Hey, somebody's got to keep that shovel from falling; Howard can't do it all!
listener--the thing about Kellogg's All-Bran cereal in the muffins is that it has the goodness of bran in a (presumably cooked) form that softens up quickly. I'll bet bran flakes would do just about the same. All-Bran also has some malt flavoring. And I hope your Mini is better soon!
Re positions on the political spectrum, IMO "left," "right," "conservative" and "liberal" are meaningless. I figured Howard to be pretty close to a Rockefeller Republican. Here's what Kurt Vonnegut had to say about it:
"I have to say this in defense of humankind: No matter in what era in history, including the Garden of Eden, everybody just got there. And, except for the Garden of Eden, there were already all these crazy games going on, which could make you act crazy, even if you weren’t crazy to begin with. Some of the games that were already going on when you got here were love and hate, liberalism and conservatism, automobiles and credit cards, golf and girls’ basketball. Even crazier than golf, though, is modern American politics, where, thanks to TV and for the convenience of TV, you can only be one of two kinds of human beings, either a liberal or a conservative. If you want to take my guns away from me, and you’re all for murdering fetuses, and love it when homosexuals marry each other, and want to give them kitchen appliances at their showers, and you’re for the poor, you’re a liberal. If you are against those perversions and for the rich, you’re a conservative. What could be simpler?"
Originally "left" and "right" referred to the seating arrangements in the pre-revolutionary French parliament; the supporters of the government were seated to the right, and its opponents to the left.
Blocked carotid artery! Yikes! Not good! But as I understand it, relatively easy to get to and fix.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) may be a new record day at work--we found out today that the courier missed a big pickup last week. Unlike last Tuesday, I will have help. Today wasn't difficult, although I had some instrument problems that took time to fix. (The detector on the gas chromatograph doesn't like to have soap water dripped into it, even if by accident…)
I loved the way you said that, about helping Howard hold up the shovel! Truth be told, our little guy could use a little help from Dr. Dean. He had a double ear infection and fell down a flight of stairs yesterday. But as his Daddy added: "All the parts still seem to be working." :-) Poor little muffin. And we had all hoped having out his tonsils and adenoids would leave him healthier.
I believe I once did know that about left and right (probably thanks to Aaron Sorkin and West Wing!). :-)
And, no sir; the good Doctor was never any stripe of Republican. He worked well with Rockefeller Republicans and James Jeffords Reoublicans, but he was ALWAYS about helping the poor and securing rights for the minorities. It's just that his views about helping and securing we're more balanced than most. In my view, laws made and upheld by moderates last the longest.
"While I believe in the Communion of Saints, I never feel I've really prayed unless it's directly to God, with no substitutes or intercessors. I mean, what sort of God doesn't listen unless someone is advocating for you? That's kind of like God as Congressman, or at least as second cousin twice removed. ;-) I'm with Julian of Norwich: God is nearer to us than our own soul. "
When in trouble or distress, most people think nothing of asking their friends here on earth to pray for them. Indeed, this is a natural impulse and the knowledge that our friends are storming the heavens on our behalf is most comforting. How much more effective and comforting, then, to ask our friends who are already in Heaven, on the spot so to speak. That's what the saints are, our friends in Heaven, nothing more and nothing less. If you don't feel comfortable talking to the saints and requesting their intercession, well, there really isn't any point asking for the prayers - intercession - of folks here on earth, since an intermediary is an intermediary and if you don't feel comfortable with one, well, then you don't feel comfortable with one. That's fine. I have no problem with it. It just strikes me as a bit odd. Go to the source, sure; but why not also enlist all the help you can?
Each of us has our own valid approach. Yours is as good for you as mine is for me.
To me, getting all the help you can makes sense in every circumstance except in the intimacy of relationship. I don't ask people to help me be in relationship with my husband, nor did my young children need help contacting me. :-) As the Rev. Martin Smith has written, speaking from his own Christian and Trinitarian approach: "Prayer is already going on in God. … Our prayer is not making conversation with God. It is being invited to participate in the relationships of intimacy between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. … Prayer is allowing ourselves to join the dance and experience the movements, the constant interplay of the Persons of the Trinity.”
