Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
God's Will
What is the difference between a Christian saying that it was God’s will to have New Orleans completely destroyed by a hurricane and having a Muslin say the same thing about the attacks of September 11th?
There is no difference, both groups think that they are the enlightened ones, but at the core they are completely the same.
I heard the first comment today, on the anniversary of Katrina, as I drove to Baby Girl’s school for a PTO meeting. I could not believe that someone would say, on the radio, that the hurricane that killed thousands of people in New Orleans was planned and carried out by God to punish them.
The second comment I heard as I watched a documentary on the use of the internet by terrorist groups. A Muslim said that they did not understand why the United States was so wrapped up in finding Osama bin Laden. He said that Osama had nothing to do with the attacks on September 11 and that if they did capture him there were others ready to take his place. He continued by saying that - and this is where everything came together for me and I finally understood – if God did not want the destruction that happened on 9.11 then he would of stopped the attack. Just like he stopped the Richard Reid (shoe bomber) and the terrorist ring in the UK, it was not in God’s plan. Great! I thought, we are not fighting against terrorists, we are fighting God! That is a tough battle to win. We are fighting against a God they believe has a will, a plan, and really, really, hates the US. Great!
Both groups are giving God too much credit. I have always hated to hear someone say “God Willing”. The phrase seems like a cop out. I wonder, how come people do not say God willed someone to get raped, murdered, or killed by a drunk driver on their 18 birthday? If God’s will is what rules the world then why are there criminals in jail? Isn’t God is supposed to be taking care of the bad people?
Maybe there is a big difference between God and his prophets – Jesus and Muhammad – because if I remember correctly both men preached about the Golden Rule.
I just hope that in remembering Katrina people show some compassion for those that lost so much because of no fault of their own.
There is no difference, both groups think that they are the enlightened ones, but at the core they are completely the same.
I heard the first comment today, on the anniversary of Katrina, as I drove to Baby Girl’s school for a PTO meeting. I could not believe that someone would say, on the radio, that the hurricane that killed thousands of people in New Orleans was planned and carried out by God to punish them.
The second comment I heard as I watched a documentary on the use of the internet by terrorist groups. A Muslim said that they did not understand why the United States was so wrapped up in finding Osama bin Laden. He said that Osama had nothing to do with the attacks on September 11 and that if they did capture him there were others ready to take his place. He continued by saying that - and this is where everything came together for me and I finally understood – if God did not want the destruction that happened on 9.11 then he would of stopped the attack. Just like he stopped the Richard Reid (shoe bomber) and the terrorist ring in the UK, it was not in God’s plan. Great! I thought, we are not fighting against terrorists, we are fighting God! That is a tough battle to win. We are fighting against a God they believe has a will, a plan, and really, really, hates the US. Great!
Both groups are giving God too much credit. I have always hated to hear someone say “God Willing”. The phrase seems like a cop out. I wonder, how come people do not say God willed someone to get raped, murdered, or killed by a drunk driver on their 18 birthday? If God’s will is what rules the world then why are there criminals in jail? Isn’t God is supposed to be taking care of the bad people?
Maybe there is a big difference between God and his prophets – Jesus and Muhammad – because if I remember correctly both men preached about the Golden Rule.
Christianity - All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:1
Islam - No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. Sunnah
I just hope that in remembering Katrina people show some compassion for those that lost so much because of no fault of their own.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Houston - Automatic Tickets??
Here are locations of new cameras that will automatically issue a ticket if you are caught running yellow or red lights...good idea to slow down!!!!
The first 10 camera locations are:
The first 10 camera locations are:
- 1 - Richmond at Dunvale
- 2 - Bellaire at Wilcrest
- 3 - Harwin at Hillcroft
- 4 - Milam at Elgin
- 5 - Brazos at Elgin
- 6 - JFK at Greens
- 7 - Bay Area Boulevard at El Camino Real
- 8 - Travis at Webster
- 9 - Pease at LaBranch
- 10 - Hillcroft at Richmond
Monday, August 21, 2006
My Summer TV Watching
I love TV, ok, let me rephrase that, I love good TV. There are only a couple of shows that I have been totally and completely addicted to this summer, what does that mean? Well, it means that I actually make time to watch them the day or the day after they come on. It seems insane that I have been so busy that sitting down and watching tv is actually my relaxing time. Anyway, one of the shows is Rescue Me – I just love that show I have been a Rescue Me addict since last season. It is a really good show. The season finale is Tuesday and I can not wait. The kids need to be in bed and sleep by then. No noise just me and my television. Ahhhh.
