Jesse Tree

Now that it's Advent, the Mrs. and I were discussing ways to keep a better Advent/Christmas season. One idea that we're considering is doing a Jesse Tree.

There are some rather famous examples, like at St. Etienne, Canterbury, and Notre Dame; and there are the more mundane examples that involve felt, construction paper, and paper ornaments, which is more what I had in mind.

The Jesse Tree draws out in readings and symbols the fulfillment of the promise of Jesus (who is of Jesse's line) while linking the Old and New Testaments. Jesse was the father of King David. Christmas trees celebrate Christmas, but a Jesse tree celebrates Advent. How better to celebrate the waiting associated with Advent?

Have you had any experiences with Jesse trees or other Advent traditions, especially with your children? I'd love to hear them.

Persimmons: Deliciously Dangerous

As a novelty, I bought a package of 8 persimmons (Fuyu) at Costco. It's a kind of exotic fruit that you don't see everyday. Rightly or wrongly, I have always associated them with Christmastime.

Wikepedia says:

A persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees of the genus Diospyros in the ebony wood family (Ebenaceae). The word persimmon is derived from putchamin, pasiminan, or pessamin, from Powhatan, an Algonquian Cree and Mohican) of the eastern United States, meaning "a dry fruit".[1] Persimmons are generally light yellow-orange to dark red-orange in color, and depending on the species, vary in size from 1.5-9 cm (0.5-4 in) diameter, and may be spherical, acorn-, or pumpkin-shaped.[2] The calyx often remains attached to the fruit after harvesting, but becomes easier to remove as it ripens. They are high in glucose, with a balanced protein profile, and possess various medicinal and chemical uses. While the persimmon fruit is not considered a "common berry" it is in fact a "true berry" by definition.

They have a deliciously musky flavor, somewhere between a mango and a fig; they are a sticky-sweet delicacy that looks like a tomato, but eats like a pear. Even better, you can cut them up and they don't darken like bananas and so retain their gorgeous color in vegetable or fruit trays. You find a lot of recipes that call for the persimmon pulp like cookies, cakes, and puddings.

There is a catch to this delectable fruit: eating too much unripe persimmon has been linked to forming indigestible clots in the stomach and intestines.

Unripened persimmons contain the soluble tannin shibuol, which, upon contact with a weak acid, polymerizes in the stomach and forms a gluey coagulum that can affix with other stomach matter.[7] The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy notes that consumption of persimmons has been known to cause bezoars that require surgery in over 90% of cases.

So, go ahead and enjoy ripe persimmons, but -- as always -- in moderation.

EU, Something Stinks

Call it a gut reaction, but all is not well with the European Union. I can't quite put my finger on it, since I pay sporadic attention to things EU, but there is a growing disquiet with the way things are developing.

A recent BBC News article has the U.K. "thinking" about adopting the Euro and dropping the Pound Sterling "because of the effects of the global credit crunch." Sounds like a bunch of politicians agitating for short-term gains and using "hindsight" to make their point. "Gee, if only we'd done that, we'd be better off today".

I say stick to your guns and your currency, because tomorrow you just may be better off in any case.

Otherwise, you first give up your money; political power is the next to wane (because you don't have your own money). Your influence is automatically diluted by being "one of many"; your best interests must now give way to the "good of the whole", which is to say, the powerful. Once your money and political power are compromised, borders become next to meaningless and military power is the next casualty (how are you going to pay the soldiers and to whom will they be loyal?). Finally, culture, religion, and law are all subsumed into the juggernaut; anything that stands in its way just gets crushed.

From Wikipedia:

The EU operates through a hybrid system of intergovernmentalism and supranationalism. In certain areas it depends upon agreement between the member states. However, it also has supranational bodies, able to make decisions without unanimity between all national governments. Important institutions and bodies of the EU include the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, the European Council, the European Court of Justice and the European Central Bank. EU citizens elect the Parliament every five years.

