I finished my 1.5 year adventure in reading the Lord of the Rings once more this morning. It's something I'd not done in its entirety since the films came out, and I do find that I had trouble picturing anything but the actors as each of the characters. Thankfully, they were cast well enough and that wasn't too much of a problem. I'm always struck by how well Tolkien handles language. What he could do with a narrative, characters, and a cosmic-personal interplay is essentially unparalleled. The reader doesn't, by any means, fall in love with the characters the same way one generally does with Hermione, Harry, and Ron. Nor does the total experience transport the reader to a different intellectual plain like Joyce. But even so, he's somewhere in between, and much like my praise for Rowling, he created a world with sheer creativity most can only hope to approach.
The last two chapters, "The Scouring of the Shire" and "The Grey Havens" are among my favorite in all of literature. At it's best, The Lord of the Rings makes the reader long for a home somewhere dearer, grander, more real than anywhere of this world. In some ways, it's a strength of the series that Middle Earth could be our own world in a different age, but in a different sense, it's at its best when the ideals can become so real and otherworldly. Even as the shire is under the influence of evil when the protagonists return, the overwhelming power of good over evil wins out, and Frodo, having been transformed, even urges his friends "not to kill anyone if you can help it." My own ideological issues with the Lord of the Rings generally derive from how Christians use it to further our misguided support of real wars and use battle metaphors in a spiritual sense. But I was reminded these past few days as I finished the book that Tolkien was arguing against that in his own subtle way. The "War of the Ring" is a defensive battle as Mordor is assailing Gondor, as is Helm's Deep. Ultimately, the only offensive action taken by characters in the book is the attack on Isengard by the Ents, and their goal is to destroy the machinery destroying their homes, whilst allowing Saruman and Grima to survive. It is the destruction of the ring, the casting of the source of Evil to it's doom, that wins the war, and nothing else. There is violence involved, but Tolkien never really suggests that any amount of bloodshed is justified unless purely out of self defense. Even Frodo's decision to spare Gollum is redeemed. This speaks to both Tolkien's control of his narrative, but also betrays his deepest feelings about war and violence. With that in view, it compels me to keep up my own ideological fight against Christian millitantism. I didn't expect that when I embarked on this classic saga last March. I am glad to have found it, in the end. To think that Hillsdale holds these books that speak strongly against their interpretation of their own world view, in so high a regard, it is humorous. There is an enemy among their camp, from a most unexpected source.
Though they are dense and I didn't think it would take so long to get through all four, I am glad, as I have always been, to have experienced Middle Earth all over again. I will assuredly wait to go through them again, maybe ten years once more. But I will return, of that I am sure.
-Zack
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Eating Cleveland #1: Taste of Tremont
About three weeks ago, Alexandra and I experienced two firsts together: the RTA rapid and a Cleveland neighborhood festival.
I will ignore, for a moment, how somewhat annoyed I am at how Tremont sets itself up as a sort of inner-suburb, to mention that it is, by all means, what I would have loved the small towns I've lived in most of my life to resemble: small shops, good food, beautiful scenery, and a minute or two from three major sports stadiums.
The Taste of Tremont is what it sounds like. When I was younger, what is now known as "Fun Fest" in Ottawa was called "the Taste of Putnam." We basically ignored that most towns in our county had their own, better, town festivals and claimed them all because we were the country seat. That was basically some inflatable rides on mainstreet and a beer garden with horrific cover bands we could hear from my house. As far a I know, it's the same thing. Tremont, however, does something quite outstanding in comparison.
Along the main street in the neighborhood, virtually every restaurant and shop has set out a sampling of their goods and fare for purchase. It is, by all counts, a great place to go and spend a fairly reasonable sum on delicious food through a sort of progressive meal. I imagine thousands show up throughout the single day, and I doubt many leave hungry or disappointed. It was a hot day, but every drop of sweat walking from the Ohio City RTA station to Tremont and back after walking around the festival was completely worth it. In addition to the delicious food we got to experience the feeling as part of a larger community (which hasn't been easy in Cleveland; knowing few people and being detached from the places we grew up). Taking a few hours on a Sunday afternoon to do anything else will almost never be as enjoyable. We even bought a Jade Plant now named "Herbert," who lives on our windowsill. Even if we struck out and only bought bad food, I'd probably still have great things to say. I'm not sure though, that that would actually be possible....
