Mantracker

There's a show on -- is it the Science Channel, somewhere in that vicinity -- called Mantracker.

I saw most of an episode, plus I see the commercials for it all the time (which I hate.)

I'm not going to watch this show. It bothers me that the mantracker is on horseback and the trackees are on foot. They should either all be on horseback or on foot, make it a lot more even.

I would be a natural audience for a show like this, because I like the concept. But mostly because we did a kind of mantracker thing in our neighborhood when I was a kid, hiding and chasing. Kind of like hide and seek with the entire block or so. And I was pretty good at it.

But, no, I'm not watching ... put the mantracker on foot, too!

By the way, how is it the camera guys aren't giving away everyone's locations? I guess I'll never know.

Whatever Happened To Travelers' Checks?

This is a blast from the past, as far as I'm concerned. We were talking about something and the subject of travelers' checks came up. And I suddenly realized you never hear or think about travelers' checks anymore.

What was it? Debit cards or electronic checks or credit cards that did them in? Or are they not done in yet, but still going strong?

I know we used to get travelers' checks when we went places. Because the places you went to wouldn't want to accept a check from people out of state. And if you took too much cash and someone stole it, then you were out.

So we would go to the bank and buy these checks. They had some particular rule about signing them that you had to do to use them, which I don't remember now.

30 Days Hath September

And today's the proof!

I'm Suddenly Fashionable!

I read an interesting article today, that suddenly its fashionable not to wash your jeans. That's great news, becaue I get a lot of guff about wearing my jeans so long "they're able to stand up by themselves." I hate hearing that complaint, but it's true.

Recently, though, since I got a new washing machine in June, and the novelty hasn't worn off yet, I've been washing them more often. It does seem kind of nice to have them fresh and new feeling, but it's not necessary to my happiness.

In the last few days, I've been keeping them on longer. So if a popsicle piece falls, that's a little stain. And I also got some grass stains a couple days ago from working on the yard. But I've still got them on.

I'm never in fashion, as far as I know. I don't even know what the fashion is. But now, out of the blue, I see this article, and it lets me know all is right with the world ... finally.

Jimi Hendrix

40 years ago today, the 18th, Jimi died. We love him.

How Good Looking I Am

I caught another glimpse of myself in a mirror today. This was just after we were out to eat.

I had sat there in the restaurant feeling a little surly. I'm a nice person, but there's only so much of it I can take.

But I have this ingrown sense that I look better than I do, so as far as I know, the wait staff are seeing the same thing.

Then afterward, we're in the car, and I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I'm reminded once again that I'm not near as good looking as I imagine myself to be. So that's what they're seeing, an old man with weird hair. Maybe graying side hair, I didn't look that close.

Churches

The Church of the Sacred Welcome - You'll be personally greeted by the pastor and his wife. Your hand shook or your tithe cheerfully refunded.

The Church of the Vigorous Ass-kick - Self-explanatory policies.

Contemporary Worship Services

I've gone to a church for a couple of weeks, to their "contemporary" service.

What can you say?

The guys up there playing guitars are really good at it, but I'm already a little sick of watching them slash away at their guitars in great excitement. I haven't got any big criticism of them, but it's not really doing much to make me spiritually inspired. It's watching some guys play guitar, piano, bass, violin, and whatever.

It may as well be an old fashioned organ buried away somewhere, where you don't have to watch it as a performance thing.

The songs are all the usual sorts of stuff you might expect, God's glory, how glorious one's experience is, 'I was low in the pits before you go a hold of me, but now I'm a jolly person,' etc. The big difference between these songs and the old songs is they're "contemporary." Some of the old time composers didn't leave a lot of space for fancy guitar work.

One of the guitar players really gets into it. Today I was thinking about how calloused his fingers must be. Also I was thinking about how it must've been when he first picked up the guitar and started strumming, then how he started to learn. I was thinking how he made great progress along the way, practicing like the devil, until he was good enough, yet ever learning. I was thinking, 'I wonder if he's a regular at the music store,' always checking out the latest in guitars, maybe even owning a really good guitar. I was thinking how much practice he must do to stay really good, to come across so good on Sunday morning. I don't especially like watching him.

The other guitar player is an older guy. He also knows how to boogie down. I'm thinking many of the things I thought about the first guy, when he came to know he had proficiency at it. I'm also thinking of how motivated they are, apparently, to really put on a good show for us. This guy has the extra responsibility of saying all the prayers in the church. They're very ordinary, conversational prayers, albeit keeping some level of distance and arm's length adoration toward God.

As for me, I try to enter in ... or at least exclude these guys so I can get my own focus ... but that's not always an easy thing to do. I'd probably be better off staying home, to tell you the truth. I like the communal aspects of spirituality, but if you're unknown there, it doesn't make much difference.

This particular church isn't going to be my church. But, you know, God bless 'em.

I'm sitting in the library writing this. If you see me you may as well say hello, but since it's a library say it quietl@y. They have a lot of very cool books here. Most of them are inviting someone to read them.@

Setting The Table

I'm setting the table for a nice day. Being off to a good start and well-adjusted.