Down in Tennessee it’s closer to March’s ‘coming in like a lion’ analogy with tornado warnings, but I’m up in Michigan for the weekend where the drip-drippin’ has indeed been the occaisional shower.  It may snow tomorrow though.  Weird.  

I’m here in Grand Rapids to talk at the Festival of Faith & Music at Calvin College.  My workshop, entitled Radio GaGa is on tomorrow afternoon at 4pm, and I hope that some people will come.  Or do I?  At the moment, as I’m wrestle my thoughts in order, I have vague dreams of an empty room, so I can just have a little lie-down instead.  But No!  It will be great.  I’m looking forward to pointing people in the direction of media both new and old, and the opportunities they bring.

Tonight I’m looking forward to hearing Makoto Fujimura give the first of 3 keynote speeches.  He’s friends with my lovely Mrs Metaphor, and she’s spoken highly of him so I’m glad to get the weekend off with a bang.  

Also a delight is the fact that so many lovelies are here with me.  My beloved is here to sit in with the fabulous Julie Lee, David Dark is speaking, and James & Kari are around again, so it’s going to be pretty fab even without meeting new people!

Now I just have to write this talk…

Across the world, and 8.30pm local time, everyone is encouraged to turn off their lights for one hour as a small way of tackling global warning.

Here in Nashville the mayor will be turning out the lights downtown, and lots of bars are hosting candle-lit acoustic evenings.

For more information head http://www.earthhour.org

Hooray!

Right now it’s 49F/9C here in town, and stepping out of the front door this morning the air had the distinct smell of Spring.  I know that winter is far from past but today, devoid of scarf and gloves, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

For it is in America that I still find myself; here in Nashville, living and loving to the best of my ability.

So why the quiet?  As the new First Family (as they like to call them here) went through their own transitional period I’ve found myself increasingly feeling adrift.   I left the UK at the end of August knowing only that I followed my heart, and that I needed a long break.  By the time I headed back to the UK for Christmas, I knew no more.

One of the main battles is coming to terms with that.  I have found myself not just devoid of not the schedule, income, and purpose that steady employment brings, but of the identity that comes with it.  I found myself unable to form the words to describe what I’m doing, and why, and completely without the desire to explain it.  ”I am here as a tourist.”  ”I am looking into visa options.”

I am lucky to be surrounded by friends who remind me, in my overwhelmed moments, that it’s not a surprise that I’m feeling adrift:  I just moved across an ocean to a whole lot of uncertain.  Bethany called it a Liminal Space.  I had to look it up.  Yup.  That’s me.

So as I watch President Obama taking his oath (and thought with a smile that Andrew Collins can come and visit now) and move from his liminal space into the new callings of his role, I find myself wearing my confusion lighter.  And the muse begins to trickle back.

There have been great, and respectful, discussions between friends, and hideous, hateful and libelous ‘discussions’ played out in public.

I find myself totally tense today in a way I didn’t expect.  I desperately want Obama to win.  I think he is the best man for the job, and that this country needs a great change in the way it’s run.  BUT  I genuinely fear that if/when Obama does win, that there will be a massive call to arms from the bizarrely huge number of seemingly-normal Americans who genuinely believe that he is the Anti-Christ.  That his term in office will mean that homosexuals will take over the planet and that no babies will be safe from democrats who LOVE abortion.

It seems to have changed so recently too.  Tennessee, where I live, is now a staunchly ‘red’ state, with opinion polls showing McCain with a 10.6% lead.  But this is also a state that voted for Bill Clinton with 12% majority in 1996, and a 5% majority in ‘92.  Who was it that started ’single issue’ politics?  That told Christians they could only be with God and vote one way?

It’s nuts.

My biggest fear though, is that the hateful lies that have been spouted over the past weeks by James Dobson and the like will lead to constant assassination attempts.  How did this nation come to this?

*****

On a much ligher note, there are companies like Ben & Jerry’s and Starbucks who are giving away free product if you show them that you voted.  Starbucks (who have recently started producing an FANTASTIC community new sheet on world issues every week that is both beautiful and fascinating) made this advert which gave me the chills with it’s simplicity and beauty.

My how she’s grown

Fabulous Peter

soon and soon. I promise.

… how, with only 20 houses on my new street, our number can be 2402?