Friday, September 29, 2006
Worst Family Feud Answers
I believe these were real answers given. I'm not sure. But they're still funny, nevertheless.
Game: Guess the Logo
This one's hard. After thinking for a very long 10 minutes, I was only able to get 17 of them. No cheating! Here's the Logo Contest.
Update: Got 3 more!
Update: Got 3 more!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Death of the Apostles (Pt 2)
As a disclaimer again, these are all based on traditions and murky speculations. None of these have been verified. I just think it's interesting to see what may have happened to these people.
Bartholomew:
When Jesus saw Bartholomew, He exclaimed, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile". Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael, was believed to be very patient and composed. He was also very blunt, as when he asked if anything good came out of Nazareth. Later traditions say he went to preach in Arabia, Ethiopia, India and Armenia. The widely-held belief was he was flayed and then crucified upside down as punishment for converting the King of Armenia to Christianity.
James the Lesser:
This James is thought to be the brother of Jesus. Not much is known except that he must be very quiet and humble. He was said to have missioned to Syria and Samaria. One popular story said he was thrown from the top of the Temple. When he survived, the crowd clubbed him to death. Apparently during all this time, he was still praying for his attackers.
Matthew:
Matthew is considered to have written the book of Matthew. He was a tax collector who quickly repented and followed Jesus. Through him, Jesus showed that he didn't care about status or how holy people were. In fact, tax-collecting was one of the most reviled positions in Israel, yet Jesus still chose to associate with him. Later he was said to have preached in Persia and Ethiopia. The most common story of his death was that he was stabbed to death in Ethiopia.
Matthias:
After Judas the betrayer died, the apostles cast lots to decide who would become the 12th disciple. The lot fell to Matthias, and that's all the Bible mentions of him. I think it's interesting to note that while these men had the idea to replace Judas, it didn't seem to be God's plan, as he had selected Paul. Anyway, Matthias was rumored to have went to Syria to preach. Then he was either burned or stoned to death.
Philip:
Philip was believed to have Greek origins, because of his name. In fact, Greeks often turned to him for answers about the Lord. He missioned to mainly the Greek regions of Turkey, Carthage and Asia Minor. One interesting rumor of his death was that he had converted a proconsul's wife. The proconsul was angered by this, and ordered Philip to be executed in a very brutal manner.
Simon:
Simon the Zealot was believed to have been part of the Israel rebel movement, The Zealots. He was very strong-willed and kept thinking Jesus was the Messiah-King, who would overthrow the Roman government. Unlike Judas, he learned his lesson. He later went to Persia and even as far north as Britain. Rumors of his death are very unclear. He was crucified in Samaria, sawn in half in Persia, and was killed in Iberia.
Thomas:
Thomas, of the famed "Doubting Thomas", was a pessimist. He would not believe until he himself saw Jesus face to face. He later missioned to Syria, India, and some believed went to China as well. Many Christian Indians claim him as their deliverer. He built a church in India. Many sources remarkably agree that he was speared by 4 Indians. I'm not sure why it was exactly 4, but yeah that's what they all say.
Judas Thaddeus:
Judas is not to be confused with Judas the betrayer. An intense man, not much is known about him. He was the one who asked Jesus at the Passover why he is only showing himself to the disciples. Judas was believed to have preached in Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia. Catholics believed that he carried the Shroud of Turin to the King of Turkey in order to heal him. He is believed to have been beaten by clubs and then beheaded in Persia.
So that's the last of them. As with all traditions not in the Bible, these stories are to be taken with a grain of salt. But it's still amazing to see how the Word was spread around the world so quickly after Jesus' death, with men of God like these. Have a good weekend!
Bartholomew:
When Jesus saw Bartholomew, He exclaimed, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile". Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael, was believed to be very patient and composed. He was also very blunt, as when he asked if anything good came out of Nazareth. Later traditions say he went to preach in Arabia, Ethiopia, India and Armenia. The widely-held belief was he was flayed and then crucified upside down as punishment for converting the King of Armenia to Christianity.
James the Lesser:
This James is thought to be the brother of Jesus. Not much is known except that he must be very quiet and humble. He was said to have missioned to Syria and Samaria. One popular story said he was thrown from the top of the Temple. When he survived, the crowd clubbed him to death. Apparently during all this time, he was still praying for his attackers.
Matthew:
Matthew is considered to have written the book of Matthew. He was a tax collector who quickly repented and followed Jesus. Through him, Jesus showed that he didn't care about status or how holy people were. In fact, tax-collecting was one of the most reviled positions in Israel, yet Jesus still chose to associate with him. Later he was said to have preached in Persia and Ethiopia. The most common story of his death was that he was stabbed to death in Ethiopia.
Matthias:
After Judas the betrayer died, the apostles cast lots to decide who would become the 12th disciple. The lot fell to Matthias, and that's all the Bible mentions of him. I think it's interesting to note that while these men had the idea to replace Judas, it didn't seem to be God's plan, as he had selected Paul. Anyway, Matthias was rumored to have went to Syria to preach. Then he was either burned or stoned to death.
