It Continues

It's been about a week since my my previous post, and there have been two more build sessions.  This update deals with the build session on Thursday of this past week, Septermber 1, 2011.  Parts and comments will be added in roughly chronological order.

First, a little more background.  I am tired of leaning over when I ride, so I decided to give myself a more upright riding position by raising the handlebars up a bit.  The problem was twofold: the steerer tube on my bike was cut short; it is extremely difficult to find a 1" fork these days (it is next to impossible to find a 1" stem (I have been using a 1 1/8" stem with a shim)).  1" used to be the common size, but everything is 1 1/8" or larger now.  Thus, it made sense to me to get a new frame with a 1 1/8" head tube and get a new, uncut fork.

On to the build.

If you recall from the previous post (if not you can peruse it now to refresh your memory) I got as far as test fitting the fork and headset.  It seemed to me that the next logical next step was to install the stem and handlebar so that I could put on the wheels and get the bike standing on its own two feet, so to speak.  Before installing said stem and handlebar, however, I had to remove them from the donor bike.

The donor bike:

The left side

The right side

The donor bike was originally a 1994 Bridgestone MB4 (that was about the last year Bridgestone bikes were sold in the U.S.), purchased new for roughly $450.  Since its purchase so many years ago it has been basically rebuilt, one piece at a time.  The original parts include the frame, front derailur, bottom bracket, crankset, and some of the bolts.  It has served me well for a long time.

The first step of disassembly of the donor bike was to remove everything from the handlebars and then remove the handlebars.  The next step was to remove the top cap and the stem.  I also removed all cables at this time.

Time to test fit the stem and mark and cut the steerer tube.

The photo shows how things stacked up.  I marked and cut the steerer tube and called it a day.  It may not seem like much progress, but it's one step closer to the finished product.

The stem:

The stem is a 1 1/8" Easton stem.  I believe it is 9 degrees of rise, but I don't recall the length.







I brought Satchmo out to the garage with me again for this session, thinking that he might be more comfortable on a second visit, but it was much the same: he meowed for a while, then settled down behind a stack of boxes.

Disassembly is sometimes part of assembly.

bIsh

It Begins

What begins?  The building of a new bike.

My trusty commuter/street bike is over 17 years old now, so it seems like a good time for an upgrade.  Instead of simply buying a bike, however, I've decided to build one from scratch - that is to say, starting from a bare frame.  This bike will be a combination of new and old parts (primarily for budget reasons).  The old parts include the wheels (including tires and tubes), pedals, cassette, rear derailur, seatpost, saddle, stem, handlebar, brakes and levers, shifters, and as much cabling as I can reuse.  Everything else will be brand-spanking new.  I will be doing all of the work myself, except for installing the crown race.

This blog will be a journal of my build over the coming days and weeks.  This entry is also the first update.

Yesterday I installed the first components - the headset (using my own homemade headcup press), the bottom bracket, seatpost collar, and the derailur hanger.

The frame:

I selected a generic aluminum frame from a trusted online bike retailer.  This frame is 18" in size, and it includes a replaceable derailur hanger and mounting points for my rear rack.  It is white.

The headset:

The headset is a Cane Creek 40 - 1 1/8" in size.

The bottom bracket:

The bottom bracket is an FSA with external bearings.  This style seems to be the way the industry is going.

The seatpost collar:

The seatpost collar is a Salsa, non-quick-release.  It is blue.  I like Salsa products, I like the blue, and I don't anticipate a need to adjust my saddle height a whole lot once I've set it.

The fork:

The fork is a rigid 1 1/8" Surly.  It is black.  As this will be a mostly on-road bike I opted not to spend the extra money on a suspension fork.

I decided to bring Satchmo into the garage with me for this first build session, thinking that he would like to explore in the garage, but it wasn't as fun for him as I had hoped.  He was quite meowy at first, and he assumed a defensive/scared/submissive posture as he sniffed around for a bit.  Eventually he settled down and hung out behind a pile of boxes.  I may take Daisy out to the garage for the next build session.

That's it for now.

Remember to always
bIsh

About A Cat

I have now joined the ranks of cat owners. About 2 weeks ago I purchased, from the local animal shelter, a 2 month-old kitten - Domestic Shorthair, tuxedo pattern. I've named him Satchmo, and he is very vocal. Right now he's cleaning his little claws, the way cats do, and he just finished giving himself a bath. So far he's been confined to my room, and the hallway joining my room. As soon as the rest of the place is cat-ready I'll be letting him visit, and eventually he'll have the run of the place. Satchmo is an indoor cat, very zippy at times, a very good climber, quite curious, and good at figuring out how to get where he wants to get. Yes he's fixed, and no he's not declawed. Scratching is a normal part of a cat's life, and if you're not prepared to deal with it, well maybe a cat isn't right for you.

Some who know me might ask, "Why a cat?" I like cats. Cats are self-cleaning, and easy to clean up after, they're somewhat self-entertaining, and they're fun to watch and play with when they get into hunting/pouncing mode. I like cats.

Cats. Cool.
bIsh

Bish For President

I just today realized that I'm now old enough to run for President. I wonder if I can get on the '08 ballot.

Vote for
bIsh

Of Pizza Trees

Maybe on the wild pizza trees of legend you might find fresh, whole pizza, in pizza season, but what I'm told (by someone who knows) is that today's modern pizza trees mainly produce the ingredients separately. And you know that calzones were merely pizzas that hadn't fully bloomed yet. Someone got the idea to pick them early in the hopes that they wouldn't spoil so quickly, and he (maybe she - records are sparse) discovered the calzone. But today's pizza trees, as I was saying, no longer produce whole pizzas. The well-tended ones produce dough at the ends of the branches, where the pizzas used to bloom, and they can be tapped to get the rich red sauce inside. White sauce, and others newfangled types of sauces you find on modern pizzas, does not come from the pizza tree, although I did hear a rumor that some geneticists were working on trees that can produce different types of pizza sauces.. Pizza crust mix comes from the bark and the dried leaves of the pizza tree: you need both to get a proper pizza crust mix. Some brands, however, dilute the mix with flour to try to stretch it out and get more profit. I've also heard that the best pizzerias feed their trees tomatoes to get an even richer, tomatoey-er sauce. And I think I read somewhere that some can be cross-pollinated with olive trees to produce their own olives.

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's
bIsh

Packed Like Sardines

Wow, over 6 months since my last post. I'll try to do better - maybe.

Anywho, on a recent backpacking trip to Meadow Lake, I discovered that I like sardines. They are a good source of protein and Omega 3's, and they taste great. In shopping for sardines I have discovered that there are basically two companies distributing them (at least at the Safeway near my home) - Bumblebee and Chicken of the Sea. Chicken of the Sea is sold under its own brand name, and Bumblebee is sold under several different brand names. So far, my sardines have come from 3 places - Norway, Canada, and Thailand. Thailand? Really? Yes, Thailand. I was surprised, too. I guess that's it for now.

There's something fishy in all this...
bIsh

Part One

"It's just over that next rise. I think you'll be pretty surprised at what you see, and amazed."

The two men continued walking up the brush-covered incline. Legend had it that there was once a great city nearby, part of a huge civilization that once spanned the entire continent. But that was long ago, and there was only myth and shadow and the sparse evidence left of that ancient civilization. Building foundations and skeletal frames were visible in some places, and there were deep trenches and strange pipes that seemed to lead from nowhere to nowhere. Deep holes were found here and there, seemingly carved from solid rock, and a few short sections of stone-carved tunnels could be found scattered around. Every now and then someone would stumble upon some ancient artifact, and the people would try to divine a little bit more from that artifact, try to add a little more color to the stark outlines of what they knew, or thought they knew, of the previous inhabitants of that land. Mostly, though, nature had reclaimed whatever once existed of the ancient people. No remains of the ancient people had been found, and no pictures of them were known. How they had lived, how they had died, where they might have moved to: these things could only be guessed at, speculated upon. And in this manner, the people who lived there now had put together their own beliefs and legends regarding the ancient people and their grand civilization.

"We've been walking all day, and I still ain't seen nothin' interesting. You say it's over the next rise, but you been saying that for the past three rises. You sure you saw anything?"

"I know what I saw, and I tell you it's over this rise. Just a few hundred yards to go, and you'll see something you've never seen before, something amazing. Let me ask you, you ever been out this way, this far? No. No one has. We've been goin' right up to the edge of that gulley for years, but no one ever bothered to venture across to the other side, until I did it. And now you. Good thing we brought food and water. We may need to make camp and sleep out here tonight. You got the shelter in your pack, Jeb?"

"Yeah, I got it. And the noisemakers too. Sure wish we could be back home tonight, inside. This had better be worth a night in the wilderness, Zeke."

