Random Musings
by Nathan Zacharias on 11/23/2009 at 12:06 PM
Do you ever feel like the time frame "moment" gets really abused? Like when the preacher says he will end his message in "a few moments" and then goes on for another hour?
The older I've gotten the more the dentist is actually one of the least painful appointments to keep in life. Case and point, every time I get my hair cut now the person cutting it takes it upon themselves to suggest how I could look better if I covered up some of the silver hair or used a different product. At the least the pain at the dentist is only physical.
I've never been a morning person. I'm no longer a night person, and really it's tough to get back in the zone after lunch. So basically my peak production hours are 10:00-12:00.
In New York City, restaurants are now required to list how many calories each food item contains right on the menu. Wouldn't it be nice if life worked the same way? In the menu of life's decisions, it would be helpful if there were a disclaimer on each one that said, "This decision will accomplish this or will cost you that."
I really can't taste the difference between Starbuck's Christmas blend and their regular blend. But I'm a sucker for any marketing that includes the word Christmas.
I've been in New Delhi where drivers miraculously defy the rules of space, time, and physics. I've been in Germany where the cruising speed is 130 MPH. But the most dangerous driving experience continues to be in the church parking lot after the service.
I really like people. Unless I'm bidding against you on eBay.
Is there any chance that playing on expert level on Rock Band counts as being an awesome guitar player? It would really boost my life resume if it does.
Why is that kids get all the good food on their menu? Just because I'm 28 doesn't mean I don't enjoy a $3 grilled cheese sandwich as much as little Johnny.
That's all the wisdom I have for today. What do you guys have? And I hope everyone out there has a great Thanksgiving!
1. kb said the following at 12:20 PM on Nov 23:
1
I was thoroughly confused until I re-read the title of your post. Then I smiled, because it reminds me of some of my friends.
Practical words of wisdom: Febreze Air Effects Linen and Sky is the best thing I've found to combat stuffy music room smell (or any room that is occupied by teenagers).
2. Elizabeth H. (Russia) said the following at 12:24 PM on Nov 23:
2
Re: timeframe...Here's a different perspective: many Christians in various countries do not have a church building to call their own!
I also had to learn patience about lingering church services. But when you only have the room for a few hours once a week, you really cherish the time, and hang on to every moment, whether it be a lengthy sermon, time of fellowship, or even announcements...just because you can be in the same room with your brothers and sisters a few minutes longer.
3. Jaime said the following at 12:39 PM on Nov 23:
3
Hilarious post. I particularly enjoyed the hazardous nature of church parking lots!
Here's a question for you. Why can I drive a car well, but can't stay on the road on the video game ones?
4. Adam Sloope said the following at 12:59 PM on Nov 23:
4
Thank you for this...lol. So nice to not debate on doctrinal deals and just laugh at your musings. Awesome!
5. Riqui said the following at 1:02 PM on Nov 23:
5
You're exhausted, but you can't sleep.
You're hungry, but you don't want to eat. You have a closet of clothes, but nothing to wear to that party or get-together.
The perfect gift for that person...but you didn't get it at the perfect time.
You made a list of things that you needed to get done/purchase and you lose/forget the list.
You're in the middle of a conversation, and you momentarily forget what you were talking about.
No matter how old you are, eating a fresh baked chocolate cookie makes you want to giggle and sigh.
When you're home alone, at night, there's always something that goes bump in the night.
It is okay to snort when you laugh, granted you don't have anything in your mouth.
Your phobias are always unrealistic and crazy to others--that's why it's a phobia--it's unrealistic...ex. what is the fear of balloons, like party balloons?--Crazy, right? But some people are afraid of them...
Not having a witty comeback until it's too late.
Knowing random trivia that actually comes in useful--goldfish have a memory of 3 seconds.
Finally a safe place to unleash those random musings...what am I going to have for lunch...
6. Larissa said the following at 1:16 PM on Nov 23:
6
I am a morning person, so my prime work hours are 7am to 3pm (aka my favourite shift). This does not help when the boss decides to schedule me in for the night shift. It's not normal to start work at 11pm!
