PSoTD

We're having construction done on our house, and that means we leave the garage door open since supplies and tools and whatnot are being moved in and out.

For whatever reason, the UPS person who delivers to our house sees that as an invitation to drop off boxes inside the garage and not ring the doorbell. It's happened three or four times now, and it's no big deal except that one of these days something's going to get dropped on or buried with other stuff and I'm either not going to get it in a timely manner or it's going to be broken.

It also makes me curious as to if this is some sort of trespass. If they enter a house without notice I'm assuming that's not quite proper. Is an attached garage any different? Seems like they could get in trouble with some folks by doing this.

Not that it matters to me if they leave it in the garage as long as they just ring the doorbell so I know the package is here. Of course, I probably will have to catch the UPS delivery person in order to get that to happen.

Ghosthood.

The National Catholic Register doesn't go for artsy-fartsy language when discussing politics. Oh, no.

Republicans were bludgeoned in the midterm elections Nov. 7 as Catholic voters abandoned them in the midst of a bloody Iraq occupation and scandals in Congress.

Those angry voters...

I don't care whether organizers call their parades Christmas or Holiday parades. Christmas or Holiday parties. Whatever... it depends on the point of the event. Is it to celebrate getting together for any holiday during December? Or is it a religious get-together to celebrate specifically Christ's birth? That's the difference in the two phrases.

So, when I see a pastor say something like this, I feel it is arrogance beyond (and before) the flock:

The Rev. Ed Nettles of Freewill Missionary Baptist Church saw removing the word "Christmas" as part of a dangerous trend. He thinks it's important to respect the way people celebrate religious holidays.

"We have to take a strong stand because these are our beliefs," Nettles said. "It's a blessing to see Americans reject 'Happy Holidays.' It should be a Merry Christmas."

Gyyyyaaaahhhh... Look - people say Happy Holidays because they're not sure what holiday a person celebrates. That is the ultimate in respecting religious holidays - not making an assumption that everyone celebrates the same holiday you do, but wishing them a pleasing celebration nonetheless. "Happy Holidays" is not only an appropriate thing to say, but the preferred thing to say when wishing relatively unknown others cheer and happiness during a religious season in which there are many different holidays being celebrated.

These people ought to quit attacking the saying "happy holidays". Would they rather have strangers just say "have a good day" all through December? Give it up already, and find something actually important to accomplish.

But this will open up career opportunities for ultimate frisbee stars.

Public Appearance training for the Archbishop of York.

The past month our kitchen has been out of commission due to remodeling. The next month will be more of the same. We now rely on crockpot, microwave or barbecue processes to cook most of our meals (we do have a small toaster oven but the size makes it kinda useless for family-size cooking).

Because the back patio is also torn up, the barbecue grill sits in the garage, and I wheel it out front on nights that I use it. This makes for a bit of entertainment for neighbors, especially since the evenings have turned cold. I had one fellow who was taking a walk ask me if I was really going to barbecue, like it was such an unlikelihood. (I've barbecued in the rain, snow and once in hail. A little cool air is no big thing.) Yep, I told him, this is my kitchen right now, we're remodeling. He then commiserated, saying how he'd been through a remodel as well and without a kitchen.

The thing is, though, I kinda like barbecuing in the dark, in the brisk autumn air, in the front yard. Actually, it's just an excuse to be out there. Once in a while you hear an owl call from some now leafless perch. The skies have been relatively clear, so the stars are bright and crisp, and occasionally a neighbor walks by. Few cars go by after the evening rush to get home - our street has always been somewhat quiet. There's something about being in a neighborhood full of people and yet in a space of quiet and relative solitude that can be richly appreciated, and barbecuing gives me some of those moments in my own front yard.

Of course, cooking by flashlight can be more art than science. So far, no masterpieces, but no experiments gone disastrously wrong, either.

Courtney Love.

From the New Life Church:

We, the Overseer Board of New Life Church, have concluded our deliberations concerning the moral failings of Pastor Ted Haggard. Our investigation and Pastor Haggard’s public statements have proven without a doubt that he has committed sexually immoral conduct.

The language of our church bylaws state that as Overseers we must decide in cases where the Senior Pastor has “demonstrated immoral conduct” whether we must “remove the pastor from his position or to discipline him in any way they deem necessary.”

In consultation with leading evangelicals and experts familiar with the type of behavior Pastor Haggard has demonstrated, we have decided that the most positive and productive direction for our church is his dismissal and removal. In addition, the Overseers will continue to explore the depth of Pastor Haggard’s offense so that a plan of healing and restoration can begin.

...

A letter of explanation and apology by Pastor Haggard as well as a word of encouragement from Gayle Haggard will be read in the 9:00 and 11:00 service of New Life Church.