Happy Reformation Day

Happy Reformation Day everybody! It was 490 years ago that Martin Luther pounded those Thesis on the church in Wittenburg. Kathi and I have decided that Reformation Day can provide modern Christians with a better alternative to Halloween celebrations. This isn't really a new idea, but we took a step further. We want to dress up as figures from the Reformation like Luther or Melanchton. What's scarier than Pope Leo X? We'll then walk around the neighborhood asking for Bible tracts instead of candy! We can have an ole-fashioned Papal Bull burning in the town square. What do you think?

Reflections on Boston's New Dynasty

Another MLB season is now on the books, and the Boston Red Sox have ended up on top of the heap. It's another sweep for the Beantown team - the second one in the past four years. In a decade that has seen a different team win the Series from 2000-2006, we're now seeing the first really Championship dynasty emerging since the Yankees of the late 90s. Coming from someone who's currently living in an Indians household, it was disappointing to see them eliminated so early. But, I'm also a baseball fan. So, here's my review of the 2007 MLB post-season:

1) Not another sweep! As I wrote about a year ago, I'm getting really sick of the blown outs we've been seeing in the World Series recently. This is the fourth Series sweep in a row. There hasn't been a World Series that has gone to seven games since 2002. Granted, the ALCS was pretty exciting even though it was practically a fore-gone conclusion after Cleveland lost Game 5. What I'm longing for is a World Series that has the drawn out excitement of a seven-game thriller.

2) Beginning with Game 5 of the ALCS, it was the most dominant offensive performance of a team that I've ever seen. The Boston pitching was certainly note-worthy, but I have never witnessed a lineup that was locked in like the Boston hitters. Any given inning had the potential to explode. They had multiple big innings fueled by a .350 team average during the Series! Every time the Red Sox came up, you expected something to happen.

3) Boston has emerged as the new New York Yankees. Back in 2004, they were the lovable idiots who were just trying to make in the world. It was hard not to root for a team that had seen so much misery and pain. Now all of that is over. They have emerged as the next great dynasty, and all of a sudden they are not so lovable anymore. Red Sox Nation is now an obnoxious mix of the old-time die hards who feel justified in their glory and innumerable bandwagon jumpers leaching off the the teams' newly found hubris. I recognize that criticism comes easier on the other side of the fence - if Cincinnati were emerging as the new dynasty, I would thrilled - but I don't care.

Regardless, I do give all credit to the Boston Red Sox. They were the best team in baseball this year, and they proved it. Now we can start the hot-stoving. Who thinks the Reds will go all the way next year??

Reflections on Coffee Addiction

So, I think I'm officially a coffee drinker. All of my life I've resisted the social pressures of becoming a coffee consumer. That includes innumerable dinner parties, which turned uncomfortable with the question, "Would you like some coffee?" Even after a year and half of working at Starbuck, I still refused to become a coffee drinker. Now all of that has changed. I got up this morning, and Kathi asked me if I'd like a cup of coffee (I have no idea why she would ask me). And, I said yes (I have no idea why I would say yes). And, it turns out that I loved the bitter brown energy juice. I can't remember having a more pleasant, and vibrant morning. Sweet elixir, where have you been all of my life? Vive la Coffee!

To Beard Or Not To Beard

Back in 2002, I took a trip to Europe to visit Brian in France. The day after I arrived, I realized that my razor that I had packed was broken. Since I was on a shoe-string budget, I just decided to not shave for two weeks. Much to my surprise, I grew out quite a lot of facial hair. So much so, that when I got back to the States a few weeks later, I decided to just keep the beard. I donned this beard for about five months that winter. They were the Days of the Beard.

Kathi's always been fascinated with my manly stubble. She looks at pictures from those Days and wonders why her man won't bring back the beard. I've always had an excuse why I don't. It's either because of my job or because it's simply too uncomfortable to grow it out. Well, I folded last week, and I agreed to grow out the beard. So, currently I have a face full of stubble that would put a hobo to shame. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite resemble a beard yet. We'll keep y'all posted on how it all goes.

Reflections on Autumn Colors

We took a stroll around the King farm today, and marveled at the beautiful colors of autumn. This year the trees are tremendous. I love fall.

