Usually I'm proud of being Methodist...not today.

I'm appalled by the church I belong to. I am hurt and continue to hurt for my friends that are discriminated against by my church. They have once again been denied the ability to be ordained in the United Methodist Church. I have felt a calling for years and have recently taken steps to act on that. I am still disturbed to the point of not accepting the calling, however, and now I believe I know why. I will not accept the calling until ALL of my brothers and sisters can join me in their calling. It is not enough for a congregation to allow for them to be a part of the church. Our General Conference needs to recognize them as well. In my book this is a blatant act of discrimination.

I couldn't believe what I heard tonight on the broadcast from the general conference. A gentleman from Mississippi stood up to oppose the amendment that would allow homosexuals to become ordained by referring to the "misinterpretation" of the bible that allowed for slavery. How is it different than what was on the table this evening. I believe that we are misinterpreting the bible on homosexuality and I hope and pray that some day we as a church can recognize that. Isn't it possible. I know I have doubts. I believe all people are of sacred worth and I do not want to discriminate against anybody if it means them coming closer to God. That is our goal as Christians, isn't it?

The World

What is this world coming to? Honestly.

A boy dressed as the Panchen Lama sits in a cage during a protest in India demanding information on his whereabouts. Tibetan Buddhism's second most revered figure has not been seen in public since 1995.

Taken from BBC News-Day in pictures.

Broken foot

So I went to Assassins on Friday night with a few lady friends of mine. It was a good show. It was low budget...and I liked it. I like low budget as long as I'm not designing. I was a little nervous with the guns they were pointing at me and shooting. I only jumped once because the lady on stage shot twice and I think she was as scared as I was about that fact. Then after consulting Morten's list(A book of adventure) we headed out for the evening to try and get into some trouble.

It didn't take me long. As we were walking I decided it would be fun to do some extreme walking. I jumped up on a retaining wall and ran around up there for a while. Jumped back down to bridge a gap in the wall. Jumped back up on the wall of the other side of the gap and my foot slipped out from under me and I landed on my foot just right. I broke my fourth metatarsal and I find out soon whether it will be in a cast or not. I'm on crutches right now.

In other news I am getting new glasses as well. I decided it is time for a new pair because the ones I have are all scratched up. So I'm going all out and getting Armani frames. I did pretty well. Thank God for insurance. That has been the theme for this week.

I'm out.

My mother always said I sleep soundly.

So it's official, I can sleep through an Earthquake. That's right, at 5:30 am there was an Earthquake, 5.4 on the Richter scale, and I slept soundly through it. I have been getting up randomly at 5:30 for the last few weeks and last night I slept like a baby until 7:30. I must have just gotten that rocking at 5:30 and my body felt like it was being rocked back to sleep. Awesome!

My House

So I got a little bored today and thought I'd post where I live. It's kinda funny, especially when you look at it from satellite. I live in an ally essentially. It's funny that when you put in my actual address it points to the house at the end of my block. Just something fun I did to entertain myself.

And here people were fretting about there houses being accessed online. I don't have a problem if people look at my roof I guess. so enjoy. Notice the lack of yard...but I'm the only one on the block with a driveway that is an actual driveway. Every one else has a little spot they squeeze a car into. Oh well time to go for a walk.

Later.

Updated webpage

Yeah, I finally took care of some house cleaning. So those of you who are curious what my life has been for the last year-ish. I have updated my web page with some production photos and they are pretty self explanatory. I thought I'd do it now cause who knows what the future will hold.

www.capndesigns.com

The updates are for Holes, The Foursome, Shakespeare in Hollywood, and Golden Pond. I will soon be adding more to scene painting but not today! It's getting late and I'm tired!

Addiction

I confess I think I'm an addict.

I spent 10-12 years of my life as a smoker. This may surprise some readers but it is true. I had been smoking off and on since I was about 16 or so. This doesn't of course count when I tried smoking the first time when I was 9 or again when I was 11 or even when I found out I could buy cigarettes from a vending machine at a hotel on the way home from school at 14. No those were mere experiments. I officially started smoking pretty much the same day the football season ended for me my junior year. I had decided not to play football the next year and if I did I could stop, right?

