I've been studying for a test for the past two years and I passed it this morning. It's not an exaggeration; I really did start studying for the thing shortly after we moved here. Trying to condense my studying into a the 1.5 hours plus that I spent on the bus each day was not working. I took a new job closer to home, and started getting up at 4AM to study.
I expected to fail. I didn't complete even half of the suggested study hours (300) and I consistently struggled with base-level concepts, and the ensuing lack of motivation.
Anyway, the first of many hurdles is cleared. I didn't expect to have a very strong reaction, whether I passed or failed, and so far I haven't been overly pleased with myself. Like a Lake Wobegone Lutheran, I worry that self-congratulation and positive feelings in general are mere stormcrows. I want more defeat, and more frustration, and lots of them. Then maybe I can pass the next one.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
District 9
(started 11/7/2009)
We watched District 9 a few weeks ago. I enjoyed it much more at the time than I did afterward, largely because of Virgie's unfavorable reaction. I kept trying to put my finger on what exactly I liked about it but found that the enjoyment did not rest on the films artistic merits. I tried and tried to find something deeper than "mankind is intolerant and abusive of minorities," but nothing materialized. It's just an action film; I enjoyed it as such.
That said, there is one thing truly detestable about the film. I don't think I will ever watch it again for this reason: while attempting to get across its message about South Africa's atrocious Apartheid-era relocations, it perpetuates the stereotypes that fuel South Africa's ongoing racial problems. Currently, South Africa has problems with large numbers of immigrants from elsewhere in Africa, namely, some of the worst goddamn places on Earth (the DRC, Rwanda, Nigeria, etc.) These immigrants have much darker skin than the native South Africans. In the film, they are represented by a group of Nigerian gangsters who live in the ghetto with the aliens. They are gun & sex crazy cannibals, and their leader's name is "Obesandjo". Olusegun Obasanjo is the most important politician in Nigeria's history. Though he is an African leader, and thus almost by definition a butcher of human beings, he has done great things for his people. To use a practically identical name for a mindless thus is reprehensible and outrageously racist. I can't imagine an American filmmaker getting away with it.
Imagine a film in which the lost city of Atlantis is discovered, and it's 10,000 desheveled, green-faced inhabitants are moved to Mobile, Alabama. It's not long before they are treated as second-class citizens and semi-forcibly moved into ghettos. "The horror!" say the viewers. "It's un-*American* to treat any human(?) being with such indignity! This is just like the Nazis!" Then a bunch of dirty, crack-smuggling Mexicans come along and try to take away the Atlantians' jobs! Not to worry: the US Army is there to mow the Mexicans down with machine guns. The Atlantians are reconciled to the US government, given rights, and an exhibit at the Museum of Tolerance. Intolerance is a terrible thing, when it's in the past.
We watched District 9 a few weeks ago. I enjoyed it much more at the time than I did afterward, largely because of Virgie's unfavorable reaction. I kept trying to put my finger on what exactly I liked about it but found that the enjoyment did not rest on the films artistic merits. I tried and tried to find something deeper than "mankind is intolerant and abusive of minorities," but nothing materialized. It's just an action film; I enjoyed it as such.
That said, there is one thing truly detestable about the film. I don't think I will ever watch it again for this reason: while attempting to get across its message about South Africa's atrocious Apartheid-era relocations, it perpetuates the stereotypes that fuel South Africa's ongoing racial problems. Currently, South Africa has problems with large numbers of immigrants from elsewhere in Africa, namely, some of the worst goddamn places on Earth (the DRC, Rwanda, Nigeria, etc.) These immigrants have much darker skin than the native South Africans. In the film, they are represented by a group of Nigerian gangsters who live in the ghetto with the aliens. They are gun & sex crazy cannibals, and their leader's name is "Obesandjo". Olusegun Obasanjo is the most important politician in Nigeria's history. Though he is an African leader, and thus almost by definition a butcher of human beings, he has done great things for his people. To use a practically identical name for a mindless thus is reprehensible and outrageously racist. I can't imagine an American filmmaker getting away with it.
