I am a sinful driver. One of the side effects of being self-employed is that I now spend more time in a car. I like driving. I like the time to myself that it gives me as I think on life, pray, sing, listen to books on tape, or practice what I am going to say. God has used this time to point out some sins that I need to work on. One sin caught me off guard.
Integrity is firm adherence to a moral code or a state of being undivided. I have heard it explained that integrity is acting the same way in a group of people that you would in a room by yourself. There are not many people in this world who have this value. For me, as you can see from yesterday's post, I have been thinking quite a bit on what it looks like to love enemies (and friends). I have also been thinking about the quality of humility. One day as I was thinking on these things, I noticed that my driving was sinful because it was not exhibiting love or humility. I am a selfish driver.
I noticed this when someone else was a selfish driver. It is often so easy to point out the sins in others, but we often can recognize our own sin by seeing the sins of others. Someone cut me off. I was delayed probably less than two seconds as I had to slow down then pass the driver that decided that he should pull out in front of me. I was annoyed. The thought that popped into my head is "What makes him think that his time is more important than mine?" The wheels in my head started turning. I often do just that. I pull out in front of someone because I am valuing my time more than their time. I am showing a lack of respect for the person I am pulling out in front of or cutting off or running through a yellow/red light. If I want to be a person of integrity that values loving people and humility, I am going to have to start in my driving. There is no recognition for being a respectful driver. The other driver is not going to know that I am making a conscience decision to be respectful of his/her time. The other driver is not going to realize that I am valuing their time more than mine. I have decided that this is a good test of integrity for me. Plus, I fail at this test of integrity each and every time I am on the road. Old habits are hard to break. I am constantly having to pray that God will make me more respectful of other drivers by bringing this to mind. There is nothing more humbling than realizing that you are not a person of integrity because you fail to put the morals and values you claim to practice when no one is looking.
I pledge to make a conscience effort to be a more loving driver on the road. I pledge to try not to value my time above the time of the other drivers. I know I will fail at this almost daily causing me to realize my need for a Savior. I confess that for years I did not realize how sinful my driving was. It scares me to think that there are other areas of my life as simple as driving where I am unconscious of the sin. Because of this I am more thankful of God's grace and conviction as the little sins come to light to be dealt with.
Showing posts with label Really Random. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Really Random. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
Blog Dump
I go through phases in my blogging. Sometimes I have lots I want to write, but no time to write it. Other times I have lots of time, but nothing comes to mind to write. Here recently, I have had many things on my mind, but I have been waiting for the right time to write about them. Some may never make it to the blog. Others have been drafted and redrafted in my head many times and are almost ready. There are also ideas that pop into my head that act like they must be written about immediately. When I go through dry spells on the blog, it seems that several of those events occur all at once. This week might be a writing week. You may not hear from me for months afterward. This is not an apology for lack of blogging ... or an excuse. It is just an explanation of how my brain works.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
I must be a nerd
I have come to the conclusion that I am officially a self-proclaimed nerd. Up to this point in life, I think that I have only heard others apply that label to me and I have chosen to use descriptive labels such as nerdy instead of the noun version. However, I am willing to embrace the nerdiness and state that I am a nerd.
I came to this conclusion when I read the transcript of the Supreme Court oral arguments from last week's Snyder v. Phelps case. I read the transcript because I wanted to know how the oral arguments went, I decided not to wait for the audio of the oral arguments to be posted, and I wanted to know what Scalia said. Now I am anxiously awaiting the opinion/concurrence/dissent of Scalia. Notice I said the decision of Scalia instead of the decision of the Court. I think that out of all of the justices on the US Supreme Court, Justice Scalia is the one that I agree with most. Part of the reason for this is that Justice Scalia is rarely, if ever, guilty of making a decision based on emotion instead of the Constitution.
For example, Justice Scalia wrote an opinion that I thought that I did not agree with at the time it was issued. He wrote that a rape victim has to testify in front of the accuser. Although I do not remember the facts of the case now, I am sure it was probably a child victim making the victim someone that society naturally wants to protect. However, there is a Constitutional right of an accuser to confront a victim. Justice Scalia and the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional right of the accused to confront the victim. At the time, I thought it was a horrible decision. The more I thought about it, the more I admired Justice Scalia for taking the facts away and looking only at the text of the Constitution.
I think that the Snyder v. Phelps case is similar. We have a constitutional right to free speech. The government can place reasonable restrictions on where the speech can occur. Those restrictions were in place at the soldier's funeral. The Phelps group was out of the eyesight and hearing of the family. The family member is the one who decided to turn on the TV to see the media coverage (which is a problem with the media, but I will not go there on this one). It was also the family member who decided to go to the website and see what was said about the son and family. Does that mean that the Phelps group should have said the things that they are saying? No. However, that does not mean that they should not have the right to say those things.
I am interested to see if the Supreme Court is going to uphold the group's right to speak in this situation. If there is ever a set of facts that the majority of Americans can get behind and say that it was not right for this to occur, protesting at a funeral qualifies. However, there is a right to protest (I should add peacefully because protesting can get out of hand and protesters can lose the right). I am interested to see what Scalia writes. I hope that he continues to uphold the Constitution. I hope that he resists the temptation to carve an exception to free speech. I think that restricting the group to a particular time and place is sufficient, but I do not think that they should have their speech stifled. I think that the world would be better off if the group would quit saying what it is saying. However, this can be said by someone about almost any group.
Interestingly, the Court will be deciding if the speech was an intentional infliction of emotional distress which is a civil cause of action. There are times when our words, although we have a right to say them, have consequences. I find it hard to pin an intentional infliction of emotional distress on someone who put a thought out there in the public discourse, but did not force the intended or unintended victim to watch. If the media had not jumped on the protesting like they did, the intended/unintended victim may have never seen the speech that harmed the victim. I guess the argument can be made that the speaker knew that the media would cover the event and the speech would be likely to reach the victim. I guess that the ultimate question becomes what speech can have financial consequences outside of threats which already have criminal/civil consequences and slander/libel which has civil consequences.
On a completely different note, I am surprised by the argument presented by Phelps' daughter at the oral arguments. She came off much more articulate and much less crazy than her father. She was surprisingly well prepared and carried herself better in the oral argument than she has in interviews since the arguments (and probably before too). Sure she had some crazy moments (repeated use of "in your grille"), but overall she presented the argument better than I expected (my expectations were pretty low so maybe it was easy to exceed the expectations).
I came to this conclusion when I read the transcript of the Supreme Court oral arguments from last week's Snyder v. Phelps case. I read the transcript because I wanted to know how the oral arguments went, I decided not to wait for the audio of the oral arguments to be posted, and I wanted to know what Scalia said. Now I am anxiously awaiting the opinion/concurrence/dissent of Scalia. Notice I said the decision of Scalia instead of the decision of the Court. I think that out of all of the justices on the US Supreme Court, Justice Scalia is the one that I agree with most. Part of the reason for this is that Justice Scalia is rarely, if ever, guilty of making a decision based on emotion instead of the Constitution.
