Get off the phone!

Fortunately there was no traffic in the oncoming lanes so I was able to react and move over to avoid hitting her. She was concentrating intently on not hitting the vehicle in front of her (stopped), and so it likely would have been a bit of a surprise if I had indeed run into the rear of her vehicle which had just slid sideways into my lane in front of me. When I got up this morning it was not snowing and there was nothing on the ground. By the time I was out of the shower the ground was covered. By the time I got kids to school the roads were quite treacherous in places. This was in between schools that this happened. I had dropped Jack off at the high school and was driving to the middle school to make the other drop. I noticed unusual movement in traffic to my right and looked and saw this car sliding sideways into my lane. I made the correction around her to the left, oncoming traffic was clear (I checked) and missed her. As I drove by I glanced over at her but I couldn't see her face. It was obscured by her left hand holding up her cell phone.

OK, talking on the cell phone while driving? I'm guilty of that and I know it's not the smartest thing to do, but talking on the cell phone while driving, on dangerous slick roads, in heavy start and stop traffic, just may be the height of stupidity.

Well, that's my rant for today. Drive safe out there Edmondites. And stay off the phone while you do it!!

C

It can be ugly.....

This world we live in, it can be very ugly at times.

Maybe you've heard about or seen the new DVD formats that are available. HD-DVD and Blu-Ray discs. I just read recently a very interesting article suggesting that, much like it did in the VHS vs. Betamax debates, that the porn industry will play a major role in determining which format will become the most widely used. Let me just pause here a moment to ask if you've ever heard of, own or owned or know someone that owns, a VHS machine or machines in their own home. That's almost like asking if your home has carpet or a bed. The last few years the world has shifted to DVD media but it's still not as popular as the VHS has been. Now we are moving to a new and better (so they say) DVD format and the debate begins again. Which one? HD-DVD or Blu-Ray?

In 2006, according to the article, legitimate mainstream American cinema generated $9 billion in sales. Total revenue for the U.S. adult film industry, annual sales, rentals, and cable charges? $12.9 billion. Video sales at a significant decrease over past years; still accounted for 28% of that total. One of the big reasons that VHS won over BetaMax is because Sony wouldn't let menufacturing houses record pornography to their media. Sony is the company behind the Blu-Ray format for DVD, and already some adult indutry companies are having difficulty getting manufacturers to put their product on the Blu-Ray disc. However, the vice-chair of the Blu-Ray Disc Association was quoted saying that there is no specific anti-porn mandate when it comes to adult material on the format. It might be well said that 28% of $12.9 billion is $3.6 billion and taking into consideration Sony's fiasco with laptop batteries and poor PS3 sales last year it isn't too far fetched to think that they would consider lowering moral standards for a cut of that percentage. Right now Blu-Ray is just too time consuming and expensive compared to the HD-DVD format and they may have already lost.

Well, that's good as far as information is concerned but where does that leave us? We all know I think that porn is everywhere, literally everywhere, so the 12.9 number isn't to me all that shocking. The fact that the number is that high considering that porn is basically free, (you can find all you want on the internet and not pay a dime for it) is what amazes me. Then consider that we can avoid it when we know it's there, but how do you avoid the undercurrent of porn in society? The fact that the porn industry accounts for some pretty major consumer trends? I refer to my earlier question, how many people do you know that own a VHS player (or owned one)? Did you ever wonder why they didn't own a BetaMax machine?

I brought this up in devotional this morning before work and afterward Kerry shared an experience with us. He said he was out shopping for a new mattress in a local, large furniture store, and they had a large, glossy, full color poster advertising a mattress. On this poster were a man and a woman and an ad slogan for the mattresses. Kerry asked the salesman if he should know who the two on the poster were. He asked, "Don't you know? That's two of the most recognized adult film stars in America. There you have it, right in your face mainstream America, adult film stars selling you a mattress. Obviously I get the connection, but isn't that a little over the top? Kerry told the salesman that if that was how they were selling mattressess there that he would be doing business elsewhere. The salesman asked him if he was offended by it.

