Tag: rain

Unfinished Todos

Michael4 Comments

Along with last week’s post about categorizing people, another anomoly with carrying a PDA is that whatever goes on your todo list stays on your todo list. Forever. Unlike an unreliable brain that has that convenient ability to forget, a PDA never forgets. (I was going to make an analogy between a PDA and an elephant, but early Monday mornings don’t lend itself to that sort of creativity.) The best you can hope for is some sort of power surge or electrical spike that obliterates your entire list and lets you start over. Hopefully, that won’t occur when it’s in your pocket. (Another creative analogy gone undeveloped: either an electrical spike or an elephant in your pants pocket would be inconvenient.)

For instance, tasks that I’m not really working on –

  • My current PDA is the AT&T Tilt, and I like it a lot. I suspect that AT&T has a cheaper plan for 2 phone lines and a data line, but I have to call them to find out.
  • Do those little credit card sized antennae that you slip next to your cell phone battery work? I need better reception at home.
  • WordPress 2.5 was released this weekend and I want to upgrade. My experiment in HTML design is over, though, and I don’t want to do my own coding. I just want to write.
  • I’m working on a lesson this week from Genesis where Joseph is thrown into a cistern. That’s the chapter I’ve been assigned. I wish I also had the chapter where Joseph gets out of the cistern because I think I could put together a more coherent lesson. As it is, I’m left with, “Try not to get thrown into a cistern,” or, “God’s will may be for you to get thrown in a cistern.” I’m not seeing that yet. I’ll pop over to Coffeeswirls and see if Doug has any insight.
  • Speaking of PDA’s, my old Palm Lifedrive has a hard drive malfunction. I don’t want to throw it away because the data on it is sensitive. I’m thinking the best solution is to take a hammer to it. That seems so cruel though.
  • What are the rules for apostrophes, anyway? Should the title have been “Unfinished Todo’s”? Somebody might wonder what a todos is, like it’s some sort of Greek delicacy.
  • Time to make my house more energy efficient. Either radiant barrier, better insulation, or improved windows. I’m thinking about hiring somebody to do an energy audit to tell me where the best place to spend money is.
  • Today is stock trading day. I stopped posting returns at the beginning of this year; when you’re not posting much, the financial stuff seemed a little overwhelming. I’m happily beating the market though, and exploring new investment ideas such as “Decision Moose.” Really. Go google it.
  • And google “What time is it in Indiana” while you’re at it. I have a business trip coming up there, and I’ve decided those people are lunatics for arguing about time zones and daylight savings time for over 200 years.
  • The latest Firefox has a plugin to help add pictures and links to your blog. It’s called Zemanta. That means I’ll also have to download Firefox.

What sort of things are on your todo list that you may never do?

Advertisements

Muse

Michael3 Comments

Muse. I need a good muse.

I spent so much traveling time at the end of last year, I just couldn’t really take the time to post anything. On the road it’s hard enough since internet access and free time is limited. When I got back, I sort of decompressed and didn’t write anything. Just paying bills, going to work, blah blah blah. I’ve even been a bit under the weather, which is unusual for me. I had a stomach pain a couple of weeks ago, and this week I have this most annoying crick in the left shoulder blade area.

But I haven’t forgotten I like to write, spew stuff out of my brain. I just haven’t figured out where to start.

I see this morning Obama is drawing big crowds in San Antonio. I might vote for him in the Texas primaries. Not because I think he’d be a good president, but because I think it would be so easy for McCain to beat him.

Other than that… well, I need a muse. Or rest, I dunno which. There will be a bible study posted early next week on Genesis 25-27, so if you want to read ahead and tell me who you think best exemplifies Godly character (Isaac, Rebekkah, Jacob, Esau), I’d appreciate it.

Feverish Dreams

Michael2 Comments

I’m a little under the weather. Whatever *that* phrase means. Aren’t I always under the weather?

I came down with a cold or flu right after wearing those colonial clothes in my last post. Nothing major; sniffles, running nose, occasionally cough. My eyes burn and my scalp is tender. I may have a low grade fever that comes and goes.

I didn’t eat much yesterday, and drank a 20 oz bottle of Diet Coke in the afternoon. I think the lack of food, the excess caffeine, and the shot of Nyquil I took before bedtime gave me weird, weird dreams. I don’t feel like I slept, though I’m sure I did. My brain felt active all night, stumbling across weird images, propositions, conversations.

