tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65286197460140601772024-03-13T00:18:31.531-04:00Learning to BalanceLearnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-47817316179790969352010-02-10T17:13:00.004-05:002010-02-10T17:21:17.852-05:00An Announcement<div align="center"><strong></strong></div><div align="center"><strong>I am sick of snow!</strong></div><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 257px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436742636662252722" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/S3Mwn3l5ZLI/AAAAAAAAAfY/XmgYZRjqoCI/s400/DSC02452b.jpg" /></div><div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436742135375531522" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/S3MwKsJ1DgI/AAAAAAAAAe4/XGCDWPp1Fas/s400/DSC02453b.jpg" /></div><div> </div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/S3MwLRhzIGI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/mgiK5NpmwRc/s1600-h/DSC02457b.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436742145408180322" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/S3MwLRhzIGI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/mgiK5NpmwRc/s400/DSC02457b.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/S3MwLJqyX5I/AAAAAAAAAfI/ZPTxUl4oGs0/s1600-h/DSC02455b.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436742143298396050" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/S3MwLJqyX5I/AAAAAAAAAfI/ZPTxUl4oGs0/s400/DSC02455b.jpg" /></a><br /><div><img class="gl_spell" border="0" alt="Check Spelling" src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/S3MwK5Z6gXI/AAAAAAAAAfA/WtMLeJ3j2G4/s1600-h/DSC02454b.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436742138932658546" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/S3MwK5Z6gXI/AAAAAAAAAfA/WtMLeJ3j2G4/s400/DSC02454b.jpg" /></a><br /><div><div><div>That is all.</div></div></div></div></div></div>Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-87275349519996909172010-01-05T21:06:00.008-05:002010-01-05T21:31:45.927-05:00A Skype wedding?Does it sound crazy to you to marry someone you met on match.com?<br /><br />What if you also met them in September of 2009 and married in December of 2009?<br /><br />Okay, and what if you have both also been married and divorced twice before?<br /><br />What if you fell in love over the video conferencing system <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Skype</span>?<br /><br />How about getting engaged without ever being in the same room together?<br /><br />What if he is in Afghanistan and she is in the US? Not crazy enough?<br /><br />What if this quadruple time divorced, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">wartime</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Skype</span>, three month long romance, couple who got engaged having never been in the same room with each other got married without ever being in the same room together?<br /><br />What if that wedding occurred over <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Skype</span>?<br /><br />That is just a part of this <a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/military/With_this_Skype_I_thee_wed.html">curious story</a> about the couple who have never even been in the same room together getting married via <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Skype</span>.<br /><br />But it's okay because they are both committed Christians, right?<br /><br />I wish them well but this looks like a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">disaster</span> in the making to me.<br /><br />What do you think?Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-29562899916859204812009-12-23T23:47:00.003-05:002009-12-23T23:56:02.971-05:00Merry Christmas to all!<p>I hope this post finds you all enjoying a blessed and happy Christmas season. I wanted to share a video clip from one of my favorite Christmas shows, <em>A Charlie Brown Christmas, </em>about the real meaning of Christmas. Enjoy!</p><p> </p><p><object style="WIDTH: 425px; HEIGHT: 344px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pn10FF-FQfs"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pn10FF-FQfs" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-31402938720141449022009-11-08T14:02:00.005-05:002009-11-08T14:58:05.921-05:00I love you....who says it first?My boyfriend (I shall refer to him as "B") and I recently said those three little words to each other for the first time; "I love you". This was even after B bravely met my family for the first time at my brother's wedding last weekend (no pressure there!). But, I digress....<br /><br />I found it interesting that my female friends, both Christian and non-Christian alike, universally agreed that the woman should wait for the man to say "I love you" first. The reasons for this included:<br /><ul><li>The man should lead in the relationship.</li><li>I would be embarrassed if I said it first and he did not reciprocate.</li><li>He would feel "pressured" if I said it first.</li><li>And, other variants thereof.</li></ul><p>One friend suggested I "plant the seed on the sly" by signing an email "Love, Learner" and see if he noticed and said anything. I opted not to do that because I figured I was either going to tell him so or wait, not go half way or be "sly". </p><p>In the end, even though I knew that I loved B for a while, I decided to wait for him to say it first while doing what I could to express my love to him in ways that did not include just saying the words. I decided to wait because since we started to get to know each other he has had a good feel about when to move forward in our relationship, and I trust his judgement and want to follow his leadership. I later told B about my friend's opinions that I should wait for him to say "it" first and his response was something like "hmm, interesting". </p><p>After thinking about this some more I have wondered about another possible reason for waiting for the man to say I love you first. Given the masculine ability to separate emotions from thought and logic better than many women seem to be able to, myself included, perhaps it is prudent to follow the man's lead for when is the right time to say "I love you"? </p><p>What do y'all think?</p><p>*************************************************************</p>In other news, I just recently noticed I had a follower named Jody! Hi Jody and thanks for following my blog :)Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-40634101204374780222009-10-09T14:34:00.003-04:002009-10-09T14:43:38.503-04:00Female-centric assumptions in academiaOne of the courses I teach this semester has a lab component where I work with groups of 10 or so students on specific skills. These lab courses are conducted in a fairly informal manner and there is a lot of casual conversation going on as skills are practiced. I have the opportunity to hear and participate in some interesting and sometimes disturbing conversations among the students. Mostly I just ask questions to hopefully encourage them to think about what they are saying.<br /><br />A few weeks back I alluded to <a href="http://learningtobalance.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-my-blog-is-pathetic.html">one such conversation </a>where a female student claimed a young man who was a neighbor of hers in one of the student apartment complexes was a “loser”. She made this claim following a few minutes reporting how he helped her move heavy objects and how he gave her back rubs. He had asked her if she would knock on his door and wake him up the next morning when she left for class. She said she told him, “No, I’m not your mother”. Apparently asking her to do something helpful for him after doing helpful things for her was just too much to ask and thus earned him the title “loser”. I asked her, “So, what exactly makes him a “loser” and she had no answer to my question. Other young women in the class did proclaim her “mean” but most of them (not all though) still laughed.<br /><br />This week I also had a conversation about the ever present myth that men are unfairly paid more than women. One of the young women was talking about when she worked at a local Halloween haunted house/ hay ride type of attraction last year. During the conversation she mentioned how cool all of the make-up effects were and that going through the attraction was so scary that she was scared when she went through it even though she worked behind the scenes regularly. She talked about how during the hay ride young men dressed in black with scary masks etc run out of the corn fields and chase and actually jump up on the hay wagon and grab at the people in it. She mentioned that the owner only hired males to do this job. Later in the conversation she mentioned that it was common knowledge that the owner paid the men more than the women. Another female student agreed that was unfair. I asked, “Do the guys do different jobs than the girls?” She answered, “Um, well, yeah I guess they do, they do the chasing the wagon where they stay outside all the time and have to run after and catch the wagon and jump up on it.” I asked, “Are there no women that earn more money too?” She answered, “Well, yes, the make-up artist is a woman and she earns the most.” Hmm….