The News

One of my friends made the comment in response to my passing on a news story to her that that's why some people don't watch the news, because it's all bad. I know some people are overly sensitive to what they see and can't handle the bombardment. But if you can handle the bombardment, have you thought about praying for the people in the stories you see or hear? There's no shortage of people that need prayer, that's for sure. Wars, disasters, murders, corruption in high and low places, assaults, and just plain accidents -- do you think God can work through these situations? Who in these situations don't need prayer? don't need Jesus? don't need some true love in their lives? Even if you can't personally interact with the person(s) involved, you can pray.

Baseball

Well, the baseball game was a blast. These were my seats (click on section 122). Sweet, eh? Sadly, the Astros lost. If I actually cared anything about baseball, it might have mattered to me. Home team and all, I'll root for them to win, but my life goes on the same, win or lose. I enjoyed it for what it was. Even when I watched the Rockets win back-to-back championships (thanks for the coverage, Sports Illustrated -- read with heavy dose of sarcasm since they hardly admit Houston even exists), I was very happy for the players, mind you, but my life was not changed for the better.

Movies, though, I relate to. I had some stuff written about this, but it's tripe in its present form. I'll have to work on it sometime. Just know that moobies has been berry berry goot to me.

on my mind

• read an article about unsuspecting internet users getting "extra" charges on their credit card. I hate things hidden in fine print, and the companies that do these things should be fined horribly (and can the people who actually have the damages get some financial remuneration on this? Fines are fine, but doesn't it just go to the state? The victim doesn't get anything, AFAIK.)
• saw I, Robot tonight; much better than I thought it would be. To the reviewer on slate or salon that said they just get Asimov wrong, I can only say we didn't see the same movie. What'd you do, see the trailers, watch the first ten or fifteen minutes, and then go to sleep with your free pass? (I've been to enough sneaks where the reviewers go to sleep.) Not totally wrong, but close enough.
  
• The Bourne Supremacy on Saturday morning; gotta love matinees. BTW, it's The Bourne Supremacy, not just Bourne Supremacy. One of our local DJs got called on it from the studio (true story).
• Listened to local Christian radio station last week for about 20-30 minutes. There was no Stephen Curtis Chapman--I was massively shocked. I thought Christian music was equivalent to SCC (not to be confused with the SEC, in whom I take no stock, nor should it be confused with the FCC, who might fine me for what I think of SCC--well, only if I spoke it on-air somewhere. Of course, my opinion of SCC would probably incite a riot -- is that what it would take for Christians to take some kind of action?). Anywayz, I heard this super-annoying song. It turned out to be Switchfoot; I think the song was "The Beautiful Letdown". That off-key note on this "on" sound, over and over and over again. Blech.
• Listened again to the local Christian radio station for about 10 minutes. A catchy song followed by some old-sounding song followed by a song that had lame (read: cliché) lyrics, mediocre vocals, uninspiring music. Sure enough, it was SCC. It's bound to be a hit.
• Going to a baseball game tomorrow night for free (except parking and food). $40 seats. Wahoo!
• Got to talk to my mother Tuesday night for the first time in well over a week. Considering we normally talk at least three or four times a week, I was going through withdrawal. She might have been glad for the break; she said she was, anyway. :-)

Well, I guess that's all for now.

One of Those Days

Tonight, I went to the church choir concert where they presented their
summer tour music (they traveled to the northeast and sang at various
places). They were excellent, and I have never heard them sound better.
Technically, they have always been top-notch. Tonight, though, they had
the sound to match their 100+ number, which I've never noticed from them
before. They were so good, in fact, that I considered thinking about
joining (I must be one of those people that, when I see a good thing, I
have to go in and destroy it LOL).

After the concert, we had a reception for our organist of 29 years who
is retiring "sometime soon". We sure didn't have "fellowship"
food--delicious doesn't begin to describe how good the food was. I was
glad I didn't gorge like I have in the past.

I know that I've always had trouble feeling like I fit in anywhere. In
college, I talked about someone to a friend of mine (not gossiping), and
he said that he didn't run in the same social circle with that person.
My response was, "I think my social circle is a dot." I can fit in most
anywhere, from (not too) upper crust to (not too) low-brow; I know
enough to not make a complete fool of myself, and I'm accepting enough
that I don't come across as a snob. But I've never been a part of any
group except on the periphery.

Tonight, though, at the reception, I found myself wandering around from
little group to little group, not finding anywhere to alight for more
than a minute or so. I tried to engage people, but I guess there were
too many distractions. It seems to me that I've made relatively decent
progress in the past few months or so at trying to be more involved with
people rather than living my isolationist lifestyle. Tonight, however,
when I wanted to be around people, there was no having it. :::sigh:::

Going on 40

On the way home from work tonight, Karen called and asked if I wanted to go see 13 Going on 30 at the dollar theatre. Being in love with Jennifer Garner since the first time I saw "Alias", it took me no more than a nanosecond to decide to go, though it was considerably longer before I agreed vocally. (Sorry, Jason.) It was about exactly what I expected, but I did want it to be better. The premise: magic dust grants 13-year-old Jenna her wish to be 30, flirty, and fun, but when she gets there, she's not the same person at all, at least she hasn't been.

