I don't normally do this but since this issue affects every American, please click on the graphic below to learn more about what the nonprofit I run, the International Size Acceptance Association (ISAA), is doing in response to yesterday's announcement by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson.
 


 

Thanks!  You may help save lives by participating in this effort.
 
Best Wishes,
Allen

(Loren) Root wishes she could turn back time. "I would've researched. I would've talked to people," she said. "You can find these support groups, you can go on the Internet." "People need to know that there's a really bad side to this procedure," she said. "Death."

A Costly Choice: Weight-Loss Surgery Wrecks Woman's Health This is the surgery that medical professionals want to happen more often -- and it's a surgery that is destroying people's lives! If you click on the story link above, this woman, Loren Root, had WLS and is slowly starving to death. There is a fund set up for this poor woman, so please help any way you can. You can also help by clicking HERE and sending a message to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services -- people don't need this surgery, they need to be educated in self-esteem, fitness and healthy food choices. As you can see, WLS is rarely the "quick-fix" it is claimed to be. This woman's case is extreme but not terribly uncommon. It is one of the many side effects that affect more than 40% of WLS patients. Not all deaths are immediate. Please help save lives because OBESITY IS NOT A DISEASE!

A Few Touch Ups To The Blog Site

I've been making a few modifications for everyone's convenience. I've replaced the Enetation commenting with Blogger's commenting. Unfortunately, this wiped out the past comments. They're still on enetation.co.uk but it would be frustrating to have two sets of "comments" text on each blog entry. Seeing as how there really hasn't been a whole lot of commenting in the past, I think it's better just to start fresh with the new system.

I've also implemented a blogging hack from blogger.com that allows the archives to be listed in a drop-down menu plus I've deleted the links to Alexa.com and Amazon.com, as they weren't doing anything other than taking up space. Lastly, I added a link to my "Open Letter To The Public" webpage and deleted the counter at the bottom of each page (it wasn't not being very accurate, since I double-check those kinds of things).

If I find any other neat things to add, I'll let you know! If you have any cool suggestions, leave me a comment below.

Best Wishes,
Allen

What A Difference A Few Months Make

In May, I was unemployed, still kind of sick and struggling to find relevant ways to spend my time while my wife worked and my kids were at school. Now, I've been blessed with a great job (that grants overtime -- woohoo!), my volunteer work running ISAA (International Size Acceptance Association) is booming and bustling (check out our Yahoo activism -- plus I'm writing an ISAA-related book.

I may be ridiculously busy but I'm hardly complaining! It's good to have purpose and feel needed.

I won't bore you with the daily ISAA routines. Let's just say that I do a lot of communicating and coordinating, often with ISAA branch leaders in different cities (and usually different continents). I'm grateful for e-mail and instant messaging or I wouldn't be able to do all this!

Why am I writing a book? Two reasons.

One: I believe that ISAA has had a fascinating history over the last seven years. In fact, I believe ISAA's history will be one that people will enjoy and be surprised at.

Two: This is an opportunity to sum up ISAA's philosophies and recommendations to the public which I truly believe represent a realistic, healthy way to deal with the "obesity epidemic." It is my hope that this information will help improve health and save lives.

This is some of what's been going on with me lately.

I'll keep you updated as things progress.

Best Wishes,
Allen

I Now Own A Handheld Computer

This is a copy of one of my Xanga blog entries but I thought you might find it interesting...

I'd been holding back for years, mainly because of the expense but I finally needed one. I needed one to help organize my contacts and appointments when I am away from computers. So I did what every value-minded individual does to get the highest quality product for the lowest price: I went to eBay.

I bought a Handspring Visor Deluxe for $40.00 and a USB sync cradle for $5.00. I received the Visor (which included a detachable, solid plastic screen cover *and* a leather case) within two days (I was impressed) and the cradle within a week. Both looked new and nice and both work well. (I only had to add 2 new AA batteries to the Visor).

A couple of weeks ago, I downloaded the King James Version of the Bible for Palm OS (for free) along with a free Bible reader program. I also subscribed to Avant Go and can now download headlines and stories from BBC News, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and PCWorld.com. No, I'm not a former journalist...

Now, I do not let this new "toy" take up every waking minute, but it nice to have the option of Bible study or news reading a couple of times a day.



I also have inputed around 70 addresses, so I'm happy.

I do warn about eBay, though -- I can see how it could be habit-forming. Must...use...sparingly...


Best Wishes,
Allen

Well, Some Ideas Are Good And Some Aren't...

Several months ago, I started a new blog on Xanga because I wanted to try to separate my "spiritual" commentary from my IR commentary -- and you know what, since then, I've been much less motivated to blog at either.

I think that defeats the purpose, don't you?

So I'm going to put the Xanga blog on permanent hiatus and just focus on IR Haven. I started out with IR Haven, the website, and I'm really not ready to let it go. It means too much to me.

I do wonder whether or not I want to keep the "Love Sees No Color Ring" going, though. It started out as the second pre-Webring Rings on the Net but now I find all kinds of sites applying for it.
The idea behind LSNC was a good one and at one time, it had nearly 100 sites participating. It's down to something like 36 and I really cringe at some of the sites applying these days...I dunno.

What do you think? Leave me a comment. Do you think LSNC should continue or has its time passed?

Best Wishes,
Allen

An IR Thought, While Being As Un-Political As Possible...

