Happy New Year, etc.

Well, the ball has dropped, a bazillion people wished Dick Clark health and Regis once again astounded me by being considered an interesting braodcaster. Auld Lang Syne and all that.

I had the nice, but short-sighted, idea to let the kids stay up playing Nintendo 'til midnight or they fell asleep...REALLLLLLY thought they'd collapse before 10. But the Princess crashed 'round 11:30 (should've been 9:30, but she's stubborn) and the boys made it to 12...but next year, back to the regular movie-thon...that'll be sure to get 'em down early.

Happy New Year's all...see ya in a few.

Fiction binge

Since I finished classes a couple weeks ago (and honestly, during study breaks that last week) I've been reading pretty much nothing but novels (so much for my "I'm going to take this break to read up some hard-core theology stuff I've been putting off" plan...maybe in May).

Well, as part of this binge, I've reread a couple of Rex Stout's, started a reread of a Parker, knocked off 2 well-written novels I will probably never want to re-visit, and have just started a Science Fiction novel, In the Garden of Iden, as recommended by a chat pal.

In many books there's something you read that makes you say, "Okay, doesn't matter what happens in the rest of this book, I'm here to the end." I should probably have an example of this, but really can't come up with any but the one I'm talking about at the moment. Anyhow, paragraph 2 of chapter 2 in this book is this moment for me:

Also there, in the enormous cathedral, the Infanta Katherine, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella, is supposed to have stopped to hear mass on her way to marry the Prince of England. Now, in this cathedral was a silver censer, big as a cauldron, that swung in stately arcs at the end of a chain; and during the Infanta's Mass the chain broke and this censer hurtled out of the church through a window and exploded like a bomb on the paving stones outside. Some people would have taken this as an omen, but not the Infanta. She went resolutely on to England and would up marrying King Henry the Eighth. This shows that one ought to pay attention to omens.

Pac Man Fever

The family got a GameCube last week. Oy. Today has been spent trying to get the older three kids to the point where they can actually do something other than push buttons madly. To say that patience is required is a radical understatement (for all of us). To say I succeeded in that would be an overstatement.

Overall, Frodo and I did okay. Sam has moments where he comes close to getting it. Daddy's Little Princess is still too little :) But they're having fun...and tonight after the kiddos are safely tucked into bed, my wife will teach me what a Quidditch player should look like (not me), and I'll show her why a Yankees fan will ultimately triumph over a Sox fan. :) And really, isn't that what the holiday season is all about? Demolishing each other on the sports field?

Anyway, thanks to value-packs at Costco (yes, even video games are in bulk), we were able to get a handful of games to get us started. Surprisingly enough, Piglet's Big Adventuree, isn't that great of a game to start kids off with. Mostly because it is really hard to see the point in anything. Mario Kart: Double Dash is bunches of fun, but until they get the whole hand-eye coordination thing down, not the best use of time. Pac-World 2, so far is their game. Simple objectives, short levels...and so far, they think it's a blast.

Oversaturation

Hollywood needs to slow down with these comic movies--they're talking 2 X-men spin-offs...there's even rumors of a Wonder Twins movie. It's just too much folks...the market will backlash....

At the same time, I can't believe that The Martian Manhunter is having such a hard time getting anything going! Who wouldn't want to watch/make a movie about him?

12 Days of Christmas Revised

Got this off a humor list...no author given

On the 12th day of Eurocentrically imposed midwinter festival my significant other in a consenting, adult, monogamous, relationship gave to me:

Twelve males reclaiming their inner warrior through ritual drumming.

Eleven pipers piping (plus an 18 member pit orchestra made up of members in good standing of the Musicians Equity Union as called for in their union contract, even though they will not be asked to play a note.)

Ten melanin deprived testosterone poisoned scions of the patriarchal ruling class system leaping.

Nine persons engaged in rhythmic self-expression.

Eight economically disadvantaged female persons stealing milk products from enslaved bovine Americans.

Seven endangered swans swimming on federally protected wetlands.

Six enslaved fowl-Americans producing stolen non-human animal products.

Five golden symbols of culturally sanctioned enforced domestic incarceration. (After members of the Animal Liberation Front threatened to throw red paint at my computer, the calling birds, hens and partridge have been reintroduced to their native habitat. To avoid further Animal-American enslavement, the remaining gift package has been revised.)

Four hours of recorded whale songs.

Three deconstructionist poets.

Two Sierra Club calendars printed on recycled processed tree carcasses, and

One Spotted owl activist chained to an old-growth pear tree.

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Good Kwanzaa,, Blessed Yule, and Happy Holidays*

*unless you are suffering from seasonally affected disorder (SAD). If this is the case, please substitute this gratuitous call for celebration with the suggestion that you have a thoroughly adequate day.

Must read for the week

Christians in the crossfire - Michelle Malkin

Yes, it's maddening when politically correct bureaucrats ban nativity scenes and Christmas carols in the name of "diversity" and "tolerance." We are under attack by Secularist Grinches Gone Wild. But the war on Christmas in America is a mere skirmish.

Around the world, a bloody, repressive war on Christians rages on.

read on...

From fetus to baby

Rich Lowry:

Given that fetuses are routinely destroyed in America (and legally can be destroyed up to the point of delivery), it was odd to see such an uproar about the welfare of one.

Some good news on the baby front: the world's smallest baby.

Yessir, that's my baby...

Years ago, a certain young lady made a horrible mistake, she allowed herself to think she couldn't do better than me. And then she compounded that error by promising to spend the rest of my life with me. Somehow, she finds the strength to carry on.

Well, a couple of days ago, she once again was acknowledged as being the wonderful person I know she is. She received an award from the director of the state department that she's employed by. This is the second time in the last 2 or 3 years she's been so honored.

Way to go, honey.

Now we're cookin'!

Frodo's favorite show, believe it or not, is probably Good Eats, the food network show hosted by Alton Brown. For the record, I'vebecome somewhat of a fan...goofy and smart guy making things I never will in a very entertaining way. Anywho, today I stumbled upon his sometimes updated blog...bookmarking this for sure. It contains such gems as:

The fact that “Dr.” Phil has the number 1 cookbook on Amazon.com makes me want to end it all.

and

Here’s what it comes down to kids. Ronald McDonald doesn’t give a damn about you. Neither does that little minx Wendy or any of the other icons of drivethroughdom. And you know what, they’re not supposed to. They’re businesses doing what businesses do. They don’t love you. They are not going to laugh with you on your birthdays, or hold you when you’re sick and sad. They won’t be with you when you graduate, when your children are born or when you die. You will be with you and your family and friends will be with you. And, if you’re any kind of human being, you will be there for them. And you know what, you and your family and friends are supposed to provide you with nourishment too. That’s right folks, feeding someone is an act of caring. We will always be fed best by those that care, be it ourselves or the aforementioned friends and family.

We are fat and sick and dying because we have handed a basic, fundamental and intimate function of life over to corporations. We choose to value our nourishment so little that we entrust it to strangers. We hand our lives over to big companies and then drag them to court when the deal goes bad. This is insanity.

Feed yourselves.
Feed your loved ones.
And for God’s sake feed your children.

Don’t trust anyone else to do it…not anyone. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t go out to dinner every now and then…that is after all one of the great joys of life…but it isn’t life itself and that’s what I’m talking about.

Is MacDonalds food bad for you? What do you think? Does that mean you shouldn’t eat it? No, it just means you shouldn’t live on it or anything else made by someone you wouldn’t hug.

Burgers don’t kill people.
People kill people.
Don’t be one of them.

I'm Done!

Sent off the last final about 1.5 hrs ago, catching a little R&R with the kids (in the form of Spider-Man 2).

Ahhhhh.

Keeping his Comments Pithy and to the Point

'course he has to, only gets XX seconds on air for them...David Asman's The Asman Observer from today gets it right.

Daddy Time

The Kidney Kid is having quite the "I need time with Daddy" kind of day.
Which is great...I 'm really enjoying the way he's bonded to me at this age
better than any kid since Frodo. BUT. I'm having quite the "I need to
finish this reading I fell asleep doing so I can take my final exam while
drinking copious amounts of coffee" kind of day. Those two don't mesh well.
Sadly for my academic life, stopping his screaming (by laying down next to
him and letting him pull on my nose and ears) is winning.

Quick Hits

• Ow, Ow, Ow, Ow. Who thought that this was a good idea?
• Future Fuel Prices Skyrocket around Thanksgiving
• Headline: Methodist church stirs controversy with statue. DUH!

When some members of Amor de Dios United Methodist Church in Little Village elected to move a statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe into the sanctuary last year, the icon spawned an exodus.

Turned off by the introduction of a Roman Catholic tradition to a Protestant congregation, most of the church's 15 founding parishioners drifted away. To them, venerating the Virgin Mary and reciting the rosary did not belong in a Methodist church.

