Minnesota??

All day long, I have been clicking the heels of my ruby slippers over and over and over again while wistfully chanting "there's no place like home...there's no place like home". I feel as if I have transported to Minnesota for the month of December and I want to take Toto and return home to Auntie Em. Raleigh has received four (Yes! Four!) snowfalls this month and three out of the four fell before winter officially began!! (OK! OK! I will concede that those three were just a dusting or a smidge more, but it's still not normal for here in December.)

To top off the month, we had our first white Christmas in 63 years!!! Yes! It snowed on Christmas in Raleigh. For countless native North Carolinians, a white Christmas was just something they sang about while knowing deep down they would never experience one. Well, that all changed this past weekend. Anywhere from 6-13 inches covered Eastern North Carolina with a lovely white blanket of frozen fluff. That amount was the largest since the "Storm of the Century" back in 2000 when we received around 22 inches of snow in one night.

(Now before all you Yankees and other assorted Northerners start scoffing and laughing your heads off, I will ask you to read here first.)

I did enjoy my first, and probably last, white Christmas. It was a beautiful sight! But I am ready for the North Carolina winter that I know and love to return. And I may get my wish because it looks as if my ruby heel clicking just might be working. The weather forecast for this weekend shows the temperatures in the 60s.

All together now (complete with fist pump)...

YES!!!!!!!!!!!

Adiós

Adiós is the Spanish word for "good-bye". It literally means "to God". I think this word is very fitting for today because I have to say adiós to my best friend, Noel Toral Romero. He is now with his Creator and has left me here to grieve the loss of my best friend.

Never would I have thought when I first met him through a Christian pen pal website that we would quickly become so close. He lived in Xalapa, Mexico, and I lived in Raleigh, North Carolina. How can two people living in two very different countries become best friends? I have no idea how we did, but it happened. In December of the same year we met. I traveled to Mexico for the first time and met him face to face. I will never forget that time together. Since then I traveled there many other times and he also traveled here to visit me. Each time, it was like we had never parted and we enjoyed each others company. We were not alike in many ways but we complimented each other in a way I never knew possible.

Please bear with me as I go down memory lane...

Noel, I never thought I would have to go through this time so soon. You have left me here alone and have gone to a better place with our Lord and your mother. I will never forget our first meeting and my feeling of being greeted by a "sea of Mexican people" on my first visit. Thank you for making my first trip to Mexico a very special one. I will never forget all the wonderful Mexican dishes you shared with me. From now on, every time I eat a garnacha, arrachera, or taco al pastor or drink an horchata de coco, you will always be on my mind. Our trips to Catemaco, Veracruz, Naolinco, Mexico City, Cancun, Xico, and Coatepec will always be cherished memories. There are so many memories flooding my memory right now that I can't sort through them properly. Your family was always welcoming to me and made me feel like part of their family.

I will never look at Disney in the same way. You were so filled with love for all things Disney that I couldn't help but enjoy it along with you. You taught me that it's OK for a grown man to get caught up in the moment of singing "It's a Small World" and "Part of Your World".

¡Gracias por todos, mi hermano! Nunca te olvidaré. Siempre serás mi amigo mejor. ¡¡Te quiero mucho, hermano!! Siempre serás parte de mi mundo.

Noel Toral Romero
February 14, 1965-December 23, 2010

Baking Weekend

May I please have a moment?

[pause]

[pause]

WHEW!!!!!!!

[pause]

[pause]

Thanks for allowing me a moment to collect my sanity.

This past weekend was busy!! It was the annual Fowler Christmas Bake-off where I don my chef's hat, cheerleader skirt and pom poms, and coach's whistle while arming myself with the tools of the trade and make my way down to the Fowler's chalet to begin the processes of measuring, chopping, beating, whirring, and baking individual ingredients into something that will be absolutely scrumptious.

This year was more of a challenge because a nameless someone wasn't very motivated (by her own admission!). After a few false starts and a few surprise realizations of forgotten ingredients where mad dashes to the grocery store had to be made, the baking was off at a good pace. However, because of school projects that happened to be due around the same time, the activities slowed somewhat and the first day ended up rather late into the night. After Sunday dinner, the kitchen again saw multiple activities and finally all baking was done and gift bags assembled and in the van before 9 PM.

Because of the slight delays in the weekend, the personal baking I had planned had to be delayed a day. When I came home from work yesterday, I started up the kitchen here right after supper and made 2 batches of cookies and a batch of fudge in the span of 3 hours. To get that accomplished, I had to employ the help of two sous-chefs. With their help, I was able to finish my task in a lot shorter time than if I had done it all alone.

As always, I had fun. Little talks along the way make the time together more enjoyable. One little question, however, sticks out in my mind as absolutely hilarious. While enjoying a rousing rendition of "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," the question was asked if hippos really are vegetarians.

My response, complete with the appropriate eye-rolling, was "When was the last time you saw a hippo stalking prey???".

Infamous

In the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, today was a "day that will live in infamy". Today marks the 68th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese, in a surprise attack, flew over the Pacific Ocean and wreaked devastating results on the US Pacific Naval Fleet in a manner of a few hours before returning to their base. In a flash, the USA was plunged into a war that it has previously tried to avoid with a national policy of isolationism.

With that attack came the inevitable feelings of shock and disbelief. These feelings quickly turned into renewed sense of patriotism and anger, which was understandably directed towards all things Japanese. Unfortunately, this anger also took aim at the Japanese-Americans that were living here, in Canada, and even throughout Latin America. These American citizens were quickly rounded up in the early months of 1942 and taken to internment camps to stay for the duration of the war. Their only crime was being Japanese or of Japanese descent. In the wake of the Pearl Harbor incident, government-sanctioned racism, civil rights violations and just downright ugliness ran rampant throughout the United States.

Are these actions that much removed from the beginnings of Nazi persecution of the Jews? I don't believe that they were. Thankfully, we didn't keep going down that slippery path. But nevertheless, we were no less guilty as a nation than the Nazis. Of course, it was all seen as justifiable because of what had happened and because of the fear that the Japanese-Americans' loyalty couldn't be trusted. What about the loyalty of any other American? Does color or ethnicity really have anything to do with loyalty to a particular country?

Fast forward a few decades to September 11, 2001. We all remember that day. Did we learn lessons from World War II? Even after 9 years, how do we react to people of Middle Eastern descent? Do we make fun of them and their dress? Do we wonder if everyone of that ethnicity we meet is loaded with guns or bombs? Do we just plain distrust them because of their heritage?

Don't get me wrong. I have some of the same feelings. But I also realize that they are just as American as I am. Many were born right on the same soil where I was born. Many of my ancestors came from Germany. Does that make me guilty for the sins Nazi Germany? Should my family have been locked up in internment camps during World War II? I do understand that acts of war and war itself are very uncertain times where black and white does not always come into view. May we always try to keep an open mind during these trying times in order to make sure that all who are innocent not be punished or destroyed for being similar to the enemy of the time.

Zoological Inaccuracies

There are some ideas about the natural world that "ordinary" people have that have always driven me crazy. They use incorrect words to describe animals without thinking what they are really saying. (Of course, that problem goes way beyond Zoology, but that will be another entry!) So without further ado, I will now list my pet peeves when it comes to biology and the common people. Take careful notes. One never knows when there will be a pop quiz!

1) Deer do not have horns; they have antlers!

2) There are no deer in Africa. The graceful creatures seen running around the savannas and creeping through rain forests are antelopes. They are not even in the same family as deer!!

3) All bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs. Neither is a spider a bug nor a centipede, millipede, mite, etc.

4) No snake is poisonous. Poison is something ingested or taken on the skin. Hence the name for Poison Ivy or Poison Sumac. However, some snakes are venomous; venom must be injected.

5) Animals are not just 4-footed creatures that walk on land. Animals include birds, fish, insects, sponges, sea jellies, mollusks, echinoderms, and many other creatures.

6) Polar Bears (Ursus arctos) do not eat penguins. They do not live in the same place.

7) Bats are not blind. True, some do not have good vision, but they can see nonetheless. It would be better to use the expression "Blind as a cavefish".

