tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65161729982279366592024-02-18T19:26:52.673-08:00off the edge of the map... here there be monsterssnippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-65691780963210830652012-01-31T20:57:00.000-08:002012-01-31T17:58:12.028-08:00Who's Your Cutout?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Recently, I conducted a poll amongst my friends. To those who participated, thank you. To those who did not participate… nevermind. The question of the poll was this: if you could have a life-size cardboard cutout of anybody you wanted, who would it be?<br />
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The results were extremely interesting. I was surprised at how many historical figures appeared on the list, instead of just pop icons. Perhaps most curious of all was that the list of answers is entirely men, although I made sure to survey both guys and girls. Of course, some of the answers were sarcastic, and those may be my favorites.<br />
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The “winners” are President Obama and André the Giant, with two votes each. In both cases, Obama was to Gibbs slap. André received his votes based purely on the fact that he would be the biggest and scariest cutout of all. For all you inquiring minds out there, here’s the rest of the list…<br />
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• <a href="http://www.chronillogicaldisorder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tumblr_lu5xfbvewQ1qmr448o1_r1_500.jpg">André the Giant (2)</a><br />
• <a href="http://www.artline.ro/files/gItems/image/5/beethoven_1.jpg">Beethoven</a><br />
• <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn8wXKW1wXO0wHA78TwH8D6d59rLDf7ygW1V405_oL09mFDkb6PYLlJLy583M5GpHBr5GfkdksO_pqxH6gg9ljAx1EDLHiQJ07wxobfPDHJDqmqoMQwZ5QQ_0ADJDLXzOVy6xQ4nXU2EC/s1600/boba_fett_21.jpg">Boba Fett</a><br />
• <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NVntx_9cpGKKXJMRVLt-tJTBApfUAvf8MWPnzioJhSjIxnqUb6Y-4crMnMrHnacbjg8RzBI-u7zrcNcC7N35DDYQ5l6v0ARUQA2okSYCVSeT7qkjWLeagyas-a_8SkmQ1aA7v7Ckuww/s400/cs_lewis_372x280.jpg">C.S. Lewis</a><br />
• <a href="http://www.midwestenergynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/captainkirk.jpg">Captain Kirk</a><br />
• <a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/airmen/lindbergh-27.jpg">Charles Lindbergh</a><br />
• <a href="http://api.ning.com/files/5BLDNa6m9XNzN9cKH6YS99SeG4pr0ia1tQo1d81kaEpBv8-NiuQmB2amf1BsIYPBFzzDOFzUA1pOdqgfV*ZrxOy7RqKHKaw1/twilight.jpg">Edward Cullen</a><br />
• <a href="http://yeeeah.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/jack-bauer-3.jpg">Jack Bauer</a><br />
• <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Justin_Bieber.jpg">Justin Bieber</a><br />
• <a href="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2010/0527/espn_g_armstrong_sy_300.jpg">Lance Armstrong</a><br />
• <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUq-omfrsbGKq4QKiWxMpL9lJV_jSMnxcag7uys7EWBGry-sxtlIz5a4cIcrmUz6VNQxflNeHIM4n_fi_zmoli9xbA-Zx0lbUDsGQhhpmcInPzcqeYdwd44LBm44_1oTUx7y9q2IRp_Ys/s1600/Patrick+Stewart.jpg">Patrick Stewart</a><br />
• <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/imagecache/admin_official_lowres/administration-official/ao_image/President_Official_Portrait_HiRes.jpg">President Obama (2)</a><br />
• <a href="http://media.screened.com/uploads/0/771/292559-psychpineapple_super.jpg">Shawn Spencer</a><br />
• <a href="http://www.youthareawesome.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Sidney-Crosby59479.jpg">Sid Crosby</a><br />
• <a href="http://www.nps.gov/hafe/historyculture/images/jackson285.jpg">Stonewall Jackson</a><br />
• <a href="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4b6c464e0000000000b70821/tim-tebow.jpg">Tim Tebow</a><br />
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Personally, I would choose <a href="http://www.tvovermind.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/sexy-nathan-fillion11.jpg">Nathan Fillion</a> circa <em>Firefly</em>, so that I could walk by every day and say “he really is ruggedly handsome, isn’t he?”</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-32749829499415772992012-01-25T16:03:00.000-08:002012-01-25T13:03:35.083-08:00Brewed-iful Letdown<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Every morning I need two things to get me going: coffee and music. This morning I was chatting with the barista about the awesome Switchfoot song that was playing while he was making my coffee. Wait, what do you call a male barista? A baristo? A barrister? No, that’s a British lawyer… Anyway, we were reminiscing about what our earliest introductions to Switchfoot and music in general.<br />
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The song on the radio was the first track off their <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Beautiful-Letdown/dp/B00136LVBM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327525017&sr=8-2">Beautiful Letdown</a></em> album, which was one of the first albums I ever really fell in love with. I still have a copy of it. I would maintain that it may be one of the best albums ever, right up there with the Beatles's <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Beatles/dp/B000JK8OYU/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1327525068&sr=1-1">Love</a></em> album, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quadrophenia-Who/dp/B000002P1P/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1327525091&sr=1-2">Quadrophenia</a></em>, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Slippery-When-Wet/dp/B003JRD5JO/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1327525155&sr=1-2">Slippery When Wet</a></em>, and <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Meteora-Linkin-Park/dp/B00008H2LB/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1327525190&sr=1-1">Meteora</a></em>. In terms of artistic flow, there is a musical cohesiveness across the tracks which is rare to find in general, but especially more recently. Of course, I didn’t realize this when I was a teenager, I just like the music.<br />
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It’s funny how we can like something without knowing why. I liked that album so much that in retrospect, I can see how much it has influenced me and my taste in music. Completely oblivious to its technical brilliance, its elements seeped into my developing preferences. Now I realize that that one album may be why I feel compelled to download and listen to whole albums in their entirety, instead of just buying one or two hit songs. Thanks for that expensive habit, by the way.<br />
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The guy-making-my-coffee (for lack of a better term) said that the first CD he ever got was a burned bootleg of Switchfoot’s <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Way-Be-Human-Switchfoot/dp/B00000I92M/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1327525367&sr=1-1">New Way to Be Human</a></em> from his babysitter’s sister. Of course, he didn’t have anything on which to play it, so for his next birthday his parents got him a big, knock-off boombox from Walmart. I had one of those too and I would bet you did also. Remember, the ones that looked all shiny until you turned them around and saw it was just cheap plastic and crappy wiring? Yeah, just don’t turn them around. Problem solved.<br />
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I remember the first non-Christian CD I ever got was Linkin Park’s debut <em>Meteora</em>. One of my friends burned me a copy and I smuggled it into the house with great, exciting fear and trepidation. That puppy got hidden under the mattress, you can be sure of that. Of course, now I know that under the mattress is the first place any decent parent looks for contraband. Although the fact that I’m still alive suggests they never checked there—certainly never read the diary I stashed next to the CD.<br />
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Life has themes which we can identify without consciously recognizing and music reflects this. As an angst-filled teenager, I identified with the <em>Beautiful Letdown</em> and <em>Meteora</em> albums while unknowingly recognizing the similarities: the repetition of themes, both tonal and lyric, the natural progression from song to song… everything that makes a good record. The only “new” album to come anywhere close to a similar perfection is Train’s <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Save-Me-San-Francisco/dp/B002THEEX6/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1327525251&sr=1-3-catcorr">Save Me, San Fransisco</a></em>, and that makes me sad for the future of music. <br />
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All the way back to Handel’s <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Messiah-George-Frideric-Handel/dp/B000062T9E/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1327525316&sr=1-1">Messiah</a></em>, good music resonates with its audience on many levels, from technical to emotional. Even if we don’t know all the fancy terms for what we’re hearing, genius is easy to appreciate. Same goes for the cappu-mocha-frappe-ccinos we drink everyday; just cause you can’t pronounce it, doesn’t mean you don’t enjoy it… and you never forget your first real album.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-48255022864878240262012-01-23T18:58:00.000-08:002012-01-25T07:01:08.320-08:00Up and Running<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">In case you missed, I've recently launch a new blog, casually titled <a href="http://snippiddydoda.tumblr.com/">QOTD</a>. The idea is to post quotes of the day in a way that is visually both simplistic and engaging. I promise that it will be entirely random, and you can visit it here: <a href="http://snippiddydoda.tumblr.com/">http://snippiddydoda.tumblr.com/</a></div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-55518726476755530822012-01-17T17:36:00.000-08:002012-01-19T08:39:37.869-08:00A Day Without Wikipedia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As you may or may not know, today is a day of protest against proposed internet anti-piracy legislation. All that legal headache aside, today’s protest has manifested itself in some weird and wonderful ways. My personal favorite is the replacement of the blacked-out Wikipedia with the so-called Twitterpedia—for all the people who are still desperately searching for facts. <br />