Most adults go out to restaurants to enjoy food they wouldn't normally make for themselves. Make yourself some grilled cheese! :)
7. Susan said the following at 1:19 PM on Nov 23:
7
Ever watch Family Feud? Sometimes the questions can be difficult, especially if you are one of the family members that are answering towards the end with 2 strikes already against you. But the situation below is what always gets to me about the show.
Host: Name the 5 most popular fruits in America
Contestant: Uh....celery?
Rest of the family: Good Answer! Good answer! (they are usually clapping enthusiastically as well)
Strike 3!
It's not a good answer! It's the opposite of a good answer!
I'm not saying I wouldn't choke and say something stupid if I was a contestant on the show. I can guarantee my mind would probably go blank and nonsense would come sputtering out of my mouth. All I'm saying is that my family and friends would call me out on my stupid answer. =)
8. Loris said the following at 1:24 PM on Nov 23:
8
Why doesn't my excellent musical ability translate back to Rock Band? I've played piano since I was 5, but can only manage Hard on bass sometimes. Freezepop? HA. Easy for that one.
9. Josh M said the following at 1:26 PM on Nov 23:
9
You could pay a visit to your local mall parking lot on Friday and then have a new appreciation for the sanity of your fellow church members Sunday.
10. BDB said the following at 1:50 PM on Nov 23:
10
What did you think I would say at this moment?
11. Leigh said the following at 2:08 PM on Nov 23:
11
Nathan, you make me giggle. And don't let anyone color your hair, "salt and pepper" hair on a man is hot.
Yesterday our preacher informed us that the holiday Thanksgiving was originally called " a day for PRAYER and Thanksgiving" So this year Im going to try and make it that. Along with my obession with the Macy's Thanksgivng Day Parade...Im going to try and set aside some special time to just say thank you to God. A new turkey day "tradition". <---- and I said "tradition" like Tevye! (fiddler on the roof for you non dorky people) I will stop being random now!. Just SOOO excited about Thanksgiving!
You are all invited to join me (in your own home) and watch the parade on Tanksgiving morning it will be on NBC. Im so excited, cant wait! One day Im gonna see it in real life!!! ha ha ha
Happy Thanksgiving my Boundless Peeps!
Leigh
12. DannieA said the following at 2:29 PM on Nov 23:
12
hmmmm why is it that English speaking churches run to the door when the service is over with and when Spanish speaking churches let out, the parking lot becomes full of people talking to each other for an hour or two before even thinking about lunch.....?
13. LizH said the following at 2:39 PM on Nov 23:
13
I'm not a morning person or a night person either, which makes my peak productivity from about 2 pm to 5 pm. Not many hours out of the 24!
14. Vanessa said the following at 3:10 PM on Nov 23:
14
Most restaurants will "let" you order off the kids menu if that's what you really want and you ask nicely. Or maybe, that only works for me because I'm a girl?
I also never cease to be amazed at the sheer number of accidents on clear roads here in Central Florida. Multiple car pile-ups are caused by black ice in my home state of MI...not by bad drivers on perfect road conditions!
15. Simon from Texas said the following at 3:19 PM on Nov 23:
15
#3: Probably because in a video game, you lack depth perception, resolution, and mechanical feedback.
16. Rachael said the following at 4:52 PM on Nov 23:
16
My "wisdom" er, finding:
Breyers Berry Swirls are SO good.
And I don't work for Bryers...
Just a high recommend.
17. Carol said the following at 5:06 PM on Nov 23:
17
Here's my random thought for the day: Why are four-way stops so confusing to everyone? If you stop first, you go first. If two people stop at the same time, the person on the right goes first. If the people are on opposite sides so that neither one is on the right, they can both go unless one is turning, then he goes second. I still don't know what happens if four cars stop at the same time, but I suppose that happens very seldom.
18. Daniel B said the following at 5:10 PM on Nov 23:
18
I don't mind preachers saying they'll finish a sermon in a few minutes, but I dislike hearing from the pulpit something to effect that we don't need to worry, the closing prayer will be quick. Or maybe one of the mid-church announcements included that someone in the congregation was ill or in trouble and so "let's say a quick prayer"
It's like prayer is a sideshow when Christians get together, and hearing a talk is the main point.
