Doody Calls

The Post-Dispatch recently featured a human interest story about a man who found $50 in some dog poop. He was a professional cleaner of pet wastes from yards, and spotted some cash poking out from a pile of poop.

He was lauded, rightfully so, for returning the money when he could have so easily scooped it up. My interest wasn't so much in the display of integrity or even how the bank was called upon to "restore" the bills (two 20s and a 10). My interest was in the man's job history.

He was formerly employed as a software engineer, and here he is in his 50s, cleaning pet waste. So you're thinking that I'm thinking "but for the grace of God go I".

Not at all.

I'm thinking I admire a person who does his best at whatever he does, no matter how the world values (or does not value) the position. It's great to have examples of people who stand up and do their best.

In the end, such efforts carry a large reward.

The Dad Life

Dad Life from Church on the Move on Vimeo.

Guess who....

Guess who I saw and ate dinner with in Springfield?

Jena's momma and sister!

Guess who dominates?
Tommy dominates!

The Latest Annoying Trend

When a movie or TV show is successful, expect to see dozens follow. Each network wants its' own version. It's easier to relate to something that's already out there than to take a chance on something original.

The latest fad? Vampires.

Following the success of Twilight, every network now has a version of one (or more) vampire and/or werewolf offerings. Most of which suck.

It used to be that the attributes of vampires were fairly limited. They dressed funny, talked like the Count on Sesame Street, avoided mirrors, and stayed out of the daylight at all costs. Find their coffin and you could simply flip it open during the day-time, jab a wooden stake through him/her, and that was that. No more vampire.

I don't watch any of the new shows, but you can't help catching a commercial here or there. The modern vampire seems to typically be a good-looking teen, possesses amazing super-powers, has somehow learned to fashion a life requiring day-time appearances, and has a girlfriend in the 11th grade.

They've gone from social outcasts to socially gifted. If this were true, it would seem as if the vampire population is growing at an alarming trend.

I worry how this will impact our governmental safety nets such as Social Security (which doesn't account for immortality), health care (these guys wreak havoc on others), unemployment (it's tough to see companies knowingly hiring vampires), and border security (are vampires and werewolves considered "illegals"?).

What a bite!

But we needn't worry. Like most cultural fads, this too will pass, and these shows will eventually fade away.

Confidence

Please, No Bad Weather!

I decided to drive home the southern route this time. Hopefully, all I'll encounter will be a few wildfires and some heat! I've already found the heat. I left sunny, breezy 72degree LA this afternoon and drove into the desert. As you can tell it was 104 degrees at 8pm. Thank God for air conditioning.

The moon was really pretty hanging over the mountains.

Tommy gets a week off from chemo, so I thought I'd get out of there and let him and Jena have a few days to themselves. His dad will be out there for the next round (and to help them move apartments) and then several of his friends are coming out to visit. But before I left I made Tommy and Lyla come with me to look at the seals. (Maybe more than once!)

Happy to Comply

I'm more than happy to comply with this sign recently spied in (where else?) California ...

... but I'm unsure why the homeowner felt the need to ask! Any theories?

Father's Day

Father's Day was spent receiving calls from the sons and visiting with my Dad and Bob, my father-in-law.

Here's my brother and Dad (his comment: "when did I get so short?" ... well, relatively speaking, Dad, about 35 years ago, and by the way, we finally got our hair cut the way you like it!):

Here I am later in the day with Bob, a picture which was possible only after some "how to use a point-and-shoot camera" with Kim's mother:

His advice for the day: try not to step on any copperhead snakes. Wise advice.

Kim left me a card with instructions on where to find a gift. It was a headlamp/tail-light combination for my bike. Here it is installed, and should make a few evening rides possible.

Frankly, I'm unsure why people feel the need to celebrate fathers ... I've found the experience rewarding enough in and of itself.

But thanks, everyone, for a great day!

While You Were Gone

Honey, while you were traveling ...

... I sold the Jetskis (boo-hoo) ...

... rode my bike with Rick B ...

... went camping with Mike and and Rick P (you've seen plenty of pictures of them!) ...

... had coffee with Mike P, then with Vince ...

... framed up the new room in the basement ...

... including a new heating/AC vent ...

The wiring is next.

And - surprise! - I buzzed my hair ...

More to come!

The Basic Human Condition

It would be nice to live in a perfect world, and although we catch glimpses of nirvana here and there, the human race is not destined to enjoy these moments on a sustainable basis.

Challenges are thrown our way in a never-ending stream. Some of these struggles are minor (the car won't start, a sore neck, a momentary setback in the workplace, etc) and some seem to defy our ability to handle them (natural disasters, war, major car accidents, and serious disease). In Saving Private Ryan, for example, three of four brothers were tragically killed on the same day.

As a result of these obstacles, our best laid plans require continual tweaking. John Lennon advised his son that "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans". The Bible tells us to "be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer".

In other words, stuff happens, plans go awry, but we always have hope for a better day.

As a father, I feel the afflictions of my sons and their families and know that they have the hope of a happy and productive future. In Tommy's case, for instance, my view of his future includes lots of kids, grandkids, success in something he loves, lots of activity and fun, and a life well-lived. My hope is placed in him overcoming his current challenges.

Nature is an example of how resilient life can be. Storms, winters, and disasters take their shot but can never overcome the hope of a new and more beautiful day.

