Capturing A Moment

Part of the fun of Thanksgiving is having everybody at home. I love the short work week; and because I can stay up late cooking or watching movies, I take full advantage of the situation.

Now I know a lot of people don't enjoy slaving in the kitchen...cooking all the fixings normally offered as Thanksgiving fare...especially when a lot of the goodies take longer to prepare than Rachel Ray would like you to think. But there are moments in the kitchen when all of my senses are on overload; and the memories created in my gray matter, I wouldn't trade for all the money in the world.

Think about it. When you're cooking, your eyes are looking at delicious edibles, your ears are listening to sizzling sounds, your nose is taking in all the sensational smells, your hands are feeling the warmth of the oven, and your taste buds are sampling all of the savory foods. Sensory overload, right?

I don't know if your memory works like mine, but I remember "seconds" like these. It's as if my brain takes a snapshot...capturing a moment...an interval of time that will last throughout the years. But these moments are multi-dimensional...they include all of the senses.

As you grow older, you learn to appreciate these moments more and more. Both of my parents have passed away, but I can remember moments with them around Thanksgiving that are just as vivid today as they were when they actually took place. In fact, they may be even more vivid now. I guess my imagination has "enhanced" them over the years. Trust me...that's a good thing.

Well, I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Be a sponge! Soak it up. Take in all the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures. Live every day like you're gonna have a pop quiz on today's events...tomorrow. If the Lord is willing, you'll get to see tomorrow.

Now I change the subjects without actually changing the subject. We spent a little while yesterday taking Christmas photographs. Many of the shots were posed...everybody smiling. I happen to like the candid pics better. You know the ones...no posing...people acting like they normally act. I selected a few of these photos to show you. I offer you these because they capture a moment, albeit strictly visual. Still, you get the picture, right? (Get the pun?)


We took too long to pose for this one


Right after I made an inappropriate
reference to the nutcracker's sword


Trying not to laugh at each other


No, this is not posed. She can't keep her
lips off of me. Who can blame her?

I Don't Always Listen To Myself...Thank Goodness

I suppose I'm like a lot of people. I rush to judgment on some things. I make up my mind within a few seconds that I'm not going to like something or somebody; and then...sometimes...I have to eat those thoughts.

Funny thing is I've done it with some movies that I've come to love and adore. I absolutely hated "My Cousin Vinny" the first time I watched it. I have sensitive ears...profanity seriously rubs me the wrong way. But, one day, years after my initial viewing, I watched it again...and I loved it! I got the joke. Plus it was one movie about the South that wasn't too heavy handed at poking fun at us at the expense of the joke. I liked that.



"Groundhog Day" was another one that I just didn't like up front. I tried to watch it a couple of times, but never got past the middle either time. Then, out of the blue, I watched it again...and I loved it! I can't begin to tell you how many times I've seen it now. One year, I played it every day when I entered my office. I have a dvd player in my office and it's usually playing something...albeit inconspicuously. "Groundhog Day" played every day for about a year or so. (I was having my own personal Groundhog Day...don't get me started on how weird I am.)



But the reason for this narrative is because of a Christmas movie that I watched tonight. I admit that I hated it the first time I saw it. Now...I can't go through the season without it. What is it? "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." I quote things from the movie all through the year. Cousin Eddie has to be one of my all-time favorite movie characters. I love it! From the opening animated sequence to the fiery explosion at the end. Uh Huh!



So, my advice is to have an open-mind this Christmas. Maybe there's some movie, some song, or someone that you didn't immediately "cozy up to" the first time out. Don't let your preconceived notions keep you from reawakening a respect or a love that you didn't know was there. There's no telling what you could be in store for. Oh, and by the way, that's not a pun about about Christmas shopping.

Wow! And I Do Mean Wow!

This bright fireball in the sky is presumed to be a desk-sized meteor which recently fell from outer space. The image was captured on November 20, 2008, by a camera inside a policeman's car in Canada. Astronomers are trying to triangulate the images, which were recorded by several different sources, to figure out where it may have landed; as well as, determine where it might have begun its journey from deep space.

The more we learn about the universe, the more we realize we really don't know very much.

Freakin' Altos

Here's a little video of The Altos put to music. Angie filmed us Friday night and I spliced it together, sped it up, and added some photos for good measure. The song is the one that I listened to before every performance to get me into character. "Have Mercy On Me"...I couldn't think of a better song for Tony to sing.

