Archive for September, 2007
Tuesday night, Linden and I posed as Missouri State students and attended the SAC-sponsored PostSecret lecture by Frank Warren, PostSecret creator. Warren spoke to us about how his weekly PostSecret system works and how the project started three years ago. We also got to see “secret secrets” that haven’t been published in the PostSecret books for one reason or another.
Let’s get to the meat of this post. For me, this PostSecret lecture did more harm than good. Why? Afterward, Linden and I were chatting about the postcards we saw and about our own secrets—turns out I’m terrible at keeping secrets, and I told her a few of my silly ones that had I put them on a postcard they might have made it on the PS web site.
That’s where the problem started. I started looking at myself and my secrets, focusing on quirky things I do and stupid things other people do that annoy me. Then, because some of my secrets are about other people, I started getting mad at those people just because I had a secret about them!
Now, I’m not a master logician, but that doesn’t add up at all, especially in light of scripture. The Bible says, “We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Cor. 4:2).
The Bible also says that God knows the secrets of our hearts (Ps. 44:21), that he will silence those who slander their neighbors (Ps. 105:5), and that God will lay bare the secrets of our hearts (1 Cor. 14:25).
By allowing the secrets of my heart to fester, other bad fruit started to spring forth: anger, resentment, jealousy, to name a few. And that was just within an hour of the lecture! Just imagine what would have happened to me (and my loved ones) if I’d allowed that sin to continue for days or months or years! It was only after getting back into God’s Word and letting God slap me around that I realized how wrong my attitudes were. After confessing my sin, I was finally able to give my secrets over to God and let them go.
Here’s a thought: instead of sending our secrets off to a stranger in Maryland, let’s give them to God instead!
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Padlock photo can be found at YellowPadlock.com.
September 8th, 2007
I’m writing a lot of “best of Google Reader” posts this week, but I like identifying keyword themes in my reading (and hopefully, you do, too). I use my cell phone as much as anyone, but these articles made me consider actually turning the darn thing off when I’m supposed to be healing, relaxing, and/or sleeping. That will be a paradigm shift: turning off the stress inducer to reduce stress…
Cell Phones in Hospitals: Bad Rx” “We’re all guilty of using our cell phones in off-limits areas. But a new study shows that in hospitals they can be hazardous to medical equipment”
A Caribbean Resort Bans Cell Phones “Maybe a cell phone free zone, but not allowing guests to use mobiles, laptops or PDAs within a half mile of the resort’s beach is a bit over the top. Since when were laptops considered so distractive? I guess if you are looking for an escape from modern technology, this is the place for you. I think I’d be voted off that island in no time.”
Can’t Sleep? Turn Off the Cell Phone! “Three studies examine Americans’ sleep deprivation, pointing to cell phones and work as chief culprits, and the consequences of sleeplessness for kids”
September 7th, 2007
A shoutout to Ben and Gina who brought forth Atalie Mariah Brendle last Wednesday, 8/29, and another shoutout to Sam and Rachael who popped out Hannah Elizabeth Pate this morning, Thursday, 9/6. Hooray for babies!
And to compound my nerdiness for the week, let me announce to everyone that if and when Chris and I procreate, we will have geek babies, complete with an iPood onesies and their own domain names. Poor kids—they’re destined to be nerds.
Excuse Me, Your Baby Just iPood Its Pants “Either I have a weakness when it comes to babies, or the iPod + baby combo is just too much cuteness for a woman to handle because I when I saw these iPood Baby Creepers on Neatorama, I had the same ooowing and awwing reaction I got from the precious iPod scroll wheel tee’s. These 100 percent combed cotton jumpers only cost $15, and if you look closely you’ll notice the baby silhouette is holding an iPod — and even rocking out!”
There’s Naming the Baby, and Domain-Naming the Baby “A growing number of parents are getting an internet domain name for their newborns in the apparent belief that it might someday prove useful.”
Jesus and Children “On his way to Jerusalem to be crucified, Jesus stops to bless the children. He raises three questions. (Ps. 127 and Mark 10).”
September 7th, 2007
I don’t consider myself much of a feminist, but I noticed this trend in my Google Reader today (If anyone from Google reads this blog, yes, I DO want to work for you!). I’m not going to make the argument that girls are better than boys, but I’ll let these articles fight the fight for me. (And for the record, though I hardly consider myself a redneck woman, I always issue a “Hell Yeah” whenever Gretchen Wilson’s song comes on the radio.) Let’s hear it for the girls!
Why Women Read More Than Men Recent studies confirm what publishing executives have long suspected: Women read more than men. It’s not clear why but theories abound, ranging from early childhood development to the differences between the male and female brain.
Kissing means more to women Women place a big emphasis on kissing, while men just see it as a route to sex, researchers say.
There’s final proof that boys do ruin school for girls My colleague at the Financial Times, Isabel Berwick, recently mourned the closure of her fondly remembered all-girls’ school and regretted “a slow societal shift away from girls-only schools and colleges.” As the father of two young daughters, I am paying attention.
