For a year, she had been pestering my brother and I about Facebook. “What’s all the fuss” “Why do you spend so much time on the computer” blah blah blah blah. We gave her many reasons–ways to catch up with people, ways to keep in touch with those that live far away, ways to stay in contact with those that live overseas and therefore ones we’d never have a chance to hear from otherwise. She didn’t get it. So my brother finally set her up on Facebook about four months ago so that she could mess around.
She has 14 friends. She claims she doesn’t want any more. All of them are either relatives or friends from my brother or me.
Yet weekly, sometimes daily, I get a voice mail or email saying “Go check out ____’s page!” It cracks me up. She who bemoans the lack of privacy and the fact that nothing is personal any more spends HOURS every day looking up her high school acquaintances, old boyfriends of mine, children of people from church, spouses of children of former coworkers, you name it. And she LOVES to dish about what she finds.
Don’t get me wrong, I think that if you’re going to keep your Facebook profile set to public then you have every right to expect people to read the infinite minutiae of your life. But there is a limit on what I want to know. If I wanted to know what my mother’s former coworker’s son’s wife’s brother had for breakfast, then I’d look it up. I’m just tired of having her send me all this info. I have enough friends on Facebook, I don’t need to look up random facts of people I’ve never met.
Now, to top it off, I’m getting phone calls about my OWN Facebook activity. “You shouldn’t have that for a potential employer to see”. “You shouldn’t post things like that someone will break into your house and rob you blind”. “You make too many comments about your cousin”. “Why do you talk to your church friends so much on Facebook?”. It goes on and on. First of all, a potential employer wouldn’t look at anything more than my photo on my Facebook page, thanks to the privacy settings. That’s what LinkedIn is for–the professional contacts. The stuff on Facebook is for those that I hang out with, those that are from my past that I don’t mind keeping in touch with, and those that I call family that are close enough to be connected. I hang out with my friends from church, therefore I post that I’m going to meet them/they’ve come over whatever. If someone that is on my friend list uses that as an opportunity to break into my house, well, first they’d have to find out where I live and then second it doesn’t say much for my friend base, does it?
Just random venting about this. I know it’s a tiny thing, but it irks the hell out of me. And most of all it has me wondering . . . is it wrong to de-friend my mother on Facebook?
Small disclaimer: It’s late, I read this article a few weeks ago, then again earlier today, and it is STILL bothering me. So much so that I had to put my thoughts in some sort of rambling order and try and see if I was making sense, making something out of nothing, or making a fool of myself. Thus the reason for this rambling essay . . . .
This article, and the fact that this is a serious movement, really does frighten me. I don’t know why, but it does. I don’t have a problem with different translations in theory, whatever floats your boat you know? We all have our personally favored translation that we use regularly because we identify with the style of speech, type of writing, etc. I just have a feeling that if a translation such as this proposes were available it would lead to all sorts of behavior by the extremists, some of which already have their own interpretation of the version in use today. The simple fact that they consider the KJV to be ‘liberal’ at best to me indicates that they are already skewed in their thinking, not to mention approaching this from an extremely biased perspective–albeit the opposite perspective than the one they currently believe exists in error.
Currently this group feels that the translations out today show a lack of accuracy in both modern language and the original texts as well as a disconnect that has occurred during the translation process, and the group is trying to correct these issues. I don’t have a problem with some of their requirements for a new translation, such as the logic of hell or open-mindedness. Nor do I care about gender-inclusive language; in most spoken languages (English being the exception thanks to the PC movement) the plural form of any group of objects is masculine, regardless of the number of females or feminine objects present. One masculine presence, and the plural form is masculine. To my knowledge this is only an issue here, in English, but it has never bothered me.
President Obama and Secretary Duncan talk with 9th graders at Wakefield High School. White House Photo, Pete Souza, 9/8/09
For weeks people have been going nuts about President Obama’s speech to all schoolchildren on September 8. For many, they had been in school for a few weeks. Where I live, it was the first day. I don’t understand the uproar. Carter did it, Clinton did it, Reagan did it . . . now Obama is doing it. Big deal. When I was a kid if the President came on the TV, you listened. The teachers were annoyed that they had to stop teaching and interrupt their curriculum, but they did so because it was the President of the United States. You respect the President of the United States, and gosh darn it you would shut up and pay attention in class and listen to what he says. Those sadistic teachers would even give you a quiz on it at the end of the week.
