del.icio.us/danimal0416
I forsee this becoming a tool I will use a bit more often perhaps than Blogger for posting items I'd like to have tagged.
Posts at del.icio.us may be redundant with posts here and on my other blogs for awhile.
Monday, January 31, 2005
This Morning's Ear Candy
Topics:
music
I mentioned earlier that I'm listening to music from home. Here's the specifics:Artist Song Title Bob and Tom interviewing Kevin Pollack Christopher Walken Bob and Tom interviewing Kevin Pollack Jack Nicholson 4Him w/ Jon Anderson (of Yes) The Only Thing I Need Jerry Seinfeld McDonalds Russ Landau Ancient Voices (Theme from 'Survivor') Bill Engvall Vicodinland Bryan Adams (Everything I Do) I Do It For You Jeff Foxworthy You Can't Give Rednecks Money INXS The One Thing Tim McGraw Unbroken U2 October Bill Engvall Flying Mark Schultz Back in His Arms Again Jerry Seinfeld Chinese People Metallica Nothing Else Matters J.J. Abrams Theme from 'Alias' Douglas Cuomo Theme from 'Sex and the City' Kevin Darby Precious Lord Audio Adrenaline Ocean Floor Bonnie Raitt Thing Called Love Matchbox Twenty Unwell Nine Inch Nails Kinda I Want To Dido Thank You Mike Post Theme from 'NYPD Blue' Swing Out Sister Am I The Same Girl George Winston M.M.'s Dunk Enya Watermark The Judds Rockin' With The Rhythm Of The Rain Richochet Daddy's Money Carman Surf Mission Trisha Yearwood Perfect Love FC Kahuna Hayling Bobby McFerrin Simple Pleasures Johnny Cash Personal Jesus Bob and Tom First Bank that treats you like and American Idol contestant Bob Elliot and Ray Goulding Komodo Dragon
Not merely a 'chruch'
Topics:
music
The Lowdown
Mood: upbeat
Listening to: music from home
Reading: check out my reading list at Dan's Domain
Eating: the complete breakfast (cereal, toast, juice, milk) and yogurt
Watching: Sweet Home Alabama and Executive Decision
While some people amass quite a movie collection (Karen: self-proclaimed Movie Addict), a movie must be really special for me to consider it for my personal collection. One such movie is Executive Decision, which I mentioned above, starring Kurt Russell with Halle Berry. It was on FOX yesterday afternoon.
Not merely a 'chruch'
It appears that several webmasters for church websites need to run some spell-checking on their code. Google returns 115,000 results for 'chruch'.
Thanks to MeanDean for the info: Religion is a 'Chruch'
More on the rest of my weekend to come.
Friday, January 28, 2005
What 2004 Hit Song Are You?
Topics:
memes
| Vertigo by U2 |
 Those bullets rip the sky Of ink with gold They twinkle as the boys play rock and roll" In 2004 you partied so hard... you forgot how to count. |
Truthfully, I kept revising my answers until I got something I was satisfied with.
Tender Fingertips
Topics:
guitar
Last night while I was waiting for dinner to cook and Keisha did her homework and a book report, I pulled out my guitar.
I'm getting really good at "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd and "Hurt" by Johnny Cash. I learned how to play those songs via Guitarnoise.com.
I was playing so hard that the fingertips on my left hand are so sore. These fingers press down on the steel strings.
Especially the pinky finger. Most of the chords for both songs require the pinky finger to press on the third fret of the first string (G). For example, during the chorus of "Hurt", every chord requires that high G.
I'm actually beginning to sing some of it along with playing the guitar. It's like learning to rub your belly and tap your head.
I enjoy it so much that I can forego the tender fingertips (that could be a song title?). They will become calloused soon.
25 Hottest Urban Legends
Snopes.com | 25 Hottest Urban Legends
STOP! Before you forward that e-mail, check whether what's being claimed is really true. Snopes.com is the best urban legend reference website I've found.
REMEMBER: Friends don't let friends send chain letters or e-mail hoaxes.
Toasty!
Mood:A right frame of mind
Listening to:A mix of acoustic guitar and comedy
Reading:check out the list of what I'm currently reading at Dan's Domain
Eating:Mmmmmmm... lasagna
Watching:The Cooler, starring William H. Macy
Two nights ago I remarked to my wife, as we're getting ready for bed, that I didn't have any pajamas. Normally I wear sweatpants and a tee shirt.
When I got home from work yesterday, she totally surprised me by presenting me with a pair of flannel pajamas she'd gotten for $1.50! What a bargain!
