And a pet dragon and rocket powered roller skates and a moat and a secret passageway for my bedroom ...

A few weeks ago I was really tickled by this collection of "insane" kids' wish lists--including requests for "fake pills," "a dozen swords," and "1,000,000 pieces of shrimp."

And I thought: Man! What a pity that grown-ups' wish lists get so boring--I mean, it's all, like, electronics and clothing and food stuffs--not that those things can't be exciting--but once you're an adult, if you were to stop thinking about what's "realistic," and let your imagination run wild--first of all, Oh! The things you could come up with!--and then second (more importantly), you have so many more resources for making your dreams come true than when you were a child.

I've recently been reading a book called The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss. Now, I don't want to give the impression I fully endorse the ideas in the book because, as Brandon pointed out upon reading the jacket cover, the author is basically explaining how you can become one of those lazy fat cats sitting pretty on the backs of the poor. The notion of not just failing to condemn, but even joining the new leisure class struck Brandon immediately as morally abhorrent. I wasn't quite so quick to judge, but being somewhat partial to Kantian ethics, it does bother me that if everyone were to apply Mr. Ferris's methods, the whole system would crumble.

That being said ... I completely agree with Mr. Ferriss that the 40 hr work week is too long and, at least partly because of that, people waste a lot of time while "on the clock." It's a lesson that becomes very clear contrasting the public school system with the homeschool experience. It is possible to accomplish much more learning in just a few hours at home than in a whole day spent at school (with homework added on to be completed in "off hours"). I could continue, but this is not the point I want to make right now.

The really valuable takeaway from the book for me is the reminder that you don't have to wait until retirement to pursue your dreams. In fact, you shouldn't. You should figure out right now what you really want to do with your life, make a plan to get it done, and start executing that plan immediately.

So, here's my own preliminary "insane" list of wishes:

- to write a great work of literature (some novels?)

- to do lots of paintings that I really like (better than the ones I've done so far)

- to get paid for giving workshops on topics of interest to me

- to get paid for writing curricula that help people learn valuable stuff
- to have multiple friends whom I can really trust, who like me, and who enrich my life with their strangeness

- to live in a home that is kept tidy and is full of happy-making art

- to eat well and exercise sufficiently to feel as good as possible

- to appreciate each day, knowing that I am fulfilling my longtime dream: to see the face of God and live
- and not just that, but also to appreciate what hadn't occurred to me until recently as a corollary to the previous that the face of God is being seen in me and my creative endeavors
- to raise children who know that they are loved and valuable, and who have gifts beyond what I can imagine
- also one of those Tibetan singing bowl thingies
- and a really fancy kazoo (gold plated?)
- and a collection of the best medieval scholars' hats recreated for modern times
- and more accessories for my camera (macro lens, telephoto lens, super deluxe flash)
- and a hooded cape with awesome embroidery (more than one?)
- and a solar powered motorbike
- and my own private study - that's really, really private - with a heavy, soundproof door and a huge dead bolt - or, better yet, a big wooden bar across the door - and with no windows - and stuffed book cases lining the walls completely
- and a giant monitor lizard (which is about the closest to a pet dragon anyone is going to get until genetic engineering advances a lot more)

Okay, so now, while I get to work on a plan to make my dreams come true ... what about your "insane" wish list? (-:

[Sadly, of all those things, I think the least likely ever to be fulfilled are the ones about the house being tidy, and eating well and exercising ... lol ... totally unrealistic ... ]

Thinking Of Our Veterans Today With Admiration, Gratitude, Concern ... And Resolve

I haven't done much to observe this Veterans' Day. I've thought with gratitude and admiration of people who've offered their lives in military service.

But (without considering the appropriateness beforehand), I also watched The Bridge On The River Kwai today--and yesterday, Ender's Game.

Bridge On The River Kwai is a depressing fable about the madness and futility of war. And Ender's Game--well, the movie was a poor adaptation of the book, unnecessarily introducing tired old tropes that obscured the philosophical themes--but the book, anyway, (which I hurriedly read the day before yesterday) raises the question: to what extent do we want to become violently brutal in order to protect ourselves (and our loved ones) from violent brutality?

Ender's Game (the book) poignantly illustrates the weight of--what shall we call it? Regret? Responsibility? The heaviness and terror felt by someone who never wanted to become ruthlessly violent, and yet, when faced with murderous intent, chose to respond in kind.

I have a great deal of respect for soldiers; for their sacrifice, which I consider genuinely noble. But I also feel concerned for soldiers, since, in combat, they must develop a side of themselves which most human beings generally strive to suppress. (And of course, much happens in combat that is severely emotionally traumatic for various reasons--in addition to the physical harm suffered.)

