Blog Archives - The Land of the Weird

The Land of the Weird

The Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

7/31/2016

All three of today's readings focus on the dangers of greed. In fact, more than any other sin, greed gets the lion's share of warnings in the Bible. Jesus preaches about the dangers of wealth more than anything else. Consistently, when asked what one should do to follow Him or enter the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus tells those who ask to renounce their worldly possessions.

We need to be careful about our possessiveness. Nothing that we gain in this life lasts into the next except our relationships, especially our relationship with our Lord.

This is a lesson that has always caused me difficulty, for I am certainly too enchanted by trappings of this world. I focus more on worldly treasures than spiritual gains even though I know full well that once I have what I want at the moment, I will soon be desiring something else.

Only a desire for God is ever truly satisfied.

Shelves and Boxes

7/30/2016

Since arriving from my trip to Michigan, Mera's side of the garage has been filled with boxes. Slowly, we have been clearing them out. To that end I had made a point to empty at least one box a day, but the job still looked like it would take us at least until school started. I was even partly afraid that Mera wouldn't have a place to hide from frost and snow.

Janelle set a goal today to finish sorting the boxes of boy clothes. While that goal didn't quite get completed as of this moment, it led to a series of other completed tasks such as organizing the shelves on the garage, moving items that can survive large temperature shifts to the side shed, organizing the tools, separating the boxes remaining in the garage and putting those that weren't emptied into the areas where they can later be dealt with, taking the clothes marked for storage from cardboard boxes and putting them into labeled plastic bins, and clearing a space for Mera.

We managed to get an amazing amount of work done today. While we still have a lot of sorting and organizing to go, we accomplished more today than I expected to have done for weeks.

The only downside? This seriously cut into my video game time today.

The Battle of the Five Armies - Extended

7/29/2016

Considering how much I love the three Lord of the Rings movies, I feel that the Hobbit trilogy was a massive letdown. That said, I've still preferred the extended versions of the movies to their theatrical releases. Until today, I had not seen the extended version of the third movie, The Battle of the Five Armies.

Going in, I wasn't expecting much. In the theater, it was my least favorite of the three. I hadn't heard anything from my friends about the extended version which suggested that either they, like me, just didn't have the patience to see it yet, or they didn't like it (had they hated it, I would have heard). Then I saw that the extended version had received an "R" rating. R. For a movie adaptation of a children's story. Knowing Peter Jackson's other movies, it wasn't going to be due to nudity or language, but gory violence. Also, since it had been so long since we had seen the other two movies, watching the third one meant watching the extended versions of the other two movies first. None of these facts made me particularly want to see the movie.

Over the past couple of weeks, we found time to watch the extended versions of the other two Hobbit movies. Today was the first time in over a week that we had the time to stay up late enough (and get up late enough the next day) to watch the third one.

I ended up liking it.

While the violence was worthy of the "R" rating, it was the over-the-top sort of gore that I've seen in movies like the Cornetto trilogy, almost cartoonish in its presentation and thus not overly offensive to me. The added scenes filled in blanks that I felt were missing from the theatrical version. Some of the conclusions felt more satisfying as a result.

I still feel that the Hobbit could have been better made as one or perhaps two movies. I still feel that this third movie dragged out a rather short section of the book. I still feel that many of the gravity-defying sequences were better suited to Final Fantasy movies than Middle Earth.

Still, if you enjoyed the Hobbit movies and haven't seen the extended version of the last one, I recommend that you make the time.

Writer's Block

7/28/2016

I've tried a couple dozen possible starts to today's post in my head, but none of them seem right. Some are too mundane (and I think I hit that pretty hard yesterday), some are too political (which really no one wants right now), and some ... well, they deserve more time than I want to give right now. I just am not feeling the muse at the moment. I probably should have written the post earlier in the day (maybe when I ended up playing Overwatch), but I wasn't feeling any particular topic then either. However, I don't want to make anyone suffer any more through a post about how I can't come up with a post.

So, goodnight, Gracie.

