The Smoot Blog

Sticks and stones may break my bones

2011-04-05T22:22:00.000-06:00

You've all heard the saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me," and of course at some point in your life you realized this was an untrue statement, words do hurt. But the kind of words that hurt is changing.

Certain words have lost their meaning, the aim behind them meant to inflict pain or incite anger. Overuse can be partly to blame but the truth of the matter is that our society has changed. People have changed, mostly for the worse.

Two insults, which come to mind, that have lost all meaning are "bastard" and "son of a bitch." The first insult referenced the illegitimate offspring of unmarried parents, or a child out of wedlock. At one point in history this was seen as shameful and was usually concealed by a quick marriage or a long-term vacation spent with relatives. Today, however, this barely raises an eyebrow. The insult is still used today but it's largely a substitute for calling someone stupid.

The second insult was meant to imply someone's mother was a whore, or a loose woman. Again, at one point in history, these were fighting words and sometimes ended in bloodshed. Mothers were valued and were off limits from insult, even among criminals. Today, some women have the word "bitch" on their bumper sticker, and they're proud of it, and the mother-son relationship has seen better days. What was once an insult might actually be taken as a compliment in some circles.

Today we throw out insults such as "right-wing evangelical" or "left-wing liberal nut" because these terms still carry some weight. They have meaning that is still relevant to our lives in a world where loose women and unwed mothers are becoming the majority due to immoral men and unfit ~~fathers~~ sperm-donors.

What does it say about our society when meaning is a rare commodity? When words are empty and mimic our shallow lifestyles? And yes, the two insults I mentioned were hateful and harsh but I do miss meaning behind words.

Potential killers

2010-07-05T13:32:00.000-06:00

We are all potential killers, child molesters, rapists, thieves, et al. The only thing standing between us and the criminals we lock up in prison or execute is the choices we make in life. It's not our genetic makeup. It's our self control over the moments and circumstances presented to us.

Many people doubt this because they're under the impression people are good by nature but it's the complete opposite. We are flawed at the moment of conception. We have to be taught right from wrong, as we're more apt to choose wrong over right. We prefer to lie, cheat and steal versus, as it's the easier way to get our way.

Each day we are presented with ever-changing circumstances that force us to make a decision as to the kind of person we will become. Whether it's our environment - our place on the map, our family life, our income, etc.; our physical being - our gender, our physical appearance, etc.; or some other factor, we are given a choice at each "fork in the road" to make the right or wrong choice.

But someone as evil as a child molester, one would argue, must be somehow different than everyone else. There must be an "evil" gene they carry the rest of us do not carry. The answer is no. They are the same as us, they simply made one bad choice over another that set them down the path of pedophilia. They didn't start out as a sexual pervert, they made choices such as pornography that corrupted their natural desires and turned them evil.

Our outcome is a response of our choices. If we spend time studying math we become mathematicians. If we spend our time looking at pornography we become sexual perverts. Cause and effect.

Thus, we are all potential criminals. It's the choices we make that define us. We can be a kind, loving person, or we can be a mean, selfish person. The more time we spend being kind and loving, the more charitable and selfless we become. Or, we can spend time being mean and selfish, becoming more and more selfish until we have no moral restraint in killing, raping or stealing from others in order to satisfy our own sinful desires.

Brotherly advice

2010-04-12T13:54:00.000-06:00

Growing up with two older brothers one would expect to receive brotherly advice every now and then, but in fact, I don't recall ever getting any. It could be due to the age gap between us - five years to Adam and seven years to Aaron - but I think its something else. I honestly don't believe they have any advice to give, verbally that is.

Aaron, the oldest, has probably taught me the most throughout the years. He became living proof of what "not" to do in life. The smartest and most-talented, in my opinion, he threw his life away in rebellion, drugs and alcohol. He's the "prodigal son," so to speak, in the family who hasn't quite returned "home." I'm not sure if he ever will but I do pray he finds his way.

Adam, the most successful out of the three of us (in terms of income), has taught me a lot as well. It too is similar in the way in which Aaron has taught me. I learned from Adam its okay to cry. Adam used to cry and then one day he stopped and it hardened his heart forever. I learned to share my life with my family (parents, sisters, etc) and to draw my own family closer to them. With Adam's family, Smoot family gatherings always feel forced, if they even happen at all. And I learned what it takes to truly be the "head" of the household and of the difficult decisions it takes to manage a family, and not to take the easy way out, from child discipline to putting one's foot down and having the final word. I love him to death but I feel he's been backing down on critical issues.

I do hope I've been a better example to my two sisters and that I've taught them by making the better of two choices. I'm far from perfect and I don't expect my brothers to be perfect, but I do expect some positive brotherly advice from time to time, whether verbally or from life examples.

Quote for the day

2010-03-30T07:19:00.000-06:00

"...if we are hard toward God, we will become hard toward other people." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest, March 30

The root of the problem

2010-03-27T16:18:00.000-06:00

It seems everyone is up in arms about the drug violence occurring in Mexico and the impact it's having in the United States. The news media has become obsessed with pushing their own agenda that America is not doing enough to eradicate illegal drugs and the Mexican drug cartel, and congress and the president are behaving like typical hand puppets for the media.

But no one is talking about the root of the problem - the actual drug-use itself. Why is no one questioning this issue, or addressing the problem of why there is such a demand for illegal drugs. If there are no buyers then, voila, there are no sellers.

Seriously, why is no one talking about why so many Americans are taking illegal drugs? Well, generally speaking, they're unhappy. They hate their current reality and thus seek out a different reality through the use of drugs or alcohol. Why not address this issue? Making something "illegal" does not fix the issue. You need to address the root of the problem - people's unhappiness.

Fix this and you solve the drug war. Short and simple.

I like boring

2010-03-17T21:15:00.000-06:00

I am a man of routines. I find life so much easier while following a routine, from getting up in the morning to going to bed I have certain routines that I have developed that keep me organized and keep me happy. My wife even makes fun of me because I have taken some routines to the extreme, such as wearing nearly identical outfits to work each day (blue shirt and khakis), but it's so easy to get dressed in the mornings.

It's boring, I know, but I like it. I like simple pleasures too. I like drinking decaf coffee in my free evenings and cuddling up to watch an old TV show. I like eating dinner with friends and catching up on each others' lives. I like pulling up a favorite music album during the day or listening to instrumental music while going asleep. These things make me happy and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I like being home. A lot of my friends, it seems, cannot sit still long enough to even enjoy their furniture in the their homes but not me. I find being at home relaxing. I like hearing my son playing "pretend" in his room with his added sound effects. I like sneaking up on my wife in the kitchen to pinch her butt. I like hearing my neighbors outside, either walking their dog, sprucing up their yards or arriving home from work. This is especially nice in the spring and fall months.

For some people this may seem like a nightmare but for me it's near perfection. A "night on the town" may be exciting for some but for me that sounds too much like overpriced booze, sluts on a dance floor and a hangover in the morning. Not my cup of tea. Give me a good movie instead.

Or how about spending an afternoon watching college football or attending a NFL game in some big arena? I say, why waste a good afternoon when one could be moving the lawn, napping in a hammock and later enjoying a drink and cigar with a neighbor. I got better things in mind than watching a soon-to-be or current millionaire tossing a ball to another fellow millionaire. Let them get a real job.

So, there you have it. I like boring. I like routines, I like simple and I like quiet evenings. I like real, authentic moments shared among family, friends and neighbors. Forget about the noise, the hassle of attending some big event and the overpriced goods. Give me a beautiful Saturday and a cold lemonade any day.

The war on Sunday

2010-03-14T12:14:00.002-06:00

Ever since I could remember there has been an silent war waged for Sundays in an effort to win the hearts and minds of individuals and turn them away from attending church. This unnamed evil, if you will, who I believe is the devil, is strategically luring people away from the traditional Sunday routine of attending church.

It first started with extending commerce over into Sundays. Monday through Saturday would simply not do. Restaurants, grocery stores, malls, et al, who previously had been closed, opened their doors and it was business as usual. Next came sporting events, mainly football, which was soon followed by "Super Bowl Sunday."

Is there any wonder as to why the Sunday paper is the biggest? It just so happens retail stores begin their sales on Sunday. And the sport's page? But you see where I'm going with this. There are suddenly so many "excuses" as to why one cannot attend church. Saturday nights are now reserved for parties and draw the most crowds, especially later into the evening, which is counter productive to getting up early to attend church service.

Not to mention the negative effects from the media in our culture that make church less appealing with each passing day (e.g. Homer Simpson vs. Ned Flanders). There's also the drawbacks of actually attending a church service of certain faiths, such as the Catholic church, where traditions outweigh the message and attendees get lost in old customs and old language. How many Catholics do you know who attend Mass on a frequent basis?

All of this goes to show there is a silent war being waged to keep people busy, or preoccupied, or otherwise engaged elsewhere other than in the church, and this is especially true for men who are more susceptible to sports, the Sunday paper, etc. Women, on the other hand, tend to show up at church more often, children in tow, as they worry more about the moral growth of their families.

In closing, I believe the devil is winning this battle, as church attendance is diminishing. Until our society wakes up and realizes the profound impact of ignoring God and avoiding moral instruction from the church, we will draw closer to ruin. Our great nation will become a Sodom and Gomorrah.

Forgetting to look up

2009-12-10T11:55:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I get so caught up in looking where I'm stepping I forget to look up to where I'm actually going. I get caught up in the minor details, such as watching out for cracks, holes or puddles of mud, that I forget the whole purpose of my walk or trip.

The same applies to the holidays, or more specifically, to Christmas. I get so caught up in gift buying, the lights and music, the goodies, etc. that I forget to look up and focus on the big picture - the actual meaning behind the season.

Luckily I was reminded of this today and I have two weeks to stop and look ahead toward the special day and all its glory. To be reminded of just exactly what it means. It's not about Santa Claus or reindeer but about Jesus coming down to earth to be closer to the children he loves and adores. He chose the human form so we, as human beings, could relate to Him on a more personal level and that He could show us how to truly be self-giving rather than self-serving.

Merry Christmas!

Give me what I want...

2009-12-02T07:19:00.002-06:00

"Just give me what I want and no one gets hurt," as sung by Bono from the rock group U2, is such a true statement that reflects the attitudes of today's culture. Everyone wants, wants, wants and they will do just about anything to get it, being a possession, their own way or a special privilege or power, and they won't stop until they have it. And only then, after their wants are met completely, are they willing to share the leftovers, or charity, as we call it today.

Some people steal or kill to obtain their wants. Some people lie or cheat. Others do it more indirectly such as hoarding or over consuming. By hoarding I mean hoarding their wealth or resources such as time and skills. People hoard money is multiple ways, including their financial portfolios, 401ks, 529s, savings accounts, etc. I'm not saying these are not good things to have but these items can become the perfect excuses for not giving to others. Like I stated, we give to ourselves first and only when we are satisfied do we give to others.

The Walton family, heirs to the Wal-mart fortune, only gave one percent of their income to charity, reported by BusinessWeek magazine back in December 2003. The same for Warren Buffet. In contract, Bill Gates gave 54 percent. How about the Obamas? They also gave less than 1 percent from 2000 to 2004. These figures say a lot about our culture; especially when it's reported America's poor are it's more generous givers.

Not only do we hoard, we also over consume. We buy electronics with more options than we'll actually use, more food than we'll actually eat, and in general, more stuff than we actually need. We contribute more to landfills than we contribute to recycling centers. We've nearly completely stopped contributing to society and instead have focused solely on our self interests. And we want more.

