Musings in Search of a Muse

Somehow the movie Shrek entered into the conversation during Bible Study time tonight and I was asked "Which fairytale had a talking donkey?" I remember wondering that myself when I first saw the film, but haven't thought about it since. Well, I just finished searching the 'net and it appears that other than in the world of Shrek, there is no fairytale with a talking donkey.

The concern was that someone was treating the Bible as a fairytale. What? A talking donkey in the Bible? Yup. Check it out!

(20) And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do. (21) And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. (22) And God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of Jehovah placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. (23) And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. (24) Then the angel of Jehovah stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. (25) And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again. (26) And the angel of Jehovah went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. (27) And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff. (28) And Jehovah opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? (29) And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me, I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed thee. (30) And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden all thy life long unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? and he said, Nay. (31) Then Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. (32) And the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is perverse before me: (33) and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive. [Numbers, Chapter 22:20-33, American Standard edition from Bible Foundry]

Best Friends

Yahoo! News: "Paul Winchell, the early TV pioneer best remembered for creating a string of cartoon voices, most famously Winnie the Pooh's pal Tigger, died Friday. A day later, John Fiedler, the veteran stage and screen actor who voiced Piglet, passed away."

Also, see the stories about Mr. Winchell and Mr. Fiedler at BBC News.

Don't ask me why Roger Ebert gave 2.5 stars to the movie Bewitched when reading his review gave me the impression he has never been so luke-warm to anything in his life. Usually I agree with his assessments more often than not so I'm not sure if I really want to see this or not (don't tell me that's not a lot of nots). Maybe I'll make this a date movie, if I can find a date.

A number of people at work today were saying how much they were looking forward to seeing Mr. & Mrs. Smith. It was with a touch of sadness that I had to recommend waiting for it on DVD. The acting was forced, the plot tried way to hard to be True Lies without looking like it was, and the action sequences were surprisingly lame. The only thing that saved it was Angelina Jolie's mouth. What made me sad about the recommendation was that I really had hoped that it was a good movie. The rest of the summer movie season looks so good and I didn't want to be disappointed.

The Beatles flick A Hard Day's Night is still sitting here waiting to be watched. I've been looking forward to watching it for sometime now, but have only watched one of the on-disc documentaries thus far. Now that I got my 'puter to recognize their music CD 1 I've got a bit of a Beatles renaissance going on with the best of these best on my iPod.

Speaking of DVDs, I can hardly wait until Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith is available. I plan on renting a big screen TV for a weekend and showing all six movies in a sitting. We're talking breakfast, lunch, dinner, and plenty-o-snacks with the movies shown in the correct order. I also want to do the same with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, extended editions, of course.

Something I don't understand, though, is why Apple heavily promotes watching movie trailers with iTunes when the Quicktime Website is easier to use and has more movies listed. What is even stranger is that some of the trailers on the Website insist on opening iTunes first. Rather than explanations for these riddles, I'd rather have an archive of older trailers at the site.

We need more Danny Kaye movies on TV. Years ago AMC used to show them like they were Bewitched reruns. Now you hardly see them. Maybe it's because that network has gone heavily commercial in order to survive the onslaught of Turner Classic Movies. The latter plans to show The Court Jester in August and Hans Christian Andersen in September. Before then I might wind up buying A Song is Born. It's an equally good remake of Ball of Fire and features a fabulous segment 'documenting' the history of Jazz with Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Charlie Barnet, Mel Powell, Gene Krupa, Louie Bellson, Buck and Bubbles (Ford Washington Lee and John William Sublett), the Samba Kings, and The Golden Gate Quartette liberally sprinkled throughout the film. That almost makes it a mini-Woodstock of it's era. A music teacher in the school I work at uses this film in her class upon my recommendation.

Chock-full of anti-Christian behavior, language, themes, and imagery, one of the best movies ever is John Landis's Animal House. It would take almost as much time to list the types of humor that comprise the script as it would to watch the movie itself. To be this good it's understood that great writing (Harold Ramis, et al) and great acting from all the players are primary components of why people like this movie. But why is it legendary? Go ahead, search the Web, it's legendary.

I would guess this status is tied in part to the toga party scene. This quickly became a staple of college parties and remains so. Featured in this scene is the song "Shout" (not originated by the then fictional group Otis Day & The Knights), a fabulous party and group participation song that reminds anyone who has seen the movie of good times.