8) Buffaloes have never roamed the prairies of the American West. Bison are the majestic creatures of western lore.

9) Cranes, storks, and herons are not the same bird!!!!!!!!! Big differences between them.

10) The Cheetah (Acionyx jubatus), the Leopard (Panthera pardus), and the Jaguar (Panthera onca) are very different from each other. They should never be confused with the other.


I will stop here for now. The list could go on and on and on, but I want each one of you to get a complete grasp on the simple concepts I have just listed without taxing your brains. :-)

Remember, a pop quiz can happen at anytime. Be prepared!!

Don't Feed The Geese

This past weekend, I was chatting with a friend of mine from Nepal. He is single and is looking for a Godly wife for himself. He asked me if I was concerned about getting married. I told him that I wasn't really too concerned and that if God's plan for me is to be single, I am content with it. He then told me that living is not that easy in Nepal and it's always good for them to be married because they will take care of each other as they grow older. He said that it's not the same here because we have the government to take care of us as we age. (Ouch!)

Fast forward to today as I was leaving, and I again noticed the signs by the small pond at work. They read "Please do not feed the geese". A gaggle of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) make their home there and feel free to use it as they please. If the people there started feeding them, they would soon become more and more of a nuisance. They would start depending on the humans for more and more of the livelihood and really make a mess of things. We have to play Goose-Poop-Hopscotch enough now! Just think of Rock Pigeons (Columba livia) in a park or sheep in a pasture. If it weren't for the park visitors or the shepherd, they would not be as plump as they are.

As I left work today, I combined these two threads and thought about our own country. Are we feeding the geese? I believe we are. Everyone seems to want a handout from the government. No one wants to give up what is "rightfully" theirs because they "worked hard" to put that away. But did they really? Is it really wise to let a government use your money in such a manner? Perhaps if we as a nation learned to feed ourselves and ignore the temptation to accept free handouts that in the long run hurt more than they help, we would see a great change in the way this country handles itself. Yes, there are poor among us, but if we took care of them as a nation without governmental help, they, and we, would be the better for it.

Feeding the geese does not help the geese or the feeder. All it ends up doing is creating more poop. And believe me, we certainly don't need anymore of that!

Turkey Humor

Today's post is nothing serious, thought-provoking, or rant-worthy. It's just plain silliness. I am posting it just because we all need a little silliness every now and then. I think some down time in the area of life helps us maintain our focus when life pops back into our line of vision. Oops...sorry...that was almost thought provoking!!

Enjoy!!

And you thought the scarecrow was the one without a brain!

Here's hoping the only big thighs are the turkey's!

Who says domestication makes animals dumb???

This picture made me laugh out loud.

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Random Thoughts

I found this list this evening while updating some files. It was sent to me months ago and I was going to post it then, but I never did. So here we go...

1) Nothing hits the gut stronger than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

2) I totally take back all those times I didn't want to take a nap when I was younger.

3) There is a great need for a sarcasm font.

4) How in the world are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet??

5) Was learning cursive really necessary?

6) Mapquest really needs to start their directions on #5. I am pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

7) Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told how the person died.

8) I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least KIND OF tired.

9) Bad decisions make good stories.

10) You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

11) Can we all just agree to ignore what comes after Blue-ray? I don't want to have to re-start my collection...again!

12) I am always slightly terrified with I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my document that I swear I didn't make any changes to.

13) I hate when I just miss a call on the last ring and then immediately call back only to get no answer. What did the person do? Run away??

14) I hate leaving the house confident and looking good only to not see anyone important for the whole day. What a waste!

15) I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I will know not to answer when they call.

I think we call relate to these items at times in our lives. Don't you?

Me Me Me, More About Me

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:30

2. How do you like your steak? Medium

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? He's Just Not That In To You

4. What is your favorite TV show? Supernatural

5. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Right where I am.

6. What did you have for breakfast? Banana and granola bar

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Mexican

8. What foods do you dislike? Liver

9. Favorite place to eat? Angus Barn

10. Favorite dressing? Ranch

11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? Ford Explorer

12. What are your favorite clothes? Short and T-shirt

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? The World!!!

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Half-full

15. Where would you want to retire? Raleigh, NC

16. Favorite time of day? Night

17. Where were you born? Raleigh, NC

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? I'd rather watch mud dry.

19. Birdwatcher? Yes!!!

20. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night person.

21. Pets? None.

22. Any new and exciting news that you'd like to share? I'm not engaged; I'm not expecting a child; I'm not getting a huge raise. Well, I guess there's nothing to tell.

23. What did you want to be when you were little? Zookeeper

24. What is your best childhood memory? Growing up on a farm.

25. Are you a cat or dog person? Cat person.

26. Are you married? No

27. Always wear a seat belt? Mostly.

28. Been in a car accident? 2

29. Any pet peeves? I'm not sure there's enough room on this blog to list them all.

30. Favorite flower? Rose

31. Favorite ice cream? Butter Pecan (also Rocky Road, Triple Chocolate, Coconut, etc.)

32. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chick-fil-A

33. How many times did you fail your driver's test? None

34. From whom did you get your last email? Facebook

35. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Amazon.com

36. Do anything spontaneous lately? No

37. Like your job? Yes, except for the people.

38. Broccoli? Love it!

39. What was your favorite vacation? Do I have to choose?? I would have to say Mexico.

40. Last person you went out to dinner with? Parents

41. What are you listening to right now? Gaither Vocal Band on Pandora.com

42. What is your favorite color? Red

43. How many tattoos do you have? Zero

44. Coffee drinker? Yes

45. How many children do you have? Zero

Can You Hear Me Now??

This slogan for a national cell phone company has been caught up into the everyday English language for usage as quips and funnies during times of being around friends. But there is a grain of truth to that statement. Case in point is what happened today at work. While I was filing the paperwork away at the end of the day, a co-worker asked me a question.

I had my back to her, and she was facing slightly away from me when she asked, "Kevin, have you ever heard of Allman Brothers?"

I responded, "Yes, I have. One of them married Cher."

"What?"

"I said that one of them was married to Cher" (And I was just getting ready to impress them by bringing up a nugget of trivia from my vast collection of facts [or empty knowledge?] and tell them that he was the father of her son, Elijah Blue.)

At this time, another co-worker let out a cackle under her breath.

"No, have you never heard of almond butter?"

"Oh!! Sorry, I thought you said Allman Brothers!"

The cackle gradually became louder.

"I know who Greg Allman was. I was asking about almond butter at Fresh Market."

At that revelation, I smiled. What else could I do? A case of what I thought I heard was as far from reality as me winning the Boston Marathon and coming in just under 1 hour and 26.53 minutes.

How many times have you responded to a question or statement only to find out that what you thought you heard was not reality? Unfortunately, it's a very prevalent occurrence between parties of people all over the world. One doesn't quite speak clearly; the other doesn't quite pay attention.

But it does make for some hilarity among all parties involved, huh?

Can you hear me now?

About Me (The Stolen Edition)

Outside My Window - is a cloudy day wish occasional showers. Adding color to the gray are trees trying to reach their full color potential, and birds flitting hither and yon searching for a meal.

I Am Thinking - about what do put on my sweet potato.

I Am Learning - that some people who call themselves your friend really have no idea what that word means.

I Am Thankful For - common sense. It beats book sense hands down.

From The Kitchen - comes the smell of a freshly baked cheesecake cooling on the rack and the sounds of a steak dinner being prepared.

I Am Wearing - shorts and a shirt. Yeah, I know, wrong season...

I Am Going - to watch Sherlock Holmes later tonight

I Am Reading - Acts & Facts from ICR.

I Am Creating - absolutely nothing at the moment.

I Am Hoping - to travel again very soon.

I Am Hearing - the hum of the computer, the sizzle of steaks, and the roar of the ventilation fan.

Around the House - is fairly normal.

One Of My Favorite Things - is traveling to anywhere my feet, tires, or wings will take me.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Weekend - are church, clean a bit, and get an extra hour of sleep!! My feet are doing the "Happy Dance" now.

A Picture to Share -my favorite fair food--Ostrich Burger!!!!!