"the most dangerous driving experience continues to be in the church parking lot"
Sadly, followers of Christ don't seem to have any edge on common, simple politeness.
Restrooms at convention centers aren't cleaner after a Christian conference than after anything else. Christians aren't driving more courteously or littering less than anyone else. Christian roommates aren't any less likely to leave the kitchen or bathroom sink in a disgusting state.
19. Kelly-1 said the following at 5:30 PM on Nov 23:
19
I've been in Germany where the cruising speed is 130 MPH.
Hee, I once got to 195 on the autobahn. The little rental car just wouldn't go any faster.
(Just adding my random comment to the musings!)
20. Elizabeth (from Canada) said the following at 5:58 PM on Nov 23:
20
DannieA (#12): that doesn't happen at my (English-speaking) church! I only wish it had sometimes when I was younger and waiting for what seemed like hours for my parents. Now, I'm chatting away for almost an hour sometimes. It's great to see all my brothers and sisters in Christ, as I don't see them too often through the week.
21. Jessi said the following at 6:24 PM on Nov 23:
21
Pretty funny thought about the peak production hours! I'm definitely not a morning person either, and I'm getting to be less and less of a nite time person. I'm with LizH, I must be an afternoon person!
I tried the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha recently because people talk about how good it is, and I thought I'd try something festive, but I wasn't impressed. From now on I am sticking with my old favorite the White Mocha. No more getting sucked into the seasonal stuff, haha!
I was in Ukraine for a week this summer, and experienced some pretty terrifying driving there. Lets just say we went out every morning in a 12 passenger van with a native Ukrainian driver who was not afraid to pass anyone at anytime or anyplace. Most of the other drivers on the road felt the same way! I eventually started picking the seat in the van where you couldn't really see what was going on on the road from any of the windows.
Sure, give yourself credit for your Rock Band guitar playing skills! Whenever I play SingStar on the Playstation it fools me into thinking I'm a great singer even though I know better!
Great observation about kids meals! When I was a teenager and still ordering kids meals I told myself I'd grow out of it, but here I am at 23 still preferring kids meals at lots of places. They have better sized portions, and of course they're cheaper! I think I'm just going to have to learn to embrace it.
Fun post!
22. Leah said the following at 6:54 PM on Nov 23:
22
"Why is that kids get all the good food on their menu? Just because I'm 28 doesn't mean I don't enjoy a $3 grilled cheese sandwich as much as little Johnny."
Very, very true. We went out for dinner for my mother-in-law's birthday the other week, and my husband and his grandmother both wanted something off the kids' menu.
Carol (17) - the point is that 4-way stops are pointless. There's already the give-way-to-the-right rule, so why put in 4 stop signs? And depending on the intersection, it's not terribly uncommon to have 4 cars stop at the same time. It happens a fair bit at two intersections in my city. It's stupid.
DannieA (12) - at my church (and most other churches I've visited here in Australia) it's the reverse. Well, I wouldn't say reverse, because we don't have many purely-non-english services. But most people hang around talking for ages after the service. There's never any traffic problems in our carpark. (That said, we are not a terribly large church and are spread across three services.)
Riqui (5) - goldfish do not have a memory of 3 seconds. Mythbusters busted that one! :)
23. Cait said the following at 8:22 PM on Nov 23:
23
you make me laugh!
nothing to add, I just appreciated it all.
:)
24. Tami said the following at 9:12 PM on Nov 23:
24
Ironically, I eagerly await both the Starbucks and Peets Christmas blends, as I do taste a difference. They are smoother and milder than both companies' normal roasts.
I don't mind strong coffee; it's the over-roasting I don't care for.
Espresso has less caffeine than regular coffee, some say.
25. Shelley said the following at 9:15 PM on Nov 23:
25
Nice to hear some "silly" random musings. Sometimes you have to create your own reasons to laugh.
"I've been in New Delhi where drivers miraculously defy the rules of space, time, and physics. I've been in Germany where the cruising speed is 130 MPH. But the most dangerous driving experience continues to be in the church parking lot after the service."
This brings back memories of Germany, India and Nepal for me.
