Posts
Random questions asked, encountered, thought of and pondered while visiting kids and grand kids... so far.
How do you stop being paralyzed?
How do you know when to quit?
How do you paint over wallpaper?
How do you stop relating to people in old, familiar ways?
How do you begin to pray, really?
How do you see a person and not your illusions?
How do you discern but not judge?
How do you know when an action or thought is from self delusion rather than "true spirituality"?
How do you stop?
How do you keep brush strokes out when you paint?
How do you know when to shut up?
How do you know when to speak?
How do you make your mind stop for one minute?
How do you stop believing that God has more in mind for your life than what you have?
How do you gain conciousness?
How do you get rid of cigarette smoke smell in a whole house?
How do you reconcile?
How do you find time?
How do you do good without an ego agenda attached?
How do you tell the truth?
How do you laugh like a baby again?
How do you give up hope?
How do you stay out of fruitless discussions?
How do you know?
How do you quit being self destructive?
How do you stay hopeful?
How do you trust?
How do you say goodbye?
How do you know if it is fear or reality?
How do you be truly humble?
How do you stop wanting?
How do you shop at Walmart and not feel....... ?
How do you give a damn?
How do you not "take it personally"?
How do you say "How do you do" and mean it?
And you... ?
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
City Lights
If you have never seen Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights" you are impoverished.
It has been deemed one of the ten best films of all time, the best romantic comedy of all time and the best silent film of all time. Chaplin made it as a silent movie when "talkies" had become all the rage. It took him nearly three years to make the movie, sometimes filming literally hundreds of takes of a single scene, including the ending. It is genius story telling, humanity, slapstick comedy, pathos and one of the most emotional endings... some critics have claimed it is THE finest ending, in film history. I had a betamax copy of it years ago. I just found it on youtube... watch it for free!
If you have a dry eye at the end, you are not human.
It has been deemed one of the ten best films of all time, the best romantic comedy of all time and the best silent film of all time. Chaplin made it as a silent movie when "talkies" had become all the rage. It took him nearly three years to make the movie, sometimes filming literally hundreds of takes of a single scene, including the ending. It is genius story telling, humanity, slapstick comedy, pathos and one of the most emotional endings... some critics have claimed it is THE finest ending, in film history. I had a betamax copy of it years ago. I just found it on youtube... watch it for free!
If you have a dry eye at the end, you are not human.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Sketchbook Pro
I've had Sketchbook Pro for a couple months but kept defaulting to GIMP because it is what I knew for the past 3 years of Orthographs and Curmudgeophan. I spent a couple hours today watching youtube videos on Sketchbook Pro and decided to give it a semi-serious workout.
I still have a lot to learn, but I'm thinking I could get used to it.
I still have a lot to learn, but I'm thinking I could get used to it.
Saturday, June 09, 2012
JigSaw-17
The funniest thing I've heard in a long time.
Of course my brain immediately tries to figure out an "Ortho-version" of this with bishops....
Of course my brain immediately tries to figure out an "Ortho-version" of this with bishops....
Thursday, June 07, 2012
bu·reauc·ra·cy
My truck failed emissions because it has a "service required" light on.
I know what it is: Nissan had a recall of the fuel guage sending unit issued when my truck was 20,000 miles over the warranty period and they wouldn't fix it. It is a $1,000.00 fix (650.00 for the part). It has nothing to do with emissions. However in Arizona you can't pass an "emissions test" with a repair light on.
I had to take it to emissions twice. The first time is free. The second time you pay 30.00 and when you fail they give you the computer read-out. It said "fuel guage sending unit failure". Duh.
They give me the paper and a brochure and say, "You can get a waiver for one year if you can't afford to repair the vehicle. You have to get an estimate that shows the repair is over 450.00. Then go to this State testing place and they'll give you the waiver."
I get an estimate and I go there. I show the guy the computer read out and the estimate to repair the problem.
This is our conversation virtually verbatim:
"Where's your receipts?"
"What receipts?"
"You have to spend 450.00 to try to fix the problem."
"The person at the emissons station said it had to be over 450.00 to fix."
"No, you have to SPEND 450.00 to try to fix the problem first."
"But the problem costs 1,000.00 to fix... and besides it has nothing to do with emissions. It's the gas guage."
"It doesn't matter. You have to spend 450.00 to try to fix it."
"But the part alone is 650.00. Anything they do for 450.00 will be a waste of money that I already don't have."
"It doesn't matter, you have to spend 450.00 to TRY to fix it."
"So I have to spend 450.00 for nothing."
"No, not for nothing. You have to TRY to fix the problem to get the waiver."
"You've got to be kidding."
"Why would I kid about that? We can't give a waiver to everyone who walks in here and says they can't afford to fix their car."
"I guess that's true. Thanks."
"Come back with your receipts and we'll run it through for you."
Yeah.... the air will be cleaner when I get my gas guage fixed.
That's what makes this country great.
I know what it is: Nissan had a recall of the fuel guage sending unit issued when my truck was 20,000 miles over the warranty period and they wouldn't fix it. It is a $1,000.00 fix (650.00 for the part). It has nothing to do with emissions. However in Arizona you can't pass an "emissions test" with a repair light on.
I had to take it to emissions twice. The first time is free. The second time you pay 30.00 and when you fail they give you the computer read-out. It said "fuel guage sending unit failure". Duh.
They give me the paper and a brochure and say, "You can get a waiver for one year if you can't afford to repair the vehicle. You have to get an estimate that shows the repair is over 450.00. Then go to this State testing place and they'll give you the waiver."
I get an estimate and I go there. I show the guy the computer read out and the estimate to repair the problem.
This is our conversation virtually verbatim:
"Where's your receipts?"
"What receipts?"
"You have to spend 450.00 to try to fix the problem."
"The person at the emissons station said it had to be over 450.00 to fix."
"No, you have to SPEND 450.00 to try to fix the problem first."
"But the problem costs 1,000.00 to fix... and besides it has nothing to do with emissions. It's the gas guage."
"It doesn't matter. You have to spend 450.00 to try to fix it."
"But the part alone is 650.00. Anything they do for 450.00 will be a waste of money that I already don't have."
"It doesn't matter, you have to spend 450.00 to TRY to fix it."
"So I have to spend 450.00 for nothing."
"No, not for nothing. You have to TRY to fix the problem to get the waiver."
"You've got to be kidding."
"Why would I kid about that? We can't give a waiver to everyone who walks in here and says they can't afford to fix their car."
"I guess that's true. Thanks."
"Come back with your receipts and we'll run it through for you."
Yeah.... the air will be cleaner when I get my gas guage fixed.
That's what makes this country great.
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Saturday, June 02, 2012
World History Trailer
I made this short 30 second video for an intro to the new online World History class being designed this summer by our new curriculum developer.
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