Imagine a film in which the lost city of Atlantis is discovered, and it's 10,000 desheveled, green-faced inhabitants are moved to Mobile, Alabama. It's not long before they are treated as second-class citizens and semi-forcibly moved into ghettos. "The horror!" say the viewers. "It's un-*American* to treat any human(?) being with such indignity! This is just like the Nazis!" Then a bunch of dirty, crack-smuggling Mexicans come along and try to take away the Atlantians' jobs! Not to worry: the US Army is there to mow the Mexicans down with machine guns. The Atlantians are reconciled to the US government, given rights, and an exhibit at the Museum of Tolerance. Intolerance is a terrible thing, when it's in the past.
Monday, August 17, 2009
myloveforoffalmeats
Virge and I went to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles with a couple friends yesterday, after watching Ponyo (hooray for Ponyo!) at the Paseo. I made up my mind fairly quickly, though I hesitated because I thought I might gross out my wife and friends. I wanted fried chicken livers. I still want them. There are some waiting for me in the fridge at home and I want them. Here's why: because they taste so darn good.
Sometime around 1993 or 4 I was at John Guthrie's house. John liked to deep fry things and he showed me a plate of little amorphous fried blobs. The one thing John loved more than deep frying things was telling kids like me to pick up hot things with their tender little fingers. John had no nerve endings in his hands so he would grab pans straight out of the oven and laugh when his family complained about the burning flesh smell. Just kidding. He's only slightly less hardcore than that. I hope he doesn't read this. Anyway, I ate a fried chicken gizzard and have loved offal meats ever since: cow brains, chicken livers, fish eyeballs (I know those don't count--quiet you!) and anything that would make somebody else cringe--so long as it's delicious.
Sometime around 1993 or 4 I was at John Guthrie's house. John liked to deep fry things and he showed me a plate of little amorphous fried blobs. The one thing John loved more than deep frying things was telling kids like me to pick up hot things with their tender little fingers. John had no nerve endings in his hands so he would grab pans straight out of the oven and laugh when his family complained about the burning flesh smell. Just kidding. He's only slightly less hardcore than that. I hope he doesn't read this. Anyway, I ate a fried chicken gizzard and have loved offal meats ever since: cow brains, chicken livers, fish eyeballs (I know those don't count--quiet you!) and anything that would make somebody else cringe--so long as it's delicious.
Monday, August 10, 2009
thereisroomforflyingcarsandmonorailsinmyreligion
I think I need a trinity, y'know? A parallel trinity.
God the father = flying cars
Jesus Christ = pneumatic tubes
the Holy Spirit = monorails
Yes, I think I can announce this at the next council, at which point the different permutations can all be weighed, and heretics given swirlies. Yep, I wrote this.
God the father = flying cars
Jesus Christ = pneumatic tubes
the Holy Spirit = monorails
Yes, I think I can announce this at the next council, at which point the different permutations can all be weighed, and heretics given swirlies. Yep, I wrote this.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
A Silly Shirt
(started 7/29/2009)
Hello everyone. I came up with a great t-shirt design last night:
Up with Religion!
Down with Science!
I thought it was funny because two groups of people would comment on it: nutcases who agree and rationalist pro-science types. Since both groups are fun to confuse and piss off, it's the best of both worlds. However, I was under the impression that you have to search far and wide for the first type, but Virgie tried to convince me that there are more nutcases than I previously thought. This hampered my enjoyment.
Hello everyone. I came up with a great t-shirt design last night:
Up with Religion!
Down with Science!
