Photo Challenge #2 - Self-Portrait

Below is my entry for this month's challenge: Self-Portrait #2

This photo focuses on the major passions of my life: my family, music, books, photography.

Dark Journey Deep Grace

If you haven't checked out my book review blog yet, wander over there and look around. I've got seven reviews up now. Some of you may be interested in reading the latest book I've reviewed, Dark Journey Deep Grace. It tells the story of Jeffrey Dahmer's (yes, the infamous serial killer) conversion to Christianity just a few months before he was murdered by a fellow prisoner.

Check it out here.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Since it's shortly after midnight, it is now officially Thanksgiving. I've been looking forward to this day for awhile.

For one thing, I've been incredibly busy, especially in the past week. I'm really looking forward to having a long weekend.

For another thing, I'm glad that I will be able to spend the day with the family. Sometimes the four of us are pulled in so many different directions that it's difficult to connect. It will be good to have some relaxing family time together. I'm even looking forward to cooking a nice dinner (if I can remember how to do that).

Finally, I've been looking forward to this day because I have an awful lot to be thankful for. (I initially wrote the previous sentence in the grammatically correct way - an awful lot for which to be thankful - but it seems sort of stuffy. Just this once, I'll forego propriety!) Even though I try to be thankful every day, it's still good to set aside a special time to really think deeply about the many ways God has blessed me.

So, Happy Thanksgiving to all (even if you're not American).

P.S. - I'm also thankful that I found these critters in the pond yesterday.

Gotta Love Those Brits!

First set: excerpts from some British newspapers:

from the Daily Telegraph -
Commenting on a complaint from a Mr. Arthur Purdey about a large gas bill, a spokesman for North West Gas said, "We agree it was rather high for the time of year. It's possible Mr. Purdey has been charged for the gas used up during the explosion that destroyed his house."

from The Guardian -
Irish police are being handicapped in a search for a stolen van, because they cannot issue a description. It's a Special Branch vehicle and they don't want the public to know what it looks like.

from the Bournemouth Evening Echo -
Mrs. Irene Graham of Thorpe Avenue, Boscombe, delighted the audience with her reminiscence of the German prisoner of war who was sent each week to do her garden. He was repatriated at the end of 1945, she recalled. "He'd always seemed a nice friendly chap, but when the crocuses came up in the middle of our lawn in February 1946, they spelt out 'Heil Hitler.'"


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Second set: some actual announcements made by London Tube (subway) train drivers:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I do apologize for the delay to your service. I know you're all dying to get home, unless, of course, you happen to be married to my ex-wife, in which case you'll want to cross over to the Westbound and go in the opposite direction."


"Your delay this evening is caused by the line controller suffering from E & B syndrome: not knowing his elbow from his backside. I'll let you know any further information as soon as I'm given any."


During an extremely hot rush hour on the Central Line, the driver announced in a West Indian drawl: "Step right this way for the sauna, ladies and gentleman... unfortunately, towels are not provided."


"Please allow the doors to close. Try not to confuse this with 'Please hold the doors open.' The two are distinct and separate instructions."


"To the gentleman wearing the long grey coat trying to get on the second carriage - what part of 'stand clear of the doors' don't you understand?"


"Please move all baggage away from the doors." (Pause..) "Please move ALL belongings away from the doors." (Pause...) "This is a personal message to the man in the brown suit wearing glasses at the rear of the train: Put the pie down, Four-eyes, and move your bloody golf clubs away from the door before I come down there and shove them up your arse sideways!"

CASINO ROYALE REMIX

The newest incarnation of James Bond, a remake of an oldie, premieres tonight. This should get all Bond fans in the right frame of mind before heading to the theatre.

