I enjoy listening to short podcasts (and long ones too) and one of my favorites is The Writer’s Almanac. A few weeks ago Keillor read a poem that (I think) describes the old me (some would say the current me). You can find it here.
They look so happy, don’t they?
After ordering one stand-alone DSL line and getting confirmations for two DSL lines, I spent 40 minutes on the phone with 5 different people (including one who was so quiet I thought I was listening to someone doing an imitation of me on the phone). The next to last person sent me all the way back to the first number I dialed! In the end, it worked out, but not without much frustration – and I can’t afford to lose any more hair.
This week’s This American Life eerily prefigured my experience; check out Act 2.
I’ve been on the road 4 out of the last 6 weeks. I have a laptop, but hooking that up to family member’s persnickety broadband connections can sometimes be more trouble than it’s worth. Enter Google. For some time now, they’ve been touting a web app version of most of the things I use for office-y type communications. So, I decided to give it a try. All in all, a good experience. Set up was fast and easy (I even set up a new Gmail account) and all services are tied to one login. Here’s the list of apps I used on the road (and now at home):
What I liked about the Google App stuff:
A few things that drive me crazy:
Perhaps it’s just me, but I don’t think the opportunity to get rid of JUNK around your house suddenly turns you into the next Antiques Road Show or Christie’s Auction House. We had a neighborhood garage sale this Saturday and unlike many of our fellow merchants, both here and across town, we priced things to move. Was this chair worth $50? Who cares! Price it at $10 and get rid of it!
The phrase “we originally paid blah blah for this” does not apply at a garage sale. Nobody cares. Here’s a snapshot of a conversation that Krista had with a gentleman who wanted to buy a rug that we wanted to get rid of:
Guy: How much for that rug?
Krista: $10
Guy: How about $5?
Krista: I’ll give it to you for $7.50.
Guy: I’ll take it, here’s $7.50.
This all took place in less than 10 seconds. He got a rug. We got rid of a rug and get to have a cheap lunch sometime in the near future. Everybody wins. I don’t have to haul a heavy rug to the trash or a donation site. But most importantly, I avoid the “people pretending to understand and participate in a free market society” drama.
1) Krista came to me several days ago and said “I think I want to start drinking coffee.” My first response was “don’t play with me, it’s not funny.” But it’s true. Apparently, Coffeemate and Splenda ease first timers into the dark underbelly of the sacred bean.
I told her that three years ago, I placed a small café table (donated by Gretchen and Chris) outside on our patio and prayed fervently that one day, we would drink coffee together in the cool mornings while rifling through morning papers and online content. Monday, I ground the beans, boiled the water, and steeped the French Press; then we sat down. For a whole 3 minutes. Then the child awoke and we moved the impressionist painting indoors. Note: when you move a mentally contrived impressionistic café scene indoors, it loses something; especially with the addition of a 2 year old.
2) Dr. Francis Beckwith – a wonderful philosopher, professor at Baylor, and president of ETS – joined the Roman Catholic Church (a move that both garnered sharp criticism and rousing praise).
In typical ABC Lost fashion, I ask “how are these two events connected?”
I’m in New England.
Did I miss some piece of northeast etiquette about bagels? Each time the server asked if I wanted it toasted; each time I said no; each time they charred it beyond anything edible and served it to me anyway.
Three times they burned me, the fourth time I gave in and said “yes, please toast it.” Next, I’ll slip and let them put that stupid cream and sugar in the coffee for me without asking (“regular,” as they like to call it).
Happy birthday to my favorite 2 year old!
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You scored as Jürgen Moltmann. The problem of evil is central to your thought, and only a crucified God can show that God is not indifferent to human suffering. Christian discipleship means identifying with suffering but also anticipating the new creation of all things that God will bring about.
Which theologian are you? |
This was an old draft I found while cleaning out my drafts. I think it was from around the end of April. Which theologian are you?
