Absolutely obsessed today with the sanitation worker who services my apartment building. I’m walking back from the gym in the early hours of the morning, still catching my breath from a good workout and congratulating myself on being so consistent with my fitness, when I see him. He’s not a big guy at all, and he’s pushing a big heavy steel recycling container up a slope to get it into the parking garage – and he’s got a cigarette dangling out of his mouth the whole time.

Two appreciations here: one, the feat of fitness. I think of myself as a pretty fit guy, and I could not pull off that combo. And two, the middle finger to God. “Thank you, God, for giving me this body to pilot through all Life’s adventures. I will now proceed to abuse it in ways even You will find incomprehensible.” Iconic.

A House of Prayer

In the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, the composers retell the scene where Jesus throws the merchants and moneylenders out of the Temple. First, the hubbub of the merchants and moneylenders:

Roll on up, for the price is down
Come on in for the best in town
Take your pick of the finest wine
Lay your bets on this bird of mine

Name your price; I got everything
Come and buy, it’s all going fast
Borrow cash on the finest terms
Hurry now it’s all going fast

The cacophony grows and grows until it become intolerable. Suddenly Jesus cries out, “MAAAAAHHHHH TEMPLE SHOULD BEEEEEE A HOUSE OF PRAYER. BUT YOU HAVE MADE IIIIIIITTTT A DEN OF THIIIIIEEEVES. GET OUT!!! GET OOOOUUUTTT!!!

Anyway, just in case anyone is wondering how I’m handling all that sales spam email I get at work.