Maybe I'm just too "American" in my thinking; there is part of me that recoils at giving up sovereignty in whole or in part in exchange for a buck (or a Euro). But there is a very real undercurrent of raw power politics that comes into play. Sure, the EU is a powerful economic force, but it tends to run roughshod over the other elements of nation states. What started out as a good idea is quickly developing a Frankenstein life of its own.

The EU traces its origins to the European Coal and Steel Community formed among six countries in 1951 and the Treaty of Rome in 1957. Since then the EU has grown in size through the accession of new member states and has increased its powers by the addition of new policy areas to its remit.

Especially troubling to people of faith is the unremitting secularism of the EU, which simply reflects the growing secularism of its people.

The EU is a secular body with no formal connections to any religion and no mention of religion in any current or proposed treaty. Discussion over the draft texts of the European Constitution and later the Treaty of Lisbon included proposals to mention Christianity and/or God in the preamble of the text, but the idea faced opposition and was dropped.

In December of [2007] European leaders signed the Lisbon Treaty which was intended to replace the earlier, failed European Constitution, which never came into force after being rejected by French and Dutch voters. However, uncertainty clouds the prospects of the Lisbon Treaty's coming into force as result of its rejection by Irish voters in June 2008.

The European Commissioner for the Internal Market Charlie McCreevy admitted he had not read the Treaty from cover to cover, and said "he would not expect any sane person to do so".

So, entire countries are expected to "just sign here" and never mind about the details? Yikes.

I wish I could give an actual analysis of the situation, instead of a knee-jerk reaction, but sometimes it's best to go with your gut: if it stinks, chances are something's rotten.

Sully Plantation

Today was a gorgeous Fall day: cool without being cold, sunny, and no wind. Therefore, we took Wynken, Blynken, Nod, Nub, and Nib on an historical outing at the nearby Sully Plantation.

(They now call it Sully Historic Site, but I remember when it was simply Sully Plantation.)

Admission to the grounds is free, the tour of the House is cheap enough even for seven.

An oasis of the past, Sully reflects the history of Fairfax County. Completed in 1799 by Richard Bland Lee, the main house at Sully combines aspects of Georgian and Federal architecture. Richard Bland Lee was Northern Virginia's first Representative to Congress, as well as General Robert E. Lee's uncle.

On the National Register for Historic Places, and accredited by the American Association of Museums, Sully also includes original outbuildings, representative slave quarter and gardens. Guided tours highlight the early 19th century life of the Richard Bland Lee family, tenant farmers and enslaved African Americans. Programs reflect the history of Fairfax County through the 20th century.

We all had a good time and learned a bit of local history. Nod-girl summed it all up, saying. "I liked everything except the slave quarters. That doesn't look like fun."

Groaners

My kids have reached the age where they have discovered humor, specifically jokes. They rush home to tell me their latest discovery which is usually a "groaner".

The jokes are so bad, they make me laugh. Blynken told me this one:

Q: "What is a frog's favorite music?"

A: "Hip-hop."

Groan.

Turkey Me This

Time to turn those turkey leftovers into tantalizing meals for the family.
Let's start with:

Turkey Tetrazini


* Turkey Enchiladas


* Annie's Turkey Salad



* Turkey a la King


* Turkey Pot Pie II


* Kentucky Hot Brown

Bedside Reading List

Almost as much fun as posting the top 10 results from your iTunes shuffle is telling what is on your bedside reading table.

I usually have 3 or 4 books that I am reading at any given time, depending on how the mood strikes me. Sometimes it's deep thought, sometimes religious reading, biographies or histories, and sometimes just plain popcorn reading.

Here is what's currently getting read. As far as the Nancy Drew goes, let's just say I was having trouble sleeping.


Intro Great Silence by Philip Gröning

Nestled deep in the postcard-perfect French Alps, the Grande Chartreuse is considered one of the world’s most ascetic monasteries. In 1984, German filmmaker Philip Gröning wrote to the Carthusian order for permission to make a documentary about them. They said they would get back to him.

