On Whatever

Not Happy with the Site Layout

Bruce — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:31:24 +0000

This is more of a conversation with myself than anything. But, I'm doing it as a blog entry so if any of you readers out there (all three of you) want to make a comment or suggestion, you can do so through the comment section.

I redesigned the site about six months ago to have the following sections:

A front page
Four blogs -- Politics, Sports, Faith and Church, and Whatever. I did this so people could subscribe to a single blog via RSS, or read a single blog, without having to wade through the other stuff.
A section for poetry
A section for other writing

An all-purpose site, in other words. And, for the most part I've been okay with it. Except, I get the feeling that it's hard for people to find stuff, especially stuff on the blogs.

So, I've taken to putting blog entries that I really like on the front page, mixed in with the regular front-page items. (I use the FP for stuff from other sites, mostly.) This seems okay, until you realize that the blog things take up room and scroll to the bottom pretty quickly.

So, I'm sorta stumped. I put a "Recent Entries" thing in the first side-bar, and maybe that is helping. I feel, though, like there's got to be a better way. I'm open to suggestions, so feel free to comment if you have an idea -- or any feedback on the current layout.

Life As Gift, Live As Gift

Bruce — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:23:30 +0000

Sometimes, when you least expect it, grace breaks in.

Sunday night was the Four Churches concert that our church participates in each fall. Having finished my small handbell contribution (we accompanied the first hymn), I sat down to enjoy the rest of the concert. As I looked around the beautiful sanctuary of Church of the Advent, the music and the moment swept over me, and I realized how blessed it is to just be alive.

To be alive: To be able to appreciate art, and architecture, and music. To have a relationship with another human being. To sit in the presence of the One, and sense the love and life and light that flows toward us and around us in a never-ending river of grace. And to be able to sense all this, even faintly, and to marvel at it all.

Life is a gift. Even at its lowest moments, life is a gift. May we all live each day as the gift it is.

Notes on the Diet

Bruce — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:35:20 +0000

As some of you may know, I'm on a diet -- otherwise known as a "food plan." I'm basically following the Zone Diet, based on work by Dr. Sears. (And no, I don't get a washer and dryer with it.)

So far, it's been a good thing. I feel better, and I think I look better. Depending on which scale you use, I've lost either 16 or 19 pounds. As of this morning, I'm right at 220. Goal weight is under 200, so still have a ways to go.

One thing I've noticed, though, is that I'm becoming increasingly sensitive to what and how much I eat.Glycemic load seems to be becoming a big deal; I can eat the right amount of protein and carbs, but if I eat too much with a heavy glycemic load I still get sleepy. (Of course, not getting enough sleep could have something to do with it, as well.)

I'll post a note every so often, and possibly some "before and after" pix along the way.

The Daily Grind

Bruce — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:10:51 +0000

(or, Writing Ain't Beanbag)

I've been trying to get back into the blogging mode, doing something every day, for about a month. And it ain't easy.
The job seems to take more and more time; I'm often in the office by 6:30, or even earlier. The club work takes its toll, as well. Then there's the everyday stuff of life: paying bills, keeping the files sorta current, yard work. There's the small contribution I make at church. And somewhere in there is time with my dear wife and my two sons.

So, it's hard to make the time to write, and revise, and research, and revise again. Then post, and see if anyone reads and responds, and respond to them in return. And so on, and so forth.

The problem, of course, is that "can't never could" and each of us is given the same number of minutes each day and if you want to be a writer then you write, that's all, and whining about it or blowing it off or saying "manana" only means you're a wanna-be.

So, for anyone who drops by -- I'm starting today to get back into the Daily Grind -- and I don't mean coffee.

Scribefire -- the Only Way to Blog

Bruce — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:53:20 +0000

Just discovered Scribefire, a plugin for Firefox. It's a WYSIWIG editor, and it is very cool.

This is an example of a formatted note note.
Wow -- this is very cool. I may have to do all my blogging this way.

Here's a block quote. Some text or other to make it wrap. And some more text. And some strong text. And some emphasis text.

And I've got colors, and spell-checking, and videos, and images. Just very, very cool.

The Hate Maps for Kentucky and Indiana

Bruce — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 23:06:37 +0000

Here is a site that is both scary and sad. The Southern Poverty Law Center, as part of their overall work, tracks hate groups across the country. They put out a Hate Map for the country, where you can click and get the Hate Map for your state.

Kentucky has, according to the SPLC, 13 known hate groups, including one in Louisville (Nation of Islam) and two fairly close (Neo-Nazis and KKK). Indiana has 18, including a KKK group across the river in Charleston.

It's exciting to see Barack Obama with a chance at both the nomination and the White House, and it is encouraging to see his candidacy being embraced across the racial spectrum. Still, it only takes a visit to the SPLC site to realize that there are still groups among us that haven't gotten the message of tolerance, acceptance, and love. And those groups aren't "somewhere" -- they're right here.

Still work to do, children -- still work to do.

