Do NOT Research Nutrition Info

Well, unless you want to see exactly why we are on our way to becoming the greatest nation on Earth (at least in terms of waist size). Wow! I had some chicken wings left over from the Great Walker Get-Together each Wednesday, and I wondered what they calories and fat content were. Sure, I knew they would not be very good, but did not expect them to be abysmal (how often can you work that word into daily conversation?). 95 calories each, 5 gr fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 1020 mg sodium. I suppose you could justify some of that in moderation, but I had 10 of them for lunch. Yeah. So, I had to hit the gym last night. No, I didn't go in since I am not a member, but I did hit it. Ha ha. Of course I went in and did 30 min cardio and 30 min upper body weights. So, I maybe worked off 3 of them.

I am definitely not in good enough shape to be on Survivor. I wonder how quickly I would be voted off?

I show two meetings set up for today. Plus, I need to schedule a meeting for the area I am covering. And I have to compile and publish the weekly status report by early afternoon.

Hey, we have a concert Sunday evening. Did you remember that I told you about it earlier in the week? Yeah, we have to wear the white shirts and blue-striped ties, so it must be at a church. The good thing about a late start is it doesn't impede on our lunch. The bad thing is it is right in the middle of normal Sunday night eating. It's always something, huh?

I don't know of any specific plans for the weekend. How about you (yes, including any ex-pats in the family)?

Hey, check out this art. Those are pencil drawings, not photos. Amazing, huh?

I am ready to start today's fun, so I'll step away from the keyboard. Well, that's figurative since my whole day is keyboarding, but I will close up the post for the day. Have a great weekend and check back on Monday.

Can Survivor Inspire You?

It inspired me last night. I had to get up during the show and write down a couple of ideas for Clarity of Vision.

Hey, I did not say it was a worthwhile inspiration.

I attended the dedication ceremony for Ali's new school yesterday. It was interesting and I am glad that I went. As an added benefit, I got to visit with my old friend, the Mayor, for a few minutes afterward, so that was nice. And Ali got to meet with some of the Board of Directors as they toured her school, so that kind of visibility never hurts. And the state School Superintendent used to be on that board, so that's good for both wife and daughter.

I noted that I watched Survivor last night and it was over at our weekly Survivor Party at the folks'. However, we found out that half of us are busy next week and the other half the following week and a few of us are busy the week after that. The season will be half over before the full crew is back together. Oh, the cruelty of life intruding on that sacred rite. Right?

Oh man. I have already succumbed to the siren call of a chocolate glazed donut this morning. Still, I am not sure that means I will be eating poorly all day, but I had hoped not to have one today even if the vendor brought in the two dozen Dunkin Donuts he often provides. Oh well, I'll try to add a bit of effort at the gym to somewhat offset the extra 300 calories.

Now that McDonald's displays the calories on their menu board, will you change what you choose? Do you do that at any restaurant? Might you have something fried if the menu does not remind you of the huge increase in calories? My choices seems to go back and forth, but are not hugely influenced by seeing the calories at the time. Lindsay, are the calories 20% lower in NZ since the NZ Dollar is only 82% of the US Dollar?

Two hours just freed up this afternoon since the CIO canceled an All Hands IT Meeting. Nice.

OK, I need to pull some metrics together before we publish a Project Activity report. Hopefully, I will survive today and be back to steal away some of your time again tomorrow. Don't do anything I wouldn't do.

Yes, Mine Furor (Well, Not Actually Mine)

It seems the furor over the bad call in the Monday Night Football game is still ongoing. However, with the League standing behind the call, I am wondering if it is enough to drive both sides back to the bargaining table. I guess it may not affect the Saints, but for the real teams.... Sorry, Lewis, you opened that door.

However, the whole issue made me wonder about a strike affecting the workplace. Who would they bring in as replacements? Well, why not some of the thousands of unemployed teachers?

The concert went pretty well last night at the nursing home. However, it was really hot up on stage. How hot was it? It was so hot that it felt cool when we stepped outside after the concert into the 93°F air.

