the neglectful blogger

I read most of that!

I’ve been away from this blog since I started grad school.  I have neglected it.  I realized that the last time I chose a template and created banners was when I was still a home owner in Saint Joseph, MI.  The calendar has rolled over for 2 years since then.

Now that I’m on break from school I have plenty of energy to pour into frivolous and decadent things such as blog design.  So, dear readers, be expectantly looking for a more up to day, Seattle inspired design.

Thanks for stopping by.

Arrow of Time

You’ve probably seen or heard about it this by now, but I think its worth the post either way.

Diego Goldberg started a tradition in 1976 of taking annual photos of his family. Its an interesting concept. What a record of their family history. There’s also a video you can check out on his page. Have a look HERE >>

 

Jeep Brag

On Spotify I just heard Jeep bragging about 16-22MPG in the new Wrangler. WOW Chrysler, way to finally match the 1997 Honda CR-V I just sold to move out here.

Granted, I’d like a Wrangler someday. They’re a lot of fun I know. I’d even like to go to a Jeep rally/camp/academy some time too.

Sticking with play A: Buy an old Jeep from a junk yard and put a Honda V-6 in it.  I know this may cost a bundle to have an adapter for the engine made, but but it would probably pay for itself in gas in a couple years. Plus, I can beat most cocky high school kids off the line with my Odyssey.  I’d love to see what a lighter vehicle like a jeep could do with that power.

See ya on the trail. [Some day.]

+

=

Vader Did You Know

This is a hilarious spoof!  This Star Wars fan spoofed the Christmas song Mary Did You Know. I had a hard time staying in my chair when I watched it.  Enjoy!

Vader Did You Know

HT: MarkO

We’re Just People Today

A coworker at Hospice told me this incredible story today.

Yesterday she was driving home and she noticed a car stopped by the side of the road.  She pulled over to help, something she usually doesn’t do.  She walks up to the car and a man gets out… with a swastika and other Neo-Nazi symbols tattooed on his head and face.  He had red bootlaces by the way.  [You have to do violence to someone to “earn” red laces.]  She says “Do you need help?”  He, slightly shocked says “Well I normally don’t accept help from…” “Black people?” she interjects. “Ya,” he says.  “Well, normally I don’t help Nazis either.  So today, we’re just people.”  She helped him diagnose the problem, suggested that he get his battery tested, and gave him a jump start.  When she was about to leave he asks “May I approach you?” She said she was thinking “Oh Sh*t, what now? He gonna kill me.”  He then gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek and said “I was taught that black people are just out to take, or live off others. They’ll hurt you and steal from you.”  Then she said “I was taught that Nazis are out to kill you or hurt you too.  If you see one you should run!  But today, we’re just people. ”   They got in their cars and went separate ways.

I was completely captivated and inspired by this story.  She said, she just knew she had to stop.  Who knows, this guy may end up having a different path.  A changed life, not just a fixed care.

Today, we’re just people.

the whole blog thing

I really enjoy this blogging thing. But it’s a discipline. Just like everything else in life worth having or doing in life. That is not my natural way. I just want to travel where my feelings take me. That is not always been good. It’s not always bad either. Bad: feeling taking me into the kitchen at 1207am because I had a rough day. Good: Feeling that the Holy Spirit’s leading me to ask a certain question to one of my hospice patients. Nuetral: My feelings [and my muscles] have been leading me to the stuffed chair and to Netflix lately rather than the laptop to blog.

This isn’t a blog goodbye or a confession of slackage. It’s just where I am lately.

So stay tuned. I have several drafts going at the moment [yes I’m an introvert and alway read what I post about 5 times.] that I think you might find interesting. Until then, enjoy the summer.

driving on a sunny day

You ever notice something so clearly that it seems like a spot light is shinning on it?  That happened to me today.

As I was driving around today I noticed 7 different garages open.  These are places I drive by fairly often.  In all of them I noticed motorcycles parked there.  I could tell that they hadn’t been out yet this season.  How could I tell?  All 7 bikes were being used a shelves.  They had piles of things on them.  Seriously, all 7 looked like almost the same.   It was almost deja vu-ish.  Maybe it was a glitch in the Matrix.    So I thought it was weird of course. But as I kept noticing these bikes sitting there I got more and more irritated at I drove by each one.   Here’s a sample of things I said out loud to myself: “Why is that bike parked on a day like today?”;  “What are they thinking?”; “Buy a shelf and sell you bike to ME!”;  “Come on, not another one!”;  “What is going on around here?”

This drives me nuts because I have wanted another bike for about 10 years.  If I had a bike I would be riding from thaw to freeze.  If there wasn’t ice on the road I would be on the bike.  So it irks me that these bikes are sitting in garages when the weather is like it has been.  It gets me going even more that they’re stuff piled up on them.

