It's 2:19am. Why no, actually, I do not have insomnia. In fact, I was sleeping quite soundly when the alarm went off 19 minutes ago. I am now dressed and ready to head into the office.
There is something very odd about going into the office around 2:30am (aside from the obvious insanity).
For one, 2am is when the bars close. So there you are, one of the hardest working people within rock-throwing distance, shaven, pressed and dressed, headed into work at o-dark-thirty, on the look out for drunks who are trying to find their way home.
About two years ago, I was similarly busy at work and heading in about the same time; I rounded a curve on an interchange and came upon a car on the shoulder of the highway UP-SIDE-DOWN. The crash must have happened seconds earlier as the driver WAS STILL IN THE CAR.
As I ran up to the shattered driver's window, he was crawling out - reeking of alcohol. If he hadn't had been drunk, he probably would have been killed. Of course, if he hadn't had been drunk, he probably wouldn't have crashed in the first place. I dialed 911 and stayed with him until the paramedics arrived.
I am also told that 2am-3am is the "dead of the night" and that if you ever need to catch people unawares, this is the hour to do it. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
You might be asking yourself, "If this guy is so busy, how is it he has time to pound the keys on the blog?"
I don't have time, actually. I am just waiting for the coffee to finish brewing so I can take a thermos into the office. Our office coffee is truly horrid.
Oops - coffee is ready. Maybe I should make an extra pot in case I run into a drunk that needs some. Or should I say, in case they run into me . . .
UPDATE:
Another strange thing about going into the office in the dead of night is the radio stations. Some stations that are in english during the day go into a foreign language in the middle of the night. Some news stations just play classical music (like those colored bars you used to see on the tv if you switched it on before 6am).
There is one radio show that is a guy interviewing himself - only he talks in different voices. There is another radio show that is all about aliens.
So there you are, barely coherant yourself - heading into the office- wondering why you can't find a job that doesn't require you to work 14 hour days - on the lookout for drunks headed home (I originally typed "on the lookout for drinks headed home" which is what I do at the end of the day . . .) - flipping between stories of alien abductions, spanish where there should be english and a guy interviewing himself and that's when it hits you . . . .
The reason you could not find your coat this morning is because you left it on the hook behind the door in your office . . .
The reason why you are not going to be able to get into your office when you get there at 3am is because you left the keys to the office in your coat pocket which is STILL HANGING ON THE HOOK BEHIND THE DOOR IN YOUR OFFICE. . .
I am now back at home.
The great thing about all this is that the 5 hours of work I was going to get done before the opening bell will be waiting for me - guaranteeing me not only an *ahem* exciting day but also virtually guaranteeing that I will be working this weekend.
AND I have now induced the equivalent of insomnia upon myself . . .
So what to do now? Do I get undressed and climb back into bed? Or do I stay dressed and stretch out on the couch?
You know it's going to be some day when its 3am and the wheels have already come off the wagon . . .
good times
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Finally, Congress has a Plan to Help the Economy
From The Onion:
Congress To Raise Alpacas To Aid Struggling Economy
Hilarious. Read the whole thing.
Congress To Raise Alpacas To Aid Struggling Economy
"Proponents of the new economic stimulus package show off the comfort and
versatility of alpaca fleece."
Hilarious. Read the whole thing.
Soul Food - 1/30/08
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
- Genesis 3:14
Point of Interest:
The proper Hebrew name for God is “Yahweh” which means “He is”
Any time you see the word “LORD” capitalized in the NIV version, it means the proper name for God is being used.
Incidentally, the texts do not spell out “Yahweh” but rather “YHWH” because the proper name for God was considered so holy that to write it out correctly might lead to taking the LORD’s name in vain.
It is this proper name, “Yahweh” that is meant when the scripture says to not take the name of the LORD in vain; although the logical extension of that in an evolving society with many languages is that any reference to God should be used only with the greatest care, respect and reverence.
Get to Work!
The past couple of days I have been getting up before the chickens - that is, if I had chickens, I would be up before them - and what's with these chickens anyway? Why are they so amped about being early risers?
If I were a chicken, I would just lay around in the coop all day - "No, no, the rest of y'all go ahead - get up and run around as if your heads are cut off - I'm sleeping in."
I suppose if I did have chickens, they would need to get up early so they could be counted before they hatched . . . or . . . something. But I digress.
I have been getting up early with the intention of going in early only to find myself putzing around and stalling my early morning return to the house of pain.
Well not today, friends. Yesterday afternoon, I looked around the office and realized that the situation had become dire.
So this is it - my one post for today. If I can, I will e-mail in a post or two of the usual stuff from the office.
It's 3:11 am. And I am heading out the
If I were a chicken, I would just lay around in the coop all day - "No, no, the rest of y'all go ahead - get up and run around as if your heads are cut off - I'm sleeping in."
I suppose if I did have chickens, they would need to get up early so they could be counted before they hatched . . . or . . . something. But I digress.
I have been getting up early with the intention of going in early only to find myself putzing around and stalling my early morning return to the house of pain.
Well not today, friends. Yesterday afternoon, I looked around the office and realized that the situation had become dire.
So this is it - my one post for today. If I can, I will e-mail in a post or two of the usual stuff from the office.
It's 3:11 am. And I am heading out the
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Wha Happen'?
I set up Google Analytics on my blog a few months back.
Since then, I have checked it exactly three times. Once, when I set it up, today, and one time in-between.
Apparently, on January 15th, my readership shot up 800%. What did I say? No idea.
I hope that wasn't my 15 min of fame. If so, I missed it.
I also noticed that I have had a visit from every state in the union except North and South Dakota, Maine, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.
C'mon people! We almost have every state in the world's only superpower tuned in!
If you know someone in one of these states - shoot them a link. They don't have to stay long - just a visit will do.
My OCD is begging you . . .
Since then, I have checked it exactly three times. Once, when I set it up, today, and one time in-between.
Apparently, on January 15th, my readership shot up 800%. What did I say? No idea.
I hope that wasn't my 15 min of fame. If so, I missed it.
I also noticed that I have had a visit from every state in the union except North and South Dakota, Maine, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.
C'mon people! We almost have every state in the world's only superpower tuned in!
If you know someone in one of these states - shoot them a link. They don't have to stay long - just a visit will do.
My OCD is begging you . . .
A Coyote is a Woman's Best Friend
Check out today's "Coyote"
If that's true, all I can say is; that must be some coyote and that must be some woman.
If that's true, all I can say is; that must be some coyote and that must be some woman.
Quote of the Day
Others have said they would personally be happy to pay higher taxes. I welcome their enthusiasm. I'm pleased to report that the IRS accepts both checks and money orders.
- President George W. Bush - State of the Union Address 1/28/08
- President George W. Bush - State of the Union Address 1/28/08
Soul Food - 1/29/08
"Judah, your brothers will praise you;
your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
your father's sons will bow down to you.
You are a lion's cub, O Judah;
you return from the prey, my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs
and the obedience of the nations is his.
He will tether his donkey to a vine,
his colt to the choicest branch;
he will wash his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.
His eyes will be darker than wine,
his teeth whiter than milk.
- Genesis 49:8-12
But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
- Genesis 50:19-20
Point of Interest:
850 years after the death of Jacob (aka Israel), a descendant of Judah, named David, will become the greatest king in the history of Israel. 1010 years after that, another descendant of Judah, Jesus of Nazareth, will be born.
Genesis 49:8-12 is thought by many to be a prophesy about Jesus 1859 years before he was born. For that reason, Jesus is sometimes referred to as "The Lion of Judah".
It is also this imagery that led CS Lewis to depict the Christ figure, Aslan, in his Chronicles of Narnia series, as a lion.
For those so inclined, a longer trailer is here:
your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
your father's sons will bow down to you.
You are a lion's cub, O Judah;
you return from the prey, my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs
and the obedience of the nations is his.
He will tether his donkey to a vine,
his colt to the choicest branch;
he will wash his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.
His eyes will be darker than wine,
his teeth whiter than milk.
- Genesis 49:8-12
But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
- Genesis 50:19-20
Point of Interest:
850 years after the death of Jacob (aka Israel), a descendant of Judah, named David, will become the greatest king in the history of Israel. 1010 years after that, another descendant of Judah, Jesus of Nazareth, will be born.
Genesis 49:8-12 is thought by many to be a prophesy about Jesus 1859 years before he was born. For that reason, Jesus is sometimes referred to as "The Lion of Judah".
It is also this imagery that led CS Lewis to depict the Christ figure, Aslan, in his Chronicles of Narnia series, as a lion.
For those so inclined, a longer trailer is here:
Imprimus
As I go about daily life and come across items I find interesting I scribble notes or toss articles in a stack to share with y'all later.
One of the articles I have been meaning to point out is the latest edition of Imprimus and then I read this.
I've been scooped!
Anyway, here are a couple of graphs:
One of the articles I have been meaning to point out is the latest edition of Imprimus and then I read this.
I've been scooped!
Anyway, here are a couple of graphs:
"In a news item from last year, an Ottawa panhandler said that he may have to abandon his prime panhandling real estate on a downtown street corner because he is being shaken down by officials from the panhandlers union. Think about that. There’s a panhandlers union which exists to protect workers’ rights or—in this case non-workers’ rights. If the union-negotiated non-work contracts aren’t honored, the unionized panhandlers will presumably walk off the job and stand around on the sidewalk. No, wait...they’ll walk off the sidewalk! . . .