My dreams are always active; it’s like going to the movies. Usually, there’s some sort of plot or esoteric meaning (or perhaps only some regurgitated bell pepper) in my dreams, but last night was just random stuff. I’ll give you a sampling; tell me if it makes your brain go *pop*.

I’m dreaming that my laptop is on the fritz; no matter what application I’m using, pressing the F1 “Help” key pops up pictures of random zoo animals. I take it to, where else, a hospital, to have my laptop looked at.

While I’m waiting for my turn to see a doctor, Tom Cruise comes in. Apparently, he’s had some sort of stroke, but before the doctors medicate him, he wants somebody to call his fiancée. Except he now has an odd lisp, and it comes out “fiance-pay.” The doctor asks what the heck a fiance-pay is. Since I have a laptop, I thought I’d google the entertainment news to see if Tom Cruise is actually engaged, but I can’t get Internet Explorer to come up.

As an alternate, I decide to look up “fiance-pay” to see if that’s a real word, but my Microsoft Word aborts with an error. I press F1 for Help, and a drawing of an aardvark pops up on my screen, and the doctor asks me why I’m looking at aardvarks at a time like this.

I think the word “aardvark” sounds funny, so I repeat it 3 times. Aardvark, aardvark, aardvark… and wake myself up laughing at the word aardvark.

Awake yet again, I roll over, and start the next random Nyquil-and-caffeine-induced dream sequence. And I thought of stuff just like this all night long.

Today, I’m very tired. And sniffly. And drinking another Diet Coke.

Praying for Rain

Michael3 Comments

I first saw the news yesterday that governor of Georgia was going to lead a prayer for rain. I only briefly glanced over it; if I thought of it at all, it was to remark to myself that it’s probably only a photo op to appease his votors, or if he’s sincere, a passing wonder if an answered prayer for rain was within God’s will.

But today, the news is different. The mere act of praying, now, violates the imaginary separation of church and state. The protestor is disgruntled because the governor is praying “in the name of Georgia.” Bah. There’s a lunatice so concerned he might accidentally receive a blessing from God that he’s going to protest that somebody is praying for rain.

Do me a favor today, would you? Pray for rain for the devout people of Georgia. Pray that the rain will show the mighty hand of our Lord at work in our world. And if you’re a government employee, please make sure to pray in the name of the local, state, or U.S. government agency that you work for. (There’s probably a government form for rain prayers somewhere but I don’t have time to look it up.)

Christian Carnival CLXXXVI

Michael21 Comments

Christian Carnival #186 is up… here! Chasing the Wind is humbled to host the Carnival this week. Without further ado, here are this week’s best Christian blogging.

Oh wait, here’s a little more ado. I’ve divided this week’s post in sections with a brief description about how this relates to Christian living. Ok, *now* we’re out of ado…

CHRIST. No Christian blogging would be complete without pondering our Lord and Savior and what He means to us. Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Doug presents Christ at Creation posted at Bounded Irrationality. Doug examines how Jesus could be present as man and God before creation.

This week at Light Along the Journey John considers what is exactly The Right Thing to Say.

JR Madill presents The Public Spectacle posted at Theology for the Masses.

CHRISTIAN LIFE. It’s one thing to study and pray (well, ok, that was two things), but it’s another thing entirely to live the Christian life. How do you apply and think and live as a Christian?

Patricia presents 30 Ways to Instantly be a Better Parent posted at A Better You Blog.

Stretch Mark Mama presents Passing on Perspective posted at Stretch Mark Mama.

Chad Dalton at The Minor Prophet considers Abraham’s Tradition. Thoughts on Abraham’s burial of his wife Sarah.

Jody Neufeld presents The John Webb Winter Golf Tournament posted at Jody Along the Path. Reflecting on the experience of coordinating this event that raises money for children hospitalized with serious illnesses.

blue skelton presents Simpsons Porn, Funny or Immoral? posted at Production Blog. An article that asks, Is it still a sin to watch pornography if it is a cartoon. We are looking for a other Christian’s Viewpoint on this issue.

BIBLE STUDY AND PRAYER. While the glory of the cosmos practically scream out the power and majesty of a creator, to truly know *the* Creator requires study so that God’s Word can speak to you, and it requires prayer so that you can speak to God.

William Meisheid presents Wholistic Salvation posted at Beyond The Rim…. An attempt to look at salvation in a more wholistic [sic] manner.