Listener, may I borrow yesterday's photo to put on a YouTube of a song called "Sleigh Ride?" Come to think of it, the same photo would work well for "Winter Wonderland." If you give permission, should I say "The photo is by my friend in Vermont" or words to that effect? I'd prefer to give you *some* kind of credit, though of course I would never use your name or blog handle. "A friend in Vermont" would ease my conscience while remaining vague and anonymous..
I figure God has plenty to do; why shouldn't She subcontract some of it to Mr. Christopher and others? It's all cool.
Oh, I know Dr. Dean was always a Democrat, but I figured he was on roughly the same part of the political spectrum as the sort of Republicans who used to win elections out here in California. Like Leon Panetta and Tom Kuchel, for instance. Panetta is a particularly good example; he stayed right where he was on the political spectrum as both Republican and Democratic parties shifted to the left. What had been Republican territory became Democratic, so he changed his registration appropriately. He started out as an assistant to Kuchel, BTW. You'd search a long time before finding a better man than Alf Landon, but he and Ike would be among the many outstanding Republicans who would be anathema to the "Republican" Party today. I still hope to see the day when US politics get back on an even keel, but wouldn't bet on it.
There was frost on my car when I left work this evening; we are supposed to get two nights of temps in the mid-20's F.
Work was not as demanding today as I had anticipated, although certainly demanding enough and then some. Fingers crossed for the 31st, and I am sure next week will be a lulu. The week after that will also probably be notable. The cops are working overtime.
Hey, somebody's got to keep that shovel from falling; Howard can't do it all!
ReplyDeletelistener--the thing about Kellogg's All-Bran cereal in the muffins is that it has the goodness of bran in a (presumably cooked) form that softens up quickly. I'll bet bran flakes would do just about the same. All-Bran also has some malt flavoring. And I hope your Mini is better soon!
Re positions on the political spectrum, IMO "left," "right," "conservative" and "liberal" are meaningless. I figured Howard to be pretty close to a Rockefeller Republican.
Here's what Kurt Vonnegut had to say about it:
"I have to say this in defense of humankind: No matter in what era in history, including the Garden of Eden, everybody just got there. And, except for the Garden of Eden, there were already all these crazy games going on, which could make you act crazy, even if you weren’t crazy to begin with. Some of the games that were already going on when you got here were love and hate, liberalism and conservatism, automobiles and credit cards, golf and girls’ basketball. Even crazier than golf, though, is modern American politics, where, thanks to TV and for the convenience of TV, you can only be one of two kinds of human beings, either a liberal or a conservative. If you want to take my guns away from me, and you’re all for murdering fetuses, and love it when homosexuals marry each other, and want to give them kitchen appliances at their showers, and you’re for the poor, you’re a liberal. If you are against those perversions and for the rich, you’re a conservative. What could be simpler?"
Originally "left" and "right" referred to the seating arrangements in the pre-revolutionary French parliament; the supporters of the government were seated to the right, and its opponents to the left.
Blocked carotid artery! Yikes! Not good! But as I understand it, relatively easy to get to and fix.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) may be a new record day at work--we found out today that the courier missed a big pickup last week. Unlike last Tuesday, I will have help. Today wasn't difficult, although I had some instrument problems that took time to fix. (The detector on the gas chromatograph doesn't like to have soap water dripped into it, even if by accident…)
--Alan
I loved the way you said that, about helping Howard hold up the shovel! Truth be told, our little guy could use a little help from Dr. Dean. He had a double ear infection and fell down a flight of stairs yesterday. But as his Daddy added: "All the parts still seem to be working." :-) Poor little muffin. And we had all hoped having out his tonsils and adenoids would leave him healthier.