Random Signage VI

It's been a while since I posted a sign. I found this one at a book store in the Mall of America in Minnesota. It's a display enticing shoppers to purchase books from the Left Behind series. Seriously though, if I knew that the Rapture was right around the corner, I doubt reading the Lahaye books would be high on my priorities list.

Reflections on Ole Timey

Busy, busy weekend. Friday we watched a friend of ours get married - congratulations to Colleen and John. Kathi actually sang in for the ceremony, so that was nice to watch. At the wedding we connected with Randy and Sarah, and they came back to our place and spent the night. Today we went with the Surface's to the Algonquin Mill Festival. What is the Algonquin Mill Festival you ask? Well, it's the local ole' timey town festival held in Carroll County. It has your typical ole' timey type things - Apple Cider, raccoon-skin caps, bluegrass music. It was a hoot.

At the festival there was a used book hut. Randy spotted an antique book from 1941 called Is Tomorrow Hitler's? It is an American journalist writing before Pearl Harbor about the need for America to fight Hitler's Germany. A little piece of history, and I got it for $3.

Reflections on Gore's Prize

Now, I rarely will speak my mind about political issues on this blog. As I've mentioned before, I've become so disillusioned with politics that it seems an futile exercise to try and argue it. But, something happened today that made me scratch my head. Al Gore along with the International Panel on Climate Change won the Nobel Peace Prize. Huh?!? No matter where you stand on the issues surrounding climate change, this one should have all sensible people befuddled. What does Al Gore's campaign to raise awareness of the threats of global climate change have to do with promoting world peace?

According to Alfred Nobel's will, which established the Prize in 1901, the Peace Prize should be awarded "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." From what I've heard, the Nobel Committee's justification for award this prize to Gore was that his work has done much to avert future wars and conflicts that will be caused by climate change. So, this is the first Nobel Peace Prize to be award to a person for avoiding a future hypothetical conflict. Maybe I'm not seeing it, but I can not fathom what Al Gore's work has to do with the reduction of armed conflict in the world.

Reflections on Bug Baseball

One of things I love about the game of baseball is the lore and legends that have surrounded the game throughout the years. Schilling's bloody sock, Gibson's home run, Mays' catch, the Shot Heard Round the World - it all makes the story of baseball a rich and beautiful tapestry. And, it seems that most of the greatest baseball legends occur during the postseason. The other night a new episode was added to the lore of baseball - the Bug Game!

For those who haven't been watching, the Yankees are playing the Indians in the ALDS. On Friday night down a game in the series, the Yankees took a 1-0 lead into the 8th inning on the strength of an amazing performance by Andy Pettitte. In that inning he was replaced by flame-throwing rookie, Joba Chamberlain. As he began the inning, a swarm of mosquito-like bugs descended on the stadium! The insects began swarming the players on the field, and after repeated attempts to apply bug spray to Chamberlain, he was forced to continue pitching.

He was obviously affected by the swarming bugs because he ended up walking two, hitting on batsman, and then throwing a wild pitch which brought in the tying run! The Indians ended up winning the game 2-1 in the 11th inning. But, it was the bugs that opened the door for the Indians to tie the game! BUGS!!! I mean, that's ridiculous!

The series went back to New York tonight, and the Yankees won the game to bring the series to 2-1. It looks like the Yanks aren't going to go lying down. Despite the bug game, they are going to make the Indians work for the series win. I love October!!

Reflections on Cubbies Curse

When will Chicago fans learn? Kathi and I are in Chicago this week doing some support raising stuff. On Monday we were watching WGN, and they were televising the Cubs rally held downtown to celebrate their Central Division championship. Through the course of the hour-long rally, they paraded up on stage the governor, the mayor, and several celebrities all of them proclaiming not only a Cubs victory in the Division series but an inevitable World Series win! I really couldn't believe my ears. Hasn't 99 years of disappointment not taught Cubs Nation that jinxes are real?!?

As I write this, we're watching the Cubs get hammered in game two on the verge of falling behind 0-2 in the series. Don't get me wrong. I'm rooting for the Cubbies. But, I believe in baseball superstitions, and it's obvious that with all of their prognostication that they've doomed their postseason chances before a single pitch was thrown. You would think that years of experience would have taught them to keep their mouths shut until they have the Series trophy in hand.