Prophet or Madman

40 Years Ago Today: Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster (January 28, 1986)

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Jan. 28, 1986: I was a high school student standing in the hallway just outside the gym. As I recall, I was with a few classmates. I think we were waiting for the class dismissal bell. Then the principal's voice came over the PA system, and he announced the shuttle explosion (later investigation showed that there was no detonation or explosion in the way we commonly understand, but the huge fireball certainly looked like an explosion).

That was 40 years ago today.

The Space Shuttle Challenger was engulfed in a cloud of fire just 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven astronauts aboard, including Christa McAuliffe, intended to be the first teacher in space. Other astronauts killed were Francis "Dick" Scobee, Michael J. Smith, Ellison S. Onizuka, Judith A. Resnik, Ronald E. McNair and Gregory B. Jarvis.

Remember the pioneers!

"For the Gods do not give lightly of the powers They have made,
And with Challenger and seven once again the price is paid,
A nation watched her falling, but a world could only cry,
As they passed from us to glory riding fire in the sky."

(Fire In The Sky - Dr. Jordin Kare)

// NASA image via History.com: The five astronauts and two payload specialists of the STS 51-L crew in January of 1986: (left to right, starting in front row) astronauts Michael J. Smith, Francis R. (Dick) Scobee and Ronald E. McNair; and Ellison S. Onizuka, Sharon Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis and Judith A. Resnik.

More: https://www.nasa.gov/challenger-sts-51l-accident/

Sunflowers 2025: Failure and Success

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 22:23:00 +0000

I wanted to add sunflowers to the new corner garden, in the back left corner of the yard. Started some seeds in an egg container, and they sprouted pretty well by June 8. They rather quickly outgrew the egg container, so I moved them to a planter on June 11. On June 20, I still had 9 of the 12 sprouts, and I planted them along the fence line in two locations.

Unfortunately, the heat dome at the end of June, and some critters (a groundhog and a bunny being the most likely culprits), have put an end to those sprouts. No sunflowers for the left corner ... at least ... not this summer, so far.

Collage of four photos arranged like a set of labeled polaroids.
Egg carton sprouts on June 8; sprouts in planter on June 11;
sprouts planted along fence on June 20;
and the corner garden devoid of those sprouts as of July 14.

Anyway, I do have sunflowers for 2025, and it's a pretty good crop this summer. They are back in the right corner and along the right side again.

Sunflowers along the right side of my yard;
Photographed July 13, 2025.

Fifty-Seven

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 18:40:00 +0000

In April 2025, during this very week, I'll complete my 57th orbit around the Sun. That's right! April is my birth month!

As usual, I will not use this occasion to have a party or seek presents. Nor will I give Facebook the opportunity to directly track my friends' donation activity. (Since last week, I've been dismissing FB's various attempts to convince me to run a fundraiser through their platform). But if you choose to somehow celebrate or acknowledge my Born On day, I ask that you donate time or money to your favorite charity or not-for-profit organization. If you cannot donate, then just talk a walk in your favorite park, and maybe pick up some litter.

And for those who can donate but don't have a favorite charity or non-profit, here are several of my own:

School of Sacred Ministries -- Independent divinity school that offers a two-year program of spiritual training with ordination as an Interfaith Minister upon conclusion. I was ordained here, I continue to work with them, and they can always use money to continue their programs and further the cause of interfaith dialog.
Montgomery Theater -- A small professional theater in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Montgomery Theater is my home-away-from-home. Like many not-for-profit enterprises operating in the arts, they are in a budget crunch. Donations can help pay actor salaries or utility bills, or keep the education programs running.
Cat Tales -- This is the animal rescue where we got Milo and Otis. When we are ready for more fur-babies, we will probably go back to them.
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society -- My father-in-law would have celebrated another birthday on Monday (4/26) -- if he had not succumbed to cancer in March 2005. My own father was diagnosed with a recurrence of Myelodysplasia syndrome (MDS) in November 2009. He did have a successful mini transplant, but eventually passed in 2013 due to complications from a recurrence of cancer. So, yeah, I'm all for funding cancer research and treatment.
Cleveland Clinic -- My father had his bone marrow transplants performed here. They also treated him in March 2013. This clinic has an excellent medical staff and wonderful family support programs.
Philabundance -- The Delaware Valley’s largest hunger relief organization. Working to end hunger and malnutrition since 1984.
Hero Initiative -- These folks help comic book creators in all sorts of situations: emergency medical aid, financial support, help finding work, etc. Much of their work is in the sales of merchandise or features whose proceeds benefit creators in need, but they also have several donation options.
poets.org -- A trio of groups dedicated to poets, poetry, and poems (Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month, and American Poets Magazine). April is National Poetry Month, and they also have an ongoing poem-a-day service.
EDF and EarthJustice -- Two organizations working for environmental protections and justice. For info about their work, check out the EDF quarterly publication, Solutions, or the EarthJustice Press Room.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State -- With that name, it's probably fairly clear what Americans United (or AU for short) does. Help them fight theocracy in the US.
Life After Hate -- People who have spent much of their lives indoctrinated into hateful, dangerous lifestyles need help rejoining the compassionate, humane communities. And that's where Life After Hate picks up their work.
A Woman's Place (AWP) -- Providing emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, legal assistance, and more for victims of domestic violence in the Bucks County, PA, area.
Human Rights Campaign -- More than ever, advocating for equal rights is necessary. Particularly with the current administration seeking to undermine hard-won LGBTQ+ protections.

Thank you in advance! Let's meet back here in another year!