Philip:
Philip was believed to have Greek origins, because of his name. In fact, Greeks often turned to him for answers about the Lord. He missioned to mainly the Greek regions of Turkey, Carthage and Asia Minor. One interesting rumor of his death was that he had converted a proconsul's wife. The proconsul was angered by this, and ordered Philip to be executed in a very brutal manner.
Simon:
Simon the Zealot was believed to have been part of the Israel rebel movement, The Zealots. He was very strong-willed and kept thinking Jesus was the Messiah-King, who would overthrow the Roman government. Unlike Judas, he learned his lesson. He later went to Persia and even as far north as Britain. Rumors of his death are very unclear. He was crucified in Samaria, sawn in half in Persia, and was killed in Iberia.
Thomas:
Thomas, of the famed "Doubting Thomas", was a pessimist. He would not believe until he himself saw Jesus face to face. He later missioned to Syria, India, and some believed went to China as well. Many Christian Indians claim him as their deliverer. He built a church in India. Many sources remarkably agree that he was speared by 4 Indians. I'm not sure why it was exactly 4, but yeah that's what they all say.
Judas Thaddeus:
Judas is not to be confused with Judas the betrayer. An intense man, not much is known about him. He was the one who asked Jesus at the Passover why he is only showing himself to the disciples. Judas was believed to have preached in Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia. Catholics believed that he carried the Shroud of Turin to the King of Turkey in order to heal him. He is believed to have been beaten by clubs and then beheaded in Persia.
So that's the last of them. As with all traditions not in the Bible, these stories are to be taken with a grain of salt. But it's still amazing to see how the Word was spread around the world so quickly after Jesus' death, with men of God like these. Have a good weekend!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Death of the Apostles (Pt 1)
Have you ever wondered what happened to the Apostles? In the book of Acts, the last historical record in the Bible, it talks about the life of the Early Church. How the numbers grew and so forth. Interestingly enough, it doesn't really talk about all the apostles, just the two main ones, Peter and Paul. What did the others do? Did they just sit on the bums, twiddling their thumbs and debate about Free will vs Predestination?
So, I thought I would take some time and do "research" and see for myself what happened to them. Please keep in mind that most of this is not in the Bible, therefore I cannot verify the truth to the claims. Is this subject important to your faith and salvation? No, it's not. It is entertaining however, and that's what I'm here to do. Entertain.
So away we go!
Peter: Peter was given the two keys on Earth, the keys to bind and the keys to free. He was considered the leader of the twelve and according to Catholic canon, the first bishop of Rome, or Pope. He was often considered impulsive, many times in the Bible he always spoke before thinking properly. Nevertheless, Jesus loved him for it. He made the lame walk and converted people by the thousands. Now all of this is in the Bible. In the traditions and tales to follow, he was supposedly killed during the reign of Nero, who had a HUGE anti-Christian thing going. Peter was said to have been crucified, but since he felt unworthy to follow Christ exactly, he was asked to be crucified upside-down. I'm not sure how true that is, but I bet it must have hurt.
Paul: Along with Peter, Paul had done much to advance the cause of Christ. Whereas Peter preached to the Jews, Paul was the Gentile ambassador. He is knowledgeable about Judaic law, and was well educated both as a Pharisee and a Roman. Paul was later imprisoned. Tradition says that he was beheaded in Rome.
James the Greater: James, the brother of John, one of the "sons of thunder" was also called James the Greater. That's cause there were a lot of James' back then, and it was difficult to call him James, brother of John. Probably because there were a lot of Johns' back then too. And he wasn't called Greater because he was more popular or more famous. Apparently it's because he was called by Jesus first, before the other James... who as you can guess, was called James the Lesser. James was thought to have been fanatical. He was believed to have preached around Israel and Samaria. And some people say he even preached in Spain as well. Anyway, he was one of two apostles where the Bible actually recorded his death. So this is based on hard fact, not tradition. He was killed by Herod by sword. I assume he was stabbed, not beheaded, as that would have required a REALLY big sword or an axe. Probably through the heart or somewhere in that CHESTY region. Anyway, Acts 12:1-2 mentions it.
Judas Iscariot the Betrayer: Apparently Judas was a very common Hebrew name. I wonder if it's so common now? Anyway, he was obviously the traitor, hence Betrayer. He was the other apostle whose death was recorded in the Bible. He didn't do much preaching oddly enough since he died well before Jesus was resurrected. He hung himself. It's recorded in several places, here's one.
Andrew: Andrew was the brother of Peter. Not much is known about him. Apparently he was considered a very open-minded individual. I guess you would have to be to follow Jesus. Anyway, he apparently went to Greece and then Poland and as far as Russia to spread the gospel. Consequently way after his death, he became the patron saint of Russia. He was crucified in Greece. Some say he was crucified in an X-shape (decussate). That's why St. Andrew's cross is in the shape of an X.
