Showing posts with label Personal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Personal. Show all posts
If I had Twitter...
... I could tell you that I am giving oral exams for the next two days straight.
Password Protection Announcement - Response Requested
Hello to all who read Balsbaugh7.
Because of a prominent public position I have recently taken on, I think I am going to have to password protect the blog. I'm certainly not ashamed or embarrassed about anything on the blog, nor am I trying to keep any of you from reading anything I've written here. It would just be better for my position to be less readily "google-able" in such a personal domain.
But if you wish to continue reading Balsbaugh7, please simply send me your e-mail by clicking on my profile (JPB at the bottom of the right sidebar) then clicking "E-mail."
If you can't figure that process out, please leave something in the comment section of this post and I will try to help you out.
I will leave the page unprotected for another week to give anyone a chance to sign up who wishes to read the blog.
For those who would rather not, TechnoSabbatarian, my "parallel blog" that has all the general content of Balsbaugh7 without any of the personal or family psots, will remain unprotected.
Thanks to all of you who have so far helped me think through some really interesting things here! I hope many of you decide to stay on.
JPB
Because of a prominent public position I have recently taken on, I think I am going to have to password protect the blog. I'm certainly not ashamed or embarrassed about anything on the blog, nor am I trying to keep any of you from reading anything I've written here. It would just be better for my position to be less readily "google-able" in such a personal domain.
But if you wish to continue reading Balsbaugh7, please simply send me your e-mail by clicking on my profile (JPB at the bottom of the right sidebar) then clicking "E-mail."
If you can't figure that process out, please leave something in the comment section of this post and I will try to help you out.
I will leave the page unprotected for another week to give anyone a chance to sign up who wishes to read the blog.
For those who would rather not, TechnoSabbatarian, my "parallel blog" that has all the general content of Balsbaugh7 without any of the personal or family psots, will remain unprotected.
Thanks to all of you who have so far helped me think through some really interesting things here! I hope many of you decide to stay on.
JPB
Great Illinois Trip of 2009, "Part II: The Windy City"
After leaving Rock Island and dropping off Grandpa and Grandma's rental car at the Midway Airport we made our way to the Roscoe Village Guesthouse in a quaint little part of Chicago -- upscale small restraunts and shops, refurbished condos and the like.
It rained the first couple days we were there and poor Emily was sick the first day, so Monday we just had some down time. Tuesday we went to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. There was a great display on the future, a nice room full of Robotics and several other really fine instalations, but the real highlight for everyone was the tour of the U-505 submarine. It was the only German sub captured during WW-II and the story was pretty cool. The show that certainly would have been a highlight wasn't opening for another couple weeks.
Here's a slideshow from the museum trip:
click for captions
Because we didn't have room in the van and didn't really want to hassle with parking in Chicago, we spent a lot of time on the L. 'Our stop' was the newly renovated Paulina Station. From there we had a five or six block walk back to the rooms, a lot of fun every time.
Nora and Anna at the window of the Roscoe Guesthouse
It rained the first couple days we were there and poor Emily was sick the first day, so Monday we just had some down time. Tuesday we went to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. There was a great display on the future, a nice room full of Robotics and several other really fine instalations, but the real highlight for everyone was the tour of the U-505 submarine. It was the only German sub captured during WW-II and the story was pretty cool. The show that certainly would have been a highlight wasn't opening for another couple weeks.Here's a slideshow from the museum trip:
click for captions
Because we didn't have room in the van and didn't really want to hassle with parking in Chicago, we spent a lot of time on the L. 'Our stop' was the newly renovated Paulina Station. From there we had a five or six block walk back to the rooms, a lot of fun every time.And each time we passed this curious little impression in the sidewalk, sparking a still unsettled debate as to the identity of the mammal that must have made the impression and the circumstances under which the impression could have been made!
What do you think it is?
Snowy Palm Sunday
I'm not sure this is what kind of showers the poet had in mind to bring May flowers, but it sure made for a pretty Palm Sunday morning!