Another important part has to be that there's a character for everyone to identify with, if only in part. Somewhere there has to be a college course studying this movie or some psych student doing a paper on that aspect. Sadly, I identify too much with Flounder.

Who would you identify with? Watch the movie sometime, if only to have a good laugh or to see a piece of American culture that has become a legend.

"There's Something About Marrying"
"Homer tries to cash in on Springfield's new law allowing same-sex marriages by becoming an ordained minister via the Internet." (Official Site)

This is a hilarious episode. I'm a bit bothered that in an attempt to take a swipe at right-wing Christians a scene has Reverend Lovejoy loudly ringing the church bell to drown out Marge Simpson's arguments that the Bible doesn't forbid homosexual unions. What little I heard sounded fairly serious so I would have liked to hear if the assertions held water. Then I could have countered with these points from the Bible:

Romans 1:26-27

²⁶Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. ²⁷In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

⁹Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders ¹⁰nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

¹³ " 'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

²² " 'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.

1. The wave formed (pun intended) by the dates in the archive column on this page. Naturally occurring patterns have to be the best. That's why I love flowers (that's one the "interests" in my profile, if you haven't noticed).
   
   
   Check out the patterns!
   
   
2. Music with a geometric beat. No real good way to explain that, I guess. I just happen to "see" music at times. These recent acquisitions are good examples:
• "Fantasy" by Aldo Nova
• "Right Place, Wrong Time" by Dr. John
• "Like a Feather" by Nikka Costa
• "Yankee Rose" by David Lee Roth
• "Where the Streets Have No Name" (a U2 cover) by Chris Tomlin
3. Don't ask me why, but lately I've been fascinated with hair. Mine is growing shaggy and it's now longer than ever. Nothing special in the mornings - just rub it almost dry, put in a little conditioner, and walk out of the bathroom. The curls I've hated all my life take over and it looks pretty decent. A woman I went out with recently has beautiful, multi-tonal hair (blondish, darkish, white, and grayish). One of many good features, to be sure, but the first thing that attracted me to her. And two women I work with have hair well past their shoulder blades. Most men would stare at the front. I stare at the back.
4. Creativity. I just wish I had more of it. I'm more of an editor than an original thinker. Sadly, my original thoughts usually come to me when I'm driving or in the shower. Check out this other blogger's site for a creative idea I could have done. Just don't tell Google.
5. 
   
   Wallace & Gromit have an upcoming movie!
   

What the ... ?

How on Earth did the soundtrack from The Sound of Music get recommended based on the contents of the Shopping Cart? The only possible connection could be the presence of "Victory Chant," a sprightly presentation from Bishop Andrew Merritt & the Straight Gate Mass Choir, but nothing on par with the style of Richard Rogers. Sometimes I wonder what iTunes is tracking. Even when the Cart was loaded with Inspirational music recommendations such as this never appeared.

Another funny: Lita Ford and Julie Andrews.

Think about it. "Oh! The disparity of it!" to paraphrase a reporter at the Hindenburg disaster. If you were to search the Net for topless photos of both, which one would have more images in that state of undress?

For everyone who has ever had an evaluation -- just remember, it could have been worse. These are actual quotes taken from Federal Government employee performance evaluations.

1. "Since my last report, this employee has reached rock-bottom and has started to dig."

2. "I would not allow this employee to breed."

3. "This employee is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definite won't be."

4. "Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap."

5. "When she opens her mouth, it seems that it is only to change feet."

6. "This young lady has delusions of adequacy."

7. "He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them."

8. "This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot."

9. "This employee should go far, and the sooner he starts, the better."

10. "Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thingy to hold it all together."

11. "A gross ignoramus -- 144 times worse than an ordinary ignoramus."

12. "He doesn't have ulcers, but he's a carrier."

13. "This man's drinking has not interfered with his work.

14. "I would like to go hunting with him some time."

15. "He's been working with glue too much."

16. "He would argue with a signpost."

17. "He brings a lot of joy whenever he leaves the room."

18. "When his IQ reaches 50, he should sell."

19. "If you see two people talking and one looks bored, he's the other one."

20. "A photographic memory but with the lens cover glued on."

21. "A prime candidate for natural de-selection."

22. "Donated his brain to science before he was done using it."

23. "Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming."

24. "He's got two brain cells, one is lost and the other is out looking for it."

25. "If he were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week."

26. "If you give him a penny for his thoughts, you'd get change."

