I just had to share this because it makes me grin. And today I desperately need to grin. Maybe you do too.

....

I first heard of Improv Everywhere while watching the first season of the TV version of This American Life.

From their website: "Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. Created in August of 2001 by Charlie Todd, Improv Everywhere has executed over 85 missions involving thousands of undercover agents. The group is based in New York City."

Browsing their website and reading about their missions, I came across the "High Five Escalator" mission from back in February 2009.  Several agents posted themselves along an escalator at the 53rd and Lexington subway station during the morning rush hour. Holding signs that said "Rob wants to give you a high five. Get Ready!" Agent Ron Lathan proceeded to give out over 2,000 high fives in 45 minutes.

Haha! I just love this so much! HIGH FIVE!

IE's website includes lots more awesome pictures and a video of the mission.

.....

If we want to get all analytical about this:

For the last couple of months, I have been studying certain aspects of postmodernism for a class I am taking. Improve Everywhere is a perfect example of postmodern performance art. Their missions are comedic "happenings" - a hallmark of postmodernism.  And for the most part, I find them absolutely delightful.  Occasionally IE has stepped on people's toes; the mission highlighted in This American Life - "Best Gig Ever" - is an example of this. But IE's intention is to bring a little surprising laughter to unsuspecting folks. And I think that is brilliant.

For the most part, I do not care for postmodern art. More importantly, I have grave concerns about the causes and effects of postmodern art. (And boy, do I know what a loaded statement that is, but I am not up for taking that subject on right now!)  But this group seems to me to be a positive example of postmodernism.

What about you, Dear Readers, who may be in a more reflective mood? Any thoughts on Improv Everywhere, or on postmodern art in general? Wouldn't you love to give Rob a high five?

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I have this weird tendency that I cannot account for, but music that I end up loving almost always turns me off the first time I hear it. In fact, if I like something right away, that does not bode well for the longevity of its appeal. Of course, not everything I dislike ends up becoming a favorite - some things I just outright dislike. But then there is the music that gradually grows on me, and to that music I become devoted.

Such has been the case with every Derek Webb and Caedmon's Call album that has come out since 40 Acres.  I have faithfully purchased nearly every record, and end up setting each aside as a mistake.  But then, weeks, sometimes months later, I revisit the album only to discover that it is actually quite amazing.

I don't know why I do this. I guess I have to struggle with the music if its going to be a lasting relationship.

Anyway, this is what happened with Derek Webb's most recent album, Stockholm Syndrome. For a while now Derek (who I am not actually on a first name basis with, but calling him "Webb" just sounds silly) has been irking me lately with his preachy curmudgeounly hipsterness, and his move away from acoustic music towards what I like to think of as the "Sufjan-ification" of his songs. But that's probably me just being judgmental. So the first time I listened to this new album, which I bought the very day it came out, I was like "what the heck is this?!" And then I didn't listen to it again for weeks.

Well, recently I have started listening to Stockholm Syndrome again, and holy cow, it's actually quite amazing. Well, to be more accurate, about a third of it is amazing, a third of it is pretty good, and a third of it I skip over. But the third that is amazing, WOW its...amazing.

So, enough of this jibba jabba about what I think, here are the two songs that I keep listening to over and over and over. Please to enjoy!

Update:  I should probably also include the "controversial" song that Derek says is the most imporant on the record.  It is also a really great tune, with lyrics that are provoking to some people.

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Err, so when I signed up for Blog Action Day a few weeks ago, I didn't realize that on that particular day I would be traveling all day. So, a day late is better than never, right?

Oddly enough, though, the reason I was traveling has everything to do with what I was planning on blogging about! 

I was traveling because I was in Portland attending a conference to do with my job. I work for a land trust.

Many people don't know what a land trust is, so bare with me for a bit of a jargony explanation. A land trust is a type of non-profit organization that protects land either by owning it outright either through purchase or donation, or by holding conservation easements. A conservation easement is a legal encumbrance voluntarily placed upon the title of the property that basically restricts development of that property forever. The land trust to which the conservation easement is sold or donated has the legal right and obligation to enforce the terms of the easement.