"It is. And don't worry about the wild ones. I stayed out here overnight and didn't see or hear a thing. Didn't smell nothin', neither. Why, I ain't even seen their tracks nor any other sign o' 'em. Like I said, they don't hang around here. Why, I'm not convinced that they hang around anywhere. I ain't never seen one, and them that claims to have, well, I ain't met a reliable witness yet. I heard the stroies, though, and I've heard some strange noises some night, but there's lot's o' things that make noises at night. Anyway, like I said, I ain't heard no strange noises at all last time I was out here at night."

Zeke and Jeb continued up the incline in silence. It had been a long hike to the gulley, then the climb down one side and up the othere, then more hiking. The ground had been mostly level with a few rises an dips, but the last few miles had involved a lot of uphill hiking. They were near the top now.

"Oh, this is gonna be good, " Zeke said excitedly. Just a few more yards. This is the spot. Here we are. What did I tell you? Is that incredible, or what?"

"Wha...is that...but...Oh my..." was all that Jeb could manage, as he stood, mouth open, transfixed by what he saw. He had never seen anything like it before, never even conceived of anything like it. Yet there, below him on the other side of the rise, was the most amazing thing he had ever seen...

To be continued?
bIsh

Back in The Saddle Again, Again

Well, I am back in the saddle again, again.

In a previous post, I told about how I am back on my Mountain Bike. I am now back on my road/commuter bike, also. This bike was down for a while due to rear wheel replacement surgery. Both of the wheels on that bike had come down with a bad case of worn-out braking surface - something I had never seen before in all of my years of bike doctoring. The braking surface on the rim of each wheel was thrashed, to the point where the brake shoes were picking up and retaining flakes of metal from the rims, in turn causing more thrashing of said rims. The front tire replacement went smoothly - I chose the (relatively) inexpensive Mavic Crossride, a standard 26" wheel. When I ordered a Crossride for the rear wheel, I found out that it is no longer available, except as a disk-specific wheel (I don't have disk brakes on either of my bikes). This being the case, I chose the Mavic Crossland - a slightly more expensive wheel, and definitely not a standard 26" wheel (unknown to me at the time). The Crossland arrived, and I tried to mount the rear tire and tube, but was not able to do so. A little reading of the manual revealed that I could not use just any 26" tire; I needed an ERTO-spec tire. I had never heard of ERTO before, so I did some research and discovered that ERTO is a European tire spec that uses milimeters instead of inches. The ERTO size for a 26" x 1.5" tire is 40-559 - 40 being the tire cross-section, and 559 being the wheel diameter (in mm). Thus, my standard, American 26" tire is slightly too small to fit over the rim of a 559mm wheel. After much searching online, I found a retailer selling an ERTO-spec tire in my size (26" x 1.5"/40-559). The tire came two days ago, and even though it is ERTO, it is a pain to mount and unmount. Long story short, the tire is mounted, the wheel is mounted, the brake shoes are new, and I'm back in the saddle again.

This was definitely a learning experience for me, and in the future I will probably not choose Mavic for my wheels.

Time to ride.
bIsh

Flight, Erosion, Flood Evidence

As I was flying to Kansas City, MO, for a weekend business conference, I looked out the window at the terrain below, and I was amazed at how much of the land looks like it was formed by massive erosion; as though a huge flood had covered the entire countryside at some point in the past, left behind deposits of dirt and rock, formed them into the hills, valleys, and mountains that we see today. All around us is evidence of the flood from Noah's time. Praise be to God for leaving this lasting witness, this timeless testament to the truth of His Word. Praise be to God that He has promised not to destroy the earth with a flood again.

Praise the Lord.
bIsh

Back in the Saddle Again

Well, I'm back in the saddle again. I finally got my replacement fork installed on my Santa Cruz a few weeks ago, and I went riding with some guys up at Wilder Ranch. It felt good to get back out into the hills and valleys on my bike.
I'm back to this blog, too. I've been away from it for a few months, but I'm back. I hope to be posting a few times a month.

Stay tuned.
bIsh

Dis A Pear, Please

In my continuing quest to explore Pear-dom, I came across an odd little pear called the Asian Brown. How is the Asian Brown odd? First, in its shape: the Asian Brown is not at all pear-shaped. It is round, with no neck. Second, in its skin: it is tannish/brownish, with speckles. Third, in the taste and texture of its flesh: taste is bland, watery, not pear-like at all (with perhaps a subtle melon-like hint); texture is hard and crunchy and only slightly pear-like. Fourth, in its packaging: the Asian Brown is typically sold in a styrofoam netting or sleeve, the only pear I've seen that is sold this way. Why the Asian Brown is sold as a pear, I don't know. Perhaps it is genetically a member of the pear family, but the pear-ness of the Asian Brown is hidden and not at all obvious. This one goes to the bottom of my pear list, and I do not plan to buy any more of them.

I know there are those who like the Asian Brown, or they would not be sold, but I am not among those.

Not all is happy in Pearville
bIsh

A Pear of Winners

Well, folks, in addition to the Red Anjou pear, there is the Green Anjou pear, also called the Anjou (without color reference). Everything I said about the Red is true of the Green, except for the skin and color. The skin of the Red is a little rougher in appearance than is the skin of the Green. The Green Anjou is, as the name implies, green in color - light green like a Bartlett - with speckles. In shape the Green is similar to the Red - shorter and squatter than the classic pear shape, with a short neck. The flesh is soft and moist, juicy and succulent. Concerning taste, the words sparkly, zesty, and lively apply. The Green Anjou is one excellent pear. The main difference between the Green and the Red is the skin color and texture. Both of these pears are at the top of my list of favorite pears.

Which came first, the Green, the Red, or the
bIsh

**Bonus pear fact/observation: I have observed that the ideal time to consume a pear is typically between 3 to 7 days after bringing it home from the store. This is because the pears in the store are typically not fully ripe, and they continue to ripen after arriving at the house. Pears eaten before this ideal window tend to be harder and crunchy, and after tend to be mushy and bland in flavor. Of course, your mileage may vary.

Encore A Pear Ance

A red pear? Surely they were joking. That red thing in with the other pears couldn't be a pear, or could it? This I had to see. Yes, indeedy, it was a red pear - a variety called the Red Anjou. Who woulda thunk it? A red pear. Very interesting. I got a couple, and I ate them (at home).

The Red Anjou is an excellent pear. In shape it is shorter less "pear-shaped" than your traditional pear. The coloration is dark red, with a hint of a yellowish undercoat showing through sometimes. From a distance, it almost looks like a slightly mis-shapen pomegranate. Inside, it looks like a normal pear. The flesh is soft, and juicy beyond belief. And the taste. The Red Anjou is a very sweet, succulent pear. It is very easy to eat one very quickly. Whey you taste it, you will want to just keep eating and eating. Mmmmmmm... Where was I? Oh yes, right. Moving on. The skin is very thin and soft, soft enough for a fingernail to accidentally pierce, and it's a little gritty.

So far, the Red Anjou is my favorite pear. Try one today, and you'll be hooked. They're that good.

Bet you can't eat just one.
bIsh

** Bonus pear fact: You can judge the ripeness of a pear by gently squeezing the neck (the thin part by the stem). If it's soft, the pear is ripe. Of course, you've got to decide if you want to squeeze a bunch of pears that other people are going to eat. ;)

Now A Pear Ing

How about them pears? I haven't really paid attention to pears for some time, but there they've been all along, waiting for me to heed their call. I never really took notice of the different varieties, either, but this has changed. I am now aware. One thing I have found is that, although I like a crisp apple, I prefer a soft pear. I can't abide a soft, mushy apple, and I don't care for hard-packed pears.

Two interesting things about pears: The core is very slim, allowing for prolonged taste enjoyment; The skin of a pear tends to be thin. Indeed, when I peeled the stickers off of the pears I ate recently, the skin peeled off, too.

I had a couple of standard Bartlett pears recently, and I was very pleased. The Bartlett is a nicely-sized pear, although the two I consumed were not the prototypical "pear" shape. They were slightly less rotund in the lower portion, and slightly out-of-round. I do not know if this is a seasonal issue or a species issue, but the shape had no apparent effect on the taste or texture. It has a light green skin, with small green speckles sprinkled liberally about. The flesh is generally very soft and juicy, but it can vary from soft to hard in a single pear. Flavor is your basic "pear" flavor, varying from sweet to bland, sometimes with just a hint of sharpness. I did not taste any sourness or tartness, and I would be suprised to find these in a quality pear. The skin of a bartlett is a little gritty, and I could really feel it grinding between my molars and bicuspids. All in all, the Bartlett is a very satisfying pear.

