I discovered The Office near the end of the season and found it funny in the same way that I find Dilbert funny. Cindy finds both very un-funny. Anyways, head over to NBC to check out these fake Public Service Announcements
When you're playing pickup basketball, and someone tries to make you feel bad about calling a foul, remember, it's ok to call a foul. Don't let anyone make you feel ashamed.They know what they did.
Who likes to write their self evaluation for a performance review? Anyone? Mine is due today and I can't believe I have waited until the last day to begin writing. I have wondered if the self evaluation actually does any good.Performance Reviews are like report cards, and I hear that they stay on your permanent record. Best of all, you don't have to get them signed by your parents. So, don't sweat them. However, they can be used as justifications for pay increases, so, don't completely blow them off, or it might come back to haunt you. For your convenience, I have developed a handy "Performance Metric to Report Card Grade" comparison Chart.
Below Expectations (similar to a D or F...your gonna get in trouble for this)
Met Expectations (a C...which has become known as average. Since everyone is average, expected a lot of these)
Exceeded Expectations (maps to a B...You did something really good for someone)
Greatly Exceeded Expectations (maps to an A...this rating is actually an urban legend in cubeville).
So, I know what you are thinking, since there is no way that you can get a GEE, you certainly must "Exceeded Expectations." Common mistake, but wrong. You are, most likely, going to have"Met Expectations." Why? The Person who is evaluating you may be trying to give you decent feedback, but, they are also distributing these ratings based on a bell curve. And at the top of that curve? You got it: Met Expectations.
So, does your self review really matter? Sure it does. If anything, it gives you an opportunity to reflect back on what you have achieved in the past and plan out where you would like to be in the future. Should you wait until the last day to compile this reflection? Probably not.
Recently, Katie, eight, asked me, with all seriousness in her eyes, how to fart. I was curious about the nature of the question, for she has demonstrated this bodily feature ad infinitum, and at times with much gusto. Not wanting to brush her off, I asked "What do you mean?" Hesitantly, she looked around for momma, and then said, "you know" and stuck her right palm under her left armpit and the flapped her left arm like a duck. "Oh, I see now. No. I can't."
Thanks go to Marty for "Keeping it Fresh."
When it comes to fatherhood, I still feel like Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark: I feel like I am just "making this up as I go along." On a day to day basis, it is hard to see how much progress I am making in my adventure, and often leads to the ultimate self doubt question: have I made the best choices? Unfortunately, I know that answer: no. But judging my day to day progress is like looking at the individual dots of paint in Seurat's "Sunday Afternoon." You have to stand back and look at them all (mistakes and all).
Today, we went to Bush Gardens in Williamsburg right after the 8:00 am Church Service. Park attendance was light, so the queues were fairly quick. We got to ride the Loch Ness Monster and Escape From Pompeii twice. Katie and Cindy rode Apollo's Chariot while Megan and I took it easy on the Elephant Run and the Turkish Delight tea cup ride. Finally, we queued for forty five minutes to ride Roman Rapids: the wait was worth every drenching ounce of fun. We spent five hours in the park and it was time to go. Traffic from Williamsburg to Chesapeake can be hectic on a Sunday afternoon, and we got home around five thirty. Overall, a very fun Father's Day.
As a daddy of two girls who both like movies, I see an awful lot of crap out there. So, when I see something that is above the average (e.g. Madagascar, Over the Hedge etc), I sometimes fool myself in elevating that to the "classic" level. But, when a real classic comes my way, you know if for what it is.
Cars is a classic.
I first saw a trailer for Cars just before The Incredibles. I thought that Pixar might strike out with this one: after all, I am not a NASCAR fan. Great news, you don't have to be. Rick wrote about the story over at Good Coffee. I have to agree with him on the story, but, I just want to tout the technical side. A computer animated movie is a "special effect" in itself. Each company has a style that identifies who made it (Dreamworks, Pixar, Blue Sky, everyone else). While you are watching the movie, you notice things such as the texture of Princess Fiona's dress, or Marty's mane. But, it is Pixar that really pushes this envelope. Cars pulls something extremely familiar (driving) and animates it flawlessly. There is a cross country scene where the main character (Lightning McQueen) is being taken to California for the big race. It is a montage, with "Life Is a Highway" (performed by Rascal Flats) playing. I was beside myself at just how good that looked.
