Archive for Funny Stuff
Hokey- A Definition
Posted by: | CommentsSlow blogging today- not because of the powerless Macbook, but because of a day long bus trip. Not my favorite, though I almost finished Treasure Island on the way. I see now why it’s a classic. One lesson learned is that I won’t go with the free audiobooks, but will make the purchase next time. You just can’t top a professional reader.
Just for fun today, here’s a word you use daily (if you’re hip like that). Much thanks to my friend Michelle for bringing a smile to my face by using it in an email - and then looking it up!
hokey |ˈhōkē|adjective ( hokier , hokiest ) informal
- mawkishly sentimental : a good-hearted, slightly hokey song.
- noticeably contrived : a hokey country-western accent.
DERIVATIVES - hokeyness (also hokiness) noun
ORIGIN 1940s: from hokum + -y 1 .
Here’s a challenge for you: Find a way to legitimately use the word ‘hokey’ within the next two days. Even better: find a way to legitimately use ‘hokeyness.’ Let me know how it goes. I would especially like to find out if anyone you are speaking to stops you and asks, “Did you just use the word, ‘hokeyness?’”
Worse comes to worse, you can at least give them a definition.
The Proper Place
Posted by: | Comments
It’s getting late here in Turkey, but I refuse to end the day without making a blog post. I mean, after all, I know you are all eagerly awaiting such a post. Erin tried to stay up long enough to read one, so excited was she to partake of it, but she just couldn’t hang in their long enough. (Be sure not to believe that for a second by the way, though she does like reading my posts or at least fakes it well).
I suppose the reason for my slowness in posting today is my Macbook plug incident. Somehow the cord is just plain jacked up and apparently finished (not as pretty as the one in the flashy photo to the left). You know I tried to hold it every which way last night (think old-school tv antenna and you got the picture), so desperate am I for a charge. But alas, to no avail. Thankfully, one of my teammates is wise enough to own a Macbook (no offense to all you foolish Windows folk out there, typical arrogant Mac person I am–just kidding of course…or am I?) and was kind enough to allow me to borrow his charger today. He leaves Sunday, however, so I will be at least 3 days without a charge, for I am certain there isn’t a Mac store here in the sprawling metropolis of Bandirma. Or I already would have bought the house.
Here is the interesting thing about losing (ok, partly losing) the Macbook: the time away from it helps to put the use and enjoyment of it in its proper place.
Yea, I know it’s simple, but at the same time, it is such a neglected reality. For how many of us are inclined to step away, particularly willingly step away, from certain good things in our lives? Or whether we are inclined to do so or not (I suspect few of us are), how many of us actually do so? And if we lose something good, how often do we miss the benefits of the occasion by fretting over the lack of that good thing? If you are anything like me, the answers are too sad and too plain.
The Bible certainly encourages the discipline of fasting. Jesus even spoke as if it were to be a ‘given’ in the lives of His disciples (Matthew 6). But the practice isn’t limited only to food. The principle of walking away from a good thing for a time in order to hunger for and more thoroughly enjoy the best thing (ultimately, God, but also many other good things that may be higher on the priority chain) stands even for a Macbook (or Internet or TV or pick your poison…good poison that is). And no matter what that good thing may be, the walking away from it inevitably brings a host of rewards- though I must confess, if we are seeing clearly, it will also reveal more than a few problems (both small and large).
But if we want to see ourselves and our things clearly, we must take the time to periodically walk away from them. And I would add, to make a focused effort to use some of the extra time and energy to seek the Lord. For it is only when we walk away from a thing that we can begin to see its proper place. Only then can we see what kind of adjustments can or should be made. For our good, the good of others and the glory of God.
So rejoice with me at the semi-losing of my Macbook! For it is a very good thing, provided I use the opportunity well.
Though yes, I confess, I will be placing a call to Applecare very soon…
So the Movie…
Posted by: | Comments
Yes, as I mentioned at the end of my post yesterday, I watched The Man in the Iron Mask (movie version) last night. Here are a few things I uttered while watching it:
“For real?” ”O come on…” ”Now that’s just plain ridiculous.” “No, just no.” “Seriously…that didn’t just happen.” “What were they thinking?” “Athos is actually the exact opposite of the guy Malkovich is playing.”
Or in responding to Erin’s question: “Did this happen in the book?” I had to simply reply: “This isn’t based upon the book. It’s just an entirely new story with new characters that just happen to share the same names as Dumas’.”
Or when I paused the movie and said to Erin, “I’ll tell you what, after this buster movie ends, I will tell you what happens in the book and then we can decide what the movie-makers could have done to actually make this good.”
That being said, you can imagine how I feel about the movie. Although it did have a happy ending…sort of. Actually, they threw something in there at the end that was just so ridiculous and not smart that the ending wasn’t so happy at all. At least to me.
So again I was left longing for the true and final happy ending. And again, it’s not a bad place to be. But still, with the amount of money and energy that was poured into the film I saw last night, they could have done so much better. In my opinion, the best movie based upon one of Dumas’ books is The Count of Monte Cristo. I loved the book, though I desired a little different ending, which the movie thankfully gave me (more or less). Seriously, that one is money.
And so was the one we viewed with the kids tonight, The Tale of Despereaux. (Yea, we are on a rare movie roll around here.) It was great, and it certainly served its purpose of making up for the poor showing of the Iron Mask. That’s one of my movie habits, I confess. When I see a bad one (at least to me), I often am compelled to follow it up quickly when one I know is legit.
But enough of all this nonsense. Maybe I will post something highly significant tomorrow, like how the plug for my Macbook went out. No. I’ll spare you that…at least for now.
One quick lesson from all this rambling: Whether you like the ending or not, be sure to let it lead you to a greater longing for the true and final ending that is soon to come. That way, both the good and bad movies (or books) serve you well.