R U REDdy?

It's not even Thanksgiving yet, but I heard Christmas muzak while I was out shopping this weekend. I'm starting to feel like one of Pavlov's dogs...hear the music, buy Christmas presents. Too bad I don't have any money.



Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas just as much as most folks do. But can't we get one holiday out of the way before we crank up the next one?

This work week will be short for me. Just a few years ago, this was usually one of my busiest periods. Real estate typically doesn't sell much during the winter months. But years ago, I made the decision to cater to some 2nd mortgage lenders. It was amazing how much business they would write during November, December, and January. People would borrow to finance Christmas gifts. Then, in January, some would always spend more than they should and wind up consolidating their credit card debt into one bill. It kept me hustling throughout the winter months and I liked it.

I expect this year will be a different story. People don't want to borrow when they're not sure they will have a job next spring. As a matter of fact, my 2nd mortgage work has been dwindling over the last three years now. So it looks like I will get to spend several nights staying up late watching movies with my kids this week. It'll be fun. Plus, I really enjoy time with my family.

But I wonder, what's your opinion on the stores thrusting Christmas on us so soon? Have you dressed in red sweaters already? Have you fallen prey to the "sales" the stores are offering? Have you got this song humming in your head yet?

Hark how the bells,
sweet silver bells,
all seem to say,
throw cares away

Christmas is here,
bringing good cheer,
to young and old,
meek and the bold,

Ding dong ding dong
that is their song
with joyful ring
all caroling

Well?!? Are you REDdy?

Here's My Reaction

Well, after a relatively short time frame, I've decided to pull the plug on "Reactions" at the bottom of each blog.

Although some of my readers were using them to post their reactions, I just didn't get the same warm and fuzzy feeling that I usually get when I read folks' comments. I understand that this is purely selfish in nature, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

Oh, and for what it's worth, here's my reaction: let her rip, tater chip.

Like A Twig On The Shoulders

I'm afraid that I define myself by the music I listen to and the movies I adore. If a stranger wanted to know anything about me, all they'd have to do is listen to my "Top 25 Most Played" songs on my iPod or look at the movies I watch over and over.

I say that because, in a way, I'm really nothing more than what I allow myself to be....which is at this particular moment..."like a twig on the shoulders of a mighty stream." Come again?

I am the living personification of Del Griffith.

"Well, you think what you want about me. I'm not changing. I like - I like me. My wife likes me. My customers like me. 'Cause I'm the real article. What you see is what you get."

Love him or hate him...Del was the real deal. My goal in life is to be as authentic as Del was. If I ever come across a pretentious or fake, please put me in my place.

Thanks!

Crabby Old Man

Last week, I offered the Wooden Spoon Awards. It was my intention to tell a humorous story each week about someone that rubbed me the wrong way. However, I actually took some perverse pleasure in telling the story about those ignorant Sonic employees...and Angie noticed.

All you unmarried peeps listen up. When your spouse offers you some advice, it's probably a good idea to take it. You might think that your loved one is only trying to manipulate you. But, truth is, if they really love you, they have your best interests in mind. Now, I'm a bit hard-headed; and Angie and I have butted heads more than once during our married life. It's okay to have different opinions on things. It's not okay to be so obstinate that you are unwilling to yield to your mate or listen to their ideas.

So, what's my point?

Angie said the Wooden Spoon Awards were fine, but it sounded like I was a crabby old man. She said that it would be better if I balanced the awards each week with a "winner" instead of only posting a "loser". Therefore, with much ballyhoo, I offer the Golden Spoon today. This award goes to someone who went above and beyond their normal duties. You know, someone who stands above the crowd...cream of the crop.

This week's winner: Eddie, the telemarketer.



HUH!?!?!?!?

Yeah, I had a telemarketer call me the other morning and he was actually pretty good at his job. I'll cut to the chase and let you know that I didn't buy anything from him. But this guy started off the whole shebang by making me laugh. And I mean, throw-your-head-back-and-cackle laugh. Plus, he was charming enough to keep me engaged in the conversation, without become irritably persistent with his sales pitch. He was trying to sell me 75 mini-lights with my business name on it. I love little pocket lights, but I couldn't see spending $200 to $300 for a novelty that people carry in their pockets...only to be used when it's too dark to read my name on it. But that's neither here nor there. What does matter is that Eddie was the hands-down winner this week. Congrats Eddie, here's your spoon.

Howl Are You Doing?

