hmmmm....

I haven't heard back from this guy yet, but I figured I'd post this, 'cause it's too good not too.

From: ---- ------ [******@*****.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 24, 2005 7:51 PM
To: mateo_lind@hotmail.com
Subject: Two dreams

Dear Mr Lind!

I´m writing to you from Sweden. I´m a 59 year old man, born in Aland, the islands between Sweden and Finland.
Three weeks ago I also had a dream I was wondering about. I was on a graveyard and somebody had told me I had to find a gravestone with a certain name on it. It was a sunny winterday with a little snow on the grass, just melting a little in the sunshine.
I ran from stone to stone desperately looking for that name, but I just couldn´t find it. I woke up feeling sad and cold of sweat and after some time realising it was only a dream. But I could not forget the very unusual name, "Titus Lind", I was told to look after, and I wondered if a person with that name really could exist in the real world. In Sweden Lind is a family name which is not so common, but not completely rare either. But the first name, Titus, I have heard only once in my life, and that belonged to an Estonian man I heard about when I was a boy back in Aland.
A couple of days later, I told my eldest daughter about the dream and the unusual name. She said she would make a search in the web for that name, Titus Lind, later.
The 9th of November, I went to Jerusalem in Israel and stayed there for one week in a Jewish family. When I came home, my daughter told me that the name didn´t exist in Sweden, but someone in The US used the name in a homepage and a blog.
I thought this was fantastic, but not before today I myself visited the blog.
I can tell you I was astonished when my eyes first of all located some sentences about a dream. What was this? You also had a dream? Not in the same time, but all the same strange. I read it and was even more astonished, because it seemd clearly to have some religious connection to my dream.
Before I tell you my interpretation of our dreams, I want to tell you one more amazing thing. I looked further down in your blog and found a picture of Jesus Christ, a very familiar picture to me. It was painted in Ameria by a man named Warner Sallman in 1941 and was widely spread all over the world. That man, Warner Sallman, was originally born in the Aland islands, and was a friend of my grandfather on mothers side. They were both born in a very small village, 20-30 persons, named Bratto, near Degerby in Foglo, Aland. In younger days Sallman emigrated to America. When I was a boy attending the sunday-school, we all got small copies of that painting, which was extra popular in Aland because of the origin of the painter. Three years ago, Sallmans children donated an exact copy of that painting to the church in Foglo, Aland.
Back to the dreams.
My dream, as I now see it, must mean that I tried to save your sole, but I didn´t succeed. Not in the dream at least.
Your dream, as I understand it, means that your soul was on it´s way down to darker places, but someone wanted to save it.
That someone has linked us together.
To end this story, I think I have an important message to you, and that it must be some reason for all this. At least I really want yuou to answer my letter, because I have a strong feeling that some high or holy power must have organised this connection.
I was a lecturer in statistics in younger days, and I can tell you, this can´t be a coincidence, such probabilities hardly exist.
I also wonder who you are. I mean could it be any other connection between us? Do you have any Swedish connection?
By the way, finally, I read about "Titus" in the encyclopedia. He was a roman empiror destroying Jerusalem in the year 70 after Christ, Jerusalem, which I visited for the first time in my life two weeks ago, just fter my dream. Talk about coincidents!

Once more, please, contact me!

Best regards
---- ------

And this is what I wrote back.

From: mateo_lind@hotmail.com
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 9:15 PM
To: ******@*****.com
Subject: RE: Two dreams

Hej, ----! Hur mår du?

I am a 26 year-old man who teaches Latin in Charlottesville, VA.

I actually know no Swedish, although my paternal grandfather was a Swede. All the rest of my ancestors were Dutch or Welsh. In fact, his father's (my great-grandfather) surname was something like Lilligigren, however, when he immigrated to the States his last name was replaced with something easier for Americans to spell. In fact, my first name is not Titus, but Matt. However, on my blog I use the allonym "Lucretius," after Titus Lucretius Carus, a 1st century B.C. Roman Epicurean philosopher. So one of my friends links to my blog by referring to me as Titus Lind.

However, the fact that this name appeared in your dream was remarkable if it were referring to me, because the names "Matt" and "Lind" are actually fairly common in the United States. In fact I think there are twenty other Matt Linds I have found through the internet.

