A quiet day, all a big mistake!

So, on Monday morning I left my house for work, not realizing that I failed to pick up my mobile phone.

By mid-morning the thought hit me, "This day is very quiet.  Wonder why?" 

I toured the new building Downtown.  Talked to several people in the office after a number of issues.  Read lots of email, made a few phone calls at my desk. 

Still, I was thinking, "This day is very quiet!" 

Only after driving to into far North Dallas (Plano, to be more precise--Collin County!) for an appoitment that didn't make due a failure in communication did I realize that I had no cell phone! 

Aaaaggggghhhhh! 

I actually resorted to the retail paint counter at a nearby Home Depot to borrow a phone to call back to the office to figure out what was going on.  Of course, the office had been trying to call me to no avail since everyone was calling my cell phone, remember the one that I left at home?

Once I recovered from the feeling of complete isolation and "cut-off-ness" (that can't be a real word, can it?), I realized that I actually could settle into the quiet, forced and temporary as it might be. 

It felt really very nice not being in touch or available to everyone in the world at every single second of the entire day. 

I began to recall the good old days before cell phones were so available to everyone.  I remembered with fondness my first "car phone."  The thing was about the size of a brick cut in half and weighted about the same. 

At first I thought, "How did we ever work without them?" 

Quite well actually. 

And, maybe it is just me, but I think we may have worked more sanely with a much more even stride about our days. 

Could I go back? 

Would it be possible? 

Dare I try?

"Oh, oh, thanks, I must have dozed off in the remarkable quiet of this very strange day!" 

Our latest E-magazine

Check out Central Dallas Ministries' latest e-magazine here.

Reactions welcome!

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Drop into my world for a moment. . .

Take a moment to drop into my world for just a moment by going here.

This e-magazine format allows us to get the word out about what we are doing here in inner city Dallas.

After you've "turned the pages" and watched the on-site messages, I'd love to get your feedback on what you see, as well as the format.

Thanks!

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Hate speech

Politics gets nasty.

When I was a graduate student at Tulane University, I remember reading newspapers dating from the 1830s. The political rhetoric that filled those publications during national elections was incredibly vitriolic and hateful. The political cartoons were sometimes even more scathing! The attacks often turned downright personal. The material rivaled any hotly contested race today.

Politics just gets that way.

But today, it seems to me that we're crossing sacred boundaries to our own peril. Some of what is being said in this campaign cuts into the health of the nation's soul.

Earlier this week, we heard reports of racial epitaphs being shouted from campaign audiences against Senator Barack Obama. The use of the senator's middle name in a blatantly discriminatory and fearful manner, the veiled language of racism that identifies Obama as "not like us," charges that he was a terrorist and even voices shouting for his death were heard in more than one campaign speech and from more than one rally crowd. This all reminds me of the rhetoric surrounding the 1960 presidential campaign and the hate-filled language directed toward President Kennedy leading up to his assassination here in Dallas. It is all despicable.

For the leaders of such audiences, and by that I mean those who are at the podium speaking and those who organize the events, to refuse to stop immediately and challenge or correct such behavior is a serious moral problem. Such tactics destroy community, foster hatred and diminish the quality of life for every American.

This is not a partisan issue. It is not a political issue. This is a spiritual concern that points up just how far off course we have gone.

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Introducing The CDM Online Magazine

We're so excited to bring you Central Dallas Ministries' first ever Online Magazine.

With articles, images, and videos all in one innovative online format, you'll get a front row seat to the vital and hope-giving work CDM is doing every day.

Click here to open the magazine and go to the heart of Central Dallas Ministries right from your computer:

http://www.pursuantgroup.net/centraldallasministries/hope/0808/

As always, your feedback is encouraged!

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Just for fun, but with a point. . .

Want to see an extremely creative website?

Take a look at http://www.signmeupstan.com/. It is a hoot!

The Richards Group is one of the premier advertising agencies here in Dallas. Obviously, Stan Richards is a creative genius. I also expect he is really fun to work for.

When you get to the site, be sure and click on "The Meeting." The other spots are great, but this one is where you need to go today.

In community development, as in business, the group culture needs to work off of the assumption that there are really no dumb proposals and that mistakes are not only tolerated, they are encouraged for the sake of creativity, progress and group solidarity.

Let me know what you think after you take a look. I gotta tell you, I howled!


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YouTube and Central Dallas Ministries

If you have a moment, check out the Central Dallas Ministries' YouTube site at:

http://www.youtube.com/cendalmin.

Tell me what you think about it!

My dear friend, "Anonymous"

Back on Thursday, February 15, 2007, I quoted Antonio Gramsci's description of the impact of World War I on Russian peasants and subsequent Russian political life.

Gramsci happened to have been a disciple of Karl Marx.

As I often manage to do, I ruffled the feathers of my good, good friend, "Anonymous."

Here's what "Anonymous" posted in my comment box in response to my decision to quote a Marxist philosopher:

"At 8:48 PM, Anonymous said...
Larry, it would be nice if you would quote some of our founding fathers rather than the founder of the Communist Party of Italy."

You gotta love "Anonymous."

At least he or she took the time to respond, got involved, mixed it up, expressed a thought, shared a point of view, cared enough to give me a piece of his/her mind!

I love that! It's a big part of why I blog--that and my obvious need for therapy--stay close to the phone Dr. Parsons!

Every time I get a message from Old "Anonymous" though, I find myself wishing that he would come out into the light just a step or two farther.

You know.

Provide us with her name!

Identity is important for authentic conversation, at least it seems so to me.

I'm about ready to start a national campaign. You know, something along the lines of:

"Anonymouses of the world unite! Declare your names so all will know!"

Wonder if it would do any good?

Whatever, I just want to go on record again to say that I hope "Anonymous" will keep posting, even if I never get a name to go with the comments.

Which brings me back to the post "Anonymous" left me.

I believe "Anonymous" deserves to be taken seriously.

So, here's a quote from one of our most famous founding fathers about a subject related to my original, and for "Anonymous" objectionable, post:

"I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just"--Thomas Jefferson.