This morning, I was listening to talk radio, as I often do on my morning commute while taking my youngest son to school. A conservative talk show host (not Rush) was confused and beside himself about why President Bush and now his brother, Governor Jeb Bush, do not take hard stances against the issue of illegal immigration. In fact, both President Bush and his brother tend to lean towards policies that seem to "reward" coming to the U.S. illegally while citing compassion as the reason.

I think I do understand why they differ from party-line on this issue, and if my hunch is correct, it has nothing to do with politics. President and Gov. Bush have immediate family members who are interracially married into the Hispanic nation and those family members have biracial children. It would not be unreasonable to think that their opinions and feelings about those family members might spill over into their politics.

Is that right? Is that conservative? Is that good decision-making? Probably not, but it is very human. And in regard to interracial issues, it's a bold stance to take which I can respect (if that is the reason)...even if I don't agree with it, politically.

That's just my thoughts on the issue, from an IR perspective. What do you think? Feel free to comment below.

Best Wishes,
Allen

My Experience In Seeing "The Passion of the Christ"



8:15 p.m. Sunday 3/7/2004 - This should be an interesting set of blog entries. "Set," you say? "What do you mean by 'set?'" At this moment, I am sitting on the floor of a Cinemark Theater in Pflugerville, Texas, several miles from where I live in North Austin, waiting 90 minutes to see a 9:40 p.m. showing of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." I had come at 6:30 p.m. to see the 7:00 p.m. showing, but both the 6:30 and 7:00 showings had already SOLD OUT. I drove to another relatively nearby movie theater to see it there instead but it was not even showing there...so I drove back to the Cinemark and bought my ticket 2.5 hours in advance. I'd heard the ticket counter person tell someone else to arrive an hour to an
hour and half early because there's always a big line to get in. So, I went home to tell my wife, Angel, so she wouldn't be shocked that I'd be gone so late.

I have never seen a movie sell out tickets for multiple showings on multiple screens nearly two weeks after it's debut! And these are not churches buying up whole blocks of seats for their memberships -- these were all just curious everyday people like me...

I suppose Mel Gibson should thank the media for all the buzz they created with their unabashed intolerance of this subject matter: the very real arrest, trial, torture and crucifixion of Jesus Christ -- but that should not overshadow His very real resurrection from the dead and victory for those who believe in the saving power of His Name. Now, in all fairness, I have not seen the movie yet. I just got back from the concession stand where a small drink and a small package of Sweet Tarts cost me $5.00 (why am I not surprised?).

I'm the fourth person in line, though; I wanted to get a good seat. Angel suggested I bring a book or something to read. When I told her I didn't really have any books I wanted to read, she suggested I write a personal log entry. I thought that was an intriguing idea -- and then I realized as I pulled into the theater parking lot that I could blog about my first impressions of the movie after seeing it, thus making this a multi-part blog entry.

That's cool. I'm hoping this will make for more interesting reading.

8:47 p.m. - This is incredible. I'm watching the group of people who just got out of an earlier showing of "The Passion." Almost all of the women are crying or teary-eyed (some men, too) and EVERYONE is somber. Incredible!

About 8:55 p.m. - This showing I'm about to see is obviously about to sell out, too. Two rows out of three are filled with people waiting to see this film. I have seen people of all ages and all nations, some interracial couples and multiracial individuals (including children). I've heard at least three languages being spoken (English, Spanish and either Chinese or Vietnamese) while people are passing the time. I understand why people might bring their newborns (although I don't think that's any better than bringing any child under 12) but there are several young children here and I feel sorry for those children; they should not be subjected to the kind of violence they will see in this movie.

About 9:00 p.m. - There are now three rows of people in line for the movie.

About 9:05 p.m. - I now have a choice seat in the middle of the theater. Here's hoping my pen lasts...

9:40 p.m. - The theater is almost packed and still filling up. Cell phones are everywhere. The movie is about to start.

11:59 p.m. - I'm in my van, the movie is over. This is a good movie, a powerful movie but it does have some flaws. It's cinematography is wonderful, it's a beautifully filmed movie and well-directed by Gibson. I even appreciated the way its flashbacks were handled, they were tasteful and well-timed. I think the multiple languages with English subtitles was a stroke of pure genius, it works well in underscoring the differences in the cultures in Israel at the time. The acting was appropriate and skillful. As a whole, it does well in bringing the scriptures to the audience and making the audience see and feel their meaning.

Unfortunately, there are many "embellishments" to the scriptures that stray from the original scriptures as well as some distinctly Catholic symbolism. For example, while I loved when Jesus was onscreen, by 3/4 of the way into the movie, I was tired of seeing Mary, mother of Jesus. I did not think Jesus should share screen time with His mother; the movie was about Him and His passion (suffering). There were parts where Mary was very appropriately used, such as when Christ addressed her as "Mother, behold your son" and looked to one of His disciples and said "Behold your mother." Again, when the movie portrayed the scriptures, it excelled masterfully. Gibson succeeds in making us feel Christ's sufferings -- until Gibson abandons scripture to create new torments for Jesus. This and the overt Catholic symbolism distracted from an otherwise incredible movie.

Don't get me wrong. I understand that Mel Gibson is devoutly Catholic. I am not anti-Catholic, just as this movie is not anti-semetic. I am simply pointing out that Gibson's symbolic embellishments do not add to the movie, they work against its very premise and disrupt the flow.

Now there were embellishments that added to the movie. Gibson's use of Satan was, for the most part, quite intriguing throughout the film, as was his use of the supporting cast of Jesus' disciples and those whose lives Jesus influenced.

Again, when the movie did portray the scriptures, it excelled masterfully. To his credit, Gibson even used the scriptures which answer the question "Who killed Jesus?" This was in two parts. First, when Pontius Pilate is questioning Jesus...

