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Michael Parker's Journal
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Monday, May 29, 2006 |
I compiled and submitted this obituary to the mortuary on Saturday morning to publish in the newspapers in Huntington, Utah, (where he was living at the time of his death) and Kennewick, Washington (where he and wife Josephine lived for nearly 35 years).
John Ira Parker, Sr., 86, passed away on May 25, 2006 in Salt Lake City due to complications of a sudden heart condition.
He was born October 5, 1919 in Chilly, Idaho to Solomon Ellis and Lily Ann White Parker. He grew up in Levinworth and Seattle, WA. Living during the Great Depression, he was forced to work as a teenager to help support his family.
He married Josephine Madeline Brenn on May 31, 1942 in Seattle. They would have celebrated their 64th anniversary this month.
John joined the U.S. Army Air Force in Seattle, and served as a B-24 staff sergeant gunner for the 5th Air force, 43rd Bombardment group, 64th Bombardment Squadron, also known as "Ken's Men," in the Southwest Pacific theater from Sept. 1942 to Sept. 1945, under Gen. George Kenney. During this period, he was awarded the Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Bronze Oak-leaf Cluster.
After the war, he and Josephine moved to Kennewick, WA, where they lived for nearly thirty-five years, raising three sons, who all graduated Kennewick High School, and managing a car dealership and repair shop. He was a long-time member of the LDS Church and pioneer of the area.
In the late 70's, they moved to Huntington, UT, to be close to their sons and their families. He operated the theaters in Huntington for over two decades. This is where he was residing at the time of his passing.
John is survived by his wife, Josephine Madeline Brenn; eldest son John Ira, Jr. (Shana Le Parker) of Orem, who served as Emery County Commissioner for six years; youngest son, Craig Allen of Huntington; 14 grandchildren; and 22 great-grand-children.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Solomon Ellis and Lily Ann White Parker; ten brothers and sisters; and his sons, Van Ellis (Betty Parker), and Mark.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 1st, at 11:00 AM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Lakeview Eighth Ward Chapel, 155 West 1600 South, Orem, Utah. A viewing will precede the service, beginning at 9:45 AM.
John will be receiving a full-military grave-service and internment at Camp Williams Cemetery, Bluffdale, Utah.
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Friday, May 26, 2006 |
Late yesterday afternoon, my grandfather, John Parker, Sr. passed away due to complications with a sudden heart condition. About three weeks ago, he began noticing his feet and legs swelling. One night, he couldn't take his boots off. That's when he figured something was terribly going wrong. So he went to his family doctor, who put him on heart medication. Grandpa said that this helped for a few days and then the symptoms came back stronger.
On Wednesday of this week, my mom took him to the VA hospital here in Salt Lake. They ran tests and found that he had a very strong, healthy heart (as if he were 40 years old) except for the valve for the aorta had shrunk so it was the diameter of an eraser head instead of a nickel or quarter. They had scheduled to operate on Monday.
Yesterday, they were running another test on him, one that required him to stay in a flat position during the four of five hour test. (Sorry, I don't remember the name of it.) Anyway, three hours into the test, he suddenly started having a panic attack, complaining that he needed to sit up and that he couldn't breathe. It was at this moment, that he began going down hill. Within an hour-and-a-half, after a crew of six doctors and as many nurses worked on him, he had passed on. The doctors were stunned, not knowing what happened. They proved that it wasn't the heart. My parents approved an autopsy to find out what went wrong. Maybe a blood clot in the lungs?
I have the honor of representing the grandkids and speaking at his funeral. I will write more on him as the days go by.
Granpa, rest in peace! Thank you for teaching me hard work. Thank you for your kindness and support to me and my family. You always were interested in what I was making of myself and I greatly appreciated that. I will miss you. We all will miss you.
11:15:02 PM | |
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Wednesday, May 24, 2006 |
I added MiPoRadio's "The Goodnight Show" to my sidebar. Podcast jockey and poet, Michelle Buchanan, compiles live recordings of poems by many of the poets from the MiPoesias community. To listen to any of the shows, simply double-click on the number you want to listen to and the show will automatically start. It's that simple!
