Dinner is Finally Served

A few months ago I started a literary-quasi-artistic endeavour. Then I stopped. I mentioned that due to unforeseen circumstances, the morsels of creative sustenance had been devoured, and my plate of inspiration was clear. I had hoped that in a few weeks time I would be able to finish. Weeks turned into months, and my desire to finish waned. However, I can now say that the piece is finished in its rough form (which turns out to be its intended form). It's not publishable to say the least, but it was a fun exercise. No doubt my mother (God bless her), will read the final product and assume that everything in it is absolute truth, as if I was writing biographically. I think it's a parental tendency. In response I give you these words:

There never was a good biography of a good novelist. There couldn't be. He is too many people if he's any good. -F.Scott Fitzgerald

While the story of the character writing this letter is far from over, I am finished with him. Perhaps he'll return in twenty years, or perhaps this exercise has bludgeoned him like Smerdyakov handled Fyodor*. Regardless, here is the final page I will post here on the site. If you want to read the full piece, email ithrewabrickthroughawindow[at]gmail[dot]com for a copy.

*Confused? Go out and purchase a copy of Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. Please, please, PLEASE read it!

The Discipline of Listening

This morning, while I was making-eating-enjoying breakfast, I slid Side C of the Swell Season vinyl on to my record player, and joyfully listened to the final side - including the vinyl only addition of "Something Good" (which was, well, something good!). There was something calming about the whizz and crackle of the needle sent through the speakers that made me appreciate the sound that much more. Though I wasn't fully focused on the sound (I was after all preparing and eating my breakfast), there was more focus on it than when I'm on my Mac, or doing some menial task. Earlier in the week, I spent a morning listening to my Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme LP, with little to no interruption, and it was beautiful. Just beautiful.

My listening practices are changing...

The last time that I listened to my iPod was on New Year's Day, while flying from Minneapolis to Toronto. There was nobody sitting beside me who I could talk to, and I wanted to hear some familiar songs while journalling about my Urbana experience. With this, I am okay. I write that to say that the days of me popping the earbuds in before heading out of the house are seemingly over. I don't want to listen to music on my iPod anymore. At least not when I'm in potentially social situations (ie; anytime people are present), because I become absent. I want to be present. I want to either enjoy music in the seclusion of a quiet afternoon with myself, or communally with friends. Not when I could be listening to the weather's song outside, or talking to someone on the subway.

I say all this to say...

My listening practices are changing.

Jesus would appear in sky, like the aliens in Independence Day

I have returned from Urbana09. Still processing it all. There were too many highlights to name, but here is one of my favourite talks from the week.

Money and Power: Oscar Muriu from Urbana 09 on Vimeo.

December Update

I forgot to post this a few weeks back. Enjoy the read!

Songs For Christmas!

Dear Friends of DSL,

Every so often I manage to find an output for the creativity that so thoroughly runs through my mind each day. For some reason, I have fallen in love with writing seasonal songs. There were cheesy Valentine's songs in high school, followed by a sporadic smattering of Christmas songs ever since. I love writing seasonal songs because A) I lack an overwhelming confidence in my musical and vocal abilities, and B) because the sentiments of the season overrule point A. This year my friend Aaron invited me to record a Christmas track (or three!), and they're now online, along with some old treasures (I use that term loosely). Please feel free to check them out at these links:

Songs for Christmas - Davey Von Stone

Happy Christmas!

The Picture That Rocked The Foundations

New ad campaign for OPC?

Che: The Argentine

Again, I'm settled into a living room at a friends house, some wine has been poured, and Che Part One: The Argentine begins to play. Many years have passed since I had last seen Che in film. Then, the film had ended with him deciding that he would not continue on his journey with Alberto. His heart had been changed at the sight of injustice throughout South America, as the indigenous and the peasantry were exploited by the empires of colonialism, and the rich, corrupt landowners in each country. It seemed that borders did not isolate the problem within certain nations. This film begins in conversation with a young Fidel Castro about the need to overthrow Batista in Cuba.

There will be critics in hindsight who will say that the regime that the Castro Brothers and Guevera ushered in has oppressed the island of Cuba, and I think that argument is for another conversation. In this conversation, the oppressiveness of the American empire on a island nation at that time is fair game. When the richest nation in the world is getting richer on your behalf, and your poor descend into new levels of poverty, something should change. It was in this climate that Che steps into his revolutionary shoes, seeking to right an injustice.

