Monday, June 29, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Iife is just a......
In basketball, sometime people, instead of covering their opposing player tightly, will “camp out” under the goal in hopes of picking up the easy rebound. This method is rather looked down on and is borderline cheating, because it is a cop out to playing good defense and competing for the rebound after the shot. The often used term for this type of play is “cherry picking” because it’s easy and lazy, the player doing it is termed “cherry picking” when they get the unopposed rebound.
As I balanced, on top of a ladder placed in the back of a pick-up parked on a slight incline, I wobbled back and forth while clinging to a branch far above my head, I wondered why people think cherry picking is so easy. Yeah, you don’t have the prickles, pain and bloodied fingers of blackberry and raspberry picking but instead you have scratching branches, precarious perches and long falls. Even after you finally get the cherries picked you have to remove the pits before you can use them, and let me tell you, it is not rare at all to be eating a delicious home made cherry pie and have it ruined by biting into a malicious pit.
Anyway, we have a big cherry tree in our backyard; ever since we’ve had ducks to keep the bugs off of them and bees to help with pollination we have also had a good cherry crop. The thing is, the tree is a good 50 ft high, ladders can not achieve the angle necessary to reach the upper branches, the ones containing the best cherries, and we don’t have a cherry picker truck. Over the years we pick all we can reach from the ground and try not to look up, at the many clusters of fruit, mocking us from branches just out of our reach. This year we discovered that we could park the truck under the tree and elevate our reach a bit more by standing in the bed. Later we put our 14ft ladder in the back of the truck as well, reaching us even more luscious berries. We, in our inventive ways, keep getting closer to the top, though we are still a long way off. It is not that safe though, I noticed, as I dangled off a ladder I had half tied to the thin branches of the tree, as there were no branches thick enough to actually support the ladder fully. I leaned back to grab a branch and pull in down to my level, the handle of the bucket held between my teeth, and noticed that the bottom of the ladder was no longer on the ground and a flimsy rope and a few thin branches were all that were holding me 20 ft in the air.
After finding my way down the tree I questioned whether the Indians and their method of cutting a tree full of ripe fruit down and harvesting it from the ground is not a better method? I doubt I can convince my mother of this, however.
As I balanced, on top of a ladder placed in the back of a pick-up parked on a slight incline, I wobbled back and forth while clinging to a branch far above my head, I wondered why people think cherry picking is so easy. Yeah, you don’t have the prickles, pain and bloodied fingers of blackberry and raspberry picking but instead you have scratching branches, precarious perches and long falls. Even after you finally get the cherries picked you have to remove the pits before you can use them, and let me tell you, it is not rare at all to be eating a delicious home made cherry pie and have it ruined by biting into a malicious pit.
Anyway, we have a big cherry tree in our backyard; ever since we’ve had ducks to keep the bugs off of them and bees to help with pollination we have also had a good cherry crop. The thing is, the tree is a good 50 ft high, ladders can not achieve the angle necessary to reach the upper branches, the ones containing the best cherries, and we don’t have a cherry picker truck. Over the years we pick all we can reach from the ground and try not to look up, at the many clusters of fruit, mocking us from branches just out of our reach. This year we discovered that we could park the truck under the tree and elevate our reach a bit more by standing in the bed. Later we put our 14ft ladder in the back of the truck as well, reaching us even more luscious berries. We, in our inventive ways, keep getting closer to the top, though we are still a long way off. It is not that safe though, I noticed, as I dangled off a ladder I had half tied to the thin branches of the tree, as there were no branches thick enough to actually support the ladder fully. I leaned back to grab a branch and pull in down to my level, the handle of the bucket held between my teeth, and noticed that the bottom of the ladder was no longer on the ground and a flimsy rope and a few thin branches were all that were holding me 20 ft in the air.
After finding my way down the tree I questioned whether the Indians and their method of cutting a tree full of ripe fruit down and harvesting it from the ground is not a better method? I doubt I can convince my mother of this, however.
Blown engine...
We used to have a big blue van; it was pretty old but was also comfortable, as only an old van can be. My brother used it to get back and forth from his job with construction; it was easy for him to store some tools in back by pulling out one of the seats. It worked pretty well for him, but unfortunately he forgot one of those things with older cars, they tend to guzzle oil. The engine blew out in it and after a few years of being a broken storage shed with some optimistic idea still floating around of rebuilding the engine practicality set in and it was towed off to the junk yard; which rather worries me, since he’s driving my “old” car now.
That old blue van was certainly not the most sentimental transport we’ve owned and seen pass along to the car graveyard after many years of loyal service. Such thoughts are surprisingly depressing to me though as I think of their sentimental qualities, so I will go on.
