Month End
JULY 31, 2023
07/30/23 02:00 PM
Well, it is indeed month-end, but more importantly is that it's the end of the month of July. That means it's time to say Happy Birthday to Noah. Hard to believe this is number 12 for him.
But July 31 is the big day and 12 is the big number! We'll call him a bit later and wish him a happy number 12. As I type it may be 2:01 PM here but it's only 7:01 AM tomorrow where he is and at his age, I'm sure he's sleeping in.
07/30/23 07:00 AM
I have no idea where the days fly off to, but my how this year is flying by! We're already headed into August where Patty and I celebrate the birthdays of our two kids. Before he passed away, we used to celebrate dad's birthday at the end of August and, had he lived, he would have been 94 this year.
I guess it's time to do all of those month-end tasks here on the blogsite. Setting up a new archive, new index, new test index, and the rest of the things that need to be done. So, here goes the setup and publication.
Weight Maintenance
JULY 30, 2023
07/29/23 07:40 AM
Well, I'm at the very bottom of my targeted weight range. Even with a limited amount of marshmallows last night (sugar!) I lost eight tenths or .8 of a pound.
The problem is I don't like to be at all above the bottom of the range. That's because I can get lazy and very quickly climb up toward the top of the range. Then I have to work hard to drop some weight and get back down at or near the bottom.
My lovely wife has the same struggles. It's clearly a mental thing for both of us. In fact, she dropped to her wedding day weight and tried on her wedding dress. It had been packed up for quite some time (almost 50 years!)
For me, weight maintenance is sort of an all or nothing kind of thing, and I fear it will remain that way for the rest of my life. I don't know how to do anything less without doing like so many others and just not concerning myself with my weight or my fitness.
Sorry to be so blunt, but I just don't want to be one of those fat slobs. I want to look good for my wife and feel I owe it to her. And like my son, I want to stay in shape too.
As such, running and weight training will remain part of my daily regimen as it has been for some time now. It's such a blessing to be retired and able to focus on those things.
I'm so grateful that my beautiful wife feels the same way, despite what it takes to keep things where we both want them to be. I guess weight maintenance will be a life-long pursuit and I suppose we're both okay with that.
It's that important to us!
Audible
JULY 29, 2023
07/28/23 01:05 PM
Well, I've decided to jump back into the world of podcasts. They're free, and very convenient with my audible account, which means I have an opportunity to do some research without buying a bunch of books right up front.
For some strange reason, audible wants me to have been a customer for 30 days before I'm allowed to buy additional books. Very odd, as has also been noted by a few other new account holders.
I was able to line up and follow a number of interesting podcasts including the one held by author Peter Schweizer. His most current podcast seems to pick up right where his book left off. And he makes a pretty bold assertion in terms of it being the end of Joe Biden's career. Of course, I would have to agree and have felt that way for a while now. The evidence continues to stack up, and not in his favor.
Destined For War
JULY 28, 2023
07/27/23 08:45 PM
I just finished adding a new item to the Category menu for books. This will be a place where I write about the books to which I listen on Audible.
07/26/23 08:05 PM
Well, I finished the first book and found a free one that interested me enough to download it and give it a try. The title is Destined For War and is written by Graham Allison (pictured above.)
It's quite a lengthy listen (over 12 hours) but is a very good read. There's quite a bit of insight into the China/U.S.A. relationship and the goals of each.
The interesting lesson centers around Thucydides's Trap. The general idea of that trap is the inevitable conflict that arises when a rising power threatens to displace a ruling power as a regional or international hegemon.
Allison suggests that in the past 50 years there have been 16 such cases and 12 of them resulted in war. He then goes on to layout some of examples and describes the specific situations surrounding them.
07/27/23 12:45 PM
Still several hours from the end of the book, it has moved to an analysis of various what if scenarios between China and the U.S.A. including scenarios that involve both Hong Kong and Taiwan. It's very thought-provoking.
07/27/23 08:50 PM
I had a flash back to an old movie I watched as a kid back in the 60's entitled Sink The Bismark. I decided to look it up on YouTube and watch it. It was a most enjoyable visit to the past.
Red Handed
JULY 27, 2023
07/24/23 08:00 AM
It's still Monday morning, 7/24/23 as I type. I'm offering this post to say that last night I watched the last half of Life, Liberty, and Levin featuring Mark Levin. He's one of my favorites and a real and well read modern scholar.
