Month: March 2014

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Shades

She lays in wait Disappearing from view Light like feathers Sliding into shadow A tempest in blue Stormy to the touch She is finally revealed Shaded in gray Pencil-thin like lead With her veiled sympathy As zealous as sin Catching my eye Tender and shy The essence of love Waiting to happen So brilliantly red … Continue reading Shades

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Jimmy Swaggart & Wintley Phipps

mzi.oumnppwt.600x600-75My dad had Jimmy Swaggart on his stereo. I remember the tape case with the man himself on the cover — smiling. And every time I would visit my dad’s apartment the great speaker would be on in the background, pleading for me to take Jesus into my heart. I didn’t know how I felt about it back then, but I knew he was sincere, and that changed the way I heard his music.

Then I would go back home and my mother would be listening to Wintley Phipps, the great gospel singer with the baritone voice. When I thought of him I recalled the mini-fro he wore on the cover of a few of his records. My mother owned them all, and at times it seemed like he was all she listened to.

Wintley Phipps came to my church one time when I was young, and I recognized his voice although he looked different from those record covers. It was my first brush with the faraway coming close enough to see in person, and I was struck by the fact that he honestly looked like any other man I had met in my life. Even though he was larger than life before that, when I only knew him through his voice and through his album covers.

And about the same time I met Wintley Phipps at my church the scandal regarding Jimmy Swaggart was just taking wing. It was vague enough to me, though I did realize he wasn’t played nearly as much at my dad’s apartment after that. I think I asked what was up, and my dad gave me the tape. I guess that was my answer. Continue reading “Jimmy Swaggart & Wintley Phipps”

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Checked Out: Week 10

This week my wife brought me home an amazing book that jumped directly into my “currently reading” list. It’s U2 By U2, and it was written by Neil McCormick, in interviews with the band itself. In fact, the most amazing thing about the book (and I’ve read tons of books about the band, its roots, … Continue reading Checked Out: Week 10

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Chatting With Lexi: On Chickens

funny kfc cartoonMy wife and I switch off on bath nights, but tonight was my second in a row (which I was glad to do), and needless to say last night was no picnic. So, I had no real preconceptions about what tonight would hold, except to say that I figured it couldn’t be any worse than the previous night. I was both right and wrong.

I let the girls have their toys for the first time during my bath nights in quite a while and they were appreciative. However, their play time created a little lake on the floor, which didn’t please me, especially since some of the water made its way onto my pants. Yeah, not pleased. But the conversation, it was interesting as usual.

Lexi: Why is a chicken up first in the morning?

Me: That’s a rooster.

Lexi: But isn’t a rooster a symbol for a chicken?

Me: I heard no cymbals.

Lexi: No! Not cymbals. Symbols!

Me: Yeah, they make good noise, but I don’t see how you would strap them on chickens.

Lexi: No! No! Symbols! Symbols!

Me: I know, like chickens.

Lexi: Like roosters, right? Continue reading “Chatting With Lexi: On Chickens”

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Green Light Days

I ran through three yellow lights today, deciding to heed the nefarious suggestion — to speed up — instead of listening to the practical one — to slow down. It was just one of those days. You know the kind, when everything you do seems just a step behind everyone else, like you’re slogging through … Continue reading Green Light Days

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What’s in a Name?

mel_by_WillemXSM“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” -from The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2), by William Shakespeare

This famous line spoken by Juliet during her illicit rendezvous with her unsuitable paramour speaks volumes not just about her relationship but about the power we’ve given to names that perhaps shouldn’t reside there. If someone’s last name is Chan or Nguyen our minds are already searching for what we know about Chinese culture. If their first name is Tynisha or LaFawnda, we can’t help but imagine someone whose family originally derives from Africa. It’s human nature. But should it be? What really is in a name?

I remember when I first found the glorious internet. It was back in 1994 after I had graduated from high school never having access to the new technology. At college though, when I went to Temple University that fall, it seemed as if it had exploded all over the place. Suddenly, I had something called e-mail, and the college asked me what I wanted as my address. I could choose from virtually ANYTHING, so I took a day to figure out what I wanted.

romeo_juliet_name_quote_stickers-rffa76c82b5df4d69acf0cf3374e1a148_v9waf_8byvr_512It wasn’t an easy choice, either. Most people I knew were using some variation of their first name, their last name, or some combination thereof, while a few used a generic nickname with some numbers attached for good measure. Of course I wanted to be different; I wanted to have an e-mail address that stood out from all the others, so I decided to go with “roach@astro.ocis.temple.edu.”

I have absolutely no idea why I went with “roach.” I detest those bugs with every fiber of my being, but I thought it would make an impression. In fact, I used to tell a story that I was part of a punk band called the 12 Roaches, but that was patently untrue. It did explain the address, though, so I stuck with it. And when it came time to interact with others on-line I took on the persona of The “Roach,” this person who was too cool to let others know his real name.

That’s when it hit me: a name is powerful. Continue reading “What’s in a Name?”