John 18: 10 - 11 KJV (King James Version -- I don't know which translation of the Bible the movie used)
Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above...

and in a flashback to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says

St. John 10: 11 KJV
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

St. John 10: 18 KJV
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Overall "grade" for the movie? I'll give it an "A" for effort. Would I endorse this movie? Yes, I would but with 2 cautions:

1. Do not, under ANY circumstances, take children under age 12.

2. As my wife recommended to me, be prayerful before you see this movie and read the scriptures for yourself.

They can be found in:

St. Matthew 26: 18 - 75

St. Matthew 27

St. Matthew 28

as well as

St. John 18 and

St. John 19

Thanks for reading this! Please feel free to leave your comments.

Best Wishes,
Allen

Just Checking In...

I apologize that I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks. I've been pretty ill off and on since Thanksgiving 2003. I only found out last week that my immediate family has a history of lactose intolerance (being unable to digest milk and dairy products).

If you want to learn about lactose intolerance, the National Institutes of Health has a great webpage on it at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance/

It's taken a lot of prayer and faith to constantly lean on the Lord when I've felt my worst (and just when I've felt pretty bad). I mean, it's not like I've just had a little bit of an upset stomach or some unpleasant gas as a result of dairy products. It's been an everyday struggle to keep weight on! I've lost about 20 pounds (that I had no desire to lose) since last November.

Some friends of mine from church were kind enough to do some research on my symptoms and suggested some changes in the foods I'm eating. I've already had to make changes in what I eat in order to avoid dairy products, so I'm going to make these changes at the same time.

According to my friends, this will be a "semi-vegetarian" approach: some meats like chicken or pork (and to drain the fats off of those) but no red meats, more vegetables and, like I said, no dairy products. I already have been using wheat bread for over 20 years, so no switch there. I'll also have to cut out carbonated drinks (such as sodas) and (Agh!) caffeine. The aim is to help me keep weight on and improve my overall health.

I want to make sure to add that my wife has been wonderfully supportive of me throughout this whole ordeal.

I'll keep you updated.

Best Wishes,
Allen

How's This For Romantic On Valentine's Day?



This is Mangia Pizza's heart-shaped pizza, specially made just for Valentine's Day. It's a Chicago-style pizza pie. I ordered ours with pepperoni, tomatoes, extra cheese and mushrooms and believe me, it was a hit with my wife (little did I know that she had gotten the kids their own Gatti's cheese pizza -- seen on Josey's plate at top of picture -- so this one was OURS!) -- and delicious! I managed to go out and get it before the weather deteriorated and do not regret it for a minute. If you're in Austin, Texas, give them a call this weekend and order one, they're GREAT!!!

Best Wishes,
Allen

Happy Valentine's Day From Snowy Austin, Texas!



At least, it was snowy this morning when my wife took the above picture of our boys. The younger one, Josey, had never seen snow before -- so this was a treat for him and his brother, Adam. They ran and threw snow balls and had a blast until they got too cold and came inside. My wife took some more pictures so I'll just go ahead and share them.



My wife took all of these pictures with our digital camera. On one hand, the sunrise was gorgeous.



On the other hand, there was a beautiful view of the moon over snowy rooftops.



The above is my wife's necklace that reads "Love Is Cool!"

I have another pic but I'll save it for a separate entry.

Best Wishes,
Allen

I’m Having A Wil Wheaton Moment…

...but it’s not a bad thing. Wil Wheaton is, of course, the actor who played “Wesley Crusher” in Star Trek The Next Generation. He had a few scenes in the last Star Trek movie, Nemesis and those scenes were cut to where he had no speaking parts. Well, that happened to me (and another associate from ISAA, we were both interviewed) – except it wasn’t a Star Trek movie…it was the “Supersize Me” documentary which debuted at the Sundance film festival to rave reviews and won Morgan Spurlock a Best Director (for a documentary) Award.

Am I disappointed? Not really, as from all accounts I have heard, the film took a totally different direction (no pun) than we were originally led to believe. Interestingly enough, ISAA is still thanked in the credits of the film, according to the director.

I suppose the real question is, will I end up in the DVD edition? Hm! Who knows…lol!

I did have an interview in Travel+Leisure Magazine this month and most likely the UK edition of GQ Magazine. Life goes on.

Best Wishes,
Allen

First Blog of 2004

Well, it's official -- the IR Haven blog is one year old! I'm sorry I haven't posted recently, I have been waiting for something special in terms of IR topics. I mean, I've learned some interesting facts, like the fact that some of the top entertainers and sports stars, etc. are biracial or multiracial. I learned that one of my favorite Christian recording artists is biracial: Rachael Lampa (she's half-Philippino and half-Irish -- and you can listen to her new album, Blur, on her website)

Other than that, I've been working a lot, I recorded a new edition of The ISAA Rapport and it will be going online soon. Oh, and a documentary I was in ("Supersize Me") went to the Sundance Film Festival. Life is very interesting right now.

I'll blog again when I have more to blog about. I hope all of you are doing well.

Best Wishes,
Allen

Happy Day After Christmas!

We had a great Christmas which we spent with family and friends. I hope you did as well.

I want to note an addition to the personal links section on the blog. I have added a link to a new blog I am doing called "Take A Stand." I have often made it very clear what my spiritual (Christian) beliefs are in my blog entries this year. I don't regret that at all but I have slowly come to the conclusion that perhaps it is better for me to focus more freely on that in a separate blog. IR Haven should primarily be about interracial topics. There have been some blog entries where I was able to tie the two together and should that be possible in the future, I will do it. But I don't want to confuse anyone about what IR Haven is about...and I feel like those lines have been unintentionally blurred sometimes.

