So you think you are smart?

Recently a friend told me they thought I was a pretty smart person. When it comes to general knowledge about the social sciences, considering I haven't taken any post graduate classes, their observation, is probably fairly accurate, but as I said, there are so many other areas of life I am as ignorant, or more ignorant than anyone else...and...I also pointed out that knowledge and wisdom, or, knowing how to use/apply knowledge, for the general good, are not the same thing, and being smart, in itself, is not a virtue and sometimes can be a burden because a lot of folks seem to associate being smart with being arrogant...at least that has been my experience...while somewhat flattered by my friends observations I do try to not take myself too seriously regarding what I know or don't know... so... I directed the conservation towards the kind of vocabulary smart people use when discussing their subject matter. I moved the conversation in this direction to make light of and have fun with the subject at hand...but... I don't mean to be disrespectful to people who have spent their lifetime studying, writing, and teaching others. I really do have great respect for scholars, and people in general, who read, think, and are willing to put their thoughts out there for others consideration....anyway...later that evening I sat down and put together a list of vocabulary words I thought smart people might know or use in a discussion. There are two lists. The first list consists of vocabulary words associated with philosophy and theology/religious studies, and the second list are words, smart people in general, might know or use on a regular basis. So what qualifies me to make such a list, one might ask?...Nothing...and...I admit this list are nothing more or less than the musings and ramblings of a lifetime quasi/armchair/philosophy/theology/psychology student and observer of the social sciences who doesn't take himself too seriously most of the time...and...let's just have some fun with this...and...if you see yourself as one of the smart ones check out the list below and ask yourself how many of these words do you know and use on a regular basis...and finally...don't forget...if you don't come out too well on this unscientific list of words you can console yourself by the fact that probably 99% of the general population don't know what the hell most of these words mean either....Have fun....


Philosophy/Theology Vocabulary

1. META-NARRATIVE

2. REDUCTIONISM

3. ARIANISM

4. EXISTENTIAL

5. PARADIGM SHIFT

6. DUALISM

7. APOLOGETICS

8. SEPTUAGINT

9. POMOXIAN

10. ETHNO-CENTRISM

11. KERGMA

12. METAPHYSICS

13. EPISTEMOLOGY

14. MODERNITY

15. SYNERGISM

16. GNOSTIC

17. HERMENEUTICS

18. EMERGENT CHURCH

19. EXEGESIS

20. ORTHOPRAXIS

21. ARCHETYPES

22. NEO-ORTHODOXY

23. DIDACHE

24. CHRISTIAN ANARCHY

25. APOCRYPHA

26. QUIETISM

27. QUANTUM PHYSICS

28. POST-EVANGELICAL

29. PRAXIS

30. PATRISTIC

31. PRE-DESTINATION

32. ESCHATOLOGY

33. PLURALISM

34. VENERATION OF THE MARTYRS

35. NE0-PLATONISM

36. VICAR OF CHRIST

37. IDOLATRY OF IDEOLOGY

38. DISPENSATIONALISM

39. CANONIZATION

40. PANENTHEISM


Smart people vocabulary list continued: General vocab


1. OXYMORON

2. COGNITIVE DISSONANCE

3. EGALITARIAN

4. DIALETIC

5. EMPIRICAL

6. PONTIFICATE

7. IMMANENT

8. ECUMENICAL

9. NIHILISTIC

10. JUDICATE

11. NARCISSISTIC

12. PEJORATIVE

13. EPIPHANY

14. INTEGRATE

15. ANTITHESIS

16. QUANDARY

17. EFFICACIOUS

18. QUASI

19. PSEUDO

20. MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE

21. INQUISITIVE

22. PARADOX

23. HOLISTIC

24. ANTHROPOMORPHIC

25. AUTONOMOUS

26. ANTIQUARIAN

27. RHETORICAL

28. ENIGMA

29. APOCALYPTIC

30. SUBVERSION

31`. ABSOLUTISM

32. RELATIVISTIC

33. ERUDITE

Looking for something to watch?

A scene from Planet Earth

I have only seen one movie at the theatre this summer, and wish I hadn't, which is unusual for me since I love going to the movies so much...but...I refuse to spend my hard earned money on more summer sequels or movies I suspect were produced to simply make a buck. Two summers ago an article appeared in the local Bakersfield paper entitled the "summer of sequels" which documented the release of 22 movie sequels. I don't know how many sequels there are this summer but the trend has continued every summer now...and... I have had enough.....So what is a person to do, especially someone who loves films?...There are numerous options including looking for low budget, independent, off the radar screen, films at the local video store...but...this summer I have chosen to spend my money on two highly acclaimed video productions produced by the BBC. Over the past ten years the BBC has spent up to 75 million dollars to produce the Blue Planet and the Planet Earth series which, imo, are two of the greatest, if not the greatest, nature films ever produced. I originally discovered the Planet Earth series while channel surfing and watching television with my two sons...both my two sons were amazed and captivated by the incredible photography and narration of David Attenborough which is no small feat considering that my sons are 17 years old and lets just say haven't shown much interest in nature, documentaries, or educational related films, in general, over the past couple of years...so...I ponied up the 80 bucks and purchased the two series together on Amazon. Eighty bucks might be a bit much pocket change but the two series combined include 15 episodes which comes out to just over five bucks an episode...and...since I figure to watch these films over and over again in the years to come I consider this a real bargain. The Blue Planet series consists of four episodes of Ocean life covering the Coral Seas, Frozen Seas, Coasts, and the Ocean Deep. The Planet Earth series is a much more extensive series which includes eleven episodes covering everything from jungles,forests,mountains, the two poles, to life in caves...so...if you are looking for something to watch this summer and like me, you are fed up with the same old, Hollywood, let's make a buck approach to films you might consider checking out the world we live in by watching the Blue Planet or the Planet Earth series...important note... for anyone who might consider buying the Planet Earth series. There are apparently two different versions. One is narrated by Sigourney Weaver and the other by David Attenborough. The films are the same but the narrations different. I have seen episodes by both narrators and consider Attenborough far superior to Weaver. Weaver is very dry in her narration while Attenborough comes across as much more lively which is as expected considering he has been narrating nature films for decades now.