A list of all the poems for each show can be found at the MiPoRadio: The Goodnight Show website.
(You'll find my poem "The Prelude to War" on the Mello Yello show, #4.)
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Monday, May 22, 2006 |
Has Hollywood run out of new stories to tell? I have to admit that when I heard they were re-doing the Superman movie, I thought: "Here we go again! Another attempt to resurrect a past blockbuster."
After seeing this last trailer, however, with Kevin Spacey as Lex Luther, wow! My mind may have been changed. The visuals are impressive and the script seems above average. This film just might be the one to crash SpiderMan's opening weekend box office records. If the script can be as clever as last year's excellent Batman Begins film, then I think it has a chance.
Check out the new trailer here. It will take a few minutes to download but you don't want to miss this, especially the ending. WOW! Watch it and report back.
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Sunday, May 21, 2006 |
J and I caught the noon showing of The Da Vinci Code Saturday. We liked it very much. So much of Hollywood these days consists of formulaic crap–action thrillers offer nothing more than state-of-the-art special effects (their screenplays could be written by junior high kids); and comedic films seem to be nothing more than a retread of the same comedic films released last year.
What I appreciated about The Da Vinci Code is that the action is in the development of the plot, in the sharing of information and the release of clues. Sure, the French police and the destroying angel of the Opus Dei faction of the Catholic Church are hunting down our protagonists. But the real fireworks, in my opinion, is far more cerebral. Many critics have called this approach to the novel, droll and dull. I admit that it was slow at times. But when the plot itself relies solely on obtaining and learning information, these slow moments are forgivable, and by far not disinteresting.
Much has been written about the acting. One critic called Tom Hanks’ performance as Robert Langdon, "wooden." I disagree. I thought he made a perfect professor– affable, intelligent, witty, quick-thinking, slightly introverted, and thoughtful. It surely would have been unrealistic if Hanks would have turned his professor (of religious symbology, no less) into a bigger-than-life, Indiana Jones or James Bond-type, exuding charisma and confidence.
Hanks’ performance may have appeared "wooden" because of Ian McKlellan’s performance as Sir Leigh Teabing. McKlellan really shines as the crippled professor Langdon and Sophie visit for more information regarding the priorie. I don’t know if there isn’t any character this man can play. Amazing. He’s my bid for a best supporting actor nomination.
Likewise, Audtrey Tautou (known for her amazing performance in the French film Amelie and the wonderful World War 1 film A Very Long Engagement) was cast well as strong-willed French police detective, Sophie Neveu. Her angelic-looking face captivates, more than anything, and plays so well into the plot revelation near the end.
Paul Bettany’s turn as Silas is also dynamic.
Finally, the visual effects of The Da Vinci Code are wonderful, many of them used to display historical events or events that occurred to the characters in their past. Most impressive of these is the scene of the French attacking Jerusalem. Another visual effect that was most fascinating occurs when Langdon is attempting to decipher the code of the rose box. As he calls to mind the symbols and planets engraved upon one of the tombs they had just visited, the planets display in mid-air and form a live universe; and the symbols and letters appear, as if they are telling him the answers to the code. This same visual device was used in last year’s wonderful film The Bee Season, starring Richard Gere and Juliet Binoche.
Ron Howard’s adaptation is cerebrally stimulating, even intriguing. Because of its theme, though controversial, will endear it to many Dan Brown fans. For this reason, it should stand the test of time.
*****
On Friday, The Da Vinci Code brought in $29 million dollars at the box office, placing it in the top ten best openings on box office records. It went on to make $77 million dollars in North America, just shy of the $80 million predicted. Worldwide, however, the film amassed a $224 million dollar take, making it the second biggest opening on record, behind Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith. (See details here.)
10:27:41 PM | |
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Friday, May 19, 2006 |
I have been wanting to write about immigration for awhile now. With the Senate today voting that English should be the national language, I was reminded of the slippery slope of extremism and hatred. It manifested itself in such a manner in the pre-reign and reign of the Nationalistic German party, also known as the Nazi party. This vote was absolutely not necessary. And I fear the senators have just abetted a further inciting of hatred toward a hispanic culture absolutely undeserving of it. This vote is criminal. The Senate has crossed a line I fear we won't be able to come back from too easily.