But nature is only an example; it's not the answer. The psalmist wrote: "I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from where comes my help? My help comes from the Lord [not the hills] who made heaven and earth".

Wild Life in LA

OK, maybe the title should be "wildlife in LA".

While walking along the marina last week in California, I heard the bark of sea lions, and found them hanging out on one of the docks ...

There were three of them, and they were very large. We didn't have sitings like this at the Lake of the Ozarks!

Wild Ride

These are pictures of Hwy. 70 between Limon and Denver, Colorado. I'm just driving along, minding my own business and guess what happens? The sky gets dark, the wind becomes SUPER strong, and about 10 cars pass me that are equipped to be storm chasers. About the time I see where they are going (the north side of 70 - they're all heading out to the middle of a huge ranch) it starts hailing. Hard! I'm able to make it under an overpass, along with everyone else to wait it out. This was probably the worst storm I've ever been in. I was sure a tornado was going to pick us all up. The clouds were so low I thought I could touch them and they were full of lighting. Freaky!

From the Denver ABC station:

DENVER -- The Front Range was hit by heavy rain and hail as severe weather moved through the area late Friday afternoon.
A number of funnel clouds were spotted but no damage was reported. The big problem was hail, as areas just north and east of Denver were hit by so much hail it turned the ground white.

Steve suggested on my trip home that I go the southern way. I'm sure he suggested this because we all know that Oklahoma doesn't get any tornadoes!

Team Tommy

We're very grateful for all of the encouragement and prayer offered for Tommy and his newly engaged battle with cancer. The questions have evolved from "why?" to "how do we move forward to beat this?", and that's the best approach.

Again, thanks for the support --- that's why the post is entitled "Team Tommy". The following are pictures from the second round of chemo treatments ...

First, Tommy felt it important to let everyone know that his veins were among the best seen by the impressed hospital staff.


There's not much to do during the five hours it takes to pump chemicals (the purpose of which is to eradicate all fast-growing cells) into your system ...




Tommy can already pronounce the names of all the drugs involved in the process ...


This was my station, complete with laptop:

Please continue to pray that the chemotherapy is wildly successful with a minimum of side effects. The purpose of all of this is to move past it.

To Protect and Collect

Everyone is away of the popular police slogan "to protect and serve". But lately it seems as if local governements - under pressure to bring in revenue - are using the local constables as a collection agency.

They rove the streets more than ever pulling folks over and issuing citations with convenient mailers to send in your check. The usual buffers are no longer in place, and tickets are being issued in record numbers.

Some streets are so heavily patrolled it seems as if you pass two or three traffic cops in a short distance. I've actually started avoiding certain areas of St. Charles because of the excessive police presence.

The newest imposition on the citizenry are the automated red light cameras which private companies install. The lion's share of the profits go to the company, and the local government gets a "royalty" for allowing them to use the traffic pole. The fees for these violations, which usually consist of a minor rolling stop or an early stop which didn't register correctly, are usurious, i.e. several hundred dollars. I wonder how many other illegal acts cameras could capture if installed everywhere?

That's why I think the slogan should be recast as "To Protect and Collect".

John Wooden (1910-2010)

John Wooden passed away this week at the age of 99.

It's no secret he's easily my favorite coach. He was a mild-mannered man from Indiana who leveraged integrity, discipline, and a strong inner will to succeed. And it worked: his UCLA teams won 88 games in a row and ten national championships. It was a thrill for me in high school when we adopted the "UCLA press".

So, at this time, let me repeat the content from a previous post which hghlighted Wooden quotes ...

"A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment."

"Ability is a poor man's wealth."

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

"Be prepared and be honest."

"Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights."

"Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."

"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability."

"Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be."

"I'd rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent."

"If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"

"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes."

"It isn't what you do, but how you do it."

"It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it."

"It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen."

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."

"Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters."

"Never mistake activity for achievement."

"Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

"Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts."

"Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming. "

"Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful."

"The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team. "

"The worst thing about new books is that they keep us from reading the old ones."

"There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer. "

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. "

"What you are as a person is far more important that what you are as a basketball player. "

"Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character. "

"You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one. "

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

Potty time

Steve spent Tuesday morning installing our new toilet.

It's a toilet for giant people. Next time you visit us, be sure and bring your stepstool!

Lost and Found

Since the finale of Lost, I've avoided the chatter regarding theories of what it all meant. It's soaked in a bit now, and some ideas of my own have formed.

By design, the series seems to be open to several loose interpretations, so any explanatory theories must be high-level at best. The details often conflict, but the overall direction is strongly thematic.

To me, the island is representative of God. It has unique properties, and by approaching it through faith, many found redemption. In the face of it, evil was exposed (as when the man in black became the smoke monster). There was evidence on the island (Hurley's numbers, for example), that the island was not as remote as it seemed but involved in lives from the beginning.

The island brought happiness and healing to many while others remained - you guessed it - lost. But the series was less about the people, and more about the role of the island in their lives.

The 2010 Oscar Race

This year's Academy Awards was a 2-person race. On one side, Avatar, the CGI-enhanced epic featuring another world directed by James Cameron. In the other corner, The Hurt Locker, a Iraqi War movie about a bomb squad directed by Cameron's ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow.

A true showdown!


I decided to watch the two films back-to-back to compare. They were both worthy of Ocsar consideration, but in my mind, Hurt Locker was better and definitely less predictable.

The Academy got it right when they gave the Oscar to Bigelow.