I've had better drinks

So, in case you ever get the itch to drink barium sulfate (ok so the doctor told me to) some things to keep in mind:
1. Refrigerate it - no really - I almost didn't and I'm very, very glad I did.
2. Apple is better than Berry and Berry is better than Orange (no I didn't drink three "smoothies" - was tauted on label as Apple/Berry Smoothie, and well it was thick and creamy but something was missing. I got a "double shot" of orange upon arrival.)
3. If given 30 minutes to drink all super gulp ounces of it - under 10 is best, I can't imagine prolonging the pleasure.
4. Once you're able - drink lots of water (you can use your imagination as to why that's a good idea).

But all told - now that the mystery of what drinking that stuff would be like; I'd rather drink this stuff then have it infused into my veins any day.

Gives new meaning to being enlightened - ok bad, bad pun.

Net Neutrality

I was watching Moyers on America, here's the link: Moyers on America - Net Neutrality, recently and the topic was keeping the intenet safe. About the idea of the fast lane (for people willing to pay more money) and the slow lane (for almost everybody else) being proposed by the big business. There's also a very important concept/law, Net Neutrality, that big business keeps trying to stomp out. Basically, Net Neutrality, is the principle that the people are in control of the content they view on the internet, how they view the internet, and what they say on the internet. To find out more, and why the issue is important, here's two more links: Google Guide to Net Neutrality and SaveTheInternet.

A random aside, which was originally before the Net Neutrality paragraph, and this stream of thought led to that one, but anyways: I'm happy to see that the "Winter Mix" San Antonio was expecting (at least as of today) looks like it'll "just" be very cold and wet, but not freezing. San Antonians drive best in hot, dry weather. Anything else and forget it. There's like some 200+ accidents when it rains. "People" tell me it's because the rain brings up the oil on the streets that "we don't normally notice when it's hot"; and maybe there's some truth to that. But, I think it has more to do with the driving style of San Antonians. Yellow means go faster, a Yellow just turned Red means, if you're stopped at the Red light - count to three then go, because usually someone races threw a just turned Red (cause they sped threw the Yellow). Trucks think they always have the right to "push you" out of their way. Yield - what's that - beeeeeppppp - why aren't you speeding into the oncoming traffic. San Antonio has SUPER SHORT highway entrance ramps, and nobody likes to let you in - I wonder sometimes about SA's civil engineers. However, SA has wonderful "turn arounds" - if you miss your exit just get off at the next one and you can easily turn around and get back on going in the correct direction. I think of myself as a very safe driver which means I annoy a whole lot of other drivers, but I'd rather get somewhere intact then 5 minutes early [which I do anyways since I give myself plenty of time to get where I'm going :-)]

One last thing about driving - the last time I was up in Michigan I thought I was going to die because of how they drive. My friend got a little annoyed and asked me too relax, and reminded me that I used to drive just like them only I'd forgotten how. Michiganders drive very fast and very close to each other, and they really enjoy weaving in and out of lanes. I also, had to explain to my wife that (at least in "my" part of Michigan) what a "Michigan left" was.

Another Poem

Change in Weather

Out of the sun shining
Leaves the tears of grey clouds
Peeling back the layers of morbidity and morose
Fresh raw glee

Small Things

Small Things

Sitting quietly saying nothing
Reading while the chaos is held at bay by the Supreme Mama
Walking the Diego in the pre-dawn surly light
Singing and the vibrations generated within
Random chanting in the car

Untitled Today

Untitled

There's a burden inside
Ready to be unleashed
Moth or Butterfly
What flight on delicate wings




An aside:
Moth
Butterfly

My Day in 6 Words

I was tagged to write a meme: a story in 6 words (see the bottom of Susan's post fun-meme). So here's my 3 creations describing my day thus far.

Weather advisory. Ice Capades with cars.

Playing videogames. Son excited. Together conquered.

Daughter dances in tutu. I smile.

Well, I got to stay home with the kiddos due to nasty weather. The roads in San Anton are icing over - may even get to stay home tomorrow - yeah. Just hope everyone who can't be home is able to stay safe.

I now tag, Bones of the Sky and Murat11.

