Progress Report

In just a few weeks, it'll be 6-months since I left my job. Goals were set, lessons were learned, I pushed, succeeded, failed, changed goals...it's been a good process.

Exercise: When I first started the exercise routine I understood that it would be a lot harder than previous attempts. Previously, getting back into an exercise routine was easy. I went to the gym, hopped on my bike or started jogging. This time, I had to contend with a number of factors. The fibro slows me down and makes post exercise recovery difficult. I set a seemingly modest set of goals and quickly found they were unrealistically difficult given my condition and my weight gain. In April and May, building up to 20 minutes of slow methodical walking was difficult. By now I expected to be working on tone and focusing on resistance training. Still, improvements have happened. I'm walking 2 miles a day in under 40 minutes. I'm able to extend that to 3-4 miles 1-2 times a week. And, exercise is no longer my only strenuous activity in the day. I'm pleased, but I'm also not content. I'm constantly looking to do more, but cautious of previous lessons.
Goal: 3-4 miles a day + light resistance training by Jan 1.

Nutrition: This has been the best success. Slick and I are still sticking with our nutrition plan. We've learned where and when to "cheat." We've learned the effects of such indulgences. I've worked really hard at the Fibromyalgia Diet I mentioned in a previous blog. I've cut out or significantly reduced everything on the list except coffee. I'm still drinking 2-3 cups a day.
Goal: Cut down on coffee.

Weight Loss: I've hinted around this a few times, but here it is for the record.
April 2: 225lbs, 39" waist
Sept 20: 188lbs, 35" waist
Goal: 175lbs, 33" waist

Sleep: Ah the curse of a Fibromyalgic. Recently, I've been able to sleep without the use of the lunesta. I don't know how long that will last. The secret has been 2-part. 1) Deep-meditative relaxation before bed. 2) Set sleep schedule. Both are painfully hard to stick with. Some nights I'll be up late playing WoW and realize that it's bed-time. I can't just hop into bed. I need 30-40 minutes to relax...no tv, no computer...just me and the iPod. The trick has been to set my alarm clock and get up. Period. Every day, I'm up at 8:30. I also try to avoid naps.
Goal: Continue routine

Simplify: It's hard to quantify this one. We have dramatically cut costs, cut our use of resources and cut a lot of waste from our lives. In August, our electric bill was $20 less than last year. This was in spite of the facts that I was at home for most of the month, that August was hotter than last year, AND that the per-unit cost of our electric was higher than last year. So yes, we're doing more with less!
Goal: Start a herb & veggie garden and install a rain-water barrel.

Life Balance: This is an even harder one to quantify. I'm doing really well with "stress management." I've been reading, praying & thinking on this one. I need to be more active at church. I really should get out of the house more. I'm still thinking about a part-time job. Basically, there's too many things going on in this category to sum up.
Goal: Get back involved in church.

Bionic Rabbit Ears

This is the continuation from the earlier "Rabbit Ears" post. I did make a final product selection.

For our antenna, I went with the Terk HDTVa Indoor Amplified High-Definition Antenna for Off-Air HDTV Reception. My research indicated that an indoor antenna would be fine. But it also indicated that, given the distance, an amplifier would help.

For the tuner, I finally found and went with the Philips DVDR3575H/37 1080p Upscaling DVDR with Built-In Tuner. This was a tough call. The Samsung was highly recommended and available at my local big-box store today. It was also well within my budget. The Philips machine stretches the budget to the limit. Still, Slick totally and enthusiastically approved this upgrade. The Philips does what no other "non-Tivo," "non-Replay" machine can do w/out having to get a cable or satellite package. It acts as a DTV tuner, a DVR w/pause & a DvD burner w/ multiple play back options.

Anyway, the equipment will be here in a week or so. After I get it installed, I'll post some pictures and let you know how things go.

Talk Like a Pirate Day

Avast ye! It's be talk like a pirate day!

Seriously, no way I can make this shit up...

Talk like a pirate day

So, be a pirate or walk the plank!

Rabbit Ears

Remember back in the days before cable & satellite tv? Television signals were (and still are) transmitted from big antennas to little antennas connected to your crappy black & white TV. Well, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

As I've mentioned many times in this blog, I have no cable or satellite hookup. It's been an important cost-cutting move. I quickly learned that there are many simple alternatives. As I type, I'm watching last night's NBC Nightly News from iTunes.

The lack of TV has it's pluses and minuses. The big plus is I'm amazed at the utter time-sync tv was to my life. I don't just sit there watching whatever crap is on. I read more books. When I am in front of the TV watching a DVD, it's something that I really want to watch. The big downside has been the lack of regular TV to watch sports on the weekend, news programs & the upcoming fall programs. It's also odd when guests come over. I've got a huge TV that no one can watch.

It's an interesting balancing act. One of my larger life objectives is a focus on "simplicity." Getting rid of bloated & expensive cable packages makes sense. But, do the many and creative ways that I now watch programing fit that bill? Actually, yes. The overall path to developing a simple lifestyle is frustratingly complex. This is about keeping costs down and focusing on choices. So, how does this tangent fit with the topic of this post? Glad you asked...

Digital and High Definition TV signals are broadcast over the air. These aren't your old analog signals (which are going away.) Traditional & modern antennas are cropping up all over. The quality of the signals often beat cable & satellite signals. With a digital "terrestrial" receiver & an antenna, anyone can get these signals for free. This enables you to watch all your local & regional television stations (affiliated ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS & independent stations.)

So, what do you do?

The first and most important step is determining your signal quality & appropriate antenna. Setting up an antenna can cost $10 to $150 depending on your needs. If your signal is good, then a simple antenna is perfect. But if you live in a rural area, a large outdoor antenna and cables may be required. So, how do I know what I need? There are two great websites to help do this.

AntennaWeb - This is a site created by CEA (Consumer Electronics Association.) Having their logo on the box of your antenna helps identify an industry agreed-upon level of quality control. It's chart easily and accurately indicated my station choices.

TV Fool - This site rocks! TV Fool takes data and crunches numbers to show you signal strengths at your location. This enabled me to make a reasonable determination of my antenna needs. There's even a GoogleEarth interface to download so you can see color-coded images of a station's broadcast range.

There are tons of antennas to choose from. I'm no expert. The good news is that a lot of big named retailers (Amazon, Circuit City, Buy.com) sell them. Most of their websites include customer opinions. Remember that some companies seed opinions. Your mileage will vary.

The next step is receiver/tuner. If you have a new HDTV w/ Digital receiver, you're set. However, most people fall into one of two categories: Old analog set OR HD-Ready TV. HD-Ready is a cost saving way for most people to buy HDTV's since most people have cable or satellite boxes. You are no longer "most people." You'll need a receiver.

The first and most important thing to know about receivers is to avoid cheap analog only boxes. They will be found on "small company" websites or on ebay. They will be obsolete in a year. You need a DTV ATSC OTA Tuner or Terrestrial DTV tuner. (That's over the air digital TV. ATSC is the standard.) Right at this moment in history, your choices are slim. A few years ago, several companies were making these tuners. You can still find them at 3rd-party retailers. If you want new and current tech, your search will probably turn up the only "big-named" terrestrial tuner in production, the Samsung HDTV Digital Terrestrial Receiver DTB-H260F.

If you don't want this tuner, you have a few options. You can find an online retailer with one of the older Samsung, Phillips or Zenith models. You can buy an off-brand receiver at an online retailer. You can buy a very expensive Sony or Phillips DVD recorder w/ Digital tuner. You can wait to see if manufacturers bring out new models when analog is officially killed.

Anyway, good luck. I've not made my purchase yet. I'm still waiting on a lead to save some money. What am I leaning toward? OK...

I'm leaning toward getting the Samsung HDTV Digital Terrestrial Receiver DTB-H260F & Terk HDTVa Indoor Amplified High-Definition Antenna for Off-Air HDTV Reception. My projected cost will be $200-225 (depending on retailer.) I'm still investigating some slightly more expensive multi-directional and attic antennas. I'll check back when I make the purchase.

An open letter to my Philadelphia Eagles

Dear Philadelphia Eagles,

Thanks for saving me money this year. As you may have heard, I moved out of town 3 years ago. It costs a lot of money to be your fan in the south. Over the last 3 seasons, I painstakingly checked the tv schedule for national games and "local" appearances. When that didn't work, I spent tons of cash drinking beer at crowded, smoke-filled bars to see you. I hate crowded, smoke-filled bars. So devoted to you, I befriended people with DirectTV even though I secretly didn't like spending time with them. When I couldn't go over to my "friend's" place or go out, I paid to listen to you over the internet. For you, I endured hours of ridicule at work for being "the Eagles fan." I wore that label as a badge of honor even through the T.O. bullshit. I covered my cube with YOU (and a tiny picture of my wife.) When last season ended, I made a silent pledge to convince my wife to let me get the NFL package this year.