While working with revolutionary forces, there's are many scenes in which Che offers those who have tagged along the opportunity to leave, go home, and not be involved with the armed conflict. He says they will have to live with the shame of not fighting for their own sovereignty, but that there will be no consequence otherwise. Many break ranks and return home to their families and livelihoods. Each time as they live, he declares that while some leave now, others will feel compelled to join and fill their vacancy. Not just that, but their community of revolutionaries will grow.

If you read this blog lately, you might notice the scripture that was jumping into my head while these scenes were taking place. The parable of the great dinner kept coming to mind as some reject the initial invitation to join the rebels and liberate the island. They had said yes, and now said no. Such were the guests who the master invited. They were once "Yes"s and when the slave was sent to get them, they were "No"s. So others were compelled and brought in by the slave, and those originally invited were unable to share in the great feast that was prepared. Likewise, I'm sure the people who left were unable to share in the victory of the revolutionaries, whereas the new recruits - those compelled by a cause to join - could celebrate freely.

Che... What's the deal? You're living out these kingdom of God parables, and showing the consequence of invitation and rejection. You're closer to portraying it than most of the church is.

We (the church) rarely invite people to something good, like sharing table in the kingdom of God; what's more is how often we come up with excuses to reject the invitation to be with Jesus:

"Sorry, I can't come. I know I said yes, but it's past dark, on the other side of town, and I don't like riding the TTC"

"Sure I said I would support the church, but with Christmas shopping and credit card debt, I don't think I can do it anymore."

"You're right. I did say I would be hospitable and welcoming to those out-of-towners, but midterms are kicking my butt, and I can't afford to host a meal when the biggest test is next week."

"My partner and I don't get much time together, so Sunday mornings is our date time at Starbucks - a cup of coffee while we both read the paper."

Do we actually believe that the kingdom of God is good? Would we be willing to invite someone else to try it out? Is it good enough to sacrifice our time, money, energy, etc., to just show up and see what the "big meal" is going to be like?

Sure Che is involved in the killing of many people (change through violence) - something that is truly inconsistent with the peaceful teachings of God's kingdom; but he truly believes that he's inviting people to something that is good for him, good for them, and good for others off the island. That's more than many can say.

Again, the enigma that is Che and the kingdom.

Che: The Motorcycle Diaries

I watched the Steven Soderbergh Che films on the weekend, and was enthralled by the story of Ernesto 'Che' Guevera. I am so intrigued by how the Che I've seen in film* seems to get many parts of 'the kingdom', and yet at some point rejects it thoroughly. Why? I wonder aloud. The next couple of posts surround my fascination with Che and, more importantly, the kingdom.

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I can still remember the moment. It's third year at Mac. I'm in the living room of a student house with a bunch of friends and we're watching The Motorcycle Diaries. The movie ends, the credits run, and the DVD title screen loops for about 5 minutes before someone utters a word.

"Wow... That was good."

Most of us wanted to drop out of school, buy motorcycles, and travel around South America after seeing the film. Some developed mad crushes on Ernesto. Either way, most people had been unsettled by the film because of how foreign, and yet how close, it was to our experience living in Hamilton. We were students in programs we didn't necessarily love, and we wanted more out of life than academia offered. We wanted adventure, and we wanted to see change in the world.

It was in this context that I saw what is hands down my favourite scene in film. While on the way to visit a leper colony separated by a mighty river from the healthy medical staff, Che and his friend Alberto refuse to wear gloves to protect them from contact with the lepers. They reject the rules of the nuns, knowing full well leprosy doesn't spread through touch. Once they arrive, Che is welcomed by Papa Carlito, a leper excited to see newcomers. When Che extends his exposed hand as a gesture of friendship, Papa Carlito is shocked and apprehensive - is this a joke? After being assured otherwise, the two shake hands, and in this moment the unclean and the clean meet; the divide between healthy and sick falls; Papa Carlito experiences the sweet sensation of an identity beginning to be redeemed.

Shortly after seeing this film, I found myself studying scripture and following the story of Jesus. Over and over again Jesus is the one stepping into unclean places and making them clean - all the while shirking the social and religious taboos of the day. Che does the same, and as such shares in the gospel in this moment. Yep, he does. The guy who doesn't believe lives out the good news right there. Thus began the enigma of Che and the kingdom for me.

Some might say the more moving scene in the film is when Che swims across the alligator and piranha infested river to spend the evening with the lepers rather than the medical professionals. For me it is the look on Papa Carlito's face when he holds the hand of a healthy person who has deemed him important enough to extend friendship and touch.

*Yes, I am merely referring to the film portrayals of Che, and not the Che found in biographies and history textbooks. Those books tell stories, as does film. Both are important, but only one shows up here.