Cards Against Elon Musk

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 22:11:00 +0000

In case you missed it: CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY IS SUING ELON MUSK

We have terrible news. Seven years ago, 150,000 people paid us $15 to protect a pristine parcel of land on the US-Mexico border from racist billionaire Donald Trump's very stupid wall.
Unfortunately, an even richer, more racist billionaire⸺Elon Musk⸺snuck up on us from behind and completely fucked that land with gravel, tractors, and space garbage.

Here is the CAH page about the lawsuit: https://www.elonowesyou100dollars.com/

Other coverage:

RIP Cemetery Tree (? - June 2024)

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 02:49:00 +0000

I walked over to the cemetery around 8pm this evening. Daff Moon app had notified me of "golden hour," and it looked to be good conditions to capture sunbeams. But what I found when I walked to the center of the cemetery brought tears to my eyes.

My favorite cemetery tree was gone.

I cautiously approached the pile of wood chips and dirt that marked where the tree once stood. Maybe I thought I was simply imagining the tree's absence. Maybe I thought the tree would come into focus as I drew nearer. Whatever I thought, I was wrong. The tree was indeed gone. It had been here before I moved to this town in 2001. So, while I had been actively photographing it for the past five to ten years, it had been at least a peripheral part of my life for just over 20 years.

But now it is gone. No notice; no ceremony. I went down to my knees. I pushed my outstretched hands into the tree's shredded remains. "I'll miss you," I said as a slight breeze stirred, "you didn't deserve this end."

Image 1 (above): A collage of nine tree photos, arranged in a 3x3 matrix, and spanning from June 2020 through April 2024.

Image 2 (below): Photo of a pile of wood chips and loose soil where the tree used to be. Caption reads, "RIP Cemetery Tree. (? - June 2024)."

Fifty-Six

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 02:00:00 +0000

April 2024 has been quite a month. We had a small earthquake in PA and a total solar eclipse traversed across the continental US. On a personal note, before the end of this month, I'll graduate with my Master of Divinity and I'll complete my 56th orbit around the Sun. That's right! April is my birth month!

Now, I will not use this occasion to have a party or seek presents. Nor will I give FB the opportunity to directly track my friends' donation activity. (At least Facebook seems to given up their usual full-court press of digital harassment in an effort to convince me to run a fundraiser through their platform.) But if you choose to somehow celebrate or acknowledge my Born On day, I ask that you donate time or money to your favorite charity or not-for-profit organization. If you cannot donate, then just talk a walk in your favorite park, and maybe pick up some litter.

And for those who can donate but don't have a favorite charity or non-profit, here are several of my own:

School of Sacred Ministries -- Independent divinity school that offers a two-year program of spiritual training with ordination as an Interfaith Minister upon conclusion. I was ordained here, I continue to work with them, and they can always use money to continue their programs and further the cause of interfaith dialog.
Montgomery Theater -- A small professional theater in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Montgomery Theater is my home-away-from-home. Like many not-for-profit enterprises operating in the arts, they are in a budget crunch. Donations can help pay actor salaries or utility bills, or keep the education programs running.
Cat Tales -- This is the animal rescue where we got Milo and Otis. When we are ready for more fur-babies, we will probably go back to them.
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society -- My father-in-law would have celebrated another birthday on Monday (4/26) -- if he had not succumbed to cancer in March 2005. My own father was diagnosed with a recurrence of Myelodysplasia syndrome (MDS) in November 2009. He did have a successful mini transplant, but eventually passed in 2013 due to complications from a recurrence of cancer. So, yeah, I'm all for funding cancer research and treatment.
Cleveland Clinic -- My father had his bone marrow transplants performed here. They also treated him in March 2013. This clinic has an excellent medical staff and wonderful family support programs.
Philabundance -- The Delaware Valley’s largest hunger relief organization. Working to end hunger and malnutrition since 1984.
Hero Initiative -- These folks help comic book creators in all sorts of situations: emergency medical aid, financial support, help finding work, etc. Much of their work is in the sales of merchandise or features whose proceeds benefit creators in need, but they also have several donation options.
poets.org -- A trio of groups dedicated to poets, poetry, and poems (Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month, and American Poets Magazine). April is National Poetry Month, and they also have an ongoing poem-a-day service.
EDF and EarthJustice -- Two organizations working for environmental protections and justice. For info about their work, check out the EDF quarterly publication, Solutions, or the EarthJustice Press Room.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State -- With that name, it's probably fairly clear what Americans United (or AU for short) does. Help them fight theocracy in the US.
Life After Hate -- People who have spent much of their lives indoctrinated into hateful, dangerous lifestyles need help rejoining the compassionate, humane communities. And that's where Life After Hate picks up their work.
A Woman's Place (AWP) -- Providing emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, legal assistance, and more for victims of domestic violence in the Bucks County, PA, area.
Human Rights Campaign -- More than ever, advocating for equal rights is necessary. Particularly with the current administration seeking to undermine hard-won LGBTQ+ protections.

Thank you in advance! Let's meet back here in another year!

12 Potato Dishes of Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 21:23:00 +0000

On Friday evening, my wife read a meme to me in which the person wanted potato dishes instead of the bird-themed gifts in the 12 days of Christmas.

So, I tried my hand at it.

For the purpose of this post, I'll just jump to day 12.

