A Refreshing Drink of Water in the Desert of the Real

A Day in the Sunshine

2011-04-11T09:54:00.006-04:00

Friends,

One of the most fascinating things that you will ever experience is seeing the world through the eyes of your child. We have grown so accustomed to seeing what we do on a daily basis that we have lost the magic. The wonders of the world around us have become the mundane. Monica and I took our daughter outside to play for the first time yesterday. After a long and cold winter, this was a welcome change of pace for all three of us.

There was something about all of this that never had crossed my mind. She had never really seen cars. Being in a car, and seeing one are two different things entirely. Because of the cold, windy air, and how sick she had been earlier in the winter, we had taken to tossing a baby-sized afghan over her head any time we were taking her in and out of the house. Blanket goes over the head inside, comes off in the car. She wasn't seeing the world around her in transit.

We took her outside and placed her in this wonderful contraption called an Exer-Saucer that is designed to allow babies to stand up and play, strengthening their legs, while having a huge number of interactive toys sticking out and hanging down from all angles for her to explore. Normally, that thing is inside, but we brought it out and put it on the front porch for this little excursion.

That's when it happened: a car blasted down Fourth Street past out house, and Makaela's eyes followed it from right to left the whole way, her mouth agape. The only thing she had seen move quite that fast was our rabbit, and she's kinda used to the hopper. Another car comes from the other direction and again her eyes lit up like Christmas morning and she giggled.

We are so used to cars zipping back and forth that we never think about the wonders of technology that are behind it, and how unnatural a thing such as that must seem to the eyes of a seven-month-old. She sat and watched several of them going past before she became once more engrossed in her toys and the joy of pure play.

When you have the opportunity next, take a minute to ponder what's out there from the eyes of a child. She loves cars. I don't blame her one bit.

Pax vobiscum,

David

The arrival of Spring (finally)

2011-04-07T14:00:00.003-04:00

Friends,

I'm psyched that spring finally has arrived. For those of us who are getting tired of being holed up inside of the house during this excessively long winter, this will be a nice change of pace. Even yesterday, there was ice on the windshield of my car. I couldn't help but think longingly of groundhog stew after the "prognosticator of prognosticators," AKA Puxatawney Phil had failed us so miserably.

Now that spring is here, I hope to spend long hours sitting one the porch reading a good book (not necessarily in English) and enjoying an Arnold Palmer. (for those who are unfamiliar, an Arnold Palmer is equal parts ice tea and lemonade, a beverage with which the famous golfer is famous for.)

But maybe there should be something that we should focus more on than the warm weather.

During this time period of Lent, I spend much of my time thinking about the approach of the Cross. Easter has been secularized way too far, becoming more of a spring festival dominated by little yellow duckies and the arrival of an anthropomorphic egg-bearing rodent. Maybe that is why I'm not a big "Easter" person. I mean seriously, even the name Easter comes from a pagan goddess named Oestre, who was associated with Spring. I celebrate The Feast of the Resurrection, as it is properly written on the Church Calendar, that being the last day of Lent.

Lent is a time period of repentance and reflection where we ponder the nature of our sinful existence and look to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, not to the arrival of Spring. The Resurrection of Christ is the central point of our Faith. It is why we celebrate the Eucharist, and is our hope for eternity. I understand fully why there are those who are uncomfortable with the image of Christ on the Cross, whether it is in the form of a crucifix on the wall or a film such as the Passion of the Christ. For me, however, I find it one of the most moving images that I have ever seen in my life, and it is the source of unending peace and hope in my life. Without the Cross, there was no Death. Without his Death, there would have been no Resurrection. Without the Resurrection there would be no Salvation.

Look to the Cross this Lenten Season. Think not of Easter's arrival in pastel colors and the promises of warm weather, but in the idea of the deep red of the Blood of Christ, shed for us. Look to the Cross... and look to the East. His return draweth near. Amen.

Dominus vobiscum,

David

Ruminations on a Classic (an albiet altered one...)

2011-04-06T09:47:00.008-04:00

Friends,

I thought that I would pass this on to you. Yesterday, at Walmart of all places, I found a copy of the 1611 KJV Bible as released by Zondervan in honor of the 400th Anniversary of this great achievement in Christianity. Now, I have never been one to espouse the idea that one translation is of a superior origin. I have had people try to tell me in the past that the KJV was the only "true" Bible, etc., using much of the tired religious rhetoric that tends to give me a headache. Considering that there were 1610 years of Christianity prior to the KJV, one would imagine that all of Christendom wasn't failing miserably in its devotion simply because an English-speaking ruler hadn't stepped up to the plate. Ethnocentrism, anyone?

