Thursday, March 29, 2007

Retraction

My apologies to LeBron James. TG informs me he does in fact have a child, with one on the way.

But he still doesn't need a house that is 78 times larger than my apartment (which means it is the size of my entire building, minus one floor).

Oh, and the NBA should not give teenagers multi-million dollar contracts. Heck, I would have trouble managing that, and I'm in my 30's. I can't even imagine the mess I would have made and the trouble I would have gotten into at 19.

And the NBA needs to stop treating the colleges as a minor-league system. Kids go to college for one or two years, leave with the minimum number of credits they can, and make millions of dollars with no ability to manage it. Meanwhile, they are taking up scholarship money that should be used by students who are actually interested in getting an education.

I'm sorry. I really, really hate the NBA. And the NBA is making me hate college basketball, too.

Not that the NFL is all that much better, but at least there aren't many football players who start as freshmen.

Give me hockey and baseball. With well-developed minor league systems, kids who really don't want to go to college and just want to play ball do just that. The ones who opt for college are actually interested in being there.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

But Just So You Don't Think I'm Biased...

...these guys deserve a pat on the back.

And Let Me Just Say...

...LeBron James needs to be smacked upside the head. This "home" he is building is 78 times larger than my apartment. What does a 20 year old, with no children and no wife, who is on the road over half the year, need with a house that big? Come to think of it, what does anyone need with a house that big?

I hate professional basketball.

I plan to write more about what prompted the insane little dash down memory lane in my last post later.

But for now, can I just say that the whole thing with Bindi Irwin has just creeped me out? Her father died tragically and unexpectedly, and she's delivering a eulogy without tears at the funeral? And ever since she's been on this media swing where she's been all peppy and happy. I don't understand it.

When my dad died, prosaically and expectedly, I had planned to speak at his funeral. But when the time came, there was no way I could do it. I was totally non-functional. And I didn't recover from that easily. In fact, I still don't know if I am recovered (although I was able to make a joke yesterday about the fact that he died on April 15th, income tax day here in the US).

If it is her mother pushing her into this, then she ought to be ashamed. If this is really how the child has been, well, then I worry about what the fallout will be when reality sinks in.

Oh, and the media themselves should be ashamed as well, for all the play this eight year old has gotten.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

If you ever want to feel better about yourself, find your high school's alumni group on MySpace. See how many people are really still just fatter, drunker adolescents. Realize that you were one of the few who had the courage to actually get out of Sheraden and move on with your life. Realize that you are one of the few who finished college in a normal amount of time. Realize that a lot of people don't seem to have grasped the concept that 35 is a whole lot different than 18.

Then smile about how well you are doing, all things considered.

Then cry that so many people are still in that place.

Monday, March 26, 2007

I Also Wanted to Say...

We sang "Lift High the Cross" in church yesterday (yes, I made it for a change - I had to take the world's fastest shower to do it, but I made it).

These are the lyrics that we sang. Now, we sang this in the Catholic Church, too, but with different lyrics. I never realized how...martial this hymn was.

I admit, I don't like hymns that use military imagery to begin with. But I was struck by the dichotomy in this one this week. The same hymn that exhorts Christians with "the love of Christ proclaim" talks about "the hosts of God/in conquering ranks combine." I have issues with that.

But beyond the fact that it seems to suggest that Christians should go on a no-holds-barred attempt to convert the world, this is one of my favorite hymns.

OK. Really, I just like the music and the refrain.

OK. Just the music.

Sigh.

There is a new Anne Lamott book! Guess what I'm getting myself for...April Fools Day!

Thursday, March 22, 2007

The guy who played Larry "Bud" Melman on David Letterman died yesterday. I heard either on TV or on the radio that he had no family, so Letterman announced his death.

That is my biggest fear. Not that Letterman will announce my death, but that I will die with no one left behind and that no one will care or notice that I am gone.

Heavy thoughts for 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Yes, I know it's been a while since I have said anything substantial. I've been busy, OK? Here are some further thoughts I want to share with you.