In light of this, I've compiled national headlines and arranged them in a poem. Links to the sources of the headlines appear below the poem. I end the poem with some personal thoughts, of course.
The Immigration Solution
Bush says: "One thing we cannot lose sight of is that
we're talking about human beings, decent human beings
that need to be treated with respect...."
Bush Says Anthem Should Be in English.
Bush Wants Newcomers to Know English.
Lawmakers say Immigration hurts American workers.
Bush Calls for 6,000 troops along border.
Bush Turns to Big Military Contractors for Border Control.
Bush Backs Plan for 370-Mile Border Fence.
Bush says: Build me a fence at the border.
Homeland Security Seeks Deportation Aid.
Border Vigilantes "Torch" Mexican Restaurant.
Hispanic Teen Nearly Killed For Trying To Kiss White Girl.
U.S. agents shoot driver on Mexican border.
Extremism is a beast that will shepherd us in
and we will dance about it's hulking constitutional
march along its parade with patriotic flair.
We will beat our chests in fury. For the victory
of Nation. Only, it will turn on us, as is
its nature. Eat us flesh, soul, and bone.
Sources:
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Wednesday, May 17, 2006 |
Greg Kilday, writing for the Hollywood Reporter today, started his summation of the Da Vinci cast press conference stating "How many ways can you say, ‘It's only a movie’?
Of course, Kilday is referring to the controversy arising from the release of Ron Howard’s much anticipated film adaptation of Dan Brown’s hugely popular and successful fiction novel The Da Vinci Code. Christian organizations in the Philippines, India, Thailand, South Korea, France, Greece, Russia, and Romania have protested the film, calling for boycotts and planned blocks at screenings, and attempting to ban the film from their respective countries. Even the conservative group Opus Dei, who is depicted as a murderous cult in the film, has joined the fray, spending money and going on a media blitz to change what they believe will be egregious mis-perception about them.
The hubbub reminds me of Mel Gibson’s 2004 worldwide blockbuster The Passion of the Christ. My sentiments about that film, similarly, were that the film should be banned because of its brutally realistic representation of the crucifixion of Christ told in the ancient form of the passion play. One of the intents of the passion play was to focus on the Jews’ part in condemning Christ to be crucified. Pogroms against Jews were incited after such plays. So here we are. 2006. Turn the tables and the Christians are calling for boycotts of a film that calls into question Jesus’ divinity–that he married Mary and bore a son and thus was more human than divine.
In my opinion, the controversy is plain silly and let me explain why.
1) Dan Brown’s work is a work of fiction, even though the claim at the beginning of the book states otherwise.
2) The monstrous success of the book, according to my research, has not changed one wit how people feel about Opus Dei or the Catholic Church or Jesus Christ. (If you know of such scholarly research proving otherwise, please let me know.) In fact, you'll find more tainted feelings toward the church because of the widespread abuse's against boys and young men by Catholic priests than Dan Brown's book.
3) Speaking of the book, I don’t recall any such heated controversy when the book was released or enjoying such success. Why now?
So yes. I like Kilday’s opening question in his article. The Da Vinci Code is just a fictional movie that will prove, I’m predicting, to be a monstrous success because of its vast and faithful fanbase–people who fell in love with it because of it’s fascinating story through the archives of religious and art history.
By saying this, am I saying, like those proponents of The Passion, that The Da Vinci Code is a must-see film. Absolutely not. I am going to go see it for what I have heard is a riveting and intriguing story. (I'm a technical writer by trade and every single technical writer in my group of acquaintences has read and loved this book, not because of the writing style, per se, but on how it kept them spellbound.) I'm going to see it for pure entertainment reasons, unlike The Passion, which was marketed as a religious experience.