For example, Justice Scalia wrote an opinion that I thought that I did not agree with at the time it was issued. He wrote that a rape victim has to testify in front of the accuser. Although I do not remember the facts of the case now, I am sure it was probably a child victim making the victim someone that society naturally wants to protect. However, there is a Constitutional right of an accuser to confront a victim. Justice Scalia and the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional right of the accused to confront the victim. At the time, I thought it was a horrible decision. The more I thought about it, the more I admired Justice Scalia for taking the facts away and looking only at the text of the Constitution.
I think that the Snyder v. Phelps case is similar. We have a constitutional right to free speech. The government can place reasonable restrictions on where the speech can occur. Those restrictions were in place at the soldier's funeral. The Phelps group was out of the eyesight and hearing of the family. The family member is the one who decided to turn on the TV to see the media coverage (which is a problem with the media, but I will not go there on this one). It was also the family member who decided to go to the website and see what was said about the son and family. Does that mean that the Phelps group should have said the things that they are saying? No. However, that does not mean that they should not have the right to say those things.
I am interested to see if the Supreme Court is going to uphold the group's right to speak in this situation. If there is ever a set of facts that the majority of Americans can get behind and say that it was not right for this to occur, protesting at a funeral qualifies. However, there is a right to protest (I should add peacefully because protesting can get out of hand and protesters can lose the right). I am interested to see what Scalia writes. I hope that he continues to uphold the Constitution. I hope that he resists the temptation to carve an exception to free speech. I think that restricting the group to a particular time and place is sufficient, but I do not think that they should have their speech stifled. I think that the world would be better off if the group would quit saying what it is saying. However, this can be said by someone about almost any group.
Interestingly, the Court will be deciding if the speech was an intentional infliction of emotional distress which is a civil cause of action. There are times when our words, although we have a right to say them, have consequences. I find it hard to pin an intentional infliction of emotional distress on someone who put a thought out there in the public discourse, but did not force the intended or unintended victim to watch. If the media had not jumped on the protesting like they did, the intended/unintended victim may have never seen the speech that harmed the victim. I guess the argument can be made that the speaker knew that the media would cover the event and the speech would be likely to reach the victim. I guess that the ultimate question becomes what speech can have financial consequences outside of threats which already have criminal/civil consequences and slander/libel which has civil consequences.
On a completely different note, I am surprised by the argument presented by Phelps' daughter at the oral arguments. She came off much more articulate and much less crazy than her father. She was surprisingly well prepared and carried herself better in the oral argument than she has in interviews since the arguments (and probably before too). Sure she had some crazy moments (repeated use of "in your grille"), but overall she presented the argument better than I expected (my expectations were pretty low so maybe it was easy to exceed the expectations).
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Two Completely Unrelated Things
(1) I have a new reason to watch The Biggest Loser this season. One of the contestants is a woman who was one of my really good friends in middle school and part of high school. You can read more about Sandy here. She lived within walking distance of my house, so I remember hanging out quite a bit. I hate the color pink, but I will be rooting for pink this season on The Biggest Loser! Sandy's brother, Mike, died this past spring just a few days after trying out for The Biggest Loser. His death was due to complications because of his weight. I hope that Sandy and Mike's story will encourage people to get up and get moving. So if you see any Facebook/Twitter posts pulling for pink, I have not lost my mind, but I am cheering Sandy on!
(2) It is probably unfair to include this in the same post since it is so completely unrelated. I do not usually write about things that are too written about on blogs, but I am making an exception for the Florida church. There are some things that strike me about the burning of the Koran in the Florida church. One of the things that struck me was covered here with some of the same thoughts I had about how it might not be smart to burn other people's religious books. Something else that I have been pondering is that this Florida church seems to be willing to risk other people's lives for what they think is the gospel instead of their own lives. It is no secret that certain Muslim zealots are willing to kill, riot, terrorize when someone does something offensive to a belief that they hold dear. There were murders, riots, and calls for death due to a cartoonist drawing a picture of Mohammed. This Florida church knows this. Yet this church is willing to risk the lives of others around the world because it wants to prove a point? What point it is exactly that they are trying to make anyway? We are called to risk our lives for the gospel, not the lives of others. Sometimes our actions for the sake of the gospel may put others at risk. New converts are often subject to persecution and therefore, conversion can result in a risk. However, this church is putting lives at risk without conversion, without risking their own lives, without actually taking the gospel where it needs to go.
Finally, if you have a heart for reaching the Islamic world for Christ, you are not going to do what is quite possibly the most offensive display towards the Muslim community in an effort to reach the community for Christ. We are called to love our enemies, not hate them. Burning the Koran is a sign of hate. I do not like to see millions/billions of people around the world deceived by the Koran, but that makes me pray for those who are sharing the gospel to Muslims around the world, or send money to missionaries in that part of the world, or research ways to share teh gospel with a Muslim, or show acts of love and mercy towards Muslims. Love would not lead you to burn the books just to be completely shut off from all opportunities to share the gospel because of your act of hatred.
I am slightly encouraged to see that the pastor is now "praying" about his decision due to the government attention that he has received and due to the counsel he is receiving from others in the Christian community. I sincerely hope and pray that he considers whether his church's actions are going to bring glory to God and further the spread of the gospel or hinder the spread of the gospel. I cannot think of how this act will spread the gospel. Instead I can only see how it can potentially endanger mission efforts around the world. I do trust that God can use this event to open conversations in mission efforts around the world and hopefully lead God's people to prayer and a commitment to spreading the gospel to those who are of the Muslim faith.
(2) It is probably unfair to include this in the same post since it is so completely unrelated. I do not usually write about things that are too written about on blogs, but I am making an exception for the Florida church. There are some things that strike me about the burning of the Koran in the Florida church. One of the things that struck me was covered here with some of the same thoughts I had about how it might not be smart to burn other people's religious books. Something else that I have been pondering is that this Florida church seems to be willing to risk other people's lives for what they think is the gospel instead of their own lives. It is no secret that certain Muslim zealots are willing to kill, riot, terrorize when someone does something offensive to a belief that they hold dear. There were murders, riots, and calls for death due to a cartoonist drawing a picture of Mohammed. This Florida church knows this. Yet this church is willing to risk the lives of others around the world because it wants to prove a point? What point it is exactly that they are trying to make anyway? We are called to risk our lives for the gospel, not the lives of others. Sometimes our actions for the sake of the gospel may put others at risk. New converts are often subject to persecution and therefore, conversion can result in a risk. However, this church is putting lives at risk without conversion, without risking their own lives, without actually taking the gospel where it needs to go.
Finally, if you have a heart for reaching the Islamic world for Christ, you are not going to do what is quite possibly the most offensive display towards the Muslim community in an effort to reach the community for Christ. We are called to love our enemies, not hate them. Burning the Koran is a sign of hate. I do not like to see millions/billions of people around the world deceived by the Koran, but that makes me pray for those who are sharing the gospel to Muslims around the world, or send money to missionaries in that part of the world, or research ways to share teh gospel with a Muslim, or show acts of love and mercy towards Muslims. Love would not lead you to burn the books just to be completely shut off from all opportunities to share the gospel because of your act of hatred.