Right after Monk and Duke became friends, Angie exited the cabin to say "Good morning" to Monk. She quickly stirred things up by encouraging Monk to howl.

Problem is Madeline, who was still inside, created a ruckus because Angie was showing too much attention to another dog. Then, all of the dogs jumped on the bandwagon and gave us a doggie serenade. I'm sure all of the people throughout the valley were thrilled that we were back. =D

Monk

Monk is one of the coolest dogs I've ever had the pleasure to be around. As soon as we drove up, he came running...howling at the top of his lungs. I really get the feeling that he remembers us and wants to hang with us while we're at the cabin.

He had already met Scooter and Madeline, our Jack Russell terriers, on the last trip. But this time, we brought Duke. It took Duke a few minutes to understand that Monk was the "alpha" dog...but he got the message.

Heck, who wouldn't get the message when Monk can talk so plainly. "He's really a soft-spoken guy...that Big Kitty." (Sorry...that was an inside joke from "The Altos".)

Horsing Around

As stated on my previous blog, we spent the weekend about 11 miles southeast of the town of Jasper, Arkansas...population 498. We've stayed at Red Rock Retreat the last four visits to this area. RRR is off the beaten path and has some extras that we've all grown to love.

Take for instance the horses. Sandy, our host, used to raise Lipizzaner Stallions. She doesn't raise the Lipizzaners any longer, but she still has plenty of horses. In fact, I believe she has about a dozen or more on her 130 acres. On our first trip to her place a few years back, Daniel hit it off with Luna, one of her trotters. We were there that year with some of our friends, Chris and Julie Coon. The Coons have a daughter, Courtney, who is Daniel's age; and a son, Jonathan, who is about four years younger than Courtney. The kids bonded with Luna, but especially Daniel. Look at the photo below and you can see what I mean.



Before, we left that year, Daniel wanted to go say "good-bye" to Luna. So we went back up to the pasture and another "Kodak moment" was captured. It made our trip so special to see Daniel enthralled by this horse...and Luna appeared to be just as captivated.



Now, here it is, about three years later. We wondered if Luna was still okay. We wondered if she would remember us. The answer: Yes, she's just fine; and as long as I had a carrot, everything was going to be just fine. Before we could even exit the van, Luna came to say "hi". Luna comes in the window first...followed by her step-sister, Picchu.

Dialing It Up

Angie, Daniel, Miranda (our neighbor), and I are cozy...tucked safely away in a log cabin in the Ozarks. This is one of my favorite places on earth! I'm a big fan of God's handywork - mountains, valleys, landscapes - you know, things that you usually only get to see in pictures.

For the weekend, we've been hanging out at Red Rock Retreat in Newton County, Arkansas. Today, we hiked on the Lost Valley Trail that takes you to Eden Falls and Eden Falls Cave. The water wasn't flowing like we'd hoped, but God made sure that we knew He was in control by making another waterfall...out of the sky. It started raining about the time we entered Eden Falls Cave, which is located at the end of the hiking trail. Needless to say, we got to see plenty of water...up close and personal.

We took Duke and Scooter along on the trail. It was a good thirty minute drive to the trail from the cabin. After we arrived at Lost Valley, we realized that dogs weren't allowed on the trail. Oh well, we broke the rules and took the dogs. I mean, c'mon...Scooter is a guide-dog. He's better behaved than most of the humans we passed.

Earlier today, we visited with our host, Sandy Swayne, and fed carrots to her horses. Plus, we visited with her dog, Monk. Monk is one of the coolest dogs I've ever known. He's a one-third German shepherd, one-third malamute, and one-third wolf. I've got some great photos but I won't be able to offer them to you until next week.

"Why?", you ask?

Because we're on dial-up service at the cabin. I'm not complaining, really, I'm not. There's little to no mobile service up here. I'm lucky to make or receive one cell phone call per day. But at the cabin, Sandy has dial-up service available. I actually sent an appraisal report last night...old school. It took 30 minutes to upload to the site. I guess I'm spoiled. It usually takes me about 10 seconds to upload.

Oh well, like I said, I'm perfectly content to sit by a crackling fire, in a log cabin, with the Ozark Mountains surrounding me, and dial it up. Shoot, my dad had to sit by a candlelight and write with a #2 pencil on a Big Chief tablet in order to communicate like this.

Yep, dial-up is just fine if you ask me.

Plunger Pokie

Q: What happens when rednecks, toilet paper, and plungers collide?