We'll I smoked and hid it from many people for many years. I did this through high school when I went to college decided I would embrace being a smoker and do it whenever and almost where ever I could. Almost every year I toyed with the idea of quitting but always had an excuse not to; papers to write, a show to do, a long drive ahead of me, etc. It only got worse after school, one of the easiest ways to take a break from work was to say, "I'm going for a smoke," and it was easily excepted. I went to graduate school and managed to quit for about a semester. Started again and quit the next semester then started again in the summer. I finally decided when I graduated that I was really going to bear down and do it.

I am happy to say that I've been pretty much smoke free since I graduated. Although once in a while if I go out for a drink I will smoke and I usually only smoke a cigarette like a cigar and I, of course, regret it the next day. Eventually that will change too.

So that's that, I am a non smoker.

I use to also bite my nails, I gave that up too. Although, it usually relapses when I watch an intense movie...but that's not too bad of a habit or addiction.

To get to my point.

I have become an addict of yet another vice.

Podcasts.

I can't help it. Right now I have 26-27 subscriptions to podcasts. They are free thank god. Ever since I decided to go without cable for financial reasons, I have loaded up on the podcasts. Is this a problem...I even tried a learn Spanish podcast...I don't know if I'll keep that one.

I think there is something to be said about someone with an addictive personality. This takes the cake, but at least most of the programs I listen to are educational. I even listen to a sermon podcast of Mars Hill Bible Church.

Ya know, it really passes the time.

So like I said I admit it, I'm an addict. I'm just waiting for Podcast anonymous before I fully embrace this addiction.

So Called Christians

I wake up every morning to the sounds of "Doug and Vincy in the Morning."http://wfrn.com/ They are based out of Elkhart, IN. That's right, "Christian" talk radio. Today especially peeked my interest because I found out that students are leading a movement across Indiana and Michigan. This is what the news portion of the web said:

"A number of high schools this month will be observing what's called a "Day of Silence" to promote the homosexual lifestyle. 16 Indiana high schools and dozens in Michigan are on a list supporting the "Day of Silence" on April 25th when some students are expected to stay quiet all day while passing out gay rights literature to classmates. Penn, Warsaw and South Bend Riley High Schools are on that list, but there could be more. Micah Clark of the American Family Association of Indiana says in many cases, student groups are running this in the schools. Clark says if you have a child in high school, you should call your school to see if it's supporting the "Day of Silence," and if so, ask if you child can get an excused absence on the 25th to stay home." WFRN

This is what I heard this morning. Of course I know what you are thinking, "If you don't like it change the station." Well sometimes there is only one "Christian" music station to listen to. I like the music and I get a laugh out of the message. What I found most appealing today was the callers response to what was being broadcast. All of the callers mysteriously agree with what Doug, Vincy, and WFRN have to say. But what I heard was even better. I heard about 4 calls before I headed off to work. All of them stated that their children would be attending school that day because they are secure in knowing the truth..(i.e. that homosexuality in there eyes was a sin). I however saw it as an opportunity and thought to myself...maybe these poorly informed children of these poorly informed parents will somehow see the light this day. So I ask that all who are reading this, which probably isn't very many people. If you are the praying type, which I've become more so recently, say a little prayer on this day to hopefully open these peoples eyes.

One of the callers I really felt like sitting down and finding out more of what they believed and where the were coming from. She said that we need to care for these people because they are hurting and need us to show them the way. Well she's was half right. They are hurting...but we certainly don't need to show them the way. Except for showing them that true Christian except them for who they are and how God created them. And we need to do what Jesus taught us.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself." Luke 10:27

Regardless of what people think about what is right and wrong. Most importantly we need to love. If the "right" think it's a sin then they still need to listen to what we are taught in Mathew 7:1-2.

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

I thought this was fitting...it has a new meaning for our time. Especially when you look at the similarities between what the people of color have struggled through and the GLBT community are struggling through. Martin Luther King Jr., if he were alive today, would be fighting for the GLBT community. In honor and memory of Martin Luther King I've included this snippet of his famous I have a dream speech.

"I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together."

It has new meaning when you look at it in today's terms and circumstances. Much like the bible. It has a whole new meaning when we do what the bible was meant for and discuss how it relates to our world today. This has been done for centuries. Since the beginning of the bible. How can anyone say now that the bible is literal? The bible is supposed to be discussed and wrestled with. It is suppose to be translated/interpreted; and thank God it has been. I don't know how to read Greek or Hebrew. I myself choose to study and ask questions rather than be spoon fed my religion. I just hope and pray that more people will do the same. So I chose to be a follower of Christ, not a Christian; there are too many negative connotations that go along with that label.

