When it is dark outside, my camera has the very annoying habit of taking roughly 15 seconds to take a picture. By the time the flash has flashed, the scene I hoped to acquire was usually long gone. Here are some shots from Sharon and Justin's reception that look like the subjects in view could actually be what I was going for.







It was a beatiful party, and fortunately I am related to the photographer that shot it, so better pictures are on the way.

OCD

I have a sitemeter on my blog, and I'm kind of obsessed with it. It allows you to see the city and state of those who click on your blog. For some reason, I am just facinated by it, and I try to figure out if I know the people or not. The trouble is, the listed location has more to do with the area in which one's internet provider is located, than where the person lives. For example: my brother and family live in Castaic, CA, but they come up as Santa Fe Springs, CA (which I've never heard of), and they used to come up as Los Angeles until last week. My computer at work is listed as Winchester, CA, which I also have never heard of, so I look at the list now and then and just wonder who the strange folks who enjoyed the dead bobcat are.

One listing, however, has been driving me bananas since day one. Bakersfield pops up every now and then. I went to high school there, so it is plausible that one of my fellow Drillers found my site, but why are they checking out all of my camp friends?

The other night my brother Jim called to check on the status of the local fire. He said that they were talking about it at work, and when he mentioned that I work at a camp in Idyllwild, the receptionist mentioned that her family often volunteered at such a camp. He asked if I knew anyone by the name of Sherry or Meghan, which I, of course, do. They are wonderful people who love camp and are always willing to give thier time and energy and candy and treats. Meghan is now in nursing school in Bakersfield, I know, I tried to talk her out of it, and I'm finally putting two and two together.

So, Meghan C......is that you?

What was the name of the hat that Elaine put on the cover of the J. Peterman catalog when she was acting president?

Bonus: In what country was Peterman having his breakdown?

This country was formerly known as what?

Colossians 3:12-17

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Happy Birthday Bobby!

When I was two or three, I wanted to marry brother Bobby, because he always fixed my toys for me. I obviously grew out of that. He has remained a valuable resource though, always ready to answer my astro-physics questions and all. We celebrated his birthday on Sunday, and we got tons of booty from his recent trip to Norway. All he got was a dvd player/recorder, and the lumberjack saw thing seen below.




Hope you had a fun birthday big brother! p.s., don't move to Norway. It's super cold, and they have a serious troll issue.

Thanks for the apples Mom!

Vacation from debate

Sorry, Steve, that it has taken me so long to get back to this, I needed a rest. I have read and reread the article you sent me, and here is my question: if "Jesus never suggests that Christians should never use violence in defense of others", does that mean that He suggests that we should? Where?

This Roger Orr brings up the same point as Hal (no, not the organ donor crack; don't get me started on that!), which confuses me. If Jesus tells us to love those who hate and curse us, why would that change when our family or possesions are threatened by the same foe? Job (not Tate, o.g. Bible Job) lost his family and herds, everything that he had, and in response fell to the ground in worship. He did not retaliate; he did not rely on bow or sword, but only on his faith. I do believe that the wicked should be stopped, but I cannot agree with the fact that our nation's solution is to kill. Job "... broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth." (29:17) You have assumed that because I believe that we are called to work for peace, I would oppose any kind of action outside of smiling and waving. Breaking the fangs, to me, means taking the power away from the viper, thus rendering it harmless.

I must confess that in the beginning I allowed this argument to get me all worked up. But I do realize now that anything that strengthens my desire to spend time in the Word is a blessing, and I await any response that you have.

If the rest of you out there would like to reference this article, it is: www.wcg.org/lit/ethics/War04.htm

Why won't you play the game? Choose the lie- choose the lie...

Here is the first photo ever taken by my nephew



I stayed at their house last night, and when he came into my room to wake me up this morning, he hopped on the bed, and then over my legs, and said "hey! Your legs are like a speed bump!"



Isn't he cute?

Two Truths and a Lie (yes, again)

I was at the Griffith Park Observatory when Halley's Comet was visible in 1986.



