Gorp Soliloquy

Maybe the best Impulse Buying Website Ever!

2012-01-08T07:12:00.000-08:00

Don't visit this web site: www.steepandcheap.com.

...Especially if you like to play in the great outdoors.

You think you're strong because you have not drained this month's pay check at REI.com. You have kept your wits about you on Sierra Trading Post despite the pervasive deal time flyers spamming your inbox. But with Steep & Cheap you're toast.

Steep & Cheap is an online store that sells one outdoor product at a time for a ridiculously low price for 25min. or until it's gone. Outdoor Research, Arxteryx, Mountain Hardware, Sierra Designs, Black Diamond, Oakley, Smith... they sell the good stuff. And you know how great deals can often be found if you wear size 20 shoes? Or pants are heavily discounted if you are rolling with 42"x28" measurements. Steep and cheap actually has the range of normal sizes of stuff, but at very limited quantities for a very limited time.

What is the catch? Well I've looked into the prices and they actually are about the best deals I've ever seen. I google search each product that interests me and have yet to find that product for near the S&C price anywhere else. Generally the deals run 50-75% off of retail, and sometimes 80%+ off. Here are some examples:

Smith Serpico Sunglasses: $32.99. Sold Everywhere for $80-$120.
Mountain Hardware Cohesion Jacket: $89.99. Sold Everywhere for $120-164.

So the prices aren't the catch. But that's the problem! The price is right for only ~25min. and then it's gone and it makes me want to buy everything! I have yet to drop a dollar on it, but I've pined over about $500 worth of stuff already this week. The catch is that they have designed it to be impulse irresistible.

How I Plan to Score (and still have money left for food).

Well, there are actually 4 web sites running this same gig. They all carry a different variety of outdoor products. (Cycling, trendy, hardcore outdoor). I track all 4 of these web sites here: http://www.sacalerts.com/steepandcheap_tracker.php

These 4 sites seem to be linked to the BackCountry Outdoor Gear Store. This is like the outlet for their outlet. What I don't like about the typical outlet is that many products have very limited sizes available. Currently S&C sells products that are available across a normal range of sizes--so the shopping experience is pretty high quality if the listing is a product you want. I wouldn't be surprised if other stores started copying this model soon.

My strategy is to drop money on products I have already decided I want before they are listed. I've set a price bar in my mind. For example, I want the Black Diamond elliptical trekking poles. If S&C lists them for $45 or less, I'm in. This should keep me from going bananas (so I can afford bananas). I've noticed that they will often list products a couple of times if they didn't sell out the first time. Several of the products they have listed have been sitting on my Amazon wish list for a while at much higher prices--so I wait.

Of course if you don't like waiting, just buy everything that strikes your fancy. :)
Just kidding.

MP3 Player Quest (Part 5)

2012-01-08T05:58:00.000-08:00

Sick of obsessing over options after losing my Samsung Q3 in Costa Rica, I purchased a Clip+ to tide me over.

We'll it does everything I want it--perfectly. Combined with my MEElectronics M6 ear buds, which are really great ear buds that compete against much higher priced in-ear monitors, I've stopped thinking about mp3 players much. Yes, the Q3 had a great screen and battery life and I would have bought another if they were available, the Clip+ is more than a tide me over device. It's inexpensive, small, light, has a usable clip, has folder navigation, intuitive no look buttons, and the sound quality is brilliant. Everyone should own one if they primarily want an audio player for working around the house, changing the oil, running, or stuffing in your pocket for your next adventure.

MP3 Player Quest (Part 4)

2011-04-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for the perfect MP3 player for a long time. My requirements:

Great sound.
Good price.
Good battery life.
Tactile controls.
Drag and drop content like a thumb drive.

That last one is huge. I tried the 4GB Zune and the physical player I loved, but Microsoft shackels users to the most inane and arcane software imaginable--Zune Player to manage the music. Windows Media Player, also a Microsoft product, doesn't work with the Zune. This I will never understand and it killed the experience for me.

Enter the Samsung Q3. It ticks all the boxes for me. Great sound. Only $54 for the 4GB model. 30 hours battery life. Tactile controls and drag and drop bliss. The bundled head phones were also really good. Usually bundled headphones are garbage. Here's a small picture from Samsung's web site.

I owned the perfect player for 1 month, then I lost it in Costa Rica! Well, good luck finding another one. Samsung doesn't ship this player to the United States. The retailer I purchased my first one from no longer has stock and will not be getting any more.

Samsung does produce a similar player, the R0, which is $85 for an 8GB player. I may end up with this player eventually, but I'm still holding out for the Q3 to be shipped to the US market.

In the mean time, I purchased a Sandisk Clip+ for $44 to tide me over. It ticks almost all the boxes. It's main failing is the 12 hour battery life (and less as the player ages). I'll be monitoring Samsung's offerings for now and hoping that the Q4 is amazing and available on these shores.

If you are anything like me and would like a tactile player with drag and drop control and great sound, our options are slim. I'd say that right now, the Clip+ and R0 are two of the top contenders. The Cowon i9 is pretty close to the mark as well. Cowon sound is renowned, but the price is higher than the Sandisk or Samsung offerings.

Thus continues my quest...

E = A + S

2011-04-27T03:39:00.000-07:00

Exposure is the most important photographic concept to understand. We've all heard Einstein's famous equation: E = MC² which states that matter and energy are basically two forms of the same thing, but for photographers, E = A + S. Get this one in your brain, and your skills as a photographer will improve.

Exposure = Aperture + Shutter Speed

Here are some practical definitions:

Exposure: The total amount of light that hits the sensor (or film) for a given picture. If too much light hits the sensor, then the picture will be overexposed (too bright). Too little light and it will look underexposed (too dark).

Aperture: The size of the hole that allows light to shine through a lens. Aperture is referred to by what photographers call f-stops. Typical f-stops are f2.8, f3.5, f4, f5.6, f8, f11, f16 The smaller the number, the larger the hole. For example, f2.8 is a large hole and f20 is a small hole. Each f-stop lets in twice the light of the previous f-stop.

Shutter Speed: How long the camera's shutter is open. This is easy to understand. If light hits a camera's sensor for a very short period of time, the exposure will be less than if light hits the sensor for a longer period of time.

Aperture + Shutter Speed: These two settings effect the amount of light hitting the sensor and for how long the light hits the sensor. To achieve the correct exposure these two settings much always balance out. (The Equation balances just like any other math equation--yes, this is math in real life). So if the lens is opened wider (like f2.8 verses f8) then the shutter speed must be shorter to achieve a correct exposure. Stop down the lens to f8 (as compared with f2.8) in the same lighting conditions and the shutter speed must be increased for the same exposure. Photographers are always keeping this balance in mind.

The Exciting Part!

Depth of Field: The effect of changing the aperture (lens opening) is called depth of field. This is the first thing I consider when taking a picture. Do I want everything in focus (as in a landscape shot) or do I want the background to be blurry (as in a portrait).

Most portraits work best with a blurry background. That means I want a very shallow depth of field. The eyes may be in focus, but their nose may not be. To achieve this, use a wide open aperture (f2.8 or wider). You can think of it this way: small f-number yields a small depth of field.

Most landscape shots work best with near and far objects in focus. To achieve this, choose a larger f-stop like f11 or f16 (some lenses close down even further to f20, f22, or even smaller). Remember: larger f-number yields a very large depth of field.

It's counter intuitive because a larger number means a smaller hole in the lens for light, but a larger depth of field (more things are in focus). Just remember: small number (large hold) yields small depth of field and larger number (small hole) yields a larger depth of field.

Shutter Speed: The effect of changing the shutter speed controls motion. Sometimes you want things to be blurry (like moving water). Sometimes, you want motion to be frozen in time (like a sports shot). Shutter speeds are measured in fractions of a second. When the camera shows a 60 on the screen, that means 1/60th of a second. If the camera shows a 500, that means 1/500th of a second. Most cameras go up to 1/2000th of a second. What do you think the shutter speed was for this picture?

It was about 1/80th of a second. Pretty slow right? But I wanted the background and the cyclist's feet to look blurry to show motion. For this picture I used a technique called panning in which I moved the camera to follow the cyclist. This created a nicely blurred background which communicates motion. It's a lot more exciting picture than if I had taken it at 1/1000th of a second.

This pelican was about to land and I wanted to freeze the action. The shutter speed here was more like 1/800th. A slower shutter speed would have given me a blurry wings or even a blurry bird.

Think about the picture you are wanting to take. Is it bright outside? That means you will require a faster shutter speed to achieve the correct exposure. Are you taking a portrait with a shallow depth of field (like at f2.8). That's a wide open lens and a lot of light is coming in. Therefore, you will use a faster shutter speed to achieve a correct exposure. But if you are taking a landscape shot at dusk then the settings would be very different. First off, you would want to select a larger f-stop number like f16 to get a deep depth of field. But that's a very small hole for light to enter the camera. If it's already dim outside, that means you would need a very long shutter speed and it might require a tripod. Every landscape photographer carries a tripod for just this reason.

This link shows examples of the effects of fast and slow shutter speeds and large and small aperture settings. Notice how the depth of field changes (aperture) and how motion is either blurred or frozen in time (shutter speed).

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=29686375

You're on your way to becoming a much better photographer.

Starting Chess Clubs

2009-12-10T14:58:00.001-08:00

Here's what I think I know about starting a chess club at school. Tomorrow is the first meet.

I have 8 boards (about 35 pounds of competition chess peices and vinal boards in a box).

Will 16 people show? My guess: 12.

I think 10 of them will already have some chess experience.

I'll have some that give up after the first meet.

Others will want to stay and play for 3 hours.

It will be more fun than work.

"Check mate": Ange, can I start a chess club?

Crossing my fingers.

**********Update************

I wasn't too far off. 14 people showed and 2 of them had no chess experience. We had a dandy time matching up for some friendly game play. So we take the first step to world domination.

I hate blogging.

2009-12-08T12:51:00.000-08:00

Just kidding.

