I'm huge in Mason City!

Google Analytics is fun.
It gives an almost endless supply of interesting (yet useless) information.
For example, sources of new readers

Apparently I'm a hit among the students of Northern Iowa Area Community College? They make up more than one quarter of the visits to this site.

Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick ranks fairly high as well... Who do I know in Sackville?

Take a minute and leave a comment. I'd love to get to know these people who finds me so fascinating, haha.

[Edit: OK, two very devoted fans. Thank you Ally and Laura. Just for kicks, I think you should convince all of your friends to read; See if you can outnumber my Calgary readers. Don't worry, there aren't that many of them.]

Should your opinion matter to me?

It took eleven years of "Jonathan, you are an excellent writer" from teachers to build my confidence.
It took less than two months of my senior year to crush it.

It took four years of "Excellent work, Jonathan" from professors to rebuild my confidence.
It took less than a week in my new job to destroy it.

The grade twelve teacher was an angry, man-hating, feminist.
The boss, it turns out, was an idiot.
But does that make them wrong?

Draw for me a line in the sand that marks where the defense of one's gifts becomes pride. Whose opinions can I ignore? Who am I to judge the validity of opinions of others? By allowing myself to judge, do I doom myself to the pretentiousness that I see in so many writers, artists, and photographers.

Maybe someone just doesn't "get" my work, and thus their negative opinion of it really isn't valid. Or maybe my work really is crap and the positive remarks have been either patronizing or ignorant.


In yesterday's church service, we discussed the idea that each of us had been called to a certain role in life. I believe it, but that doesn't mean that I know how it's supposed to unfold for me. Am I gifted as a writer? Am I called to write for a purpose? What could that purpose possibly be?

Library

I do hope to move out on my own some day soon. Here's the problem: there is no way I could ever afford the kind of place I dream of.

I'm not looking for extravagance, but I can't deny wanting something a bit beyond the usual apartment.

Obviously, it needs to have a bedroom, living room, dining room, and kitchen; But I would love to have an office and library as well.

I would love to have a library like this:


If I find myself in a smaller place, I might try something like this:

The West Wing

Because forcing the DVDs on all of you hasn't worked so far, I figure I'll try and tempt you with a few choice clips.
Come watch West Wing with me!

If you are just going to watch one, "The Streets of Heaven..." is an absolute favorite of mine. It is a speech given by President Josiah Bartlett only hours after a deadly bombing at a university. It pulls a quote from the Oscars acceptance speech of Tom Hanks for his role in Philadelphia.

"The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQWxgnFc1fk&NR=1

"The tie"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyqzPu5pX6U&NR=1

"Galileo V"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TkzLnUNeVo

"Let Bartlet be Bartlet"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT0AP3Nqvuo

Part 1 "Mrs. Landingham chastises Bartlet"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EhBXAweuRE

Part 2 "Conversation with God"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FScv89J6rro

Part 3 "Will you be seeking re-election"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EgLiPvhV-Y

Lunar Eclipse - February 20, 2008

Someone: "What planet was it that passed in front of the moon tonight?"
Me: "Uh... Earth"

Did no one else learn basic astronomy in elementary school?

Anyway, it was beautiful.

Marriage

There are some who ought to marry, and some who ought not to.
The apostle Paul spoke very wisely about this.

The question in my mind is whether those who are not meant to marry are blessed with a lack of desire to do so. The alternative question is whether the desire for marriage is a sign that one should eventually achieve it.

Does God give us a heart suited to the life we are destined for? Or is it possible that one might receive a heart contrary to their destiny, a situation where one might have to fight all through life to do what they are called for.

Did Paul accept a life without marriage easily? Or was this a situation that God thrust upon him and he had to work hard to accept it?

I dunno.

No Cavendish for me

A resounding "Yes" would have been nice; But I cannot deny that the apologetic "No" from the Cavendish Tourism Association brings some peace as I had been getting rather anxious while waiting for a response.