CoppahHead

The next door neighbors were outside shooting hoops, and they saw(and killed) a copperhead snake. The copperhead is a wicked dangerous snake, and my little kid is only about thirty pounds. Holy crap, I gotta find a good job back in the Commonwealth. Who can help out and abet my escape from the Confederacy?

Symbolismology

I watched my toddler, now just a little over one year old, dealing with language. She can say mono and duosyllabic things like "hello", "Daddy", "Mommy", and the string of "nonono..." Then I saw her checking out a fruity cheerio very closely. She was feeling it, smelling it, seeing it, and eventually tasting it. She was bringing the fruity cheerio into her world experience. She was interacting with that cheerio like she never will be able to again, because soon she will be equipped with a symbolic representation, the word, cheerio. The symbol will separate her from the quintessence. She will thereafter have to translate the object into the symbolic representation in order to process it intellectually. She will judge other cheerios by the standard cheerio in her experience- honey nut will be the cheerio without colors, etc. Our ability to effectively use these symbols elevates us as a species, but may detract from our individual life experiences. As symbols separate artifice and archetype, so do they separate our consciousness from the numinous. And when she can read, and reads this, she will know, intellectually, that her dad is a weirdo.

Acceptable Levels of Self Identification

I was in a meeting at work where the use of affinity groups to disseminate marketing material and bolster volunteerism was discussed. I'm not sure either one of those things is cool, but here it was, being discussed by people with big heads and degrees in this stuff. They were saying that it is OK to market the Firm as "the right firm for Latin Americans" to Latinos and the "right firm for African Americans" to African Americans through the unconventional, more word of mouth distributions by the affinity groups formed at the Firm. Is that genuine, or is it misrepresentation?

Volunteerism was discussed because people in a certain affinity group, it was said, will have a stronger tendency to sustain volunteer activity that directly benefits people with whom they identify. Is that really volunteerism after all, then? And, we know that the effort was supported as free marketing by building goodwill in the affinity group communities.

Here's the thing: should these activities be encouraged and supported by the Firm? Aren't affinity groups tools of exclusion rather than inclusion? And, tacitly, my group, the white male group, is excluded from having an affinity group. Are these groups as a whole a manifestation of man's modern need for Othering?

Old is New

I guess I can write to this after all.....

Saturday Sessions at the Irish Cultural Centre

Every Saturday at 8 PM come enjoy a session of traditional tunes and songs at the Irish Cultural Centre of New England with some of the best msucians and singers in the Boston area.

Irish Cultural Centre of New England
200 New Boston Drive
Canton, MA 02021
United States
781-821-8291
office@irishculture.org

Sean Kane hosts area trad musicians for inclusive and energetic weekly sessions of tunes and songs.

Long time no posts

It's embarrassing when you can't remember your password to log in. Thanks to Traveler as usual for the excellent posts and keeping this blog afloat. I am stuck in a year of classes for a 2nd masters--a circumstance to which I think Traveler can relate. Life is busy--surprise. Reading here with enjoyment at least.

Sean's song on National Public Radio Website

Hi All:

I thought I'd mention this:

National Public Radio's website hosts a program called Open Mic, for
unsigned acts.

On January 2nd, 2007, my song A Nation of One will be the featured
song at this link: NPR Open Mic

Or: http://www.npr.org/templates/topics/topic.php?topicid=1094

The song, a few pictures, and a short biography and song explanation will be featured along with a link to the actual song. The song also will be podcasted.

If you think of it on Tuesday, check it out. Thanks.

Borderliner

Back in Ireland

I was just able, for the first time, to access and listen to the music that Borderliner has on the web. It is good stuff, and I think he should be doing more of it, or at least sharing more of it. Of course I love them all, but I found the most poignant to be Back in Ireland. It speaks to the same emotion I have every time I go or come.

Recently too, I have taken a job that keeps me bound to the North American continent, so Traveler doesn't really travel so much anymore. Anytime I consider running off somewhere I have to consider the effect on the kids and the nuclear family, and I realize that giving in to my restlessness and the angst it causes is just a form of selfishness. Good God, am I growing up?

Still and all, the music touches the remaining spirit tying me to my family and well spent misspent youth in Ireland! If any of you get the chance then please read my cousin's book, Man Overboard, reviewed here:

http://www.interlinkbooks.com/BooksM/man_overboard.html

Mojo

My daughter asked me yesterday, "Dad, what's mojo mean?" I told her to ask her mother, but her mother didn't know. When the daughter said this, I nearly fell off the couch. I explained to the daughter that Mojo is an Americanization of the Akan idea of Moja, usually spelled Modwa, which is the literal word for blood. The idea of modwa is that each individual has a unique spiritual dimension that is received through the blood of his mother at birth. This is in keeping with the matrilineal succession idea- the idea that divine right and "personhood" comes from the mother. Akan people, indeed most West Africans, venerate their mothers. So, when in American blues music you hear the phrase, "I got my mojo workin'", it refers to fully being the person fate has destined you to be, and through this harmony with the universe achieving great things. By the time I got halfway through this explanation my daughter was far away dressing a doll or banging the scooter into the garage wall, and I could hear my wife rolling her eyes (it's a skill that comes after years and years of marriage). If you've read this entire post then you are so patient.