Random Dozen Wednesday - 20100901

Hello!  Welcome to Wednesday and that means it is time for the Random Dozen. Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee hosts this fun meme.  Surf on over and check her blog out!

1. What insect are you most afraid of? Feel free to post a picture.

I hate to admit it, but spiders.  There is something about spiders that i actually get the willies.  You know, that weird loss of muscle control.  It usually happens right after i've killed one in some method.  My favorite is using ant spray on them.  When we first moved into the house we live in now we found this powder like stuff and i lined the walls in the basement.  Until recently we've not had any trouble with spiders down there... man, i really need to find that stuff again.

2. What is the greenest/most organic thing about you or that you do?

Well, i dabble with some recycling, but i am not really all that consistent.  I've installed quite a lot of those energy saver bulbs.  You know, the ones that look k like the bulb was wrapped around some rod.  But to be honest, the greenest thing i do is i still drive my 2000 Toyota Echo, which still gets 36+ MPG around town, and in the lower 40's on the highway.  I keep it in good running shape, change the oil regularly, rotate the tires, make sure they have proper inflation.  It is at 130k miles and still runs very well.

3. Tell me about a recurring dream that haunts you.

I've not had a recurring dream in quite some time, but when i did it was me running through some sort of apocalyptic urban environment.  The running part would last the entire dream, and i was never really sure what i was running from.  I remember just before they ended though, that just after i became a Christian i vividly remember have this dream and then in the middle of it i stopped, said to myself "i don't have to run anymore."  I remember turning around, reaching down and picking up a snake (with my hand just behind it's head), looking at it, and then (i am pretty sure) i tossed it into some sort of pit.  I've had this dream once or twice over the past twenty or so years, but they never last all night like they used to.

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring [5] and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15, ESV)

4. Have you ever missed a flight? What were the circumstances?

Not that i readily remember, but then i am not a frequent flier either.  We did come close once when flying out of Dallas.  We arrived at the airport in time to check in and eat a meal post security checkpoint.  We checked the flight status before leaving for the airport, when we checked in, and once more before we sat down to eat.  The gate assignment had already changed once before we sat down to eat.  After we ate, we checked the gate assignment and status... on time, but at a new gate.  Anyone who has flown out of DFW knows that a gate within a section is a pretty good trip at times, but when you have to go from, say C1 to A4... it's quite a hike.  We arrive at the new gate, everything is Kosher... we wait to be called to board.  15 minutes before flight time there is another change - i know this sounds highly unlikely, but when it is announced by the person wearing the uniform at the gate (who also calls passengers to be boarded) you listen.  Back on the shuttle thingie and shuffle as fast as a family of five can with a bunch of other passengers hustling to catch their flight.  Literally as we are getting in our seats the Captain comes on the speakers asking us to take out seats as he is trying to beat a storm that is coming into the area.  Although we made that flight... our luggage did not.  I am just glad we were heading home.

5. What do you consider your best feature?

Umm... never really thought about it, so... i really have no clue.  My hands?

6. What was the last concert you went to?

That was so long ago... i don't remember.  I think it was a Petra concert.  I remember it was so loud that i couldn't think and i a had a really bad headache.  Much past the 3rd song i don't remember being able to hear the music all that well either...

7. Describe the most embarrassing church moment you ever experienced.

For me it was when my mom was having me attend a church youth group.  There was some kind of all night deal, and i remember the girls singled me out for some unremembered reason.  I remember being really embarrassed...

8. Are you a whistler, hummer or singer?

The answer to this question is yes. Depending on my mood, the song that comes to mind, and where i am will determine my output.  Although, to be honest, humming is not a regular occurrence for me.  And i usually don't care who is around.  My co-workers have gotten used to me.. .so that's a good thing.

9. George Washington Carver said, "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in." What is God saying to you through nature today, or this very minute?

Right now?  Um... that just because i have thoughts and feelings similar to what He has, does not mean that my thoughts and feelings are the same as His.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord."  (Isaiah 55:8, ESV)

10. On September, 1, 1752, the Liberty Bell arrived in Philadelphia. What memorable event will take place in your life on September 1, 2010?

*snicker*  I have NO clue.  Stand by as the story develops!

11. Taco Bell or the Liberty Bell? (You must choose.)

Taco Bell of course!  Philadelphians are known to be rude, and very vocal.  I have no idea about their hospitality, but if throwing batteries at Santa Clause is a normal, acceptable, activity. then i have no desire to visit the place.  Taco Bell on the other hand has tasty little taco's and other delectable delights.

12. Do you believe men and women can have purely platonic friendships?

I believe so, when it is kept in the context of friendship.  I do believe that there will come times when there will be a desire, a temptation if you will, to move beyond those 'boundaries'.  It is how those times are dealt with by both parties that will determine if the relationship remains platonic.  In today's day and age we are too apt to just give in to those feelings though.  Is it possible, but is it likely?  To me that is the question.  One that is answered by self control, self discipline, peer group, and personal beliefs.

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Happy Birthday!

As of tomorrow my Toyota Echo will be10 years old!  It has a little over 126k miles on and all but one of them has been under my ownership.  It has been a great little car and i am hoping it goes for at least another ten years.  When i bought it i had considered the Prius, but went with the Echo because it has a timing chain instead of a belt, it gets over 40mpg at times, and the battery technology was still too new for me to feel comfortable over the long haul at the time.  If i were making the choice today i would probably side with the Prius though ~ even with all of the troubles in the media of late.

