Airplane Reading

Posted on March 24, 2022 by awtraughber

My airplane reading for this trip was G. K. Chesterton’s Napoleon of Notting Hill.  The book’s been on may shelf for a couple of years.  I was looking for something on the shorter side, and I wanted it to either be British or fantastical in some way (I found a fantastical book later).  I read the first third in the flight over and most of the rest on the flight back (though I did have a couple of chapters to finish in Starbucks yesterday).

napoleon of notting hillThe novel was Chesterton’s first.  As is often the case with GKC, the political and the Romantic and the theological kind of all weave together, though the weaving only becomes clear in the end (as with The Man Who Was Thursday).  The story, first published in 1904, takes place in a 1984 London that was a lot like a 1904 London- no flying cars or teleportation or aliens or any other sci-fi elements that can show up in such stories.  The initial lead in the book is Mr. Auberon Quin.  The second lead, who picks up the story later, is a young man named Adam Wayne, who has taken Auberon at this word when it comes to the way that the world works.  It’s difficult saying more than that without giving away some interesting twists.  It’s a slower boil than Thursday.  But when it gets going, it’s quite brilliant.

It seems as though part of GKC’s goal in writing is to tell a story about the future in light of a game of (what he calls) “Cheat the Prophet.”  So when the curtain opens on 1984, we find that “the people had cheated the prophets of the twentieth century” by leaving London “almost exactly like what it is now.”  How could this be?  Because “the people of had absolutely lost faith in revolutions.”  The narrator continues:

Democracy was dead; for no one minded the governing class governing.  England was now practically a despotism, but not an hereditary one.  Some one in the official class was made King.  No one cared how: no one cared who.  He was merely a universal secretary.

Enter Auberon Quin.

It’s a good read.  Definitely a different kind of “futuristic” story. And, as the foreword suggests, there are a number of threads and images introduced here that will show up in GKC’s later work (though I recommend avoiding any foreword for the sake of surprise).  As with much of GKC’s work, he argues well between the extremes of things.  There’s tension there, of course.  But there’s also truth, beauty, and goodness.

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Snoqualmie

Posted on March 23, 2022 by awtraughber

The third phase of my spring break travel came to a close yesterday.  The final stop was Snoqualmie Pass, a ski resort area east of Seattle.  We drove up Sunday afternoon.  The drive was snowy and wet, which made for some interesting driving for me (it’s been a while since I was anything like that).  We made it to our lodging for the week and then some of us took a brief walk to get the lay of the land (which was covered in snow- see picture feed to the right).  While the drive up and the evening were great, it was waking up to falling snow that was the real treat.  About six inches had fallen overnight, and it kept falling until lunchtime Monday.

While my friends skied, I made my way back down to North Bend to check out Snoqualmie Falls (again, pictures to the right).  It was misty but beautiful.  And pretty massive.  I found out later that the Falls and the lodge adjacent to it were used for shots in the Twin Peaks tv show.  Then I made my way to Twin Falls Nature Area for a two-mile hike along the river in Olallie State Park.  It was cold and wet, but too far from the mountains for snow.  Then I made my way back into North Bend for a quick bite at Taco Time before heading back to the Pass.

At that point, the snow had finished falling and the temperature started to moderate enough that things started to melt.  So no falling snow on the second morning (though I heard snow falling off of trees and roofs throughout the night).  Then we made our way to the airport via the Falls and North Bend.

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It was a good trip with lots of good moments.  A change of scenery is almost always nice, which is especially true if snow is (safely) involved.  And we got there just in time to enjoy what will possibly be the last snowfall of the season.  It was nice not thinking too much about “island business” (though “island business” is always in the back of my mind).  As always, I didn’t get as much reading done as I had hoped (though I made good headway again with Chesterton’s Napoleon of Notting Hill on the plane.    Today will be a day for unpacking, running to the grocery store, and getting ready to enjoy a few more days of spring break before heading back to the classroom on Tuesday.

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The “soundtrack” for this last leg of the trip was an Andrew Peterson album that I hadn’t given much time to (at least not as a whole).  Counting Stars dropped back in 2010.  The standout track for me, particularly coming down from the pass, was “The Magic Hour,” which you can listen to below.

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Bellingham

Posted on March 21, 2022 by awtraughber

The second phase of my spring break journey came to a close Sunday.  Bellingham was the heart of the trip, as it included a wedding.  The drive from Anacortes to Bellingham was quick.  I even took Highway 11 instead of I-5 (at the suggestion of some locals that I met at breakfast one morning).  The drive was beautiful as it hugged the coast most of the way (and the rest of the time was small town and farm land).  When I got to my hotel, I found there was a delay on checking in.  So I went down the street to visit Whatcom Falls (which you can find in the Flickr stream to the right).  Then it was dinner with some other wedding guests followed by a quick trip to Trader Joe’s and then a quick visit with the wedding party.

Saturday was spent mostly on my own.  Slept in as long as I could. Had breakfast at a little diner one neighborhood over.  Tried to track down a new rucksack to replace the one I’ve been using since New Zealand.  Made my first-ever trip to REI, which made me feel like a real poser (their clientele is serious about the outdoors).  Then it was another, longer trip to Trader Joe’s before grabbing a sandwich at Poet of Subs and crashing before the wedding.