How TV is empowering th women of India With perhaps the exception of Homer Simpson, Americans tend to denounce television even as they devour it. Watching TV is implicated in the disengagement of citizens from politics, the promotion of questionable images of women, and the fattening of couch potatoes everywhere. But when it comes to the medium’s treatment of women, television may be getting a bum rap. A new study by Robert Jensen of Brown University and Emily Oster of the University of Chicago shows that television is having a distinctly helpful effect on women, at least in rural India, which admittedly doesn’t have America’s half-century of experience with the medium, or 300 channels to surf through. The words female empowerment and television in the same sentence may bring to mind Star Jones extolling tummy tucks on The View. But for millions of women in developing countries, the benefits of TV may be substantive rather than frothy.
Study: Why Girls Like Pink It’s not an artifact of marketing. A new study says girls may be hard-wired to prefer pink shades — and boys, blue
September 6th, 2007
As a follow up to my weekend review of Michael Moore’s Sicko, here are three articles you’ll want to check out. Let me tell you, health care is on my radar of issues for the upcoming election season. I’ll keep you posted.
‘Sicko’s’ Peeno Sees Few Gains in Health Insurance Dr. Linda Peeno has spent two decades fighting a health insurance industry she was once a part of. Giants such as Humana say the industry has greatly improved patient care. But Peeno says after Michael Moore’s Sicko opened, she was once again swamped with e-mails of insurance horror stories.
Better Bedside Manners A new study shows that a standardized test of doctor communication skills can help create a nicer, better doctor of the future
What if patients could see a doctor on the day they call? Why do we have to wait days, weeks, or even months for a doctor’s appointment? Such delays have become so routine that they seem normal. But if some of the most popular restaurants can take same-day reservations, why should run-of-the-mill doctors routinely make patients wait and wait and wait?
September 6th, 2007
The Thursday Movie Fun Club’s final “Six Degrees from Kevin Bacon” movie series ends this Thursday, September 6, and, as always, Chris and I are planning ahead for the next movie. We’ll be taking Thursday, September 13, off. We’ll pick up the fun again on Thursday, September 20, with Helvetica, an “independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture” (Helvetica Film).
The movie shows at Springfield’s Moxie Cinema on 9/20, at 9:30 PM, and as the film is being heavily promoted among Missouri State’s design department, we encourage everyone who is planning to attend to purchase their tickets ahead of schedule. If you’re able, you’re also invited to join Chris and I for dinner before the movie (we’ll announce the restaurant later, and we promise to keep it cheap).
September 4th, 2007
I’m sorry for all the reviews this weekend, but what can I say, we’re actually relaxing this weekend. Besides going to Kai Saturday night, Chris and I also went to the Moxie to watch Michael Moore’s Sicko.
If you’re not one for late night television, you might not have heard much about this film, but I’d like to think you’re familiar with Michael Moore and his other work (Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine, Roger & Me, etc.).
Anyway, Sicko is Moore’s commentary on the United States’ health care and insurance systems. We really don’t hear from any of the 50 million people who don’t have health insurance; instead, we hear from those who do have health insurance and their trials in getting their health care needs approved. Moore paints the picture of the problems with our health care, namely that it’s privatized and that despite some efforts by our government to return to public health care, health care companies pay millions of dollars to buy the votes of our lawmakers.
Once we understand these problems, Moore takes us to Canada, Britain, France, and Cuba to let us see how happy the Canadians, British, French, and Cubans are with their respective countries’ health systems.
Clearly, the purpose of Moore’s movie is to sway us toward publicized health care, and he thoroughly convinced me to think about the future of health care in the U.S. Besides asking Chris if we could move to Vancouver during the intermission, I was ready to march into the street and do something to make this problem go away.
After sleeping on it and discussing it with my compadres, I’m ready to do my own research. I want to know the other side of the story, and I want to know what candidates in the upcoming election are doing to address the issue.
Every American, regardless of their health insurance status, should watch this movie and consider what Moore presents. Sicko shows at the Moxie for the last time on Tuesday, September 4, at 7 PM and is already available on DVD.
Here are some other reviews for you:
September 4th, 2007
In an effort to do nothing over Labor Day weekend, I sat down with a book on Saturday. My pal Lyndsey recommended it to me a number of months ago, but it was in circulation among our friends, so I just got it a few weeks ago.
Same Kind of Different as Me is the true story of Ron Hall, an international art dealer; Denver Moore, a modern-day slave; and Debbie Hall, Ron’s Spirit-sensitive wife who brought the two men together.
The story begins with Ron and Denver telling the stories of their early years, and we see how similar these men are though they lives worlds apart. More than anything, we see how God is shaping their lives to come together decades later.
