tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51468272008-07-24T20:35:49.606-05:00pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comBlogger2391125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-61170960250304285302008-07-24T20:23:00.001-05:002008-07-24T20:23:00.613-05:00

Sixty used to be old. Over the hill. It was even older than my parents. Now, well, now it's about to be me. This past Monday I was sitting along the bank of the Whitewater River in SE Minnesota. It was a remarkable evening. Down in the valley the sun had mostly gone behind the hill a good hour before official sunset up on the prairie bluff. I was overwhelmed by the beauty and tranquility of

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-25902787794559904552008-07-24T08:20:00.001-05:002008-07-24T08:20:00.476-05:00

I posted the other day about what music moves us. But to keep things in perspective here's another thought. There are some songs that just make us smile. For me that would be just about any song by the original Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Cinco de Mayo came on while working a few minutes ago- and I just plain smiled. Spanish Flea will do it, too, as will my old radio theme song Tijuana

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-71907836892763514842008-07-23T20:05:00.003-05:002008-07-23T20:05:01.045-05:00

Our regional PBS station was running a number of episodes of the classic Ken Burns documentary on the Civil War this past Sunday. It is a mesmerizing show from beginning to end. The use of still photographs, talking head historians, letters from soldiers, and a remarkable narration draw you in to this defining moment in our nation's history. As someone said it is the time when the phrase United

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-37261214723457096532008-07-23T09:55:00.001-05:002008-07-23T09:55:00.861-05:00

I guess sometimes you just have to prove the obvious....NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People recovering from alcoholism seem to drink more coffee and have a higher rate of smoking than the average American, a new study shows. The researchers found that among 289 members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), 88.5 percent regularly drank coffee, often in large amounts. One third of coffee drinkers said

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-39558654067565545772008-07-23T08:42:00.003-05:002008-07-23T08:42:01.456-05:00

Another recent Overheard in New York where a Minnesotan causes everyone to wonder what's in the water up here.Waiter from Minnesota: Yeah, check it out! Minnesota is the 2nd healthiest-eating state! Bartender from Brooklyn: What do you eat in Minnesota? Waiter: Well, there are a lot of Scandinavians there so we eat like, you know, sandwiches. Bartender: (silence) Waiter: What? Bartender: You're

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-76897355371173813802008-07-22T19:32:00.005-05:002008-07-22T19:33:09.512-05:00

Well, Sunday was another training trip for the 60 For 60 trip in a little less than two weeks. This one was along the Root River Trail in southeastern Minnesota. I wanted to do about 28 miles to see how it would go. That's 8 miles more than the first excursion on July 4 on the Douglas Trail. The Root River Trail is a Rails to Trails pathway which means that on most of its trip it is fairly

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-7827744237282255742008-07-22T08:29:00.002-05:002008-07-22T08:29:01.031-05:00

via Achievable Ends and Bene Diction Brother Bill at Achievable Ends had this to say:Let me be blunt. When we stand before our Saviour, he isn't going to quiz on the latest and greatest books by Christian authors we've read, (NT Wright or otherwise) - or the Contemporary Christian Music we've listened to to assuage our souls - or even the wondrous edifices we've built in his name. He's going

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-27858048425043938022008-07-21T11:11:00.001-05:002008-07-21T11:11:00.768-05:00

I grew up along the shores of a river near the place where a large creek joined it. One was big, quietly powerful, traveled miles and was a major waterway. The other was smaller and seemed at times to move in different ways. Shallow and rocky it had a kind of familiarity the river could never have. The river was the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. It had been a major thoroughfare in times

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-90576770131165495432008-07-21T11:10:00.000-05:002008-07-21T11:10:00.529-05:00

As all of you regular visitors here know I am taking a 60-mile bike trip in two weeks to celebrate my 60th birthday. (See above post) Well, imagine how wimpy I felt when I saw this in our local paper...To celebrate his 50th birthday,(Jim Hannon of Rochester) decided to ride a stage of the Tour de France. The 10th stage, to be exact, in the Pyrenees Mountains, a stretch from Pau to Hautacam. --

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-19490791043640636232008-07-20T19:09:00.001-05:002008-07-20T19:09:00.427-05:00

The Wheat and the Weeds. Matthew 13: 24-30 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-47787873541242405552008-07-20T07:56:00.001-05:002008-07-20T07:56:00.946-05:00

In keeping with today's theme- i.e. it's a Sunday- here are some questions that were originally posted on Today at the Mission just about a year ago. Originally there were 50 but I have done some picking and choosing, hence the numbers. If they make you uncomfortable, don't worry, they made me uncomfortable, too. 1. Why don't we give church members keys to the kitchen? 2. Can we throw more

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-5752642250208411732008-07-20T01:13:00.002-05:002008-07-20T01:13:00.636-05:00

ESPN's Sports Center has this Titletown, USA thing going. Of course any true Cheesehead knows there's only one Titletown, USA, and it is Green and Gold. But the one last evening hit me in the nostalgia zone- Williamsport, PA, home of Little League Baseball where they have been naming a true World Championship title every year for over 60 years. I grew up not far from Williamsport and spent many