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Some of these “facts” were just too good to pass up. Being a librarian and therefore dedicated to the dissemination of knowledge, I’ve compiled a quick list of some of my favorites. Enjoy!<br />
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• “LOL” was used 37 times in Shakespeare’s original script for “Romeo & Juliet.”<br />
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• Adele was awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering how to set fire to rain.<br />
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• Brett Favre retired from the NFL in 2007.<br />
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• Justin Bieber is a male pop/R&B singer and songwriter.<br />
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• Khan was the main antagonist in the original Star Wars trilogy.<br />
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• Lady Gaga got her big break while playing the role of JarJar Binks.<br />
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• Librarians are responsible for SOPA/PIPA because they want you to get offline and read a book.<br />
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• Nashville is named after the Don Johnson character in “Nash Bridges.”<br />
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• Rebecca Black, Jacob Black, and Sirius Black are all relatives.<br />
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• Snoopy invented planking.<br />
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• Stonehenge is in fact merely the scaffolding for a much larger construction project which lost its funding in the Bronze Age Recession.<br />
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• The Great Wall of China was build to keep the rabbits out.<br />
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• The IV drip is named after Henry IV.<br />
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• The speed of light is slower at night.<br />
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• Toucans are so named because when made into soup they fill exactly two cans.<br />
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• Yawns are contagious due to your brain being jealous of people around you stealing a larger amount of oxygen.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-38787113517271459292011-12-27T12:52:00.000-08:002011-12-27T09:53:11.485-08:00Make 'Em Laugh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Post-Christmas funk got you down? Need a good laugh? I know I certainly do! I’ve spent the last hour or so trolling YouTube for some of my favorite funny movies and thought I might share with ya’ll… have a laugh!</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Singin’ in the Rain—<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SND3v0i9uhE">Make ‘em Laugh</a> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love Actually—<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U4I1quv1rY">Gift Wrapping</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Producers—<a href="http://www.myspace.com/video/teodorescu-andreea/haben-sie-gehort-das-deutsche-band-the-producers/35344681">Haben Sie Gehort das Deutsche Band</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Singin’ in the Rain—<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKlub5vB9z8">Moses Supposes</a> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Princess Bride—<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9tAKLTktY0">Miracle Max</a> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Wedding Singer—<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s5xsVHOJQs">Love Stinks</a> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So what are some of your all-time favorites?</span></div></div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-74992835839380281072011-12-07T12:57:00.000-08:002011-12-08T11:20:43.907-08:00A Little Christmas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Something seems a little off this holiday season. Maybe it’s the fact that we haven’t had snow since October, just lots and LOTS of rain—no, that can’t be it. After all, they still have Christmas in warm climates. We still have all the Christmas <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZROzKzZTaFk">music</a>, the decorations, the cookies, the parties are underway… so what feels so wrong?<br />
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I think I may have figured it out this morning. I heard someone say they wouldn’t spend as much as $13 on gifts for kids. Really, people?! Since when is $13 an unreasonable amount? I understand that all the gift expenses add up, so you want to be careful. I also fully understand that times are <a href="http://www.worldculturepictorial.com/images/content_2/will-be-food-for-work.jpg">tough</a>; nobody knows that better than me! I’m getting creative with my gifting this year and have had to save for a while to make even that much possible.<br />
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It seems to me that the greed of the season is what’s leaving that bad taste. When we were kids, we were told not to be greedy and want lots of presents. But now that we’re adults, it’s apparently okay to be greedy and not <em>give</em> lots of presents. This brand of greed seems even more <a href="http://i42.tinypic.com/2hy44h.png">repugnant</a> and is running rampant this year.<br />
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Remember that <em><a href="http://www.online-literature.com/donne/1014/">Gift of the Magi</a></em> story we heard as kids? Or maybe I was the only one who heard it at least once a year for the first 16 years of my life. It’s simply story about giving. Those two people had nothing but love so they gave anyway. Isn’t that what Christmas is all about? Last time I checked, we are celebrating God’s gift of Himself—something which we can never repay and can only hope to reflect.<br />
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Gifts don’t have to be big, fancy, expensive displays of cheap affluence. Anyone can buy stuff; that means nothing. That is not what a gift is. Maybe it’s because today is <a href="http://www.life.com/gallery/66991/image/ugc1387561/rare-and-unseen-pics-after-pearl-harbor">Pearl Harbor Day</a>, but for some reason I seem to be even more sensitive to stark contrast between greed and sacrifice. The Christmas story is full of examples of those two attributes in its characters.<br />
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This has been a hard year for everyone. All you have to do is turn on the news to hear about unemployment rates, stocks dropping, Occupy Wall Street… after a year like this, we need a little Christmas spirit more than ever. Everyone seems to be hanging on to materialism even more tightly, when we should really be letting go and <a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3063/2900636287_9ab758dcde_o.jpg">focusing</a> on what is really important in life.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-91313172735697171012011-12-02T07:10:00.000-08:002011-12-02T04:12:37.849-08:00Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This morning I will believe that...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>I won’t forget that this is a day that the L<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">ORD</span> has made—which means it’s perfect<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>I shall not accidentally drop anything and wake up my flatmate<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>My hair will behave and look nice today<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>There will be enough in the cupboards from which to pack a lunch<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The ice on my car won’t take more than five minutes to scrape off<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>I will manage update my blog but not be late for work<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-64487735615883537472011-12-01T20:56:00.000-08:002011-12-07T11:00:30.145-08:00All I Want for Christmas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">In honor of the Christmas season, I present a piece by my dear friend and author, Jae Maxson. You should buy her <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Catherine-Jae-Maxson/dp/1450217788/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322790909&sr=8-1">book</a>.<br />
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<div align="center"><strong>All I Want for Christmas Is A New Last Name</strong></div><br />
For the average single chick out there, Christmas can be a challenging holiday. Not as bad as Valentine’s Day, of course, but difficult in a way. Let’s face it; there’s something romantic about this time of year—the snow, the lights, the Little House specials on Hallmark. In the movies, couples walk hand-in-hand in the snow, whispering sweet nothings. In real life, you walk through the over-crowded mall, get pushed out of line at the registers, and usually end up at Gertrude Hawk floating away on a river of dark chocolate oblivion.<br />
