Thankful Random-ness & Multitudinous Blessings

As the year closes, I've been considering a number of various items. So many that I couldn't possibly blog everything in a coherent or cohesive manner. Consequently, I feel it's my duty to inform you: This post will be disjointed, but, in spite of that, will still (hopefully) convey a glimmering of my thoughts.

Blessings:
- great wife (patient, loving, compassionate, even-tempered)
- Little Bear is alive, healthy, and normal -- in spite of the DRs' predictions
- so are the twins
- Varmint #4 is on his (or her) way
- have a great pastor, a very good church, & (soon) a hard-working assoc pastor
- able to work (& have more job offers than I can accept)
- our mini van has needed minimal repairs... since 2003!!
- my new (to me) trumpet


Things I enjoy:
- the twins' nap-time (Mommy likes it more)
- Sunday church services (even if I preach)
- Organic candy (candy that's good for me -- imagine that!!)
- receiving a backrub (without asking for it -- "just because")
- King's Kids on Wednesday nights
- helping others
- listening to Little Bear pretend to preach, lead singing, prepare messages, & volunteer to do special music for church: "so Daddy doesn't have to do so much"
- Publix Premium Eggnog ice cream... need I say more?
- finding "new" passages in my Bible that somehow I've missed over the years
- grimy little hands that want to give me hugs (& dirty little faces that still want to kiss my "scratchy-face")
- watching the Varmints 3 grow, develop new skills, & learn new things
- reading a book (OK... several books)
- listening to good, conservative music (our "christian" radio stations aren't)
- finding money (& saving it, & receiving it, & getting gift cards, etc...)
- building things for the Varmints 3 -- and watching them enjoy them
- feeding cows (a few of them let me pet them)
- being given a box of new (to me) books to read
- keeping informed of what's happening in the lives of friends & family thru their blogs and Facebook pages
- petting the neighbor's Rottweiler (she's 100+ lbs, & thinks she's a lapdog)


Things I like:
- being the best Boggler in a small church =D
- cool & nifty new gadgets, and I really want a bug (of course, then I'd feel like I must teach myself to program them, so it's probably best I don't)
- getting a start on cataloging all our books at LibraryThing (if you don't want to click the link, scroll down this page and you'll see a list of random book covers on the left -- altho for some reason a few don't show the covers)
- the versatility of e-Sword (free Bible study program)
- being able to renew my library books online
- having an alternative to Wikipedia -- even if it isn't complete yet

My "Pew" Version of Reality

Was catching up on the news last night (generally read my news by skimming the Yahoo feeds) and found the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Lots of neat articles, survey results, and quizzes to take there. (Like I really needed more things on which to waste my time.)

The one that first caught my attention was the Internet Typology Test to tell you "where you fit in the new typology of information and communication technology."

In every quiz, I find there are always questions I could answer several ways, depending on the mood I'm in, so I took the test 3 times and answered each time based on each of my "normal" moods. It seems that I fall into 3 of the 10 categories. Normally, I'm a "Lackluster Veteran," with forays into "Connector," and "Omnivore" on a fairly regular basis.

Not surprising, since I've yet to take any tests that put me squarely into any single category. Usually, I seem to exhibit some major traits of several categories, and never exhibit other major traits of those same categories.
I've often wondered, does that mean I'm well-balanced? or just weird?

Merry Christmas!

Christmas has always one of my favorite holidays. I enjoy teaching the Christmas story in Sunday School (and to our little ones at home), spending time with friends and family, as well as all the yummy things we get to eat. Oh yes -- presents are nice too, but it's more fun to watch the kids open theirs -- rather than opening any of my own.

Last night, while The Varmints 3 slept, I laid out a 6' x 8' Thomas the Train track for them and Hunny Bunny finished wrapping the last few presents. This morning's squeals of delight were neat... even more so since I could laze in bed a little longer while they had their fun. We did have some trouble getting the video camera working properly (we use it "so often" you know), but finally got it set and working (we think) in spite of the occasional message plastered across the LCD screen: INSERT CLEANING CASSETTE. (We don't have one yet -- I just turned it off and back on to clear it.)

