What a waste of a Friday evening!
A romantic comedy. Set in Italy. I wanted to see it years ago when it came out. I kept wanting to see it. We finally got around to watching it.
We shouldn't have.
The plot involved divorce and gays and fornicating teens. There was more sex, foul language, and nudity than I expected in a PG-13 movie. The "message" in the film came from the character who was a hedonistic actress.
And this was billed as an inspiring, uplifting, feel-good movie?
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
Slugs in the Garden
After I planted lettuce in April, one of the big rains must have washed some of the seeds to the other end of the raised bed. Eventually, lettuce was popping up in places I hadn't sown seed. I left it to grow.
The lettuce I did plant needed thinning. Week after week I didn't get to it. We came home from vacation to ready-to-pick heads of Romaine. The ones at the far end of the garden --where there was plenty of room to spread out-- grew beautifully. Where I planted, however, was crowded. The heads were thinner and several were spindly. But what surprised me most was the slug damage.
Where there was room to spread out, where air and light circulated around the veggies, I had no chew-marks from the slugs. The most crowded part of my lettuce-row was the holiest.
Same thing in the strawberry patch. I overthinned last fall. But hey, no slugs this year!
The lettuce I did plant needed thinning. Week after week I didn't get to it. We came home from vacation to ready-to-pick heads of Romaine. The ones at the far end of the garden --where there was plenty of room to spread out-- grew beautifully. Where I planted, however, was crowded. The heads were thinner and several were spindly. But what surprised me most was the slug damage.
Where there was room to spread out, where air and light circulated around the veggies, I had no chew-marks from the slugs. The most crowded part of my lettuce-row was the holiest.
Same thing in the strawberry patch. I overthinned last fall. But hey, no slugs this year!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Some Teenagers ...
... give me the creeps.
Gary and I were out biking today, trying to build up a little endurance so that we might be capable of biking to town should we so desire. We passed three girls. When Gary passed them, I saw them giggling and pointing and smirking behind his back. When I passed them a few moments later, they did the same thing to me.
So what's their problem? Shame on us old people for daring to ride bicycles? Were our bikes not cool enough? Our clothes not cool enough? Or (more likely) anybody who's not part of their clique is probably smirk-worthy.
Call more over-protective. But that's one of the reasons I'm not wanting Maggie to go to school next year.
Gary and I were out biking today, trying to build up a little endurance so that we might be capable of biking to town should we so desire. We passed three girls. When Gary passed them, I saw them giggling and pointing and smirking behind his back. When I passed them a few moments later, they did the same thing to me.
So what's their problem? Shame on us old people for daring to ride bicycles? Were our bikes not cool enough? Our clothes not cool enough? Or (more likely) anybody who's not part of their clique is probably smirk-worthy.
Call more over-protective. But that's one of the reasons I'm not wanting Maggie to go to school next year.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Like It or Not, We Have a Two-Party System
During the summer of 1992 (and it seems like it was just the other day, not twenty years ago) the bumper stickers began to appear: "Don't blame me. I voted for Bush."
About a year later, as people became more and more disenchanted with the President, another bumper sticker appeared: "Don't blame me. I didn't vote for Clinton."
Those Perot-folks were the people I did blame.
Bill Clinton 43%
George Bush 37%
Ross Perot 19%
Most of those Perot votes were anti-Bush votes than they were pro-Perot votes, and most of those voters were even more anti-Clinton than they were anti-Bush. If our country had had preferential voting in 1992, Bush would have been re-elected.
We have a two-party system in this county. I don't approve of that. Technically, with what's on the books, we don't have a two-party system, and there is room for third-party candidates. But that's not the reality. The reality is that we have a choice of two in the upcoming election. Either Romney or Obama will be the next president.
Economically, we can choose between the socialist Republicans or the even-more-socialist Democrats. As many of my friends believe, it's two sides of the same coin. Personally, I think sliding down the slippery slope at a slower rate is better than careening down it. There are those who will disagree.
But there's something far more important than economics (and I think the economic state of this nation is pretty darn important). The HHS mandate would never have happened under Mitt Romney. Are you aware of what's going on in Sweden to stamp out the gospel and religious freedom? Life issues are at stake in the November election. Freedom of religion is at stake in the upcoming election. No, I don't think Mitt Romney is the best person for the job. But seeing as how we have a choice between only two men, he is the better man for the job.
Those who voted for Perot were the ones who really elected Clinton.
Are we going to make the same mistake this November?
About a year later, as people became more and more disenchanted with the President, another bumper sticker appeared: "Don't blame me. I didn't vote for Clinton."
Those Perot-folks were the people I did blame.
Bill Clinton 43%
George Bush 37%
Ross Perot 19%
Most of those Perot votes were anti-Bush votes than they were pro-Perot votes, and most of those voters were even more anti-Clinton than they were anti-Bush. If our country had had preferential voting in 1992, Bush would have been re-elected.
We have a two-party system in this county. I don't approve of that. Technically, with what's on the books, we don't have a two-party system, and there is room for third-party candidates. But that's not the reality. The reality is that we have a choice of two in the upcoming election. Either Romney or Obama will be the next president.
Economically, we can choose between the socialist Republicans or the even-more-socialist Democrats. As many of my friends believe, it's two sides of the same coin. Personally, I think sliding down the slippery slope at a slower rate is better than careening down it. There are those who will disagree.