Pastors of other Hispanic Methodist congregations objected too. They said praying to the Virgin equaled idolatry.

And Roman Catholics in the neighborhood worried that the church might be selling itself as something it was not.

Welcome to Earth!

Congrats to Alex and Cassie. Hi Katrina! You know this is the first time in ages I've heard of someone in your family being early to something. Way to go girl... :)

Links of the Day

• This'd make a great stocking stuffer if I wasn't the only person I knew who'd want it.
• Nice column...We Red Staters can get offended, too
• ACLU Homeland Holiday Alert System
• Church Sign of the Month - November 2004
• And most important of all....The New Batman Begins Trailer

Updates

d'oh! Forgot to hit "Publish Post" on Saturday...and here I thought I was entertaining you all for days with my little tale o' woe...sorry

Also, got some links fixed/updated over there to the left...

My (dullish) Brush with CSI

So I'm leaving work last night/this morning/whatever and I see that my interior light is on...so naturally, I feel like a dummy. I don't remember leaving the light on...don't remember turning it on for that matter. So I start hoping there's enough juice left in the battery. Hop in, and it starts up really easily--who-hoo!

And then, as Archie Goodwin would say, I utter a word. My CD-Player, or at least the faceplate of it, is missing. So I get out, walk back and knock on the the window near the office (almost giving my manager a cardial infarction), call the cops, etc. etc. Other than being on hold for an eternity or three, that was a pleasant experience--friendly person answering the phone and the officer arrived pretty darn quick for a litle thing like this.

The Officer is very friendly, keeps reassuring me that things like the bandit's* fingerprints not showing up here or there isn't my fault, frankly nothing is my fault, and I shouldn't feel bad about touching what I did before I figured out I'd been pilfered. My wallet had been looked at, but was left with everything in it (yeah, yeah, yeah, I know..don't leave my wallet in there...).

So the Officer determines that they rapscallion entered through the sliding door, and gets his fingerprint dusting kit out of the back of the CSI SUV...I'm tempted to ask if I can just sit in there and look around while he's doing his thing. But I take the wise route. So he's putting his little purple magnetic fingerprint powerder around the door and then "Cool!" Yes, here's a fully armed (taser gun as well as something more lethal), crew cut wearing, tough looking cop, playing with a little brush, shouting "Cool!" like someone in #prosapologian talking about a new blog.

What was cool? He got a print. Most likely not mine, since I hadn't touched that door since Monday. Should take about a month to find out if there's a hit.

In the end, am missing my garage door opener and face plate to my CD Player. What an idiot. Now it's mostly a good story...

oh yeah, and I have to buy the Spider-Man Soundtrack again...never coming out of that deck...

* Frodo's word for him...

Better Poster

This is the international market version of the Batman Begins poster.

Full size is all over the place, here, for example.

Perplexed

I was looking for something else on the new PCA magazine site (I *miss* PCAnews!!) and stumbled upon the news that Ligonier has a new president. Good for Dr. Sproul...he needs to cut back. But I couldn't believe my eyes when I read that Timothy Dick's previous work as executive V.P., and he "has overseen the expansion of the ministry, which includes the recent acquisition of Soli Deo Gloria Ministries and a new product development cycle."

WHAT??? Ligonier bought SDG? Sure enough...tried to pull up their site and got this:
Welcome to Soli Deo Gloria's storefront.

Bummer II

Hot Potatoes reports:

Bad news for Shrekies: 'Shrek 3' Swamped Until 2007/E-online: Say it ain't so, Princess Fiona. I might be able to wait an extra year or two for the final "Star Wars" episode. But three years for another Shrek movie. That's cruel and inhumane punishment.

Bummer

Got this bit of news today:

Aflac, the insurance company that rose to pop-cultural heights on the wings of a waterfowl, is launching a $50 million ad campaign that partly muzzles its web-footed friend and instead seeks to better define what the company does. The move is a risky one, given the iconic status the feathered creature has reached since being introduced in January 2000.

Overheard...

Jeopardy's ratings have fallen off sharply since Ken Jennings' record winning streak ended last week. In related news, the sky is blue.

The Ever Quotable Michelle Malkin

Even in small doses she's great.

Bush=Lucy.
House GOP mavericks=Charlie Brown.
Real immigration reform=football.

Argh.

Time Off

Haven't had a lot to say the last few days...been very busy wroking on papers/projects/etc. Really fried my brain in doing so--I kept making really dumb mistakes all Friday night at work, it was like I was a trainee all over again. So I took a few days off, just to relax, enjoy life. Didn't do anything major--watched Spider-man 2 with the kids, hung out with the Mrs, re-read a Rex Stout novel. Nicely, I didn't get scheduled to come in since Saturday, too. I think I extended my vacation a day too long, honestly, now as I look at the questions I have to answer for my History of western Philosophy Final. But I don't care really :) It was nice just being a dad for a bit. More than nice, it was just what I needed.

Back to the grindstone now. 2 finals before next Friday(one open-book/long answer, and another closed book/short answer). Much to read, more to write before then.

The Poster is Up

In my continuing effort to keep my beloved readers up to date on the soon-to-be classid Batman Begins, I bring you the first poster:

The full size image is here.
This reminds me...need to share some thoughts about Spider-Man 2's DVD...maybe tomorrow. For now, need to finish watching this House episode I taped...I hope this show catches on enough that they put out a Season 1 DVD set...

Another Product Idea that just Needs a Marketer

Oreo filling without the fuss of the "cookie sandwich." Just put it in a
little 8 oz. plastic tub--3 oz. travel size, 30 oz. "Family size." Maybe
attach a couple of plastic spoons for ease...Guaranteed to make you a
millionaire...

(disclaimer: this post brought to you by a sleep-deprived person od-ing on
coffee, soda and Double Stuff Oreos)

Mr. Gates if you're reading this...

and why wouldn't you?

Could you see to it that a special King James/Authorized Version Language
Pack is developed for Windows/Word/etc.? I'm really tired of my spell check
having problems with "-eth" and so on.

Thanks.

Kidney Kid Update

Another specialist visit done. The Doc's very pleased with how things are going for him in general. His growth, etc., could be better, but he's within acceptable levels. Blood pressure's on the high end of normal, but given that we're giving him extra sodium to help with growth, it's expected. His lab work is good--the creatinine level in his blood appear to have leveled off, which means this is as good as he's going to get. Doc figures he'll stay at this point for about a year, and then start to go downhill. Personally, I'd gotten used to nothing but improvements, and this news was a blow.

But as his Great-Grandma reminded me, we've got to get through this for him to get better, which is the big goal, right? (thanks GG!) From the get-go this has been one of the three things we've been looking for to determine transplant time. Where he levels off, how long he levels off for, and how quickly he drops off from that. One down, two to go. Hopefully it'll be awhile.

He's developing quite a fun personality, has a great laugh, has the annoying tendency to grind his teeth (shudder), loves pulling CD's off their shelves and playing with electronic equipment, will be crawling all too soon. Aside from the drama, he's really the easiest baby we've had.

Again, thanks for all your prayers and interest.

The unimaginable

The worst...the absolute worst....(earthly speaking, anyway)

2 projects due Thursday, term paper due Friday, lesson on Saturday ... and MY COFFEE POT IS BROKEN!

Yes, that's right, I said broken. It may be able to make a pot still, I will find out tomorrow. But the hot plate is shot. Today, I had to resort to microwaving cups to have it warm--and then, of course the cup would be too hard to hold and sip, so I'd have to transfer it to another cup. Costing me precious amounts of spilled caffeine...

And no money for a replacement until Friday...at which point it will be fairly moot (at least for the present deadlines). OH THE HUMANITY!

The worst...the absolute worst...

UPDATE: It's dead, Jim. Can't even brew a pot.

Prayer Request

Sorry I haven't blogged in awhile...have a few half-baked ideas (which is nothing new), but nothing really to blog about. But I could also use some prayer for stamina/strength/focus/perseverance. Major deadlines Thurs. & Fri. plus a tiny case of bronchitis, little sinus infection and the border of an ear infection...

He's a much better person than his dad

Frodo got a CD player for his birthday about a month and a half ago. He's been very good with it, very responsible, loves to sit and listen to music. Today, the little Princess breaks one of the control buttons (she and Sam are oblivious to frequent admonitions to not touch it).

Now if someone were to do that to the most expensive thing I own (now or at the age of 6) I'd be flying off the handle...very angry. But this kid?

After I do what I can to fix it, I call in the Princess to chew her ou--um, I mean, correct her gently. Then call him in. "Do you have anything to say to her?"

"It's okay" and he pats her shoulder.

"Frodo...it's broken, you can't use it again. Doesn't that make you angry?"

"A little. But it'll be alright." And hugs her!