John: The last one I will talk about today is John the brother of James. He was the one that Jesus loved the most. John was considered a very passionate apostle. He wrote one of the gospels and also the last book of the Bible, Revelations. Interestingly enough, he was the only apostle to have died of natural causes. Tradition says he died in Ephesus.
Ok, Thursday I'll talk about the rest of them.
So, I thought I would take some time and do "research" and see for myself what happened to them. Please keep in mind that most of this is not in the Bible, therefore I cannot verify the truth to the claims. Is this subject important to your faith and salvation? No, it's not. It is entertaining however, and that's what I'm here to do. Entertain.
So away we go!
Peter: Peter was given the two keys on Earth, the keys to bind and the keys to free. He was considered the leader of the twelve and according to Catholic canon, the first bishop of Rome, or Pope. He was often considered impulsive, many times in the Bible he always spoke before thinking properly. Nevertheless, Jesus loved him for it. He made the lame walk and converted people by the thousands. Now all of this is in the Bible. In the traditions and tales to follow, he was supposedly killed during the reign of Nero, who had a HUGE anti-Christian thing going. Peter was said to have been crucified, but since he felt unworthy to follow Christ exactly, he was asked to be crucified upside-down. I'm not sure how true that is, but I bet it must have hurt.
Paul: Along with Peter, Paul had done much to advance the cause of Christ. Whereas Peter preached to the Jews, Paul was the Gentile ambassador. He is knowledgeable about Judaic law, and was well educated both as a Pharisee and a Roman. Paul was later imprisoned. Tradition says that he was beheaded in Rome.
James the Greater: James, the brother of John, one of the "sons of thunder" was also called James the Greater. That's cause there were a lot of James' back then, and it was difficult to call him James, brother of John. Probably because there were a lot of Johns' back then too. And he wasn't called Greater because he was more popular or more famous. Apparently it's because he was called by Jesus first, before the other James... who as you can guess, was called James the Lesser. James was thought to have been fanatical. He was believed to have preached around Israel and Samaria. And some people say he even preached in Spain as well. Anyway, he was one of two apostles where the Bible actually recorded his death. So this is based on hard fact, not tradition. He was killed by Herod by sword. I assume he was stabbed, not beheaded, as that would have required a REALLY big sword or an axe. Probably through the heart or somewhere in that CHESTY region. Anyway, Acts 12:1-2 mentions it.
Judas Iscariot the Betrayer: Apparently Judas was a very common Hebrew name. I wonder if it's so common now? Anyway, he was obviously the traitor, hence Betrayer. He was the other apostle whose death was recorded in the Bible. He didn't do much preaching oddly enough since he died well before Jesus was resurrected. He hung himself. It's recorded in several places, here's one.
Andrew: Andrew was the brother of Peter. Not much is known about him. Apparently he was considered a very open-minded individual. I guess you would have to be to follow Jesus. Anyway, he apparently went to Greece and then Poland and as far as Russia to spread the gospel. Consequently way after his death, he became the patron saint of Russia. He was crucified in Greece. Some say he was crucified in an X-shape (decussate). That's why St. Andrew's cross is in the shape of an X.
John: The last one I will talk about today is John the brother of James. He was the one that Jesus loved the most. John was considered a very passionate apostle. He wrote one of the gospels and also the last book of the Bible, Revelations. Interestingly enough, he was the only apostle to have died of natural causes. Tradition says he died in Ephesus.
Ok, Thursday I'll talk about the rest of them.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Gullibility Quiz
How gullible are you? Take this quiz and find out! Oh, and take the picture quiz. It's a little "harder" to fool so it should be a truer guage of your gullibility ;)
I got 12 out of 27, so it makes me a non-gullible person, apparently.
I got 12 out of 27, so it makes me a non-gullible person, apparently.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Nest Egg Estimator
Granted, this is thinly-veiled advertisement for an investment company, but hey, it's free. Check out how well you are prepared financially. I scored in the Good range.
Game: Drakojan Skies
This web game is remarkably well done. It's just like playing R-Type, if you know what that is. It's a side-scrolling shooting game. Very professional. Try it for yourself.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
God and Nature
I like lists. They are nice and orderly. They make things easy to remember, for the most part. And it summarizes the learning process for you. I read a book, unfortunately I don’t remember the name of it or what it’s even about. But it had a list of different ways to appreciate God. One was through prayer, through charitable acts, through serving the Church, through art, through writing and so on. But the one that struck me was through nature. Some people are convicted of the existence of God through Nature.
Paul saw this too when he wrote in the letter to Romans, “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Ro 1:20) Whenever I go hiking and the road is pretty tough, I focus mainly on putting one foot in front of the other, I work on my breathing, in through the nose, out through the mouth, I sing little song fragments in my head… I do anything to keep my mind off the agony and pain that my legs are screaming at me. But when I reach a spot to relax, or when someone else thankfully cries, “Stop”, I have time to raise my head and look around. And every time, every time, I do, well, maybe 8 out of 10 times, I am struck by the wonder of nature. I see the way the sunlight filters through the trees, casting strange shapes on the ground. Or I can see the mountains far off in the distance, boldly saying to me, “I’ve been here a thousand years, I’m going to be here another thousand! Beat that, puny human!” Of course, there are times I stop near a power line or a latrine, and well, let’s say nature’s wonder is greatly reduced, but never obliterated.