Elementary Words of Wisdom

A friend of mine passed along this little nugget. Each student in a first grade class was given the first half of a well-known proverb and instructed to complete the saying. The results:

1. Don't change horses - - - until they stop running.
2. Strike while the - - - bug is close.
3. It's always darkest before - - - Daylight Savings Time.
4. Never underestimate the power of - - - termites.
5. You can lead a horse to water - - - how?
6. Don't bite the hand that - - - looks dirty.
7. No news is - - - impossible.
8. A miss is as good as a - - - Mister.
9. You can't teach an old dog new - - - math.
10. If you lie down with dogs, you'll - - - stink in the morning.
11. Love all, trust - - - me.
12. The pen is mightier than the - - - pigs.
13. An idle mind is - - - the best way to relax.
14. Where there's smoke there's - - - pollution.
15. Happy the bride who - - - gets all the presents.
16. A penny saved is - - - not much.
17. Two's company, three's - - - the Musketeers.
18. Don't put off till tomorrow what - - - you can put on to go to bed.
19. Laugh, and the whole world laughs with you, cry and - - - you have to blow your nose.
20. There are none so blind as - - - Stevie Wonder.
21. Children should be seen and not - - - spanked or grounded.
22. If at first you don't succeed - - - get new batteries.
23. You get out of something only what you - - - see in the picture on the box.
24. When the blind lead the blind - - - get out of the way.
25. Better late than - - - pregnant.

Evie's Book Notes: How Children Become Violent

I've added two more reviews to my book notes blog. Mosey on over and take a look at them. This is the first one.


Evie's Book Notes: How Children Become Violent

Evie's Book Notes: Poetry Confessions

This is the second one. This was posted at BookPleasures about two months ago.

Evie's Book Notes: Poetry Confessions

My New Book Review Blog

I'm pleased to announce that I've launched a new book review blog. You can check it out here. I've also added a link at the bottom of my page in the Sites of Interest section.

I've launched the new blog for several reasons.

First, I've limited my book review postings on this blog to books that I think may be of interest to the readers whom I know visit here.

Second, I've usually only posted positive reviews here. I have not felt that it was appropriate to post less-than-favorable reviews at a site intended primarily to share personal and family news. All of my reviews - good and bad - are posted at the Book Pleasures site because that is an appropriate professional outlet for them. I figure a blog dedicated solely to discussing books is another professional outlet for all of my reviews.

Third, I read a lot of books. Writing reviews challenges me to think carefully about what I read and helps me retain professional discipline. I might as well publish the reviews in as many outlets as possible.

I hope you'll keep visiting both of my blogs. Feel free leave comments at both sites too, so that I know you're visiting. And read lots of books!

Beautiful Fall Day

As I write, it is about 10:35 PM and the temperature is 64F/17C. Today's high was in the low 70sF/20sC. This is the time of year when Virginia is a wonderful place to live.

I spent my breaks in the park today and took a few more fall photos. I don't know how many more chances I'll have to enjoy the season's colors, so I'm taking advantage of every possible opportunity. Three of today's photos:



The latest in family news. . .
Joshua's marching band performed their show for the last time tonight. They did a good job, of course (not that I'm the least bit biased), but it was a bit sad to realize that we'll never see this show again. The rumor mill has it that next year's show will be a really good one too. The teachers know what it is, but the parents and students won't find out until late next spring.

Jonathan started the Christmas kettle season today. Since the corps officer and the kettle coordinator had to attend a funeral, Jonathan was in charge all day. He has to get up early tomorrow morning to travel to Norfolk, Virginia with the National Capital Band. He'll return home on Sunday evening.

The end of marching band season and the beginning of kettle season mean that fall is quickly drawing to a close. It's not over yet, but the end definitely is in sight.

Sex Secrets of an American Geisha: How to Attract, Satisfy and Keep Your Man

This is my latest book review. Dave has been eagerly following my progress in reading the book and writing the review. So, without further introduction, embellishment or ado, let's get right to the review.


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Author: Py Kim Conant
Publisher: Hunter House Publishers
ISBN: 089793-490-3

Are you a single woman who is ready to settle into marriage? Conant assures you that, if you follow her advice, you can achieve that goal within twelve to eighteen months.

Are you a married woman seeking to reignite the sparks of passion in your marriage? Conant assures you that, if you follow her advice, you can achieve that goal.

The key, in both cases, is to become an American geisha.

According to Conant, the Asian geisha is an independent businesswoman, an entertainer who rarely has sex with her clients, whose job is simply to help men relax and feel positive about themselves as men. She achieves these goals by establishing a pleasing, feminine contrast to their masculinity. When she does her job well, they seek her company, rather than another geisha’s, again and again. Similarly, Conant’s American geisha is an independent, classy, sexy woman who attracts men to her so that she will be able to choose from among several suitable candidates the one whom she wishes to marry.