After getting sick in the off-season, being on disability and eventually leaving my job, I had to trim the budget. So, I got rid of cable. Secretly, I pined for you, my Eagles. I planned and schemed to introduce satellite into the house for the fall. We would be together again!

As the summer wore on, I missed TV less and less. I enjoyed the $60 in monthly savings more and more. I had Netflix and WoW. I was fine. Then the preseason started and withdrawal set in. How could I survive without "Fly EAGLES fly?" I reminded myself that it was simply preseason.

I missed the opener against the Packers. I read you played horribly, but I told myself that this was Donovan's post-injury rust. I knew it was my fault for not being there for you. I felt so bad. Monday Night Football against the hated Redskins would be better. I would be there for you, in public, in my Westbrook jersey! I would scream "E-A-G-L-E-S...EAGLES!" every time you scored against those hated pigskins.

So tonight, I drove 45 minutes to meet a friend...a REDSKINS fan...so I could cheer you on and in true Eagles-Fan tradition, give him crap for having such a bad team. So what if his team has actual Super Bowl wins. They suck! I'm from Philly!

But you know what. You sucked! You didn't even put on a pretense of not sucking. You sucking sucked...you suckers! I spent $40, smell like smoke and feel bloated for what? So you could lolly-gag on Monday Night Football? You sucked in front of the nation. People at the bar didn't give me crap. Nooooo! They gave me pity. PITY! Me! An Eagles fan! They hate Eagles fans here. Why would they offer me pity? Because you SUCK!

So, I need some time to myself to work through my anger. During that time, I will not defend Donovan "bounce-pass" McMissy's accuracy. I will not speak about the amazing Johnson "can't stop the run" blitz D-Fence. Instead, I will take some time to enjoy my fall Sundays reading a book or grilling on the deck. This way, I'll save money and return to you ready to renew our relationship.

I suggest you take this time to stop SUUUUCKKKING!!!


Your "loyal" fan,

LRNs

P.S. Did I mention that you suck? Good! I didn't want to forget that point.

Phillies

There are 17 games left in the regular season. The Philthies are only 1.5 games behind the Padres for the wild card. We are once again back in the same place we've been so many times in the last few years, in the hunt for the wild card in the middle of September. Remember the year the Marlins won the world series? Yeah, they took the wild card from us in the last week. They beat us good and we deserved it.

So, what's coming up? We've got the Mets, St Louis, Washington, Atlanta & Washington.

The Padres? San Fran, Pittsburgh, Colorado, San Fran & Milwaukee.

Yeah, we're finishing off with Washington & Atlanta. That's two teams out of the playoffs and not doing so well lately. But, we don't play either of them well. And, let's not forget the Dodgers and the Rockies are breathing down our necks. Seriously, it's gonna take some serious play. We can't win with the 5-5 we pulled over the last 10 games.

Dare to believe? Well, I'm certainly not going to hold my breath.

Good article on the subject...

Survival Skills

And now something for you Eagles fans/conspiracy theorists

I like a good conspiracy theory as much as the next history fan, but this one hits too close to home!

Eagles now suspicious about title loss to Pats

Think about it. The Pats were caught stealing signals in a lousy season opener against the J-E-T-S, Jets. Why wouldn't they be willing to cheat in the Super Bowl? The answer is that they wouldn't. The Eagles lost by 3 points. It was a close game and it was during the second half when the Pats seemed to be able to screen-pass out of ever blitz. Nobody was good enough to do it consistently all season, and yet the Pats did. Why?

I sure hope it's not true. And even if it is, there's no way to prove it.

My New Pedometer & Google Maps

I got my 20% off members coupon from REI the other day. Since I'm doing all this walking & hiking for exercise, I went out and got a pedometer. It was hard to choose. I didn't want a simple step counter, nor could I afford an expensive GPS-enhanced model. So, I went with this $25 one from Sportsline since it included some extra features including a mile/km counter.

My standard walk is 30 minutes. Since google maps allows for multiple destinations, I was able to get a fairly accurate reading of 1.6 miles (my house as the start & my neighbor as the finish.) Well, the test worked well. With no calibration, I took 3390 steps in 30 min for 1.60 miles. It was spot on!

If the weather holds, I usually go on my weekly 2 mile walking trail walk tomorrow. I'm trying to push my daily to 2 miles and my weekly to 4. If it remains accurate, the pedometer should help me with that. We'll see how it goes.

Voting for Obama

So, here's the thing that I was going to mention on Tuesday. I've decide to vote for Barack Obama in the primaries. I'm writing this here, because I've mentioned to a number of friends and families my decision to sit out of the democratic primary. Why the change of heart? Well, you can thank Amy Sullivan for that.

Amy Sullivan is a contributing editor for the Washington Monthly & a writer for Slate.com. In May she appeared on a panel discussion at Yale Divinity School on the subject of Faith & Citizenship in America. I listened to a recording of the panel. She was awesome. I really empathized with her struggles with finding a church home. Her sense of frustration over the state of religious rhetoric in Politics matched my own. She's politically liberal but religiously conservative (but in my kind of way.) So, when she commented on the genuine nature of Barack Obama's discussions about his faith, I took notice. When she and Congressman Price (D-NC) used his faith positions in juxtapositions against Bush and the religious right, I became even more interested. So, I did some digging.

I found a commentary she wrote about Obama in July:

The Real Meaning of Obama's Speech

I did some additional digging about Obama, his position on a variety of issues and realized I could vote for this guy. He finally became my viable alternative to Hillary. And yes, I'm really not excited about Hillary. Why?

Let me speak plainly: There is too much hate for her and her husband for her to become the uniter that my liberal friends say she will be. Too many of my moderate friends share this view. A friend in the military said that he doesn't trust her nor do the other soldiers he knows. His lack of trust for Hillary matches the lack of trust my Liberal friends have for Bush. Yes, I know there will always be a number of people who will not trust someone purely on the basis of their political party. Some may not like this reasoning, but there it is. AND I'M NOT ALONE!

I need someone that I vote for to not be named Bush or Clinton. End of story. It has nothing to do with her gender (I think women often make better leaders) or her politics (I agree with nearly everything she says.) Nope, she's got guilt by association. And certainly, I'm willing and able to forgive and forget, but the country won't. We don't need that baggage in the White House after the crap we're dealing with right now.

So, Obama's a man of faith, he's electable, he feels presidential, I like his stances on issues and he's doesn't come out of the gate with a mark against him. That works for me.

OK, but what about the other candidates? Well, ummm...no. I don't think any of the other Democrats have a snowball's chance. I, like a number of my friends, might have jumped sides in 2004 for McCain, but not this time. His desperate attempts to build bridges with the religious right just didn't work for me. And, you couldn't get me to vote for any other Republicans if you held a gun to my head.

Note: McCain was on the Diane Rehm's show on NPR yesterday. He answered some tough questions. A caller asked him about the whole Falwell thing. He handled it well. The fact is that I just don't agree with his key platforms. I specifically don't agree with his position on Iraq anymore. However, (and I know some folks are going to take issue with this) I still respect him.

But why am I going on like this...

Vote Obama!

So, what happens if Clinton gets the nomination? I'm going to keep that answer to myself for now.

The Wailin' Jennys

I know it's not November yet, but Slick and I are really excited about our anniversary plans. The Wailin' Jennys are coming to town in November. We already got the tickets. The venue is a small concert hall. Which is awesome. And the tickets were really affordable. Which is even more awesome!

Who are the Wailin' Jennys? They are a trio of women from mid-west Canada. They are best described as a blend of country, Celtic & folk harmony. Some of their stuff hearkens to the sounds of Appalachia. I first heard them two years ago when they were guests on A Prairie Home Companion.

Yes, I know, I know...I'm a folk-music lovin', left-wing, NPR-listening, crunchy-granola nut-job. You know what my man Polonius told Hamlet, "To thine own self be true!" But I digress...

Anyway, I admittedly love the sound of quality female harmony and they fit the bill. I'm not going to compare them to the Indigo Girls, BUT...if you like them, you'll like the Wailin' Jennys. The trouble now is that I have about 5 of their songs from iTunes and I'm trying to decide if we should pick up a whole album or two.

If you want to try the Wailin' Jennys, but don't want to buy whole albums, I recommend the following songs to get you started: One Voice, The Parting Glass or Long Time Traveler.

Note: While writing this message, I opened iTunes to listen to them. Unfortunately, I didn't pay attention. It's an odd thing when a song like Long Time Traveler transitions into Sabotage by the Beastie Boys. Very odd. And yes, I know that my taste in music is rather eclectic....and... Ack! How did this mix happen and why do I have Love Song by Sara Bareilles?!? Make it stop! ;-)

Pause & Reflect

I've been working on a post, but since it's 9/11, I'm going to set aside politics and prognostications today and come back tomorrow.

remember you are dust and to dust you shall return

Lutheran Confessions Podcast

Dear ELCA,

Ever wondered what actual seminary professors from the "other" Lutheran Church in America (Missouri Synod) taught about stuff like the Creeds & Luther's Catechism. Well, now you can right from their own podcast. I shit you not!

