Category Archives: Work

Computer Mine Pittsburgh Trip Eats

Last week I was in Pittsburgh with Lowell and New Chris on a work trip to install computers in a customer’s office. The office’s office manager just completely spoiled us with constantly hosting us for dinner, bringing us food, and taking us to fantastic restaurants.

While this isn’t a foodie blog by any stretch of the animation, despite all the tenderloin posts, it is in the Bennett DNA to photograph pictures of our food. So I thought I would share some cruddy cell phone pictures of most of the foods I ate last week:


Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
Chicago Airport

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
Monday Dinner

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
My favorite dish on the trip.

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
Peanut butter and chocolate equals perfect harmony.

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
#wafflelife

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
Tuesday Lunch

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
Tuesday Supper

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
Wednesday Lunch

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
Wednesday Supper

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
#wafflelife

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
Thursday Lunch

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
Thursday Supper

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
Wednesday Lunch – Charlotte Airport

Pittsburgh Work Trip Eats
A Valentine’s gift from the Computer Mine when I got home.

Sorry to those who already endured my food pictures and sorry to those that haven’t and are now jealous.

I hadn’t travelled for work in at least 5 years. Don’t know that I’ll travel again for another 5 years, but I guess we’ll see.

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This is your reminder that this week’s theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is HARMONY.


WEEK 337 - HARMONY
HARMONY

HARMONY! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly is a HARMONY image? A HARMONY image is simply a picture of at least two things that team up together perfectly. Like peanut butter and jelly. Cardinal and gold. Laurel and Hardy. Colors can also harmonize. I’m not going to go deep into color theory, but here are a few examples of colors that HARMONYze: Orange-Blue, Pink-Green, Orange-Green, Red-Green, Yellow-Purple, Blue-Yellow, Green-Magenta, Red-Cyan. Also, a HARMONY image could also relate to music as HARMONY is a very important part of music.

Happy photo harvesting!

2021 Computer Mine Holiday Card

I used to take a picture of every Computer Mine employee for the Computer Mine’s annual holiday card. It was a fun, little diversion from swinging the pick axe even if I could count on getting the same complaints from the same people every single year. “Why can’t you just use last year’s picture?” “Why do we have to do this?” “Why can’t I wear a hat?” “I hate doing this.” “Can you stand on top of the picnic table to get my angles?” “Can I have somebody hold my neck?” I actually do kind of miss it. Well, I miss some of it.

The pandemic and the fact now the grand majority of employees work exclusively from home has lead to my losing of this gig. Now, everybody takes their own picture and submits it. It is actually an improvement for the holiday card. It doesn’t look as professional, but it allows people to show off their personality. Even people who take pictures with their cat for some reason. So you know who the bad people are.

Last year, I did take my picture (obviously) and I also took pictures for two other pick swingers. Here are some of those pictures:


2021 - Computer Mine Holiday Card

2021 - Computer Mine Holiday Card

2021 - Computer Mine Holiday Card

2021 - Computer Mine Holiday Card

2021 - Computer Mine Holiday Card

2021 - Computer Mine Holiday Card

2021 - Computer Mine Holiday Card

2021 - Computer Mine Holiday Card

2021 - Computer Mine Holiday Card

2021 - Computer Mine Holiday Card

Next Sunday’s formal portraits will involve Kyle’s senior pictures again.

Computer Mine Secret Santa

The December image from the 2022 Photography Calendar is a drone picture of a forest along the banks of the Des Moines River.


2022 Calendar - December

I hope people enjoy the calendar this year. I’ve got some positive feedback on it anyways.

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Several years ago, I used to finish the year with the Proust Questionnaire as a form of reflection on the year past. Well, I think we can all agree that 2021 was a terrible, terrible year. And while even terrible, terrible years do have some positives and are still worthy of reflection, I didn’t feel like doing the entire 31-35 question questionnaire. So I thought maybe just answering the Bernard Pivot Questionnaire would be enough:

1. What is your favorite word? Well… I actually overuse it more than actually enjoy using it.
2. What is your least favorite word? Maybe.
3. What is your favorite drug? The open road.
4. What sound or noise noise do you love? Juicy Wiggle.
5. What sound or noise do you hate? My phone ringing.
6. What is your favorite curse word? Mulkey.
7. Who would you like to see on a new banknote? Ted Lasso – Be curious. Not judgmental.
8. What profession other than your own would you not like to attempt? Most really. Any job with more human contact than mine. It is pretty evident at this point in history that humans suck at the aggregate level.
9. If you were reincarnated as some other plant or animal, what would it be? Golden retriever.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Matthew 25:21.

