I tend to get a little philosophical when I read C.S. Lewis, and since I am in the middle of God in the Dock I have been very philosophical lately. Unfortunately, being philosophical is usually more of a mood than a mode of being more open or intelligent. When I realize this, I typically cease being quite so philosophical.
The book is simply a collection of letters and articles that Lewis wrote throughout his life and so every chapter is completely autonomous from every other chapter. This means I can sit down and read for fifteen minutes or two hours depending on how "in the mood" I am. Today, I was more in the mood to read than usual, so I got through four or five chapters, one of which was on the pitfalls of attempting to form a Christian political party.
I am not aware that anyone in the US is trying this now (though a lot of people claim this is the case with the more conservative side of the Republican party). Lewis' arguments, though, reminded me of a conversation that I had with "the guys" on Thursday night about what a person's assessment of Jesus would be based only on the Gospels and not on any other source. Throughout that conversation, I continually thought about how well Jesus avoided the politics of the day while still being willing to be controversial where it mattered.
Jesus would not state a position on paying taxes to Caesar and paid the temple tax without dispute, but he rallied against the corruption of the moneychangers in the temple. Jesus would not settle an inheritance dispute between two brothers, but he would state his opinions of how the religious and secular leaders of the day exercised their authority.
There seem to be two opposing types of "Christian" people when it comes to addressing difficult issues, both political and religious. Both types can easily find statements from Jesus that appear to agree with them simply due to the fact that Jesus was not a one-dimensional teacher. On one hand there are those who believe every issue is a matter of utmost Christian importance and that to disagree with a specific "Christian" stand is tantamount to denying God. On the other hand there are those who believe that Christians should stay out of any political process and often stay out of any process that requires taking an opinionated stand (I do not believe this is as popular a position as the first).
I would assert that Jesus' example is more one of determining what real truth is and living and defending that without shame. I believe that Jesus picked his battles because some were of importance or relevance and some weren't.
Of course, now that I've said this I have to try to live it.
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Friday, April 29, 2005
for what it's worth
To whom it may concern, I found out last night that I have a catch phrase. In case you were wondering, it is something that I tend to use quite a bit in both oral and written communication. Interestingly enough, it is a commonly used introductory phrase that signifies to my audience that I am about to say something of importance to me.
As a matter of fact, many people have catch phrases that seem to infiltrate every aspect of their communications. Back in the time, I remember getting a chuckle out of an acquaintance who used to always say, "to make a long story short," then continue to make a short story long.
I was just thinking, and I wonder if the introductory phrases that a person peppers his or her speak with point to how that person's mind works. In a manner of speaking, these phrases may point to a person's need to introduce a thought, and the inability to constantly come up with a creative means of introduction.
In that case, I must lack some creativity. That is all I have to say on the subject, for what it's worth.
As a matter of fact, many people have catch phrases that seem to infiltrate every aspect of their communications. Back in the time, I remember getting a chuckle out of an acquaintance who used to always say, "to make a long story short," then continue to make a short story long.
I was just thinking, and I wonder if the introductory phrases that a person peppers his or her speak with point to how that person's mind works. In a manner of speaking, these phrases may point to a person's need to introduce a thought, and the inability to constantly come up with a creative means of introduction.
In that case, I must lack some creativity. That is all I have to say on the subject, for what it's worth.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
chester's drawers
I was discussing with a couple of coworkers yesterday which is most accurate. Should a piece of furniture that is essentially a chest containing drawers be called a chest of drawers, chester drawers, or a dresser? No one believed it should be called chester drawers, though there were votes for the other two. One person pointed out that at the moving company he used to work for some people would refer to a chest of drawers as a "chester." Clearly, this is making a bad mangling of the English language worse, but what bothers me more is how much this misuse of language gets to me. Am I a language snob?
When I was growing up any time I spoke using improper grammar my Mom would correct me. As a result, my first reaction when I hear what I assume is improper grammar is to try to correct it. It's one thing when a parent corrects grammar, but when I correct the person behind me in line at Conoco some boundaries have been crossed. I don't typically go so far as correcting strangers, but I often catch myself almost in the act of doing so.
What is ironic is that I am not a punctuation snob. I couldn't be or I'd be a hypocrite (not to say that I'm not a hypocrite). When I took composition and rhetoric in college I usually scored highly in everything on my papers except punctuation. Punctuation is what is taught in the less advanced English classes, so I probably should have figured most of this out by the time I got to high school. It is a little ridiculous. I can show cogent supporting arguments and evidence for my thesis with undetectable segues between topics in a ten-page term paper, but I can't figure out whether this sentence should really contain a comma. Then again, no one will, ever, be able to, notice, anyway.
When I was growing up any time I spoke using improper grammar my Mom would correct me. As a result, my first reaction when I hear what I assume is improper grammar is to try to correct it. It's one thing when a parent corrects grammar, but when I correct the person behind me in line at Conoco some boundaries have been crossed. I don't typically go so far as correcting strangers, but I often catch myself almost in the act of doing so.
What is ironic is that I am not a punctuation snob. I couldn't be or I'd be a hypocrite (not to say that I'm not a hypocrite). When I took composition and rhetoric in college I usually scored highly in everything on my papers except punctuation. Punctuation is what is taught in the less advanced English classes, so I probably should have figured most of this out by the time I got to high school. It is a little ridiculous. I can show cogent supporting arguments and evidence for my thesis with undetectable segues between topics in a ten-page term paper, but I can't figure out whether this sentence should really contain a comma. Then again, no one will, ever, be able to, notice, anyway.