Going up to Half-Dome was a very hard journey for me. I was so unprepared by all the walking, both mentally and physically. But when my spirit was struggling with the weight of my body and the dirt and bugs and don’t forget those blisters!, all I had to do was look up and see the hand of God wrought throughout nature. And my spirit is uplifted. The same God who thought of everything, how plants use our waste to create life for us, how annoying insects do their insect-thing, and even how to hold us here on Earth so we don’t spin off into space, this God took time away to create us, a little model replica of himself. It truly inspires me every time.
When I was young and I went camping, I hated it. I always thought to myself, I’m giving up Saturday Morning Cartoons for this? Now, I yearn to go out to Nature, and commune with God. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to sit on a large ant-less rock under the shade of a Evergreen tree in the middle of a forest with no one around, and open up the Word and just read a couple of Psalms or two, particularly about the wonder of God? And it would be even more relaxing if you do all that while listening to the music from your mp3 player and with your cell-phone alarm set to 12:00p so you won’t be late for lunch you bought from McDonalds on the way up here. Ahhhh, nature!
Paul saw this too when he wrote in the letter to Romans, “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Ro 1:20) Whenever I go hiking and the road is pretty tough, I focus mainly on putting one foot in front of the other, I work on my breathing, in through the nose, out through the mouth, I sing little song fragments in my head… I do anything to keep my mind off the agony and pain that my legs are screaming at me. But when I reach a spot to relax, or when someone else thankfully cries, “Stop”, I have time to raise my head and look around. And every time, every time, I do, well, maybe 8 out of 10 times, I am struck by the wonder of nature. I see the way the sunlight filters through the trees, casting strange shapes on the ground. Or I can see the mountains far off in the distance, boldly saying to me, “I’ve been here a thousand years, I’m going to be here another thousand! Beat that, puny human!” Of course, there are times I stop near a power line or a latrine, and well, let’s say nature’s wonder is greatly reduced, but never obliterated.
Going up to Half-Dome was a very hard journey for me. I was so unprepared by all the walking, both mentally and physically. But when my spirit was struggling with the weight of my body and the dirt and bugs and don’t forget those blisters!, all I had to do was look up and see the hand of God wrought throughout nature. And my spirit is uplifted. The same God who thought of everything, how plants use our waste to create life for us, how annoying insects do their insect-thing, and even how to hold us here on Earth so we don’t spin off into space, this God took time away to create us, a little model replica of himself. It truly inspires me every time.
When I was young and I went camping, I hated it. I always thought to myself, I’m giving up Saturday Morning Cartoons for this? Now, I yearn to go out to Nature, and commune with God. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to sit on a large ant-less rock under the shade of a Evergreen tree in the middle of a forest with no one around, and open up the Word and just read a couple of Psalms or two, particularly about the wonder of God? And it would be even more relaxing if you do all that while listening to the music from your mp3 player and with your cell-phone alarm set to 12:00p so you won’t be late for lunch you bought from McDonalds on the way up here. Ahhhh, nature!
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Deadliest Days to Drive
Here's some interesting statistics on the deadliest times and days to drive.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
The Trek
My feet ache. My brand new hiking boots I thought would be my savior has become my tormentor. I can feel blisters forming all over my feet. They have become blisters. I can imagine all of them congealing into two massive blisters, one on each foot; I am walking on blisters. I look up ahead of me for some sign of assurance. I see none, just the desolate rock stairs, stretching up ahead of me, a stony Jacob’s ladder. Someone coughs politely behind me, and only then do I realize that I have stopped. Wearily, I force my foot up the rocky ledges, one blister at a time. I imagine them eventually squishing beneath my weight, the pus… yeah, better not think of the pus.
I instinctively take a swig from my water bottle again. Sweat pours out of me faster than I can drink in. A thought appears, I’m going to die up here. I’m going to die in my dusty old clothes, and with my shiny new hiking boots on. I’m going to die of exhaustion and thirst even though my water bottle is still half full. The thought quickly passes as my bleak surroundings give way to lush ferns and trees. Trees? All the way up here? The trail, once devilishly filled with jagged sharp rocks is now carpeted with grounded moss and dirt. The slope smoothes out and people are chatting once again. Instantly my mood veers away from the dangerous precipice of despair, and as the birds and laughter lift my soul, I take a deep breath and look around.