OK, only eight more days of covering for Pat. Today I have to lead a whole-team conference call, so that should be the most visible thing I do during my coverage. I am not worried that I can do the job. I would just like to impress everyone by not missing a single part of her job, you know? I can do it.

The external web connection is acting flaky this morning. Are you seeing it? No, I guess not since it is only inside our company. Anyway, every others time I click Save, it is saying "An error occurred while trying to save or publish your post. Please try again." Of course, it displays that. I doesn't actually say it.

I am going to try and publish it now. I have run out of things to say and I have some stuff I need to get done before the call. Before you leave, pop over to Lindsay's blog. I heard she posted a new one, although I have not read it yet.

A Last Minute Substitution

I had a totally different CoV in mind for today, and then a different spin on the theme I actually used for my next CoV idea, and ended up with this one.

No, I did not watch the game, but I did see the botched call on the news and decided it needed to be commented on. Do you think this will prompt the league to settle this thing and get on with the regular officials?

Whoo hoo. We should be some 10°F cooler today than yesterday. Finally, we will be under 100°F, so Fall has arrived. So, we should not be as hot as the Packer's fans were last night.

I did get a notice from a manager that I needed to kick off an unexpected project while I am covering for Pat. So, I did the first few steps in the process. Nothing else surprising, and even this was less surprising than that call in the NFL game last night.

The Chorale has a concert tonight instead of a practice. It is in a care facility near a local hospital, but it usually has pretty good attendance. Still, we have to wear our blue striped ties (of course, we will have on other clothes, too). Then, we have another striped tie concert on Sunday.

You have got to check out Lindsay's blog today. She has three new posts and a dang photo that will surprise and delight any preacher-types who read this blog. BTW, Lindsay, I don't know if we captured a photo of Ali on the TRH saddle (see yesterday's post and Lindsay's response for context). Maybe next year.

OK, in the words of the wise R.E.M. "I've said too much. I haven't said enough...." Yeah, whatever that means. So, I'll end with one more quote, this one from my quotes calendar. "It's like being in the huddle with God, and that indeed is high praise." Darrian Chapman during a Johnny Unitas tribute.

The Birthday Hijinks are Over

I told you last week about making Alison pay for her own birthday dinner. Well, on Friday night, we went out again for her birthday, this time including JV+KLIK. We went to a steakhouse chain where, after the meal, they made Ali sit on a saddle and asked nearby patrons to yell "Yee-hah!" to wish her a happy b-day. She did not want to do it, but Bella wanted to see it. I think Lyndsay is the next family b-day.

Speaking of Lyndsay, it has been a week since we heard from Lindsay. Hello, girl. Take ten minutes and give us some NZ to AZ news.

Speaking of things we used letters to describe, it has been a whole weekend since we talked about non-disclosure agreements.

Did you see that the Cowboys and the Cardinals both won? And the Cards are 3-0 on the season for the first time in 38 years. I don't even want to think about how old I will be before I see that again.

No, I haven't really started serious car shopping yet. I am still borrowing the Expedition from Dad. What did we do before he had an extra car?

I had a request for a CoV about Obama's "You didn't build this business..." comment, but I haven't found the right words yet. I also got a request about Eastwood and the chair at the RNC, but haven't had a chance to find the right words for that, either. Ideas? Anyway, stay tuned.

We have two Chorale concerts this week. The first is tomorrow night during regular practice time, and the second is next Sunday. Luckily, I have more than one white shirt (yeah, in the Fall, it is often shirt-and-tie duds instead of casual Polo-style shirts).

OK, I am covering for another team member for the next two weeks, so I better get to checking those projects. Yes, of course, I will be telling you about it. When do I ever hold back?

How Was Ali's Birthday?