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
jeans, part the second
Since I wrote about the tight jeans yesterday I decided it was about time to replace them. Mrs Dust agreed to go to the local mall last night with me to find a couple of pairs of jeans to add to the rotation.
In the store we picked up a couple of 32/32 jeans that looked like they would fit in the posterior region and I headed to the changing rooms. We also had some 32/34 in our sights in case the 32/32 jeans were too short. Both pairs fit well, except that they are slightly long. That's right, they are long! Did I shrink since the last time I shopped for jeans? The pair I am replacing are 30/34, and they aren't long on me. The definition for what an inch is must have changed in the past year or two.
We picked up both pairs because they work fine when I am wearing shoes and they are comfortable. They look cool too.
In the store we picked up a couple of 32/32 jeans that looked like they would fit in the posterior region and I headed to the changing rooms. We also had some 32/34 in our sights in case the 32/32 jeans were too short. Both pairs fit well, except that they are slightly long. That's right, they are long! Did I shrink since the last time I shopped for jeans? The pair I am replacing are 30/34, and they aren't long on me. The definition for what an inch is must have changed in the past year or two.
We picked up both pairs because they work fine when I am wearing shoes and they are comfortable. They look cool too.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
real men have curves
As I have said before, I like comfortable pants. This usually should imply that I like jeans. I do like jeans that fit, but therein lies the rub. Literally. Most jeans do not fit me, even when the waist and inseam measurements are correct.
Why, you may ask, do jeans not usually fit me? It is because male jeans models must have no butts. As I slip, or rather squeeze, into the typical 32/32 or 32/34 pair, the waist is just a little loose and most everything else is quite snug--a little too snug.
I have been able to find some jeans that fit. I avoid Levi's like the plague, but some Arizona jeans fit. Dungarees tend to be good too, but I fear that they are a fad that will someday go away.
Most of my jeans are very comfortable because I have been picky about what I buy. I do have one pair of jeans, though, that for the entire time I have had them they have not been quite right. When I originally got them they weren't loose by any means, but they were only a little tight. I had to get them because they actually did fit my plus sized butt right at the time. That was ten or fifteen pounds ago. I still haven't totally grown out of them, but (no pun intended) I tend to be a little uncomfortable on the days I wear them. I am looking forward to the day I can get rid of them. I don't care how cool they look.
Why, you may ask, do jeans not usually fit me? It is because male jeans models must have no butts. As I slip, or rather squeeze, into the typical 32/32 or 32/34 pair, the waist is just a little loose and most everything else is quite snug--a little too snug.
I have been able to find some jeans that fit. I avoid Levi's like the plague, but some Arizona jeans fit. Dungarees tend to be good too, but I fear that they are a fad that will someday go away.
Most of my jeans are very comfortable because I have been picky about what I buy. I do have one pair of jeans, though, that for the entire time I have had them they have not been quite right. When I originally got them they weren't loose by any means, but they were only a little tight. I had to get them because they actually did fit my plus sized butt right at the time. That was ten or fifteen pounds ago. I still haven't totally grown out of them, but (no pun intended) I tend to be a little uncomfortable on the days I wear them. I am looking forward to the day I can get rid of them. I don't care how cool they look.
Monday, April 25, 2005
white water rafting, barn swinging, and stratego
I found out yesterday how boring I am. Our young adult group had a planning meeting for scheduling out the rest of the year. I used to think that I was an exciting person, but now I would settle for quirky.
A lot of the ideas that were thrown around involve travel and/or expense. A few that come to mind are a white water rafting trip, a trip to the St. Louis Zoo and Arch, and barn swinging in Springfield. Not that these sound like bad ideas at all, but when your idea of an exciting night is a Sci Fi and a rousing game of Stratego (okay, so I have never been exciting), the involvement that these activities would require is a bit much. I will just need to pick and choose what I want to do.
Unfortunately I am not by any means the oldest or youngest in the group, so I can't blame age. I can only point to my extreme introvertedness as the cause of my lack of excitement. Well, that and the fact that I don't like to just give away weekend and vacation days willy nilly. Maybe if I work hard enough I can get someone to stay in the van with me and play a board game. Colonel beats spy.
A lot of the ideas that were thrown around involve travel and/or expense. A few that come to mind are a white water rafting trip, a trip to the St. Louis Zoo and Arch, and barn swinging in Springfield. Not that these sound like bad ideas at all, but when your idea of an exciting night is a Sci Fi and a rousing game of Stratego (okay, so I have never been exciting), the involvement that these activities would require is a bit much. I will just need to pick and choose what I want to do.
Unfortunately I am not by any means the oldest or youngest in the group, so I can't blame age. I can only point to my extreme introvertedness as the cause of my lack of excitement. Well, that and the fact that I don't like to just give away weekend and vacation days willy nilly. Maybe if I work hard enough I can get someone to stay in the van with me and play a board game. Colonel beats spy.
Saturday, April 23, 2005
60k miles = $1.3k scheduled maintenance
Before I say anything, I want to point out that I do trust my mechanic, though I believe that on occasion he is not the cheapest option available. There have been a couple of occasions when he did not find anything wrong with a car and so he did not charge me for checking it out. Also, I just realized how long this post is. Good luck getting through it.
