Last Thursday I found myself at home in the middle of the day with nothing to do for a few hours. I turned on the television. I'm a television junkie. I can watch T.V. all day for days on end. Once, over a Christmas break, I didn't leave the house or change out of my pajamas for seven days straight. I laid on the floor with my head propped up on a pillow watching T.V. When I couldn't find the remote, I slid my arms across the floor like a snow angel...the remote had to be within my reach because I hadn't moved all day. All that to say that I can be entertained by even the most boring television programs.
So last Thursday I turned on the T.V. My remote control allows me to preset my favorite channels in case I'm to lazy to actually press the numbers on the remote. I tried all of my preset stations (all 16 of them) only to find there was nothing worth watching. Instead of turning off the T.V., I dared to venture into the "in between" channels.
What I found was astonishing. Those terrible channels that I never watch are actually highly entertaining in the middle of the day.
Channel 1: Infomercials are often mildly entertaining, but mostly repetitive and dull. Well Seven Day Miracle Cleanse was anything but dull. Can you imagine going ten years without brushing your teeth? Would you consider not blowing your nose for 15 years? Of course not! Well, I bet you've never cleaned out your colon. That's right folks, your colon needs to be cleaned regularly just like every other orifice. With regular colon cleansing you can lose weight, feel better, have softer skin, cure diseases, and have a longer lifespan.
Check it out: http://www.7dmc.com/
Channel 2: Friends, I'm here to let you in on a unique opportunity. Just this morning I was faxed this contract from the Country of Israel. That's right, from Israel. As you know, Daystar has always worked to minister to Christians and non-Christians around the world through the medium of television. God has blessed us with a wonderful opportunity to be the first all Christian television network in Israel broadcasting to Israel 24 hours a day.
You can be a part of this special ministry. The Israeli government has sent us this contract via fax. All we have to do is raise $1,000,000.00 today. We just need you to give as the Lord leads. If 1,000 people each give $1,000.00 we can meet our goal.
This offer by the Israeli government is only good today. If we can raise this money today not only can we be the first all Christian network in Israel but the Israeli government has secured for us an office building for our broadcasting studio on Mount Zion. Thats right, we can be broadcasting in the Holy Land from Mount Zion itself.
http://ww2.daystar.com/Daystar
Friday, September 29, 2006
Friday, September 22, 2006
Little Things
The last eleven days have seemed a little mundane. It's the little things that make things interesting though. I've decided that I should provide illustrations to enhance my fluffy thoughts. Everyone like illustrations. I love photography, but don't expect too much. Most of the pictures of the little things in my life were taken on my cell phone which equals poor quality. Anway...
I was driving to work on Wednesday morning. I have to drive due east to get to work. Unfortunately, at the time of day I go to work the sun is directly in my eyes. I'm not talking about a little annoying glare. I'm talking about blinding, direct sun rays. I couldn't see a thing. I couldn't tell what color the traffic lights were or if the school zone lights were flashing on Wednesday.
As I was turning left into the parking lot at work I noticed something on my right. My mind couldn't quite comprehend what it was. Usually when you see a traffic accident there are fire trucks and police cars with there lights flashing. However, on this occasion the accident happenend right in front of me. I parked and got out to see if everyone was alright. A couple of joggers from the neighborhood had stopped also.
It turned out that everyone was alright, but it's still pretty freaky to see an acident like this one. Notice the sun in the first pic.
I was driving to work on Wednesday morning. I have to drive due east to get to work. Unfortunately, at the time of day I go to work the sun is directly in my eyes. I'm not talking about a little annoying glare. I'm talking about blinding, direct sun rays. I couldn't see a thing. I couldn't tell what color the traffic lights were or if the school zone lights were flashing on Wednesday.
As I was turning left into the parking lot at work I noticed something on my right. My mind couldn't quite comprehend what it was. Usually when you see a traffic accident there are fire trucks and police cars with there lights flashing. However, on this occasion the accident happenend right in front of me. I parked and got out to see if everyone was alright. A couple of joggers from the neighborhood had stopped also.
It turned out that everyone was alright, but it's still pretty freaky to see an acident like this one. Notice the sun in the first pic.
I've got another car story I'll post later once I've processed it mentally.
Monday, September 11, 2006
E.R.
My medical insurance is pretty good. My wife is a "medical professional" so we are covered for just about everything. However, our health care plan doesn't have any local Doc in the Boxes. Until Thursday, this didn't bother me.