Makes ya proud. One day I hope to grow up to be like him.

Tonight is the premier of House, the new medical drama with Bryan Singer as Executive Producer--he even directs the first two episodes. I'm a huge Hugh Laurie fan...and sure, his accent may need some work (not sure why they made him adopt one) but from everything I've read/seen about this character I can get over that. He's generally a doctor with no bedside manner, no heart of gold underneath, but a fantastic diagnostician.

We also have a token-laden supporting cast, but Omar Epps looks promising, Robert Sean Leonard needs the work, and Lisa Edelstein always makes me like characters I really don't want to like.

I will admit to having high hopes for this...I'm almost out of TV dramas to watch. NBC killed Ed last year (I'm still pining), ABC is taking away NYPD Blue (which is good to do, I just don't relish the prospect of saying good-bye to the guys at the One-Five), David E. Kelly pulled the plug on The Practice by his out of control plots, leaving us with the tolerable Boston Legal....leaving me pretty much with the genre series Smallville and Alias (which isn't even coming back 'til Jan!). So, I really need this show to make it. If it doesn't, I don't know what I'll do...hmm, maybe study?

Speaking of which.......

A Rule of Life

We read this last night as our confession of faith...wish The Church today would remember it...esp. those churches who claim the Westminster Confession as their own.

From Chapter XIX "Of the Law of God"
VI. Although true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified, or condemned; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts, and lives; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin, together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of his obedience. It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin: and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve; and what afflictions, in this life, they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the law. The promises of it, in like manner, show them God’s approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof: although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works. So as, a man’s doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourageth to the one, and deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law; and, not under grace.

VII. Neither are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the gospel, but do sweetly comply with it; the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely, and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, requireth to be done.

Those nasty conservatives....

World Mag's blog just ran a post called 'A Small Error of Judgement', talking about the infamous Episcopal couple who'd written Druidic liturgies for use in their parishes. Apparently, their Bishop thought they'd made "a small error of judgment" in their effort to reach out to "marginal Christians." Of course, the real problem here is those nashty, tricksy, conservatives. The Bishop "blamed the local scandal on conservative groups out to destabilize the Episcopal Church USA."

There was a time or two when I'd be reading Peter Jones and think, "this guy is a little paranoid." More and more when I read this kind of thing I think I need to write him a letter of apology.

A New Daily Read

No Hold's Barred has been sending me to Chuck Asay's editorial cartoons on a fairly regular basis lately, and only this week have a I started to go there without the nudge. It's worth the time...

Status Quo

After a loooong, looooong five days the Mrs is back home. Things are as they should be again. The children are happier, Daddy's happier. I guess the subject line's a bit of a misnomer, it's not just the status quo...it's the way things are supposed to be.

Life is good.

And I think it's gonna be a long long time...

'til we see another one like the Rocket(man)...

This man is 42 years old--ancient in the world of pro sports--and has had one of the best years of his career. Not bad for a guy who retired at the end of the last season. Thankfully he was coaxed out of it (money and the ability to spend more time at home while satisfying the die-hard competitor would do the trick).

Today he wins his 7th Cy Young award--his first in the National League. He's now #2 on the all-time strike out list, one win away from tying for ninth in the career win list (328)--twice his number of losses, I should add (328-164), in the last three seasons his ERA has gone down 4.35 ERA in 2002, 3.91 in '03, and then this year it was 2.98! He's practically better than ever...

Says a lot for what a guy with a heart for his job, a great work ethic--oh yeah, and a great deal of talent can do.

Go Roger!

Kids and Figurative Language

d'oh! The kids are listening to a new CD, and the Princess was dancing like crazy, so I shout out, "whoo-hoo! Get down [Princess]!"

Of course not being up on slang (odd for a 2 year old), she thought she was in trouble and is now sitting sullenly...I feel like such a jerk

Post-script

Okay, thought of a cute Princess story. Today I'm putting some groceries in the fridge . "Is that some beer-drink?" "Yes, honey it is." "And that's just daddy's-drink right?" "Yes, honey it is." She nodded proudly and went on her way...if a 2 year old can master this lesson, why can't a high school senior?
awwright, not that cute, but it's something...

Also, tonight the kids were sitting in a semi-circle watching a movie...Kidney Kid watches them laughing together, and rolls/squirms his way over so that he's kind of in the circle to and starts laughing when they do. He's becoming one of the gang...

Misc. Stuff

Well, thanks to the overwhelming support of the new design, I'm sticking with it for at least a few months. Thanks to Joel for actually saying something (okay, I got one comment verbally, one via email, and one in IRC). But c'mon folks...I set up comments for a reason....

Neat articles/links/pictures/etc.

• SuperHeroHype! has some great set pictures from the Fantastic Four movie, Alba looks better blonde than I thought she would.
• SHH! also linked to some nice articles in USA Today about the upcoming Superman movie 'Superman' finally is ready to fly again and New guy in the cape--no pie charts tho :(
• You just feel for this poor kid, don't ya?
• Malkin's blog is usually a good read, so check it out...most of all but be sure to read What Media Bias?
• Speaking of the election, amongst my favorite reactions are: Jonah Goldberg's Don’t Believe the Hype (2004 Remix) and Make theirs a double, George Will's The Democrat failure, but of course, Ann Coulter's One Last Flip-Flop was about the best--especially her dressing-down of Karl Rove. Best opening line of them all goes to Coulter, "I guess John Kerry went into the primary without a plan to win the election." Second place to George Will:

  "I think the Union army had something to do with it."-- Gen. George Pickett, years afterward, on why his charge at Gettysburg failed.
  WASHINGTON -- John Kerry's liberalism had something to do with his defeat.

Pretty sure I started this with more to ramble about...ah well....

Kid Notes

1. Frodo, 'tho he always has this tendency, has spent a lot of the last couple of days giving little lessons to The Kidney Kid. How to Use a Remote Control, Why He Shouldn't Pull on the Laundry Pile, The Differences Between the Batman as Depicted in Batman/Justice League and Batman Beyond, Why Alton Brown is Cool, etc.

2. Samwise, in the non-blog world, isn't named after my favorite Hobbit, but after one of my favorite theologians. I quoted that theologian last week in my exhortation, and Sam indignantly turns to the lady next to him and says "I NEVER said that!"

3. Have no cute Princess stories at the present...other than she's just incredibly cute.

4. Most importantly, the Kidney Kid be using the words "Dada" or "aDaDa" to refer to me :)

Institutes Reading

This has nothing to do with anything going on in my life (that is, no one is doing evil against me that I'm aware of), this part of the Institutes just struck me as exceptionally wise.
If anything adverse happens, straightway he will raise up his heart here also unto God, whose hand can best impress patience and peaceful moderation of mind upon us. If Joseph had stopped to dwell upon his brothers’ treachery, he would never have been able to show a brotherly attitude toward them. But since he turned his thoughts to the Lord, forgetting the injustice, he inclined to gentleness and kindness, even to the point of comforting his brothers and saying: “It is not you who sold me into Egypt, but I was sent before you by God’s will, that I might save your life” [Genesis 45:5, 7-8 p.]. “Indeed you intended evil against me, but the Lord turned it into good.” [Genesis 50:20, cf. Vg.] If Job had turned his attention to the Chaldeans, by whom he was troubled, he would immediately have been aroused to revenge; but because he at once recognized it as the Lord’s work, he comforts himself with this most beautiful thought: “The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” [Job 1:21]. Thus David, assailed with threats and stones by Shimei, if he had fixed his eyes upon the man, would have encouraged his men to repay the injury; but because he knows that Shimei does not act without the Lord’s prompting, he rather appeases them: “Let him alone,” he says, “because the Lord has ordered him to curse” [2 Samuel 16:11]. By this same bridle he elsewhere curbs his inordinate sorrow: “I have kept silence and remained mute,” says he, “because thou hast done it, O Jehovah” [Psalm 39:9 p.]. If there is no more effective remedy for anger and impatience, he has surely benefited greatly who has so learned to meditate upon God’s providence that he can always recall his mind to this point: the Lord has willed it; therefore it must be borne, not only because one may not contend against it, but also because he wills nothing but what is just and expedient. To sum this up: when are unjustly wounded by men, let us overlook their wickedness (which would but worsen our pain and sharpen our minds to revenge), remember to mount up to God, and learn to believe for certain that whatever our enemy has wickedly committed against us was permitted and sent by God’s just dispensation.
Paul, to restrain us from retaliation for injuries, wisely points out that our struggle “is not with flesh and blood” [Ephesians 6:12], but with our spiritual enemy the devil [Ephesians 6:11], in order that we may prepare ourselves for the combat. Yet a most useful admonition to still all impulses to wrath is that God arms both the devil and all the wicked for the conflict, and sits as a judge of the games to exercise our patience.
But if the destruction and misery that press upon us happen without human agency, let us recall the teaching of the law: “Whatever is prosperous flows from the fountain of God’s blessing, and all adversities are his curses” [Deuteronomy 28:2 ff., 15 ff. p.]. Let this dreadful warning terrify us: “If you happen to walk contrary to me, I will also happen to walk contrary to you” [Leviticus 26:23-24, cf. Comm.]. In these words our sluggishness is rebuked as a crime; for after the common sense of the flesh we regard as fortuitous whatever happens either way, whether good or evil, and so are neither aroused by God’s benefits to worship him, nor stimulated by lashes to repentance. It is for this same reason that Jeremiah and Amos bitterly expostulated with the Jews, for they thought both good and evil happened without God’s command [Lamentations 3:38; Amos 3:6]. In the same vein is Isaiah’s declaration: “I, God, creating light and forming darkness, making peace and creating evil: I, God, do all these things” [Isaiah 45:7, cf. Vg.].

