I have placed my order. They tell me the modem is being shipped. Self-installation is a possibility. Sanity is the goal.
If dialup doesn't kill me or I don't smash this computer in a near-fit of just-under-rage, I might be connecting to the information age in a timely fashion soon.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Be Careful What You Ask For
With the increase in our family size - in both number of people and length of teenage boy's legs - the need for a different vehicle is also increasing.
The van I've been driving for almost 4 years is 14 years old, has 226,000 miles on it, and is currently sitting in the parking lot of Menards, waiting to be towed to the repair shop. It doesn't feel like running. It whines, turns over, and plays dead. Both front window motors have been repaired or replaced several times. The fuel pump and filter have been replaced at least twice. The alignment can not be aligned completely, so the front tires have to be replaced more frequently than average. The blower does not work on the high setting. The horn doesn't work at all. The van locks of it's own volition at the most inopportune times, usually when I forget to pick up my keys from the seat. The ignition key is duck-taped in permanently, because it broke off in the ignition.
Tom drives a Festiva, courting more miles than my van. This little circus car is part red, part blue, and part primer. It has several coat hangers holding the exhaust system together. The muffler is loud enough that it sets off the neighbor's weenie-car alarm system just as good as the Harley riders and the multitude of freight trains rushing through our town each day. The passenger window does not roll up all the way, and the door doesn't open all the way. When you close the door, you have to "lift and slam". The left headlight is covered by a sheet of clear plastic held on by a bungee cord or something similar. The heater does not work.
Believe it or not, both these vehicles were answers to prayer.
During the summer of 2004, I had been praying for some financial pressure to ease up a little, and in one particular moment, I said, "God, if we just had an extra $200 dollars a month, that would help us so much." A few short days after this innocent request,(perhaps not even a prayer so much as a fleeting thought, to be honest) someone plowed through a stop sign and broadsided me. This effectively eliminated a $188 monthly van payment, along with the insurance company calling it a total loss and giving us enough money to buy, with cash, the van we have now.
A few months later, Tom needed a better vehicle for work. Gas prices were just starting to rise above acceptable terms, and he prayed for a car that "gets at least 40 mpg, and won't cost more than $300". The ad he found in the classified section was the exact match, and he didn't have to pray for a week to decide if that was the car God intended for him to have.
There is a good possibility that we may be getting a baby in the near future. We are making some attempts to find the right adoptee(s), as well. Right now we have enough seat belts (notice I didn't say "enough room") for all family members, but one more addition will require either driving 2 vehicles or using a bigger mode of transportation when the whole family goes somewhere. But the bigger dilemma is actually deciding whether we want one of those gas-guzzling passenger vans, or do we want to drive separate, more efficient mini-vans? Would it be cheaper to drive one monster? What about when I need to take only 4 kids out? Should we get one monster and one normal car?
When we found this house, I had been praying that we would be able to buy, instead of staying where we were renting - the landlord called and said he was going to tear down our house to make a parking lot and we had 60 days to move. Since my prayers get answered in unorthodox ways, and since God apparently thinks I learn better through humor and comedy, I'm trying to make some of my prayers a little more specific. So...
We need:
Seating for 8+ family members and the occasional friend
A 2nd door on the driver's side
Accessibility for Gabe
Space for guitars, wheelchairs, strollers, car seats, diaper bags and other necessities of family life
Room for long legs to be comfortable and little arms to not be able to reach pullable hair
Economic feasibility - affordable insurance, decent gas mileage, etc.
Oh, and another thing, we can't afford a payment of any kind.
Yep, I know. I'm asking alot. But I seem to recall singing a song in Sunday School about God owning the cattle on a thousand hills. Most people would assume that means that God can provide a vehicle if it's needed. I'm sure He can and will. I just sincerely hope that His idea isn't to rope 10 of those Holsteins together and drop them off with a wagon at my front door!