I am slightly encouraged to see that the pastor is now "praying" about his decision due to the government attention that he has received and due to the counsel he is receiving from others in the Christian community. I sincerely hope and pray that he considers whether his church's actions are going to bring glory to God and further the spread of the gospel or hinder the spread of the gospel. I cannot think of how this act will spread the gospel. Instead I can only see how it can potentially endanger mission efforts around the world. I do trust that God can use this event to open conversations in mission efforts around the world and hopefully lead God's people to prayer and a commitment to spreading the gospel to those who are of the Muslim faith.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Entering the World of the Casserole
I am 30 and nothing shows my age more than my recent desire to cook instead of eat out all the time. I realized I was wasting money on food and that I could eat out only one to three meals a week and still save money by cooking at home. My investment into a Crockpot has more than paid for itself in the money I have saved by making as many meals as possible and packing my lunch for work. This weekend I dared to go where I had not gone before in the Crockpot. I made a casserole.
I have made dishes that are close to casseroles before this weekend. I made a meatloaf, but I do not count that as a casserole (although it does share some of the same characteristics as a casserole so you might). I made a lasagna, but I do not consider that a casserole because it is a lasagna. Again, you can disagree. This weekend I wanted to make something that was Mexican food like in my Crockpot but I could not find a recipe that sounded good, so I made one up.
All good casseroles, I concluded as I enjoyed my creation, have to be born of a similar process. I wanted to make enchiladas in the Crockpot, but I could not find a recipe that sounded right. I found some inspiration by reading different recipes and comments to get some tips. I wrote down a list of ingredients in quantities that sounded right before heading to the store. Once in the store as I picked up the two cans of enchilada sauce and headed back down the aisle, my eye caught the chili. I remembered mom putting chili over enchiladas. I pondered how good it might be to mix a can of the enchilada sauce with the chili and use that instead of two cans to add more meat. You see, I am going through an anemic stage right now, and chili has more iron in it than enchilada sauce. I even checked the can to make sure. I threw in some black beans too for the same reason. I then went back to the chili section to trade out cans of chili because I decided that the brand in hand would be too chunky and I would need a runny chili for the casserole so that it would be more like enchilada sauce. I never buy the runny chili. I was being bold. Then it came time to buy the meat. I decided on fajita chicken. The recipe called for ground beef. I could not leave out onion because I do not consider a meal a meal unless there is onion in it. By the time I left the store, I had 2-1/2 of the original ingredients in the recipe - corn tortillas, cheese, and one of the two cans of enchilada sauce called for. The recipe was officially inspiration. Or guidance on how to cook a casserole in a Crockpot.
As I threw the casserole together and left it alone while it cooked, I was nervous and excited about how it would turn out. It was either going to be a keeper or a dud. The chili mixed with enchilada sauce did not look promising as the casserole was being assembled. In fact, the whole thing looked pretty unappetizing in the Crockpot before it cooked and after it was done. I encouraged myself by reminding myself that I cannot think of a single casserole that I like that is appetizing when you put it in and pull it out of the oven.
It came time to take the first bite. The first bite was not good. I burned my tongue. My tongue was in so much pain I do not remember the rest of the first bite, including how it tasted. I waited a while longer before the second bite. Finally, I could tell that this was going to be a keeper, not a dud. In fact, the more I ate, the better it tasted. By the second helping, I was loving it. It reminded me of enchiladas, but without having to prepare the tortillas, assemble the little rolls, remember to put the tortillas with the seem side down, and pouring the sauce on top. The sauce had soaked into the chicken and the tortillas infusing them with deliciousness. It was incredible. I thought that the world should know about this recipe. Of course, it looked very unappetizing (still) but the taste made up for it.
I have determined that this must be how all casseroles are formed. Or at least how they are formed in the information age when cooks can compare recipes. I started with several recipes, but decided on one that sounded best. Then as I bought the ingredients, I altered the recipe based on what sounded good. At that point you can only hope that it is edible because you are in charted (or unblogged about) territory. Once you determine that the recipe is a keeper (and secretly thank yourself for writing down the ingredients as soon as you threw them together into a pot), you want to share it with others. I am going to share it, but more for your inspiration and guidance!
Crockpot Enchilada Casserole
1-1/2 lbs of precooked meat. I used frozen chicken fajita meat, thawed.
1 can of enchilada sauce
1 can of chili
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion
3 cups Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
12 corn tortillas
Cook the meat if it is not cooked already. This recipe has a relatively short cooking time for meat, so raw meat probably will not get done. Cut the tortillas into six wedges per tortilla. Use a Crockpot liner (that part is not inspiration - trust me, it is worth it!), but spray the liner with cooking spray. Layer the ingredients starting with one stack of the tortilla wedges, meat, sauce, beans, onions, cheese. Repeat three to four more times. After you have used up the meat, sauce, beans and onions, top it off with a final layer of tortilla wedges and cheese only. Cook in the Crockpot on low for 4-6 hours. My Crockpot has an automatic warmer, so I set the timer for 5 hours and then let it warm for a few more. It was perfect for consumption after 3 hours on the warmer setting. At two hours, the sauce was a little runny still, but that could have been because it was so hot. Plus, at two hours on warm I burned my tongue with the first bite which may have had something to do with my thinking it was perfect for the second helping and hour later.
I have made dishes that are close to casseroles before this weekend. I made a meatloaf, but I do not count that as a casserole (although it does share some of the same characteristics as a casserole so you might). I made a lasagna, but I do not consider that a casserole because it is a lasagna. Again, you can disagree. This weekend I wanted to make something that was Mexican food like in my Crockpot but I could not find a recipe that sounded good, so I made one up.
All good casseroles, I concluded as I enjoyed my creation, have to be born of a similar process. I wanted to make enchiladas in the Crockpot, but I could not find a recipe that sounded right. I found some inspiration by reading different recipes and comments to get some tips. I wrote down a list of ingredients in quantities that sounded right before heading to the store. Once in the store as I picked up the two cans of enchilada sauce and headed back down the aisle, my eye caught the chili. I remembered mom putting chili over enchiladas. I pondered how good it might be to mix a can of the enchilada sauce with the chili and use that instead of two cans to add more meat. You see, I am going through an anemic stage right now, and chili has more iron in it than enchilada sauce. I even checked the can to make sure. I threw in some black beans too for the same reason. I then went back to the chili section to trade out cans of chili because I decided that the brand in hand would be too chunky and I would need a runny chili for the casserole so that it would be more like enchilada sauce. I never buy the runny chili. I was being bold. Then it came time to buy the meat. I decided on fajita chicken. The recipe called for ground beef. I could not leave out onion because I do not consider a meal a meal unless there is onion in it. By the time I left the store, I had 2-1/2 of the original ingredients in the recipe - corn tortillas, cheese, and one of the two cans of enchilada sauce called for. The recipe was officially inspiration. Or guidance on how to cook a casserole in a Crockpot.