Pear, the other apple.
bIsh

Farewell to Bedrock

I noticed it the other day as I drove by. I usually drive by it once or twice a week, but this time I looked, took notice, perceived. And I did not like what I saw. I did not like what they had done to it. It used to be a place of beauty and sanctuary. Now it's just...just...it's...well, I should probably back up a little and give some background.

At the end of a range of hills there was a place that the locals called Bedrock. This Bedrock was so called because of the underlying...bedrock. It was a place of solitude in the midst of suburbia, an escape to the peace and quiet of nature. Once you got up to the top area, no one down below could see what you were doing. It was a place suitable for many outdoor activities - paintball, hiking, meditating, riding, praying, comet watching - but I will focus on MTB'ing at Bedrock.

It was at bedrock that I got my first taste of "real" moutain biking. I remember that as a teenager and young adult we (me, my younger bro, and our neighbor, Jack) would ride about 7 miles from home just to get to Bedrock, then we'd ride up in the hills for a while, then 7 more miles home. When I re-connected with a longtime friend, it was at Bedrock that we rode. At Bedrock I learned to do a boulder-fall, also called a drop. At Bedrock I learned the art of gracefully flying over the handlebars while braking too hard going downhill.
At Bedrock I witnessed the proper technique of using the feet as brakes on long downhills. My friend Eric, yes that Eric, had lost his brakes one day, so he put his feet down to control his speed. It worked - he survived - but his shoes' soles were worn flat - I can picture it still. On another date, on the same slope I think, this same Eric executed the most perfect splash through a mud puddle that I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. I remember it clearly: Eric was a little ahead of me, to my left, and he positioned himself and aimed his splash perfectly. I don't think it would have been possible to give me a more thorough soaking in that situation. It was a beautiful moment.

I was never sure if we were trespassing, or if the land was officially open to the public, but there were no ranger, no cops, and a lot of people went up there.

I remember the last time I rode at Bedrock. It was after the land had been sold to private owners and fences were put up. My friend, Paul, and I decided to have one last ride up at Bedrock. I don't remember how we got inside the fences, but we went on up and had our last visit.

And now it's gone: no more old-growth Oaks, no more turkeys, no more Miwok Indian caves, no more bike paths, no more boulders to fall over, no more poison oak. Now, it's just green, artificially maintained grass and sand - a golf course. A golf course. Prime MTB land was sold and turned into a golf course, but we will never forget what once was.

Farewell, Bedrock - gone, but not forgotten.
bIsh

**If I am ever rich enough to buy the land, I think I'll tear out the golf course and let the land return to its natural state. Then I'll build a MTB course for me and my friends.**

Pure Apple-y Freshness

Our subject for this evening's discussion is the Fuji Apple. A common variety is the Fuji, easily found at any grocery store, available most of the year. Coloration. The Fuji has a yellowish or pinkish base, painted over with red vertical stripes and vertical dashes. There is also a layer of red speckles that is visible if one looks closely. There is a close resemblance to the Gala apple. The flesh is firm, but not very cohesive. That is to say, it is crisp when bitten into, but it does not lend itself naturally to biting off big chunks. When fresh, the Fuji is not mushy or soft, but this may change if refrigerated for an extended period. Flavor varies from sweetish to sharp, often in the same apple, with no tartness or sharpness. All in all, a Fuji is a good, flavorful apple when fresh. As with most apples, organic is my recommendation, if available.

Comparing apples and...
bIsh

Have you lost weight?

Have you lost weight?

Over the past couple months, a few of my co-workers have asked the above question. I have lost a few pounds over the past months, and it's nice to know that other people notice without my saying anything about it. In fact, this past week I've been wearing my belt one hole tighter than I used to. How did I do it? You might say I'm on the Bish's Slow and Gradual Weight Loss Plan. What's that? Well, first a little background on dieting in-general. Despite all of the nutritional and medical knowledge we have today, there is still only one way to lose weight (excluding surgery or loss of a body part) - burn more calories than you take in. Fancy fads, special eating programs - Weight Watchers, Atkins, Jenny Craig, et. al. - are designed to do two things: 1) Help and motivate people to burn more calories than they take in. 2) Make money for someone. There's nothing wrong with these programs, and many have been helped by them. Understand, however, that they are merely variations on the same theme.

A while ago I made some small changes to my diet, and initiated an increase in my weekly and monthly exercise. Nothing drastic, nothing too time-consuming, nothing that most everyone can't do. But the results are real. People have noticed. I have noticed. The scale has noticed. How did I do it?

Diet: Nothing too drastic here. Basically, I decided to cut back a lot on my sugar intake and increase my fruit intake. Notice I didn't say, "give up sugar". That would be drastic, and a bit more difficult. There are many areas of the diet in which it is easy to eliminate refined sugar, but I will focus here on four: Bread, Peanut Butter, Pasta Sauce, and Salsa. I also started using honey (raw and uncooked) as a sweetener for my tea in place of sugar.

Bread. There are a lot of good breads available that have no sugar and no hydrogenated oils (think vegetable shortening - very bad for the health). It may take a little looking, but the major grocery stores do carry such bread. Two excellent brands that I eat are Beckmans and Alfaro's. Your region of the country (world) may have its own varieties.

Peanut Butter. I find it amazing how much junk is in most peanut butters. Read a few ingredients labels for yourself. I have found that the "natural style" peanut butters (such as Adam's) taste better and are more agreeable to my gustatory system. In my opinion, the only things that should be in a proper peanut butter are peanuts and/or salt (and maybe peanut oil). Sugar and hydrogenated oils have no place here. I know the objections - you have to stir it up, you have to keep it refrigerated - and in my opinion these are weak objections. I will stir and refrigerate my peanut butter if it means better health. Some alternatives to peanut butter (not necessarily carried by the major grocery chains) are cashew butter and almond butter. In my case, peanut butter at all became progressively disagreeable with my digestive tract and I switched to cashew butter, with no problems to date.

Pasta Sauce. I only buy pasta sauce with no sugar and no hydrogenated oils. As with peanut butter, it's amazing what some brands put in pasta sauce. In my experience, a good pasta sauce doesn't need sugar to improve the taste. Sometimes I make my own pasta sauce, starting with plain tomato sauce as a base. It's not hard to do, and it can be most satisfying.

Salsa. The salsa I buy consists primarily of vegetables, seasonings, and spices. As such, I believe it is a good way to get a good serving of vegetables. Why spoil perfectly good chilies, peppers, tomatoes, etc. by infusing them with artificial chemicals and "natural flavor"? There are some excellent salsas on the market that have no sugar or hydrogenated oils. Again, read the ingredients lists. I usually have no trouble finding a salsa that fits. Chipotle salsa and salsa verde are two varieties that I am especially fond of. I prefer medium heat.

Exercise: Again, nothing extreme. I ride a bike to work 3 to 4 days a week, and I take long rides on weekends. When daylight savings kicks in again I'll be able to ride after work sometimes. I love riding. One benefit of living where I do is the close proximity of hills and mountains in which to ride. It's nice to get out of the city and into nature. I've also been doing push ups several nights a week. My goal right now is 50 good push ups, 5 to 6 nights a week. I'm close to that, and I have noticed a difference.

These are just a few ideas that have helped me. My main point in all this is that it doesn't take drastic changes in lifestyle to lose weight and get in better shape. It might take longer doing it my way, but it has worked for me, and by integrating these small changes into my daily life, and making them habits, the results should last and I should continue to improve.

Your calorige may vary.
bIsh

What's With The Apples?

Tonight we will be discussing the Pink Lady Apple. This is a smaller variety with a nice round form. Primary colors for this apple are yellows, pinks, and some red, like a Pacific Rose, but with a different distribuation and more yellow. Flavor is a nice level of apple-y sharpness. To my palate, it is just about right - not sour or tart at all. The flesh is solid and compact - there's no mushiness here. All in all, a good choice for a smaller apple.

A blog a day keeps the doctor away.
bIsh

Lament For Windows Defrag

What's up with Windows Defrag? I remember back in the day (we're talkin' Windows 95, 98, ME - a group fondly referred to as Windows 9x, or Win9x) when watching a disk defrag was an entertaining thing. I remember watching the individual blocks being scanned, moved, consolidated into one solid mass. I remember the colors, too. Light blue and grey were for blocks that had yet to be scanned and moved; yellow was for blocks being read; red was for blocks being written; dark blue was for blocks that had been scanned and moved; white was for empty space. There were a few other colors, too. It was actually fun to watch. I remember there were options - you could choose the level of defraging, and you could choose to do a Scandisk at the same time.