The van I've been driving for almost 4 years is 14 years old, has 226,000 miles on it, and is currently sitting in the parking lot of Menards, waiting to be towed to the repair shop. It doesn't feel like running. It whines, turns over, and plays dead. Both front window motors have been repaired or replaced several times. The fuel pump and filter have been replaced at least twice. The alignment can not be aligned completely, so the front tires have to be replaced more frequently than average. The blower does not work on the high setting. The horn doesn't work at all. The van locks of it's own volition at the most inopportune times, usually when I forget to pick up my keys from the seat. The ignition key is duck-taped in permanently, because it broke off in the ignition.
Tom drives a Festiva, courting more miles than my van. This little circus car is part red, part blue, and part primer. It has several coat hangers holding the exhaust system together. The muffler is loud enough that it sets off the neighbor's weenie-car alarm system just as good as the Harley riders and the multitude of freight trains rushing through our town each day. The passenger window does not roll up all the way, and the door doesn't open all the way. When you close the door, you have to "lift and slam". The left headlight is covered by a sheet of clear plastic held on by a bungee cord or something similar. The heater does not work.
Believe it or not, both these vehicles were answers to prayer.
During the summer of 2004, I had been praying for some financial pressure to ease up a little, and in one particular moment, I said, "God, if we just had an extra $200 dollars a month, that would help us so much." A few short days after this innocent request,(perhaps not even a prayer so much as a fleeting thought, to be honest) someone plowed through a stop sign and broadsided me. This effectively eliminated a $188 monthly van payment, along with the insurance company calling it a total loss and giving us enough money to buy, with cash, the van we have now.
A few months later, Tom needed a better vehicle for work. Gas prices were just starting to rise above acceptable terms, and he prayed for a car that "gets at least 40 mpg, and won't cost more than $300". The ad he found in the classified section was the exact match, and he didn't have to pray for a week to decide if that was the car God intended for him to have.
There is a good possibility that we may be getting a baby in the near future. We are making some attempts to find the right adoptee(s), as well. Right now we have enough seat belts (notice I didn't say "enough room") for all family members, but one more addition will require either driving 2 vehicles or using a bigger mode of transportation when the whole family goes somewhere. But the bigger dilemma is actually deciding whether we want one of those gas-guzzling passenger vans, or do we want to drive separate, more efficient mini-vans? Would it be cheaper to drive one monster? What about when I need to take only 4 kids out? Should we get one monster and one normal car?
When we found this house, I had been praying that we would be able to buy, instead of staying where we were renting - the landlord called and said he was going to tear down our house to make a parking lot and we had 60 days to move. Since my prayers get answered in unorthodox ways, and since God apparently thinks I learn better through humor and comedy, I'm trying to make some of my prayers a little more specific. So...
We need:
Seating for 8+ family members and the occasional friend
A 2nd door on the driver's side
Accessibility for Gabe
Space for guitars, wheelchairs, strollers, car seats, diaper bags and other necessities of family life
Room for long legs to be comfortable and little arms to not be able to reach pullable hair
Economic feasibility - affordable insurance, decent gas mileage, etc.
Oh, and another thing, we can't afford a payment of any kind.
Yep, I know. I'm asking alot. But I seem to recall singing a song in Sunday School about God owning the cattle on a thousand hills. Most people would assume that means that God can provide a vehicle if it's needed. I'm sure He can and will. I just sincerely hope that His idea isn't to rope 10 of those Holsteins together and drop them off with a wagon at my front door!
Is This Moral Compass Broken?
Thank goodness I don't have to sign papers saying I agree with particular viewpoints of this organization's leadership before they accept the donations I help to procure.
Moral clarity? Personal faith?
MORAL CLARITY???!?
Oh, Good Grief!
Moral clarity? Personal faith?
MORAL CLARITY???!?
Oh, Good Grief!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Hearing
They warned us. They told us the scary stories. They covered lots of scenarios.
But -
They didn't tell us how it really feels to sit and talk to the mother who knows she can't take her little boy home with her when she leaves. They didn't tell us how it would feel to be the "mommy" he's crying for when he's with his mother. They didn't tell us how we'd feel when his mother says she knows she can't take care of him now and she knows he's happy with us.
They tell us "Don't get your hopes up..."
I wish I couldn't hear them.