As I threw the casserole together and left it alone while it cooked, I was nervous and excited about how it would turn out. It was either going to be a keeper or a dud. The chili mixed with enchilada sauce did not look promising as the casserole was being assembled. In fact, the whole thing looked pretty unappetizing in the Crockpot before it cooked and after it was done. I encouraged myself by reminding myself that I cannot think of a single casserole that I like that is appetizing when you put it in and pull it out of the oven.
It came time to take the first bite. The first bite was not good. I burned my tongue. My tongue was in so much pain I do not remember the rest of the first bite, including how it tasted. I waited a while longer before the second bite. Finally, I could tell that this was going to be a keeper, not a dud. In fact, the more I ate, the better it tasted. By the second helping, I was loving it. It reminded me of enchiladas, but without having to prepare the tortillas, assemble the little rolls, remember to put the tortillas with the seem side down, and pouring the sauce on top. The sauce had soaked into the chicken and the tortillas infusing them with deliciousness. It was incredible. I thought that the world should know about this recipe. Of course, it looked very unappetizing (still) but the taste made up for it.
I have determined that this must be how all casseroles are formed. Or at least how they are formed in the information age when cooks can compare recipes. I started with several recipes, but decided on one that sounded best. Then as I bought the ingredients, I altered the recipe based on what sounded good. At that point you can only hope that it is edible because you are in charted (or unblogged about) territory. Once you determine that the recipe is a keeper (and secretly thank yourself for writing down the ingredients as soon as you threw them together into a pot), you want to share it with others. I am going to share it, but more for your inspiration and guidance!
Crockpot Enchilada Casserole
1-1/2 lbs of precooked meat. I used frozen chicken fajita meat, thawed.
1 can of enchilada sauce
1 can of chili
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion
3 cups Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
12 corn tortillas
Cook the meat if it is not cooked already. This recipe has a relatively short cooking time for meat, so raw meat probably will not get done. Cut the tortillas into six wedges per tortilla. Use a Crockpot liner (that part is not inspiration - trust me, it is worth it!), but spray the liner with cooking spray. Layer the ingredients starting with one stack of the tortilla wedges, meat, sauce, beans, onions, cheese. Repeat three to four more times. After you have used up the meat, sauce, beans and onions, top it off with a final layer of tortilla wedges and cheese only. Cook in the Crockpot on low for 4-6 hours. My Crockpot has an automatic warmer, so I set the timer for 5 hours and then let it warm for a few more. It was perfect for consumption after 3 hours on the warmer setting. At two hours, the sauce was a little runny still, but that could have been because it was so hot. Plus, at two hours on warm I burned my tongue with the first bite which may have had something to do with my thinking it was perfect for the second helping and hour later.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Where have all the ladies gone?
I am in the midst of a really difficult period at work, so I enjoy coming home to Netflix movies to escape. However, I am often disappointed at what I am seeing. Last night, the selection was The Break-Up. I knew that I probably would not like the movie, but I guess part of me hoped it would be funny. Plus, it was just PG-13, so how bad could it be? It was REALLY bad. The profanity was unbearable. What I noticed most as I watched it though was how unladylike Jennifer Aniston's character was as she cursed in almost every sentence. When did it become ok for women to use that type of language? Society used to believe that cursing was an indication of lower class or lack of class. Now it is accepted no matter the class. I find it completely unattractive. There are plenty of words to use in the English language without having to use vulgar words. Women (and men) have lost their creativity in speaking. Society becomes more and more disrespectful. People begin to lose respect for themselves and others.
On the flip side of this, I am learning that society begins to respect you more just because of your difference in speech when you choose not to curse. Women want equality in the workplace, but yet they put themselves on the same level as men by using foul language. Why not gain more respect by being more careful with words? It definitely gives the appearance of being more professional, and it is an easy thing to do. I have not even gotten into all of the religious reasons that words need to be spoken carefully. I will save that for another post on another day. For now, I will turn to faithful friends in books instead of vulgar movies. Maybe it is time to invest in a language filter for my TV too.
On the flip side of this, I am learning that society begins to respect you more just because of your difference in speech when you choose not to curse. Women want equality in the workplace, but yet they put themselves on the same level as men by using foul language. Why not gain more respect by being more careful with words? It definitely gives the appearance of being more professional, and it is an easy thing to do. I have not even gotten into all of the religious reasons that words need to be spoken carefully. I will save that for another post on another day. For now, I will turn to faithful friends in books instead of vulgar movies. Maybe it is time to invest in a language filter for my TV too.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
These are a few of my favorite things!
Here are some things that I am currently obsessed with:
1. My Crockpot -
I decided to purchase a Crockpot in April, and I have thoroughly enjoyed cooking in it since. My oven has been broken for a while now, but the Crockpot has been the perfect solution for me. I usually feel like cooking on Saturday mornings, so it is really convenient to put the dish together on Saturday morning, and have lunch for the rest of the week. How is it that more people are not using this wonderful tool?!?! I have made meatloaf, taco soup, chicken chili, Mexican corn chowder, baked regular and sweet potatoes, buffalo chicken, baked potato soup, bread pudding, and French toast since buying the Crockpot. I have been eating good (and cheap)!
2. A Year of Slow Cooking blog - In line with number 1 above, I have found that I can explore my obsession with the Crockpot and create culinary experiments using this blog as inspiration. Who knew that you could make so many different things in a Crockpot?
3. Billy the Exterminator -
If you have not yet watched an episode of Billy the Exterminator on A & E, you do not know what you are missing. I mean, where else can you find a guy who is going to tell you that all household pests are carriers of dangerous bacteria that can kill you. If you are lucky, you will catch an episode where he is bitten by a snake, stung by a wasp, bit by a bat, wrestles a gator, or accidentally kills an animal. It is highly entertaining, although hard to explain what is entertaining about the show. Plus, you get to see all sorts of socio-economic classes on the show. Most of the people Billy "helps" are middle and upper-middle class, but it is extremely funny to see what they choose to wear on TV. Some women dress to impress, have the big hair and full make-up. Others open the door in their pajamas, making you want to say "is that the best you can do for national TV?" Throw in some family drama, and it makes for a very entertaining 30 minutes.
4. Chocolate milk -
Thanks to an article about the benefits of chocolate milk before and after working out, I have made chocolate milk part of my daily routine. I prefer Bordens to the Walmart brand because the quality of chocolate is much better, but really any chocolate milk will do. Considering that I have not lost weight, but I continue to lose inches, at least I can say that the chocolate milk is not hurting me. Plus, it is better for me than the empty calories in Gatorade, so that is a bonus!
5. The Biggest Loser: The Workout - Last Chance Workout
-
I am officially obsessed with this workout. It is tough. Seriously. Do not try this workout. Seriously. The workouts on the 30 Day Shred became a little too "easy" (the term is used very loosely), but this workout is no easier today than when I started almost 5 weeks ago. It is tough. However, this probably accounts more for my continued loss of inches, but not weight, than the chocolate milk. If you have seen the show, you know that it would be crazy to buy, much less do, the Last Chance Workout DVD. However, it is awesome for quick toning of the arms and legs. Consider this your warning if you choose to purchase this amazing, almost-instant liposuction for the small price of $10. As with all workouts that I have tried where Jillian Michaels is the torturer/trainer, this workout is extremely effective and the results start to show pretty quick. However, I would highly recommend using another of her workouts or the Biggest Loser workouts as a starter before jumping to this workout.
