The older you get, the more stuff you know

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It was a grand time last night at Keegan’s, and not necessarily because my team – “Fifty Sense” – ended up tieing for first place in the 8:00 p.m. challenge.

Really, what was special was seeing so many MOBsters back at Keeg’s for the traditional Thursday night match – man, was the place LOUD and HAPPY last night. I’ll probably miss someone or some-two, but those in attendance included Learned Foot (or was that Joe Tucci?) from Kool-Aid Report, Derek and Guy from Freedom Dogs, Swiftee (Pair-O-Dice), Barry (erstwhile Watercooler Wisdom), John LaPlante (Policy Guy), Dan Stover (Northern Alliance Wannabe), Leo (Psycmeister’s Ice Palace – all the way down from St. Cloud), AAA (Residual Forces), David and Margaret (too many blogs to mention), Mitch Berg (Shot in the Dark) and Brad Carlson and his gal, Jen. Of course, Ben was there from Hammerswing, along with the complete Night Writer contingent of the Reverend Mother, Mall Diva and Tiger Lilly, plus special guest and commenter Princess Flicker Feather.

Turnout has been kind of sparse of late (and I’ve been missing-in-action as much as anyone), so it was great to see a lot of the gang in person again. With warm weather perhaps finally upon us and the return of the Paddy O’Furniture and the great outdoors to our favorite Irish pub, I hope to see similar gatherings in the near future. When I started blogging 3 years ago, coming to Keegan’s and meeting so many different people was an important to feeling like a part of the community, and led me to make some great friends (but you didn’t have to kiss me last night, Strommie). I may ultimately even get a son-in-law out of the deal.

Notably absent last night were representatives from Fraters, Nihilist in Golf Pants and Anti-Strib, and it seems like forever since I’ve seen Bogus Doug, Doug Bass or DrJonz. Even so it was a prestigious conglomeration and I hope the Thursday night regulars will soon be returning in force.

Also, for those (Marty) who mocked my “Toads” answer to a question about what animal South Africa is trying to exterminate, I’ll have you know my answer was based on having read this article during the week (Africa, Australia, who can tell the difference?).

At the turn

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by the Night Writer

As you read this I will have completed my 50th year on this planet. Yes, I know, hard to believe – at least it is for me. Somehow in my mind’s eye I still kind of picture myself as I was in the 1980s, though that is a man my children never knew and my wife may even have a hard time remembering, which, truth be told, is probably a good thing for all concerned.

As friends and family members, especially the golfers, have reached this milestone in the past I have commonly bestowed upon them a cheerful, “Good luck on the back nine!” Now it is I turning toward the clubhouse. Though I have my share of fairways and bunkers ahead of me I realize that this isn’t necessarily the half-way point. Fifty doesn’t mean there’s a real-life 50-50 balance between the time I’ve lived and the time I have left. Believe me, I’ve worked with enough actuaries over the years to know about that.

Sixteen, eighteen, twenty-one — they couldn’t come fast enough.

Thirty — “what the…?”

Forty — “now wait just a minute…”

Fifty. Fifty? Fifty.

Nevertheless I feel good, I feel strong. My blood pressure and cholesterol are low and everything else seems manageable. If I no longer swing a 20-pound post maul all day in the sun, or polish off 27 spare ribs at a sitting, I can still remember what each felt like and believe that I don’t do those things now simply because I’m old enough to know better.

Yet there it is – old enough. To know better. From this vantage point I can look back and see all the faces that helped me get here who are here no longer. And thanks to them, I see the young faces around me now and I can turn and look into the distance and imagine the even younger faces to come.

There’s still time for some practice swings, though, and to work on my game. Yeah, the ol’ backswing can’t help but get longer, though the important thing now is the follow-through. I’m not familiar with all the holes I have left, but I know I’ve got a wise coach and caddy who has said he’ll never leave or forsake me, so I’ll take my time and enjoy the round for there’s no sense in hurrying.

I do hear the Clubhouse is spectacular, though.

One reason why I blog

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by the Night Writer

Back in January Mitch Berg had a post likening the abortion issue to a ribbon in the middle of a tug-of-war rope, with each side trying to move the ribbon (i.e. public opinion) closer to it’s position. Mitch thought he was seeing signs that public opinion has pulled more to the right of late. That naturally triggered a comment string that centered around the role of faith in one’s view and of legislating belief. Surprisingly, it actually turned out to be one of the most civil debates I’ve seen on his site, and one I was proud to have participated in.