It was nice, but low-key. In fact, she decided to go to Nello's Pizza last night and Texas Roadhouse tonight. What's funny, though, is that we did not have sufficient funds in our account to pay for it, and we are trying not to charge things on credit, so we made her pay for her own b-day meal with the promise that we will pay her back when my paycheck is deposited. Happy birthday, indeed. Yes, we did tell the staff and they embarrassed her by singing. A free slice of cheesecake was the prize for being sung to. BTW, she said to thank you, Linds, for your birthday wish from Kiwiland (she didn't actually say it in those words, but I took some liberties. It is my blog, after all).

I don't know if singing would work for speech recognition software, but speaking does.

I am down to my final day of training before I take over support for Pat's area on Monday. I am a little nervous, but it is a consistent process, so I should be able to keep everything running. Today, I learn about how to kick off a project.

Yes, I know that my physical is coming up next month, and yet, it has been three days since I hit they gym. It has only been one day, though, since I... ate a donut. I know it is bad for me, but those glazed chocolate cake ones call my name. Plus, when the vendor brings them in, no one else is around and I don;t want to miss my shot. I will try to be better. No donuts today, though, so it is all good.

OK, Ali said she doesn't often read my posts because they are too long, so I will cut it short today. Have a good weekend and come back on Monday, ready to read my family enlightenment and then do some serious work stuff (whatever that may be for you).

We Survived the Party

Yep, Survivor is back for its 25th season, and the WFSG (Walker Family Survivor gathering) is underway. As usually happens, it was a pizza and wings night, and much merriment and incredulous comments were shared. I cannot speak for the others, but I was surprised on their choice for eviction, but cannot disagree that it was the right one for the team.

I also cannot disagree with my choice of CoV topic, given the initial pun and subsequent related comments in yesterday's comic.

At the moment, I cannot think of a third day's puns around NDA, so you will probably get a break.

Am I going to need to curse someone out today since Hell's Kitchen is currently off the air and I am missing my weekly fill of profanity? Not that I only cuss when there's no Hell's Kitchen, of course. My cubicle often sounds like a sailor works there, which reminds me that I forgot to mention that yesterday was "Talk like a pirate" Day. Arrrrgh, matey. Ye oughta keelhaul me.

I do, however, remember what today is. Happy Birthday, Alison! Oh, you're probably wondering what today is? That was not a non-sequitor. It is my little girl's b-day, although we won't go out for her b-day meal until tomorrow when JV+KLIK can join us.

Training is going well. I am beginning to get a bit nervous for going two weeks covering her projects. Oh well. If something doesn't flow perfectly, I am sure we can get around it.

OK, let's get today's party started. No, it won't be as fun as last night's WFSG, but we cannot stay on such a sustained high for two full days, right? On your mark, get ready, GO!

I Can Tell We Are Entering Fall

No, it's not because of the cooler weather, although we will only reach 102°F today, so it is cooler. And it's not because of school back in session since my family started again in late July. And it's not because NFL has started up again, although I does enjoy me some football. No, it's because the East Valley Chorale concerts where we have to wear out white shirt and ties are starting up. We sing next Tuesday night and again the following Sunday, both requiring shirt and ties. This means more of our Sunday evenings will be tied up for a few months. You're right... bad pun

Speaking of puns, how about we transition to today's CoV?

I think training for supporting Pat's projects during vacation is going well. Of course, there are a lot of little things to remember, and I know I won't know every answer, but I am feeling confident that I won't totally stink at it. And, it seems kinda fun. This could help make sure I am sufficiently valuable to the company to keep around for 10 or so years.

Oh, there is another sign that Fall is falling onto us. Survivor is back, and Blair from The facts of Life is on it, and she is almost 50. Wait a minute. That would make me... well, too stinking old. Still, my point is that Survivor returning also means our weekly Survivor parties are back on. No, the family did not vote me off last season, and even if they did, it's a new show. Don't I get another chance?

I am down to three days for training before I take over Pat's stuff, so let me do some of my tasks before I give her the rest of my day. If anything interesting happens, I will tell you about it tomorrow. In fact, you'll hear about things even if they are not interesting.