Sixteen years later, they were ready.

Gröning, sans crew or artificial lighting, lived in the monks’ quarters for six months—filming their daily prayers, tasks, rituals and rare outdoor excursions. This transcendent, closely observed film seeks to embody a monastery, rather than simply depict one—it has no score, no voiceover and no archival footage.

What remains is stunningly elemental: time, space and light. One of the most mesmerizing and poetic chronicles of spirituality ever created, INTO GREAT SILENCE dissolves the border between screen and audience with a total immersion into the hush of monastic life. More meditation than documentary, it’s a rare, transformative theatrical experience for all.

Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know (Hardcover)
by Meg Meeker (Author)

With over 25 years of experience counseling girls, Dr. Meg Meeker has pulled together everything dads need to build - or rebuild - their bond with their daughters. Dr. Meeker demonstrates that the most important factor for girls growing up into confident, well-adjusted women is a strong father with conservative values. And this book helps move dads in the right direction.

She includes data, research, and practical experience to help you understand the role of fathers in a young girls life. And each chapter explains the how and why of being the best father to daughters that you can be.

Dads, you are far more powerful than you think you are. Your daughters need the support that only fathers can provide - and if you are willing to follow Dr. Meeker's advice on how to guide your daughter, to stand between her and toxic culture, your rewards will be unmatched. 267 pages. Hardcover.

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

The War of the Ring reaches its climax as the dark lord Sauron sets his sights on Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor. The members of the fellowship in Rohan are warned of the impending attack when Pippin cannot resist looking into Saruman's palantir and is briefly contacted by the dark lord.

King Theoden is too proud to send his men to help without being asked, so Gandalf and Pippin ride to Minas Tirith to see that this request is sent. They meet opposition there from Denethor, steward of the city and father of Faramir and the late Boromir. Denethor's family has acted as temporary guardians of Gondor for centuries until a member of the true line of kings returns. This member is none other than Aragorn, who must overcome his own self-doubt before he can take on the role he was destined to fulfill.

Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam continue to carry the One Ring towards Mordor, guided by Gollum. What they don't know is that Gollum is leading them into a trap so that he can reclaim the Ring for himself. Though Sam suspects his deceit, Frodo is starting to be corrupted by the Ring's power and the mistrust of Sam this causes is fully exploited by Gollum.

The only way good can prevail in this contest is if the Ring is destroyed, an event that is becoming harder every minute for Frodo to achieve. The fate of every living creature in Middle Earth will be decided once and for all as the Quest of the Ringbearer reaches its climax.

Nancy Drew: The Message in the Hollow Oak by Carolyn Keene

In the 1935 version, Nancy Drew finds out that she has won a rather unusual prize from a contest, a piece of land in Canada. She takes a trip to see what her new property is like. It is her first trip outside the United States.[1]

While she is traveling by train to Canada, she meets an authoress called Ann Chapelle who is also traveling to Canada. Suddenly, the train crashes, and everything is thrown into confusion. Nancy and her two friends, Bess Marvin and George Fayne, are all right, but the authoress that Nancy talked to is in the nearby hospital, gravely injured. When they find her, Miss Chapelle tells Nancy the reason she was coming to Canada, and asks her a favor: to give a message to Miss Chapelle's grandfather, and to a lost love who she hasn't seen since she ran away from home some years ago.

Along with this request, Nancy also has another problem. Two men have heard that there might be gold on Nancy's land, and are determined to get there first.

Grace Before Meals

I've been meaning to brush up on my Latin; specifically Grace before meals, which is something the kids can learn too. Sometimes we do "Bless us O Lord" and for the Littles we do "God is Great". Now we can do it in Latin, too.

BENEDIC, Domine, nos et haec tua dona quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

BLESS us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

And the Blessing after meals:

AGIMUS tibi gratias, omnipotens Deus, pro universis beneficiis tuis, qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

WE give Thee thanks, almighty God, for all Thy benefits, who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.