I thought it was funny because two groups of people would comment on it: nutcases who agree and rationalist pro-science types. Since both groups are fun to confuse and piss off, it's the best of both worlds. However, I was under the impression that you have to search far and wide for the first type, but Virgie tried to convince me that there are more nutcases than I previously thought. This hampered my enjoyment.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
wickedrobots
Virgie and I watched the Original Series Star Trek episode "Changeling" on Tuesday. Afterward I made some comment about the robot being evil, because it exterminated the inhabitants of en entire star system (unfathomable catastrophes like this are the setup for many Original Series episodes.) Virgie pointed out that it was illogical to blame a robot for its actions, since they are merely the inexorable results of its programming, no matter how complicated that programming may be. I was unable to find a rebuttal to this but I continued to hate the fictional robot. Somebody has to be blamed for such a thing.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
ISFJ
I just took the Myers-Briggs personality typography on The Social Utility that Will Not be Named. The result was ISFJ: Nurturer. The two ads that came up immediately were "Love Your Wife? Get her name tattooed on your profile" and "Ant and Elephant Book, by swami Binkinanda and some Cambodian guy." I believe that TSUtWNbN now has me pegged as a pussy. I'm okay with this because, in the real world, loving your wife means exactly the opposite.
I'm not okay with the assessment of my personality. I didn't know anything about the previous result (INTJ) but I knew it made me special. Less than 5% of the population are of that type. Co-dependent nurturers abound, though. I don't want to be one of them. I'm stuck with this result, though, because I'm much too lazy to take the stupid thing again.
I'm not okay with the assessment of my personality. I didn't know anything about the previous result (INTJ) but I knew it made me special. Less than 5% of the population are of that type. Co-dependent nurturers abound, though. I don't want to be one of them. I'm stuck with this result, though, because I'm much too lazy to take the stupid thing again.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
TheTweakerWithin
When you need a blog post in a hurry you should remember the the best subject is funny made-up words!
knutervalve (or anything beginning with a consonant followed by a -nuter)
Wapcaplet (surname)
flimjam (my very own made up word)
Bingpickler (another surname)
Where have all the made-up words gone? Clearly my brain has dumped them into the recycle bin along with all your birth dates.
I make up words to conjure The Tweaker Within. The Tweaker Within is a manic persona I have. I've blogged about it before. People assume I'm a tweaker when they see my scraggly unkempt hair, unshaven face, rail-thin frame, veiny arms and ripped jeans. They are wrong to assume this! I am not a tweaker but I have a tweaker inside me and he's like a crazy person, but in a good way. I am not one of those folks who thinks being insane is cool. It is not cool; it's a living nightmare. Look at the crazy people on the street. The only comparison I can make is to a certain type of dream, the kind in which you know there's some kind of task required of you, but you can't do it. All you do is arrange tons of papers or look at endless colums on a spreadsheet or try to sell off the furniture in Frodo Baggins' estate before he heads out for Bree, being, it would seem, in charge while he's gone. Anyway, The Tweaker Within is not crazy. I take it back. He just wants to get a fun reaction out of people by saying things. And he needs to say things to himself (he likes the reaction he gets from himself, i.e. remaining The Tweaker Within.) He also needs to move about in fun ways. The Tweaker Within's primary goal is to make Virgie laugh and laugh and become silly. Our children are going to murder The Tweaker Within. He's coming. Gotta get home.
I think sometime soon there will eventually be a forthcoming blog post. The subject? Pn--m-t-c T-b-s. That's right, John, O first and awesomest and only disciple!
knutervalve (or anything beginning with a consonant followed by a -nuter)
Wapcaplet (surname)
flimjam (my very own made up word)
Bingpickler (another surname)
Where have all the made-up words gone? Clearly my brain has dumped them into the recycle bin along with all your birth dates.
I make up words to conjure The Tweaker Within. The Tweaker Within is a manic persona I have. I've blogged about it before. People assume I'm a tweaker when they see my scraggly unkempt hair, unshaven face, rail-thin frame, veiny arms and ripped jeans. They are wrong to assume this! I am not a tweaker but I have a tweaker inside me and he's like a crazy person, but in a good way. I am not one of those folks who thinks being insane is cool. It is not cool; it's a living nightmare. Look at the crazy people on the street. The only comparison I can make is to a certain type of dream, the kind in which you know there's some kind of task required of you, but you can't do it. All you do is arrange tons of papers or look at endless colums on a spreadsheet or try to sell off the furniture in Frodo Baggins' estate before he heads out for Bree, being, it would seem, in charge while he's gone. Anyway, The Tweaker Within is not crazy. I take it back. He just wants to get a fun reaction out of people by saying things. And he needs to say things to himself (he likes the reaction he gets from himself, i.e. remaining The Tweaker Within.) He also needs to move about in fun ways. The Tweaker Within's primary goal is to make Virgie laugh and laugh and become silly. Our children are going to murder The Tweaker Within. He's coming. Gotta get home.