Still, as one who loves my Savior Jesus Christ endlessly and serves Him more and more with my each passing day, I grabbed this from the shelf with a childlike giddiness the moment that I found it for a staggeringly low price of $4.97. That's not the most amazing part in my heart, however. It's more of the Lord answering a prayer.

Recently I found myself wandering through websites that were most likely designed for historians and art collectors, dealing with pages of ancient books going back as far as the 13th Century. One site had pages from the Brevarium Monasticum of the Benedictine Order in its original handwritten Latin, as well as other manuscripts from throughout the Middle Ages. You could actually purchase a single page from one of these texts for three or four hundred dollars, maybe less depending on the title.

Obviously, as a schoolteacher and the parent of a six month old, ponying up the money for a page from a 1611KJV just to have it hang on a wall would be ridiculous and more than slightly irresponsible. So, I prayed (almost offhandedly), "Lord, I would love to hold a 1611 in my hands someday, if not just to see what one actually looked like."

Zondervan, in honor of the 400th Anniversary of this masterpiece, has re-released the 1611 from scanned pages from the original text, as typeset by a couple dozen printing companies in London, England. It was as if God had answered a prayer. Yes, I fully understand that a five dollar scanned copy from Walmart doesn't have the impact that physically touching a 1611 would have, but I never actually asked God to let me hold a genuine 1611 did I?

Lord, I would love to hold a 1611 in my hands someday, if not just to see what one actually looked like."

Is it a 1611? Yes.

Is it an original? No.

Does that matter? Not really.

My prayer was to see one. To look at the individual pages and feel the history flowing through the meticulous work of each hand-picked piece of type, and the vast differences that can be found in some sections as to what we could consider standard English today. Spellings like "Ieſus Chriſt" (using an I instead of a J, as well as that interesting ſ character for a beginning or internal lowercase "s" that we have removed from modern English) abound in this, as well as the interesting idiocyncrasies of premodern English such as those found in this passage from Genesis. "And God ſaid, Let the Earth bring foorth graſſe, the herbe yeelding ſeed and the fruit tree yeelding fruit after his kind, whole ſeed is in it ſelfe, upon the earth: and it was ſo." - Genesis 1:11

The reason the title of this article says (an albiet altered one...) is the disappointment that I must say that I felt when I realized that the Deuterocanonical books (the Apocrypha) were left out. This was a hurtful action on the behalf of Zondervan, seeming to have only the purpose of promoting their viewpoint. Yes, I understand that not all denominations accept the Deuterocanonicals, but if you are going to release a book and call it a true 1611, how can you leave out a rather large section to suit ones own theological vision? The 1611 as published in England, did indeed contain the Deuterocanonicals. Whether you agree with their usage or not... they were there. To me, that is the same as if someone tried to release a "1611" with inclusive language.

Overall, however, I will always treasure this volume, and the amazing blessing that God has given me by dropping it into my lap. Reading Psalm 133 from this book (pictured above) gave me shivers, and probably will every time that I turn to that page. If you have an opportunity to pick up a copy, even if you don't purchase it, take a minute or two to flip through the pages and step headlong into the history of Christianity. This treasure goes very well with my Clementina Vulgata.

Pax Christi,

David

The Daily Office

2011-03-28T23:02:00.002-04:00

Hello my friends,

I thought that today I would share with you something that has become a cornerstone in my faith: The Daily Office. I know that the Office is traditionally prayed in groups, or by clergy, but I find that it, when one has the time, makes an excellent devotion and discipline. Now, during this season of Lent, we are reminded of Christ's suffering through the devotions and disciplines that people of many denominations take upon themselves. I offer this to you as a potential discipline not just during Lent, but perhaps throughout the year, regardless of what denominational background that you come from.

The Daily Office is an order of worship from the Book of Common Prayer that is very similar to the Catholic tradition of Praying the Hours. It has been compressed into Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, with services for Noonday and Compline as well. The two powerhouses of the Office are Morning and Evening Prayer, however.