In the conference, director Ron Howard and Tom Hanks gave excellent comments regarding the controversy. Here is the excerpt:
[Howard]... addressed the religious controversy, saying: "My feeling about that is that given the nature of this story, the controversial nature of this story, there's no question the film is likely to be upsetting to some people. My advice is, since virtually no one has seen the movie yet, is to not go see the movie if you think you're going to be upset. Wait, talk to someone who has seen it, and then arrive at your own opinion about the movie itself. But again, this is supposed to be entertainment. It's not theology. Yes, it's provoked conversation, but that's what good fiction does."
Hanks, ever affable, parried one questioner who wondered whether given the background of his wife, Rita Wilson, the Greek Orthodox community had brought any pressure on him for starring in the film as symbologist Robert Langdon. "No, not at all," Hanks said. "My heritage and that of my wife communicates that our sins have been taken away -- not our brains. I view this film as a great opportunity to discuss and to perhaps clarify one's own individual feelings about one's place in the universe and in the cosmos as well as in the mind of God.
"I don't think a motion picture of any sort of stripe -- particularly one that is obviously an entertainment, a work of fiction, something that is quite a commercial enterprise -- is going to essentially alter how anyone feels about their place and their own heritage," he said. "This is not a documentary."
10:04:26 PM | |
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Sunday, May 14, 2006 |
My wife J and I attended the funeral of one of our friend's fathers on Saturday. After, we helped prepare and serve a light dinner for the family, a job we volunteered to do so that all the family could attend the internment and not have to worry about setting up, etc. It was a wonderful funeral and dinner and I'm so glad we were able to help them; support them. My wife J was the true backbone of this support and I was touched by her devotion and commitment. A great, meaningful, worthwhile experience.
So I have had a few themes on my mind the past few weeks. I've been trying to formulate them into a poem. Here is what I have so far. Mind you, this is a draft; there is no title as of yet. Your advice is welcome.
We walk into each moment carrying the weight of our days.
Some are light like the gossamer weight of the wind
or the brush of small feathers against naked skin
or the tickle from an ethereal veil, parting.
Fortunate souls seem delivered from burdened loads,
a fact that seems unfair, especially in comparison.
For the many, good fortune is a foreign land
never reached, not even in dreams. And
the weight of experience is a knowledge of gravity–
they bear the sea upon broken backs and
their shoulders have grown mountains.
I have wished men to keep their eyes.
See the burden carried by the other.
Relieve it and walk their roads
even just a mile or so.
11:09:48 PM | |
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Thursday, May 11, 2006 |
I understand that one man’s perfect running shoe isn’t everyone else’s. But in all my fifteen years of running I have been wearing your Air and Air Max running shoes and have had no problems until now, training in the Nike Shox TL3.
I was enamored by the Shox TL3 not because of its sleek, futuristic look but its light-weight and nice fit. I wore them around the house, at work, and around the gym to break them in. And then I went running in them. Eight short miles. (And since it was the early part of the season, I wasn’t pushing for speed.) Bam! I felt the blisters coming on just four miles in. By the time the run was over, I had two blisters, one of which was the size of a dime. These were my first blisters in my running career.
Ok. What went wrong? Surely it couldn’t be the shoes. It had to be the old tube socks I accidentally packed for my work trip. So over the next two weeks, I tried running without socks, wearing thin socks, no-blister socks, thick socks, and two pairs of socks. But no matter what I tried, I always ended up with blisters that broke out along the insides of my feet from the heel to the upper-side and bottom of my toe.
I was perplexed. I wondered if it was me, my feet. Had the rest from running over the winter caused my feet to get soft? Absurd. I had been in this predicament before and hadn’t experienced this with new shoes. Then I analyzed the Shox TL3s more carefully. Possibly, the blisters were being caused by the abnormal sole. The sole of the shoe consists of these hard rubber columns that hold up the foot from the middle of arch back to the heel. In between these columns and my feet sits this hard plastic. My thinking is that this combination of hard plastic and rubber columns isn’t allowing my feet to bend naturally as I run.