"The third difference is that Canada’s economy is more subsidized. Almost every activity amounts to taking government money in some form or other. I was at the Summit of the Americas held in Canada in the summer of 2001, with President Bush and the presidents and prime ministers from Latin America and the Caribbean. And, naturally, it attracted the usual anti-globalization anarchists who wandered through town lobbing bricks at any McDonald’s or Nike outlet that hadn’t taken the precaution of boarding up its windows. At one point I was standing inside the perimeter fence sniffing tear gas and enjoying the mob chanting against the government from the other side of the wire, when a riot cop suddenly grabbed me and yanked me backwards, and a nanosecond later a chunk of concrete landed precisely where I had been standing. I bleated the usual “Oh my God, I could have been killed” for a few minutes and then I went to have a café au lait. And while reading the paper over my coffee, I learned that not only had Canadian colleges given their students time off to come to the Summit to riot, but that the Canadian government had given them $300,000 to pay for their travel and expenses. It was a government-funded anti-government riot! At that point I started bleating “Oh my God, I could have been killed at taxpayer expense.” Say what you like about the American trust-fund babies who had swarmed in to demonstrate from Boston and New York, but at least they were there on their own dime. Canada will and does subsidize anything."
Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
By Jimmy Cox
Once I lived the life of a millionaire
Spending my money, with never a care
Takin' all my friends out for a good time
Drinkin' high-priced liquor, champagne and wine;
Then I began to fall so low;
Didn't have a friend, and noplace to go
If I ever get my hands on a dollar again
I'm gonna squeeze it, until the eagle grins, cause
Nobody knows you when you're down and out.
In your pocket, not one penny
And your friends -- you find you haven't any.
But as soon as you get back on your feet again
Everybody wants to be your long-lost friend
It's might strange, without a doubt
Nobody knows you when you're down and out.
Once I lived the life of a millionaire
Spending my money, with never a care
Takin' all my friends out for a good time
Drinkin' high-priced liquor, champagne and wine;
Then I began to fall so low;
Didn't have a friend, and noplace to go
If I ever get my hands on a dollar again
I'm gonna squeeze it, until the eagle grins, cause
Nobody knows you when you're down and out.
In your pocket, not one penny
And your friends -- you find you haven't any.
But as soon as you get back on your feet again
Everybody wants to be your long-lost friend
It's might strange, without a doubt
Nobody knows you when you're down and out.
Must Read Book #34
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin - written 1813 AD
If you ever plan on being married - for a sense of manhood - The Hugh Hewitt Show
If you ever plan on being married - for a sense of manhood - The Hugh Hewitt Show
Quote of the Day
No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.
- William Penn
- William Penn
Why Don't You Cry . .er, Sing About it?
Elizabeth sent me this article which reminded me that I had seen a news story on these guys somewhere. Sure enough, there is a collection on YouTube:
Monday, January 28, 2008
Oh Captain, My Captain!
Guest Blogging by "The Wife". I am here filling in for "the mutt" as he is back to getting up at 3am and getting to the office around 5am (and falling asleep on the couch by 8pm).
Both my boys woke up swingin' last night.
We were watching a movie (Tea with Mussolini - I highly recommend it) and we decided to take an intermission which startled the dawg who was peacefully sleeping by the fire.
He jumped up growling at nothing in particular. It was just like a person talking in their sleep; "Wha? Huh? I'll fight ya!" Pretty funny.
Well, it must have been in the air because when I decided to head for bed, the husband was already there asleep, as per usual. When I crawled in, he sat straight up and declared, "I'm the captain of the ship!"
I responded, "You are?" (I like to encourage the talking in the sleep. It's so entertaining)
"Yup", and then he flopped back down.
Sooo tough. Well, "Aye, Aye, Captain!"
Dawg on one side curled up on his bed, the "Captain" on the other. I laughed myself to sleep feeling "Oh, so protected" between them.
Them's m'boys.
Both my boys woke up swingin' last night.
We were watching a movie (Tea with Mussolini - I highly recommend it) and we decided to take an intermission which startled the dawg who was peacefully sleeping by the fire.
He jumped up growling at nothing in particular. It was just like a person talking in their sleep; "Wha? Huh? I'll fight ya!" Pretty funny.
Well, it must have been in the air because when I decided to head for bed, the husband was already there asleep, as per usual. When I crawled in, he sat straight up and declared, "I'm the captain of the ship!"
I responded, "You are?" (I like to encourage the talking in the sleep. It's so entertaining)
"Yup", and then he flopped back down.
Sooo tough. Well, "Aye, Aye, Captain!"
Dawg on one side curled up on his bed, the "Captain" on the other. I laughed myself to sleep feeling "Oh, so protected" between them.
Them's m'boys.
Soul Food - 1/28/08
Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time.
- Genesis 46:29
- Genesis 46:29
Must reads #31, 32 & 33
The Sailor
by Geof Hewitt
In my movie the boat goes under
And he alone survives the night in the cold ocean,
Swimming he hopes in a shoreward direction.
Daylight and he's still afloat, pawing the water
And doesn't yet know he's only fifty feet from shore.
He goes under for what will be the last time
But only a few feet down scrapes bottom.
He's suddenly a changed man and half hops, half swims
The remaining distance, hauls himself waterlogged
Partway up the beach before collpasing into sleep.
As he dreams the tide comes in
And rolls him back to sea.
In my movie the boat goes under
And he alone survives the night in the cold ocean,
Swimming he hopes in a shoreward direction.
Daylight and he's still afloat, pawing the water
And doesn't yet know he's only fifty feet from shore.
He goes under for what will be the last time
But only a few feet down scrapes bottom.
He's suddenly a changed man and half hops, half swims
The remaining distance, hauls himself waterlogged
Partway up the beach before collpasing into sleep.
As he dreams the tide comes in
And rolls him back to sea.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
The Military's Amazon.com
A gal at the office is an Army reservist who served one tour in Iraq.
I have been thinking about buying a new pair of hiking boots and I figured if anyone ought to have comfortable hiking boots - it would be the Army.
When I asked her about it, she said, "Oh sure - you can order them online".
Wha? . . .
Then she brought in a catalogue of all this gear anyone can order online. It was fascinating to me. They sell everything from camping cots and water filters to specialized holsters and slings for your firearms.
The website is Ranger Joe's.
It also occured to me that some of the stuff they sell would make great camping gear.
I have been thinking about buying a new pair of hiking boots and I figured if anyone ought to have comfortable hiking boots - it would be the Army.
When I asked her about it, she said, "Oh sure - you can order them online".
Wha? . . .
Then she brought in a catalogue of all this gear anyone can order online. It was fascinating to me. They sell everything from camping cots and water filters to specialized holsters and slings for your firearms.
The website is Ranger Joe's.
It also occured to me that some of the stuff they sell would make great camping gear.
New Archeological Site for Sodom and Gomorrah Proposed
From Echorouk Online via World Net Daily.
An international excavation team of archeologists led by Dr. Steven Collins, an expert on Biblical archeology from US Trinity Southwestern University, have claimed finding new evidence proving that the Biblical sites of Sodom and Gomorrah - two cities cited in Bible as "destroyed by God for their sins"- were located in Jordan's Tall al-Hammam in north of the Dead Sea, rather than attributed location in the south of the Dead Sea.
One of the archeologists in the excavation team said, "One of the interesting things about Tall al-Hammam is what we called a MB gap, that is the period of time between the Middle Bronze Age and Iron Age, because in normal locations like this, you have occupations one right on top of the other, but here, something very unique, something very significant took place in the Middle Bronze Age.
The city was destroyed by an event that was so dramatic that it scared everybody away for seven hundred years. Here, in this square, there's the perfect example. You have Iron Age foundations that are built right into a Middle Bronze Age rampart."
Many people located Sodom and Gomorrah towards the south of the Dead Sea but the reason that they choose the north of the Dead Sea is that historically, most ancient people--even scholars of the 19th century chose the northern Dead Sea for Sodom because the Biblical text is very clear about the location.
Soul Food - 1/27/08
Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
"So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.
- Genesis 45:4-8
"So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.
- Genesis 45:4-8
Solitude
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
LAUGH, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone.
For the sad old earth must borrow it's mirth,
But has trouble enough of it's own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air.
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.
Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go.
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all.
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life's gall.
Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a long and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.
LAUGH, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone.
For the sad old earth must borrow it's mirth,
But has trouble enough of it's own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air.
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.
Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go.
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all.
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life's gall.
Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a long and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Weight and See
185 lbs
2 less than last week
8 less for the year
I was 185 when I got married 15 years ago. Of course, I was also going to the gym 2 hours a day. It is amazing how 185 can look so different 15 years later.
I have lost some muscle and apparently what muscle I do have has been covered by a soft protective coating.
I am going to have to lose at least 5 - maybe 10 - more pounds.
2 less than last week
8 less for the year
I was 185 when I got married 15 years ago. Of course, I was also going to the gym 2 hours a day. It is amazing how 185 can look so different 15 years later.
I have lost some muscle and apparently what muscle I do have has been covered by a soft protective coating.
I am going to have to lose at least 5 - maybe 10 - more pounds.
Hummers are Good for the Environment
You want to save the environment? Trade in your Hybrid Prius for a Hummer.
From the Recorder via Instapundit:
Key Graphs:
From the Recorder via Instapundit:
Key Graphs:
The Toyota Prius has become the flagship car for those in our society so environmentally conscious that they are willing to spend a premium to show the world how much they care. Unfortunately for them, their ultimate ‘green car’ is the source of some of the worst pollution in North America; it takes more combined energy per Prius to produce than a Hummer.
Unfortunately for Toyota, the government realized how unrealistic their EPA tests were . . . This has dropped the Prius’s EPA down by 25 percent to an average of 45mpg. This now puts the Toyota within spitting distance of cars like the Chevy Aveo, which costs less then half what the Prius costs.
It gets much worse.
Building a Toyota Prius causes more environmental damage than a Hummer that is on the road for three times longer than a Prius.
