May 2011 Archives
Symptom: the bank won't release money for our building project.
Problem: Ram Jack didn't get a building permit or an inspection as they should have when I hired them to do my foundation repairs last year.
The good news: it's Ram Jack's responsibility to rectify the problem by working with the city and submitting engineering documentation, and they've been cooperative.
The bad news: at least a week and probably more until we get more money for our project.
Money or no money, we're moving in this weekend. Halleluiah.
Speaking of banana pudding, I saw that Geer Street Garden offers it on their menu, and I bet it is good. I might give it a try when I go out with the guys tomorrow night.
In other news, we're making a big push to be moved into the "new" house by Saturday evening when Brooklynne's sisters arrive to kick off the summer season of fun. The project left to do are endless, but I find that having a deadline makes me more focused on the essential work. When beach week rolls around in a couple of weeks, I'll have more time to post some before and after shots.
Finally, long-time readers know I'm a wanna be stargazer, so I was glad to see the winning photos from the Earth and Sky photo contest presented by The World at Night. Here are a couple of my favorites.
Right now, the Travis family is in survival mode. We are just trying to make it to beach week, any way we can.
I'm especially looking forward to my annual novel. I really do love reading, but unlike others I know, I do not have time to read much, and what little time I have is usually spent reading for a class. Therefore, beach week is the only guaranteed time I have to enjoy a novel.
Around this time every year, I start to feel some pressure. My beach read better be a good one, because this is a one-time deal--no second chances until next summer. Thus, I have become a fan of the yearly NPR summer book lists. Each year in June, NPR puts out a series of recommendations by various booksellers and critics. Each list has a blurb about what makes the book a good read, along with an excerpt. Since our beach week is always at the beginning of June, right when these lists are published, I usually take my picks from a previous year (after all, a good book is timeless, right?). Here are the lists from 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.
I've been using these lists for the past 3 years and I haven't been disappointed yet.
This year, I may read City of Thieves (a 2007 selection), or Under Heaven (a 2010 pick). Have you read either of these? Do you have a favorite method for picking a good book? Other book recommendations?
Wednesday night, some guys convened at the Geer Street Garden for a pint and some time of fellowship. During the course of the conversation, it was noted that Durhamites are perhaps the only people who think it is cool to wear t-shirts featuring the name of the place they live (beside obvious sports franchise references). New Yorkers don't wear New York t-shirts, and people in Cary certainly don't wear Cary t-shirts. We also talked about the recent explosion of eateries, clubs, and music venues cropping up around the city (the Garden being one as well as Full Steam, Bully City Burgers, Motorco, Casbah, etc. etc... I could go on). Myrick Howard of Preservation NC recently declared Durham the "coolest city in NC," but we wondered if the local love of city could sustain so many busninesses all competeing for essentially the same pot of dollars. I won't try to answer that and I'll leave you to ponder the prospects for ODD while watching this video apparently shot by a local band (anyone know them?).
I am a historian and I used to tell people I wanted to teach. Sometimes when I told people this (especially older people), I would get asked, "you're going to teach the REAL history, right?"
I've often chuckled with Brooklynne about what these people might think is the REAL history.
Now, thank goodness for Mike Huckabee, I have the answer. First, watch the video linked below and then go here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30QDd3ROTkA
I can't wait to get home and clean all those other, biased history books off my bookshelf.
Today is likely to be a historic day in the PC(USA) denomination. A measure called Amendment 10-A needs one more vote to be passed, and all indications are that the swing vote will come today. You can read the text of the amendment here. While the amendment stops short of condoning homosexual relationships, it removes the explicit ban on such matches for those seeking ordination. For what it's worth, the amendment also removes an explicit ban on any "self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin." This may seem kind of silly--we should all be trying to root out sin in our lives--but the rationale from supporters of the amendment is that the standing requirement is deeply hipocritical in light of everyone's ultimate sinfulness.
Many of you know that I'm a deacon at Blacknall (PCUSA), so our church will be affected by the vote--maybe in real and predictable ways, but more likely in strange, abstract, and unpredictable aspects of life as a church. I'm trying to pray through what this means for my walk with the Lord and his church, and I invite you to pray with me that His kingdom come, His will be done.
I've turned off comments for this entry. If you want to comment or connect with me on this issue, you can email me at miles@thetravisfam.com.