More Like The Sleeping Dead

Oh yeah. After the GRANDS went home last night, we did not have any trouble falling asleep. Parenting is a full-time position and us grandparents are not as young as we used to be. We are not even as young as we think in our own minds. Still, after a few days, we'll be ready for them again. You other grandparents know how that is.

Speaking of kids, though, why do they get the best chairs...molded for comfort, well-padded, able to rock? Hey, what if there were a version for us adults?


I am down to four days of training and job shadowing before I must support another team member's area for two weeks. Yeah, I am getting a bit anxious. I have just a couple of remaining tasks from my normal work and then, full time learning mode. Wow, if only I had an ultimate comfort chair.

The nights are getting more pleasant all the time now. We have weathered (a little weather pun there) the worst of the high temps and are heading into the season for enjoying outdoors (except for the pool that is already too cool for us). In the Southern Hemisphere, though, they are heading towards their summer. Too bad, so sad.

My calendar gave me a helpful tip from Sportscaster Ron Pickering during Olympic coverage: "Watch the time. It gives you an indication of how fast they're running."

I wish the dude that delivers donuts was coming in today. I would definitely have one. Yeah, I know that I shouldn't, and it is an academic discussion since he is not in, but still, a nice chocolate-glazed donut would really get my day started in a tasty way.

I suppose I cannot procrastinate any longer. The work won't do itself. Of course, if it could, they wouldn't need me. Oh, but then I could sleep longer. Oh 2, but then I wouldn't get paid. Enough with the voices in my head. Let's get this party started (and by party, I mean work. And by let's, I mean me, myself, and I).

Why God Gives Kids to Young People

Yup, we kept the GRANDS over the weekend. Let me share some of it with you. But first...a nap. OK, they arrive at 6:30am on Saturday. By 9am, we knew we needed an activity. OK, check the local museum times and prices. 11am and about $40 for all of us. what about a local pizza and indoor amusement park? A little more pricey, but it includes lunch and something to do.

When we got there, it looked very crowded. I suggested we choose somewhere else, but we had promised the girls. And we pay separately for rides and games (we chose another $40 of credits), so the cost was a bit more than expected. OK, we went in and found out there was a corporate event there that day, so it was crazy.

We had lunch and went into the game area. Indoor roller coaster, bumper cars, skeeball, carousel, mini-train. The girls were loving it. We also wanted to do bowling and mini-golf, so we were already running a little tight on funds. A man interrupted us asking what type of games tickets we had. I told him and he said they were leaving and had four unlimited-fund, all-day passes that we could have. Easy decision, right? So, mini-golf and bowling were back on our agenda. By the end, it was late enough that we also stayed for supper. All the kids were asleep by 9:30pm.

Yesterday, everyone slept until after 7am. We had church, but even then, there a slight mishap. We were on the way towards church, running a little late (which is not surprising since we are not used to getting three kids ready on a time schedule), when we realized we did not have the diaper bag. OK, back home and then arrive 15 minutes late for Sunday School. McDonald's for lunch so the girls can play for a while. We went swimming in the afternoon (well, the girls did. The water was too cold for adults). Again, asleep by 9:30pm.

Today, who knows? I had to come to work and they were still sleeping when I left. Since I am at work, I wrote a CoV that seems quite appropriate for the weekend.

I actually wrote this last week, but us old folks will need to recover after nonstop GRANDS.

OK, time to get ready for my regular Monday deliverables. But first...a nap.

I See The Minophen

Did you know that acetaminophen is the drug name for Tylenol? Drug names are always weird, long names. So, a friend at work was taking some drug with a long name whose side effect was short term memory loss. Here is what I heard.

Well, that may not be exactly what I heard, but it is what I wanted to hear.

We are supposed to be back at 100°F today. *Sigh* I know the cooler weather is coming. And with the nights only getting into the 80s, the pool is already getting a bit brisk. Still, I would not be surprised if we get in with the girls this weekend.