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Are you spending all day under the mistletoe waiting for some poor guy to come along and fall for that ridiculous tradition? Have you even left your house in the past 72 hours? Do you have your cats dressed as elves? Maybe you should read on.<br />
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We all like the idea of an older man, well established, with a steady job and his own transportation. But Santa is already taken. Some like the strong silent type—the forgotten hero who comes through in the end, and saves the day for even those who ridiculed him the most. But Rudolph settled down with Clarice on a nice three bedroom ranch with a to-die-for solarium. My favorite is the fun-loving guy who sticks around for a couple of days, and then leaves; only to come back when it snows. But Frosty…well, the whole “eyes of coal” thing creeps me out.<br />
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There is no perfect cure for the sudden need for a relationship at Christmastime. You won’t find two tickets to paradise in your stocking. Mr. Right isn’t going to come down your chimney. (If he does, call 911 right away). You’re not going to find a two carat ring in your Figgie pudding. Not unless you do something about it.<br />
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<strong> </strong>Don’t just sit around waiting for your very own Hallmark movie; go out and make it happen. Talk to that guy you’ve been thinking about. Leave your house, and go on a real date. (The cats can fend for themselves). Go to your company Christmas party with some dude you met in Price Chopper earlier that day. Have a good time, (biblically of course), this Christmas. And if you end up with a boyfriend for Christmas, always make sure to keep the receipt.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-17877380784661938152011-11-30T17:31:00.000-08:002011-11-30T17:31:46.817-08:00______________ for President<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">There’s an election coming up. Did you know that? In case you haven’t been watching SNL lately, consider this your reminder that there is in fact another election approaching. A year from now (almost to the day), there will be a national election in which the presidential ballot will be the most significant. I do not yet know whom I will be endorsing for President; however, I do know that it will <strong>not</strong> be Barack Obama.<br />
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The field of Republican contenders is still wide open. Historically, everyone expects the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary to help us narrow it down a little. These are pretty much the biggest things those two states have going for them, so we let them have their moment every four years. Right now, thousands of hours and millions of dollars are being devoted solely to these two random states.<br />
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By the time the candidates work their way to Pennsylvania, the decision will almost be made. When it’s my turn to vote in a primary, I do know who I’ll be nominating: Rick Santorum. Why? Because he’s as much an anti-Obama as you can get. As a former senator from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I even got to meet him once. What’s the difference between a commonwealth and a state? I have no idea. Probably about the same as the difference between a caucus and a primary. <br />
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For some unknown reason, Mr. Santorum continues to be largely ignored by the media. Perhaps they realize the threat true he is to the status quo and hope that if they pretend he doesn’t exist, he’ll just go away. They’re only just now starting to be forced to acknowledge his presence. As other Republican candidates begin to shrivel up and die in the limelight, Santorum keeps chugging along, campaigning in the background. <br />
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That right there is probably the biggest single difference between Mr. Santorum and the other wannabe-nominees: consistency. It was for very this reason that he lost his Senate seat a few years ago. He stuck to his pro-life guns and our infamous swing state gave him the boot. However, the most recent PA state election swung heavily back in the conservative direction. Indeed, last year’s national prevalence of the Tea Party may very well signal the tone of the next presidential election.<br />
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I’m voting for Rick Santorum. You vote for whomever you like, just please, vote! This is one of those rare opportunities to actually make each vote count, since so few people actually participate at this early stage of an election. So do your homework, and pay particular attention to the candidates' foreign policy records. I don’t know about you, but a little part of me would die if when we get to next November the only choice I have is between Obama and Newt Gingrich. I’d just as soon write in Pedro for President.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-51342960738293036142011-11-15T12:54:00.000-08:002011-11-15T09:55:19.900-08:00Centipede V: Peter Parker<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">All’s been quiet in the library these past few weeks. I attribute the reprieve to Peter Parker. Peter Parker was strategically placed on my desk as a guard by my lovely flatmate. He guards my office, my workspace, and most importantly, my <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tDe6jSOUmYpTU-f7X_1SpHNT9dEdSyUu82UcTBxM9iht-vaSgpaOlULKMmJoeywycBFh4dKfiExA_3mJpjoc7IU2RRMHFwRuTzc7WyDSP5eGEU9F0l6M3ABrB3jR-Gvgf5-E2yQAEDs/s1600/CandyCornFaces.jpg">candy corn</a>. I must say, he has been doing an excellent job as watchman.<br />
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Who, you may ask, is this enigmatic guardian? This silent protector who remains steadfast through the darkest night? He could be you or me, any one of us. He is only an ordinary pumpkin, even undersized and apparently insignificant. Yet when a hero was needed, he valiantly donned the painted <a href="http://images.entertainmentearth.com/%5CAUTOIMAGES%5CMRMV101lg.jpg">mask</a> of a spider and took up his post.<br />
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We librarians may now go about our daily lives free from fear. He who was once considered a ghoulish Halloween decoration has proven to be our shield against all that is creepy and crawly. Where dangerous, disgusting creatures once skittered unabashedly, now they dare not venture. While this peace may not last forever, we will <a href="http://media.entertainment.sky.com/image/unscaled/2010/07/26/Pirates-of-the-Caribbean-On-Stranger-Tides-3.jpg">enjoy</a> it while it does.<br />
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Evil undoubtedly continues to lurk in the shadows. Even a brave little pumpkin cannot live forever. We are all keenly aware that this may be merely the calm before the storm. The last, great battle <a href="http://img-nex.theonering.net/images/scrapbook/orig/7868_orig.jpg">looms</a> in all of our minds. While the final doom awaits, we make the most of our time with our beloved books… and Peter Parker.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-31296866077370697802011-11-11T09:56:00.000-08:002011-11-11T09:56:08.815-08:00Inspiration Fabrication<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Someone asked me the other day why I haven’t written in a while. I had to think about my answer for a moment. A few popped into my head, “I’ve been <a href="http://www.ohjohnny.net/pirates/Pirate1004.jpg">busy</a>, tired, etc.” The truth is that I just haven’t <em>felt </em>like it. I usually only write when I have been inspired, and I have not been inspired in a long time. Most days, I have a hard enough time being motivating myself to even get out of bed, forget about the effort it takes to write.<br />
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My <a href="http://smellthechocolate.blogspot.com/2011/11/smidge-of-inspiration.html">flatmate</a> and I have recently been on an inspirational movie kick at home. It’s been a lot of fun to work our way through Braveheart, Miracle, et al., but there has been a serious disconnect somewhere along the line with me. Even after spending hours watching other people fighting for something in which they believe, I feel nothing. Should I feel even the slightest stirring, I am immediately reminded that I have to get up early in the morning; therefore, I delay any action.<br />
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Admittedly, I have done a few unusual (for me) things in the past couple days: donated to a political <a href="http://smellthechocolate.blogspot.com/2011/11/smidge-of-inspiration.html">campaign</a>, and got a new haircut… but that’s about it. Those things aren’t exactly life-changing. Or are they? In the absence of a lofty quest, perhaps the everyday becomes more significant. It has struck me that most popular heroes are in the Greatness-Thrust-Upon-Them category. You know, the average Joe who suddenly finds himself called upon to save the world.<br />
