Neil Armstrong

OK, it’s been more than a week now since Neil Armstrong passed away. I’ve been thinking about this, wondering if there was any reason to write anything about it. After all, it’s not like there haven’t been a million pages written about him. Yet, here I am.

I remember watching the landing on that July night in 1969. And if you're old enough, you do too. We all watched it. We all were enthralled. And we were all so amazingly proud. Really, we would have never believed that we could actually put a man on the moon. Yet there we were.

But for many years, I wondered what the fuss was over him. After all, couldn’t any of the astronauts have done what he did? Didn’t he just happen to be in the right place at the right time?

In a word, no.

You see, Armstrong was in the second class of astronauts, chosen a few years after the original Mercury astronauts. And he was a different breed. He was a self-proclaimed engineer geek from the very beginning. Of course he was fearless, as all the astronauts were. But he was more than that. He was the quiet guy who knew how to do the proofs in high school math. He was the one student who could answer all the “why” questions in science. And he was the type of man who could calculate odds in his head when faced with an emergency. He didn’t just react, he thought through it all, analyzing all the choices, then picking the right one. And by all accounts, he did it better than anyone.

So when the lunar module was descending to the moon’s surface, it turns out they had overshot their landing site. And Armstrong realized that. Aldrin didn’t. The guys at mission control didn’t. But he did. As he was looking for a safe site to land, the communication officer at mission control was counting down the seconds till they ran out of fuel. When he got to zero, the lunar module would have to abort, even if it was 10 feet from the lunar surface. If not, they could land, but would not have enough fuel to get off the surface.

So what did Armstrong do? He hit the throttle. Hard. Like nobody had ever seen, in any simulation. Moving forward as fast as the spacecraft could go, burning up precious fuel, all the time listening to that countdown. Nobody knew what he was doing, or why. Yet, without hesitation, without consultation, and without panic, he maneuvered the lunar module forward to a safe landing, with almost no time remaining. Could other astronauts have done that? Maybe. We’ll never know. But what we do know is that, when it came to crunch time in the biggest flight in the history of aviation, with literally all the world watching, Neil Armstrong got it done.

Good-bye Neil. The world will miss you.

Good bye, Sally

I read yesterday of the death of Sally Ride. With the news being full of the Penn State scandal and the Colorado shootings, her death didn't make huge headlines, but I’m guessing that wouldn’t have bothered her too much.

In case you don’t remember, Sally Ride was America’s first female astronaut. She flew on the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983. I remember thinking “what took them so long?” I understood the all-boys club of Mercury and Gemini, and I can even forgive them for Apollo. Remember, this was the time when boys played sports, and girls were cheerleaders. So in that world, pilots were men, and not women. And these space programs required pilots.

But by the time the Space Shuttle first flew in 1981, women’s roles had changed. While there were no female military pilots at that time, the shuttle was staffed with all kinds of people, not just pilots. Scientists and engineers were on board these as well. And women had shown that they too, could be scientists and engineers.

So it may have taken a while, but finally in 1983, Sally Ride actually became that first American woman in space. Never mind that the Russians had put a woman in space a full twenty years earlier, we finally got around to it. And while I’m not claiming to have extensively followed her career, she always seemed to handle herself with class and grace. Which is why she probably wouldn’t mind about the lack of huge headlines.

And then of course, there was this item in her obituary: “In addition to Tam O’Shaughnessy, her partner of 27 years, Sally is survived by her mother, Joyce; her sister,…” Yes, her partner. As in life partner. And she didn’t tell the world until she had died. She actually had never hidden her sexual orientation; she just hadn’t made a big deal about it by going public. All her friends and associates knew, but it was just another part of her. She was intelligent, had dark curly hair, and was gay.

While I’m sure some will criticize her for this, I would think even the most homophobic person would have to give some grudging respect to the way she lived out her life. She was what she was, and while many probably wished she had come out and made it a cause, she lived a public life as privately as she could.

But now Sally Ride, at the age of 62, has passed, succumbed to pancreatic cancer. You can think what you want, or course. But I will remember her not only as an astronaut, but also as a role model, and an inspiration.

If upon my own death, I am viewed as such, then I guess I really didn’t do too bad.

America As We Know It: Is It Over?

Well, that’s what they keep telling me. After the Supreme Court approved the Affordable Health Care Act. You see, politicians are experts at the “Here’s what’s going to happen” scenario. They use this tactic all the time. They come up with worst case scenarios, and say that they’re going to take place. Inevitably, that never happens. But it doesn’t matter, because by then they’ve moved onto another “It’s going to happen” scenario, and most people have forgotten the old one. Just a few examples…

1)  If we approve the auto bailout, we’ll have the government in charge of the car companies. Nancy Pelosi will be running GM, telling us exactly what kind of car we should have. Really, they all said it. All the politicians, radio hosts, everyone. Of course this didn’t happen. Instead, the car companies survived, are selling lots of cars, and have actually increased their hiring. Pretty much a best case, or at least a “pretty-good case” scenario.

