postmodern hermeneutical theory

There’s still a light in that old cabin across the field. Last night I could see a lamp fly past the window. I could hear things crash and the old man swearing under his breath. Funny how those acrid shouts in the night air fill me with a sense of comfort. After days of silence I feared that something may have happened. I imagined taking the long walk through the Durum fields, and the knocking on the door. . . oh, and the smell!! Oh, God, the smell! . . .I’m glad the old man is not dead. I’m glad he’s up crashing and shouting and cursing the world that races on around him. I won’t go and visit him of course. I hate the smell of his house anyway. Why is it some people never open windows?

measure of time

Spring is here. Not “Spring is Here!!” which of course is plastered on every shop window and auto garage to encourage you to buy a rake or change your oil, no I mean the real spring. The trick of knowing when spring has finally arrived is really based on how you measure time.

For my part I don’t use calendars to pin down spring. The ice coming off the lakes certainly portends to the coming of spring, yet that is not spring. Spring after all is about life. I was thinking about this the other day while walking around a Mirror Lake near Wisconsin Dells. It was warm, the sun was shining and it certainly felt like spring. “So when was the beginning of spring? I wondered to myself. Was it March 21st like the calendars say? Was it that day when the ice finally came off the lake? Was it the day the turkey vultures returned to the hills around the valley where I live? Then I looked down at the ground and realized . . . the first day of spring was about two inches ago.

3am goes something like this

In the silence of the predawn hours sounds that are often lost in the din of the daylight rule the dead nocturnal air. My office clock chugs with a regular rhythm that will if I let, it bring to mind Pink Floyd’s “Dogs of War”. . . ba dum, ba dum, ba dum ba dum. . . along with that rhythm comes memories of that whole hypnotic hip thing their backup singers had goin’ on. .

Outside the window the wind rushes through the trees and the remnants of today’s storms still swirl around every corner. Wind chimes jingle and jangle in the empty darkness. The clock set’s down the beat . . ba dum, ba dum, ba dum ba dum. . .

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They say the sun is sometimes eclipsed by a moon
You know I don’t see you when she walks in the room
-u2

Well in my world I’ve been lost in work. Spring is that way around here. This is one of the largest tourism areas in the Mid-west and of course my living is driven in a large part by tourism. I’ll tell you one thing though, I’m sick of staring at code. It’s got me so befuddled that I’m still up at 2:30am! Each time I tried to close my eyes I’d suddenly see PHP coding spinning around my head like Winnie the Pooh’s nightmare of Heffalumps and Woozles! . . .

They’re black they’re brown they’re up their down
They’re in they’re out they’re all about
They’re far they’re near they’re gone they’re here
They’re quick and slick and insincere
Beware Beware Beware Beware Beware ….

walk in the woods

Some days are just a walk in the woods!
This is Mirror Lake State Park near Wisconsin Dells.

First Lesson Fashion Tips

Symposiums and big groups are lots of fun of course. In addition I really enjoy teaching private lessons. For the last couple years I’ve been doing more and more of this at my local lake. Of course with my busy summers it can be really hard to make the time. On the other hand, spending summer morning or sunny afternoon helping someone polish a roll or working with young couples who just want a new activity to do together is really a great experience.

Mark Boucher

New Hampshire paddler Mark Boucher seems to be doing a bit better after his near death experience on the Ashuelot River in NH just a few days back.  Mark was pulled in and under by the heavy current under a dam. According to the story he was unable to fight his way out and when he become unconscious he was finally spit out.  He was still in critical condition at the hospital just days ago, but now he seems to be improving fast. Yesterday they were able to remove the ventilator.  To follow along, leave a note, or donate to his medical fund you can visit the website his family and friends set up at www.markjboucher.info.