"Seth, Come Down! For I'm Going to Your House Today"

2009-01-24T05:41:00.000-08:00

The Obama inaguration was the highlight of my week. We arrived at Union Station at 8:30am. Should have been there by 5. The line for the bathroom was an Anaconda. No toilet paper and impatient woman from the much longer snake to the ladies room were using the men's room too. Talk about change.

Anyhow, we saw Dikembe Mutombo in Union Station. He didn't need to arrive early. He can see over the crowd.

So we waited on the bathrooms for 45min. then hit the streets. I had 15 government students with me and 3 other sponsors. We tried the southern route to get to the mall, but there was a crowd jam because a little boy had been hit by a car. The crowd was so thick that the ambulence was marooned there at the intersection, so we turned around to hike north around the capital building. May barricaded streets let us to make quite a detore so that we approached the mall from the south near the Washington monument. They had closed off entries to the mall due to a maxed out capacity. We could see the crowd over the crest of a hill, but the mass was not moving, so even the jumbotron monitors were out of range. We were able to hear the address from our section of the sardine can.

Folks were climbing trees, perching on top of the porta potties, and on each other's shoulders. It was warm in the mass and the mood was light despite our distance from the action.

Idea for Christmas

2008-11-30T08:08:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to write up a short review of Forschner knives for a while--because everyone cutting food anywhere should have a few sharp knives.

Angela and I are knife snobs. She has Wusthof knives and we recieved Cutco knives from Heather on our wedding day. You get what you pay for with knives at this level. They are a joy to use. But for non-snobs who havn't thought to ever plunk down $300 for a few good knives I'm happy report that there are Forschner knives. They are good enough for production kitchens (Chipotle for one).

Forschner knives don't have the glitzy sports car look. Most have hypo-allergic nearly indestructable Nylon--"Fibrox"--handles. Right then. Life time warranty. High carbon stainless steel rust proof blades.

So what? Well, they are as sharp and hold an edge like the Wosthof knives we own. And... they are cheap. Cheap! (for the quality). They are better than what you can buy at Kitchen Collection or Walmart. They compete with the best overpriced peices at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

Check them out: www.cadcutlery.com

If you have no high quality knives you should start with a Chef's knife. Then add the following to your set.

7" or 8" Chef knife (one wavy edge and one straight edge).
A couple paring knives. (one wavy edge and one straight edge).
10" wavy edge bread knife (under kitchen knives).

Or see if one of the knife sets fits your needs. Keep them in a block. Don't put them in the dishwasher and the edge will last for a very long time between sharpenings.

Non-Writing

2008-11-30T08:01:00.000-08:00

Non-writing is my new hobby. It a lot easier to find non-readers and stimulate non-creativity. Granted, I've been busy.

planned a wedding.
got hitched.
moved 3000+ miles.
started teaching Geometry.
havn't taken Geometry for 12 years.
trying to unpack the house.

So there!

That's a Lot of Hot Air

2007-12-06T21:21:00.000-08:00

It felt like the tropics, only at high velocity. We wore jackets more for protection from small flying projectiles than for warmth. Last weekend's storm formed from typhoons out near Hawaii and left me stranded in Astoria without power for a couple days. I was able to return home to Portland Tuesday morning when they opened one lane of I-30, but even then we were forging rivers. Dozens of electric company trucks were passing me headed into the disaster zone from as far away as Salt Lake City.

Well, large flying projectiles (such as 2x4s and corrugated metal siding) and trees fallen across the road were the only dangers we encountered on the way to the beach Monday morning. The wind was blowing hard enough then that even the soaked sand of the beach was taking to the air. In all it was quite an adventure. Electricity is slowing moving back up the county line to warm, feed, and entertain the people who lived through this really fantastic storm. I've never been to Hawaii, but as of last weekend, Hawaii has been to me.

When Nature Goes Bizzerk

2007-11-16T09:29:00.000-08:00

I've never seen a sea bird act like this. Psychotic bats despairing over blindness and badly befuddled sonar I'd expect to flirt with death like this. Even well adjusted bats have buzzed me at times, but nothing like this bird that buzzed Jenna last weekend. The bird hovered just a few feet over the dogs head, easily within striking distance, and just long enough for the kill instinct to pump adrenalin to her Malamute brain. A 200 yard chase down the beach ensued with Jenna launching into the air, twisting, and nipping. Picture how teenage cats romp when teenage boys tease them by shining laser pointers on the wall. Well, the bird failed the suicide mission if that was it's goal. But the chase lasted a surreal minute and a half--most of which I was too dumb and confused to capture anything exciting. Just these.

God's Will

2007-10-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

I found it in Astoria. Though not exactly what I had in mind, when God does try to fit inside my mind, it's usually to change it.

MP3 player saga: c150, e240.

2007-07-06T15:09:00.000-07:00

The Apple iPod, as everything Apple does, is aggrandized iCandy, and you don't need an iExam to notice that the prices are a bit higher than the competition. Though the billions of people sporting an iPod right now think they are different and technologically discriminating, there are still a few who like products that work well without the "get mugged on the street" appeal (though the iPhone is the new product to be mugged for).

So I've been looking around for the simple alternative. Nothing wrong with the iPod I suppose, but I don't want to spend that much, and I don't care for being forced to use iTunes and proprietary file conversion. (I also like an FM tuner and the option to record voice notes). Not to mention that when the iPod battery goes south in a year or so, it's an expensive repair. The Sansa E240 seemed like a perfect fit. I wrote an article on it in Jan. 2006. Problem is...

Yeah, a cracked screen put an end to that party within the first week of ownership. I must admit that Sandisk sent me a new one that is working fine today, but I carefully shroud it in an expensive leather case and gingerly play music when needing some gentile relaxation. I don't think I would sumo wrestle with this player though it is advertised as having a rugged titanium back--the screen is fragile

Now my other (lost then found) cheap Sandisk 512mb player is about unbreakable. I paid $60 for that one and it has proven more hardy than my $130 Sandisk e240 which was the intended replacement. So now I have two Sandisk players. The little cheap 512mb one that is rugged and very easy to drag and drop media to quickly; and the larger more feature rich, but seemingly fragile 4GB player. I suppose I'm satisfied with this combo, but it has taught me that maybe less is more. I loan the 4GB player to Angela, and it holds most of my music collection, and I am constantly swapping podcasts to my 512mb player for running and toting around.

But I'm still on the lookout for new solutions for versatile players that could fill the cheap, sturdy, iPod alternative niche. The Creative Stone Plus is worth a look. It's sturdy, very small, drag and drop, and inexpensive. I like it because it will support mp3/WMA files, has an FM tuner, a voice recorder, is extremely small, 2GB of memory, has a screen, and looks and feels sturdy. That's all good really, but the price is the same as the 1GB iPod shuffle which lacks a tuner, recorder, and screen. So with several useful features, twice the memory, and a price of $69, it's quite a deal. Of course it comes in various color options.

Could be a good first or auxiliary mp3 player. Creative also makes a Stone without a screen at 1GB for $39 which is as good as the iPod shuffle which cost's $74. The extra price of the Stone Plus is worth it in my book just for the screen and extra 1GB of memory.

Day at the Grotto

2007-06-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

Dressing up for a date is the closest life comes to being a butterfly in a rose garden for a day. It really was a nice setting, and here are some pictures of Angela from the Grotto.

New Macros

2007-06-28T20:49:00.001-07:00

Greetings,

I'm still alive and have some new macro shots in my galleries. The featured flower is the wild Columbia lily, with a 1.5 inch bloom. It's the only lily native to the Pacific Northwest.

Thanks for looking.

Angela

2007-05-05T09:46:00.000-07:00

Angela and I met in college on a snowboarding trip. Five year later we seem to have stumbled onto the same trail and into love. God's surprises are best.

Alphabet Soup in Astoria

2007-05-05T09:37:00.000-07:00

Darcy's rules were to find the Alphabet in non-letter shapes. I added a few rules of my own:

1. Alphabet must be taken sequentially. 2. One shot per letter. 3. We couldn't shoot the same subject for the same letter.

Here's what I came up with.

Alphabet Soup

2007-05-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

Alphabet Soup

2007-05-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

Alphabet Soup

2007-05-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

Alphabet Soup

2007-05-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

Alphabet Soup

2007-05-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

"Like Coming Home"

2007-04-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

The First Buick I've Loved

2007-01-26T16:37:00.000-08:00

Political Satire (One Liners)

2007-01-26T12:33:00.000-08:00

No one has done more to disprove evolutionary theory than Gorge W Bush.

What's in a Name?

2007-01-21T20:02:00.000-08:00

Two of my new favorite web sites:

1. Chocolate
2. Boats

To Be Known

2007-01-20T23:14:00.000-08:00

To Be Known

I live inside myself
Conscious of thoughts
At times I'd want withheld
And I do hide--usually by choice.

Cruel twist, my shaking core,
This collection of human emotion;
Born from the plot line of loves failed
Seeks again to be examined.

So lift my eyes to the window,
Study this blush of affection,
And see if being known
Is where you want to be.

The Desire of This Age

2007-01-14T11:22:00.000-08:00

***Update: The project is underway. If you would like to join, I would love co-readers and co-authors as we blog through The Desire of Ages this year.***

wallygoots.wordpress.com

Last year I read the Bible. This year I have decided to read the Desire of Ages. It's more than a goal to read a book. I want to be in Christ. The Bible is heavy with accumulation of this theme. Everything that we are not and hope to be has it's fulfillment in Christ. There is just something about being "in" and to experience this is to know the mysteries of conversion.

I would love to have company and dialog. So if you are looking to be in Christ this year, you should join me. 5 chapters a week; you may pick up with me any week; any chapter. It's never to late to participate.

This week:

God With Us
The Chosen People
The Fullness of Time
Unto You a Saviour
The Dedication

Quote of the Day: God With Us.

"In Christ we become more closely united to God than if we had never fallen."

Now doesn't that make your socks roll up and down?