The other show I have been watching religiously is Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia. That show is so funny. The actors are so good; it makes you wonder what they are really like outside of the show.
Another FX show I have started to watch is 30 Days, from the same guy that did the Super Size Me movie. In 30 days a person has to live and do things that are so completely unlike them. There has been a show about a Minuteman that lives with an illegal family, another where a pretty normal sales guy gets a life coach, learns yoga, and gets his charkas cleansed. Well, you guys get were I am going with this. I asked JR what my 30 days would be, I think that question is better left for someone else to answer since they know you best. His answer was that my 30 days should be spent with a daredevil. I hate rollercoasters and pretty much anything that takes my feet away from the ground. For JR I though his 30 days would be better spent with a homosexual couple. He would walk away during the romantic scenes in BrokeBack Mountain. I was all like, oh, come on JR, it is a love story, and they are in love, how romantic (even though I thought that the Jake Gyllenhaal’s character was a jerk). He would leave, come back and continue watching when the scene in question was over.
Where or with whom would YOU spend your 30 days? (Ask someone that knows you best and don’t change the answer).
The other show I have been watching religiously is Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia. That show is so funny. The actors are so good; it makes you wonder what they are really like outside of the show.
Another FX show I have started to watch is 30 Days, from the same guy that did the Super Size Me movie. In 30 days a person has to live and do things that are so completely unlike them. There has been a show about a Minuteman that lives with an illegal family, another where a pretty normal sales guy gets a life coach, learns yoga, and gets his charkas cleansed. Well, you guys get were I am going with this. I asked JR what my 30 days would be, I think that question is better left for someone else to answer since they know you best. His answer was that my 30 days should be spent with a daredevil. I hate rollercoasters and pretty much anything that takes my feet away from the ground. For JR I though his 30 days would be better spent with a homosexual couple. He would walk away during the romantic scenes in BrokeBack Mountain. I was all like, oh, come on JR, it is a love story, and they are in love, how romantic (even though I thought that the Jake Gyllenhaal’s character was a jerk). He would leave, come back and continue watching when the scene in question was over.
Where or with whom would YOU spend your 30 days? (Ask someone that knows you best and don’t change the answer).
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
First Day of School
Today was Baby Girl’s first day of school. Her introduction into the public school system began early this morning. BG completely surprised me by getting up super early and being 100% cooperative, so unlike her.
I know that she went to Paddington last year for pre-k, so you would think that I would be a little more prepared for her to go to school, but I don’t know for some reason today seemed a little more “official”.
Her teacher Ms. Nichols is super nice. She has taught for 3 years, which is nice since most kindergarten teachers tend to be fresh out of school, she is 26, about 5’ 9”, and I swear she does not weigh more than 90 pounds.
Some of the parents and kids seem nice, but I did see one of BG’s classmates wearing a Tupac t-shirt.
I know that she went to Paddington last year for pre-k, so you would think that I would be a little more prepared for her to go to school, but I don’t know for some reason today seemed a little more “official”.
Her teacher Ms. Nichols is super nice. She has taught for 3 years, which is nice since most kindergarten teachers tend to be fresh out of school, she is 26, about 5’ 9”, and I swear she does not weigh more than 90 pounds.
Some of the parents and kids seem nice, but I did see one of BG’s classmates wearing a Tupac t-shirt.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Back in Town
Wow, it has been a crazy two weeks. Life was crazy before we left, getting Baby Girl’s birthday party ready and all. We had the party at Chuck e Cheese, not recommended, the kids had a blast, but I think the parents wanted to kill us for having the party there. It was just very loud, with lights, crowded, and overall mayhem. We usually have the party at home, but since we were leaving on vacation the next day we thought it was best to have the soiree somewhere else.
Ok, now to the vacation, Grand Cayman was lovely. The water was an amazing blue, the people were friendly, and there were no hurricanes anywhere near the island. The first couple of days we went to the beach, laid out, and ate. On the third day we rented a car, which was kinda scary since they drive on the left side of the road, I was so afraid for my life, JR did make a couple of wrong turns, but we lived to tell about it.