These two services draw from a plan of worship that is put forward in the Book of Common Prayer, and is supplemented with readings from the Daily Lectionary. The Lectionary is a two year cycle that covers the bulk of the Bible in its readings (going over all 150 Psalms every six weeks). When put together, the prayers of the Office and the scriptures of the Lectionary put forth a well laid-out manner of worship that allows the devotee to truly experience the rich blessings of Christ.

You can either view these wonderful prayers online through the website, or you can download it onto your favorite eReader, including as of today, the Kindle. Visit this wonderful website by clicking HERE and take a peek. I hope that these beautiful words speak to you as they have me.

Pax Christi vobiscum,

David

Twitter + Blogspot = Fun

2011-03-25T16:09:00.004-04:00

Good afternoon friends,

So here I am at the end of another busy week, and I figured that I would mention this to all of you. I can now be followed on twitter @davemuaddib

For those of you who are already on my Twitter and just got a blog entry about this fact, it will probably seem redundant, but since my Twitter doens't have a large number of followers yet, its okay. Sorry! Anyway... I have linked my Blogspot account to Twitter through Twitterfeed, that way any time I write a new blog on here, it will be Tweeted to my account. I'm hoping that will increase the readership a little bit, between that and the automatic posting of my blog as a Note into Facebook.

That's it... pretty well all I had to say at this moment. Enjoy your weekend, and I hope to see you all on Twitter very soon.

David

The Order of DeMolay

2011-03-23T10:00:00.003-04:00

Friends,

I had a fantastic experience last night. I had the opportunity to see one of my students go through the degrees to join the Order of DeMolay. DeMolay is a boy's organization that is sponsored by the Masonic Fraternity, and is for ages 12 to 21.

Teaching faith in God, patriotism toward ones country, obedience and respect to your parents, and dedication to your academics, DeMolay is an amazing organization, and one that I am proud to see this student join. Much like the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, which is also sponsored by the Masonic Fraternity, it hopes to lend a hand in bringing these kids into an honorable adulthood through the valuable lessons that it teaches.

Faith in God and a willingness to participate in that Brotherhood are the only real requirements beyond the age limits. As it is sponsored by the Lodge, and not by any one denomination, it is not a church, but a fellowship of Christian boys that is open to all denominations.

It's an organization that I'm proud to do my part in supporting. Also, just like Rainbow for Girls, I keep petitions on me pretty much at all times. I may soon even have a few for both organizations in the glove compartment of our cars. :)

In fidelitas, et pax Christi,

David

The Christian Mason #2: “The Lambskin of Christ”

2011-03-22T14:49:00.000-04:00

An article from my Masonic Website, which has amazingly received nearly 40,000 hits in the past six years since its beginning, and has helped many former Masons regain their ties to the Lodge, as well as helping many good men make the decision for themselves to improve themselves in Masonry.

*****

The Christian Mason #2: “The Lambskin of Christ”

D. David Will, Jr. 32º, KT

For the Christian Mason, nothing is more important than ever before understand how the various symbols of Freemasonry relate to God’s Word as revealed to us through the Volume of Sacred Law, the Holy Bible. Symbols are an incredible way to get a point across, breaking down barriers of culture and language to create a symmetry of thought amongst mankind that allows us to better relate to each other. Symbols certainly can mean different things to different people, but for those who share a certain symbol, it becomes a commonality. These commonalities are what true Brotherhood is based on, because ours is a Brotherhood of Shared Experience.

One of the most recognizable symbols of the Christian faith, to which I have proudly dedicated my life, is the Cross. No matter what language that you speak, from Arabic to Zulu, to the followers of Christ, this is a powerful symbol, ever reminding us of His death and Resurrection, and thus the Salvation of Mankind through his passion. Another symbol that serves this purpose that is known by Christians is the bread and the wine. Christ gave us this symbol when “on the night in which he was betrayed, he took the cup and said, ‘Take, eat. This is my blood, which was shed for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” We see the Cup of Christ, and are reminded of His blood on Calvary hill, and how we are brought to redemption because of it.

So, the reader may look at this and say, “What symbols are there in Masonry that could connect back to my Christian faith?” Dear Brethren, the answer is simple, it is an item that you adorn yourself with every time you step into a Lodge, and is the most important piece of clothing that you are buried with upon death: The Lambskin Apron.

