Ramblin Friday

This week has been absolutely insane in my real world life.  I barely got my Music Monday entry in, and Wednesday MEME is easier than coming up with all of it on my own.  I haven't had the time to add to my short stories this week either.  Fortunetly it gives me a whole lot to ramble about.

As i mentioned on Monday, my Beloved and i will be welcoming in a single mother (COWGIRL) and her two children (boy 13, girl 8).  COWGIRL has recently been diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer and she lives out West in a somewhat remote location.  Medical facilities are not stellar and there was limited access to top of the line Oncology resources. My Beloved and i reached out to her to offer our guestroom, etc. for her to come out here so that she can have access to Johns Hopkins and any other Oncology resources she might need.  They will be arriving tomorrow and her appointments begin in ernest next week.  Several friends have complimented my Beloved and i on taking this family in.  To be honest i am really confused as to how to respond to such praise.  It feels like this is what we should be doing, not that we are doing anything extraordinary.  God has blessed us with a home with a guestroom, and in close proximity to such resources.  She is also a close and dear friend, as opposed to a stranger.  I think i am embaressed by the praise... like it is putting the attention on me (and my family) instead of on her and her family.  And they are the ones who need the attention and support....  Not that people telling us "good job" is a bad thing... so when i try and divert the attention, and praise to God, i feel... what is the word... pious.  Like i am coming across "Holier than thou" type of deal... and, that is really not how i feel or want to convey... it's like how i feel about hugs... i guess i just need to accept them, say thank you, and move on.  In all things, to God be the glory, and i thank you all for your encouragement and support as well.

Music Monday has touched the "Big Time".  Big Mama has been granted and interview with Michael Gunger, and she is participating in a promo to give away a CD!  Click HERE to read the interview and enter in the contest.  Check it out! While i may have started this variation of a theme, Big Mama has really been a faithful participant and she draws from a much wider pool of life experiences in music.  Thank you Alise, and way to go!

With Tron Legacy coming out in December, and the possibility of actually being in Disney within a month of the release date, i am already feeling exceptionally geeky.  But, i have alse recently heard that Max Headroom is coming out on DVD for an official release on 10-August!  It is already sitting in my Amazon.com Cart, being saved for later.  I know all 100 of us here in the United States who loved this show, are pretty excited!  In my opinion Max Headroom was a major reason the Cyber Punk genre expanded as much as it did.

Speaking of DVD's, The Book of Eli is coming out on Blueray and DVD 15-June.  I really enjoyed this movie, but i have to be honest.  I will probably not buy this as soon as it hits the shelves.  Why?  Because I do not feel $25 is a good price for a DVD that does not have a whole lot of special features.  most of them are on the Blueray version - just another marketing ploy to get us to all upgrade to the newest technology.  And it does work, i can't blame it all on the manufacturers.  If we consumers would just unite some and get them to stop changing the market, etc.  Before the mid-twentieth century a lot of things stayed the same for a very long time.  If you bought the latest and greatest widget, it was most likely going to be good for as long as the widget lasted, or you no longer needed it.  Now, tech runs in 2 year cycles!  Even the IRS devalues company assets on IT faster than anything else!  If you buy a top of the line TV today, within 3 to 6 months you could have saved at least 25% on what you paid, two years your TV is "antiquated".  I am all for a free market economy, but i am seeing how and why my own father seemed so old fashioned when i was a kid.

Speaking of movies,  i have been itching to go watch Iron Man 2 with my friend RAM and DS1.  Life just keeps "getting in the way".  Meaning there are just higher priorities to heading out and seeing the latest film.  Now with COWGIRL coming in and all, maybe i can get all of us and the boys out to see it next week.  Another friend, PETRA, wants to come along as well.  I am starting to think i might be able to finagle a group discount or something. If we don't get out to see it soon, i may have to wait to see Robin Hood when it comes out on DVD.

I am going to have to wrap this up for now with a wave of thanks to my friend MOUSE, who provided me with a new/used 5 burner grill.  MOUSE is a great Chef, but he also has connections.  He will sometimes review and test items from companies.  They send him things like, oh... say a 5 burner grill, to test out and blog about, for free!  He also has at least two or three connections with food companies where they fly him out and he makes meals up and tries them out.  Simply awesome in my opinion.  I've been a blessed recipiant of his concoctions many a time.  Very tasty.  When my Beloved was pregnant with DS1 he would often come over and help us out by preparing meals.  He's been a really good friend over the years.  I was honored to be the Best Man at his wedding.  The Groom's gift to me was an engraved pocket watch.

God has indeed blessed me and my family with some wonderful friends. Life is not easy, the fall has made it so, but God gives us friends - sometimes in unlikely ways and places, in order to fellowship with.  To share each other's burdons, and to enjoy life's successes with.  I am not one to solicite prayers for myself, or even others, but i do continue to ask that you lift up COWGIRL and her family in your prayers.  I have no idea how long, or how dark this valley will be for them, but i am praying for a miraculous recovery.  A delay in the transition from earth to heaven, but if that is not what God has in mind, i pray for a peaceful transition and for grace/mercy/ and protection of her children.  That they would grow up in the fear of the Lord, and that they would be reunited in front of the Throne to worship the Savior together again.