1. My Crockpot -
I decided to purchase a Crockpot in April, and I have thoroughly enjoyed cooking in it since. My oven has been broken for a while now, but the Crockpot has been the perfect solution for me. I usually feel like cooking on Saturday mornings, so it is really convenient to put the dish together on Saturday morning, and have lunch for the rest of the week. How is it that more people are not using this wonderful tool?!?! I have made meatloaf, taco soup, chicken chili, Mexican corn chowder, baked regular and sweet potatoes, buffalo chicken, baked potato soup, bread pudding, and French toast since buying the Crockpot. I have been eating good (and cheap)!
2. A Year of Slow Cooking blog - In line with number 1 above, I have found that I can explore my obsession with the Crockpot and create culinary experiments using this blog as inspiration. Who knew that you could make so many different things in a Crockpot?
3. Billy the Exterminator -
If you have not yet watched an episode of Billy the Exterminator on A & E, you do not know what you are missing. I mean, where else can you find a guy who is going to tell you that all household pests are carriers of dangerous bacteria that can kill you. If you are lucky, you will catch an episode where he is bitten by a snake, stung by a wasp, bit by a bat, wrestles a gator, or accidentally kills an animal. It is highly entertaining, although hard to explain what is entertaining about the show. Plus, you get to see all sorts of socio-economic classes on the show. Most of the people Billy "helps" are middle and upper-middle class, but it is extremely funny to see what they choose to wear on TV. Some women dress to impress, have the big hair and full make-up. Others open the door in their pajamas, making you want to say "is that the best you can do for national TV?" Throw in some family drama, and it makes for a very entertaining 30 minutes.
4. Chocolate milk -
Thanks to an article about the benefits of chocolate milk before and after working out, I have made chocolate milk part of my daily routine. I prefer Bordens to the Walmart brand because the quality of chocolate is much better, but really any chocolate milk will do. Considering that I have not lost weight, but I continue to lose inches, at least I can say that the chocolate milk is not hurting me. Plus, it is better for me than the empty calories in Gatorade, so that is a bonus!
5. The Biggest Loser: The Workout - Last Chance Workout
- 
I am officially obsessed with this workout. It is tough. Seriously. Do not try this workout. Seriously. The workouts on the 30 Day Shred became a little too "easy" (the term is used very loosely), but this workout is no easier today than when I started almost 5 weeks ago. It is tough. However, this probably accounts more for my continued loss of inches, but not weight, than the chocolate milk. If you have seen the show, you know that it would be crazy to buy, much less do, the Last Chance Workout DVD. However, it is awesome for quick toning of the arms and legs. Consider this your warning if you choose to purchase this amazing, almost-instant liposuction for the small price of $10. As with all workouts that I have tried where Jillian Michaels is the torturer/trainer, this workout is extremely effective and the results start to show pretty quick. However, I would highly recommend using another of her workouts or the Biggest Loser workouts as a starter before jumping to this workout.
Monday, May 3, 2010
My Dream Wedding Cake
OK ... maybe not, but it still made me think of how it matches my Peptobismal pink bedroom with Mardi Gras masks hanging on the wall. Now if it was gold, and had some purple beads mixed in too, maybe :)
You can find this and other wedding cake wrecks here on Cake Wrecks. Check them out!
** In case you are wondering about my mental health, beads are gross right out of the bag, so I would never subject guests at a wedding to a cake with real beads on it. Icing beads, maybe!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Background Change
I realized that my blog could not be read on an iPhone because of the previous background (and the need to have white letters), so I had to part with my favorite background to make it easier to read. I am sad that I had to go with a new look, but I think this one may grow on me.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Reasons I am not disappointed that the 2016 Olympics will be in Rio
(1) Now we will not have to listen to complaints about how much the Olympic building projects are costing the city of Chicago, the citizens of Chicago, the US Government to help out Chicago, etc., etc., etc. Seriously, if it cost $1.2 million just for the President to make his overnight trip to Copenhagen, then we are probably saving money until the then-President flies to Rio to watch the games.
(2) Having the Olympics hosted in a city with a reputation of crime will hopefully make the Atlanta bombing not look so bad to the IOC, thereby increasing the US's chances of hosting another Olympics game at some point in the future.
(3) In 2012 we will not have to hear Obama bragging about singlehandedly bringing the Olympic games to Chicago.
(4) The opening ceremonies will be much cooler in Rio. What would Chicago do for opening ceremonies? Rap? Hip-hop? Blues? Evolution of American music and dance? Fire? Mob? World fair serial killer tribute? Rio will probably do Carnival and it will be cool with the outrageous costumes.
(5) It is about time that South America join the hosting.
(6) Olympics cost more than they make in the short-term.
(7) We will probably have a scandal about an American athlete(s) partying too much in Rio and be able to blame bad performances on that. The excuse would not work too well in Chicago.
(8) It isn't Tokyo.
(9) The world's attention will be turned for a little while to a place that needs the gospel. Of course this would have been true for all of the other cities on the list as well, but most of us probably do not think of Rio that often.
(10) We do not have to hear the "They're Coming to America" song for the year preceding the games!
(2) Having the Olympics hosted in a city with a reputation of crime will hopefully make the Atlanta bombing not look so bad to the IOC, thereby increasing the US's chances of hosting another Olympics game at some point in the future.
(3) In 2012 we will not have to hear Obama bragging about singlehandedly bringing the Olympic games to Chicago.
(4) The opening ceremonies will be much cooler in Rio. What would Chicago do for opening ceremonies? Rap? Hip-hop? Blues? Evolution of American music and dance? Fire? Mob? World fair serial killer tribute? Rio will probably do Carnival and it will be cool with the outrageous costumes.
(5) It is about time that South America join the hosting.
(6) Olympics cost more than they make in the short-term.
(7) We will probably have a scandal about an American athlete(s) partying too much in Rio and be able to blame bad performances on that. The excuse would not work too well in Chicago.
(8) It isn't Tokyo.
(9) The world's attention will be turned for a little while to a place that needs the gospel. Of course this would have been true for all of the other cities on the list as well, but most of us probably do not think of Rio that often.
(10) We do not have to hear the "They're Coming to America" song for the year preceding the games!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Glamour Shots
.jpg)
I have a confession to make. During my teenage years, I secretly wanted to have a glamour shot photo shoot. If you are over the age of 25, you probably know what I am talking about. Big hair, professional make-up, all blinged out, fancy clothes, and model poses. Many of my friends had those shoots and I thought that their pictures looked so cool. However, I do not think that I ever got up the nerve to ask my parents, and they probably would have said no anyway because the shoots were a whole lot more expensive than my yearly yearbook pictures that chronicled that awkward phase nicely enough.