Mark was hosting Peter Schweizer and they were talking about Peter's latest book, Red Handed. It was written back in 2018, but addresses all of our government corruption and (so far) reads as if it was written yesterday.
I decided it was a book I wanted to read and opened up an Audible account on my iPad and used the first (free) credit to purchase the book. I can't wait to finish it and look forward to reading (listening to) many more.
Reading this book, where facts were confirmed via the Freedom of Information Act has left me with a very different perspective on the level of corruption in the government of these United States of America. It seems so widespread that there are not enough innocents left to vote to prosecute the corruption. The corruption (for personal gain) seems that strong.
As for the cases against Trump, I'm not sure what to make of that. It does indeed seem to me that they are false charges meant to distract Biden's base and get Trump out of the race. Seems to be working for the former but not the latter.
07/25/23 08:35 AM
Finished my first audible book, Red Handed, by Peter Schweizer last night. Quite a story and really opened my eyes to the amount of corruption in our government.
Was really delighted to hear Schweizer's thoughts at the end of the book about the efforts of both Republicans and Democrats toward their battle against the widespread corruption in our government. Researching the Democrats also opened my eyes to the media corruption. I was amazed at how the media had persuaded me against at least one of those Democrats.
Strange that I had not picked up on the media sounding out against a Democrat and just because that Democrat was willing to take a stand against the corruption. I'll have to be a bit more careful in determining what I am and am not willing to believe.
Considering the idea that the information presented in the book was pulled from data gathered via the freedom of information act, and considering that no Democrats have screamed about the accuracy of what has been presented, I have to believe that the ideas presented in this book are factual.
Lord, please don't let me be one of China's and the Biden family's useful idiots in this story. Please let me find, know, and understand the truth in my research.
2 Tough Miles
JULY 26, 2023
07/24/23 07:45 AM
Mixing a run day with a workout has proven to make a tough run. Bumping up my pace to eight minute miles has even proven to be tougher. And mixing both on the same day, well, that proves to be the most difficult of all.
As I type it's Monday morning approaching 8:00 AM. I just finished my Monday workout and my three mile run. And I don't mind admitting that three miles, run at an eight minute pace and after my Monday workout, is difficult. When I finish mile one I'm ready to be done!
Those last two miles are all about mental toughness. So many days, including this one, I approach mile two trying to justify and figure out how I can change up my running routine to reduce some of the pain.
I know it's going to happen because I'm probably overdoing it with three miles at an eight minute pace, and all of that after my Monday morning weight training. It happens each time, but I finish the grueling three miler and feel great about the accomplishment, even if I am completely spent both mentally and physically afterward.
Unfortunately, it's also clear to me that with my balance problems I'll never be able to run races (or run outside.) I hate that but I have to have something to which I can hold on and the treadmill provides that assistance. By the end of mile three my balance problems have really kicked in and it's a good thing I'm able to hold on to something.
07/25/23 08:35 AM
Finished my Tuesday run a little while ago and just made 10 ham radio contacts. Running that three miles without any workout preceding it makes me wonder how I finished the run yesterday with a lengthy workout ahead of it.
Looking forward to a theater visit to see Oppenheimer and to enjoy some good old popcorn and diet coke.
Also holding out to see when Allie and Gabe will arrive. Will be great to have them here.
07/26/23 08:10 AM
Thanks to Patty's ingenuity we didn't have to go in today to update our prescriptions.
We were able to call it in on the recorded line and received a message yesterday that
they were on the way in the mail. Too cool for school.
WD4HMR
JULY 25, 2023
07/22/23 07:50 AM
Well, I'm impressed. Ed Leathers (WD4HMR) took my suggestion and found his way onto the bands in digital mode. Way to go, Ed!
We even made contacts on 40 meters FT8 and then FT4. Ed had to take additional steps that I don't have to take (such as manually adjusting the frequency for the move from FT8 to FT4) but he handled it like a champ!
Pictured above is a Kenwood 140, similar to the one he is using. Again, way to go Ed!
Conecuh Sausage
JULY 24, 2023
07/22/23 07:30 AM
My sweet and amazing wife is kind enough to make a breakfast for me and often includes some Conecuh sausage on the menu. It starts out from the store like the picture above and gets served like the picture below.
It is so, so good and reminds me of my childhood. It especially reminds me of camping with my father and the breakfast we would often have out at the campsite.