They're Coming

Thanksgiving Gotta Haves

This theme has come up a lot lately: when you marry someone, in one sense, you marry the whole family. Families have a lot of traditions -- some unspoken. Mrs. Nod and I found that out over the years on both sides of the family. Some things you didn't even know you cared about until they don't happen.

Thanksgiving is like that a lot. Mostly, it's about family, being together, and giving thanks to God for all his benefits; but also, it's about food. Sometimes, it's just not the same without your favorite food.



This year, we're hosting Mrs. Nod's side of the family for Thanksgiving and there will be changes. For instance, due to allergies, there will be no broccoli and cheese dish, no frozen cranberries, and other seasonings may be "light". Instead, there will be corn on the cob. (really?). It's not that I don't like it, but it's not "traditional" for my side. I had to rescue the butternut squash from table banishment, too.

There was a little side discussion last week on the difference between yams and sweet potatoes. The pies will definitely be 100% home made, though, and Grandma's making the stuffing. Brother-in-law will be making his special cranberry relish, but Grandpa wants his mashed potatoes for sure (no garlic please). Other than the green bean casserole, there may be a dearth of green things this year. The bread will get made in the bread maker, a nice toothy egg bread (yum!).

And there will be football, but absolutely no Christmas talk until Friday.

What are your "gotta haves" for Thanksgiving?

Squanto and the First Thanksgiving

I've heard this story before, but it's always good to have a reminder of the providence of God.

From ChristianPost.com:

Most of us know the story of the first Thanksgiving—at least, we know the Pilgrim version. But how many of us know the Indian viewpoint?


by Chuck Colson

No, I’m not talking about some revisionist, politically correct version of history. I’m talking about the amazing story of the way God used an Indian named Squanto as a special instrument of His providence.

Historical accounts of Squanto’s life vary, but historians believe that around 1608—more than a decade before the Pilgrims arrived—a group of English traders sailed to what is today Plymouth, Massachusetts. When the trusting Wampanoag Indians came out to trade, the traders took them prisoner, transported them to Spain, and sold them into slavery. It was an unimaginable horror.

But God had an amazing plan for one of the captured Indians—a boy named Squanto.

Squanto was bought by a well-meaning Spanish monk, who treated him well and taught him the Christian faith. Squanto eventually made his way to England and worked in the stables of a man named John Slaney. Slaney sympathized with Squanto’s desire to return home, and he promised to put the Indian on the first vessel bound for America.

It wasn’t until 1618—ten years after Squanto was first kidnapped—that a ship was found. Finally, after a decade of exile and heartbreak, Squanto was on his way home.

But when he arrived in Massachusetts, more heartbreak awaited him. An epidemic had wiped out Squanto’s entire village.

We can only imagine what must have gone through Squanto’s mind: Why had God allowed him to return home, against all odds, only to find his loved ones dead?

A year later, the answer came. A shipload of English families arrived and settled on the very land once occupied by Squanto’s people. Squanto went to meet them, greeting the startled Pilgrims in English.

According to the diary of Pilgrim Governor William Bradford, Squanto “became a special instrument sent of God for [our] good . . . He showed [us] how to plant [our] corn, where to take fish and to procure other commodities . . . and was also [our] pilot to bring [us] to unknown places for [our] profit, and never left [us] till he died.” When Squanto lay dying of a fever, Bradford wrote that their Indian friend “desir[ed] the Governor to pray for him, that he might go to the Englishmen’s God in heaven.” Squanto bequeathed his possessions to the Pilgrims “as remembrances of his love.”

Who but God could so miraculously convert a lonely Indian and then use him to save a struggling band of Englishmen? It is reminiscent of the biblical story of Joseph, who was also sold into slavery—and whom God, likewise, used as a special instrument for good.