I am sorry it took me so long to get back to you, but your e-mail came to me on Thanksgiving Day, a holiday in the United States when it is customary to travel and visit relatives. (The timing of your e-mail also seemed to me to be quite interesting.) I have been living in Virginia for the past five years, and I went to visit my sister who just moved to New York State for the holiday weekend. I just read your e-mail for the first time today.

The coincidences that you have pointed out are quite startling. I have been struggling with depression and questions about my faith for some time now. I interpreted my dream that God was still looking out for me even though I feel confused and lost. However, your e-mail was remarkable!

I was also amazed by the coincidence in the picture. I had merely looked for a picture of Christ that seemed to convey the idea of the beatitudes. However, I discovered on the internet that this Warner Sallman studied art in Chicago, IL, where I grew up.

I would love to hear about your experiences in Jerusalem, as it is a dream of mine to visit there someday. I personally have no connections to Sweden, as my family has been living in the United States for four generations. However, my wife's uncle is also of Swedish descent, and has visited his relatives in Sweden several times.

Thank you for taking the time and the effort to look me up and send me a note.

Blessings,

Matt Lind

una visión

Right before I woke up today—about a half an hour ago—I had a vivid dream that has burned itself into my head. This is a rare experience, because usually, I can't remember anything from my dreams.

I was at home in Chicago for some vacation, and it was summerish weather. Janna had taken our car to somewhere in West Michigan, I wasn't clear where. I had my bicycle. Somehow I was going to ride my bicycle to meet up with her—she was apparently driving back towards Chicago. I was planning on riding on the expressway, so I was pedaling towards the highway. As I was riding, I realized that it is illegal to ride one's bike on a limited-access highway. I then realized that I had no map, and my cell-phone only had about a day's worth of battery charge left. I also did not know if Janna's cellphone was on.

My bike began making an intolerable squeaking, and I had no oil. I had a little money, but I didn't want to buy a new container of oil just for this trip, because I already had one at home. I noticed the backdoor of a hardware or auto-parts store was open. So I snuck in, and sitting right there was a bottle of three-in-one oil. I put some on my bike, but I put too much on. As I was applying the oil, I saw a face looking through the window. I could tell that it was a child's face, so I made a loud noise to scare him away. However, when I looked closer, I could tell he was just barely a toddler, and, rather than being scared by the sound, he started making delighted baby gurgling noises. I made some silly faces at the baby and then I left.

I rode on, however, I had put so much oil on the gears of my bike, that I couldn't control it, and it was starting to wobble all over the road. In fact, some of the nuts were coming unscrewed, and I was about to go down, so I headed for the side of the road. However, when I fell over, instead of falling over into the grass and the bushes on the side, I fell right through them into a steep drop-off, that looked like a pure 70-foot free fall. I have always been told that if you fall in your dreams and you hit the ground, that's because you've died. Well, it has happened to me several times that I have fallen fairly far in my dream and hit the ground. However, this is the greatest free-fall that I can ever remember facing in a dream.


However, instead of hitting the ground, I grabbed on to...you guessed it...a vine. And for the first time in my dream, I used my upper body strength—it may be the first time I had any upper body strength in reality to use—and I climbed up that vine. I of course was thinking that all was lost, I didn't have a bike, a map, or a clue. But when I stepped back onto the shoulder, I saw my bike still standing, without a kickstand in the center of the intersection, where it finally wobbled and crashed to the ground. I rushed towards it, and screamed as loud as I could at the cars coming. They all slammed on their breaks, and I rolled my bicycle to the side of the road.

That's when I woke up. I think that it's a message from God. That's why I'm sharing it today. But, I'll let y'all decide what you think it means.

What I want for Christmas

Synopsis:
The O'Reilly Factor for Kids : A Survival Guide for America's Families

There's no one more blunt, more opinionated or more outspoken than the average teen. Except of course, Bill O'Reilly. In his latest book, the best-selling author and star TV journalist talks directly to kids!

