1,000th post

A great article by Rev. Sean: 10 things we can learn from Mormanism

This kind of article is what I enjoy about the UU blogosphere and keeps me interested in perspectives of other UUs - minister and laity.

In regards to Rev. Sean's article - I think my church could learn some of the same things from Evangelicals and Baptists. Yes, Baptists and Evangelicals are looked upon as separate entities in this region. Everyone makes fun of the Baptists, even other Evangelical faiths. I know this as a former Evangelical Christian. We made fun of them because they did not dance. The services I used to attend included dancing. Sometimes, I miss that element of worship. I've been clapping during appropriate hymns hoping others would follow suit. I need to clap louder. Sometimes, I feel awkward being the only set of hands clapping. Others do eventually start clapping but by the time everyone finds the beat the hymn is over. At Evangelical churches I've attended, the words to the songs are projected on to a screen or wall, thus freeing the hands for clapping and the body for moving.

Rev. Sean's article has spurred me to think about the gifts that my religious past has given me. There could be a sermon or service there or maybe just a blog entry.

The Tao of Mary Worth

...what you've done some people take a lifetime to do! I'm expending too much energy trying to fathom the meaning of a poorly written platitude uttered in a poorly written comic strip. That is the definition of a platitude - words that sound nice but really have very little meaning.

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Yesterday, I played technology maven. A video conference went smoothly until the remote site timed out the last hour. I suspect time zone differences. After a system reboot, my site connected but the other site could not get through the TAMU firewall. Tech support asked if I could go to the other site to work through the firewall issues. I had to answer no, since the remote site is in Georgia and I am in Texas. Apparently, tech support only saw site codes and not locations. The rest of the conference was conducted by speaker phone.

For some reason, I'm the second contact for this site in Georgia. I hope that I don't end up receiving requests about the Georgia site. With a large entity, like Texas A&M, once something gets into a database, list or whatever, it can take a long time for that information to get corrected.

Photo Essay

Interesting photo essay: http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519,00.html
What the world eats: What's on family dinner tables in fifteen different homes around the world.

I was struck by the ubiquitousness of Coca-Cola products.

Directed to the essay by bytes of grass.

Heron of hope

A symptom of a bad comic strip - the background is more interesting than the foreground. Is that a painting or a window in the second panel? Contrasts nicely with the inky black void surrounding it.

Something better explode because I cannot live with the thought that I wasted over 6 weeks of my life interested in this plot line. Remember, a professional wrote this story.

Running Log and New Addition

This week I ran 10.76 miles, burned 1332.5 calories and weigh 177.3 pounds.

Monday: 3.06 miles in 35:00
Wednesday: 3.10 miles in 35:00
Friday: 4.60 miles in 65:00

Next week I start my marathon training. I downloaded a training plan from Runnersworld.com. It is based upon my half-marathon time, current weekly mileage and how intense I want to train. I chose the hard option (mileage increases of 15% with a gradual pace increase). Only three runs a week (sometimes only 2) - it should be interesting.

We have added a parakeet to the family. Right now, he has been dubbed "little bird". He and Salvador are working things out and we are waiting for a bit more personality to emerge before he is formally named. Pictures will be posted soon. The little guy looks so tiny next to Salvador.

Quiz Results

45% Mingle² - Free Online Dating

I'm sort of screwed

I Scored a 100%!

Mingle² - Free Online Dating

But at least I can spell

76% Geek Mingle² - Free Online Dating

Now you know why my chances of surviving a Zombie Apocolypse are 45%

Free Online Dating

I did better when I was in 8th grade.

They are all around..

I can't avoid them!

An icon/ avatar from Mark Trail for your enjoyment:

From the second panel of this comic...For those who do not read Mark Trail, a synopsis of the story line that led to today's strip:

Some corrupt county officials want the county to buy their land to build a new airport on it. Problem: the county already has a perfectly good airport. So the county officials hire a shady hunting guide to put a bunch of birds around the airport thus creating a danger to aircraft. The airport becomes unusable thus the county has to build a new airport and a couple of officials have some land that they can sell. Mark Trail will uncover the plot and foil our villains.