Blah biddy blah, to make a long story short, land trusts permanently protect land. Yipee!

Now at last to the point: while at the land trust conference in Portland, I attended a workshop on how land protection has to be a major part of our efforts to curb climate change. Protecting land helps in at least four ways:

• Carbon Sequestration - vast amounts of carbon are absorbed from the air and stored in trees, plants, wetlands, even soil! Protecting important pieces of property from being developed preserves this necessary function.
   
• Preservation of Habitat and Migration Corridors - many species are having a heck of a time surviving as it is. By preserving contiguous undeveloped land, we not only ensure a place for wildlife to live and thrive now, but also provide pathways for species to travel and have new homes when changes in climate may force them to migrate.
   
• Groundwater Protection - unless you live by a river, your drinking water comes from aquifers deep under the ground. In order to continue replacing that source of drinking water, land has to remain unpaved and unbuilt in order to absorb rainwater and draw it down into the aquifers. Instead, when land is paved and built on, rainwater runoff rushes quickly into streams and rivers without any time to be absorbed into the ground. Additionally this increases erosion, pollution from oil, fertilizers and pesticides found on the ground. If climate change makes drinking water an increasingly valuable resource, anything we can do to protect drinking water sources will be important.
   
• Natural Disaster Buffering - floodplains, riparian corridors (aka green strips of land along rivers), coastal wetlands and estuaries are not only hugely valuable lands in terms of beauty and biodiversity, they also provide protection from the effects of floods and storms. Giving rising waters from rivers and oceans caused by storms room to dissipate and be absorbed over undeveloped land lessens their devastation on human and natural communities.

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So, I spent the weekend tending my sick husband, who I firmly believe has...

TEH SWINE FLU! OMGOSH!

(Unrelated aside: I think internet lingo and LOLcat speak and all that stuff is freaking hilarious, and I love using it. But my conscience won't let me use OMG and WTF, so I have to use OMGOSH or WTH or similar. Does anyone else do this?)(Oops, I just used OMG and WTF! Crap!)(ACK! I did it again! Sorry!)

What was I talking about?

Oh yeah. TEH SWINE FLU OMGOODNESS!

My husband has not actually been tested, so I guess we can't say with all certainty that he does in fact have swine flu. But he has all the symptoms (including nausea and puking, wheeee!), and he already got the regular flu shot, and it has been confirmed to be going around at the seminary we attend. So, there you go. It's confirmed in my mind.

Of course, I was pretty sure I had the swine flu back in the spring, and that turned out to be strep throat. But this is different!

Thus far I have not caught it. And I pray fervently that I do not catch it because I am all out of sick time at work!

The only upshot to his illness is that it has allowed me to play nurse, and I just love fussing over him when he doesn't feel well.  I ran to the store to stock up on medicines and fruit smoothies, I have taken his temperature dozens of times, tucked him under the covers on the couch with mugs of hot tea, I even cooked some homemade chicken soup! I just love showing my love through this kind of attentive service.  Isn't that so sweet you could puke?

So, the lesson of the day is: WASH YOUR HANDS! AND COUGH IN YOUR ELBOWS! AND DON'T KISS ANY PIGGIES!

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"The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists of listening to them. Just as love of God begins with listening to his Word, so the beginning of love for our brothers and sisters is learning to listen to them."

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

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This week has left me with mush for brains, so how about some Heap. As for me, I am on the couch, in my jammies, with a purring kitteh in my lap, and that is how I plan to spend the rest of the evening.

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I am breaking one of the cardinal rules of successful blogging, I'M MOVING!

You can now find follow my brilliant and articulate (and humble) ramblings over at chaseafterwind.blogspot.com

Please remember to update all your bookmarks, links and RSS feed-readers so I don't lose you forevers!  See you over there. xo

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