Catching Up With iKids

2007-01-13T18:15:00.000-08:00

Apple is the evil genius behind what every person under the age of 29 will soon want. Ah, marketing. So to clue in adults everywhere, first some vocab (that even I, at age 30, have learned):

"iPod" -- It's the most popular digital music player in the world, created by the Apple company. Basically, song files can be taken from CDs (ripped) and put on your computer's hard drive. Songs, movies, and other media content can also be downloaded from the internet. Apple's iPod has a tiny hard drive or flash card with capacities of 2-80 gigs. 2 gigs will store and play about 28 hours of music. iPod really isn't an MP3 player because Apple uses a proprietary file type. (MP3 is a compressed format). There are many digital music players by other companies that recognized MP3, and other compressed format media.

"Cell Phone" -- Yeah, you know, but younger folks think differently than we do. A cell phone is a small computer used for constant connection with friends. It's like what you didn't discover the internet was until just recently--a constant connection. Beyond this, a cell phone is a powerful status symbol for a young kid. Should it be? Maybe not, but that is why kids are scrambling to buy coveted cell phone models for prices that make my socks jump down my ankles and into the toes of my shoes.

"TM" -- Not Trade Mark, Text Messaging. Kids peck lines of text out on their phone keypads at 10+ words per minute these days. It's astounding--why don't they just call their friends? Well because, they can text in class while pretending to pay attention, it uses less air time, and it's more exclusive.

So then, this weekend Apple Computer (Now Apple Incorporated) introduced iPhone. Think about how a kid would view the merging of Christmas, Halloween, and Disney Land. It's the new iPhone. Seamless music player, video player, complete internet function, large hi-rez completely touch sensitive screen for movies or slide shows, and yes... it's a very slick phone with 2MP camera.

I've never owned anything made by Apple (no ipod, no imac) other than their free iTunes software for managing podcasts, and I don't think I'll be shelling out $499 anytime soon for an iPhone, but you can bet that a kid near you will be able to show you what it's all about soon. If you just can't wait, crank up your fast internet and watch the iPhone release keynote speech (only two hours long) at Apple.com and be up on technology.

*picture viewed from the Apple's web site.

The Decider is Also The Planner

2007-01-10T22:03:00.000-08:00

"If the Iraqi government does not follow through on its promises, it will lose the support of the American people and it will lose the support of the Iraqi people. Now is the time to act." - Bush.

I believe that any country who's leaders lie stand to lose the support of the people.

Read the article here.

Mark (My Words): Part 2

2007-01-09T21:24:00.000-08:00

Another brain twitching curiosity from Mark:

Mark 11:12-14

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.

The parallel story is in Matthew 21:18-22. Basically, Jesus finds no fruit so with a word He smites the tree and it withers immediately. Sounds a lot like Ananias and Sapphira. But have you considered .... it wasn't the season for figs! No wonder the tree was figless.

Nothing is void of context, but if it were, some interesting questions arise from this story:

1. Who in their right mind talks to trees? (Of course trees don't wither for crazy people).

2. Does God smite things that don't serve His desires?

3. Finally, what did Jesus mean to teach? Surely this lesson is not the same as the vine in John
15 where unfruitful branches are cut off and thrown into the fire. What kind of twisted theology would have God cursing every unfruitful believers for failing to produce fruit out of season. (And is there a season were a believer naturally dose not bear fruit?). This is a dark teaching. No, the lesson intended must be very different, but what is it?

Thankfully we do have context for this story. This may be a piece that doesn't seem at first to fit, but we know it belongs inside the puzzle that is God's character. May this and every scripture fall subject to what we already know collectively about God's wisdom and love.

What do you think?

Mark (My Words): Part 1

2007-01-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

I read the Bible in 2006 starting on page 1 in January and finishing on 1383 new years eve. I hit Mark Novemberish; and Mark is still jabbing back. If you have compared the gospels, you know it's an action verb book, but what shocked me were snippets like the following:

Mark 8:23-26

He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"

He looked up and said, "I see people: they look like trees walking around."

Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."

The two best things about the Bible are what is said, and what goes unsaid. Only talking to Mark, Jesus, or the blind man, could here reveal hidden motives and surrounding oddities. Isn't it like God to allow curiosity? Hit me on the following questions:

1. What made Jesus need to lead the man out of the village and then instruct him not to go back?

2. When Jesus spit on his eyes, were they opened or closed? (I'm assuming this is not the same man that Jesus made mud for).

3. And now, I'm most curious about the two phase healing. Did Jesus really need a second try? Was the man hanging onto darkness? And did Jesus know when he asked the question--"Do you see anything?"--what the man's eyes were doing?

What does this mean for us?

Admit It, You're Reading This!

2007-01-05T21:54:00.000-08:00

It has come to my attention that not everyone knows how to leave comments. (And bloggers relish comments). You don't even have to sign up or sign in here at blogger in order to leave comments.

At the bottom of each post is an underlined link that will open the comments page. My link says "clever comments."

1. Click on "clever comments" for the post that offended you.
2. Type your comment in the comment box.
3. Click on the bubble by "Other" or "Anonymous."
4. Type the funky colored letter code into the word verification box (this feature is so I don't get spammed).
5. Click on "Publish Your Comment."

And if you check anonymous, please type your name in the post, so I know who to love.

Now go be clever.

Gallery Bulletin (1)

2007-01-02T20:44:00.000-08:00

I've posted new shots in my Animals, Lake Chelan, and Friendly Faces Galleries.

Woof! That's my house dog Cherokee begging for a little game of fetch.

Breathtaking possibilities

2007-01-01T19:38:00.000-08:00

This could be the year Jesus comes! It could be that I find a job I love this year. Maybe a woman I've always loved in spirit will have a name and face in my heart. Maybe Calculus will make sense. In 2006, God seemed slow at keeping promises, and I was slow to trust His timing, which worked out in my favor on nearly every point. He proves his promises and the power of his Word calms storms as fierce as they ever were.

What about you? Knowing the world is falling to pieces, are you also ready to see His face?

Lists

2006-12-11T22:36:00.000-08:00

McSweeney has this thing going where readers post lists of very random and funny things never before considered. For example:

The Hierarchy of Candy
Other Drinks That Can be Made by Just Adding Chocolate Syrup
Nuclear Plants or Retirement Community
What the "It" Refers to in Gatorade's "Is It in You?" Campaign
Apparent Passions of My Upstairs Neighbors
Pickup Lines: The First Drafts

Now, one of my own:

Reasons to Hate MySpace

"My Computer" (microsoft) meets "iPod" (apple) for a really cheesy name scheme. Proof that self-centered themes sell.

Soft core dating adds: "Is she saucy? Are You?" "Naughty or nice?" "Spankin!"

My space tells me that people who are already my friends want to be my friends.

That "view all my friends" button can be really depressing. You mean, that's all the friends I have. I shouldn't have deleted Tom! And why did 14 of my friends request to be connected to me and then never even say hello?

The "remember me" button when signing in has never worked for me. I have to reintroduce myself every time I access myspace. "Hi Tom, I'm Seth. Here's my password." Why do I need a password if it's my space? Got cookie!

Classified adds. Did you know myspace has classifieds. Classic case of mediocrity by trying to be too much for too many.

The handful of messages I receive from profiles that have been removed before I check my inbox.

Friend requests from "SoHot99" saying, "Dude u r so fine. Check out my naked pictures at my other website..."

Intrusive advertising has never been more an invasive of personal eye space. Migraine! Makes me want to pull my shirt over my head and run away yodeling.

Tom pretends to be your friend. Tom, your not my friend. And you really need to update that lo-fi picture.

Wallygoots.com is Dead

2006-12-07T23:01:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit sad for the demise of www.wallygoots.com. It's a little piece of me that I've put to hibernation for lack of money, time, and purpose. I'm still a bit knotted up. It has been my corner of the internet for 2 years--my morsel of ownership in this mega-complex of information called the web.

No worries, I'll still be here in the blogosphere.

And here posting pictures: wallygoots.smugmug.com

Good bye wallygoots. It's been internetastic.

Bummer Stickers (2)

2006-11-12T20:53:00.000-08:00

Here's a couple recent witticisms from the makers of bumper banners:

"I may be fat, but your ugly, and I can diet."

"Cosmic Fish"

"Someday we'll look back on all this, laugh nervously, and change the subject."

"I like poetry, long walks on the beach, and poking dead things with sticks."

"If it ain't country, it ain't."

"Obviously, my treasure is in heaven." (on an early 80's Honda Civic hatchback).

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups"

"And God spoke from a FIERY Bush" (Emphasis retained).

">/bush>" (an html programing code for "terminate command")

And now a new section: Personalized license plates.

"Big Cat" (on a Catillac land yacht).

"Mid Lfr" (on a little yellow Miata--ha! My Dad has one just like it)

Evil Kanevil

2006-11-10T21:16:00.000-08:00

I'm not making this up. Tuesday night, while driving across the Glen Jackson bridge which spans the Columbia and takes me home from Sylvan land, I saw Evil Kanevil. By 8:15pm the roads were still damp from the days unapologetic rain, and the flow of traffic hounded me along at about 15mph over the posted speed. A man on a motorcycle stormed by my drivers side window standing on his bike riding wheelie! At night. On wet roads. He continued the stunt off into the distance exceeding 85mph and leaving me to wonder about Darwin and the survival of the most careful.

So did I really see Evil Kanevil? Well, maybe a distant relative. Or could it have been Donald Rumsfeld?

Hallelujah

2006-11-09T13:46:00.000-08:00

If you have not heard of Samuel Menashe, there is no better time.

Hallelujah

Eyes open to praise

The play of light

Upon the ceiling—

While still abed raise

The roof this morning

Rejoice as you please

Your Maker who made

This day while you slept,

Who gives grace and ease,

Whose promise is kept.

'Let them sing for joy upon their beds.'—Psalm 149

Samuel Menashe

Retro Rocks

2006-11-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

Anyone with a geology background want to explain this formation to me?
I took the picture up near Cispus pass in the the Goat Rocks Wilderness.

Rock on,
Seth

9.5 Theses

2006-10-31T13:54:00.000-08:00

October 31 Reformation Day

95 is a little heavy with a Calc exam tomorrow, so I'll nail up 9.5 of my own. Thanks Luther.