<a href="http://learningtobalance.blogspot.com/2009/03/gender-gap-revisited.html">that is always an easy conversation to have</a>, as such it is amazing to me the “it is unfair that men get paid more” myth endures because it is so easy to refute that any difference is due to different types of work and or lifestyle choices made.<br /><br />Today, a female student was talking about her out-of-state internship this past summer where she dated a medical student she met. She was joking with one of the male students who was also on an internship in the same state who came to visit her one weekend had “chased off” this medical student. “Thanks a lot , he was going to be a doctor!” she joked. “He kept asking me ‘Is he your boyfriend’ and I said that you were just a friend.” She then went on to relate the last conversation she had with the medical student. “He invited me to the lake. He said ‘You’re so pretty, let’s go to the lake. The atmosphere will be perfect.’ Isn't that creepy? Ha ha! And I said, ‘Um, perfect for what?” I asked her “Did you really say that to him?” and she said she did. I said, “Hmm, maybe it wasn’t your male friend visiting, maybe he didn’t take kindly to your assumption that he had some nefarious purpose in mind?” She seemed stunned at the thought, for a second, and then laughed.<br /><br />Not that the news is all bad on that front. Some of you may recall me <a href="http://learningtobalance.blogspot.com/2008/11/folly-and-fools.html">mentioning a student complaining to my boss that I had insulted her when I was attempting to give her some feedback about immature behavior.</a> I have not had much more contact with that student until this semester when she is in two of my courses. She has remarkably matured and is taking constructive feedback very well. I am impressed. I guess the threat of my being “reported to social justice” was worth it.Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-53564021935989574312009-09-26T21:19:00.010-04:002009-09-26T21:45:25.794-04:00I am following Professor Hale's advice......and doing a short post.<br /><br /><br />Do you ever see bumper stickers or emblems on cars that drive you crazy? I do.<br /><br /><br /><div></div><div>This one for example:<br /></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 280px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 80px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385951214287731586" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sr6-F-k0O4I/AAAAAAAAAd8/zY6IAnszLcI/s400/BS2.jpg" /></div><br /><br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Apparently</span> women need to "misbehave" to make a difference. I guess that goes with the "<a href="http://jezebel.com/360093/tina-fey-on-snl-bitch-is-the-new-black">bitches get things done</a>" attitude.<br /><br /><br /><br />Or this one:<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 350px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 87px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385952203724831762" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sr6-_khAPBI/AAAAAAAAAeE/LZD_PpfuO3s/s400/BS4.gif" /><br /><p></p><p>I dislike this one because it kind of smacks of the "I'm in the club and you're not" mentality.</p><br /><p>I don't like this one either:</p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 62px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385952749571135826" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sr6_fV852VI/AAAAAAAAAeM/yfUIOL-gHrU/s400/BS5.jpg" /><br /><p></p><p>I have God along for the ride to help me out! </p><p></p><br /><p>Or this one:</p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 78px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385955985086750194" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sr7CbrL8HfI/AAAAAAAAAek/9hnoBrxdL_c/s400/BS1.gif" /> <p></p><p>As though evolution was a theory that could be tested through experiments like gravity. </p><br /><p>On the subject of evolution, here is the latest installment in the "Christian fish" vs "Darwin <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">fis</span><span class="blsp-spelling-error">h</span>"<br />emblem battle:</p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 280px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 280px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385955278190088562" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sr7ByhypEXI/AAAAAAAAAec/OSDMC1JbZJc/s400/BS%23.jpg" /> I guess I just don't like things based on mockery. I've never seen the symbol of another religion such as <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Judaism</span> or Islam treated in this manner.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-73348056943014433942009-09-23T19:11:00.003-04:002009-09-23T23:17:02.820-04:00Why my blog is patheticDear blog readers,<br /><br />Hello, it's me, Learner. I know I have not been around here much here lately. Life has become rather busy since the semester started and I have not had much extra free time to write here. I have been rather occupied with some increased teaching responsibilities (14 graduate credits, yikes!), professional writing projects, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">dissertating</span> (yes, it is a verb, as in <em>to work on a dissertation</em>), going to help my dad care for my mom who is home after spending 3 months in a nursing home and daydreaming about a certain wonderful gentleman.<br /><br />I have had <em>ideas</em> for posts such as:<br /><ul><li>a rant about going through the review and publication process for a journal article (which I am sure most of y'all would find mind numbingly boring)</li><li>a discussion of a recent conversation I had with co-workers where a family court judge was described as "biased toward fathers" because they tended toward 50/50 custody arrangements more often (er....isn't 50/50 kinda <em>unbiased</em>?)</li><li>recounting a conversation between several of my female students about why a male neighbor of one of them was a "loser" (made no sense to me)</li><li>describing a conversation from my single women's Bible study where a sermon one of the women heard was shared which the pastor specifically said was for "single men" though everyone was invited to "listen in". The subject of the sermon? Sexual purity. Yeah, no one but single men need to learn about sexual purity.</li><li>a list of verses from the Bible about how God wants us to live as men and women outside of marriage, children, and sexuality for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Catwoman</span> since she <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4423802276620945726&postID=6509146420930833442">doesn't seem to know where any of them are</a>. </li><li>a post about why some women don't seem to able to be happy for you when you meet a great guy (to quote one of my friend's after I said I had a wonderful time with the previously mentioned gentleman, "Gag")</li></ul>Yet, none of these posts has come to fruition. At the moment I don't think any of them will. I also have a few more C.S. Lewis quotes I'd like to share, but that doesn't seem to be happening either.<br /><br />So, if you'd like to read an interesting post, may I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">recommend</span> <a href="http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/how-to-talk-to-an-evangelical-on-a-journey">this one </a>over at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Imonk</span> about how to talk to Christians of other faith traditions or <a href="http://terrysoapbox.blogspot.com/2009/09/falling-in-love-vs-living-in-love.html">this one </a>from Terry at Breathing Grace about the difference between falling in love and living in love, because you likely won't find one here! :)<br /><br />Love,<br />LearnerLearnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-65569708084624914502009-09-06T15:55:00.007-04:002009-09-06T17:01:08.419-04:00Love, marriage and politically correct research<strong>More on love and marriage from C.S. Lewis</strong><br /><br />C.S. Lewis has interesting things to say on love and marriage in the <em>The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Screwtape</span> Letters.</em> Senior demon <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Screwtape</span> writes letters to his junior demon nephew Wormwood on how to take humans from "the Enemy" being God, toward "Our Father" being Satan:<br /><em></em><br /><em><blockquote><em>Now comes the joke. The Enemy described a married couple as 'one flesh'. He did not say a 'happily married couple' or 'a couple who married because they were in love', but you can make the humans ignore that. You can also make them forget that the man they call Paul did not confine it to married couples. Mere copulation, for him, makes 'one flesh'. You can thus get the humans to accept as rhetorical eulogies of 'being in love' what were in fact plain descriptions of the real significance of sexual intercourse. The truth is that whenever a man lies with a woman, there, whether they like it or not, a transcendental relation is set up between them which must be eternally enjoyed or eternally endured. From the true statement that this transcendental relation was intended to produce, and, if obediently entered into, too often will produce, affection and the family, <strong>humans can be made to infer the false belief that the blend of affection, fear and desire which they call 'being in love' is the only thing that makes marriage either happy or holy.