Amanda's Adventures and New Product Reviews

We have a new resident on the porch. The newest woodland creature is a flying squirrel! I never got a good look at it until tonight. Henry's been pawing at the window for weeks. I wasn't sure what it was. I was worried it was a rat. I finally saw it tonight and looked on google to figure out what it was. And it's an Eastern Flying Squirrel! I think it's living in the flower pots I have on the porch. It's also eating my bird seed...just hopping in the bucket to get a treat anytime it wants. The big squirrels keep taking off the lid. Well, I need to get back to packing. It's almost Christmas break!

The kitties are starting to enjoy each other's company. I'm still really busy and tired. I'll have to write more later. :)

The kitties are starting to enjoy each other's company. I'm still really busy and tired. I'll have to write more later. :)

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It’s dark, dreary, I’ve worked overtime for the last 12 days, and I have five more to go. I’m listening to comfortable music right now. These lines from Andrew Peterson are a balm for my weary soul. I've been thinkin' about my home I've never been but I will, I know Meadow green and the river wide Valley deep and the mountain high The saints of old are singing now (Shiloh) My ears are ringing with the sound (Shiloh) But greater still, as clear as day (Shiloh) I can hear my Savior saying I can hear my Savior saying I can hear my Savior say "Come home, come home and rest awhile Come home, come home and rest awhile"

It’s dark, dreary, I’ve worked overtime for the last 12 days, and I have five more to go. I’m listening to comfortable music right now. These lines from Andrew Peterson are a balm for my weary soul. I've been thinkin' about my home I've never been but I will, I know Meadow green and the river wide Valley deep and the mountain high The saints of old are singing now (Shiloh) My ears are ringing with the sound (Shiloh) But greater still, as clear as day (Shiloh) I can hear my Savior saying I can hear my Savior saying I can hear my Savior say "Come home, come home and rest awhile Come home, come home and rest awhile"

(well, not an evil one anyway) Acc. to Wikipedia, a Doppelgänger is "In the vernacular, "Doppelgänger" has come to refer (as in German) to any double or look-alike of a person—most commonly an "evil twin". The literal translation of the German word is "doublewalker", meaning someone who is acting (e.g. walking) the same way as another person. The word is also used to describe the sensation of having glimpsed oneself in peripheral vision, in a position where there is no chance that it could have been a reflection. They are generally regarded as harbingers of bad luck. In some traditions, a doppelgänger seen by a person's friends or relatives portends illness or danger, while seeing one's own doppelgänger is an omen of death. In Norse mythology, a vardøger is a ghostly double who precedes a living person and is seen performing their actions in advance." My kitty's Doppelgänger lives in Seattle. I was at Seattle's Best Coffee the oth

This is really a struggle for me lately. Who is Jesus? Will I ever really know? I suspect it will take a whole lifetime to answer this question. I know we so often get this answer wrong...but can we get it right? I suspect we can try. That’s why I’m spending a year scouring the Torah for images of the Messiah (verywords.blogspot.com) and trying to encounter Jesus through prayer and service...the devotional stuff. And here’s what the Nicene Creed says about Jesus: And in one Lord Jesus Christ,       the only Son of God,       begotten from the Father before all ages,            God from God,            Light from Light,            true God from true God,       begotten, not made;       of the same essence as the Father.       Through him all things were made. We’re starting a sermon series on Sunday called American Jesus (Adam mentioned this at Worship Team practice last night)...and we’re going to dig deep into who Jesus really is...not who Americans think he is. The

This is really a struggle for me lately. Who is Jesus? Will I ever really know? I suspect it will take a whole lifetime to answer this question. I know we so often get this answer wrong...but can we get it right? I suspect we can try. That’s why I’m spending a year scouring the Torah for images of the Messiah (verywords.blogspot.com) and trying to encounter Jesus through prayer and service...the devotional stuff. And here’s what the Nicene Creed says about Jesus: And in one Lord Jesus Christ,       the only Son of God,       begotten from the Father before all ages,            God from God,            Light from Light,            true God from true God,       begotten, not made;       of the same essence as the Father.       Through him all things were made. We’re starting a sermon series on Sunday called American Jesus (Adam mentioned this at Worship Team practice last night)...and we’re going to dig deep into who Jesus really is...not who Americans think he is. The

Let's see...working a whole bunch...cleaning and generally stressing. These guys have been great lately: I am hoping to write more later. Really, I am.

Let's see...working a whole bunch...cleaning and generally stressing. These guys have been great lately: I am hoping to write more later. Really, I am.