The Lambskin as long been referred to as being an “emblem of innocence, more honorable than the star and garter,” dating back to ancient times. Indeed, the Lambskin has been a symbol of innocence from the very beginning. Think back to when God revealed himself to Abram, renaming him the Father of Nations, Abraham. When Abraham’s son Isaac was of a certain age, the Angel of the Lord told Abraham to sacrifice his son at Mount Moriah. As they walked the path to the mount, Isaac walked as a lamb to the slaughter, much like the walk that Christ would one day take himself. When Isaac asked his father where the lamb was for the sacrifice, he sadly replied that Jehovah-jireh, or “The Lord will provide” that lamb. Isaac did not realize that it was in reference to himself. The boy was bound and placed on the altar for sacrifice, and the Angel of the Lord stayed Abraham’s hand before he committed the unthinkable.

In Isaac’s place, a ram was provided, and Abraham was told to sacrifice it in his son’s place. To the Hebrews, this was meant to be a model for the system of ritual sacrifice that they carried out for hundreds of years. To the Christian, however, we see this as a sign of things to come. Abraham was being tested by God, and was found worthy of the greatest gift that mankind has ever received. Because Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son on the altar, a lamb for God, the Lord was then willing to sacrifice His Son on the Cross at Calvary, the perfect sacrifice for all Mankind, as a lasting atonement for sin.

How does this beautiful story of sacrifice and redemption relate to Masonry? When we take on the Lambskin Apron, we answer a very important question that was asked in a famous hymn. “Are you washed in the Blood, the soul-cleansing Blood of the Lamb? Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow? Are you washed in the Blood of the Lamb?” Yes, indeed, are garments are white as snow. When a Mason is initiated into the Entered Apprentice Degree, they are given the Lambskin Apron as an emblem of innocence, and told to wear it “without spot or blemish” to the honor and glory of the Craft.

For the Christian Mason, the Lambskin takes on the significance of an outward sign of inward faith. The Christian Mason is one who believes that his life and his faith are strengthened by the like-minded brotherhood, as well as the beautiful symbolism of the Craft. This outward sign is another way that the declaration “I believe in Christ” is made, and made proudly. Although there are things, such as the grips and words, that we keep private amongst the Brethren, the Lambskin is not kept private. It is worn proudly in public for cornerstone layings and funerals both, where the world can see. When Masons are finally laid for their eternal reward, they are buried wearing their apron. A Mason is not properly clothed in his Lodge without it.

This outward symbol is an expression of our faith in Christ as Masons. We choose the images and symbols of Masonry to help us in expressing that faith because something about them rings true in our minds and we feel that it betters our walk with Christ. I could not be who I am today without being washed in the blood of Christ. Masonry aids me in my walk with Him. May you, my dear Christian Mason, wear yours “spot or blemish,” as befits your walk with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So mote it be. Amen.

*****

Sonnet IV

2010-01-20T09:12:00.000-05:00

Sonnet IV

At night, the freshly fallen snow
silences the voices of the world
beneath a thick blanket of frozen white,
trapping the memory of countless
footsteps upon that well traveled dirt road.

In the distant darkness, a twig snaps
as an owl takes flight and shrieks in search of prey,
momentarily shattering the silence like glass.

Yet, the silence envelops the world once more
stealing away all evidence that life
has ever trod upon these frozen roads.

But I find in this silence a true horror
for it is in the cold and desolate night
that we are left alone with the sound of our own hearts.

D. Will
1/20/10

Sonnet III

2010-01-19T12:11:00.001-05:00

Sonnet III

A girl ran down a long corridor
lightning flashing in the expanse
and the terrible peal of thunder like a tuning fork
resonating through her tiny frame
as if her very life were to be shaken from her.

Leaning against the oaken doorway
the girl braced herself against
Jupiter's wrath and Neptune's fury
as the ship was slammed by a wall of water.

But in the midst of the chaos rested
a single spider upon his web unshaken
as if the storm could not affect him.

The girl viewed the spider's fiery resolve
and dreamed that she might one day be strong like him.

D. Will
1/19/10

Sonnet II

2010-01-19T12:05:00.000-05:00

I am thoroughly enjoying writing poetry again. I used to write stuff like this a long time ago, but I think that some of the literature classes that I had in college burnt me out on poetry for a while, but between teaching about Neruda in class, and the student who introduced me to the amazing writing of Charles Bukowski, it has rekindled my love of the art form. Submitted for your approval...