So, we really enjoyed this movie. Remember to stay through the credits, because Pixar keeps the movie going up until the end. There is a classic John Ratzenberger (Cliff from Cheers) gag during the credits. I believe that John has voiced a character in each of the Pixar films. Anyways, I'll say no more. Just enjoy it.
While waiting for Google Earth 4 to install, I happened upon Westboro Baptist Church's Video's on You Tube. This is the church that is going out and demonstrating that God hates the soldiers. While they are at it, the list the other people that God hates including homosexuals. When pressed, a spokes woman said that their church (not associated with any main line baptist) is under 100 people, and 80% family. See, there's the problem right there. But, seriously, I have gone round this many times. They focus on Sodom and Gomorrah and the Flood to show that God Hates People. But, they certainly do not focus on the cross, where He sent His son to die as the fulfillment of all those Old Testament Laws. God does not hate people, but he abhors Sin. He loves them to death.
Ro 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
1Jo 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Mt 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
This morning is a rainy Monday, and the weekend just flew by. At least the coffee this morning did not spill over on the counter because I forgot to do something sensible (like emptying the grounds from the day before...age). I play in our church's orchestra. It affords me an interesting vantage point as I can look out and see the various faces in the congregation. What a palette of expression. I can recognize the "I feel uncomfortable singing in public" face all the way through the "In your presence Lord" face. Sometimes, the IFUSIP is sitting next to IYPL, and maybe that is why IFUSIP feels uncomfortable. But truly, of late, I have felt more like IFUSIP and not IYPL. Lord, why do you seem so far away? Do you remember the "Footprints" picture? In it, two sets of footprints are going down the beach. At some point, there is only one set. The remaining set belongs to God, and He is carrying the owner of the other set of footprints. I think another "Footprints" should be done. This one shows two sets of footprints walking down the beach. Suddenly, one pair goes off in another direction. Those are my footprints. God has not gone anywhere. He has not left me. I have simply wandered away from his side. When I examine my prayer life, am I even attempting to communicate with God (or, am I dropping a dime when everything is rosy, or I am in trouble)? Am I trying to know him better through his word? Or, am I just inventing a God based on my preferences and the opinions of others?
It was only a matter of time. I have watched them pass over the pool many times, always at a high altitude. It was only a matter of time before they would spot the pool on their overflights. Now, they have decided to take up residence. I need suggestions on how to get rid of ducks.
I am sitting here, in front of my computer, wondering what my Grandfather was doing 62 years ago today. Marvin G. Morton left behind a wife and infant daughter when he went to fight in World War II. On this day, 62 years ago, he would land on Utah beach with the 4th Infantry Division.
Many are familiar with Omaha Beach from Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. Utah, by comparison, went smoothly. The invasion force landed some 2000 yards south of the planned beach on a beach not as heavily defended. Stephen Ambrose's book, and the HBO mini-series, Band of Brothers, tells the story of the E 2/506th Division (Easy Company). One of their main objective was to take out a battery of 105mm Howitzers targeting Utah Beach and give the 4th Infantry a chance to secure the beach head.
I have only known my grandfather from a single photograph that sits in grandmother's house. It is of the variety that would have been taken at boot camp. Recently I have started asking more questions about Marvin, approaching the subject carefully. I have learned that he would bring relief to the 82 Airborne at Ste. Mere Eglise, help the French in the liberation of Paris and then, later in September, would go through Belgium to attack the Seigfried Lines. And that would be the end of his story. Marvin was wounded during a mortar attack, and would later die in a field hospital. It left my Grandmother a widow, and my mom without a father.