After opening all the presents, we let the Varmints 3 play awhile before I made blueberry waffles. Hunny Bunny and I had a (rare) leisurely breakfast by ourselves while they played. As they got crankier (and Sugee Boogee began mooching more), we decided to feed them too. All told, the Varmints 3 were done unwrapping presents and finally started breakfast around 10.30 this morning. (Nothing short of miraculous -- they normally MUST eat by 8am.) After playing a little longer, they took early naps and we went next door around 2.45.

This year, we were invited to our neighbor's house -- she had quite a spread: a honey baked (spiral cut) ham, a turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, fresh cranberry sauce, green bean casserole (we're Baptists, I think "GBC" is a requirement for all "Baptist-get-togethers"), sweet potatoe casserole, corn, hot rolls, mac & cheese (mainly for The Varmints 3), sliced pineapple, layered raspberry/apricot jello (had crushed pineapple in the lower raspberry layer, and the apricot above that) & whip cream on top, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, sugar cookies, white cake with chocolate frosting, and we did start with salad. Since I can get salad at home, that usually doesn't count. =)

Of course, I topped "a little of everything" off with a 20 minute massage in the Shiatsu chair -- I really like that chair -- I could spend an hour a day in it.

We started on "lunch" around 3 this afternoon. Normally Sugee Boogee is done in 5 minutes or less, and Tank a few seconds behind her, with the oldest (Little Bear) bringing up the rear. Today however, Little Bear surprised everyone and inhaled his food -- he was done well before I was, which is unusual for even the speediest of eaters. Tank and Sugee Boogee dillied and dallied until Daddy showed them that "Aunt Bea" & "Uncle Jerry" DO have a very large wooden spoon in their kitchen drawer, too. Funny how just knowing it's there can be such great motivation. =) Daddy did offer an alternative to "finishing everything on their plate" -- with no added consequences -- but neither of them wanted me to eat their pineapple and cookies -- so "not finishing" had no appeal.

When we finally came home (6-ish) I was stuffed ("to the gun'nels"), sleepy, and had decided I was skipping supper. Hunny Bunny was already glad we'd brought home some leftovers... but then, she is eating for 2 -- and can't eat large meals anyway.

I've been sourced!!!

Suppose it was bound to happen... someday, but I have officially been "sourced."

Here in south Florida, our county (Broward) has ~10% of it's surface area covered in water: canals, creeks, ponds, lakes, and other inland waterways. Our firemen pull cars with bodies in them out of the water every year -- mostly people that panicked -- and didn't survive their panic. Also every year, our local media outlets (radio, TV, and newspapers) dutifully run stories of how to survive water crashes.

A friend from college (that now works as a writer at the world-famous, AIG) was concerned about water crashes, so the other day I quickly compiled everything I could remember of the myriad segments and interviews I've seen, heard, & read then shot it off in a 10 point email. Evidently, it wasn't too dreadful, because it's now posted -- verbatim. Which is pretty neat -- even if it's "only" sourced on a blog and I was only going from memory -- it's a start. Had I considered the possibility of it being posted, it would have contained "official" sources -- and I would've paid attention to how well it was written. Incidentally, my favorite "saga" on her blog (so far) -- that of "Superphone" -- has been alternately amusing, entertaining, & downright hilarious.

Anyway, it's made me think about starting to write those books I've been putting off... although, I realize that's a long drawn out process that could take 6 months to a year to get ironed out. Or perhaps starting on that music CD that people at church have been requesting... that should only take 4 to 6 months to get all the copyright and production problems squared away. Maybe I could just start on that idea for a political blog I've been throwing around. I know it would only take a few minutes to start... although, the ongoing research and postings that should be done to keep it current and viable would last until the next election in November... almost a year.