Best Cult Films...

Well, the Crusty Curmudgeon's posted another list, so of course I have to put up my version of it. This time it's coming from Entertainment Weekly's list of the 61 Top 50 Cult Films (don't ask me, I just pass it along). I've emboldended the one's I've seen...

1. This Is Spinal Tap
   
2. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
   
3. Freaks
   
4. Harold And Maude--disturbing movie. Really good, but disturbing. Loved the kid's car!
   
5. Pink Flamingos
   
6. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
   
7. Repo Man
   
8. Scarface
   
9. Blade Runner--Ridley Scott's best. Maybe Harrison Ford's best. Definately Sean Young and Darryl Hannah's best.
   
10. The Shawshank Redemption--good film.
    
11. Five Deadly Venoms
    
12. Plan 9 From Outer Space--oh the humanity!!
    
13. Brazil
    
14. Eraserhead
    
15. Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
    
16. The Warriors
    
17. Dazed And Confused--how this made the list without any others of Linklater's, I don't know. But this was a great one.
    
18. Hard-Boiled
    
19. Evil Dead II
    
20. The Mack
    
21. Pee-Wee's Big Adventure--only remember the dance scene in the biker bar. Never really got into this character
    
22. Un Chien Andalou--saw this in my film class, just what you'd expect to see out of a film made by Dali. That razor cutting the eye thing gave me some major willies
    
23. Akira--not bad...the best anime I've ever seen (which isn't saying much)
    
24. The Toxic Avenger
    
25. Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory
    
26. Stranger Than Paradise
    
27. Dawn Of The Dead
    
28. The Wiz
    
29. Clerks--just got the 10th anniversary edition of this on DVD, can't wait to watch it. Don't know how many times I've seen this thing (2 times in the theater, which in college was a huuuge extravagance)
    
30. The Harder They Come
    
31. Slap Shot
    
32. Re-Animator
    
33. Grey Gardens
    
34. The Big Lebowski--the Coen Brothers worst. Still insanely great in some areas.
    
35. Withnail and I
    
36. Showgirls
    
37. A Bucket Of Bood
    
38. They Live
    
39. The Best Of Everything
    
40. Barbarella
    
41. Heathers--can't believe I haven't seen this yet.
    
42. Rushmore--this was great, this was really, really great.
    
43. The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension
    
44. Love Streams
    
45. Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story
    
46. Aguirre, The Wrath of God
    
47. Walking And Talking Nicole Holofcener
    
48. The Decline Of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years
    
49. Friday
    
50. Faces of Death, Vol. 1--Vol 1, Vol3, Vol 4, Vol 5 (the last two were really, really stupid--saw a midnight showing of one of those, fell asleep in the theater)
    
51. Monty Python and the Holy Grail--just waiting 'til my boys are old enough to watch this with me. Can't wait 'til they start annoying their mother by quoting it.
    
52. A Clockwork Orange
    
53. Mommie Dearest
    
54. The Princess Bride--loved the movie, loved the book even more.
    
55. Swingers--this movie was so money, baby!
    
56. UHF--Weird Al, Victoria Jackson, that Michael Richards guy...who could ask for more?
    
57. Valley of the Dolls
    
58. Fight Club--Nietzsche on film. The first 15 minutes absolutely blew me away...rest was okay.
    
59. Dead Alive (aka Braindead)
    
60. Better Off Dead--loved this movie, watch it whenever I find it on cable--don't care at what point I come in on it, have to watch the rest.
    
61. Donnie Darko

19/61. Must admit I expected a higher number.

Tipping the Cap

Okay, okay, he may be personally responsible for the bringing the greatest amount of shame on the Yankees in recent history. But Curt Schilling's taking his moments in the sun to say some really great things.

First, after he punished the Yankees (on an ankle that shouldn't have been doing anything) he said,

Seven years ago, I became a Christian, and tonight God did something amazing for me. I prayed as hard as I could. I didn't pray to get a win or to make great pitches. I just prayed for the strength to go out there and compete. He gave me that. I tried to be as tough as I could and do it my way in Game 1, and I think we all saw how that turned out. I knew I wasn't going to be able to do this alone. So I prayed as hard as I could.

So he has a better doctrine of vocation than most--I really appreciated "I just prayed for the strength to go out there and compete," not "to get a win."

And then this morning, reportedly:

Curt Schilling just ended his interview with Charlie Gibson by saying: "Tell everyone to vote, vote for Bush." You should have seen the look on Gibson's face. It was priceless.

Now that I've been gracious to him, I can go back to waiting for the Yankees to not give him this chance next year.

Little slice of history

On October 28, 1975, Harry Reasoner told his nationwide audience:

The news today was as usual full of politicians and other movers and shakers, but the odds are overwhelming that when historians look at the bright blue late October of 1975 the only thing they will keep about the 27th is that is was the day Rex Stout died and the 28th was the day the death was reported. Rex Stout was a lot of things during his eighty-eight years, but the main thing he was was the writer of forty-six mystery novels about Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. A lot of more pretentious writers have less claim on our culture and our allegiance.

from Rex Stout: A Biography by John McAleer

One day, I'll try to write up exactly what impact Stout has/has/will have on me. But for now, I'll just leave it at that this. Tho' I didn't know it that October when I was three, it was one of the saddest days in history.

new look

well, while killing time over the last few nights after work, etc. I've tweaked a new template...not sure if I'll keep it or go back to the old one...what do you think? Email me or leave a comment and this weekend I'll decide.

Covenental Fandom

So last week while I'm missing Game 7, my wife and Frodo are watching and talking.

The Mrs: So if the Red Sox go to the World Series, will you cheer for them?
Frodo: No!

(later)

The Mrs: So when you grow up and have kids, can I come over and teach them to cheer for the Red Sox?
Frodo: NO! You can cheer for them, but I will teach them to be Yankee fans.
The Mrs: Well, what if you marry a Red Sox fan?
Frodo: Well, I will tell her it's okay for her, but that we have to teach our kids to be Yankee fans.

Now, I grant you, we clearly have some work to do on the idea of being unequally yoked...but you gotta admire his faithfulness. :)

Yea, The Yankees, art a team unto your children and your children's children.

Amen. And now for our hymn of benediction....

Start spreadin' the news...

Actually Glad I was at Work for This One...

Joe Torre: "None of us want this to happen. We went out there, busted our tails."

Gary Sheffield: "Right now, I'm shocked by the way it all ended. We were one game away, but no one took it for granted. We knew it was going to be tough to close it out."

Bernie Williams: "Those guys kept playing the way we used to play. They have two great horses in Manny and David, but the rest of the team are tough outs, too. They gave our pitchers a run for their money. They just weren't going to be beaten."

All true, but Derek Jeter puts it best: "I haven't even thought about it. It's upsetting to lose, but as far as being the first team (to lose four straight in a postseason series), I couldn't care less about that. They played better than us. That's basically it. You can come up with this or that, but the bottom line is that they beat us."

this is better...

...than the Which OS are You? quiz....

Which File Extension are You?

Spot-On Column

Tom Singer's analysis of the ALCS is spot on perfect...esp. his list of the "three trends brought the Yankees from the brink of a World Series to just plain the brink."

• Mariano Rivera fell into a bed of Kryptonite
• The Red Sox put their celebrated lunacy to good use
• John Olerud

That last item is probably truer than the rest...Clark is making me realize how much I miss Giambi (or Olerud for that matter)...

It's all his fault

See this man here? At least 90% of the problems in my life are due to him.

These include, but are not limited to, the disgusting and disheartening comeback of the Boston Red Sox, books not arriving from an un-named online book seller on time (and then me getting nasty emails from the company when I point that out), my inability to get any sleep, my inability to write a best-selling novel, my nasty inability to finish the take-home test, the way that the light in this room makes me squint too much, the fact that it's raining out side right now...and so on.