I Wonder

Lately, several questions have been popping up in my head. Questions that I am not sure there are answers for. So today, I thought I would share them with my legions of blog-fans. If any of you have the answers, please feel free to share.

1) Why does no one want to take a message anymore? Most people would rather tell you to call the missing person back instead of taking the responsibility of taking a message.

2) Why is coming back from vacation so difficult when one knows he has to refill the coffers with all the money that was spent on said vacation?

3) Why do people think that UPS and FEDEX ship over the weekend? Do they not understand the concept of a weekend?

4) Why do people love color in their flowers or on their walls, but not in people?

5) Why do men think it's OK to stand at a urinal and pass gas? It is still a public place!!!

6) Why do two people talking with each other in a hall or on a sidewalk move apart instead of closer together when a passerby approaches? They force the passerby to be rude by walking between them!

7) Why do we love to swim or relish taking a shower but hate to walk or run in the rain?

8) Why do people ask co-workers or friends what they had for breakfast or lunch? Can they not think of anything else to ask? Or are they that nosey?

9) Why do people with the same first name working in the same location fail to give their last name?

So there they are...I have been wondering about them for quite some time now. What do you think?

Cursed

The world is cursed. It's noticeable everywhere. Plants and animals die, filling the air with the stench of rotten flesh and decaying fibers. Animals have fangs, claws, talons, venom, poisons, and sharp teeth. Plants have thorns, spines, noxious chemicals, and sticky resins. Anger and hatred living rampant among humans. When one thinks about all the natural weaponry that is found throughout the created world, the world just bristles with hostility. Yet, we think of it as natural, normal, just a part of nature. But it's not. It's sin touching every minute part of God's creation. The creation is groaning in anguish and torment under the curse.

Today, a thought struck me that had never crossed my brain before. While the choir was singing their song during the morning service, I realized that I had never put these seemingly disconnected bits of information together: The Curse, crown-of-thorns, God the Savior, the Cross. When He pronounced the Curse at the Fall, plants and animals began to change and parts of them actually degenerated into totally different structures than were originally created. Thus began the "natural" hostility that we see today.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Creator of the heavens and earth, bore the literal curse that He Himself had placed on His own Creation. The crown-of-thorns placed upon His head is a very literal representation of that Curse. The beatings, scourging, spitting, pulling of hair, and eventually the crucifixion come from the intense hatred Man has against their fellow men. All the force and ugliness of the Curse fell on the Creator Himself. He bore it, as only He could, to once and for all open the door to eventually reverse and remove the Curse brought on by Man's sin.

Hallelujah!!!! What a Creator/Savior!!!!!

Sure

One of the lessons I have learned from being in the work I'm in is that one has to be sure of himself/herself during life. When one shows the least bit of hesitation or insecurity, the people around them tend to shy away from them and try to find someone else with a little more confidence. People don't trust someone that acts unsure and hesitant.

In my line of work, if you act unsure, the customer will give you a "look" and go on to the next available person that will help them with their problem. I learned long ago never to volunteer for anything where I didn't feel confident. Several times I ended up being forced to do something where I was not at all sure of myself and ended up making a fool of myself and creating animosity in the customer. From those experiences, I learned to act confident even when I knew I had no clue what I was doing.

My advice for people is to go out in the world full of confidence. Know you are you and convey that knowledge to the people around you. One doesn't have to lie about one's self to gain confidence. The lies will eventually find their way out of the facade of self-confidence that one wear and will shatter any trust that people had in the person. If you are not sure of an answer, still act sure but let them know that you can find out more about it for them. If you are unsure of a task, do it with confidence to the best of your ability. If something goes wrong with the outcome, you will have learned something in the process.

Together

We all aren't good at everything. Some are good at most things; some are good at few things. Together we make a more well-rounded, functioning society where every melody and every harmony hums together to create the music of life. My sister's entry for today brought to mind that very subject for me.

Growing up, she and I were opposites in many ways. I was good in math, science, English, etc. while she struggled in math, didn't really get into science, and totally missed some simple concepts of life. I, on the other hand, was never a social butterfly, never wanted to break a sweat, and never confronted anybody about anything. My sister was one that flitted from flower to flower to see what she could find, was always climbing or running or skipping, and never backed down from any argument. But together, we complimented each other. We had fun together, fought each other, and most importantly, learned to love each other despite the differences between us.

I think that one of the most important concepts that anyone can learn is that it's OK for someone to be different from himself/herself. God made each of us and each of us is His special creation. With these differences, we get to learn more about each other and the world around us if we try to understand and catch a glimpse of the world through the other person's eyes. Granted, we will never completely understand because we are our own person. But if we take the time to listen and learn, we will become a better person and, as a whole, a better society.

Cheese Straws and Pain

This just in:

Man's Sternum Almost Crushed by Cookie Press

A local man graciously helping his loving sister and precocious niece with their North Carolina State Fair entries today almost had to be rushed to the ER for a serious injury. The sister was courageously entering cheese straws into the fair culinary competition. She had never made them before and decided to be bold and aggressive in her drive to gain a blue ribbon. After placing the cheesy dough into her never-before-used cookie press, she found the task of pushing it out into lovely lengths of cheese straw potential somewhat more taxing then she had previously thought.

Upon seeing the cry of help forming on her lips, her noble brother leaped to his feet and, intending to show the batter who was the boss, grabbed the press from her quivering hands and set his mind to creating a lovely masterpiece. However, with the first press from his hands, he realized how much more difficult this task would be. With a beet red face, bulging veins, and straining muscles, he tried to figure out the best way to force the extrusion of the batter. Finally deciding to use his chest as the stop while pushing back with his hands, he soon found that his chest had several painful spots and felt as if his sternum would be crushed under the strain of trying to made the perfect straw.

Giggling beyond control and reprimanding her hero of a brother for breathing heavily on the newly formed straws, she suddenly gave in to pity and gallantly handed him a quadruple-folded dish towel to place between his sore chest and the offending culinary tool. Much needed relief soon followed, and he was able to work through the lingering pain and quivering muscles to conquer all of the offending dough. Upon sliding both baking sheets into the perfectly heated oven, the man was finally able to give his overworked muscles a much needed break. The ever concerned sister baked off the straws with a few time adjustments and finally placed the hot, crispy, delicate goodies on the cooling rack.

Time will tell whether these cheese straws will win a blue ribbon. If pain incurred while making them counts for any points, they should receive BEST IN SHOW!!!!!!!

PS The chest is still sore.

Fall

Fall has officially been here for two weeks. What a welcome change it as been! Of course, there is always that initial shock when one walks out the door on the first cool morning of the season. Your body reacts with a visible shiver and chills quickly run rampant through every muscle fiber and nerve ending one has. However, those feelings are quickly replaced by a bodily sigh because gone are the days of oppressive humidity and high temperatures. It's so refreshing and enjoyable to feel the coolness caress your skin and yet there is still enough warmth left to be outside without losing weight on the Shiver Plan.

Fall also brings about beautiful colors. Reds, oranges, yellows, and browns all combine in a myriad of ways to produce a color palette that shouts praise and glory to their Maker and causes even the busiest of people to stop for just a moment to absorb all of their splendor.

Fall is also a time for comfort foods. Cooler weather cries out for them. Brunswick stew, pot roast, pumpkin cheesecake (actually any cheesecake!), and any other food that makes one feel fat and sassy are staples during the Fall season.

Lastly, but certainly not least, Fall is the time for the North Carolina State Fair. I pity those other states that have their fairs at such odd times of the year like February or July! Those months are just not fair-worthy. October is the best time! Deep-fried foods of all kinds, animals, competitions, rides, and games all combine to create one fun-filled whirlwind of a day! Soon, there will be pots and pans a-rattlin' as fair entries are made for this year. It's always fun to try new things and hope that they will stand up to the very subjective tastes of the judges.

Welcome, Fall!

It's so nice to see and feel you again!!

Frankly Frank

There are some people in life who just do not pay attention whatsoever. I have shared this same theme before, but today was just the breaking point for me in one certain area.

Today, I had two, yes TWO!, people call me "Frank".

Why? you may ask...

I have no idea.

