I think this must be the year of the salt. Or the winter of the salt, that is. It's out on our front porch and on our driveway, and they're spreading it all over the streets right now. And this has happened quite a bit since the beginning of December! We've had a fair share of snow already, but we've also had more ice than normal. I already told how the ice kept us from getting all the way home a week ago after our vacation to Missouri. Now it's keeping me from enjoying Christmas with the in-laws! My wife's family had scheduled their Christmas gathering for December 20th, but a huge snow storm kept that from happening. So they rescheduled it for today.
My wife and kids went earlier (it's about 60 to 90 minutes away). I had to work today and I have to work in the morning, so if I had gone I would have left much later than them, and I would've had to drive back home tonight. But then the ice began! Looking out my window, it's actually very beautiful to look at. Everything's so nice and shiny out there. But I wouldn't want to be driving in the stuff! So they're staying the night there, and I'm here at home. And actually, it's a nice quiet evening alone! Just kicking back, relaxing.
Well, first I replaced our thermostat, which is something I've never done before. Turns out to be quite easy. I came home earlier today and it was 63ยบ in the house! I went down to the furnace, and the burners were coming on, but then turning off as the fan began to blow, so it was blowing cold air. I went through all the possibilities of what could be wrong - not that I know a thing! - and I eventually temporarily decided to call the furnace people. But then I got a tiny bit of 'inspiration,' and I wondered if, since the burners were actually igniting ok, if it was a thermostat problem that was making them turn off right away. So I went to Menards after work and bought a new thermostat. I had no idea what I was doing, but I thought if I could save a few bucks it'd be worth it, and if this didn't solve the problem, at least we'd have a brand new programmable thermostat!
So far so good... The instructions said it takes less than 30 minutes to install. Took me close to an hour, those liars!!! But it seems to be working. The furnace is running and I'm staying cozy! And they're out there covering the streets with layers of salt. Hopefully all will be drivable again when I have to work in the morning!
Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby
Queen and David Bowie - Under Pressure. This is the song that Vanilla Ice "sampled" in Ice Ice Baby - although he says that technically he didn't sample it. If you listen, Under pressure goes:
dum dum dum dum dum dum dum, dum dum dum dum dum dum dum
But Ice Ice Baby goes:
dum dum dum dum dum dum dum, dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum
(There's an extra 'dum' in the second set of dums)
Technically... yep. LOL
Grace Roots Blog
Showing posts with label Queen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Queen. Show all posts
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Saturday, December 13, 2008
You're My Best Friend
The other day a friend sent me a message on Facebook, asking about my wife Tracey, wondering if she had her own Facebook. This friend said she'd like to say 'Hi' to Tracey (essentially meaning, communicate with her via the internet). Well, Tracey doesn't have a Facebook account. No Myspace. No blog. No Yahoo Messenger. Not much of an online presence at all! In fact, she rarely spends any time at all on the computer. It's just who she is! Tracey is absolutely unlike me in so many ways!
But we've discovered along the way that it's not being alike that makes our marriage. In fact, what makes us friends is not that we have so many things in common. We often joke about all our differences. She loves leopard prints and colorful clothes. I love jeans and a single-colored t-shirt. She loves arts and crafts --- and she's great at sharing her talents with the kids. I can perhaps draw three circles and hope that someone sees it's a snowman. She listens to modern praise and worship and I listen to classic rock. We both love 80's pop though! She's neapolitan and mint chocolate chip and I'm plain vanilla, all day, every day, in every way.
The point is... well, I have no real point that I'm trying to make! I just wanted to say that you don't hear anything from Tracey on this blog, and the biggest reason for that is because this just isn't her thing. But yet, despite all the ways in which we're different, Tracey is my best friend. She does a great job raising her "four" kids. One is 10, one is almost 8 (two weeks from today), one is almost 40 and the last one is named Puppa. She is a hard worker. She is the most faithful, dependable person I've ever known.
This isn't to celebrate an anniversary, a birthday or anything of the sort. This is just because! "I'm happy at home... You're my best friend."
Queen - You're My Best Friend
But we've discovered along the way that it's not being alike that makes our marriage. In fact, what makes us friends is not that we have so many things in common. We often joke about all our differences. She loves leopard prints and colorful clothes. I love jeans and a single-colored t-shirt. She loves arts and crafts --- and she's great at sharing her talents with the kids. I can perhaps draw three circles and hope that someone sees it's a snowman. She listens to modern praise and worship and I listen to classic rock. We both love 80's pop though! She's neapolitan and mint chocolate chip and I'm plain vanilla, all day, every day, in every way.
The point is... well, I have no real point that I'm trying to make! I just wanted to say that you don't hear anything from Tracey on this blog, and the biggest reason for that is because this just isn't her thing. But yet, despite all the ways in which we're different, Tracey is my best friend. She does a great job raising her "four" kids. One is 10, one is almost 8 (two weeks from today), one is almost 40 and the last one is named Puppa. She is a hard worker. She is the most faithful, dependable person I've ever known.
This isn't to celebrate an anniversary, a birthday or anything of the sort. This is just because! "I'm happy at home... You're my best friend."
Queen - You're My Best Friend
Sunday, August 17, 2008
I Want To Break Free
A few weeks ago Meeting Of One posted this video in relation to the question of whether to O.R.E.C. or not to O.R.E.C. (Organized Religious Entertainment Centre). (I'm sure people who read this blog "get" it). ;) Going along with the fun, I posted this video.
