Three Beautiful Things 01/26/08: Pepto Starbucks, Harlan County, The Americans

1. Last evening's chili had me feeling queasy this morning, but a cinnamon scone and a grande house with room at Starbucks miraculously helped settle down my internal combustion.

2. Our students in Fat Cats and Underdogs expressed high regard for the men and women of the coal mining town of Brookside, Kenucky in their struggle for justice while striking for union representation in the astonishing documentary film "Harlan County, USA". It was really gratifying that our students felt such respect for working class people who are often looked down upon and made fun of because of their speech patterns, clothes, dental problems, and the work they do.

3. I don't remember having heard of Robert Frank and his influential and controversial 1959 collection of photographs, "The Americans". Bob Edwards devoted his radio program to this collection today and I spent time looking at Frank's brilliant pictures online. I can hardly wait to find a copy of the book and examine it more closely.

Three Beautiful Things 01/28/07: Mansions, Coffee, Motorcycles

1. The Rev. John Bishop, the retired Bishop of Idaho, preached a beautiful sermon on the absurdity of grace and the infinitely huge mansions that comprise the house of God, where by merely knocking, all are welcome. The whole idea of closing the house is not Jesus' conception of his Father's house. It's the nonsense of us, the followers of Jesus.

2. Molly was working at Starbucks when I was done at church. I did not know this. She treated me to a free coffee and scone.

3. Motorcycle students buzzed around in a circle in the Lane Community College northeast parking lot behind the theater and I remembered that I plan to join this class this spring with the hope that when I visit North Idaho, I can join my friends on a leisurely ride up the North Fork of the Cd'A River and on to the top of Thompson Pass operating a motorcycle instead of riding on the back of Ed's or Scott's.