Yes, my last name is "Franks", but when my name is clearly displayed on a name badge on my desk or in my email signature or is distinctly stated on my voice mail or when co-workers and friends properly enunciate K-E-V-I-N near the person, why do people still call me "Frank"?

Is there a logical reason for such utter lack of attention?

Should I start calling them "Jones" or "Smith" or "Whitaker"? We are certainly not in the military nor on a sports team.

What will it take to make them grasp the concept of my proper given name? A sharp look? A swift kick in the rear? A quick reply?

Maybe...but what do I end up doing? Just mumbling "hey" as I pass by.

So much for my intense desire to correct their continuing error.

Or maybe, deep down, I realize that some people just can't be helped.

SIGH

Fear

Fear reigns in many people's lives. They are always consumed with a fear of mice or other crawly creatures, fear of heights, fear of the number 13, fear of flying, fear of getting rid of clutter, fear of leaving the house, fear of this or a fear of that. They never seem to go through a day without some small fear creeping up on them with the possibility of growing into an incapacitating fear that leaves them incapable of living a completely fulfilled life.

For Christians, that isn't the way to live. God has not created us to live in fear. Fear is a tool used by Satan to keep us from accomplishing what God has for our lives. It may be as small as a fear of one of God's creatures or as large as a fear of leaving the home. Either way, those fears cause us to focus on ourselves and to never look outward and forward into God's will for each of us.

I readily admit that I have my own fears, but I purposely try to not dwell on them. Life is meant to be lived and not spent cowering in a corner. God is our Strength and Shield and is always going before us in everything we do. Nothing will happen to us that hasn't already come through His almighty hand first.

II Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Romans 8:15
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;
but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,
Abba, Father.

Namby-pamby

I absolutely love the Geico commercial with the former drill sergeant working in a new career as a therapist. For those who haven't seen it or taken too much notice in it, the "patient" is on a chair whining about how the color yellow makes him sad. The "therapist" then says, "You know what makes me sad? You do!" He then proceeds to tell him that they should proceed over to "Namby-pamby land" to find some self-confidence for him and calls him a "Jackwagon". After those loving words of support, he then throws a box of tissues at him while calling him a "Crybaby".

This commercial is me up one side and down the other. I, of course, mean the former drill sergeant turned therapist. I have the same feelings about most of the whining that goes on today. People just need to grow up. After all the drama of the teen years, one would think that people would learn that life will not always go their way. Yes, there will be hard times and unfair times and times when you wished you were dead, but when one starts wallowing in self-pity and despair and whines, cries, and yells "woe is me" with their hand placed dramatically upon their forehead, it becomes more than I can take. I have compassion, but my compassion only runs so deep. When my well of compassion has been tapped dry, I tend to want to tell the individual to grow up and then avoid anymore contact with that individual.

So, remember all you whiners, make sure you keep them down to a low sound around me. Once you've exhausted my day's supply of concern for your feelings, you will be in real danger of me buying you a one-way bus ticket to Namby-pamby land. Don't expect any tissues either.

Oh, one more thing...

Call me "Sarg".

Grandparents

Today is National Grandparents Day. It's not very widely know nor celebrated as Mother's Day or Father's Day. There are no TV or radio ads touting huge sales. There are no special gifts. For most people it's just another day.

But it should be a special day. Grandparents are very special people and deserve some recognition. They are just as concerned about their grandchildren as they were about their own children. They aren't directly involved in their everyday lives for the most part, but they still love them very much.

Grandparents have a special role in the family. Sometimes, they are the calming influence in an otherwise stormy relationship between parents and children. They understand both sides and try to help negotiate an agreement. Other times, they spoil their grandchildren rotten and send them home to their parents. Two wonderful sides of the grandparent coin.

At times, I feel a twinge of regret or maybe even jealousy for kids with grandparents. I never really had them. My mom's mother died before I was born and my grandfather remarried not long after and my mom wasn't close to her step-mother. He then died when I was 8. My dad's mother died when I was 10 and his dad died when I was 13 after suffering from poor health for a while. Through circumstances in life, I never really had the chance to have grandparents to the fullest extent that their role could have played in my life.

So here's to all the grandparents out there today. God bless them all and here's to many more years of having them around.

They are a treasure!

Remember

Anniversaries are usually special times that are looked back on with fondness. Weddings, graduations, birthdays, special dates are all remembered when the date rolls around each year.

Today's date is different.

September 11, 2001, is burned into the collective consciousness of every American alive and old enough to understand what happened on that fateful day. Even after 9 years, every time I see the combination of 9 and 11, I flash back to that day...

Where I was.

What I was doing.

The roiling feelings coursing through my entire being as I tried to grasp what had just happened and why it had happened.

I still can't quite understand why so much hatred exists among humans other than the fact that Satan is the prince of this world and likes nothing better than to cause strife and pain and anguish.

With a tinge of sadness and lingering pain on this date, it's also a time to honor and pay tribute to those men and women who died that day. May they always be remembered for the ultimate sacrifice they paid and honored for their unselfish and self-sacrificing bravery and commitment on a very emotionally wrenching day.

Imagine

In 1971, John Lennon released the single "Imagine". It has become his most famous post-Beatles single and a rock classic. The lyrics are familiar to many people and it has continued to be covered my artists throughout the years. When one hears it, it brings feelings of good will, camaraderie, and peace. But upon closer inspection, the words end up being a delusional pipe dream that are not based on any kind of reality nor will they ever come true. The reason is that God has been totally removed from all aspects of this "peace". God is the only true source of peace and it will never occur until Christ reigns forevermore upon establishing His kingdom on Earth.

The first words, "imagine there's no heaven", set the tone for the whole song. John wanted us to believe that God doesn't exist. He doesn't want a heaven or hell, only sky. If they existed, that would mean there is a choice to be made. All he wants is "people living for today". I believe that he is getting is wish today. People go through life acting as if there is no heaven or hell. They only want to do it their way and have no thought of God. Satan is in full control of this thinking.

Next, he wants a world devoid of countries and religion. With those pesky restraints out of the way, people would have "nothing to kill or die for" and would be "living life in peace". But I disagree. People in the same "religion" and the same country kill each other and die everyday. War and death are part of this present life because of the curse. No releasing of such "boundaries" will cause peace to flood the earth. If anything, it could make things worse.

Lastly, he wants a world with no possessions. No one has anything but everyone has something. Excuse me, but that has been tried over and over again throughout the centuries and that type of living only ends up failing in the end. No matter what the situation, greed and selfishness will override the feelings of "brotherhood".

Yes, John. You were "a dreamer" and certainly "not the only one". I, myself, am also a dreamer. But my mindset is on another plane. I "imagine what it will be like when I walk by [His] side" and "what my eyes will see when [His] face is before me". I "imagine when all I will do is forever worship [Him]" and "to my knees [I will] fall" in awe and wonder of my Righteous God and Glorious Savior.

Now that's something to imagine...

Crying for Relish

For all my devoted fans out there, I am sure you know me well enough by now to know that I strongly dislike when someone doesn't follow the simple instructions in front of them. It's really not that hard to do when they are plainly told to you or written down in plain English. Following instructions makes like simpler and all the complications resulting from not following directions will be avoided.

I reiterated all of that to admit that it happened to me today!!!!!!

YES!!! Kevin didn't follow instructions!!!

Today was another day to can and pickle for the fair and to eat this winter. I had to go purchase some produce such as pears, bell peppers, onions, apples, and green tomatoes. At first, I was just going to pickle the pears. But after a trip to the Farmer's Market where we purchased the peppers, we decided to go ahead with the pepper relish because the red peppers were not so good looking and needed to be processed today. When writing down the list of ingredients I needed, I read that I needed 24 green and 24 red bell peppers to make the relish. And of course, we purchased that amount after digging and digging and digging through boxes to find the best red peppers.

Upon returning home and much to my chagrin, I re-read the recipe and discovered that it called for 24 total red and green peppers, not 24 each!!! Mom rolled her eyes. I heaved a big sigh. Now it looked like I would have to double the recipe. But according to the recipe, it only made 4 pints. I could deal with 8 pints of relish.

No big deal...