I think sometime soon there will eventually be a forthcoming blog post. The subject? Pn--m-t-c T-b-s. That's right, John, O first and awesomest and only disciple!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
doubts
I am uncertain that I have the requisite skills for actuarial work, particularly the quantitative skills. I've never been an especially good problem solver or arithmetician. This usets me because I majored in math in college (and nothing else) and showing no particular aptitude for my chosen field makes me feel worthless, worthless, worthless.
I however, am not worthless. God gave me worth and I can no more change its quantity than I can drink the ocean dry. I still want to be able to look back at my life and say I did something difficult, and not something I'm supposed to do, per Chris Rock's advice. That rules out "Saw marriage through to the death of one partner" and "scarred children minimally." I want a vocation that rightly affords me a certain amount of respect, but not money. Money makes you want money. Money is poison. Money makes it hard to get into heaven. There's no point to all this studying if it's for money. Ugh, my brain power is spent on this actuary exam I'm probably going to fail. Mope, mope, mope. Soap, floap, dope, Pope? grope. nope.
I however, am not worthless. God gave me worth and I can no more change its quantity than I can drink the ocean dry. I still want to be able to look back at my life and say I did something difficult, and not something I'm supposed to do, per Chris Rock's advice. That rules out "Saw marriage through to the death of one partner" and "scarred children minimally." I want a vocation that rightly affords me a certain amount of respect, but not money. Money makes you want money. Money is poison. Money makes it hard to get into heaven. There's no point to all this studying if it's for money. Ugh, my brain power is spent on this actuary exam I'm probably going to fail. Mope, mope, mope. Soap, floap, dope, Pope? grope. nope.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
MakingtheGrade
I'm again considering becoming an actuary and I'm not sure why. Here are some reasons, in the order in which they came to me:
1) I want to have a title that means something, like my dad has. He's a DVM; maybe I can become an ASA or even an FSA.
2) I want to be really good at something.
3) I want to be able to support a family including possibly putting my kids through college, save for retirement, ensure that my family's property isn't turned into a housing development, and give lots to charity.
4) Doing what I "love" has always seemed like a pipe-dream. I don't love work. I therefore may as well make decent money working.
Here are some of the reasons not to do it:
1) Staring at a damn computer all day. Sure, dad has a doctorate, but he also gets to drive all over the place and spend plenty of time outside.
2) I may not be very good at it or enjoy it.
3) The exam sequence takes a long time and a studying takes a lot of personal time, which I would rather devote to family and personal interests.
Blah blah blah bling bling bling blah.
1) I want to have a title that means something, like my dad has. He's a DVM; maybe I can become an ASA or even an FSA.
2) I want to be really good at something.
3) I want to be able to support a family including possibly putting my kids through college, save for retirement, ensure that my family's property isn't turned into a housing development, and give lots to charity.
4) Doing what I "love" has always seemed like a pipe-dream. I don't love work. I therefore may as well make decent money working.
Here are some of the reasons not to do it:
1) Staring at a damn computer all day. Sure, dad has a doctorate, but he also gets to drive all over the place and spend plenty of time outside.
2) I may not be very good at it or enjoy it.
3) The exam sequence takes a long time and a studying takes a lot of personal time, which I would rather devote to family and personal interests.
Blah blah blah bling bling bling blah.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Batman
Last night Virge and I watched Batman Forever. I though that there was something about the old Burton/Schumacher series that was missing in the Nolans' reboot, something that might be incorporated into the next film: Batman Perfected. I can't remember what the element was. It wasn't camp; we all know where that road leads (Batman & Robin) plus it wouldn't jive with the current series' direction. I think I know what it was. Alas, he's retired. Michael Gough, the original Alfred.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
derelictionofduties
I am here to write some nonsense.
I am non some here to sensewrite.
