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.