Ian Spencer presents Dispensationalism and the Interpretation of Scripture Part 2: Prophetic Literature posted at Philosophical Orthodoxy. The second part of a continuing series critiquing dispensationalist methods of interpreting Scripture.

Richard H. Anderson presents Assembly of Yahweh posted at dokeo kago grapho soi kratistos Theophilos.

Tom presents The Remarkable 19th Psalm posted at Thinking Christian. With our modern Christian and scientific viewpoints, we might easily fail to notice what this psalm does not say. It’s an appreciation of the sun, a joyful one at that. And yet–there is not a hint of sun-worship in it. Remarkable.

Ann Shorb presents GOD HAS ME posted at Christian Counseling & Educational Services.

Henry Neufeld presents St. John Chrysostom on Hebrews 6 posted at Participatory Bible Study Blog. St. John Chrysostom gives a comprehensive and interesting view of Hebrews 6:4-6 and the impossibility of restoration for the apostate.

Lingamish: The Lord of
Rage Somebody’s knocking at the door. But it’s not who you think.
Lingamish looks at Nahum’s vision of an angry God and finds a hidden place of
safety.

CHURCH. When two or more are gathered in His name, He is there. As a group of Christians, we are the bride of Christ, His church. What do we believe and how to we implement it?

FMF presents How'd You Like to Be Taxed for Going to Church? posted at Free Money Finance. How would you like to pay a tax to go to church?

Steven Krager presents Have you lost faith? | faithdoubt posted at faithdoubt. This is a posting in response to an article about an LA Times writer and his Christian faith journey. It is about problems in the Church and losing faith.

Diane R presents Deacons posted at Crossroads: Where Faith and Inquiry Meet. What are deacons exactly? And why don’t most churches have them? What are they supposed to do? In my church we have one of the best deacon structures I’ve ever seen so our church members won’t fall through the cracks when in need.

Brian Russell of the Real Meal blog
wrote Thinking about
Natural Disasters. In the middle of another hurricane season, it is critical for clear theological reflection on natural disasters and the preparation for a missional response to those who suffer.

RELIGION. Sometimes we study what a Christian is. How does it differ from other religions? How do we see it in public, in politics, in others?

Sammy Benoit presents Islamic Hatred of anything Christian posted at YID With LID.

thomas robey presents “Christian Faith and Reason” posted at Hope for Pandora. “Christian Faith and Reason” is a new magazine that seeks to engage Christians and skeptics on topics of science, politics and faith. The Christian blogging community should check it out and consider contributing a piece for publication.

Ali presents An alternate solution to the American Civil War? posted at Kiwi and an Emu.. Considering, many years too late, how Christians in Northern and Southern parts of the United States could have agreed on the subject of slavery.

Weekend Fisher at Heart, Mind, Soul, and Strength discusses Security, Apostasy, and Knowing Christ. A Lutheran’s-eye view of the debates over eternal security and whether apostasy is real, and how Christ is often left out of the debate.

John presents Richard Land and Moral Agency posted at Brain Cramps for God. There’s a new meme in the abortion argument.

Jeremy Pierce presents Barack Obama on faith and politics posted at Parableman. A look at Barack Obama’s thoughts on faith and politics, Part III of a three-part series (the first two looked at John Edwards and Joe Biden).

Mark Olson presents Western Eyes posted at Pseudo-Polymath. Religious toleration, a artifact of the Enlightenment, or might it not be from much earlier.

Dream Interpretation

Michael6 Comments

In my dream, I’m waiting in front of the (church?) junior high school, at the sidewalk under the rain protection. I’m waiting for the Sweet Wife to pick me up, except she’s not in a car. She’s in an F-14 Tomcat.

F-14 Tomcat

She calls me on the cell phone and tells me she’s low on fuel and asks me to bring some with me. The jet doesn’t run on any normal jet fuel, though. It runs on 8.5″x11″ white paper. It must by high quality white paper because, after all, this is a jet.

I’m holding a box full of a ream paper, and I open it. The top 2/3rds is high quality white typing paper, just what the jet needs. The bottom 1/3 is old newspaper, ratty and covered with ink. This isn’t going to work.

The jet pulls up to the school. And I wake up.

My dreams are cool because it makes Sean’s brain hurt. Feel free to interpret this dream for me.

I was reading about a dream at “Sand in the Gears” that I found amusing. It involves guns, trains, and a canival. If you’re not dreaming in full Technicolor, you’re missing out on the free movies God provides each night. 🙂