1. The Christian church in the United States is emotionally addicted; feeling spiritual is equated with being spiritual, and that is a hard farce to sustain.

2. The praise music movement would never have materialized without gushy romantic love worshiping pop songs of the 80s and 90s. The pop love song movement seized on a self-referencing society, and formed the basis for the majority of popular Christian praise music, which is still a self-referencing society. Notice how many "worship" songs today mention Jesus, but are hedonistic. It's not difficult to see who is really being worshiped.

3. The divorce rate among Christians is still the same as the divorce rate among non-Christians: 1:2 marriages end in divorces. According to one (admittedly) smaller study, couples who pray together on a regular basis have a divorce rate of about 1:1100; and maybe it takes more than prayer to stay together. I wonder how many praying couples it would take to offset the national average?

4. The United States is Sampson. The strongest and most arrogant force on earth. Yes, we have a serious problem with flirting with sin, but despite 9-11 we still think we are untouchable, predicting our strength to continue beyond our means. The human being is strong evidence against evolution as we are not getting better. Indeed our unseeing eyes are ripe for the brand of the Philistines.

5. Reading the Bible has never been more out of favor than it is right now, even while vocal support for the Bible is loudest. Many Christians don't even know how to study the Bible, others don't have time for the Water of Life, and still others just plain are not interested. So many soil type in the church right now, but how large will the harvest be? Sadly, those who read it the most, are seeking to support their own point of view--a habit that caused the Jews to reject Jesus as the Son of God.

For Adventists:

6. We are still rejecting what God tried to teach in 1888 about Righteousness by Faith; empowering legalism masked and unmasked in our churches. The power to do good that God desires to give (and is unobtainable without a pure gift of the human life power of Christ) is largely unrealized. I do believe that Ellen was not just guessing when she indicated nearly 200 years ago that Jesus would have come by now if this truth had been fully understood.

7. The young people are running away from religion. Adventist prejudice and elitism has held back the church in every era; this generation is no exception. Young people are making friends with non-Adventists (and it's about time). However, young people don't know how be Adventist with non-Adventists because previous generations have not modeled the body of Christ. They have modeled the wagging finger of Christ, the booting foot of Christ, and the upturned nose of Christ. No wonder our kids are embarrassed by unique Adventist beliefs. The one body reality is lost, but I assure you that everything Jesus plans to do on the earth He will do through his Bride. It is not time to leave sound doctrine for a feeling because neither sound doctrine nor feelings are opposed to reality in the body of Christ. Given one to trust above the other, I'll stand by sound teaching because it reveals Christ dependably. And that is something to feel good about.

8. Traditional evangelistic methods don't work like they once did--but we are too stubborn to change our methods thinking that our habits are sacred. So go ahead and distribute fliers of beasts door to door and I'm wondering how we ever thought that would be effective in the first place. Additionally, we have known for decades that humans learn 10% of what they hear and 90% of what they do. We are still preaching 90% of the time.

9. The Adventist health message is no longer a cut above science, but it once was and that heritage speaks of God's watch care, showing that God's leading in the past was sound. Regardless, we are overeating fat and unhealthy foods at potlucks. I have a hunch that if alive to today, Ellen would have more to say about sugar and fast fat than black pepper or caffeine.

9.5 Dancing and movies: no longer salvation issues. Loving God and others: still salvation issues.

Better than Garden Burgers

2006-10-26T22:07:00.000-07:00

My house mom makes these delightful burger/patties and helped me through the recipe today. My double batch makes about 40 patties, so sandwiches for months to come. The taste is savory with a very nice texture. Really tasty sandwich ammo. If you try it out, let me know how you like em.

Oat Burger Patties

Place in a pan and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently:

4 cups water

11/2 cup lite soy sauce or Braggs Amino Acids

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic granules or powder

3 tsp.basil

1 tsp sage

1 tsp coriander

¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes

3or 4 bay leaves

Place in a large mixing bowl:

4 cups regular rolled oats

1 chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped nuts-walnuts or pecans

Stir oats, nuts and onions together well. Pour the simmering liquid mixture over the oat mixture-stir gently-cover and let set until liquid has absorbed-30 minutes or so. This can wait several hours or overnight if need be. Spray a cookie sheet, and using a 1/3 cup, ice cream scoop, place small mounds on the cookie sheet, flatten with moistened fingers, and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, turn patties over and bake an additional 20 minutes. Cool on rack. At this point patties can be used for sandwiches, frozen for later, or placed in a casserole, covered with gravy and baked for 40-45 minutes, just until hot and bubbling. If making this ahead of time, do not put gravy on patties until you are ready to place in oven, as it makes them stick together too much. Makes approx 20 burgers.

Note: For perfect round patties, spray a large canning jar ring with Pam, then place around the mound of mixture, flatten into the ring , remove and bake.

Gravy

Use the broth recipe above, decreasing the basil by 1 1/2 tsp. (For a shortcut, double the broth when making the patties, -do not double the basil, instead, add the missing 1½ tsp to the patties when stirring in the broth. Be sure to use only ½ the broth on the patties if this is done!

Blenderize ½ cup cashews and 3-4 TBS cornstarch in ½ to ¾ cup of water. Stir a little of the hot broth into the cashew mixture, then using a wire whip, stir all together, bringing to a slow boil for a minute or so until gravy is thickened. . Use for mashed potatoes or to pour over patties. For Mushroom gravy, add steamed fresh mushrooms to finished product.

Slightly adapted by Ilene VanTassel from the Seventh-day Diet pg.123 by Washougal CHIP

Freakonomics (Short Book Review)

2006-10-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

Economics is a social science exploring markets. But when the market turns--unpredictably-- often confounding conventional wisdom, is science up to the challenge of explaining fickle humanity. Not without creative questioning. Freakonomics is a book about a young economist who is bedazzled by social riddles. He does use solid science to find answers, but his brilliance is not as much in the method as the questions themselves.

"How are cheating teachers like sumo wrestlers?"
"Why do most crack dealers live with their moms?"
"Where are all the super predators that were predicted in the early 1990's?"
"What really makes a kid intelligent?"
"Does it matter what you name your child?"

Would you like to hear how teachers have been cheating for their students on standardized tests? Would it shock you that a crack dealer makes far less than minimum wage? Would you believe me if I told you that abortion has helped reduce crime? By the way, kids who's parents read to them don't score better on tests, but kids who's parents have a lot of books do. Oh, and it doesn't matter what you name your kids. But Mr. Levitt can tell you why you chose the names you did, how the KKK works, and why people steal bagels.

If this book is about anything, it is about why we do what we do when no one is looking. Oh, but God and Steven Levitt are looking.

My Life Off Sugar

2006-10-16T21:26:00.000-07:00

Quaker Granola was my favorite food. Options have narrowed now that I'm off the dope. The plan was for a 2 week trial, but now heading into my 8th month off of refined sugar, I'm thinking this change is golden. Every time I've broken stride--even a couple grams in a hunk of bread--it's a two day pot hole. Aching legs, the grumps, anxiety, and lethergy ensue untill my body deals with the substance.

The catch: sugar is the chief additive for entire worlds of food. Eating out is out. Being invited out is tricky. Evey isle at the supermarket feels like being lost in a corn syrup maze.

I'm adjusting. Fruit, raisins, and nuts have become essential. I cook from scratch. I've actually developed a fondness for bland cerials, as the only safe cerials are grapenuts and shredded wheat. I dress it up with bulk trail mix and muslie from Winco. I do miss Ketchup (40% sugar) and Fatboys. There are icecreams with Splenda. And I do use date sugar or products with organic cane juice which do not cause such negative effects as the white sugar (sucrose) and corn syrup.

I dare every reader to try cutting all refined sugar. Let me know how it goes. It may just be worth feeling fantastic.

War Thoughts at Home

2006-10-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

War Thoughts at Home
By Robert Frost; 1918
(Rediscovered on the leaflet of a book last week)

On the back side of the house
Where it wears no paint to the weather
And so shows most its age,
Suddenly blue jays rage
And flash in blue feather.

It is late in an afternoon
More grey with snow to fall
Than white with fallen snow
When it is blue jay and crow
Or no bird at all.

So someone heeds from within
This flurry of bird war,
And rising from her chair
A little bent over with care
Not to scatter on the floor

The sewing in her lap
Comes to the window to see.
At sight of her dim face
The birds all cease for a space
And cling close in a tree.

And one says to the rest
"We must just watch our chance
And escape one by one--
Though the fight is no more done
Than the war is in France."

Than the war is in France!
She thinks of a winter camp
Where soldiers for France are made.
She draws down the window shade
And it glows with an early lamp.

On that old side of the house
The uneven sheds stretch back
Shed behind shed in train
Like cars that long have lain
Dead on a side track.

Linked -- as of now it has been tough to peice this poem together due to publisher control. Dancing on dead man's bones for money I suppose.

Alfredo Sauce

2006-10-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

1 pint heavy cream
1 stick butter
2 tbsp cream cheese
1/2 - 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder

In a sauce pan combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Simmer this until all is melted and mixed well. Add the parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Simmer this for at least 20 min. on low. You may wish to season with a little salt and pepper. Serve with fettuchini. Makes enough sauce for two packages of fettucine.

Eat often; Get fat.

Olive Garden Hot Artichoke & Spinach Dip

2006-09-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

1 pkg cream cheese
1 can 14-Oz. artichoke hearts, drained, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup canned chopped spinach
1/4 cup mayonnaise (Miracle Whip is not cool here)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp. basil (dried or fresh)
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste

Allow cream cheese to come to room temp.
Cream together mayo, parm, garlic, basil, and garlic salt.
Mix well.
Add artichoke hearts and spinach (well drained) and mix.
Bake at 350 for 25min. (in greased pan).
Eat. Yum. Very nice with toasted bread.

*Surgen General's Admonition: Eat every day to become larger than healthy.

Hey World

2006-09-11T21:46:00.000-07:00

I've survived another bout of being human on the rare earth. So I'm back in blog land with a resurrected computer, a new room on the far side of town, and the fear of Calculus stalking me.

These are my parents walkin' the world together. It's quite a journey isn't it?