The Adventure

So the trip.

I felt like it was non-stop go-go-go. I left at 6:30 in the morning on Sat. Was taken and dropped off at O'Hare about 9-9:30. I absolutely love self check in. As a matter of fact I enjoy self check out too. However, it does make me ask the question, "If we didn't have self checkout or check-in, wouldn't there be more jobs?" Food for thought.

So I waited at the airport for a little while before boarding. I got a little reading done, Velvet Elvis-Rob Bell and Me Talk Pretty One Day-David Sedaris. Both really good books and nothing alike. I highly recommend Velvet Elvis. My sister picked it up this weekend because of my recommendation. My next read will be Sex God by Rob Bell.

I flew out on a regional jet...aka a Lear Jet. This was the first time on one and it was awesome. Both to and from Omaha I got the single seat on the left side of the plane. No worries about who they're going to cram in beside you. Although, sometimes those conversations can be interesting.

Anyway, I had the most exciting experience. We were flying at the same level as the air force. I got to watch a F-18 Hornet fly past in the opposite direction at the same level about 500 yards away from us. I was really excited. I've wanted to be a fighter pilot since I can remember. Being that close was awesome.

I got to Omaha at 12:35 and quickly exited the plane. I got to the baggage claim in record time only to discover that I left my hat on the plane. Went back to security only to find that I couldn't just go and get my hat, I needed a boarding pass. I tried to show him the one I had from my original flight and he just said, "Sorry, you have to go back to the ticket counter." So I ran back to the ticket counter, then ran all the way back to the gate, through security again, and got my hat. I got back to baggage claim to wait for my bag. After a few minutes I watched the last of the luggage being taken from the conveyor belt. "Great!" I thought. Now my bag has been stolen or taken to the lost and found or confiscated by the police. And then I turned around to see my bag sitting on the floor next to the American Airlines customer service. I felt like an idiot. Went to grab my bag and the lady in the office ask, "Are you Aaron?"

I said, "Yes."

She asked, "Did you get your hat?" Now mind you I was wearing my hat at the time. I made no comment, just thanked her and was on my way.

On to vermin-town. Went to the Pow-Wow, great dancing and awesome outfits. Took some great photos. They may end up on websites and advertising for years to come.

I had an excellent meal with one of my adopted families in town and watched a great movie with them. I will be adding Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium to my collection of movies. Who could not like the combination of Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman.

On to visiting other friends. Let's just say good times were had by all. And even though I was staying at the church and could easily walk home, I decided to ride the "drunk bus" because I had never taken the opportunity while in school. I thought I was due the experience and adventure. He took us to the wrong location and once we got home my friend just drove me home.

Church the next day was a good time. I love seeing familiar faces and even a few new ones. It's nice to come home. I especially enjoyed the pastor's ensemble, all black, for an after easter message. I just had to chuckle.

We went to a baby shower that afternoon. I interview that afternoon for what will hopefully be a life-changing career for me. And then headed to my cousins for the evening.

Did I mention how done with winter I am.

The next day we woke to fresh slush. Had breakfast with my Mom and cousin and headed on to Pierre for the original purpose of this adventure, to get my braces tightened. It took about 10-15 min. I laughed. Went to the Chiropractor and back on the road.

We ended up at the school of ministry to promote Coffee Loft/campus ministry and possibly land a job for this summer. Then back to Vermillion for a wonderful conversation with my Mormon friend. After talking with him on the phone I received an offer to design Urinetown, the musical for the Black Hills Playhouse. Next we went on to the theater to check out the set for Midsummer Night's Dream. Looks like it'll be a fun show.

After that I called it a night.

Headed back to Kazoo the next day. It was a fairly uneventful trip back. I finished both books I was reading and started another. The most exciting part was getting to ride the train from Chicago to Kalamazoo. It was very relaxing and enjoyable. I hope to do it again before I leave.
I got back to town a few minutes early because there was a child on board that needed to get to a hospital. I'm still not quite sure about those circumstances. But I got back to Kazoo early and walked home from the train station. All in all, good trip. A little busy for my liking and I'm still not quite recovered from it.

It was an adventure. A much needed escape.

Now I need a vacation.