Steve's profileGoose's NestPhotosBlogListsMore  |  Tools Help |
|
Goose's NestNovember 01 Long Time No WriteThe few that check on my blog have noticed that I haven't written in awhile. No real excuses. Sure, work has been hectic; and I've been sick as a dog for the last week+ following small bouts of something I can't get rid of, but I could have found some time to blog about something. Thing is I've not really been inspired to write anything. I've taken some time to do some good reading. Check out the book I just finished (see book list) about Iran and its political leader (which in some ways is a position that serves as a pawn of the religious leadership there.) I really enjoyed this book, and it was a nice change from the usual fiction I've been reading lately. I'll not go on about anything today - just wanted to let you know that I still live. I'll try and get in a mood and write something real soon. July 10 Who Does the Pope Think He Really Is?Have you seen the recent trash coming out of the Vatican, direct from the former Nazi himself (Pope Benedict XVI)? If you want to see an article on it, here it is: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19692094/ Read it for yourself please, but the gist of it is that unless you are Holy Roman Catholic, you are going to Hell. There are no other true Christians but those that grovel at the feet of the supposed holy one wearing the funny hat. There was mention that Christian denominations are not true churches but mere ecclesiastic communities and therefore do not have the “means of salvation.” I'll not get too into the arguments they make around apostolic succession: that the Christian church was started by Christ's direction to the apostles (true) and thus Peter was the 1st Pope (False - made up by the Roman Catholics - none of the apostles were Catholic); because all of this is just an argument trying to keep power in the Roman Catholic Church. They do not see the Church as simply a faith, but an organization where they can wield power. The Vatican is a Church State... that tells me something on its own. Something else that peeved me when reading the article: At the same time the Pope is damning us all to Hell, the Vatican is trying to say that this position did not alter their commitment for ecumenical dialogue -- basically being friendly and open with us 'pretend' Christians. You can't have it both ways Nazi Youth Pope!... I'd rather us just cut the ties. I've always tended to view the super conservative end of the Catholic church as bordering on paganism and cultism anyway. And I am smart enough and caring enough to not lump all Catholic churches together, so I am not making a blanket statement about removing the word Catholic from my view of the Christian community -- but the Pope does not belong in my view of the greater body of Christ. This just makes me all the more happy I am not a Catholic. And I am sure happy that I am not Pope Benedict XVI... I would not want to be in his position when judgment time comes along and he has to answer why he thinks he is God, doing what only God can do: judge people's souls. He just judged many millions of Christians, and indirectly millions beyond as if he were God himself. I hope he sees the light eventually, and I'll pray for him all the same. June 16 Cause as a Style?!?!?!Being still relatively new to the Seattle area I may notice some things that others who are from here may not -- one of those things I have noticed here is what I can best describe as either a big hypocrisy, or a weird style trend. I came here from Colorado, a state much like you'd think like Washington that has its fair share of earthy crunchy types, and even more left-wingers who proudly display their favorite liberal cause. But in Colorado what you see usually is what you get. See a person who speaks about the injustices of the healthcare system, maybe wearing a Bush hater T-shirt, and that person is also likely to do volunteer work at a shelter or supports other social causes. Talk to a co-worker who has a major concern about global warming and the cost of gas and you'll see that she often rides her bike to work, and a bus into the city. See a V-Dub with a hemp bumper sticker and you'd see a Rastafarian step out of it. See a 4x4 with a gun rack and a PBRA sticker in the window and the driver most probably would get out and still have cow-pie on his dusty boots and actually rides a horse on a regular basis. But here I have seen on numerous occasions, too often to be ignored in fact, a mis-match in the story a driver is telling with his automobile and the life that driver seems to lead, or a mismatch between what a person proclaims and the life they really lead. This annoying observation I've been experience has come to a head in the last few weeks by a single driver that I've had the misfortune of being trapped behind on my way to work on and off several times now. It is one of my favorite examples though. The list below starts off with this guy, and includes a few others I've actually seen just in the recent past (7 days): Persona: The Eco-Warrior
I wonder if I am one of the only people who notice these mismatches driving around... or if I am one of the only people who is bugged by these delusional people. June 02 Why Can't I Gain Weight in my Butt??I'm about as heavy as I have ever been ... and at 6'1" the total is not so bad, except that it is all in my thorax! Yep, I feel like an insect because my arms and legs are still skinny, and all my weight is in my spare tire. Kinda gross. If I were a cartoon character I'd be Mr. Salty, Mr. Peanut, whatever his name is - you know, that Peanut guy from Planters Nuts. Give me a monocle and a top hat. Big mid section and spindly arms and legs -- I could pull it off. I figured that a few pounds would go to my butt - nope. I've never had a butt. It is like my legs just kind of join my back. I do have a butt, but you can't tell from looking at my jeans. It probably looks all the smaller because of my unfortunate case of Elephantguttus: I think I have Elephantiasis localized to the gut region. I wonder if I could get liposuction and have the tubes immediately feed the fat back into my ass? I know, I know: I just need to get off my tiny arse and exercise again. April 07 Refocusing on What is ImportantLately it has all been about work. I've not meant it to be that way, but work started to demand it, and I obliged. Thing is, now that I have day or two to breathe, I realize I have a choice. Keep at the current pace, or re-evaluate things.
Between Mid-Year Review Discussions for my team, bringing on new members, helping some others out the door to better things, FY08 planning, etc. the last several months have been taxing. I didn't really know how much until I got sick several weeks ago and could not afford a single day of recovery. Woking full speed ahead whle sick ran my narrow white arse into the ground. On Monday I had a presentation to give in the morning, and almost puked several times before the meeting began. I looked like I was about to take a dirt nap, and was told after the meeting to get the hell out. I took 1.5 days as sick, but still looked at emails.
Habits die hard. But I did get some rest. Not enough, but it helped me do the rest of the week in fine form. But I realize that I have to go into next week, and the next few months putting work high on my list, but rebalancing things as well. It is finally good weather time in the greater Seattle area, and I must take advantage of that. I have to make time to finish an oil painting that got put away a year ago... to both finish the darn thing and because it is good for my soul to paint. I need to spend more time with my kids: dinner around the TV, trips to WalMart, and reading bedtime stories is not enough. My speical friend, mate, Friend w/Benefits, or whatever you want to call the person that lives with me and co-raises our kids deserves some focus. I think we have forgotten how to date? Good thing we are such good friends - we don't have a problem, but I don't want one to creep up on us either.
I even need to walk the dogs more. I need to re-loose the 15 pounds I gained back after loosing them last summer. I need to buy a freezer and fridge for the office so I can institute early happy hours at week's ends.
If that means that I slow my career growth down by 20%, well, so be it. I have no aspirations to be the biggest of cheeses anyway, and I am not sure that my last few months of work really make me stand out as something special anyway. Of course I do not want to stall my career, I just need to think about its velocity and ensure that both it AND my life have good momentum.
Otherwise I'll just end up taking a big dirt nap. So - hold me to it: if you see me, and I look like work is the big thing in my life, tell me to piss off to help me break the trend.
|
Places Goose visits, or values as being either great or bizzare
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