Hmmmmmmm.

Definitely have too many irons I want to put in the limited little fire that is my life -- and not quite enough time and effort to properly handle them all simultaneously. Think I'd rather just go wrap Christmas presents for the "Varmints 3" and worry about my goals, aspirations, and ambitions later.


The older I get...
the better I understand my Dad.

Haircut day

A nice thing (for me) happened 2 weeks ago when I went to Grif's for cow feed. I'd bundled 2 of the "Varmints 3" into the front of the pickup, taken them inside (while I paid), and let them meander around -- "Ooh-ing" and "Ah-ing" over the chicks, ducklings, and rotating Christmas tree. Even though I was watching their satellite feed of RFD (on the TV by the register), I thought I was keeping a fairly sharp eye on them (only because the 2 little ones enjoy gnawing on Christmas tree ornaments, bones, and various & sundry things they find on the ground). After paying, I turned to leave and realized my "fairly sharp eye" -- wasn't very. Tank had gotten a piece of paper from somewhere and was in the process of dropping it on the floor in front of the tree. I walked over to pick it up and throw it away -- lo and behold it was a 20 dollar bill! I asked all of the workers and people in the store if they'd dropped any money, even left my cell number at the counter, but no one claimed it.

Fast forward 2 weeks to today -- Saturday -- haircut day. I've been getting pretty scruffy around the edges, but was waiting to get a haircut until just before Christmas. It's still hot here, but in January we'll be vacationing in "warm and sunny Pennsylvania" -- Brrrr!! (After living up north for years, then moving to south Florida: 1 to 2 weeks of snow, ice, & inclement weather is "enough" and I'm ready to head back to south Florida... and mow grass all year.) Anyway, I wanted a few weeks of hair growth (to help keep my head warm) prior to our vacation.

The posted price for a haircut at Charlie's Barber Shop is somewhere between $12 and $14. I say "somewhere," because I haven't looked in over a year. I've been getting my hair cut by "John the barber" since 1995. (John is the co-owner: he cuts hair, and Charlie, his g/f put up some of the $$ to start the shop.) When he cuts my hair, he won't accept more than $10 from me (what he was charging 12 years ago)... and heaven forbid I try to tip him.

Today, I only had Little Bear with me. After my haircut I was planning to go to Grif's -- that's why he wanted to come with me. (Tank, Sugee Boogee, and Hunny Bunny went grocery shopping in the mini van.) I brought the 20 dollar bill I found at Grif's 2 weeks ago, thinking I'd use $10 and get to keep $10... a "free" haircut. Little did I know. Before my haircut John gave Little Bear 2 presents for himself, and 2 more EACH for Tank and Sugee Boogee! Then, he wouldn't even take any money for my haircut! Talk about a "free haircut" -- I definitely got one today.

When we got to Grif's I decided the $20 would be best spent in "tip money" for the 3 guys that help me load the truck every 2 weeks. So rather than coming home with $20, I pulled out my last $1, had the cashier break the $20 and gave them $7 each. I guess I could have told them where the $$ came from, but it was nice to see their surprised faces.

The little ones are safely in bed now, but JFYI, I buzzed both boys heads after dinner -- haircuts all around today. They both look cute with short, fuzzy haircuts. So they'll look great for church tomorrow -- and hopefully none of us will get cold heads in PA next year.

The Last Minute Christmas Rush

Since Black Friday, every evening (well, every evening that I've bothered to waste my time watching the news) I've heard about the last minute Christmas shoppers and how they're clogging the stores. I have yet to experience said rush. Part of the reason is, I usually don't Christmas shop for Hunny Bunny or the "Varmints 3" during the Christmas season. This year's been no exception:

This past summer Hunny Bunny and I bought ourselves a new mattress and bed -- both of which should last 20+ years -- due to the great expense, we decided when we purchased them not to exchange gifts. But then last week I found a pair of electrical wire strippers at Home Depot that I really liked and would make work faster, easier, and much safer. So I purchased them. Then Hunny Bunny's CD/Tape player died this month... actually, all of the tape players in the house died simultaneously. So she purchased a Radio/CD/Tape player combo for herself this week. This morning we decided that since we "aren't exchanging gifts," those would be our Christmas presents to each other. Except, the DVD/VHS player died a few months back, and if we want to make DVDs of the kids' home videos for the grandparents, we're going to have to buy ourselves one more present.