Last night i had to do some work at the "widget factory".  it was the 4th time in the past two weeks i've had to come in at midnight, and it is wearing on the mind and body.  But that is not really what i want to talk about.  The season is moving on towards summer and last night was a beautiful demonstration of this.  I have grown up, and really lived most of my four plus decades, in the Washington D.C. area (this region is pretty big stretching from almost the Baltimore beltway down South to Fredericksburg, and from Annapolis all the way out to the foothills of the Blueridge Mountains).  I have many memories of Washington summers, hot, sticky, and powerful thunderstorms growing up.  Last night the air was still, but heavy with humidity.  The air had not cooled off all that much as of midnight so it felt really thick.  As i got ready to come in i could see the flashes of "heat lightning", even though the sky looked clear with the almost full moon in radiant display.  As i got into my car i could see the line of clouds that the lightning was flashing throughout.  While it didn't rain while i was on my way to and from work it was a magnificent display of the incredible power of summertime Thunderstorms.  I love thunderstorms.  I found myself missing being out in the wood line at night, sitting in a field chair, with my rain gear on of course, and just watching a storm come through.  Especially at night when the lightning flashes subtlety.

For whatever reason, it made me think of how man has learned to capture and use that power to some degree.  Some might claim we have mastered it, but i will not.  However, we can light up cities like Los Angeles or we can make pulses so fast and yet subtle (the power level equivilant of a barely noticable static shock) that we can use computers to display little characters and pictures on a screen from anywhere to anywhere ~ that has an internet connection ~ in the world.  And then we can turn these "virtual" images, into "hard copies" in print.  Amazing.

My Beloved and COWGIRL were coming through a thunderstorm from Johns Hopkins yesterday.  High winds, hail, all that.  She said that when they broke through the other side of the storm is was beautiful.  While i did not get the sense that this was a sign from God or anything, it is a beautiful real world representation of how our walk through this world is - even for those of us who do not face sever trials like cancer.  Our time here on Earth is but a poor reflection of what those who have their names in the Lamb's Book of Life will experience.  For whatever reason Tunnel by Third Day has been playing over and over in my mind today, so i thought i would share.

I hope everyone who comes by to visit the "dojo" has a restful, thoughtful, and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend.  God Bless.

Music Deferred

My apologies to my fans of my "Music Monday" offerings, but i have failed to get a song ready in time for today. My weekends are pretty much a blur right now, and i was focusing on a short story contest entry. Right now we have a Bible Study meeting every Friday night, DS1 has two soccer games over the weekend, church, Awana, and any other 'social' activities that try and get squeezed in. My beloved and i are working on trimming some things, but that takes time. At least the end of the school year is coming. \o/ Yea! I have never entered a writing contest on my own. When i was in grade school i remember a teacher submitting something i had written to some kind of local thing, but it didn't win anything and i remember being discouraged. But, recently i was searching the internet for a hobby of mine and stumbled across a writing contest this website was sponsoring. Now, it's not a huge writing site, and it is pretty much for niche type of group - and i was a full month and a half behind from when it was announced, but i thought, why not! So two weeks ago i dove in and came up with a really rough 1st draft. I tinkered with it, but in the end i really needed an outside pair of eyes. A good WWW/blogging friend was very, very kind enough to proof it and point some things out... ok, a lot of things, but i dove back in... reworked it, corrected some things... and sent it back. This is a first for me... i rarely edit things more than once (which is a bad practice for someone who likes to write by the way), in the end i had a total of four edits. The contest ends at midnight on Thursday so i am feeling pretty good that i have it turned in a little "early". Now, there are no prizes and i have no idea how many total entries there have been... but i am eager to know how i do. My little commuter car just flipped 144k miles on it this morning. I picked it up the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend 2000. It had only 1 mile on the odometer and it was literally fresh off the boat. I love this little car. Back when i was commuting over 100 miles a day i was averaging over 40MPG! Now that my commute is under 20 miles a day i am still averaging over 35MPG. I have never had any problems with this little car and all i've ever had to replace on it has been the wiper blades, tires, oil (includes transmission and such), brakes, and the clutch plate. God willing i will be driving this car for another 9 years. I know that it is not always wise to buy new cars because they are not investments and the depreciate rapidly once they are driven off the dealer's lot, but i knew i would be a long term owner, and averaging the cost of buying the car over the time i've had it so far has been less per year than i expected. If i am able to drag this on for another decade or so it will be even better. Well, the NFL draft was this past weekend. It is like an oasis in between seasons for me. Now, i am not a fanatic where i digest each and every player that has entered the draft. I rarely even read about other teams (other than the Panthers), but for some reason i like to follow and watch the NFL draft in April. To be honest, it's almost like watching paint dry or grass growing. It is a long drawn out affair with endless analysis of each team and player. But there is something that stirs hope in me. Something that makes me look forward to the next football season! Over all i am happy with Carolina's draft this year. I am never a big fan of trading away your lower level round slots in the draft, but it worked out OK (so far) when Carolina picked up Jeff Otah and Jonathon Stewart last year. Even with out a first round pick i like the first three choices from this years draft: Everette Brown (DE), Sherrod Martin (CB/s), and Corvey Irvin (DT). It is way too early to say how good these young men will do in the NFL, but i like the hype. Well, like I've said in the past... all i really want is a 9-7 season... anything more than that will be gravy... and i like gravy (in this context).