Now, I really wish that I had endured one of the glamor shot photo shoots. Have you seen the pictures now that the fad is over? Laughable is an understatement! I am sure that a glamour shot would now provide me with hours of amusement as I laughed at my own picture. I also think that it would show how false that reality would be. I was a plain teenager, dorky really, because I was not allowed to get contacts until I was a junior in high school. It would be a reminder that although I could get all dressed up and dolled up, I was just the same, normal, plain, non-glamourous teenager despite what the picture portrayed. It would be a humbling reminder that a glamorized exterior does not tell the story of who a person is on the inside.
I have noticed on the Fox News website the past few days that they have been showing off pictures of celebrities without their make-up. It is a reminder that what we see portrayed on TV is just glamor shots, but that these people are really just plain, average looking people. Sure, when you completely coat the exterior in professional make-up, professional hair, provide the right lighting, etc., these stars are gorgeous. But the reality is that all of those things are really just covering up normal, plain, non-glamorous people.
Don't get me wrong - I am thankful for make-up and the ability to hide some of the imperfections. I am just pondering how our outward appearance is comparable to our inward lives as well. We present as a pretty a front as we can to the public, but whatever we are able to act like on the outside does not change who we really are on the inside. The only way that any of us can be truly glamourous is through Jesus Christ. I am thankful that God will see Jesus covering all of my imperfections and ugliness on the day of judgment and that I will then inside and glamourous outside will match!
*You can find the pictures shown above and more at the Sexy People website - I almost posted the before/after pics of the Glamour Shot models, but you can find them for yourself on the Sexy People website here and here.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Calvin 500
Today is a big day in reformed circles because John Calvin was born 500 years ago today. I will leave all of the deep conversation about how big a deal Calvin was to theology to all the other blogs out there are writing on the same subject today. I think one of his most important contributions is writing a systematic theology. The question that I want to raise is whether we properly call this Calvin's 500th birthday or the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth. Maybe both are proper. I think I prefer using the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Appellate Argument
I found out today that I have my first appellate oral argument scheduled for August. This is a big deal! The appellate court rarely grants a request for oral argument, and when they do, it is because they expect the case to be one that is worthy of being published once the decision is made. Oral arguments before the appellate court help one establish themselves as an appellate attorney, something I would not mind because I like writing the briefs. I forsee some nerve issues in my future as I prepare for the arguments though! August will be fun.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Randomness
Well, it has been a while since I posted, and there is so much good stuff to blog about the last few days. This might be a long one!
1. I am tired of hearing about Michael Jackson, but I cannot help but read/watch/listen to all the reports about him. I think that shows a problem with us Americans. We cannot help but be entertained by things going bad for someone, even if we are complaining about the focus on this part or that part of someone's life. I blame this on TV and soap operas and 24-hour news and America's obsession with celebrity. I am sure there are other things to blame it on as well.
2. News is morbid. You could tell that there were prearranged obituaries, tributes, news stories, etc. on the death of everyone that died in the past few days. It seems morbid that journalism departments teach to have obituaries ready for the famous. It makes sense, but it is morbid.
3. I love going out to the farm. It is only 40 minutes from Texarkana, and is really a game ranch where, in the winter, you can pay to hunt, but in the summer, it is a nice retreat from the city. I do not love the inevitable sunburn (even though I use sunscreen ... just apparently not quick enough on Saturday) from spending time there. Baby buffaloes and wading in the Red River were highlights of the trip. Getting stuck in the sand was not a highlight, although it is cool to watch boys try to fix the situation (and be successful at getting one truck out without a tractor). It is just nice to relax and get out of town instead of laying around on a Saturday.
4. Plexiglass is a good fix for a broken window on a Sunday. Sometime Saturday or Sunday, some punk(s) decided it would be nice to throw a concrete chunk through one of my windows. I did not realize this until Sunday after church. Fortunately, two guys were coming over for the afternoon, and were kind enough to tell me what needed to be bought to fix the window and to fix it for me. I watched and made no suggestions (or maybe only one or two ... not many because I knew nothing about what was going on or should go on!). I held the wood while they did there thing once or twice without offering commentary or complaints. The end result is a plexiglass pane in the old frame for a total cost of $41 to repair (because we bought two tubes of sealant and a whole pack of finishing and siding nails even though very few were needed ... really was around $30 for the window and one tube of sealant). I am very grateful to have people around that can fix things like that for me!
5. My Pitchmen post seems kind of ironic now that Billy Mays has died. I do not think his death would have been as big a story as it was if Ed McMahon, Farrah Faucett and Michael Jackson had not died before him.
6. The sunburn from Saturday and spending all day Sunday in the heat watching my window get repaired left me dehydrated and sick. Instead of being able to take a sick day and rehydrate myself, I had to go to court yesterday. It was the sickest I have been in court to date. I was feeling horrible, but still had to put on a good front to be professional. Despite all of that, I won the hearing. Not because of any good lawyering on my part but because I was smart enough to point out enough law in my questioning for the judge to hang his hat on to keep from being overturned on appeal. It was not about the presentation yesterday as much as about knowing and demonstrating the law to the court. The worst part ... I did not get out of court until around 5:30.
7. If I do not slow down over the next two days, I am really going to be sick. I have succeeded in rehydrating (it seems), but now I just need to get over the nausea that goes along with sunburns + heat exposure.
8. I received my new custom stationery today. I am so excited about it that I wrote a random note to someone just so that I could send out one of the cards. If you receive a random card from me in the next few weeks, it is probably because I am excited about my stationery.
9. I had a random visit from a cousin I have not seen in over 10 years last week. It was nice to see her, but it added to the randomness of the week. Now that she has my phone number, maybe I will get to see her more. Anytime she comes to Texas, she has to pass through Texarkana, so why not stop in to see me!
10. Yesterday before I was rehydrated, I was boiling because of the sunburn. Today, after rehydrating, I am cold despite the heat radiating off the sunburn. I do not like my internal temperature to be out of whack!
Well there are my random thoughts/events from the past week. I even had to blog about Michael Jackson, adding to the oversaturated coverage of his death. I guess I am showing I am a true American in time for celebration of the 4th!
1. I am tired of hearing about Michael Jackson, but I cannot help but read/watch/listen to all the reports about him. I think that shows a problem with us Americans. We cannot help but be entertained by things going bad for someone, even if we are complaining about the focus on this part or that part of someone's life. I blame this on TV and soap operas and 24-hour news and America's obsession with celebrity. I am sure there are other things to blame it on as well.
2. News is morbid. You could tell that there were prearranged obituaries, tributes, news stories, etc. on the death of everyone that died in the past few days. It seems morbid that journalism departments teach to have obituaries ready for the famous. It makes sense, but it is morbid.
3. I love going out to the farm. It is only 40 minutes from Texarkana, and is really a game ranch where, in the winter, you can pay to hunt, but in the summer, it is a nice retreat from the city. I do not love the inevitable sunburn (even though I use sunscreen ... just apparently not quick enough on Saturday) from spending time there. Baby buffaloes and wading in the Red River were highlights of the trip. Getting stuck in the sand was not a highlight, although it is cool to watch boys try to fix the situation (and be successful at getting one truck out without a tractor). It is just nice to relax and get out of town instead of laying around on a Saturday.