Agamemnon's here: a fencewright!
Here I am babayay! (signed, sealed, dismembered) Azores!
Doodah parader. (think Smooth Operator [y'know, I'm more like one than the other(can you guess which? [I bet Virgie can (more than one answer accepted)])])
One time my pastor's wife was teaching and having authority over me at church, and man, did she hate Healing Circles. I'll tell you what she hates: healing circles, man. Healing circles (are bad according to my former pastor's wife.) Sometimes in the middle of the music she would yell out "healing circles! They have healing circles!" She meant the people under demonic influence. Healing circles came from this one shop on high bridge road, on the way to the Brills house, on the right if going North. I never went there. I bet you it's closed now--not many window shoppers on High Bridge Road, huh, Demon People?
Demon people, demon people
pokin’, whackin’, screamin’ people
people with perpetually, fully taped-up noses. People
blasting fire hoses in the noses of the evil people.
Steeples cannot save you from the circles of the weevil people
weeple, weeple, weeple, weeple, weeple, weeple, weeple people
I am non some here to sensewrite.
Agamemnon's here: a fencewright!
Here I am babayay! (signed, sealed, dismembered) Azores!
Doodah parader. (think Smooth Operator [y'know, I'm more like one than the other(can you guess which? [I bet Virgie can (more than one answer accepted)])])
One time my pastor's wife was teaching and having authority over me at church, and man, did she hate Healing Circles. I'll tell you what she hates: healing circles, man. Healing circles (are bad according to my former pastor's wife.) Sometimes in the middle of the music she would yell out "healing circles! They have healing circles!" She meant the people under demonic influence. Healing circles came from this one shop on high bridge road, on the way to the Brills house, on the right if going North. I never went there. I bet you it's closed now--not many window shoppers on High Bridge Road, huh, Demon People?
Demon people, demon people
pokin’, whackin’, screamin’ people
people with perpetually, fully taped-up noses. People
blasting fire hoses in the noses of the evil people.
Steeples cannot save you from the circles of the weevil people
weeple, weeple, weeple, weeple, weeple, weeple, weeple people
Friday, March 6, 2009
slightlyinappropriatepost
Virge and I watch one TV show almost every night: Jeopardy! I don't want to exclaim it; the exclamation point is part of the title of the show. Anyway, they always have this car commercial that says "the following stimulus package is now in effect." When that commercial comes on, I make a face or some kind of noise in order to indicate to Virge that I want to tell the same stupid joke. The one about the extraorinary pornographic potential of the term "stimulus package."
Sunday, March 1, 2009
moronhell
"I don't care if I go to hell, just as long as they'll have good tunes playing."
[upon walking past a barbecue restaurant] "Hell won't be so bad--think of all that slow-roasted meat!"
"I know I'm going to hell, but I won't mind as long as on Monday evenings I can kick back with a cold Fat Tire and watch the game."
These are the kinds of stupid things people say about the Christian doctrine of hell. The third one I made up as a joke, and the second one is obviously a joke as well, but it indicates the flippancy with which unbelievers talk about the subject. Let's be clear: hell is the reason that we can never truly say "It can't get any worse." It can. Hell hath more fury than a woman scorned. We've never been anywhere that is hotter than hell. I'm not sure I mean either of these things literally; I simply want to gain back some of the gravity with which we Christians used to treat the subject. Obviously I don't want to get back all the gravity. We used to burn people over this kind of thing. More specifically, if someone was leading people astray, and risking their damnation, then, it was believed, they needed to be made into an example, a warning for others that eternity is not to be trifled with.
I don't know what to make of the doctrine, really. I'm still deeply disturbed by the fact/idea/fact/idea that God may torture people forever, or let them be tortured forever, to his own glory. I just want to say that there are those who believe this. There are those who believe this. Do not make light of the idea unless you do not believe this.
Perhaps there's no reason to say it.
[upon walking past a barbecue restaurant] "Hell won't be so bad--think of all that slow-roasted meat!"
"I know I'm going to hell, but I won't mind as long as on Monday evenings I can kick back with a cold Fat Tire and watch the game."