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Who knows, <a href="http://marygatling.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/picture-6.png">adventure</a> may yet beckon—and in that moment I must be ready! More often than not, success lies in preparation. While I have not been inspired in a long time, I may be very soon. By that token, I write today. Cicero said that “even if you have nothing to write, write and say so” and I do so. There entire epistle has been a fabrication of necessity in the absence of inspiration and for that, I apologize. Until a genuine muse appears, feel free to check out my film site for a cheap imitation. </div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-59632959001717384152011-09-30T12:50:00.000-07:002011-09-30T09:50:39.838-07:00Yahweh Yireh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hallelujah! September is over! I don’t know how this past month was for you, but it was pretty brutal over here. It was so bad that I had to make up a new word because all others failed in description: lifesore. Lifesore is what happens when the hits just keep on coming, day after day. You know, when you get so sore that you can’t even get out of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHa16644e-k">bed</a> in the morning because it hurts just to move.<br />
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I had planned to use this title for a blog post last weekend, to celebrate financial <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=phil%204:18-20&version=ESV">provision</a>. The bills from my knee surgery in August finally filtered through the insurance and simultaneously down to me. They were quite a bit bigger than I had anticipated and I don’t have several hundred dollars just lying around. You can imagine the anxiety which set in as I did the math, even though I already knew I would be short.<br />
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However, I had forgotten that because of the calendar’s set up there were actually three paychecks this September! My budget is structured around two paychecks, so the <a href="http://www.need2rant.com/posted_images/1269335409_rickrolled3.jpg">unexpected</a> third was exactly what I needed. I was able to use the extra payday to cover the medical bills, knowing that there would still be another one before I had to pay my rent.<br />
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The <a href="http://images.wikia.com/pirates/images/4/47/Jackkey.jpg">plan</a> was to write about all that last weekend while I was in New York for a funeral. That did not happen because my car broke down while I was halfway there. And by broke down, I mean my transmission blew just as I hit the PA/NY/NJ border on I-84. It didn’t just blow, it was “blown to hell,” according to the mechanic.<br />
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Now that I am at last getting a chance to write this, it looks quite different than I had originally intended. I have so much more for which to be grateful, blessings such as: being able to (barely) coast off the highway and avoid an actual accident; having already been wearing a very cute new <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMLZ_0ZB3Ys3VkhD5q4Q7giYJDm5WS9zTRtjdm8GOpNkKL8JtNplJ9YxenR4a5LL8_lS9Y5Y1cxpZ2VJDdVIj3nF7Rl9bfuW73pPHa1dC_D-CsVdeCnVRsIObU8UAAbEEef1JTiUiyS3W/s400/hats_my+fair+lady.jpg">hat</a> so that the rain wasn’t quite so dampening; my grandparents helping me pay for a “new” transmission.<br />
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All that to say how very excited I am that September is over. I am even more excited that my Lord <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen%2022:13-14&version=ESV">sees</a> <u>and</u> provides for my needs before I ever could. Seriously, how long ago did the whole calendar thing get set up? No way could I have taken care of that one! For a month that started with half the county getting flooded out, it sure put a strain on divine providence.<br />
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September reminded me again and again that life hurts. Sometimes it’s physical pain, like strength training on my refurbished knee, which hurts like a bad word. Other times it’s emotional stress, like wanting to <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrr8kslM6HvYlHm61pFA4qC5E1mhT2KaxB3cWjKZAfU_frDC745aU6-3mIYRxjvt8SbHm-g_oorxIFrMiKOSh0IPSyAQ-OOVq8yMb2YAsocv23whJvpTjbAFOVrg2Wxmga0gRkTOtqYnVD/s1600/keep-calm-and-carry-on-blue.jpg">panic</a> when your car dies. Most often it involves a spiritual ache for a better world, a kingdom which is not of this world. The one place I can find enough strength is in the knowledge that our God has already provided for not only our temporal needs, but even for our eternal.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-89205596660960149282011-09-01T12:39:00.000-07:002011-09-01T09:40:18.254-07:00Like A Rock<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_uz973i="144">Driving home from Upstate New York on Sunday in the middle of Hurricane Irene, I felt like I should have been in one of those car commercials. You know, the ones where they show you how <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K9SM_t8hEJtyzQYQ1K5rcd6ooemOj7BFog7u-qW18hT3K0iMxDivQSdKny8dI40L4TsZpbcrb_EK1Hf04Qb82AujR1pNPXgjtq8hrr4FlHwpvHwikaSmpjChHpa_ecqBFWjuwIzM_hs/s320/awesome+blossom.jpg">awesome</a> the vehicle is by driving it through rivers, over boulders, hauling the Titanic, and then launching it into space to fix the International Space Station. Then at the end someone sings “like a rock, ohhhh like a rock!” and that’s supposed to make you buy their product.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_uz973i="228">Blatant materialism aside, my little Spencer performed like a champ and nobody is allowed to criticize him ever again. I spent most of the trip gripping the steering wheel and contemplating rocks in all forms, including rock <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toiM1B6E2ww">ballads</a> and rock slides. I found myself meditating on the parable of the wise man who built on rock and whose house withstood a hurricane; the foolish man had built on sand and his house was washed away.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_uz973i="295">My flatmate and I were recently discussing fear. Fear of getting robbed, mugged, carjacked, etc. This is something we all <a href="http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj276/WillabethForever/Jack%20Sparrow/Jack1.jpg">consider</a> occasionally, whenever we see it another violent crime against an innocent victim reported on the front page. It’s not a question of whether we will have storms in life, only of when. The real question is how then do we live.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_uz973i="152"><div closure_uid_xwn6y9="128">One particularly common sentiment seems to be that all you have to do is get married. Everyone seems to expect that a spouse will fix everything that is wrong in their life—everything from their car to their parents’ marriage. My heart breaks for this mindset. A wedding is not the happy ending, complete with riding off into the sunset and happily ever after. It is only a (hopefully) happy beginning. I worry that my friends will discover this <a href="http://theresurgence.com/2011/08/31/a-wifes-testing-ground?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheResurgence+%28The+Resurgence%29">the hard way</a>.</div></div><br />
<div closure_uid_uz973i="227">No mere human can control every aspect of life. There has yet to be a single person in my life who has not let me down at one point or another. Relationships fail. Jobs are lost. Looks fade. People die. When life shakes you to the core, you’d better hope your foundation is sturdy enough to handle it. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI_Oe-jtgdI">Trouble</a> happens, but you can’t let the fear of it rule your life.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_uz973i="151">There are always several responsive options: you can fight, you can run away, you can ignore it and hope it goes away…. That decision defines you. It will impact the rest of your life in ways you can’t even fathom. Yes, you should be able to rely on your husband, wife, father, mother, etc. But “should” and “could” are two very <a href="http://www.thehodgepodge.us/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ApplesAndOranges.jpg">different</a> things. When you suddenly can’t depend on anyone or anything else, the Rock on which you should have built your life is going to matter even more.</div><div closure_uid_uz973i="425"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_uz973i="145">The conclusion of the aforementioned conversation on fear was that we <em>could</em> never leave the house, but that would be no way to <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0GcYfK0k5V57dlrKHTpRjKvKDrOVZNKQl9iK8PoxcoLSYFqazZpHMKtJpaq-zgoamznAZrPohsyaIotURhSOc1MiH0DFOgoTyOGJR_aAZAdzteq2agHFZO_BCjV6gg6CBLZzY9pFdiw/s1600/adrian+monk.jpg">live</a>. Sure, we <em>could</em> hide under the covers, yet we choose to go out and confront life head-on! Every day, we each must boldly go where no one has gone before! Even if that means sometimes having to drive through a hurricane.</div></div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-20011671186144937592011-08-24T12:45:00.000-07:002011-08-24T09:45:58.543-07:00Older Women Teach<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_ahjan5="146" style="text-align: left;"><strong>Older women</strong> likewise are to be reverent in behavior…<strong closure_uid_ahjan5="168"> to teach</strong> what is good, and so train <strong>the young women</strong>… that the word of God may not be reviled.</div><div closure_uid_ahjan5="146" style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=titus%202:3-5&version=ESV">Titus 2:3-5, ESV</a></div><div closure_uid_ahjan5="149"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_ahjan5="148">Recently I have been noticing how much my relationships with older women have been developing. Now, by “older women” I simply mean women who have been handling life a little bit longer than I have—not that anyone is actually <em>old</em>. As I continue through <a href="http://www.happyhints.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/the-game-of-life-spinner.jpg">life</a>, some things are getting easier, but a lot of things are getting harder. Having more experienced people’s help along the way makes a HUGE difference. </div><br />