Until we started grinding...

And grinding...

And grinding...

By the time we finished grinding the ton of peppers and onions, our eyes were full of tears. Grinding onions makes a lot of sulphuric acid!!! Upon throwing all the ingredients into the pot, we had a very large pot full of ground peppers and onions. Nope...it's going to be waaaaayyyy more than 8 pints.

Total: 22

Did Kevin learn a lesson?

Yes.

Yes, he did.

January People

I know I am stretching the meaning of the word slightly, but it was the only image I could think of for today's thoughts. The month of January was named after the Roman god Janus. He was a two-faced god that looked into the past and into the future without turning his head. He is a fitting representation of the New Year.

But today, I want to share some thoughts about real two-faced people. There are many people today who wear whatever face gets their needs met at the present time. They are fake, phony, and are capable of stabbing you in the back while smiling a sweet smile in your face. I don't care to be around those kinds of people. After a while I can spot them a mile away. Granted, there are several pros in the world, but I am pretty good at weeding them out.

My question is this...

Why can't people just be themselves and be honest in everything they do? Why do they have to hide behind a mask or flip-flop like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? There are several at work that I have to deal with on a daily basis. Sugary sweet one minute; telling something that you know isn't quite right the next. And even some outright stories are made up when convenient. All so the person-of-the-moment will look favorably upon them and give praise to the story maker.

I avoid most kinds of contact with these people. I only interact with them in the bare minimal essential tasks. No deep conversations; light humor; all superficial. I don't want to get entangled in their webs of deceit. I am sure there are moments behind my back where that icky smile turns upside down at the mention of my name because of my honesty, but I'd rather be known for brutal honesty than for sweet lies. Perhaps there would be fewer wars, bickerings, and malcontent between peoples and nations if everyone tried the tactfully honest approach instead of the deceitfully smiling approach when dealing with their neighbors.

English vs Spanish

For the life of me, I can't understand the uproar over all the bilingual actions across the US these days. Why in the world does anyone want English as the official language of the United States of America? Have we forgotten our history? Do we not remember that Spain controlled a vast area of what is now the USA from the beginning of European exploration?

With the cessation of Florida to the US in 1819, the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago at the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848, and the completion of the Gadsen Purchase is 1853, the entire states of Florida, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Texas along with most of Colorado and some of Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma became a territory of the United States. All of these territories would eventually become states. The people living there spoke Spanish as their native tongue! And Spanish is still very prevalent there today.

So why all the fuss? The Spanish language has played just as an important role in American history as the English language. Granted, the US government didn't have Spanish speakers at first, but when we as a country rode the wave of Manifest Destiny all the way to the Pacific, we opened the doors for Spanish to become an integral part of this great country.

I believe that we shouldn't have an official language. This country was founded by several groups of people all speaking different languages. Let's keep America a country of many tongues.

Culture Wars

Throughout history, different cultures have come in contact with each other. Sometimes the encounters have been peaceful and mutually beneficial. Other times have seen one group dominate the other one and, at times, annihilate them totally from existence. It becomes a war of cultures. I believe that God is displeased with these meetings where one group takes advantage of and attempts to destroy the other group. America's own history is filled with just such meetings.

Native Americans in the US, First Nations in Canada, and Indigenous Cultures in Latin America were some of the most diverse and prosperous peoples in the world at the time of Columbus' voyage. Once the New World was discovered by Europeans at that time, they saw it as a new land to explore, conquer, and rake up treasures for themselves. Their mindset was one of absolute greed.

After the initial meeting of Columbus with the Tainos, the English, the French, the Dutch, the Swedes, the Spanish, the Russians, and the Portuguese all rushed to take what they could from this "new" land. After some bickering and cajoling, the English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese gained control of the whole Western Hemisphere. Gradually, each European power gained control of more and more land by outright lies, stealing, and forcing the people into indebtedness. Anything they wanted, they went after like King Ahab did in I & II Kings in the Bible.

When I look at our history, I sometimes become saddened by what we as a nation did. Yes, I believe God ordained this country and I am a proud American, but I believe that we could have handled the conflict a whole lot differently. The natives that first met the English befriended them and helped them to survive their first few years in this new world that they knew nothing about. In less than a generation after that initial contact, the English and other European powers were viewing the natives as savage, backwards, and not worthy of being considered equal with them.

Why that view so prevailed, I can't quite understand. Yes, they did things differently than the Europeans. Yes, they also initiated some terrible attacks against the settlers. But I believe that they were forced into those decisions by the way they were treated. The land they had always called home was being systematically taken from them and they were being forced onto inferior land where they could not live as they had always lived. Who wouldn't fight back? Are they any different than the rest of Europe when Hitler tried to expand his Third Reich? Adding insult to injury after the final tribe had been forced into a reservation, the natives were forbidden to speak their own language and were forced to learn English and act like a European. Even Christian missionaries, while preaching the gospel, left the impression that, in order to be truly saved, the converts must act and dress like a white man. When did Europeans have a corner on what God wants and expects?

I realize that it's all in the past now. Some cultures and languages can never be brought back. Some are trying to save what is left of their way of life including language revitalization. However, I think that we can now try to learn about our Native Neighbors at every opportunity and understand that, while they are Americans, they are not Europeans or Africans or Asians. They are truly Americans. Perhaps if we had tried to learn and truly befriend them for who they were then, we all would be in a better place now.

Butterflies

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the
changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.
~Maya Angelou

The beauty of a butterfly (or flutterby as it was originally called in English) is unmistakable and breathtaking. All the colors of the rainbow and more are represented in these fragile, winged creatures. Their intensity of color brightens even the gloomiest of rain forests and deepest of valleys. Flitting hither and yon to find the next source of sweet nectar or a potential spot to lay their eggs, these graceful, fluttering rainbows delight us the world over and bring a smile to our faces and squeals to our lips while we watch them.

But they are not always so lovely. The first half of their life is spent as squishy, sometimes spiny, caterpillar that knows nothing but the gnawing in its stomach. They are destructive to plants and are a nuisance in the garden. People spend thousands of dollars to combat their activities. But once they reach that certain level, all eating and destruction stops and the transformation beings. Building a chrysalis, the satiated caterpillar enters inside and basically dies and becomes nothing but a mass of material that is then used to reform the creature into a beautiful insect. Once it is ready, it will break out of it's home with a mighty struggle. Without that struggle, it will not make it because the difficulty of leaving the chrysalis helps the fluid enter into the wing capillaries and helps the newly formed butterfly take its first flight.

This small part of creation is a lot like us. Before we are saved, we are a lot like a caterpillar--always hungry for more of the world, ugly, spiny, defensive. But once we accept Jesus as our Personal Savior, He molds us into a new creature and uses the difficulties and struggles of life to make us more like Him. Without those hard times, we would end up as useless as a new butterfly that was freed from its chrysalis by an outside source. God uses them to help us fly for His honor and glory.

The next time you see a butterfly, think of what it went through to become a beautiful flying insect.

And thank God that He is reforming you just like that butterfly. You will soon be one of His flying jewels.

Silly Laughs

Today is one of those days that I needed to laugh. Certain people that would rather pile work on someone's desk instead of doing it themselves, heat and humidity, and just the general weariness of the week caused me to feel drained today. Thankfully, a customer called to ask a question and left me laughing. So without further ado, I will share some laughs here. Enjoy!

One day, group of marine biologists were out tagging dolphins when they found themselves with a porpoise as well. Upon inspecting the animal, they noticed several tiny feet on the flippers. Concerned, they contacted the head biologist and suggested that they quickly remove them before returning the animal to the depths. The head biologist quickly replied, "No! If you did that, you would be de-feeting the porpoise!"

Did you hear about the midget wizard that escaped from prison? The BOLO stated that there was a small medium at large.

How do you keep a blond in suspense? Give her a mirror and tell her to wait for the other person to say "hello".

If a man and a woman both jumped off a 10-story building at the same time, which one would land first? The woman. The man would get lost.

What happens when frogs park illegally? They get toad.

Thanks for sharing the laughter with me today. Laughter makes me relax and takes the edge off the day. I hope this silliness helped you as well.