We want more money. We want more stuff. We want more sex, more dirty sex. We want more power. We want more government handouts. We want more rights and not general rights but specialized rights. And we want less shame for our indiscretions and more acceptance of our lifestyles.

And we get mad when we don't get our way. We sue, we picket, we chant, and we whine to Congress to enforce our wants. If everything goes our way we typically are delightful people but when things don't go our way we become bitter, angry people. Like the phrase goes...

Give me what I want and no one gets hurt.

Hollywood reality

2009-10-12T21:35:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I'm back on Hollywood, or more specifically, Hollywood's failed attempt to capture reality. Whether it's in the movies with their latest indie film or with their latest reality television show (e.g. I'm a Celebrity...Get Me the Hell Out of Here), it's evident that Hollywood and it's NY writers have lost touch with the real reality.

Not only are they producing total crap these days, they have also forgotten the real reason why people buy movie tickets, which is so the viewer can get lost in the story; namely, a fictional, non-reality story. Movie goers want to get lost in a fantasy like Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, which is their short-term escape from reality. Why would they want to pay to spend and hour or two in someone else's sense of reality.

I will say it again, movies should be more about quality than quantity.

Childhood development

2009-10-11T12:36:00.000-06:00

It's interesting how differently children develop, especially boys. Physically and mentally. Cooper, for example, was born below average in weight and continues to remain below the average; however, he is above average in height, which means he is going to be tall and lean like his daddy. At first the weight issue was concerning but I have since come to realize the national average in America is extremely skewed, as we're the most obese nation in the world.

Due to Cooper's small frame, I believe he has mentally matured more rapidly than boys larger in size. His verbal and social skills are more adapt and he is one of the few children his age who is potty trained, something he accomplished when he turned two. However, on the flip side, his physical activity is below that of those larger boys; but this has its rewards, as he has never run off unsupervised and he asks to hold hands before crossing a street.

We can take Cooper to restaurants and enjoy an evening of dining without fear of a breakdown, which is a rare event while eating out. All in all, I'm content with Cooper developing more mentally than physically. It fits his personality. And it doesn't hurt that he'll be more like his daddy.

Busy as a bee

2009-09-29T07:26:00.002-06:00

Life's been busy lately. It's also been hard. Tiffany and I experienced a miscarriage a few months ago, which was an emotional bullet, and then if that wasn't enough, we had to put our best friend down this past weekend - our 12-year-dog, Baby.

Then there's work. I've never been more busy at work than I am now. I'm pushing out a new Web design that's been in the making for over the past 12 months, all while adding new content that is being re-written and delivered moments before I get my hands on it. It's an exciting time but also a stressful one full of deadlines and delays.

At home Tiffany and I are wanting to give our kitchen a makeover but as of right now we only have an idea in the mind and the new counter top selected. We also want to take a vacation before the weather turns cold but the time frame keeps getting pushed back. These are on top of an already full list of To Do's.

But I know we're not alone. We've been trying to schedule a meeting with our church small group for the past several weeks but it too keeps getting pushed back as most of the members are either out of town or previously engaged.

As for downtime, when I do find the time to relax, my mind is either already brain dead for the day or filled with worry over the current administration in the White House. If there was ever a time of civil unrest the time is now. I'm so glad my faith is not in our political system.

At least with that thought I can sleep at night.

Where did all the good movies go?

2009-09-29T07:13:00.002-06:00

Tiffany and I took a trip to Nebraska Furniture Mart last night looking for a new love seat and chair. After coming up empty we ventured over to electronics where Tiffany found herself engrossed in camera lenses. I quickly realized I needed to entertain myself for a bit and so I decided to test out a Mac Book and pull up movie trailers.

Depressing, to say the least. Where did all the good movies go? There are no Lethal Weapons, or Die Hards, or Independence Days; nor are there any Bravehearts, The Patriots or Gladiators. It seems Hollywood has run out of good story lines and are resorting to remaking older movies or television shows, or showing their true colors with Dare, a bisexual love twist with Emmy Rossum.

Where is quality over quantity? There are so many movies being made these days and all too many are duds. I don't want to be forced fed Hollywood's liberal agenda; I want to get lost in a story where the hero saves the day, or a long, lost love is found.

Bad movies are getting out of hand. Hollywood, please stop making crap movies...

Quote for the day

2009-09-15T07:11:00.000-06:00

"The greatest spiritual crisis comes when a person has to move a little farther on in his faith than the beliefs he has already accepted." Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest, Sept. 15.

Let the past be the past

2009-08-20T19:52:00.000-06:00

The best thing I love about the social network site Facebook is the ability to rekindle past friendships, or at least reconnect with lost friends. I may or not "befriend" them on Facebook but I can at least find them and send an email. It's almost invigorating to locate a long, lost friend and send them a note to see how they're doing.

Just last night the mother of one of my friends from my teenage years contacted me via FB. We exchanged a few emails and left it at that. A simple exchange but what a great way to reconnect—old friend to old friend.

But then there are the old friends who prefer to leave the past in the past. No response. Period. This sort of behavior puzzles me because I am the complete opposite. If someone from my past were to contact me I would consider it a pleasure to send a response. My wife, however, is the opposite. In her mind she's moved on and therefore ignores most requests for reconciliation; something which surprises me as she's a scrapbooker, or memory collector.

One of my favorite long, lost friends whom I reconnected with is my 4-H pal, Sara. Even though communication is mainly through social networking, I feel as though we live next door and I love reading about her and her family. With number five on the way, and a blackberry wine vineyard in the making, reading her blog is becoming like a good book you just can't put down (shout out to Sara!).

I think a small part of heaven will be like this experience of reconnecting. One will enter through the pearly gates and there will be Bill, one's old college buddy, and to the left will be Susan, and up the way will be great aunt Birdie, et al. What a grand reunion!

They mean too much

2009-07-26T12:58:00.000-06:00

Rearing children is hard at times. Okay, it's hard most of the time but why do we persevere? Why do even go for two or three, or perhaps even more children? Because they are so worth it. They mean too much.

In a way, I like to think that this is the same for our heavenly Father. Why did He spare Adam and Eve's lives after they ate from the tree of good and evil? Why did he save mankind, along with the animals, when He flooded the earth after evil dominated the earth? Why did He send his son, Jesus, to die for us so that we might be saved? I like to think its because we're worth it. He loves us too much.

Cooper is loads of fun and brings us so much joy, but he is also loads of work and can be a handful at times. I know it will even be harder when we have a second child and yet I'm looking forward to it all. They add so much. Every smile erases an hour of screaming and they smile a lot.

It's all worth it. They are so worth it.

Like father like son

2009-07-06T20:50:00.000-06:00

As most of you know I am a father to a two-year-old boy, Cooper. In one way he's becoming his own. He's slowly gaining independence (it's a struggle at times to get him to hold your hand while walking across the street); he's becoming a young man (he wants to pee standing up); and he's learning more and more each day (he told grandma the other day he was having an adventure). In another way he's becoming his father, as well as his mother; both of which are a complete shock to me.

I knew there was a great possibility he would come out looking like his parents but I never knew the real extent of how much of our physical and, more especially, our personality traits he would take on. The good and the bad. As they say, like father like son; I just didn't think they meant it literally.

From the moment Cooper was born he's proven this point. He picked up our physical traits like his mommy's turned foot, his daddy's weird pinky toes, his mommy's "Brunk" forehead, and his father's skinny frame. Then as time progressed he began to show our personality traits, such as his daddy's sleep schedule (a night owl with grumpy mornings), his mommy's stubbornness, his daddy's particulars over clean hands, and his mommy's picky-ness regarding food.

But it didn't stop there. It's as though not only our physical and personality traits were embedded into his genetic makeup, but also all the weird and unusual ticks that make up his parents. He desires to love and be loved like his mother; he yearns to be strong and show his strength like his father; and so much more that it would take a whole book to pen all the particulars.

And yet he is his own. He's a man's man and has found delight in his grandfathers and uncles. He's also soft-hearted and doesn't mind giving affection or hiding the fact he likes pink as much as he likes blue. He not only loves spending time with his parents and his young friends but he also enjoys the company of his neighbors and his friends' parents. He also likes to mind his manners but has a grand ole' time when he breaks them and belches or farts.

He's my pride and joy and I'm looking forward to what's around the bend, be it Cooper's traits or a little brother's or sister's.

Quote of the day

2009-06-25T07:15:00.002-06:00

"You cannot find or receive yourself through success, because you lose your head over pride. And you cannot receive yourself through the monotony of your daily life, because you give in to complaining. The only way to find yourself is in the fires of sorrow." - My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers; June 25

The extinction of perversion

2009-06-05T14:39:00.000-06:00

The dictionary defines perversion as "any of various means of obtaining sexual gratification that are generally regarded as being abnormal." The key here is the last word, "abnormal," and how it relates to the word "pervert."

The word "pervert" seems to be near extinction as our society shifts the idea of what is normal and what is abnormal. One rarely hears the word "perversion" unless they attend a Baptist church on Sunday. In the past twenty years what was once considered abnormal or perverse is now seen as normal and is becoming widely accepted: masturbation, oral/anal sex, homosexuality, pedophilia, and bestiality. Well, maybe not the last two but give society a few years, or I should say, mainstream media.

How have our values changed so quickly and whatever happened to the idea of being pure? Virginity is no longer a treasured asset but it's now looked down upon; masturbation is praised and encouraged; adultery is glorified in Hollywood; and homosexuality in America is apparently the new trend - it's catching on like a new fashion statement.

Personally, I don't like where our society is heading. There is no longer a line between good and bad, or moral and immoral, or pure and impure. And it used to be one learned morality at home, at school and at church but now with strict interpretations of Separation of Church and State, a decline of church attendance and the breakdown of family values, there's little chance a child in today's society will ever learn morality. They will learn by watching their "broken" family and from television what is right and wrong and that's where our society has gone amiss.

Harsh interrogation versus torture

2009-05-22T13:07:00.000-06:00

Webster's dictionary defines torture as "the infliction of intense pain (as from burning, crushing, or wounding) to punish, coerce, or afford sadistic pleasure." According to this statement waterboarding is not torture but more of a harsh interrogation process.

Whether you believe in waterboarding or not, the fact remained some terrorists suspects were interrogated using this method and for nearly eight years now our country has not experienced any major act of foreign terrorism. One could argue these harsh methods did not contribute to our eight years of safety, but on the other hand, one could argue they did.

I believe they did, and deep down I believe most Americans would resort to such tactics when push came to shove in protecting their families. Case in point, one of the hottest and high-rated television shows since 9-11 is 24, which stars Keifer Sutherland as Jack Bauer, and regularly contains agent Bauer or a fellow agent using harsh interrogation methods or torture in preventing terrorist attacks. This show would not have such a huge following if the viewers did not condone such behavior.

The whole issue over waterboarding has gotten way out of control, fueled by the Obama administration, its lap dog the mainstream media, and the anti-Christ organization the ACLU. If they only put half as much energy into something productive it would be a miracle. Generally speaking, they are simply spitting on the graves of our fallen soldiers, including generations past. If the ACLU was ever put in charge of our national defense we would all be speaking Arabic and living under Islamic law.