DeleteI believe I once did know that about left and right (probably thanks to Aaron Sorkin and West Wing!). :-)
And, no sir; the good Doctor was never any stripe of Republican. He worked well with Rockefeller Republicans and James Jeffords Reoublicans, but he was ALWAYS about helping the poor and securing rights for the minorities. It's just that his views about helping and securing we're more balanced than most. In my view, laws made and upheld by moderates last the longest.
"You can't ride in my red wagon..."
ReplyDeleteLeft a message about Penny's work on the last thread.
ReplyDeleteAnd speaking of records, we've only had a trace of snow this December. That's a tie for the record.
"While I believe in the Communion of Saints, I never feel I've really prayed unless it's directly to God, with no substitutes or intercessors. I mean, what sort of God doesn't listen unless someone is advocating for you? That's kind of like God as Congressman, or at least as second cousin twice removed. ;-) I'm with Julian of Norwich: God is nearer to us than our own soul. "
ReplyDeleteWhen in trouble or distress, most people think nothing of asking their friends here on earth to pray for them. Indeed, this is a natural impulse and the knowledge that our friends are storming the heavens on our behalf is most comforting. How much more effective and comforting, then, to ask our friends who are already in Heaven, on the spot so to speak. That's what the saints are, our friends in Heaven, nothing more and nothing less. If you don't feel comfortable talking to the saints and requesting their intercession, well, there really isn't any point asking for the prayers - intercession - of folks here on earth, since an intermediary is an intermediary and if you don't feel comfortable with one, well, then you don't feel comfortable with one. That's fine. I have no problem with it. It just strikes me as a bit odd. Go to the source, sure; but why not also enlist all the help you can?
Each of us has our own valid approach. Yours is as good for you as mine is for me.
DeleteTo me, getting all the help you can makes sense in every circumstance except in the intimacy of relationship. I don't ask people to help me be in relationship with my husband, nor did my young children need help contacting me. :-) As the Rev. Martin Smith has written, speaking from his own Christian and Trinitarian approach: "Prayer is already going on in God. … Our prayer is not making conversation with God. It is being invited to participate in the relationships of intimacy between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. … Prayer is allowing ourselves to join the dance and experience the movements, the constant interplay of the Persons of the Trinity.”
Listener, may I borrow yesterday's photo to put on a YouTube of a song called "Sleigh Ride?" Come to think of it, the same photo would work well for "Winter Wonderland." If you give permission, should I say "The photo is by my friend in Vermont" or words to that effect? I'd prefer to give you *some* kind of credit, though of course I would never use your name or blog handle. "A friend in Vermont" would ease my conscience while remaining vague and anonymous..
ReplyDeleteYou are ALWAYS invited to use my photos for Art purposes, save only any that include my Grands. :-)
DeleteI figure God has plenty to do; why shouldn't She subcontract some of it to Mr. Christopher and others? It's all cool.
ReplyDeleteOh, I know Dr. Dean was always a Democrat, but I figured he was on roughly the same part of the political spectrum as the sort of Republicans who used to win elections out here in California. Like Leon Panetta and Tom Kuchel, for instance. Panetta is a particularly good example; he stayed right where he was on the political spectrum as both Republican and Democratic parties shifted to the left. What had been Republican territory became Democratic, so he changed his registration appropriately. He started out as an assistant to Kuchel, BTW. You'd search a long time before finding a better man than Alf Landon, but he and Ike would be among the many outstanding Republicans who would be anathema to the "Republican" Party today. I still hope to see the day when US politics get back on an even keel, but wouldn't bet on it.
--Alan
Cat, regarding God being present to us in the smallest of ways...
DeleteYou perhaps forget that a power infinitely great must also be infinitely little.
Looks like our mild December is over: Temperature is down to 12F.
ReplyDeleteThere was frost on my car when I left work this evening; we are supposed to get two nights of temps in the mid-20's F.
ReplyDeleteWork was not as demanding today as I had anticipated, although certainly demanding enough and then some. Fingers crossed for the 31st, and I am sure next week will be a lulu.
The week after that will also probably be notable. The cops are working overtime.
--Alan