2)  If Obama is elected, he’s coming for your guns. Right after the 2008 election, it was almost impossible to buy ammunition, due to the hoarding. Because Obama was going to take it all. Well, that never happened. So now they’re saying he’s waiting till his second term. Of course that’s not going to happen. Even if he wanted to, he’d never have the votes for it. But the NRA keeps saying this, and people keep believing it.

3)  If Obama is elected, he’s going to take your savings. Really. I know of one couple who actually cashed in their 401(k) when Obama was elected. Yes, they took a significant penalty on that. But they were so convinced he was somehow going to take their own money. Of course that didn’t happen. You would think they would be mad at the people who led them to believe that. Of course, they’re still mad at Obama.

4)  If Obamacare is passed, it will be the end of America as we know it. Really, I've heard that more than once in the last week. Back in October of 2010, one prominent senator said that “In the next year or so” we will have to dramatically cut the military because we can’t pay for it. Well, the next “year or so” has come and gone, and we still have a military. 

5)  Obamacare will ruin the doctor patient relationship. This one can’t be true, because that relationship is already ruined. Anyone who thinks doctors make the decisions has not spent any time arguing with the insurance company. A doctor may request a procedure, but the insurance company rep on the phone is the one who decides whether it will be covered or not. And they will also tell you which doctor you can or can’t see. So this one just doesn’t make any sense. 

6)  If we don’t drill drill drill, gas prices will soon be over $5 a gallon. Somehow nobody is talking about that right now. But just for the record, it didn’t happen. Yeah, I know. “But it’s going to!!!! “

You know, I have no problem with mistaken predictions. If a weatherman predicts rain based on his data, and the storm misses us, that’s a mistake. But if he says there’s going to be a tornado just to scare people, that’s completely different. 

So forget the “what’s going to happen.” Really. Because those are almost never right. Maybe they’re lying, maybe they’re just wrong. Either way, people saying these things do not deserve your trust.

You'll Miss These Times

I was cleaning the playhouse the other day. I mean I really cleaned it. I took everything out if it except the TV and stand, and vacuumed, mopped, and washed everything. While doing so, I came across two things that took me back. The first was this tape, as in a VCR tape. It is a Power Rangers tape, and it took me back to when my daughter Sara was much younger than now. She watched the Power Rangers all the time, and apparently they were pretty cool.

The other thing I found, as I was sweeping out the cushions in the couch, was this little slip of paper. Emma and the neighbor boy Christopher, or Toph, always seemed to be thinking up some kind of club, restaurant, or some other money making or just plain fun scheme. Back in the day.

Those two things took me back, way back. And it brought to mind an experience I had once when they were really little. I was at Kroger’s buying groceries, and I had both kids with me. I’m guessing they were probably about 1 and 4. It was one of those trips that make you want to consume mass quantities of any alcoholic beverage you can find! All you parents know exactly what I’m talking about. We were going through the checkout, and they were arguing, crying, screaming... put whatever loud verb you want in there, you get the picture. Just as their noise was about to really put me into some kind of fit, an older woman came up to me, and gently tapped me on the arm. And quietly and sweetly, she said to me “Enjoy these times young man, you’re going to miss them.”

OK, well that did NOT make things any better. Yeah right, I’m going to miss this time? I just wanted to get out of there, strap them in their car seats, drive home real fast and throw them both into bed and hope they would take long naps. And consume mass quantities of beer. Enjoy these times? Really?

But you know, even as she was saying it, although I couldn’t feel what she was saying, I somehow knew intellectually that she was right. That yes, I would miss those times. In some strange way that only a parent can understand.

So now as I approach my kids 21^st and 24^th birthdays, I am incredibly proud of the beautiful, intelligent, and caring young women they’ve grown up to be. And while I’m not crazy about them being so far from home, I understand that that is part of living and growing up. And I would never want to go back to that time more than 20 years ago.

Yet, somehow the woman was right. I do miss those times. Those times when Sara would say “watch me Dad” and do a cartwheel for the 100^th time in a row, looking exactly like every other one. Or when Emma would be crying uncontrollably over some perceived tragedy, but the offer of ice cream could fix it all! Yeah, I miss those times.

You know, I have no idea who that woman was, but I’m pretty sure that “older” woman was younger then than I am now. And now I know, and feel, exactly what she meant.

Yeah, I miss those times. And all you parents understand.

You're wrong. Of course.

