Thursday, January 29, 2009

What is this man smiling about?

Disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard was on Oprah Wednesday smiling a lot (this picture from Oprah's website doesn't do him justice) to promote the HBO documentary about him. Haggard spoke about being a "heterosexual with issues." His biggest issue is dishonesty.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Keeping spirituality simple

Oprah had some pretty confident shows on spirituality in connection with her "best life" theme to open 2009 last week and this. How then shall we live? Rabbi Irwin Kula said it well and simply: Learn something every day; do something kind every day; be grateful. That boils down an awful lot of theology and commandments and makes a do-able to-do list.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

One vote makes a difference

I attended the Aurora Township Democratic Party caucus last night at the request of two friends who needed my vote. Things were pretty crowded at the grass roots as four candidates vied to be slated as Democratic candidate for township supervisor. Also pretty chaotic. If you didn't know when to say yea or nay, too bad. The chairman wielded the gavel rather heavily and quickly. You voted on slips of paper by coloring in the box -- no chance of a hanging chad or electronic voting machine error. Well, almost no chance -- one vote was in dispute because of a question over the voter's eligibility. That in turn required a call to the election commission. What then turned out to be the margin of victory? One vote separated the second and third place finishers. It pays to bring a friend. Also a book. Democracy is time-consuming as well as chaotic at its roots.

Monday, January 05, 2009


Back on the wagon

I have fallen off several wagons, including exercising, blogging, working, watching Oprah. Could be worse, though. I could have gained 40 pounds, like O. Let's get back on the wagon, girl.