The wedding was great.  It’s always interesting seeing personalities play out in such settings.  The venue was great (a ferry terminal) and the company was quality.  On the way home I dropped by a bookstore in the area to pick up a novel in paperback that I couldn’t find anywhere else on the trip. Wedding accomplished, I made my way back to the hotel for a good night’s rest.

The Bellingham phase ended with breakfast in Fairhaven and then helping the newly-married couple get some things unloaded from the night before.  Then it was south again, this time by I-5, and then east to the mountains.  More on that next time.

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Anacortes

Posted on March 19, 2022 by awtraughber

The first part of my spring break journey came to an end Friday.  I flew into Seattle Wednesday evening and made my way north to Anacortes.  It was great seeing the mountains, particularly on the interstate by Everett.  The sunshine was nice . . . and the last that I would see for over a day.  I drove into town, checked into my hotel, and made my way downstairs for a fish and chips dinner.

As per the forecast, rain fell all day Thursday.  I tried the hotel’s biscuits and gravy (too gourmet for me, I think) and then made my way to the Anacortes ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.  It was a hard call, and not just because of the rain (which would have put a damper on anything outdoors).  The ferry was still running on Covid scheduling, so I would have to spend 3 hours at the harbor before returning to Anacortes.  And that wasn’t for me.  So I took the ferry, enjoyed the sights and the ride, and then made my way back to the mainland.  From there, I made my way to Burlington for lunch at Five Guys (totally overrated) and some shopping to get ready for the last part of the trip.  Then it was back to Anacortes for a chimichanga from Frida’s.

The rain moved out Thursday evening, though the clouds stuck around.  After checking out of the hotel, I made my way south to Deception Pass, a huge bridge that connects Fidalgo Island and Whidbey Island.  I had a great time. You can see the many pictures to the right.  I went down to the beach on one side and to the wooded area on the other.  Plus I walked the length of the bridge on both sides. It was great being outside in a beautiful place.  It was also a great way to end phase one of the trip.

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On Being Occupied

Posted on March 15, 2022 by awtraughber

I think often of this story from Jesus, particularly during times like spring break:

43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” (Matthew 12, NIV)

Jesus is speaking in a context that has nothing to do with spring break, of course.  But there’s a principle here for sure.  Something about occupation and location.  N. T. Wright sees it as a picture of temple reform and how just because you get things cleaned out doesn’t mean things are truly put to right.  Something, or Someone, has to come in and fill what has been straightened out.  Occupation will happen one way for another.  Better for the occupation to come from what is good and right and true.

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This is day two of spring break.  Grades are done.  I’ve set the work email for an “out of office” response.  I’m enjoying the rest . . . and the rest that comes from travel, really.  But I’m also mindful that I need to fill things up wisely and well.  Too often, work has become about a kind of preoccupation: there’s always something else happening somewhere else that can distract you from the task at hand.  That’s not healthy at all.  But neither is having absolutely nothing to do.  So having a healthy break means using the given time and space wisely.  The alternative could be disastrous.

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Spring Break Start

Posted on March 14, 2022 by awtraughber

Spring break has sprung.  And it is much-needed.  The third quarter of the year is always a little rust.  This year especially so.  Every day felt like an avalanche.  No matter how prepared I was (some days more than others, of course), stuff just happened.  At the beginning of the quarter I was teaching one class.  Then it went to four.  Then, for a couple of weeks, it went to seven.  Thankfully, the quarter ended with me back at four.  And it was good to teach all seven classes for a while as it let me teach every senior (something I haven’t gotten to do for some time).  But there’s always more to do than teaching class these days.

Grades are done for the most part.  And I’ve got things laid out nicely for the first couple of days back.  So the goal is to spend as little time at school as possible.  Leaving the island in a couple of days will help with that, too.  But I’ve still got a lot to think about when it comes to school and the future.

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I fly out for the West Coast Wednesday morning.  At this point, the plan is to fly into Seattle and make my way to Anacortes, Washington.  I’ll spend a couple of days there before heading up to Bellingham for a wedding.  Then a couple of days in Snoqualmie and some serious snow.  It’s my first time in totally new places in a while, which is exciting.  The goal, as always, is to pack light.  I’ve got to bust out what passes for my cold weather clothes (and will likely do some thrift shopping in Anacortes).  The sense of adventure is nice.  There are some beautiful places that I hope to stand in while I’m there, including a ferry ride through the San Juan Islands.  And thanks to our school’s spring break set-up, I’ll get back and have almost an entire second week to take care of things here.

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The goal, as always, is to get some writing done here.  This site has suffered some neglect over the last couple of months.  I’ll be traveling with iPad and portable keyboard, so I ask forgiveness for typos in advance.  I’ll likely write about school, though maybe it will end up being more about education in general.  And there will likely be some church talk.  It’s all tied together, in the end.