How does he do it? I don't know. He's just that diabolical--heck, he even admits it on his own blog!

feel better getting that off my chest. I've now joined the growing legions of blogs in this world griping about him. I'm part of the crowd :)

Your anti-Gov't School article of the Week

Harry Browne tackles the old canard "What happens to the students whose parents are too poor to afford to send them to a private school or homeschool, if we eliminate 'public' schools?" in Education for Everyone.

Talking 'bout Pop Music

I take music pretty seriously. You see that scar on my wrist? You see that? You know where that's from? I heard the Beegees were getting back together again. I couldn't take it, okay!

Okay, I take it a shade less seriously than Denis Leary ('course if I was older, the Beegees getting together again might have had the same effect on me...can't be sure).

I don't listen to a lot of radio nowadays...mostly because the majority of stations 'round here don't play much worth listening to. Mostly relying on people like Julie, Alex and Mike who have good taste to help me find new stuff, or just waiting 'til artists I like put out something new. But there's always a radio playing in the grill area at work, so I'm getting my fill of the radio.

Now most of the time, the radio is turned to a Spanish-only station. Now based on my education from Wall of Voodoo and Tom Petty, Mexican Radio sounded like a wonderland, but I just don't get the allure. Part of my beef is that I can't understand a lick of it. This really annoys me, it's the same reason I don't listen to opera, operetta, most choral stuff--if I can't understand the words, what's the point? Although I do have to appreciate the fact that there are "rock" artists other than Weird Al who are promoting the accordion.

But the last couple of weeks, somehow the tuner's been changed to Top 40 stuff--and I miss the lyrical depth of the Mexicans... Not all of it's bad, mind you. For example, Bowling for Soup's "1985" is a fun song. Two songs I'm hearing incessantly are really getting to me.

1. Brittney Spears' "My Prerogative." I'm tempted to expose myself to intense radiation so I could perhaps grow 8 more thumbs so I could give it 10 thumbs down. Really, little girl, couldn't you have picked a better role model than Bobby Brown? And if you were going to do a cover, make it somewhat original, put your stamp on it. I will admit that I owned, and liked, Bobby's Don't Be Cruel album that the original song was on. But that was 1988, and what worked in '88 doesn't work in '04--you've got to do something other with the original. Brittney can be tolerable, even slightly fun, when she's doing silly bubble-gum pop. But now that she's decided she's the second coming of Madonna, she's just sad. And then this...Warhol's 15 minute clock is ticking, m'dear.

2. Some silly girl group is doing a cover of Bryan Adams' "Heaven" (and no, I'm not on an anti-cover rant...some of my favorite tracks are covers). The lyrics are semi-vapid, a little cliché, and the music's uninspired. But for some reason when you put Adams' raspy voice and "heart" together with them, it works. With these wannabe's...blech. Sadly, as popular as it seems to be, I live in fear of Jessica Simpson covering "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" or Christina Aguilera doing "Straight from the Heart."

If either of those happen, I will spill blood, I just don't know whose yet.

early mornin' chuckle

from the Borowitz Report:

Elsewhere, Major League Baseball announced that the third meeting between the Yankees and the Red Sox on Friday night will focus entirely on domestic issues, including the economy, education, health care and taxes.

Who's your Daddy?

Close but no cigar two nights running...

Yeah, I ditched the debate. Felt a little bad about that, due to work schedules, it was the only one I could've watched. But hey, it's not like it was going to change my vote.

So instead I get to watch Lieber own the Sox. Pedro did okay, but it wasn't at the same level. Sure, off to Boston for 3, but Kevin Brown showed some good stuff last week...should be able to hold his own.

eh, it'll do...

Which OS are You?

in the end, just a man...

I guess I'm getting to cynical...my first thought when I read the headline about Christopher Reeve's death was, "Oh man...right before the election? Kerry-types will have a rallying point on the stem-cell research issue." Second thought, "What're they gonna do on Smallville?"

Then it hit me, Reeve was dead. Superman, in a sense, was dead. Reeve's work taught me everything I knew about Superman for years to come. Watching him fly, made me want to. It made me think I could. I can remember the feeling of elation sitting there in the theater, watching him fly, watching him save the day (watching him do really stupid things with Richard Pryor...ick). Maybe my boys feel the same way when they see Toby Maguire swing across the screen (actually, I think I kinda feel that way), but I can't think of anything else on the Silver Screen that could get that kind of reaction from a kid.

And he owned the role. He was Superman. Dean Cain, John Haymes Newton, and Tom Welling couldn't do anything without being compared to him. The same will be true for whoever Bryan Singer gets for the role. (tho' he did seem to pass the baton to Welling in his work as Dr. Swann on Smallville)

Granted, that caused some problems for him as an actor...but, Somewhere in Time, Remains of the Day, and Speechless (to name a few) showed he could pull it off. And he seemed to be getting better parts before his accident. And then the way he kept going on, kept acting, directing, working for research...he seemed more super then than in the movies (for the moment ignoring the ethical problems with some of the solutions he championed).

You will be missed. You may not have had the powers (or the weakness to green glowing rocks), but you were in your own way, a hero.

this is why I HATE night shifts

I totally missed this:

and all the excitement that led up to it.

"It was pretty shallow, but I was going to be aggressive. I was going all the way," Jeter said. "You have to force someone to make a play. I decided to take a chance."

Force 'em anytime, Derek...whoo-hoo

does it get better than this?

Sitting with my kids, watching post-season baseball. Teaching them, having fun with them...and soon to trade them in for hanging with the Mrs. and watching post-season baseball. Maybe read a little Calvin while doing so...

Good times.

Now only if it wasn't top of the 6th with the Twins up by 1...

guess this means I survived the 7 year itch

Well it was 8 years ago today that my far better half made the biggest mistake of her life and said, "I do."

Since then there are many days I wish I could re-do, said many things I shouldn't have said, and didn't say many more things that I should've said. But on the whole, best years of my life. Looking forward to many more, Lord willing.

interesting quote

Found this in the .sig on a contriubtion to a discussion list, thought it was worthy of note.

"I am convinced that the battle for humankind's future must be waged and won
in the public school classroom by teachers who correctly perceive their role
as the proselytizers of a new faith: a religion of humanity that recognizes
and respects the spark of what theologians call divinity in every human
being. Thess [sic] teachers must embody the same selfless dedication as the
most rabid fundamentalist preachers, for they will be ministers of another
sort, utilizing a classroom instead of a pulpit to convey humanist values in
whatever subject they teach, regardless of the educational level --
preschool day care or large state university. The classroom must and will
become an arena of conflict between the old and the new -- the rotting
corpse of Christianity, together with all its adjacent evils and misery, and
the new faith of humanism." John Dunphy, "A Religion for a New Age,"
Humanist, January-February 1983, p. 26

new blog on my daily reads

they pretty much just let anyone have a blog these days (well, see the present one for example). Here's the latest: Bloggeronicus Rex

they sure grow up fast/Kidney Kid Update

Frodo wakes me this morning with, "Daddy! I'm not 5 anymore, I'm 6!" 6? He's 6? ugh. At this rate he'll be a grown up before me.

Took the Kidney Kid to his doc yesterday. His blood levels are astounding--it's possible that we could be looking at 8-15 for a transplant now. That's right, I said 15!!!!!!!! We've gone from 2 to maybe 15 in 6 months! This is too wonderful. Thank you, Lord! Thank you readers for all your prayers.

Now that he's added solids (and I use that term in the broadest sense possible) we're in the fun zone where we have to be careful he doesn't get too much liquid in him and cause all sorts of problems for that .75 kidney, but hey...there are worse things to deal with.

Also, yesterday he mastered the front-to-back roll. Then he went on to combine it with his back-to-front, and is now mobile. Granted, it's not as cool as SpaceShipOne, nor will it win us $10 million, but it's pretty neat. :)

Your early morning cup o' reality

From a USA Today ("75% of Americans love Pie Charts") article on some overrated football team:

Still, stereotypes persist. According to a recent poll commissioned by the Idaho Economic Development Council, the top three things that come to the minds of out-of-staters when they hear the name "Idaho" are potatoes, white supremacy and "I don't know."

sigh

Banned Book Week

Ooh, it's Banned Books Week--that time of the year when librarians can change their posters and make people think of all sorts of scary things that can happen if a book it stomped out. Now, to an extent, I see the point, and can share the concern. But frankly, I bet it's publicity like this that helps keep people banning certain books.

Well, the Crusty Curmudgeon posted a list of Banned Books, and like him, I'm a sucker for these lists. So here's the list with the ones I read in bold. I count 18, which means I'm just a little bit naughtier than Scott.

• Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
  
• Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
  
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou--I think I started this one, but can't say it for sure.
  
• The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier--read this and a sequel or two as I recall...creepy, intense, but I loved it.
  
