become the person whom God made me to be!

I couldn't think of a better person with which to share the grace of the Sacrament of Matrimony. Which is why I completely surprised her recently after she dropped me off at O'Hare airport. Once she drove away, I waited for my friend John to swing by and pick me up. I texted and called Debbie, doing our usual routine when we say goodbye at the airport (being in a long-distance relationship with her before I moved to Chicago, as well as during the last 6 months has given us plenty of practice in airport "goodbyes"). Finally, I told the unsuspecting Debbie that they were closing the plane door and I had to hang up--even though I was just driving with John to pick up Debbie's engagement ring!

When Debbie arrived at work, she found a treasure map waiting for her at her desk! When she followed the map to the "X," I was waiting there to propose to her! Luckily, she said, "yes!"

And just so the women-folk around here don't think I am devoid of taste, here's shot of the ring (you know you were thinking about it anyway):

The only difference between the actual ring and this photo is that Debbie prefers a Princess Cut (what else?) diamond to a Round Cut, so she has that cut in her ring!

We are both so excited to be engaged! Debbie has searched for work and has a possible job lined up in the Seattle-area. Over the course of the next few weeks and months, we will both be working extra hard to pack up her townhome, get it ready for sale, and find a temporary place to live in the Seattle area while we search for houses.

I'll post more information on wedding plans in the future, but for right now, we are just enjoying the experience of being engaged! Anyone who's interested can pop on over to Deb's blog and drop her a line! In the meantime, I have work to do!

It's no secret to those people who know my raging nerdy personality that I love--yes love--the presence of the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi. Sure, Lucas probably added them to make it even easier to move Star Wars related merchandise, but those primitive and fierce warriors won over my fifteen-year-old heart when I first saw them in the theater.

It's nice to know that there are others out there who see how important the Ewoks are to the narrative flow of the First Trilogy:

Well, I'm back in Chicago again to teach a Called & Gifted Workshop at St. Isidore parish in Bloomingdale. Not only do I get to share with others the reality of charisms and the importance of what we, as secular apostles of Christ, are called to do, but I also get to spend more time with Deb!

After the workshop, Deb and I will once again go looking for rings--though this time it will be for me! Unfortunately, I'll only be here until Monday morning, when I take off for Seattle. However, I'm looking forward to a fantastic weekend. And, as fate would have it, I shall be returning in less than a week's time to attend NeoCon, an important tradeshow in the Office Furniture Industry.

Sometimes, life is so difficult! :)

   Last Monday, Deb and I went out with our friends John and Shannon to a great restaurant called Texas de Brazil. If you've ever been to a brazilian steakhouse, you'll understand me when I say that I suffered from a meat hangover all day Tuesday. Basically, when you arrive at this restaurant, they give you a card that is red on one side, and green on the other. When you are ready to start eating, just flip your card to the "green" side.

That's when the meat starts coming out--and coming out, and coming out. Spiced pork, filet mignon wrapped in bacon, flank steak, prime rib, sausage--you name it and I ate it! The servers didn't stop bringing the meat until I signaled my surrender by flipping my card to the "red" side.

Despite my carnivorous over-indulgence, we had a fantastic time catching up with John and Shannon. The live in the same townhome complex as Debbie, but our schedules are different enough that we don't see a lot of each other. Good Companionship and good food made for a great day!

Unfortunately, my meat hangover lasted two days. I had the gobbey-wobbles until Wednesday evening! I might not go to Texas de Brazil for a bit, but I shall definitely return their some day.

To all those who serve (and have served) in the military and armed forces--may God Bless you and keep you! Thank you for your sacrifice. May we remember those who have fallen in the defense of freedom. May their families be comforted by the Spirit of God, and may they receive the thanks of a grateful nation.

It's days like today when I am forced to recall that the freedoms that I enjoy come with a price!

It's been a while since I've posted--and even longer since I've experienced balmy summer days. Today, I'm experiencing both! I flew into town last Thursday to prepare my company's showroom at the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago for NeoCon, the most important tradeshow of the year for the Office Furniture Industry.

In addition to rushing around and trying to coordinate efforts between the home office and our showroom, I also had the opportunity to spend the holiday weekend with Debbie! We actually hadn't seen each other for almost a month, so it was great to finally be together. In addition to hanging out with friends and catching up on the movies we missed, Deb and I also started to go shopping--for engagement and wedding rings!

