The Teacup Scene

I had a birthday a few weeks back, and one of my presents consisted of two oversized mugs. This was part of a running joke we have in our family, which has to do with a scene from the 1995 BBC version of Persuasion. There is a scene, a breakfast scene, in the movie, where one of the main characters, Captain Frederick Wentworth, makes a comment to the main character, Anne Elliot:

"Quite lucky then you didn't bump into him"

...and then he takes a hit off of a HUGE cup. This cracks me up so much, that I would keep playing the scene over and over just to get a laugh out of it. Hence, when my birthday came up, I got some large mugs. They are great for making a bowl of tea and then leaning over it to try to clear the sinus pressure I have right now. I am on vacation for Holy Week, and making the most of it by being sick.

Catch the action for yourself, starting at 5:15:




For those of you on facebook, follow the link below to the scene at 5:15.

The Teacup Scene at 5:15.

"Before You Were Born...."

Bill Gates is not my favorite person, but what he said here is good advice for anyone, especially those college students who are going to be looking for work this Summer:

Stolen from the pages of Mulier Fortis over in England:



Apparently, Bill Gates gave a speech at a school, in which he recounted the following 11 things that students wouldn't learn in school. If it isn't true (I seriously doubt its veracity) it ought to be. Rule 8 caused great mirth among my colleagues...

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time..

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life.. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs..

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

With regards to the last rule, perhaps you'll end up marrying one.

The picture is of Castillo de San Marcos, in St. Augustine, Florida. It was taken while on vacation with two of my brothers in 1985, before any of the Noisykids were thought of - but there was this young woman named Carolyn....

DFW Street Scenes

New this Lent. Purple Sno-balls from Hostess. Unfortunately, I could not find any of the 'rose' ones which were sold only on Laetere Sunday - that's last week for those of you who don't know.

They taste the same as the white, orange, and green ones:
Here is a sweet little boy with bacterial conjunctivitis shopping while his prescription is filled. He demonstrated 'purulent discharge' from his nose all over Dad's shirt while at the pediatrician on Saturday morning.

If Obamacare takes effect, I foresee no more Saturday hours....

A fifteen year old shows off his size 15 boots. Smooth ostrich. I hear once you wear ostrich, you will never want any other kind.

I am sticking with cowhide for now.

A typical scene in a dining room at a restaurant in Fort Worth. Riscky's makes a good hamburger. I recommend it for those visiting the Fort Worth Stockyards.

Hey! Someone with more vanity than me:

Repost: Reason For His Absence

Originally posted on March 18, 2007:

Reason for his absence

The Death of Saint Joseph, from this site:


"In God's Providence it makes no sense

why some of us live and some must die."

He never said a word to us as he went through his life.
He left that to the other folks, especially his wife.

His actions, a model for the married man's vocation:
keep still, work hard, love the wife, silence is your salvation.

His role in this life was to guard the greatest things on earth:
his beloved wife and Child - Jesus of the Virgin Birth.

He cared so well for his loved ones without a hint of pride,
perhaps that's why he died before his son was crucified.

For no father would just stand by and watch his son in pain,
no man could stand the sight of a beloved being slain.

For sure he would have been old and gray, wrinkled face and hand,
but years of toil and sacrifice still edified the man.

For him the thought of flight was wrong unless he had his son.
Then all Gethsemane could get to see an old man run.

The hands that once wielded wood and hammer, saw, plane and ax,
Would have not hung limp, as the soldiers scourged his child's back.

His voice would ring out loud and clear as one above the din,
while all the world ungratefully thundered "crucify him!"

The path He took to Golgotha, to Calvary, the skull,
would have been blocked by his father, although the road was full.

At the cross the carpenter would not have remained so calm
to see his precious child take a nail in every palm.

None of these things ever happened, I dare to venture why:
Heavenly Father knew Joseph would not let Jesus die

For no father would just stand by and watch his son in pain,
No man could stand the sight of a beloved being slain.

But this Man was the Son of God, and died on Calvary,
through His Passion and His Death sent here to set us all free.

SMD

3.18.2007

A Bit Of Moderation, Some Song Lyrics, and an Environmental Update

Some Things in Moderation


Recently I started moderating comments on my blog after I noticed the same comment appearing on my blog. The comment was always written in characters which looked like Japanese, Chinese, or Korean characters, and they always included a link to another web page. The comment was also usually posted while most of us 'U.S.-Americans' were fast asleep, dreaming of new ways to conserve energy and make this a greener planet.

