Week since Arisia in review

[magid]

– severe undersleptness (in a good cause and all, but still)
– minimal exercise
+/– working on MLK day (missing some of Arisia, lacking any recovery time, but earning a comp day of my choice)
+ getting to watch the inauguration at work
– a very Xtian invocation
+ Obama's speech, Aretha Franklin's hat, rhymes in the closing dedication, also Yo-yo Ma's grin
+ gaming (still not dead yet)
+ brain-stretching work
+ short-notice excursion to a circus at the EmersonCutler Majestic
– unexpected social messiness
+ meeting new people
+ living room slowly becoming closer to reorganized
+ buying kiddush and delivering it to shul before work Friday morning (and later getting compliments on the selection)
+ hosting Shabbat dinner
+ getting my wish for shul this morning: I wanted to be the one to say the prayer for the government, something I've turned down until now
– other social plans falling through

Comments

[scholargipsy.livejournal.com]

I disliked the invocation on a number of levels, and wish Warren hadn't been asked. I have no problem with Christianity as long as it tolerates my right not to be Christian, but he's a creep, and an uninspiring speaker to boot.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Even without the his politics, he felt like a guy giving a token nod to people of all faiths, but really using that inclusive language to wrap his Xtian, all the way, message. And I agree with his delivery not being impressive. Though I have to say, given his message, I'm glad of that.

I was pleased to hear non-believers mentioned in Obama's speech, more so because I'd been hanging out with an old college friend who's a high-profile atheist, and I knew that must feel good to him.

[arfur]

as another one of same, I must say I cringed at that moment: I do not choose to identify as a "non-believer". I believe in many things. Some of them are even backed up by a vague faith -- just not an organized one. But my brain does not lack any central adult faculty, and I hear that implication when many people count "non-believer" as one of the major categories to understand the world by, use the term.