To further clarify, the fact that there is a new blog does not mean that IR Haven will not reflect my beliefs at all. Who I am has not changed and I think that will show through in what I write.

For those who enjoy the spiritually-focused posts, you can continue to enjoy them at Take A Stand on Xanga.com

If you have any questions, you can comment here or e-mail me at irhaven@ev1.net

Have a great weekend!

Best Wishes,
Allen

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

On this fine Christmas Eve, I want to send my heartfelt thanks to all of you for reading IR Haven's blog this year. It is my prayer that each and every one of you will be well and have a wonderful, safe holiday season.



Best Wishes,
Allen

Christmas Gets Closer

Just a quick blog to let everyone know I'm okay. The Christmas program went well on Sunday and I am enjoying my new job. IR Haven joined a new webring (Multiracial Cultural & Mixed Race). I may add a few more if I can find appropriate webrings and code that works with the blog template (ah, technicalities).

Anyway, have a great day!

Best Wishes,
Allen

Christmas Time Is (Almost) Here



So I finished up my bout with the flu and began a new job this week.

I've also been preparing for our church's Christmas musical tomorrow. There's a dress rehearsal today so I don't have long to blog.

I'll blog more soon!



Best Wishes,
Allen

And Then There Was This Week...

Okay, so it's been a strange week. Following Thanksgiving, I got sick and then last Sunday, I somehow injured my left shoulder then Monday, my computer broke.

...but I'm okay.

Throughout the week, my shoulder has healed and my sickness has been letting up, little bit by little bit. And today, I got my computer back, its hardware repaired by my techno-superior bro-in-law. I had to go ahead and erase my hard drive and start over with my Windows 2000, but I had virtually all of our files backed up to CD.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, even when things get bad, if you hang on -- and pray -- they will get better.

That's all for now. I'll blog more when I get some more time.

Best Wishes,
Allen

Post-Thanksgiving Blog

I'm pleased to report that Clan Steadham had a wonderful Thanksgiving, with both sides of our families, yesterday. Fortunately, the whole family lives in the Central Texas area, so we didn't have to do too much traveling. Everyone was in a great mood and only one of my relatives was sick and couldn't make it.

Best Wishes,
Allen

Short Post Before The Holidays Begin

Just a quick update! I made a few minor modifications to the main page layout of IR Haven. The most notable change is the removal of the Tag-board; if no one is interested in using it, it's just taking up space. I also removed one of the links and edited my blogroll list.

Aside from that, Clan Steadham is gearing up for Thanksgiving with the in-laws.

Have a great holiday weekend and we will do the same, Lord-willing.

Best Wishes,
Allen

Blogging About Why I Don't Blog About Politics

I think there's no easier way to stereotype yourself than to broadcast your political affiliations and opinions to the world. Let me explain:



Let's say there's "Joe Q. Blog's Really Liberal Blog" in which he spends months of blogspace attacking the President or what the Republicans and conservatives are doing to "bring down the country."



Next door (internet-wise) is "Mary J. Conservative's RepubliBlog" in which she spends months of blogspace attacking the Democrat of the Moment and liberals in general.



Fill in the blank with the remaining political parties and the blogs of their proud supporters of the moment. Then take a moment to yawn and stretch (it'll help you feel better).

I mean, there's really too much of it out there. It fills the internet kind of like an unsightly landfill. I mean, how many times do we need to read "(political) party lines" before it becomes what it really is: BORING?

I thought blogs were supposed to be the new definition of personal pages, your thoughts - not your party's thoughts, your experiences and a broad variety of matters which interest you. That's what I try to make IR Haven, partially interracial topics, partially a cross-section of my experiences, thoughts and beliefs.

Something else I don't prefer about politi-blogs is that they tend to be complaint-centered. I dislike that I've had to write a lot of this in a complaining fashion but I think it also helps summarize my point.

I dunno, I think it's more interesting to read someone's blog and try to figure out who they are based on what they do and are interested in. That alone might tell you their political beliefs, without them having to shout it to the internet.

While I have definite political beliefs and affiliations, I don't think they really have a place in the blog.



What do you think? Please leave a comment on this topic.

Best Wishes,
Allen

The Call From GQ

An interesting day already. I just did a phone interview with GQ (UK Edition), representing ISAA's view on a particular plus-sized actor.

There's something very ironic in me being interviewed by GQ.

No, really.

Anyway, the interviewer was very nice and asked some interesting questions which I tried my best to answer.

I'm gonna be in GQ?

Best Wishes,
Allen

Ridiculous, But In A Practical Kind Of Way...

That's right, folks, two blog entries in one day!

So, for the last week or so, my computer had been acting up. Okay, let me define that: my computer had been shutting down for no apparent reason. I know, I know -- you're thinking "Did you get a virus? Did some hacker gain access to your computer and start messing with you?" The answers are "no" and "no." Like most computer problems, the answer was much simpler. My motherboard, which has been showing signs of antiquity and ornery-ness, decided it no longer wanted to deliver power to the processor fan. So after about 15 minutes, my processor was shutting itself off to keep from overheating and basically melting to slag.

This was a delimma, as I had no other areas to plug in the fan on my motherboard. I pondered and pondered and tried to jury-rig something on another area of the motherboard -- to no avail! The idea of using the computer for 15 minutes at a time with two-hour waiting periods in-between was just too reminiscent of my roadtrip from Fabens, Texas in 1992.