The great thing about them is that they are nice and toasty.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Former Beatle to Voice Animated Superhero
Earlier I mentioned that I saw the DVD of Spider-man: The New Animated Series. I just read that former Beatle Ringo Starr is going to voice a new superhero to be created by Stan Lee, Spidey's creator:
"Ringo is beloved worldwide for his commitment to people and his singular wit," said Lee, the man responsible for the likes of Spider-Man and The Hulk.
"Our Ringo Superhero character will combine these qualities, along with Ringo's secret powers which people generally didn't know about because he has kept them secret — until now."
Starr's alter ego is described as an "evil-battling, Earth-saving — though reluctant — superhero with a great sense of rhythm."
Post-Its(™) Keep Falling On His Head
Topics:
birthday
Mood: Lively
Listening to: Bleatophany by James Lileks
Reading: How to be Funny by Steve Allen with Jane Wollman(ISBN 0-07-001199-0)
Eating: peanut butter crunch cereal, toast with spread and fruit, milk, grape juice, and black coffee
Watching: Spider-man: The New Animated Series on DVD
The ladies in the office here are so cool. One of the other IT guys has a birthday today, and they're trashing his office right now. They're putting all colors of Post-It™ notes in nearly every square inch of his desk, walls, windows. One woman wrote the individual letters for "Happy Birthday" on napkins and taped them to his door. Someone else wrote the individual letters for his name on paper plates and taped them underneath the "Happy Birthday." They've also moved his furniture around.
It is nice to see the room with a bit of color, even though the Post-Its™ are starting to come off the walls and land on the floor.
Update: "Good GOD!" he exclaimed, as he re-entered his office. Oh, I just found out from the young man himself that tomorrow is his birthday; he's going to need to keep his office decorated until then!
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Thoughts for 2005
Courtesy of that correspondent across the pond, Garry provides us with A day in the life of a Middle Manager...: Thoughts for '05
"Always remember that a day without sunshine is like... night." -- Steve Martin, via QuotesBlog
Making Coffee
I've recently been weaning myself off of creamer and sweetener, in order to drink only black coffee. So far so good.
Census Bureau Daily Feature for Dec. 27 -- Making Coffee
12/26/2004 10:02:00 AM
To: Feature Reporter
Contact: Rick Reed or Tom Edwards, 301-763-2812, both of the U.S. Census Bureau
WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" features for Dec. 27 from the U.S. Census Bureau:
MONDAY, DECEMBER 27: MAKING COFFEE
Profile America -- Monday, Dec. 27. Millions of bleary-eyed Americans who stumble around in the morning owe a lot to someone they never heard of James H. Nason of Franklin, Mass. This week in 1865, he received a patent for a coffee percolator, making it much easier than it had been to brew just the right cup of coffee to get started in the morning. Now, not only does just about every home in the U.S. have a percolator, but many also grind their own fresh from coffee beans. And the percolator has grown into big coffee machines, seen in most offices and a seemingly ever-growing number of retail coffee shops. And it's clear that Americans love their coffee. We each consume more than 24 gallons of regular and decaf a year.
Find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau on the Web at http://www.census.gov.
http://www.usnewswire.com/
-0-
/? 2004 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
Source: U.S. Newswire : Releases : "Census Bureau Daily Feature for Dec. 27 Making Coffee"
Monday, January 24, 2005
What Married People Do - A Seven Year Old's Understanding
First, the skinny on me...
Mood: Alert
Listening to: a collection of comedy I brought from home
Reading: Funny Letters from Famous People | Check out my reading list at Dan's Domain
Eating: cereal, toast, juice, milk, and coffee - that 'complete' breakfast (lol)
Watching: saw The In-Laws (1979) - Alan Arkin and Peter Falk are a riot!
What Married People Do, according to a 7-year old
Yesterday during lunch Jennie, Keisha, and I got into a discussion about what it's like being married. Keisha, who is 7-1/2 years old, was speculating on the kinds of things married people do together. Jennie and I haven't had a "bird and the bees" talk with her, so I kept probing her to see what she knew or thought.
This discussion got started because she was talking about how she's going to live when she gets married, at, um... 18 years old. (Jennie and Dan say, "Yeah. Right!")
It was cute to watch her as she described the kinds of affection she said married people show to one another. Most of her experience of what married people do has come from what she's seen of Jennie and me. I'd like to think we've been discreet when it comes to physical intimacy, i.e., bedroom behavior.
When we asked her what kinds of things she and her husband would do, she blushed and made the sign for "kissing".
"Oh, really?" Jennie and I said. Keisha now had her hand up to her mouth in an embarrassed way.
"On the lips?" I asked.
"Yeah, and other places, too," Keisha replied.