Umbrella Figs

Today was day two for preparing for the fair. These days are not consecutive, mind you. They only occur when the exact conditions are right for the product being made. Today was a day for pickled figs and apple chutney.

I've made fig preserves before and, since the figs are now abundant, I wanted to try something different. I found a recipe for pickled figs and thought I would try it. We went to the fig bush late morning and started picking them. It had been cloudy all morning. When we were almost finished, the clouds decided to let go of some of their pent up moisture in the form of rain. Thankfully, it was a slow rain as we made our way back under the fig trees. Once we were under the canopy of the spreading branches, we felt no rain. The leaves made a natural umbrella against the elements. It was nice to hear the raindrops hit the leaves and know that they were protecting us from getting really wet. When the rain started falling harder, we decided to leave the figs for another day and head back to the house.

Once we returned, we had to go to the grocery store to purchase a few items we didn't have for today's preserving. After returning home, the process of pickling began. During the cooking time for the figs, I also started preparing the ingredients for the next recipe--apple chutney. The total time for all that didn't really take as long as we thought considering that we started a little later. So far I am pleased with the results. We tasted the fig pickles and they were very good. We didn't taste the chutney yet, so I hope it came out tasting good. Time will tell.

OCD

When I see the commercials for the A&E program Obsessed, I wonder how people can become so controlled by something that, for most people, is a seemingly innocent, mundane task. Things like washing hands, counting, checking the stove, and cleaning up are everyday jobs that most people take for granted. But for a few people these activities gradually take control of them until these people can't function in a normal setting. After a few moments of wondering, I come to the conclusion that I am not like them...no way...no how...

But am I?

Today, a co-worker asked me about my recycle bin and why I haven't emptied it. I told her that it was not the end of the day yet and that I always empty on the last day of the month. She then loudly proclaims that I am OCD. I laughed, but that began a trail of thought in my brain that maybe, just maybe, I have come compulsions in the infantile stages. Questions began to pepper my brain...

Do I always want my books to look as if I just bought them from the store? Yes

Do I always straighten up the paperwork at work when it gets misplaced? Yes

Do I like the forms filled out a certain way with the correct information on them? Yes

Do I ...

Then I couldn't really think of anymore that seemed borderline OCD.

With that realization, a small amount of relief flooded my brain and extinguished all the heat that the questions had produced. No, I wouldn't classify myself as OCD.

Organized? Yes

Want my possessions to remain in good condition? Yes

Want complete information available in order to understand a situation? Yes

So I guess that makes me an organized person that wants to keep his possessions looking nice and to be completely informed in all matters.

Sounds completely normal to me.

Right?

Vacation Observations

Today I will share some thoughts and ideas that occurred to me while we were traveling last week...

1) One should always make sure the GPS is programmed correctly or one will waste their time driving around Baltimore.

2) One should make sure that he knows all about the key system on the rental. It's better to be educated beforehand than to think you are locked out of your vehicle when, in fact, you have the key all along.

3) Enjoy the Delaware scenery on I95 while you can...it doesn't last long!

4) Be prepared for toll after toll after toll after toll.

5) New York City needs to make an I95 bypass around or over the great concrete expanse...GPSs everywhere will rejoice.

6) Econolodges are not a very good place to stay, even for a single night.

7) Connecticut has a diner on every corner and all serve equally tasty food.

8) Rhode Island seems to be the hot spot for the rich and famous that want to be on the down low. A certain actor has his mansion for sale for a measly $10,000,000.00. Poor soul's taking a loss on it.

9) Two-thirds of Boston is built on landfill...nice, secure feeling when you're hurling through one of the many tunnels or are riding the subways.

10) Boston is the definitive place to be on July 4. No one celebrates it more or louder. Absolutely the best!

11) One needs to pack some numchucks or practice his karate moves to make it through the congestion and onto the free subway rides after the fireworks.

12) Women with large bags certainly know how to wield them efficiently. One needs to make sure he wears the appropriate battle gear.

13) Acadia National Park is filled with stunning scenery and breath-taking views.

14) Hot, humid air coming in close proximity to the cool waters of the North Atlantic makes for some very foggy conditions.

15) Thick fog rolling in is a wonderful sight to see.

16) There's nothing like eating a fresh lobster roll on a dock after consuming a nice cup of fresh New England clam chowder.

17) McDonald's frappés sure do make the return trip more bearable.

New England

For this year's family vacation, I chose New England. I have always wanted to go there for a longer period of time since my day-trip to Boston in 2001. Since I knew that we couldn't cover everything there in a 10-day period, I decided to hit the high spots. I chose to go around July 4 because I had heard that Boston knows how to celebrate Independence Day.

We left on July 2 and spent the night in Connecticut. After breakfast, we drove the rest of the way across what I found was a surprisingly long trek in a seemingly small state. We arrived in Newport, Rhode Island in the afternoon and immediately toured The Breakers. It's an area where the Vanderbilts and other wealthy families from the middle 19th century to the turn of the last century spent their summers. The houses were huge!! Gold, platinum, jewels, and other assorted I-have-too-much-money-so-I-will-build/decorate-my-house-out-of-anything-that-costs-megabucks items were used inside and out. It was very impressive and reminiscent of the Biltmore Home in Asheville, but at the same time, it was a bit over the top. Even their habits were not typical of the average family, even by today's elevated standards. Changing sheets twice a day, changing clothes 4-5 times a day, girls not allowed in that room, boys not allowed in the other room, children confined to certain rooms only all sound very foreign to my way of thinking. But it was very interesting to learn a little about their lives.

After a seafood dinner in southern Rhode Island, we headed to Boston. We spent July 4 on The Freedom Trail and saw some of the items and buildings from the Colonial and early 19th century Bostonian periods. Later that night, we celebrated our independence Boston-style. It was a holiday I will never forget. After a mad "dash" through a ever-growing crowd trying to push, stomp, outmaneuver, and cajole their way into the free subway trains, we made it back to the hotel room after midnight.

The next day was spent at the New England Aquarium and walking around Boston again. We were able to see some other sights and also enjoy a nice Italian dinner at the North End. Tuesday found us at Plimouth. We toured the Wampanoag and English villages and boarded the Mayflower II. After an excursion to Cape Cod, we went back to Boston for the night. The next morning, we left for Salem and then on to Maine.

The trip to Maine seemed longer than it should be. I guess it's because there wasn't much traffic. But the scenery was beautiful! Nothing like it here in North Carolina. After we arrived in Bar Harbor that evening, we settled in for the night. The next day we went into Acadia National Park. WOW! Gorgeous!! Wild!! Rocky!! Green!! We saw a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) chick on it's ledge nest (through a scope). Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) and Greater Black-backed Gulls (Larus marinus) were everywhere. Fog, wind, humidity, thundering water, bird songs and calls, brown rocks, and green trees all combined to fill our senses with wonder as we viewed this Wonderland up close. After a full day of exploring, we were hungry for more seafood. I tried my first ever full-belly clams. Tender, crispy, and very tasty pieces of bivalves sent waves of delight over my body. Topping that meal off with a piece of warm Maine blueberry pie a la mode made for one happy camper.

On Friday, the proverbial fly in the ointment tried to make an appearance. We were scheduled to go whale and puffin watching, but the ever-present fog and choppy seas caused the trip to be canceled. I was very disappointed because I had been dreaming of this adventure for many years. But we just decided to hike around Johnson Pond (looked like a lake to me!) for the morning and then were able to get on a boat tour of the lighthouses in the afternoon. The boat tour was nice even in the middle of the fog. We were only able to see 3 lighthouses and only one of those was very clear. We also saw more homes of the rich-and-famous. The highlight of the tour was an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) feeding a chick on the nest, a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perched on a warning signal, and Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) taking a rest on a rocky island.

After a Lobster Roll for dinner, it was time to prepare to return home. As usual, it's a bittersweet time for me. We left early Saturday and drove, drove, and drove some more. After spending the night in New Jersey, we drove and drove again until the familiar sights and sounds of home awakened our road-weary senses.

Home.

Nothing like it.

I'm Back!

Well, I have returned from my vacation to New England. I will be sharing stories and thoughts from the trip this week.