But -
They didn't tell us how it really feels to sit and talk to the mother who knows she can't take her little boy home with her when she leaves. They didn't tell us how it would feel to be the "mommy" he's crying for when he's with his mother. They didn't tell us how we'd feel when his mother says she knows she can't take care of him now and she knows he's happy with us.
They tell us "Don't get your hopes up..."
I wish I couldn't hear them.
Friday, June 20, 2008
And Now for An Update
I've been called demented. I've been called sarcastic. I've been called both.
This proves that couldn't possibly be true!
This proves that couldn't possibly be true!
Today is Friday, June 20th
It's official - Sex Ed is horrible in other countries, too! At least in the United States we know how to get pregnant!
It's official - You can be looney, but you still can't get away from those dang lawyers!
It's official - The Farmer did it! Forget that whole "Next time you eat, thank a farmer" campaign! And here I thought Global Warming was my fault, since I tossed all those used diapers in the landfill and didn't Reduce and Reuse.
It's official - They don't even TRY to hide their Voyeuristic Tendencies from the public anymore. They just want us to be mad at Ma Bell instead of the real perpetrators - otherwise known as "We're covering our own butts!"
It's official - We really do have an endless supply of money in this country.
It's official - While I may not care, there are obviously some people who do.
It's official - You can be looney, but you still can't get away from those dang lawyers!
It's official - The Farmer did it! Forget that whole "Next time you eat, thank a farmer" campaign! And here I thought Global Warming was my fault, since I tossed all those used diapers in the landfill and didn't Reduce and Reuse.
It's official - They don't even TRY to hide their Voyeuristic Tendencies from the public anymore. They just want us to be mad at Ma Bell instead of the real perpetrators - otherwise known as "We're covering our own butts!"
It's official - We really do have an endless supply of money in this country.
It's official - While I may not care, there are obviously some people who do.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Make Mine with Nuts, Please
Over the years, I've participated in many different types of "personality" tests for various reasons. School, college classes, sales training, counseling, trying to figure out how to get along with other people, trying to figure out how to get along with myself, just for fun - you name it.
The results are usually fairly indicative of my core self in all it's glory, with only a couple "Yeah, right" glitches here and there. I'm a people person, I can listen sympathetically, I like being in the limelight sometimes, I can make my own fun, I talk alot (that doesn't necessarily mean I'm actually saying anything), I put other people's needs before my own, I'm demonstrative, emotional, thickheaded, stubborn, loyal, creative, action-oriented - I'm not boring.
What's funny about these "tests" is that I pretty much have to do them blind-folded, because if I jump ahead of myself and read the questions and have time to think about my answer, I try to analyze what the "correct" answer will make me look like, so I might not be completely accurate when I answer the questions if I think the answer will make me boring. For example, one test was figuring out what my choice of vehicle says about my personality. OK, I'm a Mom! What do you think I drive? It's a green mini-van. Trust me, I don't drive that because I WANT to! I want a convertible!! Top down! In the rain! But oh no! I have to be RESPONSIBLE! I put other people's needs before my own! Plus I just can't afford the Mustang. Drat!
Then there's the Internet.
Online personality tests crack me up. I appreciate how they stick to scientific evidence when formulating the questions and calculating the answers. They are always completely accurate, hitting the target each and every time. It's obvious that the facts are checked, rechecked, and checked again, similar to the fact-checking rules and criteria to which National Enquirer and Star strictly adhere.
For example, last night I did a quick one, 8-9 questions, on "What kind of chocolate are you?" Apparently, I'm milk chocolate. That's great - Hershey Bars are my absolute favorite kind of chocolate when I want something that is nothing but chocolate. No nuts, no dark, no white, no crunch. Just chocolate. Then I read on - This diagnosis of milk chocolate is apparently because I "have my head in the clouds". First, wouldn't that make me "white chocolate"? Unless, of course, it's a rainy day, in which case, I should be labelled "Cookies and Cream" at the least. But nope, I'm milk chocolate because I have my head in the clouds. ??
I'm not sure what pipe I've been smoking recently, but I haven't seen any clouds close up. Who has time to sniff the sky when they have 2 2-year-olds in the house, 3 teenage boys to feed, and one stuck-in-the-middle girl who can run circles around everybody AND the clouds?
