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Sea Rocket

From the "Sea Rocket" Ocean City, MD
speedboat

When you hear the title “Sea Rocket” what do you think?

Me too.

While I was away, I took a nice ride on the Sea Rocket Northward off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland to the Delaware line and back again. We saw about 40 dolphins, and the breeze from the speed was great. But, I won’t kid you, there were a few toddlers onboard. So—It was a fun family-style watercraft excursion, dressed up with a high energy monicker.

As great as it was, I couldn’t help but thinking, “If the ride was called the “Sea Boat” would it have the same number of riders?

As much as I’d like to think of, or write of this time in my life as fascinating, exhilarating, or exciting, to describe it as such would be to add “Sea Rocket” label to it. I’d be trying to up the coolness…and it just isn’t completely accurate.

Sometimes I read blogs of people who seem to be so much more exciting than me. They have the stories and pictures to prove it. They rub shoulders with famous and fascinating people, and share the details. They write “Sea Rocket” posts, and seem really impressive, if you dig that sort of thing. But, I wonder if it’s more of a Sea Rocket marketing angle to generate more blog traffic. Or, maybe it’s simply old fashioned insecurity. Do you know what I’m talking about?

I’ve done it too. I’ll think, if Sea Rocket posts don’t happen, will readers get bored and look for more exciting people to read? Voyeurism is such a weird and shifty animal (a.k.a construct). It’s dependent on cooperation, too, no? Take the Sales Register tabloid stands. Those “news” rags parade sensational stories to find the same niche. We like to gawk. We like to see the celebrities in “misery” or read something stimulating and newsy. Who doesn’t read the whacky headlines while waiting in line? We think, “Who buys this stuff?” But we’ll read the headlines, too. All “Sea Rocket” stories, I tell you.

People peacock like this on Facebook too. It’s a tabloid universe. They make status posts of how amazing their circumstances are, and post photos to chronicle their Sea Rocket kind of life. I’m guessing it’s just the latest way to “keep up with the Joneses”. Do you think so? It’s this age-old need to feel significant and important. Technology helps us show off.

Do you ever rename, or reposition yourself, or your life, in some way, to exhibit a “Sea Rocket” type experience?

What’s the best example of this that you’ve seen recently?

A Way of Life

Have you heard the t-shirt, “Life is a Beach”? I think that by law they have to sell it at coastal gift shops. I was going to say, “I you heard of the phrase…” but I’m not sure I ever heard it except when a t-shirt told me.

There are a million “beachisms” out there. Do you know any?

I don’t think life is a beach. I think the beach calls the shots.

I’m taking 3 days off, Dewey Beach style…as a way of life.

See you on the other side.

Lemonade ¢25. Rewards? Priceless.

lemonade stand

Today, my kids made almost $20. Lemonade and Cookies for sale, only ¢25 each.

Okay, I chipped in for the ingredients, and helped them set up, absolutely free, but you get the idea.

The day started off rainy. Not a good day for a lemonade stand. The odds were against them. But, ya know, when a little kid offers you fresh lemonade for a quarter, how do you refuse? I was surprised that some did, but was gladdened that those folks were greatly out-numbered by other types.

First, a friend allowed the kids to set up shop at her business, in a high traffic area. In business, don’t they say something like, “Location. Location. Location.”?

Maybe that’s with real estate.

After that move, even the sprinkles didn’t slow down the customers. Probably more than 80% who walked by, melted visably when they saw the kids with their stand.

The kids really didn’t make (almost) $20. People were generous. They gave a $1, got their cookie and beverage, and said, “Keep the change.” Some gave money to them just because they were there. I parked nearby, but I let the kids do their own business. Attract customers, offer their products, and count the change. I saw how people put in extra effort to support them. It warmed my heart.

There is something very special about being enterprising. There is needed dignity that comes for people when they can make one’s own money, or find their own way, somehow. And yes, generosity makes a big difference too.

Have you been generous enough, lately?

I have this feeling, the same thing is true with spiritual growth, as well. When it comes to spiritual things, do we try to save people the experience of struggle? Growth can take work, and be painful, do we rescue the novices, or give them easy answers? (Pat answers do really help, and they can arrest deeper thinking.) Or do we allow space for mystery, doubt, or the unknown to shape them too.

Can we let pauses in conversation or questions happen, or do we try to fill it up with our “wisdom”? It reminds me of the weird nervous laughter habit people get into sometimes, when they don’t know what to do. They laugh in some odd way, that gets distracting, in its own right.

