The Life and Times of Phil Osepher

A little pet peeve…

2010-07-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

It really bothers me when people say, “I could care less”. It happens all the time and I don’t understand how they could be confused. If you “could care less” then that means you do care at some level and clearly care more than a person that doesn’t care at all about the given topic. I’m not sure why people get so mixed up about this common phrase but it makes me wonder.

It is possible that it comes down to insecurity. I would contend that when a person utters this phrase, it is often done so out of emotional frustration. Perhaps they are angry, sad, or just perturbed. In such an emotional state, one doesn’t want to concede weakness, but will attempt to represent strength. Perhaps they mistakenly say, “I could” instead of “I couldn’t” because we like to think in terms of what we “can” do instead of what we “can’t” or “couldn’t” do.

Then again, it is entirely possible that folks that say, “I could care less” simply have never stopped to consider the meaning of the words coming out their mouth. I suppose we shouldn’t let it bother us. But I can’t say that I couldn’t care less…because I do care.

2009-12-09T17:08:00.000-08:00

TWO.

Many of my reader (no...not a typo...I just know how many people still read this blog) are familiar with the ONE campaign. Funded primarily by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with Bono as the key spokesperson, this non-profit primarily works to raise awareness and provide aid to developing countries.

Bottom line...they are trying to make a positive difference in the world.

But the question is why are the doing so little. Ya see, its the name. ONE is really the least they could possibly do. I mean we already have billions of people who are doing ZERO. Thats what got us into this mess. So, effective today I will be starting the TWO campaign. Basically it will be identical to the ONE campaign, except we plan on doing twice as much. I know what you may be thinking...why not more? Well, right now its only me and I want to set achievable goals. I’m waiting to hear back from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and have an e-mail into Bono.

Some may want to get involved right away. Unfortunately we don’t have rubber bracelets made yet. So, in the mean time, you could just get two ONE campaign bracelets and where them on the same arm.

So, keep checking in to learn more about this exciting global campaign. We anticipate that there will be double the excitement that the ONE campaign generated.

Phil Osepher

TWO Campaign Founder and Interim Spokesperson

2009-09-29T05:32:00.001-07:00

I was driving on the interstate the other day and I saw something I’ve never seen before. We were going about 75 mph and were passed by an older gentleman riding a motorcycle. Now, that clearly isn’t uncommon, but as he passed, I noticed the motorcycle had a handicap license plate. I just find it a little ironic that an individual with a physical or medical impairment that necessitates a handicap designation on their license plate can get one for a motorcycle, and that the individual in question would choose to ride on the interstate, at excessive speeds, without a helmet.

That’s all.

2009-06-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

I just wanted the 3 people that still check this blog to know that I have a new e-mail address. It is: leeyowell@gmail.com

And who knows…a new e-mail address just might be the inspiration I need to write another blog post. …but seriously.

Perspective

2009-03-07T19:10:00.001-08:00

I suppose we all have “bad” days, but I had what I might characterize as an “interesting” day this past week. I say interesting, because I really can’t call it a bad day. Now, I’m a realist and recognize that the sun is not always shining, the birds can’t always be heard singing, and that we don’t always have a spring in our step. But as I was driving home, I realized that even my most challenging or difficult day, when viewed from a global and/or historical perspective seems like a pretty “great” day.

After all, I’m fortunate enough to be able to go home to a loving wife, four healthy children, a roof over my head, and more than enough food in the kitchen. I contemplated listing a more detailed analysis of the blessings in my life, but realized that it could go on and on and that makes for a boring blog post. But that’s just the point…too many things to mention. That makes me a blessed person. The more I thought about it, the particular on goings of that day seemed less significant.

Now, I’m not suggesting that we ignore or pretend that those negative moments in our lives don’t exist. I was just reminded that I need to recognize the priority I give these situations.

That night as I was lying in bed, I couldn’t help but recall the advice of a prominent American philosopher, Bing Crosby, and “I fell asleep, counting my blessings”.

2008-12-04T08:28:00.001-08:00

So I was talking with a friend the other day and he was sharing his thoughts on the Victoria’s secret fashion show that was going to be aired that night on TV. His concern centered on the show’s tendency to focus on "unrealistic girls that mess up minds and concepts of men and women". The idea being that girls watching will think this is what they should look like, this is what is sexy, and that it glorifies the “glitz and glamour”, while guys will think this is what women should look like, this is beautiful, and skews our thinking to an extreme that is completely unrealistic.

