In Your Opinion...

Which is better, one large cup of coffee or two smaller ones?

The Saga Begins - Weird Al

Hello Moto!

I consider choosing a cell phone to be something like marriage. It must, by sheer necessity, be a loose analogy, for something as simple as a cell phone being compared to something as complex as the lives of two people becoming one, can hardly be expected. I will endeavor to explain the logic of this analogy however, at least inasmuch as it pertains to me.

Being rather old-fashioned, I do prefer to find the right product and to keep that product until old age or accident do us part. Such was the case with my old cell phone, for while that ole' A460 still runs, it is functionally dead (in electronic nomenclature). Since "death" did us part, I am on the hunt for a new "partner."

This hunt lead me to the Sprint web site, where I dutifully compared the pros and cons of their current phone offerings. One of my main requirements was to find a partner with great communication skills, with me and with my friends and relatives. Poor communication results in misunderstandings and a plethora of bad feelings and ill will towards those involved. So, needless to say, this partner had to communicate well.

Second on my agenda was to find someone that I could relate to and understand (easy navigation system), interact with on the same "level" (plethora of options and customization), and in general feel at home with (well designed operating system).

I was, thirdly, looking for a partner that would compliment my needs and support my interests. While communication was the main attraction, and the need for one I could relate to was important, a good appreciation and talent for music (ie MP3) would have been a nice touch. A good eye for photos and videos (jpg's and mpeg's) was also definitely attractive.

Finally, though I dislike to dwell much on this aspect at the risk of appearing shallow (ie Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black in Shallow Hal), I do believe that there should be something of a physical attraction to a life-long partner. I appreciate a thin and svelte profile, well-built...without being heavy, and a certain something to my partner's air and stance.

Well, after going through all the appropriate steps and stages, I am now dating someone, a cute, attractive little gal named the Moto Q. She's all go from her IR port to her battery pack. She communicates like a dream, even with family, she is intelligent, fun and "sporty." She appreciates music, likes photos and enjoys movies. Miss Q is internet savvy and enjoys the same kinds of things that I do. Though I take the risk of exposing my shallow side, she is very attractive and well built. She has a slim figure, and a beautiful "face." She looks stunning in grey.

So, to sum it all up...I suppose I can safely say that Miss Q is definitely Miss Right, and that we are looking forward to many happy days ahead. Any wedding presents you want to send, mini-SD cards, a leather case, or Windows Mobile 5.0 software is always greatly appreciated. Thank you all for coming and we'll see you after the honeymoon...

(YES, I have WAY too much time on my hands!)

Hello (and Goodbye) to a New Aquaintance!

Since Sprint offers me a $150 upgrade credit, my first stop in cell phone shopping was our local Sprint store. After explaining that I was just looking for a simple phone with not a lot of extras, the friendly sales rep pointed me to the Samsung SPH-M300. It was a simple little phone with a nice design and somewhat more svelte than my A460. A few minutes later I was walking out the door with an M300 in my hand.

Well, to make a long story short(er), I took the M300 back yesterday. I had used it over the weekend, including down near the AFB, as I had Reserve duty this last weekend. The phone itself was quite nice. It was solidly built and quite intuitive to operate. Samsung has a great menu and navigation system, and even with the changes and updates over the years, I was still able to get where I needed to go without cracking the manual.

Unfortunately, the voice quality was not up to par. On my end, everything was crystal clear. I could hear anyone I called quite well, though with much ambient noise in the background I had to ask the person on the other end to repeat what they had said. No, it was on the other end that the problem arose. In several different locations, there would be a static sound behind my voice, similar to being out in the wind. This was confirmed by folks in Alaska, Washington, my manager at STAPLES, and even the local Sprint store.

I will make a disclaimer and mention that this is a brand new model...and I mean brand new. It was actually released to the public last week. So, I'll chalk this up to a "new product bug" and continue with my high opinion of Samsung products.

Goodbye To An Old Friend

Would you believe it? Until this last week, I have had my original cell phone! It was purchased in 2002 down at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, TX. That phone, a Samsung SPH-A460, has been with me through thick and thin. It's been all up and down the east coast, into Canada, and across the continental US. It's even made the trip up to Alaska a time or two. Due to its age and its decreasing battery life, I decided that it was time to upgrade. So, here's to a good old friend who has kept me in touch with friends and relatives for almost half a decade! C'est la vie!

And...