About four months ago one of the family cars started to act up. We took it in to have it looked at and in the end the mechanic determined there was no serious issue with the car. As if to guarantee that I couldn't walk away without this being an expensive experience the mechanic pointed out that the car had just passed 60,000 miles and it was due for scheduled maintenance. I want this car to last a while so I was willing to play along. I asked what it would take get the car up to date. His answer was that we would have to schedule a two-day block for him to work on this and, since this included replacing the timing belt, the entire procedure would be a little over $1,300.
Yikes! I figure that there will occasionally be a scheduled maintenance that is expensive, but I didn't figure it would be as soon as 60,000 miles and certainly not this expensive. I didn't know where we were going to get that kind of money and at that point I figured I had to count on a seriously good tax return.
We did get a good tax return, and budgeted appropriately for the procedure. Due to the fact that the other family car was replaced during that time and scheduling conflicts we didn't deal with the issue for a few months. We kept the budgeted money in the checking account as a buffer.
Also during this time a co-worker encouraged me to call his mechanic and double-check the cost. He stated that his mechanic was a friend of the family and had always given him a good deal. I called and was quoted $690 + tax. Not bad. This was just over half the price I had budgeted in fact. So I made an appointment and brought the car in on Thursday (the bad-hair day for those keeping track).
Around 9:30 AM (before I realized my hair was sticking up) he called me and said that he had re-read Mazda's recommendations for the 60,000 mile maintenance and he would recommend that I wait until 90,000 miles before changing the timing belt. Mazda's recommendation was that the timing belt simply be checked at 60,000 miles, which wasn't even possible given the nature of the part. We ended up spending $150 on the miscellaneous maintenance that Mazda recommended.
Now, the real problem is one of loyalty. Do I send all my business to this new mechanic? He is several miles further away than my current mechanic, so that could impact my decision. I'll probably wait until the next automotive crisis to decide, knowing me.
About four months ago one of the family cars started to act up. We took it in to have it looked at and in the end the mechanic determined there was no serious issue with the car. As if to guarantee that I couldn't walk away without this being an expensive experience the mechanic pointed out that the car had just passed 60,000 miles and it was due for scheduled maintenance. I want this car to last a while so I was willing to play along. I asked what it would take get the car up to date. His answer was that we would have to schedule a two-day block for him to work on this and, since this included replacing the timing belt, the entire procedure would be a little over $1,300.
Yikes! I figure that there will occasionally be a scheduled maintenance that is expensive, but I didn't figure it would be as soon as 60,000 miles and certainly not this expensive. I didn't know where we were going to get that kind of money and at that point I figured I had to count on a seriously good tax return.
We did get a good tax return, and budgeted appropriately for the procedure. Due to the fact that the other family car was replaced during that time and scheduling conflicts we didn't deal with the issue for a few months. We kept the budgeted money in the checking account as a buffer.
Also during this time a co-worker encouraged me to call his mechanic and double-check the cost. He stated that his mechanic was a friend of the family and had always given him a good deal. I called and was quoted $690 + tax. Not bad. This was just over half the price I had budgeted in fact. So I made an appointment and brought the car in on Thursday (the bad-hair day for those keeping track).
Around 9:30 AM (before I realized my hair was sticking up) he called me and said that he had re-read Mazda's recommendations for the 60,000 mile maintenance and he would recommend that I wait until 90,000 miles before changing the timing belt. Mazda's recommendation was that the timing belt simply be checked at 60,000 miles, which wasn't even possible given the nature of the part. We ended up spending $150 on the miscellaneous maintenance that Mazda recommended.
Now, the real problem is one of loyalty. Do I send all my business to this new mechanic? He is several miles further away than my current mechanic, so that could impact my decision. I'll probably wait until the next automotive crisis to decide, knowing me.
Friday, April 22, 2005
the tuft
Around 10 AM yesterday I noticed that the back of my head felt weird. When I say weird I mean the kind of weird when you have had a hat on for a few hours then realize that some hair was pressed down in the wrong direction on your head. I quickly brushed my fingers over my head and realized that I had a tuft of hair sticking up. I went quickly to the bathroom and noticed that this was not an alfalfa hair problem, because the hair wasn't sticking straight up. It more looked like I had a miniature pony tail in the back of my head that was pointed upward and forward. I wetted the hair and congratulated myself on conquering this issue before I had too many embarrassing situations.
Fast forward to about 11:30 AM. The feeling on the back of my head returned. How was this possible? Back to the bathroom, more water on the head, and in my cube again, I no longer felt confident that I had conquered the tuft of hair. I hadn't either. Throughout the entire day that little bit of hair kept coming back to haunt me. Even after I got home I had to wet my hair once.
At least I have this problem rather than the opposite problem of no hair. I think I can live with that. Mrs Dust looks good in ponytails, so I wonder if I could pull it off too.
Fast forward to about 11:30 AM. The feeling on the back of my head returned. How was this possible? Back to the bathroom, more water on the head, and in my cube again, I no longer felt confident that I had conquered the tuft of hair. I hadn't either. Throughout the entire day that little bit of hair kept coming back to haunt me. Even after I got home I had to wet my hair once.
At least I have this problem rather than the opposite problem of no hair. I think I can live with that. Mrs Dust looks good in ponytails, so I wonder if I could pull it off too.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
bottoms up
Yesterday at work we were discussing how free we are with our wives in discussing bathroom issues. I am not sure why the discussion has come up recently. It may have been a post over the weekend at Golden Sunrise's site. It may have been that one of my coworkers was complaining that someone was letting their dog make on his yard. What matters is that the issue came up.