Fried (left-over) potatoes, eggs with onions, and that amazing country sausage. All cooked over an open fire. It just didn't get any better back then.
That brings another thing go mind that we used to do on campouts and even around the house on the grill. We used to use toas-tite cookers to make tarts and my oh my were they ever good!
We would butter two pieces of bread and put sugar and fresh (or canned) fruit (usually peaches) inside. The butter side of the bread would go against the metal pocket leaving the fruit and sugar inside the bread pocket.
When we closed the toas-tites we would peel off the crust from the bread and set the entire thing in the coals. What came out, minutes later, was a hot cooked fresh fruit tart.
The butter would make the bread pocket golden brown and would also assist in the avoidance of a pocket of bread that would stick to the metal shell. And like I said, boy were they ever good! (Toas-tite cookers pictured below.)
Singing
JULY 23, 2023
07/22/23 07:05 AM
My beautiful wife shared a YouTube video with me of a guy that has the deepest voice I've ever heard. It was amazing.
But then she shared this video of him with a group of other singers. It was definitely worth taking the time to listen.
I hope you have a good set of speakers or earbuds if you intend to listen to it.
Wow!
Oppenheimer
JULY 22, 2023
07/20/23 05:45 PM
The movie Oppenheimer opens tomorrow (Friday) in Theaters. Patty and I plan to see it next Tuesday when all tickets for all features are only $6. In fact, Monday is Senior Day but tickets are one dollar higher at $7.
We'll avoid the high price weekend crowd and probably skip senior day too since we pick up groceries from Walmart on Mondays. Tuesday should work out just fine for us.
Wednesday will be a routine doctor's office visit to get a much-needed renewal on our rosuvastatin. No appointment - we're just going to do the walk-in thing.
Anyway, I watched an older version of the Oppenheimer story on YouTube last night just to have a bit more familiarity with Oppenheimer and his story. The previews for the new feature look amazing.
I can't believe I'm doing the theater thing again after so many years away. But affordability and the opportunity for a date are making it a reality. First was my recent trip to watch The Sound of Freedom just over a week ago and now we're both getting ready for Oppenheimer.
On a humorous note, the ad for Oppenheimer said to be sure to watch it on the biggest screen possible. They said it was not a movie, it was an event (and I'm taking that to mean something that needs to be experienced.)
Bible Reading
JULY 21, 2023
07/20/23 07:35 AM
I finished the book of Mark and just entered Luke this morning. I'm still reading a chapter a day. I'm also still in the book of Psalms and read 127 this morning. Looks like I've got yet another month before I finish up that book.
My take-away for today was in Luke and particularly Luke 1:37 which says:
For nothing is impossible with God.
Whether it's a song or a particular verse with which I'm familiar, I always enjoy coming across these pearls in my bible reading. They always bring such encouragement.
Weather
JULY 20, 2023
07/19/23 07:10 AM
Well, the weather moved in last night during our ham radio net. We were all chatting away and the lightning and thunder rolled in and not long after, the rain followed (all pictured above.) Needless to say, we all cleared out and unplugged pretty fast.
As I type this Wednesday morning, there's some pretty serious weather up in the Tennessee and Kentucky regions, but it's just far enough to the east that its southeastern movement should allow it to skip past us.
We've got rain slated for the next four days including today, but the odds of anything hitting us look pretty low except for this coming Saturday. As I've said so many times before, I guess we'll see...
Update:
As I type it's now 10:00 AM Wednesday and there's additional weather buildup in the Tennessee region. The futurecast forecast shows it approaching us and at the same time falling apart. Whether it hits here will be anyone's guess.
Patty's Downstairs Garden
JULY 19, 2023
Patty has done an incredible job with bringing the garden to our lower back deck. Her raised beds and potting table have become real show pieces for our view. Above is the view toward the potting table and below is the view in the other direction (toward the garden.)
Above is the traditional view we have around sunset and below is the way the fog appeared this morning around 6:30 AM. It's a real joy to sit on the lower back deck and enjoy Patty's (and God's) handiwork.
I heard our son Jonathan admiring Patty's potting table and she decided to have one shipped to him for his upcoming birthday. He got it assembled and I thought it would be fun to share a picture of it (below.)