When you pool together all the combined energy it takes to drive and build a Toyota Prius, the flagship car of energy fanatics, it takes almost 50 percent more energy than a Hummer - the Prius’s arch nemesis.
The Prius costs an average of $3.25 per mile driven over a lifetime of 100,000 miles - the expected lifespan of the Hybrid.
The Hummer, on the other hand, costs a more fiscal $1.95 per mile to put on the road over an expected lifetime of 300,000 miles. That means the Hummer will last three times longer than a Prius and use less combined energy doing it.
One last fun fact for you: it takes five years to offset the premium price of a Prius. Meaning, you have to wait 60 months to save any money over a non-hybrid car because of lower gas expenses.
Weakly Sherpa
Reading Plan for Next Week:
Monday, January 28, 2008 --- Genesis 46-47
Tuesday, January 29, 2008 --- Genesis 48-50
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 --- Exodus 1-3
Thursday, January 31, 2008 --- Exodus 4-6
Friday, February 01, 2008 --- Exodus 7-9
Saturday, February 02, 2008 --- Exodus 10-12
Sunday, February 03, 2008 --- Exodus 13-15
Monday, January 28, 2008 --- Genesis 46-47
Tuesday, January 29, 2008 --- Genesis 48-50
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 --- Exodus 1-3
Thursday, January 31, 2008 --- Exodus 4-6
Friday, February 01, 2008 --- Exodus 7-9
Saturday, February 02, 2008 --- Exodus 10-12
Sunday, February 03, 2008 --- Exodus 13-15
Soul Food - 1/26/08
When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you just keep looking at each other?" He continued, "I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die."
- Genesis 42:1-2
Points of Interest:
All cultures have numbers of significance. In the Bible, some of the numbers of significance are 3, 7, any multiples of 7, 12 and 40.
These numbers are used to indicate completeness, perfection, the fullness of time, a long period of time etc.
The world was created in 7 days
In the Noah story it rains 40 days and 40 nights
In today's reading, Egypt has 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine
When the Biblical authors use these numbers, they may or may not be literal. The 40 days of rain in the Noah story could just mean "a long time" or a "perfectly complete amount of time".
The 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine could be the author's way of saying "a perfect amount of time for God's purposes"
You will see these significant numbers over and over as you read through the Bible. Sometimes they may be meant to be read literally, sometimes they are the author's way of conveying a truth that is deeper than a mere period of time.
- Genesis 42:1-2
Points of Interest:
All cultures have numbers of significance. In the Bible, some of the numbers of significance are 3, 7, any multiples of 7, 12 and 40.
These numbers are used to indicate completeness, perfection, the fullness of time, a long period of time etc.
The world was created in 7 days
In the Noah story it rains 40 days and 40 nights
In today's reading, Egypt has 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine
When the Biblical authors use these numbers, they may or may not be literal. The 40 days of rain in the Noah story could just mean "a long time" or a "perfectly complete amount of time".
The 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine could be the author's way of saying "a perfect amount of time for God's purposes"
You will see these significant numbers over and over as you read through the Bible. Sometimes they may be meant to be read literally, sometimes they are the author's way of conveying a truth that is deeper than a mere period of time.
Quote of the Day
Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Theodore Roosevelt
All These Trees Are Ruining the Environment!
From the San Jose Mercury News via Instapundit.
Key Graphs:
Years ago, you used to get your groceries in a paper bag. Then the we were all told that plastic bags were more environmentally friendly. Now plastic bags are being outlawed and they want us to cut down trees to make room for solar panels? Give me a break.
Key Graphs:
"Richard Treanor and Carolynn Bissett own a Prius and consider themselves environmentalists. But they refuse to cut down any of the trees behind their house on Benton Street, saying they've done nothing wrong.
"'We're just living here in peace. We want to be left alone,' said Bissett, who with her husband has spent $25,000 defending themselves against criminal charges. 'We support solar power, but we thought common sense would prevail.'
"In December, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Kurt Kumli found the couple guilty of one count of violating the Solar Shade Control Act. . . he ruled that six of the trees can remain and that the two generating the most shade must be removed.
"'We are the first citizens in the state of California to be convicted of a crime for growing redwood trees,' Bissett said, forcing a smile."
Years ago, you used to get your groceries in a paper bag. Then the we were all told that plastic bags were more environmentally friendly. Now plastic bags are being outlawed and they want us to cut down trees to make room for solar panels? Give me a break.
Friday, January 25, 2008
A Toast to Success!
If this is true, I should be a frigging billionaire.
Then again, most of the homeless people I come across should be trillionaires.
11 glasses of wine a week? How do they keep their life together?!
lightweights.
HT: Once again to World Net Daily
Then again, most of the homeless people I come across should be trillionaires.
11 glasses of wine a week? How do they keep their life together?!
lightweights.
HT: Once again to World Net Daily
I Had No Idea Chicken Was So Bad for You
And by "you", I mean YOU!
You have been warned.
Order something else - everything else tastes like chicken anyway . . .
Except STEAK!. Mmmmmm . . . . I love steak . . .
HT: World Net Daily
You have been warned.
Order something else - everything else tastes like chicken anyway . . .
Except STEAK!. Mmmmmm . . . . I love steak . . .
HT: World Net Daily
Second Hand Lions
The wife and I took in Second Hand Lions last night, at the end of which, we both exclaimed, "Wonderful". How often does that happen?The story is about a young boy who's dead beat mother drops him off with his two great uncles out in the middle of nowhere. The two old men are brothers who purportedly are sitting on ill-gotten millions.
There is a constant parade of relatives and salesmen coming to the house - all bent on getting their hands on some of the $$. Most of them are chased off with shotgun fire.
It is sort of a "Big Fish" story so if you liked that movie, you would probably like this one as well.
Trailer:
Mushrooms
Yesterday at work, one of the gals asked, "Is your wife coming home after work tonight?" And let's face it, the question is loaded with connotations.
When I stared back at her blankly, she offered, "Doesn't your wife hang out with her friends on Thursday night and you and the dawg have boy's night at home?"
That's right. The wife does periodically hang out with her friends one night every couple weeks or so. That usually means beer, bourbon, cigars, steak and war movies for me.
Part of me wishes that the last sentence was an exaggeration but, for good or ill, that's how it usually goes down.
"No", I replied, "she is coming home tonight". But it got me thinking . . . .
One of us had to go to the store anyway to pick up some dinner as the larder was empty. To top it off, I have been working 12 hour days this week and one of the ways I reward myself is with food. So why not make it steak night?
The cue at the meat counter was only three people deep and I settled on a couple of boneless rib-eyes. The butcher started to help the woman next to me and the customer explained that the man at the other end of the counter had been there first. He protested and she insisted. I love it when that happens. Decent folk behaving decently.
When it came the woman's turn she asked for ground beef. "Wadda you makin?" asked the butcher.
"Homemade hamburgers with sauteed mushrooms and Swiss cheese" she explained.
"D'ere's nothin like a good homemade burger" replied the butcher.
It came my turn and I requested the steaks. I picked up a couple more items and headed to the checkout.
I let a man with two items go ahead of me. It was wrapping up to be a truly pleasant trip to the store after an interminably long day.
As I was paying, a lady with colored extensions in her hair, jabbering on a cell phone in one hand and sucking down what appeared to be a Starbucks caramel frozen something-or-other exclaimed "EXCUSE ME" as she pushed past me, shoving my shopping cart out of the way. As if my presence in an orderly line at the checkout was somehow a personal affront to her.
Whatever.
What was her big hurry, you may ask? Apparently she need to get to the exit doors where she stood directly in every one's way aimlessly staggering, jabbering and sucking.
Sheesh.
But none of that is what I wanted to share with you . . .
What I wanted to share with you is that while the steaks were grilling, the potatoes were nuking and the mushrooms were sauteing, I was surprised to remember the very first time I had ever had sauteed mushrooms.
I must have been about 7 years old and my mom had taken my brother and I to the Farmer's Market in Los Angeles. Afterwards, we went to a Hamburger Hamlet where I ordered a burger with sauteed mushrooms. I have loved them ever since.
When I related the story to my wife, she was shocked to realize that she remembers the first time she had sauteed mushrooms as well. She was about the same age and an older neighborhood girl had come over to hang out.
They wanted a snack but couldn't find anything so the older gal whipped up some sauteed mushrooms. My wife has loved them ever since as well.
Weird. Who would think that 30 years later you would remember the first time you had something as ordinary as a sauteed mushroom?
By the way, the bourbon and coke, steaks, mushrooms, potatoes, wine (instead of beer) and ice cream for dessert was great. We watched Second Hand Lions which has a lot of gunfire so it was sort of like "boys night" after all.
I skipped the cigar.
When I stared back at her blankly, she offered, "Doesn't your wife hang out with her friends on Thursday night and you and the dawg have boy's night at home?"
That's right. The wife does periodically hang out with her friends one night every couple weeks or so. That usually means beer, bourbon, cigars, steak and war movies for me.
Part of me wishes that the last sentence was an exaggeration but, for good or ill, that's how it usually goes down.
"No", I replied, "she is coming home tonight". But it got me thinking . . . .
One of us had to go to the store anyway to pick up some dinner as the larder was empty. To top it off, I have been working 12 hour days this week and one of the ways I reward myself is with food. So why not make it steak night?
The cue at the meat counter was only three people deep and I settled on a couple of boneless rib-eyes. The butcher started to help the woman next to me and the customer explained that the man at the other end of the counter had been there first. He protested and she insisted. I love it when that happens. Decent folk behaving decently.
When it came the woman's turn she asked for ground beef. "Wadda you makin?" asked the butcher.