I rub my calf, which had done me wrong. Near the start, it cramped up, and forced me to double up in pain, it felt like it wanted to just shrivel up and die, or perhaps that was just me. All my friends forsook me, was this how Jesus felt before he died?, I wondered. But no, unlike Peter and the rest, one stayed behind, told me to sit on the ground, and stretch my leg. Keep my toes up, he warns and a passing trekker agrees. I’m happy they both can make jokes while my foot is starting its own civil war. It seems to be winning too. But eventually it surrenders like General Lee at Appomattox. How do I even know this? I’m such a nerd! No wonder I’m single.
A laugh and a giggle snap me back to the present and I see my friends taking a break, some going off deep into the woods to relieve themselves (they must have drunk more than they sweat!) while others are cracking jokes and laughing. All look blissfully blister-free. My black mood returns, but fleetingly as my gaze falls on those majestic mountains in the back, half hazy with fog. Their sweeping slopes with evergreens artfully dressing the granite, capture my eyes, and I think immediately of all those grandeur Psalms. Did they too look upon nature spread out before them and marvel as I have, “My God, how great you are!”
Knowing the end was near, I forget quickly the arduous expedition up and even my blisters have quieted down. I feel a spring in my step as I lithely climb up the new stairs. I’m an explorer, heading across the west, with nothing but a backpack and 100 of my closest friends. Soon, I’m a rock climber, jumping gleefully from one nail-pierced board to the next, while only briefly grabbing the guidewire. And finally, I’m a photographer, my eyes are the lens, as I take in the grandeur of being on the top of the world, ok Half-Dome, as the mountains fall away from my sight, the sun in its zenith, and I’m caught up in God’s majesty again, alone, yet among friends, tired yet refreshed.
That is until someone asks, “Shall we go back?”
I instinctively take a swig from my water bottle again. Sweat pours out of me faster than I can drink in. A thought appears, I’m going to die up here. I’m going to die in my dusty old clothes, and with my shiny new hiking boots on. I’m going to die of exhaustion and thirst even though my water bottle is still half full. The thought quickly passes as my bleak surroundings give way to lush ferns and trees. Trees? All the way up here? The trail, once devilishly filled with jagged sharp rocks is now carpeted with grounded moss and dirt. The slope smoothes out and people are chatting once again. Instantly my mood veers away from the dangerous precipice of despair, and as the birds and laughter lift my soul, I take a deep breath and look around.
I rub my calf, which had done me wrong. Near the start, it cramped up, and forced me to double up in pain, it felt like it wanted to just shrivel up and die, or perhaps that was just me. All my friends forsook me, was this how Jesus felt before he died?, I wondered. But no, unlike Peter and the rest, one stayed behind, told me to sit on the ground, and stretch my leg. Keep my toes up, he warns and a passing trekker agrees. I’m happy they both can make jokes while my foot is starting its own civil war. It seems to be winning too. But eventually it surrenders like General Lee at Appomattox. How do I even know this? I’m such a nerd! No wonder I’m single.
A laugh and a giggle snap me back to the present and I see my friends taking a break, some going off deep into the woods to relieve themselves (they must have drunk more than they sweat!) while others are cracking jokes and laughing. All look blissfully blister-free. My black mood returns, but fleetingly as my gaze falls on those majestic mountains in the back, half hazy with fog. Their sweeping slopes with evergreens artfully dressing the granite, capture my eyes, and I think immediately of all those grandeur Psalms. Did they too look upon nature spread out before them and marvel as I have, “My God, how great you are!”
Knowing the end was near, I forget quickly the arduous expedition up and even my blisters have quieted down. I feel a spring in my step as I lithely climb up the new stairs. I’m an explorer, heading across the west, with nothing but a backpack and 100 of my closest friends. Soon, I’m a rock climber, jumping gleefully from one nail-pierced board to the next, while only briefly grabbing the guidewire. And finally, I’m a photographer, my eyes are the lens, as I take in the grandeur of being on the top of the world, ok Half-Dome, as the mountains fall away from my sight, the sun in its zenith, and I’m caught up in God’s majesty again, alone, yet among friends, tired yet refreshed.
That is until someone asks, “Shall we go back?”
Monday, September 18, 2006
Photo Essay: State at work
Happy Monday! And you thought your job was bad....
I love photo essays. This one really hits home how poorer nations handle their civil duties. The blurbs are interesting too.
I love photo essays. This one really hits home how poorer nations handle their civil duties. The blurbs are interesting too.
Friday, September 15, 2006
20 things about sleep
Hey! Look! Another article about sleep! I bet you were all thinking to yourselves, man, what happened to all those wonderful stories about sleep? I wish Nate would get on the ball and post more! Well, your wish came true!
Here's a list of 20 things you did't know about sleep.
