Friday, May 30, 2003

Goodbye Dad... sort of...
Yesterday I learned that my father, who lives about 1800 miles away from me, has got very little time left on this earth. He lives in a rest home with hospice and can only eat puréed food. And he rarely eats all of his food, usually about 30-75 percent. He can only talk in a whisper because of some damage done during surgery. I can't get out there to visit him for "the last time" because of this stupid Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and anxiety disorder that I suffer from.

How do I truly feel about all of this? I'm angry that I'm too sick to visit him. On the other hand, we were never very close. The last time I saw him was in 1977! Distance is not good for a father/son relationship when money is an issue.

Anyway, I've pretty much "written off" the possibility of visiting him before he dies. I know that I'll see him in Heaven, but I also know that I will have a hard time dealing with the guilt of not going out there to see him while he's still on this earth. I'll be saying stuff like "Well, it's too late now!" and "Only if I...".

ig <><

Thursday, May 29, 2003

Some excerpts...
Here are a few excerpts from my trivia page. Click on the link at the right for the entire trivia webpage.
  • Antarctica got its first ATM (automatic [bank] teller machine) in 1997.
  • Antarctica is technically a desert (frozen desert) since the continent gets less than ten inches of precipitation per year.
  • Less than one percent of the continent of Antarctica is exposed (not covered with ice).
ig <><

Tuesday, May 27, 2003

Random trivia...
Did you know that Antarctica has a mountain that is over 16,000 feet tall? It's named "Vinson Massif". Sources vary with their information, but at the most, it is 16,860 feet (5,139 meters) tall. I had no idea. I never knew there were any mountains in Antarctica.

I love trivia. I started writing down bits of information around 1990 and haven't stopped. Of course, now I use the computer instead of pen and paper-- most of the time. I've learned very much from these little bits of information.

If you'd like to visit my trivia website, click here and then click on my trivia page. God bless!

ig <><

Monday, May 26, 2003

All above average?
If everyone was above average, then everyone would also be average and below average because there would be no standard for "average". What is the standard for average, anyway? I know that to find the average in a mathematical situation, you take the high and low and add them and then divide by two (just for a very simplistic example).

I don't mean to make your head spin. It's just one of the many things I think about once in a while. It's like cloning. Do we really want exact copies of people already residing on this big blue marble? I'm pretty sure that the scientific community would, just for kicks, but for what practical reason?

ig <><

Sunday, May 25, 2003

Tolerance...
People get frustrated when I don't hear them and they have to repeat what they said. Why? Why do I almost feel guilty because I didn't understand something that was said? God forbid that I go through the process of going deaf. We all know that it's usually a gradual process. If something happened and I became deaf tomorrow, people would be tolerant of that situation. They seem to live a double standard. They are okay with total deafness, but not partial deafness. I remember my mother gradually going deaf. It was very frustrating for her when people would get upset as a result of having to repeat something.

Another thing-- have you ever noticed that people quite often will repeat what they said in a lower volume? I guess they think that they are annunciating better at a lower volume.

It's a lot like having CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). After all, I don't look sick! I look pretty darn healthy. But if I was in a wheelchair, I would find sympathy out the wazoo. It goes back to what I said about the double standard thing. If I'm just partially sick, then I don't deserve sympathy. But, on the other hand, if I'm so sick that I look the part, then there's understanding.

ig <><

Saturday, May 24, 2003

Glass half full?
When you look at a glass that is half filled with liquid, do you see the glass as half-full or half-empty? I'm a "glass half-full" kind of guy. I always have been. I've always tried to look on the bright side of things. I hope that doesn't make you sick. :-) Seriously, I know many people who just don't seem to have the ability to see the glass as half-full. They, in my opinion, are pessimists. But the world needs people like that, as well as all other types of people, characters, personalities, etc. Gosh, just think-- if we were all exactly the same, life would be extremely boring!

ig <><
Blank...
I'm so blank today. I feel like I'm somewhat "braindead"-- crickets and tumbleweeds. I'm like "Ig sans cognition."

ig <><

Friday, May 23, 2003

Too much angst...
"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
(Ephesians 4:30-32 NIV)

There is entirely too much angst in this world. Take rush hour, for example. Take walking through a major grocery and/or retail store, for example. "Can't we all just get along?", coined Mr. King. Is it that difficult to let the other person go first in traffic, in front of you at the checkout, etc.?

I'll soon be a grandfather. I pray that my grandchild will be happy, but more importantly content. There's a lot to be said for contentment. Just read Philippians 4:11-12 and then read verse 7. Wow.

ig <><
Unsolicited email - spam...
Someone *HAS* to put a stop to spam! I hate spam. I wonder if there's anyone that actually likes spam. I also hate porn. I hate being forced to read crappy porno stuff even if it's in the subject line. I guess it's not enough for them to be addicted to porn-- they have to try and recruit as many others as they can. Misery loves company. The world (including myself) needs Jesus.

ig <><

Thursday, May 22, 2003

My first blog... ever!
Yesterday was my 47th birthday. What is 47 supposed to feel like? I dunno. I think we all have three different ages-- biological, subjective (how you feel physically), and mental. Mentally, I'm definitely not 47. Subjectively, I'm probably twice my age, unfortunately. I have CFS-- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. If you're not familiar with CFS, you can read all about it at http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/cfs.htm or http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cfs/info.htm. God's grace is sufficient.

ig <><