"Homemade hamburgers with sauteed mushrooms and Swiss cheese" she explained.
"D'ere's nothin like a good homemade burger" replied the butcher.
It came my turn and I requested the steaks. I picked up a couple more items and headed to the checkout.
I let a man with two items go ahead of me. It was wrapping up to be a truly pleasant trip to the store after an interminably long day.
As I was paying, a lady with colored extensions in her hair, jabbering on a cell phone in one hand and sucking down what appeared to be a Starbucks caramel frozen something-or-other exclaimed "EXCUSE ME" as she pushed past me, shoving my shopping cart out of the way. As if my presence in an orderly line at the checkout was somehow a personal affront to her.
Whatever.
What was her big hurry, you may ask? Apparently she need to get to the exit doors where she stood directly in every one's way aimlessly staggering, jabbering and sucking.
Sheesh.
But none of that is what I wanted to share with you . . .
What I wanted to share with you is that while the steaks were grilling, the potatoes were nuking and the mushrooms were sauteing, I was surprised to remember the very first time I had ever had sauteed mushrooms.
I must have been about 7 years old and my mom had taken my brother and I to the Farmer's Market in Los Angeles. Afterwards, we went to a Hamburger Hamlet where I ordered a burger with sauteed mushrooms. I have loved them ever since.
When I related the story to my wife, she was shocked to realize that she remembers the first time she had sauteed mushrooms as well. She was about the same age and an older neighborhood girl had come over to hang out.
They wanted a snack but couldn't find anything so the older gal whipped up some sauteed mushrooms. My wife has loved them ever since as well.
Weird. Who would think that 30 years later you would remember the first time you had something as ordinary as a sauteed mushroom?
By the way, the bourbon and coke, steaks, mushrooms, potatoes, wine (instead of beer) and ice cream for dessert was great. We watched Second Hand Lions which has a lot of gunfire so it was sort of like "boys night" after all.
I skipped the cigar.
Soul Food - 1/25/08
"Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
"The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned."
- Genesis 39:1-4
"When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, "This is how your slave treated me," he burned with anger. Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined.
"But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there."
- Genesis 39:19-22
"The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him."
- Genesis 40:23
Points of Interest:
The Joseph story is a great example of how when bad things happen to good people they should strive to maintain their integrity.
Verses 9:1, 9:7, & 38:9 are some examples of the Catholic Church's justifications for their stance against contraception.
"The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned."
- Genesis 39:1-4
"When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, "This is how your slave treated me," he burned with anger. Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined.
"But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there."
- Genesis 39:19-22
"The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him."
- Genesis 40:23
Points of Interest:
The Joseph story is a great example of how when bad things happen to good people they should strive to maintain their integrity.
Verses 9:1, 9:7, & 38:9 are some examples of the Catholic Church's justifications for their stance against contraception.
From Lileks Today
"So I stopped fretting and entertained (G)Nat’s questions about astronomy and ghosts. She’d read a scary book at school, and was freaked out about ghosts. She was in a mood to be freaked out, though, so she requested another look at the Scary Hexagon on Saturn. That thing creeps me out too."Well that's weird.
Untitled
by Emily Dickinson
Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne'er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.
Not one of all the purple host
Who took the flag to-day
Can tell the definition,
So clear, of victory!
As he, defeated, dying,
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Burst agonized and clear!
Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne'er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.
Not one of all the purple host
Who took the flag to-day
Can tell the definition,
So clear, of victory!
As he, defeated, dying,
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Burst agonized and clear!
Must Read Book #29
Paradise Lost by John Milton - written 1667 AD
"Proves that protestants can write poetry" - The Hugh Hewitt Show
"Proves that protestants can write poetry" - The Hugh Hewitt Show
Quote of the Day
"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that. "
Fred Lebow
Fred Lebow
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Quote of the Day
"When I first started running, I was so embarrassed, I'd walk when cars passed me. I'd pretend I was looking at the flowers. "
Joan Benoit Samuelson
Joan Benoit Samuelson
Riding Lesson
by Henry Taylor
I learned two things
from an early riding teacher.
He held a nervous filly
in one hand and gestured
with the other, saying "Listen.
Keep one leg on one side,
the other leg on the other side,
and your mind in the middle."
He turned and mounted.
She took two steps, then left
the ground, I thought for good.
But she came down hard, humped
her back, swallowed her neck,
and threw her rider as you'd
throw a rock. He rose, brushed
his pants and caught his breath,
and said, "See that's the way
to do it When you see
they're gonna throw you, get off."
I learned two things
from an early riding teacher.
He held a nervous filly
in one hand and gestured
with the other, saying "Listen.
Keep one leg on one side,
the other leg on the other side,
and your mind in the middle."
He turned and mounted.
She took two steps, then left
the ground, I thought for good.
But she came down hard, humped
her back, swallowed her neck,
and threw her rider as you'd
throw a rock. He rose, brushed
his pants and caught his breath,
and said, "See that's the way
to do it When you see
they're gonna throw you, get off."
Soul Food - 1/24/08
Jacob had twelve sons:
The sons of Leah:
Reuben the firstborn of Jacob,
Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun.
The sons of Rachel:
Joseph and Benjamin.
The sons of Rachel's maidservant Bilhah:
Dan and Naphtali.
The sons of Leah's maidservant Zilpah:
Gad and Asher.
These were the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
- Genesis 35:22-26
Points of Interest:
The verse above points out the twelve sons of Israel who were later to become the twelve tribes of Israel.
Chapter 37 begins the story of Joseph which was recently retold in the successful Broadway play, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.
And yes, that is Donnie Osmond. A Mormon, playing a Jew in a production largely attended by Christians.
The sons of Leah:
Reuben the firstborn of Jacob,
Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun.
The sons of Rachel:
Joseph and Benjamin.
The sons of Rachel's maidservant Bilhah:
Dan and Naphtali.
The sons of Leah's maidservant Zilpah:
Gad and Asher.
These were the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
- Genesis 35:22-26
Points of Interest:
The verse above points out the twelve sons of Israel who were later to become the twelve tribes of Israel.
Chapter 37 begins the story of Joseph which was recently retold in the successful Broadway play, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.
And yes, that is Donnie Osmond. A Mormon, playing a Jew in a production largely attended by Christians.
Lileks
Lileks is on his game this morning - read the whole thing.
Teaser graph:
Teaser graph:
"Never thought I’d say this, but I have that Hannah Montana song down cold. I am ready to rock. Figured out a way to funk up my part – and if the mental image that provokes doesn’t cause deep cringing, well, thank you. As I said, I’ll post a video of this performance. The collective age of the band is over 200 years, I think, but I’ll be switched if we still can’t kick out the jams. Whatever the hell that means. Have we kicked out the jams, guys? No, some jams remain in close proximity. Let’s try them again. Okay, but this jam-kicking is hard on the bunions.
"New Dr. Scholl Pads for Aging Rockers! Jams kicked with the heedless glee of a 20 year old.
"I am not, however, getting my ya-yas out. The ya-yas are wrapped in a Freak Flag, which I will not be flying."
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Soul Food - 1/23/08
"So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, 'Let me go, for it is daybreak.'
"But Jacob replied, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.'
The man asked him, "What is your name?"
'Jacob,' he answered.
"Then the man said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.'"
- Genesis 32:24-28
Point of Interest:
This is where the name "Israel" comes from. It means "he struggles with God". We will discover that it is a fitting name for the nation of Israel, if not for all of us.
"But Jacob replied, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.'
The man asked him, "What is your name?"
'Jacob,' he answered.
"Then the man said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.'"
- Genesis 32:24-28
Point of Interest:
This is where the name "Israel" comes from. It means "he struggles with God". We will discover that it is a fitting name for the nation of Israel, if not for all of us.
Making Hay
The saying goes, "You gotta may hay while the sun shines". I have no idea what this means. I assume it means "Get your yard work done in the daylight" but something tells me that is not quite right.
As a general rule, whenever the US economy gets bad news, the mortgage rates drop. I have no idea why - I just know it is the rule of thumb (another saying that mystifies me).
Lately, there has been succession of bad news, rates have dropped and my industry is booming. I am currently doing twice the biz that I did last month.
Naturally, they took my assistant from me last month.
Sooo, that means getting to the office at 5am for the foreseeable future. All thoughts of starting up running after my latest catastrophe are on hold.
Blogging will be lite for at least the next month or so.
What are you gonna do? You gotta "Make something while the other something is . . ."
Aw forget it - I'm already late . . . or is it early?
As a general rule, whenever the US economy gets bad news, the mortgage rates drop. I have no idea why - I just know it is the rule of thumb (another saying that mystifies me).
Lately, there has been succession of bad news, rates have dropped and my industry is booming. I am currently doing twice the biz that I did last month.
Naturally, they took my assistant from me last month.
Sooo, that means getting to the office at 5am for the foreseeable future. All thoughts of starting up running after my latest catastrophe are on hold.
Blogging will be lite for at least the next month or so.
What are you gonna do? You gotta "Make something while the other something is . . ."
Aw forget it - I'm already late . . . or is it early?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Quote of the Day
He only earns his freedom and his life, who takes them every day by storm.
- Goethe
- Goethe
In Case You Missed It
If you were watching the playoffs Sunday, you probably saw this ad:
Not too shabby.
Oh, by the way, San Francisco would not let the Marines appear on California Street. They had to super-impose them after the fact.
Way to go. Real. Nice.
To mis-quote Arnold Schwarzenegger - "San Fran, I am going to save you last . . ."
Not too shabby.
Oh, by the way, San Francisco would not let the Marines appear on California Street. They had to super-impose them after the fact.
Way to go. Real. Nice.