All in all, We ate 5 things:
1. Pork spring rolls from Bac Asian American Bistro- fairly standard, but cooked to perfection and anytime a restaurant offers Sriracha as a dipping sauce, you know it's worth at least trying.
2. Baklava from the Istanbul Grill- suffered from the heat, but the filling was tasty
3. A pork platter (with corn on the cob and cole slaw) from the Ohio Farmers association stand- the "spicy" barbecue sauce was mild and the cole slaw far too acidic, but the corn was delicious and the pork itself absolutely succulent
4. Ice Cream sandwiches (chocolate peanut butter and raspberry cheesecake) from Scoops- I love that they have homemade, vastly varied ice cream sandwiches between decently sized chocolate chip cookies. I wish though, that a flavor like "raspberry cheesecake" wasn't made with a cookie involving chocolate. The chips overpowered the flavor (which was actually a swirl in vanilla ice cream). I can't complain about the texture though. All in all it was a great way to cool down in the heat, albeit a bit heavy to walk around after having ate it..
5. Mac and Cheese with Mint Lemonade from Lolita- This was no ordinary macaroni and cheese. It was a white sauce, probably a combination of 3 or four italian cheeses, heavy on marjoram and rosemary. There's always a chance mass-produced, chafing dish macaroni and cheese will be ruined by the conditions no matter how well it's made. This was certainly not the case with this though. The noodles were perfect and the heat didn't seem to negatively influence the dish at all. As for the lemonade, it was the most perfectly refreshing sugar-based beverage I've ever had, and I think that's because of the delightful mint-essence throughout. It was light and lemony, with a crisp mint finish. Very near perfect.
None of the food was anything but delicious. My favorite was definitely the mac and cheese from Lolita, but I'm biased by my affinity for the Food Network. I think my least favorite was the Baklava because it was too warm out and it fell apart while being too mushy. None of these were significant samplings to judge the overall dining experience at any of these restaurants, but each was good enough to draw me back at some point in the future.
It's interesting to me that Bac fashions itself as an "Asian American" Bistro. I don't know what that means; I suspect it means Asian fusion with some American items on the menu, but, perhaps, it is actually a claim on an ethnic food styling for people specifically Asian American in ethnicity? That would be interesting, to at least get their take on that, if it is indeed the goal.
Lolita is probably the place I'd most like to revisit because it's rare you get to eat food from a literally world renowned chef in your own backyard. It's also probably the most expensive so I might just have to settle on the establishment's offerings at next year's taste of Tremont.
In any event, I'm glad we went and I'll definitely be going back as many years as I can. If you're in Cleveland around the middle of July next year, I highly recommend the experience.
-Zack
I will ignore, for a moment, how somewhat annoyed I am at how Tremont sets itself up as a sort of inner-suburb, to mention that it is, by all means, what I would have loved the small towns I've lived in most of my life to resemble: small shops, good food, beautiful scenery, and a minute or two from three major sports stadiums.
The Taste of Tremont is what it sounds like. When I was younger, what is now known as "Fun Fest" in Ottawa was called "the Taste of Putnam." We basically ignored that most towns in our county had their own, better, town festivals and claimed them all because we were the country seat. That was basically some inflatable rides on mainstreet and a beer garden with horrific cover bands we could hear from my house. As far a I know, it's the same thing. Tremont, however, does something quite outstanding in comparison.
Along the main street in the neighborhood, virtually every restaurant and shop has set out a sampling of their goods and fare for purchase. It is, by all counts, a great place to go and spend a fairly reasonable sum on delicious food through a sort of progressive meal. I imagine thousands show up throughout the single day, and I doubt many leave hungry or disappointed. It was a hot day, but every drop of sweat walking from the Ohio City RTA station to Tremont and back after walking around the festival was completely worth it. In addition to the delicious food we got to experience the feeling as part of a larger community (which hasn't been easy in Cleveland; knowing few people and being detached from the places we grew up). Taking a few hours on a Sunday afternoon to do anything else will almost never be as enjoyable. We even bought a Jade Plant now named "Herbert," who lives on our windowsill. Even if we struck out and only bought bad food, I'd probably still have great things to say. I'm not sure though, that that would actually be possible....