On the 12th day of Christmas, my true chef served to me:

Twelve mashed potatoes
Eleven potato cakes
Ten tornado potatoes
Nine potato latkes
Eight potato burgers
Seven scalloped taters
Six diced potatoes
FIVE HAA-ASH BROWNS
Four tater tots
Three French fries
Two pierogi
And a baked potato topped with sour cream

Here is an instrumental version of "The Twelve Days Of Christmas" in case you want to try to sing along:

MusicalDrewby · The Twelve Days Of Christmas (Instrumental)

The Tenth Anniversary of My Father's Death

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Wed, 03 May 2023 14:00:00 +0000

"How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life." –James T. Kirk

I woke up at some point between midnight and 7am this morning. And, for several moments, I simply did not know where I was. I did not look at the clock -- or, at least, I don't recall seeing it or recognizing the time -- but I wonder how close that moment was to 3:07am. It would not have been the first time on this particular anniversary that I was stirred to something resembling wakefulness between the hours 3 and 4am.

Ten years ago today, at 3:07am on 5/3/2013, Dad crossed over.

The photo for this post was the morning sky that greeted me that morning as I left Johnstown around 6am and drove my mother to her empty house. The Sun was just kissing the sky over Route 56, Johnstown Expressway. Of course the Sun would rise and show me a way out of the dark valley of the past few days. Of course. How perfectly normal, yet bittersweetly beautiful, of a way to enter this next phase of my life, that of a fatherless son.

Dad had still been with us when I went to my hotel room shortly after midnight. That was about 8 or 9 hours after the ventilator had been removed. Over eight hours. He truly was one of the toughest men I've ever known.

Around midnight, Sis had already driven to her home, and Mom was falling asleep. She would end up sleeping in Dad's hospital room. And so, in the quiet and stillness, and nearly alone, Dad crossed over at 3:07am on 5/3/2013. Of course, he waited to slip away in a private moment. He had reached his birth month, but was nearly three weeks shy of his 67th birthday.

In 2020, Facebook told me this was my most-liked photo of 2013. That's kind of difficult for me to believe unless FB's algorithm factors in shares and other uses over time. But, hey, whatever algorithm. It's just another way the magic of social media technologies invite me to reflect. Memories, On This Day, and other features collaborate to remind me of the inevitability of loss.

And, of course, each year I re-share or re-purpose these memories, ensuring that I will have brand new versions of the same memories in years to come. It is now well-established as an arc within my own personal liturgical calendar. This date marks the end of the first two acts of that liturgy: illness and death. The next act: the continuing goodbye.

Why do I re-engage with this liturgy so regularly? It is a reminder to myself -- as much as to anyone else who might need it -- that each passing year after a loss does indeed lighten the load of grief, but also that the years do nothing for the pain and the tears. In fact, I might have paused in editing this post to deal with a few new tears.

And I would not have it any other way. For on the day I no longer feel anything for this loss, I will have become something less than human. In a November 2021 appearance, Andrew Garfield said that tears are "all the unexpressed love, the grief that will remain with us until we pass because we never get enough time with each other."

That tracks. We never get enough time with each other.

#memories #GoodbyeDad #StillSayingGoodbye #TenYearsLater

Fifty-Five

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 01:00:00 +0000

We are now more than halfway through April, my birth month! And I will complete my 55th orbit around the Sun this month. But I will not use this occasion to have a party or seek presents. Nor will I give FB the opportunity to directly track my friends' donation activity. (Meanwhile, it is notable that 2023 might be the first year that Facebook has not resorted to a full-court press of harassing me to run a born-on day fundraiser through their platform.)

But if you choose to somehow celebrate or acknowledge my Born On date, I ask that you donate time or money to your favorite charity or not-for-profit organization. If you cannot donate, then just talk a walk in your favorite park, and maybe pick up some litter.

And for those who can donate but don't have a favorite charity or non-profit, here are several of my own:

School of Sacred Ministries -- Independent divinity school that offers a two-year program of spiritual training with ordination as an Interfaith Minister upon conclusion. I was ordained here, I continue to work with them, and they can always use money to continue their programs and further the cause of interfaith dialog.
Montgomery Theater -- A small professional theater in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Montgomery Theater is my home-away-from-home. Like many not-for-profit enterprises operating in the arts, they are in a budget crunch. Donations can help pay actor salaries or utility bills, or keep the education programs running.
Cat Tales -- This is the animal rescue where we got Milo and Otis. When we are ready for more fur-babies, we will probably go back to them.
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society -- My father-in-law would have celebrated another birthday on Monday (4/26) -- if he had not succumbed to cancer in March 2005. My own father was diagnosed with a recurrence of Myelodysplasia syndrome (MDS) in November 2009. He did have a successful mini transplant, but eventually passed in 2013 due to complications from a recurrence of cancer. So, yeah, I'm all for funding cancer research and treatment.
Cleveland Clinic -- My father had his bone marrow transplants performed here. They also treated him in March 2013. This clinic has an excellent medical staff and wonderful family support programs.
Philabundance -- The Delaware Valley’s largest hunger relief organization. Working to end hunger and malnutrition since 1984.
Hero Initiative -- These folks help comic book creators in all sorts of situations: emergency medical aid, financial support, help finding work, etc. Much of their work is in the sales of merchandise or features whose proceeds benefit creators in need, but they also have several donation options.
poets.org -- A trio of groups dedicated to poets, poetry, and poems (Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month, and American Poets Magazine). April is National Poetry Month, and they also have an ongoing poem-a-day service.
EDF and EarthJustice -- Two organizations working for environmental protections and justice. For info about their work, check out the EDF quarterly publication, Solutions, or the EarthJustice Press Room.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State -- With that name, it's probably fairly clear what Americans United (or AU for short) does. Help them fight theocracy in the US.
Life After Hate -- People who have spent much of their lives indoctrinated into hateful, dangerous lifestyles need help rejoining the compassionate, humane communities. And that's where Life After Hate picks up their work.
A Woman's Place (AWP) -- Providing emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, legal assistance, and more for victims of domestic violence in the Bucks County, PA, area.
Human Rights Campaign -- More than ever, advocating for equal rights is necessary. Particularly with the current administration seeking to undermine hard-won LGBTQ+ protections.