I found it in "iTunes U." If you don't use iTunes, try the link below to get download or an RSS feed from Learn Out Loud.

Lutheran Confessions

I've not listened to any of it yet. I'm a little nervous. ;-)

P.S. Actually, if you use iTunes you should seriously look at iTunes U. They have downloadable material from MIT, Yale, Texas A&M, UC Berkley and more. Yale School of Music records student performances. I've got a recording of a guest lecture that Al Gore did at Stanford. Really, this is cool. The brain-trust of America open for everyone to experience.

WoW Insanity Follow-up

Well, the day was a roller-coaster. Ill words were exchanged by some, but for the most part I avoided direct confrontation. Originally, I was going to wait a few days to apply to another guild...

Yes I said apply! In order to join a raiding guild, you must fill out an application, have an interview, have your equipment reviewed, and usually do a test-run with members of the guild leadership. This is "serious" fun.

Anyway, I went ahead and applied with the guild that Cainam has been pushing. He's got friends there. They've got an active presence on our server. Their website is maintained nicely. It seems like a good choice. I was nervous because they listed themselves as "closed" to hunter applications. But, word had gotten to me that I should apply anyway.

Applying as a hunter (that's my class) to a raiding guild is a nervous time. Hunter is the "class" that every random person who gets the game for Christmas ends up playing. It's easy-mode to play, but hard to master. A lot of really bad hunters hit level 70 and think they can raid only to discover that no guild wants them. Thankfully, I don't fall into the suck-o category. I'm not saying I'm a master, but I was selected class-rep in my old guild. I'm good at it.

Additionally, hunters are a unique category of DPS (damage per second) that often under-performs other classes. They make up for it in other ways, but those other skills are less and less important in the end game. So, not only am I cursed with the noob-class, but I'm also in a class that's considered inferior for end-game content. Most raiding guilds keep their list of active hunters low...but I digress...

Let me just say that they really liked me. I answered all the right questions. Apparently, recent applicants couldn't even define shot rotation. Shot rotation is the timed sequence of buttons a hunter should hit to maximize his/her effectiveness. It's all about DPS and sustainability. Well, 30 seconds into my analysis of my particular rotation and my reason for it, I had the job.

And yes, I said analysis. I've run data-gathering programs in test conditions to compare shot selections.

In fact the only knock against me was that I've not finished my new Armor. Making equipment is another essential element to the game. It requires hours of materials gathering. It would have been nice to be further along with it. BUT, it was also the moment in the interview that I was sold on them. Several tips were provided on the subject and offers of help were given. They're going to help me! They have the people and resources to help me become a better player.

I'm home!

World of Warcraft...not for the faint-hearted

This post is going to be a long one because it's been a long time coming. Over the next several paragraphs I'm going to compare World of Warcraft (WoW) to a religion, while I regale you with the story of what's been happening the last several weeks. I acknowledge that this will be an over-reaching analogy and will probably run right over that line in the sand covering idolatry & herecy. Sound fun? Good...read on.

First an introduction to the terms and the players...

WoW: The video game World of Warcraft. Even my geek friends call it excessive. It's not just a game. It's not just a hobby. It's called world of "warcrack" for a reason.
Level: Players play the game from levels 1-70. When players hit level 70, the nature of the game changes dramatically. Some say, this is where the game really begins. It can take anywhere from 2-8 months of play for people to hit level 70.
End-Game Content: The insane stuff that level 70 players do until the wee hours of the morning.
Instance: A sub-area of the game where teams of 5-players join up to tackle difficult in-game challenges.
Raid: A larger sub-area where teams of level 70 players are merged to work together. Raid Instances are a variety of sizes including 10, 25 & 40 players. The casual player need not apply.
Guild: A group of 10 or more players who create their own "club."
Raiding Guild: A guild of 40-50 (or even more) level 70 players dedicated to Raiding End-Game Content.
GM: Guild Master. This is the person in charge of the guild. In the top guilds, this can look and feel like a full-time job.
Officers: The guild-master's assistants. Sometimes like a board of directors. Really depends on the guild.

So, here's where it gets interesting. The best way I can describe WoW to anyone who hasn't played it, is to say that WoW is a videogame AND a social network. Because of the extreme amount of time and effort involved in end-game content, players find themselves dedicated to it like a part-time job. However, the best way I can describe the psychological and sociological framework is to compare WoW to a religious system. WoW is the religion. The raiding guild is the congregation. The GM is the pastor. The officers are the church council. Raiding is our worship. (See, I told you it was going to sound really bad!)

Now, every raid is like a different kind of service. Each requires different rituals and different participants. BUT, each congregation has different attitudes about preparation and discipline. The best guilds are Zealots. They eat, sleep and breath the raid. The worst guilds are like the church in Doonsbury. They are so into all their social engagements and non-worship activities that they never get down to the business of successfully raiding.

The Zealots can burn out, but it's the lax church that falls apart. Every guild and all their players must decide if their focus is the worship OR the people. Are you a social guild or a raiding guild? Walking the line between is the best and hardest thing to do. This is my story about failing to walk that line.

When I joined my raiding guild it was thriving, but already beginning to falter. Our GM and leadership had gone through some massive changes. (Think about getting a new pastor & church council president.) The game had recently expanded (think building remodeling.) The whole guild needed to go from level 60-70 in order to start raiding again (moving to another worship space.)

When we arrived in our new space, the dynamic of raiding had changed. Our leadership was more interested in the way people felt and less about the ritual and preparation. (This is good in real church, bad in the church of WoW.) We struggled. The GM and her closest Officer (think Pastor & Church Council President) are great people and faithful players, but poor organizers. Slowly but surely a number of long-time members left for other Guilds (congregations) or stopped playing WoW (crisis of faith.)

Newer, less prepared members were thrust into positions of leadership. My friend Avouz found himself in the position of Tank & Raid Leader (think minister of music and worship leader.) My friend Ionya, a steadfast & quiet person (usher-type) was suddenly thrust into a leadership role too (think Stewardship Committee Chair.) And I, for my part, excitedly went into a leadership position too. (Imagine being Church Council VP, but in complete disagreement with the President.)

And so, the "church" hung on. Folks left & folks came. There was talk of a great revival of faith and new membership. Our grounds became somewhat dilapidated. Worship attendance became sporadic. More members left. Still, folks were hopeful. Except, quietly, my friends and I became miserable.

Why? It's simple. We wanted to be raiders. The guild became focused on the people. There's nothing wrong with a people-focused guild. There's a problem with raiders who stick around trying to change it back to a raiding-focused guild. (Imagine a bunch of old-school high-church members sticking around in a progressive praise-band congregation....something has to give.)

Three weeks ago, the guild began preparation for an important 25-player raid that we'd not tried in months. (Think Easter worship OR pot-luck fund raiser.) It was at the same time that my friends and I decided it was time to leave the guild, but we knew that the raid would never work unless we stayed. So, we did. And the raid went fine. It was the kind of raid that brings new hope to the players, but also the kind of thing that showed us how out of place we really were. It was a success and a failure all at once.

So, this morning, as we had planned, we all left. The decision is having ripple effects in our little church. Three of us were guild officers. My friend Cainam was our top damage dealer. (Imagine if half your church council left and your best soloist & organist left with them. )

The hurt and rift caused by this situation might very well be the death-cry for the guild. Yet, to stay would have done a disservice to us and to the guild. Perhaps, folks will wake up and make the guild better. Perhaps not.

But, the bottom line is that we were all miserable about the situation and it's a game. We're not quitting, but we are moving on. Our #1 reason for playing the game is to do it together and we lost sight of that. Our #2 reason for playing the game was to experience the end-game stuff which our guild simply could not do.

I guess I'm just feeling the loss and grief from any change that comes from strife and difficulty. The sad part is that our GM & leadership will never be able to forgive us. We tried to do the right thing, but we burned the bridge hard.

Like Family

Here's a picture of the newest member of our "extended" family.


Little Inigo* was born to M&M yesterday at 10:51 AM. He's 8lbs. He'll get a real name at his Briss. Slick and I are going to wait until the blood-relations all have a chance to visit before we plan our trip to Pittsburgh to see him.

* A place-holder name in honor of Inigo Montoya from the Princess Bride. It's a favorite of theirs. The rabbi actually played the "Marriage" scene at their wedding. If it weren't for the amazement I felt being at an Orthodox Jewish wedding, I would have laughed my ass off.

Great Geek Gathering

I wanted to take a few moments and talk about my weekend plans. Several years ago, the great and powerful Avouz* decided that all us geeks that he's "acquired" should join together and relish in our geekiness. This event is aptly named the Great Geek Gathering** or G3 for short.