Trees of Life

"Trees provide a rudimentary lesson in enchantment: We need not cling anxiously to our own subjectivity, will, and desire; instead we can place trust in the beings around us who demonstrate many alternative ways to be a contributing, outstanding individual. A tree tells us what gives it pleasure, and it is so good at offering us benefits beyond measure that we have no reason not to surrender ourselves to it. We can sit on a tree's limb, rest against its trunk, enjoy its fruits and nuts, sit under its shade, and watch it dance in the wind. The lessons we can learn from a tree are infinite, and its pleasures indescribable. There are moments in anyone's life when to be a tree-tall, straight, fertile, rooted, branching, expressive, and solid-would be the most effective therapy"...Thomas Moore, The Enchantment of Everyday Life.

I just got from a five day road trip in the White Mountains and the Eastern Sierras photographing the Giant Sequoias and the ancient Bristlecone trees. The Bristecone trees are the oldest trees in the world and the Sequoias the biggest.
I would have stayed two days longer but I injured my back. Nothing serious, just tweaked it while mountain bike riding and hiking...I have got to start acting my age...I mentioned the Bristlecone trees in my last blog entry. They are an amazing tree which can only be found in the moon like desolate landscape of the White Mountains which lie due east of the High Sierras. I had never been in the White Mountains before because of the remote location and inaccessibility. I had to travel 13 miles of dirt road just to reach the Patriarch grove which is located near twelve thousand feet. The Bristlecone tree lives only at an altitude between 10 and 12 thousand feet which helps to explain their stunted twisted shape. The Bristlecone trees can live up to over four thousand years which is truly amazing considering the extreme harsh climate and the lack of moisture that exists in the White Mountains. I only spent one day here because of the harsh climate and terrain...but...was able to take over 50 pictures of one of the rarest trees in the world.

I spent the next three days at Mammoth Mountain ski resort hiking and biking before I stumbled into Sequoia National Park. I say stumbled because my back was killing me by the time I reached Sequoia National Park. I also spent only one day in Sequoia National Park but was able to hobble up and down a few trails and get a few pics of the biggest trees in the world. The giant Sequoias are the cousins of the coast redwoods which are the tallest trees in the world. Both species of trees are both tall and big but the Sequoias are bigger around and have a distinct bright red bark. I took a few pictures but it is extremely difficult to photograph these giants because they are just too big to fit in the one picture.... most of the time.

I have been interested in photographing trees for a couple of years now. They come in so many difficult sizes and shapes which are a dream for a photographer...but...I am also interested in trees for their spiritual and enchanting qualities which are alluded and implied to in the quote by Moore. For some time now I have tried to root my spiritual values and outlook, "in this world", and consider trees an important potential spiritual aspect of our day to day experience because of their unique qualities and their availability. Oftentimes, I think we take for granted the things God has put in our daily lives, and for me, trees have become an important aspect of my own spiritual experience which nurtures my soul.

The Giant Sequoias

Bristlecone Forest Pics

The Magic of Trees

It's been almost two months since I last posted anything on this blog. I am not going to try to catch up with what has happened, other than to mention, my brother died suddenly of a heart attack last week. It was a real tragedy on numerous fronts and was a shock to the whole family. Although my brother and I have not been particularly close over the past twenty years I do have many fond memories of him taking me camping, fishing, and hunting when I was small. He introduced me to the High Sierra's which is one of the loves of my life and for that I am forever grateful. My brother was not a particularly religious man but he did live life with a lot of zest and he was a good role model for living life as an adventure and I will always remember him for that.

Summer has begun and as it stands right now I am tentatively planning to take a few trips but not sure where because I am somewhat at the mercy of the schedules of others regarding when and where I might go. Next week I am hoping to take off for a week, on my own, to the High Sierra's of California and hope to take some pictures of the oldest trees in the world, the ancient Bristle cone trees which can only be found in the High Sierras. Some of these trees are well over 4,OOO years old.... Over the years I have taken quite a few pictures of trees and have decided to create a photography portfolio of trees from my travels. I have become fascinated with trees over the past couple of years and have come to understand that trees reflect so much of what life is about...beauty, mystery, grace, color, age, stamina, survival, community, determination, diversity, etc. All of these qualities and many more can be found in trees. They are truly fascinating...

Finally, over the past couple of weeks I have come to understand that I prefer interaction with others....which....helps to explain why I have not posted much on my blog over the past three or four months. I prefer spending my time interacting face to face with people and discussion this or that on the yahoogroups. I don't know what this means for the future of blog??? I suspect I will keep blogging but am not sure how often. I don't like to go so long between blog entries but I also don't like to spend too much time blogging, especially if I have time to spend with others. Writing is also not my strong suit and it requires a lot of energy for me to put together something that truly reflects how I think and feel. It's a chore in other words...anyway...for those who check in from time to time...sorry....it took so long, I'll try to keep up better...