But no more. Times have changed. The old, entertaining Defrag is gone. Gone since Windows 2000 (also called Win2k, or Win 2k). The big, scrolling display of individual blocks has been replaced two horizontal colored graphs - a "before" and "after". These graphs consist of colored vertical bands and stripes; blue (there's only one blue) is for data that Windows doesn't think needs defraging; red is for data that Windows will defrag; lime green is for data that Windows can't (or won't) defrag; white is still for empty space. Watching Defrag these days is about as exciting as watching water freeze. Yeah, you can watch the stripes change from red to blue, and move around a bit, but it's not the same - not nearly as interesting. And there are no options. It's either defrag or don't; no levels of defragmentation to choose from.

Why? Why? Why did they have to change good old Defrag? Why couldn't they leave it alone? It was one of the few things you could depend on in Win9x (most of the time). On the other hand, with HDD capacities quickly approaching 1TB (yes that is a "T" in front of the "B"), you'd be spending a lot of time watching those blocks move around. Hmmm....

They just don't build 'em like they used to (thank goodness).
bIsh

Creationst Musings

Just a few random thoughts. Things I've learned in the past year.

Did you know that in the entire world, there is NO place where the evolutinary geologic column exists? Nowhere. In fact, there's no place where more than 3 layers of material are in the "correct" evolutionary order. Yet this LIE is still in our public school textbooks.

Did you know that the ideas of gill slits and parallel embryonic development were proven false OVER 125 YEARS ago? By secular science? Yet these LIES are STILL in our public school textbooks today!

Did you know that most state laws require textbooks for schools to be accurate? Yet somehow these LIES, and others, keep getting included.

Willful ignorance is bliss.
bIsh

Still More Apples

I tried another kind of apple tonight - the Ambrosia. This is a small apple, with a color scheme comprised mainly of yellow with red highlights. The flesh is mostly firm, but on the soft side of firm. The flavor is mild, sweet, but not very distinct. There may be just a hint of sharpness, but overall it's a good blend. Hmmm...not sure where I'd put this on my list of favorite apples, but it is an enjoyable choice despite its small size.

"A" is for apple, "B" is for...
bIsh

Apples Re-visited

Recently I have discovered a variety of apple that I didn't know about before - the Pacific Rose. This is a larger variety with a coloring that is predominatly pink with some yellow thrown in for good measure. The flesh is firm and crisp, and the flavor is sweet and mild, with no discernable tartness or sharpness. This is a very smooth apple, and I highly recommend it. The Honeycrisp is still my all-time favorite apple, but the Pacific Rose is a close second, and in-season Golden Delicious a close third. I have also discovered that apples are best when kept un-refrigerated. They will last quite a while at room temperature. Refrigerating apples tends to (in my observations) rob their flesh of firmness and crispness and flavor.

Enjoyment to the Core.
bIsh

Beware the Bear

The following is a true account of a bear encounter that I had while camping with a friend of mine near Downieville, California. I’ve written it from the perspective of the bear, so read it with your best bear-voice. I’ve tried to get inside his head and see things from his perspective. What would a bear be thinking? Hmmm….

Ahhh. Such a beautiful night. Yawn. Ah, that was a nice little nap, and now it’s dark again. Time for my nightly rounds in the campground. Sniff sniff. Smells like there are some people here. What will I find? Here goes, down the main camp road. That looks like a big group of people. They’ll have lots of food. Sniff sniff. Yup, they got some good food. Oh no, a dog. That’s gonna make it tricky. Uh-oh the dog’s got my scent. I keep forgetting - stay downwind. Downwind. I’m so used to people not having much smell. Now he’s barking. Why is he barking? I’m just passing through, looking for a meal. Oh no, now that man is yelling at me. Ok, ok, I get the message - I’m moving on. No food from this group tonight. Down the road I go. There are other campsites, other people. I’ll find some food. Hmm, I don’t see anyone else on this side of the campground. I guess I’ll try the other side. I thought I saw some of those temporary shelters on the other side of the camp.

What’s that I see? Is it? Yes it is, a fire. And two people. This one looks promising. Got to get closer. Sniff sniff. Do I smell…beef? Meat? Yes! People always carry more food than they eat, so I get meat tonight! And, sniff, what else? Corn - smells like they burned it. No thanks. Apples? Yes, I smell apples. I love apples! I don’t find them here in the woods - only people have apples. This is better: now I’m close enough to see them good. Yup, only two people. Eww. Cigar smoke. Ooh. I see a cooler. Lot’s of potential there. They look pretty relaxed sitting there around the fire. Why do people always make fires out here? Oh yeah, they don’t see too good at night. He he. If only they knew I’m here watching, just a few yards away in the dark.

Wait. Did that person hear me? I don’t think so. It was only a small twig I stepped on. He’s not turning around. Oh no, now he’s turning his head to look. And he’s got a light in his hand. It’s a bright light. Right in my eyes. Thanks a lot, dude. Now he’s calling his friend to look. Great, two people staring at me with two lights. Ok, ok, you’ve seen me, now turn off the lights and get back to your fire. At least they’re not yelling or freaking out. Argh. Looks like they’re gonna keep staring. I’ll just sneak off into the woods and come back later for the food. Let’s see, first some water from the stream, then to mosey on over to the other side of their camp site to wait for them to go inside their shelter. Those people and their shelters. Why don’t they just lay down on the ground to sleep, like me? Oh yeah, no fur. I don’t know what I’d do without my fur. Probably be real cold.

Ah, that was some good water - I like this stream. Here I am, back at the other side of the camp site, out of sight in the trees. They won’t see me here. Now to watch and wait. Look at those two suckers. They keep shining their lights in the direction I walked off. Do they really think I’m gonna come from the same direction? Hello! I know this campground. I live here. What are they doing now? Putting their food away. Cleaning up. Moving all of the food away from the temporary shelter. Yes! I should be able to eat without disturbing them. Just a little longer stomach. Hold on. That one guy’s still watching the fire, but they’re not adding wood. Looks like the fire’s dying. All right! Fire’s out and they’re heading in for the night. Wait. Wait. Wait. The light’s still on inside the shelter. Come on guys, go to sleep - I’m hungry. Light’s off. Wait. Wait. Wait. They should be asleep by now. Alright! Dinner time!

Let’s see what we have here. Apples! Corn! Wait, it’s burned corn. No thanks. Food bars! Don’t want to eat the wrapper on those, so I’ll open one up and have a taste. Mmmmm. And what’s in this unopened bag? One way to find out. I’m guessing chips. Yes! Chips! Fritos! Score! Munch munch. Mmm. Munch munch. I’ll save some of them for dessert. Now for those apples. Munch munch. Mmmm. Good apples. Chomp chomp. I know I’m makin’ noise with these apples, but they’re so good and…wait, what’s that noise? It’s coming from the people’s shelter. Are they getting up? Did they hear me? Munch munch. Oh well, what are they going to do? Keep eating. Chomp chomp. There’s the zipper on the shelter, and there they go. Wait, now that one is turning to see me, with the light in my face again. Munch munch. Good apples. Now the other one has his light on me, too. Come on, guys. Can’t a bear eat a meal in peace? Well? Are you just going to stare at me? Ok, so you want to watch me eat. Well too bad. I think I’ll just grab this cooler and head into the trees. Later, dudes. Hmmm. This is a nice cooler. Fits well in my mouth. And I’m gone. Into the trees. I know they won’t follow me here - no one ever does. And they can’t see me with those lights, not where I am now. But I can hear them yelling. Ha ha ha. Keep yelling guys! Now, let’s see what’s in this cooler. I’ll just pop the lid off (no need to break it). Ice. Juice - orange juice. Good orange juice! Sweeeeeet. Slurp slurp slurp. And…beef! Yes! Only one small piece, but it’s beef. And what’s in this wrapper? Bacon! Bacon bacon bacon! Good, thick bacon! Yeah! Bacon! Munch munch munch. Slurp. Munch. Awesome. What else? Eggs. Nice. Crunch crunch. And…sausage! Good sausage! Woohoo. Munch munch munch. Thanks, guys! You really know how to take care of a bear! I like you. I think I’ll leave the cooler where they can find it in the morning. Mmm. Back to my bacon now. Mmmmm….

Mmmmm.......baaacon
bIsh

Watch the light.

Ah, well I remember it. It was a clear summer night - or maybe spring, or winter, or fall perhaps. I don't remember now, but it was a clear night for sure. We, a friend and myself, were heading out late at night to watch a comet (either Hyakutaki or Hale-Bopp). We were heading south on highway 85, in Silicon Valley, in my '84 VW Rabbit (silver, four-door, 1.7 liter, 5-speed, dark blue interior, AC) - I was driving. The two front windows were down (I always put the widnows down, even in cold weather (but not in the rain)). Traffic - what traffic there was late at night - was flowing nicely, and my friend and myself were engaged in a deep conversation on some topic that I don't recall. Suddenly and without warning, a bright white-ish light appeared in the heavens, high above the surrounding hills and scenery, and it proceeded to proceed from right to left across the sky.