Yes, we have the GRANDS and the GRANDDOG this weekend while the parents and aunt are having birthday celebrations out of town. Jack does not like loud sounds, but when their dog and ours get together, it is a Bark-Fest! The poor guy probably goes home all nervous and jittery and may even associate sleep problems with visiting his grandparents.

Today's Stupidest Things calendar entry: "Deep-fried Prawns with Sliced Albinos" on a menu at the Hua Ting Hotel and Towers, Shanghai, China.

I got an email earlier this week from a guy in Sunday School who said I did a good job. He did not have his Study Guide with him or he would have noticed I skipped the whole middle section. This week, though, I get to sit back and jump in with clever quips and not be in charge of guiding the discussion. I will not say anything about the Dung Gate in the wall around Jerusalem.

What's up with you? Did you read Lindsay's blog about dressing up with an Afro wig and traveling over 1000 kilometers with only $10? Be sure to read it and see the clever company challenge she proposed.

OK, the office noises are starting. No, it's not spooky, just not as quiet as when I arrive and no one else is in the room. I'll be back on Monday, leaving my better half to enjoy her vacation day with the GRANDS. So, I may be sleepy.

THE END of having to read today's post IS NEAR!

THE END of summer IS NEAR! Whoo hoo. I can feel the chill in the air as we reach only 100°F today. Soon, it will top out in the 80s and people here will begin to wear this jackets. Crazy, I know, but there is truth in that.

THE END of you wait for today's Clarity of Vision comic IS NEAR! I imagine you are quite excited. I know that I would be. OK, let's see it so you can understand why I started the last two paragraphs with similar words.

THE END of wheat eating IS not NEAR for me! I actually have been reading about the improved health of those who eliminate wheat from their diet. So, I decided on this CoV as I ate my Honey Nut Cheerios for breakfast and packed up pizza for lunch. I am clearly not ready to embrace such austerity myself. I am hitting the gym most days again.

THE END of training IS NEAR! I am feeling pretty good about covering for Pat during her vacation in a couple of weeks, but nervous that two weeks of training won't fully prepare me. If only I knew someone recently promoted to management (Kyle? Lindsay?) who could support me during that time. It should be OK if nothing really bad happens.

Here's a quote from my Stupidest Things Ever Said calendar. "Mike Caldwell, the Padres' right-handed southpaw, will pitch tonight" San Diego Padres sportscaster Jerry Coleman.

There was apparently a rocket launch at White Sands, NM, this morning. The news mentioned that a number of calls came in about the contrail up into the sky and the way it is lit by the rising sun makes it look ominous but pretty cool. By the time I saw it, though, the part linking some vertical clouds to the ground had blown away. I just looked online, but no one seems to have posted a photo of it.

THE END of this post IS NEAR! I am sure you are rejoicing, and even I am not gnashing my teeth. Let's have a great day, my friends.

I Made the Call

Yep, it's official. I called the auto repair shop and said not to fix the Altima. Now, I need to go purchase a handgun and shoot my car in a symbolic Wild West goodbye. Or, maybe I just need to decide how I will dispose of the car and get those arrangements made. I have not yet started searching for a replacement.

I do not need a replacement for my cell phone yet. Even when I do, I don't look forward to adding a data plan and its cost to my monthly bill.

Did you catch the homage to Airplane! in the first two panels? The website Lovefilm recently voted that movie as the funniest ever with an average of 3 laughs per minute (LPM). I do not have a problem with that. I think Hangover was #2 at 2.4 LPM and Naked Gun was #3 at 2.3 LPM.

I have three meetings before lunch and another possible afterward. How, you may ask, will I get anything done? No, it's OK. I said you could ask. Two of them relate to the new assignment I have working on campus adds and shutdowns. So, we will talk about it at 8am with a kickoff call at 9am. We had one call yesterday. It seems interesting.

The folks were back at Chorale last night, so it was good to see them there. For some reason, overall attendance has been down the last couple of practices. Maybe people are extra busy for a while as school and fall activities ramp up?