All in all, We ate 5 things:
1. Pork spring rolls from Bac Asian American Bistro- fairly standard, but cooked to perfection and anytime a restaurant offers Sriracha as a dipping sauce, you know it's worth at least trying.
2. Baklava from the Istanbul Grill- suffered from the heat, but the filling was tasty
3. A pork platter (with corn on the cob and cole slaw) from the Ohio Farmers association stand- the "spicy" barbecue sauce was mild and the cole slaw far too acidic, but the corn was delicious and the pork itself absolutely succulent
4. Ice Cream sandwiches (chocolate peanut butter and raspberry cheesecake) from Scoops- I love that they have homemade, vastly varied ice cream sandwiches between decently sized chocolate chip cookies. I wish though, that a flavor like "raspberry cheesecake" wasn't made with a cookie involving chocolate. The chips overpowered the flavor (which was actually a swirl in vanilla ice cream). I can't complain about the texture though. All in all it was a great way to cool down in the heat, albeit a bit heavy to walk around after having ate it..
5. Mac and Cheese with Mint Lemonade from Lolita- This was no ordinary macaroni and cheese. It was a white sauce, probably a combination of 3 or four italian cheeses, heavy on marjoram and rosemary. There's always a chance mass-produced, chafing dish macaroni and cheese will be ruined by the conditions no matter how well it's made. This was certainly not the case with this though. The noodles were perfect and the heat didn't seem to negatively influence the dish at all. As for the lemonade, it was the most perfectly refreshing sugar-based beverage I've ever had, and I think that's because of the delightful mint-essence throughout. It was light and lemony, with a crisp mint finish. Very near perfect.
None of the food was anything but delicious. My favorite was definitely the mac and cheese from Lolita, but I'm biased by my affinity for the Food Network. I think my least favorite was the Baklava because it was too warm out and it fell apart while being too mushy. None of these were significant samplings to judge the overall dining experience at any of these restaurants, but each was good enough to draw me back at some point in the future.
It's interesting to me that Bac fashions itself as an "Asian American" Bistro. I don't know what that means; I suspect it means Asian fusion with some American items on the menu, but, perhaps, it is actually a claim on an ethnic food styling for people specifically Asian American in ethnicity? That would be interesting, to at least get their take on that, if it is indeed the goal.
Lolita is probably the place I'd most like to revisit because it's rare you get to eat food from a literally world renowned chef in your own backyard. It's also probably the most expensive so I might just have to settle on the establishment's offerings at next year's taste of Tremont.
In any event, I'm glad we went and I'll definitely be going back as many years as I can. If you're in Cleveland around the middle of July next year, I highly recommend the experience.
-Zack
Able
Starting today, right now, I plan to post daily. The emphasis in the preceding sentence is on the predicate; "plan." I probably won't succeed in this, so I've actually set a goal to post 3 times per week. Generally speaking, it's not the best idea to start with failure in mind, but I'm being realistic. I'm getting married this fall, planting a chapter, and embracing a new city and all that goes with that. I won't have tons of time. Perhaps you're wondering why I'd even try. It's precisely because of all of those thing that I've got to try.
So, to get to this goal and to generally open my mind to the lot of you 15 or less readers in new and exciting ways, I'm introducing a few new "features" here...Starting roughly this month, I'll be writing about:
1. the places I eat in Cleveland. I've never lived in a city with more than 4 or 5 locally owned restaurants (and if you take out ice cream stands, that number is considerably smaller). There are so many amazing places to eat in Cleveland, and I thought I'd do my part in making that known.
2. the movies I watch. This is something that's been close to my heart since college and I never realized how much I love it til I haven't done it these past 2 years and change.
3. the books I read. I probably won't write extensively on most of them, but I read a lot and exploring where my mind is because of what I read is probably a healthy exercise.