Award winning broadcast journalist, number one cable news show anchor, best-selling author, husband, father of two and former teacher Bill O'Reilly talks candidly and firmly to teens about the challenges they are most likely to face in this exciting yet crazy time in their young lives. Some of the hot-button topics he addresses include bullying, cheating, sex, drugs, alcohol, advertising, smoking, music, money, relationships with parents, teachers and siblings, death, politics, God and more!

gratias agere

Matthew 5
¹¹Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

I've always felt that this was the most self-righteous of the beatitudes. It seemed like the only one that your Pat Robertsons or Jerry Falwells could really sink their teeth into.

Well, paint me red and call me a Republican. Forget teaching, I'm thinking about getting an MBA.

living as a Bal'moron for a weekend

According to my colleague Vickie, whose mother is from Baltimore, the city is known to locals as "Bal'more" and those same locals refer to themselves (or are referred to?--I wasn't quite sure which it was) as Bal'morons. We were there for the weekend for the 39th Annual ACTFL (pronounced as actful) Conference.


Anyways, we had attended the 2001 convention in D.C., which I had found eminently useful. However, I was a new teacher, and therefore, probably more open to new ideas. Yet this year, since the location was a little bit more distant, we drove up the night before, which allowed us to be treated to the inspirational opening plenary session. During this session we were treated to a smiling, waving ACTFL president, trumpeting the triumphs of the ACTFL organization, a monotone speech from the Italian ambassador (which wasn't even read off the teleprompter--have they no such technology in Italy?), and the awarding of the Foreign Language Teacher of the Year (the Teacher's Teacher's Pet--however, more power to him) in a cheesy reality TV show/Miss America moment.

However, the highlight of this plenary session were the inspirational stylings of one Nido Qubein. He treated us to such gems of inspirational wisdom as, "Don't think outside the box, throw the box out the window," and, "If you want to be rich, hang around with poor people and see what they do, and don't do it." Unfortunately, that seemed to be the exact opposite point of the convention. I summed up the theme of his talk to my peers as, "Believe in the power of belief."

I did meet a lot of interesting people, and I took some inspiration from the fact there are a lot of hard-working schlubs like me trying to bring a little knowledge into people's lives. Of course, on the front line in the battle against ignorance one can only expect the footsoldiers to be somewhat ignorant themselves. I feel that statement fairly describes me, and I hope any of my dedicated colleagues wouldn't take offense at that description.

Anyways, the lesson I took away from this convention was that the glass of the universe is both half full and half empty, and anyone who tells you that it is only one way is a damn, dirty liar.

I think this summer I'd like to go to the ACL Conference in Philly. However, ACTFL will be in Nashville and that would be the perfect excuse to visit ma soeur in the cradle of Country Music. And I could see that crazy replica of the Parthenon.

Oh, I posted some pictures from Allie's wedding.



Southernism of the Day
Yes, I'm shamelessly copying Joel. If "Bal'moron" doesn't count, then let's try this one for small people. Thanks, Karen.

"You're no bigger than a minute."

What's the emoticon for sarcasm?

I was watching Jon Stewart one time when he was interviewing that NBC reporter in the wheel chair—you know, the token cripple. Anyways, the guy in the wheelchair was describing this e-mail that he sent to someone in a sarcastic tone of voice, and Jon Stewart asked, quite humorously, "So, what emoticon did you use for that?"

It seems to me that the digital wonderland has yet to be populated by the Emily Posts of the world. For instance, Phil left what I thought was an hilarious comment on a previous post. However, that same kind of "joke" (albeit anonymously placed) was rather jarring and out of place on a post by Meg about people being rude. (By the by, check out Phil's thoughtful comments about that post.)

In fact, when I started this blog I found a new neighbor through the internet, whose whole blog consists of making rude comments. Although this kind of humor can be hit or miss, it is a guilty pleasure of mine.

Monday night in class, we attempted to have an online discussion. However, most of the time was spent by people making random comments so much so that any sort of discussion was completely impossible. This seems to be a crucial issue of the 21st century. I've heard many stories of students saying terribly hateful things to each other on IM while at home, and then coming to school the next day and acting as if nothing happened.

I must admit that this blog is less sincere than it should be, but how many things in this world can we honestly say merit sincerity by the virtue of their pure goodness? Of course, honestly, the fact that I'm asking that question makes the teacher in me want to through the adolescent inside of me out of the window. Thus the dilemma.

