Hmmmm.I did install that security door this morning, and Mr. Murphy decided, for reasons I don't know, NOT to accompany me on the job. Went very smoothly. But part of that is because I've installed several of these before and learned the first time NOT to use the drill size they recommend. These install with those one-way screws you've seen in public restrooms; the slot is beveled such that they can be turned so as to tighten, but not remove. That feature also reduces the grip you get even when tightening. Using the drill bit size they recommend leads to great frustration but NOT to a tightened screw. Moving up two sizes creates a pilot hole that works better and holds just as well.
I called the owner of this unit (a rental condo) and he has other friends there in Calgary, Alberta who own units in the area. He is going to give them my contact info. He also wants to have coffee next time he's in town. Interesting!
This afternoon I put the old set of aerobars on my bike and went for a ride. Just that small change in riding position changes the biomechanics (I have no idea what that word means but it sounds good in this sentence) of my riding and it's going to take some time for my massive thighs to adapt. But I did 19 miles at an average of 18 mph so it's worth the effort.
Tomorrow morning I'll go pick up the curriculum CD's at the duplication firm. I got my first order in the mail today. A pastor in Texas who got my letter last month wants one of each so they can see how they could use this in their church. They want to use it with their teens, but also with older adults. I have a couple of other guys who have asked for order forms, but this is the first check.
Normally I wouldn't pay it any notice, but Apple's big press conference today caught my attention. The MACBook I've been looking at is getting several upgrades - including a backlit keyboard - and a $100 price reduction. They should be in stores in the next day or two. Is this the voice of God?
While Pam was fixing dinner we watched four coyotes walk through our backyard. Al watched them, too. He got all excited because for him that looked like an opportunity for PLAY!!
One or two coyotes are fascinating to watch and present no risk. They are naturally shy and will avoid contact with humans. But a group of four or five become a pack and are emboldened to act in ways one or two never would, that is, agressively. An old man and a 75-pound Greyhound are no match for a pack of coyotes, so we watched from the safety of the inside of our house and waited several minutes before taking our evening walk.
Before I left the house this morning I watched a segment on the Today Show about how to respond to someone who has cancer. They began with clips of cancer survivors talking about their experiences with others, how they responded. The first person said, "I don't remember ever being offended by anything someone said. But I was offended by some who didn't say anything."
That reminded me of my rule from a couple of nights ago. Rule #2: sins of commission are better than sins of omission. Even if I stick my foot in it by saying something horribly clumsy, they know I care. They can at least appreciate my motives. But if I say or do nothing they don't know if I care or not. And in their emotionally stressed and weakened condition they may well assume I don't care at all.
Rule #8: It's never what you think it is.
This is another one that probably applies most often to pastors and others in ministry. But getting called into the boss's office also fits.
In 35 years of ministry I have had dozens of occasions when someone has asked if they could talk to me. Sometimes we've met for coffee and other times it's meant a visit at their house. It's human nature - in between the request and the meeting I hypothesize about their agenda. Actually, I go over and over it in my head.
It took me way too long to figure out that I'm always going to guess wrong. In fact, that is so sure to be the case that I can almost eliminate topics based on my speculation that "it's probably ____." If it came to my mind I can cross it off the list of possibilities.
I don't think my experience allows for any prediction on whether the real topic for discussion will be more troublesome or benign than my speculation. 50/50.
Lakers in five. The Magic will steal one.
Time for dessert. ICE CREAM!! (Christ has already provided for salvation.)
I called the owner of this unit (a rental condo) and he has other friends there in Calgary, Alberta who own units in the area. He is going to give them my contact info. He also wants to have coffee next time he's in town. Interesting!
This afternoon I put the old set of aerobars on my bike and went for a ride. Just that small change in riding position changes the biomechanics (I have no idea what that word means but it sounds good in this sentence) of my riding and it's going to take some time for my massive thighs to adapt. But I did 19 miles at an average of 18 mph so it's worth the effort.
Tomorrow morning I'll go pick up the curriculum CD's at the duplication firm. I got my first order in the mail today. A pastor in Texas who got my letter last month wants one of each so they can see how they could use this in their church. They want to use it with their teens, but also with older adults. I have a couple of other guys who have asked for order forms, but this is the first check.
Normally I wouldn't pay it any notice, but Apple's big press conference today caught my attention. The MACBook I've been looking at is getting several upgrades - including a backlit keyboard - and a $100 price reduction. They should be in stores in the next day or two. Is this the voice of God?
While Pam was fixing dinner we watched four coyotes walk through our backyard. Al watched them, too. He got all excited because for him that looked like an opportunity for PLAY!!
One or two coyotes are fascinating to watch and present no risk. They are naturally shy and will avoid contact with humans. But a group of four or five become a pack and are emboldened to act in ways one or two never would, that is, agressively. An old man and a 75-pound Greyhound are no match for a pack of coyotes, so we watched from the safety of the inside of our house and waited several minutes before taking our evening walk.
Before I left the house this morning I watched a segment on the Today Show about how to respond to someone who has cancer. They began with clips of cancer survivors talking about their experiences with others, how they responded. The first person said, "I don't remember ever being offended by anything someone said. But I was offended by some who didn't say anything."
That reminded me of my rule from a couple of nights ago. Rule #2: sins of commission are better than sins of omission. Even if I stick my foot in it by saying something horribly clumsy, they know I care. They can at least appreciate my motives. But if I say or do nothing they don't know if I care or not. And in their emotionally stressed and weakened condition they may well assume I don't care at all.
Rule #8: It's never what you think it is.
This is another one that probably applies most often to pastors and others in ministry. But getting called into the boss's office also fits.
In 35 years of ministry I have had dozens of occasions when someone has asked if they could talk to me. Sometimes we've met for coffee and other times it's meant a visit at their house. It's human nature - in between the request and the meeting I hypothesize about their agenda. Actually, I go over and over it in my head.
It took me way too long to figure out that I'm always going to guess wrong. In fact, that is so sure to be the case that I can almost eliminate topics based on my speculation that "it's probably ____." If it came to my mind I can cross it off the list of possibilities.
I don't think my experience allows for any prediction on whether the real topic for discussion will be more troublesome or benign than my speculation. 50/50.
Lakers in five. The Magic will steal one.
Time for dessert. ICE CREAM!! (Christ has already provided for salvation.)
1 comment:
Your headlining photo must be the result of some bureaucratic regulation!
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