We also start our Palm Sunday procession outside! So that made for more Minnesota bonding.
Ithilien
I've been reading The Lord of the Rings to Dietrich for ... oh ... at least a year and a half now, probably longer.
But we've finally arrived at Ithilien -- which of course reminded me of all the time I spent creating the fictional world of my first blog.
I looked around at it and realized what a difference two years can make even in the life of someone in their mid-thirties.
And, of course, I was also struck by how shortly after the Ithilien interlude in The Lord of the Rings comes "The Choices of Master Samwise."
Such is life.
But we've finally arrived at Ithilien -- which of course reminded me of all the time I spent creating the fictional world of my first blog.
I looked around at it and realized what a difference two years can make even in the life of someone in their mid-thirties.
And, of course, I was also struck by how shortly after the Ithilien interlude in The Lord of the Rings comes "The Choices of Master Samwise."
Such is life.
I just discovered that I'm an INTP
Normally, I don't like this sort of thing at all (just ask the poor pastor who tried to do premarital counseling with Jen and I based on a compatibility test.)
But after talking with a colleague and becoming interested, I took a personality text at www.mypersonality.info and it gave some intriguing results! I tried to take it quickly and intuitively rather than overthink it and get irritated (which is what I usually do).
Aparrently I am an "INTP" according to Jung's personality types.
Here are several quotes about the INTP from the site (they give you these for your personality type after you take the personality test):
"INTPs are relatively easy-going and amenable to most anything until their principles are violated, about which they may become outspoken and inflexible. They prefer to return, however, to a reserved albeit benign ambiance, not wishing to make spectacles of themselves."
- INTP Profile (TypeLogic)
"The INTP is above all a thinker and his inner (private) world is a place governed by a strong sense of logical structure. Every experience is to be rigorously analysed, the task of the INTP's mind is to fit each encountered idea or experience into a larger structure defined by logic."
- An INTP Profile (intp.org)
"INTPs live in the world of theoretical possibilities. They see everything in terms of how it could be improved, or what it could be turned into. They live primarily inside their own minds, having the ability to analyze difficult problems, identify patterns, and come up with logical explanations. They seek clarity in everything, and are therefore driven to build knowledge. They are the "absent-minded professors", who highly value intelligence and the ability to apply logic to theories to find solutions."
- Portrait of an INTP (The Personality Page)
"The Architects' distant goal is always to rearrange the environment somehow, to shape, to construct, to devise, whether it be buildings, institutions, enterprises, or theories. They look upon the world -- natural and civil -- as little more than raw material to be reshaped according to their design..."
- The Portrait of the Architect Rational (iNTp) (Keirsey)
"INTPs contribute a logical, system-building approach to their work. They like being the architect of a plan, because of the scheming and thinking involved, far more than being the implementer of that plan. Implementation tends to be drudgery. They are content to sit back and think about what might work, given their view of the situation. INTPs may ignore standard operating procedures. The hours that they spend are not what is important to them, but rather the completion of their thought process"
- INTP - The Wizard (Lifexplore)
"likes solitude, not revealing, unemotional, rule breaker, avoidant, familiar with the darkside, skeptical, acts without consulting others"
- Jung Type Descriptions (INTP) (similarminds.com)
I would ultimately leave it to those who know me better than myself to judge how accurate such descriptions are.
If I had to give an assessment, I would say ... 86% accurate ... given my current mood.
Maybe I'll go back and manipulate the test to see if I can get a more accurate self-reflection out of it.
But after talking with a colleague and becoming interested, I took a personality text at www.mypersonality.info and it gave some intriguing results! I tried to take it quickly and intuitively rather than overthink it and get irritated (which is what I usually do).
Aparrently I am an "INTP" according to Jung's personality types.