Lake Chelan Shots

2006-07-16T22:17:00.000-07:00

New at Wallygoots.com, I have a gallery up of Lake Chelan area. I'm quite excited as I still consider this home and one of the most desireable places to live on the planet.

The Chelan area is well known for its hanggliding, cheeries, apples, cheap electricity, and of course, Lake Chelan.

I also have new Oregon coast shots in Scenics and some shots of Angel and Squeeze.

Death, Birth, and Fountains of Water

2006-07-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

Tension--the void between words and reality is my lot these days. I lack the better thoughts to beg God for effective expressions of what I sense so strongly. First, that Jesus is coming soon. Get ready! Not by habits that you have honed so cunningly. Virtual mazes of subjects have been probed too deeply in avoidance of what matters most--don't become distracted! Everything matters when you have found where everything begins, and every comfortably inhabited topic in theology can keep you from that beginning.

Nothing is meaningful outside of the new creation. That is all that counts because that is only where God is leading his bride. Everything is, but only within death, birth, and fountains of water. These are three metaphores that Jesus uses to describe one experience.

Now if I used three metaphors to describe one all important event or experience I might choose similar concepts. Death, birth and fountains of water don't seem to have a lot in common. I might have used marriage, arthritis, and your first ride on roller coaster--much more compatible subjects. Regardless, it is hard to deny that birth and death are specific and life changing events; marked in time and drastically altering to the state of existence we enjoy. One is usually happy beginnings, and the other, sad endings.

I don't remember my birth, but I'm still traumatized by that event, and I'm sure death will be equally as life changing. God uses these events to describe a matter some call conversion. How important is your birth? And you have managed to avoid dying thus far (which I assume is intentional). Is conversion as important or life changing as birth and death? And this is where I feel passionate enough to say that if it isn't, then you have yet to find the beginning of everything. Seek, and you will find... what? The truth about black pepper and coffee? The truth about 144,000 virgins? The truth about observing Sabbath? None of these. You must first find the beginning of everything for these to actually matter. This is nothing about who Jesus was or what churches believe. All that matters is a new creation, but not to you? Yes, and more so--in you.

The real quandary is that I'm writing to you things that you are not supposed to understand or even imagine? How did Nicodemus get there? Discover, search, for what you don't realize you need and God in His goodness will bring you to fountains gushing living water. Who knew before tasting of this fountain that they would never thirst again?

Cracking the Dan Brown Code

2006-05-23T22:14:00.000-07:00

Scramble the letters of Dan Brown and you get:

Own Brand
Nab Drown
Bro Wannd
Now N Brad
Worn Band
Wrond Nab
Down Bran
Wad Braon

Conincidence?

I think not! I'm a direct decendant of Eve.

A Drop of Oil Unexpected

2006-05-23T21:53:00.000-07:00

A Drop of Oil Unexpected

S. Ellis

Rusted heart, what of the drop of oil unexpected?

Stopped in a doorway by a word, despite what doorways do,

She so calmly sliced into my memory. Populated a moment

Unlike so many other mundane moments brushed away—

Flies without buzzing; never landing.

I was faced away, chewing ideas too dry to swallow,

Border crossing back into today;

And I knew before I turned, the word was smiled.

I turned, yes, smiled;

Then back to what doorways do.

Days away, now facing towards this same door and memory,

She enters. A glance, the oil made effective,

My heart creeks a quarter turn so loudly I can not chance the longer look I want.

The book I hold alone is laughing, catching in my eye a vision past its pages,

That a story long neglected may resume upon a drop of oil unexpected.

Jacob Twenty Three

2006-05-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

A song by S. Ellis

The Lord is my Shepherd
I still want a lot of things
What's wrong with me?

He hobbles me beside still waters
Makes my lie
A form of pottery

He restoreth my soul
Oh my God, he loves the spring

I'm lonely for the One I've never met
My deep desires
I'm questioning

The problem is I don't fear evil
Quite enough
To love the following

Restore to you my weary soul
Oh, my God who loves the spring

So wrestle in the presence of
The enemy of selfish love
Lay hold the cup that overflows
I'll never let You go
My God who loves the Spring

The limp I carry humbly stings
My eyes have seen
The God who made the spring

Alarm Cluck

2006-05-10T10:14:00.000-07:00

Today I have a couple poems that are light (blue?)--a departure from my usual inner weather report. Though it usually goes without saying, "Here today: mostly sunny!"

Alarm Cluck

I'll build a roost upon my roof
With holes the size of eggs
Above the stove and frying pan.
Now to set the range ahead
And teach the chicken to lay with heat
And separate the shell and beat the egg
I'll hatch my perfect plan.

.

Allergens Alive

2006-05-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

Alas the grass
Has teased my sneeze
Whiffling sniffling
Knows my nose
My pollen haulin'
Bucket truck
Said meds to wed
My crying eyes

.

Birkenstock Sells Out

2006-05-02T21:49:00.000-07:00

The new and the old. Two happy feet. One at home in Bodega, the other nestling into the new Warwick.

The auction for my first pair of Birk Shoes closed at $32 bucks one fall eve in 2000. I figured I landed the deal due to the listing of "Burkenstock," and Ebay has since implemented spell checker to avoid such evil pleasure. At long last my skill of misspelling had begun to pay off.

It was as if my feet had been freed from death row. Over six years later the soles, thin as a flour tortillas, are starting to crack in places. I could have the soles replaced, but something about the repair costing more than the purchase price had me looking on ebay again. (Blasted spell checker).

I noticed that Birk shoes seem rare on ebay; the company site didn't display shoes for the 2006 season, so I gave a "what what" to Birk corporate. RE: They've sold out! Birk relinquisted their shoe division to the new company "Footprints" (formerly a Birk line).

I like a deal same as any other guy. OK, more than most other guys. So when I saw these Warwicks I decided to drop a bid and see how it goes. Might just be that it's my last chance at a real Birk laceup. Here's a shot of the box. *Gloat* The auction closed at $45 shipped. 6 more years of comfortably walking the earth.

Awe yes! Though I landed another Birk deal, I must say, I'm also a little sad. Sure, Footprints will keep up the Birk tradition, but who's to keep them from falling into fad and an endless stream of Dexter clones? And if you've never worn a pair of Birk shoes before--sorry--your feet may never make paroll.

Telephone Repairman

2006-05-01T21:58:00.000-07:00

I seem to be stuck in a 8 line 3 stanza rut this month, so I'll down the bogie with a work by a poet more accomplised then myself:

Telephone Repairman
Joseph Millar

All morning in the February light
he has been mending cable,
splicing the pairs of wires together
according to their colors,
white-blue to white-blue
violet-slate to violet-slate,
in the warehouse attic by the river.

When he is finished
the messages will flow along the line:
thank you for the gift,
please come to the baptism,
the bill is now past due :
voices that flicker and gleam back and forth
across the tracer-colored wires.

We live so much of our lives
without telling anyone,
going out before dawn,
working all day by ourselves,
shaking our heads in silence
at the news on the radio.
He thinks of the many signals
flying in the air around him
the syllables fluttering,
saying please love me,
from continent to continent
over the curve of the earth.

From Overtime (Eastern Washington University Press).

A Couple of Bumper Stickers

2006-05-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

Welcome to NH. Now go home.

My karma ran over your dogma.

Where are we going and why am I in a handbasket?

If God didn’t want animals to be eaten, then why did he make them out of meat? (NH)

Future Canadian

What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it's all about?

I love my country, but I think we should see other people.

Keep honking, I'm reloading.

New! No Billionaire Left Behind

New! America--Coming to a Country Near You (Thanks Renee)

New! The Christian Right is Neither (Thanks Mom)

Death: Conquer Me!

2006-04-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

I am grass the wind blew low,
On a knoll above the river.
I am wind repulsed to follow
Every hounding storm of Spirit.
'Who made me?' flower also bent;
What of the waves on oceans?
Can tide explain the rule of change
Or crested moon's devotion?

I am leaf so promptly hushed,
Strangled from the branch and spinning.
I am gravity afraid to move,
Held up by all around me falling.
'Who made me?' spinning orb;
What power causes wounds to scar?
Why within the walls of Love
Am I convinced that home is far?

I am sin and drawing wages
Should I dream of other fare?
I am noisy lightening flashes
Less like grass than like despair.
Can weather fail at being weather?
Do cloud banks tear for gravity?
Let all consistent deaths be silent
Even as they conquer me!

Mt. Tabor Bloom

2006-04-09T21:48:00.000-07:00

Shooting in the rain again--this time at Mount Tabor, a park in Portland that is suprisingly wooded. Thanks Shannon and Cory for the recommendation, though it took me an hour to find it.

The Gospel of Lazarus

2006-04-09T12:11:00.000-07:00

What would a discovery of the Gospel of Lazarus detail? A discourse of how depressing it is to be back on earth after a three day vacation to heaven? Cruel raising. Ofcourse most of you know already what I believe happens when we die; and that the majority of Christians believe otherwise.

How much do I have to know about a "find" before I can reject or accept it? I suppose knowing that it contradicts the Bible quite drastically is enough. If Judas were acting as instructed by Jesus--the only one to follow the plan--where does the hanging come in? Did he write this Gospel between the trail and hanging? Of course the hanging could have been metaphorical of the rejection and missunderstanding of the other disciples reguarding Judas role. Flies do love a dung pile.

Welcome back Seth

2006-04-08T13:37:00.000-07:00

W: So, what prompted your return to blogland?

S: Guilt. Not so much because I feel that my readers depend on me, but from sheer neglect of the entity "blog." Deep inside, I feel the life of Destination Wallygoots depends on me. I suppose we have a lot in common.

W: So then, what did you do in your absence?

S: I quite eating sugar.

W: Really, so what was the impetus there?

S: Sugar is the collective name for a group of tiny white square terrorist aliens intent on depleting our greatest natural resource.

W: Oil?

S: No silly, Energy.

W: Speaking of energy, how do you feel about the newly discovered Gospel of Judas?

