OMNIUM GATHERUM

The protagonist of Anthony Trollope's Palliser novels is Plantagenet Palliser, heir to the Duke of Omnium and Gatherum. All of Trollope's names are a hoot, but none more than the pretentious Dukedom of Omnium and Gatherum.

Long ago I used to read a newsletter column titled "Omnium Gatherum." It was a collection of assorted bits of information, mentions of books, comments about people, and so forth. It seems I am at the point of writing an Omnium Gatherum blog. You see, I have been working on many things, sketching out ideas, attending conferences (the picture is me at our recent Synod Assembly where I was parliamentarian), and reading various books with the result of nothing much gelling together. Bear with me as I run down a few ideas that might come to fruition, but then again might not.

First, I am well along writing another blog about tea. I just bought a bunch of samples of tea, and thought I'd give some commentary on them. I doubt anyone who reads this blog (all two of you) would find that interesting, but maybe someone would like a bit of information about tea.

Second, I have been much exercised about the legislature of the State of Florida working hard at finding a way to undermine teaching about evolution in schools. Some officialdom here has rightly decreed that biology should teach evolution and call it that–although the politicians made sure it would be called "the scientific theory of evolution." The politicos in the legislature wanted to make sure teachers would be free attack the theory in class and might offer an alternative, say, Intelligent Design. I want to write advocating theistic evolution showing evolution and Christian thought are not in opposition to each other, but that's going to take a lot of work and I'm rather lazy.

Third, I've been venting spleen about letters that appear in our newspaper attacking Senator Obama for being a secret Muslim who hates America. The argument seems to be he was raised a Muslim and then purposely set out to hide the fact by pretending to convert to Christianity. Of course then people attack the church he joined saying it's racist and not Christian anyway. Rather than a rational discussion of position on issues, we get this nonsense.

Fourth, I'm reading three books about Frank Lloyd Wright, and I'd like to comment about his, especially the tension within a person who is both a genius and a egomaniacal scoundrel. After all, he deserted his wife and children to run off with his client's wife.

Fifth, well I don't even know what the fifth idea is. Maybe something about the Inspiring Worship conference I was at with the wonderful musician Michael Burkhardt, perhaps with some side comments about my first experience eating at a Vietnamese restaurant or the wonderful Japanese restaurant I discovered. Or maybe about the note I got from my doctor that I should go on a diet, NOW. Or maybe the results of my unscientific survey that 80% of the trucks, vans, and SUVs I saw one day had only one person, the driver, traveling in them. No wonder we can't conserve oil. Or maybe I should write about the woman who stared at me on the beach, said to her friend in a thick Noo Yawk accent, "O, my God," and then after passing me remarked about my T-shirt, "Dead Sea Scrolls? I don't get it." Should I be insulted?

I don't know what's next, but at least this week is taken care of.

May the Lord God bless you on your way and greet you on your arrival.

Wayne