http://blog.gpiper.org A Cogent Mélange of Lutheran & Pop-Culture Punditry Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:45:46 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en It's been a while since I wrote anything about realitytv in general, and about SYTYCD:4 in particular. That's been partly accidental, but mostly purposeful. I just enjoy this show so darned much that I didn't want to spoil it by writing about it. For, if I were to have written ... http://blog.gpiper.org/archives/2008/08/07/sytycd4-finale/ Or, at more accurately, I don't like storms that cause power to go out, which knocks the power out in the middle of the night, which causes the sump pump to not work, which causes the basement to flood. That I don't like at all. Not one little bit. Especially when you ... http://blog.gpiper.org/archives/2008/08/05/i-dont-like-storms/ Phase one of 'Reunion Day' is almost complete. The family reunion has been quite pleasant. The weather is absolutely gorgeous, and the park is very nice - big enough to spread out, but not so big as to be spread out all over hell's half acre. And, I must admit, ... http://blog.gpiper.org/archives/2008/08/02/reunion-day-pt-1/ I can't recall the last time I went over a week without posting an entry. Sometimes it gets away from you. I guess I have a decent excuse this time, in that it was last Monday evening that I got the call that my last surviving grandparent had died. As ... http://blog.gpiper.org/archives/2008/07/28/the-title-goes-here/ Well, bigsis will be happy -- it looks like none of her Starbucks will be among the 600+ that are getting hit by the "belt-tightening" that's recently been announced by the Starbucks corporate mothership. Also, neither of the two that have just opened up around here got hit, which is ... http://blog.gpiper.org/archives/2008/07/19/bigsis-will-be-happy/ Something that I've been grappling with of late (for the last 9 months or so, actually) is the relationship between ambition and vocation, particularly as it relates to one's individual career advancement and family obligations. We are constantly bombarded with the idea & mantra that ambition is good, and that there ... http://blog.gpiper.org/archives/2008/07/17/ambition-and-vocation/ I lack discipline. It manifests in many ways, not the least of which is the recent paucity of postings. It's also why I so look forward to time off from work, only to end up doing absolutely nothing of actual, you know, substance during that time. I'll sleep. I'll be horrifically ... http://blog.gpiper.org/archives/2008/07/14/i-lack-discipline/ It's been an interesting extended holiday weekend here at Schloß TB - the girls have been away at a softball all-star tournament, leaving us hearty males (and dogs) to fend for ourselves. In different times, under different circumstances, we might've all gone to the the tournament, which was down Indianapolis-way. Finances ... http://blog.gpiper.org/archives/2008/07/05/boys-weekend-in/ So, what shows up in my inbox today but message touting the latest issue of the LCMS Reporter, the always entertaining house organ of the Violet Vatican. Front and center on the table of contents was mention of SP Kieschnick's recent reconciliation meeting with the NICL pastors who wrote TTMBO. More ... http://blog.gpiper.org/archives/2008/06/26/sixty-percent/ Well, it seems that the surest sign of summer is here - the blogging doldrums. Lots of posting fodder rattling around in my head, along with all sorts of good intentions about writing witty & insightful posts to pass those pearls of wisdom and entertainment along to you, but darned ... http://blog.gpiper.org/archives/2008/06/25/checking-in/