But for now, breakfast has been eaten, I’ve gotten some reading done, and it’s time to move on to the next part of the day.  Who knows, I might even make it back here for another post before the day’s end. During spring break, anything is possible.  Even a miracle like two posts in one day.

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On Ash Wednesday

Posted on March 2, 2022 by awtraughber

Today was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent for many Christians around the world.  I’m not much of a Lent person, for reasons I’ll get to at some point during this season.  But I appreciate the general intent of the season and find the possibilities of the season moving.

Brad East of Anderson of Abilene Christian University had a piece posted today at First Things that is both wonderfully written and spiritually pointed.  Here’s a sample:

Ash Wednesday is the start of the Lenten season. Today we remember that we are east of Eden but short of Zion. In order to journey toward the passion of Christ in Jerusalem, we begin in the wilderness. We fast with Jesus. We suffer want, steeling the will against the suffering to come as we make our way to Golgotha.

“East of Eden but short of Zion.”  So well-said.  He continues:

But we also know that beyond Lent lies Easter: the Resurrection and the promise of eternal life. And so Ash Wednesday reminds us not just that we are mortal, but that the only way beyond death is through it—and that Christ has gone through death for us. We are marked by death, then, both because we are mortal and because we have already died with Christ in the waters of baptism. We have been crucified with Christ, and marked by his death. We now journey toward Easter and eternal life.

No ashes for me this year (it’s been a while, actually).  And not really any particular “giving up” of anything.  I am continuing my months-long reading of The Divine Comedy.  Beyond that, I’m looking to spend some time with The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis (which I’ve tried reading once many years ago but just couldn’t get into).  Beyond that, it’s getting through the end of this quarter and not crashing and burning before the school year ends.

Even still: “East of Eden but short of Zion.”  It’s a map well-laid.

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Sunday’s Best: Face Value

Posted on February 20, 2022 by awtraughber

Today’s classic Calvin and Hobbes could take the spot today on facial expressions alone.  And not just Calvin’s exaggerated expressions: the face of Calvin’s dad is a great foil to the almost grotesque Calvin.

clv02c(image from gocomics.com)

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Out-of-Date Update?

Posted on February 16, 2022 by awtraughber

This past weekend I finally made it to the “barracks” of the Others from LOST.  We took a group of students to Camp Erdman for a day camp, our first off-site trip like that in over a year.  It was great to get away, to see another part of the island, and to get a glimpse of TV history (at least for me).  You can see the barracks in the pictures to the right; they’ve been painted since the series aired, but it’s still them.

As is too often the case, the days are packed.  And the evenings sometimes, too.  Yesterday was a day for three classes, a live chapel (thankfully with a guest speaker), picking up the car from the shop, and two church meetings via Zoom.  Today has been quite tame compared to that.  The thing is that I try to keep things pack in the daytime, which is both good and bad.

It really is always something.  A teacher in my department left mid-year.  We brought in two part-timers for help.  One wrapped up his time after one unit, so I went from three sections to four.  This week and next, the other part-timer is on a pre-hire vacation.  So, for the next week-and-a-half, I’ve got seven sections to teach.  I love teaching, though, so I’m glad to do it.  But it definitely packs out the day.

The pastor search continues at church.  The search for a Christian Ministries coordinator continues at school.  And we’ll be looking for a new teacher for the fall to more permanently replace the teacher that left mid-year.  This next Sunday will be my third Sunday in a row with the worship team at church (usually it’s every other week).  So yeah, there’s lots to do.

But I am more and more convinced that God isn’t really honored in busyness, no matter how important it is.  I could be wrong, of course.  And God’s love doesn’t change.  But I know that I’m in a better place when the days and nights aren’t packed.  I feel like the last few years have made working throughout the day and night both more normal and acceptable.  That’s going to have to change for me.  As I’ve already mentioned, I’m done with Christian Ministries with the end of this semester.  I am hopeful that the pastor search will come to a wrap with the summertime, but you never know.  I’ve got a two-week spring break coming up that will involve a trip to the west coast for a wedding.  I am hoping to work in a day or two of “mini-retreat” somewhere around that destination before the celebration takes place.

Sometimes life too often feels like a boat that keeps leaking or a driveway that keeps getting covered in snow and no matter how much you bail or you shovel, the water and snow keep coming.  Which is okay for a season.  But not for more than a season if you can help it.  And while I’m grateful for this time, I’m also looking forward to this particular season coming to an end.

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Rings in the New Age

Posted on February 15, 2022 by awtraughber

It’s been some time since Amazon first announced their plans to adapt the stories by Tolkien that preceded the age of hobbits and the One Ring.  This past Sunday, they finally released a teaser trailer for the September-premiering The Rings of Power.  There aren’t many rings in the trailer, but there are a lot of nice, wide shots.

There are, of course, Tolkien fans who are upset about things.  Any adaptation runs the risk of veering from the source material and offending long-time fans.  But I think I’ll take the approach of enjoying whatever you get.  Sure, there might be things that go against the general approach that Tolkien took to his work.  It will be what it will be.  But the books, those great books, will always be there.

So here’s looking to a few more months of teasers and possible trailers and to seeing whether or not it is possible to tell some stories visually that have never been told that way before.

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