07/18/23 06:55 AM
President Joe Biden
JULY 18, 2023
07/16/23 03:30 PM
I have no idea how we got to this place here in the U.S.A. I mean I know that the Biden administration carries a lot (if not all) of the responsibility, but I have no idea how or why people still support his corrupt activities and all of his medical issues. Is he really running the country and will he be up to it for another term?
What about the prospects of our V.P. stepping into the presidential shoes if Biden goes for his eternal reward during this term or the next? Are we really open to that?
Are people so focused on keeping conservatives out of office that they will accept the kind of lying and deception that seems to be taking place? Have we really arrived at a place where our priorities are that out of wack?
Are folks truly willing to turn a blind eye to all that is going on in order to forward their liberal agenda? I have to call it what it is - pure evil.
We're seeing the weaponizing of a corrupt America to the extent that we may ultimately find ourselves the bearers of a one party system. Either that or a Banana Republic or perhaps both.
I have come to believe that the 2024 election is critical. I started to call it a turning point, but we faced that when Biden stepped into office and now we are in desperate need of turning things back around.
These are truly dangerous times in which we live. Gender identity, wokeness, ESG, illegal immigration, the January 6th lies, and the list goes on. Who believes in this stuff and why? As I said earlier, it's all pure evil through and through.
Those who put the Democrats in office in order to hold on to that one liberal value are ultimately responsible for all of the other liberal values that get delivered by this evil administration.
I truly hope that when election time rolls around the race is between Trump and Biden. That's because I don't believe a large contingent of Biden voters will make the same mistake twice.
I think they were voting against Trump and wound up with more than they bargained for with Biden. They didn't like Trump (the person) but didn't realize the good he was accomplishing - that is until they put someone else in office and began to see the difference.
Trump's list of accomplishments is long and glowing. On the other hand, Biden's list of accomplishments is simply long. No glow at all.
God help us if our country makes the same (or a similar) mistake like we made back in the 2020 presidential election cycle.
Sugar Fever
JULY 17, 2023
07/15/23 01:00 PM
I've written about sugar before. Here I go again!
Yesterday, I did two things and one or both produced a reaction that I didn't anticipate. It wasn't fun!
Sometime around 9:30 PM last night, I developed a fever. I took a couple of Extra Strength Tylenol to knock out the fever and it worked just fine.
So, here I am last night around 10:00 PM left wondering about the cause of my fever. Did I pick it up from someone? How could that be? I hadn't been anywhere since last Monday's trip to Walmart.
Okay, so I did my 3 miles at a faster pace and I ate way too much sugar. I thought to myself that one or both of those had to be the culprit. It couldn't have been the sugar so it must have been the running.
If the problem carries over to tomorrow, I'll just be forced to skip my run and see if I can heal. That should be easy enough I thought.
Well, the new day arrived and everything was back to normal. A bit of Google research revealed the idea that too much sugar can bring on a fever. A lot of people have mentioned it online.
I ran my 3 miles at the new and faster pace and there were no problems. To my surprise, I concluded that the problems must have been sugar related.
Moment of truth:
I have a sugar problem. In the past I used way too much and much too often. My loving wife saw how much I poured in my coffee and had to bite her tongue. I knew it was crazy but that's what I did.
Well, I got rid of that but I picked up these yummy Nerd Gummy Clusters and they have taken over where the coffee sugar left off. I've dropped sugar from my diet more than once but there was no real commitment since I thought I was getting away with consuming it.
Now I know I was wrong! I know what I've always known - that I have a sugar problem. Maybe even a sugar addiction.
I'm taking that fever as a warning. Back to natural sugars and away from added sugars. Let's get this right!
Discernment
JULY 16, 2023
07/15/23 07:45 AM
Discernment. It's often a spiritual thing but it doesn't have to be.
Google defines it this way:
Discernment:
1. The ability to judge well.
2. (in Christian contexts) perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding.
I really like this that I also found online and comes from C.H. Spurgeon:
Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.
Wow! That's profound and so true!
The big question becomes whether or not we are discerners or merely people who are fooling ourselves and destined for something less than God's best for us. Are we fooled by the 'almost right' that the world throws at us?
Perhaps the better alternative, over thinking we are good and right and on the right track, is to approach discernment with humility. If we don't then we could so easily leave God out of the entire equation.
Still, we need to have a level of confidence in our discernment without the pride it can bring and that would so easily ensnare us. Maybe it really is about humble discernment.