To mis-quote Arnold Schwarzenegger - "San Fran, I am going to save you last . . ."
I Have a Dreammmm . . . . zzzzzzzzzzz
Via Breitbart.
I actually feel sorry for Bill - can you imagine making your living by sitting through a lifetime of political speeches?
I actually feel sorry for Bill - can you imagine making your living by sitting through a lifetime of political speeches?
Soul Food - 1/22/08
"When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household gods."
- Genesis 31:19
Point of Interest:
Monotheism was very rare around 1500 BC. Usually, the people of a town or region worshipped a god who protected them in battle. They then also worshipped various other deities for crops, rain, fertility, finding lost car keys etc.
Often these deities were represented as wooden or clay sculptures - larger ones for the home, smaller ones for travel.
All througout the Old Testament, as the Israelites find themselves faced with polytheistic cultures, there is a constant lure from monotheism to polytheism.
- Genesis 31:19
Point of Interest:
Monotheism was very rare around 1500 BC. Usually, the people of a town or region worshipped a god who protected them in battle. They then also worshipped various other deities for crops, rain, fertility, finding lost car keys etc.
Often these deities were represented as wooden or clay sculptures - larger ones for the home, smaller ones for travel.
All througout the Old Testament, as the Israelites find themselves faced with polytheistic cultures, there is a constant lure from monotheism to polytheism.
Her First Calf
by Wendell Berry
Her fate seizes her and brings her
down. She is heavy with it. It
wrings her. The great weight
is heaved out of her. It eases.
She moves into what she has become,
sure in her fate now
as a fish free in the current.
She turns to the calf who has broken
out of the womb’s water and its veil.
He breathes. She licks his wet hair.
He gathers his legs under him
and rises. He stands, and his legs
wobble. After the months
of his pursuit of her, now
they meet face to face.
From the beginnings of the world
His arrival and her welcome
have been prepared. They have always
known each other.
Her fate seizes her and brings her
down. She is heavy with it. It
wrings her. The great weight
is heaved out of her. It eases.
She moves into what she has become,
sure in her fate now
as a fish free in the current.
She turns to the calf who has broken
out of the womb’s water and its veil.
He breathes. She licks his wet hair.
He gathers his legs under him
and rises. He stands, and his legs
wobble. After the months
of his pursuit of her, now
they meet face to face.
From the beginnings of the world
His arrival and her welcome
have been prepared. They have always
known each other.
Must Read Book #27
Leviathan by Hobbes - written 1648
"To see what kind of state we should avoid at all cost" - The Hugh Hewitt Show
"To see what kind of state we should avoid at all cost" - The Hugh Hewitt Show
Monday, January 21, 2008
American Rhetoric
While searching for the "I have a Dream" speech, I came across the American Rhetoric website. They list the top one hundred American political speeches of the 20th century.
Interesting stuff.
Interesting stuff.
Soul Food - 1/21/08
"Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, 'I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.' . . .
"So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her."
- Genesis 29:18-20
Points of Interest:
I have put up a post on Polygamy in the Bible here
In vs 28:22 we see another example of the principle of giving 10% of our possessions to God.
"So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her."
- Genesis 29:18-20
Points of Interest:
I have put up a post on Polygamy in the Bible here
In vs 28:22 we see another example of the principle of giving 10% of our possessions to God.
Polygamy in the Bible
In Genesis 4:19, we see that Lamech had two wives.
Numerous people throughout the Old Testament had more than one wife as well.
About 1500 years after the writing of Genesis, we read in 1 Timothy 3:2 that one of the qualifications for christian leadership is having only one wife.
So why the change?
A quick google search pulled up this website which seeks to provide some answers. The basic gist of it seems okay but I don't buy into everything there 100%.
A look at the history of slavery in the United States may offer some comparative clues.
The original Constitution allowed for slavery. Although many of the framers were against it, slavery was a reality of the day and the thirteen colonies would have never united unless a provision for slavery was included. The choice was between a United States with slavery or no United States at all. A United States without slavery was not an option. So a USA with slavery was the best that could be done at the time.
Since that time, our society has evolved in the way it considers equality to the point that we may have our first black President less than a year from now.
Middle Eastern society 3500 years ago was fundamentally different than the same society at the time of the writing of the last books of the Bible approximately 1500 years later. People, thoughts, ideas and society evolved.
For whatever reason, polygamy was a fundamental part of society throughout much of the Old Testament. The Bible does not condone polygamy but it does acknowledge it as a reality of the times.
Personally, I can barely handle the one wife I have - why anyone would want more than one is beyond me.
Numerous people throughout the Old Testament had more than one wife as well.
About 1500 years after the writing of Genesis, we read in 1 Timothy 3:2 that one of the qualifications for christian leadership is having only one wife.
So why the change?
A quick google search pulled up this website which seeks to provide some answers. The basic gist of it seems okay but I don't buy into everything there 100%.
A look at the history of slavery in the United States may offer some comparative clues.
The original Constitution allowed for slavery. Although many of the framers were against it, slavery was a reality of the day and the thirteen colonies would have never united unless a provision for slavery was included. The choice was between a United States with slavery or no United States at all. A United States without slavery was not an option. So a USA with slavery was the best that could be done at the time.
Since that time, our society has evolved in the way it considers equality to the point that we may have our first black President less than a year from now.
Middle Eastern society 3500 years ago was fundamentally different than the same society at the time of the writing of the last books of the Bible approximately 1500 years later. People, thoughts, ideas and society evolved.
For whatever reason, polygamy was a fundamental part of society throughout much of the Old Testament. The Bible does not condone polygamy but it does acknowledge it as a reality of the times.
Personally, I can barely handle the one wife I have - why anyone would want more than one is beyond me.
Tell All the Truth but Tell it Slant
by Emily Dickinson
Tell all the Truth but tell it slant---
Success in Cirrcuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise
As Lightening to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind---
Tell all the Truth but tell it slant---
Success in Cirrcuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise
As Lightening to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind---
Soul Food - 1/20/08
That night the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you
- Genesis 26:24
- Genesis 26:24
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
It's Cold-ish
I went out to the car yesterday morning and was greeted with the usual morning dew on the windshield. The wipers leaped to life and =scraaaape, scraaape=
What's this? Ice.
I have heard of such things . . . . . .
Yep. It's cold. FREEZING cold. That is, for about one hour each night, the temp nudges below 32.
Our days are still hitting highs in the mid-60's.
I received an e-mail from my little brother who lives in Minneapolis. It was entitled: "I think my shoes just shattered":
What's this? Ice.
I have heard of such things . . . . . .
Yep. It's cold. FREEZING cold. That is, for about one hour each night, the temp nudges below 32.
Our days are still hitting highs in the mid-60's.
I received an e-mail from my little brother who lives in Minneapolis. It was entitled: "I think my shoes just shattered":
"It's 3am and I'm getting ready for work- With today's wind-chill the current temp. outside is -27! I ride the city bus to a train that takes me to the airport which in all takes me about an hour every morning. I think that officially makes me the toughest S.O.B in the family. Any challengers?"Nope.
Soul Food - 1/19/08
"Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, 'Abraham!'
'Here I am,' he replied.
Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.'"
- Genesis 22:1-2
"When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, 'Abraham! Abraham!'
'Here I am,' he replied.
'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' he said. 'Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.'"
- Genesis 22:9-12
'Here I am,' he replied.
Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.'"
- Genesis 22:1-2
"When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, 'Abraham! Abraham!'
'Here I am,' he replied.
'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' he said. 'Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.'"
- Genesis 22:9-12
Weakly Sherpa - 1/19/08
Reading Plan for Next Week:
Monday, January 21, 2008 --- Genesis 27-29
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 --- Genesis 30-31
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 --- Genesis 32-34
Thursday, January 24, 2008 --- Genesis 35-37
Friday, January 25, 2008 --- Genesis 38-40
Saturday, January 26, 2008 --- Genesis 41-42
Sunday, January 27, 2008 --- Genesis 43-45
Monday, January 21, 2008 --- Genesis 27-29
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 --- Genesis 30-31
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 --- Genesis 32-34
Thursday, January 24, 2008 --- Genesis 35-37
Friday, January 25, 2008 --- Genesis 38-40
Saturday, January 26, 2008 --- Genesis 41-42
Sunday, January 27, 2008 --- Genesis 43-45
Quote of the Day
Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.
- Dale Carnegie
- Dale Carnegie
Weight and See - 1/19/8
187 lbs.
3 less than last week.
6 less for the year.
(I haven't seen the 80's since, well, the 80's)
3 less than last week.
6 less for the year.
(I haven't seen the 80's since, well, the 80's)
Friday, January 18, 2008
Soul Food - 1/18/08
"Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD. He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace."
- Genesis 19:27-28
Points of Interest:
It is from the story of Sodom and Gomorrah that we get the term "sodomy" (vs 19:5)
It is from the "Philistines" of the Bible that we get the derogatory term
I suppose you don't have to be a Rocket Surgeon to figure that out
- Genesis 19:27-28
Points of Interest:
It is from the story of Sodom and Gomorrah that we get the term "sodomy" (vs 19:5)
It is from the "Philistines" of the Bible that we get the derogatory term
I suppose you don't have to be a Rocket Surgeon to figure that out
A Secret Life
by Stephen Dunn
Why you need to have one
is not much more mysterious than
why you don't say what you think
at the birth of an ugly baby.
Or, you've just made love
and feel you'd rather have been
in a dark booth where your partner
was nodding, whispering yes, yes,
you're brilliant. The secret life
begins early, is kept alive
by all that's unpopular
in you, all that you know
a Baptist, say, or some other
accountant would object to.
It becomes what you'd most protect
if the government said you can protect
one thing, all else is ours.
