Stuff That Matters in Life

Katy’s Weblog

These books are too addicting.

I promise I am not going to read the next one. It’s keeping me up at night.

This is the next in the series after Ender’s Shadow.  Instead of battling aliens in space, the genius kids are now back on Earth, fighting the evil schemer whose one ambition is to rule the world.  Such an original theme…

The story is very exciting, with kidnappings, treachery, and murders centered around world politics and military strategies.  A lot is said about honor, vanity, good and evil, life and death….a nun willing to sacrifice herself for an orphan, parents letting go of their children to serve a greater good, soldiers giving their lives for their commander…the book is full of action, and along the way makes a few good philosophical statements about life.

China and America do not look good in this book.

I recommend not reading this book at bedtime. You won’t be able to put it down to go to sleep.

I showed Amy my yearbook dated 1972.

“Look at these 2 people. They were friends of mine.”

“They look like twins, except one has long hair and one has short hair.”

“Yeah. The one with short hair is a boy.”

“Aren’t they both boys?”

“No. I thought they both look like girls. But the one with short hair is a boy.”

“Oh, I thought they were both boys, and the one with long hair is a boy with long hair!”

🙂

Obama continues to oppose tax-supported voucher programs to less-fortunate parents who also would like their children to attend a quality private school. It’s rather ironic who opposes school vouchers.

From ChicagoTribune.com, by Clarence Page, on private school vouchers:

…The question of vouchers as an alternative to public schools crosses color lines, but it is particularly poignant for the nation’s first African-American president.

Read more of “Private school vouchers”

25 years ago

Filed under Generalby Joyful

Twenty-five years ago today, I said “I do.”

My image of marriage was a fairy tale picture of bliss. In fact I was right! But it took me 25 years to learn that marriage can be so happy – if you allow it to be.

You can focus on the disagreements, the irritating habits, the endless daily chores and stinky morning breath.

Or you can focus on giving a loving touch, saying a kind word, making small efforts to make one another happy, laughing together, and appreciating each other’s unique strengths.

Twenty-five years ago, I did not know what I was getting into. Fortunately for me, God filled in the gaps, helped both my husband and I to be patient, to mature, and to not give up on each other.

Pastor Brian said that your wedding day should not be the happiest day of your life. There should be many happier days in your marriage.

I think I have had many happy days.

Brought out the old yearbooks…should I laugh or cry??

In my brother’s yearbook, 1968, his junior high school had a Computer Club!! What did they do?

When I was in 8th grade, I was voted the shyest…yes, I was very quiet then.

I have ONE friend from junior high school that I still keep in contact today, after 30+ years. We didn’t even go to the same high school. I see in the yearbook that she was the yearbook editor. I didn’t remember that.

In my high school yearbook, there were pictures of football games and band field shows that I was never a part of. I was with the studying-in-the-library crowd. But I got to experience the football game scene from my daughter by going to her band field shows when she was in high school.

That goes to show you, don’t worry about missing out on something. You may yet have another chance later in life.

From Gary Bauer:

Perhaps the biggest disappointment at the ballot box last night was the defeat of every initiative related to the sanctity of life. Parental notification failed in California. Expanded human embryonic stem cell research was approved in Michigan. Euthanasia was legalized in Washington State. And efforts to expand legal protections to the unborn were defeated in Colorado and South Dakota.

While the results of last night’s election were hailed as a great human rights victory, the defeat of these pro-life initiatives clearly indicates we still have a long way to go. As Ravi Zacharias recently said, “We cannot talk about human rights without the right to be human.”

Since reading Ender’s Game, my husband recommended the companion book Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card.

I am not usually a scifi reader, but this series is less scifi and more about character development. The main characters, the kids, have complex backgrounds lending to their involved personalities.  As the story progresses, the kids grow in a genuine way as kids would. The fun part is, they can outsmart the adults.

What I usually don’t like about scifi is the way the setting has to be explained. I know Dune is a classic, but it bored me with laborious descriptions. I never got through the book. Ender’s Shadow gets into the action. The setting is explained along the way without disrupting the story.

The ending sets up a sequel. But I’m going to read something else now. No matter how good a series is, I get bored with the predicable writing style, especially the bantering between the characters. All the characters talk in the same manner.

The only exception where I am not bored are Agatha Christie books…ahhh…if only she could’ve written a few more mysteries…I could read another 50 of her books.

Although Ender’s Game and  Ender’s Shadow are suppose to be companion books such that either one could be read first, I suggest Ender’s Game first. After Ender’s Game, you would definitely want to read Ender’s Shadow as I did.

NAACP Los Angeles President Alice Huffman Sells Out Black Families
Media Advisory
October 30, 2008
Contact: Chip White, 916-446-2956

LOS ANGELES, CA – Campaign finance records reveal that Alice Huffman, President of the California State NAACP, the only major African American leader in California to endorse legalized gay marriage, has received nearly $200,000 from the NO on 8 campaign in “fees” through her company AC Public Affairs.

Read more of “NAACP Los Angeles President Alice Huffman Sells Out Black Families”

A friend sent me this story:

Yesterday, on my way to lunch at Denny’s, I passed one of the homeless guys in that area, with a sign that read ‘Vote Obama, I need the money.’

Once in Denny’s my waiter had on a ‘Obama 08’ tee shirt.

When the bill came, I decided not to tip the waiter and explained to him while he had given me exceptional service, that his tee shirt made me feel he obviously believes in Senator Obama’s plan to redistribute the wealth.

I told him I was going to redistribute his tip to someone that I deemed more in need–the homeless guy outside. He stood there in disbelief and angrily stormed away.

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $3 and told him to thank the waiter inside, as I had decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy looked at me in disbelief but seemed grateful.

As I got in my car, I realized this rather unscientific redistribution experiment had left the homeless guy quite happy for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn.

Well, I guess this redistribution of wealth is going to take a while to catch on, with those doing the work.