Hello and welcome back for another round of Random Thoughts from yours truly. I just got back home and decided to just go ahead and blog, so here we go...or at least here I go, but you're invited too. Enjoy.
- The big reason for the subtitle this week is that historically for me, even though it's not really happening this particular year, something new happens or starts for me around this time even though there aren't any major holidays or birthdays I celebrate. This year I'm in the middle of a personal transformation...into what I don't know just yet but it's something the Lord's had me on since the end of last year, so that's not really new. In past years it was maybe school starting or a new job. In 2002 I started in a therapy/treatment program (the mental health stuff) that changed how I saw life in general and in 2003 I officially started my path back to Ohio State and Columbus through weekend trips and working out financial aid and academic stuff for OSU. The biggest thing ever new to me around this time happened in 1991 right before I started Ohio State. It is and always will be one of the most significant changes in my entire life: the change of my name and what I'm commonly known by to "D.J." It's big on many levels for me personally, professionally, emotionally...the works. I've talked about that before here in Random Thoughts so I'm not gonna rehash it today, but the point is this time of year has the potential to be special for me personally. If anybody has a special particular period of time (outside of obvious ones like a birthday or a holiday) that almost happens like clockwork such as it does or did for me...a week, a day, maybe even an hour...and it's something you'd be willing to share, put it in the comments section, whether it be on Myspace, Facebook, Blogger, wherever. (If you just want to share it with me privately, then you can send a private message)....I'd like to hear if this happens for anybody else.
- This was a rough weekend for Ohio sports teams with the exception of the University of Akron who opened their new stadium with a blowout win. OSU lost in the last minute to USC...they got too conservative, but it might be understandable with all the newbies in starting roles and at least they made a game of it unlike last year's debacle of a showdown so I'm hopeful. I'm also hopeful about the Browns, who though they lost to a team that is poised for a possible Super Bowl run held their own for at least part of the game and got a monkey off their backs by scoring their first offensive touchdown in about nine months. I just hope the Browns do better against Denver next week.
- Speaking of the Browns game, we had a good turnout for the Westerville Browns Backers today. A lot of the group were at the game in Cleveland, probably to see Brett Favre play in probably their only chance to do so. The Backers meet up again next Sunday and every time there's a Browns game, so for you Browns fans in the local Columbus area who want to watch your Browns games in a place that's extremely Browns-friendly, come to Jimmy V's in uptown Westerville. We'll probably have a crowd next week so get up there early to grab a seat. If anybody has questions about joining the Westerville Browns Backers specifically, I can get you the information or, better yet, you can just come up on game day.
- I heard a very interesting term coined last week that may be of interest to those of the spiritual persuasion. It's sort of a countering activity to and a takeoff of "strip club." It's called "Script club," as in Bible scriptures where people meet up and read those scriptures regularly, and I guess it was being used as another term for "Bible study group," though other religions could probably use the term as well for their meetings and groups for reading spiritual and religious texts. I haven't heard the term before much less regularly but it might be something that religious and spiritual groups can use as a name for a Bible study group and potentially used as terminology for promoting such groups to normal and popular culture in a potentially positive way...just my two cents here.
- Speaking of spiritual things, my church home: Crossroads World Christian Center.
- Something just hit me regarding this week's subtitle...Mr. Telephone Man...there's something wrong with my line...when I dial my baby's number I get a click every time...
- On a more somber note, a couple days ago there was the 8th year anniversary of the attacks by al-Qaeda terrorists on New York City and Washington D.C. It's not something people want to think about, but it's a time we will probably never forget. On that note I had an idea that if I ever had a political career I might promote as something if it hasn't happened yet. There are many who are trying to find a way to commemorate what happened on September 11, 2001 and I may have found a way to do so, though I do admit now it is sort of radical. It involves switching Labor Day to the end of May where Memorial Day is now and moving Memorial Day itself to the static date of September 11th. Bear with me here I have a basis for this. One of the reasons there is a summer break for schools today is that back in the early days of this country there was a need for labor for the agrarian season (meaning growing crops and stuff like that) which was during the summertime. Moving back Labor Day could be looked at as a symbolic recognition of the beginning of that agrarian season. For those who labor today, it could be looked at as a culmination of sorts and a celebration of the end of a long year's work and maybe a beginning of a summer break as Memorial Day is generally seen now...an unfortunate consequence since that's not what was intended to be memorialized. Changing Memorial Day to September 11th could be symbolic as well. It would be a midpoint between Independence Day (July 4th) and Veteran's Day (November 11th), and symbolically speaking we would celebrate the following, in this particular order: the independence of our country....the remembrance of those who have fallen...a celebration of those who have served. Given that the other two holidays have static dates and September 11th has become very symbolic in our society, I thought this might be an appropriate day to have the Memorial Day holiday. Now, I'm pretty sure there are valid reasons to keep things the way they are now but I think this should be given some serious consideration as a potential solution for memorializing 9/11/01.
- Song on repeat: "Higher Love" by Steve Winwood with a contribution by Chaka Khan. I didn't realize how many songs Steve Winwood has that are so distinct and so diverse in pop culture yet are so recognizable as specifically his songs. They're catchy as well, as in they can stick in your head for a while if you listen to them even once. This was a song that did that for me this past week...and it's a song I like.
- SLP to the following: Holly, Jennifer, George (JamDawg), Rusty (happy birthday), Pat, Anna, Walt, Nick, Steve, and my fellow Browns Backers.
That's all for this week. Summer is ending soon and autumn is just around the corner, so go out there and enjoy the nice weather while it's still here. Take care and God Bless.
DJ