A Mild Day

7/27/2016

My halibut trip was cancelled due to the small craft warning today. Thus, I really don't have much to report today, so I thought I'd give a quick look at a relatively average day for this summer. By the time I woke up, Janelle had already been at work for a little while. I heard the boys get up, argue (Rowen, in particular, was doing a lot of stomping), and let out the puppies. We had breakfast and I stayed downstairs afterwards with the puppies while the boys played upstairs with the box of Transformers that I pulled out yesterday evening. I usually get in my pleasure reading (in this case The Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb) while keeping an eye on the pups. As my exercise sessions are a bit later on Wednesdays (and Mondays), I also got in a bit more reading for my Alaska Alive! online class.

I like the Monday and Wednesday exercise sessions as they are led by our crossfit trained phys ed instructor. I get a better idea of how to do the exercises and what sort of goals I should be setting for myself for those times that I find myself alone. I certainly get in a full workout as there are students there those days and I feel a stronger need to set a good example.

I picked up the mail on the way home, but did not stop by Freddy's to see Janelle (as I sometimes do). Instead, I came home because we had both a renter leaving and renter arriving today, so we had to do a quick turnaround of laundry and cleaning. By the time I got home, Alex had already made great progress in getting the cabin cleaned. I was able to help with making the bunkbed (which is quite awkward without two people working together) and cleaning the floors.

We had lunch and watched a Gilmore Girls episode (we're at the start of season 6). While I've seen many of the episodes, and some of them more than once, this is my first full run of the series as it had been a show that Janelle and the girls would watch without me. We also happened to see the trailer for the Gilmore Girls mini-series that is coming to Netflix this November. I didn't understand the conversation Rory and Lorelai were having, but I'm excited anyway.

Honestly, I'm not quite certain what I did from then until dinner. A good deal of the time was spent playing "Tales from the Borderlands" an interactive story by Telltale Games at Alex's insistence. Alex and the boys like watching the game (well, it's really more of an interactive story), and I have to say that I really enjoying it as well. The boys and I also spent time putting together pieces of Transformers that have been separated for years (many of them broken beyond repair). Some of them are also suspiciously out of the ziplock bags that I thought I had them stored in. An unfortunate few are also sporadically covered in green paint from a model paint kit that was placed in the box that they travelled in. We also spent time playing with the puppies (even when raining outside). At some point, I also picked out songs that I can play on the guitar for the outdoor mass on August 7th. Janelle arrived home during this time.

I pulled out the grill for sausages and hotdogs that we had thawed earlier in the week, but the grill ran out of propane before we were finished, so I fried them the rest of the way. Another episode of Gilmore Girls went with dinner. Janelle was too tired to watch a movie or play Mario Kart, so the kids watched me play another episode from Tales from the Borderlands, assemble some more Transformers, and play more with the puppies. I then put the little boys in bed.

Tonight's renter arrived over an hour after Janelle went to bed (Janelle has another early day tomorrow). I gave her a quick tour of the cabin. I played with the puppies a bit more before putting them in their kennel for the night. Trevor and I then played a co-op match in Starcraft II, and I'm now finishing the day by writing this post (which has gone on longer than I expected).

What I didn't get done: any work on getting Dragon Hunter e-published, getting boxes organized in the garage (although I kind of count the Transformers), and getting any written work done for my classes. Maybe tomorrow.

Polite Politics

7/26/2016

Both of the major parties have their candidates for President and Vice President. The two main third parties have their candidates chosen as well. I don't like any of them, but that isn't much of a surprise as there hasn't been a presidential election where I've liked a candidate (well, one that got to this point).

This year seems to be more brutal than normal. It seems that if either of two main parties' candidates should win the election, the horn announcing armageddon will sound, the seals with be broken, a third of the world will be covered in blood, dogs and cats will be living together ... well, you've heard the rest.

If I may, I would like to go on the record as to say that none of those things are going to happen (Although our puppies and Ranger are starting to get along. Satin? Not so much, so we should be safe.). I would also like to point out that someone isn't an idiot just because they don't support your candidate. For that matter, they aren't an idiot if they are supporting the candidate you hate.

People have their reasons for supporting (or not supporting) who they want. Now, don't get me wrong, the Wizard's First Rule is that people are stupid (more specifically: they are more willing to accept a convenient lie than a difficult truth). There are also plenty of people supporting their own selfish interests.

Unfortunately, if we just label the other side(s) as stupid and make no attempt at dialogue or understanding, we lose a part of our own humanity. Our country has amazing potential, so often squandered by petty stubbornness. Please don't attack others or demean them simply because you disagree with their politics. Please don't make the mistake of thinking someone is stupid just because they dare to disagree with you.