I flippantly made a comment that it is for this same reason that we shouldn’t watch professional athletes and the like on TV. When women watch Michael Phelps on TV it is possible and perhaps even probable that it could insight lust on a certain percentage of those watching. Guys who watch professional athletes play football, baseball, basketball may have a messed up concept of what is masculine as they watch “unrealistic” guys performing and competing at a level that glorifies the “fame and fortune” of the industry.

I said this in a joking manner, but as I thought about it a bit more, I realized that there is some truth in that. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not defending the V.S. fashion show. I’m just suggesting that it is a bit odd that this one hour show would receive a significant amount of condemnation and criticism for something that is unabashedly promoted on our TV sets and pretty much every other form of media, 24 hours a day. I mean consider the popular shows on TV today, Grey’s Anatomy, Dancing with the Stars, LOST, and even “reality” shows like Survivor…do they not all showcase unrealistic representations of what we are told is beautiful, sexy, or attractive? So, again…I’m not saying everyone needs to watch the Victoria Secret Fashion Show online…I’m just saying that those reasons we often list as to why we shouldn’t watch the VS show, that same list could often be applied to the shows we do watch, the magazines we read, and the music we listen to.

But in the spirit of full disclosure, I do watch LOST, my wife likes Dancing with the Stars, we’ve never seen Grey’s, and we did watch the VS Fashion show last night. We both like the outfit that had all of the butterflies, but oddly didn’t care for the actual outfit the girl was wearing with it. We also thought the 5 million dollar bra wasn’t that impressive.

Anyway…that’s my thought for today.

Rush Limbaugh, William Ayers, and Jesus...

2008-10-21T09:45:00.000-07:00

I was in the car the other day and was listening to talk radio for a bit. Now I must confess that I find talk radio to be interesting and listening in the car seems to help the time pass. I heard the tail end of the Rush Limbaugh Show and then it transitioned to the Sean Hannity Show. Now, I recognize that some folks listen to these programs and consider them to be “news” programs on the radio. The truth is that they are really just entertainment programs, driven by ratings and paid for by advertising dollars. As it stands, they seem to be doing pretty well. Rush is one of the highest paid entertainers on the radio, who recently signed a contract for $400 million dollars. Not bad for a guy with only a high school diploma. Interestingly enough, I recently learned that Sean Hannity and Karl Rove, both prominent political personalities are also college dropouts. All of us that went to college must be a bunch of suckers…but I digress.

So, I was listening to the radio. The topic of course was politics and specifically the presidential election. As one who listens to these programs from time to time, it has been interesting to watch the metamorphosis of the discussion from primaries to general election. Both Rush and Hannity were extremely critical and outright against McCain in the primaries, but since his nomination both have supported him and focused their attack on the democratic nominee. The topic of the afternoon was on the associations that the democratic nominee has had in his past. In particular one individual was mentioned, William Ayers, a professor of education and senior university scholar at the University of Chicago. In the 60’s Ayers was involved in a radical anti-war group who bombed the pentagon in 1972. (I’d be interested to find out how one goes from an anti-war radical who is participating in such atrocities to becoming a distinguished professor at one of our nation’s most prestigious universities…I mean it’s got to be a fascinating story)…anyway….

The point was being made that Obama has been in Mr. Ayers home, has served on charity boards with him, and has associations with other persons of questionable behavior or reputation, thus calling into question his character as a presidential candidate. This got me to thinking…do our associations with others and persons we choose to spend time with define who we are? Also, when we consider this from a biblical world view does this change anything? Who did Jesus associate with? Whose homes did he visit? Who are we called to associate with as the Body of Christ?

It’s just something I was thinking about. And that’s my post for today.

Illegal Immigration

2008-10-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

Although it hasn’t been discussed much during the presidential campaign, I’m still concerned with securing our borders and monitoring the number of illegals that cross our border everyday. To me it just doesn’t make sense, we have politicians that give this issue lip service but do nothing. Some talk about building a 10 foot concrete wall. Well, forgive me, but that simply won’t do the job. Their behavior continues to be a problem with issues of "bacteria, noise, and confrontational behavior". Even in the face of this information our elected representatives have done nothing to stop the daily border runs that are made by the Canada Goose.