In Conant’s view, the idea that geisha are submissive and passive is mistaken. Even though geisha are feminine, cordial, pleasant women to be with, they are also women who think and work independently, set goals for themselves and carefully map out the plans they will follow to reach those goals. They are strong women who are capable of thinking and acting autonomously and they only spend time connecting with “good” men who highly value their company.

The first section of Conant’s book deals with developing “geisha consciousness,” by which Conant means becoming aware of one’s self-worth and sexuality as well as assessing one’s beauty and femininity. She cautions her readers not to seek conformity to an unrealistic body type. Instead, she suggests that all women should seek to reach and maintain “ideal” weights for their particular frames. Additionally, she stresses emphasizing one’s most attractive features by careful use of wardrobe, cosmetics and good grooming rather than surgery. She deals with beauty, particularly weight management, in more depth in the book’s third section.

The second section of the book deals with sex secrets that will keep men coming back to one rather than seeking out another mate. In this section Conant explicitly discusses a variety of sexual techniques and emphatically does not recommend promiscuity. Instead, she stresses that a sexual relationship should develop alongside of a companionable relationship that progressively reaches deeper stages. Just as the Asian geisha will only have sexual relations with clients who make significant commitments to her, the American geisha will only have sex with partners whom she is willing to consider marrying. And some may choose to refrain from intercourse until marriage. If an American geisha knows that a particular man is not one she considers a suitable marriage partner, then she should not waste either her time or his in a dating or sexual relationship that will ultimately be futile.

The book’s third section deals with planning for marriage. Conant suggests that her readers should identify and write down specific goals they wish to achieve in love and marriage as well as in their personal and professional development. She further advises them to write down precise attributes that they desire in their mates and emphasizes, here and throughout the book, that American geisha should only spend time with men who are good for them. Since the exact characteristics of a “good” man will vary for different women, they must articulate their relationship goals if they hope to use their dating and courtship time wisely.

This is also the section where Conant outlines fully her “plan” for weight control. This plan is based primarily on self-awareness. Conant does not prescribe a particular diet or exercise regimen. Instead, she advises her readers to monitor their weight on a daily basis, eat sensibly and adopt a moderate exercise program that suits them. Generally speaking, the theme of the entire section is self-awareness. The American geisha is aware of her physical, psychological, emotional and social attributes, needs and preferences.

The final section of the book deals with dating, love and marriage. Conant stresses that the goal of an American geisha is an enduring marriage, not a lavish wedding. Accordingly, she offers common-sense “rules” for maintaining a loving relationship. Some of these are addressed to women, some to men and others to couples. Conant advises that the American geisha’s highest priority, regardless of whether she is a soccer mom or a CEO, is to ensure that her husband is happy and fulfilled in his relationship with her. It is when she keeps this priority in its proper place that the American geisha will be most fulfilled.

Sex Secrets of an American Geisha does not contain any groundbreaking research or new data. Certainly, all of the information contained in this book can be found in dozens of other sources. And Conant is humble and honest enough to include, and recommend, a detailed list of the references she utilized in her research. The appeal of Sex Secrets lies in Conant’s creative ability to take a fairly ordinary body of knowledge and wrap it in the glamorous framework of the geisha mystique. Conant successfully uses this framework to draw in her readers and hold their attention while she offers practical advice. Even though this book is addressed primarily to single women, married women will likely find some useful hints here too. Who knows? Maybe men will enjoy it too!

Jim's Got a New Blog

Many thanks to my nephew, Chris, for informing me that my old friend, Jim Knaggs, has his new blog underway down under. I've added a link at the bottom of my page, under the Sites of Interest heading.

When Jim was the Chief Secretary in the USA Eastern Territory, he wrote a blog called Chiefspeak. He addressed important issues about Salvation Army ministry and belief and, in the process, established a great dialogue with Salvationists from several territories. I'm excited that he will be developing this line of ministry in his new appointment as the Territorial Commander of the Australia Southern territory. Naturally, this blog will be addressed primarily to his new Australian constituency. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to it as an opportunity to build a bridge between American and Australian Salvationists. I'll bet Jim would welcome participation from Canadians too, so be sure to check in frequently.