I haven't shopped for the Varmints 3 because this summer we found an amazing yard sale. A divorced woman with 2 small boys was cleaning out the toys her boys didn't play with anymore. She bundled all of their Thomas the Train stuff together and put a $100 price tag on it. No one wanted to spend $100 dollars at a yard sale, so when we pulled up 10 minutes before she was going to close, it was still there. Hunny Bunny looked at the stuff and called me over. I looked at the stuff, left the lady a deposit, and quickly returned with the rest of the $100. There was somewhere between $700 and $1,000 dollars worth of Thomas the Train stuff in there! So the boys are better than "set" for this Christmas -- they're "loaded." I'm not sure what Anna's going to get, but I'm not a great shopper and have left that to Hunny Bunny. (Anna will play with the trains too, but she likes "girly-" "dolly-" and "pink-stuff" more than trains and cars.)

The 2nd reason I've yet to experience the "last minute Christmas rush" is due to the stores I've chosen to frequent. Home Depot, Grifs (the cow feed store), Imperial (the electrical supply store), and Davie Plumbing generally don't have much "Christmas rush" in them.

I think if more American women did their Christmas shopping at stores like these, American men would receive much better Christmas presents (even the shirts, pants, and gloves in Home Depot are not only practical, but also made for working), and the women would spend much less time waiting in line.

Ultrasound #1

Tuesday was Hunny Bunny's first ultrasound. She's "high risk" for problems (due to Little Bear) as well as "high risk" for a follow-up set of twins (family history, plus she's had them before).

The twins were hard for her to carry, so for her sake neither of us wanted multiples -- not twins, triplets, or any number more. For sheer "wow factor" triplets would have been amazing: 1st pregnancy, 1 child -- 2nd pregnancy, 2 children -- & 3rd pregnancy, 3 children. However, the "wow" quickly turned to "whoa" with twins. I'm sure by the end of the first night at home I would reconsider the "blessing" of triplets.

Anyway, back to the story. Her OB Dr. always orders an ultrasound ASAP -- for several reasons: high risk of problems, possibility of multiples, and to rule out birth defects. When the test began, we saw no problems, other than Hunny Bunny's bladder was very full. (In fact, it was so full, the little one was squirming around and we -- the tech and I -- could see everything pretty well.) She dated the baby at ~10 weeks. Very exciting: seeing a new baby, wondering if we'll be having a boy or a girl, and trying to decide on a name (one we both like enough to say every day for the next 18 or so years). Also somewhat sobering: one more mouth to feed, will Hunny Bunny carry this one OK, and will there be any more medical problems? In any case, we're pretty sure after 4 kids, we're done.

Kinda neat having the ultrasound so close to Christmas. Knowing there's another "present" on the way -- another "someone" to look forward to having around next Christmas. I enjoy Christmas-time; especially getting all the cards and family pictures from our many far-flung friends and relatives. I like to compare the children's pictures to the parents' and see the resemblances. I also like to compare the parents' waist lines to the ones I remember from long ago -- fun, fun. =) I've put a whole inch on my waistline since college... need to start jogging again so I can lose that.

Guess that's it for now. Thinking of starting a 2nd blog... politics only... maybe not... too much work.

