sideways again.

I have not posted in some time, life does that to you sometimes, ya know. So I will update you on my meanderings:

First we moved house and that took some considerable energy, my books are still boxed up as we await bookshelves worthy to hold my precious tombs. If my wife had her way they would remain in there cardboard confines for eternity, but I insist that is no way to treat your friends.

I had the privilege to participate in a mission trip to Mexico with Amor ministries; where our group built three houses. There is something very energizing about living out the faith rather than simply talking about it. I think I could work for the peace corp. or for Habitat and be quite fulfilled.

I have a paper to write for ETS now; I am attempting to take Romans 13 as a polemic against the governing authorities, rather than as a statement of complicity; should be fun! I can't wait for ETS/SBL and meeting up with good friends and indulging in all things vinous!

Started reading "sideways" this weekend and almost finished it. It has been a long time since I picked up a novel and read it straight through. I almost forgot how relaxing it is to get lost in another world. I wish the book had been out when my wife and I toured the wineries on the central coast of cali.; perhaps I would have tried more pinots.

The blue Raja has come out of hiding and is getting grilled straight way. Me thinks he needs to distance himself from those who draw such distinct boundaries concerning the Christian faith. Anyone who thinks that someone as conservative as N.T. Wright is a heretic needs to refresh their glass of pinot two or three times. I mean really what is up with these people? And for the record he is not as pompous as people make him out to be, he is a rather sweet and genuine man.

Finally I have world cup fever! It is not the same watching the games with my sons and wife as it was four years ago watching it with the lads in England. America needs to sack their manager, and go out and get someone, anyone else. They also need to get their best players to sign contracts in Europe, you will never be a great player and play in the America. England looks like they are underachieving again, (how many years are you allowed to underachieve, until the truth slips out) Rooney looks fit, and he is amazing to watch, but as a team they seem so flat. As long as they keep winning I guess; this next game will be telling.

googlisms

Many of my friends think that metalepsis is a really dumb name for a blog. Rather than go into a lengthy apology of why I chose the name, I will let the wit and wisdom of computer generated responses do it for me. Hence the googlisms:

metalepsis is an expression gradually leading up to what it shows
metalepsis is an obscure word even for many humanists
metalepsis is important here
metalepsis is a trope apt for detailing the formal qualities of indeterminate language and a locus where classical rhetoric and a poetics of indeterminacy
metalepsis is also found in greek sources
metalepsis is a haunting
metalepsis is a menace to the referential illusion of fiction
metalepsis is the transformation of an observer left outside the conversation into a participant through his judgment about the conversation
metalepsis is my favorite word of what i've read today
metalepsis is a relation between an antecedent and a consequent

everyone needs protection

For those of you who have an ipod and are religious about your music, there is nothing worse then getting your hip new music player all scratched up. If protection is what you seek, there is no better place then gelaskins’ new vinyl flying spaghetti monster cover, which promises to protect your ipod both physically and spiritually.

Lyotard and the pomo condition

Check this out if you are even slightly interested in pomo musings. Dan offers a very good review of Lyotard's critical pomo book.

link

Ben Myers on U2's Grace

Ben Myers has a thoughtful reflection about U2's song grace, here is a teaser:

Tonight while I was washing the dishes I listened to U2's sublime song, "Grace" (2000). I need to listen to this song every now and then, just to be reminded that I still know nothing at all about grace. Many preachers, perhaps even many theologians, do not understand the grace of God half as well as this song does.

Check out the rest HERE.