 My feet finally had enough. They were ready to call the Child Protection Agency. So I decided to give in to the idea of getting new shoes. And, my feet have found new friends–the Saucony Triumph 3, which is a pity. Why, you might ask? I have run in Nike’s for 15 years, finished 9 marathons & too many other races to count, and in the interim amassed thousands of training miles. Your Nike’s have run successfully on me in Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New York, Florida, and Cancun, Mexico. They have been more than trustworthy. They have endured rain, hail, snow, and held their stamina on the hot pavement of desert roads. They have run through the night on pavement as dark as space. And have welcomed the fast march of dawn on early summer morning runs.
I once heard that you truly don’t know a place until you have run it. And I am one to believe that a long distance runner isn’t anything without quality shoes. With this in mind, I want you to know that your Nike shoes have been the vehicle that has helped me "know" so many places, leave an imprint of my presence along countless paths and roads. It’s sad to see this long relationship end.
Sincerely,
Michael Parker
P.S. 40-plus miles later and the Saucony Triumph feels great. No blisters. My feet are very happy.
11:37:14 PM | |
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Wednesday, May 10, 2006 |
I was running 10 miles tonight on my favorite path in the canyon at the foot of this mountain. From the path, you can't see the whole mountain but what you do see towers over you in majestic grandeur. Right now, Spring's thaw has chased the snow from the lower peaks and ridges. It's always a visually breathtaking run, that is if you love mountains.
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Monday, May 08, 2006 |
Tim Grieve over at Salon.com's War Room highlighted the story of a German interviewer who asked George W. Bush last Friday to name the "most awful" and the "most wonderful" moments of his presidency so far. The president responded:
Bush: The most awful moment was September the 11th, 2001.
Reporter: The famous picture when somebody gave you the information?
Bush: Yes, that. I think, like all of us, it took a while for the -- it was more than a moment. It was the event and the aftermath. On a situation like that, it takes a period to understand exactly what was going on. When somebody says, America is under attack, and -- you've got to fully understand what that meant. And the information coming was haphazard at best for a while. We weren't sure if the State Department got hit. I'd heard the White House had got attacked. Of course, I was worried that -- my family was here.
And so I would say the toughest moment of all was after the whole reality sunk in and I was trying to help the nation understand what was going on, and at the same time, be empathetic for those who had lost lives.
The best moment was -- you know, I've had a lot of great moments. I don't know, it's hard to characterize the great moments. They've all been busy moments, by the way. I would say the best moment was when I caught a seven-and-a-half pound large-mouth bass on my lake.
This news inspired a dialogue with my friend Shawn. I’ve adapted it into this short script in the vein of Greek drama:
Chorus: The president reveals too much in this, America. Would it be too much to ask of him to find the mental wherewithal to define any moment relevant to the nation or the world instead of some personal and highly irrelevant event that a majority of you give a rats-ass about?
Citizen: I guess we should give him a break on this, eh? I mean, what high points are there to list. Really?
Chorus: Listen to reason: You know a man by what he talks about, especially if approached to speak about defining moments. Don't you think he could have thought of just one policy that he cared about or that was even remotely successful or appreciated by his lapdog Republicans? Where were his emotional insights about climbing the rubble at Ground Zero? Where were his supposed strategic successes of his Homeland Security plan? Could he not even fall back on the good fortune of John Roberts becoming the newest Supreme Court Justice?
Indeed, what are we to think of a president whose thoughts and feelings seem disconnected from his responsibilities? He's the president of "away on vacation," "out to lunch," and "out of touch."
Citizen: Of course. Of course. He should have thought of something meaningful. And maybe it is something all together different: I have this nagging feeling that possibly he's too dense to take a minute to give a thoughtful answer. Maybe, he is too selfish, only interested in getting back to an inane activity. Maybe, for him, being president is about being the world's number-one "decider," not because it gives him the opportunity to do good things, but because it makes him the most powerful guy on the planet.
Chorus: Hard times require a president whose cognizance aspires to an ascent of man. Here is an example of one whose thinking is focused on its descent.
9:37:45 PM | |
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Sunday, May 07, 2006 |
The St. George Marathon, one of Runner's Worlds top ten scenic marathons in the country, is much harder to get into. There are only 6,500 slots available so they hold a lottery.