*****

Sonnet II

Locked in deep contemplation
the petty Tyrant dreams
of holding lives in the palm of his hand
and bending the masses to his will;
spreading his power to the farthest reaches
of the lands within his grasp.

The Tyrant's power seems endless
but he understands with a heavy sigh
that his reign is ending soon
and that the long night will descend
to sweep away all signs of his might.

When the day is done, the Tyrant,
with a knowing smile, puts his toys away
and crawls into bed for a well deserved rest.

D. Will
1/18/10

A free-form sonnet...

2010-01-18T10:49:00.001-05:00

Sonnet I

She glides across the midnight sand
thinking not of the gentle tickle
of cold particles between her toes
or the reflection of the full moon
glistening on rippling ocean waters.

Twirling the ringlets of her golden hair
she nibbles gently on full lips that speak sweet mysteries
her other arm drawn tightly across a youthful chest
waiting with endless longing for one who will never arrive

Yet the night will pass into morning
and the years will carry away the memory;
greater hurts still than this shall erase her pain
but of the night itself, the reflection will remain
of her gentle youth, the moon, and the sand between her toes.

D. Will
1/17/10

If you will indulge me for a moment...

2010-01-12T18:05:00.001-05:00

A lesson that I taught in class today rekindled my love of the poetry of Pablo Neruda. So, this evening, I thought I would share with you all Neruda's Sonnet XVII. Enjoy!

Sonnet XVII

No te amo como si fueras rosa de sal, topacio
o flecha de claveles que propagan el fuego:
te amo como se aman ciertas cosas oscuras,
secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma.

Te amo como la planta que no florece y lleva
dentro de sí, escondida, la luz de aquellas flores,
y gracias a tu amor vive oscuro en mi cuerpo
el apretado aroma que ascendió de la tierra.

Te amo sin saber como, ni cuándo, ni de donde,

te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo:
así te amo porque no sé amar de otra manera,

sino así de este modo en que no soy ni eres,
tan cerca que tu mano sobre mi pecho es mía,
tan cerca que se cierran tus ojos con mi sueño.

****

I do not love you as if you were the salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

-- Pablo Neruda, Cien Sonetos de Amor (100 Love Sonnets) 1960

Attempting to get back into Blogging

2010-01-08T14:34:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon, all!

We are starting this new year off with a bang! Five days of school have already been canceled due to inclement weather here in Marshall County. I know that many areas get much more snow than we do, but I think that the biggest factor of this, is that most of the county seems to be built on ridges that are dangerous to drive around on in the summer, let alone when there is snow up to everyone's eyeballs. So, here I sit in our nice warm house, in front of my computer, ready to do a little typing. It is at this point that I think I'll give you all an update on what is new.

Firstly, the HOUSE. We bought a house over the summer, located in town on a particularly flat street with a very short drive to anywhere that we would wish to go on a daily basis. Monica and I have a seven minute drive to work in the morning, and an even shorter distance to travel if we wish to go to Wal*Mart, or if I am going to one of the functions at the Masonic Lodge.

Monica and I joined the Order of the Eastern Star recently, which is an auxiliary of the Lodge for Masons and their wives, sisters, mothers, etc. It's an excellent organization, and one that I'm very proud to be a member of with her. I know that she has received a lot of enjoyment out of being able to take part in it as well.

I'm still writing, and still trying to find a publisher for my books. I'm hoping that 2010 will afford some great opportunities for me in the literary world, as I have finished writing my third novel, and have a fourth one in progress while I'm looking for someone to pick up the ones I have already written. Here's hoping!

Not much really more is new beyond this. Another easy way for family and friends to keep up with me if they so choose is through my Facebook. I've added a link somewhere on this page to my Facebook, if anyone wants to add me. If you don't have Facebook, you seriously should consider giving it a shot. It's worth a few minutes of your time to find yourself reconnecting with people that you may never have imaged that you would speak to again. And, who knows, you might make some new friends that you would not have thought possible either.

God Bless you all during this wintry season. I hope that Christmas went well for all of you, and that the Blessings of Our Lord and Savior have touched each and every one of you.

David

Brief Update on Life in General

2009-03-14T18:27:00.000-04:00

Hello all:

Yes, I'm probably one of the worst bloggers in history. I remember when I first started using Xanga back in college, I didn't think I could make it through the day without hitting the keyboard and punching out another log in the life of me. It felt like Captain Picard... except with more hair.