I went and read William Shatner's "Star Trek: Preserver" for a while, to take my mind off my frustration...and when I got to the middle of chapter 19, it hit me! No, not chapter 19 -- inspiration towards a solution -- and it was so obvious!

Warning! Computer tech support mode: ON

I took the procesor fan off of its heat sink above the processor and left the heat sink on top of the processor. Then I went and grabbed a small, regular fan, placed it on top of a box and leaned the fan into the opened computer. This fan was probably ten times the size of the processor's little fan and, I would imagine, much more capable of cooling than its computer counterpart. It's propped up against the computer as I type this and, consequently, I have had no instant shutdowns for over 90 minutes now.

Computer tech support mode: OFF

Problem solved, even if it was a little, um, off the beaten path.



If I get the opportunity over the weekend, I'll take a picture of it with my digital camera.

Best Wishes,
Allen

Clarification: What Star Trek Geek Means To Me (And Other Novelties)

When I woke up this morning, I realized I hadn't exactly defined what I meant by "Star Trek geek" in yesterday's blog entry. To clarify, I have enjoyed the Star Trek television shows and movies for the most part. I will admit to videotaping my share of Star Trek episodes during the original runs of Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and the first season of Enterprise -- and well, what Star Trek fan doesn't own a copy of the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan?

Aside from that, I have only been to one Star Trek convention, when invited by a friend, in the early 90's. And for the record, I have never been interested in dressing up like any of the Star Trek characters!

Over the years, I think I've read about 5 or 6 Star Trek paperback books (including the two from this week), despised all the Star Trek comic book series (if the artists can't come close to a resemblance of the actors, why bother?) and followed a relative few Trek-related websites (TrekWeb seems to be the best and most comprehensive with the most care from its webmaster -- but The Dancing Shatners is my all-time favorite).

On the other hand, I don't buy novelties like the Star Trek action figures, Klingon dictionaries, replicas of phasers or pint-sized starships. I also don't agree with all the philosophies, story plots or the general direction (some might say "spiraling out of control") that the Trek franchise has been heading for at least 5 years.

The bottom line, for me, is that I have a fondness -- and a lot of memories -- of Star Trek but, in all honesty, it's an interest/hobby that I should eventually leave in the past...kind of like Star Trek itself should.

Best Wishes,
Allen

Matthew 6: 19 - 21 (King James Version - Jesus' words in red)

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

A Relatively Short Blog - With Some More Updates To The Site

A cold front passed through Austin last night and thanks to my allergies, I've not quite been 100% today. That, combined with some salsa that went bad, unbeknownst to me -- (Oh, why do things that still taste and smell so good give you food poisoning anyway?? Agh!) -- and it made for a strange day. But I seem to be doing better now and I'm grateful...

Speaking of moods, I went ahead and added the imood indicator to IR Haven, along with some new IR links, a new webring and Weatherpixie (to show you current conditions in Austin, Texas.

I recently renewed my library card. It had been so long since I'd used it, I was entirely out of the system...so they made me a new card and added me back into the system. I could only check out two books initially and, being the Star Trek geek that I am, I chose a couple of Star Trek books. Since I never saw the pilot episode of Enterprise, I checked out the book version of "Broken Bow" by Diane Carey. It must have been a pretty good read since I finished the 250-page story in a day and a half! The other book I checked out is "Star Trek: Preserver" by William Shatner, with Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens. I read "Star Trek: Dark Victory" a number of years ago and rather enjoyed their work with the characters of the different crews in the "classic," "next generation" and "mirror" universes (only Star Trek geeks would probably get that, so no biggie). After this, I'm gonna take a break from Trek for a while.

Just a quick update, I'll try to check back in this weekend.

Best Wishes,
Allen

IR Thought For The Day

I am in a wonderful mood tonight. I want to share an IR-related “food for thought” commentary. Those who have followed this blog for a while know that I am a Christian and I’m not ashamed to say so. My wife is also a Christian. We are in an interracial marriage and have two young biracial sons. We are members of a nondenominational church which welcomes all nations and which has many interracial married couples and many multiracial children and individuals as members. We have been taught, based on Biblical scripture, that God is no respecter of persons (meaning that He doesn’t discriminate against nations or races of people) and that Jesus Christ came to save people of all nations/races.

There are those who believe (or have been taught) that spiritual salvation is only for one race/nation, etc. I have been taught that everyone will have an opportunity to make a decision whether or not to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

I make a point of not commenting after offering scriptures that have encouraged me. I simply hope that the scriptures below will be as helpful to you as they have been (and are) to me.

Best Wishes,
Allen

I Samuel 16: 7 (King James Version)
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Matthew 24: 14 (King James Version – Jesus’ words in red
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Matthew 28: 18 - 20 (King James Version – Jesus’ words in red)
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Revelations 7: 9 – 12 (King James Version)
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

Alas! My Own Impatience Finally Catches Up With Me...

A few days ago, I wrote a blog entry asking for your comments and e-mails to give feedback. It was one of the few blogs that I didn't save a copy of the text, so I'll just have to summarize. I decided to go ahead and put the request back online since several people have commented and e-mailed me, much to my appreciation and surprise.