The ills of obtaining pills

2009-05-22T12:14:00.002-06:00

My new plan of controlling my seasonal allergies and preventing sinus infections is Allegra, taken as needed, and an over-the-counter 12-hour decongestant, again, taken as needed. My doctor recommended this combination and talked me out of the nasal spray. The new plan, which I started this spring, seems to be working and has held off two sinus infections, or at least reduced them to something I can endure while working. Previous sinus infections kept me home for at least two days during the five-day cycle.

My doctor prescribed me the generic Allegra, which costs me $5 for 30 pills. I used to take Allegra D, which I loved, but it's $40. The 12-hour decongestant costs $4 for 20 pills, so for a combined total of less than $10 I can treat my seasonal allergies. I'm fairly confident my doctor will prescribe me the Allegra over the phone without a visit, which is nice, but obtaining the decongestant is proving rather difficult, as Big Brother has once again reduced my individual freedoms in the name of reducing Methamphetamine.

I visited my local Hy-Vee yesterday to stock up on 12-hour decongestant and found out just how restricted I am in obtaining such pills. My first visit was simple. I knew it required a driver's license and I asked for one box. My second visit, which was yesterday, was more difficult, as I requested two boxes and stated that my name, etc. was already in their system, thinking a quick glance at my license would send me on my way.

This was not the case. I was instructed I can only purchase one box per week and each visit requires they write up a prescription for me using the info from my driver's license. All in the name of reducing the manufacturing of Methamphetamine. I would like to see some data that proves this inconvenience and loss of liberty is working and Methamphetamine is becoming a thing of the past. Really, who are they kidding? Drug dealers will just bring it over from Mexico.

The question becomes who uses this junk but that's a topic for another day. I just want to eliminate the inconveniences that stand in my way of treating my allergies and not have to worry that some day I will be forced to buy prescription and over-the-counter drugs out of the back of someone's truck versus a local pharmacy because Big Brother, in their infinite wisdom, made it too cumbersome to do the latter.

Morning chats

2009-05-15T11:06:00.001-06:00

Over the past few weeks Cooper has had a tough time in the mornings "allowing" daddy to go to work. In his eyes the daddy should always be around, whether it's to be there when he needs to be lifted up to touch the ceiling or the moon, or to play trains, or to work in the yard, or to install batteries in a toy that is no longer working. These are roles he has assigned to daddy and Cooper feels incomplete without his daddy present 24/7.

When this first developed it was breaking my heart. He would cry and call out "daddy home, daddy home," and he would later con mommy into calling daddy at work so he could relay this message again to me over the phone, as if the first time wasn't as effective. Needless to say, it made focusing at work slightly difficult.

I tried slipping out of the house a few times before he awoke but this only made things worse. The only thing that seemed to suffice was to have a morning chat and then wave to Cooper through the window as I stepped into my truck. I have now made the morning chats part of my morning routine.

It all starts by waking up Cooper and then having a seat on the floor by his bed so we're more eye-to-eye. He begins the chat by asking me a few questions, typically asking me if I'm going to work. I explain to him why daddy has to go to work and then we talk about all the things we will do together when daddy returns home.

Yesterday went really well because Cooper and I agreed to make cookies that evening. I promised him we would make no-bake cookies but later when Cooper was at the grocery store with mommy he picked out some cookie mix and told mommy, "Cooper, daddy cookies; Cooper daddy cookies." Thus, the Smoot boys made two types of cookies last night and had the best time.

All he needed was some reassurance daddy would return, and when he returned, Cooper would have daddy's attention for all the things Cooper had to miss out during the day.

Attentiveness, or lack of

2009-05-10T15:21:00.000-06:00

I used to think it was stupidity, that certain people were just plain stupid. They were everywhere. On the road, in the grocery store, at the movies; heck, pretty much at any public gathering. I am now beginning to come to the conclusion that not "all" these people can be stupid or there would be word of an epedemic. They are inattentive.

These people are so inattentive that they are completely unaware there are other people around them; on the road, in the store, at the movies, etc. They are either blind or ignorant, or they are so self-absorbed the thought of other people existing in this world is beneath them.

This theory makes sense to me, otherwise the only explanation remaining is that these people choose not to share the road or the grocery aisle, or share the movie experience, or whatever. These inattentive people are the ones on the road texting or abandoning their turn signals. They are the ones talking in the movie theatre.

Some may be stupid; others are just rude and inattentive. And yes, some may simply be too self absorbed.

Allergies and gardening

2009-04-24T10:55:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday was the day I set aside to get my vegetable garden started but unfortunately my plans were stopped short due to rain that day. I decided my best bet was not to count on a weekend day and so first thing the following Monday I put in my request to take Thursday off, as it was looking like the best day in regard to weather.

And then came allergies. Tiffany and I were out shopping Monday evening when my season allergies began to flare up. The only meds on me at the time were my "emergency" Allegra D pills but as these come with ephedrine I passed on taking any medication since I wanted to be able to go to sleep at a reasonable hour. Thus, the following day my allergies were in full swing and I was close to reaching sinus infection status. Luckily I have been able to keep the infection at bay by taking a decongestive on a daily basis.

So, back to Thursday - the day I took off to work in the garden. Not only did I not sleep very well due to the sinus issues (same for Tiffany who suffers from oak pollen), when I woke up at 4 a.m. trying to breathe I realized it was raining. I thought to myself, "Great! No rain in the forecast and it rains."

Needless to say, I was not a happy camper Thursday morning. I didn't feel, good, Tiffany didn't feel good and I was unsure if I was going to be able to start the garden. Luckily, by late morning the sun had come out and after some investigation I realized I would still be able to till the garden and begin planting.

So, off to the store I went to purchase my plants. I took Cooper with me and let him pick out his very own tomato plant. We were home by 11:30 a.m. and I was soon tilling the garden, which I had to in several stages due to my sinus congestion that made it difficult to breathe. Cooper got to put in the first plant, as he needed to eat lunch and go down for his nap. I dug his hole and handed him his plant, instructing him to hold it by the dirt and roots, which he did and he gently placed it in the hole. I was so proud.

A few hours later the garden was in, as well as a row of flowers that Tiffany planted to give the garden an extra touch. I'm still fighting off allergies and sinus congestion but it's a little easier knowing I will have tomatoes by the end of June.

Frustrated Incorporated

2009-04-06T18:45:00.000-06:00

I find myself so frustrated at times, whether it's trying to find the best filing solution under my desk (should I sort chronologically, alphabetically or other?) or trying to rid my yard of dandelions and other weeds. You might be thinking "type A personality" but that's not it at all. I just like order.

I regularly seek out order by organizing my thoughts as well as organizing my possessions. I find things make more sense when they are neatly organized and I find chaos can be brought to its knees simply by finding a place for anything and everything.

However, when things get too busy and too messy I tend to freeze up in frustration and my creativity suffers. I've recently experienced such a freeze and a thought hit me later in the day after things calmed down - my frustration stems from the fact that I was designed to be a perfect being in a perfect world but I am living in an imperfect world as an imperfect being.

I am pursuing logic and order in an illogical and disorderly world. People have become clouded by their secrets and their sins and this world has lost its morality along the way. Our society, generally speaking, claims we are making progress but in reality we've all become a bunch of hypocrites who eat our way to bad health, and talk of curing cancer all while condoning the very behavior responsible for the spread of HIV.

It's like the guy I saw the other day zooming down the highway with his emergency brakes activated. He was moving all right but I wouldn't say it was progress, as his driving skills were cleary under question. I bet he was finding it frustrating to get up to speed for highway conditions.

I'm looking forward to returning one day to the perfect world I was designed to live in along with my perfect Maker. No more sickness, no more pain, no more flaws, and definitely no more imperfections, in a world where everything is in order.

Quote for the day

2009-04-06T07:23:00.000-06:00

"You're only as sick as your secrets." Unknown

Tea the new coffee?

2009-04-03T08:46:00.000-06:00

Is tea becoming the new drink of choice? Check out this article from Wired.com.

Quote for the day

2009-04-02T13:51:00.002-06:00

"A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion." - Chinese Proverb

Who picks up the tab?

2009-04-01T21:52:00.000-06:00

I had an interesting thought today after hearing about, yet again, another Democrat selected by President Obama who failed to pay their full share of income taxes (source). If the country was soon separated by the two major political affiliations, Democrat and Republican, how would the world's financial system look like? Or more specifically, how would the Democrat's side of the country look like?

Taking the current state of things, where working Democrats, like Obama's recent picks, cheat on their taxes and the non-working live off of the welfare system, who's left to pay for standard government services and the alike? On one hand you have a group of working citizens not willing to share their wealth and on the other hand you have a group of citizens not able/willing to work for a living. The same group that pushes for welfare programs seems to be the same group not willing to pay for them.

Just another reason I'm glad to call myself a Republican.

Counting down the days until I touch my iTouch

2009-03-23T21:45:00.000-06:00

I admit it, I am a tech geek. But I am also a penny pincher, which makes it rather difficult to satisfy my frequent urges to buy more tech toys. My most recent urge has been to purchase an iPhone, but seeing as I no longer use a cellphone I passed over the iPhone and started reading up on the iTouch.

The iTouch, which is basically a souped-up iPod, is essentially the iPhone without the phone. It's Wi-Fi enabled and so one can surf the Web from any hotspot, listen to music, watch videos, play games, take notes, read books, and so on.

And then the idea hit me. I needed such a device for work so I could view, test and code Web sites to be better suited for handheld devices, such as the iPhone/iTouch. I put in the request, which was quickly approved, and now I wait for all the finanicaly quirks to move ahead so I can hold my iTouch in my hand.

I'm trying to be patient as I eagerly await my new toy but I'm finding it rather hard, especially since I witnessed two friends over the weekend playing with their iPhones and due to the fact my current handheld is at least five years old. Oh, where is my iTouch...

Tweet tweet

2009-03-23T21:31:00.002-06:00

Today I joined Twitter. I joined for several resaons, the biggest being the fact I am going to incorporate the power of Twitter into my work as a Web developer. The other reasons that followed included such things as keeping up with technology, keeping tabs on what the "younsters" are doing these days, and trying something new.

You can follow me at www.twitter.com/smootosis

The name "smootosis" is the name I use in Unreal Tournament. I decided against using my full name as my user name and "jsmoot" was taken by some kid named Jamel White, but I digress.

I'm excited about using Twitter, which is another micro-blogging tool and similar to what Facebook offers in allowing users to push "status updates." I'm also curious to see how I can incorporate Twitter into other things and to see how long I will stick with it.

Westar Energy

2009-03-13T13:06:00.000-06:00

I was notified this week that my electricity bill would be increasing and so when I received my bill I carefully reviewed it to see how much of the average $6 to $9 increase I would be receiving. I was shocked to discover my bill has gone up $21.55 from the same month last year. I even used less energy this year compared to last.

I wrote an email to the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) and copied Westar's CEO James Jaines. The same day I received a new electric bill, which I found odd, and after opening it I discovered Westar Energy was sending me a corrected bill. I performed the same calculations and discovered my bill had increased by $20.30.

I received a letter from the KCC and they stated, "the amount (increase) doe not include the fuel charges which change from month to month in order to accurately reflect the cost incurred by the company..." The letter also indicated by bill, excluding the fuel charge, showed an increase of $7.21.

Overall my bill increase by 27 percent, even with a decrease in energy from last year. Now that's inflation!

Forget the chase

2009-03-13T12:45:00.000-06:00

Forget the chase, or in this case, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Chase Card Services, which is run by Chase Bank USA, N.A. and owned by JP Morgan Chase, recently performed a "bait and switch" business tactic on me, modifying my terms of agreement and imposing a $10 monthly service fee ($120 annually) to my credit card account, as well as increased my minimum payment.

