Think About It

Lots of thanks to Larry Hnetka, of Larry Hnetka Goes HMmmm for finding, “The Year You Were Born Quiz”. Just select the year you were born, and discover what happened that year.

I discovered the year I was born was rather lackluster in the events that transpired. Here’s what I discovered about the year I was born. Can you guess the year?

In (Guess The Year) (the year you were born)

Harry Truman is president of the US The first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly opens During a speech in Missouri, Churchill declares an “iron curtain” has descended across Europe The bikini two-piece bathing suit is introduced, named after the “ultimate impact” of the atomic testing in Bikini Atoll A strike by 400,000 mine workers and other industries begins Congress passes the Atomic Energy Act Cher, Donald Trump, George W. Bush, Sylvester Stallone, Steven Spielberg, and Bill Clinton are born St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series Chicago Bears win the NFL championship Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup B.B. King’s musical career begins

Thoughts

The promenade deck of the Norwegian Sun is covered with bright, colorful murals. This picture is a sampling of what a person sees as they stroll around the promenade deck.

Thoughts

It’s coming, and I don’t want it. Thought I forestalled its arrival last week, but alas, all my efforts were for naught.

It’s coming! Awoke this morning with a sore throat. Yuck!

By tomorrow I’ll have a full fledged cold, and I’m not looking forward to it.

I know my writing will be affected as well. When I have a cold I write like I sound, and it’s not pretty.

In the meantime, I’m taking Advil, Zicam, and drinking tea with honey. Hopefully the Zicam will do it’s magic and reduce the duration of the cold. One can only hope.

Thoughts

If the story in the Politico is true, it’s apparent Obama thought going to church was important during the election, and really not needed after the election.

Isn’t it great to have a leader with such strong convictions, well, at least some of the time?

I wonder what dear Reverend Wright would have to say?

Thoughts

Small harbor town in Dominica. The sun was shining down here, but it was raining in the mountains, which you can see in the background. The mountain area is where the rain forest is located.

Thoughts

This bridge which spans the harbor of Curacao is built upon pontoons. When a ship needs to enter or exit the harbor, the entire bridge swings open. When that happens the only way into town is via ferries.

Thoughts

Curacao’s North Point.

Thoughts

Ran out of Prilosec again. I don’t know why I let that happen. It’s not like I enjoy heartburn, I don’t.

I could run to the drugstore now and pick up a forty-two day supply. I could, but I won’t. Is the the martyr in me? Is it my Catholic upbringing that makes me what to feel pain as a method of atoning for my past sins? Nah, don’t think so.

First thing tomorrow, I’m going to go to the drugstore and get more Prilosec.

Man, that was the most boring thing I’ve written in a long time.

Thoughts

Exactly.

Most often said as if followed by an exclamation mark. Exactly!

This word is being heard with far greater frequency than the word “awesome” which had been overused and used inappropriately most of the time. As in, “Wow, dude, that’s awesome.”

While I have you on the phone, can we dispense calling everyone “dude”? Is everyone really a dude? What is a dude, and when and how did dude take on a new meaning? According to Wikepedia:
The term dude is an American English slang word generally used informally to address a male individual. The word was once used primarily by adults but has become a common slang term used in various age groups. The female equivalent, less often used, is “dudette”. However the term dude has evolved to become a more unisex term to encompass all genders^[1], and was even true in the 50’s during the word’s older definitions.^[2]

“Dude” is also used alone in a sentence as an interjection denoting a feeling of surprise, happiness, disappointment, amazement or other emotions.^[3] The word might also be used practically anywhere in a sentence in order to convey such sentiments in conversation, as in ‘Listen dude, we have to go’.

The tone and inflection of the word “dude” are used to convey the various meanings. For example, a short, clipped “dude!” may convey annoyance with someone, while a long, drawn-out “duuuude” conveys amazement.

Other, older definitions of dude exist; a particularly well-dressed male or one who is unfamiliar with life outside a large city. These definitions may go hand-in-hand, hence the phrased definition “An Easterner in the West” (United States).^[4]

One of the earliest books to use the word was The Home and Farm Manual, written by Jonathan Periam in 1883. In that work, Periam used the term dude several times to denote an ill-bred and ignorant, but ostentatious, man from the city.

Thoughts

Mural painting in downtown Curacao.

Thoughts

I was thinking about my dad today. My father passed away just shy of 7 1/2 years ago, and there isn’t a day I don’t miss him.

This could be a very long post were I to share our relationship, but for the sake of brevity, I will simply say, there is no way I could have ever repaid my dad for the countless times he helped me out of the holes I dug for myself. I didn’t know much about God and His grace back then, but now realize, I was a participant of that grace in action.

My father’s advice to me during troubled times was to the point, and was always helpful. Hearing his calm, assured voice, made me feel good, and I knew there was someone on my side.

In the two weeks before he passed away, we were just sitting together. He on his easy chair, and me on a dining room chair pulled over to him. In the midst of the conversation he said, “You’ve been a good son.”

The sound of those words were a symphony to my ears. A symphony which I can still hear in the quiet of the night.

Thanks, Dad.

Thoughts

This colorful building and window were located towards the back of an open air market in Curacao.

Thoughts