Anyway, I decided that since I had a quiet afternoon at home this weekend that I would type a little note and get you all up to date on what I'm doing.

When I was in high school, I wrote a 400+ page novel called Intelligence Quotient that was my first (and certainly not my last) foray into political science-fiction. I've decided to revisit the old book and rewrite. The rewrites have taken me in an amazing direction that involves this book being split into four separate novels. Currently, I'm on the second one. I'm a little stuck with a writer's cramp at the moment. It's not an all out block persay, it's just a cramp. That's okay, though, cause it allowed me to get caught up on a lot of other work that I had been putting off.

Meanwhilst... I have been reading a lot of Manga. For those in the know, I'm up to Naruto #40, Fullmetal Alchemist #17, and Deathnote #6. I'm fantastically irritated about how slowly they are releasing Hikaru no Go.

This school year has been awesome, and I think I can boast that this semester has my best students yet. I know that I say that about every semester, but this group is awesome. I'm really gonna miss them once the year is over.

Well, I'm gonna hop off of here and pop in some Anime. The Deathnote box set is calling to me, so there we go. Have a great day all!

Pax Christi,

David

Happy Turkey Day!

2008-11-27T21:06:00.000-05:00

Hello all! Thought that I would drop a little line to all of you and say hi. I have actually managed to post this message from my Amazon Kindle, so I can't post a long message. Hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

溫故知新 - Wengu Zhixin

2008-11-15T17:57:00.000-05:00

In doing a little bit of research concerning Confucius for class, I ran across this website.

溫故知新 - Wengu Zhixin

This website has a WEALTH of really great stuff to read and study. It is the classics of Chinese philosophy, including the Analects, the Dao De Jing, and the Art of War, with side-by-side versions of the Chinese and English. (If your computer doesn't support Chinese text, you can either update it accordingly, or just shut off the Chinese entirely.)

But, the neatest feature of this site, in my opinion, is the fact that the Chinese text has mouse-over translations of each of the Hanzi characters. I find that I already am starting to recognize close to two dozen Chinese characters just by studying the first part of this. It's amazing!!

Scuba Go?

2008-10-29T21:28:00.000-04:00

Found this picture online and thought it was hilarious. I love Go, but it could be taking it to an extreme:

Polar Crown Prominences

2008-09-24T22:27:00.000-04:00

Okay, the video below, in my opinion, is staggeringly beautiful. Because the sun is so bright, without the proper equipment, we really can't see what's going on from Earth. I remember being a little kid outside with dad, using a tripod and a rifle scope to project an image of the sun on a piece of paper. At first, you think that it's just bright light shining through on the page until you see little tiny black dots, and you suddenly realize that they are sunspots, and that you have seen an incredible thing. Something like that gets you hooked on Solar matters for life.

NASA has given us a video from the surface of the Sun of a "Polar Crown Prominence," which is a "wall of 10,000^o plasma about 90,000 km long and 30,000 km tall." To give you an idea of this, NASA says that yo could stack three of the Earth on top of each other and BARELY reach the top.

All I can say... is wow.

Click here for the link to the original article.

A neat little project

2008-09-09T10:04:00.000-04:00

Good morning all!

God has shined down upon me a wonderful little project to get my brain going this morning. After battling a terrible sore throat, fever, aches, pains and the like, this was a welcome start to my day.

Cliff Wolodkin, a co-worker, brought for me to see a little treasure of his grandfather's. Although I don't know its worth monetarily now, the intrinsic value of this is fantastic as a history buff. He brought in a 1928 monetary note from Algeria, of 20 franc face value for me to translate. My Arabic is terrible (read: "entirely nonexistant"), but luckily I speak French.

Below are scanned copies of the ACTUAL Algerian bills, now 80 years old. Feel free to click to see larger images.

The obverse roughly reads:

_____
Bank of Algeria
20 Francs
Payable by bearer on sight
20 Francs (in Arabic)

Head of Treasury (lit. "Chief Cash-Clerk")
(Signature)

The Secretary-General
(Signature)

Article 139 of the Penal Code punishes the
counterfeiter with perpetual forced labor.
_____

I don't know who the portrait in the lower right is, but I'll find out. In the meantime, the reverse is totally in Arabic, and I am at a loss. I'm gonna get into contact with an old professor of mine who is fluent in Arabic to see what he can tell me. I'll let you know.