<div closure_uid_ahjan5="154">These godly women have been helping to fill the void left by my mother. I wouldn’t say that anyone is formally <a href="http://www.mpimages.net/mp/compressed/promotional/PRINCESS-2s.jpg">mentoring</a> me, but they are all teaching me something: one woman loves to remind me that she didn’t even meet her husband till she was 30. Another one has the best dessert recipes ever! Another has never been able to have children. Another one is a little bit older and still single, but she’s probably the coolest person I’ve ever met. </div><div closure_uid_ahjan5="383"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_ahjan5="209">Something I’ve been learning about life is that no two experiences are the same. There may be some general similarities, but the happy family with 2.5 kids is more the exception than the rule. Nobody’s life is perfect, certainly not all the time. What matters is your ability to gracefully deal with all the <a href="http://www.denali.net/~leif/TestPics/ShortSword.jpg">conflict </a>and confusion, especially in the everyday.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_ahjan5="156">The best part is that most of the time, these women inspire me without even realizing it. I may see them at church, or at work, or on facebook, or at Walmart… the where does not matter because of who they are. They are living as virtuous examples. It’s a little scary to think that there's always someone <a href="http://www.visualphotos.com/photo/2x3776842/three_generations_of_women_in_park_braiding_each_pe0058981.jpg">younger</a> who might be watching me, looking for her own role model. I guess the good news is that we “older women” are all in the whole “teaching” thing together.</div></div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-39645572361547805152011-08-22T12:31:00.000-07:002011-12-07T11:00:30.146-08:00Christmas Time Is Here<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_j18tel="144">Christmas is coming! Based on my calculations it should be here… tomorrow! Yes, I know the <a href="http://www.xmasclock.com/">calendar</a> says it should take another 124 days, but based on how quickly the summer went by, I figure it will only feel like one day, maybe two. Personally, I had planned to do a lot over the summer but ran out of time. After all, you can’t do much overnight.</div><div closure_uid_j18tel="270"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_j18tel="200"><div closure_uid_65qhph="144">That’s sure what it feels like to me. It feels like commencement was just yesterday, yet we already have convocation today. Somehow, I managed to be in a wedding, find a new apartment, undergo knee surgery, go to New York three times, and <a href="http://bettinahorvath.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/down_the_rabbit_hole_by_cyril_helnwein.jpg">fall in love</a> with my Kindle—all between yesterday and today. However, that isn’t nearly as much as I had wanted to do!</div></div><br />
<div closure_uid_j18tel="201">So little time, so much to do. I had <em>wanted </em>to get to the beach. I had <em>wanted</em> to have a Lord of the Rings marathon. I had <em>wanted</em> to rearrange my office. I had <em>wanted </em>to update my <a href="http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs106.snc1/5054_1019584986581_1733876684_38865_2271679_n.jpg">blog</a> more often. Somehow, all that time just got away from me. Crazy work hours dominated the few days of nice weather with which Scranton is graced every year. Life has always been a battle between what I need to do and what I want to do.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_j18tel="202">The beautiful thing about Christmas is its scheduled sanctity. We get federal holidays and office parties and bonus checks: we get a BREAK. I don’t know about you, but I know that I’m already looking forward to the vacation. All those tranquil days of quiet snow that can be spent cuddled under a blanket on the couch… I’m feeling <a href="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lj3q57isJb1qcw6b7o1_500.jpg">peaceful</a> just thinking about it! Good thing it will be here <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Em3vmqcGPg">tomorrow</a>.</div></div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-22638336520735440102011-08-19T12:07:00.000-07:002011-08-19T09:07:50.713-07:00Toy Story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_ttkbn7="257">A very scary thing happened to me yesterday: I legitimately used the phrase “when I was your age.” This terrifies me because I don’t think I’m that old! However, when confounded by the modern toy industry, it was entirely appropriate. All my friends are having babies now and a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqfFrCUrEbY">generation</a> gap has officially formed twixt my own childhood and “kids these days.”</div><br />
<div closure_uid_ttkbn7="258">The problem was that I was searching for a classic toy. I checked the toy departments in Walmart and Target first, because I was there anyway. Then I went to Toys R Us, which was a huge <a href="http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100714210942/pirates/images/4/49/Jack_Holding_Up_Jar_of_Dirt.PNG">mistake</a>. The only sales associate I could find was a teenager who looked like she hated her job almost as much as she hated her life. How could you hate working at a toy store? Only way to beat that would be to work in Santa’s workshop itself!</div><br />
<div closure_uid_ttkbn7="146"><div closure_uid_uilqvp="144">She just gave me a blank stare when I said that I couldn’t find a paratrooper toy. “What’s a paratrooper?” I very politely <a href="http://www.retroplanet.com/mm5/graphics/prods/30101-vt.jpg">described</a> the parachuting soldier doll, trying my best not to call her an idiot. She had another blank stare, then mumbled something about them not having it and walked off. I resumed the search on my own and eventually concluded that she her lazy guess had been correct.</div></div><br />
<div closure_uid_ttkbn7="187">When we were growing up, my brothers and I had basic toys, mostly because we never had any money. I loved my Etch-A-Sketch and Polly Pockets. What I did not love was stepping on random Lego blocks all over the house. We actually played with our toys, often even outside. The only “luxury” toy I ever had was my American Girl <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_mAWn4LNJRC8/TR_yh2M87xI/AAAAAAAAAJo/0js7ys_dG4A/IMG_0196.JPG">doll</a>, which was a Christmas gift from my grandparents. I definitely still have her.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_ttkbn7="221">Most of our toys were pretty low-tech. I did have a Galaxy class U.S.S. Enterprise model with detachable dish and warp engines, which even made warp and torpedo sounds. There was always great <a href="http://notreason.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/hamilton-burr-duel.jpg">debate</a> between me and Andrew about who had the Enterprise and who had the Klingon Bird of Prey—but we always agreed that James got the lame shuttlecraft. </div><br />
<div closure_uid_ttkbn7="326">It was such a big deal when the boys got their first Nintendo 64. Up until then, my <a href="http://images.mylot.com/userImages/images/postphotos/2374686.jpg">Furby</a> had been the most high-tech toy. We never did get Gameboys. As I looked around at all the new toys yesterday, I was amazed. Almost none of them lacked electronics of some sort. G.I. Joe and Barbie are now fully articulated, yet even they were largely outnumbered by action figures for the latest movies.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_ttkbn7="145">The lack of educational toys was heartbreaking. When I was a kid, we still had to use our heads to play. We actually learned how to build rockets! Nowadays, toys don’t leave much room for <a href="http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/ij/images/imagination_einstein.gif">imagination</a>. You don’t have to imagine your toys coming to life when they can already walk and talk and fight crime on their own. Give me a Thomas the Tank Engine set any day. You can keep your Orbeez Soothing Spa set.</div></div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-34287027473709925912011-08-17T17:04:00.000-07:002011-08-17T17:05:38.693-07:00Little House in a Good Hood<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_wfjbij="141">Sometimes God’s perfect timing comes when you least expect it. My friend Laura and I recently experienced one such <a href="http://tuttichic.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54ed2a1c388330120a5357608970b-800wi">surprise</a> blessing: a new apartment! Everything has worked out so perfectly that there is no way we could have planned it so well ourselves. Weeks later, I still can’t believe it all actually happened.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_wfjbij="145">What happened was that I realized I hadn’t seen my fellow <a href="http://cache2.allpostersimages.com/p/LRG/18/1883/8WP8D00Z/posters/good-thing-i-brought-my-library-card.jpg">librarian</a> Laura in ages and felt like a bad friend, so we had dinner on a Saturday night. Around the same time, I realized that my current lease was about to be up. Over the course of dinner, we got to talking and figured out that it might be a good idea for the two of us to look for a new place together.