I got to thinking (b/c I sure didn't have to think about the movie) that I wish life was like that sometimes, that you could truly get a do-over. But life isn't like that; we don't live in a fantasy world. However, if nothing else, this movie and its ilk should serve as a warning to consider your actions carefully. You do have to live with your actions, and everyone else does, too.

Interesting Verse

FYI: I haven't posted much because I've been so tired by the time I get home from work. I can get through email and that's about it.

At lunch today, all the usual lunch cronies were otherwise occupied, so I went to Whataburger (read it slowly) and read in the Bible Exodus 13:17-15:21 for teaching on Sunday. In particular, Exodus 14:14 stuck out to me: The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent. (NAS) Like so many things in the Bible, to the point and reassuring at the same time.

Well, I hope to start The Big Sleep tonight after I finish with this and essential email. I tried watching it the other night while playing a game, but after twenty minutes, all I knew was that Humphrey Bogart had been employed to do something after being hit upon by some blonde bimbo. I suppose it's a movie one must pay strict attention to.

Speaking of I, Robot, I finished reading that last night. This is the first book I've read in ages. As I thought, other than being about robots and involving Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, the movie releasing tomorrow (as of this writing) has nothing to do with the book, at least according to the trailers I've seen. I haven't seen Ali, but everything else I've seen Will Smith, while fun, isn't all that serious.

And with that resnark, I'm off... to email (besides just the normal being off).

How I knew

I recently (five minutes ago from this writing) read an article on article on Lockergnome about when you knew you were a computer geek. I was in ninth grade (1978-79 school year), in the GT program. Somehow, we got a TRS-80 in our weekly class, and I was instantly fascinated. I couldn't play sports, and I wasn't that good in band (even though I enjoyed it thoroughly). But here was something that I could actually make happen. And no one teased me in the process. When my very existence incited ridicule and derision from my peers (and the teachers allowed it in class), it was kind of nice to be able to do something without being judged for it. (imagine my frustration with Micro$oft Word trying to tell me what I want to do...)

And I've been pretty decent at it ever since then. Not great, but better than average. Kind of sad that the machines are easier to relate to than so many people. I'm glad that the people I'm around now aren't like junior high kids (though I've seen some that have never grown up). Check out Why Nerds are Unpopular for more thoughts on this whole phenomenon. The article is lengthy, but I pretty much support everything in it. There ya go.

Survival

So, I wound up surviving the Fourth weekend. On Sunday, a friend called me to go see Spider-Man 2 since his wife and kids were gone (she on the aforementioned choir trip, the kids with the wife's parents at a beach house in Freeport). Then I went back to his place, watched some Wonder Woman, then some other of his (and my) friends came over, and we watched The Italian Job (the remake, not the original). It was lots of fun. Then I wound up going to down to Freeport with my friend on Monday morning to keep my friend company since he forgot to leave something (like a car seat for the baby). Overall, it turned out not to be a totally sucky weekend.

Then, Monday night, I watched The Sand Pebbles. Excellent movie, directed by Robert Wise, the same guy that did The Sound of Music and many other movies that I've enjoyed over the years.

No Title

A long weekend. (and there was much rejoicing) yay.... Not that I'm sad to have a long weekend, but I have no plans to go anywhere or do anything, and most of my friends are on a choir trip to D.C., NY, and points between and around. As I was driving home from work last night, it dawned on me how alone I would be this weekend. Usually, I don't mind being by myself, but for some reason, I don't want to be alone this weekend. Yet here I am. I suppose it'll be time to catch up on my movies from Netflix. Speaking of....

I watched Sunset Boulevard last night for the first time (this was the short movie at 110 minutes -- the others are 179, 227, and 230 minutes, which should eat up some time). What an excellent movie all the way around. Story, acting, sets, lighting, costuming, all were excellent. And the story still stands viable today. It makes me want to investigate Billy Wilder more as a director, to possibly join my two favorites, Tim Burton and Ridley Scott (not to be confused with his brother, Tony Scott).

I wonder if I'll ever be an ever-was; I sure feel like a has-been right now, or, more correctly, a never-was. I don't want to be famous, and I don't think I deserve more than anyone else, but I want to have some sense of accomplishment in my life. I have an idea of something to come, but I can't see any path to it right now, if ever. It's not something I would have come up with on my own, but something I feel God calling me to. If it happens, it will definitely be all God and not me. I recently listened to a motivational speaker on PBS's quarterly membership drive programming, and she said that your life truly starts at 40. That would certainly be nice since I'm there now.

Otherwise, though, forty sucks.