Do we cuddle or spoon feed, when trying and making a mess will be more helpful; not in the short run, but in the long run.

What are your thoughts?

 

Gay Culture…pre-schoolers and Comedy Duos (or “Not getting it Straight”)

Comedy Team, and just friends.

NOW BRACE yourself, because this could come as quite a SHOCK… or even a disappointment! But, here goes: Not everything is about sex. Seriously. Even comedy, isn’t always about sex.

Sure, now it is, more or less, but it is a recent development (the last 10-15 years) to be primarily sexually focused, homosexually, or otherwise. Comedy Duos go well back to the 19TH CENTURY! Bert and Ernie harken back to another time, of silliness. Playfulness. Non sexually-laden silliness. It is not understood or appreicated.

“Known historically as a “Comedy Duo” or Double Act Comedy” this art form is when one of the duo members, the straight man, feed, dead wood, or stooge is portrayed as reasonable and serious, and the other one, the funny man or comic is portrayed as funny, less educated or less intelligent, silly, or unorthodox.” (This paragraph was a wiki-source, read the rest here. It’ll be enlightening.)

This comedic tradition, of 1o0 years or more, seems utterly lost on our culture, the recent puppet debacle indicates this. Yes, 2011 PuppetGate. I’ve seen nothing this childish (in a bad way) since the Purple, purse-toting Teletubbie was outed. Remember “Tinky Winky” any one?

Tinky Winky, Gay too soon....er... um...gone too soon.

Sadly, Megan’s Law sidelined his/her career. Responding to almost 1,000 petitions to wed Bert and Ernie, Sesame Street Workshop issued this statement:

“Bert and Ernie are best friends. They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves. Even though they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics (as most Sesame Street Muppets™ do), they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation.”

Bert and Ernie actually sound patterned after The Odd Couple, which was on Broadway, a film, and later a TV series that ran during the time Sesame Street was created. Two roommates who are different. A situation comedy.

Two very different, but not gay, roommates.

The whole thing was probably just a prank gone wild, oh… no, wait, it probably wasn’t. It was probably stupidity and cultural amnesia.

The fixation on sexuality (generally) and homosexuality (particularly) is really getting pointless, culturally speaking. Ya know? Do people really think pre-school television shows are, or should be sexualized? What is this odd cultural projection to force it into every scenario? How bizarre. With this tact…why just pick on Bert and Ernie, shouldn’t Winnie the Pooh and Piglet be probed too? …ya know… so to speak.

On just a quick examination of America’s (and Britain’s) comedic traditions, we find that sexual acts were not the main point or agenda of comedy duos.

The cultural tone started to shift in the 1970s. Or perhaps it was when ego-centric, cultural amnesia started to be the norm.

Cindy Williams (who played the character Shirley) mentioned in an interview that the producers of Laverne and Shirley, had the characters date, and marry male characters, because the idea of two women rooming together for years, was causing speculation about the characters.

Now, I suppose it is the expectation, or the foregone conclusion that same sex friends who are roommates are also homosexual. Am I the only who finds this pitiful?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments? Thoughts?

You are Starting to Make Me Angry

Publican

Nothing is more vexing than being confronted with reality.

A string of truths or accurate revelations can be one of the more upsetting circumstances in life. Have you been there?

We’re hoping we have it all, or mostly, together. At times we are certain we do. Hello, red flag, there you are!

In times of spiritual obedience, I start to pat myself on the back. It’s ironic, yes.

In times of a broken and willing spirit, I like to revel in my desperation. “I  come to you with nothing, Lord. Nothing.”

This may slide over to, something like, “Lord, thank you for not making me like other men…or…you know… “those people”. (See Luke 18:11)

 

The line is more fine than you realize…then I realize. It is a theological misconstruction to feel grandiose, at all.

It stops worship.

 O, God, that we might realize our sinfulness.

A word for reflection, today:

Had you but once entered into perfect communion with Jesus or tasted a little of His ardent love, you would care nothing at all for your own comfort or discomfort but would rejoice in the reproach you suffer; for love of Him makes a man despise himself.

A man who is a lover of Jesus and of truth, a truly interior man who is free from uncontrolled affections, can turn to God at will and rise above himself to enjoy spiritual peace.

–Thomas á Kempis, The Imitation of Christ