Random Dozen Wednesday - 20100825

Welcome to the Random Dozen. Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee hosts this fun meme.  Surf on over and check her blog out!

1. What is your favorite Mexican dish?

I am not such a connoisseur that i know if this is a real Mexican dish, or if it is just a regional favorite, but my absolute favorite is the Chicken Fajita Burrito with the re-fried beans.  Not a big fan of the Mexican Rice though.  Very tasty... now i am craving Mexican...thanks Linda!

2. When you were a kid, did you get started on your homework right away after school, or did you procrastinate?

Homework?  What's homework? Ahem... when i did do my homework i jumped on it right away.  I hated (still do) putting things off until later.

3. What is your favorite store for home furnishings?

This End Up is the place for me!  I LOVE wood.  I love working with wood, i love the smell of wood, i love the sturdiness of wood.  I also like how this furniture is built to survive impacts of trucks and you dust it off, maybe spray some stain remover, and viola!

4. When you were young, did you like school lunches?

I have grown up on "institutional" meals.  When i lived with my father, he and my step mom would pack our lunches everyday, but when i lived with my mother we qualified for free school meals and i got used to both breakfast and lunch at school.  I don't really remember them for their cuisine, but more for the fact that these were typically the only meals i would get reliably.

5. Is religion a crutch?

www.dictionary.com defines religion as:

re·li·gion /rɪˈlɪdʒən/ Show Spelled[ri-lij-uhn] -noun

1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.

When put in the perspective of "devotional and ritual observances" i would say yes., it is a crutch.  When the focus is put upon the believer perform certain certain tasks in order to relate to their deity it gives the observer a sense of control, a level of comfort.  However, Christianity is unique in that it is God that has acted upon us, and it is not Him  reacting to us.  As a Christian we are to do good works, but in our case we are reacting upon what God has already done in our hearts and not to earn the favor of God.  As such, it is not our "ritual observances" that draws us to God, but our faith in what He has done, and is doing, in and for us.

But [2] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4-10, ESV)

6. In your region, what is the "big" (most popular in the community or state) high school sport?

Well, my oldest has just ushered in my family's ten year relationship with the local High School, so i am not really sure.  I hear a lot about football, soccer and cross country, but those sports those withing my 'circle' are in to.  I often see the softball team out practicing too.  The region i live in is not the most influential and thus we do not receive a lot of funding, or press. 

7. Do you consider yourself rich?

Monetarily?  Not rich when compared to the American 'standard' of living.  I am within the "middle class' so i am pretty happy with where i am financially.  When compared to most of the world's population, i am indeed wealthy (aka 'rich').  In regards to friends, i am indeed rich.  I have good friends who accept me with my quirks (and they are real life deals, not just preferences) and are willing to set aside their lives to help me out - and vice-versa.

8. Which of these would you have the best chance for success in administering:
A) CPR
B) Heimlich Maneuver
C) Changing a flat tire

My answer is most definitely C. I learned how to do that before i even learned how to drive a car - being the oldest boy of a single mother helped in that regard.  I am comfortable enough to perform B if no one else is stepping forward to help, and A it would really have to be a certified life or death situation before i even considered it.  Not because i have qualms about it, but i've not renewed my certification in probably 20 years. 

9. Which dance would you prefer to learn & why:
A) Salsa
B) Hip Hop
C) Waltz
D) Swing

Swing sounds and looks really exciting.  My favorite scene from "Blast from the Past" is when Adam gets out on the dance floor and really "cuts a rug".  I would need to work on my person fitness before i did though.  The Waltz also interests me, and Salsa is right up there with Swing, but when it comes to Hip Hop... i don't have a clue on where to begin.

10. What's the worst news you've ever delivered to someone?

The only one that is coming to mind was one summer camp when i was a "straight leg" a State Trooper came to the CQ office i was working over night.  A pair of soldiers had snuck off post and got into a serious car accident.  I had to wake up the Company Commander, the First Sergeant and the Battalion Chaplin.  While i know that is not notifying the next of kin or anything, that was pretty hard... and i had to do the research to get the telephone numbers of the families and pass it on.  Even though i was not doing it myself... i felt pretty involved.

11. Name something you learned in college that had nothing to do with classes or academics.

*snicker*  Sorry, i was not a college student for very long... but the thing i learned that sticks out, it often does not matter what the material is, so as it is regurgitated in the way - or point of view - that the professor is looking for. That may not be true everywhere, but it sure was where i took classes.

12. New variation on an old question: If there's a song in your head that just won't get out, what is your favorite (or most repeated) line in that song?

That really depends on the song... at any given moment it could be any number of songs... just ask my co-workers... and there is often no rhyme or reason to what song is in there... and they often wish i would stop sharing them!

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