Archive for December 2008
For Those Who Must Drink Coffee in Church
<![CDATA[I know that a few of you will be in church services this evening, because many churches hold New Year’s Eve services. And because it’ll be an obviously late evening, many of you will probably do something you normally do when you come to church — bring coffee. With that in mind, I offer a…
Read MoreThe Seven Pound Blues
<![CDATA[In the neo-beatnik classic Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller extols the virtues of the titular great American music (I’m referring to jazz itself, for those who don’t know what titular means) by saying that it, like life, doesn’t resolve. I’m curious, then, about what he would feel about the latest Will Smith vehicle, Seven Pounds,…
Read MoreThe Upside Down Kingdom Does Football
<![CDATA[If you’re tired of giving the regular answer, and someone asks you what Christmas is about, you can tell them that sometimes it’s about football. (And not the Charlie-Brown-and-Lucy kind either.) Some people refer to Christianity as a backward religion, but I prefer to think of it more as an upside-down kingdom. Obviously, I’m not…
Read MoreDon't Just Do Something: Experiencing God In Snowpacalypse 2008
<![CDATA[ (My apologies to a commenter at Eugene Cho’s Beauty and Depravity, from whom I so judiciously ganked the term “snowpacalypse” … considering all the hysterics from Seattlites and Portlanders who aren’t used to a ton of snow, it just seemed perfect.) First, I offer a passage from the latest edition of Experiencing God, a…
Read MoreJust Saw Fred Claus. No, Really. It's Good.
<![CDATA[So I gave into a small guilty pleasure tonight. I watched the movie on the airplane. Usually if I’m watching a movie on an airplane, it’s something I’ve brought myself for that express purpose, and I’m watching it on my computer. I normally can’t stand watching the movies that the airlines play, because I hate…
Read MoreMTCC: Making Training in Columbus Count
<![CDATA[I’m tongue-tied and bIeary-eyed, but I made it through. I have emerged, healthy and generally in my right mind, from what has affectionately come to be known as “J.R.’s Hostage Weekend.” That term, admittedly melodramatic, is actually a pretty fitting description of what I’ve just endured (and for the second time, no less). The “J.R.”…
Read MoreReally, Apple… A Vending Machine?
<![CDATA[ I’m not the type of cat to throw stones at an innovative company like Apple, Inc.(Even though I don’t have a problem with laughing with others who do.) As a Windows man, I have a healthy amount of respect for Apple’s slick, easy-to-use products — many of which (including the ubiquitous iPhone and all…
Read MoreLinks To Make You Th–LAUGH (Obama Edition)
<![CDATA[Okay, so these are Obama-related but I promise they’re not political. Mac enthusiasts are in an uproar over what they perceive as a stunning betrayal of their biggest brand celebrity, because someone saw President-elect Obama working out with a Zune music player — a Microsoft product, instead of an iPod or an iPhone. I can…
Read MoreConservative 'crazies' have a lesson to teach
<![CDATA[I am a fan of Eric Zorn, the liberal progressive columnist of the Chicago Tribune, mostly because he is usually well-reasoned and honest. I share his frustration with the legions of Obama-haters who are latching in vain onto whatever they can to attempt to prevent him from taking office — in this case, a half-cocked…
Read MoreThe Definition: More Than Just A Nickname
<![CDATA[When it comes to this year’s Portland Trail Blazers, I can honestly say that I really like our players. All of them. And I don’t just like them as players, I like them as people. Granted, I don’t know them all that well, I only know them as much as any fan can know a…
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