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The "Your Life is Your
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September, 2005
current blog entries
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September
27, 2005
It's amazing how time changes our perception of things. Some of what we
like at a particular time in our life we may not care so much for later
on. Or there may be things you like a certain way, and when it changes
you revolt against it. This is particularly true for our tastes in music,
movies, food and popular culture.
This is all so apparent to me after watching part one of the "No
Direction Home: Bob Dylan", an American Masters presentation
last night on Public Television (PBS). Many of Dylan's early fans when
he was more of a folk purist rejected his change to electric instruments
and rock n' roll. But Bob was just evolving and being true to the muse
in his music. I've been a fan for many years of Dylan - not just his music,
but his words, his outlook on life and the way he's been able to ride
out the wild waves of popularity and not flip out or die.
In the skilled hands of director Martin Scorcese we see the life of Dylan
against the backdrop of American history in the fifties through today.
We see footage of other recording artists that influenced Bob Dylan. We
get a look through the window of time.
This movie documentary is more than a tribute to one of the greatest songwriters
of our time. It's a history lesson. I encourage you to watch part two
tonight at 9PM on PBS.
September
25, 2005
Well, gratefully "Rita" was not as bad a hurricane disaster
as feared. It decreased to a category 3 from the monstrous 5 it was earlier
in the week. Now the big task is the more than 2 million people getting
back home without major problems. Still, I'm sure they won't mind a traffic
jam in light of their homes still being there. A family I met at church
today is from Houston and they said they didn't even have broken windows!
We certainly have seen how fragile our lives and homes can be with all
these hurricanes this year. Please value every day. Here's a good quote
to consider:
"A
difficult time can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction
that our existence holds a purpose - a cause to pursue, a person to love,
a goal to achieve."
- John Maxwell
September
22, 2005
Here we go again. Rita is a category 5 hurricane and reportedly the third
strongest on record. We watch and pray as it heads towards landfall this
weekend.
Preparing for the "storms" in your life is part of living. You
can't really control what happens to you, but you can choose how you will
respond to life's events. Remember, your "life situation" is
not your life.
"The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the
buts you use today."
- Les Brown
September
19, 2005
"Fly me to the moon, let me take you to the stars..."
It's one of my favorite songs. I've even sung it a couple times at a Karaoke
bar. Hey, nobody booed!
As a kid I was riveted to every televised space launch and it was a thrilling
moment in July of 1969 when Neil Armstrong made that fateful "one
small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." So I'm excited about
the announcement today by NASA of plans to return to the moon as
early as 2018.
The space organization plans on using a new craft, a capsule that would
sit atop a rocket with room for up to six astronauts. "Think Apollo
on steroids," National Aeronautics and Space Administration head
Michael Griffin said during a news conference at the agency headquarters
in Washington, D.C.
The Crew Exploration Vehicle is slated for a maiden launch in 2012 and
would initially be used to resupply the International Space Station.
The cost is estimated at $104 billion, and that's certainly a concern
with all the money our government is currently spending on a war in Iraq
and that will be spent on rebuilding New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane
Katrina. Plus, there are many other things I think we should spend dollars
on, like improving Social Security, providing better education, health
care and eradicating poverty.
But my heart still leaps at the thought of space exploration. It always
has and I've got the bookshelves full of science fiction novels to prove
it.
More on the story from the Seattle Time here.
September
14, 2005
I found this interesting. There is now a company that sells a Video
Headstone for your funeral plot. Sergio Aguirre is the inventor of
the solar powered video headstone which plays a short video clip of the
deceased's life highlights. The video panel, named the Serenity Panel,
starts when the solar panel that covers the screen is opened. It then
plays a 5-to-7-minute video featuring special moments from someone's life
that would be compiled by anyone from friends and relatives of the deceased
to funeral homes.
Apparently the Funeral Industry is pretty excited. A prototype won an
award for the most innovative product at this year's International Cemetery
and Funeral Association convention in Las Vegas.
The Serenity Panel runs about $1,500 and doesn't include the video production.
However, you could put something together yourself or high a professional
videographer. You can find out more at the VidStone
website.
September
11, 2005
It has been four years. Four years have passed, but the memories are still
there. The pain is real. The loved ones who are gone are still missed.
Is the world a better or safer place since the terrorist attacks of 9-11?
It doesn't seem safer. There has been more terrorism and there is war.
But, there have also been heroic acts of kindness and compassion. This
year in particular we've seen it with the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
There is always the opportunity for good to occur in the midst of tragedy.
Let us remember that on this day of remembrance.
September
5, 2005
The stories of Hurricane Katrina survivors are everywhere and dominating
the news. This won't change for a while. It is gratifying to see so many
citizens willing to help, especially considering the relatively slow government
response. But, as the Governor of Louisianna stated, it's time to stop
finger pointing and just help.
There are many agencies helping with relief efforts. And lots of churches
and community groups are pitching in. An announcement today of a new relief
fund created by former Presidents Clinton and Bush will also add to the
assistance.
On Labor Day it is a sobering thought that many of those who lost their
homes also have no jobs to return to. It's going to take a long time to
rebuild lives, but one day at a time it can be done.
If you want to help out or are searching for more information I've provided
links below to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army
and FEMA.
September
4, 2005
I hope those of you who are able to have a three-day Labor Day weekend
are making the most of it. It's ironic, I think, that most people on this
holiday will try to "escape" the very thought of their job.
At least those people who are in jobs they aren't happy about.
There's no question that finding a good job is hard. Sometimes it can
take many years to get into an occupation that pays you a decent wage
and also satisfies the deeper hunger that is the call to your vocation.
All of us owe it to ourselves to follow our bliss (work at what you love).
If you are curious about the origins of Labor Day visit the Department
of Labor website and read
up on it.
Everybody has a story to tell!
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