quotes | dual personalities

April 6, 2016

“Speak, thou vast and venerable head”*

by chuckofish

I wrote myself a note last week about April 5th being Gregory Peck’s 100th birthday–blogpost idea!–but, of course, I got sidetracked. Anyway, April 6th is as good a day as any to toast the divine GP.

I mean really, he was just the best. Not only was he one of the handsomest actors of all time, he had one of the all-time great voices.

He was in some of my favorite movies: Twelve O’Clock High (1949) and To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) and How the West Was Won (1962) foremost among them. And he was also great in Roman Holiday (1953), On the Beach (1959), The Big Country (1958), and as Ahab in Moby Dick (1956). He made some pretty bad movies watchable, such as Captain Newman, M.D. (1963) and Duel in the Sun (1946).

He was on the UC Berkeley crew team in 1936-38. Again awesome.

I DVR’d On the Beach yesterday, so I am going to watch it.

So a toast to Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003). Why not treat yourself to one of the above films? You deserve it.

And as this is Wednesday and time for a mid-week pep talk, I leave you with this:

“We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

–Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

*Ahab in Moby Dick

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April 5, 2016

The sufferings of this present time*

by chuckofish

My Monday felt like the above…not that I actually got into a fight or anything. But it was a hectic one, complete with a funeral at 11:00 a.m. (the worst time possible) and a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by the Shakespeare Festival St. Louis back at work in the afternoon. Throw in the usual A/V issues and that was my day.

Phew. But spring is here.

Life is good, as they say.

“One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.”

–Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I did that.

*Romans 8: 18

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March 30, 2016

Mid-week pep talk

by chuckofish

“Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” –Exodus 14:13

These words contain God’s command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. He cannot retreat; he cannot go forward; he is shut up on the right hand and on the left; what is he now to do? The Master’s word to him is, “Stand still.” It will be well for him if at such times he listens only to his Master’s word, for other and evil advisers come with their suggestions. Despair whispers, “Lie down and die; give it all up.” But God would have us put on a cheerful courage, and even in our worst times, rejoice in his love and faithfulness. Cowardice says, “Retreat; go back to the worldling’s way of action; you cannot play the Christian’s part, it is too difficult. Relinquish your principles.” But, however much Satan may urge this course upon you, you cannot follow it if you are a child of God. His divine fiat has bid thee go from strength to strength, and so thou shalt, and neither death nor hell shall turn thee from thy course. What, if for a while thou art called to stand still, yet this is but to renew thy strength for some greater advance in due time. Precipitancy cries, “do something. Stir yourself; to stand still and wait, is sheer idleness.” We must be doing something at once–we must do it so we think–instead of looking to the Lord, who will not only do something but will do everything. Presumption boasts, “If the sea be before you, march into it and expect a miracle.” But Faith listens neither to Presumption, nor to Despair, nor to Cowardice, nor to Precipitancy, but it hears God say, “Stand still”, and immovable as a rock it stands. “Stand still;”–keep the posture of an upright man, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the directing voice; and it will not be long ere God shall say to you, as distinctly as Moses said it to the people of Israel, “Go forward.”

–Charles Haddon Spurgeon (June 19, 1834 – January 31, 1892) was a British Baptist minister, known as the “Prince of Preachers”

The painting is Pine forest in the Tyrol, Bertha Wegmann, Danish artist (1847 – 1926).

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March 25, 2016

“The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.”

by chuckofish

“I think there is no suffering greater than what is caused by the doubts of those who want to believe. I know what torment this is, but I can only see it, in myself anyway, as the process by which faith is deepened. A faith that just accepts is a child’s faith and all right for children, but eventually you have to grow religiously as every other way, though some never do.

What people don’t realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross. It is much harder to believe than not to believe. If you feel you can’t believe, you must at least do this: keep an open mind. Keep it open toward faith, keep wanting it, keep asking for it, and leave the rest to God. ”

―Flannery O’Connor, The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O’Connor

Easter is really early this year as you know, catching many of us semi-unawares. Where did Lent go? I have no excuses. But I “watched” for an hour last night in the darkened chapel as I do every year, keeping the vigil as the disciples did with our Lord in the garden. It is a meaningful exercise for me.

The OM went with me so I wouldn’t be alone. (He didn’t fall asleep, but he looked at his phone like a good disciple.)

Today is Good Friday.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, College Station, PA

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, State College, PA

This has been a busy week at work and I have been distracted and inattentive to my spiritual routine. But the only path to the hope of Easter is through the struggle of Holy Week. We need to pay attention! Today I am hoping to leave work early and attend the Good Friday service at Noon. I frequently have good intentions of doing this, but then don’t. You know how that is.