Here are several quotes about the INTP from the site (they give you these for your personality type after you take the personality test):
"INTPs are relatively easy-going and amenable to most anything until their principles are violated, about which they may become outspoken and inflexible. They prefer to return, however, to a reserved albeit benign ambiance, not wishing to make spectacles of themselves."
- INTP Profile (TypeLogic)
"The INTP is above all a thinker and his inner (private) world is a place governed by a strong sense of logical structure. Every experience is to be rigorously analysed, the task of the INTP's mind is to fit each encountered idea or experience into a larger structure defined by logic."
- An INTP Profile (intp.org)
"INTPs live in the world of theoretical possibilities. They see everything in terms of how it could be improved, or what it could be turned into. They live primarily inside their own minds, having the ability to analyze difficult problems, identify patterns, and come up with logical explanations. They seek clarity in everything, and are therefore driven to build knowledge. They are the "absent-minded professors", who highly value intelligence and the ability to apply logic to theories to find solutions."
- Portrait of an INTP (The Personality Page)
"The Architects' distant goal is always to rearrange the environment somehow, to shape, to construct, to devise, whether it be buildings, institutions, enterprises, or theories. They look upon the world -- natural and civil -- as little more than raw material to be reshaped according to their design..."
- The Portrait of the Architect Rational (iNTp) (Keirsey)
"INTPs contribute a logical, system-building approach to their work. They like being the architect of a plan, because of the scheming and thinking involved, far more than being the implementer of that plan. Implementation tends to be drudgery. They are content to sit back and think about what might work, given their view of the situation. INTPs may ignore standard operating procedures. The hours that they spend are not what is important to them, but rather the completion of their thought process"
- INTP - The Wizard (Lifexplore)
"likes solitude, not revealing, unemotional, rule breaker, avoidant, familiar with the darkside, skeptical, acts without consulting others"
- Jung Type Descriptions (INTP) (similarminds.com)
I would ultimately leave it to those who know me better than myself to judge how accurate such descriptions are.
If I had to give an assessment, I would say ... 86% accurate ... given my current mood.
Maybe I'll go back and manipulate the test to see if I can get a more accurate self-reflection out of it.
Thinking About ...
... the durability of being and the Scholastic associations between substance, time and space.
OK ... I get paid to do this. It's my job.
This "Thinking About..." was from a conversation in my 12th grade Humane Letters class yesterday and the other two sprung out of our faculty seminar discussion of Louis Menand's The Metaphysical Club. So it may not be cooking but I am bringing home the bacon - the Francis Bacon that is. And, honestly, I can hardly believe that I found a way to get paid to do this. What a blessed vocation.
Speaking of cooking ... wonderful homemade French Onion Soup awaited my homecoming last night. Wow!
OK ... I get paid to do this. It's my job.
This "Thinking About..." was from a conversation in my 12th grade Humane Letters class yesterday and the other two sprung out of our faculty seminar discussion of Louis Menand's The Metaphysical Club. So it may not be cooking but I am bringing home the bacon - the Francis Bacon that is. And, honestly, I can hardly believe that I found a way to get paid to do this. What a blessed vocation.
Speaking of cooking ... wonderful homemade French Onion Soup awaited my homecoming last night. Wow!
Lenten Reflection
Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing you have made
and forgive the sins of all who are penitent:
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts,
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wickedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
This morning I attended my first Ash Wednesday service with the four older kids. Jen had to stay back with Charis, who is running a fever. She'll go this evening.
The readings for the day together with the recitation of Psalm 51 formed a very powerful reflection upon penitence, mercy and forgiveness.
But the most powerful part of the service was the imposition of the ashes.
There were only a dozen or so people there, all of them older, several of them very elderly. The pastor, himself an older, kindly man with a deeply humane sense for the realities expressed in the liturgy, moved about the silent room, stopping at each person to impose the ashes, addressing them by name and saying with the first pass of his thumb across the forehead,
"Remember that you are dust..."
and with the second,
"... and to dust you shall return."