Apparently Mrs Dust and myself are much freer with our discussion of what ends up in the toilet than some others at the office. If one of us is feeling backed up, not backed up enough, or gassy we freely discuss it. If one of us just had a good or not so good time on the stool, we freely discuss it. A few of the guys were freely disgusted by it.
It seems that about 50% of the people I work with are comfortable with those types of discussions at home, and about 50% are not except in health-related matters. This encouraged one of the people that feels more free on this subject to share the last discussion he had with his wife on the topic. The question was what do you do when almost all, but not all, of it comes out. I think I figured out that this must be the time to pull out the paper to check what's going on in the world, but first check the comics section.
Apparently Mrs Dust and myself are much freer with our discussion of what ends up in the toilet than some others at the office. If one of us is feeling backed up, not backed up enough, or gassy we freely discuss it. If one of us just had a good or not so good time on the stool, we freely discuss it. A few of the guys were freely disgusted by it.
It seems that about 50% of the people I work with are comfortable with those types of discussions at home, and about 50% are not except in health-related matters. This encouraged one of the people that feels more free on this subject to share the last discussion he had with his wife on the topic. The question was what do you do when almost all, but not all, of it comes out. I think I figured out that this must be the time to pull out the paper to check what's going on in the world, but first check the comics section.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
a catholic, a nazarene, a methodist, and a pentecostal
Sorry, no jokes today. Today is an insight into my insecurities. Face it, that is better than my humor anyway.
Yesterday, when the new Pope was announced myself and three other guys at work got into a discussion of what churches we attend. There was a Catholic, a Nazarene, a Methodist (in the fact that he attends a Methodist church), and a Pentecostal (me). That would sound like the start of a bad joke if we walked into a bar together.
Thing is, it is always difficult for me to get into a discussion of what church I attend. This is not an embarrassment of Christ. I will align myself with Christ all day long. This is due to the fact that people who know something about the history of the Assemblies of God often have preconceived ideas about what attending a church in that denomination entails.
The first preconceived idea is that the A/G is a legalistic due to the fact that the church has its roots in the Holiness movement. There are indeed a lot of people still in the Assemblies of God that push a Holiness philosophy, which is sad. While it is good to avoid excesses of the flesh, the implication that a person can be more holy based on the things they do is flat wrong. Holiness only comes from Christ. Also, some of the A/G position papers actually are legalistic, so I have to use some discretion as to what I specifically agree with.
The second preconceived idea is that people in a Pentecostal church are only after experience and are not seeking truth. This does describe some people, but not me.
The third preconceived idea is that Christians, and Pentecostals in particular, are not the brightest bulbs in the lamp. I am always frustrated and upset at those who profess Christianity and reinforce this generalization with their actions. An unfairly trite summary of the history of the Pentecostal movement is that people on the wrong side of the tracks sought God and had an experience. These were not necessarily theologic geniuses. As a result, I tend to be concerned that people who know what church I attend assume that I am a mindless drone in a guilt-by-association stereotype.
I slowly shared the information about the church I attend, but did not go overboard. They have known I go to a Christian church. Now they know the denomination. That aligns me with Christ, and that is what I care about. I have not hid my relationship with God at work. God understands.
Yesterday, when the new Pope was announced myself and three other guys at work got into a discussion of what churches we attend. There was a Catholic, a Nazarene, a Methodist (in the fact that he attends a Methodist church), and a Pentecostal (me). That would sound like the start of a bad joke if we walked into a bar together.
Thing is, it is always difficult for me to get into a discussion of what church I attend. This is not an embarrassment of Christ. I will align myself with Christ all day long. This is due to the fact that people who know something about the history of the Assemblies of God often have preconceived ideas about what attending a church in that denomination entails.
The first preconceived idea is that the A/G is a legalistic due to the fact that the church has its roots in the Holiness movement. There are indeed a lot of people still in the Assemblies of God that push a Holiness philosophy, which is sad. While it is good to avoid excesses of the flesh, the implication that a person can be more holy based on the things they do is flat wrong. Holiness only comes from Christ. Also, some of the A/G position papers actually are legalistic, so I have to use some discretion as to what I specifically agree with.
The second preconceived idea is that people in a Pentecostal church are only after experience and are not seeking truth. This does describe some people, but not me.
The third preconceived idea is that Christians, and Pentecostals in particular, are not the brightest bulbs in the lamp. I am always frustrated and upset at those who profess Christianity and reinforce this generalization with their actions. An unfairly trite summary of the history of the Pentecostal movement is that people on the wrong side of the tracks sought God and had an experience. These were not necessarily theologic geniuses. As a result, I tend to be concerned that people who know what church I attend assume that I am a mindless drone in a guilt-by-association stereotype.
I slowly shared the information about the church I attend, but did not go overboard. They have known I go to a Christian church. Now they know the denomination. That aligns me with Christ, and that is what I care about. I have not hid my relationship with God at work. God understands.
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
brought to you by the letter k
I don't understand the thinking that goes into naming a product something that might raise red flags in people's minds. For example, any product that is a play on words for another product immediately makes me recognize that the product is generic (just look at any store brand breakfast foods). Another example is any place of business whose name ends in "o-rama."