So what, might you ask, does G3 entail? Glad you asked...

Firstly, gather a bunch of geeks who have been friends for a long while but more than likely now live hundreds of miles apart....wait, you want a definition?

Geek as defined by Wikipedia is "an enthusiast or expert especially in a technological field or activity" who also likes all sorts of gaming, RPGs, comic books...all the good stuff that makes life worth living outside of sports and women...But I digress...

As I was saying...Avouz gathers us into a home for a long weekend. We pretend that we're still in our early 20's. We stay up late. We consume caffeine. A Halo tournament or two has been known to break out. Often a "one shot" RPG (Role Playing Game) is enjoyed. Some of us partake in some random collectible strategy game. Alcohol is consumed! Moments of RPG Nostalgia break out for all the usual reasons. And before the weekend is over, someone usually breaks Avouz.***

This year's event involves the largest number of wives/girlfriends in the history of G3. I believe we'll have 4. This year also marks the first time that some of us are opting for hotel rooms. (Look, I'm too old to pass out on someone's living room floor.) This year, we also have a pool. This frightens me. I'm not sure how much sun geeks are allowed to have. It can't be much.

Anyway, the difficult thing is that most of us play WoW. I'm not sure how we expect to survive in a house for an entire weekend when 70% of the guests are going through WoW withdrawal, but I'm sure it'll make for a good story.

Have a wonderful labor day everyone. If I don't make it back alive, someone go get my dog out of "doggy camp" and take him home!

* Avouz - Screen name of my buddy's most infamous D&D character. So infamous that I've never actually played with (or against) this character, yet can rattle off several of his exploits like I had actually been there.

** There is some discussion if it's Gathering or Get Together. I personally think it must be gathering since Get Together would make it G3T...but I digress.

***The breaking of Avouz is a simple but time-honored tradition. It involves copious amounts of Bacardi & Coke. Once enough is consumed, the goal is to make Avouz laugh so hard that he snarfs and possibly pukes. The puking is unfortunate, but the snarfing is priceless.

Summer Reading List

Sorry, it's been over a week since my last post. I had several bad days in a row and little I wanted to talk about. Feeling a bit better today.

In honor of "Back to School" season, I give you my "completed" summer reading list. Which ones do I recommend the most? Harry Potter, Empire & Princess of Wands.

Cat & Mouse by James Patterson
Pop Goes the Weasel by James Patterson
These books are smack in the middle of the Alex Cross saga. This is a great pulp-fiction, detective-thriller series. There are times when I admittedly get pissed off at Patterson for screwing Alex's life up so much. Thus, I tend to read it in chunks.

Alex Cross is a DC detective and an all-around noble guy. He believes in his community and his family. When bad things happen in his part of town, nobody cares except Alex and his friends. But, Alex's skills take him out of the "hood" and into international hunts for serial killers. Unfortunately, all too often these killers come knocking at Alex's door.

I have the next two books Roses are Red & Violets are Blue, but I'm saving them for later.

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
This book is supposed to be the be-all, end-all of modern day American Christian living. Horse-shit! Perhaps my liberalized Lutheran viewpoint is skewed too much. Perhaps, I'm just stupid. I couldn't stand him. The simple truth is that all his practices rest on a foundation of theology that I cannot agree with. As a one-time scientist, I can't agree with a theorem that's constructed upon a viewpoint I simply can't share. I hated the book. That said, it did drive me screaming to my next reading.

The Large Catechism by Martin Luther
Ah brother Martin, how I love (Philia) you. I realize that Luther's writings read like a text book, but man it makes a lot more sense that the mushy crap that people spew today. Want to understand the 10 commandments, the creed, the Lord's prayer, and the sacraments? Look no further. If you only read the Small Catechism or if you read this years ago (like me,) pick it back up and read it.

Harry Potter IV-VII by J.K. Rowling
Yes, I read 4 Harry Potter books. Yes, I did it in under a week. Yeah, I was feeling like crap and sat in my chair for most of it. So what? It was great fun. No one paragraph can do Potter justice, so I'm not going to try. Let me just say that Neville is my favorite character.

The Icewind Dale Trillogy by R. A. Salvatore
The legend of Drizzt Do'Urden among D&D players starts here. Every idiot that ever rolled up a "good" drow then whined when their DM killed the character starts here too. I've read several series by Salvatore about Drizzt & his friends as they battled the forces of evil, but never the original. Set in the fantasy world of the Forgotten Realms, the story of Drizzt is a story of dwarves, elves, orcs, dragons and all that stuff. I read Salvatore's stuff like I read Patterson. It's just easy fun.

Princess of Wands by John Ringo
For years I've asked my buddy Bruce to recommend some books to me. He kept mentioning John Ringo. This summer, he gave me this book. I couldn't put it down. Great reading. Ringo has a knack for description and details. This book is like nothing else I've read. Set in modern day, it's about a "holy warrior" who battles the forces of evil, deals with the stereo-types of being a faithful Christian and still has time to pick up her kids from school. Yes, "her!" Barbara Everette is my new favorite action-hero!

Empire by Orson Scott Card
Imagine modern-day America. Imaging the far left & far right nut-jobs finally having enough of one-another. Imagine civil war in modern America. Can't do it? Neither could I. Card does a fantastic job of making impossible fiction a probable possibility. It does so and reminds us that the majority of Americans live in the middle. Bruce, you must read this book!

Books I'm still working on...

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
A very funny story about the end of the world. The anti-christ is born, but due to a mix-up at the hospital, he's missing. Now it's up to an Angle & a Devil to find him before their bosses do and stop Armageddon.

Marley & Me by John Grogan
A story about a couple and their insane dog. I've read a few chapters and it's funny. I just keep getting distracted.

Practicing Our Faith edited by Dorothy C Bass
This book was my father's answer to my complaints about Rick Warren. I'm reading it 1 chapter a week. I've already quoted it in this blog. It's about simplifying your life using Christian practices.

My Next Read...

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
So, I went to the library and accidentally picked up Empire instead. This is the book that ALL my friends keep telling me to read. It's the next one on my list. Just got to head back to the library to pick it up.

City of Cheesesteak wins PETA's ballpark award

I need confirmation...is this ironic?

Citizens Bank Park is voted the No.1 vegetarian-friendly stadium in America by PETA.

Get the F out! No way...

Meat of the Matter

I'll take mine "wit" no meat...lol

Transitions

This week marks the 3rd anniversary of our moving from our home in Pottstown, PA. Amazed at how time flies, I've decided to take a few moments to look back over the last 5 years.

For more than 1/2 our married lives, Slick and I have felt "transitional." It all started when we bought our first home in Pottstown. It was built in 1914, but had "modern" upgrades due to a fire in the early 90's. It was unique. It had all the charm of an old home, but had the amenities of a modern place. Sadly, it also had all the problems of both. Slick loved the house. I found myself treating it like a massive art project. Could I shape it to my will? Could I make it classic yet fill it with gadgets? It was a real love-hate thing. But in the end, the house won me over.

The house was supposed to be our long delayed "nest." We had a home, good jobs and a dog. After a fun but challenging first year, it seemed time. Then I was downsized...D'oh!

My IT job, acquired during the booming pre-Y2K run-up, was gone. I had survived the post-Y2k and 9/11 layoffs, but could not survive the post-merger cost-cutting that followed in 2003. It was ironic. I had been given multiple awards and bonuses for my personal efforts in the merger. I, in a sense, had worked myself out of a job.

The sudden reality was that I was let go in a perfect storm. My skills had not progressed enough to move to the next level, full sys-admin. My salary requirements were too high to return to the level below me, help-desk. And it was the level I had reached, on-site desktop support, was dried up.

Still, we were happy. My severance package was more than adequate. Our old home needed a lot of TLC. And, I could spend the next 4-6 months fixing my house and evaluating my long-term commitment to the I.T. profession.

Amazingly, we were at the end of month 6 when the other shoe dropped. I was making headway in the job market. I had a couple of IT job prospects and interviews. I was also interviewing with other companies for more "stability." Then Slick's company informed us that they were closing her office. We could move to North Carolina or she could find another job. It took us 4 days to decide. She took the relocation option.

And so, the next and most painful transition began. We had a buyer for our home in 4 days. We moved out before the end of August 2004. My tomatoes, that I had cared for all summer long, were about 1 week from being ripe. Slick stayed in PA to work in her office, while I went south to finalize our transition to the new house and re-start my job-search in Charlotte.

This is the part where one would think that things would become "normal." Yeah, not so much. Slick's company took 2 years to complete the transition. She worked out of offices in two states for 2 years. Sometimes staying in PA for 2 to 3 weeks at a time. My new job was great, but it also coincided with the onset of my medical condition.