Maybe next year I’ll bring back the Proust Questionnaire. Maybe.

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Back a week or so ago, we did a Secret Santa thing at the Computer Mine for hybrid or work in the office full-time. I took some pictures for the Computer Mine social medias. Here are some pictures from the event:


Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Computer Mine Secret Santa - 2021

Michelle was my Secret Santa. She got me some sweet Cyclone socks and some of my favorite candies. I was Denise’s Secret Santa. I got her some booze and some peanut butter cups.

Selfie Project – July 2021

On Saturday night I completed another successful month of THE SELFIE PROJECT. It probably wasn’t the most exciting month, but I think we did some good work here now and then.

Here are my favorites from July:


Day 183 - July 2, 2021
July 2, 2021

Day 184 - July 3, 2021
July 3, 2021

Day 185 - July 4, 2021
July 4, 2021

Day 186 - July 5, 2021
July 5, 2021

Day 187 - July 6, 2021
July 6, 2021

Day 190 - July 9, 2021
July 9, 2021

Day 191 - July 10, 2021
July 10, 2021

Day 192 - July 11, 2021
July 11, 2021

Day 193 - July 12, 2021
July 12, 2021

Day 195 - July 14, 2021
July 14, 2021

Day 197 - July 16, 2021
July 16, 2021

Day 198 - July 17, 2021
July 17, 2021

Day 199 - July 18, 2021
July 18, 2021

Day 202 - July 21, 2021
July 21, 2021

Day 204 - July 23, 2021
July 24, 2021

Day 205 - July 24, 2021
July 24, 2021

Day 206 - July 25, 2021
July 25, 2021

Day 208 - July 27, 2021
July 27, 2021

Day 209 - July 28, 2021
July 28, 2021

Day 212 - July 31, 2021
July 31, 2021

There can only be one Selfie per day, but I’ve decided to start sharing some alternate selfies from the month, that just didn’t make the cut:


A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

A Selfie Project 2021 Alternate

If you want to peruse all the THE SELFIE PROJECT images from 2021, click on the link below:

Selfie Project – 2021

Hopefully August is another successful month!

2010-03-01 & 2010-03-04

The pictures in the folders 2010-03-01 and 2010-03-04 are mostly from some pictures I took for the Computer Mine newsletter and for Personal Photo Project #10.

That PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT was to take a picture of Jill’s foot and place it behind a window. Sadly, the resulting piece of work fell into disrepair. I threw it in the basement to store. During the recent basement workings I found it again. Not sure what to do with it. Probably time for the trash pile, but maybe great pieces of art should be burned like a flag. Or it will probably will just continue to take up space in my basement.


WEEK 8 - SELF-PORTRAIT - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

COMPUTERMINETOGRAPHY

COMPUTERMINETOGRAPHY

COMPUTERMINETOGRAPHY

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 10

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 10

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 10

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 10

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 10

By adding these pictures to the Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory:

RWPE #8 – SELF-PORTRAIT

COMPUTERMINETOGRAPHY

PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT OF THE WEEK NO. 10

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve a dirty stache.

Art is Art – 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE: After I wrote this post, the Boone County Fair announced that the Fair was going on as normal. Here is their press release:

The Boone County Fair Board is excited to announce that the fair will occur as planned July 16-19, with only a few minor changes due to COVID-19 restrictions. With support from Boone County Public Health, Emergency Management and Boone County Extension, the fair board has developed a plan that allows the regular livestock shows, food vendors, carnival rides, grandstand shows and free concerts to take place.

For months the Boone County Fair Board has been meeting regularly to discuss options on what this year’s fair might look like. They have also been consulting with health officials, insurance providers, as well as polling the public on their comfort levels of attending fair events during these unprecedented times. After a special meeting to specifically discuss the fate of the fair, and with the restrictions being lifted in the state as of Friday, June 12, the board voted in favor of having fair. Although the fair plans are moving forward as normal, the fair board is taking extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of all fairgoers. Plans are in place to increase sanitation, including extra handwashing stations and hand sanitizer throughout the grounds. Additionally, the fair board plans to disinfect main seating areas including the show ring, grandstand and bleachers daily and provide signage to remind people to keep social distancing and to use good hygiene practices. Following the State of Iowa’s lead, personal responsibility is requested for people to determine if they feel comfortable attending the fair during this time. High risk or vulnerable individuals are asked to consider staying home.