When you write late at night
its like a small fire
in a clearing, it's what
radiates and what can hurt
if you get too close to it.
It's why our silence is a kind of truth.
Even when you speak to your best friend,
the one who'll never betray you,
you always leave out one thing;
a secret life is that important.
Why you need to have one
is not much more mysterious than
why you don't say what you think
at the birth of an ugly baby.
Or, you've just made love
and feel you'd rather have been
in a dark booth where your partner
was nodding, whispering yes, yes,
you're brilliant. The secret life
begins early, is kept alive
by all that's unpopular
in you, all that you know
a Baptist, say, or some other
accountant would object to.
It becomes what you'd most protect
if the government said you can protect
one thing, all else is ours.
When you write late at night
its like a small fire
in a clearing, it's what
radiates and what can hurt
if you get too close to it.
It's why our silence is a kind of truth.
Even when you speak to your best friend,
the one who'll never betray you,
you always leave out one thing;
a secret life is that important.
Hitler!
From Lileks today:
After I knocked off buzz.mn posting for the day I hit the hay for a restorative nap, then took (G)Nat to Chuck E. Cheese’s. En route we listened to the Hewitt interview with Norman Podhoretz on the Iranian situation, and Hitler was mentioned.
“Hitler!” (G)Nat said. She hates him. “They’re talking about Hitler.”
“Don’t worry. He’s still dead.”
“Why did he have to kill all those people?” she said, fuming.
“He wanted power. And he wanted to control Europe and the world.”
“Well he should have just asked.” She looked out the window. “He was sneaky, you know.”
“How so?” “Well Ben said that he told people they were going for a nice clean shower but it was really gas and they died.”
The things kids discuss. It’s remarkable: the clammy grasp that bastard has on the collective imagination is undimmed generations later. But it’s a good sign when your kid makes a fist and punches a picture of Hitler. She takes it personally.
230 Years Ago Today
On this day in 1778, Captain James Cook discovered the Sandwich Islands, which were later renamed the Hawaiian Islands.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Soul Food - 1/17/08
"The angel of the LORD also said to her:
'You are now with child
and you will have a son.
You shall name him Ishmael,
for the LORD has heard of your misery.
"'He will be a wild donkey of a man;
his hand will be against everyone
and every one's hand against him,
and he will live in hostility
toward all his brothers.'"
- Genesis 16:11-12
Points of Interest:
1) The land that is promised to Abraham to in Genesis 13:14-15 and elsewhere is the present-day area of Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan etc.
2) When Abraham dies, the bulk of his possessions are supposed to pass to his first-born male heir
3) In their impatience for a child, Abraham sleeps with the maidservant (a common practice in that time) who gives birth to Ishmael who, by rights, has claim to the bulk of Abraham's estate upon his death
3) Abraham and Sarah later give birth to Isaac whom God favors (17:19). Since Isaac is the offspring of both Abraham and Sarah (not the maidservant) and because God establishes his covenant with Isaac, Isaac can lay claim to Abraham's estate as the true first-born male heir.
HERE IS THE KICKER:
4) The Israelites are descendants of Isaac - The Arabs are descendants of Ishmael - both lay claim as first born male heirs to the same hunk of ground - modern-day Israel, Palestine, Jordan etc. All because Abraham and Sarah were too impatient to wait for the son God promised them in 15:4.
There's a message in there somewhere . . .
Incidentally, vs 17:12 is why Jews and Christians are circumcised as infants and vs 17:25 is why Arabs are traditionally circumcised at 13.
'You are now with child
and you will have a son.
You shall name him Ishmael,
for the LORD has heard of your misery.
"'He will be a wild donkey of a man;
his hand will be against everyone
and every one's hand against him,
and he will live in hostility
toward all his brothers.'"
- Genesis 16:11-12
Points of Interest:
1) The land that is promised to Abraham to in Genesis 13:14-15 and elsewhere is the present-day area of Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan etc.
2) When Abraham dies, the bulk of his possessions are supposed to pass to his first-born male heir
3) In their impatience for a child, Abraham sleeps with the maidservant (a common practice in that time) who gives birth to Ishmael who, by rights, has claim to the bulk of Abraham's estate upon his death
3) Abraham and Sarah later give birth to Isaac whom God favors (17:19). Since Isaac is the offspring of both Abraham and Sarah (not the maidservant) and because God establishes his covenant with Isaac, Isaac can lay claim to Abraham's estate as the true first-born male heir.
HERE IS THE KICKER:
4) The Israelites are descendants of Isaac - The Arabs are descendants of Ishmael - both lay claim as first born male heirs to the same hunk of ground - modern-day Israel, Palestine, Jordan etc. All because Abraham and Sarah were too impatient to wait for the son God promised them in 15:4.
There's a message in there somewhere . . .
Incidentally, vs 17:12 is why Jews and Christians are circumcised as infants and vs 17:25 is why Arabs are traditionally circumcised at 13.
If I ever suffer a head injury in Brooklyn . . .
just let me die.
Via World Net Daily comes this article: "Hit on the head and gets rectal exam?"
Teaser graphs:
Via World Net Daily comes this article: "Hit on the head and gets rectal exam?"
Teaser graphs:
"A visit to a hospital for a bump to the head turned into a big pain in the posterior for a Brooklyn construction worker.
"Brian Persaud ended up in handcuffs and under arrest when he loudly protested that doctors at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell didn't need to give him a rectal exam after a piece of wood clocked him on the forehead.
"'This poor guy goes in for eight stitches and he ends up in jail,' said his lawyer, Gerard Marrone. 'He had the right to say no.'
"Doctors sedated Persaud and then did the rectal exam."
i protest . . . i protest . . *sniffle*
The conference went just fine yesterday. Since I am on the skinny-down after New Years, I only ate half the lunch provided and excused myself to make some phone calls.
I could not reach any of the people I had to reach and I found myself at the Marriott with 45 minutes to kill.
I retrieved a book from the car a retreated to a corner of the bar and had a Black & Tan. First Black & Tan I have had in probably more than a decade. Delicious.
Made even more so by the fact that I was 1/2 way through a mandatory business conference.
I am stalling this morning. I need to go into the office early (again) to try and clean up whatever needs to be cleaned up after missing a day (I did get at least one panicked vm after 5pm yesterday).
Ugh. At least it's Thursday.
Thanks to Instapundit, I offer the following video I light of my lunch-time sneakyness yesterday.
MY GOODNESS.
Guinness: Tipping Point
Uploaded by Razorbuzz
I could not reach any of the people I had to reach and I found myself at the Marriott with 45 minutes to kill.
I retrieved a book from the car a retreated to a corner of the bar and had a Black & Tan. First Black & Tan I have had in probably more than a decade. Delicious.
Made even more so by the fact that I was 1/2 way through a mandatory business conference.
I am stalling this morning. I need to go into the office early (again) to try and clean up whatever needs to be cleaned up after missing a day (I did get at least one panicked vm after 5pm yesterday).
Ugh. At least it's Thursday.
Thanks to Instapundit, I offer the following video I light of my lunch-time sneakyness yesterday.
MY GOODNESS.
Guinness: Tipping Point
Uploaded by Razorbuzz
Leisure
by W. H. Davies
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?—
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?—
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
Quote of the Day
“Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.”
- Napolean Hill
- Napolean Hill
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Coffee Please
I received a nice comment from the Snooty Pooch over at The McGillinator.
Check out the photos - here's one to entice you . . .
Check out the photos - here's one to entice you . . .
Soul Food - 1/16/8
"After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram
I am your shield,
your very great reward.'"
- Genesis 15: 1
Points of Interest:
When you see the word "God" in the NIV, it is the translation of the Hebrew word "Elohim", which is a generic term for God.
When you see the word "LORD" all capitalized in the NIV, it is the translation of the Hebrew word "Yahweh" which is the proper name for the God of the Bible meaning "He is" (Exodus 3:11-14)
When the Bible refers to "kings" - think "mayor". Most of the kings in the Bible are not kings in the Buckingham Palace fashion. Instead, they are usually the king of their particular town or city - sometimes a collection of cities.
In Genesis 9:18, we read that Shem was one of the sons of Noah. It is from his name that we get the term "Semites"
In Genesis 10:24 we read that a great-grandson of Shem's was named Eber. It is from his name that the term "Hebrew" comes from
In Genesis 14:18 we read about Melchizedek, the first person named as a "priest of God Most High". While it has always been customary in all religions to give gifts and offerings to the local deity-de-jour in the hopes of keeping it happy, vs 20 is the first mention in the Bible of giving 10% to the priest.
"Do not be afraid, Abram
I am your shield,
your very great reward.'"
- Genesis 15: 1
Points of Interest:
When you see the word "God" in the NIV, it is the translation of the Hebrew word "Elohim", which is a generic term for God.
When you see the word "LORD" all capitalized in the NIV, it is the translation of the Hebrew word "Yahweh" which is the proper name for the God of the Bible meaning "He is" (Exodus 3:11-14)
When the Bible refers to "kings" - think "mayor". Most of the kings in the Bible are not kings in the Buckingham Palace fashion. Instead, they are usually the king of their particular town or city - sometimes a collection of cities.
In Genesis 9:18, we read that Shem was one of the sons of Noah. It is from his name that we get the term "Semites"
In Genesis 10:24 we read that a great-grandson of Shem's was named Eber. It is from his name that the term "Hebrew" comes from
In Genesis 14:18 we read about Melchizedek, the first person named as a "priest of God Most High". While it has always been customary in all religions to give gifts and offerings to the local deity-de-jour in the hopes of keeping it happy, vs 20 is the first mention in the Bible of giving 10% to the priest.