A final example is something that has stuck out to me a lot lately. I kan not stand kute spellings of words in product names, like replacing a "c" with a "k." A few days ago I pulled up behind a Mercedes Kompressor and Mrs Dust kommented that she hadn't noticed that brand of kar before. I had only noticed it a kouple of times before that. If I were in the market for such a kar, why would I want to spend the $30 grand if I kan't stand the kutesy spelling. I would probably khoose a different vehicle. I understand it probably looks better in the kontext of the German language, but I don't speak German.
Another "k" product that I used recently was to klear the drain in my bathroom tub. Not surprisingly, the product name was Kleer Drain. It does indeed describe what the product does, but I was tempted not to pick it up due to the fact that, not only does it have the kheesy "k" at the beginning of the name, it also replaces the "ea" with the "ee." Are the makers of this product krazy enough to think this will make me want to buy their product even more?
What I want to know is what is the motivation here. Were marketing people bad spellers in school? Do they really think that misspellings are kreative? Do more people actually buy the misspelled product? Who would be such an easily manipulated pawn? On another note, I kould really go for a Krispy Kreme doughnut right now.
A final example is something that has stuck out to me a lot lately. I kan not stand kute spellings of words in product names, like replacing a "c" with a "k." A few days ago I pulled up behind a Mercedes Kompressor and Mrs Dust kommented that she hadn't noticed that brand of kar before. I had only noticed it a kouple of times before that. If I were in the market for such a kar, why would I want to spend the $30 grand if I kan't stand the kutesy spelling. I would probably khoose a different vehicle. I understand it probably looks better in the kontext of the German language, but I don't speak German.
Another "k" product that I used recently was to klear the drain in my bathroom tub. Not surprisingly, the product name was Kleer Drain. It does indeed describe what the product does, but I was tempted not to pick it up due to the fact that, not only does it have the kheesy "k" at the beginning of the name, it also replaces the "ea" with the "ee." Are the makers of this product krazy enough to think this will make me want to buy their product even more?
What I want to know is what is the motivation here. Were marketing people bad spellers in school? Do they really think that misspellings are kreative? Do more people actually buy the misspelled product? Who would be such an easily manipulated pawn? On another note, I kould really go for a Krispy Kreme doughnut right now.
Monday, April 18, 2005
a day in my life
Yesterday our pastor spoke on what we devote our time to and had us fill out a calendar with what we generally do with our time. I think the purpose was either to show that we could give God more time or to show how much of our time is wasted. If that is the case, my calendar had the opposite effect on me. I recognized that a lot of my time is already spent on church-type stuff. Though quite a bit was devoted to reality TV too.
Here is a typical weekday in my life.
7:30 AM - Wake up and get ready for work. - brain power: 10% capacity
7:50 AM - Head off to work. - brain power: 20% capacity
8:15 AM - Have first cup of coffee at office. - brain power: 50% capacity
8:30 AM - Do various things related to my job that cannot be easily described. - brain power: 50% capacity
12:00 PM - Play Quake III or Hacky Sack at lunch. - brain power: 80% capacity
1:00 PM - Back to work. - brain power: 60% capacity
4:00 PM - Kick work up a notch (BAM!) when I realize that I have more than one hour worth of work left for the day. - brain power: 60% capacity
5:30 PM - Get things reasonably wrapped up and vow I'll do better tomorrow. Talk with a friend at work about irrelevant things, then leave work. - brain power: 80% capacity
6:00 PM - Arrive home, eat, and listen to Mrs Dust talk about her day. - brain power: 70% capacity
7:00 PM - Watch TV - brain power: 50% capacity
8:00 or 9:00 PM - Depends on the day of the week (play volleyball, church, go to Homers coffehouse, etc) - brain power: 80% capacity
10:00 PM - Mrs Dust goes to bed. Watch TV. - brain power: 90% capacity
12:00 AM - Try to go to sleep. - brain power: 100% capacity
2:00 AM - Actually go to sleep. - brain power: 10% capacity (which is also the average brain capacity of drivers on Interstate 35)
Here is a typical weekday in my life.
7:30 AM - Wake up and get ready for work. - brain power: 10% capacity
7:50 AM - Head off to work. - brain power: 20% capacity
8:15 AM - Have first cup of coffee at office. - brain power: 50% capacity
8:30 AM - Do various things related to my job that cannot be easily described. - brain power: 50% capacity
12:00 PM - Play Quake III or Hacky Sack at lunch. - brain power: 80% capacity
1:00 PM - Back to work. - brain power: 60% capacity
4:00 PM - Kick work up a notch (BAM!) when I realize that I have more than one hour worth of work left for the day. - brain power: 60% capacity
5:30 PM - Get things reasonably wrapped up and vow I'll do better tomorrow. Talk with a friend at work about irrelevant things, then leave work. - brain power: 80% capacity
6:00 PM - Arrive home, eat, and listen to Mrs Dust talk about her day. - brain power: 70% capacity
7:00 PM - Watch TV - brain power: 50% capacity
8:00 or 9:00 PM - Depends on the day of the week (play volleyball, church, go to Homers coffehouse, etc) - brain power: 80% capacity
10:00 PM - Mrs Dust goes to bed. Watch TV. - brain power: 90% capacity
12:00 AM - Try to go to sleep. - brain power: 100% capacity
2:00 AM - Actually go to sleep. - brain power: 10% capacity (which is also the average brain capacity of drivers on Interstate 35)
Saturday, April 16, 2005
why kip?