I was at the rehersal of the 1984 Olympics opening ceremony.



I was at the Hands Across America benefit in 1986.

Hope this isn't too gruesome

So, while walking through the dry creekbed at "the ranch" yesterday, I came upon the dried body of a bobcat. For those of you who knew me in my pre-outdoor-school days, this may seem like a strange and not-quite-prissy-enough post. But, after learning to boil down skulls (of roadkill, etc.) for our nature museum, I now cannot walk past such a discovery without inspecting it more closely.



I stood it up, and discovered that it had a little fur mohawk.




It was an average sized cat. I'm not sure how it died, but it was only missing its back limbs, and all of the skin was intact, so it was probably just sick.



My brother handed me a used dryer sheet that he found in his coat pocket, and I used it to move the skeleton into the bushes so that no local passers by would run over it with their dirtbikes. You should have seen my brothers' faces watching thier baby ballerina sister holding a dried carcass. It made for an interesting outing.

Two Truths and a Lie

Lillian Lehman, the judge in "The Scofflaw" episode of Seinfeld, was my choir teacher at Chapel of the Cross Lutheran.



Lindsay Fisher, who played Margaret Farquar on The Wonder Years, was on my synchronized swimming team in the eighties.



Julie Haddock, who played Cindy Webster on Facts of Life, was in my brother Dave's spanish class at Monroe High School.

Congratulations

to the winner of the most recent round of Trivial Pursuit DVD Pop Culture 2!

We don't need no water...

My mom lives in a small mountain town that was recently visited by a ravenous pack of flames. Fortunately a fleet of fire trucks took up residence on her street, and she, her crazy dogs, and the house were kept from harm (she was evacuated for two nights, but she got to stay at my favorite home away from home- Jim and Jen's. Talk about deluxe accomodations!).
We have some acreage out in the remotest of the Frazier Park boondocks, called Lockwood Valley, and sadly, the only area on the land with any trees fell victim to the burn. What used to look a little like this:



has been cleared out and scorched.










Where there used to be tall sagebrush, there is now black ground, flame-licked and barren. Walking on it felt a bit like what I imagine walking on the moon to feel like. Of course, that could just be the funky boots I borrowed from my mom.

Luke 6:27-36

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to eveyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners', expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungreatful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Table Etiquette

"With dessert will come finger bowls. Lift yours off the dessert plate (and if it stands on a doily take that, too) and put it at your left side. At the end of dessert dip the tips of your fingers very lightly in the water, and pat them dry on your napkin. It is quite incorrect to wipe them on it... If everyone else has finished their course, and you are only half-way through yours, it is much more polite to place your knife and fork together on the plate, and let it be cleared away, than to keep others waiting while you finish."

And now for something a little less controversial...

Sarah made pretzels today!

Bowden David...

...amateur photographer

Seinfeld Trivia

What surgery is performed in The Junior Mint episode?

-What does the patient do for a living? (hint: Elaine had dated him in the past, but broke up with him because he was fat.)

-In the same episode, what is the forgotten name of the woman Jerry is dating?

Why we can really never be thugs:

Sometimes I miss the eighties

The two most note-worthy happenings of today:

I made oatmeal rolls,




and a dense fog rolled on in.

Two truths and a lie

-When I was a kid, I had to wear corrective shoes because I was so pigeon-toed.

-I have eleven cousins.

-My oldest brother was born in West Berlin.

Sarah has more fun than most...

I'd write about how much fun she is, and how much I love her, but she fed me too much for dinner, and I'm feeling a little sluggish.

Question Three

In the library episode, what was the name of the library detective?

-What were the two books in question?

October 9th

I totally missed Leif Eriksson Day. You know, the guy who found America way after the people living here, but way before that Columbus guy? Go Scandanavians. Happy Leif Eriksson Day!

Near Lily Rock

I dragged Sarah on today's walk. This is her pretending to be crazy tired. I really enjoy walking around my neighborhood without being honked at by weirdos. Some of the hills are steep, but it is really beautiful.