In the original blog, I asked why you, the visitors to IR Haven, didn't utilize the "comments" section more? I always appreciate any feedback I get on the site because I would like to know what you think. So, please feel free to click on "Comments" below any of the blog entries or send me an e-mail at irhaven@gmail.com

I erased the blog entry because I didn't want to seem like I was "fishing for compliments" -- because I'm not. I do need some feedback concerning the site, since the site is for you as much as it is for me -- and I value constructive criticism and your input concerning IR Haven. After all, our motto is "It's Not Just A Website -- It's A Community!" I say that proudly, as it is true that thousands of you visit this site each month and I think that's wonderful.



Have a great day!

Best Wishes,
Allen

New Feature and Some Updates To The Rest Of IR Haven

Hi everyone! I just wanted to make a quick blog about some changes to the IR Haven website. We now have a new TAG BOARD feature. Also, the IR Couples gallery has been updated. Click here to go straight to the IR Couples gallery. Pages 1 and 2 have been updated.

And finally, for a little more fun, I added the "This site is best viewed from a comfortable chair with a cup of coffee" graphic (look for it on the righthand side, below "Link To IR Haven")...somehow, it seemed appropriate.

Anyway, feel free to "tag" me a message on the Tag Board!

Best Wishes,
Allen

I Know That, Technically, It's Halloween But I Felt Like Sharing This With You

It's been a few posts since I blogged about an interracial topic. My apologies for that, as I know that's of great interest to those who visit the site. I don't have a fountain of ideas today but I can say this:

I am just as proud today to be married to someone of another nation/race/color as I was when I married my Angel nearly nine years ago. I am even more in love with her today than I was then and I feel even more blessed.

I am honored to be the father of two biracial sons who are the perfect blend of me and Angel. They make me very proud of them each day.



In a time when expectations for marriage and fatherhood are at an all-time low, it's a privilege and a wonder to be part of a truly interracial family. And even though tomorrow is not promised to any of us, I have a peace and comfort regarding the potential future of my family.

Best Wishes,
Allen

This Probably Won’t Be My Most Popular Blog Entry…

Halloween is this coming Friday. It is probably no surprise to anyone that I don’t celebrate Halloween but my reasons might surprise you. Please keep in mind that I’m familiar with the origins of the term “Halloween” and how it developed into the “holiday” it is today.

Halloween has changed, though, particularly in the U.S., in just the last 20 or 30 years. It’s taken on new meaning as it’s been working hard to catch up with Christmas as the # 1 holiday of the year. Halloween has been the # 2 holiday for a number of years, which is rather amazing, since noone gets time off from work for it, noone gets any presents and families don’t get together to celebrate it. As a matter of fact, neighborhoods have generally gotten too dangerous to trick-or-treat anymore…and that “candy” might not be candy anymore. So what’s all the hype about? Costumes? Haunted houses? B-rate horror movies? Personally, I don’t get it…

I guess I look a bit more philososphically at the whole thing. The original meaning of Christmas, for example, was to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ upon the Earth over 2000 years ago, not Santa Clause giving gifts. And if the original meaning of Halloween had to do with a Celtic fire festival (“Samhain”) at the end of harvest, that’s radically changed, too -- to celebrating all things dark and evil.

To illustrate my point, something tells me the Celts wouldn’t be too interested in visiting the “House of Torment” haunted house in a renovated shopping mall…

It sort of makes me wonder why marketing companies have been so interested in modifying time-honored traditions to cheapen their meaning while at the same time, raising the price to celebrate them? I mean, the same thing happened to Easter – which was originally about Jesus Christ’s miraculous triumph over death – not chocolate eggs and bunnies. Modern horror movies clearly have no problem selling the concept of resurrection from the dead. One would hope a risen Savior would be easier to sell to the public than rotting ghouls. Maybe that’s part of the problem?

At a general glance, it appears that the marketing point is to direct public interest away from spiritual matters and to focus on Earthly concepts that can be marketed and sold to consumers.

So, in the proverbial nutshell, this is why I don’t celebrate Halloween.

Best Wishes,
Allen


Mark 8: 36 – 37 (King James Version) (Words of Jesus Christ in RED)

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?


John 1: 1 - 5 (King James Version)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Wonders Of The Universe



The above picture is the remains of the Vela supernova which occurred countless years ago. It's a wonder of the universe, a sign of incredible change, the completion of a glorious cycle of existence.

This week, here on Earth, we saw the cumulation of efforts that had been weeks, even months in the making. Yesterday, the New Covenant Church (NCC) hosted "Youthfest 2003" at the Delco Center in Austin, Texas -- a four-hour event with musical and praise youth groups from NCC and numerous churches in the Texas area. Most importantly, however, the gospel was preached for about 20 to 30 minutes by NCC's pastor, Eddie Willis, Sr.

We had a good turnout -- especially in light of the University of Texas/Oklahoma University humiliation -- er, I mean, football game, occurring at the same time. I dunno, I think a score of 65 to 13 qualified as humilation, not just a loss, don't you? Hmmm.

Anyway, although technically First Light does not qualify as a "youth group" per se, we did perform during the prelude to the event (between 1:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.) and we received a roaring, heart-warmingly positive response from the audience. It was a lot of work and a lot of fun but our work wasn't over yet just because our band was done. I was delighted to help support some of the other NCC musical groups with my electric bass guitar playing and my wife Angel enthusiastically sang in the NCC mass choir.

Since the whole event was recorded on video and CD -- and the sound system at the Delco Center was first rate -- we're really looking forward to seeing and hearing the event from an "audience" perspective! I'll let you know if the videos or CDs will be available for purchase from NCC when they become available, for those who may be interested.

As I said, though, the most important point in the event was the Word being preached. This occurred mid-way through the event. And in the midst of this incredible event, one person decided to give his life to Jesus Christ.

