Accidental Eucharist Poetry

Rejoice, the Body of Christ broken for you.
Rejoice, the Blood of Christ shed for you.

I said these words while participating in the Eucharist at St. Bridgids.  St. Bridgids has a very inclusive approach to the table.  Anyone who is willing may come to the table.  Anyone who comes to the table is also a server.  The table is not a place of solitude, nor is it a place of hierarchy.  So as we began I asked the woman I'd be serving her name. Her answer "Rejoice".

Jordon Cooper's Funeral (A Review)

Ok I know it's strange to review a funeral.  Jordon had terminal cancer, he knew his time was limited, and he prepared a serious piece of art for his finale. It deserves to be recognized as such.  Because of the subject matter I've kept the monetizing links to a minimum.

Songs from Jordon's Chemotherapy Playlist were playing as we entered the Lakeview Church auditorium. The final song to play: OK Go's cover of The Muppet Show Theme song.

"It's time to get things started 

On the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, muppetational..."

I don't know about sensational or muppetational but inspirational and celebrational work well for a funeral.

Being a funeral there were eulogies, passionately delivered by Tammy Robert and Scott Williams.

The eulogies covered Jordon's time as a Student, Husband, Father, Future Mapper at Lake View Church, Blogger, Rural Pastor, Urban Church Planter, Safeway Employee, Activist, Side Hustler Extrodiar, Manger for Two Homeless Shelters, founder of a shelter for rape victims, Blogger, Urban Activist, Camera Salesman, Political Commentator, Lover of Saskatoon.


Oddly the Eulogy Jordon himself had written was not read.  Turns out Jordon removed it from the service in the interest of time.

There was a moving photographic salute by Jordon's son Mark Cooper.

What made the night a performance piece was Jordon's choice of 'The Prodigal  Son' as a theme.  The unlinkable Lee Cooper read the parable from Luke. The wonderfully bearded Jared Sibert delivered a homily on the Prodigal Son, covering the Parable, The Rembrandt painting and Canadian theologian Henri Nouwen's 1994 book The Return of the Prodigal Son.  Best sermon I've heard this year.  But then my church doesn't do sermons.  In summary Jordon was on a journey to become gracious like the father and in a fight not be like the elder son.

I'll insert here that I was and continue to be a recipient of Jordon's grace.  Back when blogging was thing, (2002) I started this humble blog, and started looking around for other Canadian Christian bloggers and found JordonCooper.com.  I figured out that Jordon was kinda a big deal when the New Your Times mentioned him in satirical bit covering blogs.  They described him along the lines of 'Books, Fundies make me angry, Hockey, Hockey' if I recall.  I know that when Jordon linked to a post my trafic went through the roof.  I even got a coveted spot on Jordon's blog roll.  Someone even created a Linked by Jordon Cooper icon.  However by the time the icon came out, I had been de linked by Jordon Cooper.  So I said so in the comments.  Soon after I was restored to Jordon's blog roll.  I never asked why, though he did once make a joke about it.  My read was the he put me back as an act of grace.  So the message of Grace that Jared adeptly delivered on Jordon's behalf resonated with me.

I was also with a friend who had been estranged from Jordon for about ten years, so I was very aware that grace is not simple or easy.  This reality was also acknowledged in the service.

Todd Peters performed a wonderful cover of Over the Rhine's All My Favorite People.


The whole song fit the night perfectly but the verse that stood out to me,

Orphaned believers
skeptical dreamers
Step forward
You can stay right here
You don't have to go

In many ways that summed up the community of people Jordon gathered online and in Saskatoon.

Indeed there was a wide range of people at the funeral, I'm told the Mayor of Saskatoon was there, the Premier of Saskatchewan sent flowers.  The young man next me in ripped jeans was greeted by name as he came in.  Not sure if he was homeless or a trendy church planter.  He gently snored through most of the service, don't read that as disrespect, but as someone who came for Jordon despite exhaustion.

There was a fabulous after party downstairs at Winston's.  More tributes from folks who knew Jordon as political commentator and activist.  There was a Conservative with Heart (who was mocked) and a Fiscally Responsible Socialist (who was mocked, really the jokes wrote themselves).

It was deeply moving to reconnect with Jordon and his community one last time.

You can support Wendy & the boys via the Jordon Cooper Family Relief Fund

- Peace

400km with Dave and Calvin

Was behind on my KM, so rode the river pathway from downtown, to Canyon Meadows and back north to Joey's Only on Macleod Trail.  33km in total; my longest ride this year.  Highwood pass was 36km, but I had over an hour rest at the summit, it really was two 18km rides.

Dave & Calvin came along, they had a much longer ride as they had at least 10km to get back home.

So I made the 400km goal by the end of May, not with much time or km to spare, but made it.  Next is to hit the 500km mark on the Goat Creek ride this Sat.

Should be good to hit 800km by end of June.

- Peace

Highwood Pass May 2016

Feeling amazing about this years Highwood Pass run.  Last year it killed me.  Just over 3 hours to climb the ~700m/17.5 km to the summit.  This year: 2:20 from King Creek (just outside the gate) to the picnic table at the summit.

Last year It took me 45 minutes to go from the summit back to the gate.  This year 33.5 minutes, and that's back to the car at King's creek.  (OK it's not far from the gate but stopping and getting through the gate adds time.

Doing the climb and the descent in 75% of time compared to last year feels amazing.  Did I mention how amazing it feels?  OK I know that 2:20 isn't a record for people doing the highwood pass, but then most people aren't my size so a direct comparison doesn't really apply.  

