Tired
This week has been very hectic… nothing is going according to plan. sigh Maybe I'll just go back to bed until next Monday.
Oh well… tomorrow I setup our church secretary's new computer during the afternoon. That could be fun — there's nothing like seeing the delight in someone's eyes when they realize they can actually get their work done rather than fighting with a slow, old computer.
Now if it just works out OK…
Another New Site, Meetings
Kevin Hartwig, the founder of the Sakamuyo Network, which was his personal blog for a long time (now it is a group blog), has launched a new personal blog — Birkenpreacher. Take a look, it has lots of good stuff already, and knowing Kevin, it will keep getting better!
The site has been up for a few weeks, but Kevin was doing a sort of “soft opening” (as a retailer might put it). Now it seems he's ready for the world to know about it — so at least asisaid.com readers should know about it!
In other news… tonight was Administrative Night at church. A worker at some printing shop, that was closing, stopped by and gave us a bunch of reams of high quality paper that will be really useful. I was there tonight for the Evangelism Committee (I'm the “coach” of the Publicity Taskforce subdivision of that committee), but I'm also the chair of a small committee that oversees our volunteer librarian staff. Somehow it got on the calendar that this other committee was meeting tonight and I had people wondering where the ERC committee was. Oops!
Ah, exciting night…
Whirlwind
Well, things have been hectic the last week. Catching up with business, personal and church work has pretty much consumed every last moment of time. I finally got most everything done yesterday. So today was mostly free, which is nice (especially nice since my free day collided with my birthday). At any rate, I haven't abandoned asisaid, I just haven't had time the last few days.
I should be able to resume a regular posting schedule here and at Sakamuyo, now.
In Memoriam
I felt like I should post something acknowledging today. I didn't have a chance to write a lengthy post, but perhaps that's not needed. Two years after 9/11, I still find it a sobering, saddening event. I mourn for the families of those who were lost. For those who were lost without having a personal relationship with Jesus. For the naïve innocence of our nation that has been lost. For the lives that have been lost in wars sprouting from 9/11.
Everything has, as it is often said, changed. Just today I heard a jet overhead that was especially loud and had a small, but persistant nagging that it could be another hijacked plane. On a less terrorist related level, the aftereffects of 9/11 threaten the very fiber of our nation politically as its terror is misused to push through legislation such as the PATRIOT Act in the gloomy days after the attack.
And most of all, all of those people who perished in such a horrid way. Oh, if only we could again live in the world of 9/10/01 and not 9/11.
Exploratory Committee
I've decided to form an exploratory committee to decide if I should try to go for the write-in vote on the California Recall Election. I figure the whole thing is so fractured as is, a write-in candidate might have a chance. To get things started, I've got my good ol' BSEC campaign sign back up.
Not bad, huh? Maybe if word gets around, I'll even get my own burrito.
Down, but not out...
Hrmf. My allergy to mold seems to be getting the best of me. I didn't get much of anything done yesterday and moved like molasses today. Oh well, it rained tonight, so I hope the mold count will be down tomorrow.
Heat Wave... over?
Phew… it has been HOT. I told Christopher that I wanted a bit of warm weather for swimming, but this has been overboard! On Thursday we set a new record of 104 degrees Fahrenheit for that day — if I understand correctly what the meteorologists were saying, it was also the first time in 19 years that we've hit 104 degrees. It was cooler, although not much, the last two days, so I guess that's progress.
Question Game
1) What is your favorite little known restaurant in St. Louis?
That's tough! I guess I'd have to say Faraci Pizzeria on Manchester Rd. They have the absolute best St. Louis style pizza! Their house pizza features pepperoni, sausage, bacon, onion, green pepper, and mushrooms, and all of the flavors just meld together. It's so good that the 40 minute drive home to St. Peters doesn't ruin the taste at all (alternately, you could just eat there).
A close second might be Chuck-a-Burger, a drive in on St. Charles Rock Road near St. John. I just realized I must be hungry for pizza — 'cuz one of their specialties is the Pizza Burger. That's a delicious burger topped with sweet onion and a sweet pizza sauce. Mmmm….