"Big deal," some might say, "a meteorite (or shooting star)." But those people would be answering prematurely, for there is more startling informatin to be revealed. As this light moved across the sky, it did not move in the smooth, straight line of a regular shooting star (or meteorite). Nay, rather, it zig-zagged up and down as it moved across the sky - most un-meteorite-like. After it had moved across the sky a ways (zig-zagging), the light disappeared.
Immediately upon its disappearence I turned to my right and looked at my friend in wonder, wondering if he had seen it, and indeed if I had really seen what I saw - so awe-struck was I. I discovered that he was staring at me, awe-struck also. We asked each other if we had really seen it, and indeed we had. I have never seen anything like it before or since, and to this day I do not know what it was, and I make no claims for what it was or was not. But I do tell you most certainly that it did not move like any shooting star or meteorite I have ever seen or heard of.

Anyway, that's it, my UFO story. As far as I know there was no missing time, and no long-term effects, just a sighting of something from a distance.

Keep looking up.
bIsh

Mind Mapping

Lately, my mind has been all over the map; and I'm not even sure which map it is.

bIsh

Strength

You don't get strong by being weak.

bIsh

Wither Pluto?

Ah Pluto, the least loved of the planets, or dwarf planets, or orbiting spacial objects, or whatever they're calling it today. Pluto, for over 80 years included with the nine in the pantheon of planets; now demoted in status, outcast, no longer part of the gang. Pluto, now the father of a new class of orbiting spheres - dwarf planets (or Trans-Neptunian Objects). Is it the end of an era or the beginning? And does it really matter?

Certainly, Pluto isn't affected by what we call it, and neither is the rest of the universe. In fact, life on Earth will not change at all. Sure, textbooks will have to be revised, and certain mnemonic devices will have to be rethought, but that's about it. And there may be a few arguments and debates, but nothing too serious. No wars will be fought, no one will resort to fisticuffs. Angry mobs will not rise up against the cruel oppressors of astronomy. Telescopes and observatories will not be burned or looted. In fact, I'd wager that in 10 years this will not be given a second thought.

After all, the classification of heavenly bodies is just a human convention. We like to classify and categorize and sort and name. Look at the animal kingdom. We have names and classes and orders and families and species and phylums and genuses, but the animals don't care. It doesn't really matter how we class them from the animals' point of view. Look at life, too. When I was in high school there were 5 kingdoms of life - Plant, Animal, Protist, Bacteria, Fungi - and now there are 6 or 7 recognized kingdoms of life - depending on whom one asks. So it is with celestial things. Where there was officially (or unofficially, as there was never a formal definition of planet) one class of things called planet, now there are at least two, and there may be more in the future. So be it.

The thing I don't understand is why some, or maybe many, astronomers are opposed to including Pluto with the planets and possibly classifying more things as planets. There's enough room in the solar system for a few more planets, right? So why are so many in the astronomic community so opposed? I don't know.

The key disqualifier for Pluto's planethood is that it does not "clear its orbit"; that is, it crosses the orbit of another planet - Neptune. Of course, if this definition is consistently applied Neptune must also be demoted from planethood because it crosses Pluto's orbit. On the other hand, one could now argue that since Pluto is not a true planet anymore, Neptune does not cross the path of another true planet. But this is splitting hairs, and could lead to splitting headaches.

Bottom line - it doesn't matter. I shall continue to think of Pluto as one of the planets, regardless of the official classification. It is big and round and it orbits the sun and no other bodies. It was orbiting the sun long before man discovered it, and it will keep on orbiting until the Lord declares otherwise.

Just don't ask Mickey to rename his dog.
bIsh

Voices part 2

A quick update to my last post. I called out to the voice, and it has called back to me. Fellowship has been restored. I have learned much, and I will be wiser in response to this voice. The voice is friendly now, and I think it will likely be for some time. If things start to turn otherwise, I will know better how to respond.

Hear ya later.
bIsh

The Voice is Calling

A voice. I hear it. A voice from the past. A voice that has been silent for a time. Many yoms. A voice that was grating and harsh when last I heard it. Now it calls to me from the mists. Calls me to call back to it. It is no longer harsh, but kind and inviting. A voice I know well. This voice, has it run out of ears in its misty realm? Is it seeking familiar ears to fall upon? Familiar voices to return the call? I have known this voice - the full spectrum of itself - for many yoms, until it silenced itself to me. Chose to not fill my ears more with sound. Chose to be a voice unto itself - a voice that did not need any ears to hear it.

Now it calls out to me again. What shall I do? Shall I answer this voice? Shall I open my ears once again? I must decide. Has the voice changed from grating to graceful? Or is this merely one more swing around the loop of itself? One more part in the cycle of the voice - its full spectrum?

The cycle of the voice once took years to complete; now it is months. Faster and faster it seems to cycle. How can I listen to the voice but not be caught by its cycle?

Much has happened since last I heard the voice, and I like to think I am a bit wiser in regard to it. I think I can listen wiselyer and avoid those other parts of the voice's spectrum of cycling. I can, I believe, be prepared and shield myself from those parts.

I will call out to this voice. For, in truth, I have been listening for it, hoping that I would again hear it, but also letting it go, further and further behind me. I will call out. I will be cautious, but I will call out. For, in truth, this voice is seeking other voices, other ears. It does not like to be cut off, alone, with no ears to hear it. I will call this voice because I have said that I would be available if the voice ever called out to me again.

At least it's not a voice in my head.
bIsh

Man it was hot today.

Well, the hot weather is finally here. It's been getting up into the upper 90's during the day, but it still gets nice and cool at night - in the 50's and 60's. Typically, we don't get a lot of real hot weather around here; we might have a few hot spells, but generally it's mild and comfortable.

So what else has been going on? I've been riding more, and I'm getting some of my riding strength back. My mountain bike is a custom-built job based around a Santa Cruz Superlight frame (I did not use any Shimano parts). My street/commuter bike started life as a Bridgestone (you remember Bridgestone) MB4, way back in 1994, and now only the frame, derailurs, bottom bracket, and crankset are original (and the rear derailur is scheduled for replacement). I've been riding with a friend of mine, and having a riding partner really motivates me to get out there more than if I was doing only solo rides.

What else is happening? My Z is in the shop - tranny rebuild and front-end work. I hope to get it back this week so I can take advantage of my vacation days and go somewhere. My 510 is a good car - runs great all the time - but it's not so good for long trips. I guess if I don't get my Z back I can take some shorter trips. Either way, I feel the need to get away for a couple of days. This week was supposed to be my annual backpacking trip with friends, but some of them had health challenges and the trip was called off. It was a real let-down, but I've moved on and accepted it.

Keep moving.
bIsh

New blog

I've started a new blog here. It is going to be solely devoted to Christian topics, testimonies, insights, messages, thoughts, and such.

Enjoy.
bIsh

Still here

It's been almost a month since my last post. I guess the motivation just hasn't been there lately to write anything. I'm sure it's just a temporary condition. I mean, I've got all kinds of ideas and things to say. Of course, those ideas don't always come to me when I'm sitting in front of the computer, ready to publish something. Often ideas and thoughts arrive when I'm far from any computer - driving for instance, or riding, or hiking. Maybe I should write some of these things down so I don't forget.

The subconscious mind is an amazing piece of creation. As an example: when I'm sleeping, dreaming, my mind comes up with some incredible stuff. It composes original music, designs complex landscapes, builds complete buildings (interior and exterior), paints individual people, and allows me to experience some cool things. If I could remember that music when I wake, or the blueprints to those buildings, or figure out how to paint those amazing landscapes I could be famous. But alas, they are only temporary - for my own private viewing pleasure only. Too bad - there's some really cool stuff to see. And dreams are just one aspect of the subconscious mind. Imagine all it does when we're awake. How anyone could actually believe that the human mind is a result of random chance and evolution, I don't understand. Clearly, the mind is a created thing, as is everything we see in this world.

Think about that!
bIsh

Home Again

Well, I'm home again. I went to Las Vegas over the past weekend for a business conference, then I spent a couple of days around the Bridgeport, CA area. It was an excellent trip, and it was good to be away from my normal routine for a while. I spent some time exploring around the Mono Lake Basin, too. That is an amazing place. I wanted to go into Bodie, but the roads are closed, presumably due to the excessive snow this year. My blue 280z did quite well, and I had some fun driving through the deserts of Nevada and the mountains of California. There are a couple of aspects of the driving that I will comment on in more detail.