As you can imagine, the link was to a place which is not on the required reading list or recommended list for any man or woman of good will.

So, for the foreseeable future I shall moderate all comments before letting them loose on the blogosphere. I did consider making the blog a 'subscriber-only' blog, but that would mean that the two biggest readers of the blog - Carolyn and I - would have to sign in before reading my own work. Too much hassle.

The 'Default Picture Walrus' is debuting tonight as the 'Train of Thought Break' icon. Let me know what you think of him in this expanded role.


New Lyrics to an Old Song

- with apologies to Pete Seeger

I wrote these some time before our last presidential election. A discussion of the lyrics can be found in the original post located here.

This song is sung to the tune, 'Where have All the Flowers Gone?'

Sit back, tune in, turn on, and drop out:

Where Have Barry's Exes Gone?

Where have Barry's 'Exes' gone?

Are they hiding?

Where have Barry's 'Exes' gone?

I'd like to know

Where have Barry's 'Exes' gone?

Even geeks like me had some

That's what I'd like to learn

That's what I'd like to learn

Where have Barry's classmates gone?

Back at Harvard

Where have Barry's classmates gone?

I'd like to know

Where have Barry's classmates gone?

They could tell about someone

That's what I'd like to learn

That's what I'd like to learn

Where did Barry enter Earth?

In the U.S.A?

Where did Barry enter Earth?

Or somewhere else

Where did Barry enter Earth?

Check 'Certificate of Live Birth'

That's what I'd like to learn

That's what I'd like to learn

Name one thing that Barry's done

In the Senate

Name one thing that Barry's done

I'd like to know

Name one thing that Barry's done

[just hum the tune here....]

That's what I thought I'd learn

That's what I thought I'd learn

What's the one thing Barry's done?

Through this campaign

What's the one thing Barry's done?

To earn our trust

What's the one thing Barry's done?

He's deceived most everyone

When will we ever learn?

When will we ever learn?

Environmental Update

The Spotted Owl.

Have you already forgotten the Spotted Owl?

I had, until I fortunately was waiting in a doctor's office(yes, even doctors have to wait for other doctors) and spotted(no pun intended) some liberal rag which was decrying the impending extinction of said owl in the woodlands of the Northwest United States. If memory serves me correctly, this bird was the cause of limitations put on harvesting lumber in the Pacific Northwest because the large trees were the preferred nesting sites for these winged critters.

Owls, 1. Loggers, 0.

Now it turns out that another type of owl, the Barred Owl, has moved into the same area and has systematically wiped out the poor little spotted owl. The defenders of the spotted owl, those who fought the loggers for the life of an owl, now plan on hunting the Barred Owl.

It seems as if the law of the 'survival of the fittest' has come into play here, with the stronger animal succeeding the weaker one. We shall keep an eye on this story as it develops.

"PLEASE CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENT BEFORE PRINTING THIS E-MAIL"

This urgent e-mail from Nigeria would indeed be humorous if it weren't for the fact that Mrs. Janet Miler is actually the pseudonym of my archenemy.

It is obvious to me that sinister forces are at work against me, trying to wrest the many fortunes which await me in Africa and the Middle East - after I provide them with the routing and account numbers of my primary checking account.

I am truly humbled by the many people throughout the world who have discovered my exceptional piety and holiness, and have subsequently assigned their estates over to my person as an acknowledgement of my faultless character and humility.

This latest e-mail does throw a monkey wrench into my plans. I shall probably have to make an appearance in person at the 'Economic Financial Crime Commission(EFCC) office in Nigeria. Although I have supplied my personal information to them for several years - including bank accounts and credit card numbers, plus my social security number - there are some times when a more 'personal' gesture must be exercised.

So, after finding my passport, I shall get online and book a ticket for Lagos.

What shall I do with all this money when I receive it? I plan on giving it all to Al Gore in his battle against global warming.