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_wfjbij="217">When I got home Saturday night, I hopped on <a href="http://whyevolutionistrue.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/screen-shot-2011-06-09-at-5-54-33-pm.png?w=500&h=195">Google</a> to have a look around. At the top of the list was an ad for an apartment that was showing the next day. It really looked too good to be true, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to go check it out. I emailed Laura and she thought the same thing. So Sunday afternoon, we went to have a look.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_wfjbij="250">It actually was as awesome as it looked online—way bigger than the shoebox I’d been living in, with hardwood floors and a new kitchen, conveniently located near our jobs. The space was actually on two floors (living room and kitchen downstairs, two bedrooms and bath upstairs), making it feel more like a <a href="http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/harperchildrensimages/isbn/large/5/9780064400015.jpg">little house</a> than an apartment. The price was exactly where Laura and I had agreed we felt comfortable.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_wfjbij="283">We fell in love with the apartment, but figured we’d never get it. After all, we’re practically still just <a href="http://www.twinkleteas.com/images/siteimages/teapar2.jpg">kids</a>, and several other people were also interested. The landlords said they would make a decision and let us know by the end of the week. Monday morning they called to say it was ours if we wanted it. Of course we wanted it!</div><br />
<div closure_uid_wfjbij="216">Less than 48 hours after deciding to look around, we had it. There were still lots of details to work out. I had to move out of my apartment; Laura had to move out of her parents’ house. It got pretty <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JElhSQCKUVM">crazy</a> for a while there. There were a few little snags, like getting the electricity turned on, but everything eventually fell into place. A big thanks again to all my friends who helped us! </div><br />
<div closure_uid_wfjbij="284">I am now living in a genuine <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIbAN3tlhtn5SGHT-ss_y6vGVH_z8qcpqSb0khRk24Tjqq58QDAEjJ7ilNXECmhIwPWew0Novpi1DIaTLNp3tgvAIcz_TH5_qeXbxImpjV6AgBpzeVLvmhfnu68q7M5yIXbiLqYo13QWT/s1600/mister-rogers.jpg">neighborhood</a> for the first time in… a long time. We already knew the family nextdoor, who turned out to be some of my coworkers. I just love hearing the kids playing in their yards and sometimes even mine. There was even a big bonfire the day after we moved in, so I got to meet everyone almost immediately.</div><br />
<div closure_uid_wfjbij="385">It never ceases to amaze me how the timing in life correlates with personal development. Did it happen because I was ready? Or was I ready because it was happening? I’ll never know. All I can do is wonder what’s coming next. For now, I’m more than content to <a href="http://79sparrows.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/daydream-1.jpg">dream</a> about the future from my awesome new home. Be jealous.</div></div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-28354670233786676962011-06-23T19:50:00.000-07:002011-06-23T16:51:03.323-07:00Now I Want Yogurt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s back! The Burn Notice season premiere tonight signifies the start of summer programming. Besides providing us with an example of the proper use of a Ke$ha <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B593v2x5uY&feature=player_embedded">song</a>, the much-anticipated kick-off relieves some serious television ennui. The season finales of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q3pdj9p6yI">Castle</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIQWknM5cl8">Bones</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOhb0bS3lOc&feature=related">Chuck</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc9y5XhmysY&feature=related">The Office</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MElfC6ju_k&feature=related">Parks & Recreation</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RFFfwAqaf4&feature=related">House</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqMUuOPsa0o">NCIS</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4hvZkBpUJs">Community</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoV2s_f6OKk&feature=related">Hawaii 5-0</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbZcYy6AAGg&feature=related">Glee</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iapcKVn7DdY">Big Bang Theory</a>, and all other primetime staples were over a month ago.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thankfully, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0WNJx7Ys2Y&feature=related">USA Network’s</a> program schedule is just gearing up with new episodes of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDNqRplwbUQ&feature=related">In Plain Sight</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7SjO-b_G-o&feature=relmfu">White Collar</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0c6ZfNQ-RY&feature=relmfu">Covert Affairs</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0c4NppdHeU">Royal Pains</a>, and of course, <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/126486/saturday-night-live-burn-notice-game-show">Burn Notice</a> (aka, The Show That's Impossible To Watch Without Wanting Yogurt). <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22iOZhS7qxs">Psych</a> has unfortunately been bumped from its usual slot to the Fall, so that the channel can launch two new shows. While we’ll miss Shawn and Gus a while longer, it’s okay because the whole Burn gang is back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s right, the hottest parts of summer are back! <a href="http://tvmedia.ign.com/tv/image/article/100/1002001/burn-notice-20090708012245114.jpg">Michael</a>, <a href="http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/6500000/Fonia-all-burn-notice-6557362-300-440.jpg">Fiona</a>, <a href="http://www.daemonstv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/burn-notice-bruce-campell.jpg">Sam</a>, <a href="http://static.tvguide.com/MediaBin/Galleries/Shows/A_F/Bq_Bz/BurnNotice/season1/burn-notice-gless11.jpg">Maddie</a>, <a href="http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_full_width/hash/28/63/28631577ef3af33a610863073291aafe.jpg">Jesse</a>, <a href="http://sharetv.org/images/burn_notice/cast/large/barry.jpg">Barry</a>, <a href="http://www.tv-reviewed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/nup_134435_0251.jpg">Nate</a>, <a href="http://www.burnnoticefanatic.com/images/sugarnoble2.jpg">Sugar</a>, <a href="http://mimg.ugo.com/201104/2/9/7/185792/cuts/dead-larry_480_poster.jpg">Dead Larry</a>… they’re all back and reportedly better than ever, now that <a href="http://www.usanetwork.com/series/burnnotice/theshow/episodeguide/episodes/s4_centerofthestorm/gallery/bn409_0728.jpg">Michael</a> has been reinstated as a spy. Not to mention the <a href="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y224/mrmike007/Burn%20Notice%20Dodge%20Charger/BurnNotice00D.jpg">Charger</a>, <a href="http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/miami_skyline3.jpg?w=550&h=412">Miami</a>, plastic explosives, <a href="http://www.tvovermind.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/bntease2.jpg">sunglasses</a>, improvised listening devices, and an endless supply of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ANQjaBb-j0">yogurt</a>. So, grab your remote and your yogurt, and escape the doldrums with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=j2glAL1kPDY">Chuck Finley</a>.</span></div></div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-52971021381379125242011-06-16T18:53:00.000-07:002011-08-22T08:42:02.378-07:00Stop and Stare<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It is with great trepidation that I am publishing this. Today’s topic is one which has been heavily on my mind lately, but I am still somewhat unsure how it should be approached. However, I saw something on another <a href="http://www.danoah.com/2010/10/worthless-women-and-men-who-make-them.html">blog</a> about it and figured if that guy could talk about it, then I certainly could. I want to talk about beauty.<br />
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<div closure_uid_6mm39c="123">Recently, I was having dinner with a bunch of friends. We were all eating and chatting and generally having a good time when a woman walked into the room. In a moment that could have been straight out of a bad sitcom, every guy at the table stopped whatever he was doing and stared at her. While the men may not have realized what was going on, every woman at that table sure did.</div><br />
For the record, this woman was gorgeous. When she walked in, the other women in the room wanted to hide under their chairs. We all know what men want because it is so painfully obvious. When someone sees something they like, they stop and stare at it. The dirty little secret that not many women would admit is that we like being stared at.<br />
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That night, I did not sleep at all. Instead, that moment kept replaying over and over in my head, in stark contrast to the greeting I had received from those same guys. Every insecure memory from high school came rushing back, along with all the times I’ve been described as having a great personality or sat at home alone on a Friday night. It took every ounce of resolution I had to get out of bed the next morning.<br />
