Random stuff.

I’ve been told, more than once, that I am “random”. I admit it. So let’s embrace it! Here’s another round of random observations.

• We went to see Song Sung Blue last week with some friends. I thought the movie was about Neil Diamond but it is actually about a Neil Diamond tribute artist. It’s based on a true story, and it is a good movie. Worth a couple hours of your time. I left 100% blown away by Kate Hudson’s singing. Especially when she does Patsy Cline. Wow.

• Speaking of movies, you ever watch a flick where the hero grabs a dead branch and rips up his shirt and makes this awesome flaming torch? It lights up the cave and it burns for like 3 days with no fuel. C’mon man. Am I the only guy who wonders how he got the shirt to attach to the stick, and how he got it lit, and why it burns so long, and why doesn’t the stick burn too? If we’re ever stuck in a cave, don’t expect me to light a torch to save us.

• Today is January 8th. Elvis would have been 91 today. My Mom would have been 89.

• Mary has been in Jamaica for the past week on a J Term missions trip with her school, and a local church. 100 people went down. About 60 are students from Delmarva Christian. The rest are construction guys associated with Central Worship Center, and led by Pastor Tim Dukes who has been going down there for decades. This year, they were helping rebuild structures damaged by Hurricane Melissa. They’re not only fighting the elements and devastation, a virus of some kind has been passing through the kids. They come home tonight. Perfect example of being the hands and feet of Jesus and helping those who have less than us.

• Not having Mary here has been a little sample of what we can expect in our next phase of life: the empty nest. It’s been strangely quiet. I like it and I hate it. And I wonder how it got here so fast. Mary graduates this Spring.

• I see signs along our roads some times that say “Emergency Snow Route.” I have no idea what that means. Like, if we get a lot of snow am I supposed to go find one of those signs and start driving that way? And how do I know if it’s really an emergency? It probably has something to do with priority plowing or something but does anybody pay attention to those signs, and does anybody really now what time it is, and does anybody care?

• Half of you starting singing that song after you read the last sentence.

• The other half of you are asking Google, “What is an Emergency Snow Route?”

• Speaking of useless signs, how about this one that you see on business doors sometimes: “We’ll be right back.” Sorry, I don’t buy it. If you were coming right back, you shouldn’t have locked the door and put up a sign.

• How about when you get a text from somebody that you are waiting for. They’re already late and then they text you, “On my way.” Awesome. You’re on your way. Does that mean you just got in the car in another town, that you are just around the corner, or that you just got out of bed? Text me your ETA, not an “On my way.”

• “Coming Soon” is a good one too. I’ve seen “Coming Soon” signs on business doors for years, and there’s no sign of construction or activity. If I owned a sign business, I’d refuse to make signs that say “Coming Soon” or “We’ll be right back.” I’d use the extra time and paint to make a bunch of “Emergency Snow Route” signs and put them up periodically between here and Key West.

• I already know what I want for Christmas next year. I am going to ask for a 3D Printer. Then I am going to open a business and sell 3D Printers that I make with mine in the back room. Maybe I could also print torches. Even random people come up with a good idea now and then.

• Finally, this news item: Scientists recently combined the DNA of a cheetah with the DNA of a blue crab. Things went sideways real fast.