Republicans Happier than Democrats?

A Happiness Gap: Doomacrats And Republigrins

By David Montgomery
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 24, 2008; C01

Now the good news for Republicans: You are happier than Democrats. You always have been, and you probably always will be.

What Friends Are For

Came across this article today. It is quite awesome. Perfect timing.

Key line: I know now to take the time to consider what a friend in need really needs.

What Friends Are For
In Trying Times, Help Is Often Near (If You Just Ask)
By Melissa Hart

The week my husband ended up in the hospital with an innocuous foot infection that snowballed, my girlfriends vanished. For seven nights, I lay sleepless and scared while my pale beloved soaked up antibiotics in Room 371 and prayed he wouldn't lose his foot.

My friends knew of our predicament, but only Sarah e-mailed to ask how she could help. In retrospect, a batch of chocolate chip cookies would have been comforting; likewise a shared bottle of cabernet or an offer to walk our three dogs. But I, like many in crisis, went blank. "I have no idea," I e-mailed back.

Click here for the rest. This is the essence of Christianity.

Free Internet

Leading a life that includes an education dependent on internet access for assignment submission can be difficult if one does not have said internet access at home. Especially when one has been at the new place for more than a month.

Such is my life now that Comcast has broken its promises for an installation. I have previously blogged about my disfavor with Comcast from my old, old apartment (here and here), but silly me put economic needs over common sense and elected to go with Comcast.

I have been able to get online from home on occasion using a unsecured wireless network from a neighbor when I'm sitting out on the deck (thank you, whoever you are) but that can be spotty at times. When I first moved, it was still warm out, but now, sitting outside trying to get free internet requires protective garments.

So, right now, and tomorrow, and Wednesday, and every Sunday for the past several weeks, I have made my home Panera Bread. They have free internet, comfy tables, and sandwiches, soups, and salads that are quite good. Oh, and they have lemonade. And an awesome chocolate brownie.

Supposedly Comcast will be visiting on Wednesday to hook up internet and cable. I am hopeful that the third time will be the charm. But I also know with whom I am dealing.

My calendar for Sunday is cleared for a pleasant afternoon lunch at Panera Bread. With free internet access.

Welcome to Fall

To welcome the fall, I have turned over a leaf and discovered my blog. It somehow got hidden. Now that it has been rediscovered, a new flurry of blogging will commence. That's until another object falls on top of it.

Oh bomb McCain!

There is talk of Tim Kaine being picked as Barack Obama's choice for vice president. When you put their names together you get: Obama-Kaine.

If you ask what the democrats are going to try to do to the republicans in November, you get: Oh! Bomb McCain!

Get it?! GET it?!

There here post I say is the first post on the face of the planet taking note of this double entendre of a name.

Who Is In Control?

From a blog I stumbled upon today. Great post.

Have you ever noticed how, when a person is looking for a house, driving slowly down a darkened street straining to see the numbers on the fronts of the homes or on the mailboxes at the end of the driveways, he automatically turns down the car radio? He does so because he instinctively knows that music or voices can be a distraction. A person cannot focus as well on the task at-hand when there is noise in the background. Noise is a distraction.

I’ve often found that when I am writing, and especially writing something that requires deep thought and consistent logic, I need to remove background distractions, whether that means I turn down the music playing from my computer or close the door to my office.... click here for the rest

Change Your Clothes

One thing that I've been doing recently is changing my clothes after work. I don't really dress up for work - it's business casual so I wear khakis, some cords, or other pants in that family of clothing, and usually a button down shirt or a polo. These clothes aren't uncomfortable really... I don't spend my entire day thinking of how much they are irritating me having them on. (Shoes, though, are another matter.)

Usually when I get home, I feel pretty tired from the 8.5 hours spent at work, bookended by almost an hour and a half commuting each way. DC area traffic is grand.

I'm usually pretty exhausted when I arrive back at my apartment, and whenever I have somewhere to be in the evening, I usually make home a pitstop before I take the tiredness with me to the rest of my day.

But all of this has changed.

Yes, I still work my "9-5" and I still have a job that costs me 11.5 hours per day, but now when I get home during my pitstop before the rest of my day, I change my clothes.

This has changed everything.

I'm not a psychologist nor do I claim to be. Well, maybe sometimes I do. But regardless, I think that changing your clothes has a major impact on your brain. Because now, when I go out with my fiancée, make a trip out to the store, or go to a Bible study, I feel suddenly revived, and it feels like I am starting the evening with a fresh bank of energy. The day feels like a new day. I feel like I can forget that I had even gone to work that day, and that my day has been one of leisure.

No, I don't think I am alone in this. And yes, I have a spiritual application from this seemingly random concept.

In Colossians 3, Paul starts asking them to put to death all sorts of things that compose their earthly nature such as sexual immorality, greed, anger, slander, and filthy language. But he goes on to use the image of changing one's clothes. He writes, as recorded in verse 12, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."

This new life that we have in Christ is one that is like putting on some new clothes for the fun part of your day - the good life. Because we want to live a holy life, we need to remove the bad stuff (work clothes) and put on (because they won't get put on by themselves) the good stuff.