As the story deepens, we are introduced to Debbie and her devotion to the Lord and to his children. Her love for the poor and homeless in downtown Dallas and Ron’s love for her bring them to serve at the Union Gospel Mission. Without spoiling the story, Ron and Denver vow to be lifelong friends and they change one another’s lives.
The first item of note in this book is the style. As a reader, I didn’t feel like I was reading a book; instead, I felt like I sat down to coffee with this men and listened to them share their once separate, now common story. For one, Denver admits that he cannot read or write so his sections have been transcribed from his verbal narration. Lynn Vincent, who also contributed to this project, did an excellent job piecing these stories together and propelling the story along while moving the reader to continue on this journey.
The second item of note is the authenticity of the writers. They wear their hearts on their sleeves, and we hurt when they hurt, laugh when they laugh, and cry when they cry. Yes, this book made me cry—several times actually—but with good reason (you’ll understand when you read it).
When I closed the book for the final time, I understood that we’re all different—God has created each of us to be unique contributors to the earth he created—, but we’re all the same—we need love, not just from God, but from one another.
Check out what others are saying about this book:
September 3rd, 2007
For those of you who read my review of Kai and want to try their great sushi, here’s How to Eat Sushi, a handy little video. Thanks to Rick who voraciously posts interesting videos to Facebook daily.
September 3rd, 2007
Last night, my hubby Chris surprised me with a date to Springfield’s newest Japanese restaurant, Kai. According to GO Magazine, Kai is owned by the same folks who own the popular sushi bar and grill Haruno in southeast Springfield, so I had high expectations for their cuisine. (If you’re not a sushi fan, don’t fret—Kai also has steak and seafood.)
Referencing Kenneth G. Henshall’s 1988 book A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters, kai can mean “sea” or “shellfish,” appropriate definitions considering the restaurant’s fare. Of the twenty or so definitions of the word, another caught my eye; kai can also mean “to meet.” As the restaurant is set in downtown Springfield and has an inviting bar, this definition is also appropriate.
But enough about semantics, let’s talk about our experience. Chris and I were unable to make reservations because of our late-made plans, but the hostess was able to seat us immediately in the bar (the main dining room is upstairs). We were impressed by Kai’s modern Asian fusion atmosphere, which included chrome accents found in everything from our chopsticks and two-top bar table to the array of disco balls and wall hardware. Chris was enamored with the LED wall that seemed to dance with the rhythm of the trance music booming in the background (in general, Chris loves most interior and concert design that involves LED—especially the LED curtains flanking the stage on U2’s Vertigo tour).
Chris started with an iced tea; the GO Magazine reviewer said it was the best in town (quite an accolade considering that McAlister’s has held the long-standing honor for as long as I have lived here). After taking a sip of it myself, I agreed, as it reminded me of some tea I had at a Japanese restaurant in China a few years back. We didn’t sample the alcohol menu because we’re not big drinkers, but from my glance at the drink menu, there are as many drink options at Kai as there are sushi options. And if their bartenders are as good as their chefs, you won’t be disappointed in the alcohol department.
We started our meal with the Kai Gyoza appetizer. As we’re both fans of the Japanese dumpling, we were not disappointed in the subtle texture and flavor of Kai’s. They were served with a just-spicy-enough sauce that kicked their flavor up a notch without scaring off my hubby’s taste buds.
Our nigiri arrived next and was my favorite part of our meal (strangely, I like nigiri more than I like sushi rolls—most people seem to be the other way around). Nigiri is an oval-shaped sushi that includes a piece of raw fish over a bit a rice. We ordered two types: salmon and albacore tuna. When you place a sample of nigiri in your mouth, you’re awakened to the simple, yet unique, flavor of each fish. The rice cleanses your palette in preparation of your next bite. Whereas cooked fish often has more robust flavor from its juices, the nigiri requires its taster to look for and pay attention to its flavor.
Our “Memoirs of a Geisha” roll arrived last to our dinner table. The Geisha is an inside out roll where rice encases the roll rather than seaweed. Inside, the Geisha was laced with crab meat, cream cheese, and avocado; outside, the Geisha was garnished with a variety of roe (fish eggs). Though it’s a simple roll, the combination of flavors boded well with our palettes.
Our only “complaint” about Kai was our server. It’s not much of a complaint because he was fairly attentive, but he wasn’t super personable. We asked for recommendations from the sushi menu, and he offered a handful, but he didn’t seem too enthused about them.
For anyone who enjoys downtown Springfield, good sushi, or excellent interior design, we recommend Kai, but make reservations a head of time to get a seat in the dining room. Holistically, our entire experience was excellent, and we’re excited that downtown Springfield has a fun, new restaurant for us to frequent.
September 2nd, 2007
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Tuesday night, Linden and I posed as Missouri State students and attended the SAC-sponsored PostSecret lecture by Frank Warren, PostSecret creator. Warren spoke to us about how his weekly PostSecret system works and how the project started three years ago. We also got to see “secret secrets” that haven’t been published in the PostSecret books for one reason or another.
