Of course, the best way to sell books is to get someone to ban them. Well, I stopped at a Sears Grand store (they have them in suburban Kansas City in place of K-Marts). Sears Grand stores are very cool. One of the neat things is they have free computer terminals that one can have 60 minutes of Internet access on.
However, I was surprised to find that ToddElkins.Net (this blog) was blocked by their spam filtering, because apparently there is sexual content on my website. Hmmmm, I'm not sure what that could be, perhaps my paper on sexual ethics, my mention of breast cancer, or homosexuality?
I guess I don't try to make my blog kid-friendly, per say, but it shows the problems of filtering software. Also, it was blocking a new effort my Missouri Impact, called the Long Spoon Coalition.
So, thanks for the internet access, but please unblock my site!
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Christmas in the Trenches
As I talked with the customer service representative from ATT, she innocently asked, "And how was your Christmas?" A rush of thoughts flooded my mind. My son is states away and I didn't get to see him this Christmas, but I know I will see him soon.
Yet Christmas 2008 will always be known as the year we lost Janet.
My brother Brian's wife, Janet has been a joy to know and inspiration to me (though I know she hated being called an inspiration). Just several weeks ago Brian, Janet and myself went out to eat at a local coney island restaurant (the kind that seems to be everywhere in Metro Detroit). Janet's spirits were high and she was witty and engaging. On Christmas Eve, I shared the room with a different person. Janet was in a hospital bed in the living room. I couldn't tell if she even knew I was in the room. Barbara, Janet's mother had prepared Spaghetti, which was apparently a family tradition. Sometime when I had just about finished my first serving of the angel hair pasta, Janet stopped breathing.
Both of my grandmothers died of breast cancer. My father's mother died of the disease before I was even born. I think of all that Janet will miss, but most importantly I think how less rich my life would be, without my sister-in-law, Janet.
The visitation is tomorrow (Sunday) and the funeral will be a local Catholic Church. Information on the funeral is at Griffin Funeral Home. Contributions in Janet's honor can be made to the Young Survival Coalition.
I keep thinking of the tagline she created a few months ago: "F*ck Awareness: Find a Cure." (You can still buy the stuff online). Yes I get her point the pink ribbons seem a little trite when you are facing death.
God, I miss Janet tonight.
Yet Christmas 2008 will always be known as the year we lost Janet.
My brother Brian's wife, Janet has been a joy to know and inspiration to me (though I know she hated being called an inspiration). Just several weeks ago Brian, Janet and myself went out to eat at a local coney island restaurant (the kind that seems to be everywhere in Metro Detroit). Janet's spirits were high and she was witty and engaging. On Christmas Eve, I shared the room with a different person. Janet was in a hospital bed in the living room. I couldn't tell if she even knew I was in the room. Barbara, Janet's mother had prepared Spaghetti, which was apparently a family tradition. Sometime when I had just about finished my first serving of the angel hair pasta, Janet stopped breathing.
Both of my grandmothers died of breast cancer. My father's mother died of the disease before I was even born. I think of all that Janet will miss, but most importantly I think how less rich my life would be, without my sister-in-law, Janet.
The visitation is tomorrow (Sunday) and the funeral will be a local Catholic Church. Information on the funeral is at Griffin Funeral Home. Contributions in Janet's honor can be made to the Young Survival Coalition.
I keep thinking of the tagline she created a few months ago: "F*ck Awareness: Find a Cure." (You can still buy the stuff online). Yes I get her point the pink ribbons seem a little trite when you are facing death.
God, I miss Janet tonight.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Sexual Ethics From Almost 20 Years Ago . . .
I am amazed at how some right-wing bloggers love going through the college papers of Hillary Clinton or Michelle Obama and claim to uncover the secret ideology of that person. Of course Clinton and Michelle Obama both went to great schools and had ambitious papers. They should be commended for that.
After talking with a friend, I went back and revisited a sexual ethics paper, Sex, Love & Utilitarianism, I wrote while a student almost 20 years ago. It is about sexual ethics, a topic as a minister and newly single/divorced man, I've been thinking a good deal about. There are parts of this paper, I no longer agree with. Certainly, my worldview is more complicated than it was in 1989, but I think the core is quite helpful (for no one else than me).
I no longer view utilitarianisms as the ideal ethical system. I can't ever now imagine a case when incest could be morally acceptable. But this paper is an interesting part of my own ethical journey.
I guess I'm most proud of the line that, "Condemnations of homosexuals are based in misunderstanding and self-righteous assumptions. Such criticisms do not have a place in the world today." Of course, I knew I held that intellectually, but I probably wasn't personally at that place. For in 1989 there weren't many openly gay or lesbian individuals at Graceland.
I did not yet know what my brother was gay, as were many of my closest friends. I remember as a first year seminary student having an older man (and by older, he might have been my age now) come out to our small group as gay. Intellectually this was "no problem" for me, but I remember actually physically shaking because of the anxiety I had about being so close to a gay man.
Sigh. We are always growing and adapting. So, as if anyone is interested. I'm publishing this paper online. (Sex, Love & Utilitarianism is on Google Docs, a click should just take you there.)
After talking with a friend, I went back and revisited a sexual ethics paper, Sex, Love & Utilitarianism, I wrote while a student almost 20 years ago. It is about sexual ethics, a topic as a minister and newly single/divorced man, I've been thinking a good deal about. There are parts of this paper, I no longer agree with. Certainly, my worldview is more complicated than it was in 1989, but I think the core is quite helpful (for no one else than me).
I no longer view utilitarianisms as the ideal ethical system. I can't ever now imagine a case when incest could be morally acceptable. But this paper is an interesting part of my own ethical journey.
I guess I'm most proud of the line that, "Condemnations of homosexuals are based in misunderstanding and self-righteous assumptions. Such criticisms do not have a place in the world today." Of course, I knew I held that intellectually, but I probably wasn't personally at that place. For in 1989 there weren't many openly gay or lesbian individuals at Graceland.
I did not yet know what my brother was gay, as were many of my closest friends. I remember as a first year seminary student having an older man (and by older, he might have been my age now) come out to our small group as gay. Intellectually this was "no problem" for me, but I remember actually physically shaking because of the anxiety I had about being so close to a gay man.
Sigh. We are always growing and adapting. So, as if anyone is interested. I'm publishing this paper online. (Sex, Love & Utilitarianism is on Google Docs, a click should just take you there.)
Saturday, October 25, 2008
My Small Part . . .
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Fallout Shelter
Over the past year, I've noticed the "Fallout Shelter" signs around more and more. This sign is located right across from the Truman House in Independence, Missouri.
The Fallout Shelters was from the last big "War on Terror"--The Cold War. And anyone that thinks that duck and cover or a brick building will save you from nuclear blast is just absurd.
Sometimes in our life, we need fallout shelters. And safe places to land. I'm glad I've found mine.
The Fallout Shelters was from the last big "War on Terror"--The Cold War. And anyone that thinks that duck and cover or a brick building will save you from nuclear blast is just absurd.
Sometimes in our life, we need fallout shelters. And safe places to land. I'm glad I've found mine.
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