27. "If you stand close enough to him, you can hear the ocean."

28. "It's hard to believe he beat out 1,000,000 other sperm."

29. "One neuron short of a synapse."

30. "Some drink from the fountain of knowledge; he only gargled."

31. "Takes him 2 hours to watch '60-minutes'."

32. "The wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead"

Browsing around the Mozilla site while looking for new themes and extensions for my Firefox browser, I came across the Thunderbird e-mail client. It looks pretty good, but not sure I'll keep it over MS Outlook. The latter is doing a workman-like job of replacing the Palm PIM that I really like (or it's latest update). When I got my latest computer I didn't install it because I stopped using my handheld at about the same time. The calendar isn't very friendly, the address book isn't really up to the Palm standard. The notes feature in Outlook is nice, but I really like the notes feature in the Palm software.

I might need to install the Palm product and use it again then go find a little program called dNoter that I had at one time. It was cool in many ways, like the ability to make the notes variably transparent. It's no longer at download.com, but there are bunches of others there I might try.

Hey, kids! The new format for my blog looks better with Mozilla Firefox than in does with MS Internet Explorer. One day I might get around to updating the code for fixed column widths, but since I seldom use IE (other than when I'm forced to at work), I'm in no hurry.

Oh, and it's a much cooler browser, too. The search function lets me choose from a variety of tools to find what I need, including IMDB and Wikipedia.

Oh! The Variety!

It also seems much faster than IE, it has fun "themes" for variety, and tabbed browsing. And, did you know Blogger recommends Firefox?

"Ours is the age of substitutes: Instead of language we have jargon; instead of principles, slogans; and instead of genuine ideas, bright suggestions." - Eric Bentley, American author and educator.

"Work which has no other incentive than the pay check is closer to slavery than it is to freedom." - Elton Trueblood

‘‘Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.’’ - Henry Peter Brougham, Scottish statesman and historian (1778-1868)

"People don't care what you know until they know you care." - John Maxwell

"Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?" - Frank Scully (1892-1964)

"April 1. This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three hundred and sixty-four." Mark Twain, "Pudd'nhead Wilson," 1894

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." - Scott Adams

TV Guide once called Sports Night (1998) "The Best Show You're Not Watching." As a fan of the show, I'm greatly surprised at that. It features many of the characteristics of Aaron Sorkin's current hit, The West Wing (1999): Peppy, witty dialogue delivered cleverly at a rapid pace; artistic photography with a semblance of cinéma vérité that features frequent movement within frame with simultaneous movement throughout the set to create an intimacy and sense involvement; inspired casting of very talented actors who are comfortable with each other and their characters; and excellent art direction.

So why did this show fail? My bias as a fan tells me that it was a network issue. Lack of promotion, changing its timeslot, who knows? It failed. I'm just glad that I have the complete two seasons on DVD so I can watch them anytime I want. My neighbors are shopping for volume controls to quiet my laughter.

The Top 25 Most Memorable Movie Quotes as determined by the American Film Institute from a jury poll.

1. 'Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.' Gone with the Wind, 1939
2. 'I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse.' The Godfather, 1972
3. 'You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am.' On the Waterfront, 1954
4. 'Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.' The Wizard of Oz, 1939
5. 'Here's looking at you, kid.' Casablanca, 1942
6. 'Go ahead, make my day.' Sudden Impact, 1983
7. 'All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up.' Sunset Blvd., 1950
8. 'May the Force be with you.' Star Wars, 1977
9. 'Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night.' All About Eve, 1950
10. 'You talking to me?' Taxi Driver, 1976
11. 'What we've got here is failure to communicate.' Cool Hand Luke, 1967
12. 'I love the smell of napalm in the morning.' Apocalypse Now, 1979
13. 'Love means never having to say you're sorry.' Love Story, 1970
14. 'The stuff that dreams are made of.' The Maltese Falcon, 1941
15. 'E.T. phone home.' E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, 1982
16. 'They call me Mister Tibbs!' In the Heat of the Night, 1967
17. 'Rosebud.' Citizen Kane, 1941
18. 'Made it, Ma! Top of the world!' White Heat, 1949
19. 'I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Network, 1976
20. 'Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.' Casablanca, 1942
21. 'A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.' The Silence of the Lambs, 1991
22. 'Bond. James Bond.' Dr. No, 1962
23. 'There's no place like home.' The Wizard of Oz, 1939
24. 'I am big! It's the pictures that got small.' Sunset Blvd., 1950
25. 'Show me the money!' Jerry Maguire, 1996

Ethel M. Swartz, 58, formerly of New Milford, PA, passed away on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 in her home in Harrisburg.