I would have never thought I'd be all that interested in shopping for rings, but I have to tell you that I really enjoyed it. We are looking at one more store this morning and then, hopefully, we'll have narrowed down our choices. Then the hard work starts--that's right, the proposal. But don't worry, I've been thinking about it for awhile, and I do have some thoughts!  

Anyway, this has been an absolutely phenomenal weekend. Deb and I have had a great time, and being away from the regular grind of work has actually refreshed my brain. I have some ideas in place for helping move the Marketing Organization forward at Maxon.

Once I return, the crunch will be on as we make final preparations for NeoCon. However, I am going to update this blog regularly--if it kills me.  

Over at Charlotte Was Both, Amy Welborn posts an excerpt from the pope's opening address to President Bush:

From the dawn of the Republic, America’s quest for freedom has been guided by the conviction that the principles governing political and social life are intimately linked to a moral order based on the dominion of God the Creator. The framers of this nation’s founding documents drew upon this conviction when they proclaimed the “self-evident truth” that all men are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights grounded in the laws of nature and of nature’s God. The course of American history demonstrates the difficulties, the struggles, and the great intellectual and moral resolve which were demanded to shape a society which faithfully embodied these noble principles. In that process, which forged the soul of the nation, religious beliefs were a constant inspiration and driving force, as for example in the struggle against slavery and in the civil rights movement. In our time too, particularly in moments of crisis, Americans continue to find their strength in a commitment to this patrimony of shared ideals and aspirations.

In the next few days, I look forward to meeting not only with America’s Catholic community, but with other Christian communities and representatives of the many religious traditions present in this country. Historically, not only Catholics, but all believers have found here the freedom to worship God in accordance with the dictates of their conscience, while at the same time being accepted as part of a commonwealth in which each individual and group can make its voice heard. As the nation faces the increasingly complex political and ethical issues of our time, I am confident that the American people will find in their religious beliefs a precious source of insight and an inspiration to pursue reasoned, responsible and respectful dialogue in the effort to build a more humane and free society.

Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility. Americans know this from experience – almost every town in this country has its monuments honoring those who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom, both at home and abroad. The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common good and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate. It also demands the courage to engage in civic life and to bring one’s deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public debate. In a word, freedom is ever new. It is a challenge held out to each generation, and it must constantly be won over for the cause of good (cf. Spe Salvi, 24). Few have understood this as clearly as the late Pope John Paul II. In reflecting on the spiritual victory of freedom over totalitarianism in his native Poland and in eastern Europe, he reminded us that history shows, time and again, that “in a world without truth, freedom loses its foundation”, and a democracy without values can lose its very soul (cf. Centesimus Annus, 46). Those prophetic words in some sense echo the conviction of President Washington, expressed in his Farewell Address, that religion and morality represent “indispensable supports” of political prosperity.

The Church, for her part, wishes to contribute to building a world ever more worthy of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26-27). She is convinced that faith sheds new light on all things, and that the Gospel reveals the noble vocation and sublime destiny of every man and woman (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 10). Faith also gives us the strength to respond to our high calling, and the hope that inspires us to work for an ever more just and fraternal society. Democracy can only flourish, as your founding fathers realized, when political leaders and those whom they represent are guided by truth and bring the wisdom born of firm moral principle to decisions affecting the life and future of the nation.

Reading the text carefully would seem to put to rest the postmodern meme that the Church is all about limiting human freedom. The Church, in Her mission to introduce every man, woman, and child to Christ, safeguards human freedom, which is only truly limited by man's sinfulness. Freedom is a gift that we receive so that we can offer ourselves fully to others. And it is Christ, through the instrumentality of His Church, who allows humanity to discover its deepest identity and the depths of authentic freedom.

Anyway, I harbor no illusions that the pope's word's will, indeed, shatter that particular cultural meme. Yet, let those who have ears to hear, hear!

   His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, has only been in the United States for one day, and already the controversy swirls. His remarks earlier today regarding the sexual abuse scandals in the Church, and his desire to see such scandals never happen again, have already caused heated discussion among people of all faiths and none.

Many people do not understand what an event it is to have the pope, in this time, travel to the United States. His words have a lasting effect on inter-religious dialogue, social issues, and, f course, ecclesial issues within the Catholic Church in America. There is a great deal of good coverage surrounding the pope's visit. I'd like to point you to a few good sources:

Pope 2008, the National Catholic Register blog. 

Benedict in America, a blog by Christopher Blosser (who runs the Cardinal Ratzinger Fan Club)

Vatican Radio

Washington Time's Papal Visit Blog

And of course, I'd be remiss not to mention the NY Times Pope blog, featuring some of the most insightful writers and commentators of Catholic life in America--including St. Blog's own Amy Welborn.