Random side story:

The first year I did over 3k in a year a guy at the bike shop said "I don't want to steal your thunder but I'm at 3200 for the year" 

Me: "Dude I'm three times your size (zero exaggeration), talk to me when you've done 9k" 

So why the big jump.  Whish I knew for sure.  I don't see why I'd be in better shape than last year.  Last year I hit 300km near the top.  This year I was at ~330km at the top.  Last year I used the winter tires and the foot straps, this year I had the summer slicks and the bike shoes - that would be part of it.  Helped that there was a tailwind on the steepest part of the climb - though that made the descent slower.  I also rode alone this year. I was expecting the rest of the group to catch up with me, so I started out early. That meant I just went at my own pace.  I didn't stop.  I got off and walked for bits (100-200m) and rode again, but I didn't stop.  Last year people took a couple of breaks, and then continued on faster than I could go.  I think not stopping and keeping warmed up worked much better for me.  Also the camera battery died after the above shot, so maybe not taking pictures helped my time.

Whatever the reason,  I was glad to be the one waiting at the summit for the rest of the group instead of being the one everyone was waiting for.

Other Random Notes

• Saw a grizzly on the side of the road driving up highway 40.  People were getting out of their cars to take pictures with their iphones and tablets.  Stupid people.
• There were snow flakes in the air at the summit.  Not a good year to have left my sweater at home.
• Someone wore  pants on their head.  We called this a pantouque. Non Canadians please see the Alberta Parks Touque.

- Peace

300km with Clement

Went to Vancouver to visit Sarah, but also got in a bike n brunch in with Clement.  Hit the 300km mark Sunday morning while riding Pacific Spirit Regional Park.  One of my favorite places.  Went to Jethro's on Dunbar afterwards.  They make huge pancakes, I wasn't able to finish one of the two that came with my order.

200km On Target

Hit the 200km mark on the way for coffee on 17th Ave.  That took me through Sunalta, one of the few communities in Calgary with tree covered streets.

I'm on target for 400km by the end of May.  So far so good.

Looking forward to riding in Vancouver on the long weekend.  Not sure if I can manage to hit a 100km mark while there.

- Peace

2016 First 100km, Goal and a Plan

Hit 100km for 2016 on the way to work this morning.  Only made it to 850km last year, and 250 of that was on vacation.  Never found my commuting grove last year.  So I'm feeling good that I've biked to work every day in May.  All three work days :)

Goal for 2016 is 1300km, 500 more than the last 100km mark from 2015.

The plan is:

• 400km by the end of May
• 800km by the end of June
• 1000km by the end of July
• 1400km by the end of Aug.

I really should be able to blow through the 1300km mark with ease.  I'll wait till I've done that before setting a new 2016 Goal for the fall.

- Peace

10 years, 2M views on Flickr

My photos on flickr racked up their 2 millionth view yesterday.  I don't know what picture got the magic 2 millionth view; I can say Fire was the mosted viewed image that day.

I've been on flickr since June of 2005, so that's just over 10 years now.  I hit 1 million views back in 2013 and I feel about the same with 2 million views.  Still 10 years with flickr deserves something  so here are my top photos in Explore by year going back to 2005. Explore is flickr's top 500 photos for the day the photo was uploaded.

Seattle Great Wheel : 2015 (so far) #205 in Explore. Only shot on the list taken with my new Pentax K3ii
Rob's Return: 2014, #41 I've previously blogged about Rob's Return, no surprise that it's on this list.
Giant Head, the Bow: 2013 #101 One of Calgary's most iconic public art installations in front of one of our most iconic building. With a ranking of 101 this tied with Jackrabbit Snow for 2014's highest rank in Explore.  I went with Giant Head as it as more than double the views.
London Eye Pod, 2012 #14 Taken from the top of the London Eye, on our trip to Europe to celebrate our 20th Anniversary. Flickr currently ranks this as my most interesting picture.
Green Points: 2011 #350 Taken on our trip up BC's Sunset Coast.  The only photo on this list taken with a Lensbaby. The second shot from BC to make this list.
Calgary Tower in Fog: 2010 #51 We don't get much fog in Calgary but when we do it can lead to some cool photos.
Action in Lane 20: 2009 #50 The Calgary Flickr Meet Up Group rented a bowling alley and I got this cool shot of the bright ball and pins falling. The only indoor shot to make the list.
Sky Canola: 2008 #350 Taken with my point and shoot while biking.  I didn't even stop to take this shot, just pointed the camera at the field and kept going. Flickr ranks this as my second most interesting shot of all time.
First Macro Experiment: 2007 #82 Flowers in the Quebec City Farmer's market.  I had just gotten my first SRL (Pentax's K10d).  I had gone to the market the day before, but went back with a macro lens to see if I could get better results - looks like I did :)
Queen of the Ducks: 2006 #107 Another Flickr Meetup group shot.  Fellow flickerite Lisataime brought seed to attract the ducks and I got in on the actions.
Street Humor: 2005 #97 On 17th ave.  I had to pay him to get this shot. Again taken while out the the Calgary Flickr Meet Up Group.  I do miss that group.  They had a huge impact on my photography.

This post made possible by Flickr Scout.

- Peace

300 km, 400 km, Group Rides and many Daves on Bikes

Hit the 300 km mark at the end of a ~700m climb up to the top of the Highwood pass.  Wow do I suck at climbing.  ~3 hours to go 17km.  Did the trip back down in ~45 minutes.

Thanks to the other Dave K. for organizing.




Hit the 400 km mark wile riding Goat Creek with David M. and 16 other riders + me for a total of 18.  I think that's a record number of riders for the Goat Creek ride.