Culture Creating

Clear-ish Communication

Here’s a little something I posted on Emergent Village’s site the other day… Postmodern linguist theory seems to suggest that humans only communicate proximately. No one can perfectly understand what another is trying to communicate. Basically all I can hope

Dwight J. Friesen September 1, 2003November 23, 2022

merchants of cool

The other night i watched a great PBS documentary called the Merchants of Cool. It talks about the way teens are marketed to in our culture. Good stuff. Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen August 30, 2003May 4, 2022

Blog or Journal?

I was having lunch with Andy and Joanna the other day, and we got to talking about our online blogs, Journals, etc., and Joanna commented on what an ugly word “blog” is. Aesthetics have always been important to me. I

Dwight J. Friesen August 22, 2003May 4, 2022

semioics of blogging?

I’ve been doing a lot of reading and research in the area of semiotics (a philosophical theory of the functions of signs and symbols, especially the unintended signs). What do the signs of blogging reveal? Smoke in the woods may

Dwight J. Friesen August 19, 2003May 4, 2022

The Futility of Trying to “Preach” Everything of Importance

Here is an exciting essay by educator, Grant Wiggins. Entitled: “The Futility of Trying to Teach Everything of Importance.” As I read this article I could help but think of the implications for teaching, preaching and discipleship with the Christ-community.

Dwight J. Friesen August 4, 2003November 24, 2022

“Failure”

failure by dwight j. friesen 2×4 skeleton Only partially dressed Weathered Rusted nailed Forsaken A castle never to be A dream awakened too soon? No moving vans No kids doing the “dance of the summer sprinkler” No humming lawnmower Or

Dwight J. Friesen May 7, 2003November 7, 2021

“Morning Poem”

Morning Poem by Mary Oliver Every morning the world is created. Under the orange sticks of the sun the heaped ashes of the night turn into leaves again and fasten themselves to the high branches– and the ponds appear like

Dwight J. Friesen April 28, 2003June 28, 2023

Comfy Chair

Comfy Chair by dwight j. friesen Afghan wrapped and curled up in a comfy chair She sits for hours in another world Laughing and weeping with her fictional friends Her heart breaks with theirs Her tea grows cold, in her

Dwight J. Friesen March 6, 2003November 7, 2021

“Aimless Love”

Aimless Love by Billy Collins This morning as I walked along the lakeshore, I fell in love with a wren and later in the day with a mouse the cat had dropped under the dining room table. In the shadows

Dwight J. Friesen February 14, 2003January 11, 2023

Remembering Neil Postman

“People will come to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think” ― Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death Neil Postman (1931-2003) died yesterday, October 5, 2003. Postman was chair of the Department of Culture and Communications at New York University,

Dwight J. Friesen January 6, 2003January 15, 2021

“Hurt” by Johnny Cash

Hurt Covered by Johnny Cash, written by Michael Trent Reznor I hurt myself today To see if I still feel I focus on the pain The only thing that’s real The needle tears a hole The old familiar sting Try

Dwight J. Friesen December 3, 2002November 7, 2021

“I Wish I was the Moon”

I Wish I Was the Moon by Neko Case Chimney falls and lovers blaze Thought that I was young Now I’ve freezing hands And bloodless veins As numb as I’ve become I’m so tired I wish I was the moon

Dwight J. Friesen September 8, 2002September 8, 2022

Banksy “Girl with the Red Balloon”

This piece of art appeared on Waterloo Bridge in London. It by the secretive street/graffiti artist Banksy. There is something about this piece that I just love. Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen August 30, 2002May 4, 2022

brittle branches

brittle branches by Dwight J. Friesen bunches of brittle branches felled – by sea gale and a large toothed saw no life no sap no flex no growth blocking sun cut – pile – burn it takes so little to

Dwight J. Friesen February 22, 2002November 5, 2021

“A Gift” by Denise Levertov

A Gift by Denise Levertov Just when you seem to yourself nothing but a flimsy web of questions, you are given the questions of others to hold in the emptiness of your hands, songbird eggs that can still hatch if

Dwight J. Friesen January 10, 2002November 18, 2021

“…Paradise in the Dust of the Street” Denise Levertov

City Psalm by Denise Levertov The killings continue, each second pain and misfortune extend themselves in the genetic chain, injustice is done knowingly, and the air bears the dust of decayed hopes, yet breathing those fumes, walking the thronged pavements

Dwight J. Friesen November 20, 2001November 5, 2021

Childhood Hero Died

Saddened to learn of the death of Ernie Coombs, forever known to me as Mr. Dressup. Ernie Coombs died on September 18, 2001 after suffering a stroke a few days earlier. I suppose Mr. Dressup was Canada’s Mr. Rogers, and

Dwight J. Friesen September 19, 2001February 13, 2024

What is Happening?

I woke up to the news and the images of the airplanes being flown into the towers, and I haven’t been able to turn off the TV. I have no words… feeling shock, fear, horror, grief, disbelief, confused… bracing for

Dwight J. Friesen September 11, 2001November 4, 2022

“Go to the Limits of Your Longing” by Rainer Maria Rilke

Go to the Limits of Your Longing by Rainer Maria Rilke God speaks to each of us as he makes us, then walks with us silently out of the night. These are the words we dimly hear: You, sent out

Dwight J. Friesen August 6, 2001November 5, 2021

“Clair de Lune”

I don’t recall when or where I was first introduced to the music of Claude Debussy, it was probably TV or film, but I do remember the first recording I purchased was when I was in high school. A cassette

Dwight J. Friesen May 30, 2001September 13, 2022

Fall of the Mighty Kingdome

Part of what I will remember about 2000 was the implosion of Seattle’s Kingdome. Its amazing to me that those things that seem so solid can be gone so quickly. A form of impermanence… I have survived longer than this

Dwight J. Friesen December 18, 2000October 22, 2022

Seattle & WTO . . . “This is What Democracy Looks Like”

I just saw the documentary, This is What Democracy Looks Like, I posted the trailer above. The film is a look at last year’s protests in Seattle responding to the international gathering of the World Trade Organization Summit. That was

Dwight J. Friesen December 17, 2000November 20, 2021

“This is to Mother You” by Sinéad O’Connor

This is to Mother You by Sinéad O’Connor This is to mother you  To comfort you and get you through  Through when your nights are lonely  Through when your dreams are only blue  This is to mother you  This is

Dwight J. Friesen October 30, 2000November 5, 2021

“Global Requiem” by Jack Miles

 GLOBAL REQUIEM: THE APOCALYPTIC MOMENT IN RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND ART by Jack Miles Humans might become extinct sooner than anyone imagines. Think of the prospect as an opportunity for spiritual and artistic growth. JACK MILES is Senior Advisor to the

Dwight J. Friesen October 22, 2000November 5, 2021