I’ve thought about that discussion several times since then, and while the topic at that time was abortion, I’ve realized that my comments then pretty well encapsulated my thinking on many issues and, unintentionally, provided an explanation for one of the reasons for why I blog, limited as my contribution may be.

I’ve extracted the main portion of my comment from that day (addressing another commenter, not Mitch) and posted it here to help me remember, on nights like these when I’m really tired, why I keep doing this.

… I merely want to address your view that the abortion issue is an issue of faith. It is a matter of faith, but not necessarily “faith” as in being Catholic, Evangelical or Humanist, but in terms of “belief.” The underlying point I took from Mitch’s post is that what people “believe” about human life appears to be changing, and ultimately what a society believes is reflected in its laws (for good or ill). Inevitably some beliefs are going to be in the minority. Thank goodness the vast majority today believes it’s wrong to hang people from trees, though a few still say it’s okay to threaten to do so, while even fewer would be willing to do it. (At what point prosecution should enter into that example is a topic for another day).

It’s not a process of legislating faith (or belief), but of faith/belief affecting legislation. The fact that some will disagree or be offended by the result is not reason in and of itself to not act on the greater will. Thus the ribbon, as Mitch says, is moved. That does not mean, however, that the minority doesn’t have the right to protest, or to work continually to change the beliefs of the majority, even to the point of risk and sacrifice (since risk and sacrifice are what differentiates belief from emotion). Though I may be in a minority on a number of issues (or because I’m in the minority on a number of issues), I thank God (not goodness) that we live in a society where these beliefs can still be contested.

Must be all the asteroids I took in the 80s

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What Pre-1985 Video Game Character Are You?

Thrust me on this…


What Video Game Character Are You? I am a Thrust-ship.I am a Thrust-ship.

I am small and tricky – where you think I am, I probably am not. I can work very fast, but I tend to go about things in a round about way, which often leaves me effectively standing still. I hate rocks. Bloody rocks. What Video Game Character Are You?

HT: Leo at Psycmeist’s Ice Palace

You did see this coming, right?

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This was one of the surest bets you could have made a year ago:

Smoking ban has apparently cut into revenue from charitable gambling
The statewide ban, which began late last year, is tied to a significant decline in bar pulltab and bingo receipts, according to a study by the State Gambling Control Board.

By MARK BRUNSWICK, Star Tribune

Affirming what American Legion hall operators and mom-and-pop bar owners had warned, a new report shows that the statewide ban on smoking enacted last year appears to have cut into charitable gambling revenues from bar game pulltabs and bingo.

Gross receipts from charitable gambling were down 12.8 percent in the last three months of 2007, which correlates with when the statewide smoking ban took effect. Even taking into account a weakening economy, the ban is likely to be responsible for a decline in gross receipts of 7.5 percent to 8 percent, or a loss equal to $95 million to $105 million a year, according to the report.

The overall 12.8 percent drop represents the largest decline in receipts since lawful gambling was first regulated in the state in 1985, according to the report released Monday by the State Gambling Control Board, which regulates the industry.

…

The new report shows that towns close to states that have not enacted a smoking ban appear to have been more affected. Sites near tribal casinos, where smoking can be permitted, have seen receipts decline more than the state average for several years, an apparent trend that began before the ban.

…

Charitable gambling officials predict revenue declines of 16 percent to 18 percent through this year. Anticipating the effect, the industry has been pushing for several pieces of legislation that would give them more flexibility in their operations.

So now, what do you want to bet that we’ll have legislation liberalizing (good word, that) or expanding gambling to more venues to make up for the shortfall? After all, it’s for the children! And the vets! Or are you some unpatriotic child-hater? Come on, everybody pull(tab) together!

The lobbyists and our legislature have focused on getting everyone to kick their Camels … while letting another camel get it’s head further into the tent. (But hey, it’s a big tent!)

Picture this: getting out of the way

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Great testimony from King David over at The Far Wright today. It reminded me of a song we sang in church yesterday that goes, in part, “God will make a way, where there seems to be no way.”