Bad guys executing a ridiculously elaborate scheme in order to make a profit should be a familiar plot to anyone who grew up watching Scooby-Doo. Instead of ghosts, we have birds. Instead of meddling kids, we have a meddling wildlife biologist. In both, somebody is wearing a kerchief.

AWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Charging at windmills

I got a crazy notion in my head. I thought about the candidates for U.S. President. I thought about what I would ask them if given the opportunity.

I compiled 6 questions. Wrote 16 letters (they will go in the mail tomorrow). Sent 16 e-mails. Made a blog: http://sixquestions-toonhead.blogspot.com/ Await answers.

There are 18 candidates so far but two did not have a mailing address (Brownback and Kucinich) and two did not have an appropriate e-mail address (Tancredo and Romney).

I thought the worst thing that could happen is being ignored. Walter thought the worst is getting questioned by the authorities for sending letters to all the candidates.

Yes, it will look weird to the Post Office, a pile of letters going to the campaign headquarters of every declared candidate. I'll simply explain to the clerk what I'm doing.

Google Analytics

I've installed Google Analytics on to my site. I'm looking at the keywords list. Most of the words are clip art related which makes sense since I offer a collection of clip art, free and not free, in addition to the cartoons which I draw for mostly therapeutic purposes.

A list of the more confusing/ interesting keywords used to come to my site:

• sears catalogue - this ranks higher than the U.S. spelling that I use on the site
• zoofever
• ziggy underwear
• tripple anal - I don't want to know
• linda causey
• cox internet sucks
• boarders and frames
• push ups clip art
• mary worth comic von vera story - this person or persons visited 11 time and spent an average of 00:13:43 on the site, thanks for sticking around
• running a church business meeting - this person left quickly
• introvert layouts
• looking for a bullmastiff/pit mix
• "zoofever"
• doorway cliches
• cheeseburger cheeseburger livonia
• i grunted loudly gym
• toledo bend google layers
• gym idiots
• blogspot otolaryngology
• richard miles animal nutritionist
• the world of farts
• introverted uterus how to get pregnant
• ugly food
• rev. teri ballard
• calories needed by a man + "69 inches"
• how can you hate
• perfect society unitarian
• non-discreet breastfeeding pictures
• world nymphets hard
• otolaryngology fetish picture
• zen joke dog fart
• alva ho

Can anyone top "zen joke dog fart" as a keyword?

Republican Debate

A much better analysis of the Republican Debate.

The one thing that Americans of all political and idealogical stripes can agree on: Wolf Blitzer is a douche bag.

Caddyshack

I've felt the same way myself. A nice reboot would do the trick. Better yet, a reformat with a nice clean reinstall of the important files.

Caddyshack reference! The dog is probably contemplating an unnamed phenomenon in which something pop cultural gets referenced or mentioned often for no reason. For example, Caddyshack came out in the 1980's - this comic is the first reference and then later a friend makes a reference to Caddyshack and then even later a newscaster uses something from Caddyshack as a metaphor. The Onion even did an article about this phenomenon. Can anyone think of a good term to describe it?

A drawing of a punchline of a popular joke. I wish I thought to do this. Damn, I hate it when I miss opportunities like that.

SIX WEEKS! SIX @#$%! WEEKS and THIS is where the arc ends!?! In the unseen third panel something explodes. It took SIX WEEKS to get to this point! Damn it, somebody better die! Damn, no guilt since everyone has forgiven each other and themselves. SIX WEEKS! I hate this comic but I can't stop reading it.

Mood and Basketball

Sorry about the lack of length regarding the Republican debate.

I've felt kind of ill this afternoon. Some water and shooting a few hoops helped. I parked in the street and used the basketball goal that came with the house. The net has lichen growing on it but it held together. I need to relearn how to do a lay-up. I shoot pretty well left-handed.

The kind of ill feeling is coming back (Insert joke about watching political debates) that is why I cut the previous post short. Also, I did not have my notepad with me, I just watched and relied on my memory.