"Nora, remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
"Jon, remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
"Anna, remmember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
"Dietrich, remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
"Emily, remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
Then we took communion together.
Most merciful god,
your love compels us to come in.
Our hands were unclean
our hearts were unprepared;
we were not fit even to eat the crumbs
from under your table.
But you, Lord, are the God of our salvation,
and share your bread with sinners.
So cleanse and feed us
with the precious body and blood of your Son,
that he may live in us and we in him;
and that we, with the whole company of Christ,
may sit and eat in your kingdom.
Amen.
you hate nothing you have made
and forgive the sins of all who are penitent:
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts,
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wickedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
This morning I attended my first Ash Wednesday service with the four older kids. Jen had to stay back with Charis, who is running a fever. She'll go this evening.
The readings for the day together with the recitation of Psalm 51 formed a very powerful reflection upon penitence, mercy and forgiveness.
But the most powerful part of the service was the imposition of the ashes.
There were only a dozen or so people there, all of them older, several of them very elderly. The pastor, himself an older, kindly man with a deeply humane sense for the realities expressed in the liturgy, moved about the silent room, stopping at each person to impose the ashes, addressing them by name and saying with the first pass of his thumb across the forehead,
"Remember that you are dust..."
and with the second,
"... and to dust you shall return."
"Nora, remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
"Jon, remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
"Anna, remmember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
"Dietrich, remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
"Emily, remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
Then we took communion together.
Most merciful god,
your love compels us to come in.
Our hands were unclean
our hearts were unprepared;
we were not fit even to eat the crumbs
from under your table.
But you, Lord, are the God of our salvation,
and share your bread with sinners.
So cleanse and feed us
with the precious body and blood of your Son,
that he may live in us and we in him;
and that we, with the whole company of Christ,
may sit and eat in your kingdom.
Amen.
Winter
Last night I went grocery shopping. As I was walking into the store I realized, "I don't have to hurry!" You see, for I don't know how long, I have been trying to minimize my time in the painful chill of the outdoors. I send Dietrich out to start the car and warm it up. I'm always the last one out of the house to give the car every possible second to warm up. Then its hustle, hustle, hustle as fast as I can to get into the car. Drive to the Y, everyone bail out and take off for the doors. So, last night I leisurely walked with Charis in my arms toward the doors of the grocery store. The wind didn't hurt our faces. It warmed my soul.
(It was 34 degrees)
(It was 34 degrees)
Best Of 2008 - Movies, Books, Albums, Photographs
Time for a little end of the year best of!
Movie of the Year
Federico Fellini's 8½
This movie absolutely stunned me. A brilliant meditation on one man's struggle with his art, his relationships and his own ego.
The film drifts seamlessly between the present (such as it exists), reverie, dream and fantasy. Now I know how much something like Todd Hayes's I'm Not There (last year's movie of the year and soundtrack of the year) owes to 8½. In fact, the scene where Cate Blanchett's Dylan is flying like a balloon on a string (you catch a glimpse of it in the trailer)and the opening scene in the car seems to be taken directly from the opening dream sequence of 8½.
Runner Up: Craig Gillespie's Lars and the Real Girl
Book of the Year
Peter Leithart, Against Christianity
A fabulous "theological bricolage" (Leithart's description) that asks us to re-examine where the faith is at in the twenty first century. Leithart definitely owes a debt to others like Bishop N.T. Wright and Stanley Hauerwas, but brings his own spin as a Reformed (CRE) thinker who really is willing to engage history, theology and other traditions.
Leithart has helped further my thinking about the intimate relationships between cosmology, theology, Scripture, history, politics, culture and literacy.
Furthermore, he puts his thoughts into easy to digest small nuggets. This is also true of his excellent blog.
Runner-up: Walker Percy's Lost in the Cosmos
Album of the Year
Bob Dylan's Tell Tale Signs: Bootleg Series Vol. VIII
A fabulous collection of rare, unreleased or live versions, including my favorite on the album, "Across the Green Mountain" from the soundtrack to Gods and Generals.