I'm not sure really what the point is today. Or even if there is one. I'm just kind of disgusted with what we have to put up with sometimes. Porn is so prevalent, so ingrained in society now that I don't think we even notice half of it anymore. Or don't recognize it for what it is. It's just something that we glance at and think, "Well, that's not something I'd do/say/wear etc." I wonder if we even get offended anymore. Well, I guess I am. Offended that is. I guess that's why I'm typing this up.

A friend, someone that spent a lot of time with the youth group at church, been a teacher to them, and a friend to some has been carrying on an affair with another church member for around 3 years. They are both married. In fact the two families are/were best of friends. Their children played together, went to bible class together. The entire faith structure for God only knows how many people is about to crash violently. It's disgusting and it offends me. I told my kids last night so they wouldn't have to read about it, or hear rumors about rumors and all the others things that might go on with this. I told them to pray for our friends in the wrong that they might correct it, and for those on the other side that they will keep their faith. And for the kids, they will need a lot of comfort and prayer. It makes me mad I guess because it's so close. I just went through this mess less than two years ago. If the offending parties knew how much damage they were causing, and they don't have any idea, they wouldn't do it (or wouldn't have done it). I'm not talking about hurting the spouse or the kids. It's that and all of the friends, co-workers, church family, family members and innocent bystanders as well. Adultery is a dirty, ugly thing that destroys families, faith and sometimes lives. There are many books on this subject, the long term damage of broken homes, but I don't think anyone really understands it until they see it first hand. I pray you won't ever have too.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. I Corinthians 6:9-11

Peace,
Craig

42

From the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy":

The Vogon began to read - a fetid little passage of his own devising. "Oh frettled gruntbuggly....." he began. Spasms wracked Ford's body - this was worse than ever he'd been prepared for. "... thy micturations are to me As plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee. Groop, I implore thee," continued the merciless Vogon, "my foonting turlingdromes." His voice was rising to a horrible pitch of impassioned stridency. "And hooptiously drangle me with crinkly binderwurdles, Or I will rend thee in the gobberwarts with my blurglecruncheon, see if I don't! Ford Prefect threw one final spasm and went limp. Arthur lolled. "Now Earthlings ..." whirred the Vogon "I present you with a simple choice! Either die in the vacuum of space, or ...." he paused for melodramatic effect, "tell me how good you thought my poem was!" Ford was rasping for breath. He rolled his dusty tongue round his parched mouth and moaned. Arthur said brightly: "Actually I quite liked it."

Ahh, British humor. You either like it or you don't. I happen to like the 5 book Hitchhiker's trilogy. The last book is pretty weak compared to the rest of the story, but overall a good series. They recently made a movie out of the books. Finally. And it was ok. If you had never read the books you probably didn't "get" the movie's humor, but for fans of the books there was enough subtle references to some of the books finer humor to make it a fair movie. I don't think that it would be really very funny to read Monty Python as they were so visual in their humor, and it was of course a TV program. On the other hand I think Hitchhiker was better experienced by reading rather than watched in a movie. Books can so often create a better visual picture (for me at least) than can props and actors in a movie. This is not always true of course. Maybe it's just that my experience of the Hitchhiker's story for years was in printed form and for me that's the true Hitchhiker, and the movie then becomes a passable attempt at a copy of the original. So all that is to say watch the movie if you want, the books are better, and I promised an answer to my question in the first post. Once again here's Douglas Adams and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:

"Good morning" said Deep Thought at last. "Er ... Good morning, O Deep Thought," said Loonquawl nervously, "do you have ... er, that is ...." "An answer for you?" interrupted Deep Thought majestically. "Yes, I have." The two men shivered with expectancy. Their waiting had not been in vain. "There really is on?" breathed Phouchg. "There really is on," confirmed Deep Thought. ""To Everything? To the great Question of Life, the Universe and Everything?" "Yes." "And you're ready to give it to us?" urged Loonquawl. "I am." "Now?" "Now," said Deep Thought. They both licked their dry lips. "Though I don't think," added Deep Thought, "that you're going to like it." "Doesn't matter!" said Phouchg. "We must know it! Now!" "Now?" inquired Deep Thought. "Yes! Now ..." "Alright," said the computer and settled into silence again. The two men fidgeted. The tension was unbearable. "You're really not going to like it," observed Deep Thought. "Tell us!" "Alright," said Deep Thought. "The Answer to the Great Question of Life, the Universe and Everything is ..." said Deep Thought, and paused. "Yes ...!" "Is ..." "Yes ...!!...?" "Forty-Two," said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm. It was a long time before anyone spoke.