It must really be difficult to be in politics. You always have to spin everything just the right way. Because in all situations, you and your party must be right. And your opponent and his party must be wrong. Every time. No exceptions. Never is it OK to acknowledge any form of success by the “other party” even if it is obvious. I don’t know if it’s always been this way, but that’s how it is now. And it puts people in very difficult situations.

The situation I’m referring to currently is that of the republican governors. They are in a very precarious position. Remember that most elections, and state elections in particular, are about the economy. So with the economy as it is, what are these republican governors to do?

Since they are republicans, it is required that they repeat the message of how badly President Obama has bungled the economy. Since it is not permissible to ever acknowledge any kind of success by the other party, the message has to be that the economy is in huge trouble and cannot possibly improve significantly under this democratic leadership.

But on the other hand, they are facing elections in their own states in the fall. While they may not be up for reelection themselves, their state legislators are. So therefore, they have to show how their own state economy is improving, or even thriving. So you have guys like Florida governor Rick Scott pointing to “encouraging indicators that Florida’s economy is steadily moving in the right direction.” Or Virginia governor Bob McDonnell saying “With unemployment at over a 3-year low, agricultural exports at a record high, and thousands of Virginians working again…”

So, which is it? Is the economy getting better, or not? Maybe it’s only getting better in republican states! Maybe that will work. Unfortunately though, it won’t. Because more than half the states have republican governors. So if that were true, then of course our national economy would be improving. And we can’t have that!

So if I’m a republican governor, I have the following choice:
a) Proclaim how good our economy is to help my own state legislators, or
b) Proclaim how bad our economy is, to make sure Obama and the dems get kicked out of Washington.

Of course, they could always just tell the truth.

Truth? What am I saying? Truth? In politics? Yeah, right.

Of Screwdrivers and Batteries

Yes, screwdrivers and batteries. What do they have in common? What could this possibly be about? Well, very little, actually. Except that I have an amazing streak going in both of those categories. Sadly...

As you probably know, there are two main varieties of screwdrivers. OK, there’s a lot more if you count hex, torx, and weird things like that, which really should never have been invented anyway. But the two real ones, that real people use, are flat, with a slot in the head of the screw, and Phillips, which has a cross on the screw.

OK, now that your tool lesson is over, why am I writing this? Because every time I reach for a screwdriver, I always get the one I DON’T want. And I don’t mean sometimes, or usually. No, I mean every time. At least every time for the last 3 years. Really. It’s like 312 wrong choices in a row or something like that. What’s more, if I reach in a drawer for a Phillips, not only do I grab a flat, but there’s a pretty good chance that EVERY screwdriver in the drawer is flat. Really. I’m not making this stuff up. OK, maybe it’s not 312 in a row; and maybe it’s not 3 years. Those might be slight exaggerations. But it's still a whole lot in a row.

Batteries? Yeah, you know where this is going. In our house, we have a drawer with nothing but batteries. The other day I needed a AA. Here’s an inventory of the battery drawer:

• 6 - “D” cells. You know, the big ones that go in flashlights.
• 20 - “C” cells. Of course, I don’t know of any use for “C” cells. Maybe that’s why I have so many left.
• 51 - “AAA” batteries. No, I have no idea why I have 51 of them.
• 4 – 9 volt. Which I actually feel bad for, because they don’t even get a letter, like C, or D.
• 1 - CR 2032. About the size of a nickel that must have been for a watch or something once.
• 4 random batteries that are even smaller, that fit I-have-no-idea-what.
• 1 lithium-ion battery for a camera that I don’t even own any more
• ZERO “AA” batteries.

 Really.  Zero. None. Zip. Not one!

But do you think that’s unusual? No way. At school, I also have a battery drawer, and the other day I needed a 9V battery. So what do you think I had? Well, I’ll spare you all the gory details, but I’m sure you've guessed by now that I had exactly ZERO 9 volt batteries.

I sometimes feel incredibly cursed. (And I’m not even going to start in about drive-throughs.)

I will admit though, the word "cursed" is just a tad strong. After all, I'm really only talking about screwdrivers. And batteries.

I guess I can't really complain too much. Except that I just did!

Go to the Moon, revisited

That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

We all heard those words. We knew what it meant. As Neil Armstrong took that historic step down onto the lunar surface, we all knew this was the opening of a whole new era in exploration. It felt, to many of us, that this was Christopher Columbus all over again. Man had made another step into an unknown world, and we knew this was going to be the start of a new round of exploration and discovery. After the heady excitement of Apollo 11, we watched one moon landing after another. At least ten were planned, with more on the drawing board. But it was not to be. Not even close.