The Boone County Fair has a great lineup of events and entertainment this year. Grandstand shows include Figure 8 Races, Demolition Derby and Mud Races. Stage concerts include Jake Doty & Hawk McIntyre, Casey Muessigmann and Tyler Richton & the Highbank Boys. The locally owned and operated carnival Scott Amusements, will return this year with even more rides for all ages to enjoy. New this year is the “Have Fun, Give Back” carnival program. Thanks to a sponsorship from Farm Bureau, the first 100 kids to donate a non-perishable food item each day of the fair will receive a free carnival wristband for that day. Through this program, we hope everyone can have fun at the fair and give back to our local food pantries. Unfortunately, we have cancelled some of our events such as Mutton Busting and Extravaganza in order to maintain social distancing guidelines. For a complete list of Boone County Fair events and activities or to purchase tickets, visit the fairs website at www.boonecountyfairia.com.

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This collection of images represents that last of the pictures from March that I had yet to curate and edit. It feels good to not really have all that much of a backlog any longer. It is like, if there was an Iowa State Fair Photography Salon or a Boone County Fair Photo Contest or a Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest, I would almost be prepared for it this year.

While there definitely won’t be an Iowa State Fair Photography Salon and I would consider it highly doubtful that the other two contests will exist, I guess, it still feels good to not have a ton of pictures just lying in folders collecting dust.

This collection of pictures covers pictures of my delicious rhubarb (that I grow myself, personally), Naima, and a picture of the dust on my work keyboard. I can only imagine how much dust covers that keyboard now. I haven’t been physically all up inside of the computer mine since April.

Although, I might make a quick jaunt over there later this week or next week. I have a scanner I need to drop off, but I digress…


Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Art is Art - 2020

Naima from March of 2020

Naima from March of 2020

Naima from March of 2020

Naima from March of 2020

Naima from March of 2020

Naima from March of 2020

Black Keys

An update on Naima’s health. She had her sutures removed on Monday and Dr. Stephanie said that everything looks good. She had a couple rough days last week where she seemed to be in some pain. I allowed her to overexert herself over the weekend I’m afraid. Now she seems to be back to her old self. Still probably going to try to make her take it easy for another week though.

Hopefully her fur grows back pretty soon. Yeah, she is weird looking right now, but also the lack of fur doesn’t provide her with much protection when she is digging through the raspberries chasing “chippies” or rabbits. But she doesn’t seem to mind.

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

35 days working from home in the book. I did discover a new positive about working from home this week. I had to go into the physical computer mine twice this week because Apple products suck. They really do. I have nothing positive to say about them.

But that isn’t the positive. The positive I figured out two positives for working from home on my trip to the mine.

One, I can control the lights in my office. I usually just daylight that streams in from my south facing office windows is enough. But on cloudy days I will sometimes run a lamp. If I need more light for some reason I can turn on the overhead lamp.

The mine has the soul crushing fluorescent lighting that is always on. I miss many things about the mine, but the lighting isn’t one of them.

The other positive, my own toilet paper. Seems like a minor thing, but the toilet paper at the mine leaves a lot to be desired. A lot!

My home listening habits were the same. Life 107.1 from 7-9. Then The Master Playlist until 2 PM roughly. This week I made it all the way to track number 1456, “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt.

A decent pandemic song:

“You and me, we used to be together
Every day together, always
I really feel that I’m losin’ my best friend
I can’t believe this could be the end”

I did delete a couple songs from the Master Playlist for sound quality reasons:

#1337 – “You” by Candlebox
#1299 – “Slow Ride” by Foghat

Pretty sure I will finish off the Master Playlist next week. At that time, it will be time, to start adding to it. That should be fun!

+++++++

Here is a reminder that the Sharp family is collecting empty laundry detergent jugs to fill with homemade laundry detergent to donate to local pantries. They have setup a collection can at the end of their driveway for you to leave your empty jugs.