Craig

Doe, a Deer, a Female Deer.......

Several of them actually. It wasn't all that long ago that I had never seen a deer in Oklahoma. I guess that's not terribly unusual, we always went hunting in Texas and for years I lived in the city, and there just aren't that many deer wandering around Oklahoma City. Now that I live North of Edmond it's not all that rare for me to see some every now and then. Sometimes along the highway and sometimes in my neighborhood. Mostly when I see them it's in a little more rural setting.

It seems like that is changing though. I took this picture at I-35 and Edmond road by the frontage road there. Granted, it's not a bustling metropolis but it is busier than I would want if I were a deer. This is just about mile north of the new Wal-Mart, and just a 1/4 mile or so from a large neighborhood. Also it's not far from the fountain oaks gas station and there is quite a lot of traffic at this intersection. I saw them when I drove by and had to find a place to turn around. I turned onto the frontage road and couldn't see them so I stopped about where I thought I could get a good picture. That was about 30 yards from this group of deer in the picture. I spooked them of course and thought I'd lost the shot but I found them not far away. This is only about half of the total that I saw there. Maybe a dozen in all. Definitely the largest group of deer I have seen in Oklahoma, and they were right here in town.

One of the first deer I ever saw here in Oklahoma was near this same location. It was late the night of November 13th, 2003. I stopped at Target on the way home from my parent's house to buy ink cartridges for my printer. I had already stopped at Wal-Mart and they were out of my ink. I was printing the handout for Dad's memorial that Saturday the 15th and it was pretty important that I got what I needed that night. Target was closing, I mean they were locking the doors for the night, but they let me in to make my purchase. It had been a long frustrating week. Not much sleep for me, intense sadness, stress, I was pretty unsettled. That Tuesday morning, the 11th, when the doctor explained that the surgery was pretty traumatic and would take longer to recover, dad wanted to know just how long was longer. I think we all knew that he was asking if he would be able to make his hunting trip the following week, or lacking that, the late hunt of the year. I remember saying, "Dad, I think the deer will be safe from you this year."

Two days later, that night of November the 13th, between Target and I-35, nobody on the road but me, alone in the car, one of the first deer I ever saw in the state of Oklahoma, and by far the biggest buck, came out of the "woods" on the South side of the road and crossed the 4 lanes to the North. There was no danger of hitting him, he was a good distance away. It was cold that night, I could see his breath as he took his time crossing the road, pausing along the way to look in my direction. I've joked since then that this buck obviously knew that he was safe from dad's gun and was taunting me with that knowledge. But I've come to believe over the years since then that it was something more than that. I saw by chance a beautiful creature, one forever linked to thoughts of my dad. Whenever I think of, or see deer, I think of hunting, or going to set up to hunt, or driving around the ranch in Texas or Oklahoma, or any of a hundred other thoughts, with my dad.

I cherish these memories.

Peace,

Craig

It ain't gettin'......It's bein'

Old that is.

You hear people say, "It's no fun getting old." I disagree. I've had a lot of fun getting old, it's being old that stinks.

I'm getting more content to sit and watch a contest on television, but really I can't let go of the competition. I've got two boys that like to play basketball, and like to see if they can take it to the old man. We play on Sunday afternoons quite often and its a lot of fun. I love running up and down the court, keeping up with or still beating the young ones to the ball. Hitting the long shot, hearing the kids say, "man your dad's pretty good."

I still like to mix it up on the softball field, still like to chase down fly balls. I'm still one of the good hitters and pretty fast. Just last year I took off and tried to get an extra base when I shouldn't have. Had to slide to make it. Cut my lip pretty bad when I collided with the 3rd baseman's knee. Hopped up and finished the game, almost got a chance to win it with the final at bat bloody face and all, but never made it to the plate. Oh, I was out at 3rd too. Insult to injury.