What I saw in that song is that when there seems to be no way it really means that there seems to be no way to me. God always knows and sees the way — and usually I’m bogged down right smack in the middle of it (the way, that is).

We all have had the experience of trying to do things “our way” (thanks, Frank), the “worldly” way. If we’re blessed, or not too stubborn, we get hooked up with a good church and start to see God move and do things in our lives (He was doing them all along but we usually didn’t recognize them for what they were). We get a new idea of God’s power and mercy and we believe it and experience … yet we get comfortable or when a new challenge comes we still put ourselves in the position of saying or deciding what God can, or cannot, do. Even though we’ve seen that there were things we didn’t know before that have since changed our lives, we may yet assume that now we know it all …

“Oh yeah, God will do that, but He wouldn’t do this” or …

“If I do this, then God will do that, …

or the reverse, “God can’t do this because I didn’t do that…”

“God no longer speaks to us…or heals…or delivers…or opens doors that no man can close…”

Maybe it’s because our fear trumps our faith; we fear our faith is not even as big as a mustard seed, or we’re afraid that God won’t come through, or we’re afraid we somehow haven’t “earned” His grace — even if we’ve had hours, years, even decades of sound teaching that tells us His grace is a gift that no one can earn…

We cling to our doctrines and our own understanding, lovingly polished over the years, and fail to see or remember the underlying Word that they were based on. We’re afraid to just let go and put it in His hands, as if His plan isn’t sufficient for our needs, as if our senses are the sole arbiter of what makes sense.

God still speaks. He still heals. He still provides. If you don’t believe me, go talk to King David.

The Night Hens! DUN dun DUUNNNNNNNN!!!!!!

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At the Harvest Moon Coffee House on Mtka. Blvd. in Mpls
Info:
Coffee: Good, not as good as Black Sheep
Pastries: WONDERFUL!!!!
4 out of 5 stars.

Skinny girl walks by.
TL: That girl is tiny.
RM: She looks like she’s 6.
TL: A very tiny 6 year old.
MD: That girl who just walked by? She’s not 6.
RM: I was actually joking.

TL: Can I have a bite of your cinnamin roll?
RM: No. There’s not enough.
TL: You know how much you ate last night?
RM: I ate half of a dinner. I also walked 7 miles.
TL: I’ll give you a bite of my banana choclate muffin.
RM: It’s too good. How ’bout if I take the bite, and if I think it’s worth a bite of this, I’ll give a bite to you.
TL concedes.
RM: Mmmm… All right, fine. *tears off a tiny bite*.
TL: splits puny bite with MD
MD: Thanks!
RM: You’re so nice.
TL: I know.

RM: Can I have a sip of your mango smoothie?
TL: No. It’s too good.
RM: I paid for it.
TL: takes mango smoothie and sucks on it endlessly.
MD: *laughs*
RM: *sighs*
TL finally hands over smoothie.

MD: Mom, did you see Hannah’s braces?
RM: Hannah who?
MD: Hannah Gullickson. (With a roll of the eyes.)
RM: We know 16 Hannahs, I’m supposed to know which one you’re talking about.
MD: She’s so sad, she can’t chew gum anymore.
RM: Did she chew gum a lot?
MD: She did the last two weeks before she got her braces on. If she wasn’t addicted already, that was a good way to become addicted, and then she had to stop cold turkey!

TL: C’mon! We have to think of something really funny and witty to say!
RM: Yeah.

MD: So Jackie had like 13 of her girlfriends go to Florida with her for her birthday last year.
RM: Wow, 13? I don’t know if I could list 13 women I would consider my girlfriends. (Starts making a list and gets up to 9).
MD:…I think that Princess Flickerfeather and Anna are my closest girlfriends…The Queen of Inver Grove Heights, Anna, Ruth, PFF,…Julie, definitely….
TL: Yeah, I’ve got maybe 5… Angelina, Hannah, Hannah Gullickson, Jessica, Haylee….

TL: So, we’re going to Oppitz Outlet for $10 prom dresses! I’m excited.
RM: You just bought a dress.
TL: You can never have enough dresses, Mom. You never know when you might need them.
RM: Yeah, some guy might call you up and say, ‘Hey, tonight, formal party! Bring your prom desses!'”
TL: That’d be the day.

Fin