Here's a list of 20 things you did't know about sleep.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Comfortable Silences (Pt 2)
If you've been reading my blog regularly, you should know this is the day where I tie my (seemingly) ramblings to God. Have you ever heard people describe prayer as "It's a conversation with God?" I always think to myself... what kind of conversations do these people have in Real Life? They must be the type of people that talk because they like the sound of their voice and they just keep blabbing about whatever pops in their heads and don't seem to care if the other person is even paying attention let alone try to get a word edgewise and the sentences seem to run on and on and they repeat themselves which I just HATE... (takes deep breath)
Sorry. I was trying to prove a point. Most praying is like a one-sided conversation from... a very bad place. If you really, truly believe prayer is a conversation with the Almighty, then sometimes you just need to shut up and listen. Also, as I mentioned before, if you are truly close with God, sometimes you would have no problems enjoying a comfortable silence with God. That doesn't mean staring at flowers or listening to the New Age stuff. It means sitting somewhere, alone. Doing nothing. Just enjoying God's presence.
In my High School, which was Catholic, for religion class, the teacher would have us meditate. And I guess to facilitate the meditation, the teacher would either play some Enya, or Enigma, or worse, those "relaxing" sounds of the beach with the waves crashing against the shore. Those never really worked for me. I usually end up falling asleep by the 2nd minute. So, that didn't quite work out the way I wanted it to.
The year when my dad had cancer, I took up fasting for lunch every Wednesday. I went to a nearby park and just walked. At first, I prayed and I talked the entire hour. I felt that it's what prayer and fasting should be. After a while, I would run out of things to say, so I would find alternate ways of saying the same thing. You know... no repeats. After about a month of doing this, I'm not sure how, but I knew this wasn't the way God wanted to have a conversation with me. I knew that I had to just shut up and listen to HIS voice. How could I do that if I'm the one always talking? So, for the first 20 min or so, I would vent my anger, frustaration, fears to the Lord. And then the next 20 minutes I would just sit, or walk the park paths, and just be quiet and listen to God's response. It really calmed me down. So, anyway, if you're in a crisis or you just feel that to be with God requires you to talk and talk and talk, just remember to take some time to listen as well. God quite often talks in a small voice.
Sorry. I was trying to prove a point. Most praying is like a one-sided conversation from... a very bad place. If you really, truly believe prayer is a conversation with the Almighty, then sometimes you just need to shut up and listen. Also, as I mentioned before, if you are truly close with God, sometimes you would have no problems enjoying a comfortable silence with God. That doesn't mean staring at flowers or listening to the New Age stuff. It means sitting somewhere, alone. Doing nothing. Just enjoying God's presence.
In my High School, which was Catholic, for religion class, the teacher would have us meditate. And I guess to facilitate the meditation, the teacher would either play some Enya, or Enigma, or worse, those "relaxing" sounds of the beach with the waves crashing against the shore. Those never really worked for me. I usually end up falling asleep by the 2nd minute. So, that didn't quite work out the way I wanted it to.
The year when my dad had cancer, I took up fasting for lunch every Wednesday. I went to a nearby park and just walked. At first, I prayed and I talked the entire hour. I felt that it's what prayer and fasting should be. After a while, I would run out of things to say, so I would find alternate ways of saying the same thing. You know... no repeats. After about a month of doing this, I'm not sure how, but I knew this wasn't the way God wanted to have a conversation with me. I knew that I had to just shut up and listen to HIS voice. How could I do that if I'm the one always talking? So, for the first 20 min or so, I would vent my anger, frustaration, fears to the Lord. And then the next 20 minutes I would just sit, or walk the park paths, and just be quiet and listen to God's response. It really calmed me down. So, anyway, if you're in a crisis or you just feel that to be with God requires you to talk and talk and talk, just remember to take some time to listen as well. God quite often talks in a small voice.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Honda Car Spoof
Hello All,
I have referenced this ad before. It's the Honda commercial with the choir that simulates the car noises. Well here's a spoof of that ad.
I have referenced this ad before. It's the Honda commercial with the choir that simulates the car noises. Well here's a spoof of that ad.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Comfortable Silences (Pt 1)
MIA
Don't you hate that?
VINCENT
What?
MIA
Uncomfortable silences. Why do we
feel it's necessary to yak about
stuff in order to be
comfortable?
VINCENT
I don't know.
MIA
That's when you know you found
somebody special. When you can
just shut up for a minute,
and comfortably share silence.
VINCENT
I don't think we're there yet. But
don't feel bad, we just met each
other.
In this day and age of cellphones, 2-way pagers, blackberries, smart phones, it’s very easy to get in touch with someone. I’m far from being a luddite, I embrace technology. And I truly think cellphones are one of the greatest inventions ever. Flat tire on the road? No problem, call up a tow truck (or a helpful handy friend) and you’ll be back wasting gas and annoying motorists in no time. Running late for a date or dinner party? No problem, call them up. JUST KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD OH MY GOSH LOOK OUT FOR THAT CAR! RED LIGHT RED LIGHT!
Ahem. Yeah, they’re usually useful, but obviously not all the time. And with the really latest technology (as of 2006), you can even find directions on your phone now. Very cool for those who get lost even in their own driveway.