OK, I just ran out of creative thoughts. If you want, you can imagine me saying clever things about whatever you are interested in. Or we can both just get today started and visit again tomorrow. Whichever is OK by me. See ya.

No Rain Delay

I chose a football reference for today's title after working on the Clarity of Vision for the day. See?

There actually was some rain delay on the freeway earlier. Oddly, in my own unscientific investigation, it seems the traffic slows worse in light rain than in heavier rain. Doesn't that seem counterintuitive? Friday was heavy rain and today was light and the slowing was worse.

Hey, the car repair shop said they can get my car running again for as low as $885. Still, that is almost $1000 with no guarantee of how long it would then last. I'm afraid the Altima's days are done. If I donate it, I am guaranteed a write-off of at least $500, plus they will tow it. So, I will begin the search for a reasonable used car. I checked on Hondas, but that looks a bit too expensive. I'll let you know.

I've got some training starting today on the new area I am supporting. We have a dedicated project manager for handling IT integration of new campuses, campuses that are moving, and those closing. I will be back-up in this area going forward. Today's meetings are for Indiana and New Mexico.

Lindsay, sorry for the delay in reading your NZ posts. I am caught up now. As I wrote this, I tried to find a clever way to spin it, but I just kept forgetting to check, even though KHW was telling me you had new posts. I apologize.

OK, let's get some of my work out of the way before my new campus meetings begin. We have two kickoff calls this morning, and you saw in the CoV what that stands for (at least in my imagination).

And How Was YOUR Weekend?

I remember there were a couple of things that I wanted to tell you about the weekend, but I cannot bring them to mind yet. One was about Sunday School, but I don't remember any other ideas yet. I will just start with what I do remember.

The question is... did YOU remember that I was teaching Nehemiah 2 in Sunday School yesterday? I borrowed a couple of commentaries from Dad and got a nice, three-page lesson prepared. I watched the time and made it through the final application questions right on time. Oh, wait. I worked through the front of the first sheet, flipped the papers and taught the front of the second sheet. Can you guess what had happened? I did not look at the back of page 1, so I missed 1/3 of my lesson. No wonder I was not tight on time.

We had an East Valley Chorale yesterday, but it was not our best. Maybe everyone was suffering from allergies, maybe we were tired. I don't know. Anyway, I think the audience was none the wiser.

I know you are wondering where today's Clarity of Vision is. OK, here is CoV #801.

Right now, we are thinking that my 1997 Altima is not worth saving. They want $1600 to fix it, but after the $3K from last year, that would mean sinking almost $5000 into an old car with no guarantee it would make it another couple of years. I have asked if they can repair it enough to drive it home and then I can sell it or use it as trade in or maybe donate it. I will borrow Dad's Expedition for a while and have started scouring the ads for a replacement.

No, I have not remembered the other thing I had thought to blog about, so we will either forget about it (I have a good head-start on that) or you'll see it in tomorrow's entry.

CoV Number 800

Today marks Clarity of Vision #800. Wow, that is quite a few. So, until I hit #1000, I will try to make a few of them funny. OK, that's not true. I've tried to do that since #1 and occasionally, I get close. Let's see how I did today.

I am posting this a bit late today. I just got to the office because my car broke down during my commute. I had to wait for AAA to tow me and then for my better half to pick me up and let me use her car today. It looks like a transmission problem. Is the car worth repairing again? I just put $3K into it last year (or maybe earlier this year). I will let you know.

We will be watching the GRANDS tomorrow morning during the funeral of a church member so K&L can attend. I met the man who passed away, but know his wife a little better. Anyway, we may take them to brunch.

I show two meetings on the calendar. both before lunch. I need to think about the roles and responsibilities of our PMO before the 11am meeting, so I will wrap this post up.

No, I did not watch the convention coverage last night. This was not a Republican vs Democrat decision. I did not watch any of the GOP coverage last week. I will make my decision based on how well they handle issues important to me (in both national and local races). Do you care about politics? Do any commercials or coverage really affect how you will vote?

