Cyber Monday

Are you a cyber consumer or did you shop on Black Friday-  maybe both?  Someone said there are two types of people -" those that use time to save money and those that use money to save time".  I just checked my email and no less than 12 emails directing me today (Cyber Monday) to specials to buy. 

Was it a coincidence that today I also had many "web site busy or could not be found" messages during the day?  I think there are alot of Cyber Monday consumers.

I must admit most of my purchases this year will be on-line and shipped to the house.  I'm just not a shopper and prefer to avoid the lines and the crowds. 

So which person am I? - saving time or money or maybe both.

Punishment in Hell

I've always said my punishment in hell will be sitting on the floor with thousands - no millions of Christmas lights tangled together and partially lit.  And one by one I am required to take out a burnt bulb and replace it with a good one.  Once the half non-lit are fixed the other half flicker and go dark. 

This year I said - NO (and it took great courage to fight the frugality).  I said "I don't care if only half are lit - I will throw the entire lot away and - YES buy new strands.  Naturally, it wasn't until 8:30pm  that I decided this - where should I go to get CHEAP lights? - all the discounters will be closed.

Since I vowed this year not to make setting up Xmas miserable, I determined money was no object.  I would buy them at the local drugstore.What and to my surprise on the day after Black Friday there in Walgreens was 100 lights on special  - buy one get one free - $3.99.

So the price of not entering Hell - $17.00 for 800 lights.

On the other Hand

I just finished watching Fiddler on the Roof – the 1971
classic musical adaption of the very successful Broadway musical.  Tevye’s famous line “On the other Hand” is a
wonderful example of the tension in the story of honor, duty and tradition.  How appropriate after just finishing
Harvard’s Michael Sandel’s  PBS three DVD
series on Social Justice.  Sandel’s
Socratic style of teaching created the same Tevye – “On the other Hand”
dialogue between the students ---   a
point/counter point exchange.  And the challenge of defining moral justice - doing what is right - is an ageless debate between the political parties - right and left.

How important it is to see “the other hand”; “walk in others
shoes”; “seek first to understand”?  And
once you see the other hand -- is compromise a weakness or strength?  

Erasmus said “In the land of the blind the one eyed man is
king”.  So in a land of amputees, which
hand rules – the right or left?

Are you Awake?

The phone rings - your deep sleep hears some kind of alarm -  as you roust yourself to consciousness - becoming aware it's not the alarm as you pound the sleep button furiously. Now logic enters the semi awake state and you determine maybe the phone is ringing (since the sound is still piercing your brain) -  you fumble to stop the sound of that awful phone - place the receiver to your ear and hear a muffled voice say "Are you Awake?

WHAT!!!!   %&!#%#   NO!!!   I'm not awake.  But now I am - because of a rude phone call at 7:44am.  Thanks for the thoughtful question and lovely wake-up call.

So what's your calling etiquette?  No calls before 8am and no calls after 10pm - standard protocol.  On Weekends and Holidays - 10am - 10pm. 

PS - Don't ask me that question -  because obviously I'm awake now - Just get to the point otherwise my answer is "Are you Stupid?"

Law of Giving and Receiving

Gravity is an indisputable law - right?  Unless you have lived in space all your life.  So what about the Law of Giving and Receiving?  You ask - I never studied that law in science class - What is it?

Is it -  "It's better to give than receive"?  Live to Give?  Give to receive your Tax deduction?

No ----   this Law is simple and is only proven by actions in your lifetime.  It is not provable in a book.

"You will always receive more than you give" 

This law works two ways:

(1)  Don't give and you will still receive more than you give. (review your Mathematics course on properties of zero)
(2)  Give abundantly and receive abundantly.

As we approach Thanksgiving  -  Try giving Thanks - you may receive more than you give.    IT WORKS!

Loss of Service

How many bars are on your phone?  The new vocabulary for the all important communication network.  My phone (the hand me down from Jenna) is a Verizon LG Envy. It will tell you verbally when there is a "Loss of Service".  Forgetting I had it on in Church today - right during the quiet time of prayer my phone spoke up and said "Loss of Service".

Was this God's subtle way of saying that my actions may be entering a "Loss of Service" for the next week?  Afterall it was just after Rev. Nathan Custer had given the analogy of how we can become like Black Holes - totally focused inwardly sucking in everything and everybody - light, happiness etc.  As he jokingly said - we become not #$%@ Holes but B- Holes.

When we lose outward focus we lose our desire for service.  Some don't realize that service to others is really a way to service ourselves - maintain an attitude of gratitude - to be Thankful.

I am thankful for the reminder - my phone, Nathan, and others that nothing could be worse than a "Loss of Service".

God's network always has full bars - ready for service.

Ellacelleration

Ellacellation -  "The mistaken belief that
repeatedly pressing the elevator button will make it go faster". 

That was a sniglet from 1984 - humorous creations of words that Rich Hall felt
should be in the dictionary. I'm reminded of that sniglet every time I enter an
elevator.  In fact the Elevator conjures up many thoughts:


(1) Elevator etiquette -  Looking straight ahead (no eye contact) and
complete silence during travel time

(2) Murphy's Elevator Corollary  -  The person in the back of a
crowded elevator is always the first one to exit

(3) Premature Elevator Entrance -  Jumping into an elevator headed in the
wrong direction

(4) Elevator-itis -  Thinking about your actions if the Elevator
malfunctions



In 1971 I had the opportunity to visit Poland (during the Cold War and Soviet
domination).  I have many funny stories and observations about the
trip.  One of which was the humbling experience I had when being critical
of the Polish designers of the high rise dorm we were staying at in Krakow.


My room was on the 9th floor.  As I entered the elevator I discovered
there were only buttons for the even floors.  So I diligently pressed 10 -
got out and took the internal staircase down to my floor.  I figured - how
dumb; how poor; how shortsighted in design.........   And yes, I did
this for two days before one of the students informed me I should "round
the corner" and take the second bank of elevators targeted for the odd
numbered floors.


So to this day in Poland the joke is circulating ----- "Have you heard the
one about the dumb American and the Elevator ...............