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One of my favorite movies is Breakfast at Tiffany’s. A lot of people don’t understand why, but it makes perfect sense to me. I’m pretty sure that deep inside of every woman is a Holly Golightly. We would never admit it, but underneath all our confidence and accomplishment is a terrified 16-year-old who just wants someone to like her.<br />
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Today’s woman is bombarded by two very different messages in the media, typified in the Playmate of the Year and the Dove True Beauty campaign. These two images are entirely incompatible, yet they both persist. We all know who wins, though. At the end of the day, the Playmate wins. Why? Because the self-confidence boosting messages are coming from other women.<br />
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Feminism preaches that a woman does not need a man’s approval, that she is complete without him. Creation teaches something else entirely: that woman was created from man and for him. Try as they might, all the bra burnings in the world cannot change what is biologically engrained in every female. 16-year-olds and grown women alike will always crave masculine appreciation.<br />
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<div closure_uid_6mm39c="125">Another concept taught by Creation is that male or female, every human is designed for a higher purpose than mutual admiration. Our very existence is solely for the glory and pleasure of the Creator. This is the Truth to which I continue to cling. It is a fact which transcends the pain of loneliness. </div><br />
Someone asked me the other day if I knew any good men. I said yes, but that the last one had just gotten married. Keep up the good work, guys! If you happen to be a man reading this, please realize that women don’t want much—we just need you to realize how what you say and do affects us. We’re just usually too scared to bring all this stuff up because we’re worried you might label us as “high maintenance” or “unreasonable.”<br />
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To my female readers (as I know most of you are), I hope you know that you’re not alone. I’d urge you to mediate on truth and not believe all the lies out there. We’re not all supermodels, but we were all fearfully and wonderfully made the way we are for a reason. <br />
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Whoever you are, thanks for reading all the way to the end. Please understand that I do not mean any of this critically; I want merely to address an issue. No problem was ever solved without first being discussed. Feel free to continue the discussion in the comments section. I'd love to hear what ya'll have to say about this delicate subject.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-69148879970387879912011-06-15T19:20:00.000-07:002011-06-15T16:21:06.794-07:00Burst the Bubble<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Allow me to preface this by saying that I work at a Christian college and love it. It happens to be the same college from which I graduated. I also attended a Bible Institute before college and before that, I was homeschooled. You could say that I have been thoroughly Christianized. My entire education (and indeed, life) has been conducted within what is commonly referred to as <a href="http://www.decor-fx.com/photos/Balloon-A-Grams/n575715321_5659033_4297%5B1%5D.jpg">The Bubble</a>. <br />
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A few years ago, The Bubble burst for me in a big way when my parents got divorced. My dad had even been a pastor and suddenly our church wouldn’t even talk to us. However, even before this, I had started poking at the <a href="http://worldofbru.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/jacks-cta.png">walls</a> of our Christian culture. One of the biggest things I ever learned was the question everything: to examine things for myself, constantly asking why.<br />
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What I have discovered is tragic. Instead of being the Salt and Light of the world that Christ Himself <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A13-16&version=NIV">told</a> us to be, we have built gated communities. We have become so afraid of being “of the world” that we are no longer in it! How can we change a society in which we have no part? Yes, it’s more comfortable here—people don’t think we’re weird when we’re all Christians.<br />
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We even have our own Christianese language. One of the most important things I looked for when finding a new <a href="http://www.parkerhill.org/">church</a> was the language. I needed to find a place where they spoke plain English. A church that is truly dedicated to communicating with the outside world doesn’t use words like “dispensationalism,” “hermeneutics,” and “VBS"expecting everyone to know what they mean.<br />
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So many of my friends refuse to listen to anything other than Christian music. They don’t go to movies; they only wear in-your-face Christian t-shirts. Everyone thinks we’re freaks and they’re right: <a href="http://www.picpak.net/calvin/oldsite/images/roz4.jpg">weird</a> is in the eye of the beholder. So how are they supposed to understand us? More importantly, how are we supposed to relate to them? <br />
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Instead of having our own GodTube, wouldn’t it be better if we flooded YouTube with Christian videos? Why do we have <a href="http://iwampum.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/inferior-fake-clutch-vendor-replicaestorecom2.jpg">knock-off</a> Christian bookstores, instead of publishing books that are good enough to be carried by Borders? If there is a market for quality materials, secular businesses will provide them. It’s the simple business concept of supply and demand and it applies just as well to religion.<br />
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Please don’t misunderstand me: I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ! I am, however, often embarrassed by <a href="http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/">Christians</a>. Yes, we are different, but that doesn’t mean that we should be unapproachable. We’re coming up on another election and let’s remember that while religion should affect politics, politics is not all about religion. You certainly won’t see me protesting or boycotting.<br />
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Maybe you aren’t in The Bubble. You might not have any idea what I’m talking about, in which case, awesome! But if you are a member of the <a href="http://staff.tamhigh.org/chamberlin/chamberlin%20period%205%20website/online%20news%20paper/Images/WWIIisolationismcart.gif">isolationist</a> American subculture referred to as conservative evangelicalism, get out before it’s too late. I dare you to go out for a drink with your unsaved coworkers. As a wise woman once said “my Jesus brought the party” and we should too.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-30714313604402424742011-06-07T17:56:00.000-07:002011-06-07T14:57:24.523-07:00Wait Without Hope<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope<br />
For hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love<br />
For love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith<br />
But the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">—T. S. Eliot</div><br />
As many of you may know, I am not the most <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/images/2008/04/09/motherteresa.jpg">patient</a> of people. I have no patience with imperfection or procrastination in myself or others. I like to plan because then I feel like I am doing something, even while I am waiting for a particular event to actually occur. I appreciate consistency and usually try to get things done even ahead of time. If something needs to get done, why wait? Do it now!<br />
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One of the things for which I have the least patience is people telling me to be patient. This has been happening to me a lot lately because while my friends are getting married and having babies, I am still incredibly <a href="http://www.nataliedee.com/101408/its-not-just-lean-its-cuisine-and-depressing.jpg">single</a>. “Just wait, your turn is coming. God must have something better in store for you,” is the most common sentiment I hear, usually from happily married people.<br />
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While I do not doubt my advisors’ kind intentions, I have trouble <a href="http://allcaptainjacksparrow.com/images/AtWorldsEnd/rum/cap232.jpg">grasping</a> their implications. How can they possibly know what the future holds for me? How am I supposed to keep hoping for something which may never happen? Hope is defined as a “confident expectation.” Therefore, by definition, I cannot place any hope in an uncertain event.<br />
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There is no <a href="http://maxmillionaire.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/used-car-salesman.jpg">guarantee</a> of happiness in this life. Life itself is not guaranteed. What is promised is that we will be able to handle it. As I continue to wait for love, I find myself having to redefine waiting. This is not something that I can rush. I have no control and no option other than patience. However, as I continue to hope, I continue to be disappointed. <br />