The Weight of Glory arrived at the library tonight and I went to go pick it up. I could scarcely wait to read it.   So, I made it a few people pages before I had to run and blog. C.S. Lewis thinks about so much and is so eloquent. He can put things to words I've never been able to express.   "If our religion is something objective, then we must never avert our eyes from those elements in it which seem puzzling or repellent; for it will be precisely the puzzling, or the repellent which concepts what we do not yet know and need to know."   He's talking about those feelings we have, that are at the heart, longing for heaven.   "These things---the beauty---the memory of our own past---are good images of what we really desire; but if they are mistaken for the thing itself, they turn into dumb idols, breaking the hearts of their worshippers. For they are not the things themselves, they are only the scent of the flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we ha

The Weight of Glory arrived at the library tonight and I went to go pick it up. I could scarcely wait to read it.   So, I made it a few people pages before I had to run and blog. C.S. Lewis thinks about so much and is so eloquent. He can put things to words I've never been able to express.   "If our religion is something objective, then we must never avert our eyes from those elements in it which seem puzzling or repellent; for it will be precisely the puzzling, or the repellent which concepts what we do not yet know and need to know."   He's talking about those feelings we have, that are at the heart, longing for heaven.   "These things---the beauty---the memory of our own past---are good images of what we really desire; but if they are mistaken for the thing itself, they turn into dumb idols, breaking the hearts of their worshippers. For they are not the things themselves, they are only the scent of the flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we ha

So, I am one of the few thousand people beta testing Hulu...and really, it is amazing. I think I need to spend a lot of time at this site. There's clips from some old shows and all of the current shows on Fox & NBC. It even has some movies from Universal. I am so watching the Blues Brothers this weekend. Here's the clip that started it all (on YouTube)

So, I am one of the few thousand people beta testing Hulu...and really, it is amazing. I think I need to spend a lot of time at this site. There's clips from some old shows and all of the current shows on Fox & NBC. It even has some movies from Universal. I am so watching the Blues Brothers this weekend. Here's the clip that started it all (on YouTube)

This weekend, I (re) read most of The Confessions from St. Augustine. For centuries, readers, critics, foes, fans, etc. have struggled with its form. It’s not a straight biography, nor is it straight theology. What struck me is how much his writing sounds like a blog (at least the ones my intelligent, godly friends are working on). The introduction called it a prose poem written to God with restless Christians who might overhear. Brilliant! That is exactly the tone that blog posts take.

This weekend, I (re) read most of The Confessions from St. Augustine. For centuries, readers, critics, foes, fans, etc. have struggled with its form. It’s not a straight biography, nor is it straight theology. What struck me is how much his writing sounds like a blog (at least the ones my intelligent, godly friends are working on). The introduction called it a prose poem written to God with restless Christians who might overhear. Brilliant! That is exactly the tone that blog posts take.

“What ever happened to the values of humanity Whatever happened to the fairness and equality Instead of spreading love, we’re spreading animosity Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity That’s the reason why sometimes I’m feeling under That’s the reason why sometimes I’m feeling down It’s no wonder why sometimes I’m feeling under I gotta keep my faith alive, until love is found.” The Black Eyed Peas, 2003 “ This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength, and whose heart turns away from the LORD. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a yea

“What ever happened to the values of humanity Whatever happened to the fairness and equality Instead of spreading love, we’re spreading animosity Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity That’s the reason why sometimes I’m feeling under That’s the reason why sometimes I’m feeling down It’s no wonder why sometimes I’m feeling under I gotta keep my faith alive, until love is found.” The Black Eyed Peas, 2003 “ This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength, and whose heart turns away from the LORD. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a yea

I'm digging these tunes this afternoon. (Yes...I'm well aware that Pete Townsend is part of The Who) SeeqPod Music beta - Playable Search

I'm digging these tunes this afternoon. (Yes...I'm well aware that Pete Townsend is part of The Who) SeeqPod Music beta - Playable Search

What a fascinating subject...We've been talking about accents at work, and I've been thinking about it every since. I've been reading about the Inland North Accent and it fits me to a T... What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Inland North   You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop." The Northeast   Philadelphia   The South   The Midland   North Central   The West   Boston   What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

What a fascinating subject...We've been talking about accents at work, and I've been thinking about it every since. I've been reading about the Inland North Accent and it fits me to a T... What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Inland North   You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop." The Northeast   Philadelphia   The South   The Midland   North Central   The West   Boston   What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

When one has less than 20 channels, it’s amazing what gets watched. Last night, I was entranced by something on book TV (yes on C-Span). It was a fascinating discussion about two books: God’s Harvard by Hannah Rosen and D. Michael Lindsay's "Faith in the halls of Power". Here’s what C-Span has to say about it at http://www.booktv.org/program.aspx?ProgramId=8772&SectionName=&PlayMedia=No: D. Michael Lindsay interviewed over 100 evangelical Christian men and women in the field of business, politics and entertainment and explores their ascendancy in their respective fields.  Hanna Rosin profiles Patrick Henry College, an evangelical school that considers itself the Christian equal to the Ivy League.  D. Michael Lindsay and Hanna Rosin discuss their books at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life in Washington, DC. Wow! I was blown away by this discussion. Frankly, it was really encouraging that such a respectful and open discussion was on TV. It was not diss