Lord, as difficult as it may be, let us be good and humble discerners.
Running
JULY 15, 2023
07/14/23 09:45 AM
Well, I stepped up the pace today. Can I keep up the pace longer term? Only time will tell.
I bumped up the treadmill speed from 7.0 to 7.5. That means the pace was bumped up from just above 8:30 to an exact 8:00 per mile.
To start with, the stride was reduced by 100 steps per mile or roughly 10 steps per tenth of a mile. I say 'roughly' because it changed over time.
In other words, my stride got longer to reduce the running work-load which means the steps per mile were reduced. According to my calculations, those steps were reduced by about half to roughly 50 steps per mile or 5 steps per tenth of a mile.
I'd rather keep the pace up toward the increase of 100 steps per mile but the running work-load is too much for the full three miles and is bound to slow down over time.
Tucker Carlson Interviews Andrew Tate
JULY 14, 2023
07/12/23 05:55 PM
I've been watching the Tucker Calrson interview of Andrew Tate on Twitter.
It really got me to thinking. A lot of what Andrew said was spot on, although I know he seems a follower of the Islamic faith and spoke of reading the Quran on what seems like a daily basis.
That's why I think that following someone outside of the faith or putting our faith in a new convert to our faith can be a very dangerous proposition.
It's okay to ask real and tough questions. But there is danger in letting the answers to those questions take us away from the roots of our belief system. We can find ourselves copying the copy and walking away from the original.
Suddenly we are out on the end of a proverbial limb with no place to go. And this is where a lot of people land just before they give up.
It's okay to ask tough questions. And, it's okay to make modifications to what we believe based on the answers we find to those tough questions.
But we should approach something very carefully when it shakes us to our roots and demands a major shift in what we believe or we can find ourselves being led away from the truth in favor of something that may resemble the truth but may actually be a lie at its core.
We should have a good idea of what we believe and why we believe it and anything that would cause that to change should have strong and widespread evidence and should be able to address more than our current belief system. Following someone because they are charismatic or seem to have it together could be a formula for hard times ahead.
What Andrew Tate is doing reminds me of what Mark Driscoll did. Both have radical styles and a strong following. In fact, so do others who will remain unnamed here.
That's because all of those people have a style that seems to be true, but may lead to something other than the ultimate truth since it does not provide answers to our fundamental questions. More than likely it only affirms what our flesh already wants to believe.
When the one true God gets our attention, we should be very careful not to let distractors get in our way. We are warned about that in scripture as seen here.
If you're interested in watching the interview, you can find it here.
The Sound of Freedom
JULY 13, 2023
07/11/23 04:50 PM
Well, I found the Gadsden 16 theaters up at the Gadsden Mall. It's about a half hour drive from the house.
I decided to go to the 12:30 PM showing of Jim Caviezel in The Sound of Freedom. It's a movie that I have been researching since I saw the special that featured Tim Ballard - the guy Caviezel portrays in the movie.
I haven't been to the theater in a very long time and had basically put the idea out of my mind. That is until this came along and I had a chance to support an important effort by buying a ticket and attending the feature.
It's a true and incredible story about the child trafficking problem that is being faced today and how Tim Ballard was moved to shift his focus from the capture of the pedophiles to the rescue of the victims.
I couldn't believe that the film faced so many challenges getting to the big screen and that it was shot 5 years ago despite its recent release. It was a nail biter of a movie.
I give my wife high marks for knowing herself well enough to know that this was probably one she would not want to watch. I'm grateful for the gentle spirit that she is.
My How Time Flies
JULY 12, 2023
07/10/23 08:50 AM
I'm constantly amazed at how time flies as I get older. It seems like it only moves faster and faster.
Hard to believe we have already been in this house over a year. We closed around July 9 or 10 of 2022 and here we are just over a year later.
It's been so good to move up to this beautiful place with which we have been blessed. And, it's been good to get closer to Jonathan and Amy. It's so nice to be able to drive to see them and make it so that we can actually turn around and come home the same day if that's what we want to do.
Speaking of time flying, it's also difficult to believe we have a daughter in her 40's and grandsons in double digits. Wow! How did that happen?
I remember when my father was in this same position with a child in his 40's and grandchildren both in double digits. And it doesn't seem like it was that long ago.
Patty and I cherish, and thank God for, every moment of every day.