A: Party!!!



Heard 'dat!

Wooden Spoon Awards

Tonight I had an idea. I know, a lot of y'all are going, "Wow! Finally Mark had a thought!" No, really, this is something that just came out of left field and I laughed the more I thought about it.

What is it? The Wooden Spoon Awards!

The what???!!!

Everytime I walk into a business and feel like I've been slighted or treated less than respectful, I've often thought it would be nice to whack the idiot that offended me with a wooden spoon...smack dab in the middle of the forehead. I realize that's not a very productive thought but, c'mon, we've all had similar thoughts...right? I usually laugh to myself as I think about how the wooden spoon would make a reverberating sound as it collides with the hollow-melon skull of some of these knuckleheads. Really, I do.

Usually I fantasize about owning the establishment and firing the goober myself. Most of these boneheads don't understand that they make a lasting impression on their customers. Evidently, no one has explained to them that if they don't treat the customer right, the customer won't come back. And when the customers quit coming, I. B. Knucklehead loses his job. Maybe they've been told, but they still don't get it. I've met a lot of people in my life that "just don't get it".

Back to the awards...

Each week, I'm going to offer my Wooden Spoon. The winner of this dubious award has offended me in some form or fashion. My guess is it's going to be tough to pick one winner each week with all of the clods out there in the work-force...but I'll forge ahead.

This week's winner: Sonic. They had some strong competition from the clerk at Wendy's, but Sonic's problems included at least three people. I ordered something for my son the other day, and explained exactly how I wanted the meal. (You know if you don't tell them exactly what size you want, it can hairlip the governor.) I told them I wanted the large popcorn chicken, extreme tots with no jalapenas, and a grape slush. I actually had to say the order twice because the lady on the other end of the horn either couldn't hear or couldn't write fast. After the order was placed, I realized that I didn't tell them which sauce to bring with the popcorn chicken. So, I called back on the horn and told them to bring ranch sauce when they came with the order. After 10 minutes of watching their workforce play "grab-@$$" with each other by the door, my order finally arrived. As soon as the tots were handed to me, I could smell jalapenas.

I asked, "Did y'all put jalapenas on the tots?"

"Yeah"

"I told y'all 'no jalapenas.'"

"You want me to take them back?"

"Yep, I want them the way that I ordered them. By the way, did you bring my ranch sauce?"

"Nope."

Another five minutes passed by as I waited on new tots to be fried. Then, shuffling at half-speed, here came my waitress.

"Here you go."

"Did you bring my ranch sauce?"

"Did you still want the ranch sauce?"

"Yeah, but just forget it...I don't have time to wait on you."



So, I award the Wooden Spoon this week to Sonic. The award is shared by the order-taker, the waitress, and the goofy idiot walking around...constantly pulling his pants up...pretending to work as he licked all over a red sucker. Congratulations, Sonic. I'll never grace your drive-through again.

{I actually thought I'd feel better after I wrote this blog. But, in reality, all I want to do is go whack those idiots with a wooden spoon.}

Reactions?

Last night I was browsing through the Blogger Buzz to see what new gadgets were available for my site. I have to admit that I've looked at far too many of those things over the past year; and I really haven't seen any that fulfilled my purposes.

Enter Reactions. It's a way for someone to approve/disagree with something I wrote without having to actually write something in the post column. It's sort of like a drive-through window on my blog. Click it and forget it. hehe

The fun thing is that anyone can add these to a blogspot site. Plus, you can edit the Reactions to suit your particular taste. If you look below, you'll see "Up high!", "ROFL", "Made me warm & fuzzy", and "So freakin' what?". Use these when you don't want to write elaborate comments.

If you have other suggestions for my Reactions, please let me know. Unfortunately, you'll have to write them in a comment, though. How about giving me five up high?

That's what I'm talking about!

Called On the Carpet

{This is my fifth submission in a series on the financial crisis here in America. I want this to be an honest account of why we are where we are based on my tiny perspective of the mortgage/housing debacle.}

A few years ago, I was called by the the manager of one of my biggest clients...a lender. I don't remember the exact date that I started working for them, but it's safe to say it was well over 12 years ago.

The manager had started working there as an entry-level loan officer and worked his way up to the top spot by hard work and determination. I had been the company's appraiser of choice before he started working there. So, needless to say, I was basically the only appraiser he knew personally.

