New blog home

I've moved this blog over to WordPress for the time being. I like the format over there, and it's got some useful stuff. All the old posts will be over there, everything is pretty much the same.

New Blog: http://cruxdecussata.wordpress.com/

Also, a new photoblog: http://imagodrei.wordpress.com/
(Get the pun in that title? Dei? Dre? Drei? HAWHAWHAWHAW)

Ora et Labora

This is something I've always thought about doing, but have never done until now. I've created a modified version of the monastic hours, the cycle of daily prayer as laid out in the Rule of Saint Benedict, a system for monastic life, written by Benedict of Nursia in the 5th or 6th century. Of course, because I have school and am not able to sit around a pray all day(although that would be nice), I've had to change things around a bit.

The Hours

I. Matins: 6:00 AM
II. Prime: 7:00 AM
III. Terce : 8:00 AM
IV. Sext: 9:30 AM
V. None: 12:30 PM
VI. Vespers: 5:00 PM
VII. Compline: 8:00 PM
VIII. Vigils: 10:00 PM

Song of the Week

"Vietnow" by Rage Against the Machine

Typical Rage song, politically charged raps and lots of choice words from our friend Zack de la Rocha, but that's just RATM for you. It's catchy, I like it. Good drum fills, too.

A Theology for Quitting Tobacco

So, I'm a tobacco consumer. I hesitate to use the term "smoker," since that conjures up images of me as a twitchy, gaunt individual who takes smoke breaks at work and can be found incessantly burning cigarettes whilst standing next to an ashtray outside various buildings. But yeah, I smoke pipes, I smoke cigars, so in the loosest sense of the word, yes, I'm a smoker. Having said that, there is another fact which must be put forth, something which others have mentioned to me. There are a lot of women out there who do not like tobacco. Some may not like the smell, the smoke, the health concerns, or all three. "Andrew, you bold de Bergeracian bachelor," I hear you ask, "what will you do if you happen to marry a woman who absolutely despises smoking? Will you give up your briar?" In a word, yes. (Did you see that, ladies?) But lest you think that I would merely change my behavior at a moment's notice, simply because it is distasteful in the eyes of women, I shall present to you a theological reason behind such a declaration. You see, in the bond of marriage, there is the dynamic of mutual sacrifice, even the sacrifice of your control over your own physical existence. In his first epistle to the Corinthians Paul tells us that "the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does." Now, this could mean a number of different things, but here I'm applying it to tobacco. By smoking a pipe or a cigar, I am, in effect, putting tobacco into her property, that is to say, my body. I think this same principle can be applied to alcohol, diets, exercise, or anything else, really. And so that is why if my wife asks me to stop smoking, I'll do it.

Scotland, I will buy your wares.

The Scots are taking the Lockerbie Bomber issue way too seriously, if you ask me. Harris Tweed, one of Scotland's leading tweed manufacturers, has actually decided to alter their advertising for fear that al-Megrahi's release would somehow poison American buyers against Scottish products. Now, of course there are idiots out there who would refuse to buy Scottish, I mean, let's all recall the "freedom fries" incident. That was pretty stupid. The Scots didn't do anything to hurt us, everyone, just chill out. People emailed Walker's Shortbread, expressing their anger and displeasure. Walker's. Freaking. Shortbread. Really? "Well, your government released a prisoner that I don't like, so, as an act of protest, I refuse to buy your cookies." Hey, it's your loss, those things are unbelievably tasty. More for me!

"Immer zu! Immer zu!"

In my voice lessons I'm working on a setting of Goethe's poem "Rastlose Liebe" by Schubert. It's Goethe, so of course it's dramatic. Here 'tis:

Dem Schnee, dem Regen,
Dem Wind entgegen,
Im Dampf der Klüfte
Durch Nebeldüfte,
Immer zu! Immer zu!
Ohne Rast und Ruh!

Lieber durch Leiden
Möcht ich mich schlagen,
Als so viel Freuden
Des Lebens ertragen.

Alle das Neigen
Von Herzen zu Herzen,
Ach, wie so eigen
Schaffet das Schmerzen!

