Two Announcements

Announcement One

Yesterday I was offered, and accepted, a new job – same employer (the county community services board), different location, and a raise by three pay grades. The job certainly looks interesting and challenging: I will be the primary therapist and case manager for adults with chronic mental illnesses, providing treatment to them and their families in their homes and in the community. I will be part of a multidisciplinary team consisting of doctors, day support/vocational rehabilitation, and advocates providing services.

Filed under: Uncategorized, blogging, controversy, employment, new opportunities, opinion, posting

The Stupidest Thing I’ve Heard This Week

A couple of parents in Sweden have decided to fight the “social construct” of gender by keeping the biological sex of their two and a half year-old offspring a secret.

Filed under: Uncategorized, biology, gender, parenting, social constructs, stupidity, Sweden

The Stupidest Thing I’ve Heard This Week

The federal government has spent nearly half a million dollars to fund a study to find out why some men would prefer not to wear condoms during sex.

Next up, a study on why people don’t like paying taxes.

Filed under: Uncategorized, condoms, NIH, stupidity, wastes of money

The Nighthawks at Jammin Java

Christine and I celebrated my brother’s birthday with him and his girl on Sunday night by catching local blues legends The Nighthawks at Jammin Java. Not much I can say about this except, well, what a show. They lit the place up and boogied like the masters that they are. For your listening pleasure, I have included a clip of them playing the old chestnut “I Wish You Would.” Enjoy!!

Filed under: Uncategorized, Jammin Java, The Nighthawks

Just Imagine

Over at The Onion’s AV Club there is an interesting post where the editorial staff writes about what fictitious world or worlds they would like to live in and why. There are some great responses. My personal favorite:

“…my fictional world is less a matter of geography than concept: I wouldn’t mind spending a week or two in the skewed reality of a Zucker-Abrams-Zucker film like Airplane! or Top Secret. How fun would that be, to have everything you say turned into a hyper-literal pun, for every stupid question to have an attendant snappy answer, and for your life to be filled with parodic non sequiturs?”

I think it’s a great question, and seeing as I lack the shame necessary to stop me from stealing a good idea, I wanted to put it to any readers who are interested. Mine is below the fold:

Filed under: Uncategorized, AV Club, fictional worlds, Hollywood, hypothetical questions, Looney Toons, The Onion, Wild West

A lucky child comes into the world

Permit me to indulge in a little sentiment:

My friends Carl and Shayna became parents this past weekend. Like anyone, I rejoice to see any friends become parents when they are ready for it, and surely these two are. I have had the privilege of their friendship for almost 10 years now, and it has been a blessing every step of the way. When I first met Carl, he was a quiet college student. When he finally started talking, I quickly became impressed with his kindness, generosity, and likability. When I first met Shayna she and Carl were dating. She was not a believer, and having her in the class I taught at church challenged me in many ways – I never prepped so hard teaching a class before. I knew she would ask tough questions but she was never unfair or unkind. Over the years the two of them have come to mean a great deal to me, and eventually, to Christine as well. In fact, Shayna was one of Christine’s bridesmaids and she sang a blistering rendition of “At Last” at our wedding.

I feel compelled to celebrate the birth of their daughter, Sophia Marie, not only because I am happy for Carl and Shayna but for Sophia’s sake as well. After 10 years in human services, I know what the odds against a kid are when he/she doesn’t have good parents. In light of this, I am pleased to be able to say that the odds are on Sophia’s side.  Big time.

So congratulations Carl, Shayna, and Sophia. Here’s to a bright future for your family.

UPDATE  Comments for this post are closed. I don’t know why the little comment link is still there. Thanks Leann for letting me know.

Filed under: Uncategorized

The Stupidest Thing(s) I’ve Heard This Week

It’s been a while since I caught an episode of American Idol, and no, I don’t miss it. First, I really don’t care which mediocre performer the audience deems worthy of a bright future playing at state fairs. Secondly, how can one “miss” anything when each development is broadcast or written about everywhere, ad nauseum?

Of course, this year there was a perceived new wrinkle in Simon Cowell’s on-going campaign to advance the dumbing down of American music: one of the two finalists, Adam Lambert, is a nail polish and eyeliner wearing shreiker of questionable sexuality while the other finalist, Kris Allen, is a married, wholesome-looking Christian former worship leader. Many in the blogosphere have become determined to stage the showdown as believer-vs.-gay guy.

Having never heard either of them, I have no opinion or concern regarding who should have won. However, Mr. Allen was declared the winner last Wednesday night. For some, his victory confirms America’s raging homophobia:

Filed under: Uncategorized, Adam Lambert, American Idol, homophobia, Jim David, Kris Allen, pointlessness, trivial things

If a blog could die from neglect…

…this one would be buried. My reasons are not that different from others whose blogs suffer from similar negligence, except that I finished freakin’ grad school!!!

But more on that later.

If anyone is wondering, i’ll get back soon, I promise.

Filed under: Uncategorized, blogging, edumacation, graduation, neglect, School

He is Risen

 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

Filed under: Uncategorized

While I Was Out

I got caught up on a couple of things at my internship and the instructor for the only class I am taking cancelled one of our major assignments, so here I am. What’s more, hundreds many a handful a couple of my beloved readers have written to ask when I plan to return, so here I find myself. What did I miss? Well: This twitter thing has caught on something fierce, a development which I absolutely did not expect. I won’t be taking this up, however. I can’t imagine that my life is that interesting minute by minute, even to me. I’m sure that I missed blogging on some other things, but for the life of me I can’t think of them right now. Consider this an invitation to do an open thread in the comments.

Books

I recently finished Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse by Victor Gischler. I think whether or not this book is for you will depend on your response to the title, because it delivers exactly what the title promises: an action-packed post-apocalyptic satire set in a future US where the most powerful business, bordering on a fiefdom, is a strip bar franchise. The humor is dark but the characters are endearing. Right now I am reading L.A. Outlaws by T. Jefferson Parker. So far, it is a good read with an interesting plot and believable characters. More after I finish it (maybe).

 TV

Battlestar Galactica came to its eagerly anticipated ending, and the results were interesting: neither the GREATEST ENDING OF ALL TIME as some critics have trumpeted nor a complete failure as other critics insist. Spoilers below:

Filed under: Books, Faith and Religion, Geek Stuff, Movies, Music, Politics, School, Uncategorized, America, Appaloosa, Arc Angels, Barack Obama, Battlestar Galactica, blogging, Christianity, churches of Christ, Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse, Grace Conversation, Jackie Earle Haley, L.A. Outlaws, progressive, T. Jefferson Parker, traditionalist, Twitter, Victor Gischler, Watchmen