A Wink and a Smile...

2008-10-03T12:36:00.001-07:00

So, last night The Office was not on and instead the network aired the Vice Presidential Debate between Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Joseph Biden. I was disappointed but took comfort in the fact that presidential politics are almost as funny or funnier that most sitcoms on TV today. When the debate was over, I thought both did well. Biden avoided any major gaffes and Palin didn’t repeat the embarrassing performance she put on in the Katie Couric interview. I think Palin helped her ticket and those that were supporting her before the debate, were pleased to see her hold her own.

For me what was most interesting about the debate was Palin herself. My favorites came down to three observations:

First, I thought it was interesting that she started out by making it clear that she wasn’t all that interested in answering the questions posed by the moderator. Maybe that’s part of being a maverick…showing up for a debate, but deciding not to debate and just go over the standard stump speech, mixed with prepared comments that have been drilled into her head by the campaign leading up to the debate. Her direct quote was…"I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people and let them know my track record". When she said this…I literally laughed out loud. Why even come to the debate then?

Second, I tried to keep track of the number of times she said “maverick”. I lost track. This might be a new pattern…just repeat the same word over and over. For Obama, it’s the word “change”. For Palin, it’s “maverick”. And John McCain, it’s “General David Petraus”. In the first presidential debate, I thought maybe Petraus had replaced Palin as McCain’s running mate.

Third, I was curious to see Palin use such down home language throughout the debate and when addressing such serious national issues. A few examples:
Regarding Tax cuts: "Darn right, we need tax relief"
A barometer for the strength of our economy: "I'll betcha go to a kids' soccer game on Saturday and turn to any parent there on the sideline."
On the cause of the mortgage crisis: "Darn right, it was the predator lenders."

I mean, between the “bless their hearts”, “say it ain’t so”, “I’m gonna”, “I’ll betcha”, “darn right” and “dog gone” quips, there were plenty of winks to the camera. It was endearing in a way, but almost felt like she was playing a part or character rather than showcasing to the country that she is prepared if called to step in and serve as the leader of the free world.

But who knows. John McCain says that out of the entire Republican Party, she is best prepared and equipped to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency…I guess we as a people will determine if we agree.

Back from the dead...

2008-09-23T10:45:00.000-07:00

Take heart you three persons who still check to see if this site is updated from time to time…Phil Osepher is not dead. However, I have been away for a while and have been unable to update my blog as often as some would like. I suppose the reasons for my posting hiatus are three in number.

First, I took a blogging sabbatical. During this sabbatical, I did some research and some writing (not online of course) and just took some time for personal reflection so as to come back to with a fervor and blogging vigor that had began to wane in the months leading to my break.

Second, I got sucked into facebook. Being a little late to this online party, I had a significant learning curve and found that if I had a few minutes, I’d checkout my facebook…rather than posting the random and often incoherent thoughts that were rolling around in my head.

Third, I kind of got bored with the whole blogging thing…and just didn’t feel like posting.

But for now…we’re back in business and I hope to post on a weekly basis.

Hugs and Kisses,

Phil O.

3.7 Billion Dollars

2008-05-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

That is what one man earned in 2007 according to the Boston Globe. 3,700,000,000.
No, not a company, one man earned that much money. Yep, a far cry from minimum wage... John Paulson, a hedge fund manager who predicted the subprime lending crisis would happen and thus resulted in massive foreclosures on home mortgages, led as the top earner among hedge fund managers. The top five managers all earned over a billion dollars in income. There’s just no getting around it…that’s a lot of money. Just for fun let’s consider how much that is…

$ 308,333,333. a month
$ 71,153,846. a week
$ 10,136,986. a day
$ 422,374. an hour
$ 7,039. a min

Now, some might feel that Mr. Paulson was overpaid…so let me pose a question: What do you suppose would justify earning that kind of salary in a calendar year?

I love SNL...

2008-05-12T07:07:00.000-07:00

A Random Thought…

2008-04-28T07:01:00.000-07:00

If I had a pet llama…I’m pretty sure I’d name her Dolly.