  • Saint Augustine said a lot of really interesting things. Why did he seem so boring in my theology and philosophy classes?
  • I've decided there isn't much I can do about the lack of spritual development and adult education opportunities in my congregation. There is the Adult Forum, but that is at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. If I physically can't get up to make it to 11 a.m. services, there is no way I can do that. There is also a book study on Tuesday evenings, but I can't commit to anything then, as so many proposals we work on have a Wednesday due date. And we are such a small and highly scattered congregation (about 300 members (175 active) and a radius of about 30 miles) that more "stuff" is a difficult thing to contemplate. So, if spiritual growth won't come to Sheryl, Sheryl will go to spiritual growth. Or something like that. An Episcopal church and a Methodist church in the area are combining to conduct a workshop on Taize prayer next week (If you click the link, ignore the first thing in the article - I have no idea what spiritual molestation is, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to know). I'm registering for it because I've always appreciated Taize, and I may gain some knowledge I can bring back to my congregation.
  • My bracket for the NCAA tournament is totally screwed up, though my final four is still alive.
  • I've decided that an anonymous benefactor is going to give me a million dollars (Of course I don't know who - he or she wouldn't be anonymous then would he or she?). I am then going to buy either an overpriced condo or an overpriced cottage in a retirement community, a really cool car, and a dog with floppy ears who I will name Harvey, Jr. Then Harvey and I will travel around the country writing about all the colorful people and things we encounter. I will be declared the Jack Kerouac of my generation, and then I will go live in my condo or retirement community with my faithful Harvey Jr. by my side. It's good to have a plan, no?
  • Sonic's Vanilla Coke is a gift from God.
  • As is dried pineapple from Whole Foods.
  • Oh, and any vanilla ice cream.
  • I had a very productive day today. I bought new car insurance (don't tell LADOTD, but I've been without it for a while), opened a new bank account (Money Market account for my student loan, that has no minimum balance and no fees and 5% interest rate), picked up a prescription, and wrote a note to someone that I'm not ready to talk about yet. Oh, and I did some work, too.
  • I'm waiting to decide that I can go on vacation until I know for sure if I need to have surgery this summer (should know in April). But I really, really want to book it now and know that I can go away. I need to take time that is my own and reconnect with the part of myself that is still there, just floating around in the stratosphere lately. I've told y'all before that I'm planning to go to Holden Village and I still am. I think I've figured out how to finagle all the expenses that I'll be able to manage it.
  • The only things I miss about cable are Comedy Central, TV Land, Animal Planet, and the Food Network. I think cable companies should have a way that you can only purchase the channels you want, and you bill is prorated for those channels.
  • I shall share more stuff later this week, perhaps.

Monday, March 12, 2007

So, here are some of my random thoughts. I know you have been waiting for these with bated breath.

  • I've said it before, but my church really needs to move the late service to 11:30. I would never miss a service if they did. Or, they need to implement my other idea. The other ELCA church in my city and my church need to get together and plan a Sunday evening service. The pastors could alternate week-by-week so neither of them would get stuck week after week. They could preach the same sermon they used on Sunday morning, and an LSU music student could handle the music (they like the experience of playing and singing traditional hymns). Dude, that would be perfect.
  • Russel Stover Vanilla Creme Eggs are love.
  • I hit an earthmover this weekend. It was his fault for not leaving me room to back out.
  • I saw Zodiac this weekend. It was quite good, but it was the kind movie you had to think through. Oh, and there should be a law that you have to check your cell phones at the door of the theater if you can't control yourself.
  • In yet another way the universe should conform to meet my needs, the St Patrick's Day Parade needs to start at 11 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. That is too early to get up and too early to drink at the company party.
  • Oh, and the Pirates and Astros should play one series every year in Louisiana so I don't have to drive 5 hours just to see a big-league game.
  • Plus, I would know before the end of April if I have to have surgery this summer so I can make vacation plans.
  • I have something else floating around in my head, but I don't remember what it was. I shall have to share later.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

OK. Amazon sent me this link which is supposedly the 200 definitive albums of the Rock era. I agree with some of their choices, but the Titanic Soundtrack? 50 Cent's first album? R. Kelly? And there was no Queen listed, I don't remember seeing REM (though I could be wrong). What's up with this list? Discuss.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Not a Big Surprise...

I always said I was just slightly to the left of center - this just confirms it. The war thing is totally off, though...









Neo-Liberal
You scored 53% Personal Liberty and 31% Economic Liberty!
A neo-liberal believes in moderate government intervention on personal matters and moderate to high government intervention on economic matters. They believe in a social safety net or welfare state and try to balance personal liberty with safety or security. Some neo-liberals believe in more foreign intervention or war then most other leftists. Others are more like Centrist Democrats. More authoritarian-leaning Neo-liberals (such as personal 40/economic 30) are the result of a "fusion" between "old left" and "new right" tendencies.




My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:












free online datingfree online dating
You scored higher than 99% on Personal





free online datingfree online dating
You scored higher than 99% on Economic
Link: The Politics Test written by brainpolice on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Friday, March 02, 2007

Hello, faithful readers. At the end of this very long week, I have worked about 75 hours, including the past 24 straight. It has ben an adventure, to say the least. Now, as soon as my boss gets back, I am going to leave and get something to eat. Then I'm going to try to find a way to stay up until at least 6 tonight. If I fall asleep before that, I'm afraid I'll wake up at 11 and not be able to get back to sleep.

Perhaps tomorrow I will have the time and the energy to write something substantial. Or perhaps not. The world may never know.