All of this will, of course, come in the course of my usual ponderings on any and everything that comes to mind as I live out this adventure called life. Nothing is really changing, aside from the frequency and the variety. I hope, on the other side of all of this, you have a more enjoyable reading experience when you come here to read whatever it is I write.
-Zack
"It's kinda hard sayin this to your face, so I do it over snares and bass"
-Lil Wayne
So, to get to this goal and to generally open my mind to the lot of you 15 or less readers in new and exciting ways, I'm introducing a few new "features" here...Starting roughly this month, I'll be writing about:
1. the places I eat in Cleveland. I've never lived in a city with more than 4 or 5 locally owned restaurants (and if you take out ice cream stands, that number is considerably smaller). There are so many amazing places to eat in Cleveland, and I thought I'd do my part in making that known.
2. the movies I watch. This is something that's been close to my heart since college and I never realized how much I love it til I haven't done it these past 2 years and change.
3. the books I read. I probably won't write extensively on most of them, but I read a lot and exploring where my mind is because of what I read is probably a healthy exercise.
All of this will, of course, come in the course of my usual ponderings on any and everything that comes to mind as I live out this adventure called life. Nothing is really changing, aside from the frequency and the variety. I hope, on the other side of all of this, you have a more enjoyable reading experience when you come here to read whatever it is I write.
-Zack
"It's kinda hard sayin this to your face, so I do it over snares and bass"
-Lil Wayne
Friday, July 22, 2011
Always
I was, I will admit, fairly disappointed in the final Harry Potter film. The first of the two part adaptation to book 7 was, in many ways, the best film in the series, and I had high hopes for the second. If you read this: http://dulacian.blogspot.com/2009/08/art-coma.html you'll probably realize that I was bound to be disappointed.
One shouldn't ever have too high of expectations for a Harry Potter movie though. As movies go, only three of them even stand up as enjoyable on their own.
But there's a sort of magic to seeing the world of Harry Potter come alive that makes the unconscionable pacing, the terrible acting, and the saddeningly poor camera work null. The characters, the world, the wonder, are just too good to defeat, even with drastically sub-par filmmaking technique. Seeing a Harry Potter movie is experiencing a Harry Potter book in a new way for the first time. Reading any Harry Potter book for the first time was the most enjoyable reading experience I've ever had and the emotions those 7 books can conjure in me is indescribable and incomparable. Even getting to grasp at that for a bit over an hour or so while staring at a screen is worth every penny. No film, I think, could actually capture the Harry Potter experience, so I can't fault any of them too strongly. But I would have loved a better attempt, to be sure.
Even so, I will never stop reading, watching, altogether consuming everything Harry Potter, because there is a wonder there that isn't anywhere else, and it's more true than any fact, more beautiful than any sight, because it happens on the inside, from the inside out, as Harry Potter reveals something in us that has always been there. It's a beautiful mirror, if nothing else. It's a beautiful mirror we can't get anywhere else. Or at least it is for me. Intellectually, there are more stimulating experiences in film and literature. Technically, most people are better writers than J.K. Rowling, I sometimes believe. But spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, philosophically, and metaphysically, nothing else comes close.
As of now, there isn't anything left. No more movies. No more books. I do think they'll remake at least some of the movies, somewhere down the road in 20 years. But it will never be the same.
And yet, I would rather live with the failed attempts to rekindle and the memories, than to never have had them at all. I joined the bandwagon late, but I think that was good. More than anything else, Harry Potter showed me who I am, who I was, who I will become. If I were but 8 when I read the first book, I don't think it would have meant nearly as much. But perhaps I just want to rationalize my failure to grow up with Harry Potter, as so many of my peers did.
But we cannot change the past. I can't go back and tell 8 year old me to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone right after it came out. The question though, really, is if I would.....
The other day, Alexandra mentioned that she's looking forward to having kids at least in part because we get to relive the wonder of our childhood with them; things like catching lightning bugs and keeping them in jars; tea parties and action figures, believing in Santa. I wonder, in light of all this, if I will introduce Harry Potter early for my kids or not. That is a decision along way off. But in any event, perhaps then, Harry Potter will be a bit of wonder to relive with my kids, and grandkids, and, Lord willing, great-grandkids.
