Good morning Boys and Girls.

Last day of March, '09. Another month, flying away, and like the witch's monkeys, it's spooky as it joins its brothers in formation.

The consensus, amongst those with whom I've had occasion to yap about the weather over the last few days, is that it's been a backwards month; that it came in like a lamb and now departs, a full grown lion.

I'm not so sure. Looks pretty nice here in West Michigan this morning. -A little cloudy, perhaps, but the sun is working it's way through and I'm trying to find a place to lay a bet on the, "no more significant snowfalls this year" side of the layout on some Clark Griswold run Internet gambling site. I may lose, but I know where my heart wants my money.

This week, as my old Jeep enters its last days of service - a front axle problem not worth fixing has popped up over the last week or so - I'm going to depend on my long honed ability to find a new old car. Don't really know what I'm looking for, but sure hope I know when I find it. Perhaps it'll jump out at me like a diamond in a pile of coal. It's about the last thing I want to deal with right now, but as Yoda might say, "your choices up with you catch." What? Sure he'd say that! -Just before he zaps off my head with his cute little light saber thingy.

Speaking of weird weapons... Sunday night as she and I sat on the couch, SweetLady's oldest, now fifteen, spent ten minutes describing and, in pantomime, demonstrating weapons he thinks ought to be available to superheros, gaming characters and, I'm pretty sure, himself. He's a funny kid. He envisions everything from your basic walking staffs transforming into magic elongated spears complete with special powers to maim and injure in indescribable ways, and small daggers that become magic whips dozens of feet long with the ability to zap one into oblivion with a simple, "crack".

His train of thought, that night anyway, I think, was born of his having been granted permission earlier in the day to demolish an old dishwasher in the back yard with a five pound maul. He'd smashed away with enthusiasm and aplomb, and not a little satisfaction, I think. He bashed it into many pieces which, happily, (since it was the goal behind the granted permission in the first place), allowed much more of it to fit into the trash container! Meanwhile, his cousin videotaped the whole shebang while providing commentary and, if I'm not mistaken - though I haven't seen it myself yet - it's probably available on youtube already.

Then, he kicked my butt video bowling. I blame the secret weapons.

Hmmm. Ya think he could use his magic powers to zap my Jeep's axle back into shape?

Be good to everyone.

Good morning Boys and Girls.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that any plans we make in our lives are subject to God's whims.

Am I blaming God? Heavens no. When I say "God's whims", I simply mean that things happen beyond our control. Since I'm one who doesn't believe we can ever know what God thinks or really wants for us, or even what or who God is, let alone how he/she/it works, I don't have any problem accepting this. Yes, I know there are those who think ancient books quasi-outline God's plans, but they never have and never will, despite the claims that these books are "God-inspired". I guess they think it's okay to believe a book inspired by God forces us to explain away that those very books indicate that slavery, misogynistic behavior, adultery and selective murder are, at times, all acceptable.

Further, people who "believe" with all their hearts what they've been taught, including those who've made a career out of fostering and furthering such beliefs in others, are forced to cherry-pick from the very books they claim have been divinely inspired. Some claim that a passage means one thing, while others claim the same passage means something else altogether, or, in some cases, has no meaning and can be largely ignored. To me, and many like me, this leads to sadly funny results.

In 1994, Mother Teresa spoke at the National Prayer breakfast. She began her remarks with these passages: "On the last day, Jesus will say to those on His right hand, "Come, enter the Kingdom. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was sick and you visited me." Then Jesus will turn to those on His left hand and say, "Depart from me because I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me to drink, I was sick and you did not visit me." These will ask Him, "When did we see You hungry, or thirsty or sick and did not come to Your help?" And Jesus will answer them, "Whatever you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to do unto Me!"

To me, if there's any truth whatsoever in the Bible, how on earth can we ignore these words?

From the NIV Bible online:

Matthew 5, 38-48

³⁸"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. ³⁹But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴²Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

⁴³"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

......................

I know very few Christians who heed these words. They're very big on the "getting saved" thing, but that's because that silliness is easy. -Makes people feel good and allows them to stop asking the unanswerable questions. But, ask them if Jesus meant what he said here, and they'll dance around the simple directives as though they're poisonous as anthrax and more confusing than a pure white 5000 piece puzzle.

Personally, I don't know if Jesus ever said these words. Certainly there aren't any mountains in the part of Galilee where he supposedly spoke them, but, to me anyway, these are the most important ones he is ever reported to have said.

Wow, did I ever get off track from what I'd planned to write about.

No matter.

Be good to everyone.

Good morning Boys and Girls.

Received an email from Mike Potter, a friend in Baltimore who owns and runs Orion Sound Studios, inviting me to a birthday party this weekend. I've written a little about his place over the years when my son's band, or my brother's, has played there. Mike brings in some of the finest Prog musicians from around the world for intimate performances in the little theater that's the centerpiece of his complex. How he does it I have no idea, because the ticket prices for these shows have always been ridiculously low, even for internationally known acts. He's a former Michigander who proudly displays a Detroit Red Wings banner there in the theater, incongruous amid the memorabilia, photos, and posters depicting many of the musicians who've graced his stage over the years.

Happy Birthday Mike. Wish I could come.

When I leave for Des Moines, there are a few little rituals I go through to make sure things are up to snuff when I get back. I do a cursory straightening up so Good ex-roomie Dot, or AuntConi aren't too disgusted when they come out to feed Roadie while I'm gone, and I make sure the bird feeder on the deck rail is filled so Roadie has some kitty TV to watch for a few days. She likes bird shows. Then I always pull off the burner grates and trays from the stove and the shelf racks and broiler pan from my convection oven and put them into the dishwasher, along with the carafe and permanent filter from the coffee maker. About the last thing I do before walking out the door, even after giving Roadie a treat and a hug, is to turn on the dishwasher.

After having arrived home after midnight the night before last, yesterday morning, I pulled everything out of the dishwasher so I could make my morning coffee and a little breakfast. Alas, the coffee took over a half-hour to brew. Grrr.

Since I have a well here, there are minerals in my water and, as such, I get a calcium build-up in my coffee maker that must be cleaned out every couple of months using a mixture of C.L.R. and water. The water is great tasting and doesn't have any harmful chemicals in it, but last night I put the coffeemaker through its paces, running the chemical mixture through twice, and then ran the four cycles of plain water through the machine required to get rid of the poison.

Even though I follow the directions - I always do - I still worry when I drink that first cup of coffee after these cleanings. Just an hour or two ago, I sipped carefully, trying to discern any trace of a chemical taste. No. Didn't seem to. Then I started thinking, so what if there is a little C.L.R. in my Java? Wouldn't it clear out any plaque in my arteries? That might be a good thing!

What?

AuntConi and SweetLady have both been long annoyed I won't hook up the perfectly good water softener in the basement, but, as it happens, I have a perfectly good reason for my refusal. I hate the feeling of soft water on my skin after a shower. I never feel like the soap has rinsed off sufficiently, and besides, frankly, I don't want to be bothered. The only downside to hard water to me is that I have to clean my coffeemaker every couple of months. Yes, I know, supposedly clothes get cleaner in softened water, but I'm perfectly happy with the way my clothes come out of the washer. And besides, AuntConi gave me a spare coffeemaker (one she stole from a former employer - or that's my story, anyway) that sits in the cupboard for the time when I simply can't be bothered to clean mine out any more. As for SweetLady, I told her in no uncertain terms that she only gets to dictate this house's use of a water softener if and when she ever happens to live here. As a visitor, she has my permission to put up with my preferences.

Have I ever mentioned her vicious uppercut?


Be good to everyone.