The first aspect of the drive that I want to comment on is sort of a rant. I've commented before in this space about truckers on the highways. I have nothing against them as people, but I do have something against their practice of passing each other and holding up traffic. In my experience, it is not rare for one truck to pass another truck when their speed difference is very small. This results in a significant slowdown for traffic while one of these lumbering beasts creeps past the other. That would not be too bad if the truck drivers waited for openings in traffic to pass each other, but quite often the driver of the passing truck apparently has no regard for the traffic, and he pulls out whenever he feels like it - regardless of how much space he has. Why do they do this? There was one truck driver that I appreciated, however. He sticks out in my mind because when he passed another truck, he had some excellent momentum and he did not slow down the other traffic. This is a rarity, and I appreciated it. Anyway, enough about this. In then end, it really doesn't matter - it's just a minor annoyance.

The second aspect of that I want to discuss is what happened to me. Before I left home I asked the Lord to remind me that speed is not the most important thing on the road, and I asked Him to help me be calm on the road. He answered yes to both requests. I was often not able to drive as fast as I wanted to, and I was ok with it - I was calm and patient. I was pleasantly surprised, as I have tended to be an impatient guy on the highways. But I was cool this time. Thank you, Lord.

Well, I guess that's all for now.

Keep on truckin'.
bIsh

April Musings

March was an unusually rainy month here - the wettest in 100 years. It rained 28 out of 31 days. We're in the middle of April now, and the past couple of weeks have been rainy. We had a couple of days of sun, but more rain today. This must be what it's like to live in Seattle. Anyway, I'm ready for some sunny weather, and I think most people in this area are, too. Although, it is nice to see the grass, trees, and bushes green and full of life.

As I write this, Resurrection Day (also called Easter Sunday) is drawing to a close. I visited with my family today, and we had some good food and fellowship. We had an excellent message in church today as we remember our Saviour's death and resurrection. Thank you, Jesus, for dying for me, and rising again.

The past few weeks I've come to see two seperate holidays being celebrated today - Easter and Resurrection Day. Easter, as I see it, has nothing to do with Jesus or savation - it has only to do with eggs, chickens, bunnies, flowers, pretty dresses, etc. Resurrection Day is a remembrance and celebration of Jesus' death and resurrection - it has nothing to do with the secular trappings of Easter. The two are unrelated, from where I stand. A lot of people choose to celebrate this spring day called Easter (the word "Easter" is, in fact, derived from the word "Ishtar", a goddess of fertility), and I suppose that there is nothing inherently wrong with having fun with some of these things - as long as we remember that this day is really about remembering and celebrating Jesus' finished work of salvation for you and me. I choose to remember Jesus today, and His finished work and empty tomb.

I'll be going on a trip later this week if the Lord wills. I'll be travelling through eastern California and western Nevada. I don't know exactly where I'll be going, or what spots I'll be visiting. I'm considering stopping by the Manzanar Internment Camp from WWII. I've driven past it once or twice, but never stopped by yet. I'd like to get out to Bodie, California, sometime soon, but I understand that the increased rain and snow this year have rendered Bodie inaccessible at this time. It will be good to get away for a while.

Happy Resurrection Day!
bIsh

Dreams

This is an experience I had that I thought worth sharing.

Last night I had a disturbing dream. This is rare for me, extremely rare. I don't remember all the details, but I recall that in my dream I was staying at someone's house, and I was getting ready to go to bed. The room was dark, and I saw a small, unknown object fly into the darkened room and land. My thoughts, in the dream, turned immediately to UFO's. I went to sleep (still in the dream) and dreamed disturbing thoughts, getting scared. In my dream within my dream I called out to the Lord, and I woke up in my dream. Still dreaming, I started singing worship songs and waking up the other people in the house. Then I actually woke up, disturbed, and I sang some worship songs. Then I read my Bible and prayed- something I had neglected to do that day, and the previous day. I must admit that for the past few weeks I have been slacking a bit in my daily Bible reading and nightly prayer, not making these things the priority they need to be in my life. As I reflect back on this experience, I believe that the Lord was getting my attention, reminding me of some things I need to be doing every day.

God speaks to us in ways we do not always expect. Last night He used a bad dream to wake me up and to help get me back on track.

bIsh

I Like to Ride My Bicycle...

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since my last post. So sue me.
Went riding today with a friend of mine. He got a new road bike (Trek XO-1) and he wanted to try it out. We did about 45 miles all around the town. It was excellent. Haven't done a long ride in a long time. As we were riding and conversing, I pointed out a contradiction in his thinking, and I realized that we all have contradictions. For instance, I've heard a lot of people say that they hate a certain electronics retail establishmen, yet those same people continue to shop there. Contradiction. I'm sure that I have some conflicted thoughts and ideas, too.

We've had snow on the hills for a few weeks now. This is most unusual for this area. Snow at all is unusual. Snow several weeks in a row is extremely rare. The weather finally warmed up a bit, and the snow is gone, but it was a sight to behold while it lasted. I have a few pictures here. Image quality was limited by the camera available to me at the time.

I guess that's it for today.
bIsh

Snow Days!

Snow? Here? In the Valley of Heart's Deligh? Yes! Well, in the surrounding hills and mountains, anyway. Yes, folks, we got some snow in the hills here over this past weekend. Every couple of years we get a dusting on the hilltops, and it usually stays for a few days. This year I was able to get up into the hills to see, experience, and photograph it. Those who live in snowy areas might wonder what the big deal is. The big deal is that it never snows here! Well, only once every few years, and only in the hills. So it's a rarity in these parts. And one thing I've observed is that people are attracted to, and sometimes fascinated by, things or conditions that are out of the ordinary. For instance, people who live in urban areas like to take time to go out into undeveloped natural areas and parks; whereas people who live in unpaved, undeveloped areas want to see smooth paved roads and concrete. People crave what they do not have. People like to visit what they do not see every day.

A related phenomenon that I have observed is that people who live near tourist attractions tend to ignore them, and visitors to those areas tend to seek out the tourist attractions. I live in the vicinity of the Winchester Mystery House and the Mystery Spot, yet I've only been to the Winchester Mystery House once (at the invitation of my visiting cousin), and to the Mystery Spot never. A friend of mine lives near Old Town Sacramento, yet (as far as I know) he doesn't go there. I wonder if people in Paris view the Eiffel Tower as just another building.

Learning to appreciate my surroundings,
bIsh

Who are you?

Who are you? What do you do? These are two questions that we hear
countless times in our lives. How do we typically answer? "I
am "Mark. I work for..." Or, "I own such and such a business..."
Or, I do ..." How should we answer these questions? What does the
Bible say?

Romans 1:1-4 "Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle
and singled out for God's good news — which He promised long ago
through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures— concerning His Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord, who was a descendant of David according to
the flesh and was established as the powerful Son of God by the
resurrection from the dead according to the Spirit of holiness."
(HCSB)

Who does Paul say he is, and what does he do? "a slave of Christ
Jesus, called as an apostle and singled out for God's good news
[Gospel]". "A slave of Christ Jesus". When was the last time any
one of us answered like that? I do not recall ever having answered
someone with that statement. I usually have said, "I am Mark, and I
do..." So many of us identify ourselves based on what we do for a
job, or a hobby, or a business. Yet what is our primary calling on
this earth if we are born again? To tell others the Good News!

Our preacher recently challenged the congregation to think about
this and re-think who we are and what we are really doing on this
earth. I challenge you to do the same.

Who am I? I am Mark, a follower of Jesus, called to spread the Good
News of God's salvation through Jesus Christ. May God give me the
boldness to speak His name whenever and wherever I am.

bIsh

The Ride

Went on an epic ride yesterday with a friend of mine - epic by my standards, that is. It wasn't that it was really long, but we really pushed ourselves beyond our limits. We went out to a place called Saratoga Gap, or The Gap. We started at the main parking lot, and we went out along the main paths to the Grizzley Flat parking lot. Then we did a most unwise thing, considering the lack of shape we are in; we went down Grizzley Flat, across the creek a few times, then up the Table Mountain/Charcoal Road trail. We got back to the car well after dark, and there was a lot of walking. It's a ride I've done before with no problems, but I was in a lot better riding shape then. My friend and I have not ridden for several months, and yesterday was our second ride in two weeks.

I have chosen to learn from this experience - know your limitations and don't foolishly push yourself farther than you can go. Of course I'm not saying to not push your limits, or improve what you can do. I'm saying to not be foolish about it, as my friend and me were foolish. We went too far. That said, I do want to get back into shape enough to do that same ride with no walking. It will take time, but I know I can do it.