But there's something far more important than economics (and I think the economic state of this nation is pretty darn important). The HHS mandate would never have happened under Mitt Romney. Are you aware of what's going on in Sweden to stamp out the gospel and religious freedom? Life issues are at stake in the November election. Freedom of religion is at stake in the upcoming election. No, I don't think Mitt Romney is the best person for the job. But seeing as how we have a choice between only two men, he is the better man for the job.
Those who voted for Perot were the ones who really elected Clinton.
Are we going to make the same mistake this November?
Monday, June 11, 2012
Promotion
Along came the perfect job for Gary. He's tried for other promotions and not gotten them. But the person who was promoted in those instances really was the better guy for the job.
But this job. This was tailor-made for Gary. Several co-workers who saw the job posted told him, "That's got your name written all over it." The position was supposed to be filled immediately. Gary applied. Two months dragged by. Finally someone else applied. And we learned the day before we left on vacation that this other person was chosen for the promotion.
It makes you wonder what God has planned, up there around the bend, where we can't see yet.
But this job. This was tailor-made for Gary. Several co-workers who saw the job posted told him, "That's got your name written all over it." The position was supposed to be filled immediately. Gary applied. Two months dragged by. Finally someone else applied. And we learned the day before we left on vacation that this other person was chosen for the promotion.
It makes you wonder what God has planned, up there around the bend, where we can't see yet.
What IS This Crazy-Talk?
Mark 3 -- They accuse Jesus of having a demon in Him. What He's saying is so outlandish.
Acts 2 -- On Pentecost, they accuse the apostles of being drunk in the middle of the morning. Who ever heard such crazy-talk like what they were preaching?
Forgiveness.
For sinners.
Who certainly don't deserve it.
Not your standard religious message.
Acts 2 -- On Pentecost, they accuse the apostles of being drunk in the middle of the morning. Who ever heard such crazy-talk like what they were preaching?
Forgiveness.
For sinners.
Who certainly don't deserve it.
Not your standard religious message.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
If I Had a Car
Gary's at district convention. Kids are at a pool party. If I had a car, I'd be getting a second dose of what I had Friday afternoon: I'd be at the beach doing NOTHING.
During a week of family reunion, I enjoyed talking with cousins and Mom, playing with kiddoes, trivia night, and my first exposure to Bunko. It wasn't until the last day, though, that I did NOTHING. A couple of hours with nothing to cook, nothing to do, just sitting in the sun or floating in the pool. A few hours of listening to birdies tweet, with the sun beating down on me, floating floating floating ... I haven't felt so mellow in a long long time. It's refreshing!
And I'm definitely up for ditching my responsibilities and having another go at NOTHINGness. But my car did not behave so well on the trip home from the reunion. Thankfully, we made it home (albeit with only two stops) without roadside assistance and without anyone wetting her pants. Well, actually, we didn't make it all the way home. We made it to my mechanic's shop. We'll find out the car's diagnosis tomorrow morning.
In theory, if I tackle enough housework, yardwork, and laundry today, maybe we could manage some beach time when I have my car back. (So have I fooled you into thinking I'll actually be that productive? I can't quite convince myself of it either.)
During a week of family reunion, I enjoyed talking with cousins and Mom, playing with kiddoes, trivia night, and my first exposure to Bunko. It wasn't until the last day, though, that I did NOTHING. A couple of hours with nothing to cook, nothing to do, just sitting in the sun or floating in the pool. A few hours of listening to birdies tweet, with the sun beating down on me, floating floating floating ... I haven't felt so mellow in a long long time. It's refreshing!
And I'm definitely up for ditching my responsibilities and having another go at NOTHINGness. But my car did not behave so well on the trip home from the reunion. Thankfully, we made it home (albeit with only two stops) without roadside assistance and without anyone wetting her pants. Well, actually, we didn't make it all the way home. We made it to my mechanic's shop. We'll find out the car's diagnosis tomorrow morning.
In theory, if I tackle enough housework, yardwork, and laundry today, maybe we could manage some beach time when I have my car back. (So have I fooled you into thinking I'll actually be that productive? I can't quite convince myself of it either.)
Trust Not in Princes
On Wednesday I kept finding myself singing The Election Song. "Trust not in princes they are but mortal. Earthborn they are and soon decay.... Since then no man can help afford, trust ye in Christ, our God and Lord" (TLH 26). I would stop myself and think, "Wait. My guy won. This song isn't right for today. This is the hymn you sing when your guy loses. What should I sing instead? Maybe the te Deum?"
But you know what? Even when my guy loses, it's right to sing "We praise Thee, O God. We acknowledge Thee to be the Lord ...." And when when my guy wins, it's right to sing, "Trust not in princes ...." Because the Lord knows what He's doing, regardless of who wins an election.
Nevertheless, I still want to do the Happy Dance when think of Tuesday night's election results.
But you know what? Even when my guy loses, it's right to sing "We praise Thee, O God. We acknowledge Thee to be the Lord ...." And when when my guy wins, it's right to sing, "Trust not in princes ...." Because the Lord knows what He's doing, regardless of who wins an election.
Nevertheless, I still want to do the Happy Dance when think of Tuesday night's election results.
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