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain--this one goes down as a "YOU MISSED THE FRIGGIN' POINT OF THE BOOK IF YOU BANNED IT!!!" I love this book, and it grieves me no end that people trash it...
  
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck--it was a nice book. Like it better than The Grapes of Wrath
  
• Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling--yup, read 'em all at least twice (well, haven't read the Order of the Phoenix twice yet...hmmm, know what I'm doing on semester break...)
  
• Forever by Judy Blume
  
• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. Read it several times, don't remember a think about it
  
• Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
  
• Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman--should probably read it just so I know what the fuss is all about
  
• My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
  
• The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger--should probably read it just so I know what the fuss is all about
  
• The Giver by Lois Lowry
  
• It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
  
• Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine--looked dumb then, looks dumber now
  
• A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
  
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker
  
• Sex by Madonna--oh my, can't believe I'm admitting in public that I read this. What can I say? I was in college, curious, and my roommate had too much money. So he bought it, brought it back to the dorm and we read it...and got really bored (when we weren't freaked out)
  
• Earth's Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
  
• The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
  
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle--read this and the sequels several times...don't see why this would be banned (unless people don't like Gnostics, which hey, I can relate to...)
  
• Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
  
• Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
  
• In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
  
• The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
  
• The Witches by Roald Dahl--not my favorite Dahl, but as I recall it was okay
  
• The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
  
• Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
  
• The Goats by Brock Cole
  
• Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
  
• Blubber by Judy Blume--I think it was this book that made me decide that only the books about boys by Blume should be read by boys.
  
• Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
  
• Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
  
• We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
  
• Final Exit by Derek Humphry
  
• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
  
• Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
  
• The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
  
• What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
  
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee--this falls into the same category as Huck Finn. YOU HAVE TO READ A BOOK BEFORE YOU BAN IT, IDIOTS!
  
• Beloved by Toni Morrison
  
• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton--um, whatever. Didn't really see the point of all the excitement about this one
  
• The Pigman by Paul Zindel
  
• Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
  
• Deenie by Judy Blume
  
• Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
  
• Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
  
• The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
  
• Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
  
• A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
  
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley--been on my "to read" list for about 15 years
  
• Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
  
• Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
  
• Cujo by Stephen King
  
• James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl--wha? how is this on a banned book list? Did I miss something?
  
• The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell--don't own it, never made anything from it, never felt the slightest bit of interest in doing so
  
• Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
  
• Ordinary People by Judith Guest
  
• American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
  
• What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
  
• Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume--tried it, remembered the lesson learned from Blubber and stopped
  
• Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
  
• Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
  
• Fade by Robert Cormier
  
• Guess What? by Mem Fox
  
• The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
  
• The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
  
• Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
  
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding--best literary example of Total Depravity, but hated the book
  
• Native Son by Richard Wright
  
• Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies by Nancy Friday
  
• Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
  
• Jack by A.M. Homes
  
• Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya. Absolutely don't see why this would be banned. Called over-rated? Sure. But it was a nice little story.
  
• Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
  
• Carrie by Stephen King
  
• Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
  
• On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
  
• Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
  
• Family Secrets by Norma Klein
  
• Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
  
• The Dead Zone by Stephen King
  
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain--not even going to comment
  
• Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
  
• Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
  
• Private Parts by Howard Stern
  
• Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford--this has got to be a misprint
  
• Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
  
• Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
  
• Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
  
• Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
  
• Sex Education by Jenny Davis
  
• The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
  
• Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
  
• How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell--got to be banned by a petition from PETA
  
• View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
  
• The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
  
• The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
  
• Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

Man, my Amazon.com recommendations are gonna be messed up for weeks after me doing some searches to confirm what I remembered....

It's Not Only About Terri Schiavo

This whole Schaivo thing makes me literally sick. I have to take a breather everytime I read about it. This piece by Henthoff, "It's Not Only About Terri Schiavo," is really good.
Fighting for her life is more than enough reason to keep up the challenges to her husband's evil. But if she falls, the next will be easier....

From the Home Office...

from The Holy Observer

I'll second that

Puh-reach it brutha John, Puh-reach it!

Active Investigative Explorer

Sounds like the name of a semi-generic Action Figure, but that's actually a description of me (in theory). Gerald So's blog directed me to Find Your AQ. Your AQ is your Adventure Quotient--a measure of your spirit of adventure (sponsored by Land Rover).

Anywho, my result was:

The old saying "You learn something new every day," is a bit disappointing to you--you'd like to learn something new every hour, at the very least. Our initial calculations reveal that you are the Active Investigative Explorer.
The mysteries of this world fascinate you and your life's mission is to gain insight that can satisfy your hyper-curious mind. Your quest is knowledge, and lucky for you that treasure is free for the taking. There are no secrets to this universe, just truths; and while they can't all be discovered in one lifetime, searching for them is the ultimate adventure.

eh, maybe...

Pe-dro! Pe-dro!

whoo-hoooooo! 11-1, baby!

4 1/2 game lead now for the Yanks...sure, Fenway this weekend could change that. But...heh,heh Pedro giving up 5 in one innning? Too sweet.

Seminary Updates

I'm keeping (well, trying to anyway) a blog of my seminary work, for those who are interested. I'd have put that info up here, but many of my supporters, church members who might be interested, etc. really don't want to read my rants about George Lucas' ego, Batman movies and questionable taste in TV shows. Anyway, I do know a couple of people who read this are interested, so now you have a place to go.

It's also added to my blog list to the left, there.

uh oh

Discovered that my church's candidate (or at least his wife) has read this thing...gotta be careful what I say here (esp. if I don't like the sermons).

On the other hand, this could come in handy for a bargaining chip...just need to start posting things like...."Great guy, decent preacher, but man, I just worry that he's asking for too much in the way of salary. On the other hand, there's this other candidate..."*

*This is of course a joke, all pastoral candidates ask for too much money.

Fulfilling the contractural obligation

It seems like it's a duty for blogs to talk about this forgerygate story (after all it was blogs that made it a story), so I'll just point to Fred Barnes' piece. Doesn't say anything you don't know, but ya gotta love the opening line to his article, The Burden of Belief: "CBS has left the flap over purported documents involving President Bush's record in the Texas Air National Guard in this posture: Who are you going to believe, CBS or your lyin' eyes?"

Q&A

from my notes for last week's Catechism class, here's a couple of gems from John Willison

Q. Does Baptism seal and apply these things equally to all who are baptized?
A. No, for to elect infants and believers in reality it seals and applies these things absolutely. But to those who are only believers in profession it seals and applies conditionally, upon supposition that they are what they profess.

Q. Are the benefits sealed to believers immediately conferred upon them at the moment of baptism?
A. Though a sealed right to these is then given them, yet the efficacy of baptism is not necessarily tied to the moment of time where in it is administered. For God, being a most free agent, makes this ordinance effectual and confers His grace when and how He pleases. Besides, the fruit and power of baptism reach to the whole course of a believer’s life (John 3:5,8).

20 winks

As those who've known me for any length of time can attest, sleep has never been a huge concern/priority for me. I do it when I have to, but if I can put it off to read something, write something, watch something, or for pretty much any other reason, I will.

Now normally this is fine, doesn't cause too many problems--and at times has even worked to my advantage (when I have to meet a deadline of some sort, it's easier for me to push sleep to the side and get it done). And over the last few months, for the most part anyway, as I've been preparing my exhortations for Sunday mornings, that's been invaluable.

Last night I got less sleep than normal for a Saturday night (30 minutes total), but didn't really even notice it--I was really into the writing, really into the text, and loving the final prep. So I ended up only taking a quick nap from 2:30-3.

I do my final practice/revision on the way to church while my wife drives. This morning, I was going along, editing a bit, reading, practicing how I wanted to phrase things and ... next thing I knew I was 2 pages ahead of where I remember being. I'd drifted off reading my own sermon! How bad is that? (how boring must it have been?)

Tip o' the Cap

Kudos to the Crusty Curmudgeon for doing a typically more thoughtful rant on Lucas tinkering with his classics...

Catching Up

I've been meaning to link to this for a few days now: Jonathan Edwards blog which describes itself as, "Quotes from the sermons and writings of Jonathan Edwards." A great place to drop by once a day or so...

Guess I'm an idiot

Heinz Kerry Bashes Health Care Plan Foes

Teresa Heinz Kerry says "only an idiot" would fail to support the health care plan proposed by her husband, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

Kerry's proposal includes health care subsidies for children, the unemployed, small companies and others as well as government assistance to insurers and employers that hold down premiums for workers.

Watched part of a Kerry speech yesterday morning (before I put myself and my kids out of our misery and watched a Dora the Explorer re-run for the 13th million time). In the Health Scare section of the speech, he talked about how horrible George Double-U Bush's policies were (I doubt he meant the huge Medicare expansion in this, otherwise I'd agree) and how the US needs to join the nations of Europe (Kerry's template ideas are from France after all) recognizing that medical care isn't a privilege for those with the money, but a basic human right!