4. Plexiglass is a good fix for a broken window on a Sunday. Sometime Saturday or Sunday, some punk(s) decided it would be nice to throw a concrete chunk through one of my windows. I did not realize this until Sunday after church. Fortunately, two guys were coming over for the afternoon, and were kind enough to tell me what needed to be bought to fix the window and to fix it for me. I watched and made no suggestions (or maybe only one or two ... not many because I knew nothing about what was going on or should go on!). I held the wood while they did there thing once or twice without offering commentary or complaints. The end result is a plexiglass pane in the old frame for a total cost of $41 to repair (because we bought two tubes of sealant and a whole pack of finishing and siding nails even though very few were needed ... really was around $30 for the window and one tube of sealant). I am very grateful to have people around that can fix things like that for me!
5. My Pitchmen post seems kind of ironic now that Billy Mays has died. I do not think his death would have been as big a story as it was if Ed McMahon, Farrah Faucett and Michael Jackson had not died before him.
6. The sunburn from Saturday and spending all day Sunday in the heat watching my window get repaired left me dehydrated and sick. Instead of being able to take a sick day and rehydrate myself, I had to go to court yesterday. It was the sickest I have been in court to date. I was feeling horrible, but still had to put on a good front to be professional. Despite all of that, I won the hearing. Not because of any good lawyering on my part but because I was smart enough to point out enough law in my questioning for the judge to hang his hat on to keep from being overturned on appeal. It was not about the presentation yesterday as much as about knowing and demonstrating the law to the court. The worst part ... I did not get out of court until around 5:30.
7. If I do not slow down over the next two days, I am really going to be sick. I have succeeded in rehydrating (it seems), but now I just need to get over the nausea that goes along with sunburns + heat exposure.
8. I received my new custom stationery today. I am so excited about it that I wrote a random note to someone just so that I could send out one of the cards. If you receive a random card from me in the next few weeks, it is probably because I am excited about my stationery.
9. I had a random visit from a cousin I have not seen in over 10 years last week. It was nice to see her, but it added to the randomness of the week. Now that she has my phone number, maybe I will get to see her more. Anytime she comes to Texas, she has to pass through Texarkana, so why not stop in to see me!
10. Yesterday before I was rehydrated, I was boiling because of the sunburn. Today, after rehydrating, I am cold despite the heat radiating off the sunburn. I do not like my internal temperature to be out of whack!
Well there are my random thoughts/events from the past week. I even had to blog about Michael Jackson, adding to the oversaturated coverage of his death. I guess I am showing I am a true American in time for celebration of the 4th!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Random Thought #42
Who would have thought that a Ford Ute would come out better in a head on crash with an airplane?
Monday, June 8, 2009
What I have learned in the past week and a half ...
... which also partially explains the silence on my blog.
1. Snagging is illegal at Lake Wright Patman. Engaging in snagging on Wright Patman will land you a ticket from the game warden and a trip to a Teen Court trial over which I may preside (currently I sit once every two to three months), provided you qualify due to being under eighteen years of age. At the end of each case, I am encouraged to impart words of wisdom to the teenagers in attendance. My advice on this case? If it does not require bait, it is probably illegal and should be researched before implementing because if it sounds too good to be true, it is probably too good to be true.
2. There are two key things to always remember when preparing to win a family law case. (1) Dress better than the other attorney, including making sure you look put together with your hair and make-up. You may think I am kidding, but I am not. It gives your client a confidence in your abilities because you look like you know what you are doing. This is especially important for me since I am a younger attorney often going up against older attorneys. I have learned this from observation and experience. (2) Know the facts better than the other attorney. This requires frequent (bi-weekly or monthly) contact with the client where you take notes on all of the mundane details of the relationship that has landed the family in court. This usually results in you knowing the other party better than their own attorney. I put both of those in practice last week to obtain a favorable result.
3. There are people in the world who give up rather than putting forth effort even when the consequences are high. If I am in fear of losing my job, or if I was in fear of losing my children, I am sure that something superhuman would come out of me in an effort to show others that I care about those things. I am sure that I could do almost whatever it takes to make sure that my boss could not live without me or my children would never have to live without me. However, I have observed people who have been told repeatedly that if they do not step it up, they are going to lose their job/their child give up and refuse to put forth more effort. Sad.
4. There are some things as a boss that although the outcome this time is not as catastrophic as it could have been (catastrophic is the only appropriate word), you have to address the issue as if the worst has happened just so your employee gets the message that they made a serious mistake. I am already anal when it comes to appeals and I only let my legal assistants do two things - order the appropriate record and file the brief. One did not order the complete record, so now I probably became even more anal. I discovered this less than 48 hours prior to the deadline. It was too late to order the record needed and probably to get an extension. I made do with what I had (very creative recreation of the record missing) and hope that the Court is merciful because I tried (or does not notice). Needless to say, I filed the brief.
5. There is a game system called XaviX that is similar to the Wii technology (movement based games), but not near as well marketed. However, it only costs $30 for the system and bowling game at Tuesday Morning, which is MUCH less than Wii (who cares if the graphics are reminiscent of Super Nintendo). Since I have wanted a Wii for a while, but cannot even begin to justify spending the money for it, the $30 system seems a much smarter purchase. Now maybe I can get the boys to stop watching so much TV when they are over and instead get up and play the game. I get tired of watching TV and try not to make it a habit.
6. I can make an appeal deadline even if my vacation falls in the middle. Attorneys get in a bad habit of asking for extensions of time to file things when in reality they just do not want to adjust their schedules to work in the deadline. I could have asked for a deadline using my vacation as an excuse, but what makes me think that I would be any less busy during the extension period than I was in the time leading up to the original deadline? In fact, I appear to be very smart for not requesting an extension because every morning this week is filled with an appointment and last week I only had a day filled with an appointment (the hearing referenced above). I want to be a person who meets a deadline and only asks for an extension when it is absolutely necessary. I think that is part of professionalism that is lacking in the legal profession and in other professions as well.
7. Perhaps one of the most important lessons I learned last week, it is possible to get addicted to working out, and once you have a routine in place, stick to it. I have conditioned myself to working out in the mornings before I go to work. I can tell a HUGE difference when I put it off until after work and it is not worth it. I also do not do well if I take a day off from exercising. Also, I have to hit an activity level where I am sweating and my heart rate is sufficiently elevated for me to feel like I have even exercised. This is a big change from my activity level a few months ago when I started working out to deal with stress. Maybe I can continue to develop this good addiction and keep from having a heart attack from the stress of my job and my terrible eating habits at the age of 35 or 40.
1. Snagging is illegal at Lake Wright Patman. Engaging in snagging on Wright Patman will land you a ticket from the game warden and a trip to a Teen Court trial over which I may preside (currently I sit once every two to three months), provided you qualify due to being under eighteen years of age. At the end of each case, I am encouraged to impart words of wisdom to the teenagers in attendance. My advice on this case? If it does not require bait, it is probably illegal and should be researched before implementing because if it sounds too good to be true, it is probably too good to be true.