Thank you in advance! Let's meet back here in another year!

Image Credit:

4028mdk09, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Fifty-Four

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 18:59:00 +0000

All this month, Facebook has been ~~reminding~~ harassing me to setup a charity through them. Well, I do frequently engage with their platform, perhaps more than I should. But I still don't know if they've gotten any better about their fundraising fees or their actual distribution of the funds they collect. So, I won't use their platform to guilt my friends into donations.

No, on this occasion of completing yet another orbit around the Sun – number 54 for me! – I will not have a party, and I do not seek presents. But I do have a request. If you choose to somehow celebrate or acknowledge my Born On date, I ask that you donate time or money to your favorite charity or not-for-profit organization. If you do not have a favorite, I happily suggest several of my own (updated since the last time I provided a list):

School of Sacred Ministries -- Independent divinity school that offers a two-year program of spiritual training with ordination as an Interfaith Minister upon conclusion. I was ordained here, I continue to work with them, and they can always use money to continue their programs and further the cause of interfaith dialog.
Montgomery Theater -- A small professional theater in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Montgomery Theater is my home-away-from-home. Like many not-for-profit enterprises operating in the arts, they are in a budget crunch. Donations can help pay actor salaries or utility bills, or keep the education programs running.
Cat Tales -- This is the animal rescue where we got Milo and Otis. When we are ready for more fur-babies, we will probably go back to them.
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society -- My father-in-law would have celebrated another birthday on Monday (4/26) -- if he had not succumbed to cancer in March 2005. My own father was diagnosed with a recurrence of Myelodysplasia syndrome (MDS) in November 2009. He did have a successful mini transplant, but eventually passed in 2013 due to complications from a recurrence of cancer. So, yeah, I'm all for funding cancer research and treatment.
Cleveland Clinic -- My father had his bone marrow transplants performed here. They also treated him in March 2013. This clinic has an excellent medical staff and wonderful family support programs.
Philabundance -- The Delaware Valley’s largest hunger relief organization. Working to end hunger and malnutrition since 1984.
Hero Initiative -- These folks help comic book creators in all sorts of situations: emergency medical aid, financial support, help finding work, etc. Much of their work is in the sales of merchandise or features whose proceeds benefit creators in need, but they also have several donation options.
poets.org -- A trio of groups dedicated to poets, poetry, and poems (Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month, and American Poets Magazine). While April is National Poetry Month, they also have an ongoing poem-a-day service, and they have posted special Shelter In Poems options during the COVID-19 pandemic.
EDF and EarthJustice -- Two organizations working for environmental protections and justice.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State -- With that name, it's probably fairly clear what Americans United (or AU for short) does. Help them fight theocracy in the US.
Life After Hate -- People who have spent much of their lives indoctrinated into hateful, dangerous lifestyles need help rejoining the compassionate, humane communities. And that's where Life After Hate picks up their work.
Planetary Society -- Education, advocation, and exploration! Join CEO Bill Nye and the Planetary Society in their mission to "empower the world’s citizens to advance space science and exploration."
A Woman's Place (AWP) -- Providing emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, legal assistance, and more for victims of domestic violence in the Bucks County, PA, area.
Human Rights Campaign -- More than ever, advocating for equal rights is necessary. Particularly with the current administration seeking to undermine hard-won LGBTQ+ protections.
Congressional Dish -- Operating under the value-for-value model, Jennifer Briney accepts no advertising or sponsorship for her twice-monthly podcast She works for you, not the corporate bigwigs, in covering bills, hearings, and more goings on in the US House and Senate.
Black Journalists Therapy Relief Fund through the IWMF -- Your gift here helps to encourage and support a more diverse, representative news media.
Stop AAPI Hate -- Make a donation to help Stop AAPI Hate (sponsored by Chinese for Affirmative Action) track and respond to the surge in racism and xenophobia.

Thank you in advance! Let's meet back here in another year!

Image Credit:

Go 54 via Wikimedia Commons | Some Rights Reserved

Halloween 2021: My Continuing Pop-Halloween Malaise

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Sun, 31 Oct 2021 22:37:00 +0000

So, tonight is the actual, official, U.S. calendar-dated Halloween. This is also the time of Samhain, Winter Nights, Allelieweziel, and several other seasonal observances.

Three years ago on this evening, I hopped a flight to Toronto for the 2018 Parliament of the World's Religions. In 2019, I lamented a bit of pop-halloween malaise, and then logged into an evening class for #GraduateSchool. Last year, I still held that same malaise, but instead of a class, I had to complete an essay. On the positive side, I was privileged to officiate a wedding for some friends, down in LOVE Park.

This year ... what can I say of this year? This is my fifth year observing a personal Dísablót for Winter Nights, something I've done since my mother passed in 2017. I spent this weekend officiating two weddings, one of which was even Halloween/October themed. No class to attend today, as this is a Sunday. I'm fortunate to not have a looming assignment either. I'm actually at the start of a week-long semester break (OK, it's Symposium Week at the seminary, but I'll be using the time to catch up on readings, work on assignments due later in mid-November, and handle several tasks that I've let slip around the house). And I'll take some more walks, probably in that local cemetery.