Over the past several thanksgivings, grandmother has shared more stories and more letters (there are some private letters that she has told me about, but she does not want those read until after her death. I assume that they are personal letters from Marvin). I have read many of the telegrams informing her of Marvin's injury, and she has shown me the very spot in her house where she stood when Army representatives came to her door confirming her husband's death. My grandmother never remarried, raised a daughter and worked in textile factory well into her eighties. Without a doubt, she is the strongest woman I have ever known.
"OTH" is not my favorite DreamWorks animation film to come out ("Shrek" ,"Madagascar" and "Shrek 2"), but it is light years better than "Shark Tales." Also, it is better than the other two animated films that I have seen this year ("Chicken Little" and "Ice Age 2"). But still, I found my mind wondering through out the film. The kids, however, absolutely loved it. They are at a point where they "get" the jokes, both overt and subtle. And that was as much fun to watch as the movie.
It seems that, since we are done with school, Cindy and I are much more relaxed about the time that the girls go to bed. So, last night, around 8:00, I happened by Megan's door. Both girls were on the bed, and Katie was dramatically reading "The Berenstein Bears Get The Gimmies" to Megan. Later, Cindy told me that both girls said their nighttime prayers together and then exchanged a stuffed animal.
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted..." Eph 4:32
A good friend of mine showed me this list of 15 reasons why I should turn off my TV. I agree with what is said in the article, and have been noticing that it has only gotten worse, according to a study that came out this week. In that article it summarized:
"According to the study, today's 70 percent of TV shows that include sexual content average 5.0 sexual scenes per hour, as compared to the 64 percent of shows in 2002 that had sexual content and that averaged 4.4 sexual scenes per hour. The contrast is even sharper with the 1998 figures -- 56 percent of shows and 3.2 sexual scenes per hour."
Have you ever seen the family film "The Shining?" Or, what about the Zombie Flick "West Side Story?" No, well, I have a collection of trailers where scenes have been cut together to make films appear to belong to a different Genre.
Word of caution, the "10 Things I Hate About Commandments" drops an F-Bomb in the "Samuel Jackson as the Burning Bush" section.
Before I tell you about this movie, you must know that I never read the source material, which may explain why I have never really liked any of the X-Men movies, including this one. With the exception of Superfriends and the late 80s Justice League of America (which was itself a parody of grouped superheroes), I have never liked "leagues." I would much prefer to see Jack Hughman star as Wolverine in a movie about Wolverine. This movie is about many superheroes and supervillians (lots), so it is difficult to have so many A list characters and develop a story about them where you genuinely care about the character. Since Wolverine was the primary focus of the first two films, I thought that this outing was going to focus on Scott Summers (Cyclops), but I was wrong. Then I thought it was going to be about Jean Grey (Phoenix), but, again, wrong. Angel? Nope. It wasn't about a movie, but a goal. A drug has been found that will allow the X Gene to be isolated, and reverses the mutation that it causes. This leads to interesting weapons for the military. Magneto and company see the potential threat and decide to strike first. It is up to the X-Men to try and stop them.
Hats off to Kelsey Grammer as the Beast. Cindy and I had no idea he was in the movie and was knocking our heads together to try and figure out who owned that familiar voice. I love to see an actor come into a genre that he is not known for.
X-Men: The Last Stand is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence, some sexual content and language. I would strongly urge parents of young children to see the film first. Mystique (the blue lady) reveals a lot more skin this time around, and the entire gamut of language is thrown around.
As posted on Good Coffee, there is a super secret scene at the end of the film, so, stick around.
Fourteen years ago yesterday, Cindy and I stood before the Justice of the Peace in Panama City Florida and said "I do." It was a short affair, witnessed by two of my class mates at follow on school. The couple that had just been married looked really young, and the couple after us smelled of bourbon. Because the Air Force does not recognize fiances when it comes to dependents, and I wanted us to fly out together to Okinawa, I married my best friend two months earlier than I had anticipated.