There's lots of more “restaurant” restaurants, such as Madison's, that have tasty menus, but nothing that really shouts St. Louis like a good St. Louis-style pizza (and I'm a thick crust Pizza Hut Pan Pizza kinda guy).
2) What is the weirdest thing you've ever eaten?
That's got to be squid. I was at a large family dinner at the Olive Garden and didn't hear when the appetizers were ordered. It was only when I was munching on my second or third helping that someone leaned over and said “you know that's squid, don't you?” Uhg. I didn't eat any more after that.
3) Have you ever turned a hobby into a moneymaking opportunity?
There was this one summer I had too much time on my hands and went “hunting” for recyclable cans. After weeks of blood, sweat, and tears; weeks of being covered in dirt from walking around construction sites and smelling from spilling old soda and beer cans on myself by accident, I turned several dozen bags of cans into… $100. Needless to say, I found other persuits to use my time on.
On a happier note, my consulting/web design business emerged out of a hobby. That one actually makes money without ending up smelling like two-day old soda and beer.
4) What can you tell me about yourself that would surprise me?
I always surprise people that I've never been up the Arch. When I went there to go up it, it was shut down for the day and I never made it back.
Years ago, when my dad wanted to get me my first computer I was completely against it. I'm not sure why… I just didn't want one. Go figure.
I love vegetables, for the most part, but I can't stand peas (but I love split pea soup). I'm not crazy about honeydew or cantaloupe either.
I've been all over the state of Missouri, but I've never been to Kansas City or Lake of the Ozarks.
It's been at least three years since I last set foot in a theater. Well, I think I've mentioned that before, so perhaps that's not shocking.
5) So what is the answer to life, the universe and everything?You know your missing socks? Those have been taken to a secret hiding place by cats. Finding the secret hiding place used by cats the world over will yield infinite happiness, not to mention never having to buy socks again. Just don't go while holding catnip.
On a more serious note, here is my real answer. I'll answer through quotes.
Everything:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made.”— John 1:1-3 (WEB)
Universe:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”— Genesis 1:1 (WEB)
Life:
“There is none righteous, no, not one.”— Romans 3:10 (KJV)
Uh oh: “For the wages of sin is death,”— Romans 3:10 (KJV)
But wait: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”— John 3:16 (WEB)
How's that work? “That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”— Romans 10:9 (NIV)
So how'd I do? And who is ready for some questioning?
Putting on My Pajamas to Swing on Trees!
Rest of the day is spent taking Jeannie to Mecca for ancient custom to avoid having her disappear into genie limbo. After successfully saving Jeannie at last minute, she asks where she should blink Captain Nelson to. “To Dr. Bellows' office.”
Scene: Dr. Bellows office, Roger on couch, clearly late at night. Dr. Bellows sitting in chair taking notes. “So, you say you have this repeating dream where you are a camel?”
Roger: “Yeah, sometimes a one hump, sometimes a two hump.”
“And then what?”
“And then I wake up thirsty.”
[Boing] Captain Nelson appears in behind Dr. Bellows.
“Well, Captain Nelson, I didn't see you come in. I'm afraid I'm not going to have time to talk to you tonight.”
Roger: “Well, I guess I'll be going.”
Roger picks up his cap and heads for the door.
Dr. Bellows: “Yes, but I'll see you every night this week.”
“What for?”
“Captain Healey, when a man tells me he has an unstoppable urge to jump out of his window and swing around in trees in his pajamas and has a reoccurring dream of being a thirsty camel, they need psychoanalysis!”
Tony: “Roger! I had no idea!”
Roger: “So, how long?”
Dr. Bellows: “Oh, well, probably three years.”
“Three years, huh?”
“Three years.”
“What I told you I made it all up?”
“Five years.”
“Ah.”
Roger pats Tony on the arm.
Roger mumbles to Tony: “Do a friend a favor, huh?”
Tony: “Where are you going?”
“I'm going to put on my pajamas and swing on some trees!”
From “Get Me to Mecca on Time!,” I Dream of Jeannie, Episode #16.
OK, maybe you had to see it to get the gist of it.
