February Poker Winnings

As per the updated resolution that I made on my November 22nd post, I have withdrawn my goal of $400 from my poker bankroll this month. YTD=$1,200. My next withdrawal of $400 is due by March 31, 2006. Please continue to wish me luck and keep me accountable.

I Don't Get It

Lisa does not like to watch sports on television. She does not like going into bars or taverns. Yet, she loves going to sports bars. Go figure.

Busy Busy

I haven't been able to blog for awhile. Lisa's parents are here visiting. We are also in the middle of a couple of big do-it-yourself home improvement projects. Painting and putting in new flooring. I'll post about these experiences in a few days.

Bill Aspengren

Here is a link to the obituary that appeared in today's edition of the Honolulu Advertiser. He will be deeply missed.

Bill's Life Celebration
2PM, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006
Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church
5339 Kalanianaole Highway
Honolulu, HI 96821

Very casual attire (Bill's wishes)

In lieu of flowers, donations in Uncle Bill's name, may be made to the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation. Please direct donation specifically for GBM research.

Prayers For Uncle Bill, Rest In Peace

Uncle Bill passed away today at around noon in Honolulu today. Please pray for his soul. Please continue to pray for Auntie Mimi, Seiji, and Ryan.

Alex's First Reconciliation

Alex had his First Reconciliation tonight. It was a nice service. I'd estimate that there were about 70 kids receiving this sacrament for the first time. He won't tell me what sin he confessed. I will respect his wish and will also try to be a good example for him in the future when it comes to this sacrament. I need to show what a great gift this sacrament is for our well being.

Laura Ingraham in Iraq

My favorite talk radio host, Laura Ingraham is in Iraq this week. Listening to her show has been very inspiring. Especially when hearing some of the stories of the troops and the Iraqi people. We are getting a perspective on the situation there that is very different than what we normally hear from our regular news outlets. Yes, it is still very dangerous for her to be there, but there is so much improvement over the time when Iraq was under a dictatorial regime. Check out her daily journal and exclusive photos.

On a side note, it really sounds like Laura's spirits are high after her recent bout with cancer.

The Buzzard, The Bat and The Bumblebee

BUZZARD - If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

BAT - The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkably nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

BUMBLEBEE - A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way out where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

PEOPLE - In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up.

--author unknown

Boehner Vows to Uphold Right to Life

(from LifeSiteNews.com) – New Republican House Leader, John Boehner, declared his intention to uphold the right to life of the unborn before his election.

Boehner, who has been re-elected eight times in his Western Ohio district, defeated Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt and John Shadegg of Arizona Thursday in a secret-ballot election by Republican members of Congress. Blunt, who replaced Tom Delay temporarily as house leader since September, lost on second ballot, by a vote of 122 to 109.

Boehner, a Roman Catholic and graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, declared his intention to continue to fight for the rights of the unborn. He addressed a House Values Action Team by letter Tuesday, in which he affirmed that he believes life begins at conception, reiterating his commitment to protect life at all stages. “It is a commitment I have felt deeply throughout my life, and a commitment I will uphold unapologetically,” Boehner wrote, as reported by the Washington Times.

“I am humbled and honored by the confidence my Republican colleagues have expressed in me with today’s vote,” he wrote in a statement Thursday. “This afternoon, House Republicans are united behind our Speaker, eager to renew our commitment to the principles that prompted Americans to put us in the majority.”

Boehner also promised that as majority leader he would advance bills banning human cloning, to introduce an amendment to protect marriage, and to table fetal pain legislation.

Too Much Poker on TV?

We were learning a little about the first few Presidents of the United States today. I asked Alex, "Who was the eighth president?" He mistakenly answered, "Vince Van Patten," one of the commentators of the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel. The correct answer is Martin Van Buren. Perhaps we have been watching too much poker on television?