I absolutely loved the transport in Kathmandu. It was hair-raising and prayer-inspiring...but reminded me of four-wheel driving round the hills or sand dunes with my brothers and cousins. In June I was in Kat on a STM; I remember going out for dinner with the team in a taxi. We were following our host on a motorbike. It was terrifying but also exhilarating trying to keep up with him. When the driver started to beep at the truck in front of us filled with armed men I started to get a little worried. :)
But everyone should hear the sound of traffic in Kathmandu or Kolkata. It's like an orchestra! Especially in a traffic jam...and nobody thinks about giving way. :)
26. Jeremy said the following at 5:12 AM on Nov 24:
26
Minor point: FWIW, here in Germany, where I live, the default cruising speed is 130 kmph, not 130 mph. (130 kmph = 80 mph). And that's only on the Autobahn, not on other highways or rural roads which have a maximum speed of 100 kmph (60 mph) - not all highways here are Autobahns. And contrary to popular belief, only certain limited stretches of the Autobahn have literally no speed limit at all, while the rest of the Autobahn has mandatory limits of 130 kmph or even 100 kmph.
27. Leigh said the following at 6:31 AM on Nov 24:
27
14. Vanessa
People in central Fl drive like NUTS! My brother lived there for 2 years and is in the process of moving back to Ga (an hour north of us to atlanta God help him) He lived in Leesburgh, and managed 2000 achers of wet lands. Anyway.. while my other brother and I were on the way to his house, about 20 minutes before we got there, there was a woman litterly driving down the WRONG side of the road in the turning lane. and NOBODY seem to have a problem with that except us. And thats just one of my horror storys from driving in central FL. Good luck and safe driving!
28. Loris said the following at 8:53 AM on Nov 24:
28
Jessi #21, if you have Chick fil-A, get the peppermint milkshake. That one's worth the holiday hype.
29. Jeremy said the following at 9:03 AM on Nov 24:
29
Kelly-1 (#19):
I assume you mean km/h? There are not all that many cars in the world that can hit 195 mph, and I seriously doubt a "little rental car" would be one of them.
30. Samantha said the following at 9:59 AM on Nov 24:
30
Random Advice: The next time you're at Starbucks take as many of those green 'spill sticks' as you can. I think they're being discontinued (I have about 10 in my backpack) :)
31. BDB said the following at 12:09 PM on Nov 24:
31
On the 130mph thing...
Ok, I've actually had the experience of driving a Nascar on a super-speedway. I could get up to 142 mph (228 kph), but it totally stressed me out. There were only about 10 cars on the 2.5-mile (4km) track at any one time for us, so it's like having the freeway to yourself. But it is so, so, fast. Normal human beings cannot drive that fast, let alone in traffic. You certainly don't want to do it without a helmet, roll cage and 5-point seat harness. And the engines that handle those speeds consistently cost around $30,000, just for the engine.
In theory, my car can get to 160 mph (257 kph) without red-lining the engine. In practice, 80 mph (128 kph) is a pretty comfortable and safe speed on a big empty freeway. Of course, in SoCal, you can drive that way in lane 2 to let the faster vehicles pass on the left...like happened to me this morning...
32. Stephanie said the following at 12:18 PM on Nov 24:
32
re: #11 "groan" I wish salt and pepper hair were considered "good-looking' on a 23-yr-old girl!!
To Jessi - I have been on the roads in Ukraine...I was terrified. I didn't know you could pass in such a large vehicle on such small stretches of road.
Random things make me smile. People often accuse me of being rather random myself.
33. natasha said the following at 4:54 PM on Nov 24:
33
Random thoughts:
If calcify means to become like calcium carbonate, does edify mean to become like Ed? Who is Ed and why should we be like him anyways?
Febreze has to be a scam. If it really did take the scent molecules out of the air then there would be an unscented Febreze. But there's not: I checked.
People have hair on their noses. This is creepy to think about for some reason.
Why do people like popcorn when it has the same texture as styrofoam? I bet if you covered styrofoam in butter and fed it to blindfolded people they wouldn't know the difference. (Yes, I hate popcorn)
Your toilet bowl is usually cleaner than your kitchen sink. Did you just pick that grape out of the sink and pop it in your mouth?
