tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51468272009-07-09T19:57:00.712-05:00Ramblings of a Boomer Pilgrim in a Post-Modern World.pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.comBlogger3015125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-62224584556693771122009-07-09T19:57:00.001-05:002009-07-09T19:57:00.783-05:00

Last Saturday night was of course the night of the 4th of July.And as usual for such events I took along my trusty camera.I took lots of pictures and was pleasantly surprised by the wide range and styles that show up. Like the one above that made me think of Christmas with a Moravian star in the lower left corner.Or the ones below that make a mixture of lines and stars that make it look like a

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-50948332272587068582009-07-09T06:25:00.002-05:002009-07-09T06:25:00.750-05:00

Cory reported the end of one of the first true cyber-communities- CompuServe. (To be honest I didn't even know it was still around.)It started in 1979, 30 years ago as the forerunner to AOL and, in essence the World Wide Web. I first went on CompuServe in October of 1984. I bought my first "real" computer, a Tandy (Radio Shack) which was a surprisingly good computer. I bought a modem and the

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-81570486652138390312009-07-08T19:44:00.005-05:002009-07-08T19:44:00.857-05:00

Sunday was another great day for a bicycling ride. So I headed east across The River into Wisconsin to do 31 miles (roundtrip) on the Great River Trail.It was a day for the normal, but special birds seemed to be around. Familiar birds, of course...But others as well including this "baby" Sandhill CraneAnd Ma & Pa Crane trying to find him.And if you knew where to look, maybe even a turtle sunning

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-5270199598864153212009-07-07T19:30:00.001-05:002009-07-07T19:31:41.264-05:00

Seen today on a bumper sticker:Those who abandon their dreams will discourage yours.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-59468731925089071652009-07-07T15:09:00.002-05:002009-07-07T15:09:00.141-05:00

As I worked out this afternoon riding a bike at the local health center over lunch I was honored with all the TV networks paying homage to Michael Jackson. From NBC to Fox News there sat these icons of newsiness waiting for the memorial service to start, showing family pictures, re-running the live video feed, etc. etc. etc.I repeat, this is not headline level news. Sorry folks. It does not

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-76269923359650334832009-07-06T20:36:00.001-05:002009-07-06T20:36:00.173-05:00

This Celtic Daily Prayer felt just right for the day after a holiday. We take holidays to unclutter and simplify. Then we go back to making things difficult.Lord, help me now to unclutter my life,to organize myself in the direction of simplicity.Lord, teach me to listen to my heart;teach me to welcome change, instead of fearing it.Lord, I give You these stirrings inside me,I give you my

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-22460467408843941322009-07-06T09:00:00.001-05:002009-07-06T09:00:21.332-05:00

Not being a bike trail designer, I have often wondered how they do the impossible:Make a flat trail go uphill in both directions and thenAdd a head wind for the last 4 miles.Amazing.Yesterday: 31 miles on the Great River Trail along the Mississippi in Wisconsin. Pictures later in the week.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-20454796749467109462009-07-05T20:24:00.003-05:002009-07-05T20:54:50.534-05:00

And they took offense at him. (Mark 6:3)Of course they did. He was Jesus ben Joseph, the carpenter's son. How could they not. They knew him too well.That's the standard way of looking at the passage- and probably right on target. But there is something really odd about what happens as a result of their taking offense at Jesus.Jesus did hardly any healings among them. I won't go so far as to say

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-29212429353796364132009-07-04T04:14:00.001-05:002009-07-04T04:14:01.738-05:00

pmPilgrim photo, 1983, Washington Monument.When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-1363636384448237032009-07-04T04:13:00.000-05:002009-07-04T04:13:00.756-05:00

They are re-opening the crown of the Statue of Liberty today, July 4.The picture on the right was taken when a group of us went to the top back in 1993. We took the picture to prove that we made the hike- successfully.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-74838358590548162552009-07-03T19:19:00.000-05:002009-07-03T19:19:00.607-05:00

I guess there's been one of those periodic attempts to think about changing the National Anthem from The Star-Spangled Banner for any one of a number of reasons. Then last Sunday was a good op-ed piece in the Star-Tribune by Trudi Hahn Pickett. She writes:What I'd really like to do is sing "The Star-Spangled Banner," preferably 1) in public, 2) with no microphones and 3) with a large group of

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-88845513882938836952009-07-03T08:07:00.000-05:002009-07-03T08:07:00.890-05:00

Al Franken at Olmsted Co. DFL Convention, 3/29/08. pmPilgrim pictureAt long last Minnesota has two senators.Al Franken (right) was finally certified this past week.We wish him well and hope he can show the quality that we need in a senator taking back Paul Wellstone's seat.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-74267792735787749562009-07-02T19:46:00.003-05:002009-07-02T19:46:00.985-05:00

Again I was listening to Speaking of Faith and again I was struck by an insight. The guest this week was Xavier Le Pichon who is one of the world's leading geophysicists, and his pioneering research on plate tectonics revolutionized our understanding of how the earth works. He has also spent decades living in community with people and families facing disability and has emerged with a rare

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-79999278942889761562009-07-01T19:32:00.000-05:002009-07-01T19:32:00.755-05:00

Thanks to Mark at Boing Boing for this fun video from the BBC on Mexican Jumping Beans. (I remember having some as a kid. Fun.)