The 60’s were over, and with it apparently, so was our idealism. The Viet Nam war was ending, badly. Watergate was in full swing. Americans weren’t feeling very good about themselves. And I think we just gave up. After five moon landings, we canceled the rest. We had beaten the Soviets, and I guess that was all that mattered. Exploration? A waste of time. Science? A waste of money. 

Maybe we ran out of money. Or maybe we just decided to spend our tax dollars more wisely. I suppose you could look at it that way. And of course, that’s how most people did. But maybe we just lost our drive. Our focus went from outward, reaching beyond where man has ever gone and what he has ever done, to inward, just trying to maintain what we were. And that never works.

I understand fiscal responsibility. I understand spending money on pressing problems. But we were at one time the leaders in space exploration. We were the country that could put a man on the moon. We felt we could do anything. Now, we have virtually no manned space program. We have no means to put a human in orbit. When we need to put someone on the space station, we have to hitch a ride with the Russians. Just one more area where Americans have fallen behind. 

I suppose I’m a dreamer. Or even foolish. We have more urgent problems right here on our own planet, I guess. But we’re always going to have problems. We will always be able to find things that seem more important than exploration.

But it will happen. Eventually. If Queen Isabella had told Columbus that no, she would rather spend her money on something else, the Americas still would have been discovered. It was inevitable; it just would have taken more time. And so it is with space exploration. Even now there are private companies that have taken on the role of attempting to put us back into orbit. And that would be a start. But even that only gets us to where we were fifty years ago. Yet the real exploration will happen eventually. But probably not in my lifetime. 

For those of you who are old enough, think of how you felt when we were all huddling around our TV’s watching that first lunar landing. Think of how proud you were of not just Americans, but all mankind in general. And now think of how you feel when you watch the constant bickering in America now. In government, in business, in just about all areas of our lives. All of us trying to get ahead, somehow.

And I ask you, which is a better feeling?

Go to the Moon

Every year in physics, I spend about six weeks teaching about manned spaceflight. No, it’s not really physics, but I found that most kids don’t know anything about it. They think John Glenn went to the moon (no he didn’t) and they have never heard of Gus Grissom (no, he’s not on CSI.)

Today as I was getting ready, I happened to click on the video of Kennedy’s speech, where he says: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long range exploration of space, and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.”

Wow. What a chance he took. He had only been in office for a few months. And nobody had any idea how we were actually going to accomplish this goal. They were all just guessing. But he put it out there anyway. Why? Because this country was starting to feel secondary to the Soviets, and he knew this country needed to rally, to have a goal, to be united in purpose. And rally we did. The rest, of course, is history.

But what I find interesting about this is that he didn’t hide the fact that this was going to be very very expensive. He came right out and said it. Yet, the country and the congress rallied around this president, and we did it.

Now move yourself into the future about 50 years. And now this goes from interesting to sad. Very sad. Because there is no way this could happen in 2012. Not a chance. Because no matter what the president proposes, instantly the “other side” is out, explaining to all who will listen that this won’t work, that it is wasteful, that it will bankrupt our country. And they would somehow, without saying it, imply that it’s just part of his plan to be dictator, impose his government on every aspect of your life, and it probably somehow is related to socialism or Sharia Law.

Why do they say this? Because they don’t want the president to “win.” Really. How else can you explain that no matter what side the President takes on any issue, John Boehner is on the other. Every single time. It’s all about who looks good, who wins, and who takes the next election. It has very little to do with what is good for the country.

Don’t believe me? Then ask yourself this. As good economic news starts to trickle in, how many Republicans have praised it? Maybe I’ve missed it, but I haven’t’ heard one. If they want what’s best for this country, of course they’d be pleased. But instead, they say how “No, it’s not really good news” or “Yeah but your numbers are not accurate because…” or “Yeah, but I heard an economist say…” or “It’s just the left wing media making it up.”

Of course, you can argue that we never should have gone to the moon. And of course, you’d be wrong. Looking back on it, the government could have just pissed away the 20 billion dollars, but instead they invested it in something which gave us pride.

Oh, and besides pride? It gave employment to multitudes of people, it spurred scientific achievement and advancement, and it gave a whole generation of young Americans a reason to excel. All with budget deficits. Yet somehow we survived.

You know, this isn’t a football game. It’s not about who wins. It’s about what’s best for the country. And it’s fine to disagree with the president on many things. I know I do. But to disagree on everything, to try to stop every advancement, and to deny the good things that do happen? Personally I just find it sad, very sad.

The democrats weren't this pathetic when Bush was in office. Again, if you don’t believe me, just start counting filibusters and you’ll know what I mean. But some day there will be a Republican in the White House. Will the Democrats be just as bad? I have no idea. But somehow, I’m not optimistic. Because I don’t believe this attitude is a problem with Republicans, I think it’s a problem with Washington.