The Christiano Brothers
JULY 11, 2023
07/07/23 03:20 PM
I know I've made a large number of posts about movies. But there are so many films and film makers about which I still would like to write.
I would be completely remiss if I did not take time to mention the Christiano Brothers and particularly Rich Christiano. While Rich's films generally appear in the lower budget category, his stories are superb and his films tend to be something I greatly enjoy as a result.
In more recent films he tends to use a mix of new actors and one or more veteran actors. Such is the case with the film I just finished watching for the first time. It is entitled The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry and stars Gavin MacLeod and Robert Guillaume.
The film says right up front that it's not a true story, but it would be easy to believe it was true when the story ends. Rich's care to offer follow-ups on each character provide a sense to the audience that the story was real.
But most of all, I really like the spiritual depth that the Rich Christiano Films deliver. That's why I seek them out. The budget for this particular film was only $1,000,000 US dollars and the Box Office proceeds were $1,048,655.
Smaller Budget Movies
JULY 10, 2023
07/05/23 02:20 PM
I've said before that I'm often able to look beyond the lower budget look of some of the Christian Films these days. And as I've also said, the budgets are getting bigger and the quality of the Christian films is getting better with it.
Still, there are a few honorable mentions that meet my basic criteria for a good Christian film, despite the appearance of a lower budget. When a budget goes low, the story and good acting have to carry it. I'm okay with that as long as the acting and the story are strong.
From my perspective, good examples of such films include Flywheel, A Matter of Faith, Running the Bases, Play the Flute, I'm Not Him, Time Changer, and The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry.
Nicholas Sparks Movies
JULY 09, 2023
07/05/23 01:30 PM
I'm a big fan of the Nicholas Sparks Movie Collection. One of his is my all-time favorite movie - The Best of Me (with the 'Tears of Joy' alternate ending.)
Several of the others sit toward the top of my list of favorites. They include Message in a Bottle, The Longest Ride, The Lucky One, A Walk To Remember, and The Choice.
Sports Movies
JULY 08, 2023
07/04/23 09:35 AM
When it comes to movies, one of the most difficult things for me is wrapping my head around the idea that not everyone is captured by a good sports movie like I am. Hard to believe, but it's true.
I didn't think it got much better than Rudy. That is until I saw the movie Woodlawn.
Talk about a spiritually deep movie that I would think should appeal to anyone and everyone! But I guess that means I'm getting ahead of myself.
The spiritual component is incredibly strong, but I suppose it's safe to say that if you're not a sports person the story may not be one to which you relate. That's hard for me to imagine, but I suppose it's true.
I've always said I like movies where an individual overcomes difficult odds in a true story. I particularly like movies that take place in the civil rights period of the 60's or the post-civil rights period of the 70's. Woodlawn is just such a movie!
Jonathan and Amy
JULY 07, 2023
07/06/23 08:00 PM
Celebrated the 4th of July a few days late with Jonathan and Amy. So good to have them come and visit.
We took them out for Mexican (pictured above) and then Patty took them out into her garden and shared some of the goods with them (pictured below.)
We finished up the night with a slice of Patty's wonderful homemade Cheese Cake topped with some of her incredible peach concoction.
Two Movies - One Actress
JULY 06, 2023
07/04/23 09:05 AM
This is going to be an unusual post. It's about an actress named Rachel Hendrix, circled in red in the picture above.
She played a role in a movie I really liked entitled Coffee Shop. But, the role she played was an obnoxious young lady. You know, the kind you don't care to like.
But they she played a character in another great movie entitled 77 Chances. This time, she played a character that one would want to like. The two roles were so convincing that I would have never imagined it was the same actress, until I went searching and made an amazing discovery.
Coffee Shop was a light-hearted romance while 77 Chances, still a romance, was more spiritual and went on the deep side. Both were great movies and come highly recommended.
JULY 05, 2023
07/04/23 07:20 AM
Well, the Twitter team changed the rules for my Twitter feed on my blog and looks like it has forced me to remove my Twitter feed from my blog.
The only thing I see anymore on my Twitter feed is the picture above. And, that is due to what Twitter is calling an Index Capacity Restriction. Really?
The Shunning Trilogy
JULY 04, 2023
07/03/23 07:20 AM
One can always see the amazing production values in a bigger budget film. Such is the case with the three movies in the Shunning trilogy.