Please pray for the Holy Father and his intentions. And while you are at it, ask your favorite saints to pray for the Church in the modern world, that She might be a beacon of light, calling the world to a deeper investigation of what it truly means to be a human person created in the image of God and rooted in Christ, who is our Hope.

To Carolina--North Carolina, that is. And I'm not going . . .I'm already here. I arrived in North Carolina at about 11:30 in the evening last Sunday evening. Maxon Furniture has a manufacturing plant here, and I was asked to go on fairly short notice and participate in an RCI Event (basically, continuous improvement for those involved in Lean Manufacturing).

Things here have been quite fascinating, but I still had to deal with all the issues at the office in Renton, as we are close to three tradeshows, look for a permanent place to live in Seattle, and somehow get my taxes in the mail (which I did this very evening by taking a special trip into Charlotte).

The food here has been good, and working alongside my stiill-new (to me, anyway) colleagues has been both a learning experience and a fun one. I will be resuming talk about the arts, writing, sci-fi, and my faith, but the past three months have literally been a whirlwind. To to it off, Deb is considering a move out to Seattle. Wow, am I humbled by the love that this woman offers me.

No matter what the final decision, I know that I will spend my life trying to make hers an even better one! Until then, it's frequent trips to Chicago for me! And I don't regret a single one! 

Another moving tribute to John Paul II. This one hit me deep in the heart:

   I've been reflecting more on John Paul the Great's life and watching tons of tribute videos. The tears continue to roll down my face even as I smile. He passed this way but a little while and left the Love of Christ in his wake:

I've been reflecting on resurrection this Easter season (a fine liturgical time to do so, I might add), and these words from Mother Teresa (courtesy of Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex) just about brought me to my knees:

“Why Lord?”

I have dealt with great things that I do not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know. I had heard of you by word of mouth, but now my eye has seen you. Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:3-6

Jesus does not take away all our wounds, any more than the Father erased all of his wounds. Rather, he disinfects them and glorifies them.

For Jesus, the Resurrection was not an emergency room where the Father took away all of the signs of the Passion. Jesus rose with his wounds, wounds now transformed from darkness to light, dug into his hands in time and in pain and now become eternal fonts of light and blessing and glory.

Nor is the Resurrection Jesus’ reward for having suffered. It is rather the unstoppable explosion of glory that pours forth from Love’s triumph on the Cross. - Mother Teresa: In the Shadow of Our Lady

I don't think it was coincidence that Mother Teresa and John Paul II lived during the same time. These two saints will forever mark the millennial landscape.

As a followup to my reflections on John Paul II's death, I wanted to repost an entry I made on my other blog, Take Your Place, at the time of the Pope's illness:

Three years ago today, my life was falling apart around me. My marriage was in its final death throes, my job was simply a pile driver of stress and anxiety crushing me repeatedly--and my beloved papa, Pope John Paul II, passed from this life to the next.

I was devastated emotionally, spiritually, and physically. This pope, whom I had hated and despised in my younger, more "free" thinking days, had taught me so much about devotion to Christ, the richness of God's Self Revelation, the mission and purpose of the Church--in short, the Holy Spirit used this man to effect a second, powerful conversion in my life.

And he was gone. The only pope I had ever known was now in heaven.

On this anniversary of John Paul II's death, it seems fitting to recall my grief over losing him. In truth, I grieve a little still, for the lost time I spent despising this man instead of learning from him, for the bright star of his life consigned to the ages. Death, however, isn't the final answer; the stone has rolled away from the tomb!

John Paul II isn't just alive in our hearts and memories; he is alive in Christ. Chances are, he stands even now before the throne of heaven praising God with the saints and interceding for us here on earth. Love and affection for this man has deepened into a devotion to this saint. Yes, the Church has not definitively canonized him--yet. But there is no doubt that this priest from Poland will stand as one of the greatest saints the Church has known.

His courageous and repeated stand for the sanctity of life, the depth of his theological teaching in the Theology of the Body, his witness to the dignity and value of the sick and dying during his long illness and ultimate death--His obedience and love of Christ are treasures whose grace and effect the Church (and the world) will unpack for generations.

And so, I still grieve for my papa, even as I rejoice in the gift of Benedict XVI, my new papa. And I ask John Paul II, John Paul the Great, to continue to pray for me and for the whole world.     