You're an idiot if you do.

Fishing

7/25/2016

I awoke at about 4:30 this morning in an effort to have my first experience fishing in the ocean for halibut. One of my colleagues has a boat and has invited me on a couple of occasions to go out with him and some others. He has the poles, boots, and other various equipment. All I needed to bring was a snack and some money to pay a share of the launch fee and gas. For one reason or another (usually the wave height), all of the earlier excursions had been cancelled (although he has been able to go out on times that I was not available.

Today was supposed to be different. We were told that the water was favorable and the waves small enough for launch. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived at Ninilchik, the water was showing white caps and the forecast was for larger waves through the day. The lady in charge of the launch suggested that we not go. Considering that meant we didn't pay her, we took her suggestion seriously.

Instead we took the 45 minute trip back to my friend's house and decided to try our luck at salmon fishing. We walked the trail at the end of Redoubt Avenue to the river and were fortunate that there was enough space to cast without tangling (well ... too often). Thus I had my first fly fishing experience. It rained the entire time.

Three hours later, the four of us had reached our limit ... of patience. None of us had caught a fish. Only one fish had clearly been on the line, and its loss early in our excursion was the subject of much debate through the rest of the trip. The fisherman to my right snagged four fish in the span of half an hour. Being inexperienced, I noticed that he was using his rod and line differently, but I stuck with emulating the friends I came with. Later, they told me that the fisherman was literally snagging fish, a technique that could get him fined if caught as it jerks the hook into fins and fish bellies, damaging and sometimes killing the fish without catching them. I'm happier to be fishless.

We're going to make another attempt at the ocean on Wednesday. My friends seem to love fishing. I am not ... hooked ... yet.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

7/24/2016

Today's readings focus on what our prayers should be like. In the first reading, Abraham shows the importance of persistence in prayer. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples the way to pray. Our pastor pointed out that the Apostles weren't asking Jesus "what" to pray, but "how" to pray. While Jesus' response has become our universal prayer, the Our Father, we also gives us a number of guidelines that show that prayers can be made for any situation.

These guidelines include persistence, specificity, openness, and initiative. We need to actively pray and expect God to help us with our needs. Often, it won't be the way we want, but God will provide what is best for us.

My real takeaway from today's homily was that, rather than get upset at the distractions that grab my attention when I am trying to pray, I should realize that those distractions might be the very things that God wants to talk to me about. Too often, I try to fit my prayers, and thus God, into a kind of daily pattern, but our priest pointed out that real relationships need to adapt over time. Just as our conversations with one another shouldn't be the same day after day, so too should our conversations with God be less by rote and more from what is on our minds and in our hearts.

Toilet Training

7/23/2016

In my years of being a homeowner, I have slowly acquired a number of skills in order to keep my house in shape. Of them, the most challenging [i.e. requiring the most amount of swearing] has been plumbing. While my skills in this area are still rather limited, I checked another box on my list of home repairs; I replaced the two toilets in my house.

I've replaced toilet seats and the innards of toilet tanks before, but this was my first time replacing the entire thing. Honestly, I found it a little less difficult, although heavier, than just replacing the internal mechanisms. It seems that toilets now are set up to be installed rather easily, not even needing any tools except for when removing the old toilet. It also helped that Janelle had helped her brother, John, replace the toilets at our last place before we moved.

It was a good thing that Janelle insisted that we do this as the wax seal for our master bathroom's toilet was not in good shape. I'm glad that we got this done as it has been on the list since before we moved in. The downside is that the seats, although slam-proof, are not very comfortable. The upside is that we now have better toilets that aren't cobbled from various toilet parts and there don't appear to be any leaks.

Now I just have to get rid of the old toilets.

Yo Joe!

7/22/2016

I have a lot of toys. Starting at about the age of nine, I started collecting G.I. Joe 3 3/4" action figures and their vehicles. I continued to do so into my first year or so in college. During high school, I painted a large number of the vehicles and figures that I had collected as I didn't feel that neon colors were appropriate to anti-terrorist military soldiers and their equipment. About ten years ago, I more than tripled my original collection when one of my neighbors cleared out her attic and sold me her son's entire collection (which had nearly every vehicle and figure from 1982 to 1989 including some store and mail-in exclusives) as well as a large collection of transformers.