Theos

"Theos"

I keep hearing that God calls out to us
And if I can’t hear him then the connection is broken on my end
Well that sucks because I’m no theological technician
Where even to begin
What to repair first
My heart? My soul? My mind?

I keep hearing that God answers our prayers – pray
Lectio Devina
Centering
Pray anything
But you warn me
God doesn’t always answer our prayers
The way we expect
But always better

So I pray my mantra
So I pray to the rhythm of circular beads
So I pray and
I pray

Theos is calling but I can’t understand Him
Theos is calling

Greek Update

Well, I've gotten most of the NT Greek alphabet memorized. I can't spout it rapidly in order yet, but I going to try to put the Greek aplhabet to the English alphabet song: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, etc and see if that helps. Xi and Phi I tend to want to confuse, and I'm hit or miss with recognizing Eta. But the resources that come with Mounce's book are excellent. I REALLY like being able to hear the letters and words pronounced correctly (or as he states pronounced correctly so that any seminarian will understand you).



Sometimes it drives me batty that every answer leads to another question and sometimes I'm thankful that the questions keep coming.

Photo randomness

This weekend I was hoping to take some photographs for Assignment #2 of my NYIP course. I'd been toying for over a year with taking photography classes. Then I found out about NYIP through a photography magazine and it peeked my interest, because I'd been looking for something like this program, and wala - there it was. It took me about two weeks to finally decide to invest the time and money into NYIP, I tried find bad things about the program but couldn't (which was a good thing). Then I went online, and still nothing bad. So I took the plunge, and I'm glad I did. The material set off all these light bulbs, and things started clicking. It's really well-done (at least in my opinion).

According to the Weather Channel website the weather in SA is going to suck this weekend. The ideas I had for the assignment had me outside, so now I'll have to challenge myself to come up with something different until the weather is better.

What do I like to photograph: people/portraits, things, nature. Ok, so things is a pretty broad term, but I want to photograph things way up close. So I've started pricing macro lenses, and holy cow are good lenses expensive, and I know this, but it's been awhile since I've seriously looked for a lense. Now I'm begun my macro lense pennies-a-day fund. Santa gave me a good starting point, but I'm hoping my wife will take pity on me and say "yes, go ahead" in the next few months. I'll let you know.

What I'm Reading

I was doing daily readings from the lectionary until I could no longer control the urge to finish as quickly as I could the whole of the New Testament and then onto the Old Testament. I've finished all of the NT except for Mark, Luke and John, and here my tugs take another turn. I'm doing my version of daily reading now where I read a chapter (unless long - then I stop at some internally defined stopping point) of Mark, a Psalm, and then a chapter from Deuteronomy (I'd already read the other books up to that point).

Part of the change was that following the Lectionary would have me finishing the Bible in 3 years, and well, since I haven't read all of it yet - that was just too slow a pace for me. Once I've read all of it then it's like I keep feeling like I'll release this deep breath I've been holding.

I've this rather large pile of spiritual/religious books that keep beckoning me to read them too. Like Ministry for the Sick and Dying, Care of the Soul, how to use the Book of Common Prayer, a lectio devina book, Benedict's Rule of Life, a commentary, an atlas of the Bible, a history of the Bible - well you get the picture. I used to be a read one book at a time person - not anymore. I have book marks holding my place ready in every single one of those books. Luckily I can pick up where I left off and remember what it last was I read unless I've neglected the book for quite a while.

Oh, and I decided on Mounce's book for learning NT Greek and the workbook to go with it, which should be arriving any day now (and the library can get their copy back).

What else is my scattered and fragmented mind persuing - I've gotten mostly back on track with my photography courses, I'm trying to refocus on Centering Prayer, and I start Tai Chi in two weeks.

I've been asking in my prayers for time to do all these things and upon reflection time is beginning to open up for me - now for the faith part, I hope it continues :-)

A friend starts her blog

My friend ALT has finally caved in and created her very own blog, err "pet turtle" (must read her first post to get reference).

I'm quite excited; here's her link: Bone of the Sky.

Friend's website

My friend Tina has created a website to showcase her art work. She's a wonderful painter, and with her permission here are two images:




If anyone would like to see more of her work here is her website: Tina Karagulian.