Threads of My Tapistry

Balance maintains a healthy existence. In its absence is a tipping of the scales of well-being. Case in point: Veganism. I don’t think that anyone can argue the negative effects of eating an excessive amount of meat or dairy. However, is the answer eating an excessive amount of fruits, vegetables, grains, etc? In between a carnivore (mainly meat diet) and a herbivore (vegetation only diet) is an omnivore (meat and plant based diet). This seems like a reasonable compromise. Balance…meaning not veering too far to one end or another. I would just suggest that “always” and “never” are false adverbs. They are used often but rarely truly apply. How did the meat and dairy industries, and anyone connected to them, become so demonized? Quite frankly, any area of life that generates revenue is susceptible to corruption and misuse. We didn’t tell all farmers to stop growing crops because some of them used pesticides and questionable methods. Accordingly, we should know that there are humane harvesters of animal based products. I guess it comes down to how we view animals and if we put them on par with human beings. That’s a discussion for another time…

Anyone that knows me well, knows that I’ve been an appreciator of this man’s music since I was seven years old. But this particular album is my favorite. That’s saying a lot because there are many that I love. However, this album was recorded in one take and introduced me to Gerry Mulligan, Sarah Vaughan, and Mel Torme. Barry had a knack for broadening my musical horizons. It is melancholy and beautiful all at the same time. 1984 was a year of iconic albums. (Purple Rain and Thriller, anyone?) This one is no exception.

My absolute favorite Dionne Warwick album! Released in 1979, it highlighted her beautiful vocals along with the production of one of my other favorite singers, Barry Manilow. From “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” to “Deja Vu”, the tracklist is near perfection. If I had to pick a weak song, it would be “The Letter”. However, I still don’t skip it while playing the album. It is a classic! I miss real music these days!

This statement is not being made lightly or unadvisedly. It’s a declaration that will be received in a myriad of ways. Let’s be honest: Being a Christian (or the perception of what being a Christian is) isn’t looked on favorably by society at large. Yet, when you identify yourself as a Christian, it’s what you sign up for. When I was young, I wanted to do things that conflicted with my beliefs because it would help me fit in. Then I would get myself in situations that I wished I had not. As I’ve matured, I learned that living according to my beliefs allows everyone to have an authentic experience with me. Being honest avoids unnecessary internal conflicts. It means setting healthy boundaries, even when it doesn’t make sense to others. I believe that Jesus is Lord. He came to this Earth to rescue us from our own destructive impulses. He loves us and He wants a relationship with each and every one of us. It’s our heart’s desire, even if we unable or unwilling to admit it. My prayer is that those of us that profess to be Christians will be better representatives of Jesus Christ, by showing God’s love to people regardless of what their decision about Christ ends up being. That is our calling card. John 13:35 says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” Love doesn’t always mean agreement or approval. It does come in the form of desiring the best for someone and having their well being at heart. As long as we’re alive, we’re all growing and changing. It’s important to allow ourselves to go through this process. God does it, so we should do the same. The saga continues…

 

 

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These pictures were taken on January 19, 2015, in La Jolla, California. What a beautiful city! So quaint with its great restaurants, local shops, and seaside vibe. Sometimes it’s the simple things, like the wonder of God’s creation, that means so much. There’s a lovely Italian restaurant called Piatti that has the perfect combination of ambiance and delectable cuisine. I’ve always had a fascination with the beach and what it would be like to live by it. The pros are obvious: beautiful sunrises, sunsets, ocean breeze, the sound of the surf, etc. The cons are not often talked about but are present. A major one is the wear and tear on the exterior of buildings due to the salt water. However, if you can afford to live in a city like La Jolla, you probably consider the costs, both monetary and otherwise, worth it. I’d love to find out for myself one day! In the meantime, the beach is only an hour or two away. Gotta love California if for no other reason than that!

I think that entertainment has numbed our collective conscience. We complain about our over-sexualized, violent and corruption filled society. Yet, we mass consume television, cinema, video games and music that is literally drenched in these themes. I know we like to tell ourselves that our favorite shows, movies, etc, don’t have this effect on us. If that were true, there would be no need to cover a child’s eyes when certain scenes come on. If we were oblivious to the sights and sounds we take in, advertisers wouldn’t feel the need to spend millions of dollars on commercials and product placement. What we expose ourselves to has a direct correlation to our thinking and ultimately our doing. The world we live in is a reflection of this concept. If we don’t actively engage in the behavior we see, at the very least, we are desensitized to it. Our eye gates and ear gates can’t differentiate between “fake” and “real” on the deepest subconscious levels. That’s why even though you know it’s just a movie or a song, it’s still able to generate authentic emotions in us. Despite the riveting storyline of a certain program, is it worth sitting through hours of simulated, yet graphic, murders, torture, orgies, rapes and profane language? This is something that we all have to ask ourselves, as I did several years ago and still do. It’s an ongoing process of evaluating choice and consequence. What you continually ingest will eventually be expressed. The entertainment world is not immune to this ebb and flow. Like a hard pill to swallow, this post may initially bring about a gag reflex. However, as any effective medication, the benefits won’t be completely revealed until it’s willingly accepted and taken. I pray that God will guide each and every one of us in these matters. Blessing to you all!

 

Italy was Bellissimo! So much history and culture. And the food?!?! It makes your taste buds Danza! Hard to believe it’s been almost six years since I was there, October 2011. From Pisa to Florence, Rome to Naples, I thoroughly enjoyed it all. Well, except the time they crammed what felt like thousands of people in the Vatican’s rooms. The morning tours were pushed to the afternoon because the Pope was there. And we just so happened to be the lucky ones present that day. It was a logistical and safety nightmare. Nevertheless, I refused to let that little gnat in my cappuccino ruin my whole trip. You gotta keep things in perspective and technically, the Vatican isn’t part of Italy but its own little province. So no hard feelings. I still marveled at the Sistine Chapel…and I still watch some of the midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Grazie! (Pictures were taken on the now ancient relic, the iPhone 3G)

It’s 12:55 AM and it’s 72 degrees. I’ve just emerged from the YouTube vortex and once again, I’ve lingered too long. Why am I hooked on reaction videos? I mean, it’s me watching videos of other people watching videos of yet more people…on video! Living vicariously is one thing but this is wild! It’s the same sensation you get when you play a song you really like for a friend. You watch them anxiously as they respond with an array of facial expressions and verbal acknowledgments. It’s reassuring when they confirm your enthusiasm and a little humbling when they don’t. Multiply this phenomenon by millions of viewers and you’ve got the online version. It’s puzzling when a YouTube video has thousands of likes and a hundred dislikes. I’m convinced that in some cases, it’s just individuals wanting to be contrary. Kind of like the punk rock and grunge movements and we saw what the end result of those was. Having bedhead and looking (and smelling) unbathed was all the rage. So was plaid. Lots and lots of plaid. Come to think of it, things haven’t changed all that much. Progress is still progressing, I guess.

These pictures are from Land’s End Lookout in San Francisco, California. On May 18th, 2016, after my maternal grandmother’s service, we (the family and I) had dinner at Fisherman’s Wharf and drove to the coast. This was one of my grandmother’s favorite places to come and it has since become one of mine as well. A beautiful spot to remember a beautiful woman! (Taken with my KODAK PixPro FZ41 Digital Still Camera).

 

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