They live at the very end of Division Street. Keep going south on Division until you can’t go any farther. It is easy and contact free. I dropped off a couple of jugs last night:


Sharp Family Laundry Detergent Company

Sharp Family Laundry Detergent Company

If you can’t find it, drop your jugs off to me and I’ll get them there.

Here are a few pictures of their soap operation that Andy has sent me:


Sharp Family Laundry Detergent Company

Sharp Family Laundry Detergent Company

Sharp Family Laundry Detergent Company

Sharp Family Laundry Detergent Company

Sharp Family Laundry Detergent Company

It is a great ministry and I hope some of you can help them out!

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Last Saturday I went over to Iowa State to walk the campus with Teresa. While I was there I took a few TREE pictures that didn’t quite make the cut for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE on Monday. Here are a few of them:


You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

You Know, I Hurt Myself As Well

Iowa State University, still world’s reigning champ for most beautiful campus!

The cherry blossom pictures are from my backyard though.

ADM vs. Boone

30 days working from home in the book. Although for the first time, I had to go into the mine to do something that couldn’t be done from home. I can’t put into words how much I hate Apple products. The fire of a thousands suns. That is the heat of my hatred for Apple products.

There were only 5 people working in the physical mine when I went there. So I actually got to physically see Kim for the first time since March. I also got to physically see Vest because… let me reiterate how much I hate Apple products.

If you are running a business, buy an adult computer.

I’m not sure if I garnered any more positives from working from home this week. But good things did happen. Baier dropped off an order of 60 chicken wings from Buffalo Wild Wings. Took me some time to get through all of those, but I’m not even mad about it. Although it did set back the timeline for a project I’ve been working on, but that is okay. The fishies of the sea are thankful.

I still haven’t started on the basement. For those asking. Instead, I’ve done a bit of yardwork. Maybe I’ll start on the basement this weekend.

I’ve reached track # 1210 “Freak on a Leash” by Korn. Korn is a band I don’t listen to much any more. Not really at all. Was never a big Korn fan, but they were a part of my listening milieu at one point of my life.

“Freak on a Leash” probably isn’t the best song to ingest during physical distancing. Better than drinking bleach or injecting Lysol, but a sample of the lyrics:

“Sometimes I cannot take this place
Sometimes it’s my life I can’t taste
Sometimes I cannot feel my face
You’ll never see me fall from grace”

I did eliminate several songs from the Master Playlist this week though. All of them because the sound quality on them were really low:

#800 “Ironic” by James Corden and Alanis Morissette
#1052 “Tennessee” by Arrested Development
#1053 “Intergalactic” by Beastie Boys
#1054 “So What’Cha Want” by Beastie Boys
#1055 “Sabotage” by Beastie Boys
#1062 “Mama Said Knock You Out” by LL Cool J
#1101 “If I Were A Boy” by BC Jean

Hope to get to the end of the Master Playlist soon so I can start adding music to it.

+++++++

As I have been a cleaning fool, I’ve looked for more and more ways to get Naima’s fur under control. Not the fur on her body, but the fur she leaves everywhere. I have purchased 2 air purifiers. I’m thinking of breaking down and buying a full-sized vacuum cleaner. I haven’t yet, but one thing I did recently breakdown and purchase is the Furzapper.

Furzapper is a product that you throw in your washer and dryer and it zaps the fur on your clothing. It was relatively cheap, so I pulled the trigger and thought I would give it a try.


Furzapper

Furzapper

Wow! Looks great! But do they work? Boy do they!

I started with some gym pants that are by far in the worst shape.


Furzapper

I followed the directions:


Furzapper

In fact, I washed and dried the pants twice. Once alone, and this was the result:


Furzapper

Does that look worse? Cause it look worse to me. So I figured that maybe there were some missing instructions. So here is the complete list of “secret instruction” I discovered.

Step #1: Wash and dry alone.
Step #2: Wash and dry with other clothes.
Step #3: Drive real fast and hold them out the window.


Furzapper

Step #4: Pick off the really big pieces of fur.
Step #5: Run a lint roller over it for 15 minutes.
Step #6: Hang outside on a windy day.
Step #7: Run a lint roller over it again.
Step #8: Drive real fast and hold them out the car window.
Step #9: Wash and dry alone.

After those 9 easy steps, this is the result:


Furzapper

Not perfect, but I can wear them again. In fact, probably wearing them as you read these word!