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-24914939497699528152009-07-01T08:41:00.002-05:002009-07-01T08:41:01.783-05:00

(Here's # 3001- pictures and all to start the month of July. Six months of 2009 gone already. Hard to believe!)Last Friday was the big parade for Rochesterfest here in town. Our community band played in the parade. No, we didn't march, we sat on a flatbed truck and rode the route playing our three numbers over and over.We can play more often and longer when we don't march- and a number of us have

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-33651653976250152542009-06-30T06:33:00.000-05:002009-06-30T06:33:02.054-05:00

Post # 3,000It started March 9, 2003. I can't believe it's still going- and still fun.What has become interesting to me is how this blog has become a non-paying second job that I enjoy. I spend an hour or so on most days updating and writing. I spend extra time on the weekends putting the next week together. I read other blogs and note things I want to share. Some of the posts are simple

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-31189694520776684022009-06-29T20:43:00.004-05:002009-06-29T20:43:01.245-05:00

What a change in overall perception.A penny saved is a penny earned.Save for a rainy day.Always have six months of salary saved.Then comes a headline on Friday that the household savings rate in May was really good. In fact it was the best in 15 years. That means money is out there. It means that the recession is coming to and end?Not so fast. All that news that people are taking care of their

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-34009989211813771432009-06-29T06:43:00.002-05:002009-06-29T06:43:00.608-05:00

Headline on the AP last week said more than just news:SF lawmakers pass Haight smoke shop banYes, lawmakers unanimously passed a law that sets a three-year moratorium on any new head pot-smoking paraphernalia shops in the Haight.I'm actually surprised it has taken this long.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-56906596813426931432009-06-28T20:42:00.002-05:002009-06-28T20:42:00.161-05:00

I wonder what drives people into the streets in great mourning for someone like a Michael Jackson? Something, sometime touched them about the person. I wonder if for that moment we are more sensitive to the uncertainties of life. If someone of the money and skill and stature of the rich and famous still didn't get out alive, what is our hope?As I was reviewing some quotes I had saved from Inward/

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-29160658926014917252009-06-28T07:43:00.005-05:002009-06-28T07:43:00.968-05:00

June 28 - The Stonewall riots in New York City mark the start of the modern gay rights movement in the U.S.--WikipediaA gay friend of mine moved to New York a week or so after the Stonewall riots. The changes he described to me in attitudes among gay men following Stonewall were amazing. All of a sudden they were willing not to just cower and take it. They fought back. gay rights became an issue.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-77513448510028263652009-06-27T20:45:00.007-05:002009-06-27T20:45:00.881-05:00

The Infrastructurist - America Under Construction lamented 11 Beautiful Train Stations That Fell To The Wrecking Ball (And The Crappy Stuff Built In Their Place). #1 is truly a disaster from 1963 when Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan was torn down for Madison Square Garden.The train station is still the busiest in the world, but you might as well be in a subway station.#11- Detroit's Michigan

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-55295715447793344392009-06-27T06:45:00.002-05:002009-06-27T06:45:02.507-05:00

The Promises of AA say:We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.I recently heard a different way of saying that:Look back - but don't stare.

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-45926188887751858102009-06-26T20:44:00.005-05:002009-06-26T20:44:02.044-05:00

Another politician has been caught with ... well, you know ... the ongoing problem of sex being more powerful than the desire to succeed. Gov. Sanford (R-SC) goes AWOL and meets up with a woman in Argentina. Didn't he know someone would find out? It's not as if he hasn't seen it happen before.Gary Hart (D); Bill Clinton (D); Elliot Spitzer (D); Larry Craig (R); Mark Foley (R); John Edwards (D);

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-6305968549686542152009-06-26T06:44:00.005-05:002009-06-26T06:44:01.096-05:00

Bye bye to Kodachrome, Kodak's iconic brand. They announced on Monday that due to digital, the sales are next to nothing. We bid farewell to the sharpness that was never beaten by a competitor (or even any of Kodak's other brands.) We bid farewell to the colors that had saturation and life. Nothing will ever truly beat the slide film for a eye-catching, breath-taking color.Kodachrome. The best

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5146827.post-56674537147191992052009-06-25T20:41:00.003-05:002009-06-25T20:41:01.185-05:00

Speaking of Faith has done it again. Last week's show was another deep and spiritually enriching one. Joe Carter and the Legacy of the African-American Spiritual gave a good look at the history and meaning of those powerfully moving songs forged in the days of slavery and oppression. The website says:It is the source from which gospel, jazz, blues, and hip-hop evolved. It was born in the American

pmPilgrimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426657674375376465noreply@blogger.com0