My Prayer

As a rule, I'm not the most poetic of souls. I like some poetry, I read some poetry, and I even write some poetry (generally for my wife), but don't usually go out of my way for it. That said, I found a really great poem that I thought was worth repeating here:

My Prayer
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Let me not die before I've done for Thee
My earthly work, whatever it may be;
Call me not hence with mission unfulfilled;
Let me not leave my space of ground untilled!
Impress this truth upon me--that not one
Can do my portion that I leave undone;
For each one in Thy vineyard hath a spot
To labor on for life, and weary not.
Then give me strength all faithfully to toil;
Converting barren earth to fruitful soil.
I long to be an instrument of thine,
To gather worshipers unto thy shrine;
To be the means, one human soul to save
From the dark terrors of a hopeless grave.
Yet most I want a spirit of content
To work where'er thou'lt wish my labor spent,
Whether at home or in a stranger clime,
In days of joy, or sorrow's sterner time.
I want a spirit passive, to lie still,
And by Thy power, to do Thy holy will.
And when the prayer unto my lips doth rise,
"Before a new home doth my soul surprise,
Let me accomplish some great work for Thee."
Subdue it, Lord! let my petition be,
"O! make me useful in this world of Thine,
In ways according to thy will, not mine."
Let me not leave my space of ground untilled:
Call me not hence with mission unfulfilled;
Let me not die before I've done for Thee
My earthly work, whatever it may be.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
from the PRIMITIVE CHURCH (OR BAPTIST) MAGAZINE. June 1, 1864, p. 136

I couldn't find any info on who wrote it, only that it was published in the periodical mentioned above.

Books Less Than a Penny -- Books By The Pound

I've discovered a valuable resource for book-a-holics (others like me) -- actually several resources.

The first is LibraryThing.com. I've (slowly) started cataloging all of my books -- in my spare time. As they're entered I've been attempting to tag each one -- so I can sort my library by book title, location, or subject and find everything quickly. Our family has several thousand books, so finding books quickly is important to me.

The second valuable resource is Freecycle. If you have extra stuff lying around your house, find the closest group (or 2) to you, describe the item to be picked up, what major intersection you're near, and when you'll be available. Someone will be able to use your "good junk" and you won't have to throw it away. The best part is, other people are getting rid of stuff you may want. In the last week I've gotten 4 dozen books... FREE! One of the ladies in my Freecycle is a homeschooling mom that runs a bookstore!! Since "religious" and "history" titles don't sell well, she sends me an email to tell me when to come over! Now I just need to read all these great books she's given me.

The third great thing is another website: The JR Miller Archive. Yes, the same James Russell Miller that was a well known Presbyterian (no, I haven't changed churches) in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He wrote a number of books, and they're online free of charge -- almost like a "mini-Project-Gutenberg" -- only -- just one author. Now if I only had enough free time to be able to sit down and read them all.

The last wonderful thing (for now anyway) is another website: WordClay.com. It's a DIY self-publishing company. Maybe it's not exactly "wonderful," but it's at least taken away any excuses I had for not writing those books -- the ones I've had in mind for a few years now.

Heave HO!

Poor Hunny Bunny is getting sick a lot more now. She's constantly snacking -- if she ever lets her stomach empty out... she gets the heaves. If it ever gets too full... she gets the heaves. If she doesn't drink enough, or drinks too much, or smells a bad smell... she gets the heaves. She's getting strong hurling muscles in her back... they're aching from all the recent exercise. =(

I got to cook Monday night's dinner. At lunch we were talking about the left-over chicken and what we could make out of it. She decided on chicken fried rice. Chicken happens to be "one of THOSE smells." So I found a nice thick (left-over) chicken breast and shredded it (in case the taste was "one of those"). Also diced up some sweet baby carrots and a stick of celery, got out the soy sauce, the Bull-dog sauce, 2 eggs, and some spices, then went to town in a big skillet. Haven't done much cooking in awhile but it was surprisingly good... if I do say so myself. Thankfully, the flavors, smells, and texture were palatable for Hunny Bunny.

I don't mind cooking, but hopefully, she gets better soon. I hate to see her suffer (don't like hearing it either).