I did some research online and found Consumerist.com had reported on the issue and this unethical tactic was hurting a lot of consumers. I emailed the CEO of Chase Card Services and copied the CEO of JPMorgan Chase; I received an email back as well as a letter.

The letter received stated, "As a credit card issuer, it may at times be necessary for us to make changes that a Cardmember by find unfavorable; however, these changes allow us to remain competitive in the industry while offer the best value to our Cardmembers." I have no idea what "best value" these changes offer me but I do know the "to remain competitive" is a load of crap. American Express just recently began offering select cardemembers $300 toward their account if they closed it and paid the balance off in 60 days.

I haven't heard of any other credit card companies implementing a monthly service fee post-facto. I can understand decreasing the line of credit or raising the minimum payment, but the monthly service fee was pure fraud, as it was never agreed upon.

My feedback to Chase not only included my issue against such a fee, it also included my negative experiences dealing with their customer service representatives. All in all, I am closing my accounts with Chase and their affiliates and I am never doing business with them again. In my eyes, they are crooks and liars and they are the very reason why our country's financial system is filled with deceit and insecurity. I am also participating in a lawsuit filed against JPMorgan Chase.

Don't justify your choices to me

2009-03-08T14:24:00.000-06:00

There's been a lot of discussion recently on homosexuality and marriage, namely due to the passing of California's Proposition 8 and the fight over it that has taken it to the state's supreme court. As you know, if you know me at all, homosexuality is typically a hot topic because of several reasons.

One, I am a Christian and believe homosexuality is immoral. Second, I am a firm believer in true love, that is, between a man and a woman. Third, the male sexual organ was designed to fit the female body and likewise; there's no getting around nature.

Getting back on track, this discussion got me thinking and I believe the basis for the homosexual cause, if you will, is not for equal rights (they are already equal, if not more privileged than me) but for justification of their behavior; the sexual behavior, to be more specific. They want the world to accept their sexual perversion as normal behavior and thus why they are so passionate, and persistent, in their cause. The thing is, though, they don't have to justify their actions to me or anyone else on earth - they have to answer to God for their actions, the same as you and me.

We all have choices for which to answer, whether it be for lies we told, for our greed, our pride, our adultery, and so on. Our bad choices, or sin, not only hurt others but they hurt God, and we will all have to answer for them on Judgment Day.

There's no masking homosexuality, or making it less vulgar or perverse, no matter how many people buy into the idea that it's "acceptable" behavior; the same applies to adultery, greed, etc. One can cheapen morality and rewrite "truth" as they see fit but there's no getting around God and His judgment. You can also say "there is no God" and therefore there is morality but from the same Source comes love and everything good, thus, ultimately, there's no denying those things.

One can also deny that God condemns homosexuality and edit the Bible to fit their own agenda; good luck with that. While you're at it, why not edit our sin altogether as well as hell. Become your own god. Eat from the tree of good and evil and "you" determine what is right and wrong. You'll be one step closer to the devil himself.

Call me harsh or closed-minded but I've never been one to candy-coat the truth. In closing, I would like to bring up a passage from our Declaration of Independence. It speaks volumes.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights..."

The back row

2009-03-01T17:18:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday Tiffany and I found ourselves a little late at church service and we ended up sitting closer to the front than we typically do. We liked it so much we found those very seats this morning. I say all of this because I find it odd that when it comes to things that count, such as church and classrooms, it's almost faux pas to sit up front but at concerts and sporting events people will pay higher fees to sit in the front rows.

What does this say about our society when we look for the back row in meaningful settings? What does it say about our society, generally speaking, when we will get up early on Sunday mornings to get a good spot at the golf course or stadium parking lot but choose to sleep in and miss church service?

It seems we've taken the "back row" in most of our priorities...

Question for the day

2009-02-25T21:43:00.003-06:00

How do the police handle someone with embedded head spikes when they get arrested?

You're so gay and you don't even like movies

2009-02-23T20:34:00.000-06:00

I only have one word for the Oscars. Gay. I have long since stopped watching the Oscars but one cannot turn on any media device the following day and not hear the results, the red-carpet showdowns, and so on. I believe the last time I fully watched was the year Mel Gibson's "The Patriot" was not even nominated when it should have walked away with the gold.

It's the very reason The People's Choice Awards came about, because blockbusters - films that normal people watch - don't make it to the Oscars. The Oscars have their artsy-fartsy flicks - films that weirdos enjoy - and that's why so few major Hollywood blockbusters win Oscars.

And giving an Oscar to a dead man, can it get any gay-er than that? Oh yeah, that's right. Heath Ledger did that gay movie and so he got brownie points...

Quote for the day

2009-02-23T10:14:00.000-06:00

"It's like an Aerosmith concert without the drugs." Overheard at my church by a guy explaining to another guy about Sunday's church service, meaning it rocked.

The Crisis of Credit Visualized

2009-02-20T15:15:00.002-06:00

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Say what?

2009-02-17T13:45:00.000-06:00

I completed my income taxes last night and I overpaid the federal government, the state of Missouri and the state of Kansas. Although this means I've given these three entities interest-free loans, I was pleased to find out I would be receiving money back.

Then I received quite a shock this morning when I heard on NPR that Kansas has suspended income tax refunds due to financial problems. Say what? How can Governor Kathleen Sebelius claim to be over budget when just a few years ago she felt it was cost-effective to eliminate personal property taxes for businesses?

What the hell is she doing with my money...

Quote for the day

2009-02-16T09:46:00.000-06:00

"God does not give us overcoming life — He gives us life as we overcome." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, Feb. 16

The never-ending birthday

2009-01-30T11:26:00.037-06:00

My son turned two yesterday and he must have really been enjoying the day because he was still awake into the following day. On a typical day Cooper is in bed by 8:30 p.m. and asleep by 9 p.m. However, last night he was still awake when his parents headed for bed.

His mother attempted to stay up later so she could check on him before calling it a night, as Cooper is known to disrobe himself and be found cuddled next to his stuff animals for any sort of warmth. Last night was no different with the exception of being found asleep. He would have none of it.

I do not know all of the details of what transpired but I do know this - I was rudely awakened at 12:40 a.m. with my son screaming in fun at his mother who was lying down nearby waiting for him to fall asleep. It sounded as though he was trying to play hide-and-seek and having the time of his life. I immediately ran downstairs to put an end to all the fun and screaming, which was not well received, and then crawled back to bed.

Oh, the joy of the "terrible-twos."

Some boom when others bomb

2009-01-26T13:01:00.000-06:00

I heard a great piece on NPR this morning about how some businesses are booming while others are bombing, thus the reference in the title of this blog post. The reporter stated liquor stores, massage therapists and bankruptcy attorneys are enjoying an increase in revenue during our current recession.

It all makes perfect sense. Consumers have cut back on fine dining and ordering that bottle of wine at the restaurant and are now stopping by the liquor store and picking up a more-affordable bottle and taking it home. Consumers are cutting back on vacations and instead are taking mini-vacations in their own "backyard" and enjoying a massage at a local spa and taking time off work for dance lessons, etc.

Consumer spending hasn't halted, it's merely shifted, and there may not be as much cash flow moving through the markets right now as people begin adopting more sound financial principles from professionals such as Dave Ramsey or Larry Burkett. But isn't this a good thing?

Is now not the best time to buy stock? Isn't now not the best time to begin looking for a new home or a first home? There are so many opportunities right now to take advantage of but instead there are layoffs, foreclosures, bankruptcies, etc.

Why? Because of greed. The same culprit that got us in this mess. And I'm not just talking about corporate greed; I'm also talking about greed on the part of the average consumer who has been living beyond their financial means. We all need to live by better principles.

Sprint has just announced they will be laying off 8,000 people. Why? To cut overhead? What happened to all the money they've been raking in from their hugely profitable add-ons like SMS (text messaging) and ringtones? It costs them nothing to offer SMS. And ringtones? How can one not win by selling the consumer the same song in three different formats - CD, mp3 and now a ringtone? And let's not forget the $.40+ fee Sprint and others charge for each minute over one's plan! But I digress.

How can there not be more "booms" when all we're hearing about is businesses tanking? My theory - more and more businesses are using this recession as an excuse to increase their "hidden" profit margins by freezing salaries, raises and 401k matches, etc. And banks are using it to "bait and switch" the consumer into owing them more money. Afterall, how can banks be losing money on home foreclosures when 20 percent of the home's value is either covered by PMI or money down...

Feeding

2009-01-25T14:44:00.000-06:00

I subscribe to several personal RSS feeds but I prefer to browse news aggregates and traditional Web sites the old fashion way. However, I recently added feeds to Outlook (2007 has a built-in reader) that are syndicated from Google Alerts.

I set up these alerts, or feeds, to notify me whenever a particular term is crawled by Google after it's added to the Web. These terms are for work and he alerts will allow me to stay on top of anything going on in the news regarding my company.

I may have to tweak the terms a bit but I'm hopeful this will keep me informed and save time in the long run. Thus, just one more "life hack" added to my belt.

Audio books

2009-01-25T14:33:00.000-06:00

I've never listened to a "book on tape," or an audio book, with the exception of overhearing someone else's book, but that is soon about the change. Right now as I type this blog post I am listening to Malcom Gladwell read me his latest book, "Outliers."

I'm listening to it on my iPod (my Sandisk Sansa mp3 player). I haven't purchased the hardware to connect my iPod to my truck's stereo system so I won't be able to listen to Gladwell while driving, unless I put in my earbuds, but I may have to invest in the hardware, as I plan on listening to more audio files, such as podcasts.

A child's prayer

2009-01-25T14:13:00.000-06:00

I lead a nursery group, or Sunday school, of three- to four-year-olds every other Sunday. I have done this for over three years now, and even though it's not convenient at times, it does bring me joy; especially when the children call out my name outside the classroom. "Mr. Jeremy, " they call, or "teacher."

I am often stopped in the hallways or in the classroom by my student's parents who will tell me how much I mean to them and to their children. Although this is extremely flattering and means so much, nothing comes close to the joy I experience when I child volunteers to either say the prayer or add to it.

One girl, in particular, Ryann, has said some of the most earnest and sincere prayers. She even catches me off guard at times with her prayers. Today, three out of my five students added to the prayer, with Ryann taking the lead. What a pleasure it is to be among these young lovers of Jesus.

Obama Media

2009-01-19T07:51:00.000-06:00

I was rather appalled this morning when I caught some of the news on television. It seems while I was sleeping Martin Luther King Jr. Day became Barack Hussein Obama Day, or are they one in the same. The news media, or should I say Obama Media, is so consumed with Obama that they are actually comparing him side by side with King.

Yes, the man is half black and has a huge black American following but he hasn't even been sworn in a our 44th President. The man barely completed 143 legislative days in the Senate before running for President. He was literally a no-body before giving the keynote address at the 2003 Democratic National Convention. This has hardly earned him a reputation worthy of comparison to King.

The media is so consumed with Obama it sees nothing outside its own view, which proves after all how biased mainstream media has become. They gave the election to Obama (via control over the sheeple) and now they have put him on such a high pedestal not even Oprah herself could achieve such high expectations. And when he fails to deliver their promises they will ultimately play the blame game and add more insult to injury to the administration of President George W. Bush.