I’ve sold my soul…

2008-04-07T18:53:00.001-07:00

Tonight at approximately 8:29pm eastern standard time, on April 7, in the year of our Lord 2008…I created a facebook account. While the rational for such a decision is obviously multifaceted, the end result is that I have joined the collective. Resistance, it appears, is indeed futile.

I feel dirty.

My Top Five Sports Movies:

2008-03-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

5. Field of Dreams. A great movie that is really about fathers and sons. This was a close one between this movie and THE SANDLOT, but Field of Dreams won out for one important reason: James Earl Jones. His “people will come” speech still gives me goose bumps.

4. Rudy. Just a great feel good movie about an underachiever who did something special.

3. Caddyshack. The best golf movie ever…and possibly one of the most often quoted sports movies of all time. A hilarious cast and terrific script.

2. Cinderella Man. Amazing cast, incredibly shot, and a truly heart warming story that is based upon the true story of James J. Braddock. In my mind we could do a top five of Russell Crow movies alone. The guy is that amazing.

1. Hoosiers. I’m an Indiana boy and so for me this was an obvious choice. The best basketball movie ever and coincidentally based upon the championship game between the tiny Milan High School vs. my high school alma mater, Muncie Central.

"Quotation"

2008-03-10T20:28:00.001-07:00

Just a question, but is it ever really appropriate to use quotation marks for the word quotation? There’s just something unnatural about it…and give me the creeps. I don’t know about you…but it’s just something I was thinking about.

A Tatttoo for Joe Farmer

2008-02-29T07:40:00.000-08:00

I was reading through the blogosphere and read a post by Joe Farmer. Joe is contemplating getting a tattoo (see above examples)…well; I thought I might take this opportunity to share my two cents as to what kind of tattoo would be best for my fellow blogger.

Joe,

The two ideas you have shared are…well…they’re ok…if you want to be average and mediocre. But in all fairness, the whole tattoos with religious meaning...blah blah blah...has been done. If you want to go with something really cool...I'd suggest the following 3 choices:
3. Barbwire...yep…it looks cool and would be kind of original.
2. A tattoo on your arm that said: “Tattoo”...subtle, I know...but effective and consistent.
1. A tattoo on your arm that is the exact color of your skin. Sure most people won't see it, but you will have gone through excruciating pain to get it and will know its there. Then you can look at other people who have so vainly put select tattoos in various other colors and designs so that other people can see them...show boats and glory boys ...you'll know that they’re just a bunch of sellouts. In the end, the only time people might see your tattoo is if you get a dark tan or a really bad sunburn. But the rest of the time, only you and the Holy Spirit will know its there…and isn’t that the point anyway?

Hope this helps.

Lee

Unanimous

2008-02-27T22:02:00.000-08:00

Some folks say that the Nazarene Church isn’t speaking to young people anymore. The increasing growth of “non-denominational” churches and the emerging church movement have cause some to question whether the Nazarene denomination is relevant and engaging those individuals below the age of fifty. Well, I think the following link will put those crazy notions to rest…

The new face of Nazarene Higher Education

I was crying when I watched this...

2008-02-27T06:42:00.000-08:00

I also showed it to Ryan and he laughed so hard that coffee went up his nose. It was funny...but kind of gross. Enjoy!

Foiled again...

2008-02-20T11:30:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess this was the first time I’ve been “foiled”, but just thought this was funny and wanted to share the love. I will post the top 5 things I liked about this prank:

Things I liked about this prank:

5: Each individual pen and pencil on my desk was individually wrapped.

4: The 50 gold fish that are now swimming in tiny water glasses in my office are starting to feel like family.

3: I’ve been able to chat with every person that has walked into our office today, because they have all been drawn to the futuristic glow of my office.

2: The Indian statue in my office looks like a big chocolate piece of candy.

1: An art professor brought his class to the office and spent a few minutes observing and discussed what it meant to each student, and then debated whether or not it was art.

Ah….good times.

30

2008-01-18T12:22:00.000-08:00

I'm knocking on Death's door. Today is my birthday and I've officially kissed my twenties goodbye. You may now refer to me as the "Walking Fossil".

A reflection on a post...

2008-01-11T07:35:00.000-08:00

I just read a post on my friend Sarah’s blog. I really enjoyed this post. Her home sounds very relaxing and inviting. Sarah is a gifted writer and the scene that she set was very warm. Our house would read something like this...