And that’s why I’m sad.

I Guess I'll Watch the Super Bowl.

Disclaimer: there is really nothing of value in this blog post. (Yeah, I know, so what's new?) So if you want to waste three minutes (or so) of your life reading it, that's up to you. But don't say I didn't warn you. (now, back to the regularly scheduled blog...)

I guess I'll watch the Super Bowl. But I really have no idea why. Don’t get me wrong, I love football, especially NFL. And if this were just a regular playoff game, I’d be a lot more interested. But it’s the Super Bowl. I’m supposed to be excited. After all, half the free world (or something like that) will be watching. But I think I’d rather grade my physics tests instead. (I’ve been sitting on them for almost a week. I should really get going.)

First of all, I don’t really care who wins. Yes it would be great if the Patriots lost. Of course I hate the Patriots. Every real American hates the Patriots, just like they hate the Yankees. Oh, and yeah, the Lakers as well. Hockey? Real Americans don’t hate any particular hockey team. They just hate hockey in general. OK, maybe not “hate.” “Ignore” is probably a better word.

But still, I’m supposed to want to watch it. Really. The game is everywhere. On the TV, newspapers, radio, and the net, that’s all anyone talks about. And again, I’m not sure why. Honestly, it’s not that big a deal.  We play this game every year. Not like the Olympics or World Cup, which are every four years. No, every year, each team has a 1 in 32 chance of winning. (OK, maybe not the Browns…)

And really, as much as I hate Tom Brady (Yes, every real American hates Tom Brady) it doesn’t really affect me if they win. (OK, maybe I will smile a little as I see pics of Perfect Tom whining on the sideline.) I also have to admit I love watching replays of David Tyree catching that pass, then Buress getting the touchdown, then the Patriots inept to come back in the last 35 seconds. Hmm… maybe I’ll watch it just in case.  

But of course, I have to watch it. Because if I don’t, when I get to work the next day, I’ll be left out of all the talk. No, not about the game. Nobody ever really talks about the game after it’s over. They’re sick of hearing about it nonstop for two weeks. But the commercials, yes that’s another story. I mean, what if I had never seen the “Hey Mean Joe, do you want my Coke?” ad?  Or the “Macintosh against Big Brother” ad of 1984. (I wonder if Steve ever caught the irony of that ad before he passed on) Or the Clydesdales? How would my life have any meaning if I don’t see the ads? (yes, sarcasm intended)

Everyone gets in the act. Everyone. Just recently, the Super Bowl was even a topic of discussion on a popular adultery website. (Yes, they really have those, and no, I’ve never gone to one.) According to a sports talk radio guy, the site asked a poll question of the married women visiting the site: “Which Super Bowl quarterback would you rather “know”? Eli beat Tom 56/44. (And no, nobody knows why.)

You know, I kinda wonder, how many people really tune in for the football? And how many watch because of the commercials? Or how many watch because, like me, they feel like they’re supposed to. Not sure what the percentages are of those.

Honestly, I see that I have no right to complain. Because by writing that everyone is making a big deal of it, I guess I'm doing the same thing. I mean, really, I have a blog post on the Super Bowl? (Really?) Apparently, I've succumbed to the sirens as well. 

So I guess I’ll watch. At least I get Michaels and Collinsworth, and not Joe Buck (Yes, every real American hates Joe Buck too.) I can always grade my tests between commercials I suppose.

(And maybe when it’s over I can quit writing in parentheses.)

(One can only hope.)

(Remember, I warned you!)

How much? Really?

I read recently where Prince Fielder just got a new team, and a new contract. For those unfamiliar with baseball, Prince is a ball player, and a pretty good one. He hits lots of home runs. The Tigers were excited to get him, and rewarded him with a nine-year contract. Worth $214 million. That’s $2.4 million per year. Which comes out to $65,000 per day, if we pay him for all 366 days in 2012. Or $147,000 per game (if he plays each one) or about $37,000 for each trip to the plate. I'm not sure if that includes health insurance.

I’d like to say I’m shocked, but of course I’m not. Baron Davis, a point guard, was recently cut by the Cleveland Cavaliers. They still owe him two years of his contract and $30 million . But because he was cut he won’t get all that money. No, the Cavs will only have to pay him $28 million over the next two years. Even though he won’t be playing. But don't feel too bad for him. The Knicks just signed him for $2.5 million for this year. Even though he'll be out for the next 8-10 weeks because of a back injury. He should be ready a few weeks before the playoffs. If they make it. Oh, and he still gets the $28 million. In case you were concerned.