The media glorifies Obama as if he is a god, which deeply saddens me as well as frightens. He is a mere man with a formal education but with very little experience. He promises change but there is only One who can bring about true change.

Six Degrees of Mr. Spammer

2009-01-15T09:53:00.000-06:00

Something terrible happened to me the other day. My first spam email made its way into my Gmail inbox. It took spammers a year but they finally managed to get through Google's fantastic spam filter. It only took them a few months however to harvest my relatively new email address, even though I take strict precautions to shield my "real" email address. I even use temporary email services and a decoy email account for most online accounts.

The sad thing is my email address did not arrive in the hands of spammers by shady sources, it was hand delivered to them by my friends, unintentionally of course. My friends simply included me in a "baited" mass email, which is typically a chain email that is solely used to capture or harvest email addresses. Here are a few examples at Snopes.com and TruthOrFiction.com.

This technique would be futile if it wasn't for the fact spammers have friends. This particular baited email traveled from inbox to inbox until a friend of a friend of a friend, etc., forwarded it to his or her buddy, a spammer. The lucky spammer then harvests the hundreds, if not thousands, of email addresses contained in the back-end (the code) of the chain email.

These email addresses are then added to a database where they are used and sold for spamming purposes, never to be free from spam again. The only way to break free is to abandon the once clean email address and start over again, but unfortunately you have to once again give out your email address to this friend of a friend of a friend, etc. who hangs out with a spammer.

Of course the majority of spam would not exist if people did not click on the links to buy porn, sex toys and pills, which I have said way more than once. It would also be more difficult for spammers to steal email addresses if friends would strip their chain emails before sending them out (simply copy and paste the content into a new email; it's that easy).

But alas, uncle Chuck will never stop ordering porn via spam email.

Heartburn

2009-01-14T15:26:00.000-06:00

"Indigestion is the failure to adjust a square meal to a round stomach." Unknown

Getting older if for the birds. I cannot drink caffeine after 6 O'Clock. I have to watch my fiber intake. I cannot eat at least an hour before bed. I have to take pills and use nasal spray for season allergies. Now it appears I will be taking a pill for acid reflux. My Pepto Bismal usage isn't cutting it anymore.

Two years ago I was diagnosed with "silent" acid reflux by a doctor looking at my sinuses. I was hesitant to believe it at first, even though it made sense on how it was affecting my sinus problems combined with my allergies. But now I'm having to re-think my situation due to my recent stomach troubles.

In the past few months my stomach has been wreaking havoc on me. I first contributed to it to all the random holiday food and the late-night eating but as I started watching my diet the heartburn has remained. Thus, it's either time for a trip to the drug store and or to the doctor.

17 days since my last confession

2009-01-10T16:01:00.001-06:00

It's been 17 days since my last blog post and I seriously cannot believe it. I don't know where time went and how I was able to go so long without blogging. Yes, I could blame it on the holidays or on my busy schedule at work but in all truth I just haven't felt motivated or had any great ideas for a blog post.

Today I joined Facebook. I've known Facebook since it's "college" days and I have dragged my feet for as long as I can from joining for various reasons but today I put those reasons aside. I even logged into my MySpace page and brushed up on the happenings there, a site I simply joined for the sole purpose of being able to comment on my nieces' and nephews' pages, or there about.

I'm so far behind on the movie scene right now I'm beginning to feel the pains. I haven't killed an hour on Apple's movie trailer page in months and my only connection with upcoming movies has been a brief review of an article from Entertainment Weekly listing the hot movies for 2009. The Sherlock Holmes flick looks like it could rock. I've barely kept up with my Netflix queue, if that's any consolation.

The holidays were good. I spent Thanksgiving with my family and Christmas with Tiffany's family. Everyone on both families got along, for the most part, which was a plus. Traveling with Cooper to Okc was rough and I swore that was the last trip; however, he got his own DVD player for the car and our ride to Warsaw went rather smoothly, although it's only two hours long. Cooper had the time of his life this Christmas and really got into the mood for opening presents. His birthday is coming up and so he'll get to continue that delight very soon.

Overall the new year has been pleasant, even with the state of the economy. Luckily we've been untouched for the most part and everything is life as usual. I hope the same is true for you.

The right to believe

2008-12-23T08:41:00.000-06:00

A haphazard comment on NPR on Friday left me embittered after a commentator from the Washington Post went off the reservation, deviating from the topic at hand, and announced to the world he felt author and pastor Rick Warren should apologize for his opinion toward homosexuality. E.J. Dionne stated it not once but twice when asked about Barack Obama's speaker choice for his invocation.

This is so typical of the liberal media to believe they are the only ones who have right to opinions and who believe anyone with beliefs other than their own are evil and should be forced to apologize. This is quite ironic as liberals regularly accuse Christian conservatives of this same crime of attempting to shutout anyone with different beliefs. It seems they themselves are not so "open minded" as they claim.

What really chapped my hide about Dionne's comments was the fact he was asked to comment on Obama and why he would choose someone like Warren to lead the inauguration in prayer. He was not asked his opinion on Warren, nor was it warranted. In my opinion, Mr. Dionne is a hypocrite and the perfect example of the liberal media who are waging war on Amercia's freedoms and beliefs.

'dis and 'dat

2008-12-08T21:01:00.001-06:00

A child's first few words are such a blessing and parents take great strides in listening for them as well as understanding them. Cooper's first few words included dadda, momma and baby (the dog) but they also included one that took us a while to figure out - 'dis (this).

He would point to something, and still does, and utter the word 'dis, either requesting it be brought to him or in curiosity as to what it is. It's still cute to this day even though his vacabulary has grown to include two or even three word phrases.

His favorite words tend to start with "p" as he likes the way it's pronounced; such words include purple, papa, pick up (not the truck), and please. He's such a "big" little boy these days; how time flies.

Quote for the day

2008-12-04T08:15:00.000-06:00

"Anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue within me." - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, 12/4

Happy people don't watch TV

2008-11-24T07:53:00.000-06:00

The New York Times published a short article that happy people do not watch television but instead spend the time socializing, attending church and reading the newspaper.

I guess I've been tagged

2008-11-17T20:27:00.002-06:00

My friend, Sara, has tagged me so here are seven random things about me:

1. I typically put on my PJs this time of year right after dinner, which is sometimes before 6 p.m.
2. I would rather be sipping a Chai tea latte in a bookstore than sipping a beer at a nightclub
3. I'm quite enjoying the songs from Thomas and Friends
4. For the first time in my life I bought all new tires (at the same time) for a vehicle
5. I've already started listening to Christmas music and I've had a quart of eggnog so far
6. I bought a sports jacket at the Gap the other day so I can get away with wearing graphic tees to work. That's me, the professional.
7. I'm beginning to believe televised sports has become the bane of our society

Quote for the day

2008-11-11T07:19:00.000-06:00

"If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; or even if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest; Nov. 11.

Mainstream Taboo

2008-11-07T07:25:00.000-06:00

I overheard a coworker discussing the cult animated television show, South Park, this week and afterward I was left pondering the overwhelming evidence that exposes our lack of moral fiber in this country, and yet reveals a growing desire for entertainment that pushes the boundaries into the taboo.

What really troubles me is the growing numbers of individuals in my generation and in younger generations who do not question the content of mainstream entertainment or its intrinsic value. I rarely, if ever, hear these individuals born in my lifetime use the terms indecent, obscene or crude. I believe they have been desensitized or conditioned not to care.

A recent example of this is the new film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, the latest Kevin Smith movie that is barely escaped with an "R" from the MPAA who wanted to give it an NC-17. One might also add the film, Religulous, which is a so-called documentary by comedian Bill Maher that makes a mockery of religion.

It's not a question of begin open minded or overlooking certain offenses, making the choice to watch these films for entertainment value brings up the question of why one would desire for material viewed as obscene or blasphemous by others, including their parents, grandparents, and ministers. It also asks the question of how does this material add to the value of life.

Why are we so carefree about what the entertainment industry delivers and yet so hesitant or even fearful about what Christianity has to offer? Why are we not offended by profanity or blasphemy and yet offended by what Christians have to say? It seems as though our society, assisted by the devil (one cannot believe in one without the other), has shifted what is taboo and what is not, where the Christian values our country was founded on are now the taboo.

Are we racially prejudiced?

2008-11-06T07:26:00.000-06:00

I was under the impression my generation grew up in a time where racism and segregation were a thing of the past, where blacks and white were one people and our eyes were blind to color, but this recent presidential election has proved me wrong. Apparently we still acknowledge color and separate the whites and the blacks but this segregation, if you will, is being driven by the black community.

I don't have any statistics to back up the following claim but I would bet the majority of the black community voted for Barack Obama largely in part because he is (half) black, which if true, is one of the biggest racist acts of the millennium. But for some reason, no one is reporting on this.

They are reporting that the election of an "African-American," a son of a Kenyan immigrant, as U.S. President is an historical breakthrough. Yes, this country has elected its first black president but shouldn't we be color blind? Shouldn't race be a moot point?

I thought we were better than this...

National Respect

2008-11-06T07:18:00.000-06:00

I did not vote for presidential elect Barack Obama but I will show respect toward him as our national leader come January 20, just as I show respect toward George W. Bush. I feel a lot of people have forgotten this virtue in their haste to allow their emotions to run amok; both sides, both parties.

The Wall Street Journal has a opinion piece on this very issue; I encourage you to read it.

Vanishing Family Values

2008-11-03T12:39:00.001-06:00

I used to believe there were certain individuals in our society who wanted to remove family values but then I began to realize that no one is actually against family values — they just keep redefining them according to their own self interests or delusions.

For example, the tradition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman is now under fire as liberals attempt to destroy the sanctity of marriage by fighting for the inclusion of homosexuals; civil unions simply won't cut it. This fight is relatively new, in the last ten years or so, as our society's viewpoint on homosexuality has shifted as liberals push for more and more public acceptance of gay individuals. This shift, which has been greatly assisted by the mainstream media, is one of the biggest weapons liberals use to help redefine, or in this case desensitize viewers from any contradiction to traditional family values.

Anyone in opposition to this shift is labeled a bigot and accused of discrimination by liberals who continue to be hypocritical and ignore the fact their very argument applies to them for advocating the discrimination of the traditional family. They then cry fowl and make more idiotic claims. Apparently their incessant whining is working because a lot of people have simply given in to their demands or have fallen prey to their ideology of individual liberty, or in short, that everyone has a right to do whatever they want as long as it doesn't infringe upon the rights of others. But when it does they simply push for changes in the law, as in redefining marriage.

The same goes for abortion — sex is fun but if must have heterosexual sex then by all means you're excused to abort the baby if a pregnancy is involved — seems to be their mantra. But calling it a baby would make them baby killers or condoners of baby killers, thus they use the word fetus. It's only unwanted tissue.

It makes me so infuriated that there are actual human beings who justify or condone these behaviors. They call themselves open minded and protectors of the principle that "all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," and yet they squash out life as soon as it begins. They fight for freedom from traditional family values. They advocate the pursuit of happiness but only for those who follow their ideology.

They sound more and more like the extremists they despise...

Editorial cartoon

2008-10-30T07:59:00.003-06:00

Seeking Substance

2008-10-29T07:03:00.000-06:00

My new endeavor lately has been to find substance in the things on which I spend my time, whether it be in the movies I watch, the music I hear or the conversation I hold. I am attempting to apply a better "filtering" system to my movie selection, which involves various means such as reviewing user ratings and occasionally the movie critics, although most of them seem to be from another planet.

