Journal - Number 50

Okay, just a few quick notes to catch up on what I’ve been doing.

I’ve been experimenting with my screen reader a little bit, lately. I’ve gotten pretty comfortable with surfing the internet and typing documents, so I decided to challenge myself a little and try some spreadsheets. I’ve always really enjoyed usihng spreadsheets, as any tru obsessive/compulsive would, and used them a lot in my work. Over the years I got pretty good with them and I was kind of missing that. So that’s what I’ve been experimenting with. I made a large database to catalog my audio books. So far, so good. I enjoyed the work, plus now I can find any audio book I want, instead of just listening to whatever is on top.

I called Serotek on Monday of last week, that’s the company that developed my screen reader, System Access To Go. I told them how I had purchased the voice package for my account but it didn't work. After looking up my account and confirming that I had, indeed, paid the forty dollars, the guy told me their system had screwed something up and they would have it fixed by the end of the day. I tried to log in again less than an hour later and they had already fixed it. . I was a little peeved at them over the whole thing, but felt a little better after getting such good customer service. I wish all companies were like that. Don’t they understand that it’s those little touches that will keep their customers happy and loyal?

Last Tuesday we had a little excitement. It seems that the local television station in Kearney recently fired one of its employees. Tuesday, the young man walked into the Wells Fargo bank in Kearney with a gun. I don’t know if anyone really knows what his intentions were, but he ended up holding some hostages for about three hours before finally giving himself up. No one was hurt, praise God. This was a twenty two year old, just a kid. I can only imagine what must have gone wrong in his life to make him do something like that. We used to see stories like that on the news all the time in Dallas, but it’s something of a rarity here. The kid is from Minden which is where we live, although we are several miles outside of town.

Well, this is my 50th post. When I started this blog back in September, I really didn’t know if I would be able to keep it going. I never would have guessed that I had so much to say. Fifty isn’t really a lot, in the grand scheme of things, but I’m pleased. I think it's a great start. So, to celebrate my 50th post, I decided to have a little fun with the number fifty.

In America: There ar fifty states in our union. The fifty dollar bill features the face of Ulysses S Grant, and the fifty cent piece shows the silhouette of John F Kennedy.

In popular culture: There is a song by Paul Simon called “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.” There is a movie called “50 First Dates” starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, one of my favorites. The television show “Hawaii 5 oh” was thus named because Hawaii was the fiftieth state admitted to the union.

In the year 1950: a new house cost about $8,450, a gallon of gas cost eighteen cents, and a loaf of bread cost twelve cents. Popular movies included “Sunset Blvd" and "Cinderella”, and popular musical acts were Fats Domino and Nat King Cole.

Okay, that wasn't as much fun as I thought it would be, haha. Seriously, if you’ve read all fifty of my posts, thank you and get a life. If you’ve joined me more recently, I hope you’ll stick around for the next fifty, and get a life.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Child of the 80's

Okay, it’s time for a break from all that serious stuff for a little while. After all, all work andno play makes Jack a dull boy!

I was born in 1970, but I did a lot of my growing up in the 80’s, and I still have a lot of fond memories from that period. So, after the fashion of Jeff Foxworthy, I have compiled a list of 80’s nostalgia. Warning! If you are guilty of more than 7 of the following items, then YOU also may be a child of the 80’s!

You might be a child of the 80’s if:

1. You still have a Rubik’s Cube tucked away in a box in your basement or attic.

2. You still remember the Rubik’s Cube Saturday morning cartoon.

3. You know all the words to the intro of The Muppet Show.

4. You ever waited up all night for the release of the new Van Halen cassette.

5. When someone asks you a question, you still occasionally reply with a hearty “You got it, Toyota!”

6. You once told a teacher that you couldn’t finish your homework because you had a bad case of Fahrvergnugen.

7. You secretly wished that Gargamel would find the Smurf village and smash it to bits.

8. The theme song of your graduating class was Bon Jovi’s "Never Say Goodbye."

9. You prefer the old John Wayne style Optimus Prime as opposed to the goofy new one our kids watch today.

10. You remember when MTV used to show music videos.

11. You ever wondered how Cliff Claven managed to deliver the mail when he sat in a bar drinking all day.

12. You learned how to type on a typewriter.

13. You think Fran Tarkenton is best known for his role on the tv show “That’s Incredible!"

14. You ever spent a whole summer watching the Iran-Contra hearings.

15. You still know all the words to “Conjunction Junction, What's Your Function?”

16. You ever built a scale-model replica of the “General Lee.”

17. You still know all the words to “Pac-Man Fever!”

18. You think Coleco football beats the Madden series any day!

19. You lost a little faith in the world at your first taste of New Coke.

20. You think rock stars that dress in a suit and tie look nice ala Robert Palmer.

So, are you a child of the 80’s like me? Leave a comment and let me know. Got any of your own memories of the 80's? Leave a comment and let me know!

Thanks for playing, see you next time!