I've locked myself in the bathroom. It’s my last bastion of peace and solitude. I know that it is only a matter of time before they find me. In the hallway, I can hear them. They are getting closer. Then I hear Ashton say, “I have to go to the bathroom.” It’s all about to end. Grace is now crying, because Houston slammed his bedroom door on her. Ashton is pounding on the bathroom door warning that he is going to pee his pants. Bridget is threatening Houston with the wooden spoon and Grace is still crying. The laundry is reaching critical levels, the dishes need done and I just heard the faint whimpers of my wife as she lies on the floor of the boy’s bedroom in the fetal position because she just realized I'm leaving this weekend for school and she will be home alone.

Vibrating Cell Phones...

2008-01-03T10:56:00.000-08:00

Some may disagree, but I find it very amusing when I’m sitting in a meeting and someone’s cell phone is going off, while on vibrate mode. The comical thing is that the setting is designed to avoid the kind of embarrassing situation where your phone interrupts whatever is going on draws unwanted attention to yourself. Yet the vibrate mode on most phones is so strong that the sound emitted from the vibrating phone is more distracting than that of the standard ringtone. To me, it’s just kind of funny.

The Miss Universe Pageant

2007-12-19T16:34:00.000-08:00

Our arrogance is sickening. To think that each year we crown a female from our planet Miss Universe is a little disturbing. I mean who do we think we are? We don’t even know the physical limits of the universe and haven’t sent any human beings to any of the surrounding planets in our own solar system. Yet, year after year we declare that this one person will represent the universe. We should be ashamed. And don't even get me started on Mr. Universe.

It's a boy!

2007-12-10T19:08:00.000-08:00

It seems my machismo knows no bounds. Yes, today we received confirmation following an ultrasound appointment that has verified that we are expecting another son. Even prior to his birth, my son boldly declared his masculinity. While some lesser fetuses might have evaded such a moment of vulnerable disclosure, my boy wasn’t the least bit bashful.

For those keeping track that gives me a three and one record, not too bad. Of course while no reasonable person would argue that impregnating one’s wife with a son represents the pinnacle of reproductive skill, we would be remiss to allow folks to consider this a negative critique of our female brethren. Even the most staunch chauvinist would agree that our world is a far better place with women in it. No, I for one take great pride in the fact that my little girl will now have three brothers to threaten, intimidate, and protect her from any guy foolish enough to consider speaking to her.

Just wanted to share my good news…

Thoughts from the couch...

2007-12-09T12:56:00.000-08:00

I’m just laying on the couch today and relaxing. Bridget is resting in our room and the kids are all asleep. I built a fire in the wood stove and am listening to some old records. Currently playing…a Frank Sinatra album. My friend Sarah gave me a huge pile of old records that she was getting rid of (Thanks Sarah) and I’m enjoying going through these vintage albums. Don’t get me wrong, I like my ipod, and love the idea of having music in your pocket, but I still appreciate listening to these classics on the record player. Maybe its just nostalgia, but who cares.

Anyway, here I sit. The atmosphere is very comforting and I can't help but appreciate the smell of the Christmas tree in the room. We have a live tree. Actually, I guess its pretty dead now, but either way, it’s not a fake tree. I could probably write an entire blog about the communists that have the audacity to place these counterfeit trees in their homes. But I digress. Good music, crackling fire, sleeping children. It’s a good day. Only two things are missing. The first is a cup coffee and the second, well; suffice it to say that it’s something that both my employer and the pezzonovante of the church (Godfather reference) forbid. So for now…I’ll just see about that cup of coffee.

The Dark Side of Black Friday

2007-12-04T11:04:00.000-08:00

In my last post I commented on my most recent Black Friday experience and why I like this retail bonaza. This post, as promised, will discuss a few things that I don’t like about Black Friday.

I guess it comes down to just a few basic things.

More. It’s not just an issue with Black Friday, but year round, and that is the feeling that we need more stuff. What’s worse is that we are constantly being told that we deserve more stuff. “You deserve a ______________.” Plasma screen TV, new iphone, car, wardrobe, etc. But when you witness the sheer volume of stuff that’s being purchased on this one day is disturbing and causes one to consider how gluttonous our society really is.