Sons and Cars

Bruce — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 11:49:00 +0000

There are many days when I do not understand my youngest son -- as, I'm sure, there are many days when he doesn't understand me. (Well, I don't know -- he understands everything, so he may be ahead in the co-understanding race.) But, over the past few days, I've been a Svengali when it comes to what is top-of-mind for him: a car of his own.

I remember sharing the family car when I was a teenager (note: THE family car), and I remember how badly I wanted my own. I also remember that first clunker my parents bught for me: a 1957-or-so Dodge station wagon. An absolute tank, but I learned from direct experience that it would go right through the snow. That one was followed by a Renault, back when we called it Ren-awlt and not Re-know. That was my first manual shift car, and also the car I drove when I met my wife. (And taught HER to drive a stick shift.)

Ben has his eye on a 1988 VR-6 Carata (sp?), a car I've never even heard of. Apparently, there were only a few of them made, and they are considered "hot." I stopped thinking about "hot" about 30+ years ago, so I'm no judge. Ben, though, is all about this VR-6.

Now it's on to the "how are you going to pay for this?" and "how are you going to pay for your insurance?" and "what do you MEAN it may take more than a day to get a car loan?" and "what do you MEAN the bank won't loan money to a 17-year-old without a job?"

Ah well -- we will, I'm sure, live through this, just as we have lived through many other rites of passage. I'll probably have a tear in my eye as I watch him drive his first new car, thinking of my first car, thinking of the thrill of the open road -- thinking of the car insurance bill. Perhaps I can convince him to just sit in it and make motor noises.

Labels: Families

Do YOU Know All the People on the Cover of Sgt. Pepper's?

Bruce — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 04:29:00 +0000

This year is the 40th anniversary of the "Summer of Love" AND more importantly, the release of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." You may or may not think the album is all that (I think it was a seminal album that changed the direction of pop music -- YMMV), but you certainly get a kick out of the cover, right? Except -- who ARE all those people?

Well, now you can find out! Go to www.oxforddnb.com/public/sgtpepper/ and move your mouse over the cover. You'll get popups for everyone on there who is actually a person -- and a few that aren't! Cool way to waste fifteen minutes or more.

Labels: Culture

On This Memorial Day

Bruce — Mon, 28 May 2007 14:10:00 +0000

On this Memorial Day, the very first words we should say are "Thank you." For all veterans, of all times, who wore the uniform; who pledged to serve their country, even to the ultimate sacrifice; who set aside home, and job, and school, who put plans on hold and goals on the shelf in order to defend our freedoms and protect our nation. We may disagree with the war they fought; we may believe their service was ill-used by those above them; on this day, it doesn't matter. For anyone who tries to serve our country honorably by protecting her, the first words we say are and should always be, "Thank you."

The next words on this Memorial Day should be -- silence. When someone pays the ultimate sacrifice, there are no words, on this day or any day, that are adequate. Speeches will be made, essays will be written, songs will be sung -- all part of our fumbling attempt to give back, to honor, to repay the debt. We need to try, both for our own hearts and as a corporate reminder of what this day means, but we all know that, in the end, we will fall short. A moment of silence and self-reflection on the meaning of this day may be the best way to honor our fallen fellow citizens.

We can't stop there, though. There is one more word on this Memorial Day, and that word is -- "Act." It is not enough to speak our thanks, or think our thoughts. We must take action, as well:

Act to support today's soldiers by more than a magnet on the car. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America have a list of ways you can help, including sending gifts to troops overseas, helping troops get supplies they need, and supporting military families. Click through, pick one, and do it.

Act to make sure our returning soldiers have the care they need and deserve. Give to the Bob Woodruff Foundation to help soldiers returning with brain injury. Sign the petition for more funding for Vet Centers. Join the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, a non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization that raises money for wounded and disabled veterans.

And finally, act to become an informed, involved citizen. Be wary of easy platitudes and simple solutions -- from either side of the political aisle. Find reasonable, intelligent people and learn from them, even if you disagree. Learn the right questions to ask, and insist on answers. Then stand up for what you believe: write letters, make calls, sign petitions, attend rallies. Be a citizen, not an observer. These veterans served, and were wounded, and died, so that you could do that. Honor them by exercising the freedoms they protected.

On this Memorial Day, may we all be thankful for what we have been given. May we find a way to show that gratitude through tangible actions we take. And may we set aside our differences, for one day, and simply reflect on the idea that is America, and the sacrifice so many have made for that idea.

Labels: Action Alert, Veterans

This Morning's Cheers and Jeers Entry

Bruce — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 13:25:00 +0000

I don't really understand why, but I'm still really sad about Molly Ivins' death. I didn't know her personally -- but it seemed like I did, because every time I read one of her columns she just became more and more a friend. I could almost see her eyes as she was writing: a glint when she was angry at something Shrub or his ilk had done, a twinkle when she was tweaking the powerful and power wanna-bes.

We have lost a wonderful human being and an amazing craftswoman of the written word. Her craft will be missed, but even more her heart.

The best way to honor her, I think, is to do two things: Love Well and Raise Hell. I intend to do both.

To you, Molly.