For now, let me give you a condensed version...

Long drive.

Good seafood.

Lots of Yankee accents.

Many crazy people driving the Interstates.

Some suspicious hotel rooms.

Hot weather.

Fog, fog, and more fog.

McDonald's Mocha Frappés

Details will be filled in.

I promise.

Mr. Perfect

I am Mr. Perfect...

At least according to my co-workers. It's hard to live up to that standard, but I do my best. At least once or twice a week, I receive the sigh, the rolling of the eyes, and the line that "everybody makes mistakes...except you".

Why? Because I expect things to be done correctly the first time? Because I expect people to make sure that all I's are dotted and all T's are crossed before submitting papers? Because I actually expect people to remember something that I have already told them, not once, but several times before? Are all of these requirements too much to ask of supposedly responsible adults that shouldn't have to have their hands held or the corners of their mouths wiped after snack time?

Well, I'm here to tell you that I'm not perfect. I do, indeed, make mistakes. However, when I do make a mistake, I try extremely hard to remember the lesson and to learn to never repeat that same mistake. After all, isn't that part of growing up and becoming a mature adult?

So...


If those habits do, indeed, make one perfect, just call me...

Mr. Perfect Extraordinaire

Questions

One of my pet peeves is when people won't let me finish with an answer or an explanation before they start asking me questions. If they would just let me complete my thoughts, their questions may be answered before they even realize it. All they would have to do is pay attention.

Case in point is this conversation from work yesterday. A man from Alabama had called in requesting availability and pricing for three different parts. I garnered the information for him and called him back only to find that he was out of the store at the time. I was then forced to leave the information with the man that answered the phone. Here's a paraphrase of the following conversation...

Me: "OK. Here is the information that he requested."

Man: "OK."

Me: "The first two parts (here I actually supplied him with the part numbers) are available in Pennsylvania and cost $9.19 each. The..."

Man: "What was the first part number?"

Me. I repeated the number.

Man: "And they were how much?"

Me: "$9.19. The third number..."

Man: "The first two are the same price?"

Me: "Yes. The third number is $18.71 and is also in Pennsylvania"

Man: "All three are in Pennsylvania?"

By this time, I wanted to reach through the phone and give him a genuine backhand across both sides. He was a infuriatingly frustrating man. And to top off this lovely conversation, I receive a call from the original man 2 hours later. He was upset because no one had called him back with his information. I minced no words and told him in no uncertain terms that I had left the message over and hour and a half ago with "Joe". He quickly got off the phone.

When you are listening to someone speak, actually listen to them and don't try to interrupt with questions until the speaker is finished. Not only is that common courtesy, but one will be surprised to find that many of those questions would have already been answered

Teaching How to Fish

I try to live my life by the old Chinese proverb

Give a man a fish and feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.

At first glance, most people automatically think about the destitute and starving and how that can be a way to help their fellow man. But I apply it in more ways than just feeding the hungry. In fact, I use it for everything in life.

Most people nowadays want everything spoon-fed to them, handed to them on a silver platter, and coming completely assembled. According to them, they don't know where to look, don't know how to do it, have no idea where to look, or a myriad of other excuses for not doing something themselves. When I encounter such attitudes (which is frequently), I try to show them how to figure out their problem or how to search for the answer. I don't just hand the answer over easily. No one would ever learn if he or she is always given the answer straight out.

Not all people are fond of this method, but it doesn't bother me. I can see the look in their eyes or hear the tone in their voices when I refuse to satisfy their craving for an easy answer. But the attitudes don't affect me at all. I just keep right on teaching them. Some are thankful; others grumble and keep asking the same questions instead of taking advantage of the opportunity to learn.

The learners will grow from the learning and will then be able to disseminate their new-found knowledge to someone else.

The grumblers will stagnate in their own ignorance and will be reduced to nothing more than ignorant knowledge-beggars that suck the life of all those around them.

In the end, they are only hurting themselves.

Expecting

I have high expectations for people. It was how I was reared. If you lower your expectations, people will meet them with gusto and you will be surrounded with mediocrity or, worse, downright stupidity. People should rise to the challenge of each others reasonable expectations and not settle for the quagmire of "middleness" that permeates our society.

My manager is constantly telling me that I am "expecting" again and that I shouldn't expect anything from people other than what I get from them, which is not much. I counter with the above argument while he cackles at my facial expressions, flailing arm movements, and commentary outbursts about how people are not rising to the challenge.

Is it too much to expect people to...

use the gray matter between their ears?

act courteously and without demands even when life isn't going as they planned or wanted?

listen the first time and not repeat the same question over and over and over again?

not act like a 2-year old pitching a fit on the floor and sounding like two toms fighting over a potential mate when told something they don't like?

actually pay attention to what they are doing and therefore eliminate the need to do things over again?

think about their actions and the potential consequences before implementing some asinine plan or procedure?

The answers to the above questions are not out of the realm of possibility. It only takes some forethought and concern for those around you.

Am I doomed to be repeatedly disappointed?

Unfortunately, I think I am...

Cock-a-doodle-doo

Onomatopoeic words are words that mimic a sound made by something such as an animal call or a door slam. It's funny to me how certain onomatopoeic words for the exact same sound differ in other languages. We all hear the same sound, but the conditioning from our native language sounds causes us to render differently from one another.

Take for instance, the very common rendering of the well-known rooster call. In English, it's cock-a-doodle-doo. Now take a look at the same sound in several other language samples taken from many different language families...

Spanish: quiquiriquí or cocoricó
French: cocorico
Italian: chicchirichi
Norwegian: kykkeliky
Dutch: kukeleku
German: kikeriki
Russian: koo-ka-re-koo
Polish: kukuryku
Nepali: frootti tootti tu
Hindi: ku-kudu-koo
Hungarian: kukurikú
Estonian: kikerikii
Basque: kukurruku
Korean: gugugugu
Japanese: kokekokko
Mandarin: o o o
Thai: aek ee aek aek
Sinhalese: fuku fuk fu
Tamil: kokkara-ko-ko
Indonesian: kukuruyuk
Tagalog: tiktilaok
Turkish: ü-ürü-üüü
Hebrew: kúkuríku
Arabic: kuku-kookoo

Now, one can see the similarities between closely related languages, but when you look at others, you wonder if they are hearing the same sound as you! Language is funny that way!

I will leave you with a few more examples of this strange reality. See if you can "hear" how the other languages came to their own word.

Balloon bursting
Arabic: boof
German: peng
Hindi: thaa
Hungarian: pukk
Indonesian: dor
Korean: bbang
Navajo: dǫǫn
Spanish: pop
Thai: poh
Turkish: bom

Camera shutter
Bulgarian: shtrak
Danish: klik
French: clic
Indonesian: klik
Korean: chalkak
Russian: shcholk
Swedish: klick
Thai: chaeh
Turkish: şlak
Vietnamese: cách cách

Car horn
Czech: tu tu
Dutch: toet toet
German: tut
Hebrew: bip bip
Indonesian: din din
Korean: bbang bbang
Lithuanian: pyp pyp
Spanish: pi pi
Tagalog: peep peep
Thai: pin pin

Cry of pain
Czech: au
French: aïe
German: au
Hebrew: akh
Indonesian: aduh
Japanese: itai
Navajo: ayá
Nepali: bzzt
Portuguese: ai
Russian: oj

Cow lowing
Arabic: moo
Mandarin: mou
Czech: buu
Dutch: boe
Italian: mu
Japanese: mo mo
Korean: eum mae
Tagalog: unga
Tibetan: drip drip dröep
Vietnamese: ò ò

Kiss
Arabic: mwa
Czech: muck
Danish: smæk
Estonian: mopsti
Japanese: chuu
Korean: jjohk
Malayalam: umma
Russian: chmok
Thai: joop
Vietnamese: chut

Pig call
Czech: kvík kvík
Finnish: röh röh
French: groin groin
German: grunz grunz
Indonesian: grok grok
Korean: ggul ggul
Lithuanian: kvy kvy
Portuguese: ronc ronc
Tagalog: ngok ngok
Thai: ud ud

Sneeze
Bengali: hach-chu
Catalan: atxum
Cantonese: hat-chi
Mandarin: ah-ti
Dutch: hatsjoe
Hebrew: apchi
Japanese: hakushon
Romanian: hapciu
Tagalog: atsing
Thai: hud-chei

Seeds

This time of the year is always exciting for me. We are now just starting to get the first fruits of all the preparing of soil and planting of seeds and plants. I am always amazed at how much plant comes from such a small seed. Little by little, bit by bit, cell by cell, a beautiful, productive green plant emerges from the small capsule and is soon bearing ripe, juicy edibles for us to enjoy.