These are the kinds of stupid things people say about the Christian doctrine of hell. The third one I made up as a joke, and the second one is obviously a joke as well, but it indicates the flippancy with which unbelievers talk about the subject. Let's be clear: hell is the reason that we can never truly say "It can't get any worse." It can. Hell hath more fury than a woman scorned. We've never been anywhere that is hotter than hell. I'm not sure I mean either of these things literally; I simply want to gain back some of the gravity with which we Christians used to treat the subject. Obviously I don't want to get back all the gravity. We used to burn people over this kind of thing. More specifically, if someone was leading people astray, and risking their damnation, then, it was believed, they needed to be made into an example, a warning for others that eternity is not to be trifled with.
I don't know what to make of the doctrine, really. I'm still deeply disturbed by the fact/idea/fact/idea that God may torture people forever, or let them be tortured forever, to his own glory. I just want to say that there are those who believe this. There are those who believe this. Do not make light of the idea unless you do not believe this.
Perhaps there's no reason to say it.
Friday, February 27, 2009
movies
I just wasted 20 minutes cataloging my favorite movies on facebook. I found the most useful list review for this purpose was the list of nominees for the Academy Award for best original screenplay. I got this idea from my American film professor at Cascadia Community College, Ed Messerly. He said that the original screenplay award actually means something, unlike the important politicized awards. On that note, I'm pretty sure that Sean Penn winning the best actor award had much more to do with prop 8 than good acting. They wanted Sean to get up there and shame everybody who voted for the ban, and sneer at those bigots outside in their American cars. As a columnis for the Economist said, the Oscar ceremonies reveal "an industry talking to itself." I disagree with the main thrust of his article (that the Academy should focus on the movies people like, rather than those they think are good) but I agree with him on that point.
Monday, February 23, 2009
ThefearofhellkeepsmeaChristian
[sorry if this sounds like I'm starting in the middle of something] After quite a bit of wrestling with the idea, I accepted the hell doctrine as a necessary part of orthodox Christianity. The most awful part of it is that eventually someone dies, and you must admit that the doctrine applies to that person as well, either to their benefit or not. Right now, I'll admit that I'm not feeling very sympathetic to the idea. The only ideas I agree with less are all the others. I feel that way about the Christian faith itself sometimes, that its the worst religion going except for all those other damned lousy religions. The one that seems most naturally amenible to my personality, is just plain hedonism. In fact, I practice this religion more than my Christian faith, which is why I believe the observance of accursed Lent to be very important. I know that hedonism is vacuous; the pursuit of pleasure does not lead to more pleasure. No one is more miserable than the trust fund baby who has all the resources that anyone could ever need to sate their desires. Pleasure just visits sometimes, and you can't do anything to make it stay or go or come back. The hell with pleasure, then! Let's pursue something else, uh, vocational success! love!! the praise of others!?! cool clothes? All this stuff is junk. Let's not pursue anything. Let's flee something. Hell. Hell, for me, is one concept that has never its concreteness. It's always been very real to me, even when I've not believed in it. And fleeing hell is the same thing a pursuing virtue. You may be doing any number of other things, thinking you're fleeing hell. If you're not pursuing virtue, you're still dangling by that spider's thread.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The seminary student next to me has a copy of the Authorized Version of the Bible, i.e. the King James version. I wonder if he uses it exclusively. He would be prohibited from doing so by his studies, if he's studying theology, that is. I can't imagine any professor here thinking of the AV, as a translation, as anything but a nice piece of literature. Certainly it's no good for exegesis, having been translated from later documents, among other problems. Virge argues in its favor, however, because King James English is more specific than our current kind. It distinguishes between the singular "you," i.e. "thou," and the plural "you," i.e. "ye." There are other such niceties that I'm just not interested in talking about now.