Goodwill toward Men. While it can be entertaining to watch people and laugh at the childish manner in which people behave on Black Friday, there really isn’t anything funny about people treating other people as badly as they do. Watch the news and you’ll hear about someone that was trampled by a crowd or a fight that broke out on Black Friday. Sad really.

The Newspaper. I don’t like it that the Thanksgiving Day newspaper is stuffed full of the retail store “door buster” advertisements. A few years back, we spent Thanksgiving with my wife’s side of the family. When we got to her grandmother’s house, many of them were just sitting around the table looking through the ads and planning where they would go the following day. I couldn’t believe it, these are people that don’t visit or see each other very often and rather than enjoy that time together, they were planning and deciding what stuff they were going to buy the next morning. Fortunately, that hasn’t been the case in recent years, but still, I think that such an occurrence may be more common than we think.

So, those are the big three, but they all really just boil down to old fashion selfishness. My good friend Travis Keller says that Black Friday is the day that makes baby Jesus cry.
The truth is our selfishness, is a problem year round. Perhaps Black Friday isn’t the day we make baby Jesus cry, maybe it’s just the day when our selfishness is so in our face that we finally notice He’s there in the first place. And yes, He’s probably crying.

Why I Like "Black Friday"

2007-11-28T08:45:00.000-08:00

I know that many folks have very strong and often negative feelings regarding the retail phenomenon known as “Black Friday”. If you are not familiar, this is the day after Thanksgiving, when many retail stores open early and entice shoppers with significant discounts and free giveaways. Now some feel that this particular event represents all that is wrong with our consumer driven society. While I agree that one can certainly find fault with our unceasing desire to horde more and more material things, whilst turning a blind eye to the suffering and need of our fellow man, my contention would be that this is a problem not just on Black Friday, but the other 364 days of the year as well. So to make the argument that going out the day after Thanksgiving to buy a laptop computer is bad, but going to the same store any other day of the year is ok, just doesn’t make that much sense. Nevertheless, I’m sure that wiser and more interested folks will work out the details of when and where it is permissible to exchange money for goods and services, without the condemnation of being the face of American greed.

But this post is about why I like “Black Friday”. So as one who experienced this annual occurrence, just last week, I will share a few reasons why I appreciate this retail anomaly.

Top Five Reasons Why I Like Black Friday:

5. A 3-way-tie. The fifth place spot is a hodgepodge of three things that I couldn’t cut out. They are being awake at 3am, getting 50 to 70 percent off, and hanging out with a pair of identical twin ladies in their mid-40’s that were proudly wearing reindeer antlers on their head that light up and play music. Basically, I love being up when so many others are sleeping, its just like you got the whole place to yourself. As for the savings, paying a lot less for something I’d be buying anyway always helps. The ladies with the affinity for their holiday head gear, well…I guess you hand to be there.

4. Watching the sheer carnage as people try to charge the doors, in front of those persons who had been waiting for hours in line. That’s just darn good entertainment. Oh the humanity!

3. Waiting in line and making new friends. When waiting in line for so long with other people you just end up chatting and sharing stories. One of the ladies in front of me, while waiting in line at Target, made a Starbucks run at 5am and surprised me with a cup of delicious hot chocolate. I was very appreciative and was able to return the favor around 5:30am, when they held my place in line and I ran to a nearby McDonalds to use the restroom. I returned with a bag of hash browns and we all enjoyed an early breakfast snack.

2. Hearing people waiting outside a Target store at 4:30am, in late November calling other shoppers crazy. (They were talking about folks that had been camping outside of a Best Buy since midnight.)

1. People Watching. The thing is if you are a student of human nature and/or enjoy sociology at any level, then you would find this entire experience to be well worth it. For me, I’d probably go even if I didn’t buy a single thing. It’s that much fun.

Coming up in the next post: A few things I don't like about Black Friday...

I just thought this was funny...

2007-11-27T09:46:00.000-08:00

Maybe a little crude...but funny.

Will the "real" archbishop please stand up?

2007-11-19T21:18:00.000-08:00

My good friend Travis Keller recently posted a picture of the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Douglas Williams on his blog. After seeing the Archbishop’s photo on Mr. Keller’s blog I couldn’t help but notice that Archbishop Williams has a striking resemblance to Cigar Aficionado editor Marvin R. Shanken.