Now, three years after the move we find ourselves the most stable. I still feel "transitional" because I'm still learning to cope with my condition and I'm not even considering work. Yet, this is the stable point. Five years after we began our first house-search, we are finally settled. Nothing is as we planned or wanted except that we are together.

Are we content with the situation? Hell no. Are we going to make the best of it? Hell yeah!

So what have I learned?

- I have learned to make long-term plans based on broad desires for health, well-being and a measure of financial security. Concrete plans are for this week, this month or this year.

- I have learned that the song "love the one you're with" is full of crap. Be with, wherever it takes you, the one you love. Let the rest sort itself out.

- I have learned that my condition, which still sucks, has been a blessing in our lives. It has forced us to re-evaluate our priorities...hopefully for the best.

- I have learned that the important stuff doesn't happen overnight. Life takes time to work itself out.

- I'm still working on patience and humility. While I seem to be making strides on the first, I wouldn't hold my breath on the second.

Who is my neighbor? Part II

In the traditions shaped by the Bible, offering hospitality is a moral imperative.
- Ana Maria Pineda from Practicing Our Faith, edited by Dorothy C Bass

When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your GOD.
- Leviticus 19:33-34

You shall LOVE the alien as yourself! Amen

Who is my neighbor?

Several weeks ago, I heard a pastor preach on the story of the good Samaritan. It was an excellent sermon, but not the point of today's post. It simply put the question of "neighbor" in my head.

Today, I woke up feeling like crapola. My neck is torqued and painful. My hands and arms numb. My feet and legs achy. And sleep? Well, that was crap too. How rough is it to have a debilitating medical condition? It sucks!

And yet, God is good! Even as I struggled to put my shoes on, I knew that my life is blessed. Even as I strained to put the dog's leash on, I knew that my life is good. Even as the dog's movements sent waves of pain up my arm and into my neck, I knew that I am so very lucky.

I have a wonderful home. I have a wife and large extended family who loves and cares for me. When I feel like this, I can take it easy because I don't have to work.

There are many people who are not so lucky. There are people who daily risk their lives and even break laws simply to have the hope of a life like mine. They are illegal immigrants. And make no mistake, they are your neighbors. Here in the US, millions of Christians are clamoring for tough laws against immigrants. We don't want amnesty. We want walls. We don't want hope. We want presumed safety. We want to rest assured that we are justified in our hypocrisy. And while the immigrants may break our laws, it is we that are the voice of the devil. It is we who want our houses built cheaply and our produce out of season. We tempt them with cheap labor and then we call them criminals for coming to get those jobs that we don't want.

Christ broke the sabbath more than once for the sake of people. He knew that God's law was for God's people, not the other way around. If good men, women and children are willing to risk so much, what are we willing to risk to help them. It's not enough to put up walls. We have to, instead tear down walls.

A just and equitable society starts with being kind to your neighbor. And our neighbors are from places like Mexico, Cuba, and Haiti. And what of rules and punishment? Ask yourself that simple bumper-sticker question: What would Jesus do?

Saying Goodbye to Foxtrot

Today, I'm deleting Foxtrot from my "tabbed" comic-strip viewing. Several months ago Bill Amend announced to his readers that he was stopping the daily strip so he can pursue other endeavors. I begrudge him not, but the Sunday strips simply feel empty without the true genius of the weekday storys. Since "tabbed" means that I open all my comic links at once, the Sunday strip is a constant reminder of the loss of one of my favorite comic strips of all time. (Calvin and Hobbs being #1.)

This begs the pathetically mundane question of my comics reading list.

Favorite Strips
For Better or For Worst - by Lynn Johson - I've been reading this strip for so long that they feel like family
PvP (player vs player) - by Scott Kurtz - This is my favorite pop-culture, geek webcomic.
User Friendly - This comic is a throwback to my I.T. days.
Order of the Stick - by Rich Burlew - A (not daily) comic strip for D&D players.

Other daily strips I'm sorta reading
Frazz - Intelligent strip by Jef Mallett, a devote' of Bill Watterson. Frazz feels like Calvin grown up.
Get Fuzzy - by Darby Conley - An odd strip about a man and his pets. Sometimes great...always odd.

Non-daily web-only strips
Looking for Group - A strip "inspired" by World of Warcraft.
Dork Tower - John Kovalic - Love all things Geek? Read it.
Nodwick & Full Frontal Nerdity - Two strips by another gaming geek master...Aaron Williams

So, I'll pose this to my little group of readers...What's not on my list that should be? What am I not reading that I would absolutely love? You can post a reply or send me an email. Remember, the selection must be available online. I don't get a paper.

But Elmo intercepted no transmissions...

You will tell me how to get to Sesame Street!

Bishop Hanson's Message

Bishop Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA put out a message to all ministers on the 15th including a section concerning the assembly's actions on gays & lesbians. I'm going to refrain from further comment and instead simply post the message. Here is his message...

Bishop's Message

And here is an excerpt pertaining directly to the question of sexuality...

It is important that we accurately describe the assembly's various decisions regarding our current studies on sexuality and standards for rostered ministries. It is significant that the tone of our discussions was thoughtful and respectful, reflecting the commitment made by the 2005 Churchwide Assembly that we "concentrate on finding ways to live together faithfully in the midst of disagreements...." The following summary may inform your discussions:

• The ELCA Churchwide Assembly rejected resolutions that would have changed ELCA policy and practice to permit persons in same-gender relationships to serve as rostered leaders.
• The assembly affirmed the study process that will lead to the development of a social statement on human sexuality, voted to share with the study's task force the synod memorials on this matter, and directed the task force to address current policies precluding "practicing homosexual persons" from serving as pastors or rostered leaders as part of the recommendations it will bring to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly.
• While voting on several occasions not to change the ELCA's constitution, bylaws, or policies, the assembly did take action to pray, urge, and encourage the leadership of the ELCA to "refrain from or demonstrate restraint in disciplining" pastors and other rostered leaders who are "in a mutual, chaste, and faithful committed same-gender relationship" and are currently serving in this church, as well as congregations that call such otherwise qualified candidates.

Let me underscore that this third action is not a change in the official documents or policies of the ELCA. Attempts to make such changes were rejected by the assembly.

However, the assembly offered the advice and counsel described above to bishops and others in positions of authority as they make pastoral decisions on matters relating to discipline as issues of human sexuality are being studied throughout the church prior to action by the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. The third action does not bind bishops to follow this requested course; rather, it expresses the sense of the assembly to encourage restraint in discipline during this time of deliberation.

As we prepare for a social statement on human sexuality in 2009, it is essential that leaders of this church invite ELCA members to participate in the current phase of the ELCA Studies on Sexuality. The development of social statements is participatory in nature. Responses to the third study are welcome until November 1, 2007. Watch for the first draft of the social statement in March 2008. Please encourage thoughtful response to it. You will find more information at www.elca.org/faithfuljourney.

This guy can write!

Linked is a very long article from Esquire -- no really, Esquire! -- Anyway, it's an excellent bit of reading for all my evil, liberal, educated Bush-bashering readers. You know who you are...

Greetings From Idiot America

The first part is a really solid review of the farce known as Intelligent Design. This leads into a really good review of how modern-American culture has been dumbing down science and reason for the sake of emotional "truth" and the Bush presidency.

Anyway, it's long and any summary by me will not do it justice.

Fear the mighty power of dog hair

So, my dog sheds a lot. It's interesting because he doesn't have a lot of dander and thus, I'm not allergic to him like I am to other dogs. Anyway, the house is in a constant state of needing vacuuming. I could vacuum every day and not remove all the hair. So foolishly, I just let it pile up for a while until one day Slick and I realize that the floor isn't fit to walk on and I break out the vacuum.

The vacuum, a Hoover, was bought when we moved here and it wasn't cheap. You know that commercial for those Dyson vacuums where the guy talks about loosing suction, well within a year this one did. I constantly took it to the garage to remove hair from the rollers. And still it was forever clogged with hair. Then --- dun dun dun -- 4-5 months ago it started to smell when I ran it. Shit! So, frustrated that it was overheating because of the clogs I would run it in "spurts." That wasn't helping. So, not only would I run it in spurts, I cut back on the cleaning even more. Now that a dog-hair jungle started to crop up, I realized I had no choice but to crack it open or go to a repair shop. Feeling cheap, I got my tools.

All I can say is, I wish I had done it sooner. The rollers are easily removed. Now, the bad part. One end of one of the four rollers is completely chewed up because of *gasp* dog hair. The hot smell was from the plastic being rubbed off like it was in a grinder. And hair was in the junctions so thick and compact that I, at first, thought I was looking at dirty plastic washers. So, the damage to the brushes is complete, but they are usable and perhaps replaceable. I still marvel at it all. Still, had I known about the ease of removal, (6 screws!) I could have done this every few months!

Anyway, off to do the first test-run and then maybe I can shave my dog! Nair anyone?