Over the years, I've fallen out of interest with the pop culture aspect of this holiday, the candy and spooky movies bit, and given more to solemn contemplation of life, death, and those across the veil. I'm not sure why this is. Maybe it's my age. Maybe it's because my mother crossed over in October. Or, maybe, it's the year-by-year decrease in neighborhood trick-or-treaters. Maybe it's the toll of the pandemic. Whatever the cause, I'm not looking to "fix" it. I'm just sitting with it.

Anyway, at the outset of this post, I included a 2018 photo of me in a skull mask. I mean, I still like skulls and skeletons.

#Halloween #AllHallowsEve #Samhain #Allelieweziel #skull

Fifty-Three

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 14:02:00 +0000

This is the week I turn 53. As usual, Facebook has been ~~reminding~~ harassing me to setup a charity through them. Well, I do frequently engage with their platform, perhaps more than I should. But I don't know if they've gotten any better about their fundraising fees or their actual distribution of the funds they collect. So, I won't use their platform to guilt my friends into donations.

No, on this occasion of completing yet another orbit around the Sun, I will not have a party, not even a virtual or physically distanced one (go get vaccinated, all y'all!), nor will I seek presents. But I do have a request. If you choose to participate in celebrating my Born On date, I ask that you donate time or money to your favorite charity or not-for-profit organization. If you do not have a favorite, I happily suggest several of my own (updated since the last time I provided a list):

School of Sacred Ministries -- Independent divinity school that offers a 27-month program of spiritual training with ordination as an Interfaith Minister upon conclusion. I was ordained here, I continue to work with them, and they can always use money to continue their programs and further the cause of interfaith dialog.
Montgomery Theater -- A small professional theater in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Montgomery Theater is my home-away-from-home. Like many not-for-profit enterprises operating in the arts, they are in a budget crunch. Donations can help pay actor salaries or utility bills, or keep the education programs running.
Cat Tales -- This is the animal rescue where we got Milo and Otis. When we are ready for more fur-babies, we will probably go back to them.
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society -- My father-in-law would have celebrated another birthday on Monday (4/26) -- if he had not succumbed to cancer in March 2005. My own father was diagnosed with a recurrence of Myelodysplasia syndrome (MDS) in November 2009. He did have a successful mini transplant, but eventually passed in 2013 due to complications from a recurrence of cancer. So, yeah, I'm all for funding cancer research and treatment.
Cleveland Clinic -- My father had his bone marrow transplants performed here. They also treated him in March 2013. This clinic has an excellent medical staff and wonderful family support programs.
Philabundance -- The Delaware Valley’s largest hunger relief organization. Working to end hunger and malnutrition since 1984.
Hero Initiative -- These folks help comic book creators in all sorts of situations: emergency medical aid, financial support, help finding work, etc. Much of their work is in the sales of merchandise or features whose proceeds benefit creators in need, but they also have several donation options.
poets.org -- A trio of groups dedicated to poets, poetry, and poems (Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month, and American Poets Magazine). While April is National Poetry Month, they also have an ongoing poem-a-day service, and they have posted special Shelter In Poems options during this past year's COVID-19 pandemic.
EDF and EarthJustice -- Two organizations working for environmental protections and justice.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State -- With that name, it's probably fairly clear what Americans United (or AU for short) does. Help them fight theocracy in the US.
Life After Hate -- People who have spent much of their lives indoctrinated into hateful, dangerous lifestyles need help rejoining the compassionate, humane communities. And that's where Life After Hate picks up their work.
Planetary Society -- Education, advocation, and exploration! Join CEO Bill Nye and the Planetary Society in their mission to "empower the world’s citizens to advance space science and exploration."
A Woman's Place (AWP) -- Providing emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, legal assistance, and more for victims of domestic violence in the Bucks County, PA, area.
Human Rights Campaign -- More than ever, advocating for equal rights is necessary. Particularly with the current administration seeking to undermine hard-won LGBTQ+ protections.
Congressional Dish -- Operating under the value-for-value model, Jennifer Briney accepts no advertising or sponsorship for her twice-monthly podcast She works for you, not the corporate bigwigs, in covering bills, hearings, and more goings on in the US House and Senate.
Minnesota Freedom Fund's Suggestions -- From their webpage (as of 4/15/2021): "We ask that people turn their attention, and contributions, to groups needing our support more than ever because they are on the front lines of this fight [for racial justice and to end police brutality]. Please consider making your donations to some of these amazing Minnesota organizations instead of MFF."
Black Journalists Therapy Relief Fund through the IWMF -- Your gift here helps to encourage and support a more diverse, representative news media.
Stop AAPI Hate -- Make a donation to help Stop AAPI Hate (sponsored by Chinese for Affirmative Action) track and respond to the surge in racism and xenophobia.

Thank you in advance! Let's meet back here in another year!

Image Credit:

Number 53 by Ian Barbour

Some rights reserved

Change notice: Cropped the original to a 533 x 533 square

Fifty-Two

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 15:56:00 +0000

Ten years ago this week, I turned forty-two (42), the age of the "the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything." This week, I shall turn 52. There is nothing particular about this number in the H2G2, but Facebook keeps reminding me to setup a charity through them. Well, screw them. While I regularly engage with their platform, I won't use it to guilt my friends into donations, particularly when Facebook charges high fundraising fees (for anyone not a verified non-profit). And FB can delay distribution of funds to the orgs.