One of the most exciting things we did was feed the stingrays. It is so amazing, not because of the stingray part, but because a boat takes you to the middle of nowhere where there is a sandbar that you can actually walk on and the water is only 3 feet deep! You stand there and look around, there is nothing for miles, and there you are standing in the middle of the ocean. Oh, and the water is completely see through, looking back at the pics it looks like a pool instead of the ocean. Amazing!! The stingray part was cool, but creepy when too many of them come too close.
Well, after 8 sun filled days we are back in town, I look a little darker than I should, but it was worth it, I think, well, I will let you guys know when I start peeling.
Ok, now to the vacation, Grand Cayman was lovely. The water was an amazing blue, the people were friendly, and there were no hurricanes anywhere near the island. The first couple of days we went to the beach, laid out, and ate. On the third day we rented a car, which was kinda scary since they drive on the left side of the road, I was so afraid for my life, JR did make a couple of wrong turns, but we lived to tell about it.
One of the most exciting things we did was feed the stingrays. It is so amazing, not because of the stingray part, but because a boat takes you to the middle of nowhere where there is a sandbar that you can actually walk on and the water is only 3 feet deep! You stand there and look around, there is nothing for miles, and there you are standing in the middle of the ocean. Oh, and the water is completely see through, looking back at the pics it looks like a pool instead of the ocean. Amazing!! The stingray part was cool, but creepy when too many of them come too close.
Well, after 8 sun filled days we are back in town, I look a little darker than I should, but it was worth it, I think, well, I will let you guys know when I start peeling.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Will Return Soon
I am currently on vacation and will return soon with pics and stories about my Grand Cayman Island vacation.
Stay Tuned
Stay Tuned
Friday, August 04, 2006
Tax-Free Shopping
I am going on vacation soon and needed to do some clothes shopping. What is a vacation anyway without new clothes?!! Anyway, I decided to go shopping today, yes, today of all days, the start of the Tax-Free shopping weekend here in the state of Texas. To some of you out-of-staters this is not a big deal since clothing is not taxed in many states, but here in Houston, Texas we have a whopping 8.25% tax on everything.
When I go shopping there is pretty much just one rule I follow, well, there are more, but for this story only one rule applies. When I go shopping I am either at the mall when it first opens or one hour before it closes. I HATE going in the middle of the day, I hate driving around in circles looking for a parking space; I hate bumping into people at the stores and waiting. That is just me. I knew I had to be especially early today since all those people wanting to save $8.25 for every $100 were going to be flocking to the mall. I go to the mall at 9am and by the time I left at 11am there were no parking spaces left!!
People were buying anything and everything they could get their hands on. They were buying thousands of dollars in merchandise, at the mall thousands of dollars means a lot of clothes! I never knew the power of 8.25%.
Tomorrow is Baby Girl’s fifth birthday. In the afternoon I went to Target to try to get some last minute gifts for the baby guests. The store was also packed. While I was looking around in the toy section I heard a very interesting conversation. There was a mom shopping with her son and older daughter. The mom looks at an electronic pink piggy bank toy and says “I love that toy, too bad it is pink”. The older daughter asks her what she had said. The mom tells her how she would never buy anything pink for her son. Her daughter says “aren’t pigs pink?”
When I go shopping there is pretty much just one rule I follow, well, there are more, but for this story only one rule applies. When I go shopping I am either at the mall when it first opens or one hour before it closes. I HATE going in the middle of the day, I hate driving around in circles looking for a parking space; I hate bumping into people at the stores and waiting. That is just me. I knew I had to be especially early today since all those people wanting to save $8.25 for every $100 were going to be flocking to the mall. I go to the mall at 9am and by the time I left at 11am there were no parking spaces left!!
People were buying anything and everything they could get their hands on. They were buying thousands of dollars in merchandise, at the mall thousands of dollars means a lot of clothes! I never knew the power of 8.25%.
Tomorrow is Baby Girl’s fifth birthday. In the afternoon I went to Target to try to get some last minute gifts for the baby guests. The store was also packed. While I was looking around in the toy section I heard a very interesting conversation. There was a mom shopping with her son and older daughter. The mom looks at an electronic pink piggy bank toy and says “I love that toy, too bad it is pink”. The older daughter asks her what she had said. The mom tells her how she would never buy anything pink for her son. Her daughter says “aren’t pigs pink?”
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