David

UPDATE: Dr. Mills wrote me back. The phrase on the reverse means "In the name of God the most merciful, the most compassionate; woe to the stingy."

The Merry Family Winery

2008-08-22T23:09:00.001-04:00

Friends,

A little gem in the Ohio River Valley is the Merry Family Winery in Gallipolis, OH. Home to several varieties of grapevines and more than a dozen different wines, it is tucked into the countryside outside of Gallipolis. On my Facebook, I have an entire album of pictures from this little excursion. That link is HERE. Note: You don't have to be a Facebook member to use that link. Just mouse-over the pictures for a caption about each one.

I think back to my little pot-bound vines in the backyard and the handful of grapes that I've managed, regardless of the fact that we apartment dwellers can't plant in the ground. I would love to achieve HALF of what these guys have in viniculture one day.

Enjoy the photos!

David

Dr. Stephen Rerych, Olympic Gold Medalist

2008-08-20T20:45:00.000-04:00

With all of the focus lately being on Michael Phelps, and his incredible achievement, I thought I would pass this on to you.

Dr. Stephen Rerych, a friend of ours from Church back in Point Pleasant, was on the Olympic Relay Swim Team with Mark Spitz, winning two Gold Medals in the 1968 Olympic Games. Dr. Rerych, a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Pt. Pleasant, is a devout Christian and a wonderful friend, and I am proud to know him. I find him to be an excellent example to our young athletes.

WSAZ News Huntington/Charleston did an segment on the evening news about Dr. Rerych, so I thought I would bring it to you. CLICK HERE for the video and its accompanying article.

Rerych, (above, third from left), towered above his teammates at 6'7" in height. He travelled to Mexico City in 1968 to win Gold in the 4x100 and 4x200 Freestyle Relay. In 1967, the year before, Sports Illustrated did an entire article about him. CLICK HERE for that article.

Have a great evening folks, and enjoy the rest of the Olympics this evening, especially Shawn Johnson and Nastia Lukin's performances in the Gymnastics Gala tonight.

Pax Christi,

David

Sinatra Sings Ave Maria

2008-08-19T19:51:00.000-04:00

I found this online today, and thought I would share it. It's Frank Sinatra singing Schubert's Ave Maria. It's a really nice version that I had never heard. I didn't know that Sinatra had done Ave Maria, so this was a real treat for me.

Frank Sinatra -- Ave Maria

David

The Joys of Go

2008-08-14T21:54:00.000-04:00

Friends,

Thought I would take this venue to talk about a game that is dear to me, called Go. It has many names, such as Weiqi in China and Baduk in Korea, but it's still the same game.

Go is a game that I truly enjoy. It combines the timeless beauty of oriental culture with a skill level beyond that of Chess to create the perfect game. The basics of Go can be taught to a four year old, but professional players can spend their entire lives studying the game and will barely scratch the surface of the complexity.

If you are interested in learning Go, I would recommend going onto Wikipedia and learning about the game itself, and trying it out on Yahoo!Games. Me, I would love to get good enough at the game to one day teach others to play.

As time goes on, I will talk more about Go, and a few other games that I play avidly, such as Cribbage. We'll see what I can come up with!

David

The First Post of a New Era

2008-08-13T17:39:00.000-04:00

Hello all and Welcome to the my new Blog!

For those of you who have found this blog through My Little Corner of the Internet, or through my Masonic Page, welcome back. I haven't been posting very often to my Xanga, I will admit, and haven't for a long time. One of my irritations with Xanga was the fact that people couldn't comment on my posts unless they were direct members of Xanga, so I never really knew if anyone was actually reading my posts, or if I was wasting my keyboard time. Now, I've finally moved forwad and started using Blogger, anyone can comment on my posts. It's set up to where I can approve posts before they are added to my ccomments window. I think I'll really like this better. Besides, I think that most of my friends have abandoned the Xanga boat and moved on to bigger and better things.

As for my Masonic Page, yes I'm still maintaining it. I'm hoping that in the next few weeks, I'll be able to post some new articles and information. I can't believe that part of my page is going so well! I've only had a few thousand hits on the main page, but Ive had 25,000 hits from a large variety of countries from around the world! I look forward to bringing new content to the Brethren and the curious, and to keep answering those questions!

I've been busily looking into all of the capabilities that this blogging system has to offer, and I figure that I'll enjoy writing here more than I did on Xanga. Have a great day!

David