No, in recognition of the questionably auspicious occasion of another orbit around the Sun, I will not have a party (not even a virtual or physically distanced one), nor will I seek presents. But I do have a request. If you choose to participate in celebrating my Born On date, I ask that you donate time or money to your favorite charity or not-for-profit organization. If you do not have a favorite, I happily suggest a few of my own:

School of Sacred Ministries -- Independent divinity school that offers a 27-month program of spiritual training with ordination as an Interfaith Minister upon conclusion. I was ordained here, I continue to work with them, and they can always use money to continue their programs and further the cause of interfaith dialog.
Montgomery Theater -- A small professional theater in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Montgomery Theater is my home-away-from-home. Like many not-for-profit enterprises operating in the arts, they are in a budget crunch. Donations can help pay actor salaries or utility bills, or keep the education programs running.
Cat Tales -- This is the animal rescue where we got Milo and Otis. When we are ready for more fur-babies, we will probably go back to them.
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society -- My father-in-law would have celebrated another birthday on Monday (4/26) -- if he had not succumbed to cancer in March 2005. My own father was diagnosed with a recurrence of Myelodysplasia syndrome (MDS) in November 2009. He is currently recuperating after a successful mini transplant, but eventually passed in 2013 due to complications from a recurrence of cancer. So, yeah, I'm all for funding cancer research and treatment.
Cleveland Clinic -- My father had his bone marrow transplants performed here. They also treated him in March 2013. This clinic has an excellent medical staff and wonderful family support programs.
Philabundance -- The Delaware Valley’s largest hunger relief organization. Working to end hunger and malnutrition since 1984.
KidsPeace -- Top notch (and kind of local, for me) facility helping children and their families. Founded and headquartered in PA in 1882, they have services in "Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the District of Columbia."
CBLDF -- The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is "dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians, and readers." They fight on behalf of all sorts of banned books.
Hero Initiative -- These folks help comic book creators in all sorts of situations: emergency medical aid, financial support, help finding work, etc. Much of their work is in the sales of merchandise or features whose proceeds benefit creators in need, but they also have several donation options.
poets.org -- A trio of groups dedicated to poets, poetry, and poems (Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month, and American Poets Magazine). While April is National Poetry Month, they also have an ongoing poem-a-day service, and they have posted special Shelter In Poems options during the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders.
EDF and EarthJustice -- Two organizations working for environmental protections and justice.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State -- With that name, it's probably fairly clear what Americans United (or AU for short) does. Help them fight theocracy in the US.
Planned Parenthood -- This group is about so much more than access to safe abortions. They provide vital health care, sex education, and information to many people who otherwise could not get they help and attention they need.
Life After Hate -- People who have spent much of their lives indoctrinated into hateful, dangerous lifestyles need help rejoining the compassionate, humane communities. And that's where Life After Hate picks up their work.
Planetary Society -- Education, advocation, and exploration! Join CEO Bill Nye and the Planetary Society in their mission to "empower the world’s citizens to advance space science and exploration."
A Woman's Place (AWP) -- Providing emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, legal assistance, and more for victims of domestic violence in the Bucks County, PA, area.
Human Rights Campaign -- More than ever, advocating for equal rights is necessary. Particularly with the current administration seeking to undermine hard-won LGBTQ+ protections.
Congressional Dish -- Operating under the value-for-value model, Jennifer Briney accepts no advertising or sponsorship for her twice-monthly podcast She works for you, not the corporate bigwigs, in covering bills, hearings, and more goings on in the US House and Senate.

Thank you in advance!

A moment of grief, and of love remembered

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 03:30:00 +0000

So, during my evening commute today, I was going through some playlists on my phone. I came across "Always" by Tony Lucca from the NoiseTrade Summer Mixtape collection.

I've had this collection for a few years, and this wasn't the first time I'd listened to this particular tune. But this evening, it hit me quite differently. Lyrically, it really felt like a message from a parent to a child. Specifically, from my parents to me and my sister.

And, lo, the tears did come.

I might never hear this song any other way again. And that's perfectly all right.

Here are the lyrics:

// I wish I could tell you what's goin' through my mind
I wish I could promise it's gonna be just fine
one thing's for certain: till the end of time
I'm gonna Love you like no one will ever Love you
I'm gonna Love you always

I wish I could tell you dreams always come true
that Lovers and strangers won't ever get the best of you
for better or worse now, we always get what's due
so I'm gonna Love you like no one will ever Love you
I'm gonna Love you always

I'm gonna Love you more than words and stars and tears
and grains of sand, best I can
for good.

I wish I could hold you and never let you go
I wish I could show you everything you'll ever need to know
best I can do is give you freedom to grow
and I'm gonna Love you like no one will ever Love you
I'm gonna Love you always //

#grief #love #parents #GoodbyeMom #GoodbyeDad #StillSayingGoodbye

On the Fifth Anniversary of My Father's Death

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Fri, 04 May 2018 02:31:00 +0000

Dad crossed over at 3:07am on 5/3/2013. In my eulogy for Dad, I quoted Deng Ming-Dao's meditation on death. On this, the fifth anniversary of Dad's passing, I still find solace and wisdom in those words:

We give death metaphors. We cloak it in meaning and make up stories about what will happen to us, but we don't really know. When a person dies, we cannot see beyond the corpse. We speculate on reincarnation or talk in terms of eternity. But death is opaque to us, a mystery. In its realm, time ceases to have meaning. All laws of physics become irrelevant. Death is the opposite of time.

What dies? Is anything actually destroyed? Certainly not the body, which falls into its constituent parts of water and chemicals. That is mere transformation, not destruction. What of the mind? Does it cease to function, or does it make a transition to another existence? We don't know for sure, and few can come up with anything conclusive.

What dies? Nothing of the person dies in the sense that the constituent parts are totally blasted from all existence. What dies is merely the identity, the identification of a collection of parts that we call a person. Each one of us is a role, like some shaman wearing layers of robes with innumerable fetishes of meaning. Only the clothes and decoration fall. What dies is only our human meaning. There is still someone naked underneath. Once we understand who that someone is, death no longer bothers us. Nor does time.