S: It got me thinking that I should write a gospel too. I think I'll name it the Gospel of Raised Nain Boy, though with Dan Brown causing such a stir, possibly a more lucrative title would be the Gospel of Mrs. Jesus.

W: I take it you don't plan on adding it to your Canon any time soon.

S: There are 50 other gospels that didn't make the Bible cut. Judus however, has caused more of a stir, and I expect that the attack on God's Word will continue with even greater intent as time runs short. Many of the other gospels were written by Gnostics, who don't believe that Jesus really died. Other views of the Gnostics are severly suspect. Maybe I'll name my book the Gospel of Jesus' Adopted Kid and tell my own story.

W: Why aren't you running in the second annual north pole marathon held this weekend?

S: What does that have to do with the gospel of Judas? I think running too close to the north pole would make me dizzy.

W: What's your faorite Lauri Burkner song?

S: The Tabasco Song.

W: Aniston or Jolie?

S: They should date eachother--someone has to star in Brokeback 2. Which reminds me, my favorite spinoffs are Broke Mac Mountain and Broke Back to the Future.

W: Are you condoneing alternate lifestyles?

S: I did quite sugar.

W: Did you know that Fat Boy ice cream sandwhiches come in Cookies and Cream now?

S: Yes, I hate you.

W: What is your favorite cheeze cake?

S: None of your business, can we talk about politics now?

W: Sure, what are your feelings on the current immigration quandry?

S: I think we should shorten the residency process, and train boarder patrol units to help more Americans escape into Mexico, Canada, and other countries. Now that's a new concept. We could also deport felons to England as envisioned in the movie Johnny English. Carl Rove could still advise the president from there.

W: What's your favorte candy bar?

S: Do they have sugar free candy bars?

W: How would you advise Bush concerning his dwindling ratings?

S: I wouldn't. Neither would I advise democrats on how to find a backbone.

W: What are you listening to these days?

S: I've been podcasting news and comedy. Ask a Ninja, Rocketboom, The Presidents Weekly Radio Address, 90 seconds of Dave, and NPR Most E-mailed Stories are my favorites. Musically, I've been wishing to hear Paul Write and Shawn McDonald's new stuff, but havn't made it a point to purchase them. Andrew Peterson is still my favorite song writer.

W: What is the answer?

S: To what? Life the universe and everything?

W: Yes.

S: Root 1764.

W: How do you make a woman happy?

S: If I told you, I've have to kill us both.

Wallygoots Dot Com Gets a Haircut

2006-03-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

New at Wallygoots.com:

1. New clean navigation.
2. Birth of a Wallygoots.com logo.
3. Brain crushingly better photo galleries.
4. Shopping cart for photo prints.

I'm excited about the new look and the offering of my artwork for sale. I don't expect a lot of random folks from Fiji to rush in and buy up my work, but to have the capablity to offer photographs quickly and inexpensively is putting the power of the net to good work.

Please visit, comment on my pictures, and hang them on your wall if you wish.

90 Seconds of Dave

2006-03-07T08:08:00.000-08:00

Vlogging is the flinging of homemade video clips into empty space of the universal webisphere. Vlogs can be repulsive; at best a sawdust diet. Others beg the question "why man?... why?"

90 Seconds of Dave is, "why not man?" It's top shelf creativity and I laugh laugh laugh at Dave Dave Dave. Check out "the decision," my favorite clip. March on Dave.

(broadband alert--video takes forever to load on dialup)

Hoboin'

2006-03-02T21:49:00.000-08:00

Today's Headline

2006-02-24T16:26:00.000-08:00

George W. Fails to Shoot Osama in Hunting Accident.

Where did you run today?

2006-02-10T14:08:00.000-08:00

On the corner of this and that street, a bundled lady commenting on my running attire exclaimed:

"Jesus, aren't you cold!"

"Nope, I'm neither Jesus nor cold."

So I was thinking about purchasing a nifty pedometer thingy to measure my runings. No need when Google anticipates every practical (and many impractical) needs.

Here's today's run at gmap-pedometer.

Where did you run today?

Dead Meat Batman!

2006-02-05T21:55:00.000-08:00

Some opportunities pass by only once. I've missed a few that I can remember; most often I don't notice. I didn't try the raw Whale I was offered when in the Yukon. Not sure that opportunity will come around again--I should have dug in.

Even so, I'd have a hard time saying yes to Bat. Check out these shots.

Would a pineapple sweet & sour bat shish kabob increase the appeal?

FBI Disclaimer

2006-01-31T21:56:00.000-08:00

The previous post is not an effort to log comments from the FBI concerning unabashed use of the words "Iraqi terrorists." (Hey, may Rumsfeld will stop by!). If my blog is snuffed out in the next eight days, you'll know why. I say eight days, because that's about how long it took for the government to realize that New Orleans had become an aquarium.

Gas Prices Got You Down?

2006-01-31T21:42:00.000-08:00

Exxon Moble reported profits of $36,000,000,000 last year (yes, that's billions).*

The sum is greater than the economies of 125 counties.*

That's about 5 million dollars an hour.*

I'm so relieved that we are keeping the faith by bombing the hell out of those oil having Iraqi terrorists.**

Maybe I'll buy a moped.

*as reported by Democracy Now.

**as reported by me. There are so many dots; it's hard not to connect them.

Olympus Wiz-Bang Boom (E-330)

2006-01-27T13:19:00.000-08:00

There's a lot to talk about in the Olympus photographic community this week. Their newest Wiz-Bang DSLR announcement (Jan. 26) hit hard enough to break ground and cause an avalanche of horrays and hissing from the gear heads.

With a digicam, framing pictures on the LCD screen is easy and convenient--especially for low objects or when you need to shoot over the crowd. (Most people don't realize how foolish this looks--like the walking dead--arms outstreched stumbling toward a subject. But the new culture has been bred to ignore the digital zombie stance).

Digital SLRs have optical viewfinders, which many consider far superior to the small electronic viewfinders on digicams, but because of the mirror and shutter, live preview has not been an option for DSLR users. For divers, the live preview is essential because it is difficult to look through the viewfinder with a mask on.

2 Sensors:

The E-330 Has 2 sensors. One in the standard location behind the main mirror and shutter, and a smaller one behind one of the partially transparent viewfinder mirrors. This enables live preview from one sensor while the other sensor sits ready to record the image. All the while, the E-330 retains the option of using the optical viewfinder and the high quality interchangable digital Zuiko (Olympus) lenses.

I'm not alone in saying that this is not the camera E-1 users are crying for. We wait for the E-3--a truly professional upgrade--but in the meanwhile, Olympus is capturing a new segment of the temptable consumer market. Truely it is the age of reasonably priced DSLRs, and hordes of folks who have never owned a camera or want to upgrade thier smaller digicams with more capable machines will buy DSLRs this year. There are many good options out there from Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and Konica-Minolta, but there is no bridge camera like the newly announced E-330 that combines the best of DSLR and digicam technology. For those that shoot macro, for divers, and for digicam users who are accustomed to LCD framing, this is your camera.

E-330 Key Points:

*Small compact body.
*May be fitted with any of the high quality Zuiko lenses.
*Better high ISO performance than digicams and previous Olympus DSLRs.
*First DLSR with both optical viewfinder and live LCD finder.
*First DSLR with 2.5" tiltable LCD.
*First DSLR with two sensors: one NMOS type & one CCD type.
*Sturdy alloy body is more rugged than many entry-level DSLRs.
*Dual flash options for combined bounce and fill flash.
*Street price: $800-1000.

Who should buy this camera? Anyone moving up to their first DSLR from a digicam, divers (with waterproof housing), macro shooters. This camera will do well for Olympus. Here's hoping that the E-3 pro-body is not far behind.

Read the Previews:

My Four Thirds
Digital Photo Review

*Pictures from: http://asia.cnet.com/

Reality and Conversion

2006-01-22T14:13:00.000-08:00

Conversion is a slippery subject, but a reality that is the shining sun above the clouds. I have broken through those clouds, blinking back tears from the brightness, beauty, death, life, and mystery--how did I get here, and how will I find my way back? On the ground, the change lingers, though self struggles to resurect. I'm weak with forgetfullness. And how do I explian where I've been? Death is real and final, so why am I still falling beneath the clouds? I know God has rearrainged parts inside of me, but there seems some remodeling left to be done, and God dosn't give up, and this is my great comfort. The promises stands, I remember the great truths that lifted me at the first, and I know He is careing for my change. Conversion is not concerned with the amount of weakness left over--if it were, I would be lost--but the power of God, beyond men's mental conception out-shines the darkest storm from within.

Conversion, should be sought with earnest prayers, for it is the most treasured experience to be had between God and man. Is the bride seeking? For those who are seeking as I am, I recommend these two books. Maybe God will speak through them to you what He has spoken to me.

"Sit, Walk, Stand" by Watchman Nee. A study on Ephesians that has best explained to me the right attitude. It's a preparation of the heart for conversion.

"The Holy Spirit and Reality" by Watchman Nee. This may be a strange qualifier, but if you are Nicodemus, you will not understand this book.

Both books have led me deeper into the Bible. Both uplift Jesus higher than I could in my writing. At a later time I will write about who Watchman Nee is. (His biography was also impacting to me). In short, he was teaching Righteousness by Faith in Asia at the same time Jones and Waggoner were making waves with the same topic in the States in the late 1800's.

I'm still undecided how to talk about conversion. To those who have experienced a taste of it, there is nearly nothing to say that hearts are not already synched to accept. To others, it's offensive, dosn't ring clearly, or is simply banter. There is more. Always more.

"You will not surely die" --Steve Jobs on Eating the Apple

2006-01-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

The iPod is profane pleasure. I can not afford a Nano (or even a Shuffle), so I'm bitter for not owning one, but would I really buy one if a viable alternative existed?

I hate that the Nano scratches so easily (there are lawsuites concerning the defunct materials used in the screen and front cover).
It is grossly inconsiderate to have an "unswapable" Li-ion battery. These batteries have a 1-2 year life span, and then you have to send your iPod to Apple and pay a chunk to have the battery replaced. Plus you can't carry an extra battery for those long trips. Once the iPod runs low, it's unusable until charged.
Only works with iTunes and proprietary Apple files.

