I don’t care about rich people marrying up (Didn’t watch a second of Kate, and who was that fella she married? Oh, yeah, Prince William), or rich people marrying down (Kimmy K. and The 72-day Raiders of the Lost Covenant — of marriage). If it’s on a magazine cover, I’m reaching for the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup 4-pack just to the left.

“But she’s not a celebrity?” you protest.

Actually, I’d argue Elizabeth Smart is a true celebrity in every, right sense of the word — meaning to me that she’s known for something that’s made the world a better place. And what was it she did? She proved something to be true that most of us had simply given up on a long time ago — a fairy tale, if you will. When evil jealously threatened to steal all of the beautiful gifts Elizabeth had been given…well, have a look at her picture. Need I say more? There she stands today, just as radiant as you please, as if all that occurred on that 2002 night was nothing more than a fleeting dream.

Now, I’m not a girl, but I’m imagining that a lot of little girls at some point dream about looking like Elizabeth Smart (every ounce of a Disney Princess), meeting some handsome, young prince, and getting married. Well, short of a horse-drawn carriage perhaps, that’s what we’ve got here. Congrats to you, sweetheart. I think I speak for just about everyone in the world when I sincerely, and genuinely wish you and your husband a long and happy life filled with beauty, fulfillment, children, and every form of meaning that can be had.

For my whole life I’ve searched not for what is the seminal answer to life, but what is the seminal question.

And after much thinking and searching I have arrived at this:

Is this waking reality we all share really, and truly the one and only reality that has ever, and will ever, exist?

- Mister Rengerz on existence

Elbows are perfect for Mixed Martial Arts … not massages.

- Mister Rengerz

Ring Dragonz Music From Sound Sampler Library VST

- Mister Rengerz (Composer)

dirge.mp3

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As I sit here for the first time ever watching J-Lin, Jeremy Lin, dice up my Lakers tonight, I feel compelled to call my shot right now…this guy’s going to be a starter in the NBA. Yeah, I said it. A starting NBA point guard. (Inept, fumbling Warriors’ blunders continue, ’cause they cut him). He’s not a sensation. He’s not hype. He’s not a fluke. This guy’s the real deal, and I wish so bad LA had him right now. In fact, his game reminds me a young Manu Ginobili, or Steve Nash — a lot.

I’ve heard a lot of debate in the past few days about this young man. “Oh, just wait until the league gets a scouting report on him, he won’t last,” so say the skeptics. Having only now witnessed him with my own two eyes, I’m starting to understand the underlying, unspoken reason why this young man has only now gotten this opportunity that he has so richly earned. It’s because he’s Asian-American. That’s the elephant in the room here. Many analysts, coaches, and scouts at every level of basketball presume, in fact, assume, that Asians aren’t tough enough, not hard enough, not street enough, to play professionally. I believe the implications of this bias run deeper than just basketball (of which I will not go into here).

But the fact that a smart, well-educated young man of Taiwanese descent has already proven all of these stereotypes defunct, I see this as only the beginning. What do I mean by this? I mean what Jeremy Lin is doing right now before our eyes is hugely important. Without being a prisoner of the moment, I mean J-Lin is Jackie Robinson. Some people might disagree with me, even accuse me of overstating this comparison. But here’s where I think I’ve got a point. As I work with a lot of Vietnamese and Filipino High School youth from Andrew Hill and other High Schools around the Saint Maria Goretti Parish, I constantly hear about the challenges of fitting in, being accepted, and getting respect outside the classroom, and not just in it.

I’m calling my shot now. What you’re doing is important J-Lin. Just keep playing your game, and in so doing, know what you’re doing is impacting so much more than just a game.