Now on the day he called, he didn't say much. He just said he wanted to discuss something with me in his office. At the time, I thought he wanted me to give him a "freebie" appraisal on his house. A few weeks before, he had mentioned that he and his wife wanted to move to another neighborhood. When I arrived, he ushered me into an office and closed the door. This isn't the exact conversation, but I'm going to take a few liberties to make this more readable.

Manager: "Mark, I just wanted you to know that we're probably going to start using another guy for our appraisals."

Me: "Wow... OK... Did I do something wrong or did I miss the turn-around times you requested?"

Manager: "No, we've been going behind you with another appraiser for a few weeks now and the other guy always gets a higher number than you do."

Me: "Huh? You've been paying for two appraisals? Do you mind me asking who is the other guy?"

Manager: "It's *** *******. Actually, your turn-around times are usually two days better, but we'd rather have the number right rather than have it back fast."

Me: "I see. Well, it's certainly been a pleasure. Thanks for being up-front with me. If you ever need me again, you know how to reach me."

I left his office with a lump in my throat. It wasn't the first time I'd lost a client, but it was the first time that a lender had been as honest as the manager was that day. I prayed on the way home...asking God to help me find something to replace the loss of business. A little better than a month went by. Then, one day, out of the blue...the manager called me again. He said he wanted a favor. The conversation basically went like this:

Manager: "I hate to ask you this...but what do think a house in this neighborhood that was this big and was this old would sell for? {I inserted this's to make it as generic as possible.}

Me: "Well, the last time I did one in that neighborhood, I actually had several good comps. Let me pull them up on my computer. Yep, here they are. Looking at these, I'd say you're house would probably fall between $150,000 and $180,000, based on these sales. I realize that's a big range, but I don't know anything specific about the house in question. Why do you ask?" {If you search back in my blogs, I talked about lenders "fishing" for comps. Normally, I wouldn't have gone this far with the guy, but he was an old client. I was willing to make this concession to win him back.}

Manager: Well, *** (his new appraiser) just brought us a report for that property. His value...$228,000. I'm not an appraiser, but I know enough about the market to know that this is bogus. The borrowers told me they thought it was high. They were expecting $185,000."

Me: "Well, that's the guy's reputation. I've actually never heard anyone say anything good about his work. But hey, the guy hits homeruns every time he steps up to the plate. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Manager: "Well, yeah...but no. What if these borrowers go belly-up on me? My branch is going to take a bigger hit than we can afford to take. This guy's done a whole bunch of appraisals for us already...and I'm getting more and more nervous with every one."

Me: "Hmmmm....I guess you've got a decision to make."

About a week later, I started receiving orders from the lender again. Praise God! And they still use me today. Praise God! The point I want to make with this blog is not every lender is bad. Sometimes, they're just like you and me. You know, we all make bad decisions from time to time. Hopefully we're smart enough to correct our mistakes before they become even bigger problems.

I'll probably be called on the carpet again someday by another lender. Hopefully, though, it will be because they want to thank me for being realistic rather than being bogus. I hope so. Only time will tell.

Sphere Today, Gone Tomorrow

Today, I ran for 3.1 miles (5K) during my morning jog. I've been running obediently now for over a month. I still walk during the course, but I'm constantly trying to reduce the walking periods. As it stood today, I ran the 5K in 33:04. Of those 33 minutes, I walked for only 2 minutes.

In contrast, I ran my first 5K on October 4 at the Bark in the Park. I finished 82nd out of 90. Not exactly something to shout about. But remember, I was waaaayyyy out of shape when I started exercising back in June. Actually, I had a good shape....round! I'm surprised no one called me "sphere" because I was as round as I was tall.

So, step by step and inch by inch, I making headway. If you see me on the street...pounding the pavement...give me some room. I'm still a little "stacked" in the midsection.

10/04/2008 - 5K - 35:55

11/08/2008 - 5K - 33:04

Healing America

I don't care which candidate you voted for on Tuesday. However, I'm ticked off at you if you didn't vote at all. My dad fought in World War II and told me that he risked his life to allow people to have their right to vote. Some of his friends didn't come home alive from Iwo Jima...but they defended your and my right to vote. Think about that next time you shrug your shoulders about voting. Men and women that wanted a better nation were willing to give the ultimate sacrifice...their lives...to make sure that you and I could have the right to express how we govern this nation. So I don't take voting lightly. Now, having said that, I'm ready for some real healing.