She was the daughter of the late George and Evelyn (Jones) Seamans.

Ethel was a member of the Susquehanna Valley Evangelical Free Church. She worked for the Villa Teresa Nursing Home from 1979 until she retired.

She is survived by her husband, John T. Swartz; two daughters, Amy Hunt of Lower Paxton Twp., and Marcy Bentzel of Mechanicsburg; two grandsons, Dakota and Nathan; one granddaughter, Kaitlyn; four brothers, Albert, Hollis, Bruce, and Kenneth Seamans; one sister, Doris Sainato, all of New Milford; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 24, 2005, in the Neill Funeral Home, 3501 Derry Street, Harrisburg at 3 p.m., with a visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family.

Memorial contributions may be made to Pinnacle Health Hospice, 3705 Elmwood Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17110. www.pennlive.com/obits

Published in the Patriot-News on 6/22/2005

Ethel is my ex-mother-in-law. She welcomed me into her home though at times she was not comfortable with my relationship with her daughter. And she gave me comfort when my daughter was terminally ill. Her death from brain cancer probably couldn't have been more painful or more distressing to her immediate family. And she will be missed. Good bye, Mom.

Noticed my profile on the side there? Romans 7:15 covers a multitude of sins. Visit Beliefnet's "7 Deadly Sins" page for some enlightening discussion.

Which sin could this be?

A question has vexed me of late, or more so than when I first started dating again earlier this year. Christians should love everyone, but can a Christian be in love with a non-Christian and have a successful and beneficial relationship?

There was a woman that "stalked" me at work, went out with me a few times, then dumped me a few months later. There wasn't a moment that I believed I would fall in love, but I did love her more than most for what she did for me. My confidence is up, a few demons have been exorcised (so to speak), some oats - a few mild, a few wild -were sown, and I now have a clearer idea of which habits and desires within distract me from my faith. All this will make me a better person for the next woman I date.

And that's already started. Last week I had supper (well, breakfast foods at supper time) and took in a movie with an adorable lady that I've had my eye on for sometime. She makes me feel comfortable despite my suspicion that she's much brighter than me and that I know she certainly is much more mature -- and I'm not talking age.

A comment she made during the movie, however, got me to thinking about that question again. Not that I'm in love after one date or that I can foresee at this early time that a long-term relationship is likely or even possible. But she said something to the effect that "all religions are alike" or that "all religions are of equal value." As a Christian, that bothers me. I'm sure it would bother the devout of any faith, actually, but I go with my perspective as a natural consequence.

The question will likely continue as a vexation as despite considerable thought for nearly a week I have made no progress in formulating an answer. Certainly a good relationship requires commonalities and healthy differences, is my initial thought, but I don't go much beyond that. Likely what I seek is too personal to be thinking about it in general terms. Now if only I can keep my desire to be in love from blinding me to the best response ...

Did you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776?

Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the American flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day!

The 1st fold of our flag is a symbol of life.

The 2nd fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.

The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.

The 4th fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.

The 5th fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.

The 6th fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that We pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America, and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

The 7th fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.

The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.

The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nations motto, "In God We Trust."

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today.

There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have important deep meanings. In the future, when you see flags folded, now you will know why.

Not sure what the source of this text is, but I like it.

A frequent thought while watching Wag the Dog is that I'd love to be a fly on the wall whenever the movie's stars, Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman, get together. In the film they demonstrate such a natural chemistry. I would bet that their friendship is an example of one of those great relationships that few experience -- true brothers -- agape in the flesh.

Without this chemistry the movie might have been simply very good rather than simply bordering on brilliance. Wickedly witty, topically satiric, and superbly cast, this is one of the best movies I've seen in quite some time.

Teach a kid to play chess. While I don't know much more than how the pieces move and that a player is supposed to be thinking dozens of moves ahead, I was able to introduce the game to a 9-year old I know. She took to it rather well and seemed to enjoy herself.

Since then I've been doing a little practicing with a nifty, compact program called Pawn (get v1.53 from download.com or v2.67 from the author). I'm no great shake, as you may have guessed, but I've managed to win about 50% of the time against the computer's "dumb opponent" settings.