Archive for April 2022
A blessing in disguise
- Vehicle engine is throbbing badly, bring to shop
- Sorry, sir, you need a replacement engine, something broke badly inside; this is understandable at 290k miles. Authorize repair.
- Repair completed. I’m very sorry, sir, we made a bad mistake, it was not the engine but the catalytic converter.
- Free engine! Catalytic converter back ordered indefinitely but go ahead and pay for it.
- Inspection and registration due; failed inspection. (I live in one of the 22% of counties in my state that require an emissions test.)
- DMV website allows for cases of (1) part not available and (2) repair attempted, but I do not quite fit either case.
- Show up at license office, sorry sir, we can’t help you until your registration is overdue (?!)
- Return to license office, sorry sir, I don’t know why they told you that, but you need to talk to the license and theft bureau
- Sorry sir, you need a second failed inspection to get the attempted repair waiver, even though we all know nothing has changed with your vehicle since your last inspection
- Second failed inspection
- Meet officer and receive waiver code
- Bring waiver code to inspection station; code does not work
- Delays waiting for DMV to return calls to inspection station
- License and theft officer works with inspection station and advises them I should take vehicle to license office
- License and theft officer advises me that I should work with inspection station
- License and theft officer advises inspection station that I should take vehicle to license office
- License office — sorry, sir, we can’t help you with a waiver code, you need to work with inspection station
- License office confirms with license and theft officer this is the case
- License and theft officer advises me to work with inspection station . . . oh, wait, that inspection station? You are good to go, I overrode your inspection manually.
- Pay registration at license office
Maturation
She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened. (Gen. 3:6–7)
He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened. (Luke 24:30–31)
Hat tip: Timothy Crouch via Mark Horne
Fountain
Pippin had to climb on the bench to look out over the deep stone sill.
‘Are you angry with me, Gandalf?’ he said, as their guide went out and closed the door. ‘I did the best I could.’
‘You did indeed!’ said Gandalf, laughing suddenly; and he came and stood beside Pippin, putting his arm about the hobbit’s shoulders, and gazing out of the window. Pippin glanced in some wonder at the face now close beside his own, for the sound of that laugh had been gay and merry. Yet in the wizard’s face he saw at first only lines of care and sorrow; though as he looked more intently he perceived that under all there was a great joy: a fountain of mirth enough to set a kingdom laughing, were it to gush forth. (Tolkien, The Return of the King, 31)
Metábasis eis állo génos (3-16)
Had this year’s first swarm this week, from the hive that survived over-winter. It is a beautiful thing to see and hear! They were a good 40-50 feet up in a tree, so we made no attempt to catch them.
PCR test for chickens, ha! I will keep laughing until you tell me the cycle threshold. And I will fall off my chair when you tell me later this summer that they are testing the cows.
The Gray Havens were in town touring for their latest album. We enjoyed them!
Metábasis eis állo génos (3-15)
Unless and until evangelicalism brings its little ones to the table, it is NGMI:
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:27-32, NKJV)
I’ve been reflecting on the use of instruments like non-disclosure agreements and security clearances. In many cases, these are not so much invitations to greater participation and responsibility as they are a simple form of protection and documented liability. Not so with Jesus:
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (John 15:15-16, NKJV)
Metábasis eis állo génos (3-14)
What I really want to know is: can you provide a definition of biologist?
EVERYONE KNOWS that the risk to grandma’s driving on the roads is so great that the ONLY SOLUTION is to drive 15mph OR you now have the option of dressing in bubble wrap. You could not possibly be loving your neighbor by attempting to deprive him of the soft despotism that will keep him “fixed irrevocably in childhood” (Tocqueville).
You heard it here first: Tony Faucyy.
We saw the head of Lenin about to speak, now we see the directors all speaking unintelligible babble. You know that:
I gotta have my orange juice. 