I already filter my television content for substance by eliminating broadcast television altogether and instead watching it on DVD. I am also filtering these too; recently I stopped getting Two and a Half Men via Netflix after the second season became too raunchy.

I began filtering my music by choosing to listen to only NPR or non-secular music on the radio after Lazlo from the Church of Lazlo on 98.9 FM completely opened my eyes to the reality that secular radio DJs are the biggest degenerates of our society.

In conversation I try to filter out the superficial and strive more for meaningful exchange, which has been the most difficult task, as it's all too easy to revert back to mindless dialogue of current weather activity, sports, work-related happenings, etc. It actually takes a lot of thought to come up with a question of sustance that brings about an open and autentic verbal exchange.

I believe the same is true in life. As it takes more energy and thought to eat healthier or to choose quality television that improves the heart and mind, it takes more out of a person to seek out substance in relationships and in day-to-day life. It takes more to introduce one's self at a community event such as at church than it does to, say, walk up to someone in bar and buy them a drink.

It takes more to choose what is moral and of value than it does to follow the crowd or to make up an excuse or justification. It takes more to gain higher education than it does to do the opposite. It takes more to live a life of faith than it does to follow the world's point of view.

It's hard work to seek out substance but it will always pay off in the long run...

What's on your tombstone?

2008-10-28T14:34:00.001-06:00

While on lunch with a friend today we began discussing the importance one places on their career these days. It really stuns me to see or hear how much focus some people place on their careers. I understand education is important and I understand it is important to provide for one's family but isn't a job just a means to an end?

I hate to say it but when I hear individuals talking up their career, or discussing strategic career moves or the career opportunities awaiting them I cringe inside. Along the same lines, I also cringe inside when newly acquaintances ask the typical question, "So, what do you do," which implies the question, "what line of work are you in?"

If careers were really that important then they would be listed on tombstones:

John Doe (1975-2008)

Devoted Accountant

Cherished employee

No, of course not. A career, or our line of work, is not who we are; it is a means to an end. Jobs allow us to buy a home, put food on the table and care for ourselves and our family. A career or job is a sacrifice; it is time away from home and away from our family and friends, which are the biggest part of who we are. It's why we our tombstones read:

John Doe (1974-2008)

Devoted husband and father

Cherished friend

I would like to be remembered as a loving and devoted husband and father, and not so much as a Web designer. How will your tombstone read...

Food for thought

2008-10-26T14:59:00.001-06:00

I had an interesting thought the other day, a thought one might say is a bit egalitarian. What if we lived as a society where everything was free and money was irrelevant. All work was considered equal and each man or woman was considered equal.

And then came along two scenarios. In scenario one, at a certain point one man decides he's going to work less than all the others. While they toil away eight hours a day he's going to only work four hours a day. In scenario two, one man decides he's going to take more than his share of goods. While others take X amount of food he's going to take twice the amount, although his needs do not require it.

In the first scenario I would be first to agree the man is being lazy. In the second I would be first to agree the man is being greedy. But I do not live in a egalitarian society where everyone is considered equal. I live in a society where circumstances dictate differences between laziness and, say, a disability. I live in a society where circumstances exist that justify differences between salary ranges.

So it really puzzles me then why certain polical leaders talk about the redistribution of wealth or the need for universal healthcare when we do not live in a communist state or an egalitarian society. In our current society it makes perfect sense that millionaires should have better healthcare opportunities, just as they take more luxurious vacations or eat fancier foods. Isn't that one of the benefits of being rich?

Phrase for the day

2008-10-23T08:24:00.000-06:00

Obamunist media - term coined for the biased liberal media who are gaga for Obama.

Be very afraid

2008-10-22T12:11:00.002-06:00

The WSJ published a great article stating our country will face the most activist administration since the 1960's if Obama wins, and with the liberals already controlling the media and our education system, we are looking at a total meltdown of America. Here's more proof.

And while on the topic of Obama, what about the following?

Obama still carries his Muslim faith
He was influenced by his Middle Eastern roommates in college
He was influenced by his three-week stay in Pakistan during college
He was financially assisted by his new friends in Pakistan
He is BFF with known terrorist Bill Ayers
He is BFF with convicted criminal Tony Rezko
His senior advisor is Valerie Jarrett who is from Iran
He worked merely 143 legislative days in the Senate before running for President
He is a smooth public speaker, uniquely similar to Hitler
His campaign is being financed by the Middle East
During his recent trip to the Iraq, he promised their leaders not to worry about the war; he would take care it very soon
He was not born in America but in fact born in Kenya

If You Could be President

2008-10-22T07:18:00.000-06:00

I just got this via email and I had to share it; it is too funny and the perfect illustration between Republicans and Democrats.
- - - - -
If You Could be President What Would You Do?

It's so easy even a child can understand!

I was talking to a friend's little girl, and she said she wanted to be President some day.

Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her,

'If you were to be the President, what's the first thing you would do?' She replied, 'I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people.'

'Wow - what a worthy goal.' I told her, 'You don't have to wait until you're President to do that.

You can come over to my house and mow the grass, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I'll pay you $50. Then I'll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward food or a new house.'

She thought that over for a few seconds, 'cause she's only 6.

And while her Mom glared at me, the little girl looked me straight in the eye and asked, 'Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?'

And I said, 'Welcome to the Republican Party.'

Her folks still aren't talking to me.

Some food for thought.
- - - - -

Glued to the tube

2008-10-14T10:22:00.001-06:00

As most of you are aware my childhood was far from the norm, especially in this day and age. I grew up without Kool-aid and soda, I was homeschooled from fourth grade on, and I had to live without television for several years when my parents felt it in our best interest to toss the television when I was four years of age, and it didn't return until I was nearly a teenager.

My brothers and I were blessed again with a television when we received a small black and white set for Christmas one year along with an Atari, under the condition we would only use the television to play the video games. Well, curiosity and temptation got the best of us and we were soon caught watching broadcast television. As punishment the television was placed in the attic but this only became a challenge for myself, as it wasn't too long thereafter I was caught watching television in the attic.

The television was banished from then on until one day my father came home with a rented VCR and some movies. After several months of retreiving the television from its hiding spot my father soon gave in to our wishes and we once again had our glorious television. It was during this timeframe I developed the appetite to watch my favorite programs in consecutive order, although this was nearly impossible at the time.

Fast forward to today and I have achieved this once impossibility - I watch my favorite programs on DVD, without commerical breaks and in consecutive order. Most of these shows are several years old, such as Friends, Seinfeld and Frasier, but there are a few newer programs, incuding Numb3rs, Criminal Minds and C.S.I., thus I am typically behind a season or two but it's completely worth it to watch programming on demand and in order.

I also find myself watching television shows online, such as I recently did with the first season of 30 Rock, which I heard was rather humorous. It really is a sign of the times when there are multiple avenues for watching broadcast television other than on an actual set. I just hope the quality of programming improves or I might just be forced to continue watching shows from my past, such Magnum P.I.

Do you own stuff or does it own you?

2008-10-10T08:46:00.000-06:00

Here's a short, quirky article on how a couple found it rather difficult to let go of their junk while cleaning out their storage.

Words to my hearts

2008-10-10T08:35:00.000-06:00

Here's a great commentary on the recent Wall Street government bailout from NPR. It's a short read.

It's what I've been saying all along

2008-10-10T08:30:00.000-06:00

A new study argues that giving drivers fewer choices {by closing side streets,etc.} forces them to work in a coordinated way with other drivers, reducing "selfish" behavior that makes traffic worse. »» Read

In summary the article states, "three scientists have discovered that drivers choosing between multiple routes to reach their destination the fastest can actually end up slowing everyone down."

It's uncool to be cruel

2008-09-22T14:48:00.000-06:00

Life is full of choices and one important one Tiffany and I chose to make was the one to rear our child at home over using daycare or in-home childcare. We made this decision early on in our marriage and when we began planning our family Tiffany elected to become a stay-at-home-mom. This decision was not based upon our income level or any religious preference, nor was it a decision I pushed down on Tiffany; it was a joint decision based on our will to rear up our family in the home.

This decision was not made lightly either. It meant we would attempt to survive on one income in this dual-income, consumer-driven society. It also meant non-monetary sacrifices, including but not limited to time, engergy, etc. And it also meant we would be taking the traditional way of life, which potentially could bring criticism from the less conventional.

And our decision has not been free of judgment, although Tiffany endures the brunt of it. Most of it is passed indirectly by way of disapproval or a sneer but occasionally it shows its face in full light and it cuts like a knife ("how domestic of you," "that's just an excuse to be fat and lazy," etc). It's not to say Tiffany and I feel our decision should be everyone's decision but I would like to say we have never passed judgment on those who choose an alternative lifestyle (daycare, etc).

I always thought the act of having children was what separated families from couples but I am beginning to see it's the indifferences that get in the way, much like how income levels can divide friends (e.g. friends who can afford to eat how 2-3 times a week versus 2-3 times month) or religious practices (late Saturday nights or Sunday tailgating versus Sunday church service).

We can all get along but we have to learn to be indifferent, and by indifferent I mean we have to express concern or interest in others' lives (e.g. I listen to your "getting flat-ass drunk" stories, you listen to how my son is a born genius). It's all about being better friends, better parents and better people.

Vanity plates

2008-09-22T14:39:00.000-06:00

This is an open letter to all you car owners with vanity plates. Please, please stop abusing the right to vainly display your favority seven-letter word, phrase, sports team, etc. Phrases like DADSCAR and NVESTOR are great but if you're going to display something undecipherable or just plain stupid like ***TITI then please think before you ink, for a lack of better words (no pun intended).

Engaged and underage

2008-09-03T09:24:00.000-06:00

It not only seems mainstream American is scowling at the idea married couples can heat up the bed sheets (article), now it appears they are mocking the idea of long-term relationships for couples in their twenties (article), as with the saying, "engaged and underage."

Oh, what will we do...

A tower of creativity

2008-08-19T13:01:00.000-06:00

My son, Cooper, who is a year a half, loves the large Lego blocks. He first discovered them at the church nursery and also at our neighbor's house, which was soon followed by us purchasing his own set. Shortly after that his grandparents on his mother's side gave us some money to purchase him an additional set. Thus, the boy is now officially loaded with Lego blocks.

He loves to assemble all sorts of creations, show them off and then quickly rip them apart. He especially loves it when his daddy builds a robot or a castle because once he's done admiring the beautiful structures he either adds to them or tears them to shreds, although he was fond of the robot. I called him Ralph the robot and Cooper even gave him a kiss before ripping off his arms, but later found himself distraught because he missed Ralph in his former self.

Needless to say, Cooper is quite enjoying his blocks and is expressing his imagination and creativity through his works of art. Just a few days ago he really wowed his old man by assembling a tower made up of only two colors of blocks; the kicker was he built it by alternating the colors perfectly - one red one on top of a blue one, and so on. We found out the next day this wasn't just a fluke because he did the same thing after taking apart mommy's tower and rebuilding it in alternating order.

We we're quite impressed!

Where's the remote?

2008-08-06T15:20:00.000-06:00

I heard a great analogy the other day from Tony Evans who was comparing the TV remote to the way in which we live our lives, or more specifically, how we live out our faith. Evans said that praying, attending church and reading scripture are like TV channels that we may switch to on Sundays, etc. but once complete we quickly change channels and go back to living out our worldly lives.