Sometime we, as people, need some oil too. I’m not talking about creaking joints or bad backs, though they may need some oil as well, I’m talking about the little things that we need, to keep us going. Sometimes we just need to take a short time out from life to catch our breath. I’ve noticed when life keeps giving me problems, when frustrations seem to always be battering me down, it helps me if I just take a minute and focus on something else. For me I find setting at the piano and making up odd, somewhat confusing pieces of music somehow relaxes me and refocuses me, or just taking a walk and talking to God and all the animals I come across. Little things, just take a minute, but somehow refuel, can help us climb back up on the rope we may have been reaching the end of. It keeps things running a bit more smoothly, if only in our hearts.
I encourage you, unlike my brother, to take a minute and check your oil; that of your heart. Take a break and revel in God’s plan, his creation and his hand touching your life.
And today, after I wrote this blog, my "new" care just "broke down" haha, tis' life! :)
That old blue van was certainly not the most sentimental transport we’ve owned and seen pass along to the car graveyard after many years of loyal service. Such thoughts are surprisingly depressing to me though as I think of their sentimental qualities, so I will go on.
Sometime we, as people, need some oil too. I’m not talking about creaking joints or bad backs, though they may need some oil as well, I’m talking about the little things that we need, to keep us going. Sometimes we just need to take a short time out from life to catch our breath. I’ve noticed when life keeps giving me problems, when frustrations seem to always be battering me down, it helps me if I just take a minute and focus on something else. For me I find setting at the piano and making up odd, somewhat confusing pieces of music somehow relaxes me and refocuses me, or just taking a walk and talking to God and all the animals I come across. Little things, just take a minute, but somehow refuel, can help us climb back up on the rope we may have been reaching the end of. It keeps things running a bit more smoothly, if only in our hearts.
I encourage you, unlike my brother, to take a minute and check your oil; that of your heart. Take a break and revel in God’s plan, his creation and his hand touching your life.
And today, after I wrote this blog, my "new" care just "broke down" haha, tis' life! :)
I was living in the past.......
Last week I went to Chancellorsville of Spotsylvania County, in Virginia. It was a warm day and I admit, I felt sorry for the poor girls and ladies in their hoop skirts and dresses, and the men in their long sleeve shirt, vests and thick pants, apparently what the locals always wear round there.
The day was seemingly uneventful, I spent some time conversing with the locals, perusing the shops and walking through town. By early afternoon I noticed that many of the town’s people were heading out to an area a little way from the town, I followed to see what was drawing them to the area. Of course, I was shocked as I wandered near the open field to hear a volley of artillery far off, on the other end of the field, and even more shocked when a returning volley was fired from unperceived cannon within a stones throw of where I stood! After I regained my senses, checked to make sure no one had seen my jump back in fright, I watched as a skirmish unfolded between these two groups; one wearing the grey homespun and the other in deep blue factory made clothing. After a brief tangle in seemed obvious, to me and the rest there, that the men in grey were hopelessly outnumbered, they must have noticed this as well and hastily fell back to a nearby, tree covered, hill as evening fell.
I later learned that later on, over the next few days, the men in gray had been reinforced and managed to outmaneuver and defeat their blue coated enemy.
Billie Creek Village, a historical town near us, features a yearly reenactment from the infamous civil war period; they choose a different battle to reenact each year.
Some friends and family decided to dress in period clothing as well this year, and walked around fitting in very well with even the most authentic reinactors. Most of the girls made their own dresses, which were quite lovely too, none of us guys dressed historically however, maybe next year, if we can find hoopskirts that are big enough of course. Interesting tidbit, ever wonder why pictures of battles often show soldiers missing their shoes? Well, the soldiers often paid town embalmers before the battles started, just in case they died. The embalmer would give the soldier a receipt in the form of a small metal plate with number on it for them to put in their shoes, after the battle the embalmer would search the battle field, removing soldier’s shoes, to find those that had hired him. This practice also may have led to the modern use of “dog tags”, which I thought was interesting.
Altogether it was a very enjoyable day and I think everyone had a great time, and hey, for the home schooled kids it was a great field trip and history lesson! :)
The day was seemingly uneventful, I spent some time conversing with the locals, perusing the shops and walking through town. By early afternoon I noticed that many of the town’s people were heading out to an area a little way from the town, I followed to see what was drawing them to the area. Of course, I was shocked as I wandered near the open field to hear a volley of artillery far off, on the other end of the field, and even more shocked when a returning volley was fired from unperceived cannon within a stones throw of where I stood! After I regained my senses, checked to make sure no one had seen my jump back in fright, I watched as a skirmish unfolded between these two groups; one wearing the grey homespun and the other in deep blue factory made clothing. After a brief tangle in seemed obvious, to me and the rest there, that the men in grey were hopelessly outnumbered, they must have noticed this as well and hastily fell back to a nearby, tree covered, hill as evening fell.