So if I drove by your house today.  1. clean off your bike, have so respect!  2. give it to me, you could use the storage space.  3. At least let me barrow it from time to time.

So if you ride, think of me the next time you’re riding.  Be safe.

Goodbye Android

This may be my last post from an Android Phone for a while.  I’m downgrading to save some dough. Before I leave this blissful place I want to leave with some recomendations.

I was already using Gmail and Google apps so that was a pretty seemless transition there.  Although I will say there aren’t as many Android Google apps like I thought, being this is supposed to be Google’s thing.  ie Reader app from Google on the Market.

Here’s my fav’s:

Timeriffic:  This is an app mostly for switching your ringtone volume.   For instance if you know you have a weekly meeting at a certian time or day you can set your phone to vibrate and avoid an awkward moment.  [If you’re phone’s ever gone off in church, or in a meeting download this right now. 🙂 ]  The next level of this type of app is called Locale.  It’s a lot like this but it’s also GPS sensitive.  And it’s not free.

Sniper for Android:  This is one of the only apps I’ve bought.  It will seem pretty sudisitic to some of you, but I found it to be pretty fun.  It’s what it sounds like.  You camera acts as the scope and you try to “shoot” your friends as steathly as possible.  Then you send them the picture.  It can be a lot of fun!

JuiceDefender:  This really saved the battery on my Samsung Moment.  Seriously it double it!  It was a little buggy, but it was the free version.  If your struggling with the mobleness* of your mobile phone, go with JuiceDefender.

The Bible:  There’s a lot of Bible apps and versions out there.  My favorite was developed by Lifechurch.tv.  They tagged-teamed with YouVersion.com.  Lots of reading plans and resources with this app.  Runs really smooth too.  Oh, and you can turn the text and background to white on black and save your battery.

Livestrong.com Calorie Tracker app:  This app connects to your Livestrong.com Daily Plate so you can track your calories as you eat them from your phone.  I didn’t like purchasing this one, but I did a better job tracking my calories than I had from a pc alone.

Moble Defense:  This App is great.  You can track your phone from a secure webside.  If you’ve lost it, you can send an alert that sounds like a Cobra car alarm.  You’d know what I’m talking about if your heard it.  You can also shut it down if you if it’s stolen, and still view it on GPS.  After you lock it it can’t be used. Even if the battery is taken out and replaced.  The best part is that once activated on their website, it’s completely invisible on your phone.

EasyTether:  You can plug in your phone to a your laptop and have internet access wherever you have a signal.  And it works with Android 2.1 and higher, which some tech blogs say can’t be done. You don’t have to do complicated coding on your phone, just follow the simple instructions and boom, you have internet in the middle of nowhere.  That is, if you want internet in the middle of nowhere. 🙂

There are tons of apps out there on the Android Market.  Most of them for free too!  The bad one’s you don’t have to keep because you bought them, just download another one for a testdrive.  I’ll someday return to the Android Universe.  Until then, good bye.

*Because of battery life your phone is always plugged in.  Thus it’s not very mobile.

Social Case Study #1

I think its funny when you say a greeting to someone and they say an inapropriate response.  Friendly, but the wrong one.  Obviously a Sender-Receiver Error.  Could have to do with hearing, distractedness on the part of the Receiver, or mumbling or other distortions like accent from the Sender. This just happened to me moments ago:

Randy/Sender: “Good Morning”
Receiver: “I’m fine.”

Random, I know.

a review: The Book of Eli

I wanted to see this film on the big screen.  Didn’t make make unfortuanately.

Plot Overview: You find Eli [Denzel Washington] [Albert and Allen Hughes you had me at Denzel btw.]  a lonely traveler.  His backdrop is a post nuclear war world.  It’s a compelling story.  It’s compelling becasue he has a larger cause other than his own survival, like most post-nuke storylines.

The acting is great.  Helloooo?

The cinematography, so far it’s the best of the year!  HANDS DOWN!  It’s the best I’ve seen in years. We’re talking Last of the Mohicans or The Matrix good.  I really hope it’s fairs well with Ole Oscar.

My disclaimer:  It’s R.  It lives up to that for sure.  It’s brutal, but not gratuitously so.  Not like 300 where you go to bullet time when some makes a slash and blood flies everywhere in slow motion.  When there is violence Eli ends it quickly.  Seriously, one of the fight scenes was 15 seconds long.  10 guys, done.

Through the struggles and barren landscape Eli triumphs.  I would recommend this movie to adults who like gritty stories, Denzel Washington and graphic novels.  Will own this.