When one has less than 20 channels, it’s amazing what gets watched. Last night, I was entranced by something on book TV (yes on C-Span). It was a fascinating discussion about two books: God’s Harvard by Hannah Rosen and D. Michael Lindsay's "Faith in the halls of Power". Here’s what C-Span has to say about it at http://www.booktv.org/program.aspx?ProgramId=8772&SectionName=&PlayMedia=No: D. Michael Lindsay interviewed over 100 evangelical Christian men and women in the field of business, politics and entertainment and explores their ascendancy in their respective fields.  Hanna Rosin profiles Patrick Henry College, an evangelical school that considers itself the Christian equal to the Ivy League.  D. Michael Lindsay and Hanna Rosin discuss their books at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life in Washington, DC. Wow! I was blown away by this discussion. Frankly, it was really encouraging that such a respectful and open discussion was on TV. It was not diss

Underpants. Nothing else comes close.

Underpants. Nothing else comes close.

No captions, just photos

No captions, just photos

It's Friday afternoon... a good time to post those pictures from the reunion. I can't believe it was 90 degrees in October! My mom made this tablerunner: Uncle Max & Aunt Eunice: They were talking away and telling jokes to each other...I'm not sure I've seen two happier people! Well, the uploader isn't working now, so I will do more later.

It's Friday afternoon... a good time to post those pictures from the reunion. I can't believe it was 90 degrees in October! My mom made this tablerunner: Uncle Max & Aunt Eunice: They were talking away and telling jokes to each other...I'm not sure I've seen two happier people! Well, the uploader isn't working now, so I will do more later.

The kitties have been really wonderful lately. Henry has really grown up; he’s well-behaved and is still sweet. Charlie’s finally returning to his old self. Henry really took a shine to my Mom. He sure wanted lots of attention...and that’s what he wanted. Here are a few pictures of the little guys.

The kitties have been really wonderful lately. Henry has really grown up; he’s well-behaved and is still sweet. Charlie’s finally returning to his old self. Henry really took a shine to my Mom. He sure wanted lots of attention...and that’s what he wanted. Here are a few pictures of the little guys.

Each day, Whitney Matheson from USA Today profiles a reader. Today, it was my turn! http://blogs.usatoday.com/popcandy/2007/10/pop-forum-tal-5.html I was so excited by all of the nice comments the other readers gave. They're really nice. Here are some images of the exciting post (coming soon. They're slow to upload).

Each day, Whitney Matheson from USA Today profiles a reader. Today, it was my turn! http://blogs.usatoday.com/popcandy/2007/10/pop-forum-tal-5.html I was so excited by all of the nice comments the other readers gave. They're really nice. Here are some images of the exciting post (coming soon. They're slow to upload).

Hello! This weekend was something else! I went to Michigan City and saw 39 of my family members. The descendants of my great grandparents, Courtney and Grace Smith, got together at a beach house in Michigan City. There were three generations there...(There are four generations now, but none of the kids were there). There were all of my grandma's siblings and the surviving spouses: Grant and Frances Danny Dave and Jo Marguerite Max and Eunice June Annie Mae and Granny And there were lots of kids there. Grant's son Mike and his wife Dave and Jo's daughter Debbie and her husband Terry Marguerite's son Louie and his wife Cindy Max and Eunice's daughters Ruby and Rosie Annie Mae's daughters Evie, Kristen, Lois, and Delight, and her son Mark. Sharon is someone's partner, but I didn't catch whose. And My mom, Loretta, and Aunt Linda, Granny's daughters (Uncle Jim came too) And from the third generation: Me! Amber and Adam Kari, Kristen's daughter Jake,

Hello! This weekend was something else! I went to Michigan City and saw 39 of my family members. The descendants of my great grandparents, Courtney and Grace Smith, got together at a beach house in Michigan City. There were three generations there...(There are four generations now, but none of the kids were there). There were all of my grandma's siblings and the surviving spouses: Grant and Frances Danny Dave and Jo Marguerite Max and Eunice June Annie Mae and Granny And there were lots of kids there. Grant's son Mike and his wife Dave and Jo's daughter Debbie and her husband Terry Marguerite's son Louie and his wife Cindy Max and Eunice's daughters Ruby and Rosie Annie Mae's daughters Evie, Kristen, Lois, and Delight, and her son Mark. Sharon is someone's partner, but I didn't catch whose. And My mom, Loretta, and Aunt Linda, Granny's daughters (Uncle Jim came too) And from the third generation: Me! Amber and Adam Kari, Kristen's daughter Jake,

I'm excited and nervous about this. I spent lots of time last night picking out what I want to wear. Is that weird?

I'm excited and nervous about this. I spent lots of time last night picking out what I want to wear. Is that weird?