1. I can vote.

2. Sometimes, it makes a difference.

3. Talking to poll workers.

4. Third (and fouth and fifth) parties (though I would settle for a second one.

5. Wearing an "I voted" sticker.

6. It is the end of "political ad" season.

7. My polling place still has the old school machines that actually count the vote, unlike those paperless, hackable, make-up a number Diebold machines.

8. Now that I finally live in the city, I have a voice in city politics (it was so embarrassing not being able to sign nominating petitions and such when I lived in the suburbs)

9. Schools being closed.

10. It reminds me that we live in a constitutional republic with representative government (on my more cynical days, please insert the phrase, "pretend to."

I am reminded of the bumper sticker. "If voting made a difference, it would be illegal." I guess that didn't make the list but I wanted to share.

Time to go vote!

I think that we should get an extra hour of sleep more often. It makes for such a great day. I realize that this would cause all sorts of logistical problems, but really, I think the day after clocks "fall back" makes is SO worth losing the other hour in the spring.

So if anyone can come up with a way to do this more often, I would be very greatful.

Seriously, I think I may be built on a 25 hour circadian rhythm. I wish the rest of the universe could coordinate with that.

This is in response to the question I had over in (e:Paul)'s journal.

The crazy treatment I received is called NAET. I never would have tried it if my brother (who was allergic to milk, eggs, nuts, and soy) did not try it first, successfully (he had tried EVERYTHING to treat his allergies before this).

It was done to me by a guy named Dr. Whiner (not sure about the spelling) in Pittsburgh, and it DID make my egg allergy go away, and eggs had wiped me out before.

And yes, to answer the first question, it can work for all sorts of allergies, not just food ones.

What did I like about the treatment? The obvious: my allergy went away.

What did I not like?

The doctor was weird. He wouldn't answer my questions (most of the time if I asked one he would ignore me or talk about something else).

The treatment felt goofy. Basically, it goes as such:

The doctor would put the allergen, enclosed in glass, in one of my hands. I would sit, with the other hand on my knee, palm up.

Then the doctor would use a funny metal thing to tap spots on my back. I think he also rubbed spots on my feet and hands.

Then I would sit there, for 30 minutes.

During that time, I could feel energy flowing out of my upturned palm. If I turned my hand palm side down, I could feel it clog up. I am not a new-agey guy in the least bit, but this is what I experienced.

At the end of the 30 mins, I had to rub my hands together.

After that, I had to avoid the allergen for 30 hours. After that, the allergy is gone.

The last thing that I didn't like about this treatment is that I got other allergies. Now, I'm not saying that this guy put one allergy in as he took another out, but I am saying that he had a lot of return business. Everybody kept talking about how they were getting better, but everybody had to keep going back for treatment. That, and his selling of supplements made it seem like a racket.

Since I have moved to Buffalo, I met a woman who does similar treatments, but isn't a jerk. I have her card at work if you want to call her.

Anyway, that's the crazy voodoo treatment. It works, but I won't recommend it without reservation.

This is another challenge post. My animals are making it hard for me to love life right now.

1. If and when it lands in the backyard, rain washes it away.

2. At least right now, it is standard brown (I hate the green stuff).

3. Cat litter works quite well on diarrhea.

4. It hasn't spread to any people I know.

5. Each bout is now small in quantity.

6. It came on my day off, allowing me to get the dog out more quickly and monitor our cats.

7. As much as I hate the mess, it still hasn't stopped our pets from being quite loveable (but they shouldn't push it).

8. (e:Janelle) never asks for another cat when the two we have are ruining everything (good move, btw).

9. They eat less when they are sick.

10. People tend to be sympathtic when one explains that he was late because he was cleaning up runny poo.

I just found out that the Hyatt is unloading used mattresses TOMORROW, and they must be gone by 4pm TOMORROW. Catholic Charities knows of a lot of people in need that can use said mattresses but does not have storage space. Lafayette Presbyterian Church (yes that was a shameless attempt to boost our link count) knows a few people that can use them, AND has some storage space.