ATTN:


THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT A LADY CALLED MRS. JANET MILER FROM USA CAME TO
OUR OFFICE TODAY CLAIMING TO BE FROM YOU,STATING THAT YOU ARE DEAD BUT
BEFORE YOUR DEATH YOU MADE HER YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO CLAIM YOUR FUND, NOW
HERE COMES
THE BIG QUESTION, DID YOU SIGN ANY DEED OF ASSIGNMENT IN FAVOR OF MRS.
JANET MILER THEREBY MAKING HER THE CURRENT BENEFICIARY WITH HER FOLLOWING
ACCOUNT DETAILS: MRS. JANET
MILER, AC/NUMBER: 6503809428. ROUTING/122006743, B/NAME: CITI BANK,
ADDRESS: NEW YORK, USA.


WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENT DETAILS TO THE SAID JANET MILLER, IF
WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WORKING DAYS FROM
TODAY,CONTACT THE PAYING BANK WITH
THIS EMAIL BELOW, [e-mail address redacted]


THANKS CHAIRMAN ECONOMIC FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION INVESTIGATION OFFICE
NIGERIA (EFCC).


URGENT RESPOND NEEDED TODAY UNFAILINGLY.
MRS. FARIDA WAZIRI ECONOMIC (INVESTIGATION CHAIRMAN).


---------------------- CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE --------------------------------

PLEASE CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENT BEFORE PRINTING THIS E-MAIL

This email is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed and may
contain confidential information and may be legally privileged. If you are
not the intended recipient, you are notified that you may not use,
distribute or copy this document in any manner whatsoever. Kindly also
notify the sender by email and/or delete this e-mail. Any views or opinions
expressed in this e-mail are those of the sender and do not necessarily
coincide with those of the Open University of Tanzania.

--------------------THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA--------------------------

Lord, Deliver Me From Lukla

Lukla, Nepal, that is. Let's watch some films of aircraft taking off and landing at this airport.

Takeoff:



Landing:



Takeoff from inside the airplane:



Landing from inside the airplane:



This is an acrophobiac's nightmare.

But you don't have to go to Nepal for this kind of fright; just visit Courchevel, France, in the French Alps:



I found these on YouTube while holding the baby and trying to review the algorithms for PALS. I gave up and typed in airplane, to have him watch airplane landings while falling asleep.

More Clear Creek Monastery Scenes

Welcome to my photographs of Clear Creek Monastery in Hulbert, Oklahoma!



Here is the monastery's reception hall, with a book store. This is where the Porter - the monk who meets all visitors - greets people and helps them:



Here is the monastery main building, where the monks live and where the various rooms are located. The sheds in the foreground are temporary work areas; in the future there will be another building:



This is the Crypt Chapel, which is built into the foundation of the Church. It looks better than last year with a cover of nice bricks over the concrete:



These bells were given to the monastery by another monastery in France. They will go into the bell tower when it is complete:



Yet another view of the bells. Check out the website for pictures of the projected final plan for the church and building:

http://www.clearcreekmonks.org/



The guest house. This was a former hunting lodge made up of HUGE logs. The rooms were all set up for sleeping, and the living room has a large fireplace for keeping the house warm.



Across from the guest house is a chapel and more sleeping quarters which were made from a converted horse barn.



Clear Creek has cut into the rock face of the hill. In places one can see springs running out of the rock and into the creek.



This is a view looking in the other direction. These pictures were taken with my old Pentax K-1000 while I was standing on a shaky footbridge. One of the locals told us that eels from the local lake(or was it a reservoir?) would swim up to this part of the creek to lay eggs for the next generation of eels. All I saw were little foot long fish:



The first thing we did when we got there was collect and chop firewood for the house. These logs were cut down two years previously:



Here is the road leading into the property. We strung electric wire along both sides of this road, and felled some trees which were too close to the road. It appears as if they are going to expand the road soon. Other folks got to tag and even birth some lambs, but I was never around to join that group:



An action scene of the young men stringing wire. The weather was in the mid-40's during the day, but there was little wind. At night, the temperature dropped into the 20's.



Another view of the work area:



The visit was not all work. Here the men play football:



Note the ball in midair:



Another action shot of the football game:



This is a water pump in the front yard of the guest house:



There are other entries on Clear Creek Monastery at these places:
A Visit To The Monastery (there are some pictures taken last year here)
and
Wood Chips, Diesel, and Sweat (our first visit to Clear Creek Monastery)