As Dylan ages his voice becomes increasingly pleasing matched with the roots music to which he has returned.
The only irritating thing about this release was the 3CD set that was released at the same time. The third CD even includes an alternate version of one of my all time favorite songs, "Ring Them Bells" from Oh Mercy!. You just can't have too many versions of this song.
Alas, It almost tempts one to really bootleg.
Runner Up: All the other Bob Dylan albums I listened to this year.
Photograph of the Year
Multnomah Falls
Columbia Gorge, Oregon
Runner Up:
Bamboo Stand, Huntington Botanical Gardens
San Marino, CA
Movie of the Year
Federico Fellini's 8½
This movie absolutely stunned me. A brilliant meditation on one man's struggle with his art, his relationships and his own ego.The film drifts seamlessly between the present (such as it exists), reverie, dream and fantasy. Now I know how much something like Todd Hayes's I'm Not There (last year's movie of the year and soundtrack of the year) owes to 8½. In fact, the scene where Cate Blanchett's Dylan is flying like a balloon on a string (you catch a glimpse of it in the trailer)and the opening scene in the car seems to be taken directly from the opening dream sequence of 8½.
Runner Up: Craig Gillespie's Lars and the Real Girl
Book of the Year
Peter Leithart, Against Christianity
A fabulous "theological bricolage" (Leithart's description) that asks us to re-examine where the faith is at in the twenty first century. Leithart definitely owes a debt to others like Bishop N.T. Wright and Stanley Hauerwas, but brings his own spin as a Reformed (CRE) thinker who really is willing to engage history, theology and other traditions.Leithart has helped further my thinking about the intimate relationships between cosmology, theology, Scripture, history, politics, culture and literacy.
Furthermore, he puts his thoughts into easy to digest small nuggets. This is also true of his excellent blog.
Runner-up: Walker Percy's Lost in the Cosmos
Album of the Year
Bob Dylan's Tell Tale Signs: Bootleg Series Vol. VIII
A fabulous collection of rare, unreleased or live versions, including my favorite on the album, "Across the Green Mountain" from the soundtrack to Gods and Generals.As Dylan ages his voice becomes increasingly pleasing matched with the roots music to which he has returned.
The only irritating thing about this release was the 3CD set that was released at the same time. The third CD even includes an alternate version of one of my all time favorite songs, "Ring Them Bells" from Oh Mercy!. You just can't have too many versions of this song.
Alas, It almost tempts one to really bootleg.
Runner Up: All the other Bob Dylan albums I listened to this year.
Photograph of the Year
Multnomah Falls Columbia Gorge, Oregon
Runner Up:
Bamboo Stand, Huntington Botanical GardensSan Marino, CA
Get Out the Olive Skinned Crayons
A little tiff two of my young nephews were having about how to draw God, combined with some meditations I'm working through at a People of Praise conference on friends hip with God led me to this piece of advice for young Maxwell the artist.
If you want to color God, Max, what you want is some crayolas that approximate a dusty, olive-skinned look, a good sense for the Semitic profile and some rough edged Palestinian paper.
"He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father."
If you want to color God, Max, what you want is some crayolas that approximate a dusty, olive-skinned look, a good sense for the Semitic profile and some rough edged Palestinian paper.
"He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father."
The Funniest Christmas-Themed Bit Ever
"Six to Eight Black Men," by David Sedaris, in three parts
(It really does turn to Christmas about 4 minutes in)
Part I
Part II
Part III
(It really does turn to Christmas about 4 minutes in)
Part I
Part II
Part III
Preparing for the Second technoSabbath
I have a teaching on the Psalms to give this week and a faculty seminar on Surprised by Hope this afternoon!
Trying to prep for week two of technoSabbatarianism is getting a bit hectic, but Jen is going to join me. And it is good even to force myself to plan ahead for not having technological assistance.
