No. It’s not a word. (Or, did I mean “aword”?)

peace… love… bdg…

It was a grizzly scene yesterday morning as Littler Boy emerged from his sheets to discover the Tooth Fairy had not abided by the traditional terms of business and replaced his lost tooth with a monetary exchange. Littler Boy was reportedly “stoic” while holding the evidence bag and explaining, “I still have my tooth.”

Investigators suspect an incisor job as witnesses revealed the emotional state of Littler Boy on Tuesday night as “inconsolable, crying that he loved that tooth and wanted to keep it.” Sources close to the Tooth Fairy concur, noting that upon arrival in the room and after a thorough search under the pillow and surrounding areas, “the tooth was nowhere to be found. We might have a molar in the organization”

Leading up to this event, the Tooth Fairy had suffered a tasteless smear campaign led by Little Boy, including biting accusations of identity theft and growing doubt into her very existence. This alleged incident, or lack thereof, does nothing to quell these suspicions.

Authorities promise a resolution soon. “We’ll get to the root of this. We’ll extract a confession, sooner or later.” Littler Boy was unavailable for comment, but has been seen smiling and carrying on as normal.

UPDATE: Littler Boy confessed to having hidden the tooth in hopes of keeping it forever in his scrapbook. “It’s my last incisor and I loved it,” explained Littler Boy. “It’s not gross at all.” The Tooth Fairy agreed to a second visit, despite the scheduling issues it would create. A spokesperson confirmed the transaction was completed this morning.

Last week, my picks landed me at a cool 9-5, with a couple surprises. The Bills didn’t lose (they were on a bye), but the Redskins were pummeled by my least favorite team. The Packers kept rolling and the Falcons remain unbeaten as they absolutely obliterated an increasingly bad Eagles team. (Neither are “my” teams, but it’s worth noting). For my weekly parity tracker, the totals are currently at: 13 winning records, 17 losing records, and 2 remaining even. The lines are becoming a little clearer.

Backtracking to my previous topics… The Cardinals (my team on the fall) continue to falter as I predicted and heading into Green Bay probably won’t help at all. The Titans (my team on the rise) lost a nail biter in overtime to one of the more spectacular plays of the year. Since my predictions: Cards 0-2, Titans 1-1.

On to the over-rated players from last week… Cam threw for 314 yards and rushed for 37 more as the Panthers fought hard but lost in Chicago last week. The downside: 2 fumbles (1 lost), 2 interceptions (1 a 4th quarter pick six), and 0 touchdowns. Hali only posted 2 tackles and Steven Jackson managed a meager 46 total yards as the 3rd leading rusher against the Patriots. Dismal performances guys. Dez Bryant totaled 110 yards receiving, which sounds good, but he only caught 5 of 11 passes thrown to him and fumbled twice (1 lost). He also managed to be at the center of another last minute play that didn’t go the right way for the Cowboys. Jason Witten hauled in a TE record 18 passes for 167 yards and he looked pretty good, so MAYBE I was wrong on him… maybe.

This week, I’ll pick on coaches. [continue reading this post...]

I know that conventional wisdom for people who want to be liked is to never discuss politics or religion. Forget conventions, sometimes a guy’s just gotta be real, right? Besides, being liked is over-rated.

Before I launch in (and before any of you start hating me), know that I mean no disrespect to anyone. I’m not attacking anyone. I’m not trying to deny anybody’s intellect or humanity. I’m simply stating my opinion and, in this case, response to an article. You may or may not agree, but there’s no reason to argue about it. Responses are welcomed, but I ask that you respond in kind.

The article: Why My Bible Seems to Differ from Billy Graham’s (Source: CNN – http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/22/opinion/martin-billy-graham-politics/index.html)

The gist: Billy Graham has sold his soul to the Republican party, compromising his belief that Mormonism is a cult and narrowing the election to a two-issue decision (abortion and same-sex marriage) while ignoring the needs of the poor and the sick.

Okay, I think that about covers the arguments from Roland Martin (who is very much pro-Obama, by the way). So, I have two things to address: Is Mormonism a cult (and does it matter)? and Why are Romney supporters “ignoring” the poor and sick? (And by the way, I plan to vote for Romney). Off we go…
[continue reading this post...]

The headline reads: FaithVillage Opens Virtual Doors to 50 Shades of Evangelicals. This is a marketing FAIL as far as I’m concerned.