Going to Atlanta

I am headed to Atlanta this weekend with CLiC for the Passion Conference. "But Ryan, you live near DC! Why didn't you and the group go to the conference when it was actually close to you?" is a possible question that you may be asking.

Here is the answer: Groupishness.

The lack of that in our newly developing group was evident so something needed to be done.

Being trapped in a 15 passenger van with some of your soon-to-be closer friends for hours on end can do wonders. Eating, living, praying, driving, worshiping, asking, sleeping, breathing, and jumping together for 4 days and 3 nights can help.

Can't wait.

April Fools

Tomorrow, Gmail will have a "Custom Time" feature as their annual April Fool's Joke. No, I do not work for Google, yet I am privy to this information. I am breaking this news, so enjoy it.

Actually, it was broken by a broken link on my Gmail page, and already talked about on 1,600 pages on a Google search.

But yeah, YOU heard it here first.

You're welcome.

I'm Sorry

Dear Blog,

I am sorry. I have neglected you for over a month. I've been busy....well, that's not entirely true. I had a week off from school and work that I thoroughly enjoyed. However, you were not thought of during that period, either.

It's not you. It's me.

The motivation and drive to provide something blogworthy in a sea of blogs is tough. There are so many amazing blogs out there, by people who actually have a "claim to fame" as it were. Authors, musicians, journalists... My traffic is driven by quite sad things, such as the antics of a local news anchor that I wrote about years (years!) ago.

Exciting things HAVE been happening in life. However, the whole factoring you into it is just a foreign concept to me right now. I'm glad that you have been there for me, having a place for me to document things through time so you will NEVER be deleted. I can promise you that. However, viewing life extraneously and sharing it with the masses... rather, making it available to the masses, is something that I need to figure out.

You are not about American Idol. People can get much better commentary elsewhere. Nor are you supposed to be about politics. There are enough blogs and articles about that, too. You are supposed to be about figuring out what the Christian church is supposed to be and the journey to get there.

It just seems that being on an uncharted course is a difficult place to write from. I know it can be done. I know it has been done. But I just don't know how to do it.

For this I am sorry because I feel the potential in it is quite great. I'll figure it out.

Til next time,

Ryan

Happy Together

On a whole, the girls were far better than than the guys, once again. However, I didn't really have a clear stand out. That said, my favorite performer was Brooke White, the girl with the really curly blond hair who, coincidentally sang "Happy Together" which my favorite male sang this week.

Other than her, Amanda Overmeyer didn't live up to the hype that I had placed on her, but she wasn't bad at all.

Kady Malloy really reminded me of Shannon from "Lost."

Syesha Mercado (poofy hair) was exciting, borderline over the top for me though.

Alexandréa Lushington (peace earing)... didn't really understand the praise from Randy and Paula. She CLEARLY wasn't strong when she left her normal singing voice range. Annoyingly weak. Sounded like a young Whitney Houston at parts.

Ramiele Malubay really has a nice big voice, though I don't know if she could be a successful American Idol winner.

Alaina Whitaker (Carrie Underwood clone) was decent though I don't know how I feel about clones.

Out of time, but the Britney Spears impersonator seems like she could be good.

We'll see who goes home tonight. Hopefully not my fave girl or guy.

American Idol (Guys)

Wow, its amazing what can happen in a matter of days in the world of politics. I have been abstaining politics for more than a week now simply because I got overwhelmed by the 2008 presidential election and am ready for it to be over. The whole thing. And I majored in government in college.

Anyway, something far more enjoyable that involves "America" and "voting" is our collective guilty pleasure, American Idol. As a loyal watcher of the show (with the exception of season 2 which I had banned because Tamyra Gray got voted off season 1... yes, I do that...) I will provide regular commentary on this here blog, but hopefully only as a side note. Note. Get it? Ok.

Based on last night's show, I can say that I am honestly disappointed because NOBODY really stuck out as all that good. I only start watching after the auditions so don't have their history on the show to judge them on. So based on my one shot view of them last night, here are my thoughts (with the Fox website open so I can remember their names):

David Cook (wore that skinny tie, sang "Happy Together") - The only person who I listened to that I can see liking. Wasn't the most amazing performance but I liked his vocal quality.

David Archuleta (the 17 year old) - Wow. How 17. How 13, actually. Really was very bubbly you couldn't help but say, "Awwwwww."

Robbie Carrico (the guy who always wears a hat) - Please stop being such a poser.

Chikezie (the guy with the colorful suit) - Top 24 first song and already you have an ego problem. Ready for you to leave. A real "soul" singer would be preferred to this quota filler.

Danny Noriegoa (the guy with many "colors" as described by Paula) - His whole "sassy girl" production was just really annoying.

Jason Castro (guitar and dreads) - Nice to have somebody play an instrument on this show which is a staple on the actual talent based music shows (see: Rock Star, Nashville Star) but really didn't hit me as anything beyond I'd hear at like a county fair.

Michael Johns (the guy with the accent) - First thing I thought was "Tom Brady." I know he is supposed to be good, based on his show closing number, but I just wasn't into it at all.