"Like where?" we asked.
Blushing further, she said, "On the body."
"Oh," Jennie continued, "like on your husband's FEET???"
"What about the KNEES?" I asked. "Surely not the KNEES! Oh my goodness!"
By this time Keisha was laughing really hard. Trying to regain her composure, she motioned to her belly and said, "On the belly."
"Really? Oh my goodness!" I said.
This continued for a few more minutes. It was a really interesting exchange.
Friday, January 21, 2005
Yucky Blucky Snowy Messy
Mood: Upbeat
Listening to: Music from home
Reading: check out my reading list on 'Dan's Domain'
Eating: Dollar-sized pancakes with syrup and spread, black coffee
Watching: saw 'Out of Time' with Denzel Washington last night
It snowed 3-6 inches yesterday, and we're forecasted to get another 3-6 inches tonight/all day tomorrow. I spent twenty minutes yesterday afternoon cleaning the car off and another twenty minutes this morning cleaning the car off.
In addition, the car doors were frozen shut. I had to "do the bump" against all four doors before I was able to open the front passenger-side door. Eventually I was able to open all doors except for the driver's-side front door - the most important one. I am able to open it from the inside; just not from the outside.
Dayton Public Schools are closed today, so Keisha gets to spend the day with Jennie, hanging out at home. She and I are going to watch 'Ella Enchanted' tonight after Jennie goes to bed.
Also, we need to go grocery shopping tonight, so I stopped by the credit union to get some money. As I approached the ATM, I remembered that I never received my PIN in the mail. The tellers were very helpful, and they reset my PIN so that I could use my card. I did, and all was at peace.
While at the store tonight, I need to get some more Echinacea, Ginseng, and Gingko Biloba; I'm catching a cold.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
2004 Recap
I'd have to say that the past few years have been the most challenging of my life.
Recently, I spent some time reviewing my blog entries from 2004, starting with January and going up through December. As I read, I noticed a common theme, and I was somewhat surprised to see that we've made it through everything. That is not to say that our circumstances are all that better right now. In some instances, they're worse.
I guess I'm encouraged that we've been able to persevere and maintain a healthy sense of humor. In addition, I've renewed my perspective on God. Last year, I saw myself pull away from God in terms of my own commitment to him. I'm spending more time with him now than I did last year.
In previous years, I've posted a summary recap of posts from the previous year. I haven't decided yet whether I'll do that here. For now, browse the monthly archives:
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Listening to My Online Radio Station
The songs I listened to today are as follows:
You can listen, too!ARTIST SONG Duran Duran Notorious The Crystal Method Now Is The Time (The Olympic Mix - Live) Toby Keith Live Introduction By Toby Of "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)" The Police Voices Inside My Head Tim McGraw Back When Willie P. Richardson Legal Fisherman Cheap Trick Dream Police The Dead Milkmen Tugena Limp Bizkit Take A Look Around DJ Sammy & Yanou Heaven (Radio Version) Sheryl Crow Soak Up The Sun (Radio Edit) Pillar Indivisible Diana Krall Fly Me To The Moon The Sundays Hideous Towns Queen In Only Seven Days Bill Engvall Flying Norman Brown Up 'N' At 'Em (Album Version) Nine Inch Nails Terrible Lie Eagles Tequila Sunrise Juvenile What's Up Wit That George Carlin Sex In Commercials Tears For Fears Swords And Knives New Order Ceremony George Strait A Fire I Can't Put Out Sting They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo) Hoobastank Out Of Control Glenn Frey Strange Weather Shania Twain Juanita (Red Mix) Queens Of The Stone Age No One Knows Oingo Boingo Whole Day Off - Live Jeff Foxworthy Protect Our Stuff Creedence Clearwater Revival Ooby Dooby The Cure Why Can't I Be You? Pink Floyd The Show Must Go On Eddie Murphy Seeing Birth Billy Joel Only The Good Die Young Brian McKnight Love Is U2 Vertigo Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Oompa Loompa Danimal's Online Radio Station
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
ABC.com: ABC's 'Lost,' Wednesdays 8/7c - DIARY
Someone is chronicling her experience on the island. Who? - Your guess is as good as mine. Check out the related message board thread.
Tools for the Job
Topics:
birthday
Mood: Upbeat
Listening to: My Online Radio Station
Reading: Some code in PASCAL for my job
Eating: Birthday cake for employees in the office here
Watching: saw 'Reality Bites' last night and thought I was watching my life, so to speak
Now, for the real reason for this post. I'm downloading a couple of utilties for my job:
Monday, January 17, 2005
Weekend Review And Some MLK
And now, a review of this past weekend...