Wie soll ich fliehen?
Wälderwärts ziehen?
Alles vergebens!
Krone des Lebens,
Glück ohne Ruh,
Liebe, bist du!

And again, in a very literal English:

To the snow, to the rain
To the wind opposed,
In the mist of the ravines
Through the scent of fog,
Always on! Always on!
Without rest and peace!

I would rather through suffering
Fight myself,
Than so many joys
Of life endure.

All the inclining
Of heart to heart,
Ah, how curiously
that creates pain!

Where shall I flee?
To the forest move?
All in vain!
Crown of life,
Happiness without peace,
Love, are you!

Sad Truth

Ok, so if you read this post or this post, you'll see where this one is coming from. I recently bought Metallica's self-titled album on iTunes. I'm not really your typical Metallica listener, and I like different songs for different reasons. But all that aside, here is yet another poignant depiction of the human condition in Metallica's music.

Sad But True, by Metallica

"Hey, I’m your life,
I’m the one who takes you there.
Hey, I’m your life,
I’m the one who cares.
They, they betray
I’m your only true friend now.
They, they’ll betray,
I’m forever there.

I’m your dream, make you real,
I’m your eyes when you must steal,
I’m your pain when you can’t feel.
Sad but true.

I’m your dream, mind astray,
I’m your eyes while you’re away,
I’m your pain while you repay,
You know it’s sad but true, sad but true.

You, you’re my mask,
You’re my cover, my shelter.
You, you’re my mask,
You’re the one who’s blamed.
Do, do my work,
Do my dirty work, scapegoat.
Do, do my deeds,
For you’re the one who’s shamed.

I’m your dream, make you real,
I’m your eyes when you must steal,
I’m your pain when you can’t feel.
Sad but true.

I’m your dream, mind astray,
I’m your eyes while you’re away,
I’m your pain while you repay,
You know it’s sad but true, sad but true.

I'm your dream,
I'm your eyes,
I'm your pain.

You know it's sad but true.


Hate, I’m your hate,
I’m your hate when you want love.
Pay, pay the price.
Pay, for nothing’s fair.

Hey, I’m your life,
I’m the one who took you there.
Hey, I’m your life,
And I no longer care.

I’m your dream, make you real,
I’m your eyes when you must steal,
I’m your pain when you can’t feel.
Sad but true.

I’m your truth, telling lies,
I’m your reasoned alibis,
I’m inside open your eyes,
I’m you.

Sad but true."

The Whole Truth

There are many different theories as to what determines the course of history. Empires? Men of greatness? Movements, social change, war, economics? The ways in which one can approach the past are virtually limitless. However, these theories, when taken apart from the true Prime Mover of time and space, are utterly meaningless. History is not solely determined by great men or the conditions in which men find themselves, but by God. The motivations of humanity and the workings of the past can all be explained and properly interpreted when the corruption of man is recognized and the redemptive providence of God is applied and used as the lens through which we examine the annals of history. In my historiography class, we discussed the issue of the Whole versus the Partial, the Whole being the entirety of history, with all its depth and infinite complexity, whereas the Partial is far more limited, being only one piece of the puzzle. A particular historian may be an expert on one aspect of the Partial, giving incredible detail and expounding upon various minutiae, but without an understanding of the Partial within the context of the Whole, history cannot be fully interpreted. To understand the Whole, we need the Truth. How did history begin? Why do things happen the way that they do? Where does the Whole originate? As Christians, we recognize that God, the Creator, is the Prime Mover, the one who governs all and directs the world according to his perfect will. He is the Truth, the source from which flows all other truth. Without the Truth and our acceptance of our position in history as fallen creatures, we miss a vital piece of the puzzle. God is the key to understanding history. Without him, history is worthless.

Song of the Week

"Hell" by Squirrel Nut Zippers

This is a fun song. That's all, really. Just listen to it. You'll see. Trust me.

A Complex Complex

Y'know... Napoleon wasn't all that short. He was only 5'6", which was actually pretty average for the time. Current French president Nicolas Sarcozy is actually an inch shorter at 5'5". I think Bonaparte's height gets exaggerated to a certain degree. Anywho, I thought that was an interesting fact. Yaaaay.