Sometimes
by Sheenagh Pugh
Sometimes things don't go, after all,
from bad to worse. Some years, muscadel
faces down frost; green thrives; the crops don’t fail,
sometimes a man aims high, and all goes well.
A people sometimes will step back from war;
elect an honest man; decide they care
enough, that they can't leave some stranger poor.
Some men become what they were born for.
Sometimes our best efforts do not go
amiss; sometimes we do as we meant to.
The sun will sometimes melt a field of sorrow
that seemed hard frozen: may it happen for you.
Sometimes things don't go, after all,
from bad to worse. Some years, muscadel
faces down frost; green thrives; the crops don’t fail,
sometimes a man aims high, and all goes well.
A people sometimes will step back from war;
elect an honest man; decide they care
enough, that they can't leave some stranger poor.
Some men become what they were born for.
Sometimes our best efforts do not go
amiss; sometimes we do as we meant to.
The sun will sometimes melt a field of sorrow
that seemed hard frozen: may it happen for you.
I PROTEST! Aw, forget it . . .
I don't have much to say this morning. Partly because I need to get to the office early.
Yesterday and today are training conference days. My job requires that I complete a certain number of clockhour classes each year. The way the Co. deals with it is to put on a two-day mandatory conference. Half the staff went yesterday, the other half of the staff go today.
So I go to the mandatory conference today.
I had the formulations of a protest to post about how it is all so unfair and woe is me and etc. but, meh.
I gotta hit the office before I hit the conference. Yip-yip.
Yesterday and today are training conference days. My job requires that I complete a certain number of clockhour classes each year. The way the Co. deals with it is to put on a two-day mandatory conference. Half the staff went yesterday, the other half of the staff go today.
So I go to the mandatory conference today.
I had the formulations of a protest to post about how it is all so unfair and woe is me and etc. but, meh.
I gotta hit the office before I hit the conference. Yip-yip.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Soul Food - 1/15/08
Then Job replied to the LORD :
"I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.
You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
- Job 42:1-3
"I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.
You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
- Job 42:1-3
Recipe Recall
This may come as a surprise to you but I don't actually invent the recipes that I post here.
Not only that, I don't even cook all the recipes that I post here. I mean, seriously, who has the time to try a new recipe every two or three days or so?
I subscribe to a recipe service that e-mails me one recipe every day. I pass on the ones that look interesting along with their stock photo and description.
Well, last night we made this recipe.
The tip off should have been when I was pouring ginger ale into a pan of ham, brown sugar and pineapple. I remarked to the wife, "This is not a serious recipe! What teenager came up with this? This is what kids make when they are all out of the fixin's for English muffin pizzas."
We popped it in the oven and I must admit that it did smell good. A little too sweet, but good. Unfortunately, that's the best I can say about this truly horrid recipe.
It must have been the ginger ale because I have had ham with brown sugar and pineapple before. There must be something about the ginger ale that completely destroys perfectly good ham.
Have you ever bitten into a mealy apple? Try a mealy ham. At one point the wife actually spit some out. The whole thing went in the trash.
Maybe I did it wrong. I don't see how as there was only four ingredients.
Apparently, you can't cook ham in ginger ale. Who knew?
Tomorrow, orange juice and milk smoothies for that great creamsicle taste!
Not only that, I don't even cook all the recipes that I post here. I mean, seriously, who has the time to try a new recipe every two or three days or so?
I subscribe to a recipe service that e-mails me one recipe every day. I pass on the ones that look interesting along with their stock photo and description.
Well, last night we made this recipe.
The tip off should have been when I was pouring ginger ale into a pan of ham, brown sugar and pineapple. I remarked to the wife, "This is not a serious recipe! What teenager came up with this? This is what kids make when they are all out of the fixin's for English muffin pizzas."
We popped it in the oven and I must admit that it did smell good. A little too sweet, but good. Unfortunately, that's the best I can say about this truly horrid recipe.
It must have been the ginger ale because I have had ham with brown sugar and pineapple before. There must be something about the ginger ale that completely destroys perfectly good ham.
Have you ever bitten into a mealy apple? Try a mealy ham. At one point the wife actually spit some out. The whole thing went in the trash.
Maybe I did it wrong. I don't see how as there was only four ingredients.
Apparently, you can't cook ham in ginger ale. Who knew?
Tomorrow, orange juice and milk smoothies for that great creamsicle taste!
Egg
by C.G. Hanzlicek
I'm scrambling an egg for my daughter.
"Why are you always whistling?" she asks.
"Because I'm happy."
And it's true,
Though it stuns me to say it aloud,
There was a time when I wouldn't
Have seen it as my future.
It's partly a matter
Of who is there to eat the egg.
The self fallen out of love with itself
Through the tedium of familiarity,
Or this little self,
So curious, so hungry,
Who emerged from the woman I love,
A woman who loves me in a way
I've come to think I deserve,
Now that it arrives from outside me.
Everything changes, we're told,
And now the changes are everywhere:
The house with its morning light
That fills me like a revelation,
The yard with its trees
That cast a bit more shade each summer,
The love of a woman
That both is and isn't confounding,
And the love
Of this clamor of questions at my waist.
Clamor of questions,
You clamor of answers,
Here's your egg.
I'm scrambling an egg for my daughter.
"Why are you always whistling?" she asks.
"Because I'm happy."
And it's true,
Though it stuns me to say it aloud,
There was a time when I wouldn't
Have seen it as my future.
It's partly a matter
Of who is there to eat the egg.
The self fallen out of love with itself
Through the tedium of familiarity,
Or this little self,
So curious, so hungry,
Who emerged from the woman I love,
A woman who loves me in a way
I've come to think I deserve,
Now that it arrives from outside me.
Everything changes, we're told,
And now the changes are everywhere:
The house with its morning light
That fills me like a revelation,
The yard with its trees
That cast a bit more shade each summer,
The love of a woman
That both is and isn't confounding,
And the love
Of this clamor of questions at my waist.
Clamor of questions,
You clamor of answers,
Here's your egg.
Good Night - or is it Good Morning?
Ugh. I have been fighting it for about an hour and a half now. Can't sleep.
No reason I should lie in bed awake when I can get a few things done out here. Awake.
With any luck, I will be able to catch a few Z's in an hour or so.
Insomnia. It's a terrible thing to waste . . .
No reason I should lie in bed awake when I can get a few things done out here. Awake.
With any luck, I will be able to catch a few Z's in an hour or so.
Insomnia. It's a terrible thing to waste . . .
Monday, January 14, 2008
Blissful Rosemary Chicken
"An elegant and intensely flavorful way to prepare chicken breasts: roll with prosciutto and cheese, skewer with rosemary sprigs, and marinate."Recipe Here
Soul Food - 1/14/08
"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone-
while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
Job 38:4-7
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone-
while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
Job 38:4-7
Weekend Adventures - 1/13/8
I awoke early Saturday full of "vim and vigor". I had an impossibly long list of things to do this weekend and was intent on doing my best to see it all through.
Fortunately, most of the work was yard work and I can do that sort of thing from dawn to dusk without getting bored or tired.
I pruned the Angel Trumpet tree, the Nectarine tree, the Pine tree, the Grape vine, the Roses, the Wisteria, and the tangle of vines, shrubs and trees that make up the back fence line.
I filled the bird feeders, checked to make sure the tiki torches were full, crawled under the house to make sure the plumbing wasn't leaking, replaced a light bulb or two on the front porch, mowed the lawn, swept up the debris front and back from last week's storm, fertalized the lawn, hosed down the deck, watered the lawn and potted plants, moved the xmas decor to the shed, realized the shed was "all-wrong", hauled everything out and put it back in, which led to the realization that the stuff we are storing in the half-remodeled family room is "all wrong" so I rearranged all that, picked up this and that around the house, cleaned out the BBQ, planted three bowls of snap-dragons, filled in the holes the dawg dug the week before and sprayed all the weeds.
As the sun started to fade Sunday evening, I realized I had still not fixed the shower. Fortunately, I had picked up the new diverter spout when we were running a few errands - so I grabbed some tools and climbed in. I bought the wrong spout, of course.
Loaded up the dawg and headed back to Home Depot because, let's face it, what would a trip to Home Depot be without another trip to Home Depot? Instead of greeters like Wal-Mart, they ought to have someone at the exit with a big smile saying, "See you real soon! We close at 8pm today."
Suffice it to say, if you are walking into a Home Depot at 5pm on a Sunday evening, something has definitely gone wrong.
To quote Donald Rumsfeld, "There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know."
Things we don't know we don't know. Those are the killers. Very rarely do I make a wrong purchase at Home Depot. My troubles stem from not asking the right questions back at the house. I know I need a faucet for the tub, I head to HD to discover that there is more than one kind of connector. This, I had not thought of. I make the correct purchase based on what I know only to get home and find that I didn't. Know that is.
Anyway, I always take the dawg to HD - people are just as surprised to see him there as they are to see him at the mall, but there are far fewer disapproving looks at HD. I found the right spout, picked up some grass seed and other items, checked out (again), and headed for home.
Amount of time that replacing the shower spout should have taken had I read the directions correctly and not jammed the plastic widget in backwards? 15 min.
Actual time spent replacing the shower spout? 30 min.
Such is life. All in all, a good weekend. The house feels like it is on the "improving" side of the ledger instead of the "deteriorating" side. And that's always good.
Used to be that when I was a child I dreaded Saturdays because all we ever did was chores. Now I dread Mondays and can't wait to get back to the real work the coming weekend.
Funny how things change.
Fortunately, most of the work was yard work and I can do that sort of thing from dawn to dusk without getting bored or tired.