Jennie, Keisha, and I saw Spider-man 2 on DVD this weekend. Keisha and I agree that Spider-man is cool and want to be him when we grow up.
Also, we finished watching the first season DVD of In Living Color.
GIFT FROM A FRIEND
Yesterday, Chris, a friend and brother in Christ, gave me a copy of The Learning Bible, New International Version. I was not expecting it. He just said that he saw a special at the bookstore (something like a buy one get one free) and thought of me. What a great friend!
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States. Many government and business offices are closed, as are schools. Our daugher, who is in the first grade, has picked up a lot about Dr. King's life from school. It was truly fascinating to hear her enthusiastically relate what she knows.
Last night she made a door hanger about Martin Luther King, Jr. It says:
Happy Birthday Martin Luther King, Jr.Update: When I arrived home, I saw that she had made a card for MLK:
I have a dream that no more people will lose their cats and dogs.
Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King!
Thank you for changing the law.
Friday, January 14, 2005
P&G rolls out new Tide just for cold water
Topics:
cincinnati,
ohio
From the Cincinnati Business Courier:
Procter & Gamble Co., the Cincinnati, Ohio USA-based global consumer products giant, is launching a new formulation of its Tide detergent designed especially for cold-water washing.I'd buy it.
P&G said its Tide Coldwater product is a result of extensive research that showed consumers are looking for ways to reduce high energy bills while still getting the deep-cleaning of a warm-water wash.
Tide Coldwater will hit most grocery, mass retailers and club stores by late January and will be available broadly in February. It will come in liquid and powder forms in "Fresh Scent" and a new fragrance called "Glacier." The suggested price is $6.99 for a 100-ounce bottle.
Soiled Speech
Two nights ago, I had to discipline Keisha. She and I were out running errands, and I had been teasing her. She was getting upset. Finally she called me a "f**ker".
Immediately, the tone changed. She said she didn't know it was a bad word, but I could tell that she meant for it to hurt. I told her I understood, but that I had to teach her that it was and make sure she didn't call anyone that name again. We would take care of it when we got home.
We continued our errands, and, when we got home, Keisha went to the bathroom. I asked her if she remembered that we had unfinished business, and she replied that she did.
In the past, when we needed to "wash her mouth out," we made her rinse her mouth out with mouthwash - the strong kind. This time, however, I took a bar of soap, wetted it, and put a corner of it in her mouth for a couple seconds.
It made Keisha sick. We hadn't eaten any dinner yet, but, if we had, well... it would have been ugly. Not to say that her heaving and gagging wasn't ugly to begin with. With the gagging came the tears and spitting.
Yesterday at breakfast, I read to her Matthew 12:36:And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak.
and some of James 3:1-12:1Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged by God with greater strictness.
I used the analogy of squeezing toothpaste from a tube - you can't put it back in once it's out. That's the same thing with our words, I told her.
2We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. 3We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. 5So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. 9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12Can you pick olives from a fig tree or figs from a grapevine? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty pool.
Afterward, we prayed about our speech and what we'd read. I felt convicted by it myself.
1/14/2005 Update: Brian rightly reminded me of Ephesians 6:4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
I need to watch myself and rein it in. I owe my daughter an apology.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
It's Transportation
Topics:
car
Car problems of late. Battery is not being recharged as we drive it - perhaps the alternator is bad. We drive a 1994 Chevrolet Corsica that friends from church gave us last October.
They told us the battery is new; I think I need to ask them for sure and check if it's still under warranty.
Lately we've been having to get it jump-started. Jennie had to get it jumped as she left the doctor's office this morning. When she met me for lunch, the car conked out, and we had it jumped. As we emerged from lunch, we needed to jumpt it again. Three times in 5 hours!
Jennie had planned to run some other errands, but it looks like those will need to be postponed.
Update: Maybe we can get one of these kind of cars!
Saturday, January 08, 2005
If I Get Lost
Greetings from the Northtown-Shiloh branch of the Dayton Metro Library!
As we walked in this afternoon, we spotted a notice about a lost dog. Keisha asked the librarian about it, and the librarian said that a dog recently wandered up to the library. Since they don't know who the owner is, they prepared the notice.
Keisha was deeply moved by this. "Poor doggie," she said. "I love dogs."
"Do YOU have a dog?" the librarian asked.
"Yes," Keisha replied, as she shared a little bit about our dog Jake.
I guess I didn't realize how much it affected her until later. I'm sitting at a computer on the other side of the library, and I hear Keisha talking with another librarian about not being able to print something out.