</strong> The error is easy to produce because 'being in love' does very often, in Western Europe, precede marriages which are made in obedience to the Enemies designs, that is, with the intention of fidelity, fertility and good will; just as <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">religious</span> emotion very often, but not always, attends conversion. </em>(emphasis mine)<br /><br /></blockquote></em><em></em>When we come from the place that elevates "being in love", a temporary feeling which should not be confused with love, to the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">pinnacle</span> of human experience, we create an environment where the loss of the feeling of "being in love" can be used as an excuse for all sorts of behaviors destructive to marriage, including infidelity. After all, God wants us to be "happy", right? Right?<br /><br />************************************************************<br /><br /><strong>Politically correct research</strong><br /><br />You never know when you are going to run into examples of political correctness when it comes to the differences between the genders. I attended a dissertation defense on Friday in preparation for my own defense one of these days. The study being defended examined a certain type of knee injury in sports that is more commonly experienced by women than by men, the anterior cruciate ligament, or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">ACL</span> tear. The researcher outlined the anatomic and kinematic differences between men and women related to this injury. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Basically</span>, men tend to land from a jump in more knee <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">flexion</span> than women due to different factors, not the least of which is better balance between the quadriceps and hamstring muscles (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">ie</span>; women tend to overly rely on their quads resulting in greater knee extension upon landing). And, the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">ACL</span> is more at risk for injury in extension.<br /><br />The researcher then went on to describe the study she carried out which involved a way to change landing kinematics such that the women in the study had more knee <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">flexion</span> when landing. After her presentation the audience had the opportunity to as her questions and one of the female anatomy profs asked the following question; "In essence aren't you trying to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">masculinize</span> these women's movement patterns?" I thought to myself that was true, and that it would make sense to do so to a certain degree if the goal is to prevent <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">ACL</span> injuries among female <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">athletes</span>. But, the researcher answered, "Well, I suppose you could look at it that way, but I prefer not to. It is, in a sense, true, but it isn't appropriate to consider the findings in that manner". The prof who asked the question nodded her approval and from the back of the room I could observe several other profs shaking their heads a bit. Brilliant! Never mind the truth if it makes you uncomfortable to think of it in that way or you find it "inappropriate". We can't imply that men in any way have any inherent superiority to women, now can we?Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-55744963221774682362009-08-31T20:53:00.002-04:002009-08-31T21:08:31.353-04:00A milestone<div>10,000 Visits here at <em>Learning to Balance. </em>Who'da thunk it?</div><div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 351px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376299254060602450" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Spxzr8x61FI/AAAAAAAAAc0/azHPBcikkB8/s400/10000Visits.jpg" /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-20967729638874290782009-08-27T14:00:00.002-04:002009-09-06T17:01:54.232-04:00Love and competitionIn 1942 Christian writer C.S. Lewis published <em>The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Screwtape</span> Letters</em>. The book is a series of “letters” between <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Screwtape</span>, a senior demon and his nephew Wormwood, a junior demon about how to ensure the damnation of people. Lewis makes some chilling observations in the book about many subjects including love and marriage. In this passage “the Enemy” is God and “our Father” is the devil.<br /><br /><em>The Enemy’s demand on humans takes the form of a dilemma; either complete abstinence or unmitigated monogamy. Ever since our Father’s first great victory, we have rendered the former very difficult to them. The latter, for the last few centuries, we have been closing up as a way of escape. We have done this through the poets and the novelists by persuading the humans that a curious, and usually short lived experience which they call ‘being in love’ is the only respectable ground for marriage; that marriage can, and ought to, render this excitement permanent, and that a marriage which does not do so is no longer binding. This is our parody of an idea that came from the Enemy.<br /><br />The whole philosophy of Hell rests on recognition of the axiom that one thing is not another thing, and, specially, that one self is not another self. My good is my good and your good is yours. What one gains another loses….’To be’ means to ‘be in competition’.<br /><br /></em>Lewis seems to have nailed the basis of the struggle in the current culture with marriage 67 years ago.Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-69682079434873653592009-08-22T21:39:00.006-04:002009-08-25T22:21:08.167-04:00"Game", Marriage and Football<strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em>"Game"</em></strong><br /><br />It seems that "game" is a hot topic in many of the blogs I read lately. <a href="http://biblicalmanhood.blogspot.com/2009/08/biblical-manhood-vs-game-reprise.html"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Anakin</span></a>, <a href="http://novaseeker.blogspot.com/2009/08/war-about-game.html"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Novaseeker</span>,</a> and <a href="http://www.singlemind.net/?p=3750"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Amir</span> </a>and others have written posts about "game" and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">PUAs</span> (pick up artists) recently. This is not a subject that I know much about but I have recently done a little reading on the subject to try and understand it a bit more. It sounds to me like "game" is like many philosophies (does it qualify as a "philosophy"?) in that people will argue "it doesn't have to be like that" about the seedier or more objectionable elements. This "don't throw the baby out with the bath water" sort of approach can be seen in various situations such as when people argue that feminism is simply the "radical notion that women are human beings" and reject or down play the radical parts such as the belief that men are scum. Or, when people <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">vilify</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Christianity</span> because of the Crusades or because Hitler was supposedly a nominal christian.<br /><br />In this way, <a href="http://novaseeker.blogspot.com/"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Novaseeker</span></a> writes that <a href="http://novaseeker.blogspot.com/2009/08/war-about-game.html">"Game is a way for generations of men who have been feminized to become more masculine again." </a>I think it is very true that most women are attracted to men who are competent/confident and who understand their role as the leader and behave accordingly. If "game" helps men learn how to do that I don't think it is a bad thing. But, a lot of what is called "game" on the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Internet</span> seems to not just be about being masculine.<br /><em><strong></strong></em><br />Some of the elements that I have read about are quite distasteful to me. For example, one well known blog on the subject of "game" put forth the idea that women are turned on by being afraid of their husbands. I find the idea repulsive. I have experienced very real fear of a man in a romantic relationship and it <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">certainly</span> did nothing to attract me to him and in reality resulted in only bad. I do think there is such a thing as a healthy "fear" for a leader that is about respect for the leader and concern about not displeasing the leader per <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">se</span>. But, I don't think it is good for that respect and "fear" to be a fear of physical violence.