Where should it begin? In my humble opinion, the popular culture that embraces Oprah, MSNBC's "Odormann", Comedy Central's "Stew-dirt", etc. (the list is too long to mention), should apologize to Bush for piling on. Over the top? Yeah, guys, they went over the top. It's one thing to hate what a guy stands for, but it's another thing to disregard what he's done for you.

"But, Mark, the economy sucks! It's Bush's fault. He's the reason I don't have a job." When was the last time you heard of a U.S. President creating a job? If he did create a job, then it would be a government-paid job...another warm body sponsored by me and you. Thank you, but I'm not interested in giving Uncle Sam a blank check to make everyone merry. The sacked economy in America can be blamed on both major parties. Neither one really cares about you and me...except when it's time to vote.

Obama has a rock star quality about him...probably one of the reasons he was elected. Over the past couple of weeks, I've seen plenty of folks wearing Obama tee-shirts. Frankly, I was glad to see people getting exited about the political process instead of wearing thug hip-hop artists' swag. Most of the hip hop artists use language that I don't allow in my house...the "F" word, the "S" word, but most glaringly...the "N" word. Hopefully, this president will be a catalyst of change. Or will he govern from the extreme left...where anything goes? They embrace the philosophy where it's okay for the rap artist to say the 'N' word, but not you and me. Well, heck, those guys are from the street, they're keeping it real. Wurd to your mother...time will tell whether Obama is a great president or just a pretender.

I think a lot of people who felt like Bush had kept them down are all breathing a sigh of relief. In their minds, I guess the savior has arrived. Sadly, he's not going to be able to do much of what he promised. The country is too deep in trouble. Watch over the next few weeks and see if Obama starts "hedging his bets". He'll probably say things like "I didn't realize the problems we faced were this large." My response, "Yeah, whatever. Now get busy and do something." I hope that the far left doesn't dictate how he governs or we'll be facing another set of crises in 10 years. Don't forget it was some of Clinton's policies that brought on the mortgage mess. Here's one thing you can bank on, though. If the country goes in the tank again, they'll point the finger at the Republicans. Problem is...this time, the Democrats are going to be running the country now. I hope they don't take their eye off the ball.

Here's an article that I read that inspired this blog. If you're interested, please read it. The author makes a valid point, like it or not.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/11/an_election_day_note_thanks_pr.html

Excerpt:

The American people pay closer attention to "Survivor: Gabon" than to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Yet the majority will soon have a greater say in how we proceed in the war on terror. We are headed to the "American Idol" presidency. The last thing I want is my text vote on the financial crisis to have a say on how we proceed.

If Barack Obama is elected the next president of the United States on Tuesday, I hope the Republican Party and conservatives take the higher road. The republic cannot handle another four years of undeclared civil war while we have real enemies out there to fight.

What Did You Watch Last Night?

I didn't watch all of the election coverage last night. I admit...I watched a tad, here and there. Instead, I kept busy watching old movies, old TV shows, and playing on the computer.

One of the things I ran across last night was this little jewel tucked away in my CPU. I offer it to you tonight with great pleasure! The show that steamrolled over "Oscar & Felix" ... "A Streetcar Named Desire".

Looking back, it must have been this particular scene that sent it over the top in the voters' minds.

Be Joyful

I don't know if your candidate won the election or not. No matter what, there's going to be some hurt feelings on Wednesday. So, I offer you this...spoken from the Master. No ruler can take power without God allowing it to happen. Therefore, since He has a plan that we're not privy to, keep following Him and seeking His kingdom. Everything on earth is just temporary.

John 19:1-11

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and struck him with their hands. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, "See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him." 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Behold the man!" 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him." 7 The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God." 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. 9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?" 11 Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin."

There you go...'nuff said.

Playing For Keeps

My dad grew up during the Depression. Times were brutal for a lot of families back then. His dad barely made enough money to keep the family clothed and fed; but they survived.

Some of my favorite memories are the stories about the games they played when he was a child. Since they didn't have any money, the kids became very creative. Discarded items somehow would wind up being important parts of many toy collections. For instance, old snuff bottles were one of my dad's favorite "vehicles" to drive. They didn't have Hot Wheels, so they used what they could find. My dad drove a snuff bottle. My uncle Carl drove a brick.



