something to ponder... Francois de La Rochefoucauld

"We confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no large ones."

--Francois de La Rochefoucauld

something to ponder... Doug Larson

"The surprising thing about young fools is how many survive to become old fools."

-- Doug Larson

something to ponder... Tommy Smothers

"Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!"

-- Tommy Smothers

something to ponder ... Niels Bohr

"The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth."

-- Niels Bohr

Have or Have not -- Part 4

It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.The things in BOLD are the things I have done.The others I have not...yet, anyway.
This is the final round...
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle(not very well. my son is pretty good!)
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning (that truly sucks)
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Been to the southern hemisphere.
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers(for a play...)
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics(maybe if Chicago gets the games...)
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale (mmmm whhhallleee NOT)
177. Know how to do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood
188. Built a campfire
189. Have a blog(Duh.)
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend (thank you Facebook)
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Fallen in love

There you have it my totals are:
30/50 this round 115/200 overall.

Thanks for following along. Id love to see your lists.

something to ponder...Joseph Heller

"The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on."

-- Joseph Heller

something to ponder... Jean Giraudoux

"Only the mediocre are always at their best."

-- Jean Giraudoux

Have or Haven't - Part 3

Here's the next 50 in this series...
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.The things in BOLD are the things I have done.The others I have not...yet, anyway.

101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep(with 3 kids, I done it many times )
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people(I hope Ive done this at times.)
108. Brought out the worst in people(I know this has happened.)
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse)
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap(not a pretty sculpting for sure...)
112. Cooked a dish where people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child(only in the sand thankfully.)
114. Gone to a Broadway play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a elephant(my mom has the photo)
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt(this is my wife's category)
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one (I'm counting putt-putt)
133. Gone deep sea fishing(I'd like to...but haven't.)
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane

25/50 this time... 85/150 overall

One more round to go...

something to ponder... Ben Franklin

"Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead."

-- Ben Franklin

something to ponder... Robert Frost

"The best way out is always through."

-- Robert Frost

Have or Haven't Quiz -- Part 2

It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in BOLD are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet, anyway.

Here's the next 50...

51. Gone scuba diving
(this one really needs to happen!)

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater
(we used to live about 1.5 miles from one growing up)

55. Done something you should regret, but don’t
(whistles innocently)

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Been in a movie

60. Gone without food for 3 days

61. Made cookies from scratch

62. Won first prize in a costume contest

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Been in a combat zone

65. Spoken more than one language fluently

66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone

67. Bounced a check

68. Read - and understood - your investment portfolio statement
(you should never own anything you don't understand)

69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy

70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did

71. Called or written your Congress person

72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

74. Helped an animal give birth

75. Been fired or laid off from a job

76. Won money

77. Broken a bone

78. Ridden a motorcycle

79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph

80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing

82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

83. Eaten sushi
(mmmmm Wasabi)

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read The Bible cover to cover

86. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about

87. Gotten someone fired for their actions

88. Gone back to school

89. Changed your name

90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands

91. Eaten fried green tomatoes

92. Read The Iliad

93. Taught yourself an art from scratch

94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt

96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

97. Been elected to public office

98. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream

99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you

26/50 this round; 60/100 overall

what are your scores?

Dancing with the Stars -- Star Wars style

Have or Haven't quiz -- Part 1

I took this from Rob's blog, he got it somewhere else... fun stuff.

It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.The things in BOLD are the things I have done.The others I have not...yet, anyway...

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight (I wish!)
4. Changed a baby’s diaper ( a parental given.)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity(Given, but I don't think it's ever been more than we could afford.)
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said “I love you” and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea(on lakes and from the ocean shore, I'm taking it)
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise(uh, I work 3rd shift...)
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sporting event
17. Climbed the stairs to the crown of the Statue of Liberty(...I don't think you can do it anymore!)
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables(our garden is in process right now!)
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment(too many times to count.)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill(sorry boss)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping(no details forthcoming...)
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse(lunar and solar....!)
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving (Nope, but one I'd love to cross off!)
42. Visited Ireland
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files(hey, it was a college assignment...)
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke(there was one unfortunate incident at Cedar Point)
50. Lounged around in bed all day

34/50 so far...
There are 200 total, and I'll try to get through it this week...feel free to steal it yourself...reading other people's lists and their comments is fun, too!

something to ponder... Abraham Lincoln

"Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves."

-- Abraham Lincoln

something to ponder... G.K. Chesterton

"The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people."

-- G.K. Chesterton

something to ponder ... Beryl Pfizer

"I write down everything I want to remember. That way, instead of spending a lot of time trying to remember what it is I wrote down, I spend the time looking for the paper I wrote it down on." -- Beryl Pfizer

something to ponder ... Mark Twain

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."

-- Mark Twain

A Picture is worth...

Thanks to the FAIL BLOG

Something to ponder... John Armstrong

The mystic Catholic, Thomas Merton, once noted that: “If you find God with great ease, perhaps it is not God that you have found.”
This statement underscores one of the deepest problems I have encountered over the course of my own life. I settled for thinking that I knew God, or God’s will or purpose, when I am quite sure that I was overconfident many times. The ease with which I spoke, and the ease with which I processed this knowledge, should have warned me but I was too dull oft times.
Theologians rightly speak of the deus absconditus, or of the God who is absconds, or is absent. The Psalmist knew this reality and do did Mother Teresa. Great mystics have known it and so have ordinary saints. Luther and Calvin knew it too. Just when we think we have God, or we have figured him out, he is absent from us again. He will be sought but finding is on his terms. He will be known, but not because we are so wise. His grace is for all, but not all find it unless they seek it. Ours is an age for “easy” this and that. Knowing God will never fit into the category of something called “easy.”

-- John Armstrong

Something to Ponder ... NT Wright

"It is at this point that the church must learn the art of collaboration without compromise, and of opposition without dualism. There are good things going on in the wider world, and we must join in, while always remaining on the lookout for the point where we will be asked to do something which goes against the grain of the gospel. There are wicked thing going on in the wider world, and we must stand out against them, while always remaining on the lookout for the point where we become mere dualists, retreating from the world which is already charged with the grandeur of God. All this is difficult enough at the best of times, and all the more so now because we in the West have simply not thought in these terms for a couple of hundred years."
"I am not, of course, saying, do "traditional church" well and mission will follow.' Far too much 'traditional church' has been too much tradition and not enough church."

-- N.T. Wright