The county in which I live chose not to air the speech on Tuesday but instead aired it today, Friday. Still the first week of school. The President made the text of his speech available ahead of time because of the parental uproar, which personally I think is absurd but hey it actually changed the mind of a few people in favor of letting their children watch the speech. I love this quote from Steve Benen, a journalist for the Washington Monthly. He said, quoting Michelle Cottle, “Obama is the leader of this entire nation. It doesn’t matter if you voted for him — or even if your head threatens to explode every time you think about him. He is the president, and, as such, it’s a big deal that he’s speaking directly to students about the importance of education.” That, in a nutshell, cracked me up. So appropriate to the truth of what is going on.
When the speech aired on Tuesday, my local stations only carried the first few minutes of it. During those first few minutes I was impressed. The president talked about his schooling, how he didn’t like it much either and his mom made him get up early for extra lessons because the education where he lived was sub-par. Encouraged people to stay in school because they might discover they have a talent for writing or for science which could lead to a Pulitzer Prize or a cure for AIDS.
Honestly, people, what is the problem with such a statement??? Continue Reading »
Two weeks ago today at this time I was in the backseat of a car, trying desperately not to get carsick, on my way to John’s Hopkins Hospital with my mother and younger brother. My mom had finally gotten word that a skilled pediatric oncologist who specializes in tumor development was available to see her. This is the only guy that we know of who has seen multiple cases of her disease, and he is a forerunner in the race to find a way to shrink or eliminate the microphages/tumors growing throughout the body of ECD sufferers.
This is a good thing. We had waited for this appointment since around the first of the year, and I had been trying to convince my mother to go for it seems like ages. While I totally appreciate her perspective of not wanting to be a guinea pig or on display for a classroom, this guy merely wanted a consultation. He got copies of her tests for the last ten years and then just gave a cursory physical (listen to the chest wall, the heart, look at eyes and ears, etc.). When word had come a scant week before that he was available we made the arrangements to go quickly, my brother took some time off work, I found a dogsitter, and on a train we rode the day before.
It’s interesting, traveling with your parents as an adult. Continue Reading »
I know that there are people that don’t like documentaries. I know there are people that don’t like subtitled movies. Conversely, I know that there are people that ONLY watch documentaries or movies with subtitles. I am neither of these people. I like all movies, and occasionally I find myself in the mood for a true story or something a bit more realistic than the CGI enhanced schlock that seems to be prevalent among today’s selection.
I had recorded the movie Steal A Pencil For Me when it aired on my local PBS station a few months ago. I hadn’t been in the mood, so to speak, for a story about two people in a German Concentration Camp. Depressing movie, I thought. Gritty subject matter, I figured. Plus, I didn’t feel like crying as I was almost certain I would.
Well, the only part I got right was the crying. What a moving story. Two individuals meet in Holland at a mutual friend’s birthday party in the early 1940s. She is 17, he is 27–and married. His marriage is over, and both parties involved know it but agree to wait until after the war to get divorced. Then Hitler invades Holland and their entire world is changed. Continue Reading »
I have the disk of all the Pixar short films. (I’m sorry, but Geri’s Game is just freaking brilliant!) I’ve seen them all before, but it’s still fun to see them again.
Have you seen Tin Toy? It’s the one with a new gift for a baby and he hides under the furniture with the rest of the toys that are afraid of the baby. It’s a great little film, even won the academy award for best feature film.
Can you blame the toys for being scared, though? That is one seriously disturbing looking baby. Its appearance is just darn creepy! The oversized the diaper, the too-short arms, and the head! With the skin!! It’ll give me nightmares, that’s for sure. Just plain weird!!!