I later learned that later on, over the next few days, the men in gray had been reinforced and managed to outmaneuver and defeat their blue coated enemy.
Billie Creek Village, a historical town near us, features a yearly reenactment from the infamous civil war period; they choose a different battle to reenact each year.
Some friends and family decided to dress in period clothing as well this year, and walked around fitting in very well with even the most authentic reinactors. Most of the girls made their own dresses, which were quite lovely too, none of us guys dressed historically however, maybe next year, if we can find hoopskirts that are big enough of course. Interesting tidbit, ever wonder why pictures of battles often show soldiers missing their shoes? Well, the soldiers often paid town embalmers before the battles started, just in case they died. The embalmer would give the soldier a receipt in the form of a small metal plate with number on it for them to put in their shoes, after the battle the embalmer would search the battle field, removing soldier’s shoes, to find those that had hired him. This practice also may have led to the modern use of “dog tags”, which I thought was interesting.
Altogether it was a very enjoyable day and I think everyone had a great time, and hey, for the home schooled kids it was a great field trip and history lesson! :)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Breakfast...
My mother shops at Kroger’s a lot, they tend to have a good number of specials that only require you to buy a large number of items at once; the discount on gas is also nice. I believe we have six discounted fill-up credits at the moment, just for this month.
One of the items we buy a lot is dry cereal. With the specials we get name brand products but even cheaper than the store brand prices. Dry cereal also makes a great breakfast that doesn’t require a much time or preparation while still providing that “whole-grain goodness, packed with vitamins and minerals”. The thing is, the name brand cereal often has promotions such as “collect 10 box tops and send them in to get a free baseball hat” etc. Though these specials promotions are meant to convince people, or their children, to purchase the more expensive brand, in this case it is yet another added perk without any extra cost involved. My little brothers love these deals though, they quickly disfigure the cereal boxes in a race to get the proof of purchases and box tops, and this leaves us with a pantry full of open cereal boxes and no way of knowing which actually has an open bag in it and which does not. Eventually, as some people in my family actually eat the cereal as well, we end up opening multiple bags of the some product just because we can’t tell, at a glance, if any of those are already open or if the boxes are just sacrificed to the “box top wars”. At least with such a large family having multiple open bags is not too big of a problem; everything gets eaten eventually around here!
One of the items we buy a lot is dry cereal. With the specials we get name brand products but even cheaper than the store brand prices. Dry cereal also makes a great breakfast that doesn’t require a much time or preparation while still providing that “whole-grain goodness, packed with vitamins and minerals”. The thing is, the name brand cereal often has promotions such as “collect 10 box tops and send them in to get a free baseball hat” etc. Though these specials promotions are meant to convince people, or their children, to purchase the more expensive brand, in this case it is yet another added perk without any extra cost involved. My little brothers love these deals though, they quickly disfigure the cereal boxes in a race to get the proof of purchases and box tops, and this leaves us with a pantry full of open cereal boxes and no way of knowing which actually has an open bag in it and which does not. Eventually, as some people in my family actually eat the cereal as well, we end up opening multiple bags of the some product just because we can’t tell, at a glance, if any of those are already open or if the boxes are just sacrificed to the “box top wars”. At least with such a large family having multiple open bags is not too big of a problem; everything gets eaten eventually around here!
Monday, June 15, 2009
To clean a window
A peripheral person: someone outside of not only the mainstream but even outside of the group as a whole; just clinging onto the group like dust to a piece of glass. In theory you have in-groups and out-groups, but groups none the less, in reality you also have a third kind of classification, you can be one of the people that just doesn’t really fit in. Not someone causing an imbalance or strife, just someone that drifts, in ideal and reality, between groups. They are often good at fitting in but never really becoming part of the group; sharing ideals and conviction with many but not truly fitting a “in” or “out” classification. In some ways this can cause an identity crisis, sometimes confederates are found and a new group forms, sometimes dust just hangs around until it is finally brushed off or blown away by the wind.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Relationships ....that sink
I use e-mail, like about every person in the world these days. My particular brand of email account, one of the free ones of course, has news stories, sport stories and popular stories featured on its home page. I’ve noticed, over the years, that quite frequently some of these popular articles that have made it to the top of the page are articles that give dating advice and insight into the minds of girls and guys. I tend to catch up on the news stories while checking my e-mail but I typically skip over these “dating tips” articles. After all, no living person could actually explain how a girls mind works, much less her heart. When I say I don’t read these articles I say it a bit “tongue in cheek” since sometimes, when I’m really bored or the article accidently gets clicked, I read them; though mostly just for a laugh at their great “wisdom” that really adds no insight at all. It is interesting though, some of the views and thoughts the various authors share and how greatly they differ as well.