2. There are two key things to always remember when preparing to win a family law case. (1) Dress better than the other attorney, including making sure you look put together with your hair and make-up. You may think I am kidding, but I am not. It gives your client a confidence in your abilities because you look like you know what you are doing. This is especially important for me since I am a younger attorney often going up against older attorneys. I have learned this from observation and experience. (2) Know the facts better than the other attorney. This requires frequent (bi-weekly or monthly) contact with the client where you take notes on all of the mundane details of the relationship that has landed the family in court. This usually results in you knowing the other party better than their own attorney. I put both of those in practice last week to obtain a favorable result.
3. There are people in the world who give up rather than putting forth effort even when the consequences are high. If I am in fear of losing my job, or if I was in fear of losing my children, I am sure that something superhuman would come out of me in an effort to show others that I care about those things. I am sure that I could do almost whatever it takes to make sure that my boss could not live without me or my children would never have to live without me. However, I have observed people who have been told repeatedly that if they do not step it up, they are going to lose their job/their child give up and refuse to put forth more effort. Sad.
4. There are some things as a boss that although the outcome this time is not as catastrophic as it could have been (catastrophic is the only appropriate word), you have to address the issue as if the worst has happened just so your employee gets the message that they made a serious mistake. I am already anal when it comes to appeals and I only let my legal assistants do two things - order the appropriate record and file the brief. One did not order the complete record, so now I probably became even more anal. I discovered this less than 48 hours prior to the deadline. It was too late to order the record needed and probably to get an extension. I made do with what I had (very creative recreation of the record missing) and hope that the Court is merciful because I tried (or does not notice). Needless to say, I filed the brief.
5. There is a game system called XaviX that is similar to the Wii technology (movement based games), but not near as well marketed. However, it only costs $30 for the system and bowling game at Tuesday Morning, which is MUCH less than Wii (who cares if the graphics are reminiscent of Super Nintendo). Since I have wanted a Wii for a while, but cannot even begin to justify spending the money for it, the $30 system seems a much smarter purchase. Now maybe I can get the boys to stop watching so much TV when they are over and instead get up and play the game. I get tired of watching TV and try not to make it a habit.
6. I can make an appeal deadline even if my vacation falls in the middle. Attorneys get in a bad habit of asking for extensions of time to file things when in reality they just do not want to adjust their schedules to work in the deadline. I could have asked for a deadline using my vacation as an excuse, but what makes me think that I would be any less busy during the extension period than I was in the time leading up to the original deadline? In fact, I appear to be very smart for not requesting an extension because every morning this week is filled with an appointment and last week I only had a day filled with an appointment (the hearing referenced above). I want to be a person who meets a deadline and only asks for an extension when it is absolutely necessary. I think that is part of professionalism that is lacking in the legal profession and in other professions as well.
7. Perhaps one of the most important lessons I learned last week, it is possible to get addicted to working out, and once you have a routine in place, stick to it. I have conditioned myself to working out in the mornings before I go to work. I can tell a HUGE difference when I put it off until after work and it is not worth it. I also do not do well if I take a day off from exercising. Also, I have to hit an activity level where I am sweating and my heart rate is sufficiently elevated for me to feel like I have even exercised. This is a big change from my activity level a few months ago when I started working out to deal with stress. Maybe I can continue to develop this good addiction and keep from having a heart attack from the stress of my job and my terrible eating habits at the age of 35 or 40.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Random Thought #41
Hugh Laurie (a.k.a. Dr. House) has a very, very, very small roll in Sense and Sensibility (the movie version with Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet). You see him holding a baby with about the same amount of disdain that Dr. House would have in the situation. Quite entertaining although brief.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
American Idol 2009
Last year I stopped watching American Idol. I pretty much boycotted the whole season almost unintentionally. The year before, I was as disinterested in the final as I have ever been. I did not like either of the two choices, and did not watch either part of the final. Due to the lack of interest for me, I did not watch in 2008. Then this year rolled around, and I watched the week where the top 12 or 13 or whatever it was were on. I decided I liked Kris Allen the most out of that group and his singing made me want to keep watching. I did not watch as regularly as I have in the past, but I kept cheering for Kris. This year is the first year that my favorite from the start has actually won American Idol.
The amazing thing to me is that people are complaining about Kris winning all over the place, and blaming it on the fact that Adam is gay or Kris is Christian or other reasons not related to music. However, there is one blog I read that I think gets it right on why Adam did not win, and it has to do with music. Adam might be talented, but not everyone likes the screaming, edgy rock that Adam brought to the table. Kris, however, has a more mainstream style that can appeal to anyone. Kris' style of singing is closer to the style of Danny Gokey, the third place finisher, than what Adam's style is. Since Gokey was not in the final, Kris and Adam were (in some ways) singing to the Gokey fans to convince them to vote and to vote for them. To do this effectively, Adam needed to sing one of his performances from the season that showcased his voice more than his dramatic side. Instead, he chose one that involved way too much screaming and that overly dramatic. Kris needed to sing a performance that was close to Gokey's style. Kris accomplished this. Therefore, Kris, through song choice and talent, was able to pull off the upset.
I personally think that Kris has more talent than Adam even though Adam might be more of an entertainer. It will be interesting to see what happens with both. I may actually buy the CD of the American Idol winner for the first time ever. The only other idol participant whose CD I have purchased has been Chris Daughtery's CD. I have a CD that has a song on it by Mendisa as well, but that is not why I bought it (although she is talented and I liked her on Idol). Anyway, I am not used to my favorites winning the competition, so this is a nice change!
The amazing thing to me is that people are complaining about Kris winning all over the place, and blaming it on the fact that Adam is gay or Kris is Christian or other reasons not related to music. However, there is one blog I read that I think gets it right on why Adam did not win, and it has to do with music. Adam might be talented, but not everyone likes the screaming, edgy rock that Adam brought to the table. Kris, however, has a more mainstream style that can appeal to anyone. Kris' style of singing is closer to the style of Danny Gokey, the third place finisher, than what Adam's style is. Since Gokey was not in the final, Kris and Adam were (in some ways) singing to the Gokey fans to convince them to vote and to vote for them. To do this effectively, Adam needed to sing one of his performances from the season that showcased his voice more than his dramatic side. Instead, he chose one that involved way too much screaming and that overly dramatic. Kris needed to sing a performance that was close to Gokey's style. Kris accomplished this. Therefore, Kris, through song choice and talent, was able to pull off the upset.
I personally think that Kris has more talent than Adam even though Adam might be more of an entertainer. It will be interesting to see what happens with both. I may actually buy the CD of the American Idol winner for the first time ever. The only other idol participant whose CD I have purchased has been Chris Daughtery's CD. I have a CD that has a song on it by Mendisa as well, but that is not why I bought it (although she is talented and I liked her on Idol). Anyway, I am not used to my favorites winning the competition, so this is a nice change!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Random Thought #40
The Baptist Temple in Shreveport looks more like a tabernacle and the Baptist Tabernacle more like a temple. Maybe they should trade names.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Random Thought #39
Just a few more hours and I will be headed to NO for graduations! I actually packed most of my stuff tonight so I can head out earlier. I am ready!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)