Still having fun, playing like a kid. In the snow a few weeks ago I herded the boys outside to play football. Knocking each other around in the snow was great. I threw a baseball at the fair last year. Guessed the speed right and won my girl a prize. 64 mph. whoopie-do. That's 20 years and 20 mph removed from my baseball glory days. Yep, I've had a lot of fun getting old. Being old however, I don't look forward to it.

Lately, my eyes get tired, some things don't focus like they used too. That's the worst of it. I can handle the aches and pains, although its more pain now than ache. And I don't bounce back as quickly as I used too. Bruise easier, heal slower. But the eyes have made me feel more mortal than anything else. Jack says I have to play softball for at least another year or two, so that when he is old enough we can play together at least once. I say I'm not sure that I'll make it that long, but if I were going to bet on it I'd say I'll probably be playing whatever kid games I can until they carry me off the field. I'll keep having fun getting old until being old takes over.

Now if someone could help me up out of this chair, it's time to get ready for church.

Anyone...........

Please?

Tandy's Handiwork and "THE RING"

I thought that I would show off some the the gifts that Tandy made this year. She made these OSU blankets for the boys for christmas. They still aren't quite done yet, she is going to cross-stitch Pistol Pete in the remaining black square. She started out with a book pattern and then altered it to suit her needs. I went around the house taking pictures of ties, t-shirts, posters and hats to get the images for the cross-stitch. Tandy's sister Sandy has a program that will turn jpeg's into patterns. She then altered those, colorwise and size, to fit the afghan squares. The boys were both pretty impressed, Jeff wants to use his all the time and Jack says, "It's not for using, it's for hanging on the wall and admiring so it won't get messed up." I'll post a picture of the fully completed blanket when Pete is done.

This flag afghan was done for my birthday in October. Much of the work was done in my presence while watching movies or playing games with the kids. I'm a sucker for Americana and this fits right in with me. It's really pretty, the picture doesn't do it justice.

Finally, for those who've said they can't see the ring very well in other pictures, here is a picture of the ring. Click on it for a bigger image. Ladies have come all the way across the church building after service because they thought they saw something "sparkly". Which of course makes me wonder why they are watching me/us instead of paying attention to the sermon. Anyway, most of the comments I get are, "You picked that out yourself? No help at all? You did a really good job." And then the guys complain that I've set the bar too high. Oh well, I like it and Tandy loves it, so I guess I did ok.

Mystery Gifts Revisited

I guess the memory is the first thing to go.......

I was certain that it was Jackie that had started our mystery gift tradition, as reported in the prior post. However, she has informed me that she didn't. It was in fact my sister-in-law Terre that started the tradition. The gift that started it all was the homemade cocoa mix that had been in the family for years and Jackie won the gift that year. I guess that's what got stuck in my head. It's a great tradition, and a great way to remember Terre, which I will from now on. It's a great shame that she wasn't with us this year for the extra mystery gift. I think she would have really enjoyed it. She did love to laugh, was very quick witted, always fun to be around.

Her feet were very sensitive. Probably sounds strange to you, but it's true. VERY sensitive. I stayed with them, she and my brother, for a couple of weeks years ago when they were living in Tulsa. I was maybe 12 years old or so. We played games and passed the time while Richard was at work, and occasionally I would reach out and tickle a foot. She did warn me. Yes, very sternly, "Do not tickle my feet again!" The consequence would be a pitcher of tea poured out over my head if I did it again.

Did I mention that I was 12?

Who would pour a pitcher of tea out in her own home?

No way, right?

Wrong.

Tickle, I warned you, pour. Laughter................lots of laughter. And guess who cleaned up the mess.

I was 37 years old when she passed away. Over the 25 years in between the "tea incident" and then, I'll bet she told that story a hundred times. I miss her laughter and a lot of other things about her. I'm a little sorry that I miss-remembered the mystery gift history, but I'm not sorry at all that my mistake gave me time and opportunity to think of and remember an old friend. What a great tradition we have because of her. This one's for you Richard, I know I got this memory right.

Love you,

Craig