Help Women Heal
Recently, I have come to a conclusion in response the world’s problems, of which we all know there are many. After some thought, some reading, some listening, and some more thought, I’ve reached the conclusion that we, men, need to hang it up. After thousands of years of leadership, I’m afraid to say we’ve done a great job of fucking up the world (albeit with some good intentions and even innovations along the way here and there). It was a good run (I guess?), but our time has come guys. Perhaps the great philosopher, George Carlin, summed it up best with this, “For the most part, men are vain, ignorant, greedy, brutal assholes who’ve just about ruined this planet… You don’t have to be a political scientist or a history major to see the bigger dick foreign policy theory at work. It goes something like this…”what they have bigger dicks? Bomb them!!!” And of course the bombs and the bullets and the rockets are all shaped like dicks.” Ahh…such wisdom, he had. War, famine, disease, murder, rape, poverty, global warming, fear, hate, violence. ’tis a sad state of affairs. Fortunately though, all hope need not be lost. Unbeknownst to some, there is a great population of people among us whose resources have gone largely untapped and who’s leadership we are in dire need of. I’m not talking about mutant superheroes guys. I’m talking about women. I will not attempt to argue that women are wired better than we are, though they are certainly wired differently. What I do believe though, is that the status quo (i.e. “HIStory”) ain’t working out too well for us. I’m ready for some herstory. Which brings me to one of the inspirational books that have led me to writing this entry: “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.” I should first mention that this book does not assert that men are the problem (as I, along with Mr. Carlin, have implied). Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn focus on the untold oppression that women continue to face in our world and the inspiring stories of women who overcome that oppression and then help others do the same. They point to a study that reveals somewhere between 60-101 million women have disappeared off the face of the planet – another 2 million every year, due to gender discrimination; simply because they were born female (p. xv). Another set of shocking statistics reveal that the global slave trade is bigger than it ever has been in history: “between 600,000 and 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year, 80 percent of them women and girls, mostly for sexual exploitation”...
Liam’s 1st Day
Liam James Spencer, possibly the most photographed 1-day-old there ever was and will be. My first nephew and greatest photo subject…he made my job easy! [nggallery id=3]
Faith Building in Maryland
Sunday, July 11th — After a 10 hour drive, I am standing in a very packed auditorium in Prince Frederick, Maryland, surrounded by 268 people, 80% of which are under the age of 18. Shouting and clapping, followed by singing and hand motions commence. Nope, not a concert. I’m at a Catholic Heart Workcamp – a mix between Habitat for Humanity and Jesus Camp. Already exhausted, I ask myself: why am I here? Surely the youth minister at St. Eulalia Parish liquored me up 8 months ago to coerce me into agreeing to chaperone our 57-kid group? Believe it or not, he didn’t. I had done this same trip two years ago (and would have done it last year if not for cancer getting all up in my grill). The last time I went on the trip, I came out of it feeling very rewarded. As so often happens in life though, those memories and that feeling faded away over time. And now I am standing in the auditorium overwhelmed by Jesus songs. Fast-forward, a week later – today, as I write from my computer back in Massachusetts. My experience in Prince Frederick is best explained by this excerpt from my dear friend Patty, sent to me on the day I departed for the trip: “It is a real sacrifice ~ and you know how those go ~ you think you are giving the gift and at the end of the day, you end up getting so much!” Like most things said by Patty, they are words of profound truth. So, arriving at this reflection in a very roundabout way, I want to share the gift that this week was to me… My week in Prince Frederick was one of faith building and spiritual renewal, at a time when I really needed it. My heart has ached for the past months over some of the fear-based policies that the Catholic Church clings to. It is good to be a critical thinker, in my opinion, but I fear that I was beginning to grow cynical about the church. Catholic Heart Workcamp (CHWC) gave me a much needed dose of hope. It was a heavy dose, in fact, composed of a few key elements. First, was the incredible Father Geoff Rose. Fr. Geoff preached a relationship with God rooted entirely in love; dismissing fear as the basis of an authentic relationship. How refreshing it was to experience his daily mass, through which he challenged us all to understand scripture in a new, enlightening way. I desperately wish I could share some excerpts or summations of his homilies with you, but I...
Hey Mama
Pretty sure any mention of music on this blog thus far has been singularly focused on the band U2. Believe it or not, I do fill the space between U2 songs with other music too. Most of all, I love seeing live music – especially if a band is good live. Because let’s face it, many bands have some solid studio material but plain suck live. Live performances require a band to be on a higher level with each other and with the audience. Everything can come together in a fresh and dynamic way. Not sure there is any other art form (or medium of communication) that can speak to the soul as directly as live music can. Recently I have fallen in love with this local band, Hey Mama. And after enjoying a couple of shows, I felt compelled (as I often do) to share their talent with others. A great opportunity to bust out my new baby (Canon 7D dSLR Camera) and attempt to capture some great music with my friend Dan Lovetere, who has my baby’s twin (that just sounds weird). Unfortunately, we were unable to tap into the soundboard for audio and so we do not do the band justice with the audio – but hey, there is always next time. Hope you enjoy as much as I...
One Love, One Life, One Testicle
Yup. I’m going there. My second choice for the title of this post was “There Can Be Only One (Testicle).” But ultimately, U2 trumps Highlander. I started this blog just over a year ago (382 days ago – to be precise) when I was diagnosed with testicular cancer, primarily as a means of sharing my experience through treatment with my family, friends, and whoever else wanted to read. As I finished chemotherapy last August, I’ve continued the blog as a sort of journal effort that I can share with the world, with an emphasis on social justice I think. But I have always tried to keep this blog rooted in the life-changing experience that was cancer and treatment. To use one of the many cliches surrounding this experience, I would say that I have a “new lease on life.” This summer brings about a reflective time for me; just last year I was sitting with an IV pumping toxic chemicals into my body, starting to feel the painful, nauseating effects of chemotherapy. Browsing through my posts last year, I see that in just three days from now (last year), I will lose my hair. Recalling this memory is … difficult. Actually, recalling many of those memories back into consciousness is a practice that remains unsettling for me and one that I actively refrain from doing. My doctor at Dana described it as a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder type experience. Those memories remain locked up most of the time, in a box of fears that lies at the bottom of the ocean of my mind. And typically that’s where I want them to stay. However, I wonder if there is a reconciliation that should/will happen eventually? Should I be able to open those memories without feeling nauseous? Maybe someday. Maybe not. I can say this: every experience in life builds the person that we are. I am not the same person as I was last year. I’ve got one testicle! So let’s talk about that (begin the TMI section)…I mean it is a curious thing isn’t it? Well for the guys reading this, I can lay the fears to rest – it makes no difference! How can that be?! I would wonder the same thing – but apparently that is why God granted us two. Some of my last words to the surgeon before he put me under were, “make sure you take the right one!” I have felt zero side effects of having one testicle. Seriously, it is mind-boggling I know, but it’s the truth. So non-existent are the effects that I will every now and again have an “oh...
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