I pruned the Angel Trumpet tree, the Nectarine tree, the Pine tree, the Grape vine, the Roses, the Wisteria, and the tangle of vines, shrubs and trees that make up the back fence line.
I filled the bird feeders, checked to make sure the tiki torches were full, crawled under the house to make sure the plumbing wasn't leaking, replaced a light bulb or two on the front porch, mowed the lawn, swept up the debris front and back from last week's storm, fertalized the lawn, hosed down the deck, watered the lawn and potted plants, moved the xmas decor to the shed, realized the shed was "all-wrong", hauled everything out and put it back in, which led to the realization that the stuff we are storing in the half-remodeled family room is "all wrong" so I rearranged all that, picked up this and that around the house, cleaned out the BBQ, planted three bowls of snap-dragons, filled in the holes the dawg dug the week before and sprayed all the weeds.
As the sun started to fade Sunday evening, I realized I had still not fixed the shower. Fortunately, I had picked up the new diverter spout when we were running a few errands - so I grabbed some tools and climbed in. I bought the wrong spout, of course.
Loaded up the dawg and headed back to Home Depot because, let's face it, what would a trip to Home Depot be without another trip to Home Depot? Instead of greeters like Wal-Mart, they ought to have someone at the exit with a big smile saying, "See you real soon! We close at 8pm today."
Suffice it to say, if you are walking into a Home Depot at 5pm on a Sunday evening, something has definitely gone wrong.
To quote Donald Rumsfeld, "There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know."
Things we don't know we don't know. Those are the killers. Very rarely do I make a wrong purchase at Home Depot. My troubles stem from not asking the right questions back at the house. I know I need a faucet for the tub, I head to HD to discover that there is more than one kind of connector. This, I had not thought of. I make the correct purchase based on what I know only to get home and find that I didn't. Know that is.
Anyway, I always take the dawg to HD - people are just as surprised to see him there as they are to see him at the mall, but there are far fewer disapproving looks at HD. I found the right spout, picked up some grass seed and other items, checked out (again), and headed for home.
Amount of time that replacing the shower spout should have taken had I read the directions correctly and not jammed the plastic widget in backwards? 15 min.
Actual time spent replacing the shower spout? 30 min.
Such is life. All in all, a good weekend. The house feels like it is on the "improving" side of the ledger instead of the "deteriorating" side. And that's always good.
Used to be that when I was a child I dreaded Saturdays because all we ever did was chores. Now I dread Mondays and can't wait to get back to the real work the coming weekend.
Funny how things change.
Soybeans
by Thomas Alan Orr
The October air was warm and musky, blowing
Over brown fields, heavy with the fragrance
Of freshly combined beans, the breath of harvest.
He was pulling a truckload onto the scales
At the elevator near the rail siding north of town
When a big Cadillac drove up. A man stepped out,
Wearing a three-piece suit and a gold pinky ring.
The man said he had just invested a hundred grand
In soybeans and wanted to see what they looked like.
The farmer stared at the man and was quiet, reaching
For the tobacco in the rear pocket of his jeans,
Where he wore his only ring, a threadbare circle rubbed
By working cans of dip and long hours on the backside
Of a hundred acre run. He scooped up a handful
Of small white beans, the pearls of the prairie, saying:
Soybeans look like a foot of water on the field in April
When you're ready to plant and can't get in;
Like three kids at the kitchen table
Eating macaroni and cheese five nights in a row,
Or like a broken part on the combine when
Your credit with the implement dealer is nearly tapped.
Soybeans look like prayers bouncing off the ceiling
When prices on the Chicago grain market start to drop;
Or like your old man's tears when you tell him
How much the land might bring for subdivisions.
Soybeans look like the first good night of sleep in weeks
When you unload at the elevator and the kids get Christmas.
He spat a little juice on the tire of the Cadillac,
Laughing despite himself and saying to the man:
Now maybe you can tell me what a hundred grand looks like.
The October air was warm and musky, blowing
Over brown fields, heavy with the fragrance
Of freshly combined beans, the breath of harvest.
He was pulling a truckload onto the scales
At the elevator near the rail siding north of town
When a big Cadillac drove up. A man stepped out,
Wearing a three-piece suit and a gold pinky ring.
The man said he had just invested a hundred grand
In soybeans and wanted to see what they looked like.
The farmer stared at the man and was quiet, reaching
For the tobacco in the rear pocket of his jeans,
Where he wore his only ring, a threadbare circle rubbed
By working cans of dip and long hours on the backside
Of a hundred acre run. He scooped up a handful
Of small white beans, the pearls of the prairie, saying:
Soybeans look like a foot of water on the field in April
When you're ready to plant and can't get in;
Like three kids at the kitchen table
Eating macaroni and cheese five nights in a row,
Or like a broken part on the combine when
Your credit with the implement dealer is nearly tapped.
Soybeans look like prayers bouncing off the ceiling
When prices on the Chicago grain market start to drop;
Or like your old man's tears when you tell him
How much the land might bring for subdivisions.
Soybeans look like the first good night of sleep in weeks
When you unload at the elevator and the kids get Christmas.
He spat a little juice on the tire of the Cadillac,
Laughing despite himself and saying to the man:
Now maybe you can tell me what a hundred grand looks like.
Quote of the Day
The Principle is competing against yourself. It's about self-improvement, about being better than you were the day before.
- Steve Young, hall of fame NFL quaterback
- Steve Young, hall of fame NFL quaterback
224 Years Ago Today
On this day in 1784, the Treaty of Paris was ratified by Congress to officially end the Revolutionary War.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Soul Food - 1/13/8
"At this my heart pounds
and leaps from its place.
Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice,
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven
and sends it to the ends of the earth.
After that comes the sound of his roar;
he thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice resounds,
he holds nothing back.
God's voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
- Job 37:1-5
and leaps from its place.
Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice,
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven
and sends it to the ends of the earth.
After that comes the sound of his roar;
he thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice resounds,
he holds nothing back.
God's voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
- Job 37:1-5
Must Read Book #23
King Lear by Shakespeare - written 1605
The greatest thing ever written by anybody - The Hugh Hewitt Show
Quote of the Day
If you train hard, you'll not only be hard, you'll be hard to beat.
- Herschel Walker
- Herschel Walker
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Weakly Sherpa - 1/11/08
Next Week's Reading:
Monday, January 14, 2008 --- Job 38-39
Tuesday, January 15, 2008 --- Job 40-42
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 --- Genesis 12-15
Thursday, January 17, 2008 --- Genesis 16-18
Friday, January 18, 2008 --- Genesis 19-21
Saturday, January 19, 2008 --- Genesis 22-24
Sunday, January 20, 2008 --- Genesis 25-26
If haven't read it already, I would encourage you to read "a word of encouragement" from an earlier post.
Hang in there! Surprise guest in Chapter 38!
Monday, January 14, 2008 --- Job 38-39
Tuesday, January 15, 2008 --- Job 40-42
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 --- Genesis 12-15
Thursday, January 17, 2008 --- Genesis 16-18
Friday, January 18, 2008 --- Genesis 19-21
Saturday, January 19, 2008 --- Genesis 22-24
Sunday, January 20, 2008 --- Genesis 25-26
If haven't read it already, I would encourage you to read "a word of encouragement" from an earlier post.
Hang in there! Surprise guest in Chapter 38!
What I Learned from My Mother
by Julia Kasdorf
I learned from my mother how to love
the living, to have plenty of vases on hand
in case you have to rush to the hospital
with peonies cut from the lawn, black ants
still stuck to the buds. I learned to save jars
large enough to hold fruit salad for a whole
grieving household, to cube home-canned pears
and peaches, to slice through maroon grape skins
and flick out the sexual seeds with a knife point.
I learned to attend viewing even if I didn't know
the deceased, to press the moist hands
of the living, to look in their eyes and offer
sympathy, as though I understood loss even then.
I learned that whatever we say means nothing,
what anyone will remember is that we came.
I learned to believe I had the power to ease
awful pains materially like an angel.
Like a doctor, I learned to create
from another's suffering my own usefulness, and once
you know how to do this, you can never refuse.
To every house you enter, you must offer
healing: a chocolate cake you baked yourself,
the blessing of your voice, your chaste touch.
I learned from my mother how to love
the living, to have plenty of vases on hand
in case you have to rush to the hospital
with peonies cut from the lawn, black ants
still stuck to the buds. I learned to save jars
large enough to hold fruit salad for a whole
grieving household, to cube home-canned pears
and peaches, to slice through maroon grape skins
and flick out the sexual seeds with a knife point.
I learned to attend viewing even if I didn't know
the deceased, to press the moist hands
of the living, to look in their eyes and offer
sympathy, as though I understood loss even then.
I learned that whatever we say means nothing,
what anyone will remember is that we came.
I learned to believe I had the power to ease
awful pains materially like an angel.
Like a doctor, I learned to create
from another's suffering my own usefulness, and once
you know how to do this, you can never refuse.
To every house you enter, you must offer
healing: a chocolate cake you baked yourself,
the blessing of your voice, your chaste touch.
Soul Food - 1/12/8
"The Spirit of God has made me;
the breath of the Almighty gives
me life."
- Job 33:4
the breath of the Almighty gives
me life."
- Job 33:4
Weight and See
190 lbs.
6 lbs down from last week.
Net drop of 3lbs for the year.
2 for 3 on the resolutions this week!
6 lbs down from last week.
Net drop of 3lbs for the year.
2 for 3 on the resolutions this week!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Garlic and Artichoke Pizza
"Deliciously quick and easy - a gourmet pizza in half the time you would think! You could use any pizza crust, but Quick and Easy Pizza Crust submitted to this site by Amanda Rider fits the definition of quick, easy, and delicious!"Recipe Here.
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