So if anybody tells you that Furzapper is the worst 15 bucks they ever spent, just tell them about the secret directions that I have uncovered. That is all it takes to make Furzapper appear to work like a champ!

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Last fall Andy requested that I come to photograph Kyle playing in a Boone High football game. It was the first time I have attended a Boone High Football game since Brandon graduated.

Boone has a super young team and I don’t remember the score, but their opponent, ADM dominated the entire game. I think Boone was lucky to get off the field because I think something like 8 Boone players left the game with injuries. Including a kid that had to be taken off the field in an ambulance in the last minutes of the game.

Here are some picture from the night. Kyle is #30. You will also recognize some photos of Autumn and Taylan:


Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

Boone vs. ADM - 2019

It was quite the experience, but a tough environment to photograph. At least from the stands. It was so packed in there, could barely move in any direction.

I’m sure, if there is high school football this year, I’ll be at a game again this year.

Elainie Homecoming Ch. 1

25 days working from home down. No clue how many are left, but I’m guessing it at least 2 more weeks. This week with my extra stay at home time, I mopped my floors. All of them. Not counting the basement. We don’t talk about the basement! I also cleaned all my blinds. Which was scarier that I thought it would be. But as it turns out, only the bathroom blinds were that scary. The kitchen blinds a little bit. I hope to do a wardrobe downsizing soon. Hopefully this weekend. We’ll see. Maybe, I’ll even start working on the basement. Maybe get a little more yard work done.

My work listening schedule didn’t change much. Streamed Life 107.1 FM from 7-9 in the morning. I had what I’m gong to consider a God Moment on Wednesday morning. I know that listening to a Christian radio station might always be a God Moment, but there is one in particular. After the Coronacat post on Tuesday night, I got my normal heat from “cat people”.

Then on Wednesday morning, Taylor and Jen (the morning hosts on Life 107.1) were interviewing the lead singer of Casting Crowns. He is was well studied theologian. For what may have seemed like no reason, he announced that “cats don’t have souls”. Then he went on to praise golden retrievers. Sorry, Alisa, them’s the facts.

I went to Amazon and immediately ordered “Thrive”, “Until the Whole World Hears”, “The Very Next Thing” and “Only Jesus”.(They will arrive promptly on May 15) I’m not a new Casting Crowns fan. “Nobody” is a flat out banger that I sometimes listen to on a loop.

Of course, this will be used to support the false narrative that I hate cats. Not true. I just report facts.

It is like Harry Truman said:

“I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.”

Then from 9 to 2 I listen to the Master Playlist. This week I made it all the way to track #1002 – “I Don’t Want to Be” by Gavin DeGraw. Probably a good song for quarantine living:

“I don’t want to be anything
Other than what I’ve been trying to be lately
All I have to do is of me and I have peace of mind
I’m tired of looking around rooms wondering what I gotta do
Or who I’m supposed to be
I don’t want to be anything other than me”

I didn’t eliminate any songs from the Master Playlist this week.

From 2-4 I still listen to Murph & Andy. Although this week I sprinkled in a podcast breaking down Iowa State’s 2020 football roster.

I don’t know if I’ve discovered any more positives with the work from home life. I recently purchased two air purifiers. I’m not sure it has kept the dust homes as much as I wanted, but I can definitely tell the air is cleaner because I could tell that Naima was really starting to get ripe. She got a bath on Wednesday night. She wasn’t a fan, but she is crazy soft right now.

+++++++

Pastor Dave reached out to me on Wednesday and wanted me to write up (or make a video) of how I’ve seen God working recently. I’m not sure how he is going to use it, but I think he will using during our church service on Sunday. Which you can hear live on KWBG at 9 AM. We still aren’t having worship services in person, obviously.

You can also stream KWBG from their website.

I went the written route because if I started making a video, it would take forever. Absolutely forever. I get too deep into those things.

+++++++

Time to start curating a collection of pictures that I’m just going to lump under the category of Elainie Homecoming. These were taken back in September when Elainie was home from San Diego. Some are family portrait type pictures. Some are more like Elainie-Sabas engagement photos.

Here is the first collection:


Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Stenslands- 2019

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

Elainie & Sabas

There is a ton more photos from Elainie’s homecoming on the way. A veritable ton!