Under The Influence - America and a Lenten Struggle

In the autobiography of the great American Fredrick Douglass, he painted vivid portraits of, not only slaves, but also some members of the slave-owning families and how the institution of slavery had deeply penetrated and changed lives. He also detailed how knowledge not only changed his life, but the absence of it for others made life noticeably, even if inexcusably horrible, more bearable. Point being, there are a great many influences in history and in life, and they oftentimes play roles that we do not seek and may not expect. 

 To add to that, there are those we may not even recognize. When I was much younger, my mom wanted me to spend less time with a certain friend. Her reason was that she feared he was a bad influence on me. To that I retorted perhaps I was a good influence on him and that he should not be deprived of such. I cannot remember the finale to that exchange, but I will always remember the concept. Truth be told, I’m sure we were both right, only she was doing her duty as a mother, and I mine as a friend. 

In any case, we as individuals like to think that we are in control, if not of the events of the world, then at least of ourselves and - ultimately - who we are; that may not be so. The term “under the influence” generally refers to a state of psychological and/or physiological surrender to a substance such as a drug or alcohol. Depending on the situation, a human is either impaired or accelerated toward or away from certain behaviors while under the influence. Basically, an added variable fundamentally changes human events. 

 If we look beyond the limits of chemicals, we will find that there are also people, events, ideologies, religions, weather, and institutions that also routinely influence our lives. Knowledge, conscience, perceptions, greed, duty, tradition, culture, and even ignorance control the paths of our lives as well. And, then there is love, or so I am told. These are all influences, yes, but to be under the influence there would need to be some kind of voluntary or involuntary surrender of control. Frederick Douglass was under the influence of knowledge. Hamlet was under the influence of revenge. General George Washington was under the influence of revolution. I have a feeling that Hitler was under the influence of several things, among them – intolerance. Martin Luther King, Jr. was under the influence of a dream. Clearly some of these predicaments need not be cured, yet others can be construed as Satan himself. 

Perhaps the only answer lies not only in nourishing the healthy addictions and extracting the malignant ones, but in identifying them and then dedicating to those of supreme value. In the season of Lent, Christians are reminded of when Jesus spent time preparing for His death by denying Himself worldly comforts. In this time He was tempted by the Devil in several ways, but He was revealed to be under the influence of a divine purpose. The purpose of a retreat or a fast is to clear and focus. In denying oneself of worldly and evil things there is liberation. In liberation there is clarity and opportunity to exert greater authority over human events. The problem with being under an influence can be that the human spirit is conquered, and in fact enslaved. In liberation, the human spirit can thrive, conquer, and indeed triumph. As a person, that may be the healthiest state. As a people, just as we have eliminated slavery and moved toward a "dream", we may all need to liberate ourselves to conquer the demons ahead.

Hawaiian Beauty - Thoughts of Aloha

The Aloha State... ahhhhhhh... No, I'm not in Hawai'i. Well, not until I fall asleep. I'd like to think it is my second home. Wait, if California is my first home, and I live in DC, then... and Lima treats me pretty well... Okay, Hawai'i will always be "a home away from home". It's arguably our most beautiful state in the union. Duh. I lived there for a time way back when, so I guess you could say that's yet something else I have in common with the president... that and I'm a mixed-race American, am super-awesome at basketball, and I too was born in Kenya (wait, I think I fudged on the last two). Just kidding, I'm no conspiracy theorist (of course if I was, I wouldn't tell you). Where was I? Oh, yes, Hawai'i! Well it's been snowy here in DC, so I'm going to a happy place and was inspired of this archipelago way out in the Pacific today as I drank my pineapple juice with dinner. What's important to remember about the Hawaiian Islands is that it is not only another state - it's a state of mind. "Yeah, I on Hawai'i Time, brah!" Imagine a place where the ocean is not only always nearby, but a part of your life. You can smell the ocean; you can feel it. Nature is culture. So is food. So is family, or "ohana" in Hawaiian. The hula is not only a dance, but an art form of storytelling. Leis are not only intricate necklaces of living floral art, but a symbol of beauty, welcome, congratulations, and love. 

I will not pretend to wrap up the majesty of this place in one simple blog entry; that would be foolish. I would just like to share a little aloha. In my experiences, Hawaiians have been very giving for those who would truly care to share in the culture of Hawai'i. I'd like to think aloha, albeit special and culturally unique, should not be confined to the islands in the Pacific. We have a lot of worries, issues, and challenges on the mainland. However, just as Hawai'i is American, I propose we Americans allow ourselves to find a little aloha in our lives over here. Make sure you take some time to just take your time. Share a meal. Appreciate something beautiful. Feel the sunlight on your face. Give someone flowers. Listen to some nice music. "Talk story." Perhaps, I'm not doing this place justice, but I thought I'd give it a shot. 