Side note: daughter #2 was born on Easter Saturday and I remember sitting in the Good Friday service feeling weird and thinking something was going on. Sure enough, I went to the hospital that night and she was born the next morning.

Anyway, tonight we watch Ben Hur (1959) up to the intermission.

We’ll watch the rest, starting with the chariot race, on Saturday night. On Sunday we’ll have a quiet brunch with the boy and daughter # 3 after church. What do you have planned?

“And now brothers, I will ask you a terrible question, and God knows I ask it also of myself. Is the truth beyond all truths, beyond the stars, just this: that to live without him is the real death, that to die with him the only life?”

–Frederick Buechner, The Magnificent Defeat

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March 11, 2016

“We must away ere break of day Over the wood and mountain tall”*

by chuckofish

Today I am heading east to visit daughters #1 and #2 in College Park.

We will cheer on daughter #1 on as she runs in the Rock ‘n Roll half marathon in D.C. Then we are heading to the Brandywine Valley in Pennsylvania for some museum and garden-going.

We will get our fill of N.C. Wyeth et al…

If you are looking for a good movie to watch in the meantime, I recommend Alleghany Uprising (1939) with a young John Wayne and Claire Trevor. I watched it this past week and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a highly politically-incorrect telling of a little-known piece of American history–

wherein a group of settlers in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Valley struggle to try and persuade the British authorities to ban the trading of alcohol and arms with the marauding Indians.

Some of the character actors are priceless–such as Wilfred Lawson as the Scotsman MacDougall, who really steals the show. A very young George Sanders is appropriately uppity as the British captain who doesn’t have a clue. I would put this film in the they-don’t-make-’em-like-this-anymore category, i.e. good entertainment with an excellent story and characters.

So remember, I will be off the internet through next Thursday. Maybe my dual personality will check in. I hope so!

*J.R.R. Tolkien

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March 10, 2016

My bags are packed

by chuckofish

“Here today, up and off to somewhere else tomorrow! Travel, change, interest, excitement! The whole world before you, and a horizon that’s always changing!”

–Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

I lied. My bags are not packed! I haven’t done a thing to get ready for my trip tomorrow! Oh brother, I have a lot to do tonight…like try to pack clothes I can actually wear on my trip. And what’s the weather going to be like back east anyway? Zut alors! I guess I need to do some laundry…

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March 9, 2016

Mid-week pep talk: on we go!

by chuckofish

“Go back?” he thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!” So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a patter and a pitter.”

–J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

I can relate to this on so many levels.

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March 2, 2016

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us*

by chuckofish

Daughter #1 is training again for another half marathon (her third!) which she will run next week in Washington D.C. Daughter #2 and I will be there to cheer her on. I could never actually run in a half marathon myself…indeed, I am doing my best not to complete a Snoopy-type triathlon.

But we are all running a race, aren’t we? Some say it’s a rat race. But I am not a rat, are you?

I guess everything hinges on what you believe the prize to be, right?

(Discuss among yourselves.)

Here’s a little mid-week pep talk from George S. Patton, U.S. Army General and 1912 Olympian

Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired. When you were younger the mind could make you dance all night, and the body was never tired…You’ve always got to make the mind take over and keep going.

We can always use a good mid-week pep talk.

Keep straining forward.

And from the Did-You-Know Department: The Last Race (2016) is in post-production. It stars Joseph Fiennes as Eric Liddell, who, you will recall, was the hero of Chariots of Fire (1981). This film was shot largely in China where Liddell is a hero. It deals with Liddell’s work as a missionary in China after his victorious turn at the 1924 Paris Olympics. Apparently the Chinese consider Liddell to be “China’s first gold medalist.” Good news indeed!

*Hebrews 12:1

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March 1, 2016

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I*

by chuckofish

A new month, a new calendar page. The year is zooming by.

And March is going to be very busy, but I am not going to be overwhelmed by it.

We have fallen so much into the habit of being always busy that we know not how or when to break it off with firmness. Our business tags after us into the midst of our pleasures, and we are ill at ease beyond the reach of the telegraph and the daily newspaper.

–Henry Van Dyke, 1899

What would old Henry think of our iPhones and our personal computers? Zut alors!

I am trying to turn off the electronics an hour or two before I turn in at night. It seems like a good idea.

*Psalm 61:2

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February 24, 2016

All my friends

by chuckofish

If you cannot read all your books, at any rate…peer into them, let them fall open where they will, read from the first sentence that arrests the eye, set them back on the shelves with your own hands, arrange them on your own plan so that you at least know where they are. Let them be your friends; let them be your acquaintances.

–Winston Churchill (1874–1965)

This is going to be my next project, arranging my books “on my own plan.” I already sort of do this, but I could do a better job.