Hey, I had two beers with Dave again today after running, but I'm not a pathetic drunk. However, that is probably due to Obrita calling me on the telephone more than anything else. Although Dave and I ran the actual 4-miler course today in 34.5 minutes. So, I guess now I can move on to my next fitness goal.

Aub's wedding.

I made purty picturs. Go see them.

http://mattlind.bebo.com

rewriting history

I was under the impression that the only good writing is rewriting.

Of course, we shouldn't mention rewriting the intelligence before the advent of the Iraq War to suit the demands of the Bush Doctrine.

Also, as a Texan, Bush should have known a fundamental principle of human conflict--the best defense is a good offense. Unfortunately for Bush, he didn't realize that something apparently offensive--invading another country--would actually be defensive--regime change anyone? Then there is the whole problem that Bush is now on an extremely defensive offensive to justify his offensive defensive.

Of course, Kerry was just fencive, but after five years of the Bush Doctrine, it kind of seems like every man, woman, and child needs to fend for themselves.

Ahhhh, the sweet breakdown of civil society. At least we know it can happen in a semi-socialist paradise, too. Now, what is wrong with just waiting for the whole Arab world to get totally sick of mindless violence?

Here's a new "meme"

I don't need nothing, plus too many other Matts tried this one. However, Sara's idea was just too good, and since I believe that the fundamental basis of the universe is volition and intention, I thought I'd do my own version. (I googled "Matt wants" and here are the top eleven responses.)

1. Matt Wants Two In A Row


2. Matt wants to use the hanging text style.


3. Matt wants to reduce the size of government.


4. Matt wants to get Matt Mathis (PSC) to write some of this stuff down.


5. Matt wants his SOAP.


6. A good man, Matt wants to help them, even though it might cost him his life.


7. The last thing Matt wants is to involve a civilian in the investigation.


8. Matt wants to know why the hell Robin has that faggot costume.


9. matt wants to eat out


10. Matt wants to be with Seth.


11. Matt wants a narrower definition of "judicial activism" than we use.

What is it, my stinkin' birthday?

St. Paul in the Fall

What a beeyootiful wedding. It was at the totally swank St. Paul Hotel. Janna and I stayed with her mother's sister's husband's sister's son and his wife (Janna's uncle's nephew, for those of you keeping score). They were sooper nice and they had a jacuzzi in their basement apartment, in their wonderful house in the Historic Hill.

Yes, we visited the Mall of America. We kind of figured if we didn't go it'd be like visiting Keystone, SD and not seeing Mt. Rushmore. We walked almost the whole thing (it was good exercise), and then, by eating in the foodcourt, we put back on all the pounds we might have lost. We did, sadly to report, scream like little children on the twirling roller coaster.

We also went to a really sooper history museum called the Mill City Museum. They had a really cool freight elevator ride, and a wonderful view of the mighty Mississip. After that, we walked around downtown Minneapolis and went in a two-story Target, mirabile dictu.

The next day we checked out the St. Paul Cathedral after I ran 5.5 miles from our host's house to the State Capitol Building to the downtown riverfront and back up some giant hill. However, I can't lose a beat in this 4 miler training or Dave's gonna take me down.

On Friday night, Janna and I arrived in MSP from IAD (Allen or John Foster, I've always been curious?) via ORD and proceeded on a harrowing taxi-ride to our posh digs. We asked him if business was slower in November and he mentioned the onset of "eight years of suffering." Seeking clarification, we were treated to an incisive analysis of George Bush's economic policies as they applied to Muslim taxidrivers in the greater Twin cities area and the resurgence of China as an international economic power. None of this would have been terrible, excepting the relative incoherency of these complaints, if the taxi driver had any clue where he was. Fortunately, our more than gracious hosts were able to guide us safely, if not quite lately, to their domicile.


However, to top it all off, right before the wedding, Janna and I explored downtown St. Paul, and took a picture of the crowd in front of the Fitzgerald theater (so now we can say that we've been to Prarie Home Companion show and to the Fitzgerald, although not at the same time). Then, after the wedding, Garrison himself showed up at the St. Paul Hotel, and looking rather annoyed, had his picture taken with Allie and Matt.