I still haven't figured out whether I should post something on Saturdays and Sundays to stay consistent through the week, or perhaps I should just do one weekend post for anyone who happens to be surfing through my blog on the weekend. I must not have too complicated a life if that is one of my more difficult issues to resolve right now.
On another note, my wife and I went to a Napoleon Dynamite themed party last night where we were supposed to dress like one of the characters from the movie or go as an 80s stereotypical character. My wife dressed like Deb in an 80s sweater. I went as Uncle Rico, but since I was not willing to go overboard with my costume, I probably looked more like Neo from The Matrix. The majority of my costume was actually two props I brought--a football and some tupperware.
Anyway, before I had committed to a character I heard the suggestion that I would be a good Kip. Why Kip? Not only that, but when I mentioned this around later to see what other people thought about that one response I got was, "I can see you as Kip," or something to that affect. I guess I am still a little uncool.
On another note, my wife and I went to a Napoleon Dynamite themed party last night where we were supposed to dress like one of the characters from the movie or go as an 80s stereotypical character. My wife dressed like Deb in an 80s sweater. I went as Uncle Rico, but since I was not willing to go overboard with my costume, I probably looked more like Neo from The Matrix. The majority of my costume was actually two props I brought--a football and some tupperware.
Anyway, before I had committed to a character I heard the suggestion that I would be a good Kip. Why Kip? Not only that, but when I mentioned this around later to see what other people thought about that one response I got was, "I can see you as Kip," or something to that affect. I guess I am still a little uncool.
Friday, April 15, 2005
bathroom etiquette
One type of observation that almost always gets a smile is regarding the things that happen in a public bathroom. I am not exactly certain why public bathroom anecdotes are funny, but I think it is because that is one of the few situations where you have to be somewhat vulnerable in the presence of strangers. Noises that you accidentally make in the privacy of your home aren't incredibly funny unless you are a fourteen-year-old boy. They are embarrassing and humorous when they occur in the presence of strangers in a bathroom. As a result, there are several observations that I will probably share here on the blog eventually. I only have one for today, though.
A couple of days ago I entered the bathroom at my office, which I believed to be unoccupied, to use the facilities. After I had been in there, supposedly alone, for about thirty seconds I heard a newspaper page turn in one of the stalls. It wasn't as big of a deal this time around because once in this bathroom I heard two different people in the stalls not only reading, but commenting to each other on what they were reading. Nonetheless, I would like to know what goes through a person's mind when they decide to bring loud reading material into a public bathroom.
Actually, I do understand wanting to bring reading material to a private bathroom, because I have been in the middle of an article or story when the urge hit. I just think a person sticks out walking into a public restroom with the Wall Street Journal.
Maybe I should try it rather than knock it. I wonder if the guy in the next stall would mind if I borrow the comics section.
A couple of days ago I entered the bathroom at my office, which I believed to be unoccupied, to use the facilities. After I had been in there, supposedly alone, for about thirty seconds I heard a newspaper page turn in one of the stalls. It wasn't as big of a deal this time around because once in this bathroom I heard two different people in the stalls not only reading, but commenting to each other on what they were reading. Nonetheless, I would like to know what goes through a person's mind when they decide to bring loud reading material into a public bathroom.
Actually, I do understand wanting to bring reading material to a private bathroom, because I have been in the middle of an article or story when the urge hit. I just think a person sticks out walking into a public restroom with the Wall Street Journal.
Maybe I should try it rather than knock it. I wonder if the guy in the next stall would mind if I borrow the comics section.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
unsung hero
On Wednesday nights my wife teaches third through fifth grade girls at our church and I go to whatever adult elective classes are available. Since Mrs Dust has to be at the church a little early, if we go together that means I have time to kill before my class starts.
As I was roaming the halls waiting for class to start I ran into the person at our church that is responsible for all setup and cleanup in the church. We are both pretty shy, so any conversation can feel forced simply due to our similar personalities. I decided, however, that I would like to see how things are going in his life.
When I asked him how everything was he said they were fine, then we got into a discussion of the requirements of his job and the responsibility he has. At that moment I was a little ashamed. I had never thanked him for the work that he had done and that I had certainly benefited from. More than once I have noticed a dirty classroom and left it because I know it will get taken care of.
Given that the efforts of the idea men are often provided more respect than those of those who do the physical work, I'd encourage anyone and everyone to show some appreciation to those whose work isn't noticed until something goes wrong. Dave, if you're reading this, thanks for all of your work at the church.
As I was roaming the halls waiting for class to start I ran into the person at our church that is responsible for all setup and cleanup in the church. We are both pretty shy, so any conversation can feel forced simply due to our similar personalities. I decided, however, that I would like to see how things are going in his life.
When I asked him how everything was he said they were fine, then we got into a discussion of the requirements of his job and the responsibility he has. At that moment I was a little ashamed. I had never thanked him for the work that he had done and that I had certainly benefited from. More than once I have noticed a dirty classroom and left it because I know it will get taken care of.
Given that the efforts of the idea men are often provided more respect than those of those who do the physical work, I'd encourage anyone and everyone to show some appreciation to those whose work isn't noticed until something goes wrong. Dave, if you're reading this, thanks for all of your work at the church.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
1, 2, 3, 4
I have mild OCD so I have to do things in fours all the time. I almost never only eat one chip. I eat four. It is a little annoying.