Here’s the problem. “Faith Village will be the premiere online home for the Christian community with its relevant, vetted content; resources for spiritual development; trustworthy products; and plenty of room to connect online in public or private groups.” (This, taken from the press release.) And to market this community with “vetted content,” “resources for spiritual development,” and “trustworthy products” they choose to reference a series of “mommy porn” books that has been selling sickening numbers of copies and spreading a crude, explicit message that undermines some principles of Christianity.

“Relevant”? maybe. FAIL? definitely.

peace… love… bdg…

Well, this is an entirely random post. Expect a Music of the Day update tomorrow and probably some more book posts soon as I’m round the final turn on a couple more. (I know, I read too much, but I also want to read so much more.) I also am planning to catch up on X-Factor AND The Voice sometime in the next week or so, and I’ll post something about those shows soon. And I’m sure I have things to say about the new NFL season. Lots to write… later.

Anyway, this advertisement that came to my inbox today gave me such a chuckle, I had to pass it along. They clearly should’ve picked a different cover for a subscription push, right? I mean, asking people to subscribe while at the same time asking “Why Bother?”… such a mixed message.

Full disclosure, I do not subscribe to Relevant Magazine, although I did for a long time. I still peruse their articles online now and again. And if you want to subscribe (despite this ad) go ahead. Why NOT Bother?

peace… love… bdg…

A couple of news headlines caught my eye earlier today as well as a quote I heard not too long ago, but I’m sure has been circulating for years:

“We talk about leaving a better world for our children, but we forget about leaving better children for the world.”

It’s an indictment on parenting in today’s world and I agree wholeheartedly. While I don’t do everything right, I try to keep the big picture in mind when it comes to parenting decisions and shaping the littles to be not just productive members of society, but leaders of their generation. So the two headlines had to do with child studies and sleeping.

In the “NO DUH” category, researchers found that children exposed to less violence and more age-appropriate media content can sleep better. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) conducted a study on about 600 preschoolers (3-5 years old) hoping to determine a link between sleeping disorders and television. The study focused specifically on violent (i.e. age inappropriate) content and nighttime viewing. Apparently, at least 25% of preschoolers have a television in their bedrooms. (What? I don’t even have a television in my bedroom. I did once for about a week when I had the chicken pox and I got to watch Wheel of Fortune and the A-Team, but I was probably around 14 years old and it was temporary.)
[continue reading this post...]

My son really likes dolphins. We took him to a “Dolphin Experience” a few years ago, where we got in the water and were able to pet, hug, and otherwise interact with a dolphin and he’s been pretty hooked since. So, when a movie about a dolphin rescue hit our radar, we knew he’d want to go and we thought it a good family outing. I expected a somewhat sappy saga with a dramatic score and a heartwarming outcome. I didn’t expect a clear example of innovation at work. However, A Dolphin Tale delivers both.

Yes, it’s a comforting, family-friendly movie that pulls at your heartstrings as you empathize with a boy determined to rescue a dolphin (his only real friend), a man struggling to keep his business and mission alive despite a lack of funding and other obstacles, and a correlation (which I expected to be more prominent) between a wounded soldier and a wounded dolphin. What stood out most, however, was the innovation and persistence of a prosthetics specialist who rose to the challenge and managed to repurpose and modify current technology to solve an emerging need and provide a new solution. [continue reading this post...]

Thirty five years ago, The Muppet Show debuted and kicked things off with a sketch I’m sure made little sense to most viewers. And for years, I’ve just assumed it was a catchy tune with some silly puppets that was designed purely for light-hearted entertainment value. But, the other day (perhaps due to having a high fever or being overtired) a light came on and I realized this silly little video is a perfect illustration of the struggles associated with innovation.

[continue reading this post...]

today i wore my David Crowder Band shirt… the one with the squirrel i couldn’t resist at a concert long ago… seems like long ago… this shirt prompted someone to ask me… “Is that a squirrel?”… i managed to not offer a kindergarten diploma for superior animal recognition skills long enough for her to continue… “we love David Crowder Band and we call my daughter ‘squirrel’ so we have to buy that shirt”…

i was glad i held my tongue… my son did not… “my dad has met David Crowder”… my son was proud and she looked with disbelief… i confirmed that i had indeed met David Crowder and she quickly replied “well, i’m good friends with all the guys from Hawk Nelson”… not sure what her point was, i simply agreed that the Hawk Nelson guys are pretty nice, too…

peace… love… bdg…