Energy

Not mine, but mine. So, in the last few weeks, we have lost 29 men to a coal mine and untold natural resources to an oil well explosion. We seem to have these catastrophes and then forget about them and get on with our lives of using more and more energy. And of course, I don't do anything either. But, it bothers me.

It looks like the wind farm off Conn will go ahead which is good. People oppose wind energy because it destroys the vista. Vistas are important, but people and fish and shrimp are more important. We have to make a choice and yet we continue to live as if the pantry is full. One day, we will open the door and find only skeletons.

We need an energy policy that will foster green tech. We need an energy policy that will impute the real cost of energy into oil and coal: the real cost of making sure the environmental costs are included and that we drill and mine with safety first.

I need to make changes of my own. I'm already switching to CF bulbs as the incandescents burn out. I'm almost done with the switch. My new resolution is to bike or walk where I can for shopping. I can walk or bike to either Easy Way (the fantastic produce store) or to one grocery store for those piddly items I seem to run out of. I'm trying to figure out how to bike one day a week to church. When I get to where I can leave my laptop there, then I think I can.

My thoughts for the day.

Spirits and Cancer and Me

It has now been two years since my diagnosis. Well, not really. The final page of the path report disappeared and it took a long time to get the original and then they wouldn't give me the results over the phone. So, I was blissfully in denial for a while.

So, someone asked me if I felt God's special presence during the cancer treatment. I made something up because I didn't. In fact, all the wonderful things that are supposed to happen when you have cancer--you know, more spiritual, more appreciative of live, and so on didn't happen.

In retrospect, I was in a pretty dark place. Mostly angry. About mortality. I realize the anger has seeped away.

Yesterday I ran and the in the afternoon, swam a mile. I am trying to get in shape for a trip to Bhutan which will entail hiking for two to four hours or more in the Himalayas. High up with thin air. I remember Jan 08 when I was in Uganda hiking up and down volcanos looking for mountain gorillas. I had to be pushed and pulled. I was so embarrassed. I had no idea that I was so out of shape. It was simply awful. Of course, I had cancer at the time and didn't know it.

I feel better than I have felt in a long time. I love life and I am trying to slow down to enjoy this world while I am here. But, I haven't had the blinding light experiences people seem to expect from pastors. I'm just me.

Friday Five

1. When was your last, or will be your next, out of town travel? Monday, Monday, I can't wait. Austin for the College of Pastoral Leaders at the seminary, Yosemite, Carmel for a meeting with seminary friends, Monterey, then home.

2. Long car trips: love or loathe? Loateh

3. Do you prefer to be driver or passenger? Driver

4. If passenger, would you rather pass the time with handwork, conversing, reading, listening to music, or ??? Sleep. I tend to fall asleep the minute I get in the passenger seat.

5. Are you going, or have you ever gone, on a RevGals BE? Happiest memories of the former, and/or most anticipated pleasures of the latter? One day, I'd love to go. It has tended to conflict with other plans. Maybe next year.

6. Bonus: a favorite piece of road trip music. right now: Graceland. Not road trip music, but here and now music.

Am now trying to figure out how to get two more weeks of vacation. I found a wonderful trip I want to take, but I'm already scheduled for vacation (and paid for airfare etc.)