Bond, Wolfgang Bond

I've had musical debates like this in my head before. ;)

Picking and Choosing

The Family Research Council is one of several groups that typically speak up politically on behalf of Christians in the U.S. And, many times, I find myself wincing at what they say. Honestly, I'm uncomfortable with the extent that faith mingles with politics. Sure, faith influences beliefs, which in turn influence stances on issues, but I think that faith too often lowers itself to meet politics on politics' home turf.

Anyway, I was reading an interview with Tony Perkins, the president of the FRC, and he was commenting on the current field of presidential candidates. He said this, "The Republican Party has staked out the ground in terms of defending human life." I thought to myself, "Really?" Now, don't get me wrong, Republicans certainly stand up against abortion, but they sure stand up far less against the death penalty. And, why do they do that? Because Christians take the same stance. We do...and it's shameful. I've heard so many Christian speakers talk on the "sanctity of life," without ever mentioning capital punishment, which leaves the impression that some lives are worth saving and others aren't. Ultimately, that's not our call to make. Not at all. Moreover, the phrase, "sanctity of life," sure takes on a different meaning in a time of war, doesn't it? Please don't misunderstand; I fall prey to the same subjectivity as well. None of us can escape it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's wrong.

As time goes on, one of my most sincere prayer requests is that I see things a little more like God sees them. I sure have a long way to go...we all do.

Best Restaurant So Far This Year

I just had an outstanding meal at the latest upscale restaurant to hit Oxford: Waltz On The Square. It's right next door to Old Venice, in the spot formerly occupied by Madre, the restaurant that tried and failed at bringing "upscale Tex-Mex" to Oxford.

Anyway...on to Waltz On The Square. From an aesthetic standpoint, the restaurant is beautiful--refined and contemporary--with particularly interesting light fixtures. Also, they've partitioned the bar in such a way that the restaurant itself doesn't fill with loud chatter (unlike, 208, for instance), which allows patrons to relax and enjoy the dining experience. And, let me not to forget to mention the highly attentive waitstaff. Our waitress, Margot, was great.

On to the best part...THE FOOD!!! I started with the she-crab soup. Now, let me say that several Oxford restaurants have she-crab soup on their menus, and this one is the best I've had. So many times, the soup can easily get too salty, which kills the sweetness of the crab, but here, the balance was perfect...not to mention the fact that it was filled with big, sweet chunks of lump crabmeat. A great start.

For my entree, I almost ordered the pork chop, but Margot highly recommended the sea bass. She was right on the money. I absolutely love fish that is cooked perfectly, and honestly, overcooking fish is SO common. Here, I got fish that was both moist and flaky. Just right. Accompanying the fish was a vegetable ragout (which was nice and tomato-y, even though it included a surprising array of vegetables including baby corn, snow peas, and water chestnuts), as well as a creamy sauvignon blanc sauce. The combo was similar to the duo of marinara and bechamel sauces you sometimes get with stuffed pastas, and it provided a nice balance of acidity and richness for the fish. Really fantastic.

And, at such a great restaurant, you can't skip dessert, right? Of course not. So, my sister and I decided to split the gooey butter bar with whiskey sauce. It was like a high-end chess square, laced with pecans...and drizzled with whiskey sauce, of course. ;) A really great finish to a really great meal.

Let's see...I also got to taste the vegetable tempura (light and crispy, with a nicely assertive horseradish sauce), the chicken blanquette (a cheesy, high-end chicken pot pie), and the beignets (as good as you can get without sitting at Cafe du Monde)--all were very good.

As for pricing, entrees range from $12-$30, pretty standard prices for most of the nice restaurants in Oxford. The combination of food, service, and atmosphere was well worth the money.

Waltz On The Square takes reservations, but they restrict how many, which allows them to also accept walk-ups. Certainly, try for a reservation, to ensure you can get in. Be aware that game weekends fill up quickly. :)

Where Did the Month Go?

What happened to September? I mean, did it even happen? I guess so, because this morning I got to change my three office calendars to October. Yep, THREE calendars! What are they? Good question! This first one is a big, boring one from an insurance vendor; that's the one I used to right down important work stuff. Then, I have a calendar from our accounting software vendor; that's the one I use to display the stereotypical image of the month, since that's apparently the types of images they chose for that calendar (i.e. October's photo is a pumpkin in a field). The last one is my favorite--Japanese landscape photos! :D Each one is so peaceful looking...and so orderly too. According to the calendar, October's image is of Okochi Sanso Villa Garden in Kyoto. Whenever y'all are in Japan (or in my office, for that matter), you should check it out. ;)

So, what happened in September? Hmm...

1) The Ole Miss Rebels got off to a 1-4 (0-3) start. Not too pleasant. Unlike recent years, the quarterback issue hasn't been as huge a problem, but man, that defense really needs a helping hand.

2) I ramped up my involvement with Ripley's production of "Broadway at the Dixie." I'm one of 6 directors to put together several "vignettes" from broadway musicals, which will all be brought together for a big ol' extravaganza...or something like that. Lesson #1 - DON'T HAVE MUSICAL PRODUCTIONS IN THE FALL!!!! I think I knew that already, but the compelling lady that got me involved with this whole thing apparently didn't. Lesson #2 - DIRECTING TAKES A LOT OF TIME. Though I think everything will turn out fine, I don't think I'll be directing again. Btw, performances are October 16 (7PM), 20 (2PM & 7PM), & 21 (7PM)...I know, odd day choices, but that's how it goes. All of you out there should plan on attending! :D

3) Through several different things that aren't at all related, God has been calling me toward a more fervent prayer life. I am so bad about just "checking in" with God, which doesn't cut it, no matter how often I do it. Instead, I'm attempting to set aside real chunks of time for it--an hour, 30 minutes, etc. I find that there's plenty of things to fill that time when I do it. Along with that time, I'm also attempting to spend a meditative time of silence with God. If you've never tried it, I would recommend that you do so. Very simply, you just sit quietly and focus your mind singly on either a short verse of scripture or just God Himself. It may sound a bit "new age," but I promise that it helps refocus and regenerate one's spirit. Anyway, that's what I'm working toward these days; I haven't been 100% successful at it, but it's definitely working its way up my priority ladder. From a time management standpoint, God certainly deserves more of mine. The cool part is that God's already granting blessings through all of this, even in spite of my spotty commitment. So as always, He's going above and beyond. :)