Many have told me that I often come off without my native southern accent. You can definitely see the influence my Yankee wife has had on me!
| Your Linguistic Profile: |
| 55% General American English |
| 20% Dixie |
| 15% Yankee |
| 5% Upper Midwestern |
| 0% Midwestern |
If you have not seen the finale of Lost and are planning to watch it later, please read after you have seen it.
This week, many of my favorite shows (24, Lost and American Idol) have concluded their seasons with big finales. I am glad that Taylor won American Idol. I was upset that Jack was left in danger in 24 and we have to wait until January of 2007 to find out what happens. But, Lost has had me thinking over the past two days.
It was that last scene with Michael. Michael has done some very bad things this season: killed Ana Lucia and Libby; lead Hurley, Kate, Jack and Sawyer to captivity and apparently let the leader of the Others go. But in the end, the Others give Walt back to Michael, along with a boat and a heading that will allow them to escape the island. As Walt and Michael pull away from the dock in the boat, there is a shot of Jack, Kate and Sawyer, bound, gagged and on their knees. It looks almost like they are about to shot in the back of the head. For a brief moment, their eyes connect with Michaels.
You really despise Michael. And here is what has been swimming in my head since Wednesday: what would I do, and how far would I go, to get my daughters back? I keep coming back to the realization that I have absolutely no idea of what I would do, what lines I would cross, to save my daughters.
You know what annoys me? How a wonderful tool like email can be used to spread urban legends! How many emails do I get in a week about some missing child or request for financial opportunity? Once you start realizing that Urban Legends are commonly passed, your Spidey Senses starts to tingle when an email smacks of UL. Typically, a quick google will reveal the UL. I use to reply to the sender with a link and a smug "please check your facts" type of message. But not anymore. But still it annoys me.
Today is a half day here at the Bryan Academy of Education and the Fine Arts. It also marks the end of Katie's second grade and Megan's first grade year. I am really proud of both of them for the progress that they have made in both Math and Reading. It was a struggle (7+6), but you made it! Congratulations. I also want to recognize the Teacher of the Year, Cindy. She sacrificed many afternoons and evenings preparing lessons and activities to get the students to this day. Tomorrow, we will have a third party come in to test the girl's knowledge. Last year, we administered a standardized test to track where they were, and this year we wanted to try something different. The summer months will bring math reviews, summer reading programs and letter writing to grandparents.
So, Kids, savor the sweet months of Summer. You deserved it!
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:23
One of the gifts that Cindy gave me was a nice leather journal with a snap. It is not the first time that I have received such a gift, and I often use it to write sermon notes, or sparked ideas that may cross my mind during bible study. I particularly like the design of this journal because it incorporates a holder for my ball point pen.
From the sermon this week by Reverend Thorpe, I had written down this verse from Romans. The sermon topic was Hell, and how we Christians have become indifferent to it. Anyone who goes to work understands what a wage is. I go to my job, work forty hours and receive a paycheck every two weeks. That paycheck is the wage that I have earned for my services to the company I work. I also should be paid a wage for the sins that I commit against God: death. I have observed death enough to know that it is the natural conclusion to life. The leather journal with the a snap was a gift that Cindy gave me. I did nothing to earn it, and if I tried to repay Cindy for the journal, would it still be a gift? No, it would be something that I have purchased. Eternal life is a gift that God gives. And It does not mean that I will not die physically, unless the Lord returns before I die.
I think, however, that one should consider the possibility that if the eternal life is life beyond our current context, then the death referred to is also a death beyond the our concept of death. When you wonder "why are Christians so Jesus Happy," it is because his death purchased that gift for us. His death covered the sin that I have committed in the past, and he is faithful to forgive the sins that I will commit today. But, there is a catch: Jesus does not force himself on to anyone (often, we assume that role), but stands at the door and knocks. The individual must open the door.