Craig's Blog of Destiny

On a couple  of the other sites I visit (Ashley’s Daily Blog, Michelle’s First Seat First Row) they’ve been having fun with a website called Yearbook Yourself.  Here’s some results of my recent visit there:

First, from 1950, not sure the scruffy beard look would have really worked…

Next, here’s a gem from 1954.  This one makes me want to Vote for Pedro…

Ok, on the left is their version of my 1960 picture, on the right what I actually looked like in 1960…

Ok, now the year I actually did graduate from High School, 1974.  The one on the right is actually from 1973, in ’74 my hair was about as long as they’ve got it on the right.

In this one, from 1980, I’m sporting the hair style that Neil Peart actually had at the time…

I kind of like the mullet look from 1990…

And finally, a real preppy look from 2000 (I would have never worn that sweater vest!  Although I did have one something like it back in the 70’s…), along with the actuall picture I used on Yearbook Yourself which is from 2002…

Happy Birthday, Matthew!  Have a great one!

In Eeeee Eee Eeee Tao Lin quotes Portuguese poet Pessoa:  “Pessoa said art was fun and beautiful because it was useless and had no meaning.”  If that is so, Tao Lin’s book strikes me as being successful as art.  It was fun and beautiful – but in a useless, meaningless kind of way.

The narrative of Eeeee Eee Eeee is simple, underlying the simplicity of the plot.  There is a plot, though there’s not much to it.  I found myself more drawn to the sections following Ellen, a secondary character, than those of the main character, Andrew.  In retrospect, that may be because I got tired of the repetition and uselessness Andrew continually demonstrates.  The main emotional flavor of the novel can be summed up by the title of Tao Lin’s previous work, a collection of poetry titled “You Are a Little Bit Happier Than I Am.”

Eeeee Eee Eeee is the type of book that while I’m reading it I keep thinking it’s a waste, but once I’ve finished it look back on as a pleasant, unique and probably memorable experience (“The Life of Pi” produced similar feelings).  Most reviews mention the section wherein the president waxes philosophical, which was very good, but I thought the comments by the talking dolphins, bears and aliens were also very interesting and poignant.  The bears are particularly blessed and sad, with the ability to grant wishes and teleport, yet living in a state of grief.  The dolphins come across as pompous, the bears, just sad.

Apparently this week Pastor Fred is showing us his rebellious side… … …  but of course he comes back around in the end.  Or could it be that this is a follow-up to the “Give Us Flesh” message, at first they said no to flesh, but then they gave in and wanted more flesh…

I have a speedometer on my bicycle so that I can keep track of my average speeds and distances.  I reset my trip meters and averages before each ride, but it also has a total mileage function that you can’t reset.  The total mileage count starts over at zero when you change the battery.  Most batteries last right around 1000 miles. 

But not this one.  It’s been so long that I don’t even know when it was that I put this battery in, but I can tell you that it was over 4000 miles ago.  At a time when most products barely make it to the end of their warranty period, this battery exceeded it’s expected life by a factor of 4.  And you know what, after it gave out – after just over 4000 miles – it actually came back on for awhile, and functioned to the end of that ride, about another 15 miles.  I have decided to retire it now, instead of letting it die completely, so that it can have a little time to relish it’s accomplishment and die in a quiet peace without doing any more work.  Great job, little battery!

[Thanks to Kristin for the great portrait of the battery on the event of it’s retirement.]

I came across this pie chart the other day.  The caption read that this pie chart shows that 75% of the chart looks like Pac-man.  I thought that was pretty clever.

 I can still eat about 75% of this pie!

Have you seen “Into the Woods”  It’s really funny and enjoyable for about the first 75% of it.

Did you know that this kind of light bulb uses about 75% of the energy of a regular bulb?

Look!  It’s a 3/4 moon!  (That’s 75%)

This week my physical therapist measured the strength in my recoverying right arm.  It’s at 75%!!  Yeah!! 

You know how every now and then something comes into your head and just sort of rattles around in there, trying to find a home.  Well, as I was driving home from work the other day I noticed this sign and it’s been rattling around my head ever since.

 So, can someone explain that to me in a way that makes sense?  I just don’t get it…

Sam suggested that perhaps it has something to do with transubstantiation, the belief that the sacrament actually becomes the body and blood of Christ…. however, I thought that was just a Catholic doctorine and as you can see, this was at an Adventist church.  Perhaps Adventists believe it as well, but the sign is still a little unnerving.  And it got even creepier when J’Neil pointed out that the other side of the sign said “Everyone Welcome.”

Today is Jamie’s youngest’s birthday!  Have a great one Brandon!

I know I haven’t mentioned it, but several weeks ago I had rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder. For the first six weeks after the surgery I had to keep my right arm in a sling. I complained a lot. They finally let me out of the sling last week and it’s been heaven. So, here’s my top ten list of things I can do now that my right arm isn’t in a sling: 

10. Drive using both hands 

9. Sleep on my right side 

8. Put my wallet in the pocket on the Right side, where it belongs 

7. Comfortably type on my computer 

6. Stir a bowl of batter

5. Put on my seatbelt without having to contort my left arm in very unnatural ways 

4. Mow my lawn 

3. Put up Kris’ new window blinds 

2. Play guitars    

1. Give my family hugs

There has been quite a bit of discussion around our house lately about what we could be reading…   It seems to be the question of the day, just about every day.  So while going through the Readers Digest, a short blurb titled “What should I read next?” caught my attention.  It directed me to my new favorite website: 

It’s so simple, yet so valuable.  Check it out.