A final word of my discontent for memorial "E"

Well, it's been several days since I saw the news about the ELCA "memorial" about G&L pastors. I had a long talk with my father about my complete and utter contempt for the way the church failed to utilize their website in this matter. But thus far the whole thing seems to be blowing over. Shame too. Chaos can be a good thing!

The result seems to be that the church didn't do anything new. The official position hasn't changed. Leadership just went ahead and put something in writing to help protect G&L pastors from witch-hunts.

A good friend and extreme liberal told me once that the real reason conservative Christians persecute G&Ls is because they think it's "icky." I believe that there's a great deal of truth to his point. Still, I can not deny the prayerful deliberations of my fellow Christians just because I think them wrong. Nor can I begin to close the divide between the two camps on this issue.

And yet, it is my fervent belief that the current rules of our faith marginalize members of our community. This stands in stark contrast to the will of Christ. We do this, not out of desired principles, but out of sin-induced hypocrisy. Anyone can proof-text very convincing arguments against homosexuals and just as easily commit sins of sexuality. The simple and inescapable truth is that we all fall short of the grace of God.

What concerns me the most is that the "body" of the ELCA needs all it's parts. Liberals need conservatives to keep us from going over the proverbial deep-end of pluralism and permissiveness. The Conservatives need us to keep from becoming like the scribes and pharisees. I find it interesting that Jesus' actions spoke volumes to this very problem. If a situation demanded that he break a rule, he did so. But never did he stray from the intent of the rules of his faith.

Admittedly, I offer no answers here. I wish I did. I trust the Holy Spirit and I try to act accordingly. Perhaps, the ELCA will continue to exist as a both/and. We will, depending on geography & population, be a welcoming place for our G&L brothers & sisters. We will also not be so. I can't decide if this is a broken, sinful element to our human-made institution OR a joyful spirit-inspired act by Christ's Church.

A final note: My father pointed out (without any statistical backing) that the bulk of ELCA leadership (pastors and lay-leaders) are liberal while the bulk of membership lean conservative. It makes me wonder then if the will of the Church can ever be accomplished if those who make decisions do not represent the hearts and minds of those whom they represent. But then, if the job of leadership is to discern the will of Christ... Church politics are simply screwy.

Cheating at Video Games

I found an article at Slate today that I wanted to share. It's about video game cheating.

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, B, A

If you know that code, you had a Nintendo in the 80's! The article is dead-on about the acceptance of cheating in "old-school" video-games and the problem now with cheating in the new era of MMORPG's (Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games.)

But "up, up, down, down, left, right, b, a" takes me back. It was 20 years ago, when Elie and I would sit in my kitchen on snow-days surrounded by junk food and engage in marathon sessions of games we rented at the local video store. Ah, those marathon sessions of Contra & Super Mario Brothers! Always with the cheat codes and extra live tricks were there to keep us going!

In college it was "god-mode" for 1st-person shooters like Dark Forces, Castle Wolfenstein and DOOM! Nothing better than playing DOOM "god-mode" at 2am in your dorm room when you should be writing that history report! Chainsaw FTW!!! (for the win!)

Now, not so much. There are times when I miss the days of cheat-codes and actually "winning" a video game instead of the constant, endless pseudo-reality of World of Warcraft. Ah, nostalgia...

up, up, down, down, left, right, b, a

Another News Story

This one is from the Chicago Tribune and is much clearer than the Reuters story from yesterday.

Lutherans ask bishops to keep gay clergy in ministry

Interesting...

edit

Here's another one...

Lutherans vote not to punish gay ministers

Nope, still not sure...

So, I've been pouring through the section concerning sexuality in the ELCA "memorial" documentation that went out before the national convention and I'm still scratching my head. It's either a well-designed bunch of legal-mumbo-jumbo or the national standardized reading test for 3rd graders. Either way, Huh?!? I'm linking it, but don't try and read it!

Report of the Memorials Committee

Anyway, I know as much as I knew before I looked at section "E." The ELCA, just like the rest of the world, is divided on human sexuality. I do, however, take comfort in a few things. "We" do, at least in print, strive to be accepting of the sinner even if we actively can't seem to discern what to do with the sin. In other words, everyone agrees to refrain from gay-bashing. Everyone actively wants to be welcoming....sorta.

My biggest frustration is that this HOT issue isn't front-page stuff on the ELCA home page. Hasn't anyone gotten any clue that this is the story that the new-people will run with? Hasn't anyone looked and seen what's happening to the Episcopalians? Dude, seriously! In the absence of real information and serious communication, people (like me) are gonna make shit up. This...and many other reasons...is why I stay out of church politics.

Sigh! Stupid is as stupid does!

Huge News in the ELCA?!?

For those who've been hiding under a rock or have just tuned in, I am a Lutheran. Specifically, I'm a member of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.) Anyway, some big news appears to be happing at the national assembly. A story just hit Reuters News service a few hours ago and I found it on MSNBC...

Lutherans to allow pastors in gay relationships

"The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America passed a resolution at its annual assembly urging bishops to refrain from disciplining pastors who are in 'faithful committed same-gender relationships.'"

Now, hold on a minute...There's the news and then there's what happened. I'm still working on the second. I am truly hopeful. Too often "the Church" in it's many forms has turned away or evenly abused people because they have been deemed unwelcome, unworthy or unforgivable. Christ's church is supposed to be a place of refuge and hope for everyone. Perhaps, this marks a step in the right direction. But I ramble...I'll let Charlotte Elliott do the talking:

Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bidst me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not To rid my soul of one dark blot, To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about With many a conflict, many a doubt, Fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; Sight, riches, healing of the mind, Yea, all I need in Thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thy love unknown Hath broken every barrier down; Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, of that free love The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above, O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Dvorak Likes Mac!

Most of you won't recognize the name or care about this post, but today I unearthed an article from John Dvorak saying nice things about Mac! John is editor of PC Mag, a famous tech-blogger, member of the TWiT network & their token Mac-basher. In the following review he speaks about his recent experience using a Mac. And *gasp* he likes it...

Me and My Mac

Cool!

Chase Utley, the Man-Crush and wondering about who reads my blog

So, here I am on vacation. My brother-in-law and I got into one of those glass half-full/empty conversations about the Phillies this morning (thus the previous post about Pat the Bat.) Anyway, after lively discussion about pitching we came to our All-Star second baseman, Chase Utley. He exclaimed that his wife (my sister) has been suggesting that he has a "man-crush" on Chase. So, I told him -- as my wife rolled her eyes the way she does -- "So do I!" I mean, he may become the best hitting 2nd baseman of all time. What's not to like?!?

I think this is funny enough that I'm gonna post it on the blog for a laugh, but then I get distracted by my book, the pool, my niece and all the usual distractions of vacation. Between the morning and the afternoon an interesting thing happens; I read my sister's blog. She's *gasp* linked me!

A horde of her weird friends and readers might glance at my blog. Should I clean the floors? Maybe run out to the store and buy some wine? Cheese? WWGD (What would granny do?) Get a hold of yourself!!! OK...

Do I even want company? Don't most of my friends and family just humor me by reading my posts? Wait, my posts! Have I said anything offensive? Too PC? Not PC enough? Will any of her radically liberal fruitcake friends be offended by my "man-crush" comment? Wait, will they be more offended by being called fruitcakes or my sister's friends? Wait, wait...do I care?

Admittedly, yes...of course I care! Not so much to run out and put a fresh coat of virtual paint on the walls, but you get the idea. The reality of my life is that Clark Kent looks at me and says, "wow, he's mild-mannered." I'm about as radical as sliced bread. The most controversial web-site I frequent is Slate.com. Sure, my family's activist tendencies have rubbed off enough for me to work at a habitat house once or twice. And yes, I'm a member of the bleeding heart liberal democrat voting block. (I once considered voting for a republican for 0.05 seconds, but I was worried that lighting would strike me down.) But that's about the end of it. I like my middle-class suburban lifestyle and the "no politics" rule that goes up when our friends get together.

So, where does that leave me? Well hopefully, I've got a somewhat funny post to welcome some new readers and a feeling of relief that Chase will hopefully never know how I feel! Besides, how could I compete with my brother-in-law...he's taller than me!

How to be the best AND worst player on your team all at the same time

The trick is in being inconsistently consistent.

Take Pat "the Bat" Burrell...

Monthly Averages
April - .292
May - .179
June - .129
July - .435

Put these together and what do you have? A solid average of .268! This is amazingly above his career average of .259.

Game By Game 2007

On the Road Again

Well, after less than 2-weeks at home after heading north to my grandmother's funeral, I'm off to the annual family gathering in OBX. "Annual" means that it all started about 6 years ago when my parents & uncle decided that we all lived too far apart and needed to do stuff together. I still remember how Slick and I suggested OBX (having gone there with her family & with my college gang.) "They" (my family) all said it was too far and looked for alternatives for weeks. We've been going every year since.