I have mild OCD so I have to do things in fours all the time. I almost never only eat one chip. I eat four. It is a little annoying.
I have mild OCD so I have to do things in fours all the time. I almost never only eat one chip. I eat four. It is a little annoying.
I have mild OCD so I have to do things in fours all the time. I almost never only eat one chip. I eat four. It is a little annoying.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
along came a spider
I have never completely liked spiders in real life, which is odd because I usually like them in movies. This morning when I got in the shower a spider no more than an inch from end to end started to crawl up the shower wall then stopped about five feet up. It stayed there for the rest of the time I was in the shower.
I considered my options. I could try to smash it with my hand. No, that was out of the question. I could jump out of the shower screaming like a girl. Tempting as that was, my wife already has enough to laugh at me about for me to add that to the list. I chose the only remaining option. I left the spider alone until I was done with my shower.
Once I was done with the shower, I let my wife know there was a spider in the shower and she squished it in a few seconds time. My hero.
I considered my options. I could try to smash it with my hand. No, that was out of the question. I could jump out of the shower screaming like a girl. Tempting as that was, my wife already has enough to laugh at me about for me to add that to the list. I chose the only remaining option. I left the spider alone until I was done with my shower.
Once I was done with the shower, I let my wife know there was a spider in the shower and she squished it in a few seconds time. My hero.
Monday, April 11, 2005
extra, extra, read all about it
Today as I was pulling into the office a man and a boy (presumably his son) were selling newspapers at the corner in front of my office. I think they are raising money for a sports organization or to cure a disease or something like that. They didn't appear to be poor because I could see the minivan they had driven to get there and it was relatively nice.
The problem was that my office faces a relatively busy street, and rather than choose an intersection on a slow street near one of the parking lots they chose a corner on the busy street. It looks like an opportune spot because a it is one of the entryways to a large office complex, but few people will be willing to stop right where they were standing.
Usually when presented with a situation like that I either donate to whatever cause is being pushed, or I ignore the people and feel a little guilty about it. However, this time I couldn't physically stop and purchase something without stopping the car behind me that was in the process of crossing traffic.
I do feel a little bad for the kid, though. I hope someone buys a paper from him so this experience isn't a disappointment. They should have picked a different corner.
The problem was that my office faces a relatively busy street, and rather than choose an intersection on a slow street near one of the parking lots they chose a corner on the busy street. It looks like an opportune spot because a it is one of the entryways to a large office complex, but few people will be willing to stop right where they were standing.
Usually when presented with a situation like that I either donate to whatever cause is being pushed, or I ignore the people and feel a little guilty about it. However, this time I couldn't physically stop and purchase something without stopping the car behind me that was in the process of crossing traffic.
I do feel a little bad for the kid, though. I hope someone buys a paper from him so this experience isn't a disappointment. They should have picked a different corner.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
jeans and sneakers
This morning my wife woke me up with the question as to whether her jacket looked better with jeans or slacks. She was putting together her clothes for church and wanted to know. Of course, my answer was, "Well, what do you think?" before rolling over and going back to sleep. She decided to wear the jeans. This wouldn't be incredibly significant except that this is the first time she has ever worn jeans to a Sunday morning service.
Our church has recently moved from having one Sunday morning service to two. There is one that is traditional and one that is contemporary. The contemporary one is more casual than the combined service used to be, so it is not uncommon for a large minority of the congregation to be wearing jeans. I myself wear jeans and sneakers most Sunday mornings.
I kind of drifted during the sermon and thought about how things were when I was growing up. The view was that one should dress up in the same way that someone would when visiting a king. Now that I have a better grasp on Scripture I realize that God could care less what I have on. The foreign dignitary or the people employed by the king may have to dress up to visit the king, but the son can approach him whenever and wearing whatever.
I am thankful for this because I like wearing comfortable pants.
Our church has recently moved from having one Sunday morning service to two. There is one that is traditional and one that is contemporary. The contemporary one is more casual than the combined service used to be, so it is not uncommon for a large minority of the congregation to be wearing jeans. I myself wear jeans and sneakers most Sunday mornings.
I kind of drifted during the sermon and thought about how things were when I was growing up. The view was that one should dress up in the same way that someone would when visiting a king. Now that I have a better grasp on Scripture I realize that God could care less what I have on. The foreign dignitary or the people employed by the king may have to dress up to visit the king, but the son can approach him whenever and wearing whatever.
I am thankful for this because I like wearing comfortable pants.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
snip, snip
Ever have almost nothing to say to someone while you are obligated to sit next to them for 10-20 minutes? That is how I sometimes feel in a waiting room, or the dentist, or the barber. Today it was the barber.
What seems to happen is that he tries to start a conversation to make the time go, but the questions rarely branch into a lengthy discussion.
"What are you doing this weekend?"
"Nothing much other than some errands. You?"
"Not much either. Have any plans this summer?"
"Not really. We'll see my wife's family some on weekends. How about this weather."
"How about it."
(Silence after this point.)
Of course the conversation above is a dramatization, but it is a pretty good representation of how bad I am at making small talk with someone who I don't know entirely well.
The one thing that did come out of talking to my barber today, though, was that he asked whether I had mowed my lawn yet. I hadn't. Was it really time already to mow the lawn? My wife hadn't said anything about the lawn, but she only mentions it when it looks really bad. Needless to say, I told him I hadn't gotten to it yet, then I mowed it this afternoon to reassure my manhood. That'll show him!