The picture of Mr. Shanken is an older one, which could account for a little more hair and the 80's style glasses. But, I think the evidence is pretty overwhelming. And now you know the truth: That the Archbishop of Canterbury is secretly the editor and publisher of both Cigar Aficionado and Wine Spectator Magazine.

Bottom line: How cool is this guy? I may convert.

Two Birds

2007-11-16T07:13:00.000-08:00

Am I the only one that has a beef with the animal rights activists of the world? I mean don’t they have some obligation to address the mass genocide that has been experienced by the bird community in recent years? I just think its time we put a stop to this tragedy and someone needs to raise awareness. Seriously, just listen to people talk. It’s not even something they are ashamed about or try to keep quiet. I’m just sick of people who brag about killing two birds…typically with one stone. This has got to stop.

A response to another blogger's question...

2007-11-13T10:46:00.000-08:00

I was reading Travis Keller’s blog this afternoon and the question was raised, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” I was thinking about this for a moment and then decided that, while I’m not exactly sure where I'll be or what I'll be doing, I think it’s a safe bet to say that I will be expecting another child with my pregnant wife.

Sometimes you just gotta play the odds.

Looking back...

2007-11-12T08:47:00.000-08:00

How in the world did MC Hammer ever become as popular as he did? Now, I admit that I listened to the music and even had a MC Hammer tape (yes a tape). My lowest point of course was when I actually had a pair of "Hammer pants" and British Knights tennis shoes. After extensive counseling and group therapy, I've come to a place in my life where I am now able to put these tramatic expereiences behind me. But I still wonder how this guy ever made millions of dollars.

Heroes in a half shell...

2007-11-05T10:50:00.000-08:00

I had an epiphany today that took me back many years to my childhood. The teenage mutant ninja turtles were awesome, besides being a great cartoon, they also had a great line of toys, a video game for the old school Nintendo system (which I could never get past the level where you drive the turtle van around the city), and there were the live action movies.

A quick aside about the movies, I’ve not seen the recent computer generated version, but for my money it doesn’t get much better than the original movie and the sequel TMNT II: The Secret of the Ooze. There were others made (i.e.: Turtles in Time, etc) but these movies suffered the same fate as the later movies of the Batman franchise (basically any movie that didn’t have Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne). So the later movies sucked, but let’s face it: Live Action Turtle Movie = Quality Entertainment.

Back to the issue at hand…It would be fair to say that I really like these cartoons, toys, and movies, but only today did I realize a critical flaw in the turtle mythology. Well, perhaps it has nothing to do with the mythology at all and rather their clever jingle. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Heroes in a half shell…Turtle Power.” The problem is that they don’t have a half shell. They have a full shell. There is the hard green domed shaped side of the shell on the back and the yellow flatter shaped side of the shell on the front. No half shell. Why have we’ve been cheated for all these years out of half a shell? We deserve the full shell…not a half one.

Cruel and unusual...

2007-10-31T06:56:00.000-07:00

I think its kind of mean that people who have a lisp can’t even say the word. That’s just wrong. I mean they know they have a speech problem; do we really have to assign a word to describe this impediment that they can’t even say clearly? Come on.

Good Theology

2007-10-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

I’m not a huge fan of discussing theology and reading the ramblings of religious scholars. Its not that I don’t think theology is important, its just that I feel like when we hold our theories and best understandings to the light of God’s truth and wisdom, they resemble the scribbles my kids draw on restaurant placemats. Along those same lines, I am convinced that children have a more clear and accurate understanding of God than we do. In fact my own children have shared thoughts with me that I believe are more profound that much of what I will hear in a month of sermons. Here are two examples:

About a year ago, we had a cat that had a litter of kittens, two of which died shortly after birth. Houston my 5 year old son (4 at the time) asked what happened to the kittens. I explained that they died and he said, “Its ok daddy. When we die, we go to heaven and God fixes us.”

And just today on the way to work, Houston was asking why God doesn’t talk to us. To this, Ashton my 3 year old, replied: “Houston, sometimes we can’t here God because it’s too noisy.”

I couldn’t agree more.

A Rainy Day at the Office

2007-10-16T11:24:00.000-07:00

It’s raining today. I love the sound of the rain, the cool air coming in from my window, the smell of my afternoon cup of coffee, and the relaxing music playing in the background. What a great day.