I will never stop reading, and I hope, someday, that means I will never stop introducing Harry, Ron, and Hermione to my own descendants, somewhere down the road.
It was, indeed, a disappointing film. But it was nothing if not a fulfilling experience.
I don't know how. I don't know why. It's just magic.
-Zack
"I'd rather be a comma than a full stop"
-Coldplay
One shouldn't ever have too high of expectations for a Harry Potter movie though. As movies go, only three of them even stand up as enjoyable on their own.
But there's a sort of magic to seeing the world of Harry Potter come alive that makes the unconscionable pacing, the terrible acting, and the saddeningly poor camera work null. The characters, the world, the wonder, are just too good to defeat, even with drastically sub-par filmmaking technique. Seeing a Harry Potter movie is experiencing a Harry Potter book in a new way for the first time. Reading any Harry Potter book for the first time was the most enjoyable reading experience I've ever had and the emotions those 7 books can conjure in me is indescribable and incomparable. Even getting to grasp at that for a bit over an hour or so while staring at a screen is worth every penny. No film, I think, could actually capture the Harry Potter experience, so I can't fault any of them too strongly. But I would have loved a better attempt, to be sure.
Even so, I will never stop reading, watching, altogether consuming everything Harry Potter, because there is a wonder there that isn't anywhere else, and it's more true than any fact, more beautiful than any sight, because it happens on the inside, from the inside out, as Harry Potter reveals something in us that has always been there. It's a beautiful mirror, if nothing else. It's a beautiful mirror we can't get anywhere else. Or at least it is for me. Intellectually, there are more stimulating experiences in film and literature. Technically, most people are better writers than J.K. Rowling, I sometimes believe. But spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, philosophically, and metaphysically, nothing else comes close.
As of now, there isn't anything left. No more movies. No more books. I do think they'll remake at least some of the movies, somewhere down the road in 20 years. But it will never be the same.
And yet, I would rather live with the failed attempts to rekindle and the memories, than to never have had them at all. I joined the bandwagon late, but I think that was good. More than anything else, Harry Potter showed me who I am, who I was, who I will become. If I were but 8 when I read the first book, I don't think it would have meant nearly as much. But perhaps I just want to rationalize my failure to grow up with Harry Potter, as so many of my peers did.
But we cannot change the past. I can't go back and tell 8 year old me to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone right after it came out. The question though, really, is if I would.....
The other day, Alexandra mentioned that she's looking forward to having kids at least in part because we get to relive the wonder of our childhood with them; things like catching lightning bugs and keeping them in jars; tea parties and action figures, believing in Santa. I wonder, in light of all this, if I will introduce Harry Potter early for my kids or not. That is a decision along way off. But in any event, perhaps then, Harry Potter will be a bit of wonder to relive with my kids, and grandkids, and, Lord willing, great-grandkids.
I will never stop reading, and I hope, someday, that means I will never stop introducing Harry, Ron, and Hermione to my own descendants, somewhere down the road.
It was, indeed, a disappointing film. But it was nothing if not a fulfilling experience.
I don't know how. I don't know why. It's just magic.
-Zack
"I'd rather be a comma than a full stop"
-Coldplay
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Where the fall begins
This is a post I've been wanting to write for awhile now, but because of professional circumstances, I just couldn't. Perhaps I still shouldn't. But I've got to understand my thoughts, and that means I've got to discuss them, and I do that best by writing. Somehow, this makes those thoughts seem official, so here I am, writing this now.
A few months before I graduated from Wooster, while I was riding the elevator to the third floor of Gault library, I realized that I didn't really believe insistence on personal property was an absolutely gospel-informed position to take. I wrote a post, one of the first on this blog, entitled "Am I a communist?" I don't know if I had an answer then. I've come down a little bit from it as I've let it slide out of my mind, but I can affirm that I probably, well, not really just probably, I am something of a socialist now.
That's a curse-word at Hillsdale and it should be unamerican enough that I wouldn't post July 3rd.
It all comes down though, to the foundations of economic ideology.