And that made the whole event worthwhile. That made me all the more proud to be part of this. It's what made all the practices and rehearsals worthwhile. Just like the rings of light expanding from the supernova in the picture, the effects of this man's great decision will resonate and affect others.

And just like that supernova, God is in control of the whole thing. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, He gets all the glory.

Have a terrific day!

Best Wishes,
Allen

The Second Anniversary: September 11, 2003



My wife, Angel, took the above picture here in Austin shortly after September 11, 2001 -- even then, it seemed symbolic of what we were going through as a nation...the chaos, the feeling of being thrown about in an intense wind. And, for all intents and purposes, we were. In many aspects, we still are.

Many websites, newspapers, magazines and television shows have already been finding ways to re-live the horror and terror of 9.11.01 through pictures and video footage of the burning World Trade Center (WTC) towers. Lawsuits are finally being approved to move forward and politicians are eager to find ways to use the tragedy of two years ago for their own benefit. I can't endorse any of that.

I find no solace in succumbing to fear or outrage in reviewing video or pictures of those horrible hours.

I think it's very appropriate to honor those who died and to remember the families of those who died at either the WTC or the Pentagon or on Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. I think it's appropriate to pray for those families and pray for this world and its various leaders. I think it's appropriate to pray for the U.S. and Allied soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world, along with their families.

9.11.01 was the harshest reality check many of us have ever received, especially in the United States...but also in many areas of the world.

Life is fragile, it's always been fragile. A bullet, a car wreck, a drug overdose, an accident, violence or an unexpected illness can just as easily end life.

To me, what's important is how we LIVE -- how we make our lives count for something! So, on the second anniversary of 9.11.01, I recommend that instead of focusing on death, destruction and dispair, focus on life -- your life -- and what you can do to help others. Some helpful things you can do include giving blood, volunteering your time or just giving encouragement to someone in need, either through donation or kind words (those are free).

Thanks for your time.

Best Wishes,
Allen


Matthew 5: 1 - 12 (King James Version - Jesus' words in red)

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

What I Did On My Labor Day Weekend Vacation

It's been a while since my wife, Angel, and I had some time all to ourselves. In fact, the last time, we took any kind of vacation was for our wedding anniversary in March 2002, so we were a little overdue. One of our friends from church who runs a daycare graciously kept our boys for the weekend, so they got a little vacation, too!





No, we didn't win an all-expense paid trip to a Borg cube! This was the intriguing atmosphere of the Hotel Valencia in downtown San Antonio, Texas. Each floor looked like this. (See above pictures)

Actually, it was very cold on each floor, kind of like I would imagine a Borg cube would be, but something tells me the Borg wouldn't be playing instrumental jazz on every floor.

Either that or we escaped assimilation and didn't know it...? Hmmmmm!

Well, at least it wasn't tinted green everywhere (would've looked hideous if it did - see picture above)...



This is actually what the outside of the hotel looked like, in the midst of downtown San Antonio.

It was a very sunny weekend with a great deal of humidity and heat but we managed just fine.

Angel and I mainly wanted to get some rest and relaxation on this trip to San Antonio. So we didn't do the tourist thing. No visits to The Alamo or Fiesta, Texas or Sea World.

We did, however, visit a restaurant we'd enjoyed in March `02 -- Bambino Huey's. We had previously enjoyed the food, service, live traditional Italian music (with guitar and mandolin), gourmet coffee and the restaurant's signature dessert (the "Bambino Huey," available in vanilla and chocolate flavors).

We did receive very good service and the live Italian music...



...we enjoyed our salads (note new beard)...



...the food was pretty good and we were looking forward to the desserts...



...but they weren't quite as good as we remembered. Our waiter was very accomodating and brought us fresh, hot (chocolate) "Hueys" (since the first ones were lukewarm -- and this dessert is best when hot!) -- and we enjoyed those better...but we were left with the impression that either our expectations were too high or the quality had dipped just a bit. Nevertheless, we left full and fairly satisfied with the experience. So, if you visit Bambino Huey's in San Antonio and want a `Huey, ask for it hot!

We had a luxurious stay in the hotel. We were surprised at all the features offered just through the television set (still-in-theater movies, not-yet-released-to-DVD movies, video games, high-speed internet, select music and video channels, select television show episodes and of course, free cable channels)! We were economical, however, and stuck to the free channels -- those kinds of charges add up quickly! Besides, like I said, we came there mainly to relax, not to become assimilated by the hotel t.v. (maybe it was a Borg cube after all!)

On Sunday, we had a safe trip back to Austin, stopping off for a little detour to our old stomping grounds in San Marcos, Texas [I attended Texas State University at San Marcos, the college formerly known as "Southwest Texas State University (SWT)" from `93 to `95] along the way. Angel and I made it home before the rain from Tropical Storm "Grace" moved inland and a cold front triggered a lot of rain on Central and South Texas. We picked up our kiddos and are now enjoying the Labor Day holiday.

I hope y'all are, too!

Best Wishes,
Allen

You've Just Got To Love Texas Weather...

Remember my blog in February about 80 degree heat followed two days later by an ice storm? Well, last week, we had five straight days of 100+ degrees (Fahrenheit) heat, with Friday being 110 degrees. The weatherpeople were predicting another week of 100+ degree temperatures but the next day it dropped into the low 90s and upper 80s -- and stayed there until Monday, when a "pulse severe thunderstorm" erupted on the northern part of Austin, Texas...