This collection was a large part of the boxes that we brought up from Michigan this summer. Today, I spent the better part of the day reorganizing and condensing the collection into the fewest boxes that I could. All told, that ended up being 11 large rubbermaid containers, one medium container, two small containers, three cases of figures, and 3+ items not fitting in containers (the flight deck of the aircraft carrier, the shuttle with its launch bay, the G.I Joe Headquarters, and the Terror Drome). This doesn't count the Transformers, Star Wars, MicroMachines, or LEGO collections that I also brought.

I am spoiled.

Staying in Shape

7/21/2016

I took about three weeks off from my daily workouts when I travelled to Michigan and returned. This last Monday was my first day back, and I have to say that I am quite sore as a result. This soreness has me walking around like an old man for a large portion of the day. I don't think that my groaning and hobbling is convincing any of my family to try the exercise regimen that I've been following.

The good news is that the soreness has lessened and I can feel my health and energy starting to return (which means my blood sugar is getting back into shape as well). I need to find some way to continue exercising even when a gym is not readily accessible. It's not so much a physical limitation as a mental one. It's entirely too easy to talk myself out of keeping in shape.

I find that this is true for my mind as well. I remember a conference that talked about the importance of "sharpening the saw," doing something on a regular basis that keeps the skills that we use sharp. I fear that I've only been consuming the information that drifts my way through the Internet rather than diligently trying to hone my abilities. Perhaps I'm afraid of how tired and sore that will make me as well.

Still, while it might be easier to put things off, making the effort to stay in shape is ultimately worth it.

Two Days of Pee-free Floors

7/20/2016

For a while it seemed that my best option was to buy stock in paper towels. Even a couple of days ago, River peed in front of a large group of people despite having been taken out and peeing fifteen minutes prior. As the puppies' bladders got larger, so to did their messes. I was really discouraged a last Friday when I found that one of them made a solid deposit as well.

Yet, as of this moment, we have gone for two full days without any incident. I know that this is partially due to better vigilance on our part, as well as a stricter control over the puppies' access to water. However, they have also gotten better about signalling their need as well, sitting patiently by the door when they have to go.

I know that we will still need more paper towels in the future, but I'm quite pleased that we've started this more positive trend.

Everything Is Hot, Hot, Hot

7/19/2016

We are currently experiencing a heat wave with temperatures reaching into the low eighties. I am not a fan; however, I have a few of them running right now to try and help. These sunny days have also been drying out the area. The road to Anchorage (i.e. the only way by land out of the area) is partially blocked due to a forest fire [link to an article about it here]. I have to say that I'm really looking forward to showers that are projected to come in the next couple of days, which will also bring us back into the more comfortable (for me) sixties.

My primary consolation has been when comparing our weather to what I would be experiencing had I stayed in Michigan. Jackson's forecast has been tempered from a weekend that was approaching highs of a hundred degrees to just hitting the low nineties and staying there or the high eighties for the forecastable future.

I may like wearing Hawaiian shirts, but I prefer to only have those temperatures when I'm visiting Hawaii.

Who You Gonna Call?

7/18/2016

I was concerned that the new Ghostbusters movie was just a cash-in by Columbia pictures and that it would in some way tarnish the original film. Thankfully, I was reminded that the original Ghostbusters was already tarnished by Ghostbusters II (the one with the emotional ooze and the walking Statue of Liberty), and that this reboot could really only be an improvement from there. The trailers also did not inspire confidence, but the positive results on Rotten Tomatoes were enough to make me willing to give it a try.

I had planned on waiting until it came out on video, but Alex expressed interest in seeing it in the theater, so we went last Saturday ... and had a blast!

Full disclosure: nearly every movie is more fun to watch with Alex. She has an infectious laugh and responds quite vocally to movies and TV shows in the best possible way. Having her with me certainly made the movie more enjoyable. Still, it was a good, funny movie. It wasn't as good as the original, but it was miles better than the sequel. It gave nods to fans of the first movie while still paving its own way for its story, characters, and comedy.

In many ways, it's more visually impressive and family friendly than the original. There are still a few scary moments, but the comedy was generally light-hearted and relatable. It's one of few modern movies that I'd be willing to see with my mother.

I encourage fans of Ghostbusters and fans of comedy to encourage these kinds of films by buying a ticket to this one.