If I didn't care about the Swift Boat Vets, the war in Iraq, or on terror, or anything else, Kerry would lose my vote right there. Why not just drop the pretense and run as a socialist?

"Only an idiot wouldn't like this," Heinz Kerry told the Intelligencer Journal of Lancaster for a story in its Thursday editions. "Of course, there are idiots."

Ahh, such a calm, reassuring, tolerant voice for a future First Lady to use. Yeah, this'll unify the country.

If Kerry is elected, Heinz Kerry predicted, opponents of his health care plan will be voted out of office.

Great rallying cry for the RNC here!

Still, the multimillionaire and philanthropist balked at the idea that she was selling her husband's plan.

Psssssssssyeah, right!

Someone STOP George Lucas!!!

The man just has to be stopped--now. By almost any means necessary--do like the South Park guys did and just steal his movies from him. Or take him to court a la Randall from ABC's Clerks. Or something not done by an animated character, I don't care. Just STOP HIM!

According to Sci Fi Wire, he's going to tweak the original trilogy when it comes out on DVD. 1. Hayden Christensen (the piece of plywood in the role of Anakin Skywalker in Ep. II) will be the spirit next to Kenobi and Yoda at the end of Jedi. 2. Ian McDiarmid will be in Empire as a holographic Emperor. 3. The whole who shot first, Greedo or Solo thing will end with it being a draw.

LEAVE IT ALONE MAN!!! THEY WERE CLASSICS FER CRYIN' OUT LOUD!!! You want to re-do something, fix up Tucker or Willow, or some other movie that wasn't that good in the first place.

And this is the man that's doing the re-write on Indy IV? Ack.

School Daze

First day of school today...forgot how hard this is (I think Samwise did, too, come to think of it).

First curriculum induced gripe of the year--everything's in cursive for Frodo. Fine, you want to teach him a horribly useless style of writing, okay go ahead. But to have everything in his curriculum (phonics, spelling, etc.) in cursive already on Day 1 seems to be asking too much...part way through the year, you know, when he's had a chance to learn the letters, fine. But to start out with all of his examples in a script he can't read just seems mean.

On the way home from PE today, I was trying to tell him about this, and he replies very matter-of-factly "Oh, that's okay, Mojo Jojo is always saying 'Curses' and 'Curse you,' so I know about it."

Ah, silly me, never mind then...

update

Mentioned a few weeks ago that my blood pressure was high (to say the least). Well,
good news it's down. Bad news: that's all via medicine, haven't taken a pound off yet. Don't think the Doc is going to be happy w/me.

Low Tolerance

This is pretty clever...don't let the name dissuade you, click here: http://www.pleasurecaptains.com

P.E.

Well that was interesting...the parents seemed to be made up of die-hard home-everythingers, a couple of upper middle-class yuppie types, one dad [was relieved to see another dad there] who's trying the homeschool thing because his kid isn't fit for the GRTF schools, a few I couldn't pigeon-hole...could make for some interesting convos if we ever get to that stage.

The kids had a blast, out there doing some sort of silly activities with balloons--and, of course, the Hokey Pokey*. Frodo, typically, was intent on getting everything just right, just like the teacher told him (and, in a very Adrian Monk moment asked permission to fix a saftey cone that had been knocked down--I could tell it was really bugging him). Samwise, on the other hand, threw himself into it with gusto--as long as he was sorta doing what he was told, that was enough. Frodo did have fun, but he was too busy making sure it was the right kind of fun he didn't enjoy it as much as his lil' bro. Something tells me that's pretty much going to define their lives.


* the question must be asked..."what if the Hokey-Pokey is what it's all about after all?"

This should be interesting...

The local "Rec Center"--which has little to do with recreation, more of a fitness club funded by city funds--has a Homeschool PE program. Today is the first day of class for my boys. Outside of Sunday School, Samwise hasn't been in anything like this. Frodo's experience on the T-ball field will pay off for him. But taking orders from someone who's not a parental unit and dealing with children he's not related to aren't exactly Sam's cup of tea. So a little apprehensive there.

On the other hand, these two get to run around and burn a lot of energy. This could make for a nice afternoon for dear ol' dad...:)

This is why I shouldn't fly

Okay, a couple of years ago I fly down to San Diego for classes (see Jan 2003), on the way home, I’m stuck in Salt Lake City overnight. This week I fly down to Greenville, and on the way home, I get stuck overnight again. I had options for where I could get stuck this time, ‘tho. At 5 pm I could wait (an estimated) 4.5 hrs for my delayed flight to Chicago and wait to fly to Boise in O’Hare until 10 am the next morning. I could wait a couple of hours and then wait in the Houston airport until 9 am. Or I could wait in Greenville until noon.

Of course, I pick the option that allows me to smoke cigars, drink Guinness and talk theology.

So I get home about 20 hours after I was supposed to. This made sermon prep, getting to work, family life, etc. very, very hard. And blogging pretty much impossible. But I'm back...will try to say a thing or two about the trip to Greenville here soon.

The bat closes in for the kill

Quick post to point all bat-fans to this great article from the Telegraph: The bat closes in for the kill

toooooo busy

have much to say and report, no time to do anything (including this)...stay tuned, true believers...

Update on me

Well, the Mrs. and I did make contact (she called me). So, crisis averted there.

I've been in Greenville, SC for about a day now. Nice place. A lot more trees here than I figured. Not sure what I expected, but it wasn't trees.

Fell asleep in church today, but at least I didn't snore. Ugh. Who'd have thought sitting on a plane doing nothing would be tiring? Read a novel between Boise and Chicago. Actually would've had it finished between Boise and Denver, but made myself stop every now and then.

And it was hard to make myself stop. I was reading the latest Spenser novel by Robert B. Parker, Bad Business. It's rare when I can pace myself through a new Spenser, esp. one this good. But facing impending boredom I was able to discipline myself some. Just not enough.

Using an on-loan laptop and I don't have my spam filter on this one. MAN! I get a lot of junk.

Well, that's all for now, will try to have actual news tomorrow.

To My Wife

Hey hon, on the off chance you decide to check this thing while you're at your folks, sorry. I tried to call. Multiple times. But for some reason the #&$(#&)(*^$#!!! phone company says it can't connect me.

MIss you and the kids already. Love you. Hope to be able to talk to you soon.

Theologically Speaking

It's been noted a handful of times (esp. by me) that for a blog maintainted by a seminarian and Presbyterian elder, there's very little talk about theology here. What's up with that?

Well, for one thing, pretty much everything I have to say about the Bible/theology/doctrine/etc. is for my sermons. I simply don't have energy to think about anything else at the moment. Hopefully, my upcoming seminary studies will help me there.

Secondly, it's just really hard to find the time to finish those theological posts I start. I'm very careful about what I publish in that regard. For example, raving about the upcoming Batman Begins is easy--if it turns out to be a flop, I can live with myself. Saying something baseless or groundless about the new Finger Eleven album..eh, whatever. But I can't say that about say questioning (or not questioning enough) the orthodoxy of writer X, or idea Y that I might want to talk about.

'nuff said...

Sermon Prep

Somehow I doubt Alistair Begg does it this way . . .

If you look closely you can see the drool dripping down my arm. :)


(photo, btw, taken by Frodo)

A Warning to Stephen King fans everywhere

Okay, I don't know for sure that Scott Peterson killed his wife and son, all this could be whatever cockamanie story his defense is using. I only know 2 things for sure: 1. it was nice of him to give Dean Cain a chance to act again; 2. the testimony from Amber Frey shows that if he's not a murderer, he's a first-rate cad.

What I don't get is all the noise being made over the fact that his favorite movie is The Shining. "Wha--? The Shining? Well, doesn't the husband in that movie chase after his wife with an axe? Clearly there's something wrong with this man..." Welll, yeah, but the movie also featured a haunted ski resort (or something along those lines)...so what?

Hint for anyone thinking of killing your wife (Mr. Hacking, it may be in time for you, probably not 'tho)...when asked what your favorite movie is? Pick a romantic comedy, something based on a Jane Austen novel...Whatever you do, no Stephen King!

Preach It, Brother!

I know nothing about Nick Gillespie, but what he says in American Slender: When did freedom become just another word for 10 pounds left to lose? is truly wonderful.

Which is why of course, we're doomed.

We all knew it was coming....

1. Utah suit challenges laws on polygamy
[link fixed in case you were having troubles earlier]

2. Is Speaking Truth a Hate Crime?

ummmm

Just don't know where to begin objecting to this one...

Vicar will launch naked calendar

Best line from the article belongs to the Vicar: "Undoubtedly some people will complain but it is important to see it before making any criticisms."

