July 2009 Archives

LwCH 15: Summer in PA '09

By Christopher P. Long on July 25, 2009 9:09 AM  |
LwCH 15.jpgI just completed Life with Chloe and Hannah episode 15, which focuses on the first half of our summer in and around State College, excluding the 2009 Stone Harbor experience, which was captured in LwCH 14. 

In it you see footage of Chloe's birthday, including a visit from cousin Vaughan and the tea party, our visit to Reptiland and the events here in State College around the Fourth of July and Arts Fest.  There is much dancing, of course, and great fun all around.

To watch LwCH 15: Summer in PA '09, click here to go to my MobileMe web gallery.  I continue to post movies there because the quality is higher than on YouTube.

I hope you enjoy and I welcome your comments.

No Recess without a Bill

By Christopher P. Long on July 23, 2009 3:34 PM  |
WPSU.jpgToday WPSU.org published a blog post of mine in which I advocate for the passage of a strong, comprehensive healthcare reform bill prior to the August recess.

I outline three basic goals the bill should achieve: to cover all Americans, to reduce costs as it increases the quality of care and to avoid increasing the federal deficit.

Congress should not be allow out for recess without passing a comprehensive healthcare reform bill.

Read the post on WPSU.org here, and feel free to comment there or here. 

1969

By Christopher P. Long on July 20, 2009 10:46 AM  |
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the moon landing. 

The event itself seems, from this distance, to have marked the end of an era of tumultuous creativity and violence in American culture and politics.

The New York Times has documented the year in pictures, video and audio here. For me this feature offers a glimpse into the powerful forces at work in the world into which I was born that year.

It was a year of hopefulness, as marked by the lunar landing, Woodstock, John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "bed-in", the beginning of the US withdrawal from Vietnam, and the premier of Sesame Street.

It was a year of hatefulness, as marked by the Stonewall riots, British troops arriving in Northern Ireland, the secret US bombing of Cambodia, Nixon's "Silent Majority", and the Charles Manson killings.

It is unclear to me how much progress we have made in the course of these 40 years to allow  our hopeful spirit to eclipse our hateful tendencies. Yet to look at the earth from the moon is to be made aware of how small and tender our little planet is. It is to be reminded that we borrow this beautiful place for but a brief period. From that distance, the sources of hatred appear diminished, the power of hopefulness augmented. 

On this 40th anniversary of that image and the perspective it offers, may we be reminded that hatred corrodes our relationships with one another and erodes our planet, while the best stewards are those who cultivate community in a spirit of hope.

A Spiritual Voice in New Media

By Christopher P. Long on July 15, 2009 9:18 PM  |
TedBlog.jpg
The social web is frequently moving, often inane and continuously ongoing. Its voices reflect the beautiful diversity of the human experience.  

This week another voice was added to the discussion; it is the voice of my step-father, Ted Loder, long-time senior paster at the First United Methodist Church of Germantown (FUMCOG) in Philadelphia, writer of many books of prayers, poems and dramas, and dynamic preacher.

I grew up listening to his thoughtful, provocative and poetic sermons, challenged by their demand to attend to the divine at work in everyday doings, humbled by their appeal to a deeper mystery than can be adequately articulated, and inspired by their call for and commitment to social justice. 

Although I have never been able to embrace the dogma of Christianity, the roots of my philosophical thinking were nourished by those sermons and my deep commitment to seeking justice in relation was and continues to be cultivated by the dynamic spirituality of Ted's work and words.

So, I am very happy to announce that Ted has started a blog in which he will continue to put words to the mystery of God's ways. When you have a moment, click over to his blog to hear what he, in his unique theological voice, is saying. 

The social web is enriched by his contributions.

Local Eating, the Finnish Tart and the Fourth of July

By Christopher P. Long on July 7, 2009 8:25 PM  |
ChrisGirlsParade.jpgOver the weekend we celebrated the Fourth of July in local style here in State College. 

The day began with a wonderful children's parade of bikes through town to the local Central Parklet, where we ate watermelon, sang songs and danced. 

Afterwards, we had a great lunch at Irving's, where they are very conscientious about buying and supporting local food. 

Valshop.jpgWe returned home and Val made a meal with local food bought at the State College Farmer's Market and delivered from our Howard's End CSA. 


After dinner, we headed out to the fantastic fireworks display put on by the all volunteer Central PA 4thFest.

NaturalFireworks.jpg
While the 4thFest display was amazing, we were also treated to natural fireworks as the sun set behind Beaver stadium prior to the start of the celebration.

Here is Val with the girls in a picture that captures something of the beauty of that most beautiful day.


LwCH 14: Stone Harbor 2009

By Christopher P. Long on July 6, 2009 5:15 PM  |
OC Merry.jpgI have finally processed the footage from this year's vacation in Stone Harbor and produced a video available here:


In the video you will see much splashing in the pool, reminiscences of last year on the Outer Banks, NC, a few birthday wishes and a photo slideshow of our time in Stone Harbor this year.  I think it captures something of the wonderful time we had this year. 
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