I've always been a fan of movies that draw from the Amish, and the Shunning trilogy does exactly that in a very big way. The stories were all written by Beverly Lewis and she has put together the basis for an amazing set of movies.
I watched the first of the three movies (The Shunning) on my Pure Flix account and went searching for the other two. I found number two (The Confession) in the same location but could not find number three (The Reckoning) there, and I have yet to see it.
The lead character is Katie Lapp and is played by Danielle Panabaker in the first film and by Katie Leclerc in the second and third. Both individuals provide an incredible performance in the two films that I have seen.
Movies
JULY 03, 2023
07/02/23 07:00 AM
I'm adding (back) a new (old) category. Movies!
It's a category that I had on an older version of this blog and one that I should have left in place. I am a movie kind of guy.
I really enjoy a well-done romantic movie, which is why I have a Hallmark movies streaming account beneath my Sling streaming account (for Fox News, Billards TV, and a Sling movie [with commercials] every now and then.)
But most of all, I have a special place in my heart for spiritual movies which is why I have a streaming account with Pureflix.
I also have a wonderful DVD library that is well sponsored by seasonal gifts from the kids and the grandkids. Now that my new glasses have cured my double vision, it's a movie outlet that I greatly enjoy!
I'll probably go to work adding movies to the new category without any particular date - since I will probably add a few at a time. I may even go and find some old movie posts and just copy them in.
In fact, I already have some posts for movies and will just add them to the new category. Patty has found some great movies on YouTube and I will have to be sure to check some of them out as well.
Because of Grácia
JULY 03, 2023
07/02/23 10:40 AM
I watched a movie entitled Because of Grácia last night and found it to be a gem of a movie! It had all of the spiritual depth, passion, and romance that I enjoy in an excellent movie.
The Mystery of Her
JULY 03, 2023
07/02/23 10:30 AM
Back on February 5th of this year I published a post about a movie I watched (again) recently. I think I sort of said it in my post back then but I'll say it again here that I'm not sure why I like this movie so much except to say it was based on a true story and I found it very intriguing.
For more, please refer back to my post on February 5th of this year in the February 2023 archive. If you are reading this post in the category section, simply scroll down to February 5th to read the previous post.
Heat Advisory
JULY 02, 2023
07/01/23 07:05 AM
We've been under a heat advisory for days and it looks like it will go through the weekend. It's been pretty brutal around here.
The forecasted high for today is 97 and the outdoor thermometer has indicated temps over 100 even when the forecast only called for high 90's. Like I said, it's been pretty brutal.
We've got a week's worth of rain in the forecast starting on Monday. Not sure if we will see everything in the forecast, but we should see at least some of it.
On an unrelated note, it was so good to get my new glasses. It still feels funny to be picking them up at the hardware store, but Todd seems to know what he is doing up there and the price sure is right. In fact, I paid about 1/3 of what I paid for the last pair at one of those fancier places.
The technology is amazing and it completely eliminated my double vision. Despite the call for prism in the glasses, the grind value was actual base out with nothing indicated in the prism boxes. It was also nice to get out of that cloudy foil they laid over my right lens to handle the test for the base out prescription on my old pair of glasses - which will now serve as my spare pair.
On another unrelated note, Patty and I are looking forward to the fireworks on the fourth of July and we're especially looking forward to both seeing Jonathan and Amy that week as well as a trip out to see the Allie and the entire Snow family sometime around this year's Halloween. Should be fun!
Weight Maintenance
JULY 01, 2023
06/30/23 07:25 AM
Weight maintenance is a challenging thing as I have set it up. However, I don't know of any other way to do it.
I've applied what my wife told me about the French. They live in a weight range and when weight increases to a higher level in their range, they reduce eating to move back toward the bottom of the range.
That requires a lot of attention to matters, but it still works. And, I just don't know a better way to maintain weight than following the lead of the French.
Presently, I'm about 2.5 pounds below my 5 pound range. That's the problem. I tend to over-do to manage things.
There have been periods where I have stayed toward the bottom of my range for days if not weeks. But there have also been periods where I ate what I wanted when I wanted and had to deal with the difficult consequences of weight reduction to stay in my range.
It's interesting that I have not yet exceeded the top end of my range. Somehow, I feel that would indicate I'm not serious about weight maintenance, not to mention the battle that would be encountered to get back in the range and move lower in it.
Until and unless I discover a better plan, I suppose this is it.
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