A Bit of a Rant - 22 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 681

Micah 6:8
Genesis 8:22
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

I have long been opposed to year-round schooling for kids. One reason is that our current school year is linked directly with the rhythm of agriculture. That's why kids had the Summer off - to help on the farms and with preparation for the coming cold seasons. As we've moved further and further away from an agrarian society (more's the pity in a lot of ways), that Summer turned from work to enrichment.
Still, by basing our school year on the needs of agriculture, we've maintained a link - however tenuous - between modern life and the source of our food. I think that's not just important, it's imperative.

Now for my new reason for opposing year-round school.
Imagine life without Summer Camps, without Summer Enrichment Classes, without Summer Vacation Trips. You can't help but imagine a drabber, less wonderful life.
Not only is there fun stuff in there, it's broadening in ways that classroom education simply never could be. It's a way to experience other people than your classmates and neighbours. It's a way to experience other places - places far enough away that they couldn't be  visited reasonably in the shorter time of a school break.

Further, the whole point of education is to prepare a person for life. Note that it's not to prepare a person to make a living. That comes from job training, and that's a good thing too - it's just not education. Schools need to teach our kids how to think, not what to think. They need to teach them facts and ways of analysing them, not the currently approved analysis of the currently approved set of facts.

OK. I guess I'm going to stop here before I get too overtly political, but this is a very important thing. Not only do we need to let our kids be kids while they're kids, we need to teach them how the world works so when they're working in it they'll know what to expect and how to act (and react).



Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Meat Loaf Rules - 21 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 680

Micah 6:8
Luke 14:12-13
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

RIP Meat Loaf. 

What a career, really. He had huge record sales. Played a great part as Eddie in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Apparently he was in Fight Club - I wonder why nobody talks about that role. I mean they'll talk about anything for you, but they won't talk about that.

Anyway, it's time for a meatloaf dinner tonight in tribute.

Post blog entry:
<rant>I spent way too much time trying to find a decent picture of meatloaf (the food) because every one I found had that vile ketchup glaze smeared on it, or if it was without that "condiment" it looked like it had the moisture content of one of Chuck Norris's tears (that would be none, per the joke about his tears curing cancer). Good grief, folks. It's no wonder meatloaf gets no respect if that's how you all make it. If it's good enough to eat, you don't need to cover it with sticky roasted sweetened tomatoes. If it needs that, you need to work on your recipe.</rant mode>

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Action! - 20 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 679

Micah 6:8 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah+6%3A8&version=ESV

Yes, your life matters. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+30:19&version=ESV

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

I've been spending some "quality"time on ebay the last few days, trying to score an old, but still functional 8mm camcorder or video player. We have about half a plethora of old videotapes waiting to be digitized and my old camcorder seems to have shuffled off this mortal coil and passed to the great beyond - it is an ex-camcorder. Beautiful plumage, though.

Anyway, it seems a bit ironic that the universe has decreed today as Camcorder Day. (I assume it's the universe decreeing all these days. I mean, there couldn't be specific Acts of Congress for all this stuff, could there?) Ah well. We shall see. Perhaps the old girl just needed a rest. After a couple days' being unplugged she might well fire up again tonight and let me finish the project without buying anything "new" to replace her. My fingers are crossed.

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Not So Gruff, Please! - 19 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 678

Micah 6:8
Song of Solomon 4:1
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today is Tin Can Day! Billie would appreciate this one, the little goat.
Probably the top Christmas gift of the year was the Emergency Goat from Archie McPhee (slightly less disappointing than other stores). Billie is fascinated, and we have fun with the different goat noises - especially the screaming goat. We're also extremely optimistic that we're about to have three animals who all get along and even like each other here chez nous!

It's also World Quark Day, so it's time to make some zwiebelkuchen - or even a quiche. I used quark in the custard of a quiche one time and it was extremely delicious. I'm going to have to watch for quark in the market again! If you're lactose intolerant (shouldn't we all try to be tolerant these days?) or lactose insurgent (as I like to say), or even lactose indifferent (as my Dad used to say), you could always celebrate Quark Day by having the smallest possible sip of beer. James Joyce would be proud of you.

Even more fun! On 19 January 1915, Georges Claude patented his neon discharge tube: Neon lighting soon became popular for outdoor advertising as well as lighting bars and taverns with that welcoming glow. Bien fait, Georges!

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Inflation? - 18 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 677

Micah 6:8
Genesis 2:5-9
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Well here's some fun history for you. On 18 January 1974 we were treated to the premier of "The Six Million Dollar Man" on network television. I was surprised to find out how much that would be in today's money. I wouldn't have been terribly surprised if it were $60 million, but according to the inflation calculator I found online, 1974's $6 million translates into a mere $34 million today. Practically chump change, right?

I can see Elon Musk starting a project to have a line of $34 million upgrades available, especially for those headed for his Mars colony.
I mean, we have the technology.

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Equality - 17 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 676

Micah 6:8
James 2:1-13
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today, across these United States, it is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. A day to celebrate the life and work of the man who had a dream that we would all work and play together, regardless of color and race. I think it's interesting to use that word regardless - meaning without regard, without taking notice - in this context. Somehow we've managed to turn his ideas on their heads. Now it's down to how well each group is represented somewhere rather than being able to actually ignore the differences in appearance. (I am one of those who still holds that there is only one race involved here - the human race. I know I am out of fashion, but very few have ever accused me of being fashionable.)

At any rate, it's a nice coincidence that this year MLKJr Day coincides with Ben Franklin Day, celebrated on 17 January each year, marking the birthday of one of the few founding fathers who never became President of these United States. One of his more memorable aphorisms (he was quite a punster in addition to his political, scientific, abolitionist, and philosophical work) was that we must "hang together" or we must surely "hang separately."

I think there's much to be said for that as a mode of living - not just of political alliances against Great Britain. If we work to stay separate and separated, we shall surely hang separately. Why not embrace the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. and work to be color-blind rather than color hyper-aware? One day we might actually get to that color-blind society where each is judged on the content of his character rather than on the color of his skin. I pray it will be so.

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Worship - 16 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 675

Micah 6:8
Isaiah 60:1-6
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

For our 9:30 AM worship service we will have a guest solo at offertory time, a guest preacher at sermon time, and our standard three hymns for congregational singing. Why not join us to find out who those guests are?

Remember, we'll be streaming for all those who can't join us in person, and intend to continue that practice indefinitely. Still, know that we miss seeing you in person - please come join in corporate prayer, praise, and worship as soon as you feel ready.

As usual, today's stream should just appear as the latest entry on our YouTube channel, here.
You'll find all our previous worship videos right there at that same place, and today's stream will stay there as a recording as well. 

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264