I see that I left you all speechless! Now you are probably wondering what could have possibly taken my interest away from aviation. Maybe you are even thinking that I had met someone of the female variety and we are starting to date. Well, if you are thinking that, you are...incorrect! LOL No, nothing along those lines at all. I still don't have clear direction concerning the future, but I do believe that being "freed up" from my passion for aviation will allow me to focus more intently on Bible study, etc. I hope to be able to get back up to Ketchikan some time in July...so we'll see how the Lord directs those plans. Pastor has asked me to do a bit of a mini-series on Ruth for Sunday school, so I've been working on getting some messages together. That's about all for now. Talk to y'all later.

Life and Change

I have been contemplating the significance of this year for some time...I suppose since last December. This is the year I turn 30, and I was wondering if this might be the year that the Lord would do something different in my life, be it vocation, position, ministry, et all. I felt it was fairly significant that Joseph, David and the Lord Himself all began their ministries at the age of 30. (Not that there is anything mystical about it, just that my attention was more focused on it).

Off and on over the last few months, I've been thinking and praying about this, and several key topics have come up either in sermons, conversation or private Bible study. One of these is that, whenever it happens, the Lord's return is imminent. I don't believe that it will be long before the trumpet sounds and those who are saved will go to meet the Lord in the air. In the past, especially in my early teens, this did not really excite me. I wanted to be able to do things, see things, etc. Now, however, this blessed hope grows sweeter each day, especially as the Lord continues to reveal more of Himself to me, and more of myself to me.

Not only am I struck by the impending trumpet call, but also the mission-mindedness that the early church had. I say mission rather than missions, for, while missions was a big part, the fact that they were on a mission from God, while here on earth, seems to have permeated the early church. Paul speaks of doing all for the glory of God. He speaks of this while writing to the early church.

When our Lord was here on the earth, He mentioned several times that in the last days, the love of many will grow cold. He implies that there will be a carelessness and apathetic attitude towards serving the Lord. That scares me, for I seem to see it reflected in some of what is called Christianity today. It has increasingly been a burden for me, that we as followers of Christ be extremely zealous for Him in the days before His return. My desire is that true Christians will not become ensnared in the psychology and logic of today's society, but would rather be steeped in the pages of the Bible, learning more of the One who paid such a price for us, and what He desires.

One of the major changes that has taken place in me this past week or two is one that few of you who know me will really believe...at least at first. For the last 25+ years, at least as far back as I can remember, I have had a passion for aviation. All things with wings have been my interest, especially since graduating high school. I even chose a career in the military that dealt exclusively with aircraft. This last week or two, my passion for aviation, airplanes, and even the Grumman amphibians has been turned off, almost as if a switch was flipped. This has never happened to me before. There have been times I have been less fired-up about airplanes than at others, but neverthless, it has been a burning passion for years. That passion is gone. Period. I still like airplanes, don't get me wrong. I still look up if one is flying overhead, but the passion is no more.

Where does that leave me? Well, I am not sure yet. I believe that the Lord is starting to do something in me, perhaps in the area of ministry, whether it be in a full-time capacity or as a layman. Many questions lie unanswered as of yet. I don't know what the future holds. But I do know this...that I am being molded and shaped for something, and I trust, as I submit to our Lord and Savior, that He will make it clear in His way and His time.

Metamaterials and a Negative Refractive Index

While an invisibility cloak may be a few years off, scientists are making progress. Ames Laboratory has been working on materials that have a negative refractive index. These are called metamaterials which are synthetically created. Most natural materials have a positive refractive index (at least as I understand it). These bend light in an opposite direction. Sounds like the stuff of science fiction.

Madagascar - My Favorite Clip

Is It Really Chicken?

Have you ever wondered what that mystery meat REALLY is? Take a listen to this light-hearted parody of Harry Chapin's Cat in the Cradle.

• Click here to listen
• Or here

Vee Dub Ads

New Profile Pic

Well, I decided it was time to change (update) the pic I use in my Bent Ear profile. This was taken down in Key West, after we had gotten back from our ride in the Waco. Since this is a vintage aircraft, I thought a pseudo sepia tone would look nice for the pic. Almost looks like I own the plane! Well, maybe someday. ;)

News Flash

As I was standing in line at the grocery store last night, I saw the best headline I've seen for some time. It was in the Weekly World News on the front cover. "Redneck Vampire Attacks Trailer Park." The best part was that the vampire had a long beard and a sweet John Deere ball cap. I got a good chuckle out of that one!

New Post at Six Measures

I just added another post on Six Measures.