One of the games that he told me about has left a lasting impact on me, namely, marbles. No, I don't play marbles today. I've actually only played the game a few times...when I was growing up...and only with my dad. I believe the game that we played was called "Ringer". The players would draw a circle to start. Then they'd place some of their marbles in the center and take turns trying to knock the other guy's marbles out of the ring. My dad told me that you had to be very careful which marbles you placed in the circle because some guys would "play for keeps". In other words, if your opponent knocked your marble out of the circle, they could keep your marble. So you didn't put one of your prized marbles in the ring...unless you were willing to risk losing it. That made a huge impression on me.



I now use that terminology to refer to acting. I want people to walk away from one of my performances saying, "That guy plays for keeps." I'm not doing it just for fun...even though I usually have a ton of fun acting. I want to be so intense with my performance that it leaves a lasting impression.

Interestingly, tonight I thought about marbles when I realized one of my favorite TV characters, "Holly Flax" from "The Office", was played by an actress, Amy Ryan, who also had an Oscar-nominated role in a movie that I recently watched. If you're an "Office" fan, check out "Gone Baby Gone". I would post a snippet from Youtube on my blog, but the movie is laced with profanity, so beware. Ryan completely immerses herself into the role of the kidnapped child's mother. The transformation from her TV character to the other was so different that it's mind-boggling. She totally convinced me in both roles. She's "playing for keeps" and I salute her.

So, wrapping this up, I guess I would recommend that whenever you're doing what you love, play for keeps. Be willing to risk it all because the reward will be great if you win. If you lose, so be it. It's a much better feeling to give 100% and lose, than it is to win in a halfhearted effort. There's no prize for lackluster performances.

And finally, realize that if you're ever on stage with me, you may have the sensation that you're playing Ringer. It's true, really it is. Lots of folks have already told me that working with me made them feel like they'd lost their marbles.

Kidz Theez Daze

I had lunch with three of my favorite peeps today. They could all add up their ages and collectively be close to my ancient age. But, fortunately, they don't...or they wouldn't hang with this old guy. Maybe it's the fact that they all think it's funny that the staff at every restaurant thinks I'm the daddy of 'em all. I dunno...

What tickled me today was the gap that I noticed when I mentioned one of my generation's "cult" movies, namely "Billy Jack". They all went, "Huh? Never heard of it. Must not have been any good or we would have at least heard the name." I was dumbfounded. During the '70's, "Billy Jack" was huge. Well, at least for me it was.



I became enthralled with martial arts during my junior high school days. Hopefully, I'm not bragging when I say I was one of the best Shotokan stylists in my heyday. No, I couldn't open up a can of "whoop-ass" and pour it on a full-grown man back then; but, for my age, I was quite adept at the fighting style. Plus, I have trophies to prove it. (Presently, they're up in my attic sucking dust away from my plenum box.)

Well, since Billy Jack was on my mind today, I thought I'd let Angie and Daniel watch it with me tonight. Seeing that it was Halloween, you'd think we'd put a scary movie in, but noooooo. We don't buy scary movies. Someone might be frightened!

We made it through the opening sequence and about five minutes of the movie before Angie turned downed the volume. (I forgot that "Billy Jack" had some language issues...especially back in the '70's.) She went over to our movie collection and started thumbing through other selections. "Billy Jack" was over for her and she was looking for a replacement. I tried to salvage the movie by fast forwarding to the "good" part. You know, when Billy Jack has to take on the town's folk in a free-for-all...hapkido style. It didn't faze her. I lost my battle.



Afterwords it made me wonder. Why do the hoards of people that loved the independent film "Napoleon Dynamite" turn their noses up at something like "Billy Jack"? They were both independent films that connected with an audience. Back during the late '60's, America was in the middle of race tensions...desegregation...civil rights wars...establishment vs. anti-establishment. "Billy Jack" spoke to those issues...albeit, primative in production. For me, it was my first taste of liberalism vs. conservatism. In the movie, it seems like they painted the conservatives to be the "bad" guys and the liberals to be the "good" guys. But from my perspective, neither side was really right. Both had holes in their arguments. If anything, it made me understand the significance of Jesus' teachings. (I promise it's not my intention to preach. God knows I need more help than most folks.)

What's my point? The kids today...and that includes anyone 35 and under, have a different mindset than we did back in the '60's and '70's. Kids these days probably have more stimuli from more sources than ever before. I'd hate to be trying to formulate my opinions with all of these different voices screaming "Think this! Think that!" I'm just grateful that I had parents grounded in the Truth...and conscientious to keep pointing me in the right direction.

Thanks Pa and BB!