Those of you who are interested in the writing process (something I've engaged in far too little these past months) will enjoy Scott Oden's brief description of the organic nature of writing:

Books, even those that are most meticulously plotted, are organic. You can build the skeleton beforehand, or a fascimile of what you'd like the skeleton to look like, but the organs and tissue, muscle and tendon, grow out of the prose itself. Humps, warts, and defects appear without conscious thought. Some can be excised, while others add a degree of mystery to the whole that you, as the creator, never quite prepared yourself for. Over time, as it matures, the book becomes akin to Frankenstein's Monster -- not horrible, but unique . . . a thing which not only questions its own existence, but yours, as well.

Let me tell you, my own monsters are quite horrible, and the few that I have let loose on the surrounding countryside have benefited greatly from editing. Still, the process really is more art than science. I'm fascinated by authors who develop whole secondary (and maybe even primary) plot points while they are writing. I've done it myself--though my own experience of such has been so stressful that I actually dread it when it looks like it's occurring again.

If after reading Scott's entry you start to feel guilty (like me) for not writing, you can always pop over to 101 Reasons to Stop Writing. That will fix you up right quick.

John C. Wright, science fiction extraordinaire and author of several well-regarded books--including the Chronicles of Chaos series--has recently converted to Catholicism (like, his mystagogia began 1 week go). His journey began in atheism, although John became a disciple of Christ in a protestant community a while ago. Many people who have kept up with his blog are not terribly surprised, as his blogging and mad internet ramblings sounded suspiciously Catholic.

In addition to being excited about welcoming another person "home" to the Church, I'm excited to see the gifts (and they are considerable) that Mr. Wright has continue to unfold for the sake of the mission of the Church. John is a sharp, classically trained (in that he has a philosophy background) thinker and, as you might imagine in a writer, he is a terrific communicator.

He also has a sense of humor, as evidenced by this post that he wrote just days after his reception into the Church:

Now that I am a Catholic
First question: Where does my new name go? I am John Justin-Martyr Charles Wright? Or does it go after my middle name: John Charles Justin-Martyr Wright? Do I use the whole saint's name (Justin Martyr) or only his Christian name (Justin)?

Someone call the Pope and ask him.

Next question: suppose I want to be an albino assassin flagellant from Opus Dei, sent by the magisterium to separate (or "incise") the familiar spirit of science fiction author Phillip Pullman from his daemon, effectively robbing him of his humanity, before turning him over to the secular arm, but an opportunity arises to dirk to death the girl-messiah known as Aenea from the planet Endymion, marked for death by the Cyberpapacy. How do I reconcile this with the Christian injunction to turn the other cheek, and the benediction that blesses the peacemakers?

I have heard my whole life how corrupt and superstitious the Catholic Church is, so, now that  I am in, where do I sign up? I'd like to start with Simony. Can I buy Church offices wholesale, and then sell them through retail outlets? What are the tax implications? 

Mark Shea, plenipotentiary ruler of the Catholic blogosphere wrote this in response:

These kinds of How-do-I-become-a-successful-Opus-Dei-assassin questions are what mystagogia is for.

In answer to your questions: Your birth name has been erased from all records, both written and electronic. You are now always and only Justin Martyr to us, the perfect Philosopher Spy. You will do as we bid, go where we command and think only what we allow. Your identity has been erased and all who knew of your existence have been liquidated. You report directly to the Vatican. Your password is "Lancer".

Next: The command to turn the other cheek is, of course, a Jesuitical interpolation designed to keep your victim's blood from spurting in your eyes as you carry out the great work of purifying the world of the wicked who stand in the way of Total Vatican Power. As you can see from the headlines, progress toward that goal is proceeding unhindered the Catholic Church continues its unchecked march to power and prestige in all the wealthiest countries of the world. The iron grip of DerPanzerPope in Europe is almost total now and the tentacles of our conspiracies now enmesh most of the branches of government. From the imminent repeal of abortion law to the unquestioning obedience paid by our civil authorities to Catholic teaching to the slavish and puritanical fealty paid to the Magisterium by Hollywood, the music industry, and other manufacturers of culture, our total conquest of the West is nearly achieved! Soon victory will be ours!

By the way, since the IRS is actually run by the Many-Tentacled Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Special Ops Unit, you don't have to worry about tax codes. Just place your earnings in a pentagram drawn in the dust on your floor, drip a little of your own blood over it and recite a brief spell in Latin and you'll be fine. Standard Catholic practice.

On a more serious note, you can read John's account of his recent reception into the Catholic Church here.

As usual, Sci-Fi Catholic is on the beat, and you can check out what he has to say about Mr. Wright's reception in this post.