This week (starting today) is my Christmas. It's the week I look forward to every year. I know this because I couldn't fall asleep until midnight and woke up at 5:30am. The car was packed by 6:30am! (We don't leave until 8:30am) Given our vacation schedule, this is it unless they come to visit us (HINT!!) My father constantly says things like "when are you coming up?" And it causes my frustration to no end. He's really saying, "I miss you," but it really only serves to remind me about the miles between us.

But still, this really works. Having 3 pastors in the family, I hate trying to visit them for Christmas. That never works. It's always hours of travel punctuated by hours of sitting around waiting for them to finish writing sermons or lead multiple worship services (none of which are ever at the same time!) Often we use this week to hand out little presents to the family. There's always an excuse...birthdays...arbor day...but really it's just Christmas!

This year I did a stupid STUPID thing. My mother always asks me to bring supplies and that usually means a Costco run. I usually try to weasel my way out, but this year I took a different approach. I bought everything! This is dumb because it requires two coolers. That wouldn't be so bad, but we've also be wrangled into picking up my God-mother at the airport (mid-way.) So, the escape is packed to the roof. There should be enough room for her and her stuff in the back seat...I hope. My father suggested strapping her to the roof. Since, I don't have WWI-era fighter-pilot goggles to give her, we'll have to make do!

Next year, I buy the beer, wine, soymilk & that's it! Mmmm...beer!

Holy Teaser Batman

I was rummaging around Digg.com for the random odd-ball news story which got me over to a very interesting post on The Geeks of Doom site. Apparently, the folks doing the next Batman flick decided to give us a really cool trailer. There's really nothing to see, but there is a lot to hear!

Anticipation

Why the Michael Vick Saga Should Bother Us...no matter what

I want to take this moment to offer a warm hug to my friends who are VT grads & to dog lovers everywhere. Michael Vick is a bad man.

How involved was Vick? Does that matter? Well, yeah. If I lend my friend my car and they go run people down, is it my fault? No. What if I knew my friend was on drugs, feeling homicidal or simply had their license suspended? Now, we're getting somewhere.

If Vick knew even a sliver about the dog-fighting, even if it was only a hunch, then he's deserves everything that's coming: suspension, infamy, lost endorsement contracts and potential criminal charges.

There is a difference between abandoning friends and allowing them to destroy your life. Vick's freedom and livelihood are in jeopardy either because of an utter lack of good judgment or because he himself is an evil bastard. Either way, he's a failure. Either way, all the wanna-be AI's and Vicks out there should pay attention. Success in life means taking personal responsibility. It also means holding your friends accountable for their actions. Men like Vick's co-defendants aren't anyone's friends. And Vick, by his actions or in-action is no longer a friend to the city of Atlanta or the NFL or to animal lovers everywhere.

Vick should be ashamed. All of Atlanta is ashamed. You know that the NFL is ashamed. So much for friendship.

PS. Emmit Smith gets my vote for moron of the year award.

File Under WTF

So, I'm really excited by the concept of MLBtv. I'm really happy to watch Phillies games. And for the most part, I'm pleased. Sadly, the moronic blackout restrictions have been frustrating.

1) All Nationals, Reds, Braves & Orioles games are blacked out. I can listen, but not watch. Now, the Braves games make sense to me. This is Braves country. I can be in Atlanta in a few hours. They are shown regularly on our TV. But as I type, the Phillies are playing the Nationals. That game is not on our local tv. The rules don't even let me watch the recordings of these games. Why not? What purpose does it serve to restrict my access to an already finished game?

2) Weekend restrictions: Saturday afternoon & Sunday night games are blacked out...period. It doesn't matter that Phillies games are rarely shown here. They are still blacked out. This is an "exclusive rights" agreement.

Mortality

I mentioned that I had lots of content from my trip north. This post comes from my thoughts while driving through Allentown on 4 hours sleep on my way to say goodbye to my grandmother. This is the morbid, un-fun post. I thought I'd just get it out of the way.

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The first time I really came face to face with my own mortality was on my 12th birthday. My cat, Tinkerbell had just been struck by a car. My cat was dead. Although I remembered my great grandmother's funeral, this was my first real experience with death. I realized that someday I too would die.

This death pales in comparison to the most traumatic and live-altering death of in my life: The death of my Aunt Grace. I learned that accidents and old-age were not the only causes of death. We can die slowly, at our own hands, through smoking. To this day I abhor smoking. I still have family that smoke and I bristle with anger at them for risking premature death as they do. I admit to myself that I see smoking as slow suicide. Yes, smoking is an addiction, I tell myself. I think of the unnecessary risks I take in my life and call myself a hypocrite. Yet, it all seems so weak and selfish. So, when I consider my own addictive tendencies and how to avoid them, I think of that young man crying in desperation in his dorm room 16 years ago.

Last week I faced a completely different kind of reality when my Grandmother passed away. It was a reality I saw from my father's eyes. He (and my mother) had no parents left. They were like "orphans" (a word Dad used in passing during my visit.) It struck me harder than my grandmother's death. My father, like me, had a wonderful relationship with the in-laws. One of the great blessings of marriage is that I not only gained a wife and partner, but that I have 2 sets of loving parents. I have two dads to get advice on leaky faucets and mangled shutters. I have two moms to tell my problems to when I don't want to burden Slick. Someday, they will all be gone. Isn't that a kick in the teeth?

I think about the deaths of family & loved-ones. I wonder why these three deaths are so much more significant to me than the others. It wasn't the relationships, but the experiences of their deaths. I remember the grave-digger from Hamlet and I think of the certainty of death. I also think of the lessons of death and in turn focus of the power of life.

This is where, if I'm not careful, this post either turns into a sermon or a lament. Sermons are for preachers & laments are for people who feel trapped by mortality. I am neither. I am thankful for life and the lives of the people around me. Instead of focusing on the tomorrow that will eventually come, I'm taking joy from today. The point of this post then is this...

Carpe Diem! Oh, and call your mother(s)!

Reflections on my 1.5 Weeks North

Here are reflections, observations, remembrances from my trip to the Keystone State and New England...in no particular order...

- Some Starbucks close before 10:30pm. Imagine my shock and frustration to learn this at 10:40pm while on i81N in VA.

- Even if you missed the sign, you can still tell when you've crossed over into Pennsylvania. Damn roads still suck.

- Eastern PA is still the best place in the world to play the Alphabet game. Thank you Amish Quilts!

- There are few things more frustrating than needing a "J" while sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic in Kutztown with the words Left, McDonalds, Next, Open, & Pork all in visual range.

- The "road to nowhere" actually goes somewhere now! This is the highway in Reading, PA that just stopped in the middle of nowhere for the longest time.

- Sheetz kicks ass and takes names, but WaWa is like an old friend.

- Driving through PA is like driving from construction zone to construction zone. I had forgotten this.

- When approaching a lane merge in heavy traffic, Pennsylvanians still "encourage" one another to fall-in-line. They do so with military precision and upto a mile before the merge.

- Driving through your old college-town on the way to bear witness to death with only 4 hours of sleep is an "interesting" experience.

- The Charlotte, NC region has done an incredible job cutting back on smoking areas. I know this because of the shock I felt in PA & CT at the size and prominence of smoking areas.

- They make Turkey Scrapple. I'm not sure what's in it, which disturbs me.

- The best wine/liquor store I've ever seen is right down the street from my parents. This stands in stark contrast to the crap-selections available throughout PA.

- People who've never shopped at Costco have no idea about their insane consumer electronics department.

- Some friendships are renewed the moment you see the other person.

- My 8 year old niece may be the smartest member of the family. Be afraid! Be very afraid!

- I must learn to make Ratatouille.

- If you like scifi audiobooks, look online for "The Secret World Chronicles." It's free and simply awesome! It's also long enough to listen to for 14 hours straight!

- Never drink Full Throttle energy drink. I don't care how late it is or how tired you are. Don't do it. You've been warned!

- Never eat a Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddles. I don't care if it's 10AM and you've been on the road since 6AM! Don't do it! Go find some fruit!

- If you need coffee:
In the Philly suburbs: drive on any major road for 1 mile to find Starbucks.
In New England: drive on any road for 0.5 and find 3 Dunkin Donuts.
In VA: It's old, stale gas station coffee for you!

- There are some really stupid people in the world and I'm apparently related to a few of them. Yes, there are some good stories here and no I'm not going to share them.

- 100.5 years is a good run.

- Home is where the heart lies. Mine currently resides in North Carolina. :-D

I have returned

OK, so I'm not MacArthur and this isn't the Philippines, but I am home. I've had access to the internet while I was away, and I could have easily blogged. Heck, I've been storing up a ton of content ideas. I really just don't know where to begin. So, I'm going to start by crawling into bed with my wife and sleeping in my own bed. I'll start my many wondrous tales* tomorrow.

*edited based on feedback. Never write when you're exhausted and your friends are grammar police.