Squanto’s life story is remarkable, and we ought to make sure our children and grandchildren learn about it. Sadly, most books about Squanto omit references to his Christian faith. But I’m delighted to say that Eric Metaxas has written a wonderful children’s book called Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving. I highly recommend it. It will teach your kids about the “special instrument sent of God” who changed the course of American history.

This commentary first aired on November 3, 1999.

Don't "Anything" The Bear

Stories like these just make you shake your head in disbelief.

A student in China climbed into a giant panda enclosure at the zoo to "cuddle" the bear. It promptly bit him.

That's the problem with commercialism: it may look like a toy, but HELLO, it's a bear.


Don't feed the bear.

Don't tease the bear.

And for heaven's sake, don't cuddle the bear. Duh.

Idleness Of The Left Hand

In a random news factoid, people who want to know what is the longest word you can type on a keyboard with just your left hand have a new champion.

The former record holder, stewardesses, comes in at a healthy 12 letters. Some argue that reverberated and desegregated are just as long, but stewardesses is more popular because it's easier to remember and they are arguably better looking.

However, people with too much time on their hands and a Unix dictionary have discovered a 13-letter word to type with just your left hand: devertebrated.

It sounds a bit like a rejected Ramones song: I wanna be devertebrated.

Other than de-boning fish, I can't find much use for this.

A Birthday Wish and I Ain't Lyin'

This goes out to my good friend, Naranja, now in Finland whose birthday is at the end of this month. (Elephants never forget!)

This is a re-creation of a birthday card I got back in 1991 that I think was an all-time great. So, on the eve of your own birthday I present:

That Blynken Math

Blynken's a smart girl, but she struggles with her math facts.

Even before she was in school, she had her own way of counting. New Math's got nothing on her.

If she wanted to know "how many days" until something and it was Tuesday, and the target day was Sunday, I'd tell her "5 days". She would invariably do her own style of counting and tell me it was either "6 days" or "4 days" depending on her mood.

She alternately counted in Tuesday AND Sunday, or alternately counted those days out. Occasionally, she'd count one of them in and one of them out. Nothing I could say could convince her otherwise.

Number lines are just maddening with her.

"Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three.

Five is right out."

I helped her with her math homework tonight and she soldiered through (I am SO passing second grade!), but now I'm tired.

Let's hear it for the 3 R's of education: repetition, repetition, repetition!

Overheard In My House

I heard this from a friend of mine a while back, but it still gives me a chuckle. I was reminded of this story since I just got a letter from the Diocese thanking me for my financial support over the last year.

My friend was at an event out of state with a number of religious (Franciscans of some flavor, I believe). The topic naturally shifted to comparing this diocese with that one and similar stuff, when one person turned to my friend and said "And who is your Bishop?"

Not missing a beat, he replied:

Our Bishop? I think it's Bishop Lenten Appeal.

Custard's Last Stand

Frozen custard's last stand is an enduring one. Far from decaying into culinary oblivion, frozen custard sales are numerous and multiplying fast at least in this area. This tasty treat is similar to ice cream but with less air, more butterfat (10%), and egg yolk (1.4%).

Frozen Custard was invented in 1919 by three brothers of Swiss descent, Archie (age 26), Clair (age 21) and Elton (age 17), who did a raging business on Coney Island that summer.

Most frozen custard shops have chocolate, vanilla, and a rotating Flavor of the Day. I happen to be stuffing my face with a seasonal treat, "Pumpkin Pie", from Milwaukee Frozen Custard as well as their "Pecan Praline".


When the chips are down, why stop with chips? Reach for the comfort food. Mmmmm, frozen custard. It's waaaaay better than ice cream.

Space: The Final ... Parable

I have always loved the Star Trek adventure world since I was a kid, but what's it really about? I have always maintained that there is no such thing as "mere" entertainment. Every story teaches something.

"Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry put together a proposal for a science fiction series in 1960. He publicly marketed it as a Western in outer space as a kind of "Wagon Train to the stars", but privately told friends he was modeling it on Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" intending each episode to act on two levels, both as a suspenseful adventure story, and as a morality parable."

"In Gene Roddenberry’s imagining of the future [...] religion is completely gone. Not a single human being on Earth believes in any of the nonsense that has plagued our civilization for thousands of years. This was an important part of Roddenberry’s mythology. He, himself, was a secular humanist and made it well-known to writers of Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation that religion and superstition and mystical thinking were not to be part of his universe. On Roddenberry’s future Earth, everyone is an atheist. And that world is the better for it."

This is squarely in line with atheistic humanism which Weigel warns about in his book, saying

twentieth century advanced thinkers widely predicted that ... humanity, tutored by science, [would] lose its "need" for religion ... [r]esidues remain: in the positivism Western high culture learned from Comte, the subjectivism it learned from Feuerbach, the materialism it learned from Marx, the radical willfulness it learned from Nietzsche - and the assumption that biblical religion is for children.

So, I guess, enjoy the series, but make sure you know whose parables you're getting.

A Dogma By Any Other Name

Reports abound of Fr. Roy Bourgeois' impending excommunication for participating in the "ordination" of women priests.

This is all very sad, and Fr. Bourgeois is in need of our prayers for true repentance and adherence to the clear teachings of the Catholic Church. In his public dissent, Bourgeois claims:

The current Catholic Church doctrine on the ordination of women implies our loving and all-powerful God, Creator of heaven and earth, somehow cannot empower a woman to be a priest.

It is appropriate to point out firstly that a dogma is a revealed and/or defined truth, not a discipline or custom subject to change,

[A] dogma is now understood to be a truth appertaining to faith or morals, revealed by God, transmitted from the Apostles in the Scriptures or by tradition, and proposed by the Church for the acceptance of the faithful. ... A dogma therefore implies a twofold relation: to Divine revelation and to the authoritative teaching of the Church.
-- Catholic Encylopedia: New Advent

and secondly, Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, definitively addresses the subject.

Pope John Paul II says in this letter that, in granting admission to the ministerial priesthood, the church has always acknowledged as a perennial norm her Lord’s way of acting in choosing the 12 men whom he made the foundation of his church.

Because “in some places” women’s ordination is thought to be still open to debate or that the “Church’s judgment” on the matter has merely a “disciplinary force,” Pope John Paul declares “that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.”

Pope John Paul says that “the fact the Blessed Virgin Mary... received neither the mission proper to the apostles nor the ministerial priesthood clearly shows that the nonadmission of women to priestly ordination cannot mean that women are of lesser dignity, nor can it be construed as discrimination against them.”

Happiness Is:

Coconut Cream Pie.

HighDef and Shiny

Yeah, so we finally bit the bullet in advance of the Death of Analog Broadcasting (DAB) and got a new HDTV. To be honest, I really didn't feel a "need" to buy it, since I don't watch that much broadcast TV and I'm too cheap to buy cable TV.


But then again, there's football.

So, Mrs. Nod picked out the new model, making sure that The Specifications were correct (height, width, viewing distance, etc.). With a lot of businesses going out of business due to the Credit Crunch, the latest rage in our area is to pay people $10/hr to stand on the street corner with a big obnoxious sign proclaiming their incredible deals (aka bankruptcy). I just so happened to pass one of these for Tweeter and swooped in to buy the (perfectly fine) floor model at an additional $200 discount.

So now it's here, it's shiny, the picture is super-crisp (on-air DTV, not Cable), and we've avoided the DAB cutoff.

Hey, is that football on?

Insert Blank III

Another installment of my favorite word game: Insert _____! (blank)

Where we take the potty-mouth expressions we "used" to say, and baptize them into something a bit more acceptable.

Let's get those creative juices flowing!


Today's expression is: "What _____?"


What the heck?
What in the world?
What the?!