The Allure of Fire

2007-10-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

What is it about a fire that brings people together? Certainly the physical attributes of heat and light can be considered as reasons, but there is something unique about a fire that causes individuals to come together, converse, and enjoy the company of those they are with. In fact we will do things around the fire that are very uncommon in everyday life. We may sit quietly and enjoy the sights and sounds as the flames dance around the fireplace. We share in meaningful conversation with others and find that we aren’t watching the time, but just engaging in a dialogue with friends. We even converse with those we don’t know. In a way we don’t understand, a roaring fire can melt away inhibition and we find ourselves discussing current events and sharing stories with those we barely know. Still, at times we just sit back and reflect on things that have been hiding in the recesses of our minds.

In short, there is a mesmerizing effect that comes over us as we sit in front of the fireplace and converse around the campfire. While I don’t know exactly what it is, I am convinced that we could all benefit from spending a little more time nestled around the warm glow of a crackling fire.

Chess or Checkers ?

2007-10-12T07:33:00.000-07:00

I was speaking with one of the Vice Presidents that work at the university where I am employed, and he asked me if leaders play chess or checkers. I thought for a moment and suggested that I thought leaders play chess. I said this for two reasons; first I have an internal bias towards chess, because I love the game. My second reason was because of my basic understandings of the game. Checkers is a simple game where all the pieces are the same, they move the same way, and are essentially treated all identically. Chess is a more complex game that is made up of unique pieces, which move in differing ways and have various roles in the game. A good chess player cannot look at all pieces as the same. One must understand the strengths and abilities of each piece in order to win the game.

The Vice President I was speaking with indicated that he had been told that leaders play checkers because there is only one goal in mind, and that mangers play chess because they must manage a vast array of pieces and know what is happening at all times. While I believed he was incorrect in his assessment and told him so, I had a thought following our discussion. First, all leaders must be able to manage people, any leader will manage or supervise a least some people (A CEO manages a team of Vice Presidents, etc.), but not all mangers are good leaders. In the same way, most chess players can play checkers, but not all checker players know how to play chess. In the end however, I think the noteworthy fact is this: Whether we’re talking about managers or leaders, they’re both just playing games. Something to think about…

A Note to Pacifists:

2007-10-11T07:09:00.000-07:00

While I respect your opinion, for my money the Atlantic Ocean is the most beautiful!

The Crushing Finality of Being a Wal-Mart Greeter

2007-10-10T09:56:00.001-07:00

In Vin Diesel’s movie xXx, (yes this is likely the first time anyone has ever referenced this movie for anything) Diesel’s character is asked by Augustus Gibbons, played by Samuel L. Jackson, if he's “ever seen lions at the zoo? You can always tell which ones were captured in the wild. They remember running across the planes and the thrill of the hunt. After a while, locked in a cage, the eyes start to glaze over and you can tell that the soul has died.”

One can see a similar expression on the faces of those retired individuals working as greeters at Wal-Mart. Oh, you may first be greeted by a smile, but the smile quickly fades and reality sets in, as this person questions how they have come to this point in their life. Remember, these are individuals that have lived full lives, experienced incredible technological breakthroughs, raised children, witnessed political and economic changes, and served in a myriad of roles over their course of their lifetimes, only to now be standing with a smiley face stamp and a roll of merchandise return stickers. These are members of the “greatest generation” and they have rich stories to tell and are ironically confined to a station that limits interaction to a brief grin or a few polite words. Perhaps on our next trip to the store, rather than walking by dismissively, we can stop for a few moments, put a name with a face and engage in a dialogue with a person who has a story to share.

The Arrogance of Virginia

2007-10-09T13:05:00.000-07:00

I have a problem with Virginia. Why can’t they be a state like everyone else? Are they so insecure that they have to hang on to the label of Commonwealth? Frankly, I’d expect a little bit more cooperation from an area of the county that has played such a rich role in our nation’s history. Now, in all fairness Virginia is not the only problem child among our 50 “states”. Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Kentucky are also desperately clinging to the classification of commonwealth, but of course, Kentucky has always been one to follow the east coast crowd. The truth is that Virginia a dirty instigator and is just setting a bad example. After all, we all get one star on the flag, why can’t these constituents of our great union just drop the attitude and play nice with everyone else?