Thus, we have the "God channel" and the "secular channel," or the devine viewpoint and the human viewpoint. Evans argued we spend too much time on the secular channel and that when we do switch to the God channel, as in attend church, we are too apt to switch the channel after church service.

How can we actively pursue a closer relationship with Christ or make our faith a more promient part of our daily lives when we are too inclined in tuning in toward the world, or seeing the world through the human viewpoint rather than God's viewpoint?

Irony in the workplace

2008-07-22T08:14:00.000-06:00

A new employee began yesterday at my office, and although she is not technically my boss I will be working for her, as she is the assistant VP of marketing. My actually supervisor is in IT&S but his boss is housed at my office, who I see on a more regular basis. The irony of all of this is this - there names are Susan and Paul; the same names belonging to my bosses at my previous employer.

Is that just creepy or what.

Losing concentration

2008-07-22T08:08:00.000-06:00

Here's a great article on how the digital age may be ruining our ability to concentrate

Suits

2008-07-19T19:34:00.000-06:00

I work in the corporate world among the suits but a suit I am not. At some point in the future I may have to become one, as it seems to be the natural progression, but for not now I am content being me. I like the independence and the ability to dress down everyone now and then and I just don't see myself giving that away just yet; that is until I sell out for more money.

And when and if that day comes where it's time for me to join the rest of the monkeys I am going to rebel as best as one can rebel. I am an individual. This is the very reason why I never questioned my decision to avoid faternities in college. It's another reason why I avoided the military. I walk to my own tune and I think on my own behalf. I don't need someone else calling the shots or doing my thinking for me.

This is the very reason why I wear hoops in each of my ears; they are a sign that I am calling the shots. True, I do acknowledge there is a great engineer above who controls every circumstance my way, but he gave me free will to use and enjoy. Otherwise I would be just another monkey swinging on the tree.

And these are reasons why I hestitate from donning a monkey suit. To me, I am an individual and the second I throw on that suit and I am just another suit - one of them, a corporate monkey.

Thumbs down on event planning

2008-07-18T14:47:00.000-06:00

There are a few things in life that make me cringe and event planning is one of thing. It is definitely not my gift, as it is for some. I hate planning events, especially ones weeks, or worse, months away. I will absolutely procrastinate until the last possible moment, in most cases, in order to spare myself the agony of pouring over the details and my calendar.

I think this has a lot to do with my high standard of commitment. When I commit to something I am committed; therefore I tend to take longer in making a commitment. I also hate to break commitments and so I am apt to hesitate when invited to an event weeks or months into the future simply because I do not know where life will take me between now and then.

Thus, for me to plan an event months into the future is pure torture. And when it's all said and done I expect the same commitment from others as I expect of myself. Once they commit, they're committed. Why go through the whole process of making the plans, arranging the seating arrangments, preparing the food, and going through all the other hoops if your guests may or may not show up. I would say it's like being stood up.

In summary, I hate event planning. There's too many details to consider, too many variables and not enough assurances. And in most cases, it's one person doing all the work and let's face it, these are not good odds.

The 20k Question

2008-07-13T16:29:00.000-06:00

I received the bill, prior to taking insurance into account, for Cooper's hospital bill and related charges. They cannot tell me how he contracted the Kawasaki Disease but they can charge me nearly $20,000 for taking up their time and resources. The kicker is they charged me $6,000 for the medicine they treated him with, as well as $200 each time the head doctor entered our room. I guess I should appreciate the fact they didn't charge me separately each time one of the other dozen or so doctors saw Cooper while we were there.

That dang Charlie

2008-07-13T16:00:00.000-06:00

An upsetting and frightening thing happened to the Smoot family this weekend past. Charlie, our beloved Yorkshire Terrier, decided that pooping outside was just beneath him and when he was punished mulitiple times for relieving himself in the house and then forced to live outside like an animal, he decided he had had enough and ran away.

Now I'm not sure his intent was to actually run away and never come back because a young couple in our neighborhood spotted him roaming free and pulled over and put an end to his escape. This was Friday night and when I got home and Tiffany informed me she could not find him I first walked the neighborhood and then drove around looking for our little run-away. After no luck I gave the city pound a call and reported him missing.

I left the gate open that night in case he found his way home and was beginning to worry. I hadn't found him lying dead on the side of the road, as happened to me many of times in my youth while looking for a lost pet, so I felt rather confident he would be found; the question that worried me was who would find him - an honest person or someone looking to score on a lost Yorkie.

It rained the following morning and we had afternoon plans so the search for Charlie was delayed for a half day but by the time we returned home on Saturday was had a note in our mailbox from the neighbor who found him. She had called the pound and was given our name and number; she had also made flyers that she was about to begin distributing. I promtly called and she drove to our house shortly thereafter to return our lost dog. She admitted she had seen me walking the neighborhood but had given up by then asking strangers if they were missing a pet.

She wouldn't accept a cash reward so I sent her home with a Starbucks giftcard I was saving in my wallet for a cold, rainy night. I felt better she accepted and I felt even more relieved my old, fat dog was back at home. He showed his appreciation the following morning by leaving yet again a pile of poop to clean up. If he keeps this up he may not live long enough to regret this decision but I partially accepted blame as we did not take him out later in the evening before bed.

Giving testimony

2008-07-13T15:39:00.000-06:00

This Saturday past our church small group met together for four hours in the afternoon in a quiet lounge area in our church and shared our life stories of our journey in faith. Not only was it an uplifting and bonding experience for our group, it also confirmed some of the many reasons of our commitment to meet together bi-weekly and build upon our relationship with Christ, with our family and with each other.

It was less than twenty four hours later that I had received two responses, one by email and the other in person, of appreciation for setting up the event and in just how it had impacted their lives. Although it was nice to hear, in all truth these compliments were unnecessary because I knew by their words and their actions during our time of sharing that everyone in that room was feeling the awesome power of God and his incredible love and forgiveness.

During our time of gathering I had also asked if each person would share their current struggle(s) as a Christian, the direction God's will is taking them, and then I initiated a time of questions and answers at the end of each person's testimony, which truly added to the moment. It was a time not worth missing.

Tattoo taboo

2008-06-30T20:02:00.000-06:00

There are many things that come and go that as we look back on we question why they began in the first place, such as bell-bottom pants and mullet haircuts, and I do hope tattoos are the next to go. It's not that I am against tattoos, it's that I have come to believe tattoos are not sexy, or enlightening or just fun - they are trashy.

Terms like tramp stamp or ho tag or Californica license plate have made their way into our vocabulary, not because people find tattoos sleek but because they find them trashy. Young men and women are enticed into getting inked thinking it will be fun and sexy only to find themselves a few years later filled with regret.

Now I must point out I have seen some very cool and very tastefull tattoos - my favorite being the word "imagine" on a girl's wrist that was done in the font from the John Lennon album under the same name - but mostly all I see are the same old ink designs that are now too cliche, if not taboo.

I expect to see tattoos on convicts, sailors and trailer home residents but I feel as though the rest of us should leave the inking for them, just as we relinquished back the mullet.

Quick poll

2008-06-27T07:57:00.000-06:00

Google added the ability to post quick polls on blogs just recently and so I added one to the right; please participate!

Rude interruptions

2008-06-18T14:50:00.003-06:00

I was recently reminded the other day while spending four days in the hospital with my ill son just how much I despise rude interruptions, and I'm not referring to a face-t0-face interruptions from people but the kind of interruptions that come from beeps, rings and alarms.

Although it was not the reason for giving up my cellphone, I find a ringing cellphone as unnerving as having a hair pulled out by its roots. Telephone rings are just that - interruptions. They were created to get your attention; to interrupt your life from whatever you were doing. They are based on the same design of the alarm, whether a alarm clock, a tornado siren or a police siren - all things I have grown to loathe.

But recently another interruption has made the top of the list - medical equipment alarms in hospitals. Now I perfectly understand they exist to save lives but the alarms are annoying as hell. They should be for medical staff only; patients and visitors shouldn't be bothered by them.

For instance, at one point Cooper was hooked up to three machines, all of which made beeps of some sort. If he rolled over onto his IV an alarm would sound in our room as well as at the nursing station, thus waking up everyone including my son. If any of this three heart/lung stickers came loose on his chest an alarm would go off at both locations. When his blood pressure would be checked, another beep. Are you getting the idea?

The nurses should be hearing these beeps; not the patients or the sleeping family members. I can't tell you how many hours of sleep my son and his parents lost due to the constant ringing and beeping of alarms. If anything, sleep is the best medicine when ill and hospital staff and their equipment should facilitate this.

The big blur

2008-06-14T16:03:00.003-06:00

Children get sick, a lot. Thus it was no surprise when Cooper came down with a fever on Sunday night. However, by Monday morning he had developed a rash and one lymph node had swollen. Needless to say Cooper took a trip to the doctor's office.

By Thursday he had visited the doctor's office three times, was seen by multiple doctors and there was still no prognosis. The rash had spread to the entire body and the fever was not breaking. Then the phone call came later that day - take him to urgent care at Children's Mercy for blood work. It was at Children's Mercy we heard the dreaded news no parent wants to hear, "we're admitting your child to the hospital."

The doctor there was admitting him to Children's Mercy downtown after he diagnosed Cooper with three out of the five stages of the Kawasaki Syndrome (disease is too harsh of a word here). The hospital downtown had a team of experts in infectious disease and the doctor felt confident they would know what to do.

He said there was no need for an ambulance so off into the rain storm we went, heading home first to pick up clothes, etc. Then came more dreaded news. While on the road driving in torrential rain we get a phone call from Tiffany's mom stating her sister, Jill, had a one-car accident after suffering a seizure. She was in the hospital and at the time there was no word on her condition.

It was nearly midnight by the time we got Cooper admitted the hospital and for the next several hours the poor guy would suffer under the hands of blood-thirsty nurses who need blood work for the lab. Due to his dehydration, and some might add lack of experienced nurses here, Cooper was pricked three times for blood; his fourth time of the night. And if that wasn't enough, the last stick in the vein busted and so he had to get his IV in the jugular.

It was well close to 4 a.m. by the time Cooper and his parents were given a break for sleep. With morning came more tests, an ultrasound and a urinalysis, and a promise for an echo cardiograph, which has yet to have been met. By noon on Friday we had met with countless doctors, all of whom promised lab results soon, which would hopefully give us a diagnosis and a plan of action for treatment. None came.

It would be 24 hours later until we would hear from those doctors again. We did, however, request to speak with a resident late Friday night who explained the lab results to us, but still no diagnosis. On Friday afternoon we finally heard from a doctor who gave us the diagnosis of Kawasaki Syndrome and the treatment plan.

They would inject IVIG into Cooper's IV over a 12-hour period, which would put an end to the inflammation of the blood cells, which is the root of the sickness (you can check out WebMD for more info). They would follow this with baby aspirin to reduce blood clotting. This began at 4 p.m. today (Saturday) and everything is going fine.

They will need to observe him for a day to ensure the treatment is working, so we're looking to return Cooper home on Monday. Tomorrow is Father's Day and nothing more would make me happier to wake up to smiling boy on the mend. It has truly been a rough week and a traumatic past few days.

Please keep Cooper and his parents in your thoughts and prayers.

A reed shaken in the wind

2008-06-06T09:34:00.002-06:00

In today's age I catch grief every now and then for my religious beliefs and my political opinions, as I am a Christian conservative. Since my beliefs are unswayed I am often called "closed minded" or told I see things in black and white, or accused of being a fundamentalist. I have come to take these comments as compliments because I am proud to have such a solid foundation.