 Aloha.

Day O' Love

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. Many people hate Valentine's Day, or so they say. I have heard plans of girlfriends getting together, seemingly to the exclusivity of men. It seemed an act of group consolation - a day to get drunk and hate men (and this day) together. I don't really have a male version of the event, because we really don't talk about such things. Nonetheless, it is a holiday that lovers love, and singles tend to abhor. 

Then there's me... Yes, I am single. No, I don't hate this day. No, I don't dismiss it either. I generally enjoy holidays (except Columbus Day) because they either celebrate life or they hold some sort of special significance about why we are here. I like days that are special. Life gives you enough days that are forgettable. I started my day doing a small favor for a friend I had known for about 36 hours. Afterwards, (for some reason, no one wants to serve brunch at 4:30 in the afternoon) I settled for a great bloody mary and some chips between services at Tabard Inn. After wandering the snowy sidewalks and braving the winter chill for a while, I stopped into work to say hello to some friendly faces. However, they were very busy, and I discovered my presence there was not entirely productive. On the way out of the restaurant, one of our hosts even said, "What are YOU doing here?" (I suspect she may be one of those who hates Valentine's Day.) Anyway, I had a fantastic dinner up the street at Proof. I barely knew my bartender, which is to say I knew her name and that she knows her wines very well, but there was an odd comfort that she was taking care of me for that hour or so. Then, I went home at a very reasonable hour. 

Lying in bed, I thought about my day and what it meant. I wasn't bitter or joyful. I wasn't content either. What do all these people in our lives mean? People act and speak to us all the time, whether a best friend, a pastor, a stranger, or a person on television. Thanks to the internet, I am in touch with hundreds of people with whom I would have otherwise been disconnected... or never met! What do people mean to life? Picture life with literally no other people, and life is not only drab, but bleak. I instantly think of the Twilight Zone episode with that exact premise - the man who loves only books finds more than enough to last a lifetime, but then he accidentally steps on and crushes his eyeglasses. 

People not only influence us, but help determine the course of human events. Sometimes it's a whisper; sometimes it's a speech; sometimes it's a smile. People add value. We determine our own value, but those around us help determine the value of life. I started the day with a Bible passage, and now as I go to sleep, it makes even more sense: 

"Dear friends, if God loved us that much, we also should love each other. No one has ever seen God, but if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is made perfect in us." 

(1 John 4:11-12) 

Yes, there is a lot of noise in life, but sometimes if you listen, appreciate, and give back, I think we find divinity, and yes - love. So, on this day of love and lovers, I want to thank everyone who has touched my life and made it... well... lovely.

Epicenter - the Haiti Earthquake of 2010

Yesterday, there was a violent magnitude-seven earthquake in the island nation of Haiti. 

Perhaps you have never thought much about Haiti – maybe don’t even know where it is. Tragedy befalls all corners of the earth, but I believe this event will be especially harsh. 

Growing up in California, you get accustomed to the notion of the ground shaking due to tension along a fault line. You rarely feel one, yet the threat is always there. You are taught how to hide under your desk or stand in a doorway. You learn to discern whether rolling, rumbling, jerking, etc. Most of the time it is a rather cool natural phenomenon. Then, of course, you wonder, “if I felt it here, where was the epicenter?” …because it was stronger there. Californians have the ever-present notion in the back of their minds that “The Big One” could come at any moment… and is overdue. However, in California there are no brick homes. There are not many tall buildings. There are relatively few bridges. Even the subway (huh??!!) in Los Angeles, very few people ride. Buildings and freeway overpasses have been designed or retrofitted to withstand up to a certain magnitude of temblor. 

 I spent some time in Haiti not long ago. Port-au-Prince is a hilly, crowded, polluted and impoverished city. People sit around in the dirt. Random fires burn in the gutters. Homeless dogs sniff through trash for food. Strange-colored liquids stream through the streets. At night, the city is mostly pitch dark. It seems there are scant public services, except for the well-armored United Nations force that provides for basic security and stability. Unfortunately, all the buildings are made of concrete. 

