The Mirror

So I got up and looked into the mirror today. Not the life altering experience I know...but as I stood there looking at my reflection, I started to think about opposites. How nature presents us with pairs or opposites: male/female, white/black, hard/soft, mail/email, wet/dry, one/zero, ect...

So with that in mind I started to think about myself (big surprise I know) but what if there was an opposite of me? You know, a person with a skill-set similar to mine with a taste for destruction....how scary would that be? And would I have to fight this person?

Then today I when I came across a customer who was trying to email through fax machine....made me think, you know -- some people have lots of common sense, maybe this person is their opposite. All day now I've noticed these things.

Took a bike ride when I got home....and got chased by a dog. What a day :p

CSS Editor

I've had a chance to play with my new Firefox extension....the CSS Editor. Loads in the sidebar, and what else is there to say? It is Suh-Weet! Changes show up real-time, you have cut & paste w/undo via hotkeys -- and the best part is, even if you completely screw up the code...all you have to do is reload, cause you won't be working on the real version

End of March Madness

With a weekend of rest and powerful drugs, I have recovered from said illness at least until I almost died of asphyxiation from the UK vs Michigan St game. I still think UofL will not only make it to the final game, but win +7 -- out on that limb against all those who believe UNC will take it all. Just wait and see how Pitino weakens that inside strength

My Sunday chat was interesting (to me anyway) was more of the same...just more depth. Our conversation did wonder to Terri Schiavo...to which it is my understanding that she is officially brain dead, and that her body functions (breathing, sleep cycles, ect...) are being performed by her brain stem/spinal cord. If that is the case (medically verifiable) then there is nothing left to 'kill' because she is already dead. If that is not the case, then it becomes a battle of credibility of what her wishes were about how she should live. In either case, it has caused me to take a prolonged look into what I would want...prompting a living will stating that I do not want to live in that fashion. In addition, I intend to put a clause in there giving my wife full and binding legal authority over what she thinks is best in any given situation that I am unable to respond. (that should end family battles)

I completed the first book of the HHGG, and now on to 'The restaurant at the end of the Universe' my countdown is taking too long *hehe*

24 was rather slow, but gave plenty of detail for next weeks mishaps -- defiantly one to tape and re-watch.

I downloaded a CSS editor for Firefox -- will have to try that out a bit laters ;)

It found me

Uhg! After a week of doing battle with the spreading illness around me...it has found its way past my defenses. So now it feels like I ate some crushed glass, then chased it with a shot of turpentine. In addition to that, an air compressor has been turned on inside my ears -- and I didn't know that you could get woodglue stuck in your nose :eek:

So here I sit...playing with my graphics program :p Making some low-nonweapons-grade jealousy pictures :D Uhg!

Signing off in search of better drugs.

Religious Banter

I had a job to do at one of our local churches recently. As you might expect, the conversation quickly turned to religion. The pastor asked me if I was a member of a church, I was not. It seemingly struck him as odd, this affirmation...so he started the 'sales' pitch on why I should attend his church. I told him that I was pleased with the method in which my spiritual growth was being attended to. This answer did not appear to be 'good enough' to slake his curiosity. He continued to probe.

So I said: "I do not have a problem discussing this with you...I just feel that we have opposing views here, and since I am here in a professional capacity -- I do not wish to upset you." He said that he understood, and would still like to have an honest discussion about how I regard the church. I provided him with some history -- that I had at one time, been a member of the church. I went three times a week, paid my tithe, was devout in my study. Then my grandmother became ill -- so I went and cared for her during the time I would normally had been at church. I read her favorite passages to her, fixed her chicken noodle soup, that kind of thing. When the illness passed, I returned to my regular church schedule...and was met with a veiled attempt at disdain. I not only had members, but deacons and even the associate pastor tell me I was in danger of 'burning' for my loyalties 'were in the wrong place' -- even after the details of my hiatus.

So I found myself another church home, with similar judgmentalism. I kept looking for a few years before I came to the understanding that I was so caught up in seeking a church, that I was no longer seeking the lord. So I decided to focus on myself, and the path I was to walk. The pastor brought up the passage about not forsaking the church (which I fully expected) to which I responded with the passage about worshiping the church while forsaking the lord. He gave me a pleasant 'touche' -- and I continued.

I am not against the church, I said. Nor am I against attending, but I will not subject myself to those who tell you not to judge, then turn around and start judging. Not only is it hypocritical to the your declared focus, but it spreads like a cancer through those walking their inner paths around you. By this time, I had completed the work I was there to do.

The pastor thanked me for being so honest with him, and asked me for two favors. 1) He wanted to know if he could use some of what I had just told him in a sermon. 2) Would I consider joining him for a Sunday afternoon lunch. I agreed to both, and jotted down his phone number for later use. I plan to meet with him a week from this coming Sunday -- should be rather interesting I suspect.

Spring commencement

Today is the first day of spring. As such, the aroma of new beginnings hangs in the air. Just as it was 20 years ago today, when Libby Riddles became the first woman to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Like all new beginnings, it is formed by the completion of the previous one...a commencement if you will. Commencement, the end of one journey...the beginning of another. Such is the process we all experience through life.

Walking our own paths, on the journey to self discovery can present us with many turns. It is often difficult to assess whether or not these turns present positive or negative influences to our lives. It is our focus that often determines that aspect. Clearing our minds of the clutter this world inundates us with is an important part in establishing a positive focus. With such a focus, we have more control over these turns...even those that are more negative.

So we clear our minds. Let go the conscious concerns of the job, family, walking the dog, washing the cat. Allow your mind to drift away from all that is around you, until there is nothing left. In this nothingness, you can feel your own energy as it recharges the soul. Energy that supplies our inner-strength. In times of hardship, our ability to remain calm depends largely on this strength supply.

42

42 is significant in so many ways. Not only is it the ultimate answer, but today it is also the number of days left to the official release of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy -- the movie! I have a growing group ready to watch on release nigh -- dinner and a movie with a bunch of friends, I mean...could life get any better? I submit to you it cannot.

Like any true fan, I have been in preparation...listen to all of the original radio series, and now re-re-re-(you get the idea)-reading the five part trilogy -- naturally resplendent in my black jeweled battle shorts. Also, marks the end of a rather gruesome quarter -- with only two more to go **WOOHOO** Not to fear, even though these two may be the most difficult yet....I have my trusty towel with me!

Lets get it started...

Look here! My own blog off the ground...ok, so maybe it's on a step. Still, it's off the ground :p

First order of business -- have to give the shout out to my friends at TSG who encouraged this madness. Hey there fellow bloggers Di :D, Ryan, and Stephen! Told y'all I'd make it ;)

Now all I have to do is find something to talk about. Well, I decided it would be a good idea to go back to school and add me a Computer Science BS degree with a focus on programming. In all honesty, work and school fulltime -- with a family, has to be the hardest thing I have ever done in my life! An accomplishment that is, for there are many challenges to choose from.

I'll try and keep this first post short and light :)

It was so nice of blogger to provide the cute little template design to get things started. I do believe changing the template will be one of my first cosmetic modifications...of which there will be many. This could be fun! I wonder what all I can do with the code, hmmm :rolleyes: :D

Currently work/school keeps me pretty busy -- but once upon a time I had interests and actually did stuff. Martial Arts is an important part of my life, I also enjoy bowling and working with computers and electronic equipment.

I believe that is enough for now....welcome to my world, muhahahah :D