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Now, I find myself learning to wait without an object of hope. I’m sure you have also experienced this unique brand of faith. Whether you found yourself waiting for a job, a child, a car… whatever it may be, this incredibly <a href="http://www.coolnessroundup.com/image/2009/April/human_cloning.jpg">human</a> experience of doubt is unmistakable. I am becoming convinced that as we redefine our expectations, we redefine ourselves through a growing understanding of real life.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-20934738776093987052011-06-05T23:04:00.000-07:002011-06-08T14:57:10.512-07:00Short and Sweet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Yesterday, I got to participate in one of the best weddings I have ever attended. Admittedly, my participation consisted largely of applying double-sided sticky tape and falling down the stairs. Nonetheless, it was absolutely lovely. Not only did I get to see my old friends and the city of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjjWJEeVpBw">Baltimore</a>, but I also saw something indescribably special.<br />
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There’s a lot of talk about the sanctity of marriage these days. Unfortunately, most of the weddings I have attended have been more about the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfrXBHZQBLaWlDmElpknQgDzu9koqen-ZEXu9sFLSXBFcrtxVhIljqSpJeTY857Nn8m_B8hipDSvq3vNZP6cHLareLJCUIUZjfHLcJpon8w0NYtSZYtGTkoUcdgjnm3hcEkjEZ67oBjA/s1600/William+and+Kate+wedding+ceremony.jpg">ceremony</a> and less about the covenant. This wedding certainly had its share of drama, but when Tim and Marie said “I do,” I had a front row view of a sacred moment. All of the planning and stress and details didn’t matter then.<br />
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Having watched my own parents’ marriages disintegrate (as well as so many others), I sometimes wonder if good marriages aren’t just mythical <a href="http://ih1.redbubble.net/work.5204096.2.sticker,375x360.shun-the-non-believer-v1.png">creatures</a>. As divorce rages all around, seeing my friends exchange vows worries me. However, yesterday I caught a glimpse of two souls entering into a spiritual bond, surrounded by friends and family to <a href="http://www.disneydreaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Pirates-Of-The-Caribbean-Jack-Sparrow.jpg">support</a> them.<br />
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As I looked around the church, I saw several shining examples of what marriage should be: Ben and Amanda, who have been married for two years and are expecting their first child; Dr. and Mrs. Cragoe, who have been married for twenty years and love their students like children… I listened to the words of the service and knew that Tim and Marie understood the gravity of their vows.<br />
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It was a very short ceremony, clocked at 23 minutes. We all felt a little like we were back in one of Dr. Cragoe’s theology classes, but that’s only because we may have actually learned something—I know I did. I probably won’t remember almost sinking into the harbor for a <a href="http://www.amyemilyphotography.com/">photo</a> or decorating the getaway car with the aisle runner, but I will never forget witnessing that sweet moment of communion.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-29567691212060025912011-05-30T12:29:00.000-07:002011-05-30T09:33:00.954-07:00Summer Vacation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Most people seem to forget that Memorial Day is about honoring our soldiers’ sacrifices and instead equate it with one thing: summer! Today marks the unofficial beginning of the vacation season, as everyone takes advantage of the federal work holiday’s long weekend. Everyone except me. Being the <a href="http://mapsoftheproblematic.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/america-we-will-kill-you-in-your-sleep-on-christmas.jpg">rebel</a> that I am, I am working today—because I have to.<br />
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Just to be clear, I took off all of last week. I spent the week with my little brother. We did tons of exciting things, like visiting our grandparents and watching lots of <a href="http://rainydaymovies.blogspot.com/">movies</a>. Oh yes, Scranton is an awesome place to spend your vacation, especially when you’re a couple of broke kids. I highly recommend it. Just be aware of the very real possibility of getting hit by a city bus.<br />
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Americans have become obsessed with vacation. We spend enormous amounts of money we don’t have to reach “exciting” recreation destinations. We plan our whole <a href="http://www.bubblecalendar.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=28&language=en">calendars</a> around specific dates. Everyone talks about who’s going where and doing what… but why? We’re already one of the laziest nations in the world and then we can’t wait to take a long weekend.<br />
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Not that vacations are design to be relaxing. On the contrary, they are usually some of the most stressful times. Nothing is quite as soothing as hours and hours <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVdGw6gTfDU">trapped</a> in a hot car with small children. Needing a vacation after a vacation is a very common sentiment. So go ahead, enjoy your traffic jams and sunburns. Don’t forget to charge it all on your credit card too!<br />
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Personally, I’m just fine with working today. There’s a whole week’s worth of <a href="http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2011-05-23/">email</a> to deal with, plus I get so much more done when there are no distractions or interruptions. I’ve got my music cranked so I won’t get freaked out by random noises in an otherwise empty library. Besides, working today means that I can take Friday off instead and go to Baltimore for the weekend.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-41712995018102331442011-05-09T09:37:00.001-07:002011-05-30T08:23:37.575-07:00Modern Symphonies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Few things move the human soul like music. Life would be flat and two-dimensional without it and filmmakers figured this out a long time ago. A well-written soundtrack can elevate a film to a spiritual experience. Through the score, emotions can be elevated, tensions can be conveyed and feelings can be communicated to the audience. <br />
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Film composers are some of the greatest musical geniuses of our time. Their job is not only to write songs, but to capture the essence of the film in a theme. That theme must then be expanded and manipulated over hours’ worth of footage to heighten each scene’s impact.<br />
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A good soundtrack can complete an audience’s immersion into the plot and involvement with the characters. These superbly composed masterpieces can even stand on their own, as modern symphonies. To me, it’s not just background music, but an essential component of the film’s artwork.<br />
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All that being said, I’ve compiled a brief list of some of my favorite composers and some of their best work. However, as this post was originally written for my movie blog, you'll have to visit <a href="http://rainydaymovies.blogspot.com/p/favorite-composers.html">this page</a> for the full list.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516172998227936659.post-33225336541346584802011-04-26T19:01:00.000-07:002011-04-26T16:01:46.134-07:00Spring in my Step<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Ah, Spring! When the whole world reawakens from its wintry slumber, refreshing itself with showers and dressing itself in new life. The stirring of both spiritual and natural <a href="http://www.movie-censorship.com/www/SBs/1904/bild_018.jpg">resurrection</a> demand celebration, which we gladly give. This time of year always makes me wish I were a poet so that I could more fully observe such revitalization.<br />
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This past Winter refused to relinquish its frigid grasp on Scranton for the longest time. We were all tantalized by a few rays of sunshine, only to be <a href="http://trishtrini.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/00092ee6.jpg">disappointed</a> in more snow. Easter and Spring were both so late in arrival this year! However, the birds outside my window sing to me their assurances that the sun is finally here to stay.<br />
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Seeing the new buds begin to bloom, I can’t help but smile. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPUmE-tne5U">“</a>Walking on Sunshine<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPUmE-tne5U">”</a> has been playing in my head all day. Just as the ice has melted, so have I determined to enjoy the promises of the season and conquer the <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/files/2007/10/Charlie%20Brown%20Depressed.gif">depressing</a> failures of the past few months. I am trying very hard to catch a breath of the fresh air while I still can.<br />
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Now, we’re hurtling toward summer vacation and wedding season. A whole new set of challenges are just up ahead. But for today, take a break. Go for a walk. Literally <a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3422/3205128324_589d1b87cf.jpg">stop</a> and smell the new flowers. We should appreciate Spring and the gift of renewal it brings. No matter what happens, every year it reminds us that life goes on. For that, I am grateful.</div>snippiddydodahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657760578719015502noreply@blogger.com0