At its most redeemed, capitalism comes down to doing the best for yourself and hoping everyone else does the same, which means that everyone is better off. But it's still a system built on accumulating individual wealth. We become a product of our centers, and with a center predicated on making the most money possible, there's never going to be great fruit. That's a simple tenet. And thus, I can't be a capitalist. I can't say in consecutive sentences that I'm a Christ follower and a believer in an economic policy built on earning money. I'm not opposed to free markets, but I'm opposed to hunger, poverty, and the existence of the other.
So I've flipped it up. It's very imperfect in execution, but I'd rather have a foundation predicated on providing for the needs of the disenfranchised. Maybe it's just because it's a broken system, but capitalism today means pay raises for ceo's, not new jobs with money saved and earned. When your goal is to make as much money as possible however legally possible, there will often mean granting yourself a pay raise before you think about hiring more workers when the market isn't sustaining higher volume so expansion isn't practical. As investors, capitalism means putting your money in the best place to earn, but so often today, that means into corporations that perpetrate human rights violations on a daily basis.
Sure, communism has often failed. I'm shooting holes into a broken system in favor of a non-existent system. But all of those rhetorical facts against me, I can't get past where the foundation lies.
So what do I propose? A free market based on competition with higher personal income taxes on the richest 5%. The richest CEO in the country last year made about $85,000,000 in salary. Tax that by 60 percent and he still made more than 40,000,000. (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/03/business/03pay.html?_r=2)
The critics say that stifles creativity and ambition. Well, I don't know about you, but I'd rather make $40,000,000 after taxes than $100,000 before. If we saw tax breaks leading to more jobs, I'd change my tune. If we saw non-profits completely funded, it'd be different. But the core is rotten. How could we ever expect otherwise from the fruit?
-Zack
"Can we just give love one more chance?"
-David Bowie
A few months before I graduated from Wooster, while I was riding the elevator to the third floor of Gault library, I realized that I didn't really believe insistence on personal property was an absolutely gospel-informed position to take. I wrote a post, one of the first on this blog, entitled "Am I a communist?" I don't know if I had an answer then. I've come down a little bit from it as I've let it slide out of my mind, but I can affirm that I probably, well, not really just probably, I am something of a socialist now.
That's a curse-word at Hillsdale and it should be unamerican enough that I wouldn't post July 3rd.
It all comes down though, to the foundations of economic ideology.
At its most redeemed, capitalism comes down to doing the best for yourself and hoping everyone else does the same, which means that everyone is better off. But it's still a system built on accumulating individual wealth. We become a product of our centers, and with a center predicated on making the most money possible, there's never going to be great fruit. That's a simple tenet. And thus, I can't be a capitalist. I can't say in consecutive sentences that I'm a Christ follower and a believer in an economic policy built on earning money. I'm not opposed to free markets, but I'm opposed to hunger, poverty, and the existence of the other.
So I've flipped it up. It's very imperfect in execution, but I'd rather have a foundation predicated on providing for the needs of the disenfranchised. Maybe it's just because it's a broken system, but capitalism today means pay raises for ceo's, not new jobs with money saved and earned. When your goal is to make as much money as possible however legally possible, there will often mean granting yourself a pay raise before you think about hiring more workers when the market isn't sustaining higher volume so expansion isn't practical. As investors, capitalism means putting your money in the best place to earn, but so often today, that means into corporations that perpetrate human rights violations on a daily basis.
Sure, communism has often failed. I'm shooting holes into a broken system in favor of a non-existent system. But all of those rhetorical facts against me, I can't get past where the foundation lies.
So what do I propose? A free market based on competition with higher personal income taxes on the richest 5%. The richest CEO in the country last year made about $85,000,000 in salary. Tax that by 60 percent and he still made more than 40,000,000. (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/03/business/03pay.html?_r=2)
The critics say that stifles creativity and ambition. Well, I don't know about you, but I'd rather make $40,000,000 after taxes than $100,000 before. If we saw tax breaks leading to more jobs, I'd change my tune. If we saw non-profits completely funded, it'd be different. But the core is rotten. How could we ever expect otherwise from the fruit?
-Zack
"Can we just give love one more chance?"
-David Bowie
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