I so want one of the so-called second tier candidates from either party to come out on top just to teach the mainstream media that the voters determine the outcome not them. This anointing pisses me off.

Republicans

Watched the Republicans debate. CNN's performance improved a bit but Wolf Blitzer is still a douche bag.

Tancredo and Paul are the two I found most interesting.

I'm concerned about the language in which the health care issue is being framed. Health care is being equated with insurance. It limits solutions. Most of the candidates speak of making sure that every American has insurance coverage but the problem is access to health care not insurance.

Repeats and Wikipedia

Oh lovely, a 10 year old comic not trying to disguise itself as a repeat. When running repeats, try undated material.

The first line lead me to believe that even the Lockhorns were finding For Better or For Worse, the comic strip, tiresome but was disappointed by the punchline. My marriage stinks. Ha ha.

Here's a funny but sad article about Wikipedia from Something Awful.

The Great Debates

Just some quick thoughts on the debate between the Democratic candidates for President, some relevant to the candidates, some about CNN's presentation.

Wolf Blitzer is a douche-bag. A well-groomed, articulate douche-bag but still a screaming, self-important, douche-bag. Wolf Blitzer: Douche-Bag for CNN


Set design: Looks like aesthetics trumped utility. The sound problems with the journalists would not have made a difference if they were not seated at the end of a long triangle that stretched almost across the floor section of the auditorium. What the @#$! was going on here? This was a presidential debate, a set looking like something out of Star Trek (1960's Trek) was not necessary. I bet the cameramen cursed the set designer as he had to work around that damn triangle monstrosity while filming.

Wolf Blitzer is a douche-bag.

Camera work: Distracting. All the competent directors on vacation? Couldn't borrow one from MSNBC, C-SPAN, FOX, the local public access cable station?

Wolf Blitzer is a douche-bag.

As for the candidates - my opinion who did the best, in order: Biden, Kucinich, Obama, Clinton, Gravel, Richardson, Edwards and Dodd. Biden for his willingness to speak truthfully and his passion about Darfur - he might know something of just war theory, Kucinich for questioning basic assumptions about health care reform, Obama for not only addressing questions but understanding the larger concerns behind the questions, Clinton for her willingness to not to play hypothetical question games and her good humor in dealing with the question of her husband's role, and Gravel for giving all of them hell. Richardson, Edwards and Dodd just didn't do anything for me. I'm feeling quite a bit more positive about Clinton.

I liked the format of the debate and the voter questions. I got something out of it despite CNN's best efforts. I hope CNN ditches the stupid ass set design, poor direction and Wolf Blitzer, who is a douche bag, for the Republican debate.

Church Owls and Blood Donation

Went to church today. The sermon was about a language of reverence. I mentally drifted in and out. I do that on a regular basis. Not a reflection on the person giving the sermon but a personal shortcoming. I have to make a sincere effort to pay attention if I'm not participating.

One thing that did capture my attention was something about the drifting nature of word meanings. Queer was the example used. Harmless to hurtful and then reappropriated as a symbol of pride by the group harmed by it. Queer still has all those meanings. Humor often takes advantage of these drifting and multiple meanings. This bit brought to mind some of the discussion of this past week in the UU blogosphere.

This was the first Sunday of the new fiscal year and Walter wrote a check for our new pledge amount. We increased our pledge substantially. We doubled it. During Canvass I had to restrain myself from saying, "Walter and I upped our pledge, up yours." See some of that drifting meaning stuff at work.

A family of owls has taken up residence at the UUCBV. A couple of weeks ago, the children witnessed a parent owl feeding chicks. Today, a small pair roosted in a tree. It may have been the chicks from last week or two. It caused quite a stir. All manner of cameras came out. The fun part was hearing the sounds of joy when people spotted the owls among the leaves and branches. One church member wondered what was going through the heads of the owls as all this stuff was going on underneath them. "What's with all these yahoos down there?"