Joshua is always making fun of those he calls the "King James Only People." These are people who believe that God took special care to ensure that the translators of the authorized version did their job perfectly, so that version and no other is the inerrant word of God. The problem they're sideswiping is the necessary "Original Manuscripts" clause in all doctrines of inerrancy. Inerrantists all make the consolation that the current manuscripts have small errors, but state that these are necessarily copy errors which would not have been found in the original manuscripts, penned by Moses, David, and a handful of other individuals. This is hogwash, and the KVJ-only people know it. They just picked a nice famous translation and decided to stick with it. The real problem is with the doctrine of inerrancy itself, however. It's a heavy-handed way of defending the authority of scripture, one which did nothing at all for me when I struggled with questions about why God seemed so keen on eternal torture or why he never really seemed to exist in the sense that everything else does.
Joshua is always making fun of those he calls the "King James Only People." These are people who believe that God took special care to ensure that the translators of the authorized version did their job perfectly, so that version and no other is the inerrant word of God. The problem they're sideswiping is the necessary "Original Manuscripts" clause in all doctrines of inerrancy. Inerrantists all make the consolation that the current manuscripts have small errors, but state that these are necessarily copy errors which would not have been found in the original manuscripts, penned by Moses, David, and a handful of other individuals. This is hogwash, and the KVJ-only people know it. They just picked a nice famous translation and decided to stick with it. The real problem is with the doctrine of inerrancy itself, however. It's a heavy-handed way of defending the authority of scripture, one which did nothing at all for me when I struggled with questions about why God seemed so keen on eternal torture or why he never really seemed to exist in the sense that everything else does.
Monday, February 16, 2009
ஆல் தட்'ச கோயன் டு ஷோ இஸ் த lastword
I can't think of anything to say. I choose not to care about that, though, because I have the day off and don't have to think. "There's a time to think and a time to act, and this, gentlemen, is no time to think." On to Virgie and lunch and a nap. Hey, all you frazzled parents out there who are busy hating me right now: I'll get my comeuppance, just as soon as Virgie's done with school, we've settled down at her church, and I've found a decent job. Then you can laugh at my expense, just before your kids are teenagers.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
எக்ஸ்கிசெஸ், Excuses
I'm working on my 25 not-so-random things about myself for facebook. Am I allowed to mention facebook here?
I came with some bogus credit advice yesterday that I really want to give to a client on my last day:
"If the foreclosure sale is imminent and you have no other viable options for saving your home, consider filing an emergency chapter 13 bankruptcy. This will stay the sale. Make sure beforehand that you can actually afford payments on your home, or you'll wind up with a foreclosure and a bankruptcy on your credit report. If this happens, and you die soon thereafter, the law permits your mortgage lender to write your eulogy."
Ah, some day.
I came with some bogus credit advice yesterday that I really want to give to a client on my last day:
"If the foreclosure sale is imminent and you have no other viable options for saving your home, consider filing an emergency chapter 13 bankruptcy. This will stay the sale. Make sure beforehand that you can actually afford payments on your home, or you'll wind up with a foreclosure and a bankruptcy on your credit report. If this happens, and you die soon thereafter, the law permits your mortgage lender to write your eulogy."
Ah, some day.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
திஸ் ஂஒவ் இஸ் bothersome
I've now visited the library twice today and am bound by my oath to blog again. And then post it. Here goes.
I'm very embarrassed about that last post. I've always been opposed to mixing work/business with play/pleasure, but they seem to be doing so of their own accord. I actually enjoy my job. Anyway, I can't erase the previous post because I'm determined not backtrack like that anymore. I'm going to try things the George W. way, the Brad Delp way. "Don't Look Back" is one of many Boston songs/covers that doubles as a handy motto (wait, do songs go in quotes?) Here is list of some of the others, none in quotes:
1) Party
2) Don't be Afraid
3) Turn it Off
4) We Can Make It
5) I Need Your Love
6) Two Walk On medleys: Walk On and Get Organized
I'm very embarrassed about that last post. I've always been opposed to mixing work/business with play/pleasure, but they seem to be doing so of their own accord. I actually enjoy my job. Anyway, I can't erase the previous post because I'm determined not backtrack like that anymore. I'm going to try things the George W. way, the Brad Delp way. "Don't Look Back" is one of many Boston songs/covers that doubles as a handy motto (wait, do songs go in quotes?) Here is list of some of the others, none in quotes:
1) Party
2) Don't be Afraid
3) Turn it Off
4) We Can Make It
5) I Need Your Love
6) Two Walk On medleys: Walk On and Get Organized
டிச்புடே ஹோச்பிடல் Bills
Hello all. I'm going to post some financial advice. You should always keep the first one in mind. I pray that none of you ever need the second. It presents a bit of an ethical problem. Please take it with a grain of salt. I've only been a credit counselor since October. Please just think of this as "what's been on my mind."