It’s good to communicate. Couples need to communicate a lot, especially during arguments. Cross-functional teams need to communicate in order for milestones to be met. But sometimes, sometimes, it’s good to “just shut up for a minute and comfortably share silence.” BTW, the above exchange is from a little movie called “Pulp Fiction”. Why is it good to just shut up? Because our lives are going at electron speeds, and what are we doing? Talking our way through it all, talking and doing. And humans need to take steps to stop and rest, recharge the batteries. To just share the silence. It seems to be counterintuitive, but enjoying one another’s company is far more rewarding than even having a deep conversation. And I’m not just talking about relationships, this applies to friends as well. More later.
(Silence)
Monday, September 11, 2006
Simple IQ Test
Here's a pretty easy IQ test. I think it measures your IQ by how many questions you get right in the lowest time possible. There are no "funny" or "trick" questions, which was what slowed me down. I kept thinking this was a joke test or something because the beginning was really easy. So go as fast as possible, but be accurate ;) If you tell me what you got, I'll tell you what I got. And let me know if you want me to post your comment ;)
Enough of the disclaimer, let me at the test!
Enough of the disclaimer, let me at the test!
Friday, September 08, 2006
Granfallooning
An interesting article about how marketers work to get you to buy products. It works even though you think you can't be persuaded by marketing tactics.
Video: Music Video.
Ok, this is almost in the territory of "Japanese ads- wierd". It's a Chinese music video. Don't worry, anyone can sing along!
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Thinking of Death (Pt 2)
With Death being so final and morbid, scholars have always tried to put a positive spin on the Bible verses talking about death. It’s like trying to gift-wrap a cowpie. Yeah, it looks nice on the outside, but it’s still a bovine turd. Doesn’t matter how much you dress it up, no one is going to enjoy THAT gift. In the scholar’s point of view, by talking about death, we realize that every day is a gift from God. And we need to spend it wisely for His Glory.
I find that sentiment, kinda funny. Doesn’t it seem at odds with the whole concept of meeting Jesus when we die? We are all taught that when we die, we’ll see Jesus face-to-face. If we believed in Jesus at the end, our sins are automatically forgiven, and in we go into the gates of heaven, with the eternal sunshine and the whole road of gold thingy. And when we finally see Jesus, we’ll be so overcome by love for him, that we’ll forget everything else, our past life, Xbox 360, “House” (Great program btw), and all that other good stuff. We would only feel the need to sing of God’s praises for an eternity.
So if this is our reward in heaven, why should we try to live life to the fullest? Why is every day a gift from God? Shouldn’t it be a curse? It’s another day spent here on Earth, away from God’s graces and blessings. Should we be happy that we’re still mortal flesh, powerless to the forces of nature and governments? Should we be happy that we hunger, and every day, our bodies are slowing down little by little? We don’t remember as quickly, our reaction times have dulled. And crappier movies get released year after year.
I’m not sure of the answers. But even though I think of death quite a lot, I’m still not ready to die. God gave us a life here for a reason. And just because I know I’ll have a chance to rest and heavenly Gatorade at the end of the race, it doesn’t mean I need to quit now. Even though I’m dead last in the race with no hope of winning, I have to continue this race, one exhausting step after another to the inexorable winning line. Why? Simple, nobody likes a quitter. Who has ever made a Hallmark movie about the runner who blows out his knee and then just sits there in the lane, crying? No, the runner ALWAYS gets up and limps his way to the finish line, while the stirring inspiring music is playing in the background, something like the “Chariots of Fire” theme song maybe. That’s what life is all about, the chance to be in a Hallmark movie of the week, played by Brooke Shields and Jason Priestley!”
I find that sentiment, kinda funny. Doesn’t it seem at odds with the whole concept of meeting Jesus when we die? We are all taught that when we die, we’ll see Jesus face-to-face. If we believed in Jesus at the end, our sins are automatically forgiven, and in we go into the gates of heaven, with the eternal sunshine and the whole road of gold thingy. And when we finally see Jesus, we’ll be so overcome by love for him, that we’ll forget everything else, our past life, Xbox 360, “House” (Great program btw), and all that other good stuff. We would only feel the need to sing of God’s praises for an eternity.
So if this is our reward in heaven, why should we try to live life to the fullest? Why is every day a gift from God? Shouldn’t it be a curse? It’s another day spent here on Earth, away from God’s graces and blessings. Should we be happy that we’re still mortal flesh, powerless to the forces of nature and governments? Should we be happy that we hunger, and every day, our bodies are slowing down little by little? We don’t remember as quickly, our reaction times have dulled. And crappier movies get released year after year.
I’m not sure of the answers. But even though I think of death quite a lot, I’m still not ready to die. God gave us a life here for a reason. And just because I know I’ll have a chance to rest and heavenly Gatorade at the end of the race, it doesn’t mean I need to quit now. Even though I’m dead last in the race with no hope of winning, I have to continue this race, one exhausting step after another to the inexorable winning line. Why? Simple, nobody likes a quitter. Who has ever made a Hallmark movie about the runner who blows out his knee and then just sits there in the lane, crying? No, the runner ALWAYS gets up and limps his way to the finish line, while the stirring inspiring music is playing in the background, something like the “Chariots of Fire” theme song maybe. That’s what life is all about, the chance to be in a Hallmark movie of the week, played by Brooke Shields and Jason Priestley!”