As Clint Eastwood said, "A man's got to know his limitations."

bIsh

What does it really cost to follow Jesus?

I subscribe to the Worthy News Brief, and today's message was a
good reminder to me of what our focus should really be. And I
wonder, how focused am I? Would I really risk death to preach the
Gospel? Am I really giving my all to Jesus? What more can I do?

The men mentioned below all died for their faith in Jesus.
Contrast that with what we see from the popular "Christian"
preachers of today - the Joel Osteens, Rick Warrens, Robert
Schullers, Jim Bakers, and the like. Think about your own life.

Contrast what is below with what we (Americans) think of as
persecution. We think we're persecuted when some TV show makes fun
of us. We've got it easy - the apostles and disciples knew
persecution.

Anyway, think about it.

bIsh
______________________________________________________________
From Worthy News Brief, Feb. 8, 2006

John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is
not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will
also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep
yours also.

According to traditional statements, Matthew suffered martyrdom by
being slain with a sword in a distant city of Ethiopia. Mark died in
Alexandria, after being cruelly dragged through the streets of that
city. Luke was hung upon an olive tree in Greece. John was put in a
caldron of boiling oil, but escaped death in a miraculous manner,
and was afterward branded at Patmos. Peter was crucified at Rome
with his head downward. James, the Greater, was beheaded at
Jerusalem. James, the Less, was thrown from a lofty pinnacle of the
temple, and then beaten to death with a club. Bartholomew was flayed
alive. Andrew was bound to a cross, while he preached to his
persecutors until he died. Thomas was run through the body with a
lance at Coromandel in the East Indies. Jude was shot to death with
arrows. Matthew was first stoned and then beheaded. Barnabas of the
Gentiles was stoned to death at Salonica. Paul, after various
tortures and persecutions, was finally beheaded in Rome by the
Emperor Nero.

We don't want to be the bearers of bad memories, but it's good to
realize how dedicated to the Lord the early believers were. They
weren't in it for the terrific single's fellowship, the excellent
children's program or good messages on Sunday morning. They weren't
in it for the comfortable new pews, the beautiful Christmas pageants
or the potluck dinners.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, James, James, Bartholomew, Andrew,
Thomas, Jude, Matthew, Barnabas, Paul and many, many others after
them -- they were in it for Jesus, our Messiah!

In California, Dreamin'

I know, it's been a while. I've been focusing my free time on study these past few weeks, so there's been no time for posting.

I had three dreams the other night, involving two funerals. The first dream was about a funeral for a flute player that I was only slightly acquainted with. It was kind of weird, as dreams generally are. The second dream was about the same funeral, as a continuation. In the dream the funeral lasted for 12+ hours, going into the next day and making me miss work. The third dream was about a funeral for someone I didn't know. In that dream I was taking some part in putting on the funeral. For some reason, those of us participating were dressed as Bible characters. I was either Moses or Abraham - don't remember which. I was a bit disturbed much of the next day, as I'm not used to dreaming about death or funerals. Still, I've never had any kind of premonition, and everyone I know is well. They were only dreams.

I've been hiking up in the hills a bit these past few weeks. I've been going with a friend of mine to a park called Quicksilver. It's beautiful this time of year (well, it's beautiful all year, but winter beauty is differ'nt from summer beauty around here), the green grasses, leaves on the trees, low clouds hanging on the nearby hills. The area that is the park used to be a mercury (quicksilver) mining place. It was quite a big operation in it's time - the late 1800's and early 1900's. There are some nice ruins and old building foundations to bee seen and explored. It is nice to live in a place where nature is only a short drive away.

Get out of the house and do some exploring,
bIsh

End of Year Thoughts

Hey there. Some thoughts at the end of A.D. 2005.

A friend betrayed me about 6 months ago, out of the blue turned against me and severed our relationship of 10+ years. Something happened today that made that reality sink in more, made me see that that part of my life is done, closed off. And that makes me a little sad. But I know I must accept it and move on. I can do all things through Christ Who strenghtens me.

I just saw a website that claims that we will run out of oil by the year 2050. I've been hearing claims that we will run out of oil in 50 years for over a decade now, but the time estimate seems to be the same - about 50 years. Whatever happens happens. I know that there are enough alternate energy sources that if/when it does happen, things will still go on. I think the only reason we don't see more non-petrolioum energy sources is because of economics. The science is proven - it's just a matter of time, money, and willingness to change.

Another year almost over, and I don't know how much I've grown or moved forward. A lot of things are about the same as they were a year ago. Hard to say how much I've grown or changed.

There are changes coming for me in A.D. 2006 - some I'm aware of, some I hope for, and some that will be total suprises. One thing that will not change is God's love for me.

Moving forward into 2006,

bIsh

Smokers!

What is it with smokers? Why do so many of them seem to think that the whole world is their ashtray? It's ridiculous. I was driving the other evening, and I pulled up on the left of a white van at a stop light. As I watched, the driver first flicked his ashes out the window onto the pavement, then he dropped his lit cigarette onto the ground. That really burns me up (no pun intended), and cigarettes dropped from cars start fires. This past summer, a large fire was started from a lit cigarette dropped from a car on a freeway. A hillside burned, and a house burned down. A house burned down, and a family lost everything because someone was STUPID enough to throw/drop a lit cigarette from his/her car! And the smoker probably has no idea that it was him/her who caused the fire. That was just one incident. How many other fires have been caused by careless and STUPID smokers?

And why do smokers think it's okay to poison other people's lungs? If they want to smoke to death inside their own homes and cars, what do I care? That's their right, I suppose. But what right do they have to poison anyone else's lungs? None. And that includes children in a home with smokers. What right does any parent have to smoke? None. Some belligerent smokers claim that non-smokers are oppressing them and trying to deny them their right to pursue happiness. This is a false argument. The fact is, no one has a right to poison the air of another.

I wonder how much of air pollution is caused by the billions of cigarettes smoked every day.

Tryin' to breath clean air here,
bIsh

I'm a musician.

I had a revelation tonight, an epiphany. I realized that I am at heart a musician, not a technician. I love music! It was after my church's Christmas music program (in which I play the trumpet), that I realized this. For the first time in my life I fully realize that I was born to make music. I was not born to work on computers (my current job), but to create music. I am a creative person. I used to think I was a logical person, and I am good at math and the sciences, but I am also very creative. These past few years I have seen my creative side blossom and grow. And I realize today, December 10, 2005, that I, Bish, am a musician at heart. I do not know what-all this means, or where it might lead, but I am eager to see where the Lord leads me.

Blowin' my horn as long as I'm able,
bIsh

Nothing Particular

Christmas season is here again. I like this time of year - the lights, the music, the decorations, the cold weather (Ok, it doesn't really get that cold in the Bay Area), celebrating Jesus' birth, family gatherings.

I replaced the heater hoses in my 280z, and so far, no leaking. I think the old hoses were failing right at the junction with the heater core. Of course, they were probably the original, 27 year-old hoses. The good news is that the valve is good, and the heater core is good. I took the opportunity to upgrade my stereo while I had the dash torn apart. I think that if this happens again I might pay someone to do it. Replacing those hoses was, so far, the messiest, unfunnest, irritiating job I have done on a car. Lying updside-down, on my back, with my upper torso and head cramped in a small space, working on parts up above my face - it was not fun. And it was very time consuming. Just getting back to where the hoses are took a couple of hours. Then removing all the hoses and assemblages took several hours. And re-assembling everything took a few more hours. But it's done, and I'm glad it's done. Hopefully, if the Lord wills, it should not need doing for another 25-27 years. So now I have both cars back on the road.

We had our first rainstorm of the season. I know, most of the country wouldn't consider what we get to be real storms, but for us it was a good rain.

That's it for tonight.
bIsh

Is it Tuesday already?

I know, I know, it's been a few weeks since my last post. So sue me - I've been preoccupied with other things. Anyway, on with the new. One thing that has preoccupied me lately is my two cars. In a strange bit of timing, I was without a car for over a week recently. I took my '68 Datsun 510 wagon (automatic) in to my mechanic for brake work, and while he had it my '78 Datsun 280z got a leak inside the dash. So I was sans car, and I had to find other means of getting around. Work was no problem - I live close enough that I can (and do) commute by bike. But other appointments were a challenge - getting to my band rehearsals, getting to the church. I had to rely on other people for rides. It wasn't too bad, though. It was a good reminder that I'm not in control - God is. He controls when things happen, and how people get to and from where they go to and from.

James 4 says:
13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit." 14 You don't even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are a bit of smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.
15 Instead, you should say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." (HCSB)

We make great plans for our days, our years, but we do not know what will happen tomorrow. We don't even know what will happen in the next 5 minutes. Only God knows the future.