THE REST - No comments.

The girls are usually better (bias noted) so I am hoping for them to salvage this possible wreck of a season tonight. Based on their visuals though, it seems like they have their "Mandisa" and "Carrie Underwood" slots filled. Having not heard her sing AT ALL, I am hoping that Amanda Overmyer's look isn't just for show and that she has the type of voice I totally dig.

The Maryland Primary

I will be voting for Mike Huckabee today for whatever it's worth.

My 2008 Election Prediction

It will be a Clinton/McCain matchup.

Hillary Clinton/Barack Obama against John McCain/Mike Huckabee.

Clinton will unite the Republican party and McCain will be sworn into office in January of next year.

Reasons for the Democratic ticket - delegate situation, as posted yesterday. Hillary's superdelegates will give her the nomination, with the delegates from Michigan and Florida added to the mix after their previous banishment creating a much argued about majority.

Reasons for the Republican ticket - McCain would need a way to pull Southern support, and Huckabee proved that he could do it on Super Tuesday. Both men like each other, with McCain saying recently that he had, "the greatest respect and frankly some affection," for Huckabee. He'll stick it to Rush.

Not enough delegates for the Democrats

This is from a Washington Post chat that took place earlier today. Basically, the chances of Hillary or Obama picking up the needed delegates in the remaining primaries and caucus is virtually none, so its going to come down to the super delegates!

We've done a bad job of explaing this, but it is now basically mathematically impossible for either Clinton or Obama to win the nomination through the regular voting process (meaning the super-delegates decide this one, baby!).
Here's the math. There are 3,253 pledged delegates, those doled out based on actual voting in primaries and caucuses. And you need 2,025 to win the nomination.
To date, about 55% of those 3,253 delegates have been pledged in the voting process -- with Clinton and Obamb roughly splitting them at about 900 delegates a piece.
That means there are now only about 1,400 delegates left up for grabs in the remaining states and territories voting.
So, do the math. If they both have about 900 pledged delegates so far, they need to win more than 1,100 of the remaining 1,400 delegates to win the nomination through actual voting.
Ain't gonna happen, barring a stunning scandal or some new crazy revelation. So, they'll keep fighting this thing out, each accumulating their chunk of delegates, one of them holding a slight edge and bothing finishing the voting process with 1,600 or so delegates.
And then the super delegates decide this thing.
That's the math.

Frozen Grand Central

This is quite amazing. Check it out.

Do church and football mix? Not according to the NFL.

NFL Pulls Plug on Big-Screen Church Parties for Super Bowl

Battle between the F's and the T's

I watched most of the Democratic debate last night and have come to the following conclusion. Hillary Clinton is very knowledgeable about policy. Always answered questions in terms of what she had done in the past and how that would move her forward. Barack Obama was extremely visionary and focused more on how his actions would be based on principles, rationalizing his actions this way.

My theory is that, if you are familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Clinton supporters are more of the T(hinking)-type, whereas the Obama supporters are the F(eeling)-type.

I am speaking of the base of support here. This would not apply to strategy-minded people who simply support Obama because he is NOT Hillary since she would be the greatest unifier of the Republican party. It is the obsessed supporter types of which I speak. (i.e. Obama makes me feel so great!, or Hillary's experience is what we can count on!)

Why are Liberals so Afraid of Baby Jesus?

Here's an article from this past Christmas that I just read. It was pretty good. Written by John Ridley, formerly of my favorite morning show, Morning Joe.

Getting raw (at lunchtime)

Starting today, I will start a new food fad in my life. I will only be eating raw foods from now on - only for lunchtime, though. I'll still have a healthy share of chicken, deep fried foods, baked goods, and other things that are good for the soul.

Why?

How did I know that question was on your mind? I came to this decision late last week for several reasons. Firstly, I am trying to streamline my operating expenses so I figured bringing lunch from home could help. However, when all the costs do get factored in, the savings experienced really aren't that great when compared to eating out in the $5-$6 range. However, if I eat only fruit and vegetables, I can find savings.

Secondly, I had a nagging cold that just wouldn't go away. The worst of the cold was about a week and a half ago, but I still have the phlegm in my nose that doesn't require a Kleenex, but I can hear and feel when I breathe hard through my nostrils. So to help get that outta here, I figured eating "healthy" would help, which then led me to the conclusion... "why not eat healthy even when you are not sick... that might actually help in other ways..." So I decided to heed to my conscience.

And finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the concept of a "raw diet" was initially placed in my head a while back on Shaun Groves' blog which I read on a regular basis. I don't know if I can be as hardcore as he is doing this raw diet for all meals, but using it for one meal a day is a big first step. If I survive for the next 2 weeks, this will be a great feat.

So to kick things off, I went to the grocery store yesterday specifically to buy cereal for breakfast (which I have been skipping for the past few months) and a big bag of spinach I was going to consume today. However, in keeping with my tradition of starting things off on the right foot, I forgot it at home. So I will have to go buy a $8 salad for about $1.50 worth of ingredients. Which is more important? Health or wealth? I guess that makes the $8 salad a little easier to swallow...