As I write this, it’s 215 in the morning. I have just returned from a friend’s house. I had not planned to go out this evening, I was all set for bed when she called around 11 all upset. She was having trouble speaking so I offered to go over, and she said yes so out the door I flew.
I’ve had a rough week. I’ve had a rough month, actually, which is part of the reason why I’ve been so silent on here. I have missed having her to talk to (she used to live next door), so I was upset myself knowing that she was so distraught.
Earlier this week, she met with a friend. She has known this person for about five years, met in a chat room online. Talked to him just about every day. Continue Reading »
I was impressed, I received a response back from my pastor within 24 hours. (When I email Pastor B, it sometimes takes several days–what a nice surprise!)
Here is his response, which I think I still have a few issues with but we’ll see after I process it . . . .
You are never bothering me with what God is doing in your life. I think it is the coolest thing ever to have someone interacting with a truth that God put on my heart to share. Continue Reading »
People sometimes look at me strange when I talk about taking notes in church. Well, I do. For me, it’s a way to pay attention and keep my mind from wandering during the 30-40 minutes that I have to sit still. Plus it gives me something to reference and look back on. Sometimes I take tons of notes, sometimes it’s only half a steno pad page. Depends on who, what, etc.
This past Sunday was a big note taking day. And for the first time I also pulled out a pen and wrote down questions as I went along. I always have questions, I think they are healthy. But this time I had a LOT of questions during the sermon, and I’m curious to know what others might think about it. Continue Reading »
In the past, my family has not made a big deal out of Father’s Day or Mother’s Day. Both of my parents have birthdays within a week of their respective holidays so we always celebrated the birthdays and went about our usual Sunday business on the parental holiday. We gave cards, but that was about all. It was never a big deal.
This year, my father mentioned that he would be going to Charlottesville to see his parents. I thought it might be nice if I joined them as well, and we could spend a few hours visiting together.
I went to church as usual that morning, then was a leader in kids church, getting out around 1 o’clock. I then hit the road. And on the way up there I was trying to remember the last time I saw my father on Father’s Day proper. As a kid I would spend summers with him, but would usually get there a day or two after Father’s Day. As an adult I usually tried to see him between his birthday and the holiday, killing two birds with one stone so to speak. And then I remembered the last time I saw my father on Father’s Day. Continue Reading »
Okay, this show continues to crack me up. I managed to catch one today that I hadn’t seen during the season, and here are some great lines. From “The Cushion Saturation”:
Leonard: You know what baffles me, Sheldon?
Sheldon: Based on your academic record, any number of things I would imagine.
Leonard: Are you done?
Sheldon: No. (pause) Despite what the name would suggest, the sivid cat is not a true cat. (pauses again) Now I’m done.
Wolowitz: One way to look at this is that I am getting new equipment and you’re not, and that’s unfair; but a better way to look at it is that I’m getting sex and you’re not and that’s delightful!
Sheldon: Hello Penny
Penny: Hello Sheldon
Sheldon: You’re in my spot.
Penny (regarding Sheldon): You know I love him, but he is one serious whackadoodle.
Penny: No, I’m from Nebraska. When we shoot things it’s because we want to eat them or make them leave our boyfriends alone.
Leonard: We? No, no, no. You had your chance to be a ‘we’ for a year and a half now. You’re on your own.
Wolowitz as phone rings: Oooh! It looks like I’m going to have sex tonight!
Penny in an aside to Leonard: His right hand is calling?
Leslie Winkle, post coitus: You’re improving!
Wolowitz: Thank you! It helps when I get to practice with a real woman.
Last night was the annual concert by my church’s youth group. 160 active kids got up to sing. Normally they also have a fund raiser for their summer missions trip, this year they decided there is enough going on in the world that they can do missions right here at home. So that was the theme–hope, faith, and community. Later this month they are going to have a market in town where people can come and ’shop’ for services (haircuts, medical screenings, etc.), food, clothing, whatever. At no charge. And it will be run by the kids.
They were absolutely amazing. I am always inspired by these kids and hope that if I ever have a family of my own some day that they can be as plugged in and as deeply rooted in their faith as these children demonstrate. How very inspiring.