<br /><br />So, I think when more "conservative" people (including yours <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">truly</span>) look at blogs about "game" that all of the distasteful parts are pretty tough to weed through to recognize whatever value there may be in some of the ideas. If there are ideas of merit for men who want to live a life that is pleasing to God in the philosophy of "game" it seems to me that it needs to be presented in a context that eliminates the godless elements.<br /><br /><strong><em>Marriage: then and now.</em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br />I went to see the movie <a href="http://www.julieandjulia.com/">Julie and Julia</a> today. I quite enjoyed it though perhaps many men would consider it a "chick flick" (there were 2 men in the theater with their wives/girlfriends). It was funny and touching and was about a subject interesting to me (and Meryl <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Streep</span> was fantastic as Julia Child and had the most wonderful period wardrobe). It is a film about Julia Child, iconic American chef, cookbook author and pioneer cooking show host, and Julie Powell, a young woman who blogged her way through cooking all of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">recipes</span> in Child's <em>Mastering the Art of French Cooking </em>in one year. I have loved Julia Child since I was a child for some reason. Maybe it was because I found her quite funny and she really was a marvelous teacher (I learned to make a fabulous <em>brioche</em> from one of her cookbooks among other things.....very user friendly). And, I read through the archives of <a href="http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/2002/08/25.html">Julie <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Powel's</span> blog </a>back in 2003 . So, I wanted to see this movie when it came out.<br /><br />In the movie both Julia and Julie are married and their relationships play a large part in their stories. Both relationships are portrayed as good ones in the film and the husbands are portrayed positively for the most part. But, I noticed definite differences in the relationships of the two couples. Julia Child willingly accepts her husband's advice and help while Julie Powell states she does not need her husband's help yet runs to him when a lobster needs <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">killin</span>'. Julia Child is never portrayed as putting her interest in cooking and writing in front of her husband's work. Rather she moves from diplomatic post to diplomatic post across Europe with him and conforms the work on her cookbook to the needs of his career. Julia and her husband Paul Child are portrayed as having a very loving, playful, and sexually fulfilling relationship where Julia is always shown as welcoming of and enthusiastic about her husband's advances. Julie Powell complains that between her full time job and her blogging project that she doesn't <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">have</span> time for her marriage. In effect she puts <em>a blog</em> before her husband to the point that he complains about the lack of sex in their relationship and she is seen rebuffing his advances in order to cook <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">recipes</span> for the blog.<br /><br />So perhaps it is not surprising that in the movie Julie Powell's husband walks out on her for a day because she is an admitted "bitch" (and apparently Powell has written another book called <em>Cleaving: a Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession</em> to be published later this year about an affair she had after her book about her blogging experience was published). I found the juxtaposition of these two marriages interesting though I doubt that the film makers (the film was produced by Nora <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ephron</span>) intended to present the picture they did. I think perhaps Julia Child's marriage would be viewed by many as more confining, however her more traditional model of marriage was "happier" than the "modern" version for both the men and women involved.<br /><br /><strong><em>Preseason football</em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br />I would just like to say that I don't care how many <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">pre</span>-season games the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">Steelers</span> lose now that they have beaten the Cardinals once again in a Super Bowl rematch. :)Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-71330620006416856512009-08-16T21:50:00.009-04:002009-08-17T15:03:37.409-04:00Pictorial Evidence (Warning- possible "ew" factor)Amazingly enough, two of my plants have managed to remain alive. Please note, I have not watered or otherwise cared for them in about 6 weeks since they <a href="http://learningtobalance.blogspot.com/2009/07/peepul-r-dumm.html">looked like they were done for</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370750038171939026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Soi8tEqncNI/AAAAAAAAAcs/t11b3lfM1Go/s400/DSC02290b.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370749930292383378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Soi8myyIDpI/AAAAAAAAAck/ZZ9LTc02sQQ/s400/DSC02289b.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />Resilient things, aren't they?<br /><br /><a href="http://learningtobalance.blogspot.com/2009/08/not-for-squeamish.html">My finger is healing well.</a> I'll spare you any of the more gory pictures* [you're welcome Ame :)], but here is a view from the front after one of my friends <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">debrieded**</span> it where you can see how straight and neat I cut it. I honestly had no idea that rotary cutters were that sharp. It seems a challenge to get it through more than 4 layers of fabric. It looks so much better already, I think it will be barely <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">noticeable</span>. Here's hoping all of the feeling comes back.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370748944597366546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 215px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 224px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Soi7tayHtxI/AAAAAAAAAcc/J4YtcsveJkw/s400/DSC02283b.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />* I am not as weird as that sounds. I took the pictures for my students...a good step by step example of wound healing. </p><p>** Sorry if the word or image of debriedment gives you the heebie jeebies. I should also point out that the friend who did so is a qualified medical professional....not just a random "buddy" :)<br /><br /><br />Maybe one of these days I'll write a well thought out post.</p>Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-6613370712767257722009-08-06T21:45:00.006-04:002009-08-06T22:44:05.848-04:00Advice for single Christian womenBlogger <a href="http://singlextianman.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/do-something-about-it/"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">SingleChristianMan</span> </a>offers the following advice to Christian women:<br /><br />Well, single sisters, you know the pickle you are in given the disparities in numbers. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pURtej2p4kA">I suggest you do something about it</a>.<br /><br />I give permission for all to widely distribute this prayer, written as a poem as a mnemonic device. Do something beyond <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">virally</span> distributing this across the Internet to all your readers: Actually pray.<br /><br />For Them (The Prayer for Single Christian Men)<br /><br />Father, for our brother’s sakes, we ask of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">you</span><br />that you would open the eyes of their hearts, to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">see </span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error">Your</span> leadership, wisdom, and love; and a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">true </span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error">picture</span> of their <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">sonship</span>. Help them be always free<br />of the love of this world, and to have courage. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Soothe </span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error">the</span> wounds of this world and the church on them.<br />Come against their sin with your Shepherd’s love,<br />Your rod of correction. Cut and polish the gems.<br />Bring Your staff against their enemies. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Reconcile </span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error">their</span> questions. Give danger and keep them safe,<br />teach them Your ways of war and peace; defile<br />the plans of the accuser. Give power from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">above </span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error">as</span> they wait on You, and bring them back from exile.<br />We accept them as Your sons and as His brothers.<br />Amen.Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-23082091792924014472009-08-06T21:12:00.007-04:002009-08-06T21:40:17.352-04:00Not for the squeamish<div align="left">I like to live on the edge. I have dangerous hobbies like <em>quilting. </em>And, tonight, my obsession with the <em>adrenaline rush of quilting</em> has caught up with me.<br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">I have suffered my first quilting injury. Tonight I sliced a part of the tip/side of my left index finger/fingernail off with a rotary cutter.</div><div align="center"> </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 224px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367028400588567074" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/SnuD5QSDsiI/AAAAAAAAAcE/lFRO-o-JW20/s400/1395.jpg" /><br /><div align="center"> </div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 371px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 252px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367026234730471618" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/SnuB7L1P4MI/AAAAAAAAAbc/tWZAc9HrNSM/s400/DSC02270b.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367026238398411938" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/SnuB7ZfwNKI/AAAAAAAAAbk/a-MBq1fZrJI/s400/DSC02271a.jpg" /><br />It was bound to happen sooner or later with a hobby as dangerous as quilting. <br /><br />It is pretty <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">swollen</span> and throbbing (the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">orangey</span> stuff is the antibacterial they slathered on), but at least the doc said she was hopeful I would not lose my fingernail and that once it heals it shouldn't be, in her words, "too badly deformed".Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-44530275765344337502009-08-06T11:31:00.002-04:002009-08-06T11:34:34.653-04:00190-something comments?I had no idea that when I asked "what is a good woman?" that the post would end up with 190-some comments, so thank you to everyone who contributed to the conversation.<br /><br />That said, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">c'mon</span> people! 190-something comments? We are too close to 200 comments to stop now! Doesn't anyone have anything else to say??? :)Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-27707572499867964902009-07-24T18:56:00.004-04:002009-08-06T11:35:01.737-04:00What is a good woman?Over at <a href="http://biblicalmanhood.blogspot.com/"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Anakin's</span> blog </a>a reader who goes by Pro-Male/Anti-Feminist Tech, left a <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4423802276620945726&postID=7650918807617444182">comment</a> that contained the following statement:<br /><br />"There are very few good women out there. Good women are only two steps from being unicorns (as in completely mythical). It doesn't matter if I find one or not. Even if I do that means somewhere between 99.98% - 99.996% of good men will NEVER find a good woman."<br /><br />I responded, 'So .004-.02% of women or 1 in 250,000 to 1 in 5000 women meet your definition of a "good woman"? That kind of begs the question...what is your definition of a good woman?'<br /><br />This certainly is not the first time I have heard this sentiment regarding the rarity of the "good woman". I usually wonder what exactly a "good woman" is when I read it. So, I thought I would ask you all.<br /><br />P.S. You don't have to believe good women are almost as rare as unicorns to answer.Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com242tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-62430478951213575082009-07-18T19:47:00.002-04:002009-07-18T20:58:13.926-04:00Men and women are different<strong><em>Men and women are different.</em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br />Shocking, isn't it? I have recently been spending some time in the anatomy lab examining <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">cadaveric</span> specimens and I have been struck, once again, at the anatomical differences between men and women. I am not referring to the obvious external differences in reproductive organs, height or body hair either. The muscles of men are obviously thicker, and longer, and even the muscle <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">fascicula</span> (bundles of muscle fibers) of men are visibly larger in girth. Combined with the greater force available via the longer lever arms associated with longer limbs on average, is it any wonder that men are so much stronger than women?<br /><br />The other difference I noticed was the variation in subcutaneous fat between men and women. Women have an obviously thicker layer of the fat that lies directly below the skin (I am not referring to general body fat, just to the layer of fat that is sort of attached to the skin). It is what makes women's bodies generally more rounded and less angular than men's.<br /><br />So, yes, men and women are different on the inside as well as the outside.<br /><br />The generous people who donate their bodies so that those of us in medical professions can learn about anatomy come in all <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">different</span> shapes and sizes. And, sadly, different ages. The specimens currently in the lab ranged in age from early 30s to 80s at the times of their deaths. The youngest was a woman who died from cancer when she was 31 years old. <em>31 years old. </em><br /><em></em><br />This week I also attended the funeral of an elderly family member. During the service one of the thoughts that ran through my mind was this, life is short. Whether you die when you are 31 or 88, life is short. Make the most of it. Take some chances and live.Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-48548121826395747182009-07-03T01:52:00.003-04:002009-07-03T02:09:02.612-04:00Peepul R DummWhen on vacation last week my glass of iced tea was placed upon this cocktail napkin depicting the southern coast of Maine.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sk2dCifFZQI/AAAAAAAAAbE/yrZy6Q2cV3I/s1600-h/DSC02212b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354108198955869442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 329px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sk2dCifFZQI/AAAAAAAAAbE/yrZy6Q2cV3I/s400/DSC02212b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />A closer look at the napkin reveals this important warning: "Not to be used for navigation"<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354108205035140690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 236px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sk2dC5IftlI/AAAAAAAAAbM/GEr-9Mzzjy0/s400/DSC02214b.jpg" border="0" /><br />It reminds me of the therapeutic whirlpool at a clinic I used to work at. On the side of the tub it said, "WARNING: DO NOT HOLD THE <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">PATIENT'S</span> HEAD UNDER WATER WHILE IN WHIRLPOOL."<br /><br /><br />Of course, it's probably better to be stupid enough to try to navigate from a napkin or hold your <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">patient's</span> head under water than to be a PLANT KILLER! This is what I came home from vacation to:<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sk2dCV3JccI/AAAAAAAAAa8/fGmHyTbPc7k/s1600-h/DSC02209b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354108195567137218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sk2dCV3JccI/AAAAAAAAAa8/fGmHyTbPc7k/s400/DSC02209b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sk2dCHUX0JI/AAAAAAAAAa0/w1S59V-1zIo/s1600-h/DSC02208b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354108191663181970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sk2dCHUX0JI/AAAAAAAAAa0/w1S59V-1zIo/s400/DSC02208b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sk2dB1cKhPI/AAAAAAAAAas/yn5AWwekmTo/s1600-h/DSC02207b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354108186864026866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Sk2dB1cKhPI/AAAAAAAAAas/yn5AWwekmTo/s400/DSC02207b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I've been watering them hoping they bounce back. But, it doesn't look good :( (especially the middle one)</div></div>Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-83419457128907617042009-06-28T23:31:00.007-04:002009-07-03T02:08:41.676-04:00VacationlandMaine, that is.