Kiamoy

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When Nic Ruffy came over to DC two months ago, he showed his appreciation for my being a tour guide by presenting me with a bag of kiamoy from Aji Ichiban. Since then, I’ve had great fun introducing my friends to the startling wonders of this Chinese snack. The bag is still half-full to this day, and I’m taking it to Screen on the Green tonight. (Yes, two months later, the kiamoy is still edible. What with all the preservatives, this stuff lasts practically forever.)

(Kiamoy: Dried preserved plums coated in salt, sugar, and licorice powder. Intensely salty and sweet and sour all at once. NIBBLE ONLY. DO NOT POP IN MOUTH WHOLE. The seeds are still in the plum, and the flavor is VERY intense. Great prank food. ;)

Christian Bloggers’ Manifesto?!

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I had originally chalked up The Dane’s rant on “Christian blogs” to mild intellectual snobbery, but I’m now rethinking that after seeing later developments in the world of faith-based blogging. “Manifesto? Code of conduct?” Sorry, but I think that such a tact can only add to the veneer of mediocrity which faith-oriented forms of media have come to be associated with. Far better to form a community of mutual links than to artlessly throw manifestos at a crowd which will only dismiss you as ingenuous at best.

I certainly don’t want to antagonize our misguided but well-meaning brothers and sisters in Christ at Jesus Journal, but what do you all think of this; what causes this “visceral” response, as Bene Diction calls it? Is it because of the grasp of a potentially legalistic religious fist, or is it just indignance at the presumptuousness of this outsider and newcomer to the faith-based blogosphere? Josh Claybourn has links to more feedback. (Update: So does Bene Diction, eh?)

In any case, thanks, but no thanks, Jesus Journal. Please stop spamming me, and don’t try to arbitrate how I blog my faith.

Canadian Navy

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That has got to be the meanest depiction of a foreign Navy that I’ve ever seen.

Photo of a guy in a dinghy

The Giant Squid

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Giant Squid at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, two of them, on display in giant formalin pickle-jar tanks. (It was a bit too dim for my Pencam, but nothing a little tweaking couldn’t fix.)

Photos taken with an Aiptek Mini Pencam 1.3MP.

After taking those photos, I dropped by the National Art Gallery to look at some Rembrandts, Rubens, and early Italian sculpture. Got some nice photos of Voltaire busts. Then, I did some skating: at the Washington Monument as usual, then down to the Tidal Basin (where I saw a dead crow, possibly downed by West Nile) around to Jefferson Memorial, and down to the Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial.

I really, really like living here in DC.

(Oh, and speaking of giant squid, I tried Cajun Seafood Gumbo with Okra for the first time at lunch today. In a bread bowl. Delicious.)

Last Day at First Baptist

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Today was my last day of worship as a watchcare member at First Baptist DC, and at the end of the service, Pastor Jim had me and Meredith, another leaving watchcare member, stand at the foot of the chancel, where he wished us Godspeed, and publicly presented us each with a piece of bread. What a cute, poignant symbol of fellowship! I really loved worshipping and serving at this church, and I’m looking forward to getting a car so I can drive back here on Sundays from Baltimore.

Speaking of which, yes, I’m moving to Baltimore this coming Saturday. More on that later. Right now I’m skating down to the Museum of Natural History to get photos of the Giant Squid.

Meanwhile, check out these freaky yet well-executed works of surreal art, link courtesy of Matt Rea.