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Air-eoke
There's a new phenomenon sweeping the country. For those about to air-rock, we salute you!!
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Thinking of Death
I think about death. I’m not sure if it’s a lot, at least once a week though. Going through Ecclesiastes has only served to remind me more often about death. And it’s not like this has only happened recently because of tragedies in my life (such as my father, paternal grandfather, maternal grandmother, and just recently maternal grandfather). No, I’ve always thought about death, even when I was a young child. My mom is fond of telling me this story, which I will now relate to you. Cue flashback music and wavy lines.
We used to own a motorhome, RV, pleasure vehicle, or as I called it, “deathtrap-on-wheels.” Seriously, have you seen these things? They’re monstrosities of human design that should have never existed in the first place, much like Frankenstein or Barney the Dinosaur. Who thought it was a good idea to place a house on wheels and then expect 60-year-old men to drive them inside the lanes, cross-country? But I’m digressing again. This motorhome that we had, it was an ugly 70’s orange. There was a bunk bed over the cab, which slides down when the RV is parked (obviously). As a child, I’d say I was 1 and half, 2?, I would be running around, making a general nuisance of myself and whenever my dad got tired of me running underfoot, he would pick me up and place me on the bunk. And then he would tell me, don’t move or you will fall and die! Nice of him, huh? And I would be so scared of falling that I would actually freeze and even back up from the edge. My mom is always surprised that works. I guess toddlers don’t normally have a notion of death. But somehow I did.
Now that I think of it, my mom threatened me with death a LOT while I was growing up. Again, during the years when I could start crawling and walking, she would show me the cabinet of medicine, which she conveniently placed in the bottom drawer, and tell me, “Don’t open this drawer or you will DIE!” Of course, I never touched that drawer. No, it doesn’t make sense to me either why she would put a drawer of death accessible by me instead of just putting them in the upper cabinets, safe out of my reach. Or why she doesn’t put those child-proof locks on them. Anyway…
So yeah, I’ve thought of death often. What would it be like. Is there really a heaven that I would go to when I leave this place? Will people remember who I am or that I ever lived? It’s a sobering thought.
We used to own a motorhome, RV, pleasure vehicle, or as I called it, “deathtrap-on-wheels.” Seriously, have you seen these things? They’re monstrosities of human design that should have never existed in the first place, much like Frankenstein or Barney the Dinosaur. Who thought it was a good idea to place a house on wheels and then expect 60-year-old men to drive them inside the lanes, cross-country? But I’m digressing again. This motorhome that we had, it was an ugly 70’s orange. There was a bunk bed over the cab, which slides down when the RV is parked (obviously). As a child, I’d say I was 1 and half, 2?, I would be running around, making a general nuisance of myself and whenever my dad got tired of me running underfoot, he would pick me up and place me on the bunk. And then he would tell me, don’t move or you will fall and die! Nice of him, huh? And I would be so scared of falling that I would actually freeze and even back up from the edge. My mom is always surprised that works. I guess toddlers don’t normally have a notion of death. But somehow I did.
Now that I think of it, my mom threatened me with death a LOT while I was growing up. Again, during the years when I could start crawling and walking, she would show me the cabinet of medicine, which she conveniently placed in the bottom drawer, and tell me, “Don’t open this drawer or you will DIE!” Of course, I never touched that drawer. No, it doesn’t make sense to me either why she would put a drawer of death accessible by me instead of just putting them in the upper cabinets, safe out of my reach. Or why she doesn’t put those child-proof locks on them. Anyway…
So yeah, I’ve thought of death often. What would it be like. Is there really a heaven that I would go to when I leave this place? Will people remember who I am or that I ever lived? It’s a sobering thought.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Superhero Quiz
Happy Labor Day! Basically, this quiz determines how geeky you are. And that's geek in a very bad, alone-in-your-mom's-basement, kinda way
And yes, I'm too ashamed to let you know what I got :)
And yes, I'm too ashamed to let you know what I got :)
Friday, September 01, 2006
Lateral Thinking
Sorry for the lack of update yesterday. To make up for it, here is another game for you.
I call these Ten-Minute puzzles. This guy decided to be fancy-schmancy and called them "Lateral Thinking" puzzles. I got the last 2, but the first two were poorly worded, I think. I mean, I got answers for them which seem just as plausible. Back in middle school, we used to do these during Science Camp.
I call these Ten-Minute puzzles. This guy decided to be fancy-schmancy and called them "Lateral Thinking" puzzles. I got the last 2, but the first two were poorly worded, I think. I mean, I got answers for them which seem just as plausible. Back in middle school, we used to do these during Science Camp.
Game: Google Adventure
I will solve it! I managed to get out of the office, but I'm stuck. But all it really takes is trial and error...
If you like adventure games, try it!
If you like adventure games, try it!
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