Then of course, I was listening to a sports talk station the other day, when I heard the guy talking about the “mid-level players” in the NBA, the ones who don’t get all the headlines, the ones who only make $7 – 10 million dollars a year. I really felt sorry for those guys, only making $7 million a year. And yes, sorry for the sarcasm.

A brand new pastor, right out of seminary, recently found a call. His total package, including pension, housing allowance, car allowance, and health care was almost $60,000, and he would be working about 50 hours a week, with one day off (unless they schedule a meeting, or someone is sick...). They accepted him and issued that call, but there were a number of people in the congregation who questioned why they should have to pay him so much.

A first year teacher at a nearby school system makes about $28,000. And she’s heard more than one complaint about “paying these teachers so much money, when they only work 9 months a year.” Prince Fielder will work 9 months as well, assuming they make it to the World Series. He gets more in one at-bat than the teacher gets for the entire year. 

OK, I know it’s not the same. The teacher gets paid out of our taxes, and the athletes get paid from ticket sales, TV rights, … Still, it kinda makes me wonder.

Now don’t get me wrong, I like capitalism. For the most part. I like the idea of supply and demand, and I don’t fault Prince for getting everything he can. And I don’t fault the Tigers for paying out the nose. (Did I mention that when they’re on the road, he gets his own private suite?) It’s their money, they can do what they want with it.

But still, I have to wonder what the world would be like if we actually paid people based on what they’re worth, in other words, based on how much help they give other people, or society as a whole. Pay them on how much a “difference” they make in this world.

I’m not sure what that pay scale would look like, but it wouldn’t look anything like what we have now. If you ask me, it would go more like this.

1) The highest paid people would be pastors. Think about it. No matter how much anyone does for you on this earth, a pastor’s job is to help you in lots of ways, one of which is to help you have the faith that can make for a good eternity BEYOND this earth. Nothing is more important than that.

2) Next highest paid on the list are first grade teachers. Look, I teach chemistry and physics. If I’m horrible and my students don’t learn it, they’ll miss some things in life, but they’ll get by just fine. But if a kid doesn’t learn to read, then he’s in huge trouble. So yeah, first grade teachers come next.

3) After that, I’m not sure. Maybe soldiers, or policemen, or firefighters. Possibly doctors and nurses. I’m not really sure.

4) A million other jobs would come next.

5) At the bottom would probably be professional athletes. Really, it may be fun to watch LeBron do a power slam, but it doesn’t really affect my life. And if it really does affect your life, then honestly I wonder a little bit about you.

No, it would never work. Which is really too bad. But the saddest part about all of this, is that after reading the first paragraph above, almost none of us, including me, were shocked or surprised.

And that’s the worst part.

This is the Place!

So, today winter finally came. Oh I know, it’s officially been winter for about three weeks. But for those of us in NW Ohio, it’s kinda felt like we were magically moved to North Carolina or something. Days in the 50’s have not been uncommon, while temperatures in the teens have been scarce, if they’ve come at all. It’s been perfect winter running weather, if only I had the energy to really get out there and put some miles in. Call it global warming, call it luck of the draw, call it whatever you want, it hasn’t been normal.

Until today. Today was the day that ice covered my driveway. Today was the day my cat sat at the closed door and cried, then howled in horror at the open door (repeated many times!)  Today was the day when I actually put a vest on over my sweatshirt. And today was finally the day I was so grateful that I had the car starter installed in my truck last December.

But also, today was the day when I wondered, as I do at least once each year, what in the world are we doing living in this climate anyway. No, really. I honestly can’t figure it out. Yes, I know we have houses, and central heat, and heaters in our cars, and lots of warm clothes. And yes, we get by. But what about years and years and years ago, when people first settled in this area?

Now, no matter whether you believe human life began as evolved ape-creatures in Africa, as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, or as spores dropped from alien spacecraft, no matter what, it didn’t start in weather like this. No, Africa never had this climate, and I don’t remember snow being mentioned in Genesis (although I suppose maybe I just missed it), and well, I just figure the aliens would have chosen a better seeding ground than here. No matter what you think about the beginning of human life, it most certainly have started somewhere just a tad more balmy than here.

Which (finally) gets to my point. What are we doing here? No, really. Imagine you’re a human life form many many years ago. Living as nice a life as you can muster many miles south of here. I suppose I can see how maybe you’d get the urge to wander, to migrate, to move elsewhere. Maybe you were searching for better food, or finding a new place to plant something. Or just getting away from an annoying neighbor. Yes, I can see why you’d want to move.