Well, I know there are some who are still pondering the question, and there are those who have other things in their lives they perhaps are 'struggling' to break free from. Some of it may be quite serious. Spiritual abuse, religion, legalism, lies, bad relationships, a job, a coworker, a church, a church member, you name it. NOT to minimize any of the seriousness of any of those issues, but here's a lighthearted look at the struggle people may be going through, from the boys who call themselves Queen. I don't know about you, but I think this is quite hilarious. :) The actresses... um, actors... play their parts well! The rest of the stuff is, what... art?
I Want To Break Free
Well, I know there are some who are still pondering the question, and there are those who have other things in their lives they perhaps are 'struggling' to break free from. Some of it may be quite serious. Spiritual abuse, religion, legalism, lies, bad relationships, a job, a coworker, a church, a church member, you name it. NOT to minimize any of the seriousness of any of those issues, but here's a lighthearted look at the struggle people may be going through, from the boys who call themselves Queen. I don't know about you, but I think this is quite hilarious. :) The actresses... um, actors... play their parts well! The rest of the stuff is, what... art?
I Want To Break Free
Friday, July 04, 2008
Video Killed the Radio Star / Radio Ga Ga
The song Video Killed the Radio Star from the band Buggles, recorded in 1979, was both nostalgic and prophetic at the same time. The video for the song was the first video ever shown on MTV when the station launched on August 1, 1981.
The song was nostalgic in the sense that it looked back upon the days when radio ruled the world, with its soap operas, game shows, dramas and comedy shows... but then TV came on the scene, and video "killed" many of those who had become stars through radio.
And yet the song was prophetic in the sense that the video music era that would be ushered in by MTV (Music Television - back when the cable TV station actually played videos round the clock) changed the whole landscape of popular music. The music "radio stars" of the 60's and 70's who had become popular through radio airplay would soon be replaced by those who had the best visual effects in their music videos.
The song Radio Ga Ga by Queen had a somewhat similar nostalgic aspect to it, looking back on the good ol' days of radio. The theme of the song was not necessarily as prophetic as Video Killed the Radio Star, but rather hopeful in saying that radio was yet to have "its finest hour."
I think my favorite part of the song is this:
Let's hope you never leave old friend
Like all good things on you we depend
So stick around cos we might miss you
When we grow tired of all this visual
You had your time, you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour
Radio...
If you know me by now, you know I'm not bringing all of this up simply to make a case about radio vs. video. :) I do enjoy these songs exactly as they are - after all, I grew up with them and I simply dig the music (and videos)! - and yet I also see some metaphors and symbolism that can be applied to the difference between the church as we know it today (that I think has gone off course), and how it's perhaps meant to be.
In simple terms, as I listen to these songs and follow along with the symbolism, I see "radio" as the way church (life in Christ) was meant to be and "video" as the way church has lost its original intent and meaning. Church as it was meant to be - again, in simplistic terms - was people knowing Jesus and being known by Him, and helping one another to grow close to Him and helping one another with the various needs of life. But what it has become is principles, programs, buildings, projects, sermons, morality lessons, attractions, visuals, social clubs, political bases... and so on and so on... you get the point.
I report, you decide. Maybe you have a different take. If nothing else, enjoy the videos!
Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star
Queen - Radio Ga Ga
The song was nostalgic in the sense that it looked back upon the days when radio ruled the world, with its soap operas, game shows, dramas and comedy shows... but then TV came on the scene, and video "killed" many of those who had become stars through radio.
And yet the song was prophetic in the sense that the video music era that would be ushered in by MTV (Music Television - back when the cable TV station actually played videos round the clock) changed the whole landscape of popular music. The music "radio stars" of the 60's and 70's who had become popular through radio airplay would soon be replaced by those who had the best visual effects in their music videos.
The song Radio Ga Ga by Queen had a somewhat similar nostalgic aspect to it, looking back on the good ol' days of radio. The theme of the song was not necessarily as prophetic as Video Killed the Radio Star, but rather hopeful in saying that radio was yet to have "its finest hour."
I think my favorite part of the song is this:
Let's hope you never leave old friend
Like all good things on you we depend
So stick around cos we might miss you
When we grow tired of all this visual
You had your time, you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour
Radio...
If you know me by now, you know I'm not bringing all of this up simply to make a case about radio vs. video. :) I do enjoy these songs exactly as they are - after all, I grew up with them and I simply dig the music (and videos)! - and yet I also see some metaphors and symbolism that can be applied to the difference between the church as we know it today (that I think has gone off course), and how it's perhaps meant to be.
In simple terms, as I listen to these songs and follow along with the symbolism, I see "radio" as the way church (life in Christ) was meant to be and "video" as the way church has lost its original intent and meaning. Church as it was meant to be - again, in simplistic terms - was people knowing Jesus and being known by Him, and helping one another to grow close to Him and helping one another with the various needs of life. But what it has become is principles, programs, buildings, projects, sermons, morality lessons, attractions, visuals, social clubs, political bases... and so on and so on... you get the point.
I report, you decide. Maybe you have a different take. If nothing else, enjoy the videos!
Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star
Queen - Radio Ga Ga
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