I am such a consumer. A bunch of my recent posts have been about products. Products don't make you happy. Not even laptops. Especially not laptops, since they belong to the computer family and computers generally make me frustrated.
Anyway, I won't be buying too much more stuff. Unless a ton of Birthday money comes in.
I will post again tomorrow. It will be about:
turning 30
or
visiting a kid's school (he is failing because he keeps getting in trouble)
or
My sermon, which I will hopefully finish (It's about water, fighting, and how Jesus worked for reconciliation as he made an outcast a leader)
or
leadership in general (I've been trying to figure out how to do that well)
or
hanging out with young, upscale, and gay (mostly) episcopalians for soup and discussion of C.S. Lewis (I didn't think they would like him . . .)
You can vote on which one I will post about, but I may just choose the one that strikes me at the time.
I have a computer at home and a computer at work. I don't travel too much, and while I would love to work at Cafe Aroma, I don't do it all that much. It would also be nice to have a laptop for presentations, which I do now and then.
Should I purchase an inexpensive laptop?
I know many of you have them and love 'em. Does anybody regret the purchase? Does anybody not have one and definitely not want one (anyone that isn't married to me, that is)
Well, it was the first time. Every one said, "if you move to the city, you will be a victim of crime."
I knew it could happen, but it never did.
Until last night. Somebody took our car's CD player.
Apparently, they needed it more than we did.
Looking back, we think they broke into the car multiple times to get it done. Acura makes it REALLY hard to install/remove CD players.
I couldn't get the old tape deck out when I was trying. The dealership charged big bucks if they were going to do it (long story there), but I didn't pay them.
Anyway, the car will be a little more quiet now.
We're tempted to just sell the thing--it's the type of car that attracts criminal activity, but what can I get for a dented, high-mileage, no stereo car?
I already replaced my monitor once, and HP was good to send a new one for free. The first time we switched because.
a. it had an annoying hum
and
b. it started changing colors around the edge.
On the current monitor, the colors are fine, but today I hear the hum more than I want to. How much hum am I expected to tolerate? Or is it reasonable to expect mostly silence from a monitor? Does HP just do a crappy job with monitors?
This is what it looks like:
I haven't recorded the sound. It sounds like, "hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . ."
I don't always like lent (a season of fasting to prepare for Easter), but I do like Isaiah 58, which gets a lot of reading during the season. Here it is (verses 6-9), from the message translation.
"This is the kind of fast day I'm after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I'm interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am."
Do this and your lives will turn around at once. Wow. Too bad so few people (and I include myself and a million other Christians actually choose to try it.)
This year, for lent, I am going to memorize this, and try to live it.
Too bad (for you) none of you owe me money--because it's debt canceling season!
I'll have to talk with Janelle about inviting the homeless poor into our home, but maybe we can find a way.
Ok, so I love politics but I don't talk about them in public too much because it isn't good for me professionally. But I can say that I am happy for tomorrow. So they are, 10 Things I like about Super Tuesday.
1. My primary vote counts. This is the first time in my life that my primary vote ever mattered in a presidential election.
2. I don't feel like I am choosing "the lessor of two evils."
3. I can walk to my polling place.
4. I haven't been turned off by ugly attack ads (this has surprised me. I think maybe they are all on cable?)
5. It's a double event day, since it matches up with Mardi Gras.
6. It's the same week as the Super bowl, and really, there isn't too much else that is described as "super" any more, so we get it all in one week (if only a superman movie were released tomorrow).
7. There will be record voter turnout. The more people participate in democracy, the better it is.
8. Not having given money means not getting campaign phone calls. Ditto having vonage, I think.
9. Making punny jokes about "poll workers."
10. Listening to Derek Webb sing Savior on Capitol hill, and remembering that no matter who wins, they will likely let me down. (I guess I don't like that fact, but I love the song.)
This month, I turn 30. That feels old. But I will go and see some older people that still rock, and it will make me feel better. I will journey into the suburbs (Williamsville) where there is a 3D concert film of the greatest band in the history of earth. I am going on the 25th (after my birthday, but my sister will be in town), and anybody who wants to join (and maybe hang out afterward) is welcome.
No presents are expected--just come and join the fun!