There have been times I feel I should write my own analysis of the whole scheme; since everyone else wants to tell us how we should think, dress and act I wonder if I should add my two cents as well. However, I really have no extra insight to add to the topic, it’s all so confusing when it comes to how guys should treat girls, at least those girls you think you might “like”. Do you open doors for them or is that offensive now? Do you talk to them or flirt or does that make you a creep? Do you ignore them or pay extra attention to them? The rules seem to constantly change. It is especially difficult if you are a good guy, a guy that just wants to be friends at first, not looking for a one night stand but for a girl that you would want to spend your life with. The thing is, if you aren’t careful two things can happen, and I suppose I can sadly say I speak from experience. First, you can be honest, tell them you like them, but that you want to be sure though before the relationship gets serious, towards marriage. The problem is, for some reason a lot of girls do not hear the “take it slow” and in two weeks are telling everyone you know that the two of you are going to get married; meanwhile, you’re still at the “getting to know them” stage. This can be humiliating and disastrous if you can not get on the same page as them quickly, not only to the relationship with them but with everyone the two of you know as well. Going the other direction can be just as risky, you can avoid being anything more than distant friends with them and avoid sending any messages that could seem like you are interested in them until you are sure that both of you could be great for each other, not an easy thing to know, as distant friends. In the mean time, you risk alienating them or yourself by keeping things distant and losing any chance the two of you may have had.
Like I was saying, I really don’t have much good relationship advice. Apparently no one does though from the popularity and number of the “advice” articles written by singles that are “still looking”. I’m just avoiding the whole “game” for a while, I have plenty to keep my busy and I’m tired of getting tramped on, don’t have enough heart left for it. I suppose if you’re a guy and you’re tired of the whole dating relationships thing but you want to settle down and get married, your best bet is to just get a mail order bride from some far away country that can’t speak a word of English. Just pick a country and I probably have an offer in my junk mail folder I can forward it to you; with the economy like it is you can probably get a pretty good deal too!
There have been times I feel I should write my own analysis of the whole scheme; since everyone else wants to tell us how we should think, dress and act I wonder if I should add my two cents as well. However, I really have no extra insight to add to the topic, it’s all so confusing when it comes to how guys should treat girls, at least those girls you think you might “like”. Do you open doors for them or is that offensive now? Do you talk to them or flirt or does that make you a creep? Do you ignore them or pay extra attention to them? The rules seem to constantly change. It is especially difficult if you are a good guy, a guy that just wants to be friends at first, not looking for a one night stand but for a girl that you would want to spend your life with. The thing is, if you aren’t careful two things can happen, and I suppose I can sadly say I speak from experience. First, you can be honest, tell them you like them, but that you want to be sure though before the relationship gets serious, towards marriage. The problem is, for some reason a lot of girls do not hear the “take it slow” and in two weeks are telling everyone you know that the two of you are going to get married; meanwhile, you’re still at the “getting to know them” stage. This can be humiliating and disastrous if you can not get on the same page as them quickly, not only to the relationship with them but with everyone the two of you know as well. Going the other direction can be just as risky, you can avoid being anything more than distant friends with them and avoid sending any messages that could seem like you are interested in them until you are sure that both of you could be great for each other, not an easy thing to know, as distant friends. In the mean time, you risk alienating them or yourself by keeping things distant and losing any chance the two of you may have had.
Like I was saying, I really don’t have much good relationship advice. Apparently no one does though from the popularity and number of the “advice” articles written by singles that are “still looking”. I’m just avoiding the whole “game” for a while, I have plenty to keep my busy and I’m tired of getting tramped on, don’t have enough heart left for it. I suppose if you’re a guy and you’re tired of the whole dating relationships thing but you want to settle down and get married, your best bet is to just get a mail order bride from some far away country that can’t speak a word of English. Just pick a country and I probably have an offer in my junk mail folder I can forward it to you; with the economy like it is you can probably get a pretty good deal too!
That's not good...
I suppose it's a pretty bad sign, when you can't remember the web address for your own blog....but I'll try to get back to posting more now. I was reading an old journal I had kept when I was in Ukraine, it was interesting to remember what was going on in my mind at the time and reminded me that I was keeping a blog for the same purpose.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