-- Deng Ming-Dao (from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations)

Although he is gone, there are tangible reminders of my father. For example, I usually have at least two of the following items with me on a daily basis:

one of Dad's pocket watches
some of Dad's ashes in an old film canister
Dad's ring

Remembering 4/1/2013 on 4/1/2018

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Sun, 01 Apr 2018 15:41:00 +0000

I haven't been to Prophet or Madman since June of last year. Since then, I've done most of my posting at Bookended by Cats or directly on Twitter. But an anniversary like this moves me to reflect. Five years ago today, April 1 was on a Monday. Easter Monday. It was also my 19th and final day at the Cleveland Clinic with my folks. I would leave on Tuesday (4/2) and return to work on Wednesday (4/3). Dad was stabilized, the doctors were no longer looking for a proverbial silver bullet, and there was a plan to move Dad from the ICU to a Clinic rehab unit and then ultimately to a care facility closer to home. At the time, this felt like a good outcome. It felt like progress. As I look back upon this event with the ... benefit(?) ... of hindsight, knowing what was to come in just over a month, it might be easy to take a darker view of this memory. It can be tempting to connect the news received on that day with the supposed nature of the calendar date itself. So, yes, the irony of receiving hopeful, yet ultimately false, news on April Fools’ Day is not lost on me. But no one, whether in the Clinic or beyond it, was conspiring to deceive us on that day. There was no endgame or "gotcha" moment in mind. Everyone involved was dealing with the best information they had at that time, and there was cause to be hopeful. There was a very real possibility that Dad would make at least some kind of recovery. In the wake of what happened, was that false hope? No. What came later cannot mar the hopefulness and slight relief I felt on this day five years ago. Even though I'm still saying ... #GoodbyeDad. (If you want to read my 4/1/2013 FB post that sparked this reflection, the full text is posted after the jump.)

We'll Always Have Paris?

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 03:41:00 +0000

Justin Trudeau, Canada's Prime Minister, was already trying to recruit tech companies out of Silicon Valley (in the wake of DJT's Muslim, er travel, ban).

French President Emmanuel Macron is now openly recruiting scientists and engineers who are disappointed with the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement.

Do you have any idea what happens to the US economy if a critical mass of those sci-tech folks leave for, ahem, greener pastures? Hint: It's not good.

Business itself doesn't "make America great again," which is a BS tag line anyway. It's the people who innovate, disrupt, and build upon bold ideas ... well, they LITERALLY make great things! And people who work on great projects are able to recruit more great people.

So, look at what Canada, France, and Germany are doing. Look at who they are recruiting, and the technologies they are investing in. They will begin to leave America in the dust.

The US is no longer a world leader. World leaders move forward. Not backwards. Hell, you cannot even describe what DJT and the US Congress are doing as "leading from behind." It's choosing to be left behind.

Links:

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/02/trudeaus-plan-to-lure-silicon-valley-investors-to-canada.html

http://betakit.com/pm-justin-trudeau-using-quora-linkedin-to-sell-canadas-innovation-agenda/

https://qz.com/846857/tech-jobs-in-canada-foreign-workers-could-flock-to-vancouver-victoria-and-toronto-for-careers-in-technology-to-avoid-brexit-in-the-uk-and-trump-in-the-us/

https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/870404892657156101

https://www.vox.com/world/2017/6/1/15727140/emmanuel-macron-trump-paris-agreement-make-our-planet-great-again

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/6/1/15726656/pittsburgh-mayor-trump-paris

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/06/01/why-trump-actually-pulled-out-of-paris-215218 (Troll is gonna troll)

Quotable | Patriot (Election 2016 Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 23:21:00 +0000

A Patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.-- Edward Abbey, author, essayist, and environmental advocate (1927-1989)

I posted this Abbey quote at the height of the 2008 election season and on the eve of the 2010 mid-term elections. And it is still relevant today on Election Day 2016. I am not, however, advocating a form of "tea party" patriotism or some progressive agenda. I use the quote as a warning that the "government" is not a monolithic entity. It is comprised of all the following:

Elected persons who are members of both major political parties
Candidates who are trying to become elected for the first time
Candidates who are trying to keep (or regain) political office
Lobbyists who work for, and against, parties and candidates
Think tanks who examine citizens' behavior and then attempt to mold it toward a certain purpose (without letting those same citizens know they are being subtly manipulated)
Members of the media who try to tell us what the government is doing, and sometimes chastise elected officials and candidates, even as they try to court favors and money from those very same officials (or promises from up-and-coming candidates)
Individual citizens who vote -- and voting is done directly at the polls as well as indirectly with every dollar a person spends or choice they make.

So, what exactly is Abbey's patriot defending against? Well, in a word: "us."

They Crashed the Planes and Changed the Rules

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 17:43:00 +0000

[This my 2010 reworking of a blog entry I originally posted on September 11, 2008]

"They crashed the planes and changed the rules." -- GrooveLily, Live Through This (Are We There Yet?), Are We There Yet?. QMR, 2003

Nine years ago the world changed. You may take that as an overstatement, or, conversely, as overly simple. But wherever you lived at the time, a shift in perspective occurred. That shift was all the more dramatic and palpable if you were a U.S. citizen. I don't want to dwell on the attacks themselves. But I do want to take some time to recall what happened in the wake of that dreadful event. Forget -- if you can, even if for only for a moment -- just forget how you feel about the war in Iraq, conspiracy theories, and Republican versus Democrat (or any other "them versus us" political division). Recall, instead, the great communal sense that slowly seeped into our national fiber even as the weight of sorrow and shock seemed all too powerful and crushing. Remember neighbor comforting neighbor, even in cases where those neighbors had not known each other very well prior to that morning. Remember the outpouring of support and sympathy from around the world. And remember that shared conviction that, although we would never forget the tragedy, we would recover ... grow stronger ... and become ever more connected as a nation.