The Social Justice Committee set up a blood drive. I gave after church. I think they got at least 10 pints of blood from the church as a whole. I gave a little more than necessary because the two technicians were a bit busy with other people to cut me off. I was still within the margin of safety, otherwise I would not be typing this right now. If I went way over, there was a ready supply very handy.

Right now, Salvador is flying about creating a bit of mayhem and the dogs are outside getting very dirty.

Sunday is my cartoon gag writing day so I will have pen and paper handy as I watch the Democrats debate.

Running Log

Ran 3 days in a row this week. All 5K. Ran 10.21 miles, burned 1342.2 calories and weigh 176 pounds.

Wednesday: 5K - 38:24
Thursday: 5K - 37:10
Friday: 5K - 31:31

Almost time to start training for an October marathon in Waco (October 28, 2007). San Antonio (Nov. 11, 2007) looks interesting. After looking at the website and last year's course map, I think I will run in San Antonio instead of Waco. It starts at the Alamo and has several historic missions and other interesting scenery on the route. As a 5+ hour marathoner, I need scenery. Waco has nice scenery too.

Perhaps build a real vacation around the San Antonio marathon. I'm a bit worried that San Antonio has not updated their website and registration has not opened yet.

I could try a challenge - 2 marathons within a month of each other. While I'm having this moment of insanity, why not add the Marathons of Texas Challenge?* Run 5 marathons in 5 months - Waco, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and Austin! I think my family would have me committed if I did such a thing.

*Marathons of Texas - Dallas White Rock, Chevron Houston and AT&T Austin

Zany and mundane

If those were my underwear choices, I too would find the challenge of choosing invigorating. My favorite is the black pair with lightning bolts and fuzzy balls hanging from the hem. I assume Ernie or his wife does laundry more often than once a week.

I find this panel especially funny because Ernie probably wears perfectly normal clothing over that underwear. Mohawks, Vanilla Marley dreadlocks, unnatural hair colors, tattoos, multiple piercings, torn baggy clothes - yawn. Ernie and those like him are the real weirdos and much more interesting.

A lot of people don't like Ballard Street but I love the combination of zany and mundane.

Speaking of mundane, minus the zaniness: Mary is looking rather angry in delivering that platitude in the second panel. Could be that I'm not all that good at reading faces in real life and drawn ones are even more difficult. It's the more subtle expressions that elude me.

This Vera storyline has gone on for over a month! This is longer than Karen Moy's usual 3 week arcs. Saunders used to go 10 weeks on his arcs. I can only hope they were more interesting. Vera forgive Von and keep your independence.

100th Comic for 2007

I just posted the 100th comic for 2007. Now, you know why I rarely draw multi-panel comics.

When I wake up in the morning, I will be Past-President of the Unitarian-Universalist Church of the Brazos Valley. Oh the anticipation of all the wisdom that will flow through me. Oops, took a wrong turn. Anybody got any wisdom I can borrow? I'll trade you for some humor.

I look forward to putting my talents to a different use for the church. I've had my sights on the web site for a while. Thankfully, I found Faith and Web. I need to add it to my bookmarks.

Beware Evildoer!

I've enjoyed my adventures in the UU blogosphere so far. I find the great "brown bag" debate amusing. Ms. Theologian has links to the original articles and responses here. (Thank you for putting it in one convenient place).

I'm more in the "this silliness diminishes serious anti-oppression work" camp. I wonder if all oppression were eliminated what would the anti-oppression people do? I support removing oppression and racism and discrimination but the thing missing from all these eradication plans are benchmarks. What does a world without these evils look like? I can imagine it but is my vision the same as anyone elses's? How will we know when we get there?

Aside from those musings, this image popped into my mind while watching the conversation:

I can see a costumed crime fighter shouting, "Halt, evildoer! or I shall smite you with my BROWN BAG O' JUSTICE!" Imagine the voice of Patrick Warburton (Brock Samson from Venture Brothers) or maybe Charlton Heston. Just for fun shout it to a co-worker with a sense of humor or to your partner while in the bedroom.

I have found that progressive types do not react very well to my attempts at levity. I'll see what happens.