Peace.

Muppetritious

You are Sam the Eagle. You are patriotic and devoted. And extremely anal.

HOBBIES:
Patriotism, Being appalled at what everyone else is doing.

FAVORITE MUSIC:
The National Anthem of America

FAVORITE MOVIE:
"An American In....America"

LAST BOOK READ:
"Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus,
Eagles are from America"

QUOTE:
"Please stop that now! It's un-American!"


What Muppet are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

So that's why I get so upset when our government is responsible for torturing people in secret Soviet detention centers. Apparently nothing secures freedoms and liberty better than Stalinism.

Holy gulag, Cheneyman!

Read this!

And I just thought those good people at the ICRC were using hyperbole to make their point. LORD have mercy on us, for we are a nation of sinners! Let's see what kind of damned perspective FOXNews can give us on this.

Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.

Post Scriptum

By the by, I'm off to Minneapolis for the weekend for a wedding. I'm giving a chapel talk on Ehud on Tuesday, so if any seminary types are willing to give my PowerPoint a quick heresy check, it'd be greatly appreciated. (By the by, that PowerPoint is a giant file, so don't even try and look at it unless you're on a high-speed connection.)

drunk-blogging on a cheap date

I sswear I only had two beerss. Go d that s is unforginving. If you're wondering, I'm purpeosefully not correcting the meistiakes that I type, because it make sit seem more like I'm hammered, wehich I am nottisha osrit of . God I 'm jus tmashin g the key board, and I even corrected some mistakes int ehre.

Anyways, I guess I'll try harder to type straight, 'cause it's only cute if you're drunk too. Not too mention that I went drinking on the corner because I was going to pick up my wife from work in a car, wait for it (I hate that phrase so much, god I'm a tool). Now that I'm typing this I realized I said "a car" before I said "wait for it." Geez' this not drinking on a regular basis has really set me back. I'm serious, I only had two beers, well, two pints, or whatever's in those tall glasses. Goddamn vowels are tricky.
Anyways, I've come to a conclusion. I've been wanting to say this for a long time. So here it is, in cervisia, veritas:

The universe is entirely inexplicable, therefore any effort to understand the cosmos renders it only that much more inunderstandable (is that a word?) incomprehensible, therefore only adding to the great beauty of the profound mystery which surrounds and sustains us through the midst of unspeakable horror. (I'm not talking "Scooter" here.)

In case you're wondering, I'll attribute the above to myself, because I'm quoting myself. Damn, I'm smart when I've got two beers under my belt. And by belt I mean...I guess I don't really know what I mean. I have a feeling that a true Southerner, though, would have the perfect aphorism for this occasion. Maybe I should have a Southernism of the day like Joel (fuggetabout any links today people, you're lucky I took a picture of myself) has his link of the day.

Southernism of the day:

"If I told you to haul ass, you'd have to make two trips.

Okay, seriously people, God would like it if I prayed a little bit, or maybe it's Jesus, I'm not really straight on my theology (ohdearlord I'm going to be embarrassed by this come some later date, well read it while you can, 'cause I'll probably have to pull it--geez typing is hard).

Anyways, the Holy Spirit asked me to pray because my destiny is being decided right now by five random less-than-strangers. Is my mother going to move to Charlottesville? Is she going to move somewhere else? Am I ever going to make it past the first round of the tryouts for American Idol. Bytheway, I make a lot of jokes on this blog, but I'm dead serious about this, so don't make fun of me. Clay Aiken's got nothing I don't, except for manners, a nice southern accent, and a gay-friendly image.

Be honest, is this funny or just plain sad. (Can I put a y in plain when I'm drunk or do I have to apply to Merriam-Webster's for a spelling injunction? This is the most pathetic blog post ever, I guess I answered my own question.)

So, indulgence versus moderation? Well, today indulgence wins, tomorrow, the good money should be riding on moderation or asceticism, which is not anything to do with aestheticism, which is possibly not really a word.

Peace, if you understood what I was saying, you my friend, are spending too much time drinking. Dmammn typignt is tioh slo hard.l! You knwot how long it s; takien my eot typd hte smothelaslkjfuiker. Oh question mark.