Are we there yet?
Continue Reading >>

Da Da Da

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 17:08:00 +0000

Didn't post last night, but here is my latest Friday 80s Flashback!

Flashbacks Have Moved!

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 13:00:00 +0000

80s Flashbacks

Are Now At

Well, folks, after a bit of a break -- OK, a nearly two month long break, but a break nonetheless -- I'm back with the 80s Flashback. But I'm moving the Flashback posts to Bookended By Cats which I co-author with @dangrdafne.

The Flashback Archives will stay here for the time being. But if you want new Flashbacks, scamper on over to the other blog. And, if you like geeky, nerdy stuff, then you might want to stick around for some of the other content over there, too.

Friday 80s Flashback for April 29, 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 01:30:00 +0000

[Guilty Pleasures - Redux] -- This Flashback was originally posted on 4/12/2013 at 06:54 PM. We all have guilty pleasures, songs we like even though we feel a little embarrassed about it. I'll bet you just thought of two or three of your own guilty pleasures, right? Now, I count more songs post-1990 among my guilty pleasures than within the 80s. This probably seems obvious: It is easy to estimate that more songs were released in the last 20+ years than between 1980 and 1989, and more songs means more candidates for guilty pleasures. So, yeah, there's that. But mostly, if I like a song from the 80s, I'm not embarrassed about it.

Well, mostly.

If you want to know some songs that rank on my list of guilty pleasures, you can read and hear more after the break.
Continue Reading >>

Friday 80s Flashback for April 15, 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Sat, 16 Apr 2016 03:30:00 +0000

[33 Years of Murmur] -- If you're one of the two people who regularly visit this corner of the interwebz, then you must have noticed: I've been remiss in my blogging duties of late. I won't make excuses, and I won't promise a return to the regularity I previously maintained (a year ago?). but I will offer an explanation. My new day job plus the rapidly approaching end date for current students of the School of Sacred Ministries have combined to consume large swaths of my time. After them, I also have to carve out time to do tech work at my theater. What little time is left, I spend catching up on reading or sitting with my wife to follow our shows. And, trust me, I am very far behind in my reading.

Still, I could not let this week's momentous anniversary go by unremarked.

33 years ago this week -- on April 12, 1983 -- R.E.M. released their debut album, Murmur, on I.R.S. Records. Looking back on that last sentence, I am struck by how much those four boys from Athens, GA, must have liked abbreviations that use punctuation. I did not know about the album until three years letter when, in the first semester of my freshman year at Penn State, I discovered R.E.M. and their first four studio albums. Yeah, I'm one of the reasons R.E.M. is considered a vanguard of "college radio." The band was a huge part of my college experience as well as my first several post-college years. And it all starts with this record.

Given vocalist Michael Stipe's vague elocutions, "Murmur" is probably the best name for this particular record (and a great descriptor for the majority of R.E.M.'s recordings). The folks at Diffuser have said it better than I can with their musings on Murmur's anniversary. So I'll just get right to a few songs now. Did I pick one of your favorites? Well, I didn't pick any singles. If that's a deal breaker, you can just listen to the full album and come back next week to see what I have to offer. Otherwise, read and hear my Murmur selections after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for March 25, 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Sat, 26 Mar 2016 01:30:00 +0000

[Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm] -- I'm not certain how many music fans would consider Joni Mitchell an 80s artist. I'm not even sure I do. Still, about a quarter of her singles were released in that decade. And her 13th studio album, Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm, was released this week in 1988. Chalk Mark has the usual Mitchell hallmarks -- a lament about commercialism, (anti-)war messages, and a lovesong. Some of the MIDI-esque strains and 80s percussion may make the record sound dated, but only to the most jaded of ears. Why is that? Because on each song, words and music are woven together with Mitchell's distinctive, lyrical voice. Speaking of voices, this record is interesting for its roster of guest artists, particularly guest vocalists. Mitchell duets with Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson, and Billy Idol among others. Not many hits on this record, but the album did well nonetheless, peaking at #23 in Canada, #45 on the US Billboard 200, and #26 in the UK.

I'll bet you're wondering about those duets I mentioned, right? Well, read and hear more about them after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for March 18, 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Brainwise) — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 02:00:00 +0000

[A Saturday Night in Boston with Zappa] -- In 1988, Frank Zappa decided to tour with a band that he hired and paid for by himself. It was a short-lived affair as the whole thing broke down. But the band did remain intact for several European shows and a handful of East Coast shows. According to Zappa:

"The 1988 road band self-destructed before US audiences in the south, mid-west and west could hear it perform. It was, however, heard and appreciated by east coast and European audiences during its brief existence (from February to June 1988)."
- Frank Zappa, in the liner notes of The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life (Source: h2g2.com)

As luck would have it, an enterprising YouTuber has the audio from one of the Boston shows. So, I figured it would make for a great, albeit long, Flashback. So, here is the audio from Frank Zappa's Orpheum Theatre gig in Boston, Ma. All 2 1/2 hours of it!

Well, that's all till next time. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the archives. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

And if you are on Twitter, and feel so inclined, please +K my influence in Music on @klout.

I'll see you in seven!