I don't know what else to say. Thank you, veterans, for your service, and I'm sorry it was necessary (or, worse, asked for even though not necessary). So today I resolve once again to do what I can to work for peace so that the horror of war can be avoided as much as possible in future. I will try to become the kind of person who forgives, who is gracious when others are mean and conciliatory when others are hostile. I will try to set aside my pride when I disagree with someone, listen with an open mind, and make a way for peace where there is no way.

I do believe that the best hope of changing the world is to change oneself, especially since personal transformation tends to be at least somewhat contagious. So ... I'll try to be a peacemaker in my relationships to honor those that have bought peace at a very dear price.

Why I Don't Drink Coffee (In short: it feels like choosing leprosy)

A couple days ago I was sitting in a morning meeting and noticed everyone else had a cup of coffee in front of them, and I’m there going without, yawning and slouching and rubbing my eyes. I don’t mind starting the day a little groggy; it wears off after a little while. But sometimes I wonder if I’m making other people uncomfortable by being so counter-cultural. I mean, even vegan health nuts drink coffee.

And it’s not just caffeine: I’m also reluctant about consuming alcohol, over-the-counter painkillers, and vitamin supplements. Basically, I don’t like the idea of using mood altering substances, no matter how useful and socially acceptable they may be.

And I was just reflecting, perhaps the best way to explain it is I’m afraid of losing touch with my “true state of being.” I mean, what does caffeine do but mask the symptoms of sleep deprivation? If I’m waking up tired and can’t get going in the morning, I probably haven’t rested enough.

At a formative age I was repeatedly exposed to the idea that pain and discomfort are to be welcomed as a signal that something is wrong. You wouldn’t really want a pain-free life (the argument goes): look at people with leprosy: because their nerves have been deadened, they can’t tell when something is causing their bodies harm, so they don’t change their behavior to protect themselves from further damage and pretty soon they’ve become all crippled and deformed.

So I internalized the principle of viewing pain and discomfort as helpful information and as inspiration to alter course.

The only problem with that is … sometimes the behavioral changes necessary to bring an organic (rather than artificial) end to my suffering are just too f***ing difficult to manage. And maybe at that point I should just concede defeat and drink a cup of tea.

"Do Not Be Afraid" (Sermon)

So, I'm going to be posting (at least some of) my sermons on youtube now, through the church's new youtube channel. Here's the first one:

The Point Of This Painting Is The Paper Lanterns

I love paper lanterns. And I need some more art for the living room (art that goes with our blue and orange color scheme). So I did this painting last weekend. Yay!

On This Date Ten Years Ago

I was a new transfer student at Whitworth University (then "College"), a small Presbyterian school in Spokane, WA. Little did I know as I composed the following email to the folks back home what a momentous occasion it was. For those that know me and my beloved soul mate (see, I say that and I don't even believe in soul mates!), I thought this might be a fun read, ten years after the fact.

Also, I am posting this to reveal to Brandon the reason of the "Special Mystery Day" for which I got up at 5:45 to make him breakfast and send him off with a special lunch. Thank you, dearest Brandon, for ten incredible years, which have been so much more than at 17 I could possibly have imagined. See you after work ... (-:

From: Virgiliana
To: weekly report group
Subj: Ongoing adventures in Washington
Date: 9/20/2003

I came here to my desk to begin this email and found I could not sit in the chair, since it was covered in books and papers. "Ah!" I thought. "The room is beginning to feel like home at last!"

The other day, one of the TAs in Ethics wrote what I consider the best Dr. W--- quote so far: "I'm not being homo-erotic! I'm trying to describe the sublime!" What's even better is one of the other religion teachers, T---- M--------, happened to come in before class to tell Dr. W--- something. Right before leaving, he looked at the white board and smiled confusedly. "We'll be discussing this in our next faculty meeting." Everyone laughed as he left. Dr. W---, very red in the face, stared into space for a moment. "Hooooo," he said. "There goes my tenure."

Oh! And I forgot to mention earlier -- I tried out for the Whitworth Choir. They posted assignments Monday of last week and I was disappointed to see that my name was not on the sheet. Then I started looking for the names of a couple other people I knew who had also tried out. I looked on the sheet marked *Trouveres* (I had no idea what that was) and there was my name! As it turns out, that's the women's choir. So anyway ... that is/will be fun! (-:

This morning I ate breakfast in the cafeteria alone, since I wanted to think about a story I've been writing. When I had just about finished, a nice young man named Brandon sat down and started chatting with me. We talked about Dante, biblical inerrancy and denominational differences in interpretation of the Bible, whether the theory of evolution makes sense ... and then went our several ways.

An hour or so after I got back to my room, quad-mate J---- grilled me on the incident, asking to hear every detail of the conversation. How on earth she heard about it, I've not a clue. She said "I'm tempted to go downstairs and write on the dorm message board 'Virgie and Brandon sitting in a tree ...'" I think I'm beginning to get an idea what it's like living in a small town.

-Virgie (-:

Louisville 2013

Some photos. Enjoying my new camera on a trip to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) headquarters in Louisville, KY.