Well, that's it for now. If the Lord wills, I will be posting more often than once every three weeks. I'm aiming for once or twice a week, but God has the final say.

Happy Turkey Day to all, and to all a good night!

Until next time, I remain
bIsh

Test Passed

I passed my Network+ test on Friday. As of now, I am now unofficially officially certified. I just have to wait for the paperwork to arrive in the mail.

The Sharks won tonight. That new goalie they're using is putting in a good show.

A friend of mine turned me on to Bob Dylan's music recently. He's got some good lyrics, and some good messages.

That's all for now, folks.
bIsh

Thursday Night

I went hiking on Saturday with a friend of mine, in a place called Quicksilver Park. We started hiking at about 7am, in a nice fog. After climbing a couple hundred feet we emerged from the fog. We hiked way up to the top of a hill and looked down on the valley below. It was beautiful - a thick blanket of fog was resting gently on everthing, and the sun was shining down on all. That view was worth getting up for on my day off. I'm glad I took a camera along. I am very thankful that I live in a place where I can get away from the city whenever I want to.

Yeah, we have some nice hills around here, and some nice wildlife. We (same friend as above) saw a bobcat a couple weeks ago. He was hiding in some tall grass, and I didn't see him until my friend pointed him out. We walked by him and he looked almost like a regular domestic cat. However, when he stood up and bounded away I could tell he was larger. He disappeared into the tall grass and trees. We saw a lot of deer that day, too - two or three of them had nice antler sets. I've noticed that I tend to see more wildlife toward late afternoon and evening. When we hiked up in the morning on Saturday we saw several rabbits. I've seen turkey up there, too. A few months ago we saw a large rattler in the same hills. They say there are mountain lions, but I've never seen one.

Get out there and climb your mountain!
bIsh

Friday Musings

Today is the 26th anniversary of one of my youngest sister's birth. She only lived about 8 days, October 21 to 26, 1979. 26 years have passed, and I still think of her sometimes, and sometimes I wonder where she would be today, what she would be doing. I have another sister, two brothers, and two parents. I wonder if they ever think about her, or what her life might have been - I've never discussed it with them. 26 years. So many possibilities, so many potentialities. I like to think that she's in Heaven, that all babies go to Heaven, but that's not really in the Bible. It's a nice thought, but there's not really any Scriptural support for it. I know that God is sovereign, and His will is perfect. I trust in Him.

I'm reading a biography of Crazy Horse. It's a fascinating story. In fact, the book is so interesting I'm reading it for the second time. It's different to see things from the perspective of the Sioux/Lakota. I never really saw the conflict from their side before. From what I've read, it seems that things would have turned out a lot differently if the Sioux had been able to remain united against the U.S. government. They might not have prevailed in the end, but the outcome would have been more favorable to them, I think. It would be interesting to write a story about what might have been.

Tomorrow is another day.
bIsh

Lonely Thoughts

I've been feeling kind of down tonight - lonely. I spend a lot of time alone, but I only rarely feel lonely. Tonight, though, I was craving some social interaction, talking to people and interacting. This will pass. I know that I'm never truly alone - God is always with me. I would like to meet more people, gain some true friends. I have a lot of acquaintances, but only about 4 or 5 real friends. As I said, most of the time it doesn't bother me - I'm thankful for the friends I have - but sometimes I miss being around people. I like people - I just don't know enough of yet.

bIsh

One True Bible Translation?

Lately I've encountered some groups who claim that the 1611 King James Bible is the only valid Bible translation. I even read a statement on one website that said the 1611 King James is the "exact Words of God". When I read, or hear, statements like that my first reaction is, "Does that mean that God speaks 1611 King James english? Wasn't the Bible written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek?"Our God is above all language and nationality and time. The Gospel message transcends all language and nationality and time. In my opinion, people who focus too much on language are focusing on the wrong thing.

Why do some people insist that the 1611 King James is the only valid Bible translation? Is it because it sounds more authoritative and formal? What some people apparently forget is that in 1611, the KJV was written in the common language of the day. Is it because it's old, and therefore not corrupt like all modern things? Is it because of tradition? Do some people assume that the older a translation is the more pure it is? If that is the case, why stop at 1611? Why not go back to the Geneva Bible of 1560? Why not go back to Tyndale's New Testament, or the Great Bible? The Geneva was the Bible of the reformers, and it was the Bible the Pilgrims brought to America. Interestingly, in its day, the 1611 King James was considered a corruption of the Geneva Bible. It is, in fact, based largely on the Geneva Bible.

If the 1611 King James is the only valid Bible translation, what does that mean for people who don't read or speak English? Does this mean that they cannot hear God's Word in their language? I am reminded of what a missinary to Russia said in my church, "People ask me what version of the Bible the Russians use. I tell them that they use the Russian version. Then these people ask me which one? The Russian version. There is no King James or NIV in Russian. There is THE Russian version." In other words, there was only one Russian version of the Bible when this missionary spoke in our church. We Enlgish speakers are blessed to have many different versions of the Bible. Many other languages do not have this choice available to them. This blessing also brings with it grave responsibility. We must be careful that the Bible we read is a valid, accurate translation of God's Word.

Today there are a lot of English Bibles, and more are added as time goes by. It's true that there are some really poor Bible translations out there, and there are some that are really good. There was a new translation released recently called the SMS Version. It is intended for mobile phone and messaging services. Here's a quote from Genesis 1:1, "In da Bginnin God cre8d da heavens & da earth." Hmmm... One tranlation that gets a lot of publicity is the Message. I advise you to steer clear of this one, and steer clear of those who quote, or teach, from it. The Message is, in my opinion, a watered-down paraphrase of a poor translation. It seems to have been written for the liberal preachers and feel-good easy-believeism of our day.

Right now I'm using the Holman Christian Standard Bible as my main Bible. It was well researched and it is in modern language. The messages of the Bible are not watered-down or distorted. As far asI can tell, and my research shows, it is a good, valid, modern English Bible. I also like the New American Standard, and I use a King James, also. I like the King James, but I am against the idea that it is the only valid Bible translation. I tend to stay away from the NIV, but I don't really have anything against it - I just don't prefer it. I do tend to prefer Bibles that are more formal inlanguage. On my PDA I have several versions of the Bible, includingthe ASV, Rotherham, Darby (considered by many to be one of the most accurate English translations), KJV, Literal Version, MKJV, World English Bible, Bible in Basic English, Weymouth New Testament,Young's Literal Translation, and part of the Geneva Bible. It is handy to have all of these available for comparison.

So what's my message in all of this? Choose your Bible carefully.There are a lot of good Bible translations available to us today. When in doubt, go with a trusted, respected translation of the Bible. And remember Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart."

Bish

A good resource on the Web for Bible translations is www.Biblegateway.com. They have Bibles in many languages and translations. However, they do not have the Geneva Bible. TheGeneva can be found at http://www.genevabible.org/Geneva.html .

More on Joel Osteen

Well, I've done some research on this Joel Osteen character, and I have come to believe that he is no preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He preaches the all-too-common false gospel of self-esteem and easy-believeism. If you want to hear the Word of God preached, don't go to him. There's enough information on Osteen already that I don't need to re-create it all here, but here's a link to someone who has done some good research and writing about Joel. For more information, do a Google search.

Along the same lines, here's a link to a well-written article concerning the New Age Movement creeping into the Christian Church. Read and keep your eyes open, friends. More than ever, we need to stay in the Word and know what it says.

Peace to you.
bIsh

Second Post

Ok, here goes my second post. I guess I'll just dive on in. The Sharks lost tonight - season opener - 3 to 2. I was a bit disappointed, as they were ahead 2 to 1 when I was able to listen to the game. But that's the way it goes. It's just hockey.
I was reading an interview with Joel Osteen, reportedly the pastor of the largest congregation in America. Hmmm... From his answers in the interview, I've got to wonder how close he sticks to the Truth of God's Word, and how much he waters it down (or avoids it completely). I should do some more research on him.
The job's going ok, for a job. Don't get me wrong, I like the people I work with, but it's still a job. There are other things I'd rather be doing with my time.
I just got back from a trip to Long Beach, CA, for business. Traffic on I-5 was actually pretty good. It was possibly the smoothest, freeest-flowing drive I've taken on that freeway. The one annoyance I have is the way the truck drivers pass each other. I know they have to get where they are going - same as everyone else - but I wish they would not pull out suddenly into the fast lane when there's a lot of traffic. I know, that's just a part of life, and I can deal with it.
A good friend turned against me in late August; unilaterally cut our bond of fellowship. I still think about it, and it still hurts a bit. But I know life goes on, and I know that God is sovereign. He will never leave me or forsake me. Amen.

Until next time, I am Bish.