A player should play MP3s, WMA and other popular files.
Have a Swapable battery.
Scratch/weather resistant.
Simple sleek design.
Good sound.
Radio tuner and voice notes a plus.

So, I've been tooling around for an alternative. Bring on CES! Las Vegas hosted the yearly Consumer Electronics Show this week--the greatest smorgageboard of curcuit boards on the planet. Obviously targeted at the scratchable iPod, the SanDisk Sansa e200 has a durable liquid titanium formed case, a microSD expansion slot, swapable Li-ion battery, tuner, recorder, and supports picture, video, and music in multiple common formats. And... it looks good.

www.sandisk.com

Releases in March.

Earthly Tears in the Rose Garden

2005-12-19T21:21:00.000-08:00

There is a certain calmness about a rose garden in the rain (I'm also calmed if the camera is waterproof). The rain sleeting across the courtyard in the numbing cold this morning looked unwelcome, and the garden was hunkered down for the storm. A thousand feet higher it's snowing a blizzard fit for Christmas eve. Time for a last long look on the rose garden.

Ravaged beauty

2005-12-19T21:07:00.000-08:00

This last rose thick with winter rain; hanging on.

Rishi O'

2005-12-18T21:25:00.000-08:00

I'm always on the lookout for rich photos and lovely ways to display them. This week I came across a truely fantastic visual experience by Rishi O'. For those with high speed:

www.rishio.com

Also, one of my favorite photographers:

www.philborges.com

New Discovery! Phil Borges also seen here with other very fine galleries:

www.openshuttergallery.com

Desert for the eyes!

Enjoy

Long Weak

2005-12-18T21:10:00.000-08:00

I should have folded the laundry right out of the dryer;
Now, there are wrinkles in my conscience.

A ballanced diet requires dizzying effort over noodle soup;
If I had less time I could starve my sense of self-centering.

Standing upright is easier under blankets
It's been a long weak.

Such is the effect of winter's cloud cast.
These weaks pass to make tomorrow brigher.

Donkey verses Mountain Lion

2005-12-11T21:12:00.000-08:00

Who has the upper hand? Ferocious cat of the wild or dumb a**?

http://community-2.webtv.net/granniehug/ThisMayBeAFirst/

Happiness Can Pass With Sighing

2005-12-11T10:44:00.000-08:00

Happiness Can Pass With Sighing

Nothing says "passing" like a train,
And counting cars of green and beige.
Like the dance of years across the stage;
Blinking back to another age.
Adding five (I might have missed one).

If I could flag the years and frame
Box cars in the switching yard--
The names and places sprayed as far
And high as laws allow--I'd pause.
Shake the paint can, look, and listen.

Others have stood beside this car--
Not here I know--to paint their name
In peeling blue and flaking gray.
Not for fame this year, this game,
But for angst of time unnoticed.

Passing silently is silence
Coupled to the last car dining.
Time when gone as quickly calming,
Yet no one counting wishes fewer;
Happiness can pass with sighing.

Random

2005-12-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

Cornchips and Chili. Yum.
Christmas is overblown in society and blownover in church.
Back when they used to light Christmas trees with real candles, it must have been difficult to blow them all out in one breath.
Maybe I should collect transformers.
I wonder if Gary Larson still thinks in cartoons now that he is retired.
Every once in a while my shyness gets even. This week a pretty girl sat by me and we talked about the tooth fairy. What happens when the tooth fairy looses a tooth?
Photography melds mechanical and artistic skills into one activity.
Religious banter on internet forums--Bleck! Proof that Scripture can support any opinion. Does that mean we should study psychology as well as the Bible?
The clerk at the Asian market looked Mexican. How does that work?
Someday I want to ride in a hot air balloon (and be on a chase/support crew).

/ first birthday

2005-12-02T11:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday!

Wallygoots.com is one year old this weekend. Next step, Macromedia Flash and interactive content. Yet another curve to climb.

In November Wallygoots clocked 16,210 hits. (Feb. was 1600). October was my largest month with over 19,000 hits. The year total was about 70,000 hits. The web is curious business--for example, what happened on November 7 that gave me 1900 hits?

Where did "Wallygoots" come from?

On coach busses, there is a destination plaque above the driver's window. Our academy bus had destination "Wallygoots" displayed. The origin of how Wallygoots was displayed and why is a mystery of creativity. The word dosn't exist, nor dose the destination.... though I've been there. Maybe I adopted this name because it was a domain name that was not taken (sethellis.com and sethellis.org are taken), but it's more likely I enjoy that it means nothing (fortytwo.com is also taken). Wallygoots is a fictitious destination, seemingly without origin, but the journey is real.

Sure, I could have come up with something easier to remember, like www.cantgettherefromhere.com; www.everytimeabellringsanangelgetshiswings.com; but what's the fun in that.

This years goals at Wallygoots.com

1. Flash interactive content!
2. Revamp the Bible studies in flash so they are more powerful and easier to read. (complete a covenant and Holy Spirit study).
3. Interactive guestbook.
4. A shopping cart for ordering prints.

That's Pretty Funny!

2005-11-29T14:23:00.000-08:00

1. Go to www.google.com
2. Type in "failure" (without the quotes)
3. Click on "I'm Feeling Lucky" (rather than search)

1. Go to www.google.com
2. Type in "french military victories" (without the quotes)
3. Click on "I'm Feeling Lucky" (rather than search)

Last year when you typed "weapons of mass destruction" the search page reported: "Could not be found because there weren't any."

When God Didn't Have a Brain

2005-11-27T21:17:00.000-08:00

Recently I've considered the incarnation... so star peeping sheet clad 4th graders march down the isle to "We Three Kings" presenting plastic trinkets to a molded doll with sprayed on halo. There he lies, stone cold in a manger, the chipped pastel paint on his cheeks complimenting the space age eyes, and hands raised to bless the world.

Actually, eternal creator God who crafted the very idea of cells became a cluster of them himself. No brain, just cells pre-programmed to divide. At that instant, ceasing to be more than heavenly DNA and cytoplasm in a wondering girl. That's a pretty bold move, even for God.

Not Alone

2005-11-27T18:13:00.000-08:00

I Am Not Alone

I am not alone,
Though I have
Fears that brood
In the dark half of solitude.

I am not alone,
Though I have slept
To escape silence
When the sun was sceaming.

I am not alone;
Ever the first leaf
Falling harkens the others
To warm the seed.

My fingers reach
To steal a promise
From the sky;
To wrestle down this God,
And limp away knowing
That I am not alone.

First Heels

2005-11-20T17:51:00.000-08:00

I purchased my first pair of cowboy boots this week--so to stomp with the best of them when line dancing. Not sure I'm going to wear them to work everyday (Tom), but they do spice up a Schottische. Toes of the world watch out! Heh yaw!

Never would have guessed I'd enjoy Country music when I headed out to Nebraska. Dan, Justin, and Ernie wore me down with Colin Raye and Tim McGraw, now I'm all about Big and Rich and Keith Anderson. Nuture/nature controverts play on in pysch classes the world over, but this one lands me squarly on the nuture side--at least for twang.

Favorite Songs? (Any anything to dance a Schottische)
1. Rollin' -- Big and Rich
2. Pickin' Wildflowers -- Keith Anderson
3. Boot Stootin' Boogie -- Brooks and Dunn
4. Honkey Tonk Budonkedong -- Trace Adkins
5. Hicktown -- Jason Aldean
6. Trying to Find Atlantis -- Jamie O'Neil
7. Save a Horse -- Big and Rich

What if God Answered All Our Prayers

2005-11-16T21:52:00.000-08:00

Before clocking out for the day, I snuggle down with my Bible, journal, and a wild card. This 3rd book ranges wildly. Just now, "When God Doesn't Answer Your Prayers" by Jerry Sittser. It's a book for those tired of pulling punches. Really, God can handle our critisizm.

Seems as though I was trying to play religious in prayer; unconciously tip towing around God, even though I don't believe He is going to strap me to some glowing ember by showing discontent. Truely the little human in me figured that if I were to tell God how I really feel--call Him accountable for the universe (including pain)--he might not bless me. All this happened in the sub-psych before reading this book, but Sittser has a way of bringing to the surface our little games.

"What if God answered all our prayers?" (The antithesis of unanswered prayer). Gladly not, and for my own protection! This has been cleansing.

Dancing & Other Distractions

2005-11-13T18:46:00.000-08:00

I've taken to Country dancing. I must say, it's a kick in the pants. My favorite is Horseshoe, Schottish, Boot Scoot Boggie, and Cool Whip.

So I was down to Bushwackers last eve, dancing as many dances as I knew and some I didn't, and this cute little girl [who I had never met!] asked me to horseshoe with her. The core of my shyness did a little sumo wrestling routine with my joy of dancing; about a 1/2 second later shyness was bumped out of the ring. I sweated a little at being asked, but had a nice dance and commented on her cool boots [something I learned from "The American President"] which seemed to please her. They were cool with leather feathers floating atop the toes. I do like shoes. I do like dancing. I do like cute girls--they make my brain blush. I must say, the cute girls I know and dance with suit my fancy over the cute girls I don't know and dance with. Asking the girls I do know to dance is difficult enough for a shy guy. Luckly I want to dance more than to be shy.

There is a syncrony in dancing that is swirling. The thrill of carving up untracked powder fields, soul mates praying together, and kittens sleeping in a pile of fluff--can't be worn out. There is syncrony in such joys--with Creator, companions, or both. Dancing should be added to that list.

Iron Chef

2005-11-11T10:31:00.000-08:00

"Kusan! I've just recieved word that the Iron Chef is indeed creating a vegetarian Chow Pai Yu Pad Thai with a greek olive salad."

OK, so I'm not exactly Iron Chef Sakai, but now and then I pop up with something delicioso. Dissapointingly, there was none to share it with--so I pictured it. The best Phad Thai from this chef, but really no great feat for anyone with 20min.