<br /><br /><div align="center">Old Orchard Beach with it's cool tidal pools and patterns in the sand</div><div align="center"></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg5I0xLi3I/AAAAAAAAAak/Nq5CFwmaeq4/s1600-h/DSC02203b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352590980896492402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg5I0xLi3I/AAAAAAAAAak/Nq5CFwmaeq4/s400/DSC02203b.jpg" border="0" /></a> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352590847623704386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg5BESeL0I/AAAAAAAAAaU/4ffyuGpEHWo/s400/DSC02194b.jpg" border="0" /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg5BLco4pI/AAAAAAAAAac/3muIwROKEqg/s1600-h/DSC02198b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352590849545396882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg5BLco4pI/AAAAAAAAAac/3muIwROKEqg/s400/DSC02198b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center">Portland in the fog</div><div align="center"></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg5A04_q-I/AAAAAAAAAaM/UAzIEDvWqh8/s1600-h/DSC02187b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352590843490315234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg5A04_q-I/AAAAAAAAAaM/UAzIEDvWqh8/s400/DSC02187b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg5Al-AjuI/AAAAAAAAAaE/vkJAGPq6XRs/s1600-h/DSC02184b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352590839484813026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg5Al-AjuI/AAAAAAAAAaE/vkJAGPq6XRs/s400/DSC02184b.jpg" border="0" /></a> Orr's Island<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg5AcjlbcI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/WTYQq6wR8sg/s1600-h/DSC02176b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352590836958064066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg5AcjlbcI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/WTYQq6wR8sg/s400/DSC02176b.jpg" border="0" /></a> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352590407490529618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg4ncqi6VI/AAAAAAAAAZU/tJn_ZRta58Y/s400/DSC02155b.jpg" border="0" /><br />Lands End<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg4oaFpGiI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/-RBueFwd1n4/s1600-h/DSC02169b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352590423978744354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg4oaFpGiI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/-RBueFwd1n4/s400/DSC02169b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg4oUkXw9I/AAAAAAAAAZs/JbFi1RCXVTc/s1600-h/DSC02168b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352590422497018834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg4oUkXw9I/AAAAAAAAAZs/JbFi1RCXVTc/s400/DSC02168b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg4oLtkFVI/AAAAAAAAAZk/_FP0xPWDyGI/s1600-h/DSC02167b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352590420119655762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg4oLtkFVI/AAAAAAAAAZk/_FP0xPWDyGI/s400/DSC02167b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Bailey's Island Bridge, the world's only granite <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">cribstone</span> bridge being repaired</div><div><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg4n4KEkhI/AAAAAAAAAZc/ojaVa436tXM/s1600-h/DSC02159b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352590414870516242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/Skg4n4KEkhI/AAAAAAAAAZc/ojaVa436tXM/s400/DSC02159b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="left">Random vacation thoughts:</div><div align="left">- One of these days I am going to learn to take pictures of water with the horizon actually horizontal. </div><div align="left">- Boston drivers = crazy</div><div align="left">- Connecticut waiters = rude </div><div align="left">- Maine = beautiful, but rainy</div><div align="left">- Me = Had fun and glad to be home :)</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-60414608248043878842009-06-15T16:18:00.008-04:002009-06-15T17:26:36.184-04:00Chick-Flick LiesBy way of <a href="http://solofemininity.blogs.com/posts/2009/06/youve-got-lies-chick-flicks-and-the-worlds-approach-to-men-and-marriage-.html">Carolyn <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">McCulley</span> </a>I came across an article from a Christian perspective by Beth <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Spraul</span> about what has been referred to as "chick porn", titled <a href="http://www.capitolhillbaptist.org/wp-content/uploads/youve_got_lies.pdf">Chick Flicks and the World's Approach to Men and Marriage</a>. While I would guess that some men (and probably women too)would disagree with some of Mrs. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Spraul's</span> points in places (feel free to point them out if you wish), I think, on the whole, the article makes some excellent points.<br /><br />Mrs. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Spraul</span> asks,<br /><br />"<em>Does watching such movies actually affect our understanding of romance or shape how we go about looking for this ideal husband?</em><br /><br /><em>I think the answer is yes.</em><br /><br /><em>We may think we are savvy enough to detect the subtle lies present in this genre of films. You might be reading this saying, “What’s wrong with a little escapist entertainment every once in a while? It’s just a Hollywood story, and I know it’s just fantasy.” If that’s the case, then why is there still that sigh or even a tear(s) after the 20<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">th</span> viewing of your favorite romantic movie? Something in us is stirred.</em>"<br /><br />This is a point well taken. When something like a book or movie plays on what deeply affects you, such as a woman's emotions, it is undeniable that will have influence over you. Mrs. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Spraul</span> compares so-called "chick-flicks" and "chick-lit" to pornography in their ability to create unrealistic expectations.<br /><br />"<em>In this article, I’d like to discuss briefly what I think are three powerful lies communicated to and believed by women through this genre of “chick-flicks” as well as “chick-lit” (literature). The lies told to women are introduced at the level of women’s emotions (less harmful, right?), in how they dream about men, and in what they long for relationally. Like pornography, chick-flicks take a good gift from God (romance, relational intimacy) that women are created to desire, and distort it by presenting as “normal” an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">unbiblical</span> and unrealistic picture of men, love and marriage. And just like men who buy into the lies of pornography, women who believe that their husbands and marriages should always be like what they see on the screen will be sinfully dissatisfied with God’s good gift to them of a “normal” husband and marriage</em>."<br /><br />She then outlines the lies that these sorts of books and movies tell to women.<br /><br /><em>Lie #1: Men think of romance and relational intimacy exactly like women do!</em><br /><br />This one was shocking to me. I mean, who knew that men and women think differently!?!? I would say "duh!" to this one except that often I think both men and women expect the opposite sex to think about things the same way they do. We think they should know what we mean and know what we need from them without telling them and that the other should "understand" without having to explain it.<br /><br /><em>Lie #2: If I marry the right man, all will be right in my life.</em><br /><br />Mrs. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Spraul</span> makes some excellent points about the fact that even a great marriage will not, and in fact can not, make all things right.<br /><br /><em>"If we as women approach our husbands with expectations that he will be the primary source that takes away all our loneliness, insecurities, fears and longings for love, we hold him to a standard no human being is able to meet in this life. We set ourselves up for great disappointment through these unreasonable expectations. When our husband <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">doesn</span>’t deliver such total sweeping happiness to our lives, we can be tempted to blame him when it is our own worldly and idolatrous expectations that are to blame! Such expectations can even lead us to be discontented wives who are unsatisfied with the day to day realities of life and responsibility in marriage. We can become unsatisfied with our husband’s love and service and care because marrying him <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">didn</span>’t cure our deepest emotional struggles."</em><br /><br />I wonder how much of the current epidemic of divorce is the result of such thinking?<br /><br /><em>Lie #3: I will know that a man is right for me by feelings I get when I’m with him.</em><br /><br />In a recent post, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">commenter</span> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6528619746014060177&postID=2285994279137930455">SA related a story </a>about a woman who rejected a man out of hand without getting to know anything about him. Perhaps this is an example of what Mrs. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Spraul</span> was referring to here:<br /><br /><em>"The dangers of putting all of your stock in emotion are serious. First, you can easily convince yourself that you are experiencing “true love” while having little regard for a man’s faith, character, service or ability to sacrifice himself for others. Second, for women considering a man who initiates a relationship with them, this over-emphasis on the emotional experience and level of attraction/chemistry can influence such women to dismiss possible suitors based on her “intuition.” I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">ve</span> seen it happen—a woman <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">doesn</span>’t immediately “feel” that a man is her “type” or the “ideal” that she’s had in her mind for her husband—so the man is simply dismissed without ever having a chance to demonstrate his possible worthiness."</em><br /><br />Good points, I think, both for single and for married women.Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-87478648285603453772009-06-12T22:39:00.002-04:002009-06-12T22:44:20.952-04:00I have died and gone to sports heaven....<div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;">Penguins win the Stanley Cup!!!!!!</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346637058004997522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 388px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fjMUwCu21Rk/SjMSE5lT1ZI/AAAAAAAAAZM/aL90y7N8unY/s400/1918_PITTSBURGH_PENGUINS_LOGO_2_edited.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"></div>Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-22859942791379304552009-06-01T18:08:00.003-04:002009-06-01T20:50:57.571-04:00Yes, but is it really a paradox?This deserves a well thought out and concisely written post, but unfortunately I am currently incapable of that. I'll just do the best I can.<br /><br />Anymore when I hear the word "paradox" the first thing I think is, "oh, they mean some data or evidence that does not fit their firmly held assumptions has come up". Recently I read a <a href="http://solofemininity.blogs.com/posts/2009/05/the-paradox-of-declining-female-happiness.html">post</a> at Carolyn <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">McCulley's</span> blog about an <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/opinion/26douthat.html">opinion piece </a>in the New York times about a <a href="http://bpp.wharton.upenn.edu/betseys/papers/Paradox%20of%20declining%20female%20happiness.pdf">study</a> recently reported on "<em>The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness</em>". The study is a meta-analysis of data from multiple sources which uses logistic regression (beyond my statistical pay grade) to describe "happiness" for men and women for the last 40 years. In a nut shell the findings say that women are less happy now than they were 40 years ago relative to themselves and relative to men.<br /><br />In his op-ed piece, Ross <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Douthat</span> offers his opinion that this relative loss of happiness in women is ambiguous.<br /><br />"All this ambiguity lends itself to broad-brush readings. A strict feminist and a stringent gender-role traditionalist alike will probably find vindication of their premises between the lines of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Wolfers</span> and Stevenson’s careful prose. The feminist will see evidence of a revolution interrupted, in which rising expectations are bumping against glass ceilings, breeding entirely justified resentments. The traditionalist will see evidence of a revolution gone awry, in which women have been pressured into lifestyles that run counter to their biological imperatives, and men have been liberated to embrace a piggish irresponsibility.<br /><br />There’s evidence to fit each of these narratives. But there’s also room for both."<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Douthat</span> then goes on to say "Feminists and traditionalists should be able to agree, for instance, that the structures of American society don’t make enough allowances for the particular challenges of motherhood." Sounds more feminist than "traditionalist" (whatever that really means) to me, as in society should support women's choices. He also says that feminists and traditionalists "should also be able to agree that the steady advance of single motherhood threatens the interests and happiness of women. " This actually sounds feminist to me too, because it refers to the happiness and interest of women rather than the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">disastrous</span> effects of single parenthood on society as a whole. He also advocates that both feminists and traditionalists should be able to get "behind a social revolution that ostracizes serial baby-daddies and trophy-wife collectors as thoroughly as the “fallen women” of a more patriarchal age." <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Hmm</span>...okay this may get him into trouble with the feminists....<br /><br />A blogger at the feminist blog <a href="http://jezebel.com/5270541/feminism-makes-women-unhappy-and-other-tall-tales">Jezebel </a>has a post on the op-ed and on the study itself. What did she focus on? This statement by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Douthit</span>: "But all the achievements of the feminist era may have delivered women to greater unhappiness. " And of course she objects vehemently. Because feminism has brought only light and rainbows and flowers and butterflies to the world, right? She postulates the unhappiness felt by women is not because feminism has screwed society up beyond belief and encouraged women to become dissatisfied with, well just about everything, but rather because feminism has not brought enough equality and so women are pissed. The idea that women are discriminated against is highly debatable in the current culture (and I would say not true). But, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">what</span> she also doesn't get is that any group of people who share characteristics and are different from another group of people are gaining nothing by comparing themselves.<br /><br />I am 5'5" in height, not short, but hardly statuesque either. What if I compared myself to people 6 feel tall and over? I bet they don't have to get on a kitchen chair to reach the top 2 shelves in their kitchen cabinet! These <em>tall people's</em> feet probably touch the floor when they sit in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">restaurant</span> booths or when riding in an airplane! It's wrong I tell you. Houses, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">restaurant</span> booths and planes should be built to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">accommodate</span> me! I am discriminated against! Woe is me! No wonder I am less happy! The idea that it is reasonable to compare yourself with others who are <strong>not like you to begin with</strong> makes no sense to me.<br /><br />Of course that completely misses the fact that like tall people who don't have enough leg room in planes or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">restaurant</span> booths and probably hit their heads on things far more often than I, just like men experience things differently than women. It seems to me that women would be happier if they stopped comparing themselves to men.Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-34893467274202965892009-05-30T14:04:00.002-04:002009-05-30T14:15:28.352-04:00An invitation to womenOver at <a href="http://biblicalmanhood.blogspot.com/">Biblical Manhood</a>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Anakin</span> has a <a href="http://biblicalmanhood.blogspot.com/2009/05/two-women-who-just-dont-get-it-about.html">post</a> about women finding his blog and or MGTOW/MRA misogynistic. Perhaps Suzanne and Janet would be willing to answer the following question here: What on Biblical Manhood did you find misogynistic? <br /><br />Come ladies, let's reason together.<br /><br />(Suzanne I am sorry for the recent loss of your father. Please feel free to ignore me at this time if this discussion may cause you further distress)Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-71061024519898447662009-05-29T10:20:00.006-04:002009-05-29T11:41:49.552-04:00Insert snappy title hereStill struggling with brain freeze, though I was able to finish writing a proposal (whew!) that was hanging over my head. So, again, here are some random thoughts for your consideration.<br /><br /><strong>Extremism: </strong>I while back I wrote a <a href="http://learningtobalance.blogspot.com/2008/01/some-thoughts-about-extremism.html">post </a>where I talked about the benefits of considering opinions more extreme than my own. It takes a bit of mental work, but often there is some truth at the base of many extreme opinions. I just have to be careful that I don't get carried away with it. Yesterday in the comments to a <a href="http://novaseeker.blogspot.com/2009/05/responding-to-responders-ii.html">post</a> over at <a href="http://novaseeker.blogspot.