Campaign For Real Time

If we could only get retailers to celebrate holidays in the correct season ...

I object to even thinking about Christmas until after Thanksgiving and certainly not before All Saints. I know I'm in the minority here, but it's a position I'm accustomed to, so ... :P

Do we really need to buy bikinis in January? How come when I go to the store in the middle of winter I can't get a pair of gloves for my freezing hands?

My idea: let's just be present where we are. Holidays need to be celebrated when they actually occur, otherwise they are devoid of meaning.

Campaign For Real Time (CRT) is my imaginary public service announcement organization. You can donate imaginary dollars to the cause and it won't cost you a single thing!

=============================
From the folks over at CitizenLink comes this amusing video: Tossmas 2008. If you can't say Christmas, your catalog may well get "tossed".

Are My Eyes Really Brown?

This is not the kind of question you get every day, but it does give me a little chuckle.

I go to a lot of places where I have to verify my identity, sign in, provide various bits of personal information in order to get where I'm supposed to go.

After the usual name, SSN, phone, point of contact, etc. the guy at the front desk asks for my weight. What, before or after lunch?

He says, "They have your height listed, but not your weight."
Ok, a little unusual, but ok. I give it to him.

Next he asks, "What is your eye color?".
It's a little obvious, but, ok: brown.

Then he asks: both of them?.

Tips For Work Travel

Always wear a clean, white, pressed shirt.

Over-tip people who work with their hands, like the shoeshine guy.

Be nice; it gets you a lot farther.

Relax -- you probably can't do anything to get there any faster.

Get a good night's sleep. You're useless when you're not rested.

Call your wife and kids -- they miss you too.

Overheard In My House

Don't eat that lemon, it can devolve the Emmanuel on your teeth!

Hippo Birdie Two Ewes

Yep, it's my birthday.
You can visit Sandra Boynton's site here.

Veterans Day

Our deepest gratitude to the Veterans (of all our wars) who gave their sweat, their tears, and their life's blood in defense of freedom. These patriots understood their obligation to serve God, Country, and Family and fulfilled that obligation with distinction.

This day serves as a reminder to keep fighting the good fight no matter the odds and we salute our military and those keeping the home fires burning in their absence.

Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.

As Thomas Jefferson said, "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance".

God Bless America.

Bishops on Track

Contrary to what had been previously reported, CNS confirms that this week's USCCB meeting will NOT drop the topic of abortion in the wake of the Presidential election.

Another bishop who requested anonymity, confirmed to CNA that the bishops will not drop the issue of abortion or hold the conversation behind closed doors. On the contrary, they will discuss it on no less than three occasions: “in our regional groups, in executive session, and in the public session.”

Basically, the Bishops are doing their jobs now, and unlike in recent previous years where they showed a spectacular lack of leadership, they are stepping up and doing the hard work. Extremophiles on both sides of the political spectrum are quick to point out any perceived action or lack of action as confirmation of their views. However, the main job of the Bishops is to teach and to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ in season and out of season. While this does touch on governance in part, it is not the main intent.

Pastoring takes a little time. Let's all breathe deep and let them pastor their flocks.

Calling King George

Does anyone see a problem with statements like these?

"[Obama] must be prepared to take power and rule from Day 1."

Valerie Jarrett and the Transition Team need to do a basic philosophy check before they open their mouths.

Last time I checked, we had a little "Continental Dispute" in which we threw "rulers" overboard in this country in favor of a representative democracy in which our elected representatives lead, not rule.

Boston tea, anyone?

5 Cranky Kids

... and me all out of duct tape.

Riddle Me This

Wynken brought up a riddle at dinnertime that he actually didn't know the answer to.

I have to admit, it had me stumped for a good ten minutes or more before I got the old brain-box in gear. Part of that time was spent in making sure he was telling the riddle correctly, so that it could be solved.

In true Encyclopedia Brown style, I managed to solve it before the end of dinner with the help of a few Cheerios.