1) Make sure you know the explanation for every item on a medical bill before you pay it. Hospitals are notorious for overbilling (ever paid $5 for an aspirin pill? Sure?) Having been stuck with an unanticipated $1600 hospital bill last year, this advice is dear to our hearts; I wish we'd known it then. The same goes for phone bills or any other complicated bill.
2) *Warning. Research this yourself before doing it.* If you're negotiating with a creditor or collector about a bill on which you can't reasonably make the full monthly payment, tell the collector that you're considering a bankruptcy. They may automatically change their tune when they face the prospect of being stiffed; a settlement or payment reduction may seem much more reasonable to them. Here's the ethical problem: it's an especially good idea if it's a lie. If you really are considering a bankruptcy, mentioning the fact to a creditor will make it difficult to discharge any debts incurred between the mention of bankruptcy and the filing date. At the hearing, the creditor will tell the judge about the conversation, and the judge will accuse you of wanting a free lunch , which you will not get. If you're not considering bankruptcy, then mention it freely, if your conscience can take it.
1) Make sure you know the explanation for every item on a medical bill before you pay it. Hospitals are notorious for overbilling (ever paid $5 for an aspirin pill? Sure?) Having been stuck with an unanticipated $1600 hospital bill last year, this advice is dear to our hearts; I wish we'd known it then. The same goes for phone bills or any other complicated bill.
2) *Warning. Research this yourself before doing it.* If you're negotiating with a creditor or collector about a bill on which you can't reasonably make the full monthly payment, tell the collector that you're considering a bankruptcy. They may automatically change their tune when they face the prospect of being stiffed; a settlement or payment reduction may seem much more reasonable to them. Here's the ethical problem: it's an especially good idea if it's a lie. If you really are considering a bankruptcy, mentioning the fact to a creditor will make it difficult to discharge any debts incurred between the mention of bankruptcy and the filing date. At the hearing, the creditor will tell the judge about the conversation, and the judge will accuse you of wanting a free lunch , which you will not get. If you're not considering bankruptcy, then mention it freely, if your conscience can take it.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
ஒன் ஒப் தோஸ் ப்லோக் போஸ்ட்ஸ் இ ரேஅல்லி hate
I'm really going to post this time, in order to fulfill a vow I made to myself because Virgie acts disappointed when I let my blog lie fallow for months on end. So this is one of those "just checking in" posts. Ugh. Awful, awful, awful. Such posts are among the reasons I vowed not to blog ever in my life (in 2001--for some reason I had trouble not splitting the infinitive in that last sentence.)
I work at a fairly low stress job. I am reading straight through the Bible, including such things the specifications for priestly garments, but not geneologies. I picked up a bunch of books on fingerstyle guitar and have found the one on slack key to be the most accessible by far. I think that's because the rhythms are so straighforward. The others all seem to require that you listen to the record that used to come with the book.
Anyway, here's the vow: "I will post whenever I'm in the library and thus force myself to fulfill the narcissistic purpose (porpoise?) of this weblog; i.e. to document my ideas and the events of my life."
I work at a fairly low stress job. I am reading straight through the Bible, including such things the specifications for priestly garments, but not geneologies. I picked up a bunch of books on fingerstyle guitar and have found the one on slack key to be the most accessible by far. I think that's because the rhythms are so straighforward. The others all seem to require that you listen to the record that used to come with the book.
Anyway, here's the vow: "I will post whenever I'm in the library and thus force myself to fulfill the narcissistic purpose (porpoise?) of this weblog; i.e. to document my ideas and the events of my life."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)