Phillies Do the Right Thing

Did anyone catch the highlights from the Rockies v Phillies rain delay from last night?

High winds during the rain delay last night were pushing grounds crew members around. At least one man became caught under the tarp. That's when the Phillies bench cleared to help. There's video of it here.

Highlights

After lossing 2-3 from both the Mets & Rockies, it's a good way to go into the All Star Break. At .500 they are in the right position to make a 2nd-half run at the play-offs. They have the best bats in the NL & they've hit bottom with their pitching. Hopefully, there's nowhere to go but up.

When I get to heaven

My sister posted in her blog today that she is going to take on the issue of sexuality with her parishioners. Anyway, this got me thinking about the nature of Sin and about the nature of Grace. I know, a hug subject shift from the post on the MLB All-Star Team, but bear with me.

My prospective of the nature of sin has always been it's pervasiveness. I believe that every act is tainted by sin. I don't believe in the human capacity for true & unconditional altruism, at least, not without divine intervention. Perhaps this sounds pessimistic to you, but it's not. In fact, I've always seen it as one of the cornerstones to my belief in God. At my most loving and selfless moments, I still fall short of God's grace, yet I'm loved by God anyway. From this giant leap of hope and faith comes the other side of that stone, the belief in a God that can love in the face of our most hateful & selfish moments.

The promise of Christ is a promise about the people I hope to meet in heaven. I hope to meet the most hated and vilified people in history. I don't want St Peter welcoming me. I'd rather have Judas there to tell me that the forgiveness of sins knows no bounds. This is the hope with which I greet the world.

Anyway, this brings me back to my sister's quest. Christians spend so much time focusing on the nature of sin that they loose sight of the nature of Grace. If there's room in heaven for Judas, maybe there's room in the Church for everyone. I guess that's where I'd start her discussion...With Grace.

All-Star Roster Comparison

So, how did my picks work? With 14 of my 16 picks going to the All-Star game, I'm really pleased with my choices. I apparently can't pick short stops. You'll also note that I didn't make pitcher selections. That's because I know squat about pitching and what makes a good pitcher.

Anyway, I'm really glad that Matt Holiday & Aaron Rowand both made it as reservists. Both of them are having great years. I'd much rather see them than Barry Bonds.

AL
1B: D Ortiz, BOS - Starter!
2B: B Roberts, BAL - Reserve!
SS: O Cabrera, LAA - Not on the team. :-(
3B: A Rod, NYY - Starter!
C: J Posada, NYY - Reserve!
OF: I Suzuki, SEA - Starter!
OF: M Ordonez, DET - Starter!
OF: V Guerrero, LAA - Starter!

NL
1B: A Pujols, STL - Starter!
2B: C Utley, PHI - Starter!
SS: J Rollins, PHI - Not on the team. :-(
3B: M Cabrera, FLA - Reserve!
C: R Martin, LAD - Starter!
OF: M Holiday, COL - Reserve!
OF: A Soriano, CHC - Reserve!
OF: A Rowand, PHI - Reserve!

Hopefully, some of the All-Star events will be on MLB.TV. The stupid "exclusive" rights rules are confusing and stupid. I don't get playoffs and I'm in the potential black-out regions for the Braves, Reds, Orioles & Nationals.

I can watch LIVE Phillies games! w00t!!!

My mother-in-law got me a subscription to watch MLB games live on the computer. I watched some footage from the Phillies game from Wed and it looked good. Tonight, will be our first chance to see it LIVE when the Phils take on the Rockies. The package she got includes the ability to watch upto 6 games at once & has a player tracker. That's very cool! I'll let you know how it goes.

Transformers

One of my favorite childhood addictions grew up this week with the release of Transformers the Movie. As as a red-blooded American boy growing up in the 80's, Transformers was a must. Being a complete geek, many of my childhood heroes followed me into adulthood: Luke Skywalker, Batman, Spiderman, but not Optimus...Until now.

Let me jump right to the point and say that Transformers delivers as promised. It is a Michael Bay summer block buster in the grand tradition of the Rock & Armageddon. As with the other Bay works, there are plenty of dizzying action-sequences with huge explosions all encapsulated in an un-freakin'-believable plot that almost holds up...well, mostly. In other words, a perfect excuse to escape the heat with an over-priced bag of popcorn in one hand & a slushy in the other! (Yeah, I got water...damn this diet!)

OK, onto some actual points about the movie.

Successes:

Opening sequence:
Perhaps I've seen one too many James Bond movies, but I'm a firm believer in the power of the opening sequence to make or break a film. By the time the opening sequence is over, you know that this isn't a kid's cartoon anymore. You also know that a single one of these big bad robots is nasty enough to wipe out an entire U.S. military base. Dear Mr Bay, "You had me at Kaboom!"

Decepticons:
As a whole, the Decepticons were so much more interesting than the Autobots. They truly lived up to their name. Time and again, I found myself doing double-takes when I saw a helicopter or jet. Thanks to Blackout's (helicopter) opening sequence, I spent the entire film afraid of military choppers. Is that him? No, whew...Wait, what about that one? No...whew. And Frenzy (Boombox) was their MVR (most valuable robot.) The tiniest of them was the most dangerous. The success of the Decepticons as a film element was the building process. Each time we were introduced to a Decepticon, it was a ratcheting-up of the danger. In this way, the final emergence of Megatron was something to truly fear!

Bumblebee:
Thank goodness for Bumblebee. Yes, they turned him into a Camaro, but it really worked. Bumblebee gave the Autobots soul. The bonding between Bumblebee & Sam was great. Unlike the Decepticons, the Autobots were introduced to us as Bumblebee's friends. All of Sam's trust in Optimus Prime (18-wheeler) was based completely on his trust in Bumblebee. Thankfully, it worked.

The Voice of Optimus Prime:
This was my "Fan-Boy" moment. The voice of Peter Cullen saying "Autobots, transform--and roll out!" His voice and the character of Optimus was nearly unnecessary for the success of the plot, but essential to the box-office. His voice on that robot is what we, the fans went to hear.

Sam Witwicky
I've been really confused why Hollywood seems to have a chubby for Shia Labeouf. Yet, he was the perfect stand-in for all of us one-time awkward teenagers who dreamed of being a hero and getting the girl! I'm no longer dreading him as Indiana Jones' son.

Note: Holy Megan Fox Batman!

Disappointments:

One big "Go Army" movie:
Our beloved armed forces should show this movie during every recruiting drive. They should see if Josh Duhamel will stand in for Uncle Sam. Seriously, I'm also a military history & movie junky, but it may have been just a tad over the top. They should really show this on the 4th of July or somethi...Oh wait...Good call!

Note: Michael Bay's a life-saver. Now I don't need a G.I.Joe film!

On the subject of monumentally stupid decisions:
How do we turn our aforementioned poster-boy for Army recruitment into the ambassador for the incredibly stupid? Let's have him lead an insanely big, genocide-seeking, megalomaniac robot into the heart of a densely populated city for our climatic fight-sequence. Nobody has a problem with this? Clearly, this is an example of a scripting after deciding on the fight sequence.

Autobots:
As I mentioned earlier, Bumblebee was the saving-grace for a completely under-developed collective of comic relief and cannon-fodder. When the heroes take out a Decepticon it's cause for celebration, but when an Autobot falls nobody but a total fan cares. (I am and I didn't.) This is the real disappointment of the film. Without being a Transformers fan, you don't feel anything for Optimus Prime or any of the others.

On the subject of even more monumentally stupid decisions:
What kind of sick, twisted parents bring 4 & 5 year-olds to see a PG-13 movie? The theater was packed with them. It was violent. It was REALLY violent. People were blowing up left and right. Seriously, I know this has nothing to do with the actual movie, but WTF? Wait, this is a movie review, not a soap box!

In conclusion:
If you're willing to suspend your disbelief and watch some robots in disguise, then Transformers is the movie for you.

We is All Stupid

As you are probably aware, the city of New York is banning trans-fat oils from restaurants. Let me link just one of the many articles about this story. I'm all in favor of everyone cooking with Olive or Canola oil. But have you stopped for a moment and looked at the focus for a moment? Let me key you in on some of the buzz-words from these articles: French Fries, Donuts, Deep Fryers...

Has anyone stopped to ask how much trans fat is required to build up "bad cholesterol" and clog arteries? If I'm eating enough French fries, donuts and generally deep fried foods to blame my problems on trans fats, am I not already overwhelming my body with high concentrations of bad calories? Sure, I've cut back on the "bad" stuff, but I'm still obese and a candidate for adult onset diabetes.

Yes, the banning of trans fats will also help in nutritional values of meals that don't include deep fryers, but the articles I've read still suggest that we are all focused on the symptoms and not the real cure. Instead of changing our bad behavior, we simply make changes to the process and pretend we're improving things.

Man, I could go for some French fries right now...