If you haven't laughed at least 5 times in a day then something is wrong. Go read a Gary Larson comic or some church bulletin bloopers. Life is filled with potentially funny moments even when it is going badly.
Is there a job where you get paid to procrastinate? Of course, I'd probably never get around to applying... ;)
34. Shelley said the following at 8:32 PM on Nov 24:
34
#31 Just adding to the driving stories...
My brother works for a company that sells and services Bentley's, Aston Martins and Lamborghinis. He once had an Asian couple come in to buy their 19-yr-old son a brand new lamborghini. Then they found out that no insurance company wanted anything to do with a 19-yr-old lamborghini driver...so they gave it to him and told him not to drive it until they sorted out the insurance.
That's like giving me a box of Swiss chocs and telling me not to eat them!
So, he took his pride and joy to the speedway to offer the other experienced (and novice) racers a little challenge. The only problem was he tried to weave the tires to warm them up at an extreme speed, lost control of the car and stacked his brand new baby. He survived. The car did not!
35. Shelley said the following at 8:34 PM on Nov 24:
35
I've just thought of some more randomness...
What is it about a blogspot that has me sitting on my laptop, on a stunning day here in NZ, rather than outside enjoying the sun?
Gotta go...be back after dark
:)
36. BDB said the following at 10:33 PM on Nov 24:
36
Gosh Shelley, you wrote your post at 8:34pm...it's not dark yet?
37. Leigh said the following at 8:28 AM on Nov 25:
37
Random Turkey/Turkey day Facts
Americans feast on 535 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving.
Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be our national bird.
Domesticated turkeys cannot fly, however wild turkeys can fly up to 55 miles per hour over short distances.
Only male (tom) turkeys gobble. Females make a clicking noise. The famous gobble is actually a seasonal mating call.
The heaviest turkey ever raised weighed in at 86 pounds – about the size of a German Shepherd! (But turkeys are normally not used as police animals.)
A turkey under 16 weeks of age is called a fryer. A five to seven month old turkey is called a roaster.
The Turkey Trot, a ballroom dance in the 1900s, was named for the short, jerky steps of the turkey. It became popular mainly because it was denounced by the Vatican as "suggestive."
Turkeys are known to spend the night in trees! (Maybe to escape the Thanksgiving table?)
A turkey's field of vision is 270 degrees--one of the main reasons they're able to elude some hunters.
The average age of the Mayflower passenger was 32. The oldest Mayflower passenger was 64.
There was no milk, cheese, bread, butter or pumpkin pie at the original Thanksgiving Day feast.
Contrary to popular belief, the Pilgrims did not have big buckles on their clothing, shoes, or hats.
Buckles did not come into fashion until the late 1600s – more appropriate for the Salem Witchcraft trial time period.
The cranberry got its name because the pale pink blossoms on the plant resembled a crane’s head and neck. The name craneberry stuck, eventually becoming cranberry.
Fresh cranberries are ideal for cranberry sauce. Cranberries of the highest quality will always bounce! (If you try this at home, please wash the cranberries before eating.)
President Abraham Lincoln established the original date for our National Thanksgiving Day celebration in 1863.
President Thomas Jefferson scoffed at the idea of establishing a national “Thanksgiving Day.”
Congress did not declare Thanksgiving a national holiday until 1941.
The average person consumes 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day. (Now that's a lot of turkey!)
38. Shelley said the following at 11:29 PM on Nov 25:
38
BDB - no I didn't write it then. I wrote it around 4.00pm. Either the time setting is out slightly, or 8.34pm is when Nathan posted it. :)
39. Leigh said the following at 8:49 AM on Dec 5:
39
Nathan! (you may not want to publish this IDK how you feel about people knowing what Im about to say..I don't want it to give you away..lol)
I just read your article "Fellowship of the Football" We are both Ga fans so I had to read it.
You were talking about your dad and I have a question. Is your dad the smart guy with the accent that does "let my people think??" I listen to him while I get ready for sunday school, and then my pastor comes on right after your dad. Dr Benny Tate?? Apples of Gold? (93.3)
Anyway...I just had to ask.
BTW, Vince Dooley was just at my church last week, my unchel played for him. You should come next time he is there.
Leigh