Port-au-Prince was already a bit scary for me, and I had a nice place to stay. It is scary to imagine what could be happening in that city as I write this at close to four in the morning in the aftermath of that damage. It could get much uglier in the coming days. They do not have the multitude of safeguards we in the United States and elsewhere enjoy – both physically and politically. They will not have the resources or the governmental will to avert an even greater calamity. The Haitians do have something that will prove invaluable – resilience. Hopefully, that will be enough to prevent total chaos. In short, I hope you felt this earthquake in some way, because at the epicenter it is much worse than you may be able to imagine. 

God bless Haiti.

Glutton for Punishment

Evidently, I have a knack for showing up for big games, sporting my LA colors, when the home teams decide to stage awesome come-from-behind wins... Los Angeles NOT BEING THE HOME TEAM. See, I don't mind traveling alone... enjoy it, actually. However, when you are the only guy in a Lakers jersey in a Boston bar and the Celtics come back from a 30-point deficit, or you are the only guy among a silent 48,000 clapping for a Dodger home run, it gets a little lonely. Whoever said, "it's lonely at the top" should try going to a playoff game with me. Well, since I have chosen to explore minority status in highly charged sporting atmospheres as part my quest for international tranquility, I have found that a strong smile, a sense of humor, and some humility go a very long way. For instance, the girl to my left at the game last night in Philadelphia told me, in my blue cap, that I couldn't sit next to her because she had the swine flu. I told her I did too and offered her some of my garlic fries. Also, there were two rabid fans in standing room behind me who were intent on telling every Dodger - and the umpire - that they "suck!"... one at a time... all night long. In the silence that ensued after an inning-ending shoestring Manny Ramirez catch, I yelled satirically, "You suck Manny!" That got a few chuckles. 

 [Aside] So, Mr. President, (because of course he is a big fan of my blog) I have made no apologies for my home teams. In my experience, it has been more important to show people who you are rather than who you are not. Next stop - Mexico City with my US soccer jersey! Mmm... maybe not.

Risky Business

Traveling is a risky business. Life... is a risky business. But even if fishing is a risky business, you probably shouldn't name your seafood market... "Risky Business." Just a thought. 

North Carolina is home to the serene and captivating Outer Banks. Think of long islands, in some parts the width of a city block: fishing, families, and an odd fascination with pirates. I quickly decided that, unlike other travels wherein I have sought out every possible opportunity to indulge in the local creative culinary fare, I would be looking for the freshest seafood to prepare myself. There was also plenty of opportunity, day and night, for beach, although as a native Californian, I still feel like I'm in an M. Night Shyamalan movie when I see sunbathers sprawled out in the late afternoon with their backs to the water. It's just weird, man! 

Now I started with the theme of risky business. No, I didn't do any lip syncing in my underwear. There was karaoke involved at the local tavern, but I for the most part adhered to the implied, if not explicitly stated, dress code. I had some time on the drive home to evaluate this birthday week endeavor. Life, government, weather, and sometimes Roman taxi drivers with questionable motives and/or sexual proclivities will constantly throw obstacles, challenges, and diversions in your path. Change is a part of life and a part of travel. Sometimes the current will make it difficult to swim ashore. Sometimes an unforeseen police officer will put a damper on your day of driving. Certainly there are changes we seek and move to attain. However, also in the businesses of travel and life, the changes are all part of the risk, and our outcome may just be measured by how we weather that which was neither expected nor wished.

We Can't Drive 55

For some reason, Sammy Hagar didn't get the memo that I would be in NORTH Carolina for my birthday, as he booked a show in South Carolina for that evening. So I went. Quite a somber day in that both Senator Ted Kennedy and Michael Jackson were laid to rest, the latter of whom on what would have been his 51st birthday. John McCain (his birthday too) attended the funeral for the former. We're used to celebrating separately since Neverland is no longer an option. Waffle House was an easy choice for the first meal of the day - best hash browns I've had - and then I made my way to Myrtle Beach. 

 

 Sammy Hagar now plays with the band Chickenfoot, having enlisted Joe Satriani on guitar, bassist Michael Anthony from Van Halen, and the drummer from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. After a few involuntary detours, I found my way to House of Blues for the show a bit late. However, all was right with the world when I got inside and was about 20 yards from the band. They rocked... no Van Halen tunes, but still a great show. If you've forgotten what good solid new hard rock sounds like, check them out. Oh, and thanks to Google Maps, my hotel that was supposedly right next to the club is actually seven miles away. One of these days I'll actually see what this Myrtle Beach is all about. Trip Day Two took me through northern South Carolina. Just inches from escaping to I-95, the local po-lice tried to shake me down. Nothing quite ruins your day of driving like a speeding ticket, but I did manage to evade capture.