The Best of Mikey (so far)

Since I’m nearing 300 posts, it’s time for another retrospective.  These articles were among those most viewed, but more importantly, I thought they were good even when re-read.

Deja Vu All Over Again?

There’s a book (and later film) by Dalton Trumbo, one of the “Hollywood 10”, a screenwriter blacklisted in the 1950s.  It’s called “Johnny Got His Gun”.  In that story, a wounded soldier is only able to tap messages in Morse Code using the back of his head on his hospital bed frame.  His face and limbs were removed in an explosion.  Those caring for him assume he’s been de-cerebrated and has no original thought to contribute.  I feel a bit like that.

Rethinking the N-Word

If you don’t think there’s a right time and place and purpose for every word, you and I have a serious disagreement.

Hot Button Home Run

The last (and only previous) time I referred to TIME, the magazine, was in a review of their article on the possible non-existence of hell, which they teased on the cover and then didn’t really address.  This time I think TIME hit one out of the park.  They chose a concept as “Person of the Year” – The PROTESTER.

The Leavening

An extraordinary, miraculous effect occurs as one calendar year begins preparing an exit and the next one prepares for birth.  There’s a lightening of mood.

This Is Possible

It’s time for a re-statement of why I write here.  It isn’t just for me.  I have this strange vision of a place where almost everyone is welcome.  I’m committed to RADICAL INCLUSIVITY.

Small Town Free Press

For a couple of years before we moved from Los Angeles County (pop. gazillions) to Port Townsend, WA (pop. 9k), I read the weekly newspaper online as a way to familiarize myself with Washington’s issues and interests.

Building and Letting Go

Our guide-dog-puppy-in-training is 14 weeks old now.  She’s bright, energetic and confident.  Much of her happy demeanor is reinforced by success in performing routines.  The biggest challenge for her has been learning to restrain herself when she encounters new people

Understanding the U.S. Occupation

As often happens during a revolutionary movement, icons will be mis-quoted and appropriated and remolded for other purposes.

Awards, Schmords (Pt. 2)

My 7 Links

I.K. Brunel (1857), and his set of impressive links

This self-congratulatory award nomination was more fun than the usual “tell me secrets and nominate others” routine, because it requires you to mull things over a little in order to make choices based on their criteria.

Awards, Schmords (Pt. 1)

Everything is new to a puppy.

It’s time to clear out some backblog, er, blacklung, a-HEM, backlog on the blog.  I got nominated for two “awards” last week.

Wooden Boats II (9/11/11)

Here are some more glimpses from our 35^th annual Wooden Boat Festival.

Room at the Top

Have any of you wondered what it would take for your blog to be one of the most popular out of thousands who write here?  When I got up today and peeked at this list, I felt like I had fallen down a rabbit hole.

The Post LESS Challenge

As I surf around WordPress and other blogging communities, all I see is encouragement about posting MORE.  How many times must I re-assert that more is not better? 

Animal, Vestigial, Musical

Dondo and Cell Microtower

We talk within contexts, in groups, in culture, varying with the situation or occasion.  I’m trying to collapse the different levels, and unite modernity with tribal spirit.  At the most basic level, we pass messages as animals.  We smile or show other facial reactions within each other’s sight.  It’s more elementary than language.

Lessons From TV

Mass media impacts lives, and each generation adopts current technology for the sharing of information, communication and entertainment.  Five years ago, during my last round of college, I realized how differently my younger colleagues in class were experiencing media than I had.  I use the Internet, but I’m a different animal.  I was part of the first television generation.

Free Yourself

When someone with more orthodox views about religion calls me a “Cafeteria Christian” I don’t take it as an insult.  It’s supposed to be a put-down to suggest that I pick and choose what I like about Christianity and accept that, and don’t buy other parts of it.

Seeing Further

When I look out my windows, I can see a mountain range.  These peaks rise majestically out of the Pacific Ocean.  They have been called by many names.  The Duwamish people called them Sun-a-do.  The Klallam, who lived 10,000 years ago where my town is now, gave them a name meaning “thunderbird”.

I’ve never lived in sight of mountains before.  I’m trying to open myself to whatever kind of powers they hold.

Tidying Up

This is what you see when you enter through my front door.

It’s Spring.  Time to clean up my Blogroll.  I don’t want this action to hurt anyone’s feelings, so instead of just doing it I want to explain a little.  In terms of design and possessions, I prefer less rather than more.

Act Three

Because her mother has moved to the area, that baby (my Brother’s Granddaughter) from a previous post (here/) visited my home last weekend.  She’s nine months old already, and she says “BAP-fff!” with specific emphasis.

The legends about the members of my tribe have something in common.  If you look at the life stories of those in my extended family as if they were plays, there’s a similar arc of development.  We all have chaotic first acts.