Then there was the test that posed the question "How real are you?" ...(this should be fun)...
My assigned answer - 69%
HUH??
Ya don't get a whole lot more REAL than me - I'd say I'm about 98% REAL. There are times in life when I successfully bite my tongue hard enough that the pain keeps me in check and I don't blow my lid being real. Generally it has something to do with church people extolling the virtues of the likes of Joyce, Joel, Rick, Ed, Rob, Benny, Richard (you get the concept, right?) yet being unable to point out a sound piece of Biblical evidence for why I should listen to how the "preacher" in question is trying to "bless" me. Being "not real" that 2% of the time is the best I can do. Maybe it's just because I don't "feel safe" being real with everybody 100% of the time - that's my official psychological reasoning.
If there was a test for "How long do you rant about unimportant topics?" I would ace it! I bet I would be 100% Real Pure Cocoa.
But this test...THIS test was right on the mark!
The results are usually fairly indicative of my core self in all it's glory, with only a couple "Yeah, right" glitches here and there. I'm a people person, I can listen sympathetically, I like being in the limelight sometimes, I can make my own fun, I talk alot (that doesn't necessarily mean I'm actually saying anything), I put other people's needs before my own, I'm demonstrative, emotional, thickheaded, stubborn, loyal, creative, action-oriented - I'm not boring.
What's funny about these "tests" is that I pretty much have to do them blind-folded, because if I jump ahead of myself and read the questions and have time to think about my answer, I try to analyze what the "correct" answer will make me look like, so I might not be completely accurate when I answer the questions if I think the answer will make me boring. For example, one test was figuring out what my choice of vehicle says about my personality. OK, I'm a Mom! What do you think I drive? It's a green mini-van. Trust me, I don't drive that because I WANT to! I want a convertible!! Top down! In the rain! But oh no! I have to be RESPONSIBLE! I put other people's needs before my own! Plus I just can't afford the Mustang. Drat!
Then there's the Internet.
Online personality tests crack me up. I appreciate how they stick to scientific evidence when formulating the questions and calculating the answers. They are always completely accurate, hitting the target each and every time. It's obvious that the facts are checked, rechecked, and checked again, similar to the fact-checking rules and criteria to which National Enquirer and Star strictly adhere.
For example, last night I did a quick one, 8-9 questions, on "What kind of chocolate are you?" Apparently, I'm milk chocolate. That's great - Hershey Bars are my absolute favorite kind of chocolate when I want something that is nothing but chocolate. No nuts, no dark, no white, no crunch. Just chocolate. Then I read on - This diagnosis of milk chocolate is apparently because I "have my head in the clouds". First, wouldn't that make me "white chocolate"? Unless, of course, it's a rainy day, in which case, I should be labelled "Cookies and Cream" at the least. But nope, I'm milk chocolate because I have my head in the clouds. ??
I'm not sure what pipe I've been smoking recently, but I haven't seen any clouds close up. Who has time to sniff the sky when they have 2 2-year-olds in the house, 3 teenage boys to feed, and one stuck-in-the-middle girl who can run circles around everybody AND the clouds?
Then there was the test that posed the question "How real are you?" ...(this should be fun)...
My assigned answer - 69%
HUH??
Ya don't get a whole lot more REAL than me - I'd say I'm about 98% REAL. There are times in life when I successfully bite my tongue hard enough that the pain keeps me in check and I don't blow my lid being real. Generally it has something to do with church people extolling the virtues of the likes of Joyce, Joel, Rick, Ed, Rob, Benny, Richard (you get the concept, right?) yet being unable to point out a sound piece of Biblical evidence for why I should listen to how the "preacher" in question is trying to "bless" me. Being "not real" that 2% of the time is the best I can do. Maybe it's just because I don't "feel safe" being real with everybody 100% of the time - that's my official psychological reasoning.
If there was a test for "How long do you rant about unimportant topics?" I would ace it! I bet I would be 100% Real Pure Cocoa.
But this test...THIS test was right on the mark!
You Are Smores |
 Unusual and unconventional, you make your strange ways work for you. You've got personality - no one's denying that! |
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