Isn't that how we should be?

John 12:24 says that "except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

We are like a corn (seed or grain). When we are unsaved, we are like seeds in a bag in a dark corner. We are shriveled, useless, and will eventually rot. Once we become saved, it's like we have been lifted out of the dark, dank bag and brought into the light. But the journey doesn't end there. Once the Master Gardener has us in His hands, He plants us in His thoroughly prepared and cultivated garden. Once in the good soil, it is up to us to do our intended job. The first step must be dying to self. Just as a seed must break apart the testa and die as a seed when the moisture and temperature are at the correct levels, we must break apart our own sinful covering of selfish will and desires under the loving conditions from our Father.

Next is the growing phase. By continuing to read and study God's Word, pray, and follow His commandments, our radicle becomes firmly grounded in Him and our plumule breaks out of the fertile ground into the Light of God's continued Presence. As we continue to grow and develop, we become a beautiful plant and will bear fruit for our Gardner to use in whatever way He sees fit.

Will you die as a seed and become a fruitful vine or bush? Or will you stay in the bag in the corner? Or will you just stay as you are in the ground and never grow?

The choice is yours.

Don't Assume

1) Don't assume that I am color blind just because I can't tell the difference between beige and taupe or coral and scarlet. Do I really need a celery shirt??

2) Don't assume that I can use a hand tool well just because I have testosterone flowing in my veins. You just might get hurt and hurt badly!

3) Don't assume that I like to watch or discuss the latest NASCAR race just because I work in the auto parts industry. I do not!

4) Don't assume that I will eat and be happy about eating JELLO cheesecake. No way, no how.

5) Don't assume that just because I am a lover of all varieties of music that I want to hear your boom-boom da da da while sitting at a stoplight. My car vibrates enough on its own.

6) Don't assume that I will beg for your help when I am as busy as a one-armed paper-hanger while you sit there feeling your butt expand. I'm not a martyr, but I won't beg you either.

7) Don't assume that I will always have patience for your shenanigans or delays.

8) Don't assume that I want to hear all about your illnesses, infections, and body aches and pains. Take a pill and be quiet, please.

9) Don't assume that I want you to call me by my first name if I don't know you. If I don't give you permission in some way, don't use it.

Do you have a "Don't Assume" list? I am not assuming that you do!

Answers

Here's the much anticipated answers for last week's after school pop quiz. How did you do? Will the scores be high? Or will the teacher have to grade on a curve? I am anxious to see how everyone did!

So here they are...

1) The sport is boxing. (I'll admit that I didn't get it correct. But then again, I'm not into sports that much!)

2) The American landmark is Niagara Falls. (A nameless someone should have gotten that one right!)

3) The two perennial vegetables are asparagus and rhubarb. (I get a half a point for this one.)

4) The seeds-on-the-outside fruit is a strawberry. (Uncommonly common answer, huh?)

5) The pear grew inside the bottle. They place the pear blossom in the bottle and tie it securely to the branch. The pear develops and matures inside the bottle. (Not too difficult to figure out.)

6) The dwarfs used to dwell by the river, but their population has dwindled lately. (I only came up with one.)

7) List of English punctuation: period, comma, question mark, exclamation point, quotation marks, hyphen, apostrophe, semicolon, colon, parentheses, brackets, dash, ellipsis, and braces.

8) The never processed, always served raw vegetable or fruit is: lettuce. (I guessed banana. I totally forgot about Bananas Foster!)

9) And last but not least, the "S" footwear: shoes, socks, skis, skates, snowshoes, stilts, sneakers, sandals, slippers, and stockings.

My score was about a 5. So much for common knowledge, huh?

Seven

Today's easy entry is dedicated to my sister. She just "knew" that I would copy it for my own blog. Hey! It's free and I don't have to ponder for too long on it! haha

Seven Things To Do Before I Die (and in no particular order!)
1) See the Great Wall of China.
2) Go on a safari.
3) See all 15 species of cranes in the wild.
4) Win Best in Show ;)
5) Climb the Eiffel Tower
6) See the Scottish moors full of blooming heather
7) Take the Copper Canyon Train

Seven Things I Cannot Do
1) Use outside tools...pitiful, absolutely pitiful
2) Back smoothly into a parking space
3) Back up with a trailer
4) Run the 100-yd dash in under 5 minutes
5) Swim like a fish
6) Decorate
7) Design anything

Seven Things That Attract Me To...Traveling
1) Seeing new places
2) Meeting new people
3) Trying new foods
4) Experiencing different cultures
5) Broadening my mind
6) Making friends
7) Hearing different languages

Seven Things I Say Most Often
1) Have a blessed day.
2) Girrrrrrlll.
3) Oh, gooood night!
4) I-D-10-T
5) Don't make me...
6) What do you want? A twinkie?
7) What's for dessert?

Seven Books That I Love
1) Bible
2) The Zion Chronicles
3) The Zion Covenant
4) Twilight of Courage
5) Secret of the Rose
6) A.D. Chronicles
7) Secret of Heathersleigh Hall

Seven Movies That I Watch Over and Over Again
1) Dances With Wolves
2) Lord Of The Rings 1-3
3) Steel Magnolias
4) Slumdog Millionaire
5) Sound of Music
6) Phantom of the Opera
7) Hairspray

Questions

Since this is the last day of school for some people (namely my sister), I thought it fitting to have one more pop quiz for the year. These 9 questions should be common knowledge, but you might be surprised!

See how many you can get.

1) Name the one sport where neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.

2) What famous American landmark is constantly moving backwards?

3) Of all the vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be planted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?

4) What fruit has its seeds on the outside?

5) In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe. The bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?

6) Only three words in standard English begin with the letters "dw". They are common words. Name two of them.

7) There are 14 punctuation marks in the English language. Can you name at least half of them?

8) Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or is found in any other form other than fresh.

9) Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter "S".


Answers are forthcoming.

Spelling

Around the year 1440, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. With that marvelous invention came the standardization of spelling in a written language. Prior to the press, each person would write as he spoke. People from another region of the country would not be able to understand the written form from another area because they didn't know the local script. With books now being able to be widely distributed, spelling in a particular language because standard and people from all different dialects were able to read a book or article, no matter the origin of the author.

With that bit of history in mind, it seems that, today, we are regressing to the days before the printing press. It absolutely drives me insane. People spell anyway they want. Schools teach "whole word" spelling. How about teaching and expecting the proper way to spell? I know that English spelling can be crazy at times. Partly because of the original standardization when words were pronounced differently and partly because of the propensity of the English language to borrow words from another language without changing to a more English-like spelling, spelling can be a challenge.

But all in all, spelling should be a priority in today's world, especially when there is a "spell check" at every turn. No one should have to scratch their head over a word or get some other meaning to a sentence because the writer failed to spell properly. Language is a form of communication. If the written form is not spelled correctly, then the idea trying to be communicated is lost and the exercise was for naught.

I will leave you with several recent, personal encounters with misspelled words from my work. These are not just one time occurrences, but an everyday repeat of the same misspelling. The intended word will appear beside each one. Now mind you, the words used in my line of work are nothing like sphygmomanometer or syzygy...

Toyoda (Toyota)
dudy (duty)
Jinna (Gina)
Hoza' (José)
Detoisa (Desoto)
Crig (Craig)
Jammie (Jamie)
Carrbarrow (Carrboro, NC)
Tory (Troy)
angle (angel)
Jone (Joan)
Susiki (Suzuki)
Darwin (Darren)
Cala' (Carla)
litter (liter)
Earnie (Ernie)