LOL

sweeeet

Casting for The Goblet of Fire has been announced: Miranda Richardson as Rita Skeeter--excellent. Richardson never hits a bad note... Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody--not bad. Ralph Fiennes as You-Know-Who--very, very cool. And of course, the long-in-the-tooth Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.

The Mrs. will be geeking out tonight...

Catching up

Well, last week we moved. Which is a pretty amazing thing...seems our last landlord was gave us "an extremely negative reference" that caused the property manager at this new place some second, third and fourth thoughts about us. Thankfully, I had warned her about it, and reason saw the day (if we'd been so horrible, why'd she kept us around for 5 years? why did she invite us to move into a much nicer place last year? etc.) Anyway, living out of boxes this week, which is oodles of fun.

So then last Monday, I come home from work and there's my official letter of acceptance from Greenville--finally. Here's the fun part: part of that letter was news that I am "required" to attend new student orientation on-campus on Aug 23-24. 'Scuse me? I have to travel cross-country in less than a month and this is the first I hear of it?? By a remarkable series of providences in the last couple of days--including some help from very generous friends (both here and in Greenville), I will be able to attend. Should be fun.

Then comes Thursday, and the friend who was helping me with the first batch of moving had some mechanical trouble, so he's running late. But, I have a phone appointment with my academic advisor in just a few minutes...what do I do? Well, I imagine this is going to be 30 or so minutes, just like my advising sessions in college, so I'm a bit worried. I throw caution to the wind and grab the cell, load up a desk heavier than the truck we're using, the file cabinet and a few other things, run them out to the new house and call... I just know he's going to be annoyed by the noisy engine in the background of a static-filled call. Thankfully, doesn't even seem to notice it in our brief conversation (0:05:39). 1st words out of his mouth, "I'm exempting you form Rhetoric." Well, okay! 3 credits down! When I go back I will take the OT Survey test to see if I need that. Will try the Greek I test in the Spring. He wants me to start out slow, given it's my first semester and all my other responsibilities. Intro to Reformed Theology and History of Philosophy if I pass the OT test. Otherwise it'll be Intro to Reformed and OT Survey. Am very nervous about the test. If it was Greek or even intro to Ref. Theology or Ante-Nicene Fathers I wouldn't mind so much...just not looking forward to failing that test. "Boy, you obviously haven't read your Bible enough..."

Work is..wow. Counted the hours this week, and I'm getting a lot more than I said I wanted. Which is nice money-wise, but man! I'd occasionally like to see my wife, or hang with my kids and my wife at the same time. Getting better at the work itself, on the whole, but still not as fast as these punk (and very foul-mouthed) kids.

Speaking of the kids, everyone's doing fine. Taking a brief break from school while we unpack our lives a bit. The Kidney Kid's cutting a tooth--and he doesn't handle pain meds very well, but he does respond really well to being held on your lap. Which is nice...unless you're trying to pack/unpack/write.

Lastly, going to the doctor today. While getting treatment for my sprained wrist over the last few weeks, have noticed something troubling about my blood pressure. It's high. Don't remember the actual numbers, but if the Dow Jones was as high as my blood pressure then both Bush and Kerry would be able to nap 'til November when Bush would be reelected in a landslide. (that metaphor worked much more smoothly in my brain than on paper...) Mostly tho' I'm going for my feet. They're in pain. Not just aching from being on them so much, but sharp, lasting pain. After working 7-8 hours I can barely walk, and then the pain's still there when I crawl out of bed--pain killers don't touch it. Probably going to be told to get a desk job or something, but gotta give it a shot.

You're now up to date on my life. I pity you. :)

Homeschooling for Liberty

As we approach the start of the school year, Tom Smedley's new piece on LewRockwell.com is worth a read or two.

First quote-worthy section:

To the rational thinker, handing off children to paid agents of government makes as much sense as hiring the hangman as your babysitter. Yet today otherwise sane people consider it normal to frog-march a terrified five-year-old child to the bus stop, and send him off into a penal system peopled with monsters and manipulators. "After all," the gulled parent says, "public school did me no harm!" Other than damaging your critical faculties to the point where you are unable to perceive the harm done to yourself ...

Second quote:

Home-schooling is the place where the love of liberty intersects the love of our children. This is normal, principled, child-rearing, where we take our offspring by the hand to lead them on a guided tour of the real world, the wondrous universe. It is also, in retrospect, one of the few important things I have done with my life. If you are like me, you have met too many parents in tears over how their children were alienated from them, and came to hold in contempt the defining values of their family. In stark contrast, over the course of the last two decades, I've met zero home-schooling parents who regretted that decision. Even parents who eventually handed their kids over to the government regarded their home-schooling years as times of unusual closeness, happiness, and adventure.

Is home-schooling hard work? Let me rephrase that: is it an ordeal to spend large blocks of time with the people you love most on earth? With personable youngsters who are alive with questions, alive with the love of learning? Who regard you as their primary expert on everything? Who are eager to try out the things you teach them? Avid readers, well able to engage in intelligent conversation at an early age? So where's the hardship?

Hard work, yes. Hardship, no.

sure thing

Just saw a story where NBC will be running a 5-week reality series in the Spring, the search for the next Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Cover Girl. Good grief! Can you imagine the ratings on this thing???

(and no, I won't be watching)

dropping in

Been quite a while since I blogged...very busy, moved last week; many, many things up in the air with seminary; really, really tired overall...hope to have something here soon.

Warning, Warning!

Mallard Fillmore is frequently preachy, all to often just not funny, yet frequently hits the nail on the head. This isn't particularly funny, IMHO, but it's true.

my night

5:30 go to work. Things are crazy.
7:00 Things slow down for 30 minutes
7:30 Things go even crazier. We are inexplicably 1 person short on grill, this makes things even crazier.
8:25 YAHOO! One more hour of this insanity..
10:20 WHAT? Forgot to look at my watch 'til now! Ugh.
10:30 All caught up, in a slow period again. Ask managers if now is an okay time to ask about going home. They look at the clock for first time in hours...tell me to clock off and apologize.

So, how much am I gonna get done for Sunday now? blech.

not writing....but I am reading

Can't seem to get anywhere in my prep for Sunday morning. Which is bad, because I think I should do more than read James 1:9-18, say "amen," and sit down.

So, as I frequently do, I turn to some other writers for inspiration. Even if it's on a different topic, just reading something good will get me going. Hasn't worked yet today, but here are my top 5 columns of the week...

5. Kerry/Dole '04! by Jonah Goldberg

Imagine you are a war hero senator running for president. You have a very long and, for the most part, dull legislative record. You're stiff on TV and generally listless on the stump. You can't stop talking like a senator even though you know it leaves people cold. Your opponent, the incumbent, is presiding over a booming economy just emerging from the doldrums. Your base despises the president, but you need to reach out to moderates who are inclined to like him.

Wouldn't it make sense to fix your charisma deficit and bolster your ticket by picking an energetic, enthusiastic, appealing younger guy - somebody who both excites your party's base and charms the press by being polite and high-minded?

Well, that's certainly what Bob Dole was thinking when he picked Jack Kemp as his running mate in 1996.

4. Free the Schools! by Harry Browne

Education is a disaster. If you don't believe me, ask the politicians. Every election year they tell us how terrible the schools are — children not reading at their grade level, bullies running the schools, infrastructure falling down, drugs being sold in the schools, classes that are too large.

Of course, every politician has solutions in his pocket that will cure all these problems. But even after they impose their solutions, they keep coming back to tell us what terrible shape the schools are in.

3. What media bias? by Larry Elder Nothing earth-shattering here, just a good review...

2. The demise of literature by George Will

There have been times when reading was regarded with suspicion. Some among the ancient Greeks regarded the rise of reading as cultural decline: they considered oral dialogue, which involves clarifying questions, more hospitable to truth. But the transition from an oral to a print culture has generally been a transition from a tribal society to a society of self-consciously separated individuals. In Europe that transition alarmed ruling elites, who thought the ``crisis of literacy'' was that there was too much literacy: readers had, inconveniently, minds of their own. Reading is inherently private, hence the reader is beyond state supervision or crowd psychology.

Which suggests why there are perils in the transition from a print to an electronic culture. Time was, books were the primary means of knowing things. Now most people learn most things visually, from the graphic presentation of immediately, effortlessly accessible pictures.

People grow accustomed to the narcotic effect of their own passive reception of today's sensory blitzkrieg of surfaces. They recoil from the more demanding nature of active engagement with the nuances encoded in the limitless permutations of 26 signs on pages. Besides, reading requires two things that are increasingly scarce and to which increasing numbers of Americans seem allergic -- solitude and silence.

and the top column of the week is....
1. The Imperial Middle by Jonah Goldberg.

November 2 promises to be another in a long line of elections decided by those Americans who are the least engaged, least interested in, and least informed about politics.

and Goldberg thinks that's bad...and he's right.