So, I am going to spend a few hours tomorrow hauling mattresses, but I could use some help. If you can lend a hauling hand (we have a truck, we just need some man- or woman-power), you would get the satisfaction of people in need (can you imagine not even having a mattress? It's a reality for more people than I we would like to think), and lunch at ETS (or some other place, but hey, I like Tacos. Of course, I like Kuni's too. tempted?)

New posts below, too, but I couldn't pass this up for the 31st.

Luther's theology on the relationship between the church and the state, by the way, led to the church allowing Hitler to do his thing. Sometimes Christians HAVE to get into politics.

The popular thinking is that the two should not cross paths. There are countless examples of harm done in the name of God, by Christians and other people of faith.

So should religious values be removed from the realm of public debate? While some would like this, as a person of faith, I don't see that as possible. My faith involves values that encompass WAY more than the "moral values," that the media talks about. My faith says that I have to work for peace, for justice, for the hungry, homeless, and imprisoned, and for for the good of an alien/stranger. It says that I have to love my neighbor.

How can I separate loving my neighbor from the way that I vote?

I have not found an issue that is not, to me, a "'moral issue." If I could not base my vote on my faith, I could not vote based on the war, health care, marriage, abortion, education, taxation, or immigration am I leaving an issue out?

Should I just walk into the booth a pull a lever at random?

A lot of people see faith as something like rooting for a sports team. It effects how you dress sometimes, what you do on game day, and who you talk to. Some people are more into it than others, but obviously nobody bases all of their life decisions on their association with a team.

However, its not that way for me, and many other people of faith. All that I am is wrapped up in my faith. To say otherwise is to lie.

So, while I hate the blind obedience that was demonstrated in (e:changeisgood)'s post, and I disagree with that guy's conclusions, I find myself taking action on global warming, BECAUSE of my faith convition, not in spite of it.

Lots of people do horrible things, with and with out faith. Likewise, plenty of people are altruistic without faith to guide them.

Me, I can't imagine living any way except selfishly without my faith. I know (from observation, mostly) that others can do it, but without my faith, I think I would be all about me--which would change my perspective on the war, immigration, and global warming, to name a few things

Which isn't to say that I don't believe in the separation of church and state. More on that later . . .

PS. really, if anybody wants to take a trip to New Orleans, it will be cool. Scroll down in my posts to check it out.

Next Sunday's sermon, briefly. Based on Ephesians 1:15-23

When George Orwell wrote, "He who controls the present controls the past. He who controls the past controls the future," it was a scary picture of government controlling history.

For Christians, this scary quote is actually good news--not because we have taken control of the present (and therefore, history), but because we see efforts of control in the present as fleeting compared to the extraordinarily different power the Christ exhibited in the past, which we believe to be a guarantee of the future.

Fate is not in control, and neither is Caesar, or George W. Bush, or whoever comes after that.

So, because of an event in the past (namely Christ's resurrection and ascension) we have hope for a resurrection-life in the future, and claims to power based on death (i.e. all of them, save God's) are empty--setting us free to live a different way in the present!

We'll spend more time unpacking that idea on Sunday, and considering how it might affect us as individuals and a community.

Jan 6-12. Most of the people on this trip will be Presbyterians, but all types of people are welcome (and though my userpic may lead you to believe otherwise, there will be no coercion on this trip).

The cost of the food/lodging while you work will be $120. Plane tickets are reserved for $300 (round trip) and can be held with a $100 deposit. The deposit is due next Monday.

The work will be construction and deconstruction. There is a special need for skilled workers, but there is plenty to do for everybody. Even those with physical issues can assist in feeding other volunteers or handling the paperwork that is involved in the relief effort.

Want to go? Comment and I will email you an application right away.

I am slipping, since I was over 20 during August and September.

And of those 13, a few were lame, like this one, #14.

And the more lame ones I write, the less likely they are to get read.

Therefore, I will write a good one tonight. Really. #15 will be fantastic.

Will I get to 20 before the end of the month?


You'll have to stay tuned to find out.

Or realize that I would have to post 2 and 3 times a day to get there, which really just defeats the purpose.

So, no, I won't.

Are you still reading this? I'm sorry.

The party was fun. Happy Halloween.

(also happy Reformation Day, All Saint's Day, and All Soul's Day)