Trying to prep for week two of technoSabbatarianism is getting a bit hectic, but Jen is going to join me. And it is good even to force myself to plan ahead for not having technological assistance.
!!!NEWS FLASH!!!
WIFE ALLOWED TO BLOG!
In a shocking turn of events, former overprotective blog manager J. Balsbaugh has shifted course and added his wife as an author to his blog, Balsbaugh7.
In response to requests from his sister and a note in a fortune cookie, the famous crumudgen unexpectedly signed on, clicked Dashbard > Settings > Permissions > Add Author and typed in her e-mail address!
"I was shocked," commented the eldest child and only son of the couple. "Papa's going to let Mommy post things on the blog? What next, no football on Sunday?"
Analysts suspect that this move will mean big changes at Balsbaugh7, but also suspect that it is related to the formation earlier this week of Mr. Balsbaugh's second blog, technoSabbatarian. Mr. Balsbaugh rejects this notion, saying, "Nonsense. It was just time. That's all. I look forward to my wife's contributions to Balsbaugh7 like I look forward to her homemade chicken pot pie (which I'm sure she'll post the recipe for)."
In a shocking turn of events, former overprotective blog manager J. Balsbaugh has shifted course and added his wife as an author to his blog, Balsbaugh7.
In response to requests from his sister and a note in a fortune cookie, the famous crumudgen unexpectedly signed on, clicked Dashbard > Settings > Permissions > Add Author and typed in her e-mail address!
"I was shocked," commented the eldest child and only son of the couple. "Papa's going to let Mommy post things on the blog? What next, no football on Sunday?"
Analysts suspect that this move will mean big changes at Balsbaugh7, but also suspect that it is related to the formation earlier this week of Mr. Balsbaugh's second blog, technoSabbatarian. Mr. Balsbaugh rejects this notion, saying, "Nonsense. It was just time. That's all. I look forward to my wife's contributions to Balsbaugh7 like I look forward to her homemade chicken pot pie (which I'm sure she'll post the recipe for)."
Mrs. Balsbaugh was unavailable for comment at press time.
Day One Dependency
Well ... that was an education in my own dependency!
I'm a true believer now. Anyone want to join me?
I'm a true believer now. Anyone want to join me?
techno-Sabbatarianism: InBeginning
I have decided to start practicing techno-Sabbatarianism - beginning this evening.My aim is to find a symbolic way to be in this matrix of a globally integrated electronic information and entertainment age that we call the twenty-first century but not of it.
I could drop out of it altogether. In fact, I've always been attracted to the Amish way, to Wendell Berry, to Thoreau, to Annie Dillard as the Pilgrim at Tinker Creek and to the self-sustaining agrarian life. But I also know that attraction is at least eight parts nostalgia for a golden age that was hardly golden.
Technology is a human good. Technological progress has contributed greatly to the relief of human suffering, the spread of the gospel (in one sense, anyway), care for the earth, and many other worthwhile human endeavors.
And yet ... there is some things about technological progress that is troubling to me. Deeply troubling. For one , it's linked in many ways to a rationalist, modernist, enlightenment vision of reality that I simply don't buy into. For another thing, I've read too many books like Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World not to see glimpses of these dystopias in the viral consumerism that threaten to alter for the worse our basic understanding of what it means to be human and to be in society with one another -- perhaps even what it means to relate to God. Furthermore, technological progress is a thing that is rarely called into question and much more rarely resisted in any way. We rush headlong, in fact, to fill our lives with its textureless lights and manufactured noises.
I intend to practice techno-Sabbatarianism (according to the Christian calendar) by resting from technology from sundown on Saturday (around the time when we usually practice an opening of the Lord's Day ceremony in People of Praise) to sundown Sunday evening (or thereabouts).
The principles and kosher rules of techno-Sabbatarianism are subject to revision, but right now I'm thinking no Internet, no phone calls, no television, no movies, no radio, no compact disks - except for emergencies or acts of mercy.
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