Yes, I did get my fill of profanity earlier this week. Just one more week of Hell's Kitchen for this season. Hmm, where will I turn for expletives until it returns?

Just a couple of week's until the Survivor Party season kicks into high gear at the folks' house. Well, that's my expectation, anyway.

OK, enough. See you next week.

Pre-Friday After Only Two Workdays

Yes, I could easily get used to these four day workweeks. How about you? So tomorrow is already Friday and we've only had to work two days to get there. Now, though, it's a long time until the next holiday.

This humidity is really messing with my hair. It is bugging me big time, both because of the humidity and because it is getting a little long. I think I have an appointment to get it cut tonight. Whoo hoo. My family can tell when it is time because it starts to look like a toupee. At least I still have a full head of hair, though.

No BS last night. That's right. I did not do my Bible study last night in preparation for teaching Sunday School. I am using the J. Vernon McGee study series and I really like it. I learned more about the Dung Gate of Jerusalem than I ever wanted to know. I have to decide if I will tell my joke about the shortest man in the Bible. "It's not Zacchaeus, although he was a wee little man. It's not Nee-high-miah although we are studying him this quarter. It is Bildad the Shuhite." Get it? shoe height? Ha ha.

Just one meeting today, but several outstanding tasks, so I need to get going. That is not to say you are not important, but you don't help pay my bills. Hmm. Would you? If I asked nicely? OK, then, it is settled. Hi Ho, it's off to work I go.

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

No, if you are seeking words of wisdom, you are in the wrong place. This is more like Wednesday's Waster Words or Mid-week Musings of a Madman. Actually, that is true almost everyday. So, if you check this space frequently, you should already know what you are getting. Now, I will give you some more of it.

Chorale practice was somewhat sparsely attended last night. I know the folks weren't there due to allergies or something, and the director said he was struggling with them, also. I certainly felt some symptoms. I do enjoy singing choir songs, though. We have a concert on Sunday, so I hope everyone is back for that.

Maybe they should bring something to drink. Dr. Pepper, anyone?

We are down around 100°F this week, but the humidity is above 50%, so it's a bit sticky outside. I really don't know how early desert dwellers handled living here without air conditioning. I come out of my house with A/C, hop in the car and turn on the A/C and work all day in A/C. I do the same for the drive home. I also think that, even if I lived in the Northeast, I would want a house with an A/C (or at least some room A/C units).

I'm thinking I would like to do a CoV series on high school reunions. Any standard comments you heard at your 10th? 20th? even 30th?

Did you watch the DNC coverage last night and hear Michelle Obama's speech? I did not. I never watched it when Bush was President, either. I thought about using the speech as fodder for Clarity of Vision, but I couldn't find my funny twist.

OK, you've got important things to do and I just have things to do, but we should both do them. Thanks for keeping me in digital print.

Paul Was a Saint

Yes, the Apostle Paul was a saint. Following his conversion, he served the Lord faithfully for the rest of his days, even facing down Peter. I was talking about my nephew, Paul, who prepared the hamburgers and chicken last night for our Labor Day cookout. It was good and he stood outside in the heat grilling all the meat. KIK+JV was there, but L was missing in action with a migraine. Lynds, I hope you are feeling better today.

Hey, how could he afford all that meat? Maybe he got a raise? Maybe he still gets a bonus? Which reminds me of today's CoV.

I am preparing to teach Nehemiah 2 this coming Sunday. Our regular Sunday School teacher is out this week. We just finished a Jerry Bridges' study of Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts, so this more traditional Bible study feels a little dry. No, I don't have any ideas for changing that right now.

I guess, now that we are past Labor Day, all school are in session. I know that K&A have been in school for five weeks now. Maybe AZ requires more days in school? Maybe other places don't get off a week in October and another in March? I'm glad we do, though, because it lets us take a couple of vacations with the folks.

Well, holiday is over. Let's get busy and justify our jobs. After all, it already Tuesday, so we've only got three more days after this to make it through the week.