Moral Imagination

I heard an interview with Al Gore last night where he used this term. What does "moral imagination" mean to you?

Silence

On the way to a BBQ party yesterday afternoon. In Calamity's car I had the radio on. Calamity turns it off:

Calamity: "Let's talk. We never get to just talk." Turning to the Booglet, Honey, do you want to talk?"

Booglet: "Sure. Can I ask you a question?"

Calamity: "Sure sweetheart."

Booglet: "Do you have the Doobie Brothers?"

Weather Report

"If I heard the Lord right about 2006, the coasts of America will be lashed by storms...there well may be something as bad as a tsunami in the Pacific Northwest."
Pat Robertson

Pat, can you tell me if the weather's gonna be good enough to go fishing tomorrow? Heck, can God tell you if I'm gonna catch some fish? 'Cause, if not, I'll just stay around the house, you know, maybe mow the lawn.

I also love the part about "if I heard the Lord right." Pat, I don't know if you and I worship the same Lord, but mine seems to have no problem with communication. It's not like Moses had to return to the burning bush to clarify any of the Lord's communique...

My Barometer

Sat in a house (or on a screened-in porch) obediently expanding and contracting. That evening it really contracted, squeezing itself past any previous mark. It wondered as the pressure dropped and dropped whether this would be the end, the cataclysmic Big Crunch, lately thought impossible as the universe appears flat--that is, destined to slowly dissolve like a soap bubble into lonely hydrogen molecules.

So it sat there, squeezing and tightening under the steadily dropping pressure. It was an existential barometer, functioning even though there was no one to witness, following the laws of physics. Outside and all around the winds screamed like hundreds of spectres wailing in distress. As its coils were taunt, the water came. At first it was a small trickle, hardly noticeable. Then it became more insistent, pressing the walls around with its own pressure. Finally the waves came in, relaxing the coils with their relative coolness, freeing the faithful instrument from further witness of destruction.

My barometer floated out and headed for a new home.

Travel Day

Q. How best is it to depose an engineer?
A. By degrees.

You Might Be A Redneck If...

Calamity came to me and said, "Honey, why do you have sunflowers growing in the back of your truck?"

I don't know. Because I can?



I also just downloaded some vacation pictures. Here's a sunset shot I got by taking the picture through my polarized sunglasses.



And here is the Booglet getting every ounce out of her slide...



and enjoying the bay.



Oh Sweetheart, we had lots and lots of fun didn't we?

I'm Back!

And after I get through these 300+ e-mails, I'll post some great pictures of the Booglet and her Mommmy and Daddy.

Out of Office Reply

I'm out of the office from May 8th until as long as I can possibly stay out. Bear with me: you see, there are some fish that have been talkin' trash and swaggerin' round further south. They must be dealt with--with extreme prejudice. The Booglet and I have some explorin' to do, all sandy-toed under the live oaks and pines.

I'm out of the office, chasing sea turtles, lightning welks and horseshoe crabs. Walking in the early morning squishy cool water's edge with little feet padding behind in toddler time. I'm motoring out to the grass flats, snorkeling in the cool waters, scouting the good scallop beds for when the season opens later this summer.

I'm out of the office sneaking a quick furtive feel off my wife of almost eight years. Remember Calamity that night I came home telling you I had just seen for "miles and miles and miles"?* I had no idea how much further the universe could go. Now I see it's unlimited. You say you found a special spot on the island huh?

I'm out of the office. So, unless your hair is on fire, I'll speak to you later. If your hair is on fire, please e-mail me. I promise like a Republican to turn the Blackberry on one time next week for one (1) hour. I'll try to respond thoughtfully to your question, especially if it's about springtime redfish lures.
-----------------------------
* Pete Townshend

Dream

Last night I dreamed I was on the shore of a swamp. An elderly couple asked me what a spreading black stain in the water was from. I looked to a boat ramp a few feet away and saw a blob of oil seeping into the water, swirling and beautiful in its terrible way. Looking further into the hardwood swamp I noticed first one, then several deer sitting motionless under the canopy. The oil slick was spreading further and further into the water, curling into fantastic shapes. It was a paisley pattern of petroleum.

That's all I remember. I do recall being helpless and wondering what effect this would have.

I didn't remember this dream until driving to work this morning.

I rarely have dreams I remember. Calamity dreams all the time.

Soundtrack

Songs we listened to on our way to school this morning:

Without Love, Doobie Brothers

Early to Bed, Morphine.

Bump Thump Thump Bump, down the road in the car.

6:00 O'clock Monday

Booglet, "Hey Daddy, let's go play cards with Ticklebug."

It's hard to explain to a little one things like work and Monday morning. That's why I always wave at the playroom window when I leave. I can't tell if she's watching or not, I'd just rather never have her watching and me not wave.