For those who care to try:

1 pkg rice noddles boiled and drained
Phad Thai Sauce*
Chow Phi Yu Brazed Gluten*
Tapatio or other chili sauce
Olive oil
Bean sprouts or steamed brocolli
crushed peanuts
(a scrambled egg and fried tofu also add, but tofu takes time).

*most asian markets.

About quantities? I don't measure anything.

Eating alone is like a 649 yard hole-in-one while golfing alone. Funny thing is, I eat alone all the time, but it still feels like life is running short on companionship and I'm running out of eagles. (Not that the Phad Thai tasted bitter!)

Can I be alone and full? At most I'm still running; God runs on ahead for the ambush.

A Feather or Lighter

2005-11-07T21:26:00.000-08:00

I've been harpooning at religion and politics these past days. Sorry. "Does it feel a bit thick in here for you?" Time for something lighter than a feather.

I like words. Here are some of my best (in no particular order):

1. bonus
2. spackle
3. glow
4. reticence
5. panoply
6. passion
7. syncrony
8. blithe
9. tranquil
10. jive

The Brittish Council identified the top 70 words* in English (outside the UK). Aw! You mean "bloak" isn't in the running? Happily, "Blue" is #21.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4039537.stm

*I tried matching the word number with my age (more entertaining then the "horrorscope"). I'm soon to move from "cute" to "cozy." What does that mean?

God is Not a Democrat!

2005-11-07T12:15:00.000-08:00

How can a Republican be a Christian? Same way a Democrat becomes a Christian.

I'm still trying to clearify for myself what bothers me about republican religious zeal now demonstrated in US politics. Democratic zeal is not lacking, just less religious. Is this preferable? Yes, if you stare down the past. Historically, when the church twins up with the "powers" to govern people of earth there's trouble. It's not insignificant that Jesus was all about the kingdom of heaven and said little about the kingdom of man.

Beyond the seperateness of culture and religous power, I have concluded that it is dangerous to believe God to be on my side (whenever man takes sides). God loves John Kerry just as much as George Bush. He loves Saddam Hussain as deeply as Max Lucado. God is for people, but we qualifiy folks as if God loves more those who behave like we do. We are framing God to hate--drawing pictures of him that fit our beliefs. It's easy to justify hateing when the god in our picture hates. Certainly God does hate wickedness and love righteousness; I refuse to confuse this with exalting myself--"Thank god I am not like that tax collector." Can I look down on others who don't believe as I do while at the same time following God? Pride gets ugly in both the camps of republicans and democrats. The kingdom of heaven if far removed from pride, even when camouflaged by religious maxiums and the banter of morality.

Job asked the tough questions, and God responded, "Who are you to ask? Did you create the earth?" Like Job, I can't stop asking, even to hear such responses that put me in a proper frame. It looks as though we havn't quite nailed God down yet.

God is Not a Replublican

2005-11-03T14:33:00.000-08:00

"How can a Christian be a Democrat?"

My knee jerked so severely when I read the above slogan on a blog, that the underside of my desk will have black and blue marks for months. I read it again, slammed one eye shut and tilted my head. Since then, I've been wondering over this--not to stage a fierce rebuttle (argueing with the Christian right is like smashing down the great wall of China with your forehead), but to clearify for myself what exactly disturbs me about this mindset.

I thought God was non-partisan. Is anyone else bothered by this?

Pass the Collection Plate (Hoarding and Religion)

2005-11-01T14:36:00.000-08:00

There is an inborn collection tendancy somewhere between the hippocampus and the cortex in every human. Actually... "damage to the right mesial prefrontal cortex causes abnormal hoarding behavior by releasing the primitive hoarding urge from its normal restraints." (http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/002529.html)

So there are these compulsive trash collectors... Here's the headline. COMPULSIVE TRASH COLLECTORS GET YEAR IN JAIL. The Record (Bergen County, NJ), 11-21-1996

Toast Art. Now there's a collection idea. http://www.mauricebennett.co.nz/tportraits.htm

Odd socks. I can relate to this one seeing as I make a slipper once and could not knit it's duplicate. http://www.socknitters.com/museum.htm

Zippos, Beanies, Cigar Boxes, Zebra Pens, Pez, Rocks, Shoes, Jewelry, Vintage _________ (fill in the blank).

/rant on

But these are the the outward hoarding manifestations. We all collect something, inside or out. The worst interal hoarding, displays of self-worship, creeps up now and then in me. The feelings of low self-concept I hoard at times is a facet of self-worship, and too often my emotions depend on effective self-worship. Problem is, self-worship always turns loses taste when self-deception wears thin. There is a fabulous solution: death! Before you think I'm a masochistic, consider carefully... this idea is Christian! I suppose you could say this is a pro-Bible blog. But not in the same sense as the Dobson regime and his spiritul militia men. There is outward religious control that the conservative religion lobby in this country betrays at times by showing what is happening inside--self-worship. Our "Christian" culture is hoarding internal ailments under the cloak of God worship; disguised by outward religious control. Pull off the mask, and very often self-worship is revealed. The Bible writers cut right through the frosting and pointed fingers straight at the heart. The only solution? Death. And does self die hard! Don't take my word for it, read Romans?

I'm a collector. Not beanies; maybe photographs. Inside my mind, I collect negative images of my self, fears, and fullfillments of self-worship. Next stop: death of self, and somehow to live in Christ. Who was it that said, store up treasures in heaven? Everything I need, both now and in heaven depends on what I hoard.

/rant off

Trick or Treating Under the Influence of Sugar

2005-10-31T21:46:00.000-08:00

Millions of kid are getting absolutly wasted on sugar this evening. By the end of the night, most of them will not be able to walk the line or pass the chocolate brethalizer test. It's indoctrination into gluttony. If I were not working so hard on strep throat, I'd surely join them (read "downs half a dozen mini-snickers bars"). Instead, I came home to suck on a garlic clove and rest my aching head. I'll probably visit a clinic tomorrow so some pesky Doc. can dig around the back of my throat with a 6 in long stick of wood and wool. My throat is no longer covered under warentee, so for $120 there better be some evil bacteria down there to kill! On the up side, I'll probably have to call in sick to work, which will save me from having to deal with the kids during their sugar hangovers. It will be anything but "all saints day" at Sylvan.

When I invent my new candy bar, I'll get rich on Halloween, but the money is only secondary to the priveledge of knowing that I'm doing my part in the fight against the results of anti-cavity tarter control toothpaste.

Dream Job

2005-10-28T00:13:00.000-07:00

I want to write sauce packet slogans for Taco Bell. Oh, the brilliance of the creative mind behind this concept! Here's a couple from my supper (from which I'm now suffering heart burn).

"Of all those sauce packets, why me, why now?"

"When I grow up I want to be a waterbed."

"My best friends hang out with me on the menu board."

"Does a Grilled Stuft Burrito qualify you for the car pool lane?"

"You had me at Taco."

"Nice palm. I read a great deal of pleasure in your future."

"If you throw this, would it be a flying saucer?"

"How many of me do you already have in your glove box?"

"Heads..."

As I sit here and think about heartburn, slogans, and the true feelings of fire sauce, I can't help but wonder why there isn't boarder sauce packets that says, "I'll be back." or "Tums Up!" I'm glad Microsoft didn't come up with the idea or else Internet Explorer would be bundled with fire sauce and you've have to pay for an upgrade licence when going from mild to hot.

Buy the way, fire sauce is not even as hot as Tapatio (my fav mexican hot sauce). Just a notch over Hot really. If you try fire sauce for the first time on account of this thread, I'd love to hear about it. Really it tastes better too.

This message brought to you by Tums

More than Snickers

2005-10-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

The set was a dinge quicky mart. Corn husk diluted down, cheap gas was being pumped into my car and I was hungry for chocolate. Snickers, my usual favorite, would satisfy my plaque buildup, but not my cravings this evening. The joint didn't carry my second tier Milky Way, though 3-muskateers was tempting. I wanted something new. Shafts of light from heaven gleamed off of a Nutrageous, and my hand twitched, the tractor beam too strong to resist the pull. 75 cents later, wrappings flew, the rain outside paused in expectation (a lone Snickers waited at home with tears in her eyes). The neddle wavered on my Nutrageous-O-meter, but barely. Hunger threw a tantrum of defeat and an awquard spiny scilence grew bloomed between us.

While nearing home, it hit me. "There is a void in the candy bar world. Nuts, nugget, and caramel have been combined in every possible way, and the world is grasping for something different." Now I'm not talking about an Oreo with rasberry sprinkles on top. We don't need a clever repackaging--we need a whole new face. It's back to the lab, where the original Oreo was concocted; where the Newton gave birth to the non-cookie.

Tell me what you are lacking in your chocholate bar... your idea might just fuel the future of cavities and the dental business.

Live Free of Die

2005-10-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

... as seen on the New Hampshire licence plate. "Live Free or Die" Nice ring ain't it?

1. Blogging a blogger.com is free. It's a google service.

2. Picasa is free (another google service)--photo organizer and editor. Even works with RAW files.

http://picasa.google.com/index.html

3. Raw Shooter Essentials is also free. (My preferable RAW workflow software). RAW files are uncompressed files usually taken by high end or DSLR digital cameras.

4. Grace and mercy are free. That's one google can't top.

5. Tacobell Fire Sause is free. So are the snipets of written enjoyment on them.
"If you throw me, does that make me a flying saucer?"
"Why me, why now?"
"How many of me do you already have in your glove box?"
"Scared of bike tires."
...

6. Wells Fargo offers free checking (until you run out of checks).

7. Rain is free. It rains most days here in Vancouver.

8. Freeways are free. Except for non-free ways, but they are called express ways of toll ways.

9. Dancing... free. (Thursday night at bushwackers is free).

10. Friendship is free--though some folks carry hidden costs.

Who knows how long we'll enjoy all these freedoms? We've lost many freedoms since 9/11 under guizes of national security or homeland security. Fear it seems is quite expensive indeed.

Next Stop: Wallygoots

2005-10-25T22:34:00.000-07:00

The natural extension of irresistable addiction to www.wallygoots.com, my webspace of Bible meditations, photography, guitar building, and music.

... and where you can crow at my spelling.

Now in the bloggosphere...