William Roscoe Hartman II of Georgia

Sounds like the beginning of some boring archduke’s bio, doesn’t it?  Nay… most definitely not.  Instead of being departed, this person is about to arrive!  There will be more on that (much more), but for now, check out one of the many unintended consequences of said immanent arrival in the form of this list on my dear oldest daughter’s blog.  She is, don’t you see, involved Continue reading “William Roscoe Hartman II of Georgia”

People change

Stephen’s comb

Today is the 50th birthday of someone I know, love and have come to admire over the years.  However, it wasn’t always that way.  This was brought home to me last night, as I was about to walk up the stairs at my parents home.  “Here, Ted– do you recognize this?”  said Mom.  Actually I didn’t, until I saw the name.  Memories, memories… I probably never saw this comb years ago, because I had left home before the owner really cared that much about Continue reading “People change”

Facebook and the next life

OMG– where is this going?  Don’t worry- nothing spooky (Oct. 31st being tomorrow notwithstanding 🙂 )  Give me 30 sec.- something just hit me, and to illustrate it, I’m going to post here and at Facebook simultaneously.

An online IT commentator says in a recent post, “It’s all enough to make me want to stop using Facebook.” The “it” is a creepy feeling he gets when, by way of his Facebook Wall, his relative starts a conversation thread with some guy who is the neighbor of his co-worker, and their only connection is … him!  In other words, his formerly separate spheres of relationships (family, work, neighbors, etc.) are now melding together into one big, sometimes confusing glob.

That’s heavenContinue reading “Facebook and the next life”

Konsidering Kudzu

Finally!  A post by me!  It’s not about politics.  It’s not about current events.  Well, I suppose you could say it’s about current events on a local level; a family level. 

This summer, for the first time in the 21 years we have lived in Shelby County, I’ve noticed kudzu growing in places along the roadside.  When Lydia was home, she lamented that it was all over the farm.  In one of my reflective moments, I asked myself, “Why would kudzu show up now, when it hasn’t been here in the last 21 years???  What has happened in the last year that would have spread kudzu up here?”  So what did I answer myself?  It came to me in a flash!  Hurricane Ike!  Last September, Hurricane Ike still looked like a hurricane as it passed over KY, downing many limbs and trees with 60 – 80 mph winds.  Ike blew up here straight from Kudzu Kountry!  Could Ike have kalamitously karried kudzu seeds which were, with the unusually high rainfall this year, koaxed to sprout krazily in our kounty?  I think it’s a great theory.

Now I’m praying for several winters with deep freezes to kill off that krazy kudzu before it becomes king of the road!

Murder For Hire

Suppose there was a website where, for $249, you could find the professionals you need to discreetly deal with relationships or business associates who have become “unsatisfying”.  Murder, of course, is wrong (& illegal in some countries, depending on the age of the victim), and so the site would not claim to promote it, and would certainly not take responsibility for any of the consequences.  Everything would be done anonymously and with full internet security, and the morality of the details would not be delved into.  There would even be a Murder Guarantee, such that if you were not able to get your undesirable relationship dispatched in a satisfactory manner, your money would be refunded.

Good news!  Continue reading “Murder For Hire”

Questions…

CluelessnessAs the principle of Chenoweth Academy (our home school) for almost 20 years, I’ve always encouraged our kids to ask questions.  However… some people never got the memo about the point of asking questions, which is wise action.  This poster gets it right:

Sometimes the best answer to a question is a rebuke.  “What have you done with the answers I gave for your last 3 questions?”, for instance.  And then there is the “impish grin”.  That’s the only answer Continue reading “Questions…”

Right or Wrong?

They say that information has to be free.  They’re right.

In this article, the Wall Street Journal discusses a welcome change (in my mind, at least) for some of the country’s top law firms– the recession is forcing them to move to “flat-fee” billing.  Of course, you don’t know the details, unless you subscribe to WSJ Online.  I don’t.  But wait… click on this link, then click Continue reading “Right or Wrong?”

Deep down in your gut, you knew this…

As it turns out, the size of your gut doesn’t particularly matter either, at least in these studies.

Sweaty exercise reduces your cancer risk.

At least, it does in Finland during middle age.  (Swimming counts too- even though the sweat might not be visible.)  So here’s what I’m thinking about:

  • Sitting all day in front of this screen will kill me eventually
  • I do exercise, almost every day, but I don’t sweat enough
  • The time I spend exercising is well worth it, unless I just like the idea of being (marginally) richer and dead
  • As I get closer, it hurts more to exercise, therefore…
  • Bring on the hurtin’!!!

I guess this isn’t good news for you pain-averse types.  Frankly, my own, personal body isn’t thrilled with the news, either.  But then, who said life was easy?