But to here? Really? Does this make any sense? If you’re  that warm-weather prehistoric man, living the good life in southern California (or its prehistoric equivalent) as you wandered north, and the weather got cold, why in the world would you have stayed? OK, maybe you took the road trip in the summer. But you know, prehistorics didn’t really have fast transportation. It would have taken you many months to get anywhere. So it would have been winter before you got too far. Why didn’t you just turn around and go back home? Seriously. It would have made a whole lot more sense than killing a bear, skinning it, letting it dry out, and somehow making a coat out of its fur. Don’t you agree? Somehow, I just can’t imagine some human many years ago wandering up to this part of the world, arriving here on a day like today, and saying “Yep, this is the place for me. All I have to do is kill a bunch of animals for clothing, spend a month or two fashioning a shelter of some kind, break through some ice to get some water, wait a few months till I see anything green again, and invent something called fire and I’ll be fine and dandy. Hey Marge, let’s call this home!”

Honestly, every winter, there is one day. And this year it was today. As I was walking into work, wind blowing in my face, snow flying, and my cheeks so cold they hurt, that I wonder. Really? Really? We humans settled here?

What were we thinking?

Christmas is Over. Now what?

So Christmas is over. Again. Now it’s on to normal things. Like work, cleaning, and watching football. And maybe a New Year’s Eve party. The kids have gone back home, the mess is put away. The tree that we marveled at a few weeks ago has now progressed to the “let’s get that damn thing out of here so we can see the TV better” stage. That’s how it’s supposed to be, right? The “Christmas Spirit” kinda fades away. After all, we’re adults. I know some people who don’t really bother with a tree, or presents, any more. I understand that. Really, sometimes when it comes to Christmas, what’s the use?

A while back I had two, seemingly unrelated, Bible lessons more or less dropped in my lap at the same time. The first was basically that God made us all different, as he made each part of the body different. While the eye is different from the ear, both are useful. And though I’m different from you, we can both be useful as well. The second one was the story of the angel coming to Mary, telling her that she would give birth to the savior. Like I said, pretty much unrelated.

Well, maybe not. Let’s go back to Mary. Back in her day, the important people were all male. (Some could argue that hasn’t changed, but that’s another discussion!) She was no more than a young girl, maybe 15 or 16 years old. She was a Jew, and they were a troubled people. They were under a less-than-benevolent Roman rule, they had been mistreated throughout their history, and this “Messiah” that God had supposedly promised them was nowhere in sight. The Jewish scholars and rabbis seemed to be all about rules, and making sure everyone followed them. Women weren’t even allowed to speak in many situations. Mary definitely wasn’t one of the “important people.”

Yet Mary changed the world like no one before. She gave birth to that Savior, on that very first Christmas. And that birth has changed everything. Of course, this virgin birth thing could be just a story, a legend. Sure it could. But maybe it really did happen, just like we’ve been told. If you're a Christian, this night has a special place in your heart. But even if you don’t believe a word of it, it you can’t argue about the effect Christianity has had on this world. No matter what your beliefs, Mary changed the world.

So what does this have to do with you, or me? Well, in a word, everything. Mary was a nobody, and look at what she did. Well, I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to change the world. I would, however, like to make a difference in the world before I leave it. It doesn’t have to “shock the world” but it sure would be nice if I could, at least in one small way, leave it a better place than I found it.

But if you’re like me, you find yourself saying, that “I’m not important enough.” We tend to think that the “important people” like politicians, board presidents, and other well-known people, are the ones that make a difference. But Mary did it. Why can’t we?

You know, she didn’t plan that. But she did have faith and trust that God would help her in some way. We can do that too. We can believe that he can use us, in some small way, to make a difference. We don’t know when it will happen, or how, or if we’ll even realize it when it does. But we can believe. Whether you already believe, or think you might believe, or just want to believe, you can keep trying, keep hoping that he will use you to make a difference. And you will change the world, maybe not in a way that will make the news, or that everyone will talk about, but at least in a small way, one that pleases God. Personally, that’s enough for me.

Maybe Christmas is over. But this is a message of Christmas I can remember all year long.

Don't Touch that Number!

The other day somebody emailed me a phone number. I opened the email on my phone, and of course the phone number was highlighted. I touched it, held my finger on it, and a dialog box came up asking if I wanted to dial that number. That’s pretty intuitive. Kinda common sense that it would work that way. Well, no more.

You see, Apple owns the patent for that action. By April, only Apple phones will be able to respond that way. Really? Apple can patent a touch? Really? What’s going on here? If the officials who decide these things are trying to stifle tech progress, they’re doing a pretty good job. I’ve written about this before, but it just keeps getting worse.

How did you get to read this blog? You probably clicked on a link somewhere. That’s pretty much how the web works. Now imagine the person who came up with that had been as greedy as Apple, and as shortsighted as the patent officials. If that had been the case, you wouldn’t be able to click on links to navigate the web. Unless of course you were on that single one brand of computer system. In other words, the web would be owned by one company, one brand. Who could, of course, charge pretty much what they wanted. How much do you think the web would have developed in that scenario? No, it wouldn’t have. At all.

Now try this. Put your mouse over any word in this blog, and double-click. It selects the whole word, doesn’t it? We’ve come to expect that kind of thing. But someone, in some software program at one time, first implemented the “double click selects the word” idea. If they had patented that, then you’d have to learn a different way to select a word in every different program you used. Or how about dragging with the mouse to select text? Yep, that could be someone’s patent as well.

Android manufacturer google says they will design an alternative to the touch. But honestly, why should they have to? And of course, every phone/tablet/computer system will have to come up with their own way to respond to that phone number. Each different one you use, you’ll have to learn a new system.

Apple has hundreds of law suits just like this, in dozens of countries. And of course, other companies are filing their own law suits in response. For those of you who love free enterprise, and good old American competition, this is not going to help.

This really can’t end well.

A Church is Not Just a Building

I've always thought of a church as a building, a place where people go to worship. That’s probably how most of us would define it. But today I realized just how inadequate that definition is.

For most of my life, I've gone to church. To some building, somewhere, usually with lots of people in it. They were usually dressed up, some in robes, and normally an organ played something. It was nice. It felt like church was supposed to feel.

But today, for the second time in a few weeks, I worshiped in a garage. And I never felt more like I was at church than I have these last few weeks. I don’t know how to explain it really, but somehow it was just “right.” Nobody complained because they didn't like the music, or the sermon was too long, or it was too cold, or the kids weren't dressed right…. Nobody cared when the prayer music was probably a bit too loud, or when I hit a D chord instead of a C. But everyone did listen to the message, everyone seemed to appreciate the prayers, we all sang, and we all took communion feeling that this was more than just a blind ritual.

Things that sometimes seem important many times turn out to be meaningless. The style of music? I've been to moving services with majestic organs and inspiring choirs, as well as those with just a guitar and and keyboard. I’m guessing God appreciates all kinds of music. Jeans or suits? It really just doesn't seem to matter.

In two weeks, our group will begin regular services at a very small room in a basement downtown. Just one room. I’m pretty sure it won’t look like a regular church. But we’re all excited about it. It will be a home, at least for a while, in which we can share with each other, and hopefully others as well, everything that we feel church can be.

No, church is not just a building. Church is more about people, and their mission, and their oneness in a belief they want to share. Church is about trying to follow Christ, and what he taught us. Church is about acceptance of everyone, even if they’re not just like us or don’t always agree with us, because that's what Jesus did.

You know, I’m not really sure exactly what church is. But I know it’s not just a building. In fact, I’m sure that the building is the least important part of it.

Ashamed of Christians?

First off, let me explain the title. I am NOT ashamed to be a Christian. Not even close. Although I will be the first to admit that I often struggle with my faith, I never hide it from anyone.

Also, I’m not saying I’m ashamed of all Christians, either. For the most part, the people that I know who seem to have the strongest faith are incredibly wonderful people, who nobody in his right mind could be ashamed of.

But then there are the others. In theory, a Christian is supposed to try to model his life after Christ, or so I’ve been told. Of course we all fall way short of that. That’s to be expected…we’re not Jesus.

But really, can’t we all at least try? From what I know of the New Testament, Jesus seemed to be about love, forgiveness, and helping others. In fact, he himself said “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Notice he said “love.” But it seems to me that many Christians kinda forget all about that part. They seem to think he said

• “Follow the rules” or 
• “Ostracize people who don’t agree with you” or maybe
• “Take revenge on people who have done you wrong”

Now, I know I’m not allowed to judge. And no, I don’t know what is in the hearts and minds of others. So it would be wrong for me to condemn these people. (He who is without sin...) But while I cannot condemn these people, I can be ashamed of their actions.

I know Christians who have “revenge lists” in their heads. And they seem to be proud of it. Proud of a list of people that they vow they will someday get back at for some perceived wrong these people have done. Somehow, I’m guessing Jesus didn't have that list.

Realistically, we all have people we would like to take revenge on. But most of us do our best NOT to follow on that impulse. Of course, sometimes we fail. But we try.

You know, I have lost count of the people I’ve talked to who refuse to go to church because they feel the leaders are the nastiest, most arrogant, and most hypocritical people they know. Maybe they're just using it as an excuse to sleep in on Sunday morning, but I have to admit that I understand what they’re saying. And it makes me ashamed.

This post might offend you. Honestly, it offends me, and I’m the one writing it. It pains me to say what I’m saying. Yet I can’t argue with one simple fact: some of the nastiest people I’ve ever met are every-Sunday church goers. Who say they love Jesus.

I just don’t get it.