I have witnessed time and time again individuals with weak or shaky foundations get caught up in pop culture or the latest public opinion and completely abandon their beliefs, taking on the beliefs and opinions of others. They are like a reed shaken in the wind, changing direction any time the wind blows.

Unfortunately this behavior is not limited. I see it too among fellow Christians. They attempt to fit in with this world and in doing so they begin altering their beliefs to fit their new found opinions or life changes. I came across a great quote from Philip Yancey the other day that touched on this idea.

We keep redefining sin and changing the emphasis. - Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew

This behavior even has a term - a cafeteria Christian, who is a person who selectively pick and choose what to and what not to own from the bible, or they attempt to redefine something altogether. Don't like God's words on sexual perversion, make up your own as you go along or take on pop culture. Or even worse, a cafeteria Christian might choose to own God's words on lying and cheating but ignore his words on adultery.

As our society progresses it seems we tend to regress on morality and ethics and call it change for the better, when all we have done is redefined right and wrong and changed the emphasis on living righteously. We call it new age and digest the words of Oprah and focus on mind, body and spirit, removing God from every aspect of our lives and unconsciously opening the door for Satan.

They are a reed shaken in the wind.

Quote for the day

2008-06-06T09:32:00.001-06:00

The most profound thing in a person is his will, not sin. The will is the essential element in God’s creation of human beings— sin is a perverse nature which entered into people. Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, June 6

Seeing in high definition

2008-06-05T08:27:00.003-06:00

First came the HD DVD player, which a friend ordered for me about a month ago. It also came with six HD DVDs. A few weeks later after researching televisions (LCD vs Plasma), pricing and brand selection, I placed my order with Amazon.com who gave me the best deal. I also ordered the HDMI cable.

The next day I ordered a wall mount after discussing the new television with a friend, who reminded me of the little person in my home who loves to touch the television screen. I had already made plans on how to secure the new player and our receiver but failed to plan on how to protect the new high-dollar television. Thus, the wall mount.

I began to get really excited until I realized my new LCD television was going to arrive while I was in New Orleans. Bummer. That was last week. After several days of starring at my new toys sitting in boxes I finally pulled them out last night and began installing them.

First came the wall mount. Not too difficult. I had made my measurements and so I quickly found the studs and drilled the holes. I mounted it to the wall and attached the hangers to the back of the television. I cut out the holes for the wiring in the wall and ran them down. Then I had Tiffany connect them while I held the TV before I placed it on the mount.

Then we tightened the hangers to the mount, which secures the TV to the wall. Next came the TV stand, followed by the HD DVD player, the receiver and all the necessary cables/wires. And voila! A pic is below; I do apologize for the bad quality. I took it early this morning while my vision wasn't the best.

From Bourbon Street

2008-05-27T12:37:00.002-06:00

Once again I am in New Orleans and last night I ventured out to the French Quarter along Iberville and Bourbon streets. One thing that stuck out, among many, was the amount of children being toted around by their parents. If there ever was once place not suited for children it is the French Quarter.

Call me old fashion but I do not see bars and porno houses as the best environment for children. True, there are some very good restaurants down near the French Quarter and possibly some good art galleries but the risk outweighs the reward in this case.

Your thoughts?

Good reads from Oswald Chambers

2008-05-23T09:12:00.001-06:00

The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more critical and fault-finding, and more insistent on our own way. The things that happen either make us evil, or they make us more saintly, depending entirely on our relationship with God and its level of intimacy. Read more

Don’t take the pressure of your provision upon yourself. It is not only wrong to worry, it is unbelief; worrying means we do not believe that God can look after the practical details of our lives, and it is never anything but those details that worry us. Read more

False advertising

2008-05-22T14:32:00.003-06:00

Shortly before getting stood up for lunch by my accountability partner today I was at a nearby Quiznos picking up something to eat. Subway has recently begun advertising $5 subs and so Quiznos has followed suit, however, it seems it's all just an advertising gimmick.

Let me explain. The whole store, including windows and counters, is full of signs advertising $5, $7 and $9 subs but it fails to give a breakdown of which subs are which price. Under the $5 it stated Quizno's "favorite" subs are $5, so I looked under their menu for a category labeled "favorite" but came up empty.

Under the $7 it list "premium" subs for the $7 price tag so I decided to pick my $5 sub by process of elimination. I picked a basic sandwich made of ham and turkey; surely this was one of the $5 subs. I felt so confident I had broken their code I decided not to ask the man behind the counter if I was correct in my assumption.

When I arrived at the register the employee rang up my sandwich for $7. When I inquired about the $5 subs she read off a mental list of three sandwiches, neither of which I can remember due to her thick accent and the noisy environment from the lunchtime crowd. I paid and made my way to Borders where I went to purchase an iced tea. When I went to pay I realized I had paid $7.95 for my sandwich, meaning I got screwed because tax would have been only around $.50.

I paid for my $1.94 tea and sat down to eat my $7.95 "plain" sandwich - a lunch costing a grand total of $9.89. Quiznos has been a longtime favorite for quite some time; I may now have to reconsider, and this will not be the first time. They used to send me coupons for their subs but have since done away them and now offer a sandwich card for each calendar month, which is completely useless unless one eats eight or more Quizno sandwiches a month.

The $1.19 Meatball

2008-05-22T14:08:00.002-06:00

If you're not already aware, my Son, Cooper, has a slight weight problem - a problem gaining weight, that is. At first I just contributed to him inheriting my fast metabolism but recently he has developed the bad habit of not eating his meals. He would eat snacks all day but when it came to meals he would eat a small porting and then be done. When we tried withholding snacks he ate the same small-sized portion.

In short, we have been concerned. And more recently while in Omaha, Nebraska, he flat out stopped eating meals altogether. He would snack but was completely disinterested in his meals. Needless to say, our concern spread to fear. He was drinking fluids like an alcoholic at an open bar but he was absolutely refusing any nutrition.

But then came the $1.19 meatball. We had visited a Spaghetti Works in the Old Market in Omaha, Nebraska, for dinner and I decided to order spaghetti with a meatball in hopes Cooper would at least take a few bites. Shortly before the meal arrived it was not looking good. Cooper was getting restless and we had to buy time by giving him a sucker, but once my plate arrived and he got a taste of my meatball that sucker became lower priority.

He was loving that meatball. I was so relieved I told Tiffany and the others I would forgo my entire meal and eat salad if Cooper would keep eating. He did not let me down. He ate that whole meatball and then some. I was so relieved. I think it was his best meal ever, and I know he got full because he slept until 7:30 to next day.

It is true joy can be found in the smallest things - even in meatballs...

One other quote for the day

2008-05-15T08:38:00.001-06:00

"You did not do anything to achieve your salvation, but you must do something to exhibit it." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, May 15

The three rings

2008-05-15T08:27:00.002-06:00

Here's yet another humorous piece from Red Forman, the character from the hit television show, That 70's Show. In explaining marriage to Hyde, another character in the show, Red explains there are three rings:

the Engagement Ring,
the Wedding Ring, and
the Sufferring

Quote for the day

2008-05-15T08:14:00.002-06:00

"Friends tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear."

I heard this quote on NPR this morning. I Googled it to find the author but nothing valid came up.

You say tomato, I save money

2008-05-11T20:10:00.005-06:00

God, in His infinite wisdom and glory, made things interesting, and not just things, but people too. For example, Maple seeds, or "helicopters." I was showing Cooper tonight just how cool these things are when tossed in the air, spinning ever so aerodynamically.

But I digress. God made people interesting too, which is why the human race is all about community, and parties, and such. We find people fascinating. Yes, we also can find them dull or stupid, but even the dullest person can have the most interesting life stories. I know this to be true from my years as a newspaper reporter.

But getting back on track, I like people. I like to watch them, I like to hear their story, I like to see or hear their perspective on life, and most of all I like to catch them going off the reservation. Tonight I got to enjoy just that - a friend, who I will call Bridget, going off the reservation.

I was talking to Bridget on the phone this evening and we were discussing summer vegetable gardens. I asked if she was going to plant a garden this year and this is where she went off the reservation. She said yes and then quickly began chatting in great detail about ROI, or Return On Investment, on tomatoes.

I had never heard such a response before. I have heard comments from "I love the flavor of homegrown tomatoes" to "Gardening is a personal hobby of mine," but my friend, who just so happens to be a financial analyst, was calculating the exact monetary savings from investing a few dollars per tomato plant. I loved it.

She was completely in her own and was now coloring outside the lines. I am still chuckling about it. When I brought this anomaly to her attention I could feel her blushing a bit over the phone line and she quickly tried to cover it up by saying she loved the taste of homegrown vegetables too but it was already too late.

So, yes, some may love the flavor of homegrown tomatoes, some may love the idea of eating food they have grown, some may sleep better knowing they helped the environment somehow or knowing the exact source of their food, and some may enjoy gardening as a hobby. And then there are people like my dear friend, Bridget, who love the idea of saving money by growing their own food.

All in all it makes this world more interesting knowing there are people who enjoys different things, or see things differently. I personally love the idea of saving a buck or two but nothing is better than a homegrown tomato. I almost never eat tomatoes by themselves nine months out of the year for that very reason.

Note: my friend Bridget has a great sense of humor too so I am completely confident no feelings will be hurt in my description above. And thank you, Bridget, in showing me it's more fun at times to color outside the lines.

Make good choices

2008-05-11T19:47:00.002-06:00

I volunteer in the children's ministry (the nursery) at my church every other Sunday and as parents sign-in their children they often give a last minute warning or instruction to their child before heading off to service. Most of the verbal instructions are standard, such as "you behave and mind your teacher" or "be a good boy or girl," but there is one mother who stands out from the crowd.

As she finishes giving her son, Mitchell, a hug she directs his eyes to hers and says, "Now, make good choices." Her advice has stuck out from day one, and although her son is just like any other four-year-old in the room, I think this mom is onto something wise.

Make good choices.

If only we all could follow this simple instruction on a regular basis. We may have good intentions in doing so but at some point we fall short and hurt those close to us in the process. From the moment we wake up to the moment we shut our eyes at night we are faced with countless opportunities to make good choices.

What great advice.

High on grass

2008-05-03T19:57:00.002-06:00

I like grass, and more specifically I like fescue grass. I like the smell of fresh cut grass, the look of a fresh-cut lawn and the feel of grass on my bare feet. I even enjoy mowing the lawn, as well as trimming/edging, and all that goes with maintaining a healthy lawn.

When I argue with my wife about house chores she knows this and thus she tends to exclude my yard chores from our "list of chores" because she argues one cannot call them chores if they enjoy them. I counter, of course, saying that whether I enjoy it or not should not factor into it.

So, there I was today mowing the lawn when I realized that I was a bit frustrated due to the fact I was running short on time and was having to hurry in my yard duties. I had purchased a new (new for me) grass trimmer this morning at a garage sale (that's a weed eater for all of you in Oklahoma) and was excited about using it and here I was short on time.

I don't know what is about having a good-looking lawn but it almost gets me weak in the knees. It might be a multiple of things ranging from spending time outdoors to drinking a cold beverage afterward while admiring the fresh-cut lawn. Whatever the case, I sure enjoy it. Everyone should have to mow their own lawns, as to enjoy the satisfaction of breaking a sweat to tame the yard. There's just something wrong with those pansies who pay to get out of mowing their own lawns.