See if you can solve this riddle (it may be easier to see it than hear it like I did ... then again, maybe hearing it is better):

The one before first is first of you;
the next of you is double of you;
the last of you is the first of you.

Guess away!

Restaurant In The Hood

Picking a new restaurant can be a tricky thing, especially if you're picking for more than just yourself. There are times and seasons for foods and restaurants alike. Northern Virginia and DC are especially good areas for trying all kinds of foods.

I like spicy food, sushi, fine dining, fine wine, beer, and burgers. I have a somewhat cosmopolitan taste, having moved around various places including overseas. It's a taste I prefer to call "eclectic".

But food and taste have moods as well. There's happy food, fast food, acquired tastes, comfort food, sick food, party food, pot-luck food, and Thanksgiving.

We've had dinner at some very cool places in the area with friends and family. One of my favorites was this French bistro meets southern cooking down in Richmond called The Frog and the Redneck.



This time around I think a little classical is in order: I plan on trying Villa Mozart, a Northern Italian restaurant with good reviews. Reviewer wolfde writes:

I have eaten there several times and always had aa wonderful time. Villa Mozart doesn't feature exotic food, but has some interesting twists on familiar Italian food. The food is consistently very well prepared, especially the fish dishes. You will never be rushed here as is often the case in other restauarants. You can relax and linger over a fine meal and be attended to by a wonderful staff.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Overheard In My House

"Kids. If they're conscious, they want something from you."

Stiff Arm to the Solar Plexus

Nub's practicing his football moves. The team could use some help after last week's game.

Pre-School Envy

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod all came home from school recently with interim report cards. Overall, they did very well. There are some obvious differences among their various ages and natural talents. That's all to the good.

The downside is that they are very intelligent.

"What?! that's a downside?" Well, it is if you've inherited your father's lazy gene. Intelligent people can be very, very lazy when it comes to education, because they can get by on their native intelligence without trying especially hard.

That works for a while ... until you hit something that doesn't come naturally. That's when you have to rely on hard work. If you never develop the habit of intellectual discipline, you won't be able to cut it when the subject matter catches up to you.

The one thing that Wynken, Blynken, and Nod all have in common right now is that they wish they were still in preschool along with Nub. They think: "those preschool kids, man, they got it easy; when I was their age..."

Sound familiar?

Out of the Mouth of Babes

Nod-girl said tonight, "Can I pray for Obama that God will make him be good?"

Yes, dear, you can; we all need to pray.

Cooking the Polls

All the news outlets are headlining that Obama is going to win New Mexico, but every actual return percentage I have seen so far have McCain solidly ahead in New Mexico @ 9:47pm.



I guess when they say "projecting the win" they aren't lying. That's some serious projection.

Tit for Tat and Ten

For those following the wildly poor decision making going on in my workplace, we have a new fiat. We will now work ten hour days instead of twelve. Oh, the benevolence.


Anybody ever heard of this guy? I'm thinking passive resistance.

Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness

In that order.

V O T E

It's very simple. It's your right. It's your duty.

Vote.

What's On My Ballot?

If you don't know what's on your ballot this Nov 4, except the Presidential tickets, maybe you should find out now.

If you're in Virginia go here: https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/PublicSite/Public/FT2/PublicElections.aspx

There are Presidential, Senate, and House seats all available. There is also a Parks and Recreation Bond in my county.

Normally, parks and recreation is the only kind of bond that I'll vote for, but since we are all in such a massive amount of DEBT (that's what a bond is) as a country, I don't think I'll add to the burden this time around.

Tink Wishes

Happy Birthday to my niece, Tinkerbell.

You deserve all the princesses and Tinkerbell movies you want on your birthday!

(Even if you told me you were 4 when you're only 3 years old). <:-)

Sweet dreams, Tink.

Duct Tape

People ask what the secret to raising 5 children is. I tell them, but it's not politically correct.

Seems like someone agrees with me.

Just for fun.