Odds & Ends and the Washington Post

While waiting for Joshua to finish his trombone lesson this evening, I browsed through a little bit of the local newspaper, the Washington Post, and came across some interesting items.

Dave pointed out the first one, which had this intriguing headline:

Captains of Industry, Masters of Cheating

According to a business professor at Rutgers University, 56% of MBA students report having cheated at least once in the past year. Graduate students in engineering ran a close second at 54%. I'm a little bit alarmed at the next figure: 49% of grad students in medical school/health care cheated. Just how much confidence should I have in my doctor's diagnoses and recommendations? Continuing on, since so many of our family members are, or have been, teachers, you may be disappointed to know that 48% of education grad students cheated at least once in the past year. How much do your children's teachers actually know? And how can they teach your kids to be honest if they, themselves, lack integrity? Humanities and social science majors were the most honest - only 39% of them cheated.

I told Dave that I was too arrogant to cheat: I always figured my work was better than anyone else's anyway, so there was no point in degrading myself by copying their crummy stuff.

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Another article suggested that North American hockey should be named "Thugs on Ice." According to two Canadian researchers, players born in the USA and Canada are significantly more likely to be penalized for fighting, unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct than players born in Europe.

I guess that explains why, when we saw the Leafs and Capitals last year, five fights broke out in one game. During the second period, three fights broke out within the space of 2-3 minutes. And the final one broke out as we were leaving in the last few seconds of the game. Dave and the boys can't wait to see another fight, er, game this year.

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Headline from a report about Charlotte, North Carolina:

States, Counties Begin to Enforce Immigration Law

Is it so unusual for law enforcement officials to do their job that it's actually headline news when they do it? What were they doing before they began enforcing the law?

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16% of readers polled by the Post admitted to having kept an overdue library book for at least one year. People ages 34 and younger, men and college graduates are more likely to have kept library books beyond their due dates. I once misplaced a book that I had borrowed from the Winnipeg Public Library. I paid a hefty fine, then found the book a year or so later. Since the amount I'd paid exceeded the actual sales value of the book, I kept the book as a purchased item.

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When we got home from Joshua's trombone lesson, we had two election messages on our answering machine. I've been reading about these for several days. Now I can count myself among the privileged millions who have been harassed by sleazy Republican campaign techniques. Let me say up front that I'm registered as an independent voter and have no affiliation with any political party.

The first call was a "push poll" call. This is a call that purports to ask survey questions, then proceeds to push a party line. We've gotten several of these in the past few weeks, usually in the evening when someone is home to answer the phone.

The second was a "robo-call." This was the first one of these we've gotten. This is an automated call that opens with the line, "I'm calling with some information about xxxx." At that point, the recording makes some nasty, slanted remarks about a candidate. Then it closes by suggesting that you should vote for another candidate, who seemingly does everything short of walking on water.

In the past week, the Republicans have spent millions of dollars on push polls and robo-calls all across the country. And you wouldn't believe the vicious flyers we've gotten - primarily from the Republican party/candidate. In the past month, off the top of my head, I can count two positive ads promoting what one candidate (our incumbent Republican Congressman) has accomplished and five negative ads detailing why his opponent is the Genghis Khan of Fairfax County.

This election cycle is definitely the dirtiest one I've ever witnessed. And it's only a mid-term election. Heaven help us when the next presidential election rolls around! I may have to find a nice, cozy cave to live in for awhile. Perhaps I'll start looking for one on Wednesday, when the pundits will surely begin chattering, nattering, blathering and nagging about "Decision 2008."

Falling Some More

Fall colors pretty well peaked here last week. I managed to get a couple of decent photos. These are from the Canon T2 film SLR.

Photo Challenge #1.5 - Pumpkins Plus

A couple of nights ago I posted my entry for the first photo challenge. Here are links to other entries. If more entries are posted, I will add links to them too.

Barbara's can be found here
Dave's can be found here
Jenn's can be found here

November's challenge is to do a creative sort of self-portrait. The photo I've included below is not my entry for this month, as I took it nearly two years ago. I kept the shutter open (on a tripod) for around 1 - 1.5 seconds to blur my hands as they moved across the keyboard. I figured I'd post it because it sort of goes along with Barb's idea. I'm still thinking through some ideas on what I want to do for this month's challenge.