What seems to happen is that he tries to start a conversation to make the time go, but the questions rarely branch into a lengthy discussion.
"What are you doing this weekend?"
"Nothing much other than some errands. You?"
"Not much either. Have any plans this summer?"
"Not really. We'll see my wife's family some on weekends. How about this weather."
"How about it."
(Silence after this point.)
Of course the conversation above is a dramatization, but it is a pretty good representation of how bad I am at making small talk with someone who I don't know entirely well.
The one thing that did come out of talking to my barber today, though, was that he asked whether I had mowed my lawn yet. I hadn't. Was it really time already to mow the lawn? My wife hadn't said anything about the lawn, but she only mentions it when it looks really bad. Needless to say, I told him I hadn't gotten to it yet, then I mowed it this afternoon to reassure my manhood. That'll show him!
Friday, April 08, 2005
if you want to be a success...
...learn to not do anything.
Before I say anything, I know there are some people who think reality TV has no redeeming value. Part of the reason I am posting on a reality show today is to display some of the redeeming value. :)
I was watching The Apprentice last night and the person who got kicked off (let's call her Angie because that is her name) was the only person on her team who did anything. The other people on her team did not contribute much more than ideas to the project (the goal of which was creating clothing lines that integrated technology in some way and to present the creations to some American Eagle executives). The reasoning for getting rid of her seemed to be that since she was the person who screwed up on the presentation she had to go. My take is that if you are doing 80% of the work, you are 80% more likely than anyone else to screw up.
This relates to what I have observed in the business world as well, though. The people who "succeed" are often hard workers, but more often they are talkers who can motivate other hard workers. Point to any business success and I will point you to the "little people" who made that person a success.
This is something that I wish I had picked up earlier, actually. The people who apply themselves and do well become tradesmen or consultants. The people who can motivate become the people who make money from the tradesmen or consultants' work.
Ironically, what I am learning from The Apprentice is that people like Donald Trump are smart and can be hard workers, but they are only "successes" because they know how to make money from other people's work.
Finally, I do think Capitalism is superior to any other system when human nature is added to the equation, so I am not advocating the downfall of the overpaid talkers. This is just a cynical observation.
Before I say anything, I know there are some people who think reality TV has no redeeming value. Part of the reason I am posting on a reality show today is to display some of the redeeming value. :)
I was watching The Apprentice last night and the person who got kicked off (let's call her Angie because that is her name) was the only person on her team who did anything. The other people on her team did not contribute much more than ideas to the project (the goal of which was creating clothing lines that integrated technology in some way and to present the creations to some American Eagle executives). The reasoning for getting rid of her seemed to be that since she was the person who screwed up on the presentation she had to go. My take is that if you are doing 80% of the work, you are 80% more likely than anyone else to screw up.
This relates to what I have observed in the business world as well, though. The people who "succeed" are often hard workers, but more often they are talkers who can motivate other hard workers. Point to any business success and I will point you to the "little people" who made that person a success.
This is something that I wish I had picked up earlier, actually. The people who apply themselves and do well become tradesmen or consultants. The people who can motivate become the people who make money from the tradesmen or consultants' work.
Ironically, what I am learning from The Apprentice is that people like Donald Trump are smart and can be hard workers, but they are only "successes" because they know how to make money from other people's work.
Finally, I do think Capitalism is superior to any other system when human nature is added to the equation, so I am not advocating the downfall of the overpaid talkers. This is just a cynical observation.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
i'm not uncool!
Something weird came out in the quick discussion I had with Golden this morning while I was trying to hurry out the door. She made a comment that I looked cool, more as a joke than anything else, and sent me on my way.
I realized, though, that this is about the first point in my life that I am not incredibly uncool. Don't get me wrong. While everyone wants to be cool when they are growing up, I used to take at least some pleasure out of the fact that I wasn't like the shallow cool people. This was one of the paradoxes that I grew up with and that bothered me a great deal. Is it better to not be uncool or to be willing to focus on externalities? Of course when I was younger, I'd rather just fit in.
At this point I had a second revelation. I really don't care so much whether I am cool or not. In fact my personality would probably not allow me to be cool even if I had the opportunity. I am still bothered by the question of why I get the things I want when I no longer care about them. Seems pointless.
I realized, though, that this is about the first point in my life that I am not incredibly uncool. Don't get me wrong. While everyone wants to be cool when they are growing up, I used to take at least some pleasure out of the fact that I wasn't like the shallow cool people. This was one of the paradoxes that I grew up with and that bothered me a great deal. Is it better to not be uncool or to be willing to focus on externalities? Of course when I was younger, I'd rather just fit in.
At this point I had a second revelation. I really don't care so much whether I am cool or not. In fact my personality would probably not allow me to be cool even if I had the opportunity. I am still bothered by the question of why I get the things I want when I no longer care about them. Seems pointless.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
deep thoughts
Alright, so I don't have any deep thoughts today. I do have a question after looking at this post submission form, though.
Given that I am in Central Time should I make it a habit of changing the first post to Central Time or should I leave it at Pacific Time, which seems to be the default? What have the rest of you done?
Given that I am in Central Time should I make it a habit of changing the first post to Central Time or should I leave it at Pacific Time, which seems to be the default? What have the rest of you done?
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