The librarian discovered that Keisha's printouts had actually been printing to the main printer several times! (oops)
Keisha just handed me one of the papers. It reads:
I AM KEISHA I AM FROM OHIO AND IF I GET LOTS PESE FIND ME. JOHNSHONS.I told her that I have a card with her picture and information about her in my wallet. Mommy has one, too.
(signed)Keisha Renee Johnson
It's something she got done at school when she had her pictures taken in November. The card has her name, school, issue date, grade, and picture. It also has the following information:
What to do if your child is missingLearn how you can help your child stay safer at: www.missingkids.com
- Immediately call local law enforcement
- Show this image to authorities
- Call the National Center for Mising and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST
How Not to Earn Money
Mood: Upbeat
Listening to: Sounds at the library
Reading: check out my list at Dan's Domain
Eating: cereal for an early dinner
Watching: a lot of DVDs we checked out from the library
On Thursday night Keisha emerged from her bathroom, holding the top tooth that used to occupy the space just to the right of her two front teeth. Jennie and I didn't realize that she'd had any real loose teeth. Keisha had me "call the Tooth Fairy" before she put it under her pillow and went to sleep. When she awoke Friday morning, she discovered that the Tooth Fairy left her five dimes (50 cents).
She was encouraged. Maybe too encouraged, because later Friday afternoon, she again emerged from her bathroom, holding the tooth just to the left of her two front teeth. Jennie and I didn't think that this one was loose at all. Jennie scolded Keisha for pulling out her tooth.
They came to pick me up from work, and I asked Keisha why she pulled out another tooth. She said, "Because I wanted more money from the Tooth Fairy." I could tell she regretted what she did, probably more from our response than from her own genuine remorse.
Nevertheless, later Friday night I called the Tooth Fairy again, and she woke up this morning with some more money.
Calling the Tooth Fairy
Topics:
easter
Whenever our daughter Keisha, loses a tooth, we have to call the Tooth Fairy so that she'll know to come pick it up that night. Keisha places the tooth under her pillow before she goes to sleep, and later, while she's asleep, the Tooth Fairy comes to pick up the tooth, leaving her some money.
As I said earlier, we have to call the Tooth Fairy before Keisha goes to bed. To call the Tooth Fairy, you dial your home phone number. You may hear a busy signal or a ringing tone -- this is normal and to be expected -- kids who happen to listen in won't understand that grown-ups can talk and listen over the background noise.
This number not only dials the Tooth Fairy, but also Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Sometimes they answer the phone for each other. If Santa answers, he transfers the call directly to the Tooth Fairy, for example.
As we talk, we make sure that they know where we live. Usually, if the Tooth Fairy needs directions, we tell him to ask Santa. Then we hang up.
That's how we call the Tooth Fairy!
Friday, January 07, 2005
Happy Blog Birthday!
Topics:
administrivia,
birthday
I've been on the "Journey Inside My Mind" for three whole years.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Benefits Found in Long Distance Psychotherapy
BOSTON, Jan. 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- It may seem like a basic necessity of any treatment that the patient and the doctor be in the same room-especially in the case of the very personal process of psychotherapy. But as the January issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter reports, studies are showing that psychotherapy can be effective even when the doctor is 'seeing' the patient through phone calls or video:
One study done on veterans in Maryland, for example, found that patients who used computer video to make contact with their psychiatrist were just as satisfied with therapy as those who had more traditional sessions. Another study found that symptoms improved in depressed patients who received cognitive behavioral therapy by phone.
Yet another study showed that like so many other workers, therapists may potentially be replaced by machines in some situations. In this study, patients who received computerized cognitive behavioral therapy via a specialized video program ended up with a greater reduction in symptoms and more improvement in social functioning compared with patients who received standard care, including psychotherapy. The patients who completed the video program said they felt satisfied with the treatment.
What do these findings mean for the field of psychotherapy and its patients? The editors of the Harvard Mental Health Letter note that long-distance treatment opens up new doors for patients who might be unable (because of disability or agoraphobia) or unwilling (because of busy schedules or long travel time) to go to a doctor's office for therapy. After all, the article points out, about 20 percent of people who make an appointment with a mental health professional never show up, and another 20 percent never return for a second visit.
The Harvard Mental Health Letter is available from Harvard Health Publications, the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, for $59 per year. Subscribe at http://www.health.harvard.edu/mental or by calling 1-877-649-9457 (toll free).
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Limited Home Internet Activity
Mood: Deliberate
Listening to: Classical Music for Contemplation CD
Reading: The Stepford Wives
Eating: Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Watching: L O S T and the season premiere of 'Alias'
Our home internet usage is being severely limited. I'll have to post more from the library and other such places.
Feel free to check the archives, however.