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-24179388921925007792008-07-19T20:38:00.000-05:002008-07-19T20:38:01.181-05:00

Sitting working on different things last evening I was listening to my iTunes on shuffle. Many times when "spiritual" or "religious" tunes pop up, I advance the song. I am discovering that a lot of what I thought were great spiritual tunes (of contemporary Christian music) are kind of dull today. (No, I won't name any names.) I was beginning to wonder if I had lost touch with the spiritual side.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-30826389036875996862008-07-19T07:32:00.003-05:002008-07-19T07:32:01.351-05:00

I've been saving this from Overheard in New York until I needed something and couldn't think of anything. I found this a quick and to the point comeback...Rude famous guy: Do you know who I am?! Waitress: No... But I know your type... --Blue Water Grill, Union SquareNote: Just a warning. Some public WiFi setups (like the one where I am now,) do not allow viewing of Overheard in New York.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-34100836853429863862008-07-18T18:57:00.000-05:002008-07-18T18:57:01.636-05:00

There is no question that addiction is called a "relapsing disease:Rolling Stone guitarist Ronnie Wood enters rehabHe has fought a long battle with alcohol and has again had to face the demon.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-20310711899836407182008-07-18T18:52:00.001-05:002008-07-18T18:52:01.683-05:00

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today! It makes scary sense- which I guess is what satire is supposed to do.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-82137086052675488942008-07-18T07:42:00.002-05:002008-07-18T07:42:01.713-05:00

Mental Floss Blog had 6 Things You Probably Don't Know About Oil posted the other day. Along with the fact that petroleum means "rock oil" in Latin was this absolutely disgusting piece of information.The oil used on screen in There Will Be Blood was actually created using the same industrial material used by McDonald’s to thicken their milkshakes.No tagline needed.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-30874415308884664792008-07-17T20:04:00.002-05:002008-07-17T20:04:01.715-05:00

As usual my reading list continues to be as wide-ranging as my mind some days. Genre fiction is what some of it is often called. The "mystery" genre or the speculative fiction or science fiction genre are two that I have often enjoyed. I recently finished a Spanish mystery, Prime Time Suspect and an anthology of stories from Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine from the past 30 years. I have

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-56834407177943433012008-07-17T10:42:00.001-05:002008-07-17T10:42:00.624-05:00

Who even noticed at the time?July 17 - Saddam Hussein becomes Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary Council in Iraq after a coup d'état

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-62509589467905213122008-07-17T07:32:00.001-05:002008-07-17T07:33:50.363-05:00

When one has a dream that people are telling them that they notice the weight you have put on- maybe it's time to lose some weight. It doesn't help if one exercises but then keeps eating the same way.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-62132975140260391062008-07-16T18:30:00.000-05:002008-07-16T18:30:01.465-05:00

This is from something called “The Big Read” from the NEA. They came up with a list of their top 100 books, and they estimate that the average adult has only read 6 of these books. I have bolded the one I have read. It adds up to 32 for me. I got this from here. She pointed out that the list is very European centered. I also find some of the list surprising. Anyway, for a guy who reads 40 - 50

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-76478431352709628302008-07-16T09:31:00.003-05:002008-07-16T11:29:14.433-05:00

The good, old Twins got some good publicity at the All-Star game thanks to All-Star Justin Morneau! He managed to beat the phenomenal Josh Hamilton in the Home Run Derby on Monday. Then, early this morning I am told (I wasn't watching at that hour) he comes sliding into home on a sacrifice fly scoring the winning run. Quite a player that Justin.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-43474539515504861222008-07-16T07:50:00.002-05:002008-07-16T07:50:01.222-05:00

With all the fuss about Brett Favre and the Packers, I had to find a good football trivia fact. So I went to The Fact Generator at Mental Floss and kept hitting it until one came up. (Kind of like dropping quarter after quarter into a slot machine until you hit it big.) So, here it is, both football and literary....The NFL’s Baltimore Ravens were named for Baltimore native Edgar Allan Poe, author

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-42872505506127417672008-07-15T20:15:00.001-05:002008-07-15T20:15:00.700-05:00

that they play baseball outside on real grass? I've been in Metrodome land for so long it almost came as a surprise. My daughter and I took a road trip last weekend to Milwaukee where she grew up with the Brewers at County Stadium. A couple months ago she commented that it would be really neat to go to Milwaukee to see the new stadium. So we got tickets and off we went. What a park! It has a

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-62621197144756982952008-07-15T09:16:00.000-05:002008-07-15T09:16:00.682-05:00

Thanks to Mental Floss Blog for letting us know a bunch of TV firsts. Here is the story of the first use if the D-Word... The first prime time sitcom curse word was not uttered by Archie Bunker or Al Bundy, but by Doris Packer. You may not recognize the name, but you probably know her face — whether as school principal Mrs. Rayburn on Leave It to Beaver or the Widow Fenwick on The Beverly

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com