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Novaseeker's</span></a> I made the mistake of reading the comment of someone who I had previously decided to avoid reading the comments of. However, I saw that he referred to my friend Ame, so I read it. You know, this may be the first time ever that I saw some good from porn. Perhaps it <em>is </em>better for women if some men prefer porn to them. Of course the reason it would be better has to do with the effects of porn to begin with, so that is rather a circular argument (and yes, entirely facetious).<br /><br /><strong>Purity: </strong>Via email, a friend recently commented on some of the discussion over virginity and particularly the, um, physical aspects of it. She shared this bit of wisdom, gleaned in part from <em>The Facts of Life: </em>Purity resides in the heart, not in the vagina. True that.<br /><br />Along similar lines, but far funnier, was a conversation I recently had with a group of single christian women ranging in age from early 20s to early 50s. We were talking about singleness and sexual temptation when one of the women, a widow in her early 50s who I'll refer to as "J", began to relate a story about a date she was on several months ago. J said that she found the man very sweet and that she really liked him and was struggling with being sexually tempted when he had his arm around her waist. She then shared that she was simultaneously embarrassed that he may be able to feel her <a href="http://www.spanx.com/home/index.jsp"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Spanx</span></a>. This lead to her conclusion that <strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Spanx</span> = modern day <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">chastity</span> belt</strong> :) (I know the ladies will think that is funny...we laughed over that one for quite a while)<br /><br /><strong>Being "Normal": </strong>Or normalcy or normality? I don't know if those are even words. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Anyhoo</span>, I am participating in a women's Bible study on the book of Esther and the teacher via video (Beth Moore) did a survey of women, both believers and unbelievers while preparing for the study. One woman, married for a few years but without children, who responded to the survey said that she feared losing her uniqueness. She does not want to be considered normal or ordinary. She does not want who she is to be defined by being <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">some one's</span> "wife" or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">some one's</span> "mother", she just wants to be "happy". The teacher made a very interesting connection between this woman's thoughts about not wanting to be "ordinary" and the current obsession with the famous and with fame, especially among women. She talked about a term from social psychology, to BIRK, or "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">birking</span>", which stands for "basking in reflected glory", and how it has become so common for people to idolize the rich and famous to feel worth rather than to ground our worth in God.<br /><br /><strong>In closing: </strong>If you are so inclined, please pray for my sister who had a biopsy yesterday and will likely be having a laser surgery in the next month or so due to what they are currently calling "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">pre</span>-cancerous/<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">suspicious</span>" cells in an area the size of a quarter in her cervix (and for those of you for whom the thought may enter your mind, no, she does not have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">HPV</span> and was a virgin when she married at 40 years of age).<br /><br />And...<br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;">LET'S GO PENS!!!!!!!!</span></div>Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6528619746014060177.post-23931973184996370452009-05-22T10:41:00.006-04:002009-05-23T10:04:34.264-04:00Sex, marriage, humanity and hat tricksSince I appear to currently be unable to produce an entire post on one subject that makes sense, and in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">imitation</span> of <a href="http://elusivewapiti.blogspot.com/2009/05/friday-roundup_18.html">Elusive Wapiti </a>and <a href="http://terrysoapbox.blogspot.com/2009/05/mondays-musings.html">Terri at Breathing Grace</a>, I present to you, a potpourri of topics.<br /><br /><br /><b>Sex and Marriage</b><br /><br /><br />In the comments to my post <i><a href="http://learningtobalance.blogspot.com/2009/05/umyeah.html">Um....yeah</a></i> (brilliant title, isn't it?) Elusive Wapiti and I had a brief exchange about the role of sex in the marrying of a man and a woman. Briefly, I said that in the old testament sex = marriage, so to God, sex = marriage, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">EW</span> said <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">nuh</span> uh (okay, there was more to it than that...go read the comments and the post <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">EW</span> linked to). I'm still not sure what I think about this because of questions that I have about some scriptures. In a comment I made that was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">buried</span> in the other comments, I said the following:<br /><br /><br />"I remember reading that post about Bristol and Levi last year. To be honest I am not certain what I think about this issue and perhaps it is a matter of semantics. Does "marriage" occur during the sexual act? I'm not sure, but it kinda sounds like it if you read about Isaac and Rebekah. Even so, if it is not the joining of the two into one flesh that "marries" the man and woman, in both <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Deut</span> 22 and Lev 22 God commands that if a man has sex with an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">un-betrothed</span> virgin that he MUST marry her. If he does not marry her and goes on to have sex with another he is having sex with someone other than the woman God commanded that he must marry. It may not be adultery by strict definition but I don't understand how the functional impact is any different.So, I guess what I would say in response is to ask what you would say about the following:- What about Isaac and Rebekah? It appears that their marriage did occur when he "took" her. -What about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Deut</span> 22 and Lev 22 that says if a man sleeps with a virgin he must marry her?"<br /><br /><br />So, what do y'all think?<br /><br /><br /><b>Humanity</b><br /><br /><p>I get annoyed with many "politically correct" ideas. For example, what was the point of changing the tag line "To boldly go where no <b>man</b> has gone before" to "To boldly go where no <b>one</b> has gone before" in the new Star Trek movie (which was a great flick)? However I do insist that my students use what is called "person first language" when referring to our patients/clients. This means we do not call someone a "stroke" or a "nerve injury", we call them a person who has had a stroke, or a person who has had a nerve injury. I insist on this because it is important to see someone as a person, not a diagnosis, and because calling someone a "head injury" is dehumanizing. Other examples of dehumanization include when the Nazis transported the Jews in cattle cars and called them "dogs", and those who are pro-abortion insisting that a baby be called a "fetus" before birth. It's tough to kill people when you think of them as human beings.</p><p></p><p>Lesser ill will than murder is associated with dehumanization as well. Some feminists call men "animals" to make them easier to distrust and despise. Recently <a href="http://markymarksthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/05/christopher-in-oregon-on-freedom.html">a commenter at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">MarkyMark's</span> referred to women as "sweaty bags of cellulite".</a> Well.... I'm not quite sure what to say about that other than ask the following. Do you really need to dehumanize women to make the decision for yourself that you don't want to marry or associate with women? If the answer to that question is no, why do it? If it is yes, maybe you should ask yourself why.</p><br /><b>Hat tricks</b><br /><br /><br />Woo <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Hoo</span>!!! Geno <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Malkin</span> had a hat trick last night as the Penguins beat the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Hurricanes</span> 7-4 in game 2 of the NHL eastern conference finals. First playoff hat trick for the Pens since who knows when. Stanley Cup predictions anyone? I say it will be the Pens and Red Wings again, but <i>this time</i> my Pens will win (Why, yes, I was born and raised in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Pittsburgh</span> area. Yes, I am a homer. Whatever made you ask those questions? ;) ).Learnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089164231281806023noreply@blogger.com45