My name was drawn, as was my sister-in-law, Alli, and my running friend, Brian. Congratulations to all of us! This is my 9th St. George marathon and my 10th overall.
The St. George Marathon turns 30 this year.
Here is just one comment written about the marathon by Runner's World. This one from 1999, in the article "Pack Your Bags":
"Take your camera for this one. And we don't mean for before-and-after photos. We mean during. The race begins in the predawn darkness 26 miles out of St. George (they light huge bonfires at the start). Several miles into it-as the sun comes up-you're treated to the sheerest and most breathtaking red-rock formations this side of Mars. Added bonus: Despite the altitude (the race starts at 5,240 feet), this marathon is downhill and fast (the race finishes at 2,680 feet). That's right, if you can keep yourself from gawking at the scenery, St. George is a PR waiting to happen."
10:56:41 PM | |
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Thursday, May 04, 2006 |
Poetisphere.com, Poets101.com, BloggingPoet.com, and Billy Jones have created the online poetry honor "Poet Laureate Of The Blogosphere." They run an online nomination and voting process that runs the month of April, in conjunction with Poetry Month. The rules for nominating a poet include:
- poets must be bloggers who have been blogging and posting their own original poetry online for no less than six months (prior to the starting date of the nominating process) OR links to their poetry may be found easily on their site.
- poets must be posting at least some of their poetry in English
I’m posting about this only because I read Robert Silliman’s blog and he posted about being nominated, which, in my opinion, is a very noteworthy nomination. I only know Silliman from his blog. I am not familiar with his poetry but if it is anything like his engaging and erudite essays, then it’s exceptional. If anything, Silliman’s Blog should be receiving a Pulitzer nomination for any number of categories: Feature Writing, Commentary, Editorial, etc.
I followed the link to Poetisphere.com and learned that Robert Silliman (from Pennsylvania) ended up winning the vote by 1, 95-94, which looks more like a college basketball score than an international poet laureate decision. The poor bloke who lost the vote by one is Asharf Osman (also from Pennsylvania). Word up! Pennsylvania is obviously the land the muses call home.
This annual Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere appointment isn’t necessarily a bad idea. What is bad is its narrow breadth of reach. And the argument that it is only in its second year doesn’t hold water. Don’t you think that the prestigious title "poet laureate" requires visibility? Shouldn’t it be advertised and communicated to a majority audience of poets and online publishers in advance so that they can, in turn, participate? Sadly, it seems that only the members of or readers of these blogs (listed above) were even made aware of the event. Outside that minute circle, we of the interested party had to rely on the nominated poets themselves to market votes for themselves, a.k.a. Silliman, a process that is both humiliating and depletes the prestige-ness of the nomination.
Bottom line: advertising is key. Now, having just said that, I came up with a devious thought: wouldn’t it be something if Silliman’s win was staged to actually generate attention. I know. I know. Stop while I’m ahead.
Congrats, Ron.
8:39:11 PM | |
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Wednesday, May 03, 2006 |
Though the awarding of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry to Claudia Emerson is nearly a month old, I still wanted to comment on it. Most particularly, I was fascinated with how she wrote the winning book of poems, titled "Late Wife."
To her credit, Emerson tackled very emotional and private themes surrounding the annulment of her marriage of 19 years, the growing relationship with her new husband, Kent Ippolito, and the loss of his first wife to cancer. But what strikes me most is this: she hand-wrote each poem as if it were a letter. And rather than send them, she taped them to the walls of her home and office at the University of Mary Washington in Fredricksburg, VA. Her approach, in itself, is poetic.
Claudia Emerson's poems have appeared in Poetry, The Southern Review, The Georgia Review, TriQuarterly, Crazyhorse, New England Review, and other journals. Her books of poems, Pharaoh, Pharaoh (1997) and Pinion, An Elegy (2002) were published as part of Louisiana State University Press's signature series, Southern Messenger Poets. Emerson has been awarded individual artist's fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Virginia Commission for the Arts. She earned her BA from the University of Virginia and her MFA at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she was poetry editor for The Greensboro Review. She is Associate Professor of English at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
You can review two of her poems here:
Surface Hunting
Possessions
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