It was pretty intense. We heard the thunder in the distance, getting closer, so my wife got offline and turned off the computer. Having once lost a beloved 14.4 modem to a thunderstorm in 1996, I tend to err on the side of paranoid when it comes to thunderstorms and computers. So, we unplugged the modem from the computer and unplugged the surge protectors (where the computer and monitor were plugged in) from the wall outlet. About five minutes later, a bolt of lightning struck a tree beside our house -- and it was so close, we could see it and it set off the smoke detector alarm! A moment later, the power went out. Had the computer been hooked up and online, it might have fried the modem -- and maybe even the computer!! So, sometimes mild paranoia pays off, you see!

Well, as it turns out (believe it or not), the "storm" itself hadn't even "hit" yet. I went out to pull our van into the garage, just in case it "might" hail. I had just pulled the van into the garage when suddenly, there was a massive gust of wind, so intense that, when I looked in the side view mirror of the van, all I saw outside was WHITE, no details -- like looking into fog, except it was wind and rain. Then the hail began, tossed by these winds, which were in excess of 60 miles an hour! Hearing the hail pelt against the back of the van, I forced myself to go to the back of the garage and pull down the door. After that, the hail really started slamming against the garage door. I got back inside, where my wife had already taken the kids into the front bathroom, just in case a tornado occurred. Both my wife and my kids were great in the midst of the storm. My son Adam let me know everything was going to be alright, he had already said a prayer.



I appreciated his optimism. My wife and I both said silent prayers as well.

Less than 10 minutes later, the winds died down and the rain and thunder stopped. I went outside to survey the damage. That bolt of lightning we'd seen and heard had split two parts of the same tree -- tossing one part to the left side of our yard and another part to the right side of our yard -- and these were not small parts of the tree! There was wind and lightning damage to trees all along our street but we were grateful noone had been hurt. Another wave of rain and thunder moved in later that evening and caused a brief loss of power but nowhere near as severe as the first.

In the northern part of the city, there had been a lot of damage but no lives were lost.

We got to see the unpredictable wonder of the power of God through nature and His mercy as well.

Best Wishes,
Allen

IR Haven Is A Unique Blog

I have cruised around to different blogs (via Blogger and links from other blog websites) and I must say, they span the spectrum on male and female viewpoints and they vary tremendously. There are many young bloggers, many still in high school or college – which makes sense, that’s when lots of significant change and upheaval occurs in people's lives for the first time and they can actually do something about it. That’s when people start to develop a real sense of what they believe in…but IR Haven is different. It started out as a website first before it became a blog. Then September 11th happened – and the purpose of this website took on a whole new meaning to me. I guess you could say, in a way, that I felt a profound need to express what I believe in…beyond the fact that I am supportive of interracial relationships and multiracial children.

I’m reminded of an issue of the Strangers In Paradise comic book in which the lead male character was asked “You’re a Christian, right?” by the woman he cares most about. He answers “yes,” proudly. She then dumbfounds him with her next question: “If your Christian beliefs mean so much to you, why haven’t you ever shared them with me?” (For purists of the comic, I apologize for my choppy paraphrasing of the dialogue between Katchoo and David.)

I was not a sharing person before the Lord changed me; I was a deeply private person and truthfully, there were aspects of myself that frightened me – things I would never share, except with my closest friends. Deep down, I was very angry, hurt and troubled. It took going to the brink of death (via severe dehydration) to realize I wasn’t ready, spiritually, to die. I had to beg the Lord’s mercy just to keep me from dying that day -- and He was merciful. The next day, a real minister (discussion about real vs. fake ministers is another blog entry altogether) had to show me how to let the Lord clean me up from the inside. This started with a confession of faith: I acknowledged that I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God -- that He died, was buried and was raised from the dead on the third day. I surrendered my pains and the hurts I’d caused myself and others; I took responsibility for those actions. Taking that step, I was able to pray to Jesus to receive the Lord’s forgiveness and His Holy Spirit by faith. That’s when He started changing me into who I’d always wanted to be but couldn’t because the anger, hurt or dysfunction – the sin -- would always get in the way.

IR Haven could not have come into existence without this change in my life (and my wife's life). God took two people of different ethnicities (Caucasian and African-American) and caused us to develop a deep love for one another…to the point that we would withstand challenges and disbelief from friends -- and threats, condemnation plus retaliation from family. The love that survived those difficult times was almost enough for us – but not quite. Without the love of Christ in our hearts, we did not know how to have a successful relationship, despite all that we felt for each other. God had to change us in order for us to learn how to have a true love and respect for one another, forgiveness for unintended offenses, understanding and patience that we did not possess before. As a result, our interracial marriage has become sweeter and sweeter over these last eight years and we are raising two wonderful biracial boys in that atmosphere of love and respect. I won’t say there aren’t ups and downs – that’s life – but I can honestly say that there are far more ups than there are downs…and there's no willful sin in our lives. Only God could do that!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a minister and I’m not trying to give the impression that I am one. I can’t save your soul, I’m just one man in the midst of billions of people in this world. I don’t have the pretentious belief that I’m any better than anyone else. All I can do is write about my life here in this blog and hope that it means something to you, that you get something out of it. I feel compelled to be straightforward with you, not make up clever gimmicks for you to come back. I’d rather you know me than some “quiz of the day” or news headline.

I’d rather share what I believe in deeply.

If you want to write me about it, that's fine -- but I won't debate differing spiritual beliefs. I believe what I believe. That said, you can e-mail me at irhaven@ev1.net . And if you just want to keep reading, that's fine, too.

Thanks for your time and for reading this.

Best Wishes,
Allen