On Thursday, my wife and I were out shopping for a new mattress. We were hungry but facing the cost of a new mattress dissuaded us from eating out. Instead, we went home, and I volunteered to cook something. I was in a hurry because we were both hungry. I was chopping onions, and while chopping, I looked to make sure the stove was on. As I turned my head to the side, my right hand pushed the knife through my left thumb.
The E.R. is a prime example why communism doesn't work...At least not well. E.R.s around the country must see every patient that comes through the door. They cannot turn you away for any reason. So, they take patients that can't afford to pay.
I think it is a wonderful idea for anyone to have access to modern medical care. However, this system has made the E.R. inefficient and dreadfully slow. They have no incentive to go faster. If you go to a restaurant (which I should have done on Thursday) and the service is exceptionally slow, you might leave, or at least you might not come back again.
If you have a medical emergency and you go to the E.R. and the service is slow, where are you going to go? If you're the type of person who believes that you should pay your bills (which I am) then you can only afford to go to a place your insurance covers. If the E.R. your insurance covers is slow, you can't afford to go to another one...And the E.R.s know this. They have no monetary incentive to go faster or be efficient.
I arrived at the E.R. around 7:15pm. The woman at the desk was on the phone talking to someone that I think was her boyfriend. After she failed to acknowledge my presence I proceeded to try and fill out the admission form with my one good hand. At 7:20pm I handed her the form. She looked at it and motioned toward the herd of patients.
I joined several people in watching Mexican soap operas until my name was called at 7:45pm. I was excited that I would be taken care of so fast. A nurse took me into a room, took my name and information, and, for the first time since I arrived looked, at my wound. She then told me to go back to the waiting room and wait for my name to be called again.
I returned to my soaps and waited. At 8:45pm my wife became impatient. She asked the lady at the front desk (who was now off the phone) when I would be seen. They said that my name was next on the list and that it shouldn't take much longer.
At 9:05pm my name along with six others was called. I was escorted to a large examination room. The nurse came by at 9:15pm and told me to make myself comfortable. She familiarized me with the television and handed me the remote. She said the doctor would be in shortly.
At 9:45 the doctor arrived. He said that I didn't need any stiches. All that needed to be done was to keep it clean, use plenty of neosporin, and wrap it in gauze until it heals.
At 10:00pm I left the E.R. with gauze around my thumb. It took three hours to wrap gauze around my thumb. Seriously.
On Thursday, my wife and I were out shopping for a new mattress. We were hungry but facing the cost of a new mattress dissuaded us from eating out. Instead, we went home, and I volunteered to cook something. I was in a hurry because we were both hungry. I was chopping onions, and while chopping, I looked to make sure the stove was on. As I turned my head to the side, my right hand pushed the knife through my left thumb.
The E.R. is a prime example why communism doesn't work...At least not well. E.R.s around the country must see every patient that comes through the door. They cannot turn you away for any reason. So, they take patients that can't afford to pay.
I think it is a wonderful idea for anyone to have access to modern medical care. However, this system has made the E.R. inefficient and dreadfully slow. They have no incentive to go faster. If you go to a restaurant (which I should have done on Thursday) and the service is exceptionally slow, you might leave, or at least you might not come back again.
If you have a medical emergency and you go to the E.R. and the service is slow, where are you going to go? If you're the type of person who believes that you should pay your bills (which I am) then you can only afford to go to a place your insurance covers. If the E.R. your insurance covers is slow, you can't afford to go to another one...And the E.R.s know this. They have no monetary incentive to go faster or be efficient.
I arrived at the E.R. around 7:15pm. The woman at the desk was on the phone talking to someone that I think was her boyfriend. After she failed to acknowledge my presence I proceeded to try and fill out the admission form with my one good hand. At 7:20pm I handed her the form. She looked at it and motioned toward the herd of patients.
I joined several people in watching Mexican soap operas until my name was called at 7:45pm. I was excited that I would be taken care of so fast. A nurse took me into a room, took my name and information, and, for the first time since I arrived looked, at my wound. She then told me to go back to the waiting room and wait for my name to be called again.
I returned to my soaps and waited. At 8:45pm my wife became impatient. She asked the lady at the front desk (who was now off the phone) when I would be seen. They said that my name was next on the list and that it shouldn't take much longer.
At 9:05pm my name along with six others was called. I was escorted to a large examination room. The nurse came by at 9:15pm and told me to make myself comfortable. She familiarized me with the television and handed me the remote. She said the doctor would be in shortly.
At 9:45 the doctor arrived. He said that I didn't need any stiches. All that needed to be done was to keep it clean, use plenty of neosporin, and wrap it in gauze until it heals.
At 10:00pm I left the E.R. with gauze around my thumb. It took three hours to wrap gauze around my thumb. Seriously.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Empathy/Sympathy
September 11, 2001, I was asleep. Well, I wasn't asleep the entire day. It was a Thursday, and I was a freshman in college. I don't think I had any classes until sometime that afternoon. I woke up around 11:00 am and I stumbled into my dorm showers. After I got ready to go eat lunch someone asked me, "Did you just get up?" I answered, "Yeah, why?" I didn't think it at all unusual for a college freshman to sleep in until 11.
He exclaimed, "You haven't heard about the planes in New York?" "Planes in New York? What about planes in New York?" He told me what had happened. I didn't have a T.V., so I walked to the library which usually had a T.V. playing CNN. I saw the replays of the planes flying into the towers. I thought, "Is this for real?"
Later that day I saw fliers about prayer vigils and special chapel services that were going to be held. I ignored them. Friends of mine repeated the phrases they heard on T.V. like, "This will be an event that will define this generation," or "This is going to change are country," and over and over I heard, "We will never be the same." I rolled my eyes.
I have a problem with empathy and sympathy. I don't mean that I think empathy and sympathy are bad. Empathy is putting yourself in someone else's shoes. Sympathy is sharing in the feelings of another. I substantially lack the ability to put myself in other people's shoes in most situations. I tried to feel the impact of September 11th. I tried to realize the tragedy of all those lives that were lost. I wanted to be enraged that anyone would commit such an atrocity. But I wasn't enraged or mad or shocked. The best I could come up with was, "That's too bad." I tried sharing the feelings of those who lost someone dear to them. I couldn't. I couldn't even imagine what it would have been like to lose someone. I tried.
Everyone was concerned and scared. People wondered if college campuses could be a potential terrorist target. I didn't. I was calm. I couldn't figure out what was so scary. I knew that what happened was real...but it didn't seem close. It felt distant and remote.
I'm not an uncaring person. I cried like a baby at my grandfather's funeral. I even cried during a Jerry Bruckheimer movie. I get so mad when I see abused children that I could kill their parents. I just can't seem to connect to this catastrophe. I've seen ground zero in NYC. It was big. Maybe if I could have seen the building burn in person I'd feel different.
Don't get me wrong, I think the attack was a terrible thing. I think the victims and the heroes that tried to save them should be honored. I just don't know how to respond. I'd like to feel something, but I don't. I just don't know how.
He exclaimed, "You haven't heard about the planes in New York?" "Planes in New York? What about planes in New York?" He told me what had happened. I didn't have a T.V., so I walked to the library which usually had a T.V. playing CNN. I saw the replays of the planes flying into the towers. I thought, "Is this for real?"
Later that day I saw fliers about prayer vigils and special chapel services that were going to be held. I ignored them. Friends of mine repeated the phrases they heard on T.V. like, "This will be an event that will define this generation," or "This is going to change are country," and over and over I heard, "We will never be the same." I rolled my eyes.
I have a problem with empathy and sympathy. I don't mean that I think empathy and sympathy are bad. Empathy is putting yourself in someone else's shoes. Sympathy is sharing in the feelings of another. I substantially lack the ability to put myself in other people's shoes in most situations. I tried to feel the impact of September 11th. I tried to realize the tragedy of all those lives that were lost. I wanted to be enraged that anyone would commit such an atrocity. But I wasn't enraged or mad or shocked. The best I could come up with was, "That's too bad." I tried sharing the feelings of those who lost someone dear to them. I couldn't. I couldn't even imagine what it would have been like to lose someone. I tried.
Everyone was concerned and scared. People wondered if college campuses could be a potential terrorist target. I didn't. I was calm. I couldn't figure out what was so scary. I knew that what happened was real...but it didn't seem close. It felt distant and remote.
I'm not an uncaring person. I cried like a baby at my grandfather's funeral. I even cried during a Jerry Bruckheimer movie. I get so mad when I see abused children that I could kill their parents. I just can't seem to connect to this catastrophe. I've seen ground zero in NYC. It was big. Maybe if I could